The Doc turns 30!

Today is the Doc's 30th birthday! He's taking it pretty well considering. We celebrated with an evening out with the gang. We had reservations at the Fire Bull in Peabody, a Brazilian BBQ. We had been to a Brazilian BBQ when we traveled down to NC back when the Doc was interviewing for his residency programs. The allure to this place is when you order the Rodizio. It's all you can eat meat on a stick! You get sides of rice, beans, fried plantains and salad and then the servers come around to your table with over 10 different cuts of meat. I am pretty sure that the Doc ate his weight in meat last night.

Me & the Birthday Boy!


Kristin with the Birthday Boy!


The Gang... a little blurry but my camera stinks!! Perhaps a new one is in order for MY 30th (wink, wink)


After dinner we decided to do something a little different and headed over to LaserQuest, in Danvers to play some laser tag. I had never played before but some of the crew had. Some of us wore WHITE, not realizing the course is under a slew of black lights, making us easy targets! Oops! It was a lot of fun, even the first game, where the average person was probably 15 or 16 years old, making us look like gomers in comparison. I think we held our own, though and the Doc even came in 11th place out of 37 people! Not bad, especially since we're pretty sure the kids who ranked higher, cheated by covering up their sensors. The second game was smaller with 13 people making it harder to find people and tag them but still fun and the Doc came in 2nd! I'd go again for something different to do, but maybe after the teeny boppers go to bed, (wink, wink).

As part of his birthday gift, the boys and I are letting him sleep in a little, since they love to get us up nice and early each and every day! Then later today we'll celebrate some more with a Chinese food dinner with his family. So Happy 30th Birthday to the Doc. Incidentally, one year ago today was Shaun's due date, but he waited 11 more days before making his arrival!

Dish of the Week: Skirt Steak Tacos

This weeks dish Skirt Steak Tacos is another one for the grill from the same magazine as the Shrimp Skewers. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my grill?!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground chipotle chile pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 lbs skirt steak
16-20 6" or 8" flour tortillas, warmed
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
2 large tomatoes, seeded & chopped
1/2 large red onion, quartered and slivered
1 cup cilantro

Directions:
1. In a small food processor or blender combine the first six ingredients: onion, lime juice, cumin, garlic, chipotle pepper, and salt. Cover and process or blend to form a thick paste.

2. Spread paste over both sides of skirt steak. Using fingers, rub paste into meat fibers. Place skirt steak in resealable plastic bag set in shallow dish. Close bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours overnight.

3. For a charcoal grill, place steak on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium hot coals; grill for about 4 minutes or until steak is slightly charred, turning once halfway through grilling. (For gas grill, preheat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place steak on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above). Cover steak with foil and let stand 5 minutes before coarsely chopping.

4. Serve immediately in warm tortillas topped with shredded cabbage, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro.

The recipe also recommends serving with a guacamole and a Lime Crema (3 tablespoons of lime juice combined in a small bowl with 8 oz container of sour cream).

The Verdict: The flavor of the beef was excellent and the smell was amazing! We love Mexican food so it was no surprise that this was a winner in this house! Next time I need to pay more attention to the cooking time for the steak. It was a little rare for our liking but, in our opinion, it's better to be undercooked slightly than over-cooked! For obvious reasons, I did not serve this with the Lime Crema so I cannot comment on that and I used a store bought guacamole out of sheer laziness.

David's Buddy

David has made a lot of great friends this past year, all thanks to the amazing Rec program our city has. Last summer we met Briana and her Mommy at the park and they have been friends ever since! These two are a riot when the get together. Check out David with his buddy at the playground today:

Memorial Day Weekend!

Today I packed up the boys (the Doc's on call this weekend) and took them my parents camp for a cookout and some swimming. We had to settle on the indoor pool, as it was WAY too cold today for the outdoor ones!

David and Cohen sitting on the stairs:


David swimming!


Shaun taking a break and watching the *big* kids:


After swimming we headed over to the little carnival the camp put on. It was basically just some games that were set up and they could win tickets to get prizes. The highlight, though, was the bounce house. David couldn't wait to get in and jump around!



My dad grilled some food when we got back and we enjoyed a nice spread of burgers, dogs, sausage and steak tips. We also had my homemade potato salad and corn on the cob! I ate too much, but it was totally worth it!



Then for desert the kids got to make some S'mores. This was David's first time roasting marshmallows, so he got some help from Papa!



Using the very cool marshmallow skewer!


David and Savanah enjoy the finished product!

Dish of the Week: Garlic Shrimp & Pineapple Skewers

This weeks dish, Garlic Shrimp & Pineapple Skewers, is from the Better Homes and Gardens Grilling Magazine. I got this magazine at the supermarket one day, shortly after we purchased our grill.

Ingredients:
24 fresh or frozen large shrimp
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3oz guava paste, cut up
4 tsp water
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1 small fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut up into chunks (about 2 1/2 cups)

Directions:
1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and devein (if necessary) shrimp. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Place shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, cilantro, garlic and cayenne pepper. Pour over shrimp; seal bag and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

2. In a food processor or blender, combine guava paste, water, chipotle, and red onion. Cover and process or blend until almost smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to bowl containing guava mixture; discard marinade. Add pineapple to guava mixture. Toss gently to coat pineapple and shrimp with guava mixture. (Do not allow pineapple to stay in mixture for more than 5 minutes or shrimp will become mushy). Alternately thread shrimp and pineapple on skewers (if using wooden skewers; soak in water for at least 30 minutes before hand). Reserve remaining guava mixture.

4. For charcoal grill, place skewers on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium grill heat; grill for 6 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and pineapple begins to char, turning skewers and brushing them with reserved guava mixture once halfway through grilling. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on a greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above. Serve immediately with coconut rice* (recipe below).

*Coconut rice: In a medium saucepan, cook and stir 1 cup basmati rice in 1 tablespoon hot butter over medium high heat until rice begins to brown. Add 1 cup chicken stock; 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

The Verdict: I made four new dishes this week and this was the winner. I wasn't sure how the guava paste would go over but it was pretty mild and gave the shrimp really nice flavor. The Doc opted out of eating the pineapple but I was really impressed with how it came out on the grill. It was my first experience with grilling fruit. Shaun loved the pineapple too!

The coconut rice worked really well with the skewers. It was milder in flavor than I thought it would be. In fact, the Doc didn't even notice the coconut flavor. This dish was a lot more work than most of the dishes I make, so I am not sure if it will be something I make a lot, but I would definitely make this again. Perhaps making skewers is something that gets easier the more you make them!

The Beach!

Have I mentioned how awesome it is to live by the beach?!?! There is nothing better than stepping outside on the balcony and smelling the ocean air! It was so nice yesterday that after dinner we took our first ride (one of many to come) to the beach and let the boys play in the sand.

This is Shaun's first experience sitting in the sand since last summer he was just a newborn. He was so excited to to play in the sand (or eat it).


This stuff is AWESOME!


David shoveling the sand


The boys relaxing in the sand

American Idol - The Final!

So the end is here and I could give a rip who wins. Adam is by far one of the best performers, but Kris's sound is more relevant.

Here is my run down:

Round 1: Mad World & Ain't No Sunshine - I am not a fan of repeat performances, I feel like it's cheating the viewers. I disagreed with Simon and gave round 1 to Adam, because this song is one of the best performances I have seen on American Idol in all 8 seasons. I love the song, loved the fog, and I even loved the long jacket. It was a close call though, because Kris re-sang his best song as well.

Round 2: Change is Gonna Come & What's Going On - Um, are you serious with the song choices?! That was the worst segment of the night. I think the song choices hurt both contestants. I was less of a fan of Adam in this round and gave round 2 to Kris (also disagreeing with Simon). Kris wins round 2, in my opinion, because I liked the arrangement of the song better. I didn't think it was weak for this stage of the competition because that is the kind of artist that he is.

Round 3: No Boundaries (Kara's Song) - I am pretty sure that is one of the lamest finale songs ever. I am giving round 3 to Adam because at least he rocked out on it. Kris needed to come out and *Allenize* it by making it unplugged and strumming his guitar. He could have stole the show had he done that.

So I don't really care who wins, I think I would be a little surprised if Kris pulls it off, mostly because I don't think he should have been the one there in the first place. I liked Danny and Matt better throughout the entire competition. However, Kris has a very relevant sound and I would be more likely to buy his album over Adam's. Unfortunately I can't get past the facial contortions and awkwardness when he sings. He's the epitome of video killed the radio star.

The Boys!

Since it was raining this morning, we decided to take a walk around the mall before it opened. We did this all the time in Philly. Since there is no one at the mall when it's not open, David is able to have free rein and run around like a crazy person! Today he had some fun pushing Shaun around in the umbrella stroller.
I had the camera with me so I took a short video!

Dish of the Week: Orange Glazed Salmon

This weeks dish is Orange Glazed Salmon. This dish came from the cooking magazine Cuisine at Home, which I received as a free sample in the mail!

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. Cajun spice
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets (6oz each)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange marmalade (I used Smucker's)
1 tbsp lime juice (I used the juice from one small lime)

Directions:
Combine Cajun spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub over all surfaces of the fillets. Saute fillets in oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn and saute an additional 2-3 minutes.

Blend marmalade and lime juice; swirl in pan until melted. Carefully turn fish to glaze on all sides. The salmon is done when it begins to flake when tested with a fork.

The Verdict:
The first time I made this dish I made it in my cast iron grill. The flavor of the salmon is probably the best I have ever had. The sugar and spice is a winning combo, in my opinion. The Doc really enjoyed it too.

The second time was on the grill, using a brush to glaze the salmon and then serving it on the side. Both ways were great. I liked having the salmon on the grill because now that I have one, I want to use it all the time!

Uh-Oh

Yesterday I came down stairs after getting ready, (like I do every morning) and this is what I found:


Partners in crime:


Just today he managed to climb halfway up the stairs while I was in the kitchen preparing dinner. This kid gets into EVERYTHING. I mean I really DO need eyes on the back of my head with this kid around! I don't know what I am going to do with him. I think I'll blame those daily Iced Coffee's I drank while I was pregnant with him. David got into stuff, and caused some trouble, but NOT like this kid! Oy vey!!

American Idol: Top 3

So we're down to the end. I think that this has been (with a few exceptions) one of the best seasons. I really liked most of the contestants this year.

Here is my recap in no particular order:

1. Adam Lambert:
Simon's Pick: This was standard Adam. I have to say that I agreed more with Randy. I LOVED the beginning of this arrangement but not so much the end. He is still an amazing performer.

Adam's Pick: Wow! I just love watching his performances. He really knows how to rock!

2. Danny Gokey:
Paula's Pick: I just LOVE his voice. I thought it was fun and energetic and vocally outstanding.

Danny's Pick: This was vocally brilliant (to use a Simonism). It gave me goosebumps!

3. Kris Allen:
Randy & Kara's Pick: I thought it was a solid (not amazing) rendition of the original, though probably one of my favorites by him (and that is probably because

Kris's pick: This was better than the first song. Liked the acoustic arrangement a lot, and did not like the stupid facial expressions. It's really getting ridiculous.

At this point I think it's pretty obvious who *I* like for the final, but it's could go any which way. So hopefully we'll be saying our goodbye's to Kris, but for some strange reason the little girls like him in all his skeeviness. Me, not so much.

Mischief & Mayhem

It is so hard to believe that Shaun will be 11 months old tomorrow. It's been almost a year already? He is just getting into all kinds of trouble now. He is crawling around the house, trying to crawl up the stairs, getting into the cabinets & stealing his brother's breakfast. Over the last week he has been starting to pull himself up more and his climbing skills have gotten almost too good, if you know what I mean! And just today (one day shy of 11 months) he has begun cruising. He looks a little awkward, but I am sure he'll be tearing up the house in no time!

Here are some pictures of the little troublemaker in action!

Playing under the table:


Climbing up the stairs:


Moving the our friends TV stand:


Knocking stuff off the table:


Stealing David's waffle:

Dish of the Week: Chipotle Chicken & Cashews

This weeks dish is Chipotle Chicken & Cashews with Brown Rice. I can't even remember how I stumbled across this one. I have been making this one for a while and since it's so good I decided to post it as this weeks dish.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, 1/4 onion finely chopped, 3/4 thinly sliced
2 cups quick cooking brown rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds chicken meat: tenders, boneless, skinless breasts or boneless, skinless thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning blend by McCormick)
2 to 3 tablespoons tamari dark soy sauce, eyeball it
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
10 to 12 water chestnuts, whole
1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons chipotle in adobo (2 peppers and their sauce), or substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin, a palm full
2 to 3 tablespoons honey, 2 healthy drizzles
1/4 to 1/3 cup real maple syrup, eyeball it
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves, your preference
1 cup raw cashews

Directions
In a medium pot over medium heat combine 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter melts into oil, add in the chopped onion, cook 2 minutes, then add rice and cook 3 minutes more. Add stock and cover the pot. Raise heat to bring stock to a rapid boil. Once the stock boils, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 17-18 minutes.

While rice cooks, make the chicken. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan, then the chicken. Season the chicken with grill seasoning. Brown the chicken on both sides, season with soy sauce then move off to one side of the pan. Add the remaining onions, garlic and peppers. Cook 2 to 3 minutes then add water chest nuts and green peas and mix vegetables and meat together. Add the chipotles and cumin. Toss to coat. Glaze the mixture with honey and maple syrup and turn off the heat. Add in the chopped cilantro or parsley and the cashew nuts.

Top rice with cashew chicken and serve.

The Verdict: Like I said above, this is one of our favorites. I have made this a number of times. It became a favorite because it's so good and very simple to make (don't let the long ingredients list fool you). Since I am not a fan of dark meat, I have never made this with chicken thighs. I love this dish because it's sweet and spicy!

American Idol: Classic Rock

The theme for tonight was Rock and there is no surprise who had the best overall performance of the night. Having said that, choosing Rock as the theme and then saying Adam stole the show is like saying that a Slip & Slide works better when it's wet.

So here is the recap in no particular order:

1. Adam Lambert: No surprise here. Would have expected nothing else.

2. Alison Iraheta: I liked this performance. I thought it could have had a little more edge to it; in the cry baby part. Solid.

3. Danny Gokey: OK so the last note was a little rough, but he's not a rocker. I think it took big cojones to go for that note, well out of his comfort level. The rest of the song I thought was pretty awesome. A+ for taking a HUGE risk.

4. Kris Allen: I seriously cannot watch this kid perform anymore. His ridiculous facial expressions, ridiculous porn stash and boring song choice. I thought Simon's analogy of it feeling like a jam session was dead on.

Danny & Kris Duet: I thought the harmonies in this song were amazing. They sounded really great together. Alone, vocally Danny was better. But I think they both looked uncomfortable. It was obviously hard for them to do. It was hard to take Kris seriously the way he was holding his microphone.

Adam & Alison Duet: This was the best performance of the night. It was obvious that the two rockers would well rock. Kind of like how peanut butter tastes like peanuts.

It's obvious to me that Kris should be the one to go home...but I thought that last week. He's never been my favorite and I think he had the weakest performance tonight.

A Summer Spring Day:

Earlier this week we had some really unseasonably warm days. It was the kind of weather you would expect in late July not late April. So we broke out the shorts, flip-flops, sprinklers & ICE CREAM!

David, Savanah & John eating a bowl of ice cream on the deck:


Running in the sprinkler!


Hi Mom, I'm all wet!


Cohen, David & Scottie*


Shaun playing in the grass*:


*taken by Krystal