The Single Cook's Lifesaver

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Have you seen the infomercial for these Food Savers? I wondered for a long time how well they worked, and I finally bit when my sister told me she loved hers.

I'm cooking for 1 now, most of the time. Just myself. It is expensive, time-consuming, challenging, and nearly impossible, I find, to cook up just 1 portion of some things. Stir fry: By the time you throw a cup of everything into the wok, you've got a lot of cups of stuff for one person to eat. Spaghetti sauce: I'm going to simmer overnight for one serving?!

Nope. And I'm not going to throw away my good cooking with fresh ingredients, either. My leftover chicken soup kick's Campbell's ass any day.

And I'm with my sister, this is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. Here's a sampling of what's in my freezer:


That's chicken soup, a chicken breast, lentil soup, and Indian cilantro chicken curry. I've also saved breads, grilled meat, and herbs (basil and dill), and salsa.

The soups and curry's can be thawed out, heated in the microwave, or thrown into boiling water. I froze them in bowls first, then popped them out and Food-saved them.

No freezer burn with this thing; food lasts longer and tastes better. I know. I'm doing my own commercial! But I love this thing!

Tip #1: The mini runs about $99, BUT it's almost always on sale at Kohl's for half-price.

Tip #2: The generic wrap, at Walmart or Meijer's, costs a fraction of what the brand name stuff does, and it works just as well. $6 will get you a couple rolls of the stuff, and I've yet to go through a package of it.

If any of you great cooks find yourself throwing out your hard work, I highly recommend this gadget!

Red Beans 'n Rice

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I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.

Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.

I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.

Bruce delivered!

1 lb red beans—soak overnight.

Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.

Add:

2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water

Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.

Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.

This really hits the spot!

Spicy Black Bean & Corn Chili

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If you like hot... you'll like this! And it's quick and easy! I posted this recipe a long time ago and on Saturday I decided to make it a part of our Superbowl celebration. When I brought the recipe up to jot down the ingredients I re-read the comments and found one from my sister Kathy. She and her family love this chili, but she only uses 1 cup of corn when she makes it. So this time I took her advice on the corn and changed a couple other ingredients. As usual, my sister was right and now I love it even more.


Spicy Black Bean & Corn Chili

Serves 6
Easy
30 - 40 minutes

1/2 onion, chopped (1/2 C.)
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, diced
2 - 10 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 - 14.5 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C. frozen corn
1 C. water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 t. cumin
cilantro

In a stockpot, saute onion and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes more. Add the rest of the ingredients minus the cilantro. Simmer on low heat for 20 - 30 minutes more. With a potato masher, mash the mixture a little breaking up the beans. Serve with a garnish of cilantro.

Note:  I used Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies and Muir Glen Fire Roasted Organic Crushed Tomatoes when I make this.

Ethics and Children's Literature

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Today is the long-awaited first day of the conference on Ethics and Children's Literature that I have been planning for the better part of this calendar year. In fact, I remember sitting with Lisa Rowe Fraustino at the poetry-writing retreat early in January, as she helped me brainstorm how to word the call for papers. And now the conference begins this evening.

I have three keynote addresses.  Acclaimed children's book author Susan Campbell Bartoletti (who won a Newbery Honor for her book Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow, as well as just about every accolade available for her searing nonfiction for young readers on topics ranging from the Klan to the Irish potato famine) will open the conference tonight with “MovingThrough Fear: Writing History for Young Readers.”  Friday night we'll hear from prominent children's literature scholar Claudia Nelson of Texas A& M University, who will look at one moment in our long history of moralizing to children through children's books in her talk “TransmittingEthics through Books of Golden Deeds for Children." On  Saturday night, philosopher Tom Wartenberg of Mount Holyoke College will give the closing keynote, sharing his pioneering work in getting kids to talk about philosophical questions connected with ethics via picture book texts; his talk is "Teaching Ethics with Frog and Toad."

We'll also spend two and a half wonderfully full days listening to dozens of papers and talks by both scholars and children's authors. Many of the presenters are my dear friends, and I can't wait to welcome them here to the Prindle Institute so they can see my beautiful little DePauw world. The full program for the conference is available on the conference website at www.eclconference.org.

I wish all of you, my dear blog readers, could be here for the conference, too. 

Making Grading Fun

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Most college professors would say that the single worst part of our job is grading. I don't actually think this is true: the single worst part of our job is nasty, petty academic politics. That part of our job wouldn't exist at all in an ideal world, whereas even in an ideal world we would still need to evaluate the work of our students - though in an ideal world, I don't think we'd be GRADING their work, writing that fateful A or B+ or B/B- on the bottom of the page, but making constructive and encouraging comments to help our students learn. But even in an ideal world it might feel like a bit of a slog to be trudging through that stack of papers awaiting attention on our desks.

Here at DePauw teaching this children's literature class, I have finally found a way of making grading fun. Some of the conditions for this are not easily reproducible: teach subject matter that you love to a small class of highly motivated students who already come into the class loving the subject matter as much as you do.  I don't know if I'll ever in my life have these conditions as amply met as I have here.  But the other strategies I've found are strategies I could use almost anywhere.

First is to follow the best advice on grading I've ever received, from a former graduate student: "Assign papers that you yourself would enjoy reading." This means for me NOT assigning the identical paper topic to everyone with no latitude for individual choice and imagination. For this class I've let my students choose what to write about. For each paper they have a choice of three or four texts to analyze, and I give them for each text six or seven prompts to start their thinking - but they can also write on a text-related topic of their own or tailor my prompts to their individual interests. So I'll have a sociology student write about social stratification in Harry Potter; I'll have an English major write an elegant essay on the construction of the idea of home in Peter Pan; I'll have a football player (yes!) writing about the voice of the wicked queen's mirror as the voice of patriarchy in Snow White.  Each essay is different, so I read each one eagerly to see what I will find.

Second is to read drafts ahead of time so that the papers I get to grade are at a far higher level than they would be otherwise. I won't take drafts home with me to read: that would be like grading the papers twice - the horror! Instead, I offer generous office hours where I meet with students one on one to talk through paper ideas, outlines, and drafts. I am a fast reader, so in five minutes I can tell a student what she needs to do to frame her paper in such a way to answer the feared "So what?" question from the reader - how to state her thesis more clearly and crisply - which objections to her own position/reading she needs to consider. The downside of this is that the grades get too high, but I don't mind giving good grades to students who have written exquisite papers. And then when I sit down to grade I have the pleasure of writing in the margins, "Good point!" "Excellent analysis!" "Brilliant observation!"

The final strategy is to do the grading in a pleasant environment with a comforting beverage at hand. I got through quite a few papers in this last batch at the airport bar at DIA as I awaited my flight from Denver back to Indianapolis.  How I love sitting in an airport bar!  I did others sitting at home in the glow of the newly set up Christmas tree with a mug of my favorite Swiss Miss hot chocolate beside me.

So this semester I can honestly say I have enjoyed grading my students' papers. And a delicious set of final essays is still to come....

Avocado Quesadilla Appetizer

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So... I've been watching Dr. Oz lately, and he said I need to eat more avocados. Rough prescription, but I'll do my best!

Avocado Quesadilla Appetizer
4 flour or corn tortillas
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cherry tomatoes, diced
2 T red onion, diced
2 t. fresh lime juice
pinch of coriander
pinch of sea salt
Tabasco Sauce to taste
canola oil or a spray oil for cooking

Salsa for serving

Mix the avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, coriander and sea salt together. Add the Tabasco Sauce to taste (I used 5 drops) and mix. Get out 1 tortilla on a work surface. Place about a quarter of the mixture on one half, not too near edge. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling to form a semicircle. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Slide uncooked quesadilla onto the pan. Press briefly with a spatula. Cook until golden, about 1 minute, then flip and grill 1 minute more. Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into 3 wedges. Serve immediately with your favorite salsa. This recipe will make 24 wedges.
Note: The pic is not mine.

A Fresh Mimosa

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When my husband and I were in Chicago we went out for breakfast and I ordered a mimosa. It reminded me just how much I truly enjoy this drink on an occasion. When I make it, I use freshly squeezed orange juice, a dry sparkling wine (Mumm Napa is good for this) and float Grand Marnier on top. Then I serve it with a strawberry on the side of the glass.

Fresh Mimosa
Makes 1
 
3 parts of your favorite sparkling white
1 part fresh orange juice
1 T of Grand Marnier 
Strawberries for garnish

Note: The pic is not mine.

"To sleep, perchance to dream..." by my Uncle Gene

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"Sleep, that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care." Sleep has been much in the news lately, and what I have heard at two recent seminars may be of interest to you. First of all, Dr. Suzanne Salamon, who writes for the Harvard Health Letter, said: "Sleeping pills, in general, are problematic for older people. They lead to grogginess the next day and may contribute to cognitive problems, poor balance and falls." So, do older people have more problems getting to sleep and staying asleep? And if so, Why? Turns out, there has been some recent research on circadian rhythms, the daily ups and downs of energy our bodies experience. These rhythms are stimulated by how much light, and what kind of light we are getting. As we age, we do not process the blue part of the light spectrum as well. By the time you are fifty, you are only processing 50% of the light needed to fully stimulate your circadian rhythms, and, by the time you are 75, only 17%. Bottom line: unless you are very lucky, as you get older, you will not sleep as well.

Well, is that really a problem? Wouldn't it be great to have more active hours? More hours awake are only valuable if you feel you can be enjoyably active during those hours. There are some things to be concerned about, if your sleep has deteriorated. Poor sleep does raise blood pressure and blood sugar, and not only makes people less efficient in what they do, it also detracts from taking delight in what might otherwise be pleasurable pursuits.  What constitutes poor sleep? Basically, not getting as much as you feel you need. How many hours of sleep do you really need? The need  varies from person to person, but most people "need" at least six hours of sleep, and seven to eight hours  seems to be ideal. The first three hours of sleep produce physiological restoration, the next three, some degree of mental restoration. You do go through four "sleep cycles" during the night, reaching R.E.M. sleep, or "Rapid Eye Movement," and then you repeat the cycle, which may last about ninety minutes. Your first dreams of the night may last only a few seconds, the last one may last for ten minutes! Most people actually "wake up" four or five times a night, but unless you get up, you probably don't remember your instants of wakefulness. 
What can you do to get a good night's sleep? There is a lot of evidence that regular exercisers sleep better than non-exercisers, and those who exercise earlier in the day sleep better than those who exercise later in the day. Several doctors suggest that watching the news at bedtime is not a good idea: it is mostly bad news, and you should calm down, relax, meditate, or take a warm bath, or a little bit of warm milk, rather than get yourself excited or upset by what TV has to show you. It takes most people five to twenty minutes to fall asleep. Some people insist that an alcoholic "nightcap" helps them sleep, but the research indicates that while alcohol may make you drowsy, it does not promote sound sleep. What about sleeping pills? The doctors who work with insomniacs acknowledge that pills may help temporarily, but persistently caution against the prolonged use of sleeping pills, including OTC medications like Tylenol PM. One doctor speculated that the ingredient in most of these drugs would not be cleared by the FDA, if it were tested by current standards. 
In research studies, even drinking one cup of regular coffee leaves caffeine in the system seven hours later. "Four cups in the morning is equivalent to having one cup at 10 pm." Some people who insist that coffee does not bother them, find out that switching to Decaf really makes a difference. Some people seem to benefit from taking melatonin, which is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, and that does have something to do with circadian rhythms. However, as with all "supplements," getting the good stuff and getting the right dosage is not easy. One other factor that seems to correlate with older people having sleep problems: as you get older, the level of cortisol in your system, increases. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and stresses that were once easily dismissed can have a greater effect on people as they age. ("It takes less to stress us out as we get older.") Which brings me to the last corrective for sleep problems: CBT, or "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." Even a couple sessions have proved beneficial to people having serious problems sleeping. To find an expert in CBT, you may have to contact a nearby sleep clinic, or talk to your medical professional. Sleep, as Shakespeare said, is the "balm of hurt minds," so having gotten this off my mind, I think I will go take a brief nap, in the hope of being fully restored to my youthful energies...

Pasta Primavera

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This recipe came to my attention courtesy of my beautiful daughter and her boyfriend. The two of them made this over the weekend and enjoyed it so much I received an email containing the recipe along with photos! They found it on the Food Network website from Giada De Laurentis (I've included the link below). My daughter said it was easy to make and fairly flavorful. Her other comments were that it was good either hot or cold, but she preferred it cold, so it sounds like a great lunch too. The recipe below is a copy of what appears on the website but I added the two notes, "minus tomatoes," and "great for the omni's in the house". Thanks Lo!!!
Pasta PrimaveraMakes about 6 servings  

Ingredients

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
• 2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• 1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (great for the omni's in the house)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables (minus tomatoes) with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe/index.html

Roasted Artichokes & Vegan Aioli

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If you are a long time reader of my blog, you know that about three years ago I fell in love with the roasted artichokes served at The Cheesecake Factory. Recently I was in Arizona and made sure I got to a Cheesecake Factory just so I could eat them again. Then I came home and made them! Enjoy!

Roasted Artichokes and Vegan Aioli

Roasted Artichokes
2 artichokes
2 lemons
4 cloves garlic, peeled
8 - 10 T olive oil

Break off and discard the outer layers of leaves on each artichoke. With a scissors, snip off the thorny tip of the remaining leaves. Cut the artichokes in half. Slice a lemon so you have four slices. In a pan large enough to hold the artichokes tightly, lay the lemon slices down with a garlic clove on top of each. Lay the artichokes on top of the lemon slices and squeeze the juice from one lemon over the top. Drizzle the olive oil over the top as well. Seal the pan well with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.

Once roasted, use a spoon to remove the choke and grill the artichokes lightly before serving (this step is optional, but well worth it). Serve with the vegan aioli sauce.... wonderful!



Vegan Aioli

1/2 C Vegeniase
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t juice from capers
Zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: The pic isn't mine.

Smoky Chipotle Sloppy Joe's in 15 minutes

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Smoky Chipotle Sloppy Joe's are everything you would think they would be and more.  Packed with rich smoky flavor with a little kick this is certainly not your mama's sloppy joe's.

I grew up in a loving home with 7 of us.  Mom and Dad both worked several jobs and to say we were on a shoe string budget is a an understatement.  I lived a blessed life, dont get me wrong, but with such a full house time was a hot comodity.  Occasionally my mom would prepare semi-homemade food.  Sloppy joe's were a favorite.  Straight from the can.  Pure messy deliciousness!  We could never get enough.

A moist delicious smoky sloppy joe was destined for greatness in Chad's eyes and Munchkin keeps asking for more Joe's.  They pass the family test.  Serve with a salad or corn and you have a quite and easy weeknight meal.

Ready as fast as the canned variety and so much better and so much healthier!  Smoky Chipotle Sloppy Joe's in 15 minutes - your childhood is calling!

Check out these scrumptious, quick and easy comforting dishes: Click on the image or the link and it will open each one in a new tab.



How does a thick and creamy Chicken and Dumplings done in 30 minutes sound? No, its not a dream and no canned soup.


30 Minute Cheesy Pesto and Chicken Pasta Bake a fun spin on the the classic baked ziti that you and your family are going to go crazy over!


Cowboy Up! It's Chili Time! Quick-Draw Cowboy Chili is loaded w/ southwestern flavors, 3 kinds of beans, chorizo & beef. Ready in 30 Minutes.

Chipotle Sloppy Joe's in 15 minutes
serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound 93% lean beef
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped (to taste)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from chipotle peppers)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 hamburger buns
8 pickle slices
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add oil and beef.  Cook beef until browned, using a heat safe spatula to break it apart as it cooks.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine tomato sauce, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and spices.  Whisk to combine well,

Place hamburger buns on a baking sheet and brush lightly with butter.  Place cut side up.  Bake for 5-10 minutes, until they are golden brown.

Add chipotle sauce to browned ground beef.  Stir to combine.  Cook 4-5 minutes, until sauce is thick.  Remove from heat.

Serve on toasted hamburger bun with pickle slices.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com

Simple Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake

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Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!  Don't you love it???  I can't get enough of the new blog design.  I swear I just left it open on my browser all day on Saturday.  Just taking it in.  My family loves Christmas.  L-O-V-E-S Christmas.  I have been singing Christmas songs since at least June.  With Beyora (our Christmas collectible store) being in full bloom this time of year (and psst! since we love you all so much, enter coupon code SLOWROASTER at checkout and get 10% off your order!) we really feel like a couple of Santa's elves, so it was perfectly fitting to get a facelift inspired by our favorite season.

Chad (my fabulous husband and partner on TSRI) is also the spectacular graphic designer of our design firm E3Studios.  What an amazing job he did on our site.  I love the fiery buttons and the header really makes me swoon...  It completely feels like home.  The perfect place to share a cake with friends and family...

Once upon a time I was the queen of complicated cakes.  I could make just about anything and went to any lengths to complete a cake. 

Seriously???  Who has that kind of time.  So, I decided to simplify.  How about a simple moist chocolaty bundt cake loaded with cocoa, semi sweet chocolate, milk chocolate candy bar, white chocolate chips and all the same in toppings with a gorgeous ganache.  You could throw in some dark chocolate for good measure if you like.

Is your mouth watering yet???  This cake is insanely rich and delicious.  A small sliver goes a long way.  It was perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.  Everyone enjoyed this cake and I am sure you will too!

Check out these delicious and stunning desserts, perfect for every holiday!  Click on the picture or the link to open in a new window.


Peanut Butter Fudge Chocolate Cake; 4 layers of moist chocolate goodness, smothered in a peanut butter fudge frosting and chocolate ganache!



Pie for the holidays? Change it up & serve a fabulous Caramel Apple Pecan Cake - moist, flavorful and perfect for your holiday table.


Death by Chocolate cake... It is a chocolate journey! 7 layers of fabulous decadence. Unlike anything you have ever had before.


Death by ChocolateBundt Cakeserves 162¼ cups all purpose flour1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (plus more for preparing thepan)2 teaspoons baking powder¾ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon kosher salt2 cups unsalted butter, softened (plus more for preparingthe pan)2 cups granulated sugar4 eggs, room temperature1 tablespoon vanilla extract¼ cup Kahlua coffee liqueur1 ½ cups sour cream2 Hershey bars, chopped½ cup white chocolate chips½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache Frosting (recipe to follow)White Chocolate chipsHersheys BarSemi Sweet Chocolate ChipsMilk chocolate and white chocolate candy bar
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 10-cup Bundt pan and dustwith cocoa powder.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda andsalt; whisk until well blended.  Setaside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddleattachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1minute. Add sugar and beat until blended. Increase the speed to medium-high andcontinue beating, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until themixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, beat mixture 1 to 2minutes; stop mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat inthe vanilla and Kahlua.

Reduce the speed to low and fold in the flour mixture in three additions,alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, untiljust blended and no lumps of flour remain. Then add the chocolate chips andchopped chocolate.  Blend until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into thecenter of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack andcool the cake upright in the pan for 10 minutes.
Prepare ganache while cake is cooking.
Pour ganache over cake to cover equally.  Reserving ½ cup for drizzling.  Take a handful of chocolate chips and pressthe along the side of the cake.  Sprinklea small handful of chocolate bars and white chocolate chips along the top ofthe cake.  Drizzle ganache over top ofcake.  Serve and enjoy!
Chocolate Ganache¾ cups heavy cream1 cups chocolate2 tablespoons butter
Heat cream in microwave until hot, but not boiling.  Add chocolate and butter.  Cover with cling wrap for 5 minutes.  Stir until you have a smooth mixture.  If necessary warm in the microwave at 30second intervals and keep stirring.  Bringganache to room temperature.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com 

Power House Veggie Burgers

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Let me start out by saying; I am not a vegetarian.  I just choose to eat as healthy as I can.  Some days that means enjoying a meat free meal.  These burgers are so delicious, I actually crave them.  Loaded with 3 kinds of beans, sautéed vegetables and my favorite southwestern flavors, this burger will blow your mind.

I love to make a batch of these and freeze them, I take them out one at a time and enjoy them on a bun, or with a couple of sides in place of meat.  My munchkin ate one today (no bun) with mashed potatoes and corn.  I really enjoy feeding her a healthier burger. 

Real quick funny story:  We went to dinner last week with some friends and I ordered a hamburger for my munchkin.  When I handed it to her, she got excited and said "Is this a bean burger, mommy?".  Disappointment set in when I told her no, but she did eat a few bites of her burger.  It made me so happy that even my picky 'almost 3' year old would prefer this veggie burger over a beef burger.

Even meat lovers will devour this one.  Enjoy!

Make sure you don't miss these fabulous vegetarian dishes!  Click on the picture or the link to open in a new window.

A hearty vegetarian chili? No, its not a dream. It's The Best Ever Power Packed Vegetarian Chili. Loaded with flavor&completely satisfying!

Ever wonder How to Make 'Meaty' Vegetable Broth?  This special  ingredient really makes the broth more rich and hearty.

A fabulous lentil soup with Italian flair, inspired by my mom. Rich and hearty even though it is meat free, shhh! You are going to love it!

Power House Veggie Burgers
makes 12 burgers (about 4 ounces each)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (seeds and veins removed)
5 garlic cloves, minced (or pressed)
¼ cup diced black olives
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups old fashioned oats
1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1½ teaspoons New Mexico chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1½ teaspoons red chili flakes
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 egg whites
Non-propellant olive oil spray

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion, and peppers.  Cook until translucent.  Add garlic and black olives.  Stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add beans to mixing bowl and smash with potato masher or your fingers.  Add oats, spices, bread crumbs, egg whites and veggies.  Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 12 patties, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Prepare baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Cook burgers on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Guy Fieri

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com

Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup in 25 Minutes

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Whenever I think of Chicken Noodle Soup, visions of an old fashioned 20 quart milking pot packed full with a whole chicken and vegetables simmering on the stove all day long dance in my head.  The unmistakable aroma of chicken soup wafting through the air, A-L-L  D-A-Y  L-O-N-G.

Well so many years later 'all day long' is just tooooo long.  25 Minute Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup is right up my alley.  Mouthwatering flavor, so good you'll be making this over and again!  Click the link below to get this recipe that you will treasure for meals to come!

Read the article and get the recipe after the jump~~  

Check out these fantastic, quick and easy dishes from our Simple Kitchen: Creating delicious meals in a snap!   Click on the image or the link and it will open each one in a new tab.
Read more »

The Best Ever Roasted Tomato and Serrano Salsa

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The best salsa you have ever eaten is a bold statement, however...  We are making it.  This salsa is so amazing that I can't stop making it.  Chad literally devours it.  I worked on this recipe for quite a while adjusting the ingredients and the heat.  Well, finally it is perfect.  Wonderfully full and balanced.  I am so excited to share this recipe with you. 

Deep roasted tomato flavor meets the roasted serranos, onions, garlic and jalapenos to create the perfect blend.  Lime juice add just enough tart to balance the sweetness of the roasted vegetables.  The serranos and jalapenos together create a seamless heat that will warm you up!  Adding cilantro at the end gives a fabulous cool note!  All together this is perfect and you are going to love it too!

Adjust the chiles to your heat preference.  I have a mild to medium preference and Chad prefers it HOT HOT HOT!!!  I swear he must have had jalapenos in his baby bottles.  So, 5 serranos for me and 16 for him.  It is sooooo worth it!

After making such a perfect salsa there was only one thing left to do:  can it!  So, after I ran it through the food processor, I added lime juice and 2 cups of vinegar.  Brought it to a boil and let it cook down a bit.  Then, I canned it according to the manufacturers directions.  After sitting for a few days the vinegar levels off and you can not taste it in the salsa.

Enjoy!!!

Check out these scrumptious salsas.  There is something for everyone!  Click on the picture or the link to open in a new window.


Fiery Salsa has a fantastic blend of jalapenos, chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, onion, and garlic to bring the perfect 'fire'.




Fresh Pico De Gallo tastes like it came straight from the garden.




A fabulous medium heat salsa this 'Just North of the Border' salsa is perfect for Happy Hour!!!

Roasted Serrano Salsa
makes about 2 quarts

6 pounds vine ripe tomatoes, cut in half
3 medium yellow onions, cut in 1/8ths
10 garlic cloves, skins removed
5 - 16 Serrano peppers, tops cut off (5 for mild, 10 for medium and 16 for hot)
2 jalapeno peppers, tops cut off and sliced in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Prepare 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.  Set aside.

Place tomatoes on baking sheets, cut side up, dividing evenly between the two sheets.  Add onions, garlic, and peppers.  Sprinkle with salt.

Place pans in oven and bake for 60 minutes or until the tops of the tomatoes become roasted and singed around the edges.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Add to blender or food processor in batches (I do one pan at a time).  Pulse until chunky or to the consistency you prefer.  Pour into a large bowl and add lime juice and cilantro. 

Pour left over salsa in a resealable jar or container (such as a mason jar) it will store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
 
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com

Meditation, Sleep, CBT-I... written by Gene Bammel

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Meditation has been described in many ways, and there are distinctively different ways of meditating. There will be Buddhist meditators at the upcoming Consciousness Conference in Tucson, and they will set aside an hour each day, and invite beginners to "sit" with them. "How best to meditate? Simply sit still; calm your body, and then, calm down your mind. Think of nothing in particular, and do not worry about where your consciousness takes you. Within a few minutes, you will find that your body and your mind have attained a level of tranquillity that will remain with you the rest of the day." Religiously disposed meditators  might begin by thinking of Psalm 46: "Be still, and acknowledge that I am God."  " Others might begin with the invitation of Jesus in Mark 6: "Come apart, and rest awhile." Some psychologists have worked with "centering meditation," encouraging the practitioner to focus on a particular problem, the antidote to the problem, and cultivating the emotions needed to cope with the problem.
Some people seldom have a problem with sleep. Most people, however, will experience periods of some sleep disturbances, sometimes for clearly physiological reasons, at other times for emotional stresses. At sleep clinics, insomniacs often state that some nameless anxiety is the partner in their sleep difficulties. If you wake up in the middle of the night and are "anxious" about some event of the day that did not disturb you then, but does now, you are probably having a fairly universal experience. But if it happens continually, and over truly trivial matters, you probably have something specialists would classify as an anxiety disorder. "More than 40 million American adults are affected by anxiety disorders each year. However, it's often hard to judge when normal feelings of worry, fear, and stress cross the line and become a serious condition that impacts both your emotional and physical health." --Harvard Health Letter. And that is where "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia," or "CBT-I" for short, comes in. Sleep clinics often try to wean long-term insomniacs off the strong medications they have been taking, by having them attend a few sessions with a psychologist who practices this form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The heart of the therapy is as ancient as the Greek and Roman Stoics, and as modern as the Reinhold Niehbuhr serenity prayer. There are things you can change, and things you can't change, and it takes prudence to know the difference. Or as Marcus Aurelius said: "Be like the rock against which the waves continually break: it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it." In the ancient world, there were more Stoics than there were Platonists or Aristotelians, and for good reason: Stoicism is a philosophy that works. It accepts that bad things happen to good people, and tells you to take that in stride, and get on with your life. And the ancient world had large scale problems in some ways similar to the kinds of problems we encounter, although our problems may have a more global scale. The ancient world had a way of saying you can disagree without being disagreeable or hostile, but we seem to be losing some of that good sense. 
For the most part, scholars tend to be charitable in their arguments with each other, even political scientists. We have seen recently, in the public sphere, inflammatory remarks by politicians and others, where not only hostility, but enmity or hatred accompany the verbal interplay. Those scenes are disturbing, and could be sources for what might keep people awake at times they would rather be sleeping. I have no prescription to cure whatever political ills afflict us, but I do have an antidote to the "hidden anxiety" that may disturb the sleep of some. Time set aside for meditation might put the body into a more tranquil state; it might move deeply into the physiology of emotions, and put the body at rest, which may keep the mind tranquil. The sleep specialists say that the root source of some of the sleep problems of older people is due to arthritis: the joints of the body send disturbing messages when they are not moved, and may awaken one from even the deepest of sleeps. Surely some of the repressed emotions of the day, some of the raw emotions from challenging encounters, may affect our psyches in a similar manner, and bring us to wakefulness that is not easily subdued. Perhaps the daily practice of meditation, or a meditative form of Tai-Chi, might put our minds at rest, the way a warm bath might ameliorate arthritic problems. And for those who have the good fortune to sleep soundly almost all the time: meditation might either promote even deeper sleep, or, it might make them more aware of the kinds of problems that keep other people awake late into the night! Whichever outcome, setting aside a few minutes each day for the practice of some form of meditation is all but guaranteed to produce beneficial results...

My Classic Vinaigrette

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I've been making this vinaigrette for years. It's a simple, classic vinaigrette that everyone loves. It's not too acidic and has just a hint of mustard. If your serving a simple salad toss the greens in this lovely dressing and fall in love. Lately, I've been using it on a vegan nicoise salad and it's out of this world good.

My Classic Vinaigrette

1 T minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t sea salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 C white wine vinegar
3/4 C olive oil

In salad bowl, combine the shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, Dijon and white wine vinegar. Blend well. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Serve.

Note: The pic is not mine.

Summer Sandwich

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Yes, I know it's still spring, but I posted this recipe last summer. Hence the name. It's my daughter's creation. She recently made it again and I was reminded just how much I love this sandwich. It's simple and fresh. There's no added fake cheese for creaminess, no sauce or dressing to make. It doesn't need it! It goes together quickly and it's delicious!!

Summer Sandwich

Serves 4

You're favorite artisan bread
2 fresh tomatoes, sliced
1-2 avocados, sliced
red onion, a few slices
spinach
colossal green olives, sliced
olive oil

Slice the bread into thick slices. Lightly oil one side of each and grill or broil until golden. Begin layering the rest of the ingredients onto the toasted side of one slice... spinach, tomato slices, red onion, avocado and olives. Yum!

Note: The photo isn't mine. I ate the sandwich before I thought about taking a picture.

"MEDITATION" by my Uncle Gene

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Therewere more Asians at the Tucson Consciousness Conference this year than everbefore. The presence of Deepak Chopra, the special section on "EasternPhilosophy and Consciousness," and the increased interest in the Westabout the practice of Meditation probably all contributed. Dr. Herbert Benson'sbook thirty years ago, The Relaxation Response, fostered medical interest in thebenefits of the practice of meditation. Jon Kabat-Zinn has gone around thecountry for many years offering stress reduction programs at Hospitals andUniversities; he has a new book, Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming thepresent moment and your life. It is an all out, no holds barred exhortation topractice daily meditation. "In many Asian languages, the word for 'mind'and the word for 'heart' is the same word. So when you hear the word'mindfulness,' you have to hear the word 'heartfulness' simultaneously tounderstand or feel what mindfulness really is." 
Thereare many thumbnail sketches of how to practice meditation; the following isslightly modified from a recent posting on the RealAge website:--Finda quiet place to sit, where no one will interrupt you. Sit comfortably. Closeyour eyes. Breathe.--Unwind:tense and relax each body part, to bring your whole body to stillness.--Goblank. When thoughts come to your mind, repeat a mantra like "peace,"or "om," or "Cloud Nine." --Don'tmove for 5 minutes. Go for 10 or 20 minutes when you can.--Getup slowly, and keep the sense of peacefulness and calm with you as you go backto your daily tasks.
Whatdo the presenters at the Consciousness Conference have to say about this? Thereare now (f)MRIs available to monitor what is actually going on in the brains ofboth novice meditators and long-term practitioners. The bottom line?"Long-term meditators, those who have been practicing for many years, oreven decades, do enter states of very deep relaxation. Breathing rates can dropto 3 or 4 breaths a minute, and brain waves slow down from the usual beta (seenin waking activity) or alpha (seen in normal relaxation), to the much slowerdelta or theta waves." The oddity here is that most of these meditatorsare not doing it to seek relaxation, but something quite different: theymeditate to seek salvation, to help others, to gain insight, or because it isthe portal to ASCs, "altered states of consciousness," and theysimply have become habituated to this unusual experience. For such experts, thegoal is the original meaning of the word "meta-physical," they are doingsomething beyond the physical. 
Tothe person who sets aside five minutes a day and uses meditation as a mode ofrelaxation, the experts would probably say, better spend that time going for awalk, or engaging in vigorous exercise. What do I think of all this?  Ibelieve that even a few minutes a day dedicated to Meditation can help you copewith the stresses of daily life. I suspect that the experts in Meditation, whopractice for an hour or more a day, really do experience something denied tothe rest of us, something we might perceive in that occasional "Aha!"experience, something that, however infrequent, cleanses the doors ofperception, and enables us to see more deeply into what our life means. Even alittle bit of Meditation is better than none; even a few moments of reflectingon the mystery of Consciousness, the mystery of what it means to be a self, isbetter than going through life only half awake.....

Chocolate Cherry Cashew Bars

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This recipe came to me by way of my dear friend, Mary Ann. She enjoys cooking and reading blogs, and she always sends me her best finds. This one is from the blog "Peas and Thank You" and it hit a home run in my house. It's a sweet and salty, fruity and chocolaty, crunchy and chewy taste treat.

What more could you want?

Chocolate Cherry Cashew Bars

Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• Ingredients (12 bars)
• 2 T. flax seeds (or approximately 3 T. ground)
• 1/2 c. maple syrup, agave or honey (or mixture of any of the three)
• 1 t. salt
• 1 c. whole almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c. peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c. cashew pieces
• 1/2 c. dried cherries
• 1/2 c. quality chocolate chips

Directions:

Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 30 min.


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To the ground flax, add the syrupy sweetener of your choice. Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine salt, almonds, peanuts, cashews and cherries. Pour flax syrup mixture over nuts and cherries and stir until evenly coated. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the nut mixture in the baking pan evenly, from corner to corner. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until bars are slightly browned and edges are crisp. They will be soft, but will harden upon cooling.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave or over a double-boiler. Drizzle chocolate over almost cooled bars. Chocolate will be wet, but will set upon cooling.

When bars and chocolate have set, pull parchment out of pan and set bars on a flat cutting surface.
Cut bars into squares, and store in an airtight container. They stay especially crunchy if you refrigerate them.

Nutritional Info:

3.62 = weight watcher points1/3 cups = cherries

Note: The pic is not mine.

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I know I haven't been blogging, but there's a reason. One you can all relate to... stress!

Work had been crazy and I felt like I wasn't doing anything well. I had been in the middle of reading a book (for about a month), my house was screaming "CLEAN ME" as I walked through every room, the weeds wouldn't stop growing (no matter how I looked at them) and I wasn't cooking. I was a mess.

Still, there are those beautiful moments that happen in the middle of all the chaos, and you just can't ignore them. In this case, it was on Mother's Day. Everyone (including the dog) let me sleep late. I laid in bed and read all morning. My girls came home. They cleaned the house, shopped and cooked dinner. What a gift. They probably won't understand what that meant to me until they're a little older, but I know the gift will be returned to them one day.

So, when I saw what they were making for dinner I decided to help out, just a little. I had the ingredients to make a pico de gallo that would fit in nicely with the dinner the girls had planned. So I made it.

I really love adding pico de gallo to a Mexican menu. In fact, I think it's a great condiment most any time. It's also called salsa fresca. It's a fresh, uncooked condiment made from chopped tomato, onion and chilis.  Other ingredients are often added, such as lime juice and fresh cilantro. My recipe is well liked and very versatile. You can easily build onto it and I hope you do.

Also, I know it's seriously late in the year, but Happy Mother's Day ladies!

Pico de Gallo

3 plum tomatoes, about 1 3/4 - 2  cups
3/4 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon diced jalapenos, seeded and de-veined
1/2 cup cilantro
Salt and pepper

Directions

In a bowl combine all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to almost ready to serve. Let it sit out for about 30 minutes if you can. Serve.

Note: The pic is not mine.

Ethics and Children's Literature

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Today is the long-awaited first day of the conference on Ethics and Children's Literature that I have been planning for the better part of this calendar year. In fact, I remember sitting with Lisa Rowe Fraustino at the poetry-writing retreat early in January, as she helped me brainstorm how to word the call for papers. And now the conference begins this evening.

I have three keynote addresses.  Acclaimed children's book author Susan Campbell Bartoletti (who won a Newbery Honor for her book Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow, as well as just about every accolade available for her searing nonfiction for young readers on topics ranging from the Klan to the Irish potato famine) will open the conference tonight with “MovingThrough Fear: Writing History for Young Readers.”  Friday night we'll hear from prominent children's literature scholar Claudia Nelson of Texas A& M University, who will look at one moment in our long history of moralizing to children through children's books in her talk “TransmittingEthics through Books of Golden Deeds for Children." On  Saturday night, philosopher Tom Wartenberg of Mount Holyoke College will give the closing keynote, sharing his pioneering work in getting kids to talk about philosophical questions connected with ethics via picture book texts; his talk is "Teaching Ethics with Frog and Toad."

We'll also spend two and a half wonderfully full days listening to dozens of papers and talks by both scholars and children's authors. Many of the presenters are my dear friends, and I can't wait to welcome them here to the Prindle Institute so they can see my beautiful little DePauw world. The full program for the conference is available on the conference website at www.eclconference.org.

I wish all of you, my dear blog readers, could be here for the conference, too.