The Trevinator's Big Day

Trevor: My first-born. Nick-name of choice, "The Trevinator" (Seriously... he just told me that this is what I should call him last night at the supper table). Designer of incredible Lego creations. Illustrator of super-heroes.


Trevor had a very exciting Thursday of last week: He lost a tooth at school. When I picked him up from school, Trevor excitedly relayed this information to me. "Mommy, at school today, I did something that no one else has ever done in my class during school. I lost a tooth!" He said that his substitute teacher told him, "Congratulations" and then they went to the school nurse where he was able to pick out a "Tooth Treasure Chest" to put his tooth in for the duration of school that day. We set the tooth in the Tooth Treasure Chest in the special place where the Tooth Fairy looks for teeth that night before bedtime. The next morning, Trevor was excited to find his bounty, in the place where the Tooth Treasure Chest had rested just the night before. I loved watching him as he excitedly showed his brother, before putting his Tooth Fairy money into his safe. What unbridled joy my son has! I am so blessed to have him as my son.

As I reflect on the excitement Trevor had over his lost tooth, I pray that he never loses his innocence and that he will always treasure the simplest pleasures that life has to offer. I need to become better at celebrating these small moments that life offers up. I need to remember to count my blessings - both big and small - every one!

A Full Plate

While I was debating on whether or not to start a blog, I asked some friends what to call my blog if I should ever start one. One friend, Matt (my favorite Math teacher), suggested "A Full Plate". It was catchy, it was accurate ... so, I decided that it may just be the perfect name for a blog.

I love to cook. I love perusing through cookbooks at the bookstores. I probably own one hundred ... who knows, I sure don't count them! I read cookbooks like some people read novels. It is true. I love picking out a "cookbook of the week" when I am menu planning, and trying out a couple of recipes from that cookbook during the upcoming week. I write little notes to myself in these cookbooks: Documenting the special occasion which we first enjoyed the recipe, writing my husband's "critique" of the meal, classifying the recipe for future reference.

You may be wondering what my cooking style is like. I have to say, I am Paula Deen's biggest fan. I have all of her cookbooks (and her sons' cookbooks too!) I love "down-home" style cooking. Meals like what I grew up with while living back home on the farm. "Comfort" food. I admit, I like to try new recipes too; to try to capture the same flavor and zest of dishes I have sampled in restaurants. You will see a wide variety of foods in my menus and recipe files.

Right now, my focus is to make healthier versions of my family's favorite types of food. I am trying out new "low-fat" recipes and experimenting a bit with some of my favorite recipes.

I have a little three ringed binder that my good friend Lori gave to me years ago. In this binder, I keep all of my "perfect" recipes. The recipes that are so good, I do not ever have to look for another version of that type of recipe. I have officially found "the perfect recipe" for Cinnamon Rolls, Chicken Pot Pie, Escalloped Potatoes, Blueberry Muffins ... (okay, I will not list them all right now).

One new addition to my "perfect recipe" binder is an Asian Sesame-Ginger Marinade. I used this fabulous marinade recipe to make Asian-Infused Sirloin Steaks last week. I served this savory steak with baked sweet potatoes (sprinkled with brown sugar) and garlicky green beans. My husband rated this meal as "perfection" (and has requested I make it once a week...)

Doesn't it look delicious?
















Asian (Sesame-Ginger) Infused Sirloin Steak
262 calories per serving

Combine:
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
3 Tablespoons Heinz 57 Steak Sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 inch piece of ginger, shredded
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix well and pour over a 2 pound (nice and thick!) sirloin steak. Let this marinate overnight (or at least 4 hours). I usually just use a nice big plastic bag (resealable) to marinate the steak in.

In a grill pan that is preheated, add the steak and the marinade. Grill the steak over medium-high heat until desired "doneness" is reaches, brushing occasionally with the marinade. I cooked it for about 6 minutes per side and then transferred the whole pan (steak and all) into the oven for a few minutes to finish cooking.


Let meat rest for a few minutes before cutting into individual serving sizes (or you can slice it into thin slices if that is preferred). Serve immediately.

Hope you all enjoy!

Annette

Starting Out

Where do I begin? I am not even sure what to say...



For quite some time, I have debated on starting a blog. I have lots of interests, a wonderful husband and two adorable little boys, and family and friends that are spread all over the United States. I thought, "This would be a wonderful way to capture memories and share them with my family and friends."



Then again, I love photography. It is my passion, really. I love "capturing" those fleeting moments for all time. Nothing tells a story quite as well as a picture... especially some of the ones I have with my boys. Their expressions sometimes say a lot more than I would like...



I am an avid scrapbooker. I love to capture my precious memories in albums. It is so much fun to look at them with my boys - and help tell them the story of their lives (again and again ...) I also enjoy helping others' capture their memories as well. I have worked on a heritage album for my grandparents, completed an album for my Mother that had pictures of my brother, sister and I from our younger years, and, occasionally, I work on projects for clients.



Let me discuss yet another area of interest that I have. I love to cook and bake. I enjoy reading cookbooks and food magazines. I love menu planning. I love going into a restaurant and dissecting my favorite dishes to try to recreate them at home. My poor family has to try so many new recipes every week ~ but, I do also make some of the family favorites too. I was thinking that a blog would be neat to help capture some of these recipes: To document the successes and failures; to share these recipes with my family and friends.



Well... I guess, I have rambled on enough in this "introduction" post. I look forward to comments and suggestions as I have officially entered into the world of "blogging."





Later,

Annette