Cooking always makes me feel better. Lately I haven’t been able to cook much because of some circumstances that will thankfully be changing soon! (More about that news in a blog to follow.) Last night I had the time to create something, which is one of my favorite ways to cook. I like following recipes, but there is something about creating something off the top of you head that is fun, especially when it turns out well.
I had some coconut milk and chicken broth in the fridge that needed to be used. I also had some broccoli, carrot and onion that needed to be consumed as well. I picked up some boneless, skinless chicken thighs to complete the creation and I was off and runnin’!
I started out by sautéing the chopped chicken thighs in a little olive oil in the cast iron skillet on medium high heat. When they were browned I, sprinkled a little curry powder over them and let it cook in, then I removed the chicken from the skillet, lowered the heat to medium and threw in sliced onion and some crushed garlic, along with about a cup of sliced broccoli and half a cup of sliced carrots. (Next time I’m throwing in a chopped red potato and some sliced mushrooms… mmmhmmmm!) As the veggies cooked, I sprinkled more curry powder (about 1 teaspoon), cayenne pepper (just a tad bit) and 1 tablespoon of corn starch over them and stirred it in, until the veggies softened.
Next, I poured the chicken broth over the veggies (maybe a cup? A little less?) and brought it to a simmer. Then, I poured about 1/3 cup of coconut milk into the skillet and stirred it in, letting it all come back to a simmer. I threw the cooked chicken back in the mix, along with a couple cranks of sea salt from the salt grinder. After a taste test and a little more curry, dinner was deliciously ready!
I think it would be fun to come to your house, open your fridge and pantry and see what I can come up with. Who’s up first?! ;)
About Us
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
AUS-tin
My last post has inspired some great conversations among friends and family here in Austin. As Frank and I have talked more about what it's like for me to drive in Austin, another subject has arisen that I must write about, especially for those of you who don't live here.
To put it FRANK-ly (hehe), Austinites need "hooked on phonics" when it comes to pronouncing words. How would you pronounce the word, Manchaca, for example? Maan-cha-ka, correct? Not in Austin. If you were given directions by a local, he or she would tell you to "turn on 'Manshack'... and they would be referring to Manchaca. If I were looking for 'Manshack' (don't forget your Texan accent when you pronounce that, with emphasis on the first A!) as I was driving in my car, I'm not sure I would turn on Manchaca-- would you?
That's only the beginning! I started a list on my phone, just so I wouldn't forget to tell you:
A couple weekends ago we went to New Braunfels, TX for the day. It's an old German town south of Austin. We talked to a local outside a coffee shop while we were walking around who suggested we head up to Green, TX. That's what he said. But as we were driving home, we saw an exit on the freeway for Gruene, TX. If you know anything about phonics and/or the German language, I need not explain more. ;)
Then there's Burnett, TX... before you open your mouth, though, here's how it's pronounced: Burn-it. And we can't ignore Buda. The first time I saw that, I wasn't sure how to say it. The phonetics are not as easy to assume on this one. Don't worry, the good folks of Texas have figured it out for us. It's 'Bue-dah,' just in case you needed to know. (And if you're in Oregon, you want to know, because there's a huge Cabella's in Buda... of course!) ;)
I'm sure there's many more... I'll keep you posted as I stumble upon them. There's really never a dull moment here in Texas! ;)
Much Love,
Alita (& Frank)
To put it FRANK-ly (hehe), Austinites need "hooked on phonics" when it comes to pronouncing words. How would you pronounce the word, Manchaca, for example? Maan-cha-ka, correct? Not in Austin. If you were given directions by a local, he or she would tell you to "turn on 'Manshack'... and they would be referring to Manchaca. If I were looking for 'Manshack' (don't forget your Texan accent when you pronounce that, with emphasis on the first A!) as I was driving in my car, I'm not sure I would turn on Manchaca-- would you?
That's only the beginning! I started a list on my phone, just so I wouldn't forget to tell you:
A couple weekends ago we went to New Braunfels, TX for the day. It's an old German town south of Austin. We talked to a local outside a coffee shop while we were walking around who suggested we head up to Green, TX. That's what he said. But as we were driving home, we saw an exit on the freeway for Gruene, TX. If you know anything about phonics and/or the German language, I need not explain more. ;)
Then there's Burnett, TX... before you open your mouth, though, here's how it's pronounced: Burn-it. And we can't ignore Buda. The first time I saw that, I wasn't sure how to say it. The phonetics are not as easy to assume on this one. Don't worry, the good folks of Texas have figured it out for us. It's 'Bue-dah,' just in case you needed to know. (And if you're in Oregon, you want to know, because there's a huge Cabella's in Buda... of course!) ;)
I'm sure there's many more... I'll keep you posted as I stumble upon them. There's really never a dull moment here in Texas! ;)
Much Love,
Alita (& Frank)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Driving Miss Austin
What started out as a post about Texan culture shock ended up being a list of what it’s like to drive in Austin, and how that in and of itself is a shock, especially to this small town girl. Whenever we're in the car together, at least one of these comes up or becomes an annoyance. So we bring to you: “Top 5 Austin Driving Rants”!
1. Lack of road signs. We live in a city full of busy streets, highways and freeways. I’ve noticed the city or state or both (most likely) love to play tricks on drivers by not signing “turn only” lanes until you are turning. Nor do they clearly mark which road is which. The other day I was looking for 71 East and all I saw were signs for 71 West, until I was driving PAST the exit and finally saw “71 East”!
2. More than one name for every road. You will get confused in Austin right quick if you don’t know that Hwy 71 is also Ben White Blvd., or that Loop 1 is also known as “MOPAC” or Hwy 183 is sometimes Ed Bluestein Blvd. but then it’s Bastrop Hwy, until it changes into Lockhart Hwy… Pick a name, people, pick a name!
3. Stop lights on 65 MPH roads. Really?! I’m just gonna rant about this one: If Austin isn’t asking for more accidents, I don’t know what they’re up to. Some of the major highways around here are loaded with stop lights and side road entrances AND 65 MPH signs. Frank tells me you’re supposed to look ahead and watch the light to turn yellow. (Duh.) Do you know how hard it is to stop without getting rear ended when y’all are trucking down the road at 65 miles per hour and all of a sudden a light turns yellow? It’s crazy ridiculousness. I’ve never seen anything like it, except maybe in Kenya, but at least they don’t bother with the traffic lights over there!
4. Passing techniques. One of the first times I was driving with Frank in Texas, someone was following us really closely, so Frank just pulled over on the shoulder, maintaining his 60 mph speed, and let them pass. After they went by, we pulled back over. The car in front of us put on his hazards for a few blinks. At this point, I was really confused, until Frank pointed to the Hazard light button in our car and said, “This is the ’thank-you’ button,” and smiled at me. I just looked at him and said blankly, “where I come from, that’s the hazard button and you only use it when you’re pulled over on the side of the road and you‘re in trouble.”
5. Longest stop lights ever. Seriously. I’m guessing the camera sensor technology hasn’t hit it big here in Austin. That, and the length of stoplights feels about twice as long as it has other places I’ve lived. Granted, I haven’t lived in the “big city” for a while, but sitting at a light feels excessively long here. That, or I could just always be anxious to get to where we’re going…. Nah, they’re too long! ;-)
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
1. Lack of road signs. We live in a city full of busy streets, highways and freeways. I’ve noticed the city or state or both (most likely) love to play tricks on drivers by not signing “turn only” lanes until you are turning. Nor do they clearly mark which road is which. The other day I was looking for 71 East and all I saw were signs for 71 West, until I was driving PAST the exit and finally saw “71 East”!
2. More than one name for every road. You will get confused in Austin right quick if you don’t know that Hwy 71 is also Ben White Blvd., or that Loop 1 is also known as “MOPAC” or Hwy 183 is sometimes Ed Bluestein Blvd. but then it’s Bastrop Hwy, until it changes into Lockhart Hwy… Pick a name, people, pick a name!
3. Stop lights on 65 MPH roads. Really?! I’m just gonna rant about this one: If Austin isn’t asking for more accidents, I don’t know what they’re up to. Some of the major highways around here are loaded with stop lights and side road entrances AND 65 MPH signs. Frank tells me you’re supposed to look ahead and watch the light to turn yellow. (Duh.) Do you know how hard it is to stop without getting rear ended when y’all are trucking down the road at 65 miles per hour and all of a sudden a light turns yellow? It’s crazy ridiculousness. I’ve never seen anything like it, except maybe in Kenya, but at least they don’t bother with the traffic lights over there!
4. Passing techniques. One of the first times I was driving with Frank in Texas, someone was following us really closely, so Frank just pulled over on the shoulder, maintaining his 60 mph speed, and let them pass. After they went by, we pulled back over. The car in front of us put on his hazards for a few blinks. At this point, I was really confused, until Frank pointed to the Hazard light button in our car and said, “This is the ’thank-you’ button,” and smiled at me. I just looked at him and said blankly, “where I come from, that’s the hazard button and you only use it when you’re pulled over on the side of the road and you‘re in trouble.”
5. Longest stop lights ever. Seriously. I’m guessing the camera sensor technology hasn’t hit it big here in Austin. That, and the length of stoplights feels about twice as long as it has other places I’ve lived. Granted, I haven’t lived in the “big city” for a while, but sitting at a light feels excessively long here. That, or I could just always be anxious to get to where we’re going…. Nah, they’re too long! ;-)
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
Thursday, August 18, 2011
You Know you Live in an RV when…
1. “Honey, could you empty the grey tank?!” is a phrase often heard from the shower, usually followed by, “it’s pooling around my ankles, please hurry!”
2. You often wake up to the sound of squirrels foraging on your roof.
3. Your “garage” is the storage area in the rear of the vehicle.
4. Your whole house shakes when you walk.
5. Running your AC and your Microwave at the same time trips the breaker.
6. You are constantly shifting your plates, cups and bowls when the AC is on to stop the symphony in the cupboard!
7. Washing your house is as normal as washing your car.
8. Brushing your teeth together involves rotating in and out of the bathroom.
9. You have to buy dissolvable toilet paper.
10. It takes an hour or less to clean your whole house!
2. You often wake up to the sound of squirrels foraging on your roof.
3. Your “garage” is the storage area in the rear of the vehicle.
4. Your whole house shakes when you walk.
5. Running your AC and your Microwave at the same time trips the breaker.
6. You are constantly shifting your plates, cups and bowls when the AC is on to stop the symphony in the cupboard!
7. Washing your house is as normal as washing your car.
8. Brushing your teeth together involves rotating in and out of the bathroom.
9. You have to buy dissolvable toilet paper.
10. It takes an hour or less to clean your whole house!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Cling to Love
It is a beautiful sunny, Friday morning here in Austin. Today will be the 52nd day in a row the temperature climbs above 100 degrees. Frank is out there delivering the world on time and I am sipping on coffee, writing and thinking about all the things I have to do today. Fridays are my “busy” days. Menu planning, & grocery shopping are on the agenda, along with my daily chores and spending time with my wonderful husband when he gets home. Lately, a couple hours every day have also been taken by a recent opportunity to help reduce our rent.
A few weeks ago our RV park manager, MJ, approached me about filling in at the office for when they need a “back up.” MJ is waiting for a liver transplant and Christina, her right hand woman, is going on vacation tomorrow. MJ is hoping that her phone will ring any day with hope-restoring news for her so I get to be on stand-by for now in case that happens and Christina isn’t here. So for the last couple weeks I have been working in the office for a couple hours each day. For each hour I work we get $8 taken off our rent. Last week I worked 10 hours, which saved us $80 off our rent! I am praising God for this opportunity and praying that MJ gets a liver SOON. She is a light, this woman. Quite endearing. She makes this place what it is and we appreciate her so much.
In other news, I applied at the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club yesterday. Rumor is that Boys and Girls Club are opening 4 new locations in Austin soon, thanks to a large grant. Again, please pray. Frank was hoping to get a full time route at FedEx this month, as a couple were scheduled to open up this week. Instead, those routes were split into part time routes and added to other drivers’ current routes. That day he was out looking for jobs in and around the same area FedEx is based. We are planning to go down to a one car family as soon as we get some paperwork from Oregon so we can sell my car next week. Frank is planning on riding his bike to work and letting me take “Katie” to work when I get a job. We may soon become very familiar with the Austin public transit system!
I need to apologize to our regular readers of the Buzz. I didn’t think my last post seemed negative but I have had a lot of notes of concern come to me since I wrote it. I am thankful for everyone’s encouragement; it means so much to me. Life has been an adjustment and frustrating in some ways lately, but it would be wrong of me to not give recognition to the fact that we have been provided for, one way or another ever since we got married. Our bills get paid every month and we have food in the cupboard. We are still giving a little bit each month, because we know that we are not poor, by the world’s standards. For every time we’ve given, we’ve probably received at least twice as much back. This isn’t why we give, but the contrast is so stark to me.
My Great-Aunt always says, “My mother always said, when poverty flies in the door, love flies out the window.” Now I love my great aunt and her many proverbial sayings, but after much thought and time, Frank and I are coming to believe that while that may be true for some people, it won’t be true for us. When poverty creeps in, we need to cling to love. Our love isn’t an arbitrary feeling that can so easily be tossed out the window, rather its what motivates us each day to keep giving and serving one another and cling to our Father God, who is the author of Love. No matter what our circumstances are, we are to continue loving. So we love each other, our neighbors and our community. Not because we feel poor, but because love is more important than poverty.
A few weeks ago our RV park manager, MJ, approached me about filling in at the office for when they need a “back up.” MJ is waiting for a liver transplant and Christina, her right hand woman, is going on vacation tomorrow. MJ is hoping that her phone will ring any day with hope-restoring news for her so I get to be on stand-by for now in case that happens and Christina isn’t here. So for the last couple weeks I have been working in the office for a couple hours each day. For each hour I work we get $8 taken off our rent. Last week I worked 10 hours, which saved us $80 off our rent! I am praising God for this opportunity and praying that MJ gets a liver SOON. She is a light, this woman. Quite endearing. She makes this place what it is and we appreciate her so much.
In other news, I applied at the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club yesterday. Rumor is that Boys and Girls Club are opening 4 new locations in Austin soon, thanks to a large grant. Again, please pray. Frank was hoping to get a full time route at FedEx this month, as a couple were scheduled to open up this week. Instead, those routes were split into part time routes and added to other drivers’ current routes. That day he was out looking for jobs in and around the same area FedEx is based. We are planning to go down to a one car family as soon as we get some paperwork from Oregon so we can sell my car next week. Frank is planning on riding his bike to work and letting me take “Katie” to work when I get a job. We may soon become very familiar with the Austin public transit system!
I need to apologize to our regular readers of the Buzz. I didn’t think my last post seemed negative but I have had a lot of notes of concern come to me since I wrote it. I am thankful for everyone’s encouragement; it means so much to me. Life has been an adjustment and frustrating in some ways lately, but it would be wrong of me to not give recognition to the fact that we have been provided for, one way or another ever since we got married. Our bills get paid every month and we have food in the cupboard. We are still giving a little bit each month, because we know that we are not poor, by the world’s standards. For every time we’ve given, we’ve probably received at least twice as much back. This isn’t why we give, but the contrast is so stark to me.
My Great-Aunt always says, “My mother always said, when poverty flies in the door, love flies out the window.” Now I love my great aunt and her many proverbial sayings, but after much thought and time, Frank and I are coming to believe that while that may be true for some people, it won’t be true for us. When poverty creeps in, we need to cling to love. Our love isn’t an arbitrary feeling that can so easily be tossed out the window, rather its what motivates us each day to keep giving and serving one another and cling to our Father God, who is the author of Love. No matter what our circumstances are, we are to continue loving. So we love each other, our neighbors and our community. Not because we feel poor, but because love is more important than poverty.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Reality
"It's not what you know, it's who you know," could never have been more true than it is right now. I feel like an alien in a foreign land. We have been in Austin for about 2 months now. I have probably been actively looking for a job for 6 weeks. I haven't had one interview. Without an inside connection or at least a familiar resume, I feel like I'm swimming upstream with one arm tied behind my back. I've never been a strong swimmer.
I can only think of two times in my life I was hired "cold," without knowing someone who got my foot in the door. Now, when I need a job more than ever, I don't know enough people to find one. Thankfully, FedEx has been giving Frank decent hours, but every 3 weeks there seems to be a bad week for hours. This has been one of those weeks.
Honestly, I'm feeling discouraged. I don't want this blog to be a downer, but I also don't want to hide the truth from y'all either. I need a job desperately and Frank needs more hours. There are two full time routes coming up in August that he will bid for. We appreciate your prayers. I also appreciate your hints, tips & leads. It's been a while since I had to look for a job. With so many people looking for work the job market has become more competitive and I've never been one for much competition.
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
I can only think of two times in my life I was hired "cold," without knowing someone who got my foot in the door. Now, when I need a job more than ever, I don't know enough people to find one. Thankfully, FedEx has been giving Frank decent hours, but every 3 weeks there seems to be a bad week for hours. This has been one of those weeks.
Honestly, I'm feeling discouraged. I don't want this blog to be a downer, but I also don't want to hide the truth from y'all either. I need a job desperately and Frank needs more hours. There are two full time routes coming up in August that he will bid for. We appreciate your prayers. I also appreciate your hints, tips & leads. It's been a while since I had to look for a job. With so many people looking for work the job market has become more competitive and I've never been one for much competition.
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
Monday, July 18, 2011
Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Ham Steak with broccoli & Yam fries (I thought this was a sweet potato, but I was mistaken... still very yummy roasted with some olive oil, s & p and paprika!)
This was my first attempt at chicken fried steak. I served it with egg noodles and green beans. Frank said he preferred the lightness of the noodles compared to traditional mashed potatoes.
He really like it! :-)
French dips with a packed veggie salad... yummo!
And finally, we just had this last night... A salad every man would dream of. Steak, potatoes & bacon over a bed of red leaf lettuce with homemade blue cheese dressing. To. Die. For. (Recipe is from Real Simple Magazine, August 2011)
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