Life in the fast lane with No Brakes!

My dream job- Professional Food Critic... my favorite eating spots in Oahu (North shore)

2010-08-20T16:13:00.000-07:00

So I've traveled quite a bit in the last month.. ( From NC to Hawaii to PEI in less than a 14 day period! ) So those of you who know me know that I absolutely love food with a passion...I love trying out new recipes, new restaurants, etc... So I am going to tell you the cool new places I found traveling the US and Canada the last little while... Today will be HAWAII!!!!

My Aunt and Uncle who lived in Laie, Hawaii highly recommended Ted's Bakery. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner but are most famous for their Chocolate Haupia Pie- (chocolate coconut pie) and it was all it was cracked up to be! It MELTED in my mouth! If you like chocolate and coconut, then this is for you! They had several other kinds of pie as well. It is actually cheaper to buy a whole pie than individual slices, so we bought a whole pie and really devoured it... but even better than the pie was the chocolate mousse! Tell me what you think when you try them both the next time you are there!
http://www.tedsbakery.com/

Another great find was an awesome Korean restaurant on Kamehameha highway and I can't find the URL anywhere... it was one of those hole in the wall places next to a liquor store- I was hesitant at first, but let me tell you- it was AMAZING!!! The Mandu (potstickers) were the best I have ever tasted. I had BBQ chicken- amazing! Craig and Hailey had Bi Bim bap (Bim Bap is Korean for Hot Stone Bowl with Mixed Rice)and Kimchee. Big portions for a great price! YUM!

There was another restaurant I won't mention, (unless you are going to Hawaii and want to avoid this restaurant for this reason:) A COCKROACH CRAWLED OUT OF CRAIG'S MENU WHEN HE OPENED IT!!!!! I WAS OUT OF THERE, BUT BECAUSE WE WERE THE ONLY PATRONS AT THE TIME, IT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS AND CRAIG MADE ME STAY TO BE KIND!!!! GROSS!!! I ATE ONE BITE OUT OF COURTESY!!! HURL! I will try and give them the benefit of the doubt as HI is a bug infested place as any tropical place would be, so, I shouldn't be so harsh! :)

We tried to find Shane's Hawaiian shaved ice, but we got distracted by a Thai restaurant that caught our eye in Haleiwa called "Haleiwa Eats Thai". It had a very cool ambience- cool music and the coolest metro chandeliers! I had the chicken satay and honestly I think I have probably had chicken satay at over 30 Thai Resaurants and this tops them all! The chicken was not rubbery at all (it was not pre cooked, restaurant supply bulk chicken-it was fresh and the flavor was delicious.) My favorite dish was the ginger salad! My taste buds have never had such an experience! :) Highly, highly recommend!
http://haleiwaeatsthai.com/

Another amazing find is Hukilau cafe highly recommended by a friend of ours! They are famous the Hukilau burger... It is like an Hamburger, but it has teriyaki steak, fried egg and onion... it was great! Very filling- I couldn't finish it! This is all I could find on the web... http://www.yelp.com/biz/hukilau-cafe-laie A MUST if you go to Laie!!!

We tried to come back for macadamia nut pancakes at the Hukilau another day, but unfortunately, they were closed! I hear those are fantastic, but we found another great place called Papa Ole's also on Kamehameha Hwy that served the most amazing Hawaiian sweet bread French Toast and the biggest Banana pancakes ever!!! They also serve a savory pulled pork with gravy and brown rice that really hit the spot!
Another must have is a small little cafe called Kava Roots that serves Acai bowls (basically acai smoothie with homemade granola and fruit on top... HUGE portion if you get the monster size!!! Locals love it, especially the surfers... http://www.thesurfingblog.com/kava-roots-the-best-acai-bowls-north-shore-oahu

Of course, nothing is better than the fresh pineapple...I could eat that all day long.. one thing I wish I would have tried was the local shrimp... there are locals selling them everywhere... Next time!!!
Anyways, now that my mouth is watering and I so wish I was back in Hawaii, I'd better go and get back to reality!!! Sigh! I will post about my travels driving up the East Coast and Back to PEI and a few yummy finds and great spots in PEI next time!
Aloha!

The Ideal Homemaker

2010-07-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Here is my first blog about The Art of Homemaking book that I mentioned I would have fun writing about...I will quote much of the original author, Dayle V. Hoole, and add my own commentary and others commentary and quotes. The book was written in 1962 - so almost 50 years ago... We all know how society has changed in the past 50 years, but I really appreciate some timeless principles that she shares..

"The Ideal Homemaker"
Grandmother, on a winter's day, milked the cows and fed them hay, slopped the hogs, saddled the mule, then got the children off to school, did a washing, mopped the floors, washed the windows, and did some chores; cooked a dish of home-dried fruit, pressed her husband's Sunday suit. Swept the parlor, made the bed, baked a dozen loaves of bread, split some fire-wood, and then lugged in enough to fill the kitchen bin; cleaned the lamps and put in oil, stewed some apples she though would spoil; churned the butter, baked a cake, then exclaimed, "For heaven's sake, the calves have got out of the pen!"--went out and chased them in again. Gathered the eggs and locked the stable, back to the house and set the table, cooked a supper that was delicious, and afterward washed up all the dishes, fed the cat and sprinkled the clothes, mended a basketful of hose; then opened the organ and began to play, "When You Come to the End of a Perfect Day." - Author unknown

That wears me out just reading that! Of course, our days are similar in the sense that we are busy from the crack of dawn til the end of the day with family activities, but I am so grateful for modern-day conveniences...(grocery stores!)

Daryl says" It is sad to hear a woman lament, "I'm just a housewife." If only she could realize that she is a homemaker by Divine Appointment. Making a home is a special mission for a woman. It is no accident. That is where God intended her to be. Some women have felt the career as a homemaker an insult to their intelligence and abilities. Actually, running a home, challenges any other role in requiring intelligence, ingenuity, and abilities unnumbered. It can offer the most noble accomplishment and can bring the greatest joy and satisfaction of any type of work. We women must be proud to be homemakers."
She then quotes Sir Christopher Wren, the famous English architect and designer of St. Paul's Cathedral who visited the spot where the cathedral was being constructed. He approached a workman and asked him what he was doing. "I'm cutting stone", the man replied.
He inquired of a second construction worker. This man replied, "I'm building a building for Christopher Wren."
Then the architect asked a third worker, He answered, "I'm building a cathedral to God"

Somedays it is hard to have an overall/eternal perspective when we are in the thick of mundane activities, but what a blessing and what meaning and peace we can have if we can visualize our overall purpose as mothers and homemakers everyday.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, " You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be, How well have my children done?
If the answer is that they have done very well, then your happiness will be complete. If they have done less than well, then no other satisfaction can compensate for your loss.
God bless you, dear friends. Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value. Let your first interest be in your home. The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of rushing days. I hope that you will have every reason to be proud concerning your children, to have love for them, to have faith in them, to see them grow in righteousness and virtue before the Lord, to see them become useful and productive members of society. If with all you have done there is an occasional failure, you can still say, "At least I did the very best of which I was capable. I tried as hard as I knew how. I let nothing stand in the way of my role as a mother."

So my friends who are reading this blog- I hope some of these words that inspired me, inspire you to know how important our work and roles as Mothers and Homemakers truly are!

Happy Mothering!!! (and stay tuned for the 20 facets of ideal homemaking according to Daryl V. Hoole!)

The ART of Homemaking...

2010-06-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

So when we think of Homemaking, who has ever thought that it could be an ART? I've heard of the Art of Cooking or being ARTISTiC, but the ART of Homemaking? I was fascinated by the title of a book that I found at a book swap that was written in the 1960's. It's orange torn book cover grabbed my attention and was determined to compare the art of homemaking of 1960 to the art of homemaking in 2010. I am amazed at the timeless principles that are there.... Some of the things said I really laughed out loud just because it dates the book, but overall it was awesome! This will be the first of a few blogs where I am going to try and have some fun with this! Motherhood and homemaking is my full-time job! With 8 kids, somedays my head is spinning, but on the days where I truly try to make an ART of my role as a home-maker, there is no other job in the world that could give better satisfaction and bring me more content and peace in a world that is so fast-paced and shallow. One of my favorite quotes is "NO SUCCESS CAN COMPENSATE FOR FAILURE IN THE HOME".
So join me in my adventure in the ART of Homemaking... more to follow...

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, ....

2010-05-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

So you would think after 12 years of kids in school (HS, Middle, Elem and Pre) all at once, I would have some sort of routine so that mornings are not complete chaos... NOPE!!! What is it going to take to have a sane morning without rushing out the door, lunches left behind, tears and stress? Wish I had someone telling me when I had little ones how to have a great morning with you kids so they don't have to have counseling as adults recalling their stressed out mom in the mornings!!! So, dear Miriam, who may be the only one who really reads this! This is for you my friend!!! I am going to try this myself, so I will let you know if it really works BEFORE you have a school aged- child!!! :)
MAKE LUNCHES THE NIGHT BEFORE!!! At one point, 6 lunches had to be made every morning... why I waited until 2 minutes before they were out the door still baffles me !!! I definitely need to give up my blogging time for lunch making, but seriously? who wants to stay up making lunches after you have been in the kitchen for breakfast prep, snack, lunch, snack, snack, dinner, dessert, snack time??? KITCHEN CLOSED ALREADY!!! But seriously, that is one major accomplishment and one major less thing to do morning of...
GET YOUR KIDS HOMEWORK/BACKPACKS TOGETHER... I can't tell you how many times we can't find backpacks, homework assignments all because we didn't just organize it the night before...
SET OUT CLOTHES PARTICULARLY SOCKS!!! Oh boy, this one has to be my BIGGEST pet peeve..... "Mom! I can't find any socks!!!" We just won't go there...
SET A REGULAR PERSONAL AND FAMILY SCRIPTURE STUDY TIME One of the best memories I have is reading alongside my girls when they were just little before school on the couch and then as a family... it is so hard to pull off, but if you can get them into the habit young, they will stick with it later.. "Train up a child the way they should go, and when they are old, they shall not depart from it" Proverbs 3:7
Of course FAMILY PRAYER before they are out the door... The kids are so used to this that they have come home from school on days that we missed out and will say "We forgot to say a prayer today..." Prayer is so powerful and so needed!!!

TEACH RESPONSIBILITY- so this is something that I can say I am probably just learning to do with my 5th child... mostly because I simply don't have the bandwidth anymore... If my older kids left things behind, I would always save the day and bring it to school. This week I had a few experiences with my 2nd grader who has struggled with getting out the door on time in the morning... She left some things behind and honestly, it was hard for me to tell her that I wouldn't be bringing her lunch or her homework and would have to eat a school lunch and tell her teacher she didn't have her homework. She left the car in tears and for a moment I felt like an AWFUL mother, but since then, she has been extremely organized and efficient. Unfortunately, I have a daughter leaving for college and I hope the reality of mom not being there to bail her out won't hinder her!!! I waited wayyyyy to long!!! (Not that she isn't practically perfect in every way, but you know what I mean...) It is so important to start young and not do everything for your kids...

Anyways, gotta go make lunches at 10:30 p.m. Hope this helps someone... I am sure there are so many organized women out there who could share their routines/stories... send them my way!!! I still have years and years of school left... maybe by the time my 2 year old is graduating from HS I will finally figure it out!!!

Favorite School Lunch options:
PB&j, PB&J, PB&j, oh did i mention PB&J? Homemade bread and jam of course! :)
Pesto turkey sandwiches (Wheat hoagie buns, yummy deli turkey (surprisingly, my favorite brand of turkey for kids lunches is Archer Farms honey turkey from Target deli) pesto sauce from Whole Foods or homemade
fresh fruit- strawberries, oranges, grapes
carrots/bell peppers
monster trail mix
box of raisins
granola bars
leftover homemade air-popped popcorn from movie night the night before!

The Adventures of Motherhood continues..

2010-04-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember the movie Adventures in Babysitting? It will date me, but it was one of my favorite movies as a kid! I loved the crazy adventures of this movie! I think if someone made a movie of the crazy adventures of motherhood, it would be quite a show! If camera's were rolling on me yesterday trying to do an exercise video all while coping with the melt-downs of my 2 and 4 year old and the need to change one smelly diaper which completely depleted my oxygen levels from the smell alone, I think those watching would have gotten one good laugh! Has anyone tried to do sit ups with a toddler sitting on you? I am reading a book for the second time by Marie Osmond that is titled You Might As Well Laugh About It Now!" There are some great stories in that book about her ups and downs in her life and how we can always somehow look back on hard times and laugh about them eventually. My kids tell me I always need to laugh a lot more than I do and not take things so seriously! It is hard to do, let me tell you, but I think that is something I will try harder to do especially these days as I single parent 8 kids and there is inevitably someone or something that isn't going to be "just right!" So, as I sat there deciding whether to turn the video off yesterday, a little voice inside of me told me to keep going!!! Don't give up on that exercising for it would benefit my family in the long run!!! A Happy Mama makes a Happy Home! Anyways kudos to you Mom's out there! It is the most challenging job we will ever have, but no other fulfillment can come in life the way it comes when you become a Mother! Happy exercising and enjoy your Adventures in Motherhood!

Oh! It's been a while since I've posted a recipe! I am so into healthy cheating in the kitchen lately, so try this recipe! It's so quick, easy and so delicious!

Kristi's Shrimp Taco's
Costco Pre-cooked Marinated Cilantro Lime Shrimp (Sold fresh in the deli section)
Corn tortillas
Mexican cheese
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Sliced avocado or guacamole
Homemade Salsa

Either place shrimp on corn tortillas with cheese on top and bake in oven at 350 until cheese melts and top with your favorite taco trimmings, or for a better cheat, pop them in the microwave! Don't forget the homemade salsa! Yum!

Kristi's Homemade Salsa
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion
1 yellow chile pepper or jalepeno
1 bunch cilantro
Lemon juice
garlic salt
Blend tomatoes, onion, pepper and cilantro in blender. Pour into bowl and add juice from 1 squeezed lemon and about 1 tsp garlic salt! So easy and so yummy you could drink it!

Kristi's Mango/Pineapple Salsa
2 Chopped Mango
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
3 diced tomatoes
1/4 cup cilantro
chopped red onion to your liking
a little OJ
a squeeze of lime juice

Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman...

2010-03-16T22:42:00.000-07:00

So I took this title from a funny book I've read, but I totally can relate to it! So how does one find balance in life you ask? Hmmm... I think most of life for me is going to be off -balance... it's just the unbalanced nature and ratio of 1 to 9...

Some days flow a little better than others, but there is most always SOMEONE who has drama, or issues in the day! (Besides, me!)
Today it seemed everyone had drama at the same time! Might be the fact that we all stayed up way too late last night having an awesome time at some friends house for Family Night, or it may be Daylight Savings that is throwing everyone off, or maybe the fact that our family is in transition right now... whatever it was, I hope it's better tomorrow!!! I somehow stayed sane through it all and found great peace in the scriptures today. That is the only hope for me and what I attribute my happiness to... finding peace and joy in the Savior. I am trying to apply how to use the enabling and strengthening power of the Atonement this week... We can do really hard things with the help of our Savior. He'll definitely make up the difference in our unbalanced lives!

Ok, well, let's see what I might feel a little balanced in... I think I have mastered cooking for a family of 10... and I must admit, I do value family dinnertime and the importance of it, so it is pretty darn high on my priority list... Most of you know I value food, (especially eating! )so, I do put a lot of time into preparing healthy, delicious meals for my kids! I prepare my meals pretty much from scratch and almost always with a salad of some sort... Before you get the crazy idea that we are healthy nut freaks, just know we also love to bake, so there is almost always something yummy ! Moderation in all things, right? :) (I did go way off balance by going off chocolate for 2 years!!! Wow! For me that was something else, but that is another story in and of itself...) Lately, we've totally been into fresh strawberries and Nutella spread... Yum!

Laundry- pretty on top of it these days... At least 2 loads a day to keep up for now. while the oldest girls do their own, so it's 1 to 7 ratio there...

Exercising... way off , but just starting up again... I remember watching this Oprah show with a mother of 9 who was in the best shape ever! They did a clip on her and she just worked out in her basement everyday. Nothing fancy, but she was determined and dedicated, and boy did it pay off! She looked and felt fabulous! I found a better and bigger desire to eat my favorite donuts yesterday... hmm... I definitely need to find more balance in this area!!!

Momager for Gardiner Sisters.... I am pretty heavy on this side right now as I am looking for the next opportunity, creating opportunities for the girls... pretty hard to do while trying to run such a large family, but been very blessed and helped. It is just something that is in our blood... music is a passion that runs far and deep in our family. My family keeps encouraging me to put my own original music up on myspace. Maybe that is something I will do soon... I love writing instrumental music... someone once told me my songs reminded them of Jim Brickman! Wow! What a compliment! Movie Soundtracks would be so fun to do!!!

There are several more "Hats" that we wear as women, either in the workplace or as we also reach out and serve in our communities and religious capacities. Not to mention extended family relations we have. Everyday will be different as we try and create some balance around us... The only true peace that I get at the end of what might feel like an "off-balanced day" is when I reflect on it and know that I did the very best that I could possibly do that day. That is all God expects of us, and really, that is all that counts!

Random thoughts...

2010-02-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've written down anything... not even in my journal. I guess I just keep thinking blocks of time will come more easily...later?... hmmm..

So, just to blurb out what's on my mind: (For dramatic effect CLICK ON THE SONG
"SLOW ME DOWN" on my playlist below...)
Does life ever slow down? I seriously have had time management issues over the last 10 days... maybe it's because my helpers are in another country preparing for a really cool event, maybe it's because I've never caught up on my sleep since I managed to fly across the country, end up in the Airport parking lot at 1:30 a.m. to find myself with the wrong van key, stranded in this lifeless, dark, cold, freaky, car lot far away from the airport itself, almost suffering from an anxiety heart/attack until I could manage to find a ride home at 2:30 a.m.!!! Maybe it's because I came home to completely sick babies with strep throat and sinus infections,not letting me sleep longer than 3 hours the FIRST night I got home. Maybe it's because I crazily volunteered to do a wedding reception for friends during a complete winter snowstorm with all my helpers across the country 3 days after I arrived back home!! Maybe it's because one of my daughters had to have minor surgery the night BEFORE the reception. Maybe it's because all the kids had to be kept home for 4 days straight because of the weather with even church being cancelled!!! Maybe I am just a complainer....well at least getting that off my chest made ME feel better! :)

I have no recipes to share this week because I have ordered pizza and made breakfast for dinner and fed my kids leftover cupcakes from the wedding reception...

Exciting times ahead!!! If you're interested in my role as Artistic Director/Manager/Nagging Mom role for Gardiner Sisters, check out this simple blog updating Olympic Hype! :)

www.gardinersisters.blogspot.com!

Popcorn Popping...

2009-11-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

So I didn't realize how much I love popcorn until I was up to my eyeballs in making popcorn for a Super Saturday for church and taste testing through the process. I thought I would make 6 different kinds of gourmet popcorn and it would hardly take anytime at all, but NOPE! I was wrong! I didnt account for the hours it would take to use my airpopper to make probably 150 cups popcorn! Then, sifting it in a collander to make sure no kernals made it into the final mix- there is nothing worse than practically breaking a tooth eating a popcorn ball! Anyways, the result was fantastic popcorn! I made Caramel Pecan Clusters, Toasted Almond Chocolate popcorn (you actually bake this for an hour to dry it out- tastes almost like cracker-jacks), Mini Toffee Cranberry popcorn balls, Pink Elephant Popcorn balls, and Gourmet Ghiradelli White , Dark and Milk Chocolate popcorn. Thanks to Martha Stewart and a dear friend of mine, Debbie Christensen (that I met over 20 years ago who is the Martha Stewart clone), we had some amazing popcorn! Surprisingly, this is the only recipe that actually requires you to use microwave popcorn or it's not as tasty... Let me know if you'd like any of the other recipes... they were all fantastic!
Here is Debbie's recipe:
White Chocolate Popcorn
1 Bag Microwave popcorn (Butter and salt flavor)
1 large package white choc chips
small amount of milk or semi- sweet chocolate chips melted
Lay out popcorn on waxed paper. Take out kernals. Drizzle White chocolate over entire amount of popcorn. (Or you can mix in a bowl- but it's a little messy)
Let dry
Drizzle (using a fork) dark chocolate over white
Let dry
Store in airtight container or bags
Enjoy!

2009-11-13T06:25:00.001-08:00

A Caribbean Cruise for Two

2009-11-12T07:12:00.000-08:00

Craig and I enjoyed a beautiful Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. We left on the Norweigan Pearl in Miami and sailed to the Dominican Republic. Craig served a 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Haiti and wanted to go into the village to try and find some Haitians and brush up on his Haitian Creole. (We tried to get on a cruise stopping in Haiti, but missed the boat because we waited to long to book, so DR was the closest Country to it. It sits on the other side of Haiti). He was also on a mission to find his favorite fruit called Kenep. (Lemoncillo, in the DR). The locals told him it was out of season, so he bought a few grapefruits and some small plantains for us to eat. Their grapefruits are sweet and delicious, and taste more like oranges, nothing like the bitter taste of our grapefruits. The port is fairly new and not developed really yet for tourists, so we saw several people turning around and going back to the ship after a little while- it really brings you out of your comfort zone...) but we walked into the heart of the city and Craig wanted to show me the similarities between the DR and Haiti. He said it was much wealthier than Haiti, and to me, that would be impossible. Everyone rode motorcycles... Babies were being held on the sides of their mothers or fathers while they drove on busy, noisy streets... I could barely stand to see that in and of itself. Shoeless children followed us around begging us to buy small seashells for a dollar. There was garbage everywhere- no order. The marketplace was full of dirt, flies and noise while the overwhelming smell of raw meat and fish filled the air. (Craig wanted me to stop and take in the smell because it was so similar to Haiti) The people seemed to be happy and content and didn't seem to mind we were there trying to take it all in. I am so grateful that I had the experience to see how most of the world lives... unbelievable. I want to help make life easier for those less fortunate and seeing that country gave me even more determination to do so...
Our next stop was St. Thomas. After a day like visiting Samana, it felt very strange going back on a cruiseline with neverending food and comforts and then going to a beautiful US Island the next day with all the bounties and rich blessings those people and us enjoy everyday. It was really breathtaking to see such a beautiful beach with crystal clear water and fish so close to shore. There was a dad feeding the fish in waist high water holding his little toddler and a school of fish came right up to them! It was amazing! The locals reminded me of my visit to Jamaica 20 years ago. Very laid-back and casual. Craig enjoyed snorkling for 3 hours straight! He definitely is a fish himself! Loves, loves,loves the water! Our next stop was Tortola in the British Virgin Island. We went to a beautiful secluded beach called Brewer's Bay. It was so interesting as there was a local who lived on the beach in a little make-shift house. I watched him catch a fish, then go back to his quarters and cook it. So amazing how lives can be so different. My favorite part of Tortola was my one on one encounter with Al the Dolphin. I need to scan in the pictures, but, it was my favorite activity of the week! I spent about a half and hour learning all about dolphins and petting and hugging and even got a kiss from Al! I love nature and God's creations and being so close to a dolphin was a really special, once in a lifetime experience for me!
Our last stop was Grand Cay Private Island in the Bahamas. It was incredible! Once again, the water was crystal clear and the sand was made up of crushed seashells... so beautiful! There was this amazing band that played on the cruiseline and on the beach. Craig and I danced together (with a crowd of people). It was like our own private party on the beaches of the Caribbean! It was soooo fun!!! I haven't done that since my high school days!
This has to be one of the funnest times I can remember with Craig! He is my best friend and I look forward to some more cruisin' in the future!!!

Island Pork Tenderloin Salad
Pork
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2-3 pork tenerloins (21/2-3 lbs total)
Glaze
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp Tabasco (If you dare!) :)
Vinegarette
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 Tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup oil
Salad
3 Naval oranges peeled (or Dominican Republic Grapefruit if you can get your hands on it!)
6 cups baby spinach, trimmed
4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 red pepper, in thin strips
1/2 cup mango or papaya
2 firm-ripe avocados, peeled and cut diagonally into thin slices
To prepare Pork
Preheat oven to 350. Combine salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon. Coat pork with spices. Heat oil in ovenproof frying pan over moderately high heat; brown pork, turning often. Leave in pan.
To make glaze
Combine ingredients and pat onto tops of tenderloins. Roast in middle of oven for about 20 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 min.
To make vinegarette
Whisk together juices, mustard, curry powder and pepper. Add oil in a stream, whisking thoroughly.
For the salad
Cut oranges/grapefruit into thin slices. Toss spinach, cabbage, peppers and mangos/papayas in a large bowl with 1/2 cup vinegarette.
To assemble salad
Cut pork into slices. Line a large platter with dressed salad. Arrange sliced pork, oranges and avocado in rows on top. Drizzle some vinegarette over avocado and oranges/grapefruit. Pour juices from frying pan over pork.
As the locals would say on Coki Beach, St. Thomas, "Yaw, Mon, Dis is good!"

2009-11-10T18:43:00.001-08:00

A Canadian Thanksgiving

2009-11-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

We had a blast with family in Canada this past October! Started the holiday season off great! The kids enjoyed their cousins so much and it was so great to see everyone! Loved baking, cooking and enjoying a beautiful Thanksgiving Feast! My favorite part was the Fudge Truffle Cheesecake...(Allie's version!)

Decadent Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

1 ½ cups crushed Oreos or chocolate wafers, pressed in 9” spring form pan (melted butter ~ 2-4 Tbsp)

Beat 3- 8 oz packages cream cheese
Add 1- 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (12 oz) semi sweet choc chips melted (I use Ghirardelli chocolate bars)
Beat until smooth and pour into crust

Preheat oven to 300. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes. Turn oven off and let sit for 30 min

Ganache:

Ingredients
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)
Directions
1. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat, and add chocolate. Stir until melted, then set aside until thickened, 2 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh raspberries

A kindergarten blog...

2009-11-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

So I feel like I am in Kindergarten again as I try to figure out this blogging life... I see my friends and relatives who have a Masters degree in the field of blogging and I wonder where I missed the boat...

I am good at taking pictures on occasion, but never printing them or putting them in any kind of chronological order. I am good at saying I'd love to scrapbook, but never have tried it- I think I'd rather be reading a good cooking magazine and eating instead... My poor kids will have no memories of their lives because their mom chose food over cherishing the moment and saving pictures for their posterity. ..

I am afraid the only thing I will have to offer is a good recipe to pass on to their friends, or children one day. I have found most of my favorite recipes through my dear friends and family who are wonderful cooks and have the passsion for cooking and eating that I have... Maybe I will start a recipe blog... Maybe I should talk about what it is like to feed an army everyday of the year!!! What it is like to try and grocery shop for a family of 10 with growing teenagers and limited fridge space! I was highly motivated by the " Julie and Julia" movie...Maybe that's how I will do it!? Get famous off my recipes and then PAY someone to take pictures of my kids and scrapbook for me and then do my family blogs! Hey! I think I am on to something here...

Wish for the day: Big family membership to places like Sysco who provides food in mass quantities for restaurants... Do I really need to start working for a place like this just to get the perk to buy from them? hmmm....

Tip for cooking for a big family or a crowd : Put roast, pork or chicken in a crockpot with a little water, garlic salt and some chopped onion, cover and slow cook for 8-10 hours on low... Shred and put into separate ziplock bags. Freeze. Pull them out and turn them into a main dish during the week. This is a major time saver and lends itself to so many recipes.

Recipe of the day: It's that time of year... love the fall and the holidays!

Pumpkin Soup

2 med. onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp gound cardamom

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes

2 (15 oz) cans solid-pack pumpkin (3 1/2 cups) not pie filling

7 cups water

1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (12 fl oz)

1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat!)

1/4 cup olive oil

Cook onions in butter in a wide 6 quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softenened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, and cardamamom and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in salt, red pepper flakes, pumpkin, water, broth and coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 min. Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth.

* If you want curried soup and want to fancy it up a bit, brown 2 tsp brown mustard seeds in 1/4 cup oil until they begin to pop, about 15 seconds. Add 8 fresh curry leaves and cook 5 seconds, then pour mixture into pumpkin soup. Stir until well combined and season soup with salt.

(Gourmet Cooking magazine 2005)

ok... now for a family friendly recipe... most of my kids snubbed this pumpkin soup tonight (hence now there are pork chops in the oven)... this really is for entertaining and would go so nicely as an appetizer to a Christmas dinner/party...

A recipe I came up with the other night was fast, easy and yummy:
I'll call it
Greek Chicken and Rice

You will need: (ok, I have to figure this out on a smaller scale...)
4-6 chicken breasts
Approximately 1 - 1 1/2 cups greek salad dressing
4-6 cups White rice cooked (I used Thai Jasmin)
Approximately 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in juice
Approximately 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts

Saute chicken breasts in dressing . Cook thoroughly. When cooked, slice and leave in juices until rice is ready.
Prepare rice of choice according to directions. In a separate skillet, saute the sundried tomato and artichokes in about 1 TBSP sundried tomato oil.
Add the prepared rice to the skillet and combine with the sundried tomatoes and the artichoke hearts. (If I'd had fresh basil, I would have chopped that and added in for color and flavor)
Voila! It's ready to serve! Serve the chicken over the rice and with a greek garden salad, hummus and pita bread!

Delicious Homemade Hummus:

Hummus- A Middle Eastern Dip
3 garlic cloves, minced
19 oz. Garbanzo beans (drained- reserve 2 Tbsp juice)
¼ cup tahini (substitute peanut butter)
3 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp water or reserved chick-pea juice)
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp salt

In food processor or blender mince garlic. Add chick peas, tahini (or pb), lemon juice, oil water, cumin and salt. Process until smooth. Serve with warm pita bread or celery and carrot sticks for dipping.

Christmas Time

2008-12-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's December 1st! Living in Southern California in 75-80 degree weather makes it feel like the early fall still. It is quite beautiful and a little strange to drive around town with Christmas lights and Christmas trees all around! I would love a little snow to get the true feeling of Christmas... We usually put our fake Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving, but since our tree is still in NC, we actually get to buy a real one this year! Our kids don't even know what that means since we've always had a fake one! Isn't that pathetic! Hopefully we'll buy and decorate our tree in the next week so it doesnt completely dry out before Christmas!

My first attempt to blog...

2008-11-17T22:04:00.001-08:00

So I am testing out the blogger as it seems like I am the last person on earth to do it... I see my friends and family with their wonderful updates, pictures and journal-like entries and am inspired by it. Maybe this will help me have a memory 20 years down the road as it seems like my brain is mush trying to manage this growing bunch! I will give it a try...