Three Awards and a Thai-style Chicken

I am honored, humbled, and totally overwhelmed! When I started this blog six months ago, I have not expected all this! I am honored and immensely grateful to my fellow bloggers for bestowing these awards upon me  – I still can’t figure out for what, my amateurish cooking? my blurry cat-assisted photos? my madcap sense of humor? I am thankful beyond belief, but I am thereby announcing that right after this post, I am going award-free. Listen, Beautiful People, you have motivated and inspired me to start a book, so do me a favor, please allow me some time to finish it!

The first award is actually the fifth one. I was nominated for the fifth time for Sunshine Blogger Award by a great motivational and inspirational blogger https://oaktownvibes.wordpress.com. Please find a moment to visit his blog for extremely well written advice and motivation posts. You will find eloquence, maturity, and clarity of expression quite exceptional in someone so young. Thank you, dear friend, for nominating me – it’s a great honor!

The rules of this award are:

1. Thank the person that nominated you.
2. Answer the questions from your nominator.
3. Nominate fellow bloggers you follow.
4. Give them 10 questions to answer.

My answers to the questions (I must say, I love the questions!):

1. Where are you originally from?

I am from Odessa, the former Soviet Union.

2. What is your ultimate passion in life?

Helping children achieve their full potential.

3. What type of impact do you desire to make with your blog?

I have not thought about making an impact when I started. I am still dazed by all the awards and followers!

4. What book would you recommend to your audience and why?

That depends. For what purpose? In my mind, there is only one Book that covers all purposes in the world, and that Book is The Word of the Living G-d, whether you believe in Him or not.

5. If you could travel any where in the world, where would it be to and why?

Back to Italy, please! I miss the North of Italy, I miss La Scala in Milano, I miss walking the streets of Florence, I miss having a Campari and soda in Sienna… But seriously, I also want to go to Barcelona and Cadiz in Spain, to find alleged 15th century roots of my family.

6. Who has influenced you the most?

That’s easy – my grandmother, the kindest person in the world who never spoke above whisper, yet nobody ever argued with her.

7. If you could meet with anyone in the world (past or present) and spend time picking their brain, who would it be and why?

My namesake Devorah the Prophetess, a poet and a warrior, and a devoted family lady who calmly sat under a tree knitting, while at the same time leading an army.

8. If you could have any trait, what would it be and why?

Serenity. I think I am too passionate about certain issues, and even at my age don’t always manage to control myself when I get on my high horse.

9. What makes you happy?

Lots of things: music, art, sailing, good books, poetry, dancing, having family and friends around, successes of my students, but most of all, grandchildren!

I couldn’t help bragging – that’s my Queen of Hearts, Alisia, the oldest granddaughter!

10. When you die and you leave a legacy, what is the message that you wish to leave with the world?

LOVE!

 I particularly want to acknowledge some great food bloggers, and there are so many I love and learn from, so please forgive me if I forgot someone! I am nominating:

https://greattastebuds.wordpress.com

https://pantryportfolio.wordpress.com

https://cookingismysport.com/

http://www.littlesweetbaker.com/

https://bakerchef.co/

https://thefoodiecoupleblog.com/ 

https://agathachocolats.com/

https://aromasofmykitchen.wordpress.com/

https://callmetrav.wordpress.com/

https://contentedbelly.com/

MY 10 QUESTIONS:

1. If you were an animal, who would you be and why?
2. What is your first thought when you wake up in the morning?
3. What do you do to calm down when stressed out?
4. Do you prefer indoors or outdoors time?
5. How do you vacation?
6. How often do you smile and why?
7. What kind of art makes you breathless?
8. What do you think of social media?
9. Wine, beer, or strong liquor?
10. How much green is in your food?

 

Next is the second Versatile Blogger Award. I was nominated for this one by a lovely Arohii of https://zhwadevivre.wordpress.com. This is a beautiful and witty young lady with versatile interests. Once you visit her blog, I am sure you’ll find something that will keep you coming back for more! Dear Arohii was considerate enough to skip all the questions, answers, and other time-consuming tasks – thank you, my love! And by the way, that gift certificate you so generously let me win, went straight to Alisia (see above)!

Finally, the new one! An incredible civic-minded blogger  https://domesticabusesurvivorsite.wordpress.com nominated me for Mystery Blogger Award. Among many civic minded blogs out there, this is the one close to my heart – thank you for this distinction!

To quote: 

“Mystery Blogger Award is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging;  and they do it with so much love and passion.”

I honestly don’t see how all this applies to me, but I am truly honored and grateful!

I am also grateful to the beautiful and talented Okoto Enigma of http://okotoenigma.wordpress.com who created this award. She is so special that you’ll definitely enjoy stopping by her blog!

Here are the rules, and quite a few of them:

1. List the rules.
2. Put the award logo/image in your blog.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
5. Tell your readers three things about yourself.
6. Nominate 10-20 people.
7. Notify your nominees.
8. Ask your nominees any five questions of your choice with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best posts

There are so many great bloggers out there that it is really challenging to choose a few; therefore, if I haven’t mentioned someone, please forgive me!

In no particular order, I am nominating for Mystery Blogger Award:

http://truthtroubles.com/

https://oaktownvibes.wordpress.com/

https://euzicasa.wordpress.com/

https://dailywarriors.wordpress.com/ 

https://educationadvocateblog.wordpress.com/

https://kwoted.wordpress.com/

https://newsnotes1.wordpress.com/

https://collectionofinterests.wordpress.com

https://wildflowerwomen.com

https://homehugshuskies.wordpress.com/

https://allaboutwriting.net/

https://ifmomscouldwrite.wordpress.com/

https://jewishthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/

https://mistymeadowsadventures.wordpress.com/

In answering questions for another award, I’ve already told ten things about myself in the post, so I think I’ll skip this one. Enough about me – I’d rather get to the chicken already! But wait, I still have to ask five questions, and if all of them are weird, I can’t help it; I am just a funky cat!

Questions:

1. Rain, snow, or sunshine?
2. Three words that define your life.
3. Your favorite place (room, city, country, beach, forest, etc.)?
4. Your favorite drink (doesn’t have to be alcoholic!)?
5. Your favorite type of music?

As to what my best posts are, it’s not for me to judge. If you click on my ABOUT page, it’ll also take you to Hello, Beautiful People! Other than that, feel free to browse and/or ask me for any particular recipe, ingredient, flavoring, etc.

Dear Nominees, 

You are not in any way obligated to accept, and I fully understand that not everyone has the time and inclination to participate in these self-and-others-promoting exercises.  Therefore, I will truly appreciate if you accept the nomination, as I sincerely think you deserve it, but I won’t get offended if you don’t.  Nominating each one of you is my way of giving credit to some exceptional bloggers and perhaps attracting attention to your work.

I don’t know about you, Beautiful People, but all this hard work is making me hungry. Let’s cook dinner!

I tend to think that anything with peanuts and/or peanut butter is Thai-style. Of course, theoretically it should also be quite spicy, but that you’ll do on your own – stick as many hot peppers there as your stomach can handle! I am simply combining peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, and agave, squeeze lots of garlic into the mix, and reserve sesame seeds for later.

Whisk all this together, add some coconut milk, and keep whisking until it is blended very well. You can also do it in a blender, if you want. Put it aside for a moment.

Cut two boneless chicken breasts into bite size pieces. You can also use 3 – 4 boneless thighs, depending on the size.

Introduce your chicken to the peanut butter sauce and mix really well, making sure all chicken pieces are fully immersed. Now that your chicken is on the way to becoming Thai, cover it and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (the more, the better). Meanwhile, you can preheat your oven.

Before putting it in the oven, generously sprinkle this mess with sesame seeds. Cover and bake for 50 minutes. You’ll have to visit it, though, after 50 minutes, to take the cover off, toss it, and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes, to make it look pretty. Granted, if you put those pieces on skewers, you can call it Chicken Satay, but we were very happy with it the way it came out because…

…there was plenty of delicious peanut sauce left to drizzle over Whole Grain Rotini pasta I served as a side dish. Garnished with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro, it was a great dinner!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 3 – 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon agave
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 – 4 garlic cloves, squeezed
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• Optional: hot pepper
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• Cilantro to garnish

PROCEDURE

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Whisk together peanut butter, agave, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and coconut milk until smooth.
• Add chicken pieces, mix thoroughly, cover, marinate for 30 minutes or more.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds, cover, bake for 50 minutes. Remove cover, toss to make sure pieces bake evenly, bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Serve on bed of pasta or rice, garnish with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!