somewhere in Middle America

It's been decided- our next move is to Omaha, Nebraska! 
And despite a move date of March 21st, we are still working on finding a home to live in at this time.  We've narrowed it down to two good options, thanks to David's amazing persistence, and are now waiting to hear back from the owners about our move-in date. 
Max and I will leave San Antonio next Monday and fly to Wisconsin to visit with family and friends.  While we're there, David is putting on his seminar here on Tuesday and then is taking on the huge task of driving the vehicles and our belongings to Omaha on Wednesday, stopping in Dallas on the way to visit with his brother and Julie and kids. 
I think we're both looking forward to our new city.  Omaha seems to be one of those great Midwestern "big towns."  No matter which home we choose to live in, we'll be surrounded by lots and lots of green space.  It'll be perfect for taking Max out in his BOB. 
We went for a very long walk yesterday in one of the original neighborhoods here.  It was absolutely beautiful out.  Here is Max, waiting patiently for us to get out the door. 

So you know how I mentioned that I was getting back into cooking?  Well, I've had some fun trying out new recipes.  Here are three of my favorites:

Chicken Curry Soup  (serves 6)
1 pound chicken breast
6 cups chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups spinach
2/3 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cilantro, stems removed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Put all ingredients in a crock pot and stir. Turn crock pot to low heat and cook for at least eight hours. Once cooking is complete, shred chicken into bite size pieces with two forks. Spoon into bowls and serve piping hot.
Note:  I cooked the rice separately and made it as a traditional curry instead, but can be made either way.

Sticky Rice with Mango  (serves 4)
1 cup Jasmine rice
1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 ripe mangoes (see your frozen food section for cubed mangoes in off-season)
Prepare rice as directed.  In a separate saucepan, combine coconut milk, sugar, and salt.  Boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.  Pour hot coconut mixture over cooked rice and stir well.  Press plastic wrap over mixture in saucepan to cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Spoon rice into a shallow bowl and top with mango slices or cubes.  Serve with sprigs of mint and fortune cookies. 

Carmel Apple Pork Chops (serves 4)
4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons pecans or walnuts 
Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven. 
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture, apples, and nuts. Cover and cook, stirring, until apples are just tender and sauce has thickened. Spoon sauce and apples over pork chops.