So, last night I made what we thought (and our guests agreed) was delicious!
First is the Pork Satay. I loved to death the satay at the Thai restaurant I worked at, so I definitely wanted to find a good recipe. I searched long and hard and found many different versions. The reason I went with this one was because 1) It seemed pretty authentic, 2) It seemed authentic without making me buy a bunch of ingredients I'd never used or even heard of from the Asian Market that I might have only used for this dish, and 3) It was made by Bobby Flay (he's on the Food Network and I think he's an Iron Chef), so I trusted it. I have a hard time using recipes unless I can read comments from many people who have made the same recipe (this is because I've been spoiled by allrecipes.com). So here it is, with my own comments.
Bobby Flay's Pork Satay
Ingredients
Marinade:
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk - about 1 13.5 oz. can (I used Chaokoh brand)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (I used Adam's Natural Peanut Butter because I used that for the peanut sauce)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I used bottled)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Thai chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I used jalepeno)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch thick cubes (I used pork chops and cut it into strips. So tender and very easy)
• Wooden skewers
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, add pork and let marinate 2 to 4 hours.
Preheat the grill. Soak skewers.
Remove the pork from the marinade and thread on skewers. Grill for 7 to 8 minutes or until cooked through.
So there's the meat! Now for the dipping sauce. Here's the blog where I got the recipe. I really liked her blog. She also had an awesome way to make sticky rice without the traditional big bamboo steamer, so look that up. But I love this peanut sauce because a Thai person uses it, so obviously it's close enough in taste to the more complicated version, but easy!
Peanut Sauce
1 13.5 oz. can of Chaokoh coconut milk
¼ c. Thai Red Curry Paste (try Mae Ploy or Maesri)
¾ c. unsweetened natural peanut butter (I used Adam's - you want the ones that have the oil at the top that you have to mix in)
½ tsp. salt
¾ c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cider or white vinegar
½ c. water
Bring everything to a gentle boil over medium heat, constantly whisking. Let simmer over low heat for 3-5 minutes (make sure doesn’t scorch on bottom of pan). Can be refrigerated for several weeks.
This peanut sauce is so addicting. Last night, they even put it on their corn. At the Thai restaurant, my favorite thing to do was to dip sticky rice in it. This stuff is way similar to the peanut sauce they made, and it's so easy. So many authentic recipes told you to buy tamarind and made tamarind paste but it's purely for the acid, so why not just cheat and use vinegar? I don't doubt it could be better, but I loved it.
So, make this with some jasmine rice and you have a great meal!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Pregnancy Symptoms: Take 2
Well, I'm 10 weeks along! So crazy. I thought I'd record a few more symptoms that I've been having for both my journaling purposes and for those who would like a "heads up" on some symptoms you can look forward to when you get pregnant!
1) Acne. I have been blessed to have only had acne in my early teenage years, and after that I really only had a pimple or two a week. Now, it's more like a new pimple shows up every day! Awful. The funny thing is, the dry spots on my face have gotten drier. So it looks like my combination skin has gotten even more combination.
2) Dry skin. Seriously, I have much drier skin. Like I mentioned about my face, there are other places on my body (like my heels) that definitely dry faster and in a worse way than before.
3) Gagging when brushing teeth (and as of today, throwing up). Jed always peeks in when I brush my teeth because it certainly sounds like I throw up every morning and night. I think he's nervous because he has yet to witness me throw up! I know, I think he deserves to be there to hold back my hair. I don't know what it is, but I think it has something to do with the flouride in my toothpaste along with just having liquid sitting in my mouth. I sometimes have problems swallowing pills, too, because I do it by getting a mouthfull of fluid, tossing in a pill, and swallowing, and my mouth (throat?) does not like holding fluid for more than it takes to swallow. So, this is a rather unpleasant side effect. I try something different every time I brush to try to distract myself or prevent from gagging, but so far nothing has worked.
4) Food aversions and cravings. As a teenage girl, brownies were my favorite late night/movie night snack. Chocolate ice cream with brownies were even better. Now, chocolate ice cream with brownies sounds awful. Brownies, well maybe I'll have a bite. But seriously, chocolate is no longer a craving of mine! So weird! I don't even crave anything specific, generally. It's only as soon as I see a picture of it or I smell something, and then I want it. (Take for example when I passed by a hot dog stand. Hot dogs have never been my favorite. But as soon as a smelled it, I wanted it!)
5) Appetite changes. I have become a grazer. I can eat most of my peanut butter/jelly sandwich at lunch and maybe some fruit snacks or grapes. And that's it! Dinner is the same. It's really quite sad, because eating out is not quite as fun. I can't eat more than half of my meal before I feel sick from eating too much. Much healthier, right? I don't complain because I know it's much healthier for me. It does cause some complications, though. Teaching doesn't give me too many easy times to snack on food. Just the other day I pulled out some fruit snacks and one of my students was rather jealous that I got to eat and he didn't.
So far, I think that's about it! I've been getting over a cold and I think a little flu, so I've been having a very off week in general. I can't wait to see what happens next!
1) Acne. I have been blessed to have only had acne in my early teenage years, and after that I really only had a pimple or two a week. Now, it's more like a new pimple shows up every day! Awful. The funny thing is, the dry spots on my face have gotten drier. So it looks like my combination skin has gotten even more combination.
2) Dry skin. Seriously, I have much drier skin. Like I mentioned about my face, there are other places on my body (like my heels) that definitely dry faster and in a worse way than before.
3) Gagging when brushing teeth (and as of today, throwing up). Jed always peeks in when I brush my teeth because it certainly sounds like I throw up every morning and night. I think he's nervous because he has yet to witness me throw up! I know, I think he deserves to be there to hold back my hair. I don't know what it is, but I think it has something to do with the flouride in my toothpaste along with just having liquid sitting in my mouth. I sometimes have problems swallowing pills, too, because I do it by getting a mouthfull of fluid, tossing in a pill, and swallowing, and my mouth (throat?) does not like holding fluid for more than it takes to swallow. So, this is a rather unpleasant side effect. I try something different every time I brush to try to distract myself or prevent from gagging, but so far nothing has worked.
4) Food aversions and cravings. As a teenage girl, brownies were my favorite late night/movie night snack. Chocolate ice cream with brownies were even better. Now, chocolate ice cream with brownies sounds awful. Brownies, well maybe I'll have a bite. But seriously, chocolate is no longer a craving of mine! So weird! I don't even crave anything specific, generally. It's only as soon as I see a picture of it or I smell something, and then I want it. (Take for example when I passed by a hot dog stand. Hot dogs have never been my favorite. But as soon as a smelled it, I wanted it!)
5) Appetite changes. I have become a grazer. I can eat most of my peanut butter/jelly sandwich at lunch and maybe some fruit snacks or grapes. And that's it! Dinner is the same. It's really quite sad, because eating out is not quite as fun. I can't eat more than half of my meal before I feel sick from eating too much. Much healthier, right? I don't complain because I know it's much healthier for me. It does cause some complications, though. Teaching doesn't give me too many easy times to snack on food. Just the other day I pulled out some fruit snacks and one of my students was rather jealous that I got to eat and he didn't.
So far, I think that's about it! I've been getting over a cold and I think a little flu, so I've been having a very off week in general. I can't wait to see what happens next!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
10 Years Ago Today
To commemorate 9/11, Jed and I thought we'd write where we were when it happened.
I was living in Indiana, so the time difference from many of my current friends was a bit different. I had already gone to school and was in the middle of taking a state test. I was in my math class with my math teacher, Mr. R (his name is on the tip of my tongue). All of the sudden, all the TVs in the school turned on and we saw the live footage of what was happening. I certainly didn't understand what was going on. It was sad to me, but it seemed like it was in a different world.
The whole school was taken down to the basement of our school to continue watching the news. Some people in my class cried, mostly those who had family in New York. Some people's parents came to take their students home early. There was a small panic at the school because there was Fort Benjamin very near, and people figured that if they were attacking one place, they would certainly attack another.
What I definitely do remember is that in the following months, our country was brought together. There was a lot of patriotism and even as a little 11 year old, I felt a difference in the way our country acted. I wish now that people appreciated our military the way they did back then, instead of calling them murderers. I hope that this anniversary brings a little more love for America and it's values.
Now it's Jed's turn.
I was asleep (it was around 6 or 7 in the morning in California). I think my mom woke me up and told me the trade center got hit and I thought at first it was a little Cessna plane that hit it on accident. I thought it wasn't a big deal. Then I watched the news. I started watching after they both got hit and so I watched them fall down. I couldn't believe it. All I felt was disbelief.
I second what Heather said. I've been following politics since I was 8, so at the time of 9/11 I knew of all the divisions in our country. But the following year, everyone was united and forgot all the arguments. It was great. Now we're back to division in our country.
We both know this country was saved by God for us and that the Constitution was inspired by God. We hope that in the coming years, our country will stop pulling away from it and start going back to the core values the Founding Fathers put into the Constitution.
A big thanks to those who have fought in any war for our country. It is inspiring and touches our hearts to see the pure selflessness that our soldiers give.
Have a good 10 year anniversary, America.
I was living in Indiana, so the time difference from many of my current friends was a bit different. I had already gone to school and was in the middle of taking a state test. I was in my math class with my math teacher, Mr. R (his name is on the tip of my tongue). All of the sudden, all the TVs in the school turned on and we saw the live footage of what was happening. I certainly didn't understand what was going on. It was sad to me, but it seemed like it was in a different world.
The whole school was taken down to the basement of our school to continue watching the news. Some people in my class cried, mostly those who had family in New York. Some people's parents came to take their students home early. There was a small panic at the school because there was Fort Benjamin very near, and people figured that if they were attacking one place, they would certainly attack another.
What I definitely do remember is that in the following months, our country was brought together. There was a lot of patriotism and even as a little 11 year old, I felt a difference in the way our country acted. I wish now that people appreciated our military the way they did back then, instead of calling them murderers. I hope that this anniversary brings a little more love for America and it's values.
Now it's Jed's turn.
I was asleep (it was around 6 or 7 in the morning in California). I think my mom woke me up and told me the trade center got hit and I thought at first it was a little Cessna plane that hit it on accident. I thought it wasn't a big deal. Then I watched the news. I started watching after they both got hit and so I watched them fall down. I couldn't believe it. All I felt was disbelief.
I second what Heather said. I've been following politics since I was 8, so at the time of 9/11 I knew of all the divisions in our country. But the following year, everyone was united and forgot all the arguments. It was great. Now we're back to division in our country.
We both know this country was saved by God for us and that the Constitution was inspired by God. We hope that in the coming years, our country will stop pulling away from it and start going back to the core values the Founding Fathers put into the Constitution.
A big thanks to those who have fought in any war for our country. It is inspiring and touches our hearts to see the pure selflessness that our soldiers give.
Have a good 10 year anniversary, America.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Lea Salonga
So, this week I was fortunate enough to go with my mother and sister to see Lea Salonga perform at BYU! For those of you who don't recognize the name, she's the singing voice of Jasmine and Mulan.... and she is famous on Broadway for Miss Saigon and Les Miserables (playing Eponine and most recently Fantine).
It was great! I listened very hard as she sang beautiful songs I didn't know to see if it sounded like Jasmine or Mulan, but it really didn't. But when she broke out in the song Reflection from Mulan it was awesome. A Disney character in real life! I must say, though, my favorite was probably A Whole New World from Aladdin. When she say that, it was just so awesome. It was Jasmine! I've watched that movie from such a young age. It came out in..... let me look it up...1992. So really as long as I can remember I've watched that movie. It was also way fun because she had a man from the audience come up and sing it with her! She apparently does this whenever she sings. It was so fun! And this random guy turned out to be from the Philippines just like her and he had a really good voice. So I was impressed!
It was overall such a good night. If you have a chance, go see her! She has such a beautiful voice and it's so nice to have such a culturally enriching night.
It was great! I listened very hard as she sang beautiful songs I didn't know to see if it sounded like Jasmine or Mulan, but it really didn't. But when she broke out in the song Reflection from Mulan it was awesome. A Disney character in real life! I must say, though, my favorite was probably A Whole New World from Aladdin. When she say that, it was just so awesome. It was Jasmine! I've watched that movie from such a young age. It came out in..... let me look it up...1992. So really as long as I can remember I've watched that movie. It was also way fun because she had a man from the audience come up and sing it with her! She apparently does this whenever she sings. It was so fun! And this random guy turned out to be from the Philippines just like her and he had a really good voice. So I was impressed!
It was overall such a good night. If you have a chance, go see her! She has such a beautiful voice and it's so nice to have such a culturally enriching night.
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