My eyes were stinging. Tummy rumbling.
I looked up. It was six in the evening. I had been sitting in front of a computer screen for nearly nine hours (minus bathroom breaks and water breaks, hey, I'm only human).
I remembered to pack some lunch for Ed to bring to work but I got so busy that I forgot to eat. My stomach alerted me of that fact by making a noise so loud that my dog woke up (with bed hair and everything).
I hear a ding. iMessage pops up. It's Carlos. I see pictures -- food pictures. My stomach grumbles.
I scroll. More pictures. More grumbles.
Five pictures later, I see a beautiful pot of stew sitting on the stove top simmering away.
"Here's a preview of tonight's White Bean Tuscan Pork Stew with Kale and Carrot!" he says.
Seeing his pictures, his prep work, his final product, I was so engaged that I could smell the aroma of the stew. I could feel the texture of the kale, the onion, the carrot on my tongue.
And best of all, I could feel the love, the patience, the thought, that Carlos puts in when he makes a meal for his family (his husband, Joey, and two beautiful boys, Luca and Marco).
It's perfection.
I sat at the table with a finished product of my own: crispy chicken with grilled boy choy and a mango sesame dressing. Ed's working late so it's just me. My dogs are napping.
I look around the table.
Three empty chairs surround me.
One day. Someday, I hope those empty chairs will be filled with smiling children that will feel
the love,
the patience,
the thought,
that I put into the meals that I cook for them. Just like Joey and Carlos.
This post is inspired by you and your family. I love you guys.
I looked up. It was six in the evening. I had been sitting in front of a computer screen for nearly nine hours (minus bathroom breaks and water breaks, hey, I'm only human).
I remembered to pack some lunch for Ed to bring to work but I got so busy that I forgot to eat. My stomach alerted me of that fact by making a noise so loud that my dog woke up (with bed hair and everything).
I hear a ding. iMessage pops up. It's Carlos. I see pictures -- food pictures. My stomach grumbles.
I scroll. More pictures. More grumbles.
Five pictures later, I see a beautiful pot of stew sitting on the stove top simmering away.
"Here's a preview of tonight's White Bean Tuscan Pork Stew with Kale and Carrot!" he says.
Seeing his pictures, his prep work, his final product, I was so engaged that I could smell the aroma of the stew. I could feel the texture of the kale, the onion, the carrot on my tongue.
And best of all, I could feel the love, the patience, the thought, that Carlos puts in when he makes a meal for his family (his husband, Joey, and two beautiful boys, Luca and Marco).
It's perfection.
I sat at the table with a finished product of my own: crispy chicken with grilled boy choy and a mango sesame dressing. Ed's working late so it's just me. My dogs are napping.
I look around the table.
Three empty chairs surround me.
One day. Someday, I hope those empty chairs will be filled with smiling children that will feel
the love,
the patience,
the thought,
that I put into the meals that I cook for them. Just like Joey and Carlos.
This post is inspired by you and your family. I love you guys.
 |  |
CRISPY CHICKEN WITH GRILLED BOK CHOY AND A MANGO SESAME DRESSING
Ingredients:
For crispy chicken:
8 chicken thighs, about 2.5 pounds, deboned
1/2 tablespoon of oil
Salt and pepper
For bok choy:
1 pound bok choy, halved lengthwise
oil, for brushing the grill pan
For mango sesame dressing:
1 ripe mango, remove peel and seed
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 tablespoon ginger, sliced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried red peppers
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sesame oil
To make mango sesame dressing:
Add mango, coconut aminos, garlic cloves, ginger, dijon mustard and crushed red peppers in a food processor. Puree till smooth. In a slow and steady stream, add the two oils while the machine is still running. Put the dressing in a bowl or jar and set aside.
To make crispy chicken:
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Season the thighs well on both sides with salt and pepper. Add oil to a frying pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, place 4 chicken thighs skin side down. Do not move the chicken. Sear each side of the chicken thighs for 4-5 minutes. Remove the first batch and place it on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with the second batch.
To make grilled bok choy:
Wash the bok choy after you halved them lengthwise. Pat them dry. Line them up on a baking sheet and use a pastry brush to brush the mango sesame dressing onto the bok choy. Heat an indoor grill pan over medium high heat. Brush the grill pan with some oil. Grill bok choy for two minutes on each side.
Serve crispy chicken and bok choy with a side of mango sesame dressing.
Ingredients:
For crispy chicken:
8 chicken thighs, about 2.5 pounds, deboned
1/2 tablespoon of oil
Salt and pepper
For bok choy:
1 pound bok choy, halved lengthwise
oil, for brushing the grill pan
For mango sesame dressing:
1 ripe mango, remove peel and seed
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 tablespoon ginger, sliced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried red peppers
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sesame oil
To make mango sesame dressing:
Add mango, coconut aminos, garlic cloves, ginger, dijon mustard and crushed red peppers in a food processor. Puree till smooth. In a slow and steady stream, add the two oils while the machine is still running. Put the dressing in a bowl or jar and set aside.
To make crispy chicken:
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Season the thighs well on both sides with salt and pepper. Add oil to a frying pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, place 4 chicken thighs skin side down. Do not move the chicken. Sear each side of the chicken thighs for 4-5 minutes. Remove the first batch and place it on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with the second batch.
To make grilled bok choy:
Wash the bok choy after you halved them lengthwise. Pat them dry. Line them up on a baking sheet and use a pastry brush to brush the mango sesame dressing onto the bok choy. Heat an indoor grill pan over medium high heat. Brush the grill pan with some oil. Grill bok choy for two minutes on each side.
Serve crispy chicken and bok choy with a side of mango sesame dressing.
