Thursday, June 10, 2010

What I'm craving (#1)

Sometimes you come across a dish that is just too wonderful you can't have enough! Recently I was introduced to a Peruvian dish called Lomo Saltado. One of the many food trucks seen driving around L.A. is one called Lomo Arigato and they make the best Lomo! It has seriously gotten to the point when they post a twitter announcing their location, I get excited when it is close by and kinda sad when it isn't.

Since I can't have it from the truck all the time, I learned how to make it myself and I must say it is pretty fantastic. Here is my recipe. Sorry there are no measurments, I kinda just throw stuff together.

Skirt Steak, sliced
one Videlia onion, sliced
one big tomato
garlic
vegetable oil
white vinegar
soy sauce
cumin
paprika
salt
pepper
frozen french fries
rice

mix together oil (about 4T), vinegar (about 4t), soy sauce (about 5t), garlic (1-2 cloves) half a palmful of cumin, about 1/2t paprika, a dash of salt and a dash of pepper. Add the sliced steak and sliced onions and marinade for at least 30 minutes. In hot skillet or wok, put in the meat and onions. Don't add all the marinade or it will be too much liquid. Saute until the meat is no longer pink. Remove the meat, but turn down the heat and keep cooking the onions until they are nice and brown and carmelized.

Meanwhile, cook up some white rice and the frozen french fries per the package directions.

In the last couple minutes of the onions cooking, add the sliced tomatoes so they start to get soft, but still hold their texture. (You probably could leave out the tomatoes if you don't like them. They are more or less for color, not necessarily for flavor). Stir the meat back in.

Once everything is done, serve up the rice and put the meat mix on top and then top with fries.

OMG... SOOOOOO GOOOD!!!

To add some excellent flavor, here is a green sauce to serve with it:

In a food processor, mix together half an onion, 2 jalepenos (more or less, depending on how hot you like it), a big handful of shredded lettuce, a pinch of salt and 1/2 cup-ish of mayo. Mix until sauce is someone smooth and consistency of ketchup maybe. I like to dip my fork in the sauce and then take a bite of food. Gary likes to pour the sauce all over the lomo and have at it.

Hint: the longer this sauce sits, the better it tastes, so I would make this first.

Working Moms


Let me start off by saying the term "Working Mom" is redundant. All moms are working moms and they are some of the hardest working people I can think of.

Now that we've established that, there are those of us who have to have a job outside of the home. It is a tough choice that must be made. Actually, for some of us (most of the people I know) this is not a choice at all. If I want to provide the best life possible for my little boy, I have to work. That's all there is to it. I don't have the option to stay home. This is not 1950-whatever and with bills and a mortgage and trying to save because who knows what is going to happen in this economy; we are in an era where a single income household is not the norm.

I often wish I could stay home with JJ. It is not because I feel strongly about a woman needing to be in the home, but I also don't think I am especially "empowered" because I am a "working woman." I wish I could stay home because I miss my son. It is hard not being with him all day, not listening to his infectious laugh (like he's doing as he is sitting next to me watching type), not watching him as he looks at the world in wonder and amazement because everything is new to him. And what mom doesn't think she's the best person to care for her own child?

The reality is, like most moms I know, I have to have a job to help provide for my family. My mom was a working mom and she always made time for us growing up. She was a police officer for Santa Ana PD and worked very hard, but she was always available no matter what: if we were sick or needed a parent volunteer for a field trip or a room mom. Anything. I never once felt like I was gipped out of anything by having a mom who worked. I knew I was loved and cared for and was never left wanting for anything. I had a great childhood.

Knowing the situation is what it is, we always make time to spend together as a family. JJ knows me and gets very excited when I pick him up from Grandma's house after work. He is growing up healthy and happy and he is going to be super smart, I can tell already.

I think Stay at Home Moms are amazing. I think Working Moms are amazing. So, the moral of this little rant is please don't judge one way or the other. My life is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I think all my mom friends would agree, regardless of their work situation.

*In case you were thinking "did something happen to inspire this blog?" Yes. I over heard a conversation between two girls who were judging working moms and saying some very nasty things, even though neither of them are moms nor close to becoming one.