Italian Quinoa Bowl

This is the other recipe I came up with that is SO SO SO good. Please do try it sometime and let me know what you think. : )

I just cook quinoa in my rice cooker, using the prescribed liquid ration of 1:2. (That's quinoa to water)  I like it best when I use chicken broth for cooking the quinoa, but water is also fine. 

Then in my dutch oven on the stovetop, I saute 1-2 onions (depending upon how big they are) in oil, and then add thickly sliced & quartered zucchini and yellow squash and fresh green beans. I've sometimes added cauliflower too.  Pour in a little chicken broth and let the veggies cook until just done.  Turn off the heat and add lots of fresh chopped tomato, LOTS of fresh torn basil, and at least 2-3 big cloves of garlic, pressed right into the pot.  Yes, that much raw garlic. Trust me.  Stir it all up. Add pepper and sea salt and serve over the quinoa!

Again, it is really easy and it is SO good. Mmmmmm. I could eat it all day. Wait--sometimes I do. ; )

And it's SUPER healthy for you! 

(You can also top it with feta or fresh shredded parmesan. Mmmmm. But the original recipe is vegetarian (easily vegan if use veggie broth), grain and gluten free, and full of anti-oxidants!  And did I mention filling and comforting?)

Super Good (for you) Cabbage Salad

So, one thing I didn't mention yet is that I've been in a healthy crisis for the past couple of months--since Labor Day weekend. I don't want to go into the story now, but the bottom line is that I developed really severe heart palpitations after I eat (among other symptoms, which all seem to be related to insulin, or the adrenal system. . .?  I spent weeks researching and trying to figure out what it could be and decided to start with an elimination diet for candida (which does lead to many of the symptoms I've been having, and which I've suspected I have had for a few years--but not enough to actually stop me from eating sugar ; ). The diet is severe: no grains, no starchy veggies, no beans, no dairy other than plain yogurt and raw butter (both of which I already eat and enjoy), no fruit, no sugar, no processed foods or preserved meats, no tea or chocolate.

Yeah. You're probably thinking what I was thinking.

But I felt so horrible and at least once a day my heart felt like I was having a heart attack and my head felt like I was having a stroke--and when you feel so horrible, you just don't even want to eat anything anymore.

But I also decided to ease into the diet--partly because it would be easier and partly because I wanted to avoid die-off syndrome in my gut (when bad gut bacteria, starved of their normal diet, have a mass die-off and as your body expels all the dead bacteria you end up with symptoms like having the bad stomach flu.) So I figured I'd slowly reduce the colonies of bad bacteria while purposefully introducing plenty of good bacteria back into my gut through probiotics. I'm not going crazy--the probiotics I'm ingesting are through the whole organic yogurt with live cultures, and through these really tasty bottled drinks called KeVita--expensive, but they contain 4 live cultures, are super low in sugar (1g)  and one way I can feel like I am "treating" myself through this process.  Besides, one bottle typically lasts me for 3 servings.

Anyway, since I've been "cheating" on the diet a little, that means I've been eating a little grain, a little fruit. And yes, I've even tried the ocassional cup of black tea with milk. ; )  I even found some dark chocolate with stevia instead of sugar--no sugar added! the label pronounced. But my heart still races afterwards, so clearly I still should not imbibe. But I sometimes sneak a few very small squares. ; )

A typical day's diet might look like this:
Breakfast = bowl organic whole plain yogurt (good) with small serving blueberries (cheating, but super healthy cheat--very low in sugar and very high in antioxidants and vitamins), sprinkled with ground flax seed, hemp seed, chia seed, and cinnamon (all excellent for me).

Lunch = bowl of cabbage salad (very good for me)

Lunch #2 = roasted chicken wing with grilled asparagus (both from a local deli--I sometimes pick up food and that's another way I "treat" myself while on this strict diet)

Dinner = Homemade guacamole with raw garlic, tomato, apple cider vinegar (super good for me)--but with a few organic gluten-free multi-grain tortilla chips (bad for me--but c'mon!) with 1/3 a bottle of KeVita.

See? Not so bad. But the problem is that I've been so busy lately, or not feeling good, and I haven't known what to make for my family that meets my requirements, so I just end up cooking for them and then scrounging for myself, which as you can see is not easy. But when I do get the energy and inspiration to cook, I've come up with a few recipes that were SO AMAZINGLY GOOD that I would make them anyway!  So here's one of them, which is so good and easy that I wanted to share with you.


Super Good (for you) Cabbage Salad

Both red and green cabbage, chopped finely.
Very small amount of red onion, minced (to do taste--a little goes a long way)
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients above--and sorry, I don't have amounts, since I always just cook by feel. : )  Just look up a recipe for vinegar & oil dressing if you want to know proportions. But be careful--the ACV can pack a punch. If you accidentally get too much, just add more oil. But this will not be a juicy salad)

Sprinkle with a generous helping and then mix in:
Hemp seed
Chia seed
Sunflower seeds (sprouted if you can get them)

Then just sprinkle with a little salt & pepper and make sure all is mixed!  This salad is so easy, and is very yummy--very subtle flavor. Goes really well with roasted chicken and grilled asparagus. ; ) But most of all, it is super healthy and good for you!


I'll share my other favorite recipes in a different post.

Oh, and after eating this way for about 2 months now, I think I have ruled out candida. I might still have it, but I don't think it is making my heart go crazy. There is something else going on, and I wonder if it is connected to all the low-blood-sugar issues I've had for 10 years!  I actually have a doctor's appointment on Monday (the DO I wanted to see had a 4 week wait) and so I'm hoping then I can start the journey to figuring out what is wrong with me. But until then, this diet has really helped my symptoms quiet somewhat, even though they still happen--just not to the degree they did before. (Like I rarely have any head pressure now and some other symptoms went away). So I will keep it up!  And keep trying to make it even healthier. I mean, when I end up eating a few chips with my guac several times a week, that's no longer a cheat--that's a diet.  So thanks for letting me share the recipes I come up with--it might help inspire me to invent more!

pausing--for CHOCOLATE

I just could not resist sharing this offer that came in my inbox today:

For my friends who know Fannie May candies from our growing up in the Midwest--WHOO-HOO!

For my friends who don't know Fannie May--YUM.

I am a wee bit bummed that I already bought my FM for Xmas presents, a few weeks back when they had a 30% off deal plus free shipping.  But then again, I'm happy to have my shopping done. 

But any of you who still need to get a Christmas present and know the person enjoys chocolate--consider this deal.  I personally recommend the Mint Meltaways (the mixed green and brown, not the holiday ones), the Trinadads, the dark chocolate caramels, the hostess mints, and the pixies.  There are LOTS of other ones I enjoy, but those are some of Fannie May's best.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Can't wait until Christmas!

HaiCakes!

OK, the family-fest wrap-up will just have to wait until I coerce Rebecca to send me her best photos.  I am finding as I go through my own photo selection that there were just too many fun events that we did not manage to capture at ALL.  (So, Rebecca, pretty please?)  If all else fails, I will resort to poetic imagery--but that is asking a lot of my verbal skills these days, so I hope to end up with more photos.

In the meantime, there are LOTS of other things I have been meaning to share with you.  So, for today, one of my favorite recent CakeWrecks posts:  HaiCakes!

Packing foam peanuts,

A big shiny pile of...wait.

Is that Tiana?

Considering we just finished an art and poetry project involving haikus, this was just too timely. And too funny.  Enjoy!

Teatime with Jesus--TBD

What are the odds--this is the second year in a row that I gave up sweets, esp. my precious dark chocolate, for Lent (among other things), and then end up sick at Easter so just when I can eat it, I don't at all want to.

Wah!

Teatime with Jesus will just have to wait.

But I did plan ahead, and when I do feel good enough to indulge I have dark chocolate pecan carmel turtles and dark chocolate covered orange peel.  mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

(There are other things I want to share with you all about the Lent experience this year, but they too will have to wait.  The mental queue of posts is already too long. . . )

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter! 

oh, boy

Guess who snuck a bar of organic extra dark chocolate with orange off my desk right before bedtime? And ate a quarter of it?

And who hopefully will not be riding high in his crib for much of the night?

I find fault in his timing more than his taste. If he has a penchant for the good stuff, he comes by it honestly through bloodline--and daily through breastmilk!

Amazing Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ok, your foodies, and you frugal chefs, here is one for you!

Last night we were out of salad dressing and so I had to whip one up from scratch. This one sounded promising--and was THE BEST SALAD DRESSING I have eaten in maybe forever. Oh, it is good. And SO SO easy! And SO frugal--this must have cost something like 30 cents to make! And green too, since making my own dressing will save on packaging. Awesome all around!

And best of all, in my mind, it showed me that a simple salad can be amazingly good, with the right dressing. Because I was cleaning out the fridge last night and all I had for the salad was red leaf lettuce, red cabbage, and carrot. That seemed really boring until I added the dressing! But then the flavor woke up my mouth and I realized I had ripe avocado and added that too--Mmmmmmm!

Please someone try it and let me know what you think!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Whisk together:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3-5 cloves raw garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesean cheese

Gradually add:
1 cup olive oil (I used extra virgin)

Salt and pepper to taste (I only did pepper, since the cheese is naturally salty)

The Story of the New Faucet

OK, so it takes me forever to finish any story here in this blog these days! So it has been two weeks now (longer?) since we got our new faucet, but I still want to tell you about how we got it, since it is very cool. And kinda frugal and green, too!

So if you remember, we have been without a working bathroom sink for over a year and a half. Any bathroom sink, I should note. There are many reasons why it has taken this long for us to take care of this problem--for the sake of my marriage, I will focus here on the logistical and aesthetic ones. ; ) At first, DH and I could not agree on the bathroom plan, and where to install the new sink--and since the bathroom is so tiny, where the sink would go determined what kind of faucet we would buy (either wall-mount or deck mount). But then, even after we agreed on The Plan (more on that later!) and knew what style of faucet we would need, it was hard to settle on one. We had even decided the finish we wanted, so in theory it should have been easy to find a faucet, given the plethora of faucets available on the world wide web. We wanted something like our kitchen faucet, which we love (made by the awesome Chicago Faucets, but unfortunately they stopped making their residential line just a year or two ago--bummer): a solid brass construction, brushed nickel finish, widespread or single-hole deck mount faucet, preferrably made at least somewhat in America.

We ended up with this:

image from homeportfolio.com

Which is nothing like what we had so clearly decided we wanted. Ain't life great like that?

So here's how it happened. A month ago, after we had finalized The Plan and I was scouring the web one last time, hoping to finalize the faucet decision, I thought how ridiculous it was that I had been looking at faucets for over a year and had never seen one I really liked. There were plenty that were OK looking, but none that met our specifications and fulfilled our desires. Ironically, some of the styles I liked best were from no-name made in China companies, but we had decided to stick with products we believed were well made, from reputable companies. And even those companies typically don't forge their own faucets, just sometimes assemble and plate them here in the US. To get a faucet that is not junk--which, be warned, pretty much ALL the big-box store faucets are--we were going to be spending around $400-600. So when I thought about spending that much money on something that might still be forged in China, and that was style-wise just OK, I was dissatisfied.

Then I stumbled upon the blog of a kitchen designer, and saw THIS faucet, and FELL INSTANTLY IN LOVE:



Oh, yeah, baby! Solid forged construction, single-hole deck mount. Rustic nickel finish that would look amazing with our soapstone counters (like we have in our kitchen). Kinda vintage, kinda steampunk, definitely awesome. Best of all, hand-made right here in California, by Sonoma Forge!

And, when I immediately went to the company website, $1,600.00.

Naturally. Those of you who know me well can attest that I have very expensive tastes. I remember clearly the moment I realized my eye for quality/beauty was a true gift/curse: Mom and I at the Ye Old Renaissance Faire in Larkspur, Colorado when we lived out in the Springs. She was looking at a display of Celtic brooches, asking my opinion. The ones she showed me were all lovely, and in the $30 range. My eyes ranged to a different brooch, which I thought was even more lovely: "How about this one, Mom?" Turned it over, and saw the $90 price tag. That was the moment I realized it was not just coincidence--that this was indicative of something at the core of who I am.

I hope you all realize I am not saying this with a sense of pride, of puffery. No, more like a sigh, a roll of the eyes, and a wry smile. Because it is not easy having expensive tastes.

At least God gave me a mate with possibly even more expensive tastes than mine. For better or for worse.

ANYWAY, I was so bummed that the one faucet I actually liked was, like, a bazillion dollars. In fact, DH and I liked several of the faucets Sonoma Forge makes, but they are all the same price. But then I had a little revelation: Craigslist. I have never used it, but people with gorgeously restored vintage houses featured in This Old House magazine often brag about the amazing house parts they find through it, and at amazing deals. So I looked at the Bay Area Craigslist, and lo and behold, there was a Sonoma Forge faucet listed, although not the one we had wanted. It was the wrong finish, the wrong mounting configuration, the wrong look.

And it was $250.

At that point, I no longer cared if it was the one we had wanted. I liked it. DH liked it. And to spend HALF of what we had planned on spending to get something SO much closer to our desires/values than anything else we had seen in all our searching--we just threw The Old Plan out the window and made The New Plan, which would work around the faucet.

I contacted the guy on Craigslist, and learned the faucet had been installed and used for 2 months before the homeowners decided it did not work with their sink, and so had it taken out and something else installed instead. So that's why this faucet was so cheap--it was used (barely!) and languishing in un-love on the Sonoma Forge back shelves. They are not allowed to sell used faucets. But this guy named Chris just recently started working with them, buying stuff from them at a pittance and listing it on Craigslist.

He also had this:

The one on the left, in the same finish as the faucet. This one brand new in the box, never used. Sonoma Forge sells this exact shower for $4,500.00. Chris was offering it for $1,700.

DH said we should get it. I did not argue. But I did talk those prices down via email with Chris, so that we got BOTH the faucet AND the shower for $1,700. Whaa-hoo!!

And then when we drove up to Petaluma to meet him and get our new faucet/shower, he said he could possibly get other, matching parts we might need (like the sink drainspout) at similarly good deals and mail them to us. So now we have our own, personal pusher for all things Sonoma Forge.

And now you know the rest of the story.

THIS is what I call Dinner!

Ok, my dear readers, FINALLY I have pulled off a quick meal that represents the way I really want to be feeding my family:

Hmmm. At a loss to find the right word to describe the main dish. More solid than scrambled egg, but not an omelette. . . not light enough to be a souffle, but done on the stove top so not what I would call a casserole. . . Ok, I guess you all can read what I did and then tell me what it was!

Cracked and whisked in a big bowl a whole bunch of eggs (didn't count, but probably around 9?) with some milk, and crumbled into it a last, lingering slice of crusty whole grain bread (one great way to use up that last slice of bread in the bag!) and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs could soften. Meanwhile, sauted chopped garlic (like 4 cloves--we like garlic) in olive oil. Added egg mixture to garlic in pa, turned down heat, and put a lid on it. Added fresh kale torn in bits, fresh chopped tomato, a sprinkle of dried basil and pepper, mixed it in, and put lid back on. Cooked, stirring occassionally, until cooked through. Turned off heat and sprinkled liberally with crumbled feta.

Served with leftover bean salad and a big mug of smoothie I made in my new blender out of frozen strawberries and peaches and milk.

(Normally with an egg entree I would have served toasted garlic bread, but since the kids and I had toast for breakfast I didn't make it tonight--but DH had some crusty bread with his dinner.)

THIS is how I like to cook! Easy, one-pot meal full of protein and amazing flavor. Used a "super green" in the meal. Whipped up a healthy "dessert" that made the kids excited.

Now, this was not my ideal dinner. No significant raw foods, no homemade bread to accompany it, the tomatoes came in a plastic container, and the strawberries were not organic--and I could not even have any smoothie since I am highly allergic to peaches. My goals are to be ever moving towards better eating that is healthier for our bodies, our budget, our world. So my ideals involve local, organic food, food I make myself from scratch, food that is packaged minimally, sustainably.

But I am all about baby steps, and I am slowly figuring out how to buy foods according to my values/ideals--in the meantime, I am COOKING and THAT is ideal enough for now!

Recipe: Shera's Simple and Savory Black Bean Soup

UPDATE 2/19/13:  Not only have I made this soup many times since the first post, but it is SO yummy, and SO easy that it is one of my favorite recipes.  You must use fresh salsa, not canned, to get the real flavor of the recipe, but of course do what you need in a pinch. 

I make it often, sometimes with my from scratch beans, sometimes from cans.  It's terrific either way, so do it the way that seems prudent for your family (and cooking ability Jen ; ). 

And I don't blend the soup.  I know most people would like the texture, but I am just too lazy for that, and my family scarfs it down as is. It might even look prettier in the bowl.

We don't bother with the limes (again--lazy) but sour cream really is good on this soup. And my family believes that blue corn chips are another must on the side, instead of bread. 

.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   . 
ORIGINAL POST 5/30/10:

Ok, full disclosure: I have not yet tried this soup. But my friend Shera emailed it to me when I started writing here about dinners, and it sounds so easy and yummy that I have decided to make it tomorrow night for dinner. I am going to be good and soak the beans tonight and cook them in the crock pot tomorrow.

Here is her email:

"I figured I should tell you one of my favorite go-to recipes that's gotten me through those evenings when I panic with "OH NO!! IT'S ALMOST 6! WHAT SHOULD I MAKE FOR DINNER?????" I am also of the "fake it don't make it" club since I struggle with procrastination too (and a hint of laziness to be quite honest)! So, anything with 5 ingredients or less always catches my eye.

It has good protein and fiber in it and it's relatively cheap. I hope you like black beans....


Black bean soup

1 cup fresh salsa (like the tubs you can buy in the refrigerated section, or you can make your own)
2 cans of black beans (TJs has organic ones, but I look for them on sale too, or if you have the time, you could make them from dried!)
2 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth, but I find the chicken is a little more savory)

Sour cream
limes
(for garnishes)

In a saucepan, heat the salsa over med heat for 5 min to let the onions, tomatoes and herbs get fragrant and meld. Add the bb (drained of course) and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Then, this part is somewhat optional, but I like it: after letting the soup cool a bit (10 min?) put half of it in a blender and blend, then return to the original pot. That way, it's a "black" color and you still have some whole beans in there too. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a good squeeze of lime.

I usually serve this soup with yummy bread (I have a weakness for the artisan stuff too!), all warm and crusty and a good raw lettuce salad (which can be prepped while the soup is simmering."


Thanks, Shera! We LOVE black beans around here, and can't wait to try it!

Super Green Soup

For Desiree--may you get all the way better ASAP!

Super Green Soup
(Split-Pea and Herbed Greens Soup)

This soup sounds like more work than it is. But the flavor is divine, and I just love how it makes me feel when I eat it--I know every delicious bite is chock full of antioxidants and other good things!

1 C dried split peas
7 C vegetable stock
2 T white rice*
1 bay leaf
3 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
2 carrots, scrubbed or peeled and sliced
1 lb. assorted fresh greens (I use spinach and kale), rinsed well and torn (remove tough stems)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ C fresh basil, torn
¼ C fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
pinch dried oregano
salt and pepper
juice of one lemon

In a large soup pot, combine peas, 4 cups stock, rice, and bay leaf. Boil, then simmer on low, covered, for 45 min. to 1 hr. Meanwhile, heat oil and sauté onion, celery, carrots and zucchini for 6 minutes or until tender. Add greens, cover, and lower heat slightly to steam veggies about 4 minutes. Try not to overcook at this stage, to keep in as many antioxidants as possible. Stir in garlic and remove from heat. Puree greens mixture with herbs and scoop of pea soup. Return to pot with remaining stock and heat through. Stir in lemon juice just before serving.

Lovely with freshly shaved Parmesean or Romano added to each bowl, and served with hot garlic bread and a big green salad.

*This is actually a great way to use up leftover brown rice, for even more nutrition. Just mix it in well with your veggies before you puree.

Teatime with Jesus and other Lenten stories

my cup runneth over. . . image from samovarlife.com*

Sorry for the lacklusting posting so far. . . this illness is not all that bad, but is lingering and sapping all my already meager energy and will to do much of anything. Oh, and did I mention the state of my already meager brain cells? But I have started several posts now, so will draw upon my hallelujah-the-kids-are-playing-happily-out-in-the-fresh-air-after-4-days-of-rain-better-make-the-most-of-it burst of energy and try to finish one. The most logical one to start out with. . . so please forgive my borderline coherence, it is all I can manage!)

Lent was, as always, a really good spiritual exercise.

I firmly believe that everybody in the whole world should practice it: giving up something (or things) that has become entrenched in our lives, maybe a good thing that we are doing out of habit and not enjoyment anymore, or a bad thing that we need to see how much we are depending upon. I have some of both, and that is why I give up so much for Lent--I have to strip down, spiritually, to be renewed.

So this year to the list of giving ups I added two of my favorite pleasures, which serve as daily mood bandaids and mini escapes from whatever household chaos is surging around me: tea and blogs/blogging. They were added to the list of my usual give ups: sweets, movies, all pleasure reading except the Bible and books about the life of the spirit.

And it was really good. Not only did I need that break from habits, but I needed to do without so I could reevaluate the role these things have in my daily life, and why. I told myself I was allowed to still use the internet, just not blog. But of course I soon found myself escaping into an even more attractive and potentially dangerous escape: etsy. So right about the time I was feeling convicted that I needed to just stay off the computer during the day, or at least limit my usage more, or at least not visit etsy, or at least--you see how the backpedaling goes when we are resisting what we know is wise!--it seems God had the same idea. And our computer decided to break and so I was cut off cold turkey! I ended up only being allowed to check email once a day--and nothing else, since I was borrowing D's government owned security cleared work laptop and could not endanger national security (or, more to the point, his job) by browsing crochet shrugs handmade in Turkey or a People slideshow of "Can You Believe She Dated Him?"
No, really--I think it truly was Providential and I completely fess up that while I was bummed, I also was relieved because I knew I was being legalistic and was observing the letter of the law (no blogs, blogging) but not the spirit of it (mindless computer use when I should be more fully engaged with my family, my responsibilities, my God) and thusly the temptation was taken from me.

Thanks, God.

I also struggled with the no sweets thing at first. I kept finding myself in situations where there would be something borderline sweet--like homemade pumpkin bread--in front of me, and I would be actually hungry, and I would sit there debating whether or not it was ok for me to eat it, if I was violating my promise to God by doing so. But I feel like God gave me clarity, and humility for my weakness, and I decided early on that if the sweet was actual food then it was fine. My real give-up was sacred sweets--those favorite delectibles that I hoard from the children and eat only when I am escaping with a good book or blogs. . . dark chocolate covered caramels. . . Marianne's bitter chocolate ice cream. . . Trader Joe's mint semi-sweet chocolate chips. . . . So while it would have been healthier to give up all sugar but fruit, which is what I did last year, this year I just stayed away from true desserts--ice cream, candy, and of course dark chocolate.

And the exercise of going without sweets was truly a spiritual, if sometimes humorous one. One of the first days of Lent I had made Ghiradelli dark chocolate brownies--which you then spread natural peanut butter on, ohhhhhhhhhmmmmmm (wiping drool) where was I--for our monthly Old School Monday gathering over in Santa Cruz and I was pleased with myself for not having any, and not having any of the homemade cookies another mom brought, and was timing everything so that we would get home just in time to eat lunch before I completely crashed from low blood sugar, when I arrived home to discover I had left my purse all the way back at church. Ugh. So I grabbed a cheese stick and filled my travel mug with milk, hoping that would get me back to church and home again, but as I was driving on the highway back to SC I realized my hands were shaking and the dairy was not getting into the bloodsteam fast enough. . . and I looked over to the passenger seat where the brownies were sitting, all warm in the sunshine, with the peanut butter jar open because I had given the girls some on their brownies way back when we first left the church parking lot. . . and I asked God what He wanted me to do, and I felt like He chuckled and gently chided me, "Child, look what I have provided for you at this moment. By all means, eat." So I did, and I made sure to enjoy it too. And it was a really good moment of feeling in tune with God my Father, of whom Jesus said,

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11)

Immediately my mind was off of my own feeble and potentially self-righteous efforts (look how good I am being to not eat those brownies) and back onto the loving God (who is truly the font of all good things).

In a similar way, the one time I ate two homemade chocolate chip cookies because I was low blood sugar and they were the food in front of me, I remembering feeling in tune with God and mentally telling the cookie as I ate it and enjoyed it, "You are yummy, but you have no power over me."

And after talking post-Lent celebration stories with Rosa, I was inspired to plan my first indulgence of tea and chocolate after Lent as a purposeful, spiritual moment: Teatime with Jesus. What better way to end the giving up to God then to share the re-discovery with Him?

Well, that did not work out quite like I had envisioned, since I got sick Easter Sunday and had no taste for either tea or sweets. But this past Sunday I at least was feeling good enough to make some decent tea and have some dark chocolate covered pistacio toffee I had bought just for Teatime with Jesus--and as I ate it, I found myself thinking, "This is good, but nothing as good as You, God."

So I guess on that count my Lenten giving up did exactly what it was supposed to do--give me a little space in my daily world for purposefully connecting with God.



Those of you who practiced Lent this year, I hope it went well for you. Those of you who didn't--well, I encourage you to try it next year! It is not a religious thing as much as a spiritual thing, and even Atheists have a life of the spirit to nurture and grow. (I'm talking to you, Desiree, if you are reading--you were RIGHT to try Lent this year and I'll be right along side you next year, sister, if you are game for another go!) I have already decided to do it all over again next year--and who knows what else will have to go by then?



*and the article that accompanied the pic, about what chocolates and teas go well together, is a yummy read too. . .

Blessing of the Week: those who use birthdays as an excuse for extra special lovin' on me

Friday was my birthday, and my husband and three good friends conspired to get me away from the everyday for a few hours, much like they did for my birthday last year. My husband arranged to use the gym and nursery at church for a few hours, and he single-handedly cared for ELEVEN children under the ages of nine. Including baby E and another one-year old. Come to think of it, I am not sure who was crazier--my husband or my friends who left their children in his hands! ; ) I'm just looking back in amazement--from what I heard later, the kids had a ball, and all went well.

And we ladies certainly had a lovely time. But then again: girlfriends - children (except one happy baby henry) + restaurant named "Chocolate" = good time. All the food we sampled was fantastic, but the Venezuelan dark hot chocolate made it a true celebration.

I only wish some of you, my far-away friends, could have been with us!

And, yes, my husband does rock.


Photo of one of my birthday gifts--thanks, friends, for all the well-wishes and warm fuzzies.

Simply Summer Salad

While using up leftovers the other day I threw together the most amazing salad, that I am now going to make on purpose:

Fresh chunk-cut tomatoes
fresh corn, cooked and then cut off the cob in long tasty chunks
Ripe avocado, cut up

Mix all together at room temperature. Salt and pepper as you like. Can make into pasta salad by tossing with warm cooked pasta of a chunky shape, like penne. I think the best tomato/corn/avocado ration is 1:1:1/2.

Incredibly simple, SO tasty! Summertime in a bowl!

best of the blogsphere

Rosa, thank you. I needed that.

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

People who don't read blogs are missing out.

from Cousin Margot's recipe file: Wilted Lettuce Salad

Fill large bowl with washed and torn leaf lettuce.

Sprinkle with salt, and spoon over with sugar.

Then in a small saucepan, cook chopped bacon and diced onion. When done, add vinegar, about 1/2 cup. (Add a little water if it is too tart)

Bring to a boil, then pour over lettuce and mix well, immediately.

Serve.

Alterate way of serving wilted lettuce:

Heat half-n-half and sugar in saucepan. When hot but not boiling, pour over lettuce and mix well, immediately.

from Cousin Margot's recipe file: Easy Cake

Take any cake mix.

Mix with one 12 oz can of pop* **.

For chocolate cake, use 7up.
For lemon cake, use Diet Mountain Dew.

Cook according to directions.

For chocolate cake topping, mix 1 package instant vanilla pudding, 3/4 cup milk and 1 container Cool Whip. Spread liberally.


*pop being the midwestern term for soda.
**that's right, no eggs, milk or oil. just pop.

from Cousin Margot's recipe files: Rhubarb Swirl Dessert

3-4 cups rhubarb, diced
3/4 cup sugar
1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry jello
1 (3.5 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
8 oz Cool Whip

Mix rhubarb and sugar. Let stand for one hour. Place in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until tender (10-15 minutes). Stir in jello until dissolved. Cool until syrupy. Prepare pudding with milk and vanilla. When thick, add Cool Whip. Pour rhubarb mixture into pudding mixture and lightly swirl. Pour into graham cracker crust and refrigerate overnight. Double recipe for 9 x 13 pan.

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

1/3 cup sugar

Mix ingredients, pat into pie pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Iowa, Pt. 1: Cousin Margot of West Bend

Upon leaving Illinois, we drove up to visit my mom's cousin Margot. She lives in an old farmhouse two miles out from the town of West Bend, population 834 at the time of the 2000 census. Cousin Margot was very matter-of-factly pleasant in manner, and was overwhelmingly hospitable with her time and her table.

One day she drove us over to town to pick up the keys to the local museum and gave us a private history tour, which also included the old one-room schoolhouse and ity-bity original post office and the historically-built pioneer sod house seen above, complete with native prairie grass.

Cousin Margot giving the history lesson. The intense mannequin is modeling the actual outfit worn by the last schoolteacher on the last day the school was open (I don't remember the actual year the schoolhouse closed, but it was not as far back as you would think--the 30's or 40's perhaps).

The view from the teacher's desk. Note the bonnets hanging in the back, ready for when the students leave--and the communal water pail and dipper on the table at the right.

Then Cousin Margot took us downtown to the soda parlor/gift shop for refreshing, old-fashioned ice cream cones, malts and root-beer floats. The only flavor of ice-cream on hand--the only one needed--was of course vanilla.

Actually, during our two day visit, much of my attention was fixed on gastronomic delights. Even with all the fun and interesting things we did and saw while there, Cousin Margot's homecooked Iowan food was the most fascinating and memorable experience for me. In a very, very good way. Our first dinner there the table was loaded with dishes, no less than three of them involving bacon, including the vegetable and lettuce salad. In fact, bacon and white sugar played a very large role in every meal we had at Cousin Margot's table. Fittingly, I ate like a pig, and would have needed larger pants if we had stayed any longer.

Two words: Butter Braid

Cousin Margot's Green Salad.

This colorful gelatin salad comes with a funny vignette. At lunch when this was served, G ate a good meal of everything put before her, and was eagerly anticipating a lot of dessert in reward. Cousin Margot was offering a rhubarb ice-box dessert, chocolate cake, cookies, and two kinds of ice cream. I told G she could choose two. She thought about her options, and then slyly asked me if she could have some of the gelatin dish in addition to her two chosen desserts. I laughed and said no, that she had to limit herself to two desserts. Cousin Margot looked at me strangely and corrected me, saying, "It's not dessert, it's salad."

Recipes, much anticipated, I am sure, to follow.

Butter braid photo from West Bend own butterbraid.com

Mmmmmmm. Uhhhhh. MMMMMMMMM. etc.

No, this is not an adult only posting.

I am eating a pasta dish I whipped up from what was in the house. Ohhhhhhhhh, it is good:

*1 lb pasta (i used gemelli--lovely shape for this) cooked, rinsed and drained, cooled slightly. Put into large bowl and dressed with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, to which I added
*bunch of small, ripe tomatoes (the first this season--thanks Sara!), sliced lengthwise into wedges
*one chopped green garlic (from our CSA box, but regular garlic would suffice, minced)
*one chopped green onion
*handful of Kalamata olives, halved
*lots of Parmesan shavings

Mix it all up, and engorge. I mean enjoy.

Leftovers great cold! (like there will be any)