The Johnsons

The Johnsons
John + Kavitha

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Favorite Recipe Wednesday!

Ravioli With Apples & Walnuts

Favorite Recipe Wednesday will be on hold for a few weeks while I am in India, until then, try this yummy recipe! I haven't made it in a while, but it is sooo yummy! Sweet, salty, & cheesy!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cheese ravioli (frozen or fresh)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 crisp apple (such as Braeburn or Gala), cut into matchsticks
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)

Directions

  1. Cook the ravioli according to the package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Add the apple, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to combine. Spoon over the ravioli and sprinkle with the Parmesan. (realsimple.com)

Monday, February 14, 2011

My talented Pooch

Below is the poem my dog, Tucket, wrote for my husband for Valentine's Day:

Love you to the Bone
By: Tucket

A note of love from Mommy, me, & Lu
about a special bond between us and you.

I give you love with a lick & a bark,
for every day walks & trips to the park.

You work so hard with a good attitude,
so we can eat Merrick instead of Alpo dog food. (Yuck!)

I can tell you love my Mommy with all of your heart,
your kindness & caring really set you apart.

Though I steal your pillow & lay on your head,
you scoot over & let me stay in the bed.

For nail trims, baths, & things I don't like,
I know you are just caring for your number one tyke!

May God continue to light your way,
and bless your life from day to day.

Whether hiking, snuggling, or playing keep away,
near my daddy is where I will stay!

Happy Valentine's Day!


Saturday, February 12, 2011

Pets Need Love Too

I read the other day that less than 3% of pet owners get their pets presents for Valentine's Day.  Valentine's Day is all about LOVE~ so this year, remember that member of your family who literally can't live with out you.  The family member whose day is made when you walk through the door.  The first to greet you when you come home.  The one who acts like "where have you been all my life?" when you return from a quick walk to the mailbox outside. The one who folds his ears back when you leave for work.  The one who tries to just shake her tail when she sees you, but the whole back end of her body shakes from side to side too.  The ones who don't pull away when you stick your icy cold feet under them.  The smallest members of the family who, somehow,  take the most room in bed.  The ones who will literally jump when you say jump, and would ask you "how high?", if they spoke English. Unconditional love and affection wrapped in fur. 

Don't forget the homeless animals too!  Donations to your local SPCA, Humane Society, or rescues help those heroes show love to the animals who don't yet have a forever home.

God bless you this Valentine's Day~


Friday, February 11, 2011

Valentine's Day Dinner

John and I are going to celebrate Valentine's Day numero 4 at Schlesinger's Steakhouse today!Schlesingers


Thursday, February 10, 2011

My Furry Valentines

Favorite Recipe Snow-day!

 I made this on Saturday- it was yummy!
Pineapple Fried Rice
1 cup long grain white rice
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits (drained)
4 green onions chopped
2 tps red chili flakes (or more to taste)
2 cups fresh shrimp,cleaned
3 tbs oil, divided
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbs fish sauce (stinky!)
1 1/2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
 Prepare rice as directed on package
In a bowl, mix together pineapple, onions, & chili flakes.
Heat 1 tbs oil in skillet, saute shrimp until done.  Remove shrimp from skillet.  In same skillet, over med heat, add remaining oil. Saute garlic until golden brown.  Add cooked rice & stir. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir & heat thoroughly.  Fold in pineapple mixture & shrimp. Heat thoroughly.  serves 6

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Virtual Tag- I'm it!

Heather at Reach in, Reach out, Reach up tagged me to play a little blog game!


1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family? 
They are animals?  Really?  I could have sworn I gave birth to them... They are my children for sure. Anyway, I don't see any animal as "just an animal", they all have mommies and daddies and feelings! PETA

2. if you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
I pray daily to be a stay at home mother to children who have a close relationship with Jesus and can skip the self destruction and despair that so many endure.  I pray that I can be a blessing to others, a good person, and God's hands and feet in this world.  I would like to be happily married to John way into our old age, but still have good health. 


3. what is the one thing most hated by you?
Animal abusers

4. what would you do with a billion dollars? 
Woohoo! I have always wanted to create a high class animal shelter, where the homeless animals are pampered and given the royal treatment.  I would donate to the SPCA, Humane Society, PETA, and local rescues.  I would tithe 10%, save, & invest.  I would buy my parents and in laws what ever they asked for.  I would pay for some one's college education who other wise could not afford it, but was showing potential.  Some things I would like for my family are a house on the water, a boat,  and a vacation home somewhere quiet and relaxing. I would donate to to the Alzheimer's research foundation, many orphanages around the world, animal shelters around the world, and I would plant churches.  

5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
My husband, my doggies, sweat pants, Busch Gardens, weekends, ice cream, any chocolate , showering, a new hair cut, massages, the first warm wind of spring, hiking, & Christmas time!

6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone? 

God favors us loving others.  It also feels so wonderful to beloved.  This is a toss up!

7. what is your bedtime routine?
Well, if I don't just unknowingly pass out on the couch during a movie- my routine is shower for 30 minutes, take out my contacts, and brush my teeth.  John watches sports while I am on the computer. Snuggle for a whileI fall asleep early around 10:30pm.  This is my week day schedule. I stay up later on weekends.

8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner? 
I have been married since June 2009.  I met my husband in 2007 while volunteering at a camp for kids who have lost a loved one.  We soon found out that we had been unknowingly crossing paths our whole lives.  We even went to elementary school together for one year, but were in different grades and did not know each other. I then transferred to a private school, so we never went to school together again.  We grew up in the same neighborhood right around the corner from each other (less than a 3 minute walk). I used to attend a Methodist church near our house since I was 4 years old.  When I was in high school, my family moved to TX.  The same year, John's family transferred to our church, we just missed each other. When I was 18, we moved back to VA I went off to college. My parents went back to our church.  My mom and John's mom were actually in Bible study together and had been to each others' homes. After college, I moved to CT.  In 2007, I decided to move back to VA.  I moved in with my parents (around the corner from where John was living) for a short time while I looked for a job.  We soon met at that camp. It was pretty cool because I can see how God orchestrated our lives.  He waited for us to meet when we were ready.

9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be? 
No one really. I appreciate a lot of creative things, but I think it would be a little boring to watch them come up with ideas. No thanks!

10. what kinds of books do you read? 
If you have not already read it "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers is AMAZING!  It is a fictional retelling of the book of Hosea.  I like Christian fiction, Joyce Meyers, and just regular fiction. 

11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?
I would have at least 2 healthy and happy children in elementary school.  I would have written a book, created some therapeutic games, and maybe have a private practice? I want John and I to still be as much in love as we were day one. I want our families to have great relationships with our children.  I want to do the work God has planned for me.

12. what’s your fear?
My parents and my husband dying.  That would be like losing my air.

13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?
Oh no, I love chocolate too much for that. I'm cool with the view of outer space I have now. Plus, I'm claustrophobic, so the whole shuttle +  face mask helmet thing = not ok.

14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
Even if we were financially poor, I would be rich with the husband I have been blessed with. I know this sounds cheesey, but it is sooo true, he is amazing.

15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Turn off my alarm, thank God for letting me, my husband, and the dogs wake up to another day and I ask that he let my parents wake up too, turn on Joyce Meyer, and brush my teeth.

16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?
It used to be that he wouldn't leave the newspaper in the bathroom, but that stopped so, honestly NOTHING!


17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
I wouldn't change it. My parents did a good job.  See my old post, "Hi my name is- what your name is?"

18. would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
I forgive, I sometimes have a hard time forgetting.  I try to, but it is often stuck in my head!


19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
White Basmathi rice


Tag! You are IT:


Rob @ RobShep.com

Carlyn @ Carlyn's World
Jen @ Baby Improbable
Stobies @ Jbo & Stobies


And anyone else who wants to play along!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

My Favorite Recipe Wednesday

This is so easy and yummy! It is also pretty healthy!  I sometimes serve it over a bed of jasmine rice!  (I'm Indian, I like rice with everything- LOL)

MeXiCaLi Chicken
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast, rinsed and patted dry
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, undrained
  • 2 (10-ounce) cans Mexican diced tomatoes ( Ro'Tel)
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium fajita seasoning

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in the skillet and sear about 2 minutes per side.
Place pinto beans in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker.
Remove chicken from skillet and place the in the slow cooker on top of the beans. Pour the tomatoes over the chicken and beans and sprinkle with fajita seasoning. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Credit: Sandra Lee Semi Homemade