International Food

Prior to a couple of years ago, I had never really ventured into the Indian food arena. Our previous pastor traveled to India and came back with stories about food and eating with your hands. The recipes didn't seem to appeal to me. The most I had ventured out was traditional Thai and, later, fusion Thai and was intrigued by the counter-balance of flavor: the sweet vs. sour, spicy vs. cool, texture differences in the same dish. Then, after our current pastor suggested Indian food for a staff meal, I was on a quest to try out these recipes. I made a dish for our family, but the boys did not like the spicy and complex taste. There were so many new and exciting recipes to try: butter chicken, chicken korma, curry a million different ways!

I volunteered to make a dish once a month for InterVarsity's International Student Fellowship, a group of international college students that meets every Friday night. The guidelines for making the meal suggested that spicy dishes that could be served over rice were popular. Cool! Automatic guinea pigs for my cooking! After trying several recipes from my favorite cooking site, allrecipes.com, I moved to uncharted territory. I quizzed my Indian friends and bounced ideas off them. They gave me suggestions and instructions. After a few tries, the best dishes that turned out were the ones that balanced the texture, the spiciness, and the flavors. Here is the recipe I made yesterday for the World Welcome Party:

Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry

4-5 lbs chicken
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
whole bulb (head) of garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (28 oz each) crushed or diced tomatoes
1 lb carrots, chopped or sliced
1 lb red potatoes, cubed
2 cans coconut milk
Bag of frozen peas
Fry Gosht spices (or use garam masala, turmeric, curry, chili powder, etc.)
Salt to taste

In large crockpot, place chicken, onions, ginger, garlic, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and spices. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir in coconut milk. If sauce is too thin, uncover and switch to high (I had to transfer to a stockpot to cook it down). When consistency is good, add the frozen peas (do not add sooner or peas will be mush). Serve over rice. You can also make this on the stove top.

A few notes: in this recipe, it worked good to coarsely chop the onion and finely chop the ginger and garlic. Minced garlic would be okay, but the "balance" of chopped ginger and garlic worked better. You could also puree the onion and canned tomatoes in a blender. I've done this when I serve to my boys, but otherwise the larger size onion pieces add a nice "bite." My Indian friends told me about this Fry Gosht spice mix you can get in the store; add more or less to taste (I thought it was a mild-to-medium spiciness, but that is highly subjective.) I have also successfully thickened a dish like this with instant potato flakes; add 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency. You can make a different dish by omitting the coconut milk and adding 1/2 cup of butter instead.

The tooth finally came out!

Here is what it looked like when only one tooth was missing.
This is still before that tooth could be pushed almost horizontal with his tongue.

And here is what it looks like after the tooth came out.

Daniel is saying "5" with each hand because he has lost his 5th tooth!

Compared to Michael, he is virtually a whole year earlier than Michael in losing those 2 front teeth.

Clarification

Just a clarification on the previous post that I do NOT play the Wii Fit with a fritter in one hand and the Wiimote in the other! But, thanks John, that is a mighty fine idea! I've got some stashed away in the freezer and I hear that you can reheat them but they aren't quite as good as fresh. (The fritters, not the Wiimote!) I'll keep you posted.

Recovery
I think I've recovered from the fritters. I lost count after eating about "four" and decided that I didn't need to eat anything for a few days. Well, at least not for dinner anyway. Our family has been having fun on the Wii Fit. It is so stinking hilarious! Blocking soccer balls with your head while avoiding the cleats being thrown at you is really fun. And the tightrope walking is fun, too! I have become a Yoga Master and I've only done two days of it. Jogging is the easiest form of exercise as well; you just shake the wii-mote and it thinks you're running! The boys found out that if you run faster than your guide, your mii will fall down. Funny! Tim likes the ski jump but I can't seem to get very much distance. I'm sure in 10 years The Simpsons will be mocking this fine gem of electronic gaming, but for now it's brought our family closer!

Happy New Year!

I made New Year's Cookies (Raisin Fritters) for the first time today. Mmmm. Just like the MCC Sale! I found out that there are as many different recipes for these as there are Mennonite women. The one I chose was a good one, and I didn't even have to call Grandma Betty for advice. Here's the one I used, but make sure you have lots of neighbors, friends and family close by!

2 packages yeast
1 C. warm water
3 tsp. sugar
2 C. milk
1/2 C. butter
2 tsp. salt
6 eggs
2 C. raisins
8 C. flour
Oil for frying
Sugar for rolling

And here's a translated poem about it:

Portzelky

I saw your chimney smoking,
I knew what you were making,
You were baking New Year's cookies.
Give me one, I stand still.
Give me two, I start walking.
Give me three, four, five at once,
Then I wish you the Kingdom of Heaven.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was pretty relaxing. The boys didn't get up early (considering they were up past midnight the night before). I warned them that I got them new pajamas that they had to wear. Michael was eager to and loved his pajamas. Daniel was very reluctant and only wore them because I told him he had to long in advance. Of course the next day he wanted to wear his "soft" jammies again. After opening presents, we went to Reedley in the afternoon. We always have green pancakes made by "Grandpa" for Christmas, and this year was no exception. We had so much food! Green crepes with fruit and whipped cream, baked omelet, cinnamon rolls, jello salad, green salad, fruit salad, and pie for dessert. Good thing I got a Wii Fit for Christmas!

Disneyland

We were at Disneyland before Christmas and had lots of fun. On the way down, we had to stop at Ikea to get some more shelves to complete our office. Plus it was dinner time so we had to get some meatballs while we were there. We stayed at Desert Palm and Suites this time. We had trouble finding any hotels with vacancy even back in November, so I called Ares Travel since they are recommended by Mouse Savers. They got us some great rates and were easy to work with since we needed four rooms. Daniel's "new" rides were Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, and Mulholland Madness. Michael's "new" rides were California Screamin and Matterhorn. Day 1 was raining. Like raining all morning. We braved the storm with ponchos brought from home. The parks were really empty and even when the rain stopped in the afternoon, people stayed away. Day 2 was beautiful weather and crowded parks. Day 3 was forecast to be stormy, but it never rained and the parks were empty. Tim and Michael rode Space Mountain four times in an hour. We drove home on Christmas Eve and it took us six hours to get home. It was bumper to bumper all the way from Anaheim to the Grapevine. Then it rained on the Grapevine. It's a good thing we got a dual screen DVD player for the car! The boys watched three movies on the way home.

Daniel's Winter Holiday Program

Tonight was the Liberty school program. It's a holiday program that happens in winter but you can't call it a Christmas program. The classes sang songs about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, because I think if they wanted to sing about one religious holiday, they had to sing about all of them. Daniel sang great and did great motions. We invited the grandparents to join us and then have dinner at our house afterwards. One set showed up, but not the other. After the four-minute kindergarten presentation, we went outside to collect our son and lost track of the grandparents. We figured we would meet up at our house. So we called the other set on our way home and found out that they completely forgot about it, but might stop by anyway. After arriving at home, I finished up the last minute dinner stuff and waited for the grandparents. And waited. And hoped they didn't get into a car crash. And hoped they didn't misunderstand "come over for dinner" for something else. And called all THREE of their cell phones (which were all turned off). And then finally decided to start feeding the family amidst Michael's cries of disappointment. What was that parable about the feast without any guests? Knock knock. One set of grandparents arrives. Ding dong. The other set of grandparents arrives. All is well and tummies are full. Daniel was so proud and excited for his program. Finally it's his turn to be a star!

Neufelds-Dancing With The Stars

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Anniversary and Merry Thanks-giving

This week, six years ago, we moved into our house. It was so nice to be back in a house after living in an apartment for a year waiting for it to be built. The first morning in our house, I sat at the dining room table and soaked up the bright sun pouring in through the east window. The cramped apartment had one window and we ended up with houseplant casualties. What was supposed to be four months in a tiny place with three people and a dog turned into 12 months and four people and a dog. Thanksgiving week six years ago, we got the keys and started painting. Michael brought along his box of Legos to play with while we painted and Daniel was a month old so he slept. This is a favorite picture of our house because it is so "springy" looking. When things turn brown about this time of year, I like looking at the green plants and the sunshine.

Christmas creep!?! Yesterday I heard Christmas music playing on the radio station (isn't that supposed to start on Thanksgiving Day?). And there were no less than three houses on our block already decorated for Christmas! Today I went to Costco and Michael's and the parking lots were full. Regardless of what the news is saying about people hanging onto their wallets, I have not seen the evidence yet. Maybe it's the $1.75 per gallon gas. It's not even Thanksgiving (and even I like to have most of my Christmas shopping done by then). But I must admit, I started listening to Christmas music back in October. I got Sara Groves' new Christmas CD for my birthday, so I had to crack it open and give it a spin. It's a fun new album with new tunes on old Christmas favorites. She has a few originals as well, like "Toy Packaging," about the frustrations of trying to get a new toy out of it's packaging, and "To Be With You," reminiscing about family holidays. So... in the meantime, I'll get ready for a yummy Thanksgiving dinner and wait 3 more days to start decorating for Christmas.

Batman and Sonic the Hedgehog

Michael's Jack-o-lantern

Daniel's Jack-o-lantern

October Highlights...


Michael got to play soccer in the rain and he thought it was pretty cool. This was the week that we brought the snacks, so we also got to roll along the ice chest with our chairs, jackets, and umbrellas.

Tracy's Birthday

For my birthday I thought it would be fun to get all the free restaurant food I could. I had already received a voucher for a free oatmeal at Starbucks, and I had a gift card that I used for a skinny caramel latte. Yum. I chose the dried fruit and brown sugar toppings. Then on my way out, I grabbed a bag of grounds for our compost bin.

Next, for lunch, I headed to Rubio's. You have to sign up online and then you get a free meal for your birthday. I chose the grilled mahi mahi burrito since I wouldn't normally order something like that. It was delish, but the fish was a teeny bit overcooked. I think I might like it better with a fried version instead of the grilled, but I knew what was coming up next for dinner...

After signing up online, Red Robin gave me a free burger basket. I got my favorite Whisky River Barbecue Burger, or whatever they call it. Michael was at soccer practice, so I saved half of it for him to eat when he was done and he gobbled it up.

And last, but not least, Cold Stone Creamery gave me a "like-it" size ice cream with one mix in. Cake batter ice cream with Twix bar mixed in. Mmmmm.

Do not leave alcohol near your jack-o-lantern!

Tony sent me this humorous picture. Made me laugh.

Tonight's Entertainment...
The boys love U2.

Moms In Touch
Today was another weekly Moms In Touch meeting where the moms from our school can get together in a home to pray for the students, parents and staff. The first time I heard of MITI (Moms In Touch International) was years ago when a parent of a high school student shared about it in church. But what's really funny is that she has a New Zealand accent and always said "Mums in Touch." And for a while, I seriously thought there was a group called "Mums in Touch." I only just found out that our school has a group back in May. It is run so great: exactly one hour long, come when you can, don't worry if you miss a week, no gossip. But the thing I like the best is that there's no "God Bless America" attitude. What I mean is, we don't pray for the school to be the best and win all the games and give glory to Clovis Unified, as though no one else is worthy of God's blessings. This is a time to sincerely pray for each staff person and the students and parents who need intercession. I've gotten to know a few other moms whom I would not have had the chance to meet otherwise. It's a lot of fun to minister with other moms from many different denominations.

Careers are chosen early
Michael told me that he had to learn how to build houses so he could go to Africa and build houses for people who couldn't afford it. He wanted tools and he wanted his friends to learn, so they could go with him. I told him that an architect or engineer would be great for a job when he grew up. He used to draw "contraptions" even as young as four years old. But on to the bigger issue... "Michael, did you know there are places a lot closer that have poor people who need houses?" Really? "Yes, places like Mexico or even Canada!" No way. "But for Mexico you would need to learn Spanish." Oh, I know a few words. "And guess what? Pastor James knows how to speak Canadian, so he can teach you!" Awesome!

Daniel made a "first aid kit" last year at church. It's a white paper bag with die cuts of bandaids and a stethoscope. Inside, it has real bandaids, cotton balls, and cotton swabs. Currently, it is almost shredded and has had supplies replaced numerous times. He took it to preschool almost every day last year. Last week, Michael had a teeny tiny cut on his foot, and while he was showing me, Daniel ran up and peeled open a bandaid and stuck it on Michael's foot. He wants to be a doctor. I told him to make sure and go into a specialty where the hours and pay were good.

Woo Hoo! Both in School!
On the first day of school, we had a Woo Hoo/Boo Hoo Brunch. I was definitely the Woo Hoo parent excited that both kids are now in school every day. Daniel enjoys his class and several boys from his preschool last year are in the same class. The first day, he was a bit nervous. Usually he is very independent and does his own thing, but that first day he didn't want to try anything new. Michael had a class full of 45 students, but now they are down to the mandated 37. He was sad to see a few friends get transferred to other schools and was pretty emotional coming home from school. Tim is back in school and enjoys the teaching part of it. He finished his 3rd year of doctoral studies and now is ready to start the dissertation phase. Tracy's school involvement is the PTC Treasurer and classroom volunteer.

Happy Anniversary

In 13 years, we have remained BFFs, created two wonderful little boys, purchased 2 houses and 4 cars, loved 2 shelties, learned numerous ways to do-it-yourself, cleaned up more spit, puke and poop than I care to recall, pondered life's many decisions, and took many wild adventures together. Time flies when you're having fun!

MCC Sale

We went to the MCC Sale last Friday night. The first stop was, of course, the fritter booth. While I stood in line, Tim took the boys over to get some hot dogs and we called Don and Phyllis with our German sausage order in another line. We all met back with food for dinner. I must say, the fritters were especially good this year... they were better than the last 2 years, IIRC. At the Ten Thousand Villages tent, I always buy a package of fair trade coffee. This year I was thrilled to find the "Bike Fuel" blend, so in honor of the recent bike trip, purchased this one. Also came home with some kettle corn. Jamie stood in line for zwiebach for an hour and 20 minutes! But rumor has it that the food ran out just after lunch on Saturday, so just another reason we like to go on Friday.