Category Archives: Food

Simple Pleasures

Posted on by

Who among us does not regularly use the excuse of being busy as the reason we have not properly kept up with our friends or called our family or stopped to breathe? Often we answer the question, “How have you been?” with, “Busy, busy!” in a feeble attempt to feel important. But what is it that’s keeping us so very busy? In today’s high-tech, high-speed, high-def world, how do we find time to relax and enjoy the little things so we can maintain high-spirits? I think one crucial way is to embrace simplicity. There are so many things that we tend to dismiss as unimportant or unworthy of our time and attention just because they are simple. Uncomplicated. Basic. But these are the very things that, because they require so little imput, often rejuvenate the mind and spirit by their very simplicity. Two nights ago, for instance, I was utterly pleased with the dinner I prepared but thought it much too ordinary to write about. Yet there was something about its modesty, quick preparation, and healthy balance, not to mention the happy family around my table that made it gleam every bit as brightly as something that I spent hours in the kitchen creatively developing.

Baked cod, roasted in the oven with yellow squash, zucchini, and red onion, sprinkled with garlic, lemon pepper, black pepper, slight Cajun seasoning, and paprika, and served with creamy angel hair pasta on the side.

Sometimes I almost find it ironic or perplexing that I enjoy activities such as crocheting or scrapbooking so much. But every time I undertake one of these projects I feel enriched, calm, happy. Perhaps it is the quiet that envelopes me while I pursue them that is so refreshing. In a world where we spend so much time staring at lighted rectangles and experiencing sensory overload in the form of music, news, tv, radio, games, internet… there is an undeniable peace and comfort in the quiet repetitive task of looping yarn over and over in your hands and making something warm and lovely and useful.

The colors I picked for my next crochet project.

And there is always the indisputable simple pleasure of playing in the rain. As adults, we see the rain coming and rush for cover because heaven forbid we should get a little wet. But children have it right. They see the rain coming and they want to experience it. They stick their heads back and their tongues out and spin circles in the driveway tasting the dizzying coolness of a summer shower. And it is delicious. It is timeless. It is simple.

Aiden playing in the rain.

I have learned as of late to embrace these simple pleasures with a new respect and satisfaction – realizing that they bring balance to the busy and calm the stress of everyday life.

Banana Nut . . . Curry?!?

Posted on by

That’s right.  You read it correctly.  Inspiration has struck my kitchen again with a concoction that promised to be either disastrous or delightful.  Thankfully, as you can probably guess since I am proudly sharing it with you, it fell decidedly in the delightful category.  I have had the privilege lately, thanks to my wonderful sitter, of having Thursday afternoons to myself for two full hours while my son goes to play group.  Sometimes I have taken that opportunity to run errands or do other personal things that can be SO very difficult to do with a toddler, but on more than one occasion now, I have taken that time to creatively cook.  When I have the time and energy to study ingredients, experiment with quantities, and develop ideas, then cooking becomes more than a refueling of the family.  It becomes art.  It is as creative as writing, playing music, or drawing and it provides the same sort of release.  And in the same way that I am passionate about sharing my other creative endeavors, I am also driven to share my culinary successes. So VOILA!  Banana Nut Curry.  But, as I have said before, I am very touchy-feely about amounts.  You have to do whatever looks, smells, tastes right to you, so please take all of my measurements with a grain of salt (pun very much intended).

Banana Walnut Curry
Chop Julienne Style:
1/2 large green bell pepper
1/2 large purple onion
Slice:
4 large mushrooms
1 medium yellow squash
healthy handful of chopped cilantro
healthy handful of chopped walnuts
2-4 Chicken breasts (depending on size) cut into small strips (as though you were julienning chicken)

Add all of the previous ingredients to large skillet and douse with olive oil.  Season with the following spices to taste. (Again, all the quantities listed are VERY approximate. Since I didn’t measure while I was cooking, I have to guess retrospectively.)
Yellow Curry Powder (2 TBSPs)
Red Curry Powder (1 TBSP)
Dill (1 TBSP)
Garlic Powder (One good sprinkle across pan)
Thyme (1 tsp)
Cinnamon (1 TBSP)
Ginger (1-2 tsp)

Saute over medium to high heat until chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.  Reduce heat to low and add the following ingredients to make the sauce:
1 to 1 1/2 cups of Sour Cream (I use low-fat sour cream for heart health reasons.)
1/2 large sweet potato, cooked and mashed (I know this would be a pain to do separately, but I had leftover mashed sweet potatoes from a previous dinner and I knew it would work well.  So you could always cook the curry sometime after you do sweet potatoes, as I did.  But bear in mind, they have to be savory sweet potatoes and not candied.)
1/2 Banana, mashed (This ingredient was the most risky for me.  I stayed on the fence for a while about whether or not to add it, knowing it could either completely ruin or completely make the dish.  But we never get anywhere creatively if we don’t take risks, so in it went.  I am very glad I took the risk.)
Milk to desired consistency (I used skim, but you can use whatever you prefer)
Red Curry Powder (probably another TBSP)
A dash more Cinnamon and Garlic (to taste)

Server over Brown Rice or Pasta.  I would have chosen rice, but, unfortunately I did not have any, so I fixed pasta and was pleasantly surprised at how nicely it worked.

Everyday Discovery

Posted on by

Today, I visited a place that is almost too fantastic to be believed.  There was a veritable jungle of strange and exotic plants never before seen, with flowers ranging in color from stark white to violet  to bright red and yellow.  And not only that, but there were enormous insects.  Lady bugs as big as basketballs, dragon flies that could lift a puppy and carry it off, and butterflies of wildly different colors soaring overhead.  There was rain that would start at the drop of a hat and then stop almost as abruptly as it had begun.  Not to mention the water fountains of all shapes and sizes.  And next to those you could find many small, sandy beaches with tiny statues propped up in the sand.  Why were they there?  Were they the tribute of some miniature race of people to their ancestors or deities?  This theory could be supported, perhaps, by that fact that there were tiny tractors next to many of these small beaches.  The bugs in this place were easily larger than these tractors, whose purpose remains a mystery.  As I continued to walk, my senses were overwhelmed by the glorious aroma that permeated the air.  Pungent and sweet and vivid.  My mouth began to water as I realized that the smell was fruit.  Not like any fruit I had ever seen before, but fruit none the less.  The array of shapes, colors, and sizes was dizzying.  From fruit the size of my hand to fruit the size of my head.  Some round and soft, others hard and oblong, and still others spiny and ugly as though they were begging not to be eaten. Mountains of fruit, as far as the eye could see!  And it didn’t stop there.  As I explored this strange place further, I discovered that there was also a staggering amount of vegetables, nuts, and grains.  Each forming their own little mountain, although their smell was not nearly so alluring.  And everywhere were I looked, people were busily milling about with their heads down.  Sniffing and poking and prodding.  Looking up only if they happened to bump someone or something else and only long enough to mutter, “excuse me”.  It was almost as if they didn’t realize what a strange and exotic place this was.  As if they just took it for granted that a place as magical as this should exist in the middle of the city.  I hope I never become one of them.  As we were driving away, I looked over my shoulder trying to take note of something I could identify this place by, so I could be sure to find it again.  There was a big sign I had missed as we arrived that read, “Farmer’s Market”.  Since I cannot yet read, I don’t know what it meant, but I will remember what it looked like and I WILL find it again.
– A two-year-old’s first experience of a farmers market.

I HOPe

Posted on by

I have always loved IHOP, but my appreciation for it seems to grow in direct proportion to my age.  I have had the privilege of being treated to an IHOP breakfast with my boys for the last two Sundays in a row and both times I have been struck by the wonderful phenomena that exists there.  It is a bouquet of humanity.  One that smells of pancakes and sausage and eggs.  A melting pot of classes running the entire gambit from the very young to the very old and the very rich to the very poor.  It is Norman Rockwell’s America at it’s best – with a complete and utter lack of pretension or judgement.  Wholly sincere and simple.  One table houses a family of 7 and the very next is a table of one quietly sipping coffee while reading the paper.  It is beautiful.  So the next time you visit, don’t just feed your belly, although there’s certainly no doubt you’ll be able to do that well, feed your spirit.  Feast your eyes on the vast array of human goodness and smile.  And trust me, you won’t leave hungry.

Photo taken from pages.suddenlink.net/davew/pickin.htm

A “Little” Dinner Inspiration

Posted on by

There is something about new ideas, even ideas about such mundane things as cooking supper, that can fire me up for days.  Those of you who really know me will not be surprised to learn that making dinner in a muffin cup made me so excited and proud, that I took pictures to share with family and friends.  Roll your eyes if you like, but this supper is just too fun, too adorable, and much too delicious to not share.  So here it is:

I made teeny tiny meat pies in muffin cups!  And they turned out so well.  I was actually really surprised that they stayed together.  You could simply pop them out of their cups and onto a plate to enjoy.

The filling was made just as you would any pot pie recipe (I’ll give the specifics for mine in a minute for those of you who’d like to try it.)  Then I used crescent rolls from a CAN!  I use the reduced fat ones because of my cholesterol, but I’m sure the full fat one’s wouldn’t hurt the recipe :)  I laid each triangle of the crescent roll dough into the bottom of a muffin cup (sprayed of course), filled it with the filling, wrapped the three corners over the top, brushed with olive oil, parmesan cheese and italian seasoning, and baked (at the temp. on the roll package) for about 15 minutes!  Voila!

Let me tell you, it was delicious!  And easy to boot.  And much more fun that a big old casserole pot pie with never enough crust.  I encourage everyone to give it a whirl.  The recipe for the filling is below, but I am VERY loose with amounts so please do everything to your own taste.  These are just estimates.

About 1/2 lb of ground meat (I use turkey for my diet, but you can use beef if you prefer)
1/2 Small onion, diced
Minced Garlic (to taste)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Small Bag of Frozen Mixed Veggies
1/2 Bag of Frozen Broccoli Florets
celery Salt, Italian Seasoning Blend, Ground Black Pepper, and additional seasonings as desired (all to taste)
Saute over Med/High heat until meat is fully cooked and veggies are tender.
Add 1-2 cans of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup to desired moisture (Again, I use the Heart Healthy, Reduced Fat kind and you cannot tell a difference.)
Thin with Milk as needed.
Add Mozzarella Cheese and stir till melted.
Fill muffin cups as described above and ENJOY!