Recipie of the Week: Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

I was surprised how good this recipe was. I think we've had it every week since I found it in December. It might even replace my mom's Nine Bean soup recipe as my new favorite! (Sorry Mom). And with pork being on the cheaper side in the store, you can't go wrong!  Hmmmm...wonder if this would count as a chile recipe for an upcoming chile cook off...

Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew
(from Cooking Light Dec. 2009)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder (I just used regular chile powder)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (I just used regular paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can hominy, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture aside. Add pork to remaining spice mixture in bowl, tossing well to coat.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove pork from pan; set aside. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Return pork to pan. Add reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture, broth, hominy, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.

Sucessful Weekend

Dispite the fact that it was another cold, rainy and gray weekend...we finished taxes and for the first time in 3 years we figured our 2009 W-2's right and didn't owe Uncle Sam any money at the end of the year!  There was much happiness in the house over that. 

Then to top it off...we paid off student loan number two! Two loans down, one left to go...and our resolution for 2010 is to get the last one paid off by the end of the year.  In the words of the little engine that could..."I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!"

New on my Blog reading list

So I confess that I've become a blog groupy of several sites.  I never thought I would...but there are a few ones out there that I've come to enjoy.  Thought I'd pass them along.

Alan Reifman's Emerging Adulthood Page: Yup...this is my nerdy one that I keep up with for work.  Alan studies emerging adulthood and posts related articles or research he comes across.  My only complaint is that he doesn't post very often.

Ed Stetzer's Life Way Research Blog:  Usualy has a few good posts each week on recent Christian research or teaching he's done. 

Copyblogger: Another nerdy one that I enjoy for work.  Has great posts on communicating via email, websites and other electronic mediums.  Not only do they post a new one each day, they can also be fairly entertaining.

Donald Miller's Blog:  So I geneally like his books...makes sense that I'd like his blog.   Best part is he sometimes will post chapters from up coming books and ask for feedback. 

So those are my favorite new ones.  Any ones you know of I should start checking out?

Jack Frost

So how he managed to snap this photo while hanging out a car window at speeds of 55 mph? I have no idea but I know it's probably my new favorite photo (and no he wasn’t driving). It was fun driving around this weekend in a frosted world. It almost felt like we were in another world. There is something kind of therapeutic about driving around with no end in mind. Should probably do that more often. More pictures from our frost hunting at Matt's photo site (http://fpphoto.blogspot.com/2010/01/hoar-frost-yah-that.html).

Other than that...it proved to be a movie weekend: Fellowship of the Rings, a silly old police movie about a murder on a train, Avatar, and a random western. It think we almost hit every movie genre.

Long Week

After being away from my desk for almost 3 weeks...my cubical sure feels a bit constricting! Not only that, I'm working 40 hours a week again! It's going to be a long week.

Oh, well...welcome to the adult world I guess.

We had a good week off after Urbana thankfully. Matt got out quite a bit and got some fun photos around town (http://fpphoto.blogspot.com/2010/01/picnic-pointbut-no-picnicking.html). And I discovered a new restaurant in town (Lazy Jane's) which has amazing scones...(thanks Betsy for great company to go along with those yummy scones)! Maybe another one of those scones will be my reward if I can make it through this week!

Urbana 09

You might be asking how it went. If you're curious you can check it out for yourself online at http://www.urbana09.org/program.webcast.cfm. I think they almost have all the sessions (excluding worship now posted). I actually only made it to a few sessions myself so I'll be catching up listening to the talks online for this next week.

In general, I'm coming away with a new appreciation and admiration for God's desire to dwell among His people. I also am coming away with a deep thankfulness for the talented, faithful, and fearless co-workers I get to partner with in InterVarsity (both students and non-students)

I spent most my time in the exhibit hall (thanks Christine for the above photo) talking with InterVarsity alum's and I have to admit that I think I'm officially talked out for the rest of the weeks and will revert to sign language and grunting. Matt spent most his time behind a computer running the videos and backdrops during the main sessions and I think he's thankful his pointer finger still works.

Coolest story from the convention so far is that two mornings ago, there was a call to students to follow Christ for the first time. Not only did many students respond but several of the convention center staff scheduled to work responded too. Amen to that. I love how contagious Jesus is.

It's good to be home and we're looking forward to a few days of sleep!