...or fasolakia me arni, if you're Greek :)
I love almost every type of cuisine but if I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Lebanese. It's probably a bit of a cop out, really, because it's just so similar to Greek food. That's probably why I like it, eh? I could honestly eat Middle Eastern or Mediterranean food every day for the rest of my life and I would be okay with that. Actually, I had Lebanese for 3 meals last week alone.
Lubyee bi laham (or any varation of that spelling) is a Lebanese lamb and green bean stew. Greeks make almost the same thing, with slightly different spices, and occasionally with okra instead of lamb. It is one of my absolute favorite things to eat, no matter who makes it. I grew up in a city with a population that was about 50% Arabic. In other words, I was extremely spoiled with Middle Eastern food. The local restaurants were authentic and the foods my friends' parents made me were, too! There are some great Lebanese joints in Chicago but I haven't found one that is totally up to par with Dearborn. But, that doesn't stop me from getting my fill of shawarma, kofta, pilaf, fattoush and jerusalem salad in a week, apparently.
This recipe is basically a combination of the one from Ally's blog, Culinary Infatuation, and the one from Katie's blog. Good Things Catered. Both have some Lebanese blood in them so I knew it had to be good.
And good it was. So tasty, so comforting. Letting this simmer for a few hours is seriously killer. It smells SO good. I was ready to dive into it before I had even added the green beans. Like Ally, we had this over some Middle Eastern couscous, which I already had in my cabinet. I just toasted it in olive oil and then cooked in a mixture of water and broth.
This was a little too liquidy, so next time I'll simmer uncovered for a few minutes at the end to thicken.
Lubyee bi Laham
Serves 4
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. lamb stew meat
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
allspice (errr, I never know how much because I only have the whole allspice and I throw in quite a few; maybe 1/2--3/4 tsp. if you have it ground?)
1 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
salt and pepper
Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and then add the oil. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the garlic, sauteing until fragrant. Pour in the water and crushed tomatoes, deglazing the pot and scraping up all the browned bits. Add salt, pepper and allspice and bring to a boil. Put the lamb back in. Cover and turn the heat to low, simmering for 1-2 hours.
Add the green beans and simmer covered for an additional hour.
If you need to thicken the stew, simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes at the end.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 300 / Fat: 10 / Carbs: 26 / Fiber: 5g / Protein: 28.5
I'm not sure quite how it happened so fast, but my little girl is 2.
She had a party with a bouncy castle and balloons and pink cake and icecream and swarms of menacing 2-year-olds rampaging around the garden in deceptively adorable party frocks.
She was asleep when the men came to deflate the bouncy castle and take it away. Mr S and I didn't mention anything when she woke up, and were thus chilled by a scream some 45 minutes later;
WHERE MY BOUNCY TASTLE??????
We explained that the bouncy castle had come for the party and had gone away now, but if we were lucky maybe it would come back next birthday.
NO, she declared simply and stormed off to the garden where she spent a good 10 minutes examining the grass where the castle had stood, gesticulating wildly and muttering to herself,
Where my tastle? Where it gone? My bouncy tastle! Gone! Where???!!
As if hoping that by peering hard enough at the ground she might find it hiding behind a flattened blade of grass.
What's the best thing about your mom?
She is freaking hilarious but she'll only let you know it if she wants you to. Otherwise you'd pretty much think she's really quiet and keeps to herself. I love that about her.
Tom and I decided that we needed to visit Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is a short drive from us. I checked the weather forecast and found that it would be another nice day (6 sunny days in a row is a record around here right now) so we loaded up the car and headed out. Although we were a little disappointed in the entry cost (Adult £7.90) it was a nice day. We walked through the abbey complex and down to the lake and water garden. I brought us a blanket so we could lie in the grass near the lake and relax. Tom took some photos of Sofia which turned out pretty well except for the dust on the CCD of the camera. Instead of backtracking, we had to go straight up a hill with the pushchair into the sun for about half a mile and then another half a mile down a partially shaded path which made us both a bit cranky. Luckily Tom's car is air conditioned (unlike mine) so we could cool off.
National Trust. Before we left I went online to check into a National Trust membership. An annual membership for two adults costs £77 if you purchase at a National Trust property or online directly. If you pay by direct debit (monthly installments directly from your bank account) they give you a discount of approximately £20 and it is only £57.75 which is only available for your first year of membership. But, if I purchase a Royal Oak membership in the US, which gives me exactly the same benefits, it only costs £40 for two adults. They will even ship the membership stuff to you overseas for an add'l cost of £7.50 which still saves you money. I ordered a membership packet to be sent to Tom's parent's house in NC where we will be visiting in a couple of weeks. Just a little hint about how to save some money in this country commonly known as RIP OFF BRITAIN.
Some photos:
I had a long but nice day at work today. When I got home and finally got my shoes off, I noticed that my left foot was hurting a little. I sort of ignored it for a while, but then I noticed that it really was hurting when i moved the toes. Now that I've moved off the couch, I do have a bruise there. Can not imagine why. I seem to vaguely recall something that hurt it, possibly the dog standing on it....but not really sure.
More concerning is what this means. Do I run on it? Do i rest it.... for the moment I am planning on running some more tomorro....I have a training session tomorro. I;d hate to ask trianer to look at it, but I think i might. It hurts, but it isnt really that bad, just totally wierd.
Thanks to Irish Lucky Lass for turning me on to this site. I love it!!!
So, it's my birthday today and I'm only at my computer because some vestigial sense of propriety made me stop drinking Pimms in the sunshine and come back to check my emails before I went off to drink more Pimms and get more sunburnt. I've been in the pub since 1:30pm. We at Clerkenwell Towers don't give two hoots about Friday afternoons.
Oh, but it's been a lovely day - even if you discount the hours of drinking in the blazing sunshine - because look what greeted me when I came into the office:
Awww. How nice is that? There was a big bouquet of flowers too. I felt like Sally Field at the Oscars: "You like me, you really like me!"
And I'm wearing my red shiny birthday shoes. Everything is good.
What are you most sensitive about?
Is this following on from 'show us your favourite tool' from yesterday?
I'd say about there <points>
The birds! I'm talking about those little great tit birds, you pervert. Apparently they're doing well despite climate warming in the British Isles. (I was going to add a picture of adorable baby tits to this post, but just as I was typing "great tits chicks" into Google, I realized how close to danger I was.)
I dunno, I just thought it was a brilliant headline. One of those journalism success stories.
Swayte Jaysus. It's Friday finally. I wasn't sure we were going to make it here. It's also Stop Day, the last day of the semester, which means I have twomore frantic weeks of work before the next stage of the Great Brain Tumor Hall Migration. Then at long last: summer. Quiet and calm and plenty of time to write and mess around. And Vox!
Also, as an open note to the rabbits in my yard. Look, little guys, there are only four of you and I have a lot of dandelions. So while the nibbling is adorable, you really need to pick up the pace on eating. Thanks.
How's everyone else today? I don't ask often enough, but how are you?
