Turkish Recipe and Remainings of the Year

This weekend I made time to make a Turkish dish. This was a recipe and cookbook that I've been interested in for a while. I really liked the pages and the layout of it, and making the two recipes that I chose was also enjoyable as well.

Thus was a different type of beef, one that I hadn't cooked before. I also never used shallots, as the recipe called for. Personally, I didn't like cutting them, but in some ways they were easier than regualr onions.

The side dish, was fairly simple- with eggs, tomatoes and green peppers. I liked cooking this one since it was cool seeing the transfomration of it all. I wasn't too sure on how it was supposed to look at the end, but I think it turned out well!

The final product.

I feel that this scrambled eggs recipe can go along with many other dishes, I just picked it becasue I wanted to try it, not neccesssarily because it was meant to go with the beef dish. 

What a busy, yet enjoyable and hard laughing weekend! Spent with friends and familar faces as well as some new ones. An early thanksgiving dinner shared together, and a fun night of swing and gelato eating. Reflecting back on this weekend, also makes me delve back into this year as well and thinking and remembering all that happened. Today marks the end of the year of mercy and this week also is the end of this liturgical year. Wow, so much change happening at once, yet also so much to be thankful for. I'm looking forward to contributing some dishes this Thanksgiving, and also to just have a break from a busy and sometimes hectic schedule. Cheers to this year, and everything around just corner!

Raining Sunday. Had to caprture this goregeous golden sky!

Something Golden

The cold, brisk air is telling me that winter is coming soon. I wish Fall could last longer. The Fall I admire is the one where there are always sunny, and warm days with the trees glowing with golden and reddish leaves. There is always a bench to sit at and read a good book, or observe your surrondings. And it's always good weather for a long walk or a spontenous run. But sometimes unfortunately, Winter is the next season that carries over into the New Year- so maybe it's not all bad after all.

The flowers have fallen, just like the leaves

Hard to believe that it's already the middle of November. There are still so many things that I would like to accomplish, even this month alone. Still working on my reading regime as well as my Hindi- self taught lessons! If I could give myself a grade, I would say right now I deserve a B. I need and want to put in more time and effort as well as retaining the language. Although languages are time consuming and in full need of the regaining strength of perserverance, it always enjoyable and exciting to where it can lead you! I have a few phrases down, but by the end of the year, I am aiming to speak a couple of sentences well! I will have my list of things I want to do/accomplish before this year of 2016 is over, soon! And since it's still November, I want to write about my favorite saints, and even the ones that I want to have more devotion to. Wow, too many things....sometimes I wonder how will it be when I am a post grad with no job-yet, will I have enough things to do to keep me active, and busy and inspired? I would say most likely, since I always wanted more time to do them as a student. :)

This weekend I got to spend some nice, quality time with my sisters- a huge blessing in my life. I've tried counting my blessings when things seem to go array or when I'm down, and sometimes I don't know where to begin or even feel overwhelmed by it all. Being with my sisters is always a joy, and lifts me up since I know that they know me the best.

I would say we all look fairly different, but our chins are alike!

I love this time of day. You probably already know that by now since I have a good amount of sunset photos on here! But sometimes I really dislike it when I can't enjoy it  (I  just want to go on a nice long walk or run- or short, since it gets dark so fast) because I have to be somewhere. But thought I would take a picture of it anyway:)

The end of the year is quickly approaching. I am thinking about all that happened this year, and of course what will still happen for the rest of it. Processing what I learned, gained, hoped for and expereinced, my favorite moments and even my least favorite ones are all in there somewhere and brought me to where I am now, in this present moment, writing on Plum Tree, a blog that I never knew I would start or even keep up with. Cheers! And to many great moment to come!:)

A Week in Photos

So much has happened since I last wrote. The weeks get busy, and I often find myself scrambling for extra time; time to rejuvinate, reflect and lay low for a while. Plum Tree helps me do that. :) With the non ending speed of school going at a fast momentum among my tutoring job, the weeks just seem to wizz on by. Some days I crave to go on a nice fall walk or run, with or without the rain. This time of year, like all the rest, comes only once a year and how fast it truly goes. Hello November, and all that you bring! October is my go to, by November isn't too bad either, maybe perhaps the onset of Winter gets me nostalgic of all things Autumn.

Here is the past week or so in photos, including beautiful red leaves, tutoring, my Sister's and Brother-in-Law's Wedding reception, Halloween costume..

recreating Frida Kalho for Halloween

Bridesmaids

Giving my Toast! Everything turned out well, the tears came after...

With the family

My sister, the photographer

Love these red leaves, with the back drop of the sky!

Tutoring my student

The beautiful wedding cake, my Mom made it!

My toast to my dear sister

October has been a world wind. Busy, fast paced and a lot of emotion. I think Autumn usually brings about strong emotion, melancholy and nostalgic feelings can come easily, and change is never easy, but a necessity- a fact if life. October has brought change in various ways, and although it can be hard, it is beautiful as well. I feel that it's ironic that I consider myself really bad at change and transition, yet Fall is my favorite season, the Queen of change. But all good things come in due season. I can't get the wedding recepetion out of my mind. So many beautiful emotions, it was such a special day to celebrate with friends and family, many of whom I hadn't seen in a while. This day will always hold a very special place in my heart, and feel that most words could not descibe everything that I was feeling and expereincing. Joy was one of them, yet still it cannot thoroughly do justice. I have so much to be grateful for, and the elegant and radiant day showed me just that. Salvador and Elisabeth were glowing and showed me so much about things that my heart had not yet unraveled. Their love is so strong for eachother, it makes me only want to grow a bigger heart for others.

I am still trying my best with my Autumn list, not forgetting it or tossing it to the wayside, but doing my best to achieve small goals. Finishing books is slow, and picking up Hindi is a process, but I think it's not all about checking things off, but instead of enjoying it all, and see where it leads.

Today is the first day of November, a beautiful and meaningful month. And today is all Saints Day, remembering and praying to those whose lives were great examples. I have a few of my favorites, but I think that will be for another post. Happy November!

Pumpkin Cheesecake & New Things

Today I made my first cheesecake. I have been meaning to bake, since I have been feeling more and more comfortable with cooking. I have been accumalting recipes for about a year now, and only a few of them are desserts, but I decided to give it a go. White Chococlate Pumpkin Cheesecake. Perfect for the Autumn season, and a mix of flavors. I've heard that cheesecake is difficult to make, since most people buy theirs. I understand that more now since baking a dessert like a cheescake requires a good amount of time and money- there's a lot of ingredients! Overall, it was a good challenge and a learning expereince. Learning how much salt to put in (I unfortunately put in too much), as well as burnt the chcocolate chips the first time around in the microwave making the microwave smoke so heavily, it looked like a thick fog. But somethings you'll never fully learn or remember something until you make a mistake. As a quote I like says, "There is no failure. Either you win or you learn, either is okay."

I think this is my favorite time of Fall, in the middle of October before Halloween and before the onset of the holiday rush. The newness of Autumn is still in the air. The weather is overall nice, with the crisp air and crunchy red-orange leaves; the sun is still shining brightly. This is also the time of year when I soon think about the end of the year, and start looking back on the year as whole. So many exciting things, yet how fast time can truly go!

Went to a new restaurant with sisters, Yalla Meditterean. Liked the inside decour!

I thought it was an interesting place, Middle Eastern style restaurant, although I wouldn't say it's a restaurant. Just think Chipotle style mixed with Arabic food. I ordered Kefta with the Jerusalem style wrap. A lot of different flavors all wrapped in one, including french fires inside! I thought it was a cool place, and especially since I've gotten my feet wet with the Arabic language and tried some food- as well as made some food (Moroccan Kefta), so I felt connected in some way. It was also really nice to enjoy some quality time with my sisters, doesn't always happen too often. 

This month of October has flown by. I figured out what I'm going to be for Halloween...coming soon! And in one week is my sister and brother-in-law's wedding reception. The Maid of Honor has an important role to play, and I think I've lived up to it pretty well. Weddings these days are so commercialized and watered down, and the wedding party along with it. But I see myself as a different Maid of Honor, one without the drama and only room for support and love for my dearest sister and friend. It's not all about catching the boquet (which I have done at my other sister's wedding 3 years back :)), or outdoing the other brides maids, those things don't matter to me. The only thing that I'm worried about is my Toast. It seems so simple and straightforward, but when you're talking about your best friend, sometimes you don't want to leave anything out, or maybe I just put a lot of pressure on myself? Either way, it will be an exciting day- to see new and familar faces all celebrating the marriage of two very important and special people in my life. 

Chicken Manchurian

It's always nice to cook something new, a new challenge up my sleeve once again! I feel that that is the story of my life, a challenge here, a challenge to the right, and a challenge up the corner and back.  It keeps thinghs interesting:) I want to create challenges or new ideas for myself, to learn something new or to improve myself in some way. After getting 9 books at the library today, I think that's a good start!

So recently, I made a new dish, an Indian dish called Chicken Manchurian. I woud give this recipe 4 out of 5 stars. Overall, it was fairly easy and straightforward to make, no hiccups or anything excitedly scary. But it was good none the less. The only thing I wish this recipe had more of was spices. It had some chili sauce and such, but not as much zest as some other recipes I've made in the past, but I will put this one in my cookbook archive.

This weekend has been the coldest and rainest all season. I've actually quite enjoyed it since I like the rain, it gives off a nice, clean smell and gives my mind new inspiration during a down pour. Things look different in the rain, it gives a place a make over and allows one to dream. I don't find myself afraid of it, and like to walk in the rain- with an umbrella usually, as well as run in it, without one- making way for a wet adventure!