Philippine Pansit

PHILIPPINE PANSIT
from www.cooks.com

2 tbsp. oil
1 med. onion
1 garlic clove (opt.)
1 c. green beans cut French style or 1 can French style green beans
2 carrots, cut in thin strips
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 c. cold chopped chicken
1/4 c. soy sauce (or to taste)
1 pkg. vermicelli spaghetti, cooked & drained
2 or 3 hard boiled eggs

In a skillet, cook in oil the onions and garlic until onions look clear. Add green beans, carrots, celery, mushrooms and chicken. Stir until vegetables are tender crisp. mix with spaghetti. Add soy sauce, slice eggs and Accent to taste.

Pork Chops Mole

Pork Chops Mole'
from Cooking Light magazine

(also very good w/ chicken breasts)

Mole' (moe-lay) is a traditional Mexican sauce made with a blend of chiles, onion, and garlic. Its most characteristic ingredient, chocolate, contributes richness without adding sweetness.

Cooking Spray
4 (4-oz.) boned pork loin chops, about ½ inch thick)
¼ cup water
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup yellow bell pepper strips
½ cup red bell pepper strips
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
½ ounce semisweet chocolate, grated
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cook chops 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan. Add water to pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Pour mixture over chops. Cover and set aside.

Reheat pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and jalapeno pepper, cook 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes, cook 1 minute. Add chocolate and next 4 ingredients (chocolate through cumin). Add the pork chops; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 pork chop and 2/3 cup sauce).

256 calories; fat 10.8 g; 3.7 sat fat; protein 27.2 g.; carb 12.8 g.; fiber 2.6 g; chol 71mg; sodium 549 mg

Galena, IL

Galena, IL, weekend of April 3.

My friend Teri and I had a girls' weekend at the timeshare belonging to her friends. Galena is a beautiful little city. I recommend a visit to anyone that's not been there. Prepare yourself for some shopping. You will find stuff that you won't find at home!!

My favorite stores there are Phat Quarters (a quilting store!!!) and the Galena Canning Company. They make THE best hickory apple bbq sauce!!!

The weekend was a much-needed couple of days of R & R!!!!

Quilting Retreat, March, 2009

Here it is, May, and I just realized I never posted about my trip to Gibbon, MN, where I met 8 other wonderful women who share my love of quilting. The time we spent there was fun, entertaining, educational... I learned a lot in those 2 short days.

The other women: Steam, esteemed founder of our little group - I learned a lot from her!
Squirrell, who has the most amazing organizational skills that I've ever seen;
Stiina, oh wise one! She's an engineer, very experienced quilter, AND a former Viking sewing machine salesperson!!!
Crazy, amazing woman, adoptive mom of 7
Manders, mom of Harry, and our photographer.
Mean Megan - not mean at all!!! And her kids are evidently the most beautiful children in the world!!!
Nick, from the frozen tundra of Superior Wis.
SuzzzieQ, one of the sweetest people I've ever met. And I think she travelled the farthest.

So, in Gibbon, I learned a lot of new quilty stuff. I used gridded fusible for the first time, which is a lot of fun to work with! At the retreat we made a heart shaped wall-hanging using this method. I learned how to make mitered corners, tho the few I've tried since getting back home don't look anywhere near as good as those I did with Squirrell's supervision. I also learned a few new applique methods and how to paper piece, and I even made a prairie point (I think that's what it was called!!!).