December Filers

[ferincor 9]

Hello fellow Decemberites! I asked Byron to send me a favorite South African recipe, and he sent me the recipe for Bobotie, which apparently "No self respecting South African housewife does not own (and treasure!) a favourite bobotie recipe." So here it is!!

Bobotie

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced

2 1/4 pounds good quality lean ground beef

1 thickish slice of white bread

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon medium curry powder (or hot for the hale and brave)

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

freshly grated pepper (about a half teaspoon)

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 tablespoons malt vinegar

2 tablespoons strong chutney

2 bay leaves (or fresh lemon leaves if available)

2 medium eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in medium sauté pan. Stir in onions. Cook over medium heat until transparent. Add ground beef. Cook until lightly browned and crumbly.

Soak bread in half the milk, squeeze out excess milk and mash with a fork - DON'T TOSS SQUEEZED OUT MILK! Pour it straight back into remaining milk. Set milk aside, and ad pulled-apart bread to the meat mixture.

Add curry, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, vinegar, chutney to the beef mixture. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish, and place bay leaves on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated 350°F oven.

Beat egg with remaining milk and pour over mixture approximately 25 - 30 minutes before end of baking time.

Serve with steamed rice (traditionally yellow!) and extra chutney.

Edited April 4, 2011 by ferincor

[Lise+Michael 13]

Great, thanks for sharing the recipe Mari, I added to our cookbook!

Lise

Edited April 4, 2011 by Lise + Michael

[Lise+Michael 13]

Thank Byron for sharing this recipe with us!

I added it to our growing list!

Have a nice day,

Lise

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Hello fellow Decemberites! I asked Byron to send me a favorite South African recipe, and he sent me the recipe for Bobotie, which apparently "No self respecting South African housewife does not own (and treasure!) a favourite bobotie recipe." So here it is!!

Bobotie

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced

2 1/4 pounds good quality lean ground beef

1 thickish slice of white bread

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon medium curry powder (or hot for the hale and brave)

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

freshly grated pepper (about a half teaspoon)

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 tablespoons malt vinegar

2 tablespoons strong chutney

2 bay leaves (or fresh lemon leaves if available)

2 medium eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in medium sauté pan. Stir in onions. Cook over medium heat until transparent. Add ground beef. Cook until lightly browned and crumbly.

Soak bread in half the milk, squeeze out excess milk and mash with a fork - DON'T TOSS SQUEEZED OUT MILK! Pour it straight back into remaining milk. Set milk aside, and ad pulled-apart bread to the meat mixture.

Add curry, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, vinegar, chutney to the beef mixture. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish, and place bay leaves on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated 350°F oven.

Beat egg with remaining milk and pour over mixture approximately 25 - 30 minutes before end of baking time.

Serve with steamed rice (traditionally yellow!) and extra chutney.

Ferincor,

Does Byron's famiy make a homemade chutney or is there a specific chutney recipe that we should use with this? I know 3 kinds of chutney (tomato, mango, tamarind). Which should I use for your recipe?

Thanks!!

Mari

Edited April 4, 2011 by Mari & Kadir

[ferincor 9]

Ferincor,

Does Byron's famiy make a homemade chutney or is there a specific chutney recipe that we should use with this? I know 3 kinds of chutney (tomato, mango, tamarind). Which should I use for your recipe?

Thanks!!

Mari

Hi Mari, this is what Byron and his family use (I think they go through several bottles of this stuff a month - they put it on everything lol!):

http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Balls-Original-Chutney-470g/dp/B0001590KU

I'm unsure where to find it here (out side of amazon.com). I did find the recipe online:

Mrs H S Ball's Chutney (this is the original recipe) from Mrs Balls family who still lives in SA, so if you're in a place where you cant find this.... why not make your own its really easy.

Makes about 18 bottles (mild)

612 g dried peaches

238 g dried apricots

3 litres dark grape vinegar or more if needed

2 1/2 kg white sugar

500 g onions

120 g salt

75 g cayenne pepper

To make chutney "hot", add 75 g minced hot peppers.

To make peach chutney, leave out the dried apricots and use 850 g dried peaches.

Soak the dried fruits overnight in the vinegar. Then boil in the same vinegar until soft, and drain. Mince in a food mill or chop up with a knife. Add the fruit, sugar (dissolved in a little of the same vinegar) and onions (minced) and boil in the vinegar in a large pot. The amount of vinegar will depend on the consistency. It should not be too runny or too thick, but like the product in the bottle. Do not boil to long, watch the consistency. Add the cayenne pepper and/or hot minced pepper, and boil 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Stir now and then with a wooden spoon to ensure it doesn't burn.

Although I really doubt you would need 18 bottles!!

I'm sure any bottled chutney with similar ingredients would be fine! Good luck!

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Ummmm.... 18 bottles!? lol I thought I was misreading the recipe when I read, "3 liters of dark grape vinegar"

Well if I make it, I'm giving one bottle to each of you for your wedding! lol

Mari

[Derek and Callie 7]

Vermont hopefully picking up some speed, quite a few approvals today according to igor's!!

I think they are gradually going to get faster and start to catch up!

Not long nows guys, couple more months!

[April&Adam 5]

HEADS UP fellow Canadians,

I almost missed this post in the Canada Portal:

Getting Police Certificates in Ontario Read this if you'll be needing one soon

Posted 29 March 2011 - 09:30 PM by JlovesA

Just a little insider info...the RCMP in Ontario will no longer be providing police certificates to the public for any reason. It is possible you may find a detachment still doing them, but for those of you who will be needing one soon, I suggest just going straight to the OPP or municipality police.

Hope this helps anyone needing a police certificate soon.

Our RCMP office used to provide police checks within a day; guess I best get my butt down to the local police department...I am pretty sure it is a 3 week wait!

Lise the check you need isn't the same as the one you would get to work with the vulnerable population. The one you need takes about 15 minutes, cost $40...and basically they just search the RCMP database to see if you have a record, check the yes or no box and then stamp it with their seal. From there if something is suspicious, you'll have to do the one with fingerprinting.

[wendie and sam 4]

Vermont hopefully picking up some speed, quite a few approvals today according to igor's!!

I think they are gradually going to get faster and start to catch up!

Not long nows guys, couple more months!

I love the positive attitude! well done!

I too noticed Vermont seeming to make an effort, although I'm sure everyone will still say they are slow, blah blah. I'm just excite to see some folks moving onto the next phase of their journey.

[Christine + Blake 18]

I love the positive attitude! well done!

I too noticed Vermont seeming to make an effort, although I'm sure everyone will still say they are slow, blah blah. I'm just excite to see some folks moving onto the next phase of their journey.

Definitely, its really good to see any action at all!

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Alright for the VSC then! Moving is better than stopped. I'm still praying that the VSC is not going to keep anyone waiting past 5 mos. Big prayers ... big miraculous results by the Grace of God!

OK now Service Centers.... we need some NOA2 approvals in this thread from both of CSC & VSC! Nobody gets left behind around this Decemberite Family!

Today, I am sore from yoga 'wall poses' ... lol, you know I love the practice so much but geesh, I feel it next day! OK get this, as far as my Fitness Challenge: My bad shoulder? I could do a Side Plank pose (balance 3/4 of your body on one arm, sideways... here's a sample pic)

.

I want to say that this Decemberite Fitness Challenge was one of the best interactives here among us. And here I thought it was all about me and getting in shape for our wedding... not anymore! That's going to come anyways and naturally because now my thoughts are more directed from how much I love and enjoy yoga because of the challenges my body is learning to overcome slowly! I can tell you that for me, this was hallmark as my shoulder has been very weak and is finally building up after several years. Oddly, LOL, I could not do this pose on my good shoulder. In fact, I fell over a few times trying. LOL LOL LOL oh well... next time!

I found this little note on the web and I liked it so I thought I'd share it with all of you. This is how I feel about our Visa Journeys. To keep healthy attitudes, what we do together for fun and for our beneficiaries [in our Dec Thread], makes it worth all of our while for the days when we're together with them. As we gain friendships we can learn to overcome those 'waiting pains' even if there isn't a day that goes by where we are just more and more in love with them... missing them. So, here's a visual to remember: "on this path no effort is wasted"

Love to you all!

Mari

[DiZZyLoX 114]

Updated Apr 5 2011

Hope I got everyone!

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I had trouble logging on to the USCIS website so I couldn't see if I got fondled. I believe I locked myself out the system. At any rate, I registered again under a different e-mail address. I now see that I was "fondled" on 3/21/2011 also!!!! woo-hoo!!!

:dance:

Jamila

Getting added to the Decemberite TimeLine

Ladies and Gents,

Managing, uploading, sorting and picture-fying the December Timeline is a daunting task. I am more than happy to do it for the Dec. Fam as it gives me something to focus on in relation to our journeys!

HOWEVER, hunting in the posts for who needs what change and who needs to be added is difficult seeing as how I don't check the site every day. Going forward, it would be easier if you provide me a link to your VJ Timeline (the one that tells your your approximate NOA2 adjudication window), because that is the timeline I use to update our timeline. Just providing me your username and information makes it harder for me to research your details. A link to your timeline will be good. Otherwise I wait until you post here and I can click on it...hence the fact you don't get added as soon as you want to be.

While I understand that you being able to update the list your self might seem easier, in the end could create a nightmare for the group. Also - in order to do something like that our timeline will end up being ugly and I'm just not willing to stoop to an ugly timeline. Our colors are pretty. And I like it that way.

So, no link? No add. Good link? Add.

Also - private messages to me are no good. I never check 'em. Sorry!!!

We're almost there gang! WoooooooooooooooooooHOOOOOOO!

Hi Diz,

First of all, great job on the Timeline and the updates! I have to agree with you, our colours are pretty ... lol, what was it I used to say, "Our Timeline is Sexxxxxxxxxy!" ha ha

Anyway, Jamila and Mark are already on the timeline and the recent status from J was a touch fondle on 3/21. Wasn't sure how to hot link her post. How do we send a link? You mean copy and paste the http// page where they're request to add post or updates are?

Love ya!

Mari

Edited April 6, 2011 by Mari & Kadir

[Xian&Zhen 0]

Hi everyone we just got our NOA2 TODAY! so excited! can't wait to share with your guys! Hope all of your guys will get it tomorrow!

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Hi everyone we just got our NOA2 TODAY! so excited! can't wait to share with your guys! Hope all of your guys will get it tomorrow!

First the formal Welcome from your Decemberite Family!

Welcome Xian & Zhen to the Thread!!!

Now then, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NOA2!!!!

I'm happy I found you among Igor's list because you nearly got lost through the cracks! When I'm done with checking the CSC list, I'm going to the VSC list to make sure we didn't miss any Decemberite Family! We have a Thread Map here to help you navigate and help you with the documents you'll need for your Sweetheart's interview. Always check your Embassy to see if they want other documents not listed on the general USCIS post.

Dizzy, can you please add them to our Timeline? *(I think you want the link but please tell me if I am doing this wrong! I am lamer with techie stuff girl!) http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?app=forums&module=post&section=post&do=reply_post&f=128&t=287508&qpid=4590058.

I'm very happy for this Thread to see some movement in both service centers recently!

Much love,

Mari