Dinner Party

Aaron and I are trying to get to know as many in the congregation, as soon as possible. We've been entertaining every other weekend or so. A couple weeks ago we invited Brenda Gaither and Mario & Myrna Valente.

Brenda has been on Guam for 30 years. When she was in her 20s she attended an International Convention of JWs in Hawaii. There she met some young sisters from Micronesia. They invited her to visit and two years later she did. During her visit she overheard a sister say that she needed a roommate. Brenda volunteered, "I'll be your roommate!". She returned to New Jersey, packed up her stuff and moved out to Pohnpei. Sometime along the way she moved to Guam. Now she is preparing to move back to Pohnpei. To check out Pohnpei, click here! 

 Mario and Myrna are from the Philippine Islands (PI). They have also been on Guam for 30 years. They own a supply company that provides wholesale paper products to many of the schools and businesses on Guam. They love to travel and have been all over Europe. Recently they invited Aaron and I to a teppanyaki style Japanese restaurant—similar to Benihana where they cook your meal on a grill in front of you. It was delicious. We had a most enjoyable evening. I loved hearing their stories about how they ended up on Guam. Even the food was good! 

What was on the menu? Bruschetta Gorganzola & Apple | Gingered Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup | Cider-Roasted Chicken | Green Salad with Cider Vinaigrette The soup was delicious and very easy to make. 

Gingered Sweet Potato & Carrot

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

1 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped

1 c low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

5 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 Tbsp jarred ginger, chopped

Plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt (optional)

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock plus 2 cups water, then add sweet potato, carrot, and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Strain out vegetables and put them in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, adding a bit of broth if needed. (If you're using a standard blender, allow the mixture to cool first; hot liquid may cause the blender to squirt out contents. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do this in batches.) 3. Pour vegetable puree back into the saucepan and stir until well blended and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of yogurt on top, if desired.

  Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 119 cal, 4.3 g fat (0.7 g sat), 18 g carbs, 112 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein Women's Health Magazine - January/February 2010 - Simple Soup Recipes by Kerry Neville, R.D.