Thursday, August 30, 2012

GPS Coordinates in Japan


On Simon's Out the Gate Facebook Page several shared GPS coordinates to areas worth exploring around our area. I compiled them into a document and will add to it as I receive more.  I've already saved this to dropbox and loaded it on my ipad. Hope others find it useful. 

*Note for photos, directions of places our family has visited, type the name of the location into the search box in the top left corner of the blog. 
GPS Coordinates in Japan

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Vegetarian Pot Pie (Ashley)



Ingredients: 

  • 1 T butter
  • 6 C assorted vegetables, thinly sliced or diced. Some ideas
    • bell peppers
    • carrots
    • celery
    • corn
    • green beans
    • leaks
    • onions
    • peas
    • potatoes
    • spinach
    • tomatoes
    • zucchini
  • 1 glove garlic, minced (I used 2 large ones)
  • 1/4 C flour
  • 3 C warm veggie stock (or milk)
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 2 T fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
  • 1 t salt or soy sauce
  • black pepper
  • I added  a handful of Italian seasonings, 1/3 C of cooked pinto beans
  • 1 recipe pie crust
Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400*. 

Melt butter in a sturdy saucepan, add the vegetables and saute for 5 min. Add garlic and saute another 5 minutes. 

Sprinkle flour on top and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 1 - 2 minutes. 

Gradually add the warm liquid, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. 

Add spices and cook about 10 min more - until veggies are the consistency you like. 

Transfer thickened mixture to a 2 1/2 qt casserole or a pie dish. Cover with pie crust. 

Bake 20 - 30 min. 

Notes: This another vegan recipe from Ashley (if you sub for butter with olive oil). It's another hit!  This recipe is very flexible. Use only one or two veggies, or clean out your fridge like I did. Make chunky or fine. I added about 1/3 C of cooked pinto beans.  I will try less liquid next time. 

I'm known for my wonderful Country Chicken Pot Pie and have been wanting to try something like it with veggies....I may try it next using the same principles learned here....I couldn't figure out how to do it without all the cream...but I bet almond milk would work fine....and this was really very good too. Ashley originally found this recipe at VeggieTable.com 

V for Vegetable Pot Pie


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Priceless Letter


This deserves it's own blog post. Stacia wanted to write a letter to the boys for handwriting today.....it turned out to be long...I'll mail it but I want to save it for our family journal. ::grin:: I have been laughing about it all day. Akiksosan and Arielle thought it was really funny. Nolan and Zander not so much!

 
Hi, 

I've been missing you boys so much. I wish I could get on a plane and got to you guys. I love you guys so much....just saying it again. I hope you are having a good time in San Angelo. You are my best brothers. Zander can be gruesome and Nolan doesn't do much with me unless it's my birthday. 

Love Again, 
Stacia

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Zander's New Trick


It's 9 p.m. and Michael isn't home....I have time to blog. This was a full day. We didn't make it to the beach, but we got everything else done and the kids had their roast. LOL Michael wasn't tormented as he's working late, but just in case I tried a new recipe for Vegetable Pot Pie so he'd have something more than a salad or beans and rice if he was home for dinner. LOL

The day began with Zander trying out his new recipe for sourdough pancakes.....the kids loved them....good job Zander.

I love Zander's sense of humor. He had written down "1 tsp soda" and KNEW what that meant....but ran and found the loan can of soda from eons ago.....


Sensory issues being what they are he wasn't happy with flipping these....and none of them could TOUCH - he threw one away that touched another - but he did a GREAT job. I couldn't be happier! 

Stacia wins the school funny of the day. She's trying to find the word "drive" to match her photo. I heard her say "Dri....oh it must be a silent "p"....yeah, that's it!" - Um DRIP. LOL

She asked to write a letter to the boys in TX for handwriting. It's priceless and has had us laughing all day. They're going to love it. 

I met with a young friend this a.m. and realized anew that God does really use every last drop of our pain for His good and glory when we surrender it to Him. 

I met with another friend this afternoon and talked PWOC type stuff. 

I made Yuuki legal - paid her pet deposit...and asked about getting another AC for the upstairs. They GAVE the new neighbors moving in one...but it doesn't look hopeful for us. ::snort:: 

I ran by the post office, bank, ITT, JAL to pay for one leg of my domestic ticket to Tokyo/TN. I will get back too late in the day to fly home on the 5th - so I'll have to get a train ticket for the way back. I'm trying to do as much as I can on AA and JAL to save airline miles so I can come back for Japan's regional conference - which will be months after we PCS. 

Akikosan came over to visit tonight. It was a blast to see her after being apart so long. She seemed to really like the U of O mug. I told her to take it to work during football season. LOL 

The kids cleaned the house and did some laundry while I was running errands....wow...a full day. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...