An adventure of sorts...

Latley i have kind of been stuck in a rut. Doing the same things day after day. I was starting to focus on the negative instead of seeing the positive things in life. So i decided to leave my worries in provo this weekend and go help others lighten there own list of worries.

So... i made a trip to go and visit with my Grandparents in Idaho. I love going to visit them. It is always a learning experience for me in one way or another. Last February i went and came back with such an overwhelming feeling of love after spending hours going through the poems my grandfather had written as an expression of love for my grandma over the years. Which was something that i needed at the time.

This past weekend after spending time cleaning, looking through old treasures, and pampering my Grandmother who is unable to do those things for herself i left with a strong feeling of gratitude for all the many blessings i have in my life. The main feeling being that of gratitude for the hands and feet that i was rubbing. They weren't just anybody's hands. They were the hands that taught, feed, cared, and raised my father into the amazing man that he is today. They were the hands that instilled so much love and knowledge into him in the hopes that he might do the same for his own children. These thoughts and many other small things that happened over the weekend have made me reflect upon the many things that i have to be grateful for in my own life.

Just to name a few...

I am grateful for the gospel and the unity that is brings to my family.

I am grateful for all of the different ways there are to express yourself.

I am grateful for the talents that have been instilled in me

I am grateful that i love my job and enjoy going to work everyday.

I am grateful for the all the wonderful opportunities that my parents have helped make possible for me.

I am grateful for my family and there unconditional love for me.

I am grateful for Ryan and the happiness and joy he brings to my life.

I am grateful for my bosses and how well they take care of me at work.

I am grateful for all of my wonderful friends who are there for me and have spent so much time making me laugh.

I am grateful for all of the simple things in life that make me smile.

I am grateful for my grandma and the wonderful example of a mother and woman she is for me.

I could go on and on but i wont. I know this type of post is something that is usually done at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but i think that it is something that should be thought of year round. So maybe take a a few minutes out of your day to think of all the things that you are grateful for. Taking the time to get away from my worries and focus on the good has rejuvenated me and made me happy with the things i have and less anxious to get obtain the things i don't need at this point in time. I hope that you might take the opportunity to go help someone you might know that is in need, and that it might bring an added happiness to your life as it has to mine.

Mary Alethia

Something new for your kitchen table!

Well winter has come early this year, and we are in store for a very cold one at that. I am not to excited for that seeing i hate the cold, but on a lighter note things are going well! School is well school but thats a give right? Alright on to more exciting things.

This semester i have found myself in a rut of frozen dinners, ramen noodles, and an assortment of frozen vegetables. In an effort to make my way out of that Ryan and i have been cooking together once a week, which has been so fun and nice to have a good meal! Well today i decided i had had enough of ramen Noodles, and Frozen Dinners after my roommate had an intervention of sorts. I had become quiet notorious for them. So i went out and bought a new cookbook! To gain some new inspiration. It took quite sometime to find a good one but i finally decided on Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Latin cooking. This was just what i needed to get my drive to cook back. i could hardly wait to try out all of the yummy recipes! so naturally i went to the store asap and i had a wonderful dinner at about 10pm of POSOLE. A delicious Mexican soup. After tweaking it a tad and making it my own i had found myself quite the masterpiece and have decided to share it with you! so enough with the rambling. Here it is...

Pozole

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 lb of pork tenderloin or pork shoulder cut into 1/4 inch cubes (season with salt and pepper)

1 yellow onion diced

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder ( i only used 1 as i cant handle the heat)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups chicken broth or stock

1 can fire-roasted tomatoes with garlic add juice.

1 can of hominy. 15 oz. ( i added to cans to make it more hearty i also added about half the liquid from the cans)

i jalapeno seeded and diced. ( if you like more heat keep the seeds)

1/4 of a bunch of cilantro chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garnish - Avocado, spring onions, and lime wedges.

In a soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the pork ( in batches if needed) saute until opaque on all sides but not brown, about three minutes. Transfer meat into a bowl and set aside.

Add the diced onion to the same pot and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook stirring to blend the spices, for about 1 minute.

Add the stock/broth, tomatoes, hominy, jalapeno, sauteed pork with any juices. Then salt and pepper to taste. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. once boiling add the cilantro then reduce heat to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes

Garnish with avocado slices and sliced green onions. i squeezed a lime wedge into my personal bowl as well and it takes the soup to a whole new level.

I love this recipe for fall/winter because it really does just warm up your whole body and is sooooo easy!

Buen Provecho!!

If you do make it let me know what you think! I would love some feedback.

Mary Alethia

Over due for an update...

hello!

i know it has been a LONG time since my last post. life has kept me v.e.r.y. busy. here is a quick update since the last time i blogged. i am now just about d.o.n.e. with my culinary arts degree and am hoping to graduate with my associates degree this spring! then i will be starting my bachelors in hospitality management : )

i am LOVING life here in p.r.o.v.o. and trying to learn all that i can from the trials life has thrown at me. as you can see i have quiet a few pictures with my family posted. as i was going through my p.h.o.t.o.s. from the past 2 years, deciding which ones i wanted to post. i could not help but f.i.n.d. myself gravitating towards the albums from family gatherings. my f.a.m.i.l.y. is what has helped me grow so much in the past few years. even when i am so far away from most of them! i am so grateful for them and all the support and love they share with m.e.

now, with a new s.e.m.e.s.t.e.r. started. i have begun to transition back to the life of a normal college student again. which i have been surprisingly excited about! i have been amazed at the growth of my t.h.i.r.s.t. for knowledge. one positive a.s.p.e.c.t. of being out of the kitchens has been the amount of time i now have to spend on the things i love! (sewing, reading, exercising, and more) I am going to do my b.e.s.t. to keep you updated regularly on life here...so expect to be hearing from me soon!

Mary Alethia

First Post : )

Well as imagined, culinary school is kicking my butt. In a good way. My Classes start at 6 am and are about a half hour drive so i have to get up around 4:30 or 5:00 everyday but other then that things are going great! I have learned lots about breads and cookies so far, and am looking forward to learning about pies this week : ) I know this is only the first post but i plan to be more active and throw up some recipes on here pretty soon as well. But as for my life today things are very simple.