missjunebug’s Marvy Marinade for Flank Steak: Delicious x 10!!

Posted by missjunebug on May 29, 2010

Flank Steak with missjunebug's Marvy Marinade! Photo by mjb2010

missjunebug and Mr.JB recently collaborated on a great send-off dinner for ElderJB. (We miss him tons already, but what a great visit!!) Flank steak, a relatively inexpensive cut of meat, can be dressed up to perfection with a good pounding and the right marinade. missjunebug suggests you find the right culinary tenderizing hammer and then slather the pounded-not-quite-to-a-pulp flank steak with this marinade. Throw it on the barbie (not the doll, please!) and grill until medium rare, about six minutes a side. Cook up some grilled veggies: mushrooms, yellow, red, orange, and green bell peppers–the more color, the better, and lots and lots of onions for the perfect side dish. Throw a baked potato on the plate and missjunebug assures you, you will have the best meal ever to serve to family and friends.

missjunebug’s Marvy Marinade

1 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Colman’s Mustard Powder (dry mustard)

A generous grind of black pepper (1/4 teaspoon-1/2 teaspoon)

A sprinkle of Kosher salt

A sprinkle of garlic powder

Whisk together all the ingredients in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the flank steak. Be sure to mix in all the mustard. It will try to clump up in the liquid. Carefully place the meat in the dish and press it down so that the top is covered with the marinade. Flip the meat over and press down gently again so the marinade completely covers the meat. Place in the frig for up to 3 hours so the marinade can work its magic. Grill 6 minutes a side, slice on the bias, nice and thin and serve with grilled veggies and a big ole baked potato with all the toppings!

Delicious Sides: Grilled Veggies and Baked Potato Piled High! Photo by mjb2010

Flank Steak: Up Close and Delicious! Photo by mjb2010

Notre Dame Commencement 2010: Part Deux

Posted by missjunebug on May 20, 2010

missjunebug has just a few more Commencement photos to share:

Joyce Center Transformed into Holy Place! Photo by mjb2010

Holy People Process In! Photo by mjb2010

Lots of Holy People Preside Over the Commencement Mass! Photo by mjb2010

Commencement in the ND Stadium! A First in Many, Many Years! Photo by mjb2010

Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News Rocked the Commencement Address! Photo by mjb2010

TinyJB Designed This Commencement Brochure! Go TinyJB! Photo by mjb2010

Congratulations, Indeed!!! Photo by mjb2010

University of Notre Dame Commencement 2010: One of the Best Weekends of missjunebug’s Life!

Posted by missjunebug on

The Glorious Dome! Photo by mjb2010

TinyJB’s commencement at the University of Notre Dame this past weekend surpassed all missjunebug’s highest expectations! The entire junebug family celebrated with TinyJB his awesome achievement of graduating with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. The three days were action packed! The junebug family started with a celebratory dinner at Sorin’s in the Morris Inn. Delicious! missjunebug had the trout.

After dinner they strolled the campus and took a moment to soak up the holy atmosphere of the Grotto and you better believe missjunebug and her Mr.JB said a prayer of thanks after they lit a candle. The grotto blazed with glorious light and good intentions. The next day the junebugs attended the Commencement Mass at Joyce Center and celebrated at the dinner held in the Hogwart’s-like South Dining Hall. It was truly magical: Wonderful food! Sparkling champagne! And a wall of cakes! Unbelievable! The Glee Club performance at the Leighton Concert Hall rounded out the night with unparalleled acapella! Whew! What a day! Delightful x 10. But the best was yet to come.

The junebugs headed to the famed University of Notre Dame Stadium for the commencement. Number 165! And the first one held in the stadium since forever practically! The weather cooperated perfectly: Cool and clear with lots and lots of sun shining. The venue looked rock-concert worthy and Touchdown Jesus looked on with complete approval. The academic procession began with a flourish of  Pomp and Circumstance from the Notre Dame musicians and each school was introduced as they made their way under the Go Irish archway. missjunebug and Mr.JB looked on with pride and even the ever-chill ElderJB was impressed (G-Town 2004 Walsh School of Foreign Service!). Katie the Valedictorian made a speech to remember and Brian Williams kept the audience laughing until he took a serious turn into the challenges these smart kids would soon face. He concluded with a list of Great Things that were, well, great! No doubt missjunebug’s fans can check out BW’s address on youtube. Absolutely worth the time. The stadium audience howled their approval at the conclusion of the commencement ceremony and adjourned to box lunches and small get togethers with the individual schools with which the grads were affiliated.

One last event: The intimate ceremony of each individual school. What a personal and accessible way to hand out diplomas! The junebug clan cheered on their TinyJB as he shook hands with his awesome department chair and future work supervisor. TinyJB will be doing research (Paid!!) on campus starting in the summer. Sweet x 10.

As Brian Williams pointed out in his speech, the graduates have earned something that can never be taken away from them. They are proud graduates of the University of Notre Dame du Lac. Congratulations, TinyJB!

Here’s a little photo essay of the junebug’s Weekend of a Lifetime!

This Banner Says It All! Photo by mjb2010

missjunebug Gives Her TinyJB a Big Hug! Photo by mjb2010

A Terrific Trio! Photo by mjb2010

TinyJB's Entourage On the Way to the Basilica! Photo by mjb2010

Graduation: Not So Gradual

Posted by missjunebug on May 12, 2010

Shenanigans Guaranteed by TinyJB at Home and at ND! Photo by mjb2010

Whew! That was a fast four years!

This is a pretty big milestone weekend for missjunebug and her family. TinyJB will be donning a cap and gown and making his way through the pomp and circumstance of graduation from the University of Notre Dame du Lac with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering. missjunebug and Mr.JB and ElderJB could not be prouder of all that TinyJB has learned and achieved in his four years with the Fighting Irish. And as he said himself recently: He’s “Out on a strong note,” making Dean’s List his last semester in one of the toughest disciplines Notre Dame offers. missjunebug is so puffed up with pride she almost popped off her little wings!

missjunebug wonders where did all the time go but she’s pretty sure she knows: Away. It just goes away. mjb doesn’t want to get all maudlin but time is a funny thing, isn’t it? Seriously, it felt like just yesterday that missjunebug and Mr.JB were traveling to ND to get TinyJB set up at his new home on campus, the renowned Keenan Hall.

And it was just yesterday that mjb and Mr.JB were talking to TinyJB about some complications in his job search that require a degree as well as a degree of finesse to figure out. More than one possibility, but timing is tricky. No doubt TinyJB will work through the tough choices he faces. No doubt things will work out for the best.

No doubt grace moments await. And blessings will abound.

Congratulations, Tiny JB! You did it!

A Mantle of Memories for missjunebug and TinyJB Photo by mjb2010

mjb Can't Leave Out Touchdown Jesus! Photo by mjb2010

Tierra Rejada Family Farms in Moorpark Rocks!

Posted by missjunebug on May 11, 2010

Wow! That's a Lot of Great Produce and a Delicious Sweet Treat for 21 tiny dollars! Photo by mjb2010

missjunebug suggests you remember this website name: www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com. And this addy: 3370 Sunset Valley Road
off of Tierra Rejada Road in Moorpark, California. And this motto: Discover Underwood Family Farms “bringing you back to the farm.”

She took a leisurely stroll through the colorful farmer’s market area and came away with a treasure trove of delicious vegetables and fruits without paying a king’s ransom. In fact, missjunebug wants you to know that what you see pictured above set her back a mere 21 dollars. Now all she has to do is throw in a little protein and she’s got dinners for the rest of the week. And don’t overlook the little treat missjunebug picked up for herself included in that tiny price tag: Honees Honey Filled Drops Pure liquid honey inside every drop! Did missjunebug mention how delicious these little candy treats are? Believe it! Sweet and soothing and she says, “Just one more, please” as she unwraps another and pops it into her happy mouth!

Honees are just about as sweet as a trip to Tierra Rejada Family Farms in Moorpark. But not quite! Check out their website to find out more about the fun family doings at this rare way to spend your day in the era of blogging (mjb guilty as charged,) web surfing, twittering, facebooking, and general self-absorption via technology that knows no bounds (actually a pretty good thing!). Here’s a shortlist of the fun available down on the farm: Birthday Parties for wee ones, Pick-Your-Own Produce (check out their website for what’s currently in season), School Tours, Fun Rides, and, of course, the fab Farmer’s Market with Specialty Gifts & Products and Fruit & Vegetable Gift Baskets!!!  And the people working there are Super Friendly, too.

missjunebug wants to know What are you waiting for? Grab that cowboy hat (she knows you have one up in that hall closet somewhere) and head down to Tierra Rejada Family Farms in Moorpark. There’s one in Somis, too! Fun x 2 for mjb and you!

Happy Mother’s Day! from missjunebug

Posted by missjunebug on May 8, 2010

Tiny Hands! Great Heart! Thanks TinyJB! Photo by mjb2010

missjunebug wants to wish every mother the very best day this Mother’s Day! She plans to spend her morning having Mother’s Day breakfast at her favorite breakfast cafe Pete’s Breakfast House in Ventura. Search this blog for her review of Pete’s done a while back if you haven’t been to Pete’s yourself for the best waffles and side of bacon ever.

She’s pretty sure the topic of conversation she will have with Mr.JB after they talk about how great the food is, is how blessed she is to have the two most wonderful sons on the planet, ElderJB and TinyJB. She’d change that little poem of TinyJB’s to say Father in heaven/Whose love is divine/Thanks for the love/Of sons like mine.

missjunebug wanted to share with all her readers, especially the mothers, this very lovely homage to motherhood created by her TinyJB when he was, well, tiny! A long day ago (as ElderJB used to say) some very resourceful Sunday school teacher at her dear HTLC helped TinyJB make this wall hanging as a Mother’s Day present. missjunebug has this very special and crafty memento hanging in her laundry room to cheer her while she does that most motherly of chores, the weekly laundry.

On this special day she also remembers her own dear mother, the lovely JBMarie who taught her so much about motherhood and loved missjunebug and her JBbro with the best kind of love there is: unconditional.

To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

missjunebug recommends that you continue to love with the love that knows no bounds or conditions: the love of a mother for her child.

Side Dish Extraordinaire! missjunebug’s Golden Beets and Brussel Sprouts!

Posted by missjunebug on May 4, 2010

Golden Beets Pre-Roasting! Beautiful! Photo by mjb2010

missjunebug knows what you are thinking. Beets?? Puhleeze. Brussel sprouts? She has got to be kidding. But trust her. This is one of the tastiest vegetable side dishes you will ever eat. Alone beets can be a little hard to take. And those little green mini-cabbages can sometimes be a little bitter. But with a light hand, a little olive oil, a handful of sliced shallots, and toasted almonds: Voilà!! You have just created an extraordinarily tasty and colorful sidedish! missjunebug won’t even mention how healthy it is for you!

Try this little photo recipe on for size and flavor! You won’t be sorry!

missjunebug’s Golden Beets and Brussel Sprouts (adapted from an online recipe from missjunebug can’t remember where)

Ingredients

10 or so medium-sized golden beets

12 or so brussels sprouts

1 shallot, peeled and sliced

Olive oil

2-3 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step 1

1. Roast the beets in the oven at 350°F for an hour or so. Roasting will allow the flavor of the beets to develop fully. After roasting, let them cool enough so that you can easily peel them. Then chop into 1 x 1/2 inch chunks.

Golden Beets Post Roasting! Delicious! Photo by mjb2010

After Roasting, Give Those Beets a Little Trim! Photo by mjb2010

2. Peel outer leaves of the brussel sprouts and trim stems. On the stem mark a little X with your knife to ensure even cooking. Parboil brussel sprouts in a small saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes. Test for doneness by cutting one in half. They should be not quite done. They will finish cooking when they are added to the beets. Cut each sprout in half and set aside.

The Side Dish Extraordinaire Triumvirate: Golden Beets, Brussel Sprouts, Shallots! Photo by mjb2010

3. Slice the shallots then grab a good-sized skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and add the shallot slices. Stir and cook until the shallots are translucent. Add one more tablespoon of the oil and turn up the heat a just a little.

4. Gently toast almond slices in a skillet on the stove top at medium heat. Stir frequently until lightly brown. Set aside to cool.

The Secret Ingredient! Sliced Almonds, Gently Toasted! Photo by mjb2010

5. Add the brussel sprouts and beets to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another minute or two, then add those delicious almond slices for the finishing touch!

Ta Da! Golden Beets and Brussel Sprouts Ready to Serve! Photo by mjb2010

Serves 3-4.

missjunebug encourages you to say “Yes!!” to vegetables, even the strange ones like golden beets and brussel sprouts!