Random Dozen

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee, is our question guru. To play, copy the questions onto your blog with YOUR answers. Post on Wednesday, then visit others and leave nice comments.  That simple!


Last week I visited "6's". Today will be "4's".


1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?
You mean besides calling for pizza? Okay, it's this one:

THAI GRILLED BEEF WITH STRING BEANS

Prep Time: 10 minutes            Cook Time: 20 minutes

1½ lbs flank steak

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp Asian fish sauce

½ tsp (or more) chili paste or 1 tsp seeded, minced serrano chili

1 tsp granular sugar substitute (or sugar)

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

½ cup thinly sliced scallions

1 lbs green beans, trimmed (or asparagus), cut into 1 inch pieces

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat grill.  Rub steak on both sides with 1 tsp of the oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill until desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Remove from heat and set on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, chili paste, sugar substitute, cilantro, and scallions in a large mixing bowl.

Heat a saucepan of salted water until boiling.  Add beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  (About 5 minutes for asparagus).  Drain.

Thinly slice meat across the grain.  Toss with lime juice mixture, adding any meat juices that have accumulated on the cutting board.  Add beans, toss, and serve.

Per serving:  340 calories, 17 g. fat, 6 g saturated fat, 38 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 530 mg sodium (if you use sugar sub and beans)

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.) I have left the house without the one thing that everyone else remembers from time to time (including purse and license), so really -- NOTHING!
3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting? The National Cathedral. I only go when there's nothing political going on - and it's beautiful. http://www.nationalcathedral.org/
4. Share one factoid of your family's history. I fell into a fish pond on Okinawa when I was 18 months old.
5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...." dreamed of being a pilot.
6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be? Sun Butter My teen nut-allergy son goes through this stuff like other kids go through peanut butter.
7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...." that my left foot is 1/2 size longer than my right.
8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy? Nothing. It will probably go through the wash in my pocket a couple of times.
9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...." watching the teen-aged male cardinals out on the suet feeder expending more energy than they can possibly be consuming. They're too scared to perch on the feeder, so they hover like hummingbirds. (Note: the females have mastered holding onto the feeder and getting a leisurely meal).  They parallel real teen life!
10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal? Exercise self-control when I go to 'end of year' events that always involve tons of calories.
11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?  Pick up flowers for my daughter's piano teacher. It's her last lesson ever -- after 6 years with this teacher we're ceasing lessons. It's sad, but my daughter has been playing for 10 years and has no interest in continuing. We'd rather the teacher use the spot for a student who is motivated to keep learning.  Update: Did this yesterday. Teacher very happy.
12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon? School being finished for the year.