Sesame Crusted Tuna Steak

Sesame Crusted Tuna Steak

This is such a quick, healthful, yet elegant dinner that we always love.  Serve the tuna steak with brown rice and veggies or an Oriental noodle dish like the cellophane noodles pictured.

-2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
-2 Tbsp soy sauce
-2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
-2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
-1 Tbsp brown sugar
-2 tsp honey
-1 Tbsp rice vinegar
-1 tsp sriarcha sauce
-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
-salt
-2 tuna steaks
-2 Tbsp sesame seeds
-2 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Whisk together first 8 ingredients and pour into a dipping bowl for serving.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season both sides of each tuna steak with salt.  Combine both types of sesame seeds in shallow dish.  Dredge tuna in sesame seeds, coating on each side.  Cook tuna in pan for 3-4 minutes per side.

Shannon

Card Making

Today my friend Rebecca came over and we both spent hours crafting while we chatted.  It was fun to have someone to goof off while I was creating, because usually I get serious and focused.  Having Rebecca there helped me to keep things light, and really enjoy the process.  These are the birthday cards that I made during our time together.

Shannon

Slow-Cooker Indian Vegetable Curry

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Curry

Serve this over rice for an easy vegetarian dinner. This is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes. I love that it's super easy and loaded with veggies. Sometimes I'll added chopped bell peppers if I have any that need to be used up. I've also added whole chicken breasts before adding all the veggies when we don't want vegetarian and then I just shred the chicken in the slow cooker before serving.

-1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
-1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with their juice
-1 (15 oz) can coconut milk
-4-6 Tbsp brown sugar
-3-4 Tbsp curry powder
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne

-1 yellow onion, chopped

-1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

-4 cloves garlic, minced
-6 carrots, diced

-1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-1 large potato, peeled and cubed

-1 bag frozen green beans and/ or peas-1 lb baby spinach

Grease or spray a large slow cooker. Add broth, diced tomatoes, coconut milk, brown sugar, curry powder, salt pepper and cayenne; stir to combine. Add onion, garlic and ginger, stir again. Add carrots, chickpeas and potato; stir. Cook on low until vegetables are tender, 4-6 hours. Stir in frozen veggies and cook 30 additional minutes.  Stir in spinach and cook until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Refashion: gauchos to scarf

I did some late night creating while my husband was sleeping.  I took the pair of gauchos above, that I've only ever worn once, 3 years ago, and turned them into this scarf.  It's a soft and lightweight scarf that would be good for fall or spring.  Since I used jersey material I didn't have to hem the edges, and just left them raw.  It was a very quick project!  I took lots of short cuts and didn't even measure anything.  I cut the scarf pieces against an existing scarf that I liked the lenth and width of.  Then I sewed three strips together to get the lenth that I wanted.  Then I just cut lots of thin little strips and sewed them on the ends at varying angles.  I like the messiness of it and think it adds character that the strips are different widths, and placed unevenly apart.  

Shannon 

Equality

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."

What would our communities look like if we used our excess to supply for those in need? Doing so in a way that supplied us all equally, with no one having excess. What if we sacrificed our pleasures and comforts, just so that others could enjoy the basic needs of shelter, food, water, and clothing? What if we didn't think of multiple cars, cable tv, frivilous wardrobes, dinners out, and savings accounts as "needs"? What would the world look like if all Christians lived sacrificially? What if I lived sacrificially? And by that I don't just mean giving some of my resources, to the extent that my quality of life doesn't change, but what if I REALLY sacrificed?

Some very convicting thoughts. I'm selfish. With my resources. With my time. With my provision.

It's overwhelming to figure out where to start. When I have so much, and others have so little. And yet, by the standards of my society, I don't feel that I have that much. Perhaps that's the danger, is that there are always others with more resources, making me feel so much smaller, and paralyzed. Isn't that just how satan would have it?

Shannon

Crustless Mini Quiches

Crustless Mini Quiches

I made these as a quick and easy weeknight dinner for us, but they would be great for brunches or snacks. This is a great dish for using up anything extra that you have on hand, because any combination of meats, veggies and cheeses would work great here. Spinach and feta, mushroom and swiss, tomato basil and mozzarella, crab/ sausage/ ham/ bacon and cheddar all would be excellent.

-1 (12 oz) can low-fat evaporated milk
-2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
-3 eggs
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
-1 bag frozen broccoli, thawed

In medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk, flour, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and broccoli. Grease 12 muffin cups. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes.

Shannon

Carrot Salad

Carrot Salad

-1 lb carrots, peeled and grated
-2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
-2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
-1 Tbsp. sesame oil
-1 tsp. salt
-dash red pepper flakes
-1 Tbsp. sugar

In bowl, whisk together vinegar, sesame oil, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar. Add carrots and sesame seeds, toss to combine. Serve immediately, or chill for up to a day prior to serving.

Shannon