Veg Out

This one's for you, Mommy Goose: many of my favorite vegetarian recipes in one place (entrees mainly, not vegetable sides liked roasted vegetables--veg + 1ish TB oil + kosher salt @ 425 for 15-25ish--or glazed carrots). I've posted many of these on my blog before and the vegetarian slow cooker recipes are in the big "Slow Cooker-a-thon" post (and not repeated here). Nor are my "Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share" veggie recipes repeated. But there are lots of good ones.

And a few suggestions and ideas for anyone thinking about vegetarianism:

• Meat substitutes aren't. Tofu dogs, soy sausage, textured vegetable protein crumble only seem like to meat to people who haven't had it in a long time. That said, I don't know any vegetarians who got through a transition to a meatless diet without it. I liked "chik'n" patties and the crumble but now cook without it.
• Beware the carbs and junk, if health is your goal. Fritos are vegan and ice cream is vegetarian. And I could eat rice or bread all day. It took me some time (and some pounds) to realize that I wasn't actually eating vegetables. As famous vegetarian chef (but not an actual vegetarian, though I think she was once) Mollie Katzen says about vegetarians, apparently, "tell me what you eat, not what you don't eat."
• Adapt recipes you already make, either by just removing meat or by making substitutions (vegetable for chicken stock, cooked beans for ground meat in soups and casseroles, etc).
• And remember that some of your recipes are already vegetarian: macaroni and cheese, various pastas (cheese ravioli, baked ziti), grilled cheese and tomato soup, breakfast dishes for dinner.
• Master a few easy vegetarian meals. Soups, fried eggs, and beans (not together, of course) are my go-to dishes (though, Cuban black beans with a fried egg are good!). Like beanbag soup.
• What about supplements? Talk to your doctor. Because I eat eggs (and am not a vegan, thus getting dairy calcium), this isn't as much as a problem. But I do take my multivitamin everyday. No problem with anemia or anything in 3+ years.
• Consider what kind of vegetarian you want to be--strict? practical? eggs or not? will you eat fish (and before people get all "fish is a meat", fish is not considered a meat in Asian which is why there is still oyster sauce and such in your veggie dishes sometimes)? I'm practical, which means I'll eat around chicken to be social, not sweat the stock or the crossover of spoons and dishes, even take fish oil supplements (for my back) and not worry about the fine print of gelatin or cochineal beetles as coloring (you'd be surprised where that can pop up!). And, in a pinch, I'll eat a fish sandwich. That doesn't mean I'm not a vegetarian; it just means I have lapses. In other words, don't worry about the label. Eat what you decide to eat.
• There are, these days, zillions of places to find vegetarian recipes, especially now with the "Meatless Monday" and Flexitarian/less meat campaigns. Some off0the-beaten-path sources I like (i.e. not obvious like Vegetarian Times, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, or any of Mollie Katzen's cookbooks) are Robin Robertson's Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker (Judith Finlayson also has a similar book), Dean Ornish's cookbooks, Nava Atlas's cookbooks, and my Bloodroot cookbooks vol. 1 and 2.

Bon appetit! (though, I'm pretty sure Julia wouldn't have approved).

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Please note: If any recipes lists "chicken stock," just substitute vegetable. I haven't always edited old recipes, but the substitution works.

J D's Black Bean Soup

1/2 lb dried black beans, rinsed and sorted

olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

4 cups water

1-2 bay leaves (depending on size)

salt, pepper to taste

Prep black beans in your favorite way (either overnight soak, or 5 minute boil and then 1 hour soak). Drain.

Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Add beans, bay leaves, water, salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Adjust seasonings.

DO NOT DRAIN. Puree using immersion or regular blender.

Serve.

My note: I think you could probably drain the beans and then puree them to make a good black bean dip. Also, this would probably be good with a chopped green pepper, too.

J.D.

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Chickpea Stew with Couscous

1 medium onion, diced

3 garlic coves, minced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini

1 large sweet potato, peeled, in 1/2" dice

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup diced green bell pepper

1 cup diced, peeled tomato, canned or fresh, with juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon*

1 teaspoon ground coriander*

1/2 teaspoon cumin*

pinch cayenne (we omitted this)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon jice

1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained, or 1/2 cups homemade

2 cups couscous

2 tablespoons minced parsley or cilantro (I leave this out)

*I substituted 2 1/2 teaspoons Penzey's sweet curry powder for this and it was wonderful.

In a large pot, combine onion, garlic, and 1/4 cup vegetable broth (in fairness, I used a little olive oil to get in my daily guidelines for WW). Cook over moderate heat until liquid evaporates and onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, sweet potato, bell peppers, tomato, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne, sat, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, cover, lower heat, and simmer gently until vegetables are just tender, about 5 more minutes (nope, took almost 15+). Stir in chickpeas and cook until chickpeas are hot. Keep stew warm. Serve over couscous. Garnish with minced parsley.

Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish

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Creamy Split Pea Soup

1 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 cup finely diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 1/4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups dried split peas

1 cup diced carrots

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (I used 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence)

1/4 cup minced parsley

salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, combine onion, celery, garlic, and 1/4 cup vegetable broth. Bring to a dimmer, covered, over moderate heat, and simmer until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add split peas and remaining 8 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, cover, adjust heat to maintain simmer and cook until peas begin to soften, about 30 minutes. Add carrots and thyme. Cover and simer until carrots are tender and peas are very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish

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My Lentil-Chickpea Stew

3/4 cup brown lentils

5 cups water

garlic, 2-3 cloves minced (approximately)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon Penzey's Sweet curry

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cook lentils in water for about 20 minutes. Add other ingredients and warm through, about 10 minutes. Serve with couscous.

Mommy Hungry

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Lentil-Stuffed Bell Peppers

2-4 green bell peppers, seeded and split in half

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and sorted

5 cups water

2 cups cooked brown rice

1/2 -1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 small can tomato paste

1 small can olives, sliced

salt, pepper to taste

Boil green bell peppers in water approximately 10 minutes, or until beginning to be tender. Meanwhile, bring to boil 5 cups water and then add lentils; reduce to low heat and simmer approximately 10-15 minutes or until beginning to be tender. Mix brown rice, feta cheese, and olives together; set aside. When lentils are done, drain and add to rice mixture. Stir in tomato paste. Taste and season. Mix together, adding a little water if moisture needed.

Place bell peppers in baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Fill halves with lentil-rice mixture. Top with any remaining feta cheese.

Bake at 350F until bubbly. Serve warm.

Mommy Hungry

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Escarole and Bean Soup

1/4 lb White beans

5 c vegetable or chicken broth

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1 onion, diced

2 c chopped escarole

Salt and pepper -- to taste

croutons, optional

SOAK THE BEANS OVERNIGHT IN WATER. Drain. Place beans in a pot, add broth, cover and cook over medium heat until beans are soft, about 30 minutes. (or use canned white beans if there isn't time to soak and cook...) Meanwhile, place another pot on the stove, add oil, place over medium heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes, or until onions soften. Add the escarole and continue to cook until wilted, another 10 minutes. Add the beans and broth to the pot with the escarole. Add salt and pepper as desired, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot, with the addition of croutons if desired. serves 8

our CSA

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Garlic Escarole Soup with Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 cups stock

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 medium head escarole, washed and roughly chopped (about 5 cups)

1/2 cup Arborio rice (I just used pre-cooked white rice, as I had it on hand)

grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until caramelized. Reduce heat to low, add garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Add the salt and rice and cook for 5 minutes.

Add escarole. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, until rice and escarole are tender. Season to taste with salt. Serve with Parmesan cheese. (We didn't have cheese and so served it with a bit of lemon juice).

Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers, Greens Glorious Greens! (adapted--they had chicken stock and shredded chicken, too)

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White Bean and Kale Soup

1 lb. dried navy or cannellini beans, rinsed and sorted

6 cups stock

olive oil

minced garlic

1 onion, chopped

1-2 heads kale, de-stemmed, rinsed, dried, and chopped

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Place beans in 5-7 cups water (enough to cover) and bring to a boil. Boil hard for 5-10 minutes then reduce to a simmer. Note: this is contrary to popular bean wisdom of using either the overnight soak or 5 minute boil/1 hour soak method; but the beans were still great (even better, maybe).

When beans are tender, drain water and set beans aside. In same pot, heat olive oil and saute onion, garlic, and kale. Add approximately 6 cups stock and the beans. Cook until kale and beans are tender to your liking. Season with liquid smoke and any additional salt and pepper (I realized you could also cook the beans with a bay leaf).

Mommy Hungry

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Curried Lentil and Kale Stew

1 lb brown lentils, rinsed and sorted

2-3 yukon gold potatoes, cubed

5 cups water

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can crushed tomatoes or 1 can tomato paste (really, just your favorite tomato product)

1-2 heads kale, de-stemmed, rinsed, and chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

sweet curry powder

Boil water and add lentils and potatoes. Cook until tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute kale in olive oil with garlic and onion. Add to lentils when they are tender. Then add tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and 1-2 teaspoons sweet curry powder, plus any additional seasonings. Cook an additional 10 minutes or so. Enjoy!

Mommy Hungry

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Ethiopian-Inspired Yellow Split Pea Stew

3 cups water plus 2 tablespoons (divided)

1 cup dried yellow split peas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1 inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled,

finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

Place 3 cups of the water and the peas in large saucepan. Heat over high heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cook until almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and turmeric; cook 1 minute.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons water; cover. Cook on low heat 3 minutes. Add mixture to cooked peas; stir in salt. Simmer until peas are very soft, about 30 minutes. Taste; adjust seasonings.

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Potato-Kale Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I didn't use this)

2 cups chopped onions

2 leeks, white and light green part only, washed and thinly sliced (I didn't have this)

6 cups water

4 medium potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes (about 4 cups--I had Yukon golds)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

3 carrots, peeled (I didn't have these either)

3 celery stalks

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 lb kale (about 4 cups chopped)

[And I added minced garlic]

Heat oil and butter in soup pot over medium heat. Saute onions and leeks for 10-15 minutes, until golden, soft, and sweet. [Add garlic and saute for a few more minutes.]

Add the water, potatoes, parsley, whole carrots, whole celery stalks, bay leaves, salt, and peper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

While soup is cooking, wash kale and strip the leaves off the stalks. Discard stalks and chop leaves into bite-size pieces. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add the kale and cook, covered, over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Remove and drain.

Remove the carrot and celery pieces and bay leaves from the soup. Puree half. Stir in cooked kale and heat through. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers, Greens Glorious Greens

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Frijoles Borrachos, or Pinto Beans Stewed in Beer

1 cup chopped tomatoes or lightly drained canned diced tomatoes

2-16 oz cans pinto or pink beans drained and rinsed, or 4 cups cooked pinto or pink beans (about 1 1/2 cups raw. I just used 16 oz).

1/2 cup beer

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (NOT in my beans!)

4 oz can mild green chilies

3 tablespoons pinto bean seasoning (I picked this up in Texas; not sure what goes in it but will look)

Combine all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

adapted from Nava Atlas's The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

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Spiced Lentils with Spinach and Apples

2 cups dried lentils

5 cups water

1 cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

cayenne

1/2 lb spinach , chopped

2 medium-sized green apples (Granny Smith or Pippin), peeled and chopped

Boil lentils in water and then reduce heat to low, partially covered, and simmer 15 minutes.

Add onion, celery, cumin, mustard, ginger, coriander, and turmeric. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more, then add lemon juice and garlic. Cover and cook again for 10 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Stir in salt and add peppers to taste. Add spinach and apples at the end so they only cook slightly.

Mollie Katzen, Enchanted Broccoli Forest

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Potato and Greens Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 bunch leeks, thoroughly rinsed and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

4 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

salt and freshly ground pepper

8 white potatoes (about 3 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 3/4 cubes

1 bunch arugula or other bitter greens such as curly endive or escarole, washed

Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the leeks and stir well. Cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add stock and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes and bring back to a simmer. Cook until tender but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off heat.

Ladle about 3 cups of soup into a blender (don't fill more than halfway). Hold the lid on with a dish towel to prevent splattering, and blend until smooth. Return pureed soup to saucepan, stir to combine, and bring back to a simmer. Season to taste.

Stir in greens. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until wilted and bright green, and serve immediately.

Martha Stewart Living

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Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice

1 onion, chopped

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 lb red kidney beans (Camellia band recommended), rinsed and sorted

8-10 cups water

1-2 bay leaves

1-3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning (I use Tony's)

1/2-1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Saute onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until softened. Add beans, water, and bay leaves. Note: I do not pre-soak or quick soak the beans, just simmer all day--you can pre-soak or quick soak, drain, and then start this recipe if you choose. Boil for 5 minutes and reduce to a simmer for 3-4 hours, or until beans are tender.

When beans are almost at desired consistency, add creole seasoning. Before serving, add liquid smoke. Serve with steamed rice (brown or white, your preference).

Mommy Hungry

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Noodle Souffle

Preheat oven to 325F. Remove 1/2 pound sweet butter and 1/2 pound cream cheese from refrigerator and let come to room temperature.

Cook 1 pound wide egg noodles in boiling salted water until just done. Drain. Meanwhile, set out a 3 quart Pyrex or other baking dish.

In mixer, cream butter and cream cheese together with 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix well. Add 9 eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add 4 cups sour cream, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon salt. Taste for sour, sweet, and salt. All flavors should be strong.

Turn noodles into pan; pour cream cheese batter over noodles. Stir lightly.

About an hour before serving, preheat oven to 325F and bake noodle souffle until puffed and browned. Leftover portions may be reheated, uncovered, in oven or toaster oven.

The Best of Bloodroot, Volume 1, Vegetarian Recipes

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Pasta e Lenticchie

5 cups water
3/4 cups lentils
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, with some juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 pound vermicelli, or small tubular pasta, or pasta mista
2 rounded tablespoons finely cut or snipped parsley
Optional: extra-virgin olive oil and hot red pepper flakes or hot pepper oil, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a rolling boil, add the lentils, and cook, covered over medium-high heat, until nearly but not entirely tender, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic, the olive oil, the tomatoes, the salt and the pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and continue to simmer briskly for another 10 minutes, stirring a few times, or until the lentils are fully tender.
If using capellini, break it into 2 to 4-inch pieces and add them to the lentils. Cook, covered, at a steady simmer, stirring several times and scraping the bottom of the pot when you do. Cook until the pasta is just done, stirring more frequently as it gets closer to the point of being cooked. If using a small tubular pasta or pasta mista, cook the pasta at least halfway in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain the pasta, add it to the lentils and simmer to finish cooking the pasta.
When pasta is cooked to taste, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the parsley cover the pot, and let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot, passing hot pepper oil or the best-quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on top.

“Molto Mario”

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Black-Eyed Peas (Vegetarian version)

As tradition goes, you have to eat all your black-eyes on New Year’s.

1 bag black-eyed peas

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

garlic, minced.

salt, pepper

(try adding bay leaf)

Soak peas overnight.

In morning, drain and rinse peas.

Saute onion, pepper, and garlic in oil. Add peas. Cover with water (water is double the amount of peas or more). Cook until tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Mommy Hungry

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Red, White, and Greens with Beans Soup

1/2 lb cranberry beans, soaked in salted water overnight

14.5 oz diced tomatoes

1 head garlic, peeled

half bunch of kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Place beans and their brine in slow cooker. Set on HIGH and cook for 2-3 hours.

Add diced tomatoes, garlic, and kale. Season as necessary. Continue to cook on LOW for 4-6+ more hours.

Mommy Hungry

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Curried Apple Lentil Soup

Update: I added 2 cups of water and probably 1+ teaspoon more salt. I thought it was delicious.

5 cups water

1 cup brown lentils

1 cup red lentils

1 apple, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sweet curry powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

Combine in 3-4 quart slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

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Greek Big Beans

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups slow cooked beans or two 15.5 oz cans lima or butter beans, drained and rinsed (or actual Greek gigante beans. I wonder if you could use fava?)

28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

salt and pepper

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat oil and cook onion, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another minute or so.

Transfer the onion and garlic to a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Add beans, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Just before serving, stir in parsley.

Robin Robertson, Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

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Chipotle-Orange Black Beans

1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle peppers in adobo (plus more to taste)
Juice and zest of 1 orange
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco

Method

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Add beans and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chipotles and orange juice and zest. Cook 1 minute longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with cilantro and queso fresco.

Whole Foods website

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Spicy sweet potato and coconut soup

(you might cut this in half, this recipe feeds 14)

3 1/2 lbs orange-fkeshed sweet potatos

2 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 1/4 (2") pieces fresh ginger root, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons &1 teaspoon rede curry paste

2 1/4 (15 Oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk

7 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup lemom juice

2 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 cup & 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Baked the Sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about 45 min. until tender , remove from over let them cool.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over med.heat. Add the onion and ginger, cook and stir until tender, about 5 min. Stir in the curry paste and heat for about a min. then whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 min.

Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and cut into little bite size chunks. Add to the soup and cook for 5 more minutes so they can soak up the flavor.Stir in the juice and season with salt.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of cilantro.

Today I forgot the cilantro, Sorryyyyyyyyyy.

Miss O

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Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

6 cups chicken broth, divided

3 tblps. olive oil

1 lb white mushroom, thinly sliced

1 lb portobello mushrooms , thinly sliced

3 shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 tblps, finely chopped chives

4 tblps butter

1 cup cream

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In saucepan, warm the broth over low heat

warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in large pot over med.heat, stir in the muchrooms, and cook until soft, about 3-4 min. Remove mushrooms and their liquid and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and stir in the shallots, cook 1 min. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 min. When rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in the wine, stirring constantly untill the the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir untill the broth is absorbed. continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuosly, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15/20 min.

Stir in the cream, remove from heat, stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, parmesan, season w/ salt and pepper to taste.

Miss O

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Mushroom Quiche

Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare pie crust (we had store-bought) and line a 10" quiche pan with it. Prick intersection of rim and bottom with a fork and line pie crust with foil and weight with dried beans, corn, or lentils. Bake 5-10 minutes or until edges of the crust are a very light brown. Remove foil and beans and turn oven down to 375F. Remove pie crust from oven.

Meanwhile, wip clean (do not wash) and slice 1 pound mushrooms. You may use button mushrooms (we did); these days we use oyster mushrooms. Finely chop 3 tablespoonsonions and saute onions for about a minute in a large frying pan in 2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms; turn heat up high until liquid evaporates and they begin to brown. Stir occasionally. Add 1 teaspoons salt and 1/4 cup tawny port (we used sherry). Set aside.

Beat 3 eggs together in a mixer or a bowl. Add a grating of nutmeg, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, and some fresh ground pepper.

Add mushrooms to pie crust (note: without any liquid they've dropped meanwhile). Sprinkle1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese (we used a little more) over them and return pie to oven. Carefully add custard to the quiche. Bake until puffed and browned, 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Individual pieces of quiche may be wrapped, frozen, and later reheated in a toasted oven (our note: it won't last that long!)

Best of Bloodroot: Vol 1, Vegetarian Recipes

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Wild Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Topping:

1 1/2 lbs cubed peeled Yukon gold potato

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

dash of ground red pepper

Filling

1 cup dried petite green lentils

4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth, divided

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

4-4 oz packages presliced exotic mushroom blend (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster)

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon white truffle oil (right. it works without it)

chopped chives, optional

To prepare topping, lace potato and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes or until very tender; drain. Return potato to pan. Add buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper to potato. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F.

To prepare filling, combine lentils, water, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaf in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup vegetable broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Set flour mixture aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms; cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 2 cups broth. Add sherry, soy sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and lentils to mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in flour mixture, and cook until mixture thickens (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk.

Spoon lentil mixture into a 2 quart casserole; top with potato mxiture, spreading evenly. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Drizzle truffle oil over potatoes. Garnish with chives.

Cooking Light (235 for 1/8th casserole)

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Risotto e Fagioli

Mama made this for a change of taste. Really yummy, with the surprise pumpkin seeds. This was, I believe, one of our first risottos and soon one of our standbys.

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

4 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup cooked, drained, small white beans (can use canned but heat in chicken stock)

½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds (roast at 350 for 5-10 minutes)

½ tablespoon sesame oil

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add 1 cup rice and toss with oil. Add wine, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, cooking over moderate heat until wine has been absorbed. Add 4 ¼ cups broth to the rice, ½ cup at a time. Wait for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is al dente and a creamy sauce develops. Stir in beans, seeds, sesame oil, and cheese.

Fifty Ways to Cook Most Everything

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Risotto with Lentils

A pretty good risotto but the lentils were a little hard. And there was too much thyme. Try again, with changes.

1 cup lentils

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon rosemary, crumbled

pinch of ground allspice

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

6 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon grated parmesan

salt, pepper

Boil lentils in 3 cups water for 20 minutes, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add herbs and rice, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ cup white wine and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until absorbed. Add lentils and 5 cups of additional broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring. Wait for each cup to be absorbed before adding the next. Stir in parsley, parmesan, salt, pepper.

Fifty Ways to Cook Most Everything

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Risotto with Spinach

We love risotto and have tried several. This one is especially good with sunflower seeds.

6 cups stock

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion

¾ lb. spinach, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise

2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (1/2-1 teaspoon)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring stock to a simmer; maintain over low heat. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion; saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spinach, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl; set aside. Add rice to pan; stir until well coated with oil and translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Add stock a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more. Reserve ¼ cup stock to add at the end. When rice is almost tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 18 minutes, add spinach mixture to pan and add a ladleful of stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach mixture is heated through and rice is al dente, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter, cheese, and reserved ¼ cup stock. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Williams-Sonoma catalogue

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Roasted Sweet Garlic and Thyme Risotto with Toasted Almonds and Breadcrumbs

Continuing our obsession with different risotti, Mama found this on the internet from Food TV. It is amazing! The garlic was a little hard to squeeze out but added depth to the flavor. Our lemon thyme, the almonds, and breadcrumbs—wonderful! It took awhile to wait but was worth it. And reheats well.

2 large heads garlic, whole and unpeeled

Approximately 1 quart (1.1 litres) chicken stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots or 2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 head celery, finely chopped

14 ounces (400 grams) risotto rice

2 wine glasses dry white vermouth or dry white wine

Sea salt

1 good handful fresh thyme, leaves picked

Freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 ounces (70 grams) butter

4 ounces (115 grams) freshly grated Parmesan

51/2 ounces (155 grams) shelled and peeled almonds, lightly crushed, cracked or chopped

2 handfuls coarse fresh bread crumbs

Olive oil

For the basic risotto: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Roast the whole garlic heads on a dish in the oven until soft, about 30 minutes.

Stage 1: Heat the stock. In a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallots or onions, garlic, and celery, and fry slowly for about 4 minutes. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.

The rice will now begin to fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the vermouth or wine and keep stirring, it will smell fantastic. Any harsh alcohol flavors will evaporate and leave the rice with a tasty essence.

Once the vermouth or wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Separate the roasted garlic cloves and squeeze out the sweet insides into the risotto. Add the thyme and black pepper to the risotto. Turn down the heat to a highish simmer, so the rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladles of stock.

Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan. Stir gently. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes. This is the most important part of making the risotto, as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be. Eat as soon as possible while the risotto retains its perfect texture. In a frying pan toast the almonds and bread crumbs in a little olive oil until crisp and golden. Season with a little salt. Set to one side. Serve the risotto with the toasted almonds and bread crumbs sprinkled over the top. Lovely.

Jamie Oliver, "Oliver’s Twist"

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Winter Vegetable Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped carrot (about 2 carrots)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-14.5 oz cans Great Northern beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 cups cubed Yukon Gold potato (about 10 oz)
2 1/2 cups water
2-14.5 oz cans vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry (she left this out--the right decision, I think)

Heat oil in Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach; cover and cook 5 minutes.

Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2003 (3 pts a cup)

TGIWB?

Yep, it's winter break. And while we've had breaks literally for winter, we desperately need one from winter. But, having missed something like nine days of school because of weather, we hardly need a break from school. In fact, this was the first week since the third week of December that both of my kids have been in school for five days. And now they're going to be home for a week? I'll tell you who needs a break! But we'll make the most of it, wearing pjs all day, having backwards meals and breakfast for dinner, watching our favorite movies, reading books, playing in the rapidly disappearing snow (about which Bud is sad), making arts and crafts, whatever we can think of (even if I feel like I used my best ideas to get through all the snow days). Still, another week of school, just to get the hang of it again (for all of us--I forget to have them do their homework packet this week!), wouldn't have been unwelcome. Well, to me, anyway. Because what kid isn't always ready for a vacation? We just have different definitions of what that is sometimes. So that will be my goal this week: making it fun for all of us.

Unraveling Prayers

We're outside again today and, having cleared another little bit of the deck of icy snow, I was tugging on the clothesline to free the Tibetan prayer flags. As I did so, the kids asked me what prayers were blowing from them through the wind all over the world. I asked them which prayers they would like to send (since I don't know the specific prayers on our flags).

"The end of slavery," Sis said immediately.

And though I believe she was recalling Lincoln, the Civil War, and slavery then, it's a good prayer even now.

Then we mentioned education for everyone everywhere, having discussed at Daisies yesterday how 52 million girls around the world--that's double the number of girls and boys in the U.S.--are unable to go to school.

Peace. Hope. The end of war.

"Do the prayers work?" Bud wanted to know.

They don't hurt.

Almost a Year

I am Many Women

When sky and street merge in sullen grayness

and black trees stir in sleep,

my stove becomes a hearth.

I am many women who have looked at rain

through a flap of hide, from a hand hewn door,

and felt secure against a threatening world,

blessed within warm walls and sheltering roof.

Hands deep in flour,

powdered grain from a million fields

garnered in sweating sunlight,

I am many women who kneaded resilient dough

with strong hands . . .

brown, red, yellow and white hands.

Folding and stretching, shaping

smoothly contoured loaves

rich with the smell of yeast.

(Bread is like nothing so much as bread,

sacred in its own identity.)

The sky trades snow for night,

and the scent of baking loaves

is calm benediction for my home.

I am many women who have taken bread from an oven,

and breaking it . . .

felt consecrated.

--Patti Linn, from Gourmet Magazine, as quoted in Ada Lou Roberts's Favorite Breads from Rose Lane Farm (Hearthside Press, 1960)

It was almost a year ago that bread changed my life. For a project at church, I pledged to make my family's bread for 40 days, in commemoration of the anniversary of Earth Day. The catch was that I didn't really know how to bake. Thus began this amazing journey with bread as my guide--generous lessons from a person whom I now call friend, getting to know other people and their bread stories (including amazingly, the past owner of my house whose bread cookbook quite coincidentally came into my hands some 50 years later!), reviving my own grandmother's bread recipe some 35 years after her death, the acquisition of new skills from kneading dough to forming loaves with a better understanding of "doubled in bulk" and other hazy ideas, receiving a bread lesson and sourdough starter from my friend at Bloodroot, feeling more connected to women of the past (as in this opening poem), passing along a little knowledge and a lot of enthusiasm by teaching a workshop on no-knead bread and encouraging other friends to try it, plus educating our bread palates so to speak, decreasing our environmental impact with all those plastic bread bags, even protecting our health from high-fructose corn syrup and preservatives, which never go into homemade bread.

The best part is that I've continued to make and learn about bread in the months following my pledge (I could use some metaphor about my interest growing like yeast but will refrain). I really am just a beginner, with so much more I want to try. And it feels good that my creations are nourishing, to both body and soul (which I've recently realized is important for me in choosing a hobby). If people are coming over, I bake a loaf or make biscuits. If the kids want a snack, they like warm bread with honey. If there's a potluck at church or a friend in need, I take bread. Sure, a lot of it comes from my bread machine these days because kneading dough for 10 minutes or so is hard on my back, but no one seems to mind. And yep, all that refined flour isn't healthy in excess, but I'm incorporating more whole wheat and grains.

Anyway, it all came to mind recently when we picked up a used book at Bloodroot, one of the owner's old cookbooks, and found the quote above. She and I talked salt-rising bread, which recipe clipping she'd inserted in the book but never tried. I bought the book and know I'll be making that bread soon. It's a great journey, this bread thing . . . .

. . . but I wonder, if I could do something like it again this year for 40 days--not something Lenten like giving up chocolate or eating out or the like--what new thing would I like to try? What would you do?

Picnic in the Snow

Coat-free, the kiddos are enjoying an ice-cream picnic in their fort, having climbed across ice in their snowboots to get there. The sun is shining, the snow is melting (and it's louder than I remembered--it falls silently but melts in a cacophony of drips). It's not exactly "the green hour," but we're definitely outside. Did I mention none of us is wearing a coat? Yes, at 42F, it's balmy today here in Connecticut. I'm looking forward to many more picnics.

The Lone Star of Texas

Not because it has one star on the flag, but because, if I were handing out stars for taking care of its people, Texas wouldn't rank very high.

Yep, Texas was on the front page of the NYTimes website again, this time in an Op-Ed by Gail Collins. It's never good, ever, when Texas is in the news in New York.

Check it out . . .

• 47th in the nation in literacy
• 49th in verbal SAT scores
• 46th in math SAT scores
• used $3.2 billion in stimulus money for schools for other parts of the budget
• refusing $830 million in federal education money because Democrats are requiring it be used for students!
• and let's not even talk about the extremely conservative State Board of Education's stance on history or science, or recent textbook hearings . . . .

Are schools not important because all good religious people are homeschooling already? Or because minorities and "illegals" are in the public schools? Or because keeping the population uneducated is the only way to maintain the religious and political footholds of the conservatives and Republicans in the state? (Republicans hold all statewide offices and control both houses of the legislature.) Sarcasm aside, yes it matters to me, ex-pat though I am living here in Yankee Connecticut, because pretty soon, Texas, with its population explosion (more on that in a bit), will be educating 10% of the nation! (Or not educating, as it were.) And that affects all of us.

Now back to population:

• highest birthrate in the country
• 3rd in teen pregnancies
• #1 in repeat teen pregnancies
• and receiving $250 million in federal abstinence-only funds, because it works, Gov. Perry says
• a bill requiring only medically-accurate sex-education information was controversial, and defeated

And, even with a lesbian mayor leading Houston, don't get me started on Texas's GLBT laws. Or approach to health care for children. I'd like to be able to be proud of Texas. And I can say the people are nice and the land is beautiful and the food is good and the history is interesting and all that, but to paraphrase my fellow Texan Dixie Chicks, it's embarrassing. And sad.

I guess Texas doesn't need to warn everyone not to mess with it, it's doing just fine on its own.

When Red is Better Than Pink

When Sis earns her Red Belt in kung fu!!!! We're extra proud of her, especially because she was sick, missed classes, and couldn't practice.

Bring on those broad swords . . . .

Football Insights

"Mom," Sis said, "do you know why we rooted for the Packers instead of the Steelers?"

Pause.

"Because it is better to pack than to steal."

"I'm a Big Piece of Pink"

Whenever Sis gets her choice in what to wear to school, where there is a strict blue-green-white-with-brown dress code, she always chooses pink. Pink dress, pink tights/socks, pink tennis shoes (these, at least, she can wear everyday). And so as she got dressed for the kindergarten Winter Concert on Friday (our first: they sang, we videoed and photographed it, and I did not cry!!! Until we drove home.), she announced, "I'm a big piece of pink!"

Indeed.

But I have, perhaps righteously, perhaps judgmentally, definitely relievedly, been glad that her pink obsession does not include The Princesses. You know the ones; you must--there are actually 26,000 Princess items (and those are just the official Disney ones) on the market. They're everywhere.

That's my problem. I don't really believe liking pink or princesses, even those princesses, is bad. I don't really think it will harm her self esteem or self-image, limit her academic possibilities, or engulf her in artificial, superficial, detrimental gender stereotypes. I don't think she's "better" than the princesses per se, or the girls who like princesses and pink. I just don't want her to buy into it, emphasis on the "buy." I understand the developmental stage that Peggy Orenstein writes about in Cinderella Ate My Daughter (which I haven't read; I have read the original article, the book review, and the Motherlode post, among other things), in which gender rules are inflexible because gender itself seems so fluid to young children. But I abhor supporting the marketers making a quick buck (or billion bucks) by exploiting that.

I liked pink. I loved Princess Leia and Snow White and Belle. I was Tinkerbell, a princess, and a fairy for various Halloweens. I had Barbies, which I dressed in pink tutus. I liked to pretend I was Queen Guinevere. Mama had similar experiences (even if she was more interested in building a Lego garage for her Barbie's car!). But we couldn't overdose on princesses and pink the way girls can today; it just wasn't possible. Which meant we played with other things--Star Wars, Legos, coloring books, generic dolls and stuffed critters, board games, and such. We're both pretty confident and successful feminist women not beholden to antiquated societal definitions of "female" (well, I say that, as a SAHM giving up career for kids and making cookies and crafts at home. But it's my choice, one I'm fortunate to have the luxury to make. And I didn't do it because of princesses.). Princesses, pink, Barbies, whatever are fine in moderation, like most things (even Star Wars and Legos!). Which is why we painted our fingernails last week--you guessed it--pink! If Sis wants to be a princess, let's go for it. And while we're at it, let Bud explore gender rules and fluidity too . . . and so to be fair, Bud painted his, too, but blue--his choice--and then he painted my toes, one foot blue and one foot pink. I see it as a normal expression of her age's obsession with super heroes (in addition to their obsession with gender roles)--because who are the female superheroes in our culture? You guessed it.

Except, usually, those movie princesses aren't enticing enough. Sis likes her superhero models male--Luke, Harry Potter, Simba--maybe because they do more than dance around singing with animals (okay, except that last one!) while waiting for their prince. So, let's not reject princesses.

Let's just encourage more interesting ones.

Which is why I liked Motherlode's list of books about non-traditional, non-Disney princesses.

That Robin-Blue Box and Other Treats

Mama doesn't like Valentine's Day. Like many of the older, long-married people quoted in a recent NYTimes article about gift giving, Mama resents being told when to show her love, preferring to spread gifts around throughout the year. Additionally, many of her gifts aren't physical objects, but gifts of time, generosity, thoughtfulness--letting me sleep in, unloading the dishwasher before I get to it, bringing my shoes inside before I go out in the cold, finding just the right show ("Downton Abbey"!!!!) to watch on Netflix.

Except this year.

Because Friday night, she nonchalantly said to me, as we were preparing tea and scones for our "Downton Abbey" marathon, "I did get you something for Valentine's Day. Do you want it now or later?"

Surprised, and never one to delay gratification, I laughed and said, "What, chocolate? A little blue box?"

And it was!

There was a little robin's egg blue box from Tiffany's, with a pair of dangly, rose quartz earrings. Beautiful. Unexpected. Special. Surprising. Typical of her. Especially because we'd agreed, as usual, not to bother, and so I hadn't, beyond a homemade card. It reminds me of my mom's story about one of my dad's most romantic gestures: as they were heading out to dinner around Valentine's Day years ago, he reached under the car seat and handed her a much-desired Swatch watch.

I guess you do look for someone like your dad. Even if he's a she!

Otherwise, we had a relatively low-key Valentine's Day. The kids barely finished making their 20 cards for class--Sis made foamy-sticker covered cards, with pencils attached when she learned that other kids would be giving treats, while Bud signed his name to paper-airplane valentines from the store, since I remembered how hard it was to get him to make cards last year.

At church, the kids had made several cards for the congregation, which they helped distribute Sunday morning before their own party. One of the little wooden baskets my kids had decorated with their names on it went to another young mom in the congregation, I noticed. I had (more than) half-hoped she'd offer it to me, since her child had made one for her specifically as well (which I actually made sure she got after service, it having been left on the table), but she didn't. I'm trying not to care.

In perhaps true twin fashion, the most important valentines for the kids came from each other, cards they'd both worked on at school and were eager to exchange. Bud also made a giant paper heart with other hearts for Mama and I, which he'd kept under his pillow all week as a secret. We had cards for them, plus fleece scarves in pink and blue. Sis wondered where the chocolate was!

They got enough of that at school. Even though Bud was borderline sick, with runny nose and a sleepless night, he didn't have a fever and so I wanted him to be able to participate in that important school rite: the valentine exchange. She'd decorated a shoebox, he a bag, and they passed out their cards (a fair-to-everyone unlabeled batch of 20 to prevent them from favoring one child, ignoring another) in an impressive ritual. But they couldn't sort the loot until they got home, dumping it out on the table and exclaiming over all the pencils and candy hearts and chocolate kisses and lollipops and fruit-by-the-yard and tattoos and gift baggies and stickers and . . . and . . . and . . . figuring out what was from whom, who liked Princesses and who chose Spiderman. The collection was much more impressive than I used to get. And clearly just as awe-inspiring and impressive.

Eating the treats off and on throughout the day, the rest of our Monday was pretty routine until they hit exhausted meltdown midday. So we didn't call anyone, didn't finish the cards we were behind on for the whole family, didn't refrain from greedy-grabbing and throwing and crying, except long enough to rest while watching Ratatouille.

With bedtime at 6:30 because of all the tears, Mama and I had plenty of time to continue our "Downton Abbey" marathon, this time with orange-chocolate truffle cake. All in all, a pretty good Valentine's Day.

Our Six-Word Love Story*

Following the trend this Valentine's Day, here's one for us:

Summer friendship warms women long after . . . .

What's yours?

(*It's more cheerful than, though not nearly as evocative as, Hemingway's famous six-word story: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn.")

Revealed

Blue sky, between the parting clouds.

Even some sun, glaring off the still-white snow.

Green grass on the melting edges of the sidewalks.

Squirrels out of their nests and eating all my bird seed.

A party of birds--dove, sparrows, blackbirds--near the creek, singing their spring songs.

There was even the first robin!

The sound of moving water, melting or flowing through the creek.

Dog poop, long hidden in the snow.

Christmas decorations not removed before the Boxing Day blizzard.

One of the three bushes in front of our house.

Part of our little garden fence.

That spring smell.

My light jacket, not my heavy winter coat!

Food for the Mind and the Soul

There was a sermon on church which has fundamentally altered the way I perceive religion, the Bible, and, ultimately, God. Not bad for 20 minutes, right?

I'm going to recap what I understood or feel to be the most salient points, the ones I have mulled for a full day now. And, because I try to keep my blog relatively anonymous, I'm not linking to the text or the minister, but can help you if you send me an email.

What I Have in Common with the Religious Right

Shocking, no? Me and the Southern Baptist Convention?

We're both, the minister suggested, literal interpreters of the Bible, though with totally different outcomes and agendas: (in my case) they because they believe it word for word and me because I don't believe it word for word. Gone is any appreciation of the subtle art of metaphor, perhaps a better way for a religious liberal like me to approach scripture. Surely as an art historian and educator I can do better than black and white.

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalms 46:10), which Mama learned as "Be still, and know that I am," apparently has a different connotation in the original Hebrew, the minister told us. "Be still" is closer to "let go" or even "unclench." Is that like "relax"? Stop being uptight? Stop taking it literally? Let go of the baggage of your indifferent atheist upbringing in a Southern Baptist world and your existence as a feminist lesbian mom in a country where feminism has become a bad word and same-sex marriage and/or parenthood is illegal in the majority of states? No wonder I find that so hard to do. Who wants that God?

As the minister pointed out on Sunday, much of the misunderstanding starts with the word "God." Taking the word literally, as a conscious patriarch on high, I can't open the King James or New Revised and flip the pages in any seriousness, much less belief, especially considering how the Word has been used by its enthusiastic and literal followers. I hadn't given much thought to taking the word metaphorically, at least not so specifically. Sure, I've heard "God is love" (1 John 4:8--didn't even know it was a Bible verse til Sunday. And yes, unless it's a medieval altarpiece or Cecil B. DeMille movie, I am biblically illiterate), but still tripped over that first part. And so when the minister began substituting "love" for the name of God (taking John literally, I suppose), particularly in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (part of the traditional Jewish prayer, Shema, and utilizing a Jewish tradition of questioning scripture to more fully understand it), it transformed the verse:

Love our God, Love is one.⁵ Love Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

And got us all thinking . . . .

What Color is Your Ultimacy?

Because the minister asked us to name God. Think of the value, the "ultimacy," that is most important to you, the one by which you guide yourself on the path of life, the one which matters to you most above all. Substitute the word "value" for "God" and we religious liberals are all over that. We understand what we value; we have a list of principles to help clarify it for ourselves and others. Anything to avoid using that extremely laden word.

Do you have one? Had you thought to name it before? Some said family, others hope, still others children, some interconnectedness, some peace. And, of course, love. What for me, existed before, exists now, and will exist after me and is more important than anything? I paced (because I still don't sit in church) and contemplated it. Do I live (or try to live) a value, a single value, that encompasses all? Does it really need a word (even if, "in the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1)? "Family" seemed too constricted, leaving out the importance of community. "Community" seemed too limited locally. "Love" struck me as too cliche, which makes it hard to think on, especially during the month when love is literally for sale for Valentine's Day. For now, I've settled on "compassion," which I think includes love and respect, care and concern, locally and globally, for people, animals, the earth, my vegetarianism and non-violent communication and mindfulness/meditation practice and Unitarian Universalism.

Lingering Questions

But is compassion "God"? Do I need to call my values "God"? Aren't I still an atheist, since even if I name God "compassion", I don't believe in heaven, hell, or a divine patriarch? Don't such spiritual matters really transcend language, which is imperfect to capture what we mean, much less the truth, which I find unknowable (see the fascinating Rabbi Lurie's "The Rabbi Who Believed in Zeus")? Would the Religious Right and I really be communicating if I were thinking metaphorically and they were thinking literally? And why do we need to communicate? Does the religious left need to engage the Religious Right on their own playing field? Doesn't that give the Bible more authority than I think it should have in our society, our government, and our laws? Would I be willfully misunderstanding the intentions of the authors of the Bible? Does it matter? Or can I find value in the Bible the way I do in the spiritual texts of other faiths, past and present, letting go, "unclenching" so to speak, my prejudice against it? And what do I tell the children? Is "God is Love" literally and metaphorically the answer?

Definitely something to chew on . . . .

-=-=-=-=-=-

Food for the Stomach

And there was soup!!!

Spicy sweet potato and coconut soup

(you might cut this in half, this recipe feeds 14)

3 1/2 lbs orange-fkeshed sweet potatos

2 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 1/4 (2") pieces fresh ginger root, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons &1 teaspoon rede curry paste

2 1/4 (15 Oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk

7 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup lemom juice

2 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 cup & 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Baked the Sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about 45 min. until tender , remove from over let them cool.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over med.heat. Add the onion and ginger, cook and stir until tender, about 5 min. Stir in the curry paste and heat for about a min. then whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 min.

Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and cut into little bite size chunks. Add to the soup and cook for 5 more minutes so they can soak up the flavor.Stir in the juice and season with salt.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of cilantro.

Today I forgot the cilantro, Sorryyyyyyyyyy.

Miss O

Happy Valentine's Day!

May your day be rosy!

Love,

Mommy Hungry

Seeing Red

Bud successfully completed his kung fu test today, completing two forms to earn his red belt. We're very proud of him. And after all the nerves, he's very proud of himself.

Yay, Bud!!!

Good Luck, Bud!

Bud is going for his red belt in kung fu today. It's a long process, where he attends a review class, performs, watches and waits while all the other levels perform, and then learns in the final ceremony if he's earned his next belt. He started getting nervous last night but held it at bay most of the morning. I think this might be the first time he's actually been nervous like that about something. Test anxiety, I guess. Just another American childhood rite of passage?

We know you will do your best, Bud!

TGIF

The kids are at school. There is no new snow (even if it was 12F this morning). And I'm getting caught up.

Have a good weekend!

Tidbits

From the week of illness:

Sis cried because she wasn't going to school; Bud cried because he was.

-=-=-=-=-=-

On the day that Sis was at the doctor, Bud was thrilled to find me home alone, "I get you all by myself."

Similarly, Sis literally skipped through our grocery run today happy to be a single child. Or just happy to be out after 3 days at home.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Today Sis embraced doing homework with great zeal. And even did an extra packet which we must have forgotten one of those incomplete snow weeks. Bud, as usual, whined and moaned dramatically through it all.

-=-=-=-=-=-

This is the first full week of school Bud has attended since two weeks before Christmas!!!! So used to the words "delay" and "dismissal," he commented earlier this week that he "dismissaled all my soup!"

Crisis in Faith

Not that faith. Not real faith. In fact, if I'd embraced my UUism and lessons from Buddhism, it wouldn't have been much of a crisis.

But last night, when we realized that Yahoo had erased, obliterated, annihilated, deactivated one of my email accounts--the one that included all of my professional work from all my museum jobs, an account I obviously don't check often because I haven't needed them--I too felt erased in a way. That professional identity--with all my contacts, my documents, my work history--gone in a flash. And I had wanted them more than I had in the last 6 years because I'm starting a new volunteer position as an educator at an historic house museum and am writing curricula and other materials. So I tried to log into my old account. But Yahoo's new policy is to deactivate email accounts, erasing everything, if you haven't used it in four months. And they never told me.

I cried myself to sleep, in the glow of the computer light.

Because Mama was convinced that somewhere, somehow there was a backup, that she had been careful, conscientious, and cautious six years ago.

And she had.

Only not with the email account, because it's not possible to download Yahoo, but with my work files, which were carefully labeled on a CD which she'd backed up to an external hard drive, way back when. So, even though the emails and contacts and such are gone, I have anything that I wrote and stored on my own computer.

Bless Mama, who stayed up very late to retrieve the documents. (And she is now double-backing up and/or printing out all manner of things--a decade worth of pictures, 500 pages of a cookbook, the entire text of this blog, our address book.)

Though, I tried hard to convince myself it hadn't mattered in that 12 hours I thought it was all lost. Telling myself that I needn't be attached to those files because I could make new ones, or even more importantly, be attached to that old professional identity, which had little to do with my life today. If/when I ever go back full time in museum education, here in a new state, my contacts will have moved on, my documents will need to be updated, everything will have changed. The security blanket of data that I have held on to--the one that offers the protective cover of tools should I ever need or want to go back to that work, proof that I'm capable and employable--really holds little safety or protection, I realized. But it had held, very tangibly, who I used to be. And that is what I mourned last night.

Looking through the documents this morning--pre- and post-visit activities, tour confirmations, docent training manuals, public program announcements, class syllabi, lecture texts, conference presentations, grant proposals--brought back all sorts of memories from about a decade of work. It was both bittersweet, remembering all that I used to do, but also confidence-building, here as I begin a new journey.

Beyond learning to have faith in myself (and in Mama!) and in the way things unfold, I was reminded not to put too much stock in perceptions (or ideas/beliefs about myself, career, past) or in things.

Especially computers.

(Yes, some of you will note that, in the end, a computer did save the documents. True enough. But I think it's more the symbolism of it. I could've had printouts of everything, too. Might, even, in the basement somewhere. It's the faith in the belief that I needed these things, truly needed, not just wanted because I'm attached to them--that I couldn't be happy or survive without the documents, or my recipes or blog or even pictures--that was false (even if we're still gonna back it all up, because there's more than one lesson we're working on here.) That, and Yahoo sucks.)

Distraction

Sis painted my fingernails recently. Pink. Pretty, glittery pink.

And I haven't removed it yet, even though I find it utterly distracting. Every time I do something, I find myself looking at my hands moving. It all feels very disembodied and disconnected, as I observe myself. I'm like my own flâneuse.

Fair is Tough

I wrote a few weeks ago about how I was inspired to go fair trade in my purchases of tea, coffee, and chocolate. I'm finding that decision much harder than I expected. My usual stores don't carry fair trade chocolate chips (candy bars are easier); in fact, I didn't see any at Whole Foods either. And there might only be one flavor of fair trade tea, never decaf, at the regular grocery. As for coffee, that is the easiest, but not easy. I'm not giving up; I just need to develop a supply line that doesn't rely on last-minute grocery store runs or trips to Whole Foods. I guess I'll be buying online. But I'm disappointed . . . because, out of tea this morning, I picked up my old brands.

Welcome to Twindom!

So excited to hear that the kids' preschool director (must think of a new name beyond Madame Director, now that you're retired!) is now the grandmother of twins. You'll love it! (especially because someone else will have to get up with them!!) Just see how often you find yourself saying, "I can't believe there are two of them."

Day 3 (and 4)

It's been quiet on this northeastern front because Sis is home with fever again today, day 3, and will likely miss school tomorrow as well. The doctor is surprised it wasn't strep; it wasn't flu either. Or ear infections. So just your average virusy-coldy thing. She's been fairly miserable, even watched 3 movies the first day, which is unusual for her. (Thank you, Mama Teacher, for the very generous bag of movies you've loaned us. They're very excited.) And fell asleep on my lap for more than an hour yesterday while Bud was at kung fu, also highly unusual (no worries about her and the kung fu test this weekend; the master said she can reschedule). But this morning she seems more perky, if still low-grade fever.

Of course, in true twin fashion, she's very sad to be missing school and he's very sad to be missing home ("I'm the only one going to work today," he moaned when he heard that Mama was staying home to take Sis to the strep test). And so they annoy each other with that fact the first hour or so after he gets home!

But at least there's no snow!

Redwall Remembered

It was with sadness that I read about the death of Brian Jacques, creator of the richly-imagined Redwall series of books for young people which followed the adventures of animals--mice, badgers, otters, hedgehogs, squirrels, and the like (especially against their foes the weasels, rats, etc)--in a medieval world. It was one of the first books Mama and I shared together, mainly because her little brother Goo, who was about 13 at the time, was intrigued with the books (then it was Pokemon, which we also tried to keep up with). Jacques did tell a good tale and paint it with lively details, particularly the food, which was later cataloged in a cookbook. I vividly remember making strawberry cordial, from some Redwall fan site, one day with Goo. The kiddos had liked Jacques's illustrated tale on the Snow Badger very much so we looked forward to sharing the novels with them, still will, of course. We are just sad that there won't be any more.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Redwall Strawberry Cordial

2 lbs. strawberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 liter of plain seltzer

2 tablespoons water

1 pint heavy cream

Wash and slice strawberries. Heat strawberries on low flame in saucepan with ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. When soft and rendering liquid, add the other ½ cup of sugar.

Strain strawberries over bowl, saving juice. Crush strawberries until only seeds and fibers left. Add to juice.

Cool juice. Add seltzer to strawberry juice to taste. Add cream to cordial to taste and texture. Sweeten with powdered sugar.

Refrigerate at least an hour or until chilled.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Spring Awakening

Temperatures rising. Sun out. Blue sky visible. Birds chirping.

And I even saw "a little bit of earth." With grass!

I love the groundhog.

Almost

Well, both kids almost went to school two whole days in a row for the first time in four whole weeks . . . except that Sis is sick.

Yep, after an entire fall with nary a sniffle (after two years in preschool of missing at least a day or two a month!), she coughed all night and has a low-grade fever this morning. I must be out of practice because I should've guessed from the miserable day she had yesterday with lots of tears.

Bud did head to school unhappily, saying he was feeling "left out and anxious." But I'm told he was fine once he got to pick the music and play with one of Mama's car toys (yep, Magic Trunk strikes again--this time a figurine from How To Train Your Dragon, though I think he just had it on loan!).

Sis is settled in bed happily watching Return of the Jedi while I do some things in preparation for hanging out with her this morning.

Sick days just aren't like snow days.

The Vegetarian's Dilemma

The kids are in their Lion King phase now, loving the music first and then seeing the movie on Saturday. Now we're lions all the time--Sarabi (me), Simba (Sis), and Nala (Bud).

Including at dinner tonight.

Where we ate zebra legs, hyena brains (hot, because they'd been having evil thoughts!), elephant trunks, and elephant ears. Every now and again, one of them would bound away to "pounce" on another unsuspecting resident of the savanna and then "drag" back some bits.

It was almost more than I could stomach, truly.

Only I did it because they were actually talking about tofu fresh and fried and maybe dried, seitan both canned and fried, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms, plus a bit of chicken and pork, all leftover from yesterday's New Year's feast.

It's a sacrifice I was willing to make, as they (mostly Bud) tried all new foods. And liked them.

And now we're listening to Lion King, of course. But this time the Broadway musical, because they really want to see it.

I had thought 5 1/2 was a bit young for Broadway. Especially at, what, $150? a ticket!! But wouldn't that be fun for spring break?? Or maybe for their sixth birthday . . . .

Gong Xi Ni!

Good Luck to You!

YAY PACKERS!

We had a picnic, literally in the bed with grilled cheeses and cookies, watching the first half altogether, celebrating all those touchdowns while I explained football and we rooted for Green Bay. Why Green Bay? Because the Steelers beat the Oilers back in the 70s? Because we like Mama Teacher and the Steelers beat the Jets, her family's team? (I won't say it was just because of Roethlisberger because there's more to the Steelers than him; but I don't like what I've heard about him.) Who knows. Anyway, the game was a lot less enjoyable once the kids went to bed, even though I liked the Black Eyed Peas' show, mostly because the Steelers almost came from behind.

But they didn't.

Congratulations, Cheeseheads!

(And I bet that made for a great party, Granny Q!)

Happy Year of the Rabbit!

Xing Jia Eu-ei!

Chinese (or Asian or Lunar) New Year started this week and it is the year of the Rabbit, much to Sis's excitement (it's your year, Aunt Banana, which makes you extra-special!). With all this snow, ice, and fog, we haven't had our family celebration yet. And we're definitely ready to celebrate this spring festival this year!

Think It's My Accent?

I just noticed that my daughter's brown paper bag groundhog puppet is labeled "Filil."

Think I say "Phil" with a drawl?

At It Again

No, not snow.

Well, at least until tomorrow.

No, it was date night!

Dinner at Bloodroot was treacherous to get to--the ice there is amazing to behold this side of Antarctica--but the meal was incredible: endive and avocado with watercress salad, a walnut mushroom (I think) pate, French cream of mushroom soup to die for; then very spicy Haitian red beans and polenta-cornmeal with collard greens in coconut milk and a deconstructed butternut squash pasta with walnuts and sage (and Selma came to the table and gave me the recipe!); ending with this amazing boozy toffee cream with fresh fruit and the out-of-this-world butterscotch pudding. Sure, the ice scared me, but the food was an incredible reward! Plus two cookbooks from the used section which prompted a discussion with Selma on salt-rising bread, which she's never made. I told her I would try.

Bookstore next, with lots of titles to browse that we didn't buy. Because, come on, why pay $16 in the store when you can get it for $9 with free shipping online, often from the same company???? But at least we know which ones we like: Mark Bittman's Food Matters, Anne Perry's The Sheen of Silk, Christopher Kimball's Fanny's Last Meal, NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, and several books for the kids including Meet Felicity, Ivy and Bean, and Socks. We did get a Mary Jane's Farm magazine and a book on Chinese characters which actually has Bud and Sis's Chinese names.

A nice outing, before the snow is, well, at it again.

The Poor Farmer's Fertilizer, or "The Bune and the Seyle"

We are all dreaming of spring. Literally. I have had several dreams that the snow has thawed overnight, at least mostly, to reveal green grass; I'm a bit disheartened that it's gone but usually very excited to see green.

Today, the children put on a puppet show, which title they carefully inscribed on the marquee of the theater, "The Bune and the Seyle" (read "The Bunny and the Seal"). The title characters have green trees (blocks and scarves) and flowering plants (leis in discarded paper tubes) and realize that some of the flowers give birth to baby bunnies, much to everyone's delight. The end. Loud applause. Twice more, a few variations, lots of applause.

Bud was a tad disappointed about the Groundhog's prediction, thinking it meant the end of snow immediately and the complete inability for him to have another snowball fight. Sis just keeps assuring him that spring will come soon. Not today.

And not Saturday or Tuesday/Wednesday, when we are expecting more snow. Someone at church called snow the "poor farmer's fertilizer," which I'd never heard before. If it is, my garden is going to be gorgeous! I do pine for seeds and plants and gardens. As you might know I'm a novice, even relatively indifferent, gardener at best (meaning I forget to weed and water, trusting the plants to be hearty and do their plant thing in nature as nature intended. Maybe "ignorant" is a better word.) But reading And the Good Brown Earth and How Groundhog's Garden Grew to the kids, flipping through The Green Hour and Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots and Sunflower Houses and Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars, I get carried away somewhere warmer . . . . I have a Seed Saver catalog upstairs and am having delusions of grandeur of tipi-shaped bean poles covered in flowering runner beans with large yellow squash and kale nearby, and herbs and hanging tomatoes and even some flowers, watered by my rain barrel and with mulch from my "Death Star" composter . . . . with trips to our CSA and to the PYO for berries to put up again. At least I have 6 more jars of strawberry jam to get us through until the snow melts (which I'm predicting for April, later for our 8' mountain), until I can have my postponed Groundhog Day party turned "welcome spring" garden-planting party.

Until then, I say, bring on that fertilizer!

New Year's Questions (Better Late than Never!)

Here we go, a recent list of likes and dislikes, to mark the passing of time and fashions, literally out of the mouths of babes for the first time:

Bud

Book: Boxcar Children

TV show: "Imagination Movers"

Movie: Clone Wars

Song: "Be Prepared" (Lion King)

CD: Lion King soundtrack

Musician: Imagination Movers

Color: blue

Number: "I like 10."

Food: "meat-sauce spaghetti"

Flavor: strawberry

Animal: penguin

Day of the Week: Thursday "because I like P.E."

Ice Cream: strawberry

Candy: marshmallows

Restaurant: sushi

Toy/Thing: Legos

Thing to do: build Legos; snowball fight

Place to go: birthday parties

Saying/Words: [giving thumbs up]

Happy thoughts every night: baseball (!)

What he wants to be when he grows up: "I don't know."

Sis

Book: Luke Skywalker's Amazing Story

TV show: Scholastic videos/stories

Movie: Star Wars (really wants to see Lion King)

Song: "no."

CD: Lion King soundtrack

Musician: Dave of Imagination Movers

Color: pink

Number: 5

Food: chocolate; chicken tenders

Flavor: chocolate

Animal: bunny rabbit

Day of the Week: Thursday "because of Daisy Scouts"

Ice Cream: chocolate

Candy: chocolate Tootsie rolls

Restaurant: Bertucci's

Toy/Thing: Amy and Shirt; Legos

Thing to do: build Legos

Place to go: Bounce U

Saying/Words: "I don't have one."

Happy thoughts every night: bunny rabbits

What he wants to be when she grows up: "Paleontologist."

Mommy

Book: right this minute, liking my American Pie book and inspired by Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook (did NOT like Stuart Little with the kids)

TV show: nope, well, maybe "Big C" but I can't watch the last two episodes yet (yes, I was addicted to "Tudors" for a long time, plus David Rocco's La Dolce Vita)

Movie: HP7 and the others

Song: Sugarland's "Stuck Like Glue"

CD: Sugarland's albums

Musician: Guess. No, Indigo Girlss.

Color: Purple

Number: 12

Food: still chocolate, lentils, bread, but now also pie

Flavor: jasmine, rose, cardamom

Animal: panda, koala, cat, otter, groundhog

Day of the Week: Friday/Saturday

Ice Cream: coffee ice cream in coffee

Candy: truffles or dark chocolate

Restaurant: Bloodroot

Toy/Thing: my 'droid

Poet: nope

Author: looking forward to reading some Sally Gunning. Just liked Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

Blogs: Karen Maezen Miller; sewandsow.blogspot.com

Magazine: Shambhala Sun

Thing to do: make new recipe, like crepes or pie

Place to go: anywhere is good these days

Saying/Words: counting my breaths

Happy thoughts every night: my family

Church Treats

Fellowship hour is one of my favorite parts of church, if only because I can rarely last through the entire service these days anyway (I don't like to pace too much in back during the sermon and so usually leave at that point, missing, I guess, the point). So Fellowship is when I get to talk to people, check in with friends, find out what the sermon was about.

Hi to Miss D, by the way! She, grandmother of twins, donated to church our kiddos' highchairs which we'd given her and it was so odd, bittersweet perhaps, but also even a relief (as in, ah, it's so nice not to have to lift them up or hand feed them or clean up slobber anymore!) to see those bright blue chairs. Funny what you forget, like the toys we just gave to church--Little People castle and farm, Peek-a-Boo tower, big block with different activities, Baby Einstein Rockets, Handy Manny tools--some older, some more recent, that they just outgrow.

Because they're always growing.

Anyway, there have been some tasty treats during Fellowship recently, one that even had a congregant fall to his knees dramatically in front of the baker to worship her skill (I know there's a UU joke here, about worship taking place during coffee not service, but I can't find the wording!). I list it here first.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Miss M's Pineapple Bake

2 cups canned fruit (can be cocktail, this used crushed pineapple) 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 box yellow cake mix pats of butter Layer ingredients in baking dish in order listed and bake til bubbly. Miss M -=-=-=-=-=-=- Minestrone with Lentils and Tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large Spanish onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves 2 bay leaves 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 10 cups basic vegetable stock 1/2 pound French lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove debris 2-28 oz cans whole tomatoes, drained and diced 1-3" piece Parmesan cheese rind 1/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice 1 head escarole (or chard or kale) chopped 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat for 4 minutes, until tender. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and cayenne and stir to coat the vegetables. Add stock, lentils, tomatoes, and cheese rind and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the rice and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the greens and grated cheese, cover, and let steep for 1 minute. To serve, remove bay leaves and rind, ladle soup into bowls, and top with parsley and shaved cheese. Daily Soup Cookbook -=-=-=-=-=-= Classic Quiche Lorraine Oven 450F Stir together 4 beaten eggs, 1 cup light cream, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and dash ground nutmeg. Stir in fresh basil and chopped, drained tomatoes and sauteed onions, plus 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese; mix well. Line pie dish with uncooked pastry shell and prick. Fill with beans or heavy foil and blind bake for 5 minutes. Remove beans or foil and bake 5-7 minutes more or until pastry is nearly done. Remove from oven; reduce to 325F. Pour cheese mixture in hot pastry shell. If necessary, cover edge of crust with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake for 45-50 minutes or till a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. adapted from Better Homes and Gardens by the husband of Miss A at church

What To Do In The Snow

I've been reading and posting on how those of us in the snowy parts of the country can cope with more snow days, mainly ideas for playing indoors day after day after day now that the snow pack isn't snow anymore but a slippery glacier.

But now, my family down in Texas is looking at a 1-3" snowstorm. So I want to tell you, who might not be familiar with the fun of snow, some of the things we do up here (though, you'd need more than 3" for some of these and all snow is not created equal). Not that I think you'd run out of ideas:

• snow ice cream--1 can sweetened condensed milk in a big bowl (5-10 cups) of fresh snow (leave bowl out overnight). Note: some people add vanilla; another friend just mixes snow with a box of lemon pudding!
• snow candy: boil 1 c maple syrup and 1/2 T butter on the stove + pour into clean snow in ribbons (or bring it inside on a cookie sheet if possible) = candy when it cools
• snow slushie: more clean snow + your favorite soda = an icee
• snow painting (mix food coloring with water in spray or squeeze bottles)
• snowmen (start with a small snowball and roll it across the yard to make it bigger; if you can't make a snowball coalesce, it's not the right snow). And people are just the beginning!
• snow forts (just pile up walls, leaving an opening for yourself)
• snow angels
• snow labyrinth--step out a maze in the snow and follow it around
• snow ball fights
• snow castles (like sand castles)
• snow tunnels (actually, we can't do this one even with 8' mound out front because the snow pockets collapse)
• snow furniture--make beds, table, whatever and play house outside
• writing/drawing in the snow
• build fairie houses in the snow using fallen branches, dead leaves, etc.
• put out bird seed for animals or even make little bird feeders (stale bagels with nutbutter/corn syrup and seed)
• sledding on cafeteria trays, certain kinds of trash can lids, or the like if you don't have sleds (um, not that there are hills where you are)
• identifying animal tracks
• identifying people tracks by their shoes
• catching snowflakes on your sleeve
• taking bowlfuls inside to show/amuse pets or really little ones

Good Luck, Texas! (Or, What To Do About The Snow)

We see you're getting 1-3" of snow! So, here's some advice from a seasoned pro (NYC 96; Chicago '99; CT '11):

• Don't go out driving if you don't really have to--stock up on beer today! And sweetened condensed milk, if you want snow ice cream (just don't forget to put the big bowl out the night before).
• But do go outside, dressed appropriately. That whole thing about heat escapes from your head is a bad misunderstanding of science. Heat escapes from whatever you leave exposed and in that study they left heads exposed. They've studied feet since then, I believe, with heads covered, and the exact same amount of heat goes out your feet. Except people aren't as likely to forget their shoes in the snow as their hats! Wear both.
• I doubt you'll need a snow shovel. If the snow is fluffy enough, you can literally sweep it away. Just don't try to shovel snow with a garden shovel; you'll ruin your back.
• As for ice melt, don't bother--you don't want that stuff in your water supply. We have sand (or kitty litter) for traction, but almost never have to use it. Rock salt works but is best if it's sunny.
• Keep an eye out for icicles and knock them down with a broom handle as they form because they can pull off your gutters.
• Make sure you have wiper fluid (oh, and gas!) in your car; you'll use a lot to defrost it. Got a scraper? Some people put sheets on their cars--you can, as long as it's completely dry before you do so. Otherwise, you have a big frozen fabric mess. And we're not in the "pull the wipers away from the window" camp because we think heavy snow will just break them off. Better yet, just park your cars in the garage (a luxury we don't have up here).
• As for pipes: we have an internal shut off for outside pipes, something you might not have. Inside pipes have never really been a problem except one year with temps at zero for days when the kitchen wall pipes would freeze overnight. So, now on really cold nights, we just set our dishwasher to run in the middle of the night. No more problem. Oddly, I never hear pipe recommendations up here (a la the ones you might hear to leave the water dripping all the time) so maybe basements keep that from being as bad?? But really, that has nothing to do with snow.
• Enjoy! It's always prettiest as it falls and is fresh. And it gets gross really quickly.

Ideas for an Ice Day

Check out Motherlode's guest post today for good ideas for being with your family on a(nother) snow day.

And then look at last year's very similar post, with good ideas amid some of the more righteous comments, or my post on it.

A Pretty Mess

A sheath of ice more than 1/4" thick shrouds are yard and trees. With temperatures rising above freezing, it sounds like it's raining, as a month's worth of snow begins to unfreeze, or like glass shattering, as sections of hard ice fall off wires and branches and smash on the solid snowpack below. While it had been quiet and still this morning, the street is now alive with activity: people scraping cars, shoveling walks, knocking off icicles, and, most interestingly, a municipal truck cutting down a tree that has sunk too low into the street under the weight of the ice. Mama has worked, both inside and out, doing our share of ice removal. The kids even helped for a bit, pushing ice off the vinyl roof of their playhouse from the inside, creating an avalanche of ice. We're inside now, for warmth, lunch, and rest.

Trust the Groundhog

Check out Phil!

Ice Storm Cometh

With a new 1.5" of snow today, we're looking at about half that again in ice tonight and tomorrow. Mama is planning on working from home if need be and the kids have totally forgotten that Wednesday would otherwise be a school day! No one expects there to be school tomorrow and I'll go so far as to say there won't be any on Thursday because it'll be cold and none of the ice will have melted.

So, it's the "new normal." We'll play--Lion King Ninjas who live in submarines and/or a boxcar (I'm serious, we played all of that today, sometimes simultaneously)--bake, eat soup, do some arts and crafts (probably class valentines), practice kung fu, ignore homework, call friends/family to tell them it's a snow day, blog, email, do Legos, watch a movie (not Lion King which we don't have, probably something from Lucas or Miyazaki), read (we're two chapters away from finishing Chocolate Fever and it's either Junie B or Ramona or The Water Horse or The Reluctant Dragon next because the library didn't have the next Boxcar Children book), and just enjoy another day without getting on each other's nerves too much.

I guess it's good practice for the holidays coming up . . . President's Day and then Winter Break . . . because we need a holiday from all of these holidays!

(Note: School now goes to the last week of June and they are taking days off spring break in April. Why not February break, only the bureaucrats know.)

Scratch 'n Sniff

I have never, as far I know, made pudding from scratch. Until today.

Having made some strawberry jello for Bud (from a box, but I'm going to tackle making homemade flavors with gelatin this summer), Sis and I decided to make chocolate pudding with my new box of cornstarch. We made up a double boiler with a pot and stainless steel bowl and made up whole milk with 1% and half & half (that's 3 tb half & half with milk added to one cup, so here 1/2 cup + 1 tb half & half plus milk to add up to 3 cups). I had Ghiradelli double chocolate chips (6 oz = 1 cup). And we had pudding makings! Sis very carefully babysat the milk/cornstarch, less carefully helped clean up the ingredients during a lull and spilled almost the entire rest of my new box of cornstarch (that's 16 oz or so on my floor, folks), but c'est la vie. You don't cook with kids if you want your kitchen to be clean. Back to the pudding: the smell alone as we added the chips to the thickened mixture was divine as it all melted together. Mmmmmm, incomparable. And I haven't even had a real bowl of it yet, just lickings from the spoon, which was all that was left after the kids wiped clean the bowl of the double boiler and the bowl into which we strained the pudding, almost lump free because Sis stirred so well.

It's going to be a good snacktime.

(And if that's not enough, I have some new "early American" GMO-free small-kernel popcorn from Little Pops I can make! Since we've forsaken microwave for stovetop-popped, thanks to Mama Teacher.)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler, simmering gently and stirring occasionally to scrape down sides. When the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon (about 15 minutes), add the chocolate and continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. (I wonder if you could add almond or orange extract instead??)

2. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and distribute into serving bowls.

3. Cover with plastic wrap (placing wrap actually against the pudding if you don't like skin) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

from Smitten Kitchen via John Scharffenberger

You Guessed It

Snow.

No school.

Home.

Playing "Lion King Ninjas."

In our pajamas.

Happy February!