Vegetable Sliders: Superbowl Food

Granted it's several weeks AFTER the Superbowl, but I'm setting you up for future superbowls and summer BBQ's!  It can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes that taste good and blend well with "set menus." These sliders pair wonderfully with beer, nachos, wings and meatball sammies.

I prepared these sliders for the big game party I attended at a family friends' house, and they were a huge hit! Eggplant has a very hearty flavor, and when you top it with panko breadcrumbs, fry them in vegetable oil, and add your own special homemade ketchup you have a winner! Even if you hate eggplant, I dare you to try these sliders. The ketchup alone will be a "kitchen staple" for me. It was sweet, with a little bit of heat, and a ever-so-slight tang, and then savory hits ya when paired with the slider. This is vegetarian superbowl food!

Vegetable Sliders
Adapted from Food Network Magazine, January/February Issue
Makes 10-15 sliders

Ingredients
SLIDERS
1 medium-sized Japanese eggplant, sliced 1/4" thick
3-4 portobello mushroom caps
1-2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1-2 French Rolls, cut into slider-sized "buns"
Vegetable oil

KETCHUP
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons moscato
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger

Directions

1. For sliders: Heat oil in pan. Coat eggplant/mushroom in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs; fry in hot oil.
2. For ketchup: Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and boil for five minutes.
3. Make sliders: Place eggplant/mushroom on bread, top with ketchup, then shredded cabbage, and the top "bun" shell.

The Beach

Here are some more pictures from our trip to Key Largo, and specifically - Naja's first time at the beach! The beach was not adjacent to a real body of water, but the sand was real, and so was the water she splashed in! Naja's Bathing Suit & Hat - Target.

Our day at the beach was spent with Naja observing everything, and slowly playing with her surroundings. She likes to be eased in to things. For example, she likes "flying" in the air, but if you quickly lift her up - she'll scream; however, if you slowly raise her to the sky - she's as happy as can be! Thus, I slowly introduced her to the water, first allowing her to stand and splash, and we eventually moved to sitting in the pool, and then moving around in a floaty tube. She ended up splashing herself quite a bit, and found the entire event quite interesting! I wish I had more pictures of her in the pool, but I was in them, and well, let's just say I don't want my décolletage on the net.

So we go back to the beach. She liked the sand so much, she tried to eat some...speaking of eating things she shouldn't eat - Naja is really fast now. Nearly one month ago, I could easily catch her from putting something in her mouth with a delayed response. However now - I must be quick, or any and every thing is easily in her mouth! I tell you, once they hit six months, those motor skills are in full gear, and you have to have your eye on them at ALL TIMES!  Crawling is right around the corner...

Grateful

I've been pretty MIA from the blog, but I'm happy to say that I have a lot of pictures (I.e. content), that I am just waiting to find time to post! In the meantime, I thought I'd share some pictures from my trip to Key Largo, Florida. Naja, my mom and I flew to Key Largo on Wednesday for an early 7:20 AM flight. Naja was fantastic on the plane, she cried a little, played a little, ate a little, and slept a little. When we arrived to Miami, we quickly rented a car, and drove to the resort.

The trip is a "bonus trip," courtesy of my company for my department hitting our goals. So basically, we're chillin' at a super nice resort, with a lot of DELICIOUS seafood, some sun, and some true relaxation. Times like this, I'm actually happy that I eat seafood, because it literally tastes like it is FRESH out of the ocean. We have one department activity every day, but the rest of the time has been on our own, and we're having a great time. For the first day, we pretty much stayed inside because it was overcast and rainy. Below are some pictures from our brief (I.e. 5-minute) nature walk.

Naja on our nature walk, snacking on a Mum Mum rice cracker.

I am so grateful, because I never would have imagined I would ever be able to go to a place so fancy, and the fact that Naja could tag along is just icing on the cake. Speaking of cake, this trip has also been interesting since Naja is eating solids now, and she's a really good eater. I ended up doing a mixture of baby led weaning with some version of spoon-feeding. She eats just about everything: eggplant, pineapple, broccoli, spinach, potatoes, yogurt, banana - EVERYTHING! No allergies yet - although we are staying away from citrus fruit, nuts, and fish for now. Below are some pictures of Naja eating at one of the fine dining restaurants on the property. It's quite hilarious, because there's a dress code at the restaurant, and here is Naja, in her sneakers and leggings, snacking on all types of tropical fruit. We leave tomorrow, but I'll be sure to post pics from our day at the beach later.

Kairos

A couple of weeks ago, I tweeted this article from the Huffington Post regarding parenting. In summary, it referenced the full picture of parenting, which includes highs and lows, happiness and frustration - the whole gamut. The author breaks things down into two definitions of time. For the happy times, it referenced the word - Kairos. This time is God's time, it's time when you really recognize how blessed you are to have your child in your life. I took these pictures in the mid-afternoon, after Naja needed a change of clothes and boy let me tell you - KAIROS.

That face; those sweet moments - they get me every time. Several hours later, after a nap - Chronos. Chronos is the time you normally experience, it's regular time. This may include a screaming baby who is teething or a baby who is squeezing your breasts like a stress ball (new nursing thing that Naja thinks is fun now) - the good stuff that we don't always highlight, because we like to focus on the positive. 

Yesterday evening, we had some real Chronos time as I think Naja has some more teeth coming in. It took some time, but she finally found something chewy enough to assuage her little gums.

Ah well - Chronos is totally worth it for all the Kairos moments. PS - The real article is 20 times better than my summary though, so check it out.

Spicy Tofu with Grilled Asparagus

This was my dinner this past weekend. It was enjoyed by all, including my meat-loving brother. I totally agree that if you say "I don't like tofu." It's because you have not had it prepared correctly. Preparation makes a huge difference. I pulled from two recipes to get this tofu, so it's something like an original creation, but not quite. I am trying to get on track to create my own original recipes, taking baby steps by getting creative in taking the guidance in preparation, and mixing and matching sauces and flavors as I think they would work! This one was a hit!

Spicy Tofu with Grilled Asparagus
Adapted from Food Network Magazine and comowater

Ingredients

1       package extra firm tofu

1       cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4    cup flour

3       tablespoons hoisin sauce

2       tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1       tablespoon Asian chile sauce (such as Sriracha)
2       teaspoons cornstarch
Asparagus


Directions
Slice tofu into 1/4 inch slices. Place 2-3 paper towels on a plate. Add one layer of tofu slices. Add another layer of paper towels, and repeat until all tofu is layered between paper towels. Place a kitchen towel over the final layer of paper towels and place a heavy pot or pan on top of the kitchen towel. Press tofu for at least an hour, which will create a firmer, heartier texture for the final dish.


Whisk together hoisin sauce, balsamic vinegar, Asian Chile Sauce and cornstarch. Combine breadcrumbs with flour in shallow dish (for dredging). Brush both sides of tofu with sauce mixture. Coat both sides of tofu slices with breadcrumb-flour mixture.


Heat oil over medium heat. Lay coated tofu in oil. Fry on one side until golden brown (approx. 3 minutes). Once the first side is golden brown, flip and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towel.


For asparagus, brush with olive oil, grill on a grill pan until cooked through (about 10-15 minutes total).

New Year, New Hair

I did it! *In my Dora the Explorer voice* I cut my hair. Well, Alexa at Modern Concepts Salon in Ashburn, Va cut my hair. I love it. It's cute, and easy to maintain.

A new hair blog I found said, "It's time to see your [hair] stylist when:
You have a mullet
You can't remember your last visit
Your hair reaches your bum
You have split ends
You're unhappy with your hair
Your hair is always in a ponytail"
 She's right - problem solved!

Answers to a few questions some folks may have:

Why did you do it?
Remember when I talked about my hair woes here, here and here? Well I realized that I'd rather have cute hair that was easy to maintain over cute LONG hair, that takes hours to maintain, and isn't always cute anyway.

Who did it?
Alexa Zagorites at Modern Concepts Salon in Ashburn, VA

How much did it cost?
$70

What do you do to maintain it now?
Same wash routine as before, with a couple new cheaper products that are easily accessible, that I hope to review soon, and I don't make deliberate sections, but it's much quicker with half the amount of hair. I just let my hair air dry, and this is what I get.

I talk about the cut in a video below. So, what do you think?

2012 Resolutions

In the past, my New Years' resolutions were created with a short time frame of commitment, and thus, they were quickly forgotten. This year, I thought of New Years' resolutions with personal growth in mind - these are things that I can commit to past 2012 to help make me a better "me."

Source

#1. Be content with delayed gratification

The year 2011 was a crazy year for me, with a lot of change. I had my first child, moved to a new city, blogged regularly, moved back home with my parents, got a new job, and became single again. PHEW! I don't regret any decision that I made, because I acknowledge that I had a choice for (most) of these changes. That being said, I struggled with a lot of the change because I had (have) a mindset of entitlement. I thought that by 25 I would be married/engaged, own a house, and be in a career that I love - all things I desire. I struggled with being happy about my situation because I felt entitled to have all of my desires fulfilled NOW.

However, it's just fine if that's not where I am NOW. Thus, this year, I am committing myself to being content with delayed gratification. While some of my dreams and desires are not yet reality, in 2012, I will work to be content with where I am in the present, with reassurance and faith to know that my desires will be fulfilled someday.

Source

#2. Love (specifically when I don't want to)

Building on number one, I was not (initially) happy with some of the changes that came in 2011. I complained a lot. However, complaining did not make me feel better, and it annoyed the heck out of those around me! Therefore, I am committing myself to love when I don't want to. Specifically to love difficult situations and people. It's hard to see the good in every situation. However, I know right now I have been blessed in so many ways due to those 2011 changes, and I am committed to seeing where God takes me!

Source

#3. FOCUS

Last year, I committed myself to this blog in a new way, and I can't believe how much it has really blessed me. In blogging, I have connected with new people, and found a number of other creative outlets that I truly enjoy. Recently I've found myself struggling to balance all of them, as a result of the limited time I have to devote to these creative outlets. Thus, this year, I'm going to focus on one creative outlet, and I'm choosing: PHOTOGRAPHY! I still don't know how to use my camera. Me taking a good picture is really about luck of the 'click.' I love how photography can capture a moment in time, so I can't wait to sharpen this skill!

Source

Those are my resolutions. The source of my growth has been a result of growing closer to God. There is no way I could have gotten through 2011 without Him, and the support of my church in Philly, and now in Leesburg. Here's to a 2012 full of growth, happiness and love!

I picked up all of these pictures from this blog - some inspiration for Resolution #3!