The Dance Recital, Lion's Head Meatballs and The Weekly Menu

Yesterday was Little Miss Melody's Dance Recital.  They danced to the song "Oh, What a Miracle".  I couldn't agree more and I think you will agree what a miracle these little darlings are when you watch the video.

This morning we are doing some Spring cleaning of the yard.  Let me tell you.....Four dogs can make a lot of damage to a yard, especially when 3 of them are monster dogs.  I have a feeling that, weather permitting, most of the week is going to be spent on yard work.

This past Thursday I made a new Asian recipe called Lion's Head Meatballs. I found numerous recipes for these meatballs during an internet search.  Some used pork, some used beef.  Some were fried, others were baked.  Some were served dry on lettuce leaves, others were served in a broth with cabbage.

I took a little of this and a little of that from each recipe/article that I read and created my own version.  I don't know how authentic it is but I do know that it was very tasty and will be made again and again.

The articles all seemed to agree that these meatballs were an imperial dish and often served to children as the meatballs, once cooked, looked like lions heads surrounded by a mane of cabbage. I didn't see it. All I saw was a delicious dinner waiting to be eaten.

I am sharing this Week's Menu and you will find the Lion's Head Meatball recipe, I developed, immediately following.

Weekly Menu

Saturday

Soup and Sandwiches

Sunday

Beef Roast

Mashed Potatoes

Glazed Carrots

Meatless Monday

Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake

Tuesday

Beef Pot Pie

Wednesday 

White Chicken Chili

Broccoli Cheddar Corn Muffins

Thursday

Stuffed Pork Loin

Roasted Red Skin Potatoes

Green Beans

Fish Friday

Church Fish Fry

Lion's Head Meatballs

1 lb ground pork
1/3 c. dry sherry
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
2 t. ginger paste
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. cornstarch
salt and pepper, to taste
cooking oil (I used peanut)
2 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 T. soy sauce
1 head bok choy, leaves and tender stalks cut into thin slices
8 oz. mixed mushrooms, shitake, portabella and oyster
2 cups steamed rice

Place pork, sherry, garlic, scallion, egg, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Mix together, using clean hands and stirring in a circular motion, until the liquid is absorbed.  Form into golf ball size balls and set aside.  You should get 12 meatballs.

Heat about 2 inches of cooking oil in a wok over high heat.  Carefully, add the meatballs in batches, frying on one side while ladling cooking oil over the top.  When browned on the bottom, turn over and brown top side.  Remove to a plate and continue in this matter until all meatballs are browned.

Discard the oil and add the vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the wok.  Return the meatballs to the wok and surround them with the bok choy and mushrooms.  Bring to a boil.  Cover the wok, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until pork is cooked through.

Place 1/2 c. rice into each of 4 shallow bowls.  Top with 2-3 meatballs, divide the cooking liquid and vegetables among the bowls, surrounding the meatballs with the bok choy, and serve. Print Recipe

Tuesday Talks

It has been a crazy month since we have moved into the new digs.  I feel like I have barely had time to connect with all of my guests here on the blog.  I barely have found time to post the recipes I was sharing for the different events and groups to which I belong.  But things are finally calming down around here.  The light at the end of the tunnel is very bright right now.

So we locked up our babies and found a few minutes to shoot some photos of the (mostly) finished project.

The flooring is nearly complete.  It is only missing the trim between the carpet and wood flooring that had not been sent with the order.  Hopefully it will be in soon and the installer will come back out to finish the project.  The window treatments in the great room are scheduled for installation on Thursday.

The master bedroom is entirely complete.  I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with my tropical oasis. It is like we are going on vacation every time we walk into the room.

Tomorrow starts the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies event.  I am travelling the world for the next 12 days and sharing cookies from a different Country each day.  This is just a sampling of some of my cookies that I took with me to our Alpha meeting last night at the church.

Mel, for her part, is very comfortable in the new home.  She no longer calls it the new house just Grammy and Grampy's house.  She loves coming to visit and we adore having her.  It is going to be a perfect Holiday Season!!!

-

Two Wonderful Amazing Years........

How did this happen?

How can my Angel Face be 2 tomorrow??

Wasn't she just born a minute ago?

Wasn't she just 1 yesterday?

I can't seem to remember what life was like without her!

She is one of my greatest blessings!

This and That.......

Whew, it was a busy weekend but today is quiet and I have been loving it.

Saturday we had our Little Angel Face for the day.  We always have a good time.  We play puzzles. We watch Minnie.  We go for walks outside.  We play on the swings.

A Girl and her Dog.

And that was all before noon when we headed out for the Memorial picnic.  Melody talked and sang for over an hour while we drove and then, literally 2 minutes before we arrived, she fell asleep.  Luckily the gathering was outside so we pulled into the shade, opened all the doors and sat outside the car visiting while she took a nice long nap.  When she awoke she wasn't interested in eating but she was happy to find other kids to play with and she was good as could be.

Mostly she was interested in playing on the lawn tractor she discovered in the barn.

When we got home, she still wasn't very interested in food.  She must not be growing too much right now.  She did eat a little bit of chicken and a cheesestick.  She was dirty and dusty from all the running and exploring but isn't crazy about our upstairs bath.  I think the fact that it has doors rather than a curtain concerns her.  But necessity is the mother of all invention so we improvised.

Luckily our shower in the master bath is large enough to fit her swimming pool.  She spent quite a while playing and came out sparkling clean.  She didn't even fuss when I washed her hair.  A couple of bedtime stories, some foot rubs and she was dead to the world.

Her mama stayed the night when she got home so we got to hang out in the morning too.  They headed home about 10 am and Frank and I headed to Mass.  Then we came home, got all gussied up and headed to a wedding.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day for an outdoor wedding.  It was held at the Pine Knob Mansion, a lovely venue.  The food was outstanding and a wonderful time was had by all.  We got home late and I was a little tipsy so it was a good thing we had a free day today.

We slept in, had breakfast and putzed around the house a bit.  Then we went for a two mile walk.  It is another gorgeous day here.  After our walk we went out to lunch and stopped at Best Buy to order up a dishwasher for the new house.  Closing is scheduled by the 16th of this month so moving day is fast approaching.  

For dinner tonight we grilled some Phase 1 friendly burgers on the grill.  I had mine without a bun served on a bed of greens with fresh slices of tomato and grilled pineapple on the side.  Frank had his on a bun with a couple of ears of sweet corn and grilled pineapple.  Everyday is like  holiday around here with us both retired but I hope that you had a wonderful long weekend with people you enjoy, doing the things you love.

See that bottle of True Made Foods Ketchup on the table?  I received that when they sponsored an event in which I partook.  It is perfect for this eating plan!!  Made from vegetables with very little sugar and no corn syrup.  You can find them here in Michigan at Westborn Markets.

Phase 1 Hamburgers

adapted from The Fast Metabolism Diet 

1 sprouted grain English muffin, torn into pieces

3 cloves garlic

1/4 of an onion

salt and pepper to taste

2 egg whites

1 lb. lean ground beef

Place the English muffin, garlic and onion in a food processor and pulse until finely crumbled.  Place in a bowl with the ground beef and egg whites.  Season with salt and pepper.  Using clean hands, thoroughly combine all of the ingredients.  Divide into 4 equal pieces and form into patties.  Grill over med high heat to desired temperature.  Print Recipe