Southwest Stew

Bill and I never get tired of this comfort food:

Southwest Stew

2 T vegetable oil
3 lbs round steak cut up
1/2 t salt
1/2 C beef broth
1 C prepared chunky salsa
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise,then
cut crosswise into 3/4 inch thick pieces.
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 to 1 C frozen whole corn

In dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add half of beef. Cook, stirring until evenly brown. Remove beef pan. Repeat with rest of meat, and combine together in pan. Season with salt. Stir in broth and salsa. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly. Simmer gently 1 1/4 hours.

Add zucchini, beans, and corn. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until beef and vegetables are tender. Serve with desired toppings.

Suggested optional toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese.

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European Vacation

Bill and I are having the time of our lives. We have visited Rome, Naples (Italy), Athens, Mykenos, and Rhodes (Greece). Tomorrow we experience Ephesus (Turkey). I have so many great pictures and memories to share, but will post them when I get home as computer time onboard is too limited.

Stuffed Cream Puffs

This is one of my favorite recipes - I make it all the time for luncheons:

Chicken Almond Cream Puffs

1 C water
1 stick butter (1/2 C)
1 C flour
4 eggs
1/4 C shredded swiss cheese

Melt butter in water; bring to boil. Stir in flour all at once until mixture becomes a ball that doesn't separate; remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each until mixture again becoms a ball that doesn't separate. Stir in cheese. Drop by heaping teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in 400 degree oven. Remove and put on racks to cool.

Stuffing

2 chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
6-10 green olives, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/4 C slivered almonds
Mayo (start with 1/2 C)
Half and Half if needed to thin mixture

Combine all ingredients. Slice cream puffs in half, stuff with desired amount of filling. Refrigerate. Serve with fruit and chips.

Avocado Salmon Cream Soup

Heat:
2 tsp butter
1 tsp curry
Add:
2 cups veggie stock; bring to boil
Cut:
1 avocado; add to stock; simmer 1 min
Add:
2 oz smoked salmon, cut in bite-sized pieces; simmer 1 min
Add:
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sour cream
pepper
Mix in blender; keep warm over low flame

Serve with crusty bread.

Busted Bars Recipe

Here is a recipe I reluctlantly give out because it is so addictive:

BUSTED BARS

Soda crackers (enough to line jelly roll pan)
1 C butter
1 C brown sugar
12 oz bag milk chocolate chips

Layer crackers on foil-lined pan. Melt butter and brown sugar; boil for 3 min. Pour over crackres. Bake at 350 degrees 5 minutes. Sprinkle chips on top; melt and spread over hot toffee. Chill for at least 1 hr. Invert pan, peel off foil, and break into various pieces. Keep refrigerated.

Quiet

Today my clan left after four days of family frenzy that happens when three kids, two cats, and 3-4 grownup (depending on Bill's schedule) try to pack as much into a day as possible. I still can't believe my sister Susan drove all the way from Washington with her daughter Leyla and kids; I had just been out to see them three weeks ago! I am so thankful I have had the time off this summer for traveling and visiting family. Bill and I have also been able to have a little fun. Last week we went to Chicago for three days - he on business, me doing a little solo stuff during the day. We went to Greektown (for lamb, flaming cheese, etc.), Uno's (for pizza), and the Taste of Chicago for everything else. Now it's time to settle down a bit and "savor" the memories.

Canoa

One of the places we visited over Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Ecuador was a beach in Canoa. We stayed at a resort called the Bamboo and for $10 USD each, we had a fantastic time. Getting to Canoa, however, involved some serious travel. We took a taxi from our apartment to the airport, then after arriving in a town called Manta, took an hour-long taxi to an unnamed resort community. Next, we climbed into a small watercraft loaded down with local commuters and our luggage. The time went fast, though, thanks to a little boy who serenated us with singing and clapping. After disembarking we took our final taxi ride to the coastal village of Canoa. The beach had great surfing, we were told, and the water was very warm. It was a perfect place to relax; I thoroughly enjoyed resting on the wooden chairs under the shady cabana on the beach, swinging and reading in the hammocks, and sipping hot cocoa on the balcony of my room. The Bamboo resort had a special section of its menu devoted to crepes, which of course were stuffed with shrimp. Ecuador has plenty of fresh seafood. Our crepe meals averaged $3.50. Wow.

Ceviche in Guapalo

We hiked for one and a half hours (uphill) to reach Guapalo - the place, they tell us, that has the best ceviche in the world. (The pictures you see with this entry were taken in Guapalo.)Ceviche is a cold fish soup - I chose to have shrimp in mine. We were told afterwards that the shrimp was uncooked, but the lime brine in which it was soaked "cooked" it enough and provided that YUMMY taste. In this particular restaurant, which was tucked away in a Guapalo neighborhood, they serve the soup with popcorn and planteen chips. I'd like to hear from anyone else about their first ceviche experience. Me gusta mucho!

Visiting Isabella and Family

I'm back home after two months in Ecuador and two weeks of visiting my family in Oregon and Washington. I had a great time with my granddaughter, Isabella, in Eugene. I was able to see her take that initial swing at her first t-ball practice. It brought back memories of cheering my boys on at their t-ball games. I was also able to visit Bella's first grade class and talk with them a bit about the kids in Ecuador. They were so full of wonder and questions and it was fun to be involved in this part of Bella's life. My sisters Susan and Brenda and brothers Ted and Mark all live in Washington state with their families. I was able to spend some quality time with them, too, but wish we all lived closer. Now that I'm back in Minnesota, Bill and I are getting to finally spend some time together. After all the traveling I've done this spring, it does feel good to be HOME!

More Quito

Sonia and I visited an orphanage last week and found 43 children who are being extremely well taken care of by their "tias" (aunts in Spanish). We happened to be there at lunch time and were invited to help feed some very sweet infants.

Saturday we hopped on a bus to Otavalo, a major market city about 1 1-2 hours north of Quito. We mistakenly found the market that only the local people shop at and missed the touristy one. This turned out to be one of the best experiences we have had so far. We saw what the locals eat (pork and fish with heads still on) and what the locals sell (imported clothes). We found a restaurant and ordered a half chicken dinner to split with a couple of soft drinks (total $5.50). When the order came we were given two bowls of chicken soup. When we told the waiter we ordered the pollo dinner, she said this was included. The soup turned out to be loaded with chicken feet! We have a picture of me pretending to eat the feet. The broth, however, was absolutely delicious. Then we were served two plates heaping with rice, salad, french fries and another plate with what appeared to be a whole chicken cut in half. When we told the staff there must be a mistake, that all we ordered was one order, not two, they said this was one order. Needless to say, we, the only gringas in the place, were gorda (fat) when we left. As we were leaving, we were serenaded by two minstrels playing a pan flute and ukulele. Too much!

The ride home from Otavalo was an adventure on its own - that´s another story, complete with R rated movies, vendors selling ice cream on the trip, and a transfer that took hours up and down the mountains of Quito. So, it looks like we are slowly becoming acculturated and absolutely loving it.

Today we were back at school and the kids all shared their vacation stories. The work load at school is quite a bit again this week, but I will be handing back the classes to my cooperating teacher slowly, beginning next week.

Hope your life is exciting, too, as you greet spring back in the states!

Quito, Ecuador

I´m sorry I haven´t written sooner, as promised, but computer time here is scarce. When I´m at school all I do are lesson plans and when I´m at the internet cafes I don´t have a lot of time.

I am in love with the Latino culture! I only wish I had more experience with the Spanish language. I have been trying to immerse myself as much as possible, e.g. going to an all Spanish speaking church, renting an apartment in a Spanish neighborhood, etc. The people are very warm and friendly. They have opened up their homes to me and Sonia and they have gone over and beyond to show us Ecuador.

The city of Quito is very large (close to 2 million) and there are some very lovely parts. The weather is constant in the upper 60´s and usually rains every day some time. We climbed close to the top of one of the mountains of Pichincha (an active volcano) and had a majestic view of the city one morning with a group of people. The altitude (over 9,000 ft.) gets us out of breath, but we continue to walk, walk, walk everywhere. I would recommend this place for people who want to gain stamina and lose weight!

The students are very respectful (I have second graders). They love the way I put drama into my teaching and they, in turn, are also very dramatic. So are the parents. I have never had so many people kiss me in my life as the day we had conferences. I loved it. On my birthday the students had a surprise party for me and served me every kind of fruit imaginable. Wow.

On our time off of school for Easter week we went to a town called Mindo where they have a world famous butterfly farm. We also went on a fabulous walk to see some gorgeous waterfalls (cascadas). The best part, however, was the zip-line tour over the canopy. Whew! We were harnessed onto a cable that stretched over the tops of trees and took us across vistas that were breathtaking. All for $10 U.S. For the second half of our vacation, we flew to the coast to a town called Manta. From there we took a 40-minute taxi ride and headed to a coastal town where we boarded a ferry that took us across a channel. We hopped in another taxi and 15 minutes later were in the resort town of Canoa where we stayed at a charming hostel,rested for three days, and stuffed ourselves with seafood.

Well, I have lots of pictures, too, that I would love to show to anyone who is interested. My intent, of course, is to make you just a little bit jealous. Hopefully you, too, can spend time in this wonderful part of the world someday!

Su Amiga,
Robyn

How to Be Perfectly Miserable

Some time ago I came across this simple list (author unknown) of how to be perfectly miserable. Thought I'd share it - not that any of it pertains to any of us, of course ...

1. Think about yourself
2. Talk about yourself
3. Use the personal pronoun "I" as often as possible in your
conversation
4. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others
5. Listen greedily to what people say about you
6. Insist on consideration and respect
7. Demand agreement with your own views on everything
8. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them
9. Never forget a service you may have rendered
10. Expect to be appreciated
11. Be suspicious
12. Be sensitive to slights
13. Be jealous and envious
14. Never forget a criticism
15. Trust nobody but yourself

Can you think of anything to add?