We went to a seafood restaurant yesterday. One of the walls was actually a huge fish tank  with a wide variety of fish swimming and playing around. We sat next to the fish “wall” and the kids were glued  watching the fish’s every move.

Look mum there’s Doori from Nemo!

MUUUUUUUUUUUUM there is a SHARK!

Mum they are eating, swimming, blinking..You get the picture.

As we were waiting for our meal a little girl about my daughter’s age came and sat next to her by the fish tank

There is a HUGE fish in there did you see it?

Oh you mean this one? it is called a shark.

What’s your name?

I’m Rana

I’m Jana

They spent the next hour chatting and laughing like they have known each other for a life time. As we left the restaurant after saying good bye Jana asks

Mum, can we go visit Rana tomorrow?

Her dad tells her: We don’t go visit every person we meet for five minutes, we don’t know her

Jana: But daaaaad she is my friend.I know her!I know her name! and she told me where she lives, next to the mall you go left then straight till you get to the big building. Can we go tomorrow?

Do you remember the day when making a friend took 2 minutes? all you had to say was hi, what’s your name? want to play?I miss those days.

 I miss how simple things were. You didn’t need a background check, a list of shared interests and a perfect star alignment to make a friend.

There was a time when I used to think that childhood friendships were simple, naive. I mean as a kid you don’t even know who you are let alone be able to judge people. I used to think you needed to mature and grow before you were able to judge people, choose good ones and make friendships that last for a life time.

 As the years go by it seems the older I get, the harder it is to make friendships that last and the worse I get in judging people and relationships. Is it just me? or is life getting more complicated by the minute?

Honey oregano marinated beef onion skewers may sound strange at first glance (it is certainly a mouthful to say!) but if you try them, I promise you all your doubts will vanish with the first bite. The marinade not only adds a beautiful colour to the meat, it adds tons of flavor. A woody earthy tone from the oregano, spicy tone from the ginger and worcestershire sauce, and a hint of sweetness from the honey (you don’t taste the honey as such it just gives a slight note f sweetness)

I served these skewers with humus and some flat bread and a salad, you can serve them with some rice,arugula salad or potato salad

 

Honey oregano beef onion skewers

500 grams beef cut into cubes

3 onions cut into wedges (don’t cut the base of the onion, it is the part that holds the wedges together)

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried oregano 

 

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl

Add the meat and onion wedges and marinate for 3 hours (you can do it over night)

Soak the skewers in water (if using wooden skewers to prevent them from burning)

alternate meat and onion wedges on the skewer

Cook on the grill(or in an oil sprayed pan in the oven) pasting with the reserved marinade every 10 minutes until the meat is cooked to the level you like (rare, medium or well done)