A thank you to a few people today.

The last few days have been rough. No need to go into it. All I wanted to say here was thank you to friends and family who were there for me and Connie.

Thank you Ron, Bill, Alex, Mom and Dad. Not sure where I'd be or how I'd get through this life without such great family and friends. But more than that, I think God for giving me the grace I need every day... grace I absolutely do not deserve. I honestly cannot figure out how people get through this life without Jesus. Bono said it very clearly in an interview with Michka Assayas:

"You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you... And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that "as you reap, so you will sow" stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff."

Awesome Grilled Rib Steak with Garlic

1. Start with a thick cut of 'choice' Rib Steak. New York, Spencer, T-Bone or Ribeye are all good, but rib steak, in my opinion has the best flavor!

2. Trim excess fat. Those big hunks of fat on the side will catch fire on the barbie.

3. Coat steak generously on both sides with coarse ground salt (preferably kosher). Let stand for 20 minutes (less time for thinner or smaller cuts... 1" 10 min., 1 1/4" 15, 1 1/2" 20 min.). The salt will dry the steak for proper browning. Also, it will tenderize and season (no need for further salting later)

4. Rinse steaks well in cold water and pat as dry as possible and then air dry.

[this is where I add one other ingredient. If you love garlic, you gotta try this. Slice 3 - 4 garlic cloves into pointed wedges (cut diagonally). Using a narrow pointed knife, penetrate steak with the knife and then pull knife away leaving a 'hole' (should make about a 1/2" wide incision) to slide the garlic slices into. For thinner cuts, pierce diagonally to allow for full penetration of slivers.]

5. Coat steak in fresh ground pepper and tenderize well with fork on both sides.

6. Melt 2 Tbs. butter with 2 Tbs. olive oil in a pan until the mixture begins sizzling and lightly sear steak on both sides on medium heat.

7. Transfer to hot BBQ grill and cook on medium heat until center temp. is at desired level
(rare is 120° - 130°, medium rare is 130° - 140° and medium is 140°). An easy way to check without probing with a meat thermometer is to push on the steak. It should be almost sponge like for rare and firm for well done. I like mine medium rare (this seems to be the universally accepted way to get the most flavor with a juicy but not too 'bloody' inside and a crunchy and flavorful exterior. Until you get the feel for it, use a meat thermometer. It's better than slicing into the steak and losing those awesome juices!

8. Serve immediately.



A final word: For all you cooks who feel like you deserve something special for all the hard work of grilling a half dozen rib steaks, cut the meat from the bone, leaving about an inch of meat on each. Those 5 or six ribs will be the best thing you've ever eaten. NOTHING... not even fillet is better than the meat next to the bone on a rib steak!)

The Absolute Best Pad Thai Recipe in the World (IMHO)

I'm sorry Michelle... but I think I am going to win this battle. Haha. Let me first qualify the claim "Absolute Best Pad Thai Recipe in the World". I believe that the best Pad Thai recipes are simple and uncomplicated IF you happen to be a street vendor in Thailand or you have a commercial kitchen duplicating their methods. BUT, in a typical Western kitchen, it's not so easy or uncomplicated in achieving authentic Pad Thai. After almost 20 years (my first attempt was in 1991) this is the recipe I've stuck with and is closest to being an authentic way of cooking it. The secret to making the best Pad Thai in the world, as with many things in life is patience as well as experience. I can almost guarantee that someone will comment eventually telling me that it didn't work. Trust me, after many attempts and doing this for awhile, it works and tastes amazing!
The following is my way and as many people know, there are a thousand ways to make Pad Thai. So... before I even start with the recipe, there are a few things you must know before you begin. These are REALLY important... so don't skip over these things!
The first is to ONLY cook one serving at a time. Period. The second is, have an organized and clear work area. You can't blow either of these things off (like I did for way too long). And thirdly, cook the noodles ahead of time and refrigerate. Trust me, this isn't just about convenience... it is an important step. You'll need a few things to start besides the ingredients below. Either a well seasoned or a non-stick wok. A gas range is best to use but electric is fine. You'll also need something to stir the noodles in the wok that has wide tines. A wooden fork or pasta server will work.

One more piece of advice. The following ingredients might be found at grocery stores with Asian food sections, but they are much more expensive there. Look for an Asian food store where you live or buy online - much less expensive. The following recipe will make about 4 medium sized servings. Pad Thai keeps so well that I recommend that you double the recipe.

2 Tbs. Minced garlic
Oil (do not use oil with a low smoking point like sesame. Regular canola or vegetable oil works great.)
1/2 cup Chopped Peanuts
2 Bunches Green Onions (chopped into 2" lengths)
2 cups Beans Sprouts
1 14oz. bag of rice stick (the thin kind... width should be like linguine and NOT fettucini)
2 Whole limes
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup Shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
(carrots and cabbage are not necessary and I often skip these, but they add nice color and the cool, crispness of these two along with the fresh bean sprouts adds a nice contrast to the hot, moist noodles)

For the sauce:
1 Cup Tamarind**
1 Cup Dissolved Palm Sugar (palm sugar comes in hardened 'cakes') you can substitute cane sugar... but not nearly as good.
3/4 Cup Fish Sauce
1 tsp. paprika
6 - 8 dried Thai chili peppers (pepper flakes can be substituted)

**Tamarind can be found as either a soup base (in which case you check to be sure that the only ingredients are tamarind and water) or a block of tamarind (it will look like a soft brick and be very dark brown). I highly recommend using the soup base that comes in a jar. It's much easier and less of a mess. If you want to go old school and get that smidgen of extra flavor, soak the block of tamarind in 4 cups of hot water and when soft, use your VERY clean hands to 'work' the tamarind into a ketchupy like consistency and then strain.

Noodle Prep
Soak noodles in hot (not boiling) water or just long enough to get noodles slightly 'al dente' . And I stress slightly! With your hands or a pasta fork, create a 'nest' so that no noodles are sticking together. From there you will be taking a large handful when you are ready and adding to you wok. The softer the noodles are before they go in the hot wok, the less time you will have in wokking with other ingredients... and THAT is the ruination of every cook's experience (you have no idea how many I've ruined!) making pad thai - overcooking the noodles! You may have someone complain a little that the noodles are not quite done, in which case it is easy to remedy by throwing back in the wok. But overcooked? The next stop for that pad thai is the garbage disposal. Once you've gotten the noodles only soft enough so that they are pliable, drain, make your noodle nest in a large bowl for easy access and set aside.

Make The Sauce
Combine palm sugar, tamarind and fish sauce with chilis and paprika. Cook on low until you have a warm , syrupy sauce. This is the place where so many pad thai recipes differ. These four main ingredients - Tamarind (sour) Palm Sugar (sweet) Fish Sauce (salty) Chiuli Peppers (hot) are the big four as far as taste goes. Some like a saltier sauce and even add some soy to make it saltier. Some like a more sour taste and add rice vinegar along with tamarind. Some prefer a sweeter sauce and add even more palm sugar. Find what you like best but whatever you do, don't make spicier than the person with the lowest tolerance for heat at your dinner. You can add dried chilis later to taste. Pour into bowl and set aside.

1st Cooking Stage
Chicken should be either half thawed (if frozen) or put in freezer for an hour (if thawed). Cut partially frozen chicken into 1" - 2" pieces. Add 1 Tbs. oil and cook in hot wok until chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside. If you use prawns, divine, wash and quickly brown. This should take less than 10 seconds! Later when you are in the last stage of cooking and combining all ingredients, prawns (if used) should go in when you are a minute or two from serving. Prawns cook very quickly and even a minute overdone makes them tough. If using tofu, use the extra firm variety and cut into cubes. Tofu, as with chicken and prawns should be browned and set aside. Be careful with tofu though. Even the extra firm can fall apart and be a mess in your pad thai when it's time to combine with noodles and you are too aggressive in tossing ingredients. You will be cooking ALL the chicken, prawns or tofu you will need for all guests and setting aside in a separate bowl, adding portions as needed when making one serving at a time.

2nd Cooking Stage
Before you begin this stage! Be sure ALL ingredients are easy to reach while at your wok. One mistake you do not want to make is to go looking for an ingredient or needing to prep something you forgot or worse yet, finding a glass to put water in when your noodles are beginning to stick to the pan. Also... I make sure that I am the ONLY one in the kitchen. When you get to this stage, things move fast and you can't be looking for an ingredient or shooing a guest out of the kitchen. The hot oil and pan as well as the quick movements you often need to make can be hazardous to the meal as well as your guests. I'm weird anyway about being alone in the kitchen, but pad thai? I demand it.

Heat wok to medium hot and add 1 Tbs. oil and 1 Tbs. minced garlic. Add 1/4 cup green onions, 1/2 cup bean sprouts. (as in all wok cooking, stir rapidly to avoid burning). As veggies begin softening, add 1/4 cup sauce.
Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of semi-softened noodles. Turn heat up to high. Continue stirring until noodles are coated*. (You may need to add more sauce to keep noodles fully covered, so keep sauce with ladle handy and within reach). When noodles have reached a point where they are soft but not done (pull a noodle or two out with a fork to test for doneness as you go... Do NOT overcook. In fact, the noodles need to be undercooked so you won't overcook in the final stage. ALWAYS keep everything moving in the wok as you stir and use a tool that helps keep noodles separated. At this point, noodles will be loose but tough when you chew.

*Note: Noodles tend to stick to the wok. Have some cold water ready to add and 'deglaze' the wok and keep noodles from sticking. Be sure to use only enough water to loosen noodles from the wok. Don't worry if they start to stick. Leaving them for a few seconds longer allows the noodles to toast a little and caramelize. This will take some practice as it only takes a few seconds too long to go from toasted to burnt. Unless you have the right tools (a very large wok, a large gas burner and large wooden spatula) and a lot of experience, keep the wok at medium hot. I have read so many recipes over the years suggesting to let the wok get 'smoking hot'. DO NOT do this. You can get a fantastic meal using medium high heat that isn't smoking hot and you won't ruin your pad thai.

Once you've finished a single serving, put in a bowl (only one serving per bowl... don't combine servings in a single bowl. The heat of the servings at the bottom will keep cooking and overcook the noodles. Refrigerate each serving as you make them. If you can find the Ziplock disposable quart size containers with lids, this works best. Be sure you have at least a cup of sauce left for the final cooking stage.

Final Cooking Stage
Take each serving from the refer and remove lids. You'll be cooking these one at a time just as you prepared them in the previous stages. Add a 1/4 cup of water to the wok, a tablespoon or two of sauce and get the water and sauce boiling. Put one of the servings in the wok (the noodles will be difficult to separate since the sauce has hardened around the noodles). As the wok heats the noodles with the water and sauce, stir the noodles by moving them apart as you do. The sauce will begin softening the noodles that have gotten stiff and stuck together from the cooled sauce. Keep the noodles moving until done. It's important at this stage to remove the wok from the burner every so often to try a few noodles for doneness. When you are really close, add the browned chicken to the noodles. I also recommend adding 1/2 Tbls. to your noodles as you cook and also letting the noodles sit occasionally to add some toasting. This gives the noodles a very authentic taste and texture. Doing this without burning may take practice, so be careful as you do. Plate each serving and serve with condiments - shredded carrots, fresh bean sprouts, purple cabbage, lime wedges, chopped peanuts and dried chili flakes.

The combination of heat, sweet, salty and sour is awesome! For drinks I suggest a white (reisling or pinot gris are both good) Beer is also great with pad thai. For a refreshing non-alcoholic drink, muddle a quarter of a lime and quarter lemon with full glass of ice and fill with tonic water.

Enjoy!

Cody

I am privileged to have Cody Evans as part of the Side By Side Team (though Cody still runs his own business) and call him friend as well. Cody is a BSU grad and one of Idaho's finest illustrators. You can see his work on his blog and his website.
codyevansdesign.com
codyevansdesign.blogspot.com

Real gold

"I've stood in some mighty mouthed-hollow that's plumb full of hush to the brim.
I've watched the big husky sun wallow in crimson and gold and grow dim.
Till the moon set the pearly peaks gleaming and the stars tumbled out neck and crop
And I thought that I surely was dreaming with the peace of the world piled on top".

- Robert Service

Weeds

I noticed that my coriander was taking over the garden... like a weed. I like coriander but I like the rest of my garden - out it came. There are things I've stopped doing for the greater good of my life and for the greater good of all. Those things weren't bad or evil, they'd just become noxious.

I'm just saying...

Giving - The Cure for the Sick Heart and Sick Mind

For those seeking to either become more self aware or for those wanting to heal their 'inner child' or for those becoming their 'best' through self-actualization and of course for those trying to become more remarkable:

Look around and notice people. Really, really look and let your heart hurt for their brokenness, their hunger, their damaged souls, their loneliness, their broken hearts, their sadness and their lostness. Nothing in the world is better for you than loving others, especially those who've done nothing to deserve your love.

Thanks Jim

The first time I heard of James Rubart was when my business partner told me that Jim was enthusiastically jumping on board with our business - ReadyBrands, Inc. At that time, Jim was going through the 2nd or third round of proofs and I'm sure he felt as though he would have time to devote to our endeavor. Ron and I were very excited at having Jim on our team. Well... for the record Jim, I myself am releasing you from whatever obligation you may feel you still have. I know Ron has. Your book 'Rooms' was meant to be a good read and I'm sure you had hoped that in time it would get some sort of recognition. But, maybe you were just as surprised as Micah was (the main character in your book) when he inherited that strange and yet beautiful house. I am happy for you and your success. On a deeper and more personal level, the book has changed me and renewed a part of me that I'd forgotten about. In fact, my life closely parallels Micah's life in many ways. But that will be left for another post someday. Thanks Jim and may God continue to bless you and your writing.

Humility is a loftier goal.

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been 8 1/2 months since my last post..."
I guess I just had to wait until I had something important to say.

Shakespeare said "The most common thing in the world is the wish to be remarkable". I hope that all who feel the need to be known as something special, will someday find that simply being a child of God, and to be loving, kind, merciful, gracious and humble is the most remarkable thing of all. Jesus said that to be great is to be a servant. He also said that doing great things are only great when you don't give a crap about anyone knowing you did anything great (very loosely paraphrased). My wife, in fact is the most remarkable person I know simply because she truly believes she is unremarkable though she is one of the most remarkable people I know.