In the eye of the beholder! & a little food along the way!

In my day to day life, I work as a Chef/Food Service Director for Lutherlyn! I have the distinct pleasure of working with and meeting fabulous people. I know each of you will appreciate the photo below.

Okay, so if you are familiar with Lutherlyn then you know that our entrance looks a little different. I can't resist this picture! The pine trees on the left side are gone completely as well as the two trees in the front on the right. Last summer these trees were destroyed by a microburst! Though the beauty these trees brought to the entrance is gone... the beauty of Lutherlyn will never fade! If you have not already checked out Lutherlyn, do so today! Lutherlyn's beauty shines in all the seasons of the year!

I am always on the lookout for something new to try! I was over at The Armenian Kitchen the other day! She always has intriguing recipes. Let's face it, the American diet varies from house to house! What I consider to be American food may not be to someone else! Food in America can be different to everyone. It is so great to be able to experience foods from other cultures. My honey was recently given a diagnosis that has changed his eating habits drastically! So, I am trying to find some new things to incorporate into our meals. Give him something to look forward to. I may also be seeking new menu items to use for specific retreats at Lutherlyn.

Ok. Ok. On to the food! Khashlama to be exact! This dish would be similar to a beef stew of sorts. A little lighter though!

Khashlama - ready to serve

The original recipe is slated to use lamb. Lamb is not a selection we use, so I substituted beef. I am not must for beef. Just not a flavor that I enjoy. Of course I love chicken and turkey and My honey loves beef. He generally wins on this front. I can always make something else for my self. For this meal, I did venture and have this meal with the rest of the family. I loved it! I am not sure how the younger kiddos would feel about having it again... I think I would cut the vegetables up much smaller. I sometimes lose my mind as to who I cam cooking for... hide the vegetables! In all fairness, they eat most vegetables without much arguement. However, large chunks of onion and peppers, probably pushed the envelope a bit. So, the question is will we have it again? Yes we will! For 2 reasons: 1. To really love something, sometimes it takes a second try. 2. I adjusted the recipe some to what I had on hand... Nothing major though. I used oregano in place of the marjoram. I didn't realize I did not have the marjoram on hand. Also, I think I will cook the beef a little longer in addition to looking at a different cut of meat. (and no, I don't remember what I purchased)

Check out The Armenian Kitchen! Imparticularly, the Khashlama! Give it a try! I have also used theses other scrumptious recipes from The Armenian Kitchen... If you check out Quantity Foods, you will find all the other recipes that I have prepared for our retreats.

What is nice about many of the recipes that I have seen / used from the The Armenian Kitchen, they are all very versatile. Go check it out! In addition to providing a great recipe, Robyn shares a history/story with so many of her dishes.

Khashlama! (My version)

Keep passing it on Robyn! Thank you for helping me improve our menu selections at Lutherlyn.

Enjoy!!