Tasty Tuesday

I've returned from my hiatus and feel embarrassed about missing my self imposed deadlines.  I've sent Shivani home to her village because her mother is ill so she hasn't been doing any cooking lately.  I managed to record a few recipes but forgot to take photos so I hope this serial blog thingy works out.  This week I bring you honey chicken!  Quick and easy...just how I like it!

HONEY CHICKEN

1/2 kg chicken cubed

1 TB ginger paste

1 TB garlic paste

1/2 TB lime juice

75 g honey

Marinate all ingredients except the honey in a medium sized bowl for at least a 1/2 hour.  Heat oil in a large pan.  Add contents of bowl into the pan and simmer on low, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced and chicken starts to brown.  Drizzle the honey into the pan and cook for 3 more minutes.

Apparently this is the only photo I took.  Shivani's recipe written in Hindi and the chicken in its marinade.

Friends?

Something I forgot that happened a while back.  It happens more often than I'm comfortable with.  It's so obnoxious and it's only happened to me since I moved to India.  Some men can be so socially inappropriate here.  Randomly trying to be friends with you on Facebook.  Who does that?  Oh, this guy does.       

No Mohit, I will NOT be your friend.  Quit trying to be the Joey Tribbiani of India.

Hitched!

Excuse the absence but we were busy getting married!  A year and a half of planning culminated into a fun fest with friends from all over the world.  I have to say at the end of the day....after all the stress and unnecessary worry about shoes and flowers and decor and colors...none of it matters.  What matters is that we were reunited with our friends and family.  It sounds corny and trite but it felt so special to have those that we care about the most all together in one place (minus a few that understandably couldn't make it).   You really know people care about you when they fly across the world for you.  And, as if no time has passed (we've been gone for almost a year now!) they show up to stand by your side on one of the most important days of your life.  I would like to give thanks to all of our friends and family that came to our wedding and witnessed our expression of devoted love to one another.  It was really one of the best days of our lives.  It was over way too fast.  We had such a good time and hope you did too!

It was a whirlwind week that started off with a 1st birthday party for one of my dear friend's daughter.  After an entire year, a baby shower and a move to India later, I finally got to meet her.  I honestly have never experienced love like this before.  I felt my heart literally heave in my chest when I picked her up.  I can't explain why.  Jenessa and I have met through work and we quickly became friends but even more quickly did I pack up and leave before we got to experience all that our friendship was about to become.  Now I have this precious child in my life and I'm so in love with her!

I love this child

I love her mama too!

I could do this!

I got reacquainted with Kona.  It was eerie because when my sister opened the door, I got down on Kona's level...she sniffed my face and wagged her tail and was soooo quiet.  Then she looked from me to Glen to me and wagged even harder.  The best reunion.  My sister said that only moments before that Kona was having a hyper spaz out in the living room.  Goes to show that a dog will match your energy.  I was calm, so she was calm.  Awesome.

Later in the evening we went to see a friend to Improv comedy.  Good times!

Go Kristen!

Even later it was time to meet the UK crew to take them to Casa Bonita.  If you have seen the South Park episode, then you'll know why I had to take them there.  They didn't believe me when I said you can't eat the food there.   

The rest of the week was spent meeting up with friends as they trickled in from out of town.  Spending time together in between phone calls and arrangements for the wedding.  

Chili dinner 

Staci!

Dog having a snooze on the lanai

We LOVE the Irish!

Pottering around town

Bro-mance.

For Glen's stag-do they went to "ride quad runners"...but no pictures have shown up so I'm a bit suspicious.  The ladies and I attended a Learn-to-strip bachelorette party...which I highly recommend!  Good fun and it broke the ice as some of these ladies had literally just met.  And you'll notice Glen's mum participated too!  She's so much fun!

The brave participants

"Hi, my name is Linda"

If a butt in the face isn't sexy then I don't know what is

Take it off

Smack it

Rub it

Fling it

There were family dinners and hot tub shenanigans.  Too many photos to post.  And finally...the wedding.  

And last but not least...to my dear friend Rachel who I've known since we were 12 & 13 years old (respectively).  She just returned from spending the last year in Iraq and just bought a house so I was feeling extra special that she was able to make it to our wedding.  Like a true friend does, she was the one that got stuck under my wedding dress while she was helping me get it on and get it adjusted.   (I can't wait for those photos to come out)  She took me to get our toes done...proper girl time.  She was also the one pouring the mimosas the day of the wedding.  Thanks for being there for me Rachel, thank you for serving our country, and thank you for being my lifetime friend.  I love you!