Happy August 4th

The principles of gain through loss, of joy through sorrow, of getting by giving,
of fulfillment by laying down, of life out of death is what that Book teaches,
and the people who have believed it enough to live it out in simple, humble,
day-by-day practice are people who have found the gain, the joy, the getting, the fulfillment,
the life.
Elisabeth Elliot

http://www.citygirlsearching.com/blog/2014/7/cute-stationery-makeup-giveaway

I love Korean Stationery

Our balcony summer 2014

Hummingbirds come daily

I follow four dictates:
face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go.
~ Sheng Yen

My gardenia's bloomed for Logan

Ahram and Justin in Shanghai last year

LOVE♥

LOVE♥

Justin and Ahram at my cousin Wendy  and her family's home

always such a slice of Heaven

Chocolate milk face

LOVE♥

Lots of luggage

Fresh herbs on our balcony

LOVE fresh herbs

Logan with friends on the boogy board in Lake St. Clair

http://www.ssis-suzhou.net/
Where my Son now teaches in China
I'm so very proud to be your Mother

http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/mmmm-moussaka/

Moussaka

Meat Sauce:

• 1 t. olive oil
• 1 lb. of lean ground beef, lamb, or venison (I used a mix of beef and venison I had left over from my Gyro burgers)–if you like intensely flavored dishes, spice the meat as if you were making Gyro burgers before cooking it
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 1/4 t. allspice

• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 – 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 c. red wine (optional)
• 1 large can of tomatoes including the juices, all whirred in a blender or food processor to break up the tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the filling:

• 1 medium sized eggplant, peeled
• 1 large potato (I used several small purple potatoes from my Dad’s garden), peeled
• about 3/4 c. whole wheat bread crumbs

For the “Bechamel Sauce”:

• 2 c. of plain lowfat yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1/4  t. salt
• Freshly ground pepper

And to top it all off:

• About 3/4 c. freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese
• Some of the breadcrumbs reserved from earlier

Spray a large flat pan with sides (or saucepan) with cooking spray, then add olive oil. Heat the oil over medium heat till the pan is hot, then add the spices and stir, allowing them to “toast” briefly in the pan. Add the meat and cook until brown.

Pour the meat into a strainer in the sink and allow the juices/fat from the meat to drain off. There should be just an ultra-thin coating of oil left in the pan from the meat. Next, put the onion, garlic and bell pepper in the pan and sautee over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent. If you are using the wine, add the wine in and let it cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the wine is evaporated, about 10 – 15 minutes.