Thoughts

These are just a few of the feelings that I have been feeling lately....

Spiritual Food

Yesterday I had my first private bible study. That is what I call it. Fridays were starting to get really hectic. Trying to make it in time was stressing me out. Not being able to make it made me even more stressed. I need this to find my spiritual self and yet I wasn’t.

 

So after much back and forth with Diane, we finally decided on Monday nights. Last night was my first night. As I showed up at the door, I had butterflies in my stomach. Why in the world did I have butterflies in my stomach. I am not quite sure but I was anxious to get started.

 

It was a little weird at first. I mean I have gone to three other meetings there at Ray and Diane’s house but it was always a bible study group. There were other people there and hearing other thoughts and questions opened up my mind. Here I was alone. The attention was on me. What did I want to learn about? What questions did I have for them? That is the problem. I am not even sure I know what the questions are that I am looking for answers to.

 

So Diane jumped right in to Ephesians, a book I am not even sure that I knew existed. Don’t judge me. The whole reason I am studying the bible to is learn. One of my favorite things about studying the bible with Diane and Ray is that they are not afraid of any questions. They don’t answer questions with fluff. They don’t fill your head with bible quotes that are out of context. We look at the whole context. We talk about how it’s fitting and what I think. It’s an interactive process and that couldn’t be any better for someone like me.

 

Then we went to the beginning. Genesis… and it starts with “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”. Ray pointed out that it wasn’t the beginning. God has no beginning and no end. The angels were already with God. It was not the beginning. It was the beginning of the physical world. “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.” We talked about the world having darkness and God said “let there be light” but it’s not the moon or the sun because God had not created them yet. It was talking about the darkness that the earth was filled with because Lucifer and 1/3 of the angels fell from heaven. Lucifer wanted to be just like God. He wanted to be a God. There is only one God. So Lucifer fell out of heaven. God did not throw him out. His choices made him fall. I had never heard it referred to that way. So Lucifer made the earth dark. And then we briefly talked about the earth being covered with water and how that was the 1^st flood that many don’t know about…I will have to learn so much more about that. I mean listen to me….I am in Genesis. I am at the beginning and in three sentences I have learned more than I ever knew. I had read those lines so many times and each time I went through it quickly to next part. I mean who doesn’t know the story of creation. Apparently I don’t.

 

Almost two and a half hours later Diane started wrapping it up. I had no idea that much time had passed. I couldn’t believe that we had spent that much time talking and reading. I feel like I have so much to learn. I DO have so much to learn. I was happy to take each and every bit of information that Diane and Ray were willing to help me understand. I can’t wait for next week. I love this journey that I am on.

Being Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for. Last week was a blur. I mean I had something every night of the week. Monday, I had to take the boys to their physicals and then Nathan to his psychiatry appointment. Tuesday, we had Liz and Felix over for dinner. Wednesday, I was supposed to go to CJ’s school PTO meeting and then dinner with Alex. The meeting got canceled and we all went roller skating instead and had a blast. Thursday, I went to Didi’s to play cards, she did my hair and I ended up leaving earlier to get Nathan from Job Corp early since there was a storm coming. Friday was a snow day for everyone but me. The boys stayed home and I went to work but when I got home, I helped Jose shovel then did some snow tubing in our yard with CJ and then Jose ordered Chinese food for us for dinner. Although my week was crazy busy, I had so much fun. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I slowed down and was thankful for each day and what it brought.

 

The craziness has not slowed down. Saturday morning I worked and then did laundry, did grocery shopping and cleaned a bit before enjoying some much needed time with the family. Sunday was Superbowl Sunday and Tracy and Eric came over for dinner. I tried my hand at Galinha A Jardineira and it came out pretty good. I will need to tweek it for next time.

 

This week has been a bit different. I had things all week just like last week but the snow has changed my plans. I had plans to meet Amy for dinner on Monday and it got canceled. I went home to have dinner and cuddle on the couch. Today we were having a Valentine’s dinner with Lori and Armand and it got canceled partially because of what they have going on and partially because of this weather. Tomorrow Alex is coming over for dinner and the PTO meeting has been reschedule for tomorrow. I am not sure yet if I will be attending or not since it’s short notice. Thursday Jose goes to play Rock Band so I get some down time and Friday I am hoping to make it to bible study. I didn’t get to go last week and I feel like I real need it. I am excited about going.

Portugese Braised Beef (Trinchado)

Just wanted to share a recipe that I want to try soon. I have eaten this many times in restaurants but never made it myself. Sounds pretty easy, can't wait to try it.


Portuguese Braised Beef (Trinchado)

*Serves 2-3*
Ingredients:
1 pound cubed beef tenderloin
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 onion, sliced
2.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 small hot red chili peppers, stemmed and chopped (retain the seeds)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup Portuguese red wine
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 Portuguese bread rolls, for dipping

Directions:
1) In a bowl, mix together the Worcestershire sauce, chilis, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Now add the cubed beef and let it marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator to ensure that even the tougher cuts of meat are tender. Rinse marinade off meat and set aside in a bowl.
2) In a large saucepan on medium to high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter is melted and sizzling, add about 1/2 of the beef and brown well.
3) Remove the beef cubes from the saucepan, place in a bowl and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the remaining beef until browned. Set aside in the same bowl.
3) Once done cooking the beef, reduce the heat and add the final tablespoon of butter and sliced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Sprinkle the flour over the onion/garlic mixture and stir for about 2 minutes or until thick.
4) Add the set aside marinade, stock, and red wine to the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens and simmer for about 10 minutes.
5) Now add all of the beef set aside in the bowl to the saucepan. Leave to simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes on low heat or until beef is tender and cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6) Serve while hot in bowls with fresh Portuguese bread rolls or fries on the side.

Chicken Mozambique

*Serves 1-2*
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds chicken breast, cubed
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 oz beer
2 sazon goya con azafran packets
2 tablespoons piri piri
1 teaspoon cilantro chopped to garnish
2 lemon quarters to garnish


Directions: 1) In a large frying pan, sauté the chicken cubes in the olive oil on medium to high heat. Season with the teaspoon of salt.
2) Once cooked through, remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl.
3) Add the onions and garlic to the pan along with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Stir as it cooks.
4) Pour half of a beer, 6 oz, into the pan and stir to deglaze the pan.
5) Add the chicken back to the pan along with the piri piri sauce, lemon juice, two packets of sazon goya, and the rest of the butter.
6) Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat while stirring occasionally.
7) Once done, remove from the pan and place onto a serving platter.
8) Garnish with the chopped cilantro and lemon quarters. Serve along with some white rice while hot.

Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa

Codfish,potatoes & onion casserole - Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa

Ingredients

• 600 - 8oog dried codfish (soaked for 24 hours)
• 8 medium size potatoes, waxy
• 4 large brown onions, sliced thin rounds
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 250ml olive oil
• 4 hard boiled eggs, shell removed & sliced
• 100g black olives
• 2 tea salt
• 1 tea white pepper
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 150ml extra olive oil

1. Soak the dried cod over night, changing the water twice.

2. Simmer a pot of water & add the cod to the water & simmer on a gentle heat for 5- 8 minutes, then drain the cod & leave to cool.

3. Put the potatoes (whole with the skin on) into a large pot & bring the potatoes to the boil.
Once the potatoes are cooked drain & set aside to cool. Add the eggs to the potatoes & cook for 10 min, till the eggs are hard boiled, then set aside.
Once the potatoes are cooled, cut in 1/4 inch thick slices.

4. In a fry pan add the oil then heat the pan adding the onions & garlic.Cook on medium heat till the onions are soft & slightly caramelised. This may take 15 - 20 min.
Once the onions are cooked set aside.

5. Once the ingredients are all cooked & prepared, start to assemble the dish.

6. Grease an oven proof dish ( a shallow lasagna dish is good for this) with some oil & spread half of the potatoes over the bottom of the prepared dish, then sprinkle half of the salt cod over the potatoes. Then spread half the onions on top of the potatoes,sprinkle a teaspoon salt & pepper.


6. Repeat the process till all the ingredients are gone.
Garnish with hard boiled egg slices, black olives, & chopped parsley.
Drizzle the extra olive oil on top & bake at 180 degrees for 25min or till golden.

 

Happy Monday

This weekend was a pretty good weekend considering.

 

Jose went away on a ski trip with the guys. He left Friday afternoon. So Friday night was busy with me leaving work to get CJ from his after school program, then getting Nathan from Exeter before going home. It wasn’t too bad though. Got home with enough time to make some dinner for the boys and cuddle with them while watching a little tv  before they departed to their corners with their computers.

 

Saturday was pretty uneventful as well, aside from the Blizzard of 2016. Went to the grocery store and left the car running by accident in almost the worst part of town…lol. Only me. But God was looking out for me because it was still there, running with the heat on, nice and toasty waiting for me. I can laugh now but what a heart attack I almost had. I made some Portuguese soup for the boys and got to cleaning. Took down my Christmas tree…finally. Put away all my Christmas decorations. Starting decluttering. Collapsed on the couch around 6pm to eat some soup and cuddle up for a Hawaii Five-O marathon.

 

Sunday I had plans to go out and shovel and clean off my car but I wanted to make Chicken soup so that I could have some warm soup to eat when I came in. When I finished the soup, I looked outside and saw that the driveway had already been shoveled and my car cleaned off. The upstairs neighbors had done it all. So I decided to bake them cupcakes as a thank you. They were so surprised but I wanted them to know just how thankful I was. They knew that Jose was away so they didn’t want me to do it alone. I would have had Nathan’s help but I was still so grateful. So I had time to do some laundry and clean some more.

 

Jose came home on Sunday and I was so happy to see him. We got to spend some quality time together before I had to take Nathan back to Exeter. Nathan is back on his academic classes after being off them during his janitorial training. He is happy to be working on his academics once again…who would have thought?

 

Here is a pic of my cupcakes...