Welcome Home!

Yesterday Kevin returned from a 10 day trip to Dubai.  Boy did we miss him while he was gone!  Even though travel is nothing new around here, 10 days is a lot longer than his normal trip and Dubai is pretty darn far away.  Every single week Kevin works a lot.  He leaves early, usually before 7 (he's been so helpful lately and a couple of times a week, when he is not traveling, he doesn't leave until 7:45am so that I can go to a 6am yoga class --a huge treat for me, and I know a sacrifice for him).   Thankfully he is home by 6 most nights but his normal routine is to do more work after the kids are in bed.  I know this is the norm for most people, which is a crying shame if you ask me.  Anyway, my normal schedule/work load doesn't really change all that much when Kevin is traveling because he works a lot and simply doesn't have time to do the day to day work that needs doing around here.  This is not a complaint, trust me I totally have the better end of this stick.  My point is that it wasn't so much that I missed his help while he was gone, I just plain missed him, and so did the kids.  I'm really thankful that even though Kevin works a lot he is still such a huge part of our lives and the time that he does have to spend with us he makes sure is his best.  Now, if he could also figure out how to shorten that work week I wouldn't complain!

On Saturday I made veggie soup and put it in the crock pot so that it was ready to eat as soon as we got home from church.  Our church just started a 5pm Saturday evening service and I'm thrilled!  About 5 years ago we spent 6 months too long at another church because they had a good kids ministry and a Saturday evening service.  And honestly, that's been just about the only thing I've wanted to change about The Gathering, and then they went and added a Saturday evening service.  Love!

Last night I made salmon (brown sugar for the kids) and mustard for us.  It's super easy and delicious.  Mix 2 1/2 T Dijon mustard with some salt and pepper and 1T dill.  Spread on salmon.  Heat oven to 500, place metal baking pan in oven while oven is preheating.  Once heated, take pan out, spray with Pam and place salmon skin side down in pan.  Cook for 10 minutes....adjust time based on thickness of salmon, mine took a bit longer last night.

Tonight I'm making chickpea curry in a hurry, served with steamed brown rice and carrots.  This is also very good made with eggplant, or if you're eating meat, chicken.

Curry in a Hurry
Adapted from Rachael Ray
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced, mild to extra spicy
1 to 2 inches fresh ginger root, minced or grated, mild to extra spicy
1 large yellow skinned onion, peeled and chopped
2 Cups Veggie Broth
2 tablespoons curry paste, mild or hot
1/3 to 1/2 cup mango chutney
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 cans Garbanzo beans, drained

Toppings and garnishes, mix and match:
4 scallions, chopped
1 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds or Spanish peanuts
1 /4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic, ginger and onions and saute together for 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add veggie broth to the pan and bring to a bubble. Add curry paste and mango chutney and reduce heat to medium low. Add garbanzo beans. Taste and add a little salt, if you feel it necessary. Simmer curry 5 to 10 minutes.

Assemble your toppings in small dishes. Serve curry in shallow bowls with scoops of rice. Garnish with any or all of your toppings.