Tasty Bites: Asian Lettuce Wraps

By Beth V

I still remember my first visit to PF Chang’s.  At the time, the dish that made the biggest impression on me was the Asian Lettuce Wraps. This dish was a new experience for me. It wasn’t long before I realized these could easily be duplicated at home. Looking online, I discovered that others had already created recipes that come very close to being PF Chang’s-worthy. This recipe will help you create an at-home meal that feels a little bit more creative and special.  And, did I mention the recipe is easy?

This recipe does require a few ingredients you may not always have on hand, but these sauces can be used to make many different home-cooked Asian-inspired meals. They also keep a very long time in the refrigerator. They are a good investment that yield a return of many deliciously-seasoned meals.

These can all be found in the Asian food section of most grocery stores. The first is rice vinegar - it is a nice, light, tangy vinegar that can be used to season in cooked foods and is also a staple in most homemade Asian dipping sauces. Next, reduced-sodium soy sauce - not as unusual, but I highly recommend the reduced-sodium version. Third, we have toasted sesame oil. There are two types of sesame oil, one that is lighter in color and a darker version that is toasted. The flavor difference is very dramatic. The toasted variety is much, much more flavorful and a few drops goes a very long way. It must be stored in the refrigerator, but it will keep for many, many months without going rancid. Just be sure to get the dark brown sesame oil. If you do not see toasted sesame oil in the Asian section, check the section with olive oil and other types of oil Lastly, we have hoisin sauce. Hoisin is a Chinese barbecue-type sauce. It is thick and sweet and adds nice complex flavors to dishes and sauces.

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Are We There Yet?

By Chuck (Sharing Compassion)

Those that have had young children will recognize those words in the title. Many times we have packed the car and settled in for a few hour drive to a vacation spot. It seems we have gone only the first few miles and a voice from the back proclaims those words: "Are we there yet?" it is a voice of impatience and anticipation. They cannot see the big picture and only want to see the end result. I can't think of any parents that have not heard that question. It just seems to be part of parenting.

I wonder as Christians, how often we have asked that question of God in our hearts? We know our final destination and we know it is better than any favorite vacation spot. We look forward to eternity with anticipation. How often though do we get bogged down in everyday life? We get frustrated by running in every direction with never enough time. We struggle with trying to keep things balanced. We get disappointed by others and broken promises. In our frustration don't we sometimes whisper that phrase within our hearts? Not that we want our lives to end but we yearn for the peace, fellowship and perfection that heaven will bring. We know the promises that await us and our hearts yearn for that.

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Better With Age

By Pat

I have recently re-established contact with a couple of friends I have known since childhood, both of whom are devout Christians. In the past several months we have been praying for one another about the various problems we are facing now, and it has been just wonderful to connect with these ladies. I am so thankful that God has orchestrated this reunion. We are so much the same in many ways as when we were young...and yet so different. And the big difference is...age.

Society places so much emphasis on youth that it has become almost an embarrassment to show signs of aging. We are encouraged to buy expensive wrinkle creams, have our gray hair colored, and exercise to the point that we exhaust ourselves in our attempts to have the bodies and faces of young people. There are some women who become almost unrecognizable due to the many surgeries they have had so that they can maintain the appearance of youth, and I think it's very sad.

The things that make me where I am today in my faith walk and enable me to be more effective to God, are the experiences I have had along the way, and the struggles I have faced, the fears I have conquered, and the reliance on God that has grown stronger and stronger. My friends are the same way. We can now reach out and help one another in a much different way than we could have when we were younger. Our age has taught us valuable lessons, and we can now share these with one another in a richer, deeper way. We have learned patience, and that God's timing and ours do not usually coincide...and that's okay. We have learned that prayer and faith are the keys to getting along in life, and that the bond of friendship is one of the most wonderful gifts God has given us.

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God Is... Approachable

By Jay Cookingham (Soulfari)

Approachable - easy to meet or converse or do business with; "a friendly approachable person"

That definition did not fit my father.

I grew up in an abusive home; my father’s cruelty was part of everyday life. His words and name-calling crushed my spirit, for years the verbal abuse continued, it stunted my emotional growth and I grew callous and hard. When I turned twelve, another darker form of abuse started, my dad began sexually assaulting me. It was all I could handle, I felt ashamed, hurt and betrayed. Somehow, I began to think it all had to be my fault. I turned to drinking and drugs, trying to dull the pain and the guilt I held inside.

This sick pattern continued until I was 17 and able physically to stand up to my father. The physical and sexual abuse stopped but not the verbal cruelty. However, because of the damage done, I was through with caring. One day I made a suicide tape recording, left it in my room, grabbed my hunting knife and went alone into the woods. I found a secluded spot where it would be difficult to find me. After getting high on pot, I put the knife to my wrist, paused and wondered if anyone would miss me. Then out of nowhere I heard a small still voice say “NO.” Quickly putting the knife down I looked around and found no one there, too shaken to continue, I went home and destroyed the tape.

Several months later, in the same woods, my friends and I were having a beer blast. Having already consumed too much alcohol, I raced one of my friends in a drinking contest. I downed 6 beers in a minute and won. Some victory, I then took two steps and fell flat on my face. My wasted friends, thinking I had passed out, picked me up and put me on a cot to sleep it off. However, I was awake, although unable to talk or move.

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Fingerprint Friday: Bubble Wrap

By Ginny (MAD21)

The title of this post should probably be "Just for fun Fingerprints" because this post is more on the silly side of things than my usual Friday posts. But honestly, I firmly believe that laughter itself is a fingerprint. Don't you think?

Our family loves simple pleasures, including opportunities to laugh. We were running errands last week and realized what was in the back of this truck we were following. The kids were flipping out. "MOM!! Follow that truck!" As if doing so would result in the driver allowing us to decimate the GIGANTIC roll of bubble wrap he was delivering. But can you imagine??! What an afternoon of fun that would be.

Fellow blogger Beki at The Rusted Chain has a really great weekly post she does every Friday called "Fingerprint Friday." We are to look around and see where we can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Anywhere? Go find out where Beki saw God this week, and be sure to check out the other bloggers who linked their stories as well.