Happy 11th Birthday, to my son Calix

11 years ago today, I became a mom for the first time and it only seemed like yesterday I gave birth to my son I named Claude Calix Murphy :) My life was forever changed dramatically, and for the good, I might add. At 17, I had no idea what was in store. None whatsoever, I guess no woman can truly know what childbirth or having a child of their is like until it happens for the first time. He's the one to introduce me into motherhood and taught me so much about the demands of parenting - which is as tiring as it is fun. He allowed me to make those mistakes all first time mothers make and through them we both grew together. Calix is a very loving son, he's able to let go of offenses in the blink of an eye. When I make mistakes, as all moms do, his heart is forgiving. And believe me I've had to receive his forgiveness many times over. I wish I can be more like him: quick to forgive, open handed, soft hearted and prepared to understand.

And here goes to Calix, my once so little baby and yet still the smallest in his class and football team hehe :) I can still see the little boy in him and yet I can also see the fine young man he is becoming... and it is indeed a bittersweet change to notice.

Calix, right from the very first time I held you in my arms, I knew you are special and I will always be thankful to God because not everyone is as lucky as me to be blessed with a son like you. I know sometimes I may be a little too hard on you but I only want you to understand your mistakes so that you learn from them. I want you to see that you can be anything you long to be, that you can stand on my shoulders to reach the heights I have only dreamed of. I will always be here for you, every step of the way and in every walk of life.

I love you more than I can say and your Dad and I couldn't be more proud of you our hearts could burst. Thank you for bringing such joy and sunshine into our lives, for being the loving, caring, and giving Kuya to your little brothers like no other! Sometimes you could even understand them much more than I do :) You and your brothers are the best and I am so glad you are all my sons!

Happy Birthday, anak! May these upcoming years be filled with fun, growth and adventure.


P.S.

Didn't you tell me you wanted to see Cirque Du Soleil - Dralion? Oh lookie, what do we have here?! :D

Chicken and Sultana Casserole

Je suis un peu triste en ce moment in english, I'm pretty sad right now lol thank you Google translate :) Missing the hubby like mad who is in an oil rig somewhere in Egypt since Thursday 13th of September (my birthday!) hence I decided to cook and blog to cheer myself up a little bit ;)

So our dinner for tonight is called Chicken and Sultana Casserole...

Total Time:

15-20 min

Prep

5-7 min

Cook

8-10 min

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 60g (2oz) butter
• 500 g (1lb) chicken strips
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 red onions chopped
• 155g (5oz) button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
• 125g (4oz) sliced ham, chopped
• 185mL (6fl oz) chicken stock
• 4 tbsp white wine
• 440g (14oz) canned peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 90g (3oz) sultanas (Sultanas and raisins are both dried white grapes but sultanas are from seedless varieties. They are golden in color and tend to be plumper, sweeter and juicier than other raisins)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

How To Cook:

1.  Melt butter in a large frying pan and cook chicken over a medium high heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan using slotted spoon and set aside to keep warm.
2. Add garlic, onions and mushrooms to pan and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute longer. Return chicken to pan with ham, stock, wine, tomatoes, sultanas, parsley and basil and cook until sauce thickens slightly. Serve with rice.

 Happy eating and see you again next time!

Fettuccine Carbona and Peaches in Cinnamon Syrup

Here's another budget-friendly quick-fix recipe to get a simple meal on your table for you and your family. One of the easiest and quickest pasta you can make is Fettuccine Carbonara plus Peaches in Cinnamon Syrup as your desert.

FETTUCCINE CARBONA

Total Time:

30 min

Prep

5 min

Cook

25 min

Serves 4
Ingredients:

1. 500 g (1lb) fettuccine
2. 1 tablespoon olive oil

CARBONARA SAUCE

• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons double cream
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• grounds black pepper
• slices of bacon

How To Cook:

1. Cook fettuccine in boiling water in a large saucepan following packet directions. Drain then toss through 2 tablespoons oil and set aside to keep warm.
2. To make sauce, place eggs, cream and Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl and beat well to combine. Season to taste with black pepper. (I've added an extra egg as well as a little bit more of cream because my kids love the sauce like scrambled eggs)
3. Heat remaining oil in a large-frying pan and cook bacon for 4-5 minutes or until crisp. Add fettuccine  and toss well. Pour egg mixture into pan and toss over a low heat for 1 minute or until egg is almost cooked. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

PEACHES IN CINNAMON SYRUP

my boys helping mommy prepare our desert

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons orange juice concentrate (I used freshly squeezed oranges)
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• canned peaches, drained
• you can also add 1 tablespoon Cointreau (Orange liqueur) if available

How To Prepare:

1. Place orange juice concentrate, caster sugar, lemon juice, Cointreau, water, cloves and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until mixture becomes syrupy.
2. Place peaches on a plate and pour syrup over.

Thanks for reading and I'll catch you all next time!

Pork Stroganoff

And today's quick and easy meal menu is... Pork Stroganoff :)

Total Time:

40 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

30 min

Ingredients:

• 375 g (12 oz) fettuccine
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 500 g (1 lb) pork fillet, cut into strips
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, halved or quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup flour seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon salt, dash pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 can (14 ounces) cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup sour cream

How To Cook:

1. Cook   fettuccine in boiling water in a large saucepan following packet instructions. Drain and toss through olive oil, minced garlic and poppy seeds (I used sesame seeds as an alternative as poppy seeds are not available here in Dubai) Set aside to keep warm.
2. Sauté sliced mushrooms in butter in a large skillet until just tender. Remove to a bowl; set aside.
3. Toss pork in seasoned flour to coat, shake off excess. 
4. Add oil to skillet; brown pork with onions, stirring frequently. Add back the mushrooms, the beef broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer briskly for 5 minutes. Cover and continue to simmer over low heat for 20 minutes longer.
5. Stir in sour cream and heat through. Serve immediately with fettuccine. 

Enjoy and Happy Eating! :)

Orange Pork Chops

I know..I know...I haven't been on since no one cares how long, but now I'm back so let's get down to business and cut the crappucino LOL! :p

I am by no means an expert in the kitchen. In fact, this is one shortcoming that really plagues me as a mom. Luckily, my hubby is one helluva great cook (master chef in his past life as he says although he's not really good in clean ups :p) but I really did learn quite a lot from him. So recently,  I’ve made it a personal goal to cook more, and to experiment in the kitchen, to put more wholesome, home-cooked meals on my family’s table. And to keep myself accountable I am going to be blogging about this journey. Woop! =D>

So here's a quick fix meal I prepared for tonight. I hope you enjoy this recipe, just as my family did! 

Total Time:

30 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

20 min

 Orange Pork Chops

Ingredients: 

• 5 Pork Chops
• 250 mL (8 fl oz) orange juice 
• 2.5 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp orange marlmalade
• ground pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
•  15 g (1/2 ox) butter

How To Cook:

1. Combine coriander and black pepper and sprinkle over chops. 
2. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan and cook chops over high heat for 2-3 minutes each side.
3. Add orange juice and marmalade and cook for 10-15 minutes longer, or until chops are cooked through and sauce thickens slightly.
4. Prepare vegetables of  your choice to accompany Orange Pork Chops

 
Optional Desert:
Melon Salad
Ingredients:

•  250 g (8 oz) natural yogurt
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lime rind
• 1/2 melon, peeled, seeded and sliced
• 3 tbsps honey
• 3 tbsps chopped walnuuts

How To Prepare:

1.  Combine yogurt, lime juice and lime rind in a small bowl
2. Arrange melons on individual serving plates. Spoon yogurt mixture over fruit, drizzle honey and sprinkle walnuts.

Happy home cooking! Until next time... /bye