Recipes

Sweet-and-Sour Beef with Rice

March 12, 2015 nk3303 Comments

Here’s another meal that is pretty easy to make while we are in TLF. Andrew really enjoys Asian cuisine and loves making stir-fry recipes. I usually like it when he makes a stir-fry as well, I just don’t like all the chopping that goes into them! This recipe doesn’t take too long and has good flavor — it’s become one of my favorites.

Sweet-and-Sour Beef

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water
1 lb. beef top sirloin steak, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
3 t. canola oil, divided
1 large green pepper, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 large sweet red pepper cut into 1/2″ pieces
2 medium tart apples, chopped
1/2 c. + 2 T. green onion, chopped, divided
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. cider vinegar
hot cooked rice

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet or wok coated with cooking spray, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add beef; stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from pan.

2. In same skillet, stir-fry peppers and apples in remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup green onions; stir-fry 1-3 minutes longer or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from pan.

3. Add brown sugar and vinegar to skillet; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan. Return to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Return beef and pepper mixture to pan; heat through. If desired, serve with rice. Sprinkle with remaining green onion.

We usually make about a cup of jasmine rice to serve with this. We also add a little soy sauce to it… but we also really enjoy soy sauce. 🙂

I Am Not a Baby Person

March 11, 2015 nk3308 Comments

Yep, it’s true. I really am not a baby person.

Yes, I think they’re cute. And I love buying itty bitty clothes for them. I’ll even hold them and try to coax out a smile. But as soon as they start to squirm and fuss, I get a little panicked and start looking for Baby’s mama. And you will not find me volunteering to change a diaper!

But wait. I have a baby. How can I not be a baby person?! Actually, having a baby was my biggest fear about having a baby. If I could have birthed a 1-year-old, I would have. When I worked at the childcare center on base, I loved working with the pre-toddlers (12-24 month old kids). I occasionally would cover in an infant room, and while I didn’t hate it, I definitely was out of my comfort zone. Especially when it came to handling those little 6-week-old babies. I didn’t feel comfortable giving bottles, burping, rocking them to sleep… So when someone asked me, “Are you ready to have that baby?” I would honestly say, “Nope! He or she can stay in there til the due date!”

So, of course, our baby chose to come 3 weeks early. When I realized that my water had broken, panic ran through me. Not because I was afraid to give birth (I mean, yeah, I was, of course), but because I did not feel ready to actually have a baby in my life! But I suppose I never would have felt ready.

Look at that little guy! I felt so unprepared to care for him. Especially when it came to feeding. I think a lot of women struggle with breastfeeding in the beginning, even more so when they have to deal with something like a poor latch or a sleepy preemie. But we just got through a day at a time, and I guess somewhere along the way, I started feeling a little more confident.

But just a couple of days ago, I felt something that I hadn’t felt before. I have loved Gerrit from the moment he entered our lives, but until the other day, I hadn’t felt that powerful love moms talk about. The love I would describe as “fierce.” I was just watching Gerrit sleep, and I felt this wave of emotion that was love, tenderness, protectiveness… just an overwhelming feeling that I had never felt before. Is it a “mom” feeling or do dads feel it too? I don’t know, but it was amazing.

Here’s my little guy now:

I cannot imagine a single day without him, and I love how he makes me feel. The cuddling and snuggles are wonderful, and I just love being this little guy’s mommy! Gerrit, you have turned me into a baby person after all.

Recipes

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

March 9, 2015 nk330Leave a comment

Although we are staying in TLF (temporary living facility) right now, it has not been bad at all! We’ve had a break from living out of suitcases; I couldn’t wait to unpack our things! We also have a kitchen, so I sent Andrew to Wal-Mart with a grocery list so we could have a break from frozen pizza and spaghetti. We have some pots and pans in the kitchen but not much for baking, so I had to find recipes that didn’t require a 9×13 (because most of them do). I also wanted to use some really quick and easy recipes, since Gerrit can be unpredictable in the evenings. Did I mention that I packed my recipe binder? 🙂 I used it once or twice in TLF in England, and it’s getting more use here in North Carolina.

Anyway, this was one of those evenings when Gerrit was being unpredictable! He had take 45 minute naps all day, so I wanted him to take one more catnap before bedtime. Andrew wasn’t having much luck with that last nap, so I sent him to start cutting up potatoes while I tried to get Gerrit to sleep. By the time our little guy finally conked out, Andrew was pretty involved in dinner preparation, so he said he’d just finish it. So I got a break!

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Ingredients :
3 – 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced (about 1.5 lbs. or 4 1/2 cups)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, cooled and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions :
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 9″ baking pan or casserole dish.
Spread half of the diced potatoes in bottom of pan. Place the diced chicken breasts evenly on top. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the bacon crumbles, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and half the green onions.
Spread the remaining diced potatoes on top, followed by the remaining bacon, another 1/2 cup cheese, remaining green onions and another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour heavy cream over top of casserole and then dot with the butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes. In the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bake until melted. Chop up some extra green onion to sprinkle on top before serving.

I found this recipe after I had Gerrit. I was looking for something that would be filling and wouldn’t be too tedious to make. I can’t remember if I found it via Pinterest or a Google search, but here’s the blog that I got it from. Andrew gets tired of casseroles, but even he liked this one!