We have had our first attempted escape!

Remember about a month ago we got the kids their first pets? two cute love birds? Well the story didn’t quite end with two kids hyper excited about their pets. The next day we got the birds I noticed that while one of them was going up and down the walls and playing on the swing the other only stayed on the cage floor. I thought that the little guy needed sometime to get used to the cage and his new partner but later I was shocked to notice that one of his two legs was missing! 

We took the birds back to the pet shop and had him replaced (though I did feel sad for him).

 The new bird was hyper active at first, literally climbing the walls of the cage and flapping a storm,then the two birds had a fight and the new guy retired to one side of the cage and hid his head between his wings and wouldn’t budge. I was actually worried that he was dead but he was breathing and if you moved the cage he would peek his head and hide again.

Frustrated I called the pet shop and they told me that the other bird(which the kids named wild zak zak “mind you it’s a she”) has intimidated him and we need to replace him with a bigger and stronger bird she wouldn’t be able to scare!

What did I get myself into! The guy at the pet store told me all I had to do was to keep the little guys fed, ensure they have plenty of water to drink and make sure their cage is clean. That’s it!

LIAR!

It turns out that you have to carefully choose the birds you pair in a cage, they have to be of almost the same size, and you have to give them sometime to check if they get along or not. Some birds could actually fight none stop and could end up seriously hurting one another!

To make a long story short, the third time was the charm, the new bird got along perfectly with wild zak zak and got the name Zico .

So far so good?

WRONG!

A week or so after Zico arrived he started playing with the little doors you use to put the food containers into the cage. At first I thought he was just exploring the cage but when he was doing that over and over I was beginning to get sceptical. Next, he would actually lift the door half way! and I still thought he couldn’t possibly be “planning an escape” I mean he’s a bird!

For the next few days the two birds would spend some time on the swing making low noises that almost sound like water gurgling. It almost sounds like they are talking (I am not crazy, I said almost lol) .Yesterday morning they did their big escape attempt, both birds stood on the edges of the food container and together lifted the door open!

They would have possibly darted out if the container they were standing on didn’t topple into the cage!

I was watching them astonished and if it wasn’t for the kids screaming

Muuuuuuuuuum they want to escape.

Muuuuuuuuuum stop them!

I would have stood there frozen till they escaped!

I took the cage in and tied both doors with a little wire. The birds spent the most part of the next day tugging at the doors and trying to pull them up.

I have considered just letting them go but the pet shop told me that these birds are bred in captivity and so they don’t know how to fly well, added to the fact that they originally come from Australia and they would die here in the winter if they stayed outdoors!

So what do you think I should do?  (To answer your question..No, I didn’t cook the birds..it is not them in the picture )

Today’s recipe is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for days when you are short on time yet want a decent meal on the table by the end of the day.

The steak was juicy with layers of flavor. The vegetables were slightly crunchy which added texture, color and definitely flavor. I served them with some tomato and olive foccacia

Steak rolls (inspired by steamy kitchen)

Marinade
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
freshly ground pepper

Sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

¼ cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon flour

Filling
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 carrot, cut into 2 strips

1 onion cut into strips

2 zucchini cut into strips (I usually remove the central part with the seeds)

1/2 can sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons butter

1.4- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl and add meat slices. Marinate for 15 minutes minimum

In a separate bowl, combine sauce ingredients except for the flour.

To prepare filling, heat skillet over medium high heat.

When hot, add vegetable oil.

 Add garlic, onion and ginger and fry for a little while.

 Add the carrot, mushrooms and zucchini and stir untill they soften slightly

 Add soy sauce, sesame oil and stir. Transfer to bowl and let cool.

To make the beef rolls, lay beef slices out with short side facing you.

Place some of the vegetables on one end of the steak.

Roll the beef up, over the filling and secure with toothpick.

Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and butter.

 When hot, add beef rolls, seam side down cook for 1-2 minutes then turn them.

Repeat until you have seared all the sides.

 Add sauce to the pan. Cover and simmer over medium heat until beef is just cooked through.

Remove the steak pieces add the flour and cook untill the sauce just thickens

 Remove toothpick,  Drizzle with the sauce,sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Serve with the remaining vegetables and decorate with some green onions