Tuesday, September 11, 2012
9/11 and the forgotten
Today is 9/11 and my 28th birthday. For the 1st time in 11 years I have felt I truely celebrated my birthday. My gorgeous Maid of Honor to be, took me out to the Cheesecake Factory, my co-workers threw me a surprise birthday party, complete with an American Flag birthday cake!! and then the love of my life made the best ribs I have every had the joy of eating. I also got to spend an afternoon with one of my best friends just hanging out and had lunch with him. One of the most special birthdays I have had in 11 years.
Rewind.
Sept 11th, 2001. My 17th birthday. Like everyone in the world I watched the news in shock, not knowing or understanding what was going on. We as a country were now at war, caused by terrorist. What is a terrorist? someone that uses force or threats to demoralize and intimidate. We had so many heros that stepped up and rescued those that were stuck in the buildings. Many, so many lost their lives.
We now have colors to state the "Terror" level. Every year we salute those who have died, remember those that were lost. Honor the heros. Every year is a day of sorrow on 9/11. To the living, those that were born on 9/11, the day has been demorlized, the media goes on a frenzy, they replay the towers falling again and again, every year on 9/11. The world weeps. Again and again. And those that try to celebrate, instead of celebrating they weep with the world. They toss their birthdays and anniverseries in the trash and let the terroist win, every year. And why shouldn't they? Everyone else is posting on Facebook what they were doing on 9/11 and posting photos of the towers falling,and beautiful memorials and those crying over loved ones. And PLEASE don't mistake my words as caluous and bitter, I am not. I am just stating that those that were born on 9/11 get forgotten and put to the waistside.
I am sure that I am not the only 9/11 born, that has felt some frustration over this. To this day I hate bagpipes, every year there is funeral music on the TV and my spirit does get crushed that there is this big dark shadow over my birthday.
Not this year.
Not ever again.
From this birthday forward I will celebrate, live in joy, and truly honor those that lost their lives, by remembering them and not letting terror win.
And I hope that those that do have cause to rejoice in today will stand up and celebrate too and not let the media and social media dampen their spirts!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Dad's Famous Strogonoff
Ingredients
2 pounds of beef for stew
1 medium onion
garlic (fresh 7 to 8 cloves/ minced in the jar 1 large tablespoon)
olive oil
vegetable oil
all purpose flour
Tabasco sauce
garlic salt
black pepper
crushed red peppers
sliced mushrooms
1 8oz container of sour cream
1 bottle of beer (any kind)
1 1/2 bottle of water
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 large bag of extra wide egg noodles
Directions
Peel and dice the onion. In a large frying pan pour olive oil just enough to cover bottom of the pan, saute' the onion in olive oil on a medium heat. Before the onions caramelize, add the garlic. If you use fresh garlic/ use a garlic press to mince garlic.If you use minced garlic in a jar(which you can get a large jar that will last forever from Costco) use one large tablespoon. Stir garlic with the onion, make sure not to step away since the garlic cooks fast. Cook for two minutes or until starts to turn golden brown.
Add in the beef for stew. Cook beef untill completely brown. Add black pepper, garlic salt, crushed red peppers. Stir. Then add one package of sliced mushrooms ( you can use two small cans of sliced mushrooms if you like, fresh is better though) Cook another 5 minutes, while stiring occasionally.
Add one bottle of beer 12 oz (any kind will do). After pouring in beer, fill bottle with water and add 1 1/2 bottle of water to the broth.
Now add three cubes of beef bouillons to mixture. Add three splashes of Tabasco sauce as well.
Cook with a rapid simmer/ uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
In a regular coffee cup add vegetable oil to slighly less than half the cup / slowly add flour while stirring with a fork. Stir after each scoop making sure you have NO LUMPS Add flour until thickens to thick syrup consistancy. This is going to go in to thicken the strogonoff.
Reduce heat to slow simmer.
Pour half of flour/ oil mixture to the broth.Thoroughly stir into broth. Add more as needed. You don't want the strogonoff too thin at this point because when you add the sour cream it is going to thin it out.
Finally add 8oz container of sour cream. Stir in sour cream until completely mixed into strogonoff.
In a separate pot, boil water for extra wide egg noodles, add salt as desired. Cook noodels for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Serve strogonoff over noodles.
Suggested to serve fresh slices bread on the side.
2 pounds of beef for stew
1 medium onion
garlic (fresh 7 to 8 cloves/ minced in the jar 1 large tablespoon)
olive oil
vegetable oil
all purpose flour
Tabasco sauce
garlic salt
black pepper
crushed red peppers
sliced mushrooms
1 8oz container of sour cream
1 bottle of beer (any kind)
1 1/2 bottle of water
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 large bag of extra wide egg noodles
Directions
Peel and dice the onion. In a large frying pan pour olive oil just enough to cover bottom of the pan, saute' the onion in olive oil on a medium heat. Before the onions caramelize, add the garlic. If you use fresh garlic/ use a garlic press to mince garlic.If you use minced garlic in a jar(which you can get a large jar that will last forever from Costco) use one large tablespoon. Stir garlic with the onion, make sure not to step away since the garlic cooks fast. Cook for two minutes or until starts to turn golden brown.
Add in the beef for stew. Cook beef untill completely brown. Add black pepper, garlic salt, crushed red peppers. Stir. Then add one package of sliced mushrooms ( you can use two small cans of sliced mushrooms if you like, fresh is better though) Cook another 5 minutes, while stiring occasionally.
Add one bottle of beer 12 oz (any kind will do). After pouring in beer, fill bottle with water and add 1 1/2 bottle of water to the broth.
Now add three cubes of beef bouillons to mixture. Add three splashes of Tabasco sauce as well.
Cook with a rapid simmer/ uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
In a regular coffee cup add vegetable oil to slighly less than half the cup / slowly add flour while stirring with a fork. Stir after each scoop making sure you have NO LUMPS Add flour until thickens to thick syrup consistancy. This is going to go in to thicken the strogonoff.
Reduce heat to slow simmer.
Pour half of flour/ oil mixture to the broth.Thoroughly stir into broth. Add more as needed. You don't want the strogonoff too thin at this point because when you add the sour cream it is going to thin it out.
Finally add 8oz container of sour cream. Stir in sour cream until completely mixed into strogonoff.
In a separate pot, boil water for extra wide egg noodles, add salt as desired. Cook noodels for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Serve strogonoff over noodles.
Suggested to serve fresh slices bread on the side.
North Mountian/ Shaw Butte
At the top of North Mountain. Rating: Easy. Time: about an hour.
Location: 7th Street & Thunderbird
The parking lot for Shaw Butte is at Central & Thunderbird. Get there early because it is a small parking lot and they WILL tow your car if you park in the neighborhood area...
Rating: Intermediate due to some steep areas
Time: 1 or 1 1/2 hours.
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