Cheat's Version of Sorpotel

My favourite Goan/Manglorean dish is Sorpotel-a spicy pork curry with oodles of pork fat. I love it so much I could live on it. But I'm lazy and never bothered making it the proper way. My dear friend Michelle shows you how to make the proper version of Sorpotel here in her very cool blog Food, Football and a Baby. My other school friend Shireen also has a fabulous blog ( Ruchik Randhap) on Manglorean food and also shares a bafat recipe for Manglorean pork curry. Father's day was looming and we were hoping to do a nice meal for the FIL. He loves a good curry and I'd made the fish, chicken, beef versions of all sorts far too many times. So Sorpotel it was. I thought I'd try and do it properly and checked out Michelle's blog. I had three main problems 1) I didn't have time to make the spice mix or source pork liver 2) My tamarind had gone out of date. 3) I had very little time to make a curry paste or parboil the meat-it was the end of a very long working week and about 10 PM! But I wasn't about to give up. Hence this cheat's version of the curry was created. The end result was still tasty and bore resemblance to the real thing.

Ingredients:

Pork loin steaks, cubed including the fatty bits ( 1 kg)

2 medium onions

1 tsp chilli powder

A pinch of turmeric powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp garam masala

1 Cinnamon stick 

2 Star anise stars

4 cloves

2 tbsp garlic paste ( or fresh garlic crush. I can't wait for my allotment garlic to grow!)

2 tbsp ginger paste ( or fresh ginger ground)

2 tbsp Sunflower oil ( there is plenty of fat in the pork which will add to the taste and texture)

2 tbps tomato ketchup

2 tsp fish sauce or cider vinegar

Salt to taste, I usually add 1tsp

2 cups water  ( use more or less according to the desired consistency)

For the marinade:

Cinnamon powder

Chilli powder

Cumin powder

Rub it well into the meet, marinade it for a couple of hours or stick the meat in a quick marinater and give it 10 mins. (I used the VacuVin quick marinater. A word of caution if you do use this, don't pump out more than 5-6 times and don't let it stay for more than 10 mins. We had one that exploded and Vacu Vin still haven't got back to us with an explanation!)

Method:

Heat oil in a casserole dish and add the onions. After a couple of minutes, add the marinaded meat and spices and fry for about 10 mins. Add ginger and garlic and continue to fry. Add water bit by bit as the frying progresses and to avoid charring. Close the lid and cook under low heat for about 20 mins. Now taste, add ketchup and the fish sauce/vinegar and add more ketchup if required. I like mine to have more gravy so I added more water towards the end  and let it simmer for about 30 mins. Once cooked, its ready to serve. However, as any good Goan or Manglorean will tell you, sorpotel get tastier with time. The people in the know recommend cooking at least a day in advance which is what I did. If you have the luxury of time, cooking it a couple of days earlier helps develop the taste even better.

Black & White

I was having some fun with black & white editing the other day and later when I was looking for some good pictures to blog I realized that we had never posted any of our family pictures from the ocean! These were taken WAY back in April, so this is a bit overdue, but better late than never!

Anybody have a favorite?!

(Photography credits to Sand Shotz Studio)

Special Times w/ Cousins

 We have so many pictures from the last several weeks that we want to get up here sometime soon, but for now I just have time for one so the rest will have to come later!
I feel so blessed to have such amazing cousins...and so many of them, too! On Monday we had the opportunity to spend  2 days with mom's younger sister and her family in Georgia. We all went to an aquarium in TN on Wednesday, and got this picture of all 17 of us (just from two families, mind you!) lined up in order of age. Of course our rather large group attracted much attention and speculation. :) To the rest of our Stoltzfus side cousins...we wish you could've all been there too!
  

French (Parisian) Pharmacy Haul

I don't need to tell you that Paris is considered a bit of a lifestyle heaven. Unsurprisingly, I had a long list of things and places I wanted to check out whilst there including La Artisan Parfumeur, Diptyque, Pierre Herme etc. However, the only things I ended up buying in Paris were pharmacy products (and a tiny bit of vintage lace). I'm so very pleased with my pharmacy haul (and as I'm thoroughly loving using a lot of them), that I simply had to share! However, there were a very few products that I won't be bothering with again...

1. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrate: I did a fair bit of research before I ventured into the Parisian pharmacy circuit. This Embroylisse cream was on top of my list due to the rave reviews it received everywhere. I also did a fair bit of research around Parisian pharmacies to get it for the best price (at City Pharma, St Germain) but that is another story. This is now a must-have in my toiletry bag. I use it both day and night and it is perfect for my sensitive skin. It can also be used as a cleanser and primer. This cream is a true all-rounder and I'll be buying a lot more. The best price I've got this for is €10. It is not as readily available in the UK but I found a couple of sites selling it for £17.50.

2. Caudalie Lip Conditioner: I like the fact that this come in a handy tube so I don't need to mess  my fingers trying to apply it.  I use it twice a day and it works well. A tube lasts me about a month and half and I've got a few to get through. Will I buy it again? Probably! I paid €4.50 for a tube but you can get it in the UK for about £5.50.

3. Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm: Believe all those beauty fanatics when they swear by this balm because it is true! I started using this soon after I bought it (and before I decided to temporarily switch to my Caudalie buys) and it is delectable and works wonders for your lips! You can also buy it in tubes and that's what I'll be buying when I've gone through the current haul. I paid  €6.50 and you can get it in the UK for £9.50 online and at M&S.

4. Roge Cavailles Deodorant: This was quote possibly the only impulse buy at City Pharma. I'm not French guru but I thought it's label said it was good for sensitive skin and traceless so I thought I'd give it a go. I've usually stuck with Neal's Yard organic deodorants as they are better for you and I think I will go back to them once I'm done with these. That said, it works perfectly fine. I paid €3.50 for a tube but you can get it online for £6.

5. Caudalie Vinotherapie Body Balm: I may have found my perfect body cream with this one! It is rich, fragrant and very moisturizing. I absolutely love it and I will be buying more. I paid €14 but you can get it online for £18.

6. Elmex Toothpaste: There was certainly an element of practicality to my Parisian pharmacy trip. It was mostly needs based. I had read great reviews about Elmex toothpaste and decided to buy a few tubes to see how it worked. Whilst I can't really tell the difference, I feel like its doing my teeth a lot of good. However, that may just be psychological. I'm not too fussed about buying more ( when I get through the 6 tubes) but if I end up in Paris again, I probably will. I paid €7 for two tubes. You can buy it online for £8.50 for two tubes.

7. Vichy Normaderm: The next four products are ones I've previously used but have decided to review as part of this post. I stocked up on two whilst in Paris but gave the other two a miss. I like Vichy's 3 in 1 cleanser. It works really well on my skin and it also acts as a scrub and mask. Perfect from a practicality and portability point of view. I bought a couple more in Paris. I paid €7 in Paris. You can buy it in Boots as well as online for about £11.

8. Bioderma: The Bioderma micelle solution is a miracle worker for make-up junkies. I'm not one of those. However, I do like my lipsticks and often have on a tiny dab of foundation or BB cream. This cleansing water makes my skin sparkly clean and ready for bed. I only buy the little tiny bottles and I stocked up on a couple more whilst in Paris where they less than half the price. I paid €2 in Paris and £4.50 in the UK for a small bottle.

9. Avene Thermal Water: This is yet another cult beauty product but I'm really not sure I get the hype. Its probably because I live in the UK and don't feel the need to 'cool' my face. It also messes up any make-up you have on so I really don't see the point. Perhaps I'm using it wrong? I paid £6.50 in the UK and did not bother buying more in Paris.

10. Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse: I bought this in the summer because I liked the idea of having shiny pins. However, I don't like the smell (it smells like 'oil') and I wasn't convinced it made my legs look 'that' special. I have enough to get through another summer but won't be buying any more. I paid £24 in the UK.

And that's it folks! Have you discovered any other great French pharmacy products too? Or perhaps some truly great ones from another country? I'd love to know! Ann x

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter or Facebook .

TBY Sexy Women's Deep V-neck Halter Dress Bride Long Prom Gowns (S, Pink)

TBY Sexy Women's Deep V-neck Halter Dress Bride Long Prom Gowns (S, Pink)

TBY Sexy Women's Deep V-neck Halter Dress Bride Long Prom Gowns (S, Pink)

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Heyivogue Women's Strapless Beaded Chiffon Evening Formal Prom Dress 3018 20W Purple

Heyivogue Women's Strapless Beaded Chiffon Evening Formal Prom Dress 3018 20W Purple

Heyivogue Women's Strapless Beaded Chiffon Evening Formal Prom Dress 3018 20W Purple

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HE03929BK12, Black, 10US, Ever Pretty Graduation Dresses For Women 03929

HE03929BK12, Black, 10US, Ever Pretty Graduation Dresses For Women 03929

HE03929BK12, Black, 10US, Ever Pretty Graduation Dresses For Women 03929

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Rating : 4.0

brand: Ever-Pretty

category: Night Out & Cocktail

Description : Long sleeve short casual party dress. Not padded. Sexy semi-sheer chiffon sleeves. Stunning sequined bottom design enhances the elegance of this dress. No zipper. No lining, high stretch. The sleeve length of size 6-18 are all 63-66cm. The sleeve opening of size 6-12 are 20-23cm, size 14-18 are 23-25cm The shoulder across of size 6-18 are 30-33cm, 33-35cm, 33-35cm, 35-38cm, 35-38cm, 38-40cm, 38-40cm

Features :

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Davis Mercantile

 Even though our blog has been quiet, (lack of wi-fi and time) we have been busy!  Our two week tour began with singing on Saturday afternoon and evening at the Davis Mercantile.  We packed in an amazing amount of action in a single day. 

After we got there around 10:30 a.m. the older ones set up while I read from Uncle Arthur's Bible Stories to the younger children.  

After set up and sound check we had just enough time for some carousel rides, compliments of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Miller.

Half the fun for Hudson was choosing which animal to ride.  In addition to horses there were pigs, roosters, dogs, and sheep.  To a 4 year old, this may have been one of the more difficult decisions he has made so far!!

Oh joy!

Between our concerts, some of us stopped by to taste the homemade goodness of soft pretzels at Jo Jo's Pretzels.  Thank -you, Joanna, for the special treat!  

Yum!

The concert.

jessni A-Line long Dress Hand-Sewn Beads jp1034 Size 16

jessni A-Line long Dress Hand-Sewn Beads jp1034 Size 16

jessni A-Line long Dress Hand-Sewn Beads jp1034 Size 16

ASIN : B00EPZGSMU



brand: Jessni

category: Special Occasion

Description : jessni A-Line long Dress Hand-Sewn Beads jp1034 Size 16
Material: Chiffon , Elastic Imitation Silk , Charmeuse , ,
Feature: Hand-Sewn Beads , ,
Every dress is made of more than 3 layers and have built in bras.
Every dress has 4-8 bones. Weding dress will have up to 6-12 bones.
Jessni's sizes maybe are different from others. Please measure your self and choose the size according to the size chart in the size information link beside the size select box.
Size adjust service is free to our customer. Please contact us if size adjust is needed.
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Features :

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A Day on the Road with the Bontrager Family

One of the most asked questions is "what does a day on the road look like?"  I will attempt to answer that question knowing full well that there is NO average day on the road.  There are also some days that we hope will never be repeated.  You ask why?  Well, can you imagine a family of 12 in a 45 foot bus  parked in a mechanic shop being worked on by  mechanics which our boys described as "looking like pirates"?  Unfortunately, the weather was cool and rainy, not a day for walking.  And there were no shopping malls in sight!  So we were stuck.  Now that was not so bad until the battery power started running low which meant the lights were quite dim.  No, we couldn't run the generator or the bus because we were in a closed building.  As I remember it we took naps, talked, and read books in the little light we had.  Okay, I'll get back to an average day.  Actually, first I'll tell you what some of the weekly/monthly activities are:  cutting hair, washing the bus, changing oil, grocery shopping, organizing the bays ( storage under the bus), doing laundry, changing sheets, changing instrument strings, and working up new music.   Since there is no average day, I'll tell you what my ideal day looks like. Though they don't happen very often, I treasure each one.  The highlights of an "ideal" day on the road are:  staying in one spot for an entire day (it is so much easier to write!!), eating meals together as a family, accomplishing the feat of 4-5 hours of piano practice in one day (currently 4 of our children are taking piano lessons), and teaching Phonics to the little ones.

~ Our faithful dobro player, Joshua~

 ~Violin practice~

~ Beautiful pickin'~

 ~On this winter tour Marlin spent hours and hours on the phone with farm & ministry business~

 ~The little ones love exploring in the church nurserys~

 ~The guys "work out"-unloading equipment~

~Allison helps with the haircuts~

~At the end of March Elizabeth's teacher, Chelsy, announced a piano practice contest for her students so there is great motivation for practicing these days~

~Bible time with little ones includes Bible stories, songs, Bible Memory, and History stories~

~Set up for the evening concert with We Care~

~posted by Becky

Camping in Saskatchewan

We had a much-needed day off on July 4th, and we spent part of it and the next day at a campground in Canada. It was short but very sweet and we had a wonderful time being "just us".

Yummy, yummy!

Taylor & Denver

Ice-cream for dessert, in honor of Mitchell's 19th birthday

Smiles!

Our three teenage boys, who currently consume large quantities of ice-cream, just the three of them. =) Actually, to be quite honest, they consume large quantities of ANYTHING at this stage in life! =)

hair cuts by Allison....

Carson made a rope swing and hung it from the tree we were parked under. The little girls loved it!

"But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee." 

Psalm 5:11

{posted by chels}

Zuis Women's Sweetheart Bridesmaid Chiffon Prom Dresses Long Evening Gowns

Zuis Women's Sweetheart Bridesmaid Chiffon Prom Dresses Long Evening Gowns

Zuis Women's Sweetheart Bridesmaid Chiffon Prom Dresses Long Evening Gowns

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brand: ZUIS


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GEORGE BRIDE Elegant One Sleeve Gorgeous Long New Sale Evening Gown Size 8 Burgundy

GEORGE BRIDE Elegant One Sleeve Gorgeous Long New Sale Evening Gown Size 8 Burgundy

GEORGE BRIDE Elegant One Sleeve Gorgeous Long New Sale Evening Gown Size 8 Burgundy

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brand: GEORGE BRIDE

category: Special Occasion

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