Mind –Setting tough goals might bring momentary setbacks along the way. Hell, you might even face flat out failure. No doubt these tough times will test your mettle, but how failure is dealt with is more important than the initial result of your efforts. In fact, sometimes without realizing it, failures are just the result needed to propel you to levels previously not thought attainable. I can remember being extremely disappointed about not receiving an appointment to the AF Academy my senior year of high school. I was however given a Falcon Foundation scholarship to attend New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM. What I didn’t know was how beneficial that year of rigorous training and academics would be for me, and how much fun it would actually be. I got to meet a lot of great folks along the way, many of whom I run into even still. Remember, results are important, but how you deal with both good and bad results is more a measure of character.
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Body – Flexibility
Wingman/Flight Leads/Instructors
30/60/90 minute yoga
Weapons Instructor Course
90 minute Bikram hot yoga
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Recipe of the Day
Grilled Chicken Teriyaki and Bok Choy – Recipe taken from Cooks Illustrated, summer 2008.
Photo by AJAX
Serves – 6
Prep time – 35 minutes active, 35 minutes total
Nutrition – 432 calories, 56 grams protein, 15 grams fat, g13 rams carbs
Ingredients
2 pounds chicken thighs with skin
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
2 medium garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons mirin
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Directions
1. De-bone the chicken thighs, trim excess skin, leave top covered with skin and cut three slices through the top of the skin, set aside.
2. Start a hot charcoal fire.
3. Combine in a small sauce pan the soy sauce, brown sugar, grated ginger, garlic cloves, mirin, and cornstarch. Simmer over medium to high heat whisking often until reduced and the mixture starts to become syrupy.
4. The key to this recipe is how you grill the chicken. DO NOT put the sauce on before grilling. Additionally, separate the hot coals to either side of the grill. Fill a disposable aluminum casserole with the chicken in a single layer skin side up. Place the chicken in the center of the grill and allow the chicken to render all its fat in the pan. Grill for about 20 minutes in the pan with the lid partially closed to allow for the smoke to build but so as not to cool the coals down. Cook until an instant read thermometer reads 150 on the thick parts. Pull the pan full of chicken off the grill and add a fresh one to the center of the grill, this is the grease free cooler area to rest the chicken. Now place each piece of chicken skin side down over the hot coals to char the skin, flip once or twice to get some nice searing on both sides. If the coals flame up too much return the chicken to the pan while the others finish.
5. Bring the chicken in and cut into 1” bite sized chunks. Once complete serve over rice with pan seared bok-choy.
6. Finally, brush on sauce or use as a side for individual preference.
MackNBee taste rating 4 out of 4
AJAX ease of prep rating 3 out of 4. This teriyaki is delicious because the sauce is not over powering and the chicken remains tender, juicy, and crispy all at the same time with just the right amount of salty, sweet sauce.
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Spirit – Psalm 69:13 “ But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God answer me with your sure salvation.”
This is the part that is sometimes so hard, “…in the time of your favor…” we do not have an infinite perspective which makes waiting very difficult.
© 2013 by LIKEAFIGHTERPILOT. All rights reserved.
The views of LIKEAFIGHTERPILOT are those of the author alone and should not be considered any official DoD, Government, or USAF position.