Thai Recipe Contest Hosted by SheSimmers.com

Sweet and Spicy Pecan Crusted Pork Lettuce Wrap

The story behind the recipe:

After living in Chiang Mai, Thailand for a year and coming back to the USA, we have had a craving for Thai food.  We loved how Thai food seemed to tantalize all the taste buds by combining sweet, spicy, salty, and sour ingredients.  We now live in Central Illinois about 45 minutes away from a Thai food restaurant.  We also moved into in an old country house that needed a new kitchen.  Therefore, our craving for Thai food had to be put on hold until our kitchen was complete.  Since having a finished kitchen, we have been experimenting with Thai recipes found on SheSimmers.com, a delicious blog devoted to authentic Thai food.  On the website, an appetizer contest was introduced.  We didn't have an original Thai appetizer recipe until last night when we had a leftover pecan and bread crumb mixture from a pecan crusted chicken salad we enjoyed the previous night.  Using some creativity, we decided to use the pecan and bread crumb mixture on pork that we had in our fridge and try some of our Thai stir-frying techniques we have learned resulting in this delicious recipe.  It reminded us of Thailand because it combines all the flavors of sweet, spicy, salty, and a bit of sour.  We enjoyed it over rice, but also had the idea to use it as a lettuce wrap appetizer.  We are positive your senses will be pleased.  

The recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, for frying

1 1/2- 2 pounds of pork, cubed (may also use chicken)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten with a splash of milk or water

1 cup plain bread crumbs

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

The zest of 1 orange

4 garlic cloves, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded & diced

1 red bell pepper, deseeded & diced

1/2 cup apricot jam

4 tablespoons soy sauce

15-20 fresh basil leaves

1 head of iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Season pork with salt and pepper to taste.  In 3 shallow bowls place flour, eggs beaten with a splash of milk or water, and a combination of bread crumbs, pecans, nutmeg, and orange zest.  Coat pork in batches in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs and pecans.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat and stir together apricot jam and soy sauce until sauce is smooth.  Turn off heat.  Place 1/2 of the mixture in a bowl to use to dip the lettuce wrap.  Set aside the remaining sauce to use in the wok. 

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat in a wok.

Place garlic and peppers in wok and fry until garlic is golden-brown.  Push to the side of the pan out of the oil.  Place pecan crusted pork in wok and fry on both sides until pork is cooked through (about 5-7 minutes).  Combine garlic, peppers and pork.  Then, combine the sauce with the garlic, peppers, and pork until sauce is evenly distributed.  Place basil leaves in the wok and stir to combine all the ingredients for about 1 minute.  Remove from heat and place in a serving bowl.  

Spoon desired amount of Sweet and Spicy Pecan Crusted Pork in a leaf of washed lettuce.  Wrap lettuce around Sweet and Spicy Pecan Crusted Pork.  Enjoy! 

Busy, Busy, Busy!

First of all, we apologize that it's been a long time since we have updated our blog, but that is because we have been busy, busy, BUSY!  We are so thankful for how busy we have been because that means that we are making the most out of our remaining time here in Thailand.  We can't believe that we have only one more week of ministry!  The time has gone by so quickly and we are very sad to say goodbye to our friends who have been like family during our time here in Thailand.  During this last week we will try to make the most of every minute we have left here.  To keep you updated, here's what we've been doing lately....

Baan Pong

For the past month we have been working on the remodling of a new community center that will be opening in a town near Chiang Mai called, Baan Pong.  The community center is made possible by a vision from a church member at a house church in Baan Pong, our friend, Doi, who will be leading the community center, and Venture Expeditions.  We have been helping with the remodling by tearing down a wall, helping choose tile, painting, installing trim, and Scott using more of his construction management expertise.  It's been fun getting down and dirty and seeing the house transformed into a community center that will change the lives of many members in the community.  Please pray for Baan Pong especially because there has been some resistence from monks and people in the community.  There have been threats of protests once the community center is opened.  Please pray for the safety of the people working in the community center and that the relationships Doi has made with members of the community already at the school and government center will be strengthened, not weakened.

Before

After (with trim still needing to be done)

Before tearing down the wall

During tear down of the wall.

The wall is gone!

Before

After (the paint is now touched-up and goes down to the tile)

A church in Chiang Mai came and helped break up concrete and paint.  Before working, it's important to play games!  In Thailand, work needs to be fun!  Here, Derek, a volunteer from Evangel University, and Julie play a game where one person has to put on a helmet before being hit by a pillow.  Julie lost... she was too slow putting on the helmet.

Painting the windows.

TLC English: Quest 3

We are so thankful for more teachers at TLC English Center.  During the USA's summer months, 5 students from Evangel University came to serve in missions in Thailand.  We are also thankful for two volunteers from Venture Expeditions who have come to teach both at Baan Pong and TLC English Center as well as work in the coffee shop.  On June 20th, we had our 3rd Quest event.  For this Quest, we created an "Amazing Race" scavenger hunt.  Students and teachers were divided into teams and given tasks to complete before moving on the next leg of the race.  Everyone had tons of fun exploring the city together.  One team finished all the legs of the race and won a free certificate to go bowling the following Sunday.  At the end of the scavenger hunt, we spoke about how as people we are all searching for something and, as Christians, we find that the answer to our searching is a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The pastor of TLC also preached and students got into small groups lead by TLC church  members where students asked questions and church members shared their testimonies.  We had 4 students say they wanted to start coming to church and had more questions about Christianity.  Praise God that about 20 students were able to hear the Gospel.

Students hear Steve, a student from Evangel University, give his testimony as Prin translates Steve's testimony into Thai.

TLC English Classes

Right now we have 77 students studying at TLC English Center!  We are approaching our goal of finishing three curriculum books each for three different levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) as we start the final week of teaching at TLC.  It's been rewarding to see the teachers from Evangel and Venture Expeditions using the curriculum we created to teach their classes and focus on building relationships with the students without being stressed about creating their lessons from scratch.  Sadly, TLC English center is losing all their teachers at the end of this month as the students, Venture Expedition volunteers, and we return to America.  Please pray for TLC English center and that teachers will be called to teach at TLC English Center so we can provide classes and opportunities for TLC to build relationships with the large amount of students we have.

Scott with four of our students during a bowling event.

Happy Birthday to Scott and Lauren!  We had a Friday night birthday party for Scott and Lauren's birthday on July 2nd.

In June, we celebrated Nathan's 1st birthday!  We made the birthday cake!  We think he liked it...

Coming up....

English Camp

This weekend we will be hosting a TLC English Camp.  We have a total of 38 people attending (students and TLC church members).  The theme of the camp is "Pirates."  We have planned English activities and games around this theme and are excited about the fun times we will have with our students.  Pictures will be posted after this weekend!

We hiked up to Wat Suthep with Stephanie, Derek, and Tessa (Stephanie and Tessa came to Thailand through Venture Expeditions and Derek came with the Evangel University team).

Quest 4

On Saturday, July 17th we will be having another Quest!  We will invite students to come learn about Christianity as we play games and explore the 10 levels of the beautiful Mae Sa Valley Waterfall! Please pray that students will come interested to learn more about Chrisitianity and that God will prepare their hearts for this event. 

One of the waterfalls at Mae Sa Valley Waterfall

Baan Pong Finishing Touches

As with any construction project, it seems neverending so please pray that we will find the time to help finish the final touches we have planned to do at the community center in Baan Pong.  During this final week we hope to install trim and fnish other final touches to the work we have done at the house.

Scott and Doi at Scott's birthday party at TLC

See you later, not goodbye

Our last church service at TLC will be on Sunday, July 18th.  We already feel a sadness for leaving Thailand and the friends we have made here and expect it to be quite an emotional day.  But, we like to say, "see you later, not goodbye" because we definitely want to come back.  Right now we are praying about when and to what extent we would return.  To help us with the transition back to the USA we are thankful for our friends Dave and Heidi who have come to help during our last two weeks teaching and who will be traveling with us around Southeast Asia before we return to the states on August 1st.  We are very thankful for their support and joining us in Thailand!

Heidi and Dave as we explored Mae Sa Valley Waterfall to prepare for Quest

Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!  Our time here in Thailand could  not have been so successful without you!  We really have felt blessed during our time here in Thailand!  Thank you!

No More Curfew

Last night was the last night citizens of Chiang Mai and other provinces needed to be home by 9pm as a result of the violence in Bangkok.  After our last post, the violence has calmed down.  Many protestors have returned home and a clean-up in Bangkok has begun.  The Prime Minister announced that he will not hold early elections like some people expected, but would first like to see that the violence would stop before considering the protestors request for an early election.  For more information on what is happening, you can read the following article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100523/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_politics.  This situation is not resolved yet.  Please continue to pray for Thailand and that these past couple of days will not just be the eye before the storm. 

Today we attended our first TLC church service since moving back into our house in Chiang Mai.  We were very excited to see everyone we had missed during our time in Thoeng.  Scott gave a testimony, in Thai,  about the Quest we had in Thoeng.  Everyone was very impressed with how his Thai has developed since being away.

This week we will be teaching our last week of Java Talk.  We will be showing the movie, "The Ultimate Gift."  Check out the trailer for the movie below.



In June, TLC English Center will be teaching our regular English curriculum.  Many students will be returning from summer internships and living at home for the summer.  Please pray that we will be able to strengthen the relationships we have already established.  Also pray that we will be able to build new realtionships as new students hear about and come to learn English at TLC.  In June, a team from the US will be coming to help teach at TLC.  Please keep them in your prayers as well and that they will develop relationships with the students and show the students the love God has for them.  In addition, pray that they will arrive here safely and be kept safe during their time here in Thailand.