Moldy Meatballs

Just kidding- It's Moldavian Meatballs. And it's the third Russian dish in our exciting cook off (see: http://cupcakeandthecaseys.blogspot.com/). Amy and I have gotten back on the rotation of cooking recipes from "Please to the Table"
Well, all I can say about Mold.Meatballs is, if you LOVE chopping things- have I got a dish for you.
Meatballs: Mush together 1 1/4 lb ground pork, 8 oz ground beef, 1 medium grated onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/4 c. ice-cold milk, 1 large beaten egg, 3 T. bread crumbs, and 3 T. finely chopped fresh parsley. Cover and put in the Fridge as you get ready for the chop-a-paloza sauce.
Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, peeled and 1 red bell pepper, minced together in food processor.
3 T Veg. oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 leek (white plus 1 inch of green, well rinsed) and chopped
1 med carrot, peeled and julienned
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 1/2 t. flour
1 c. beef stock
1/4 cup dry red wine (at this point you can have a glass for yourself after all the chopping)
1 c. canned Italian plum tomatoes. Drain, seed and you guessed it: CHOPPED
2 T. tomato paste
1/4 t. sugar
1 t. hot paprika
1 t. sweet paprika (In South Carolina we only have ONE kind of paprika so I just used 2 t. of it!)
Salt and Pepper
Butter
Flour for sprinkling on the meat.

Ok- If you hopefully have all your fingers after drinking that wine and chopping like an iron chef- this is the part where you start cooking.

Saute the garlic and red pepper in the hot oil for 5 minutes. Add the leek, carrot, and celery, saute for 10 min. Add the peppers and garlic, saute for 3 more minutes.
Have another glass of wine.
Sprinkle flour over the veggies add stock, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, paprika, and salt and pepper. Stir well and take down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes.
While that is cooking shape your meatballs into 1 1/2 inch balls. Sprinkle with flour. Melt butter in skillet. Brown the meatballs lightly on all sides.

Add the browned meatballs to the sauce and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Finish off the rest of the wine.
Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve over noodles, rice, or polenta. Top with sour cream (I forgot that!) and fresh herbs (more chopping- yay!!!)Enjoy! This was a pretty good one. Left overs today were even better!

Orphans of Haiti.....

Orphans of Haiti.....
Is your heart as broken as mine is? I have been crying every night at 6:00, 7:00, and if I am still awake 11:00. The news just tears me up. Last night the local news featured a couple from our hometown that are desperately trying to get their son home. You can read the story here. www.goupstate.com/article/20100121/ARTICLES/1211042/1083. You mention the word Haiti and I break out into tears. Those little children that were already orphans and now sleeping on the streets with no food or water. Thousands of new children were made orphans in an instant.
We can all support agencies and business that are helping Haiti. Not just big guys like the Red Cross but local businesses like www.scrapyourtrip.com, you know, the company that sells ADOPTION scrapbooking gear and beautiful Russian designs? They are matching every $10 donated.
Here is another way to help, a big huge way that needs to bathed in prayer, but needs to be considered, QUICKLY! Kids in Distress are creating a database to match Haitian Orphans with potential adoptive parents. E-Mail Tiffani if you need more information or would like to go ahead and be added to the database in case a loophole opens that would allow families to temporarily foster/adopt these precious children.

Kids In Distress

Email: TiffaniDhooge@kidsindistress.org


Email she sent a fellow yahoo group member…
At this point, we are collecting information from every interested party
and submitting that information to the State of Florida. If you are
interested in being included in this database, please let me know:...
Name...
Phone
Email
City/State/County you reside in
Creole speaking? French?
Do you need financial assistance?
Stay at home mother?
Foster Parent? If so, with what agency?
I look forward to hearing from you and THANK YOU for your dedication to
Kids in Distress!!!


Tiffani Dhooge
Director of Community Outreach
Kids in Distress
(954) 390-7654, 1335
(954) 567-5515 FAX
819 NE 26 Street, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

Don't get your hopes up.....

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” –Hebrews 11:1

What should you do when someone tells you “Don’t get your hopes up”.* I guess that depends on the context in which it is spoken.

For example: “I really wish I could loose 35 pounds and not make any changes to my diet.”

Response: “Don’t get your hopes up”

Translation: “Put that Twinkie down you mo-ron”

But let’s just say, it happens more like this…..

“I was wondering if you have heard anything positive about our case”

Response: “Don’t get your hopes up….but…..

Translation: "Could something be on the horizon for us? Like soon?!?!?"

So what do we make of that? There are so many nuances in the English language. Really the secret lies with the word “but” . It’s like a little disclaimer saying “I don’t want you to get upset if this is a false alarm, BUT, I think something good is just around the corner, BUT I’m not at liberty to discuss any details because, well, I don’t want you to get your hopes up.” So is it really better NOT to get your hopes up? Or is that like saying “Oh my gosh, smell this! It’s the worst smell you have ever smelt?” Whadda ya do? You smell it of course! You just can't help yourself. You jump right in with reckless abandon. I mean with the word "but" you may be disappointed if say TWO WEEKS goes by and your hopes are dashed, but isn’t it better to hope than to never hoped at all?

“Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark” - George Iles

So hear we are, holding out our hands in the dark.

*Disclaimer: This blog contains cryptic messages. You can take as little or as much away from it as your imagination allows.

LIES!

http://fromrussiawithlove2009.blogspot.com/2009/10/january-15th.html

You may remember this post from October 15, my fortune cookie stating I should remember three months from this date because "good things are in store" for me.
Well, January 15th came and went. Don't get me wrong- it was a perfectly normal day- but nothing that warranted a special promise inside a tiny cookie. I got up, went to work, and went to lunch with Chad. Jana, Emma, and Brittany came over for girls night in dinner and Jana highlighted my hair. I watched the premiere Project Runway I missed on Wednesday night, read a bit, and went to bed. Like I said- fine, but not mystical, magical, or referral filled. Very disappointing.

Top of the pile.....

Please say a prayer for us as things start moving again in Russia following the winter break. It’s my understanding that by January 15th things should be in full operation again. Our motto has been “Top of the pile” meaning that whatever crazy system is in place that we don’t understand, we are hoping that when things start moving again our paperwork is on the top of the pile. I didn’t think we would be in danger of things expiring before we got Baby Deetz home, but our window is starting to narrow. Chad’s passport expires in December, which is like it expiring in June since it has to be good within six months. When we started this process December 2010 seemed like an eternity away. Other documents will start to expire in early Summer as well.

Some good news: We’ve started to receive “overage” checks from our agency. That means that when you give towards our family builder’s fund through C.W.A. it’s still tax deductible for you, but the money is sent directly to our personal savings fund for the adoption. That way we can offset the huge travel expense (times 2) that is looming in the hopefully near future. When I get a check for $25 I think “That’s a meal in Russia!” When we get $100, I think “That’s a night in a hotel!”. I am so thankful for your generous gifts. You have been so good to us. Those little amounts are chipping away at such an unknown source of stress for us. “How much will all these flights, trains, hotels, visas, tips, and food cost?”

We’ve also been collecting little gifties for the orphans and workers so that’s one less thing I have to worry about when we go. I’ve had a few offers from church groups to fill couple of suitcases full of baby clothes, shoes, and tiny toys for the children and small feminine items for the workers (perfume, jewelry, scarves, make-up) to take with us. I would rather bring less clothes for me to bring more things for them! When we make our first trip we will just need to give $250 in financial aid to the orphanage, but I would like to also take as much stuff as possible when we go too, especially for the children. Then on the second trip, I guess is suppose to be our big “gift” trip~ bringing things for the workers.

So, here we are. Please say a little prayer for us this week. Repeat after me: “Top of the pile…..Top of the pile…..”

Happy Anniversary!

Ten years ago today I married my best friend. I know a lot of people say that, but it’s really true. Chad is THE most kind, caring, patient, and loving husband I could have ever asked for. He radiates an amazing compassion to everyone he meets. He is a mighty man of God. He makes me laugh at least once everyday. He can change light bulbs without a step stool. He can cook, he can clean, he makes you feel like you are the only person in a room. He listens to me rant, rave, cry, pout, mope and yell. He doesn’t pick fights, he wants me to have friends and hobbies, and succeed in life. He lets me steal all of the covers. He walks the dogs when it’s raining, snowing, sleeting, and dark outside. He doesn’t mind my shopping habit. He never asks “How much did that cost?” or “Do you really need that?” He always says “whatever makes you happy!” and really means it.
He is the most amazing, perfect husband and soon he is going to be the World’s most amazing, perfect dad.
I love you, Chad. Happy Anniversary.

2010: A Space Odyssey

Ms. Smallwood is very upset right now. She was my 5th grade teacher at Lakeview Elementary School and I distinctly remember the theme paper: "What will the world be like in 2010?" I think the entire class (including myself) wrote about hoover boards, teleportation devises, flying cars, and living on mars. I am very sad to announce that nothing I anticipated as a 11 year old has come true: no automatic food cookers, closets that pick out your clothes, or robot dogs.
I hope your New Year is full of promise, full of hope, and full of new adventure. Maybe not to Mars, but somewhere just as exciting ;0)
Maybe like to Russia?