Ma La- I love you too

Dear Ma La,

I know that I have others on the side but they are just cooking tools. You are my spice. My heart.... & my sweat running down my forehead and nose. Just the thought of you makes me hot.
Just the thought of you makes me sweat,

Chris
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If you know me then you cant eat food that is as spicy as I can. And I have met my match. My friends and I go to Great Wall on 14th NW close to P st. Its absolutely phenomenal. If you live in DC then I suggest you give them a try. The family lives above the restaurant and grandma does most of the cooking. Try the Ma La wontons, Mal La chicken, the pork and ABSOLUTELY the tofu (its the hottest thing they make).....They will try to gringo up the spice for you and tell them that you want it 100%. And yes, that picture is of me on my birthday with my office buddies who can handle the heat.

Ice Cream

ICE CREAM! THE ICE CREAM MAN IS COMING!

We went to Harpers Ferry, WV recently. It's and 1 1/2 hour drive from DC. We went to the train museum and then went to the Harpers Ferry Flea Market. We all had a good time and had ice cream. I think the biker dudes had a good time watching us as we trashed the picnic table next to them.



Here is what happend to the kids when we told them we could all have ice cream.

I'm the Kitchen Nazi

So my wife is going to be a stay at home mom. Along with all of the crazy shit that she is going to have to put up with day to day I decided to concede some control in my kitchen. I do all of the cooking in the house. Its not that she can't cook but more along the line of it's what I enjoy doing. So I decided that Friday dinner is all hers from here on out. She can plan all week for it. She must be rusty since she and I have been living together (over 10 years) she has not really had to do much in the kitchen. So last night I tossed her the softball and asked her to hit it out of the park for me.

I looked up a recipe for a crock pot chicken dish and pulled all of the spices out of the cabinets, the measuring cups, the crock pot (my mistress-they had to meet sometime), vegetables and sent her an email detailing my explicit instructions on how to change the recipe a little. In case you are wondering- YES, I am totally having some loss of control issues. I checked in from the office a few times today and found out that she didn't start the crock pot until 3:30! Holy Shit! What have I done? She didn't get to the few other things that I asked her to do either! I broke out in hives and had to breathe into a paper bag. We are going to all starve and die!

I got home at the regular time. The house smelled great. ( OK- I admit I added a little curry powder to the crock pot when she wasn't looking) The kids were fed and happy. I took off my coat and tie and sat down with my family. As it turned out, dinner was great. Life is good. I need therapy for my control issues.

She even took pictures so I could post about it. Isn't that special?

BBQ Contest in Louisa Virginia

The Virginia State BBQ contest and car show was this weekend in Louisa, Virginia.

Louisa is about a 2 hour drive into the center of Virginia from suburban DC. Basically next to James Madison's Montpelier. The contest was in a field next to a lake in the middle of the woods. A beautiful setting.

I could smell the smoke coming from the contestants' fires even before we saw the field. Some of these contestants were SERIOUS about their competitions! I had a great time, the kids had a good time and Kate..... well isn't a BBQ fan (I'll make it up to you honey).

We could only stay for so long due to it being very hot and the kids' relatively short attention spans... and the fact that we caught Oliver happily trying to get back into the moon bounce with blood pouring out of his nose. I think it got a little rough in there. But here are some pics of our trip! Next year will be even better when we go since the kids will hopefully try the BBQ, not try to dive into the lake or put their hands on hot smokers, not jump in front of moving contestants' cars, and actually sit still for pictures.

OK-I'm on a Persian kick now

Falafil, lavash bread and chicken kabobs? It was a regular Sunday afternoon... we needed to get the team out of the house and fast. So we went to the pool which only lasted about an hour and a half before the kids were asking for lunch. So we went to my new favorite joint called Church St. Pizza. As usual, the pizza was great (a nice NY thin crust with enough grease to satisfy-along with a tall cool Miller Light). The kids ate their pizza happily and the wife and I kept the violence and crying to a minimum. After we ate I just couldn't deal with taking them back to our house and a light bulb burst over my head. I have always wanted to check out the Persian Bakery down the street. I drive by it every morning on the way to the subway and tell myself, "I'm going to check that joint out someday". I wasn't disappointed. The people there didn't speak English. Nor would they have understood my rudimentary Arabic-It was Persian (Iranian). I walked in and smelled the freshly baked bread, exotic spices, and row upon row of groceries with labels that I couldn't read or even know what they are. So whats a guy like me to do? I dive in. Grab all sorts of things to try out-that's what I do! I even bought the kids some sugar cookies from the seriously geriatric baker dude. He smiled at me as he looked at my blond brood of little ones. He didn't charge me for the cookies or for the tomato that my oldest decided to smash. Regardless if I totally blow this experiment I will be back. I love places like that.

Here are some videos of me making the falafil with tahini, lettuce and lavash bread. With children screaming in the background and giving commentary....

Never mind all that mess in the background and I definately dont drink Michelob Ultra.....

Saturday in the summer

Remember being a kid during the summer? Going to the pool? Eating popsicles? This summer has been relatively cool here in DC and actually quite enjoyable. I cant wait for the kids to be older. I am going to have them join a local swim team-heck I may even volunteer to help coach, be a timer, or a turn judge. It is really exciting to think about my kids doing something that has always meant so much to me. I remember doing summer swim league when I was a little guy. I swam for Mountain View Country Club and was a pretty good swimmer. I hope they take away from it what I did. Fun and competition. I will never expect my kids to achieve what I did (Division I collegiate athletic scholarship) but I hope that they learn the amazing feeling of competing to win. It doesn't matter much to me if the win or if they are good or not. Its more about being on a team and working towards a goal.

Chinese Fire Drill

OK. I got lazy. It was a long week at work. I work in the construction industry and there have been layoffs left and right. I kept my job. My family will be fed and clothed. I was emotionally exhausted at the end of the week and just wanted to make a quick and easy dinner that tasted good. I cheated. I took the easy way out. Okay you caught me, I had beers with the boys before I got on the subway home and then went shopping for dinner! A little advice- make things yourself. Dont use the recipe on the back of a bottle. No self respecting cook would do what I did. I have to tell you that it was terrible and ate cheese and crackers for dinner instead. "Father, forgive me for I have sinned."

Chicken Pot Pie

I love that scene from Just Shoot Me. I love to make Chicken Pot Pie. Here are the directions with pictures...Chicken pot chicken pot chicken pot pieeeeeeeee.

4 cups vege mix (peas/carrots etc)
1 1/2 TBS veg oil
3 TBS butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
3TBS flour
1 TSP curry powder (I use a boatload more)
2 TBS parsley
1 TSP Salt & 1 1/2 TSP Pepper
2 cups cubed chicken (boil first)
2 store bought pie crusts
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1. Oven 400 degrees
2. Toss veges in oil and spread on a sheet pan cook until browned
3. In pan heat 1 TBS butter & sweat the onion & celery
4. in separate saucepan slowly bring milk & broth to simmer
5. add last 2 TBS butter to celery & onion mix until water is gone
6. add curry & flour to celery/onion mix. cook 1-2 minutes
7. whisk in milk/broth and cook until thick
8. add parsley & pepper

9. Add everything to pie crust that you baked for about 5 mins in oven
10. Cover with 2nd pie crust


11. Cook it for 25 mins.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Congratulations little brother!

Once again... this isnt about cooking. Its about my life and one of the most important people in my life. My brother. I went to his wedding this weekend. Not only did I go to his wedding but I performed the ceremony as well. He and his lovely new wife are perfect for each other and I was so honored to be asked to marry them. I went online and got ordained last week. I think I pulled it off-with a slight stutter and a stammer here and there but good nonetheless. But this isnt about me. Its about them. I wish them years of happiness, love, understanding and most important of all-friendship since at the end of the day that is what matters most.

The wedding took place on a sailboat outside of San Diego. The setting was perfect. She looked beautiful. Did I mention that this weekend was the first time I met her? My brother isnt a suit guy but he looked great in a nice grey suit and a light tie (I think that it has been years since he wore one last). I brought my daughter with me as well and she, aside from the wedding, was the center of attention. I know that their memories of that day will last forever.

I love you.

Salad? WTF? Thats not dinner!

Recently one of my closest friends went to his normal check up on a Friday afternoon. His doctor, personally, called him on Saturday and told him to not exercise, take it easy, and to meet him at 7:30 in the morning on Monday.

His triglycerides were over 4 times the normal acceptable level.

He called in on Monday and said he was going back to the doctor that day and would be late for work. I didn't get to talk to him until late in the day on Monday, when he told me what had transpired. I couldn't believe it. I was floored. He is skinny. We eat the same things. The only difference between us was the fact that I swim at lunch often, I don't eat egg sandwiches for breakfast and we are obviously aren't related.

Regardless of those facts I was very worried for him and worried for myself. I recently started taking fish oil pills because of him. I am going to redouble my efforts to get my workouts in. I am no longer going to be dousing my pancakes with butter but will be using margarine instead. I am now using I can't believe it's not Butter.

Don't worry. I'm not freaking out. I still love butter and bacon. But I have decided to make better choices now that I am in my mid 30's. I'm no longer indestructible.

And you know what? salads don't have to suck. They can be very good. My concern is hunger. I have always have been able to eat anything I want and not gain weight. I know-sorry. But I have decided that I am going to eat a salad, only a salad, for dinner twice a week. No chicken, no bacon bits, nothing. Nada.

I have always looked at salad as a side dish or an appetizer. There has to be something that tastes great without the Ranch Sauce or the Bleu Cheese Dressing and can still make my heart sing. check back. I am scrambling right now. I am reading up on salads.

Take your fish oil, exercise, and lay off the bacon this week. Are you with me?