Here We Go Again

     So blogging themes or rather pimping my blogs bling. Can be very addicting. What would have taken ten minutes to do, takes now a minimum of three hours of fiddling, with or without deleting, and we all know how I feel about deleting. The HTML language is a unknown planet for me. HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, already I am like what??? Basically to a novice, such as myself, it is the "code" behind every web page.

     Gaining an understanding of HTML requires me to go deep surfing.  Which ends up being a Sunday or two with good weather. But a Northeaster with a possible school closing could tip me into the favors of the HTML edge.

     These days I plan in advance the times, that I will teach myself something new. The last time I went too deep into web surfing, in the name of blogging. I caught a nasty Google Redirect Virus. Boy, I can't describe how irritated and desperate, I felt. Problem with that virus was you had to fix it with a browser besides Google. Wow, that was like an hour I wasted, trying to beat the virus from redirecting me, and then Google telling something I already knew. 

     So instead of trolling for blogging bling, I found myself trolling techie sites, to help me out of the pickle that I found myself in. I was not going to call my Dad, because he is way smarter than me. I would have to answer his serious questions : "What were you doing"?, "What sites were you on"? and my favorite "Why"?, that one stings the most.

     My main objective is to avoid Sensai Martin's (A.K.A my Dad) questions. This process took some time, because I had to read the solutions carefully, and cross reference with other sites.To get the overall best solution. I am sure that the computer monitor felt verbally abused during this process, but I don't care.

     Summer is just about over and my son's are preregistered for their annual wake up call. The planned event will kick off on Tuesday, August 30th at 0700 hours. I am taking the day off, so that I can relish in the grunts, groans and and overall apathy, that a new school year brings. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and good news I get my house back, squatters 0, Mom 1.

     The weather is changing again, it crept up on us. The mornings are cooler and the days are shorter. I wish I could bottle it, and sell it on EBay, I would make a fortune. When the weather gets cooler, my desire to make hearty meals comes back. In the summer, who cares. Next week the squatters must once again exercise their grey matter, and I get some semblance of order back until June 2012.

Rocking Tomato Pie

1 prebaked  9 in deep dish pie crust
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 egg white
5 or 6 vine ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
4 green onions finely sliced
1 tsp fresh lemon peel
1 clove finely minced garlic
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked provolone
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

 In order to peel, seed and slice tomatoes. Remove stems and cut an x into the bottom of the tomato. In a saucepan bring water to a boil, once water is boiling add the tomatoes for about 30 seconds, or until the skins begin to blister. Remove and cool in ice water. Peel the skins, cut in half and gently squeeze the seeds out. Slice the tomatoes and place in a colander sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Brush the pie shell with 1/2 of the egg white and in a 400 degree oven par bake the pie shell. Cool and brush the shell with the remaining half of the egg white, allow to dry and then brush with the mustard. Sprinkle the pie shell with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar and layer the shell with the tomatoes, green onions, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon peel. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (trust me it is worth it). In a small bowl combine the remaining cheddar, smoked provolone and mayonnaise. Top the pie with the cheese mayonnaise mixture and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown.

Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken. ~ Bill Dodds





    

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night :) :)



This is the rare photo of my oldest son, notice the antiquishness of it?



     So today is Saturday, my ultimate favorite day! Number one favorite reason is, because my brain does not have to register work mode in the morning. Two because well, that's obvious, I don't have to work!!!! I love it, I love it, I love it!!!!



     Today was your average run-of-the-mill day for Paige. I must say, it is far easier to scare your children into doing common sense things, than it is employees. Perhaps, I should treat my employees, like my children, and then I might get some action. I am too nice, I need to develop a backbone or a Z-snap. In this day and age, a Z-snap holds more weight.

    You'll be happy to know, that my rather largish burn from said 4-wheeler(not mentioning names) is doing much better, thanks to Dr. Bookwalter and his amazing silverdene cream. If it was not for my Monday job, I might be in the ER tonight. Boy that is fun, been there a gazillion times. Between both hands, I must have had over 45 stitches applied. I take my nickname: Stubby very seriously. If only they had a Blue Ribbon for most stitches between both hands.

      The drama in the Vermont has been at a minimum this week. I heard from my great friend Roberto, he got locked out of his facebook account, and of course, I think any communication beyond, so and so likes your post or ,so and so commented on your post, is bogus, I then just ignore. He called me bless his heart. Love you Roberto!!! I will give you, the facebook secrety-secret code anytime.

     Well tonight I decided I was going to make both my son's favorite faux vegetable (gotta love Jessica Seinfeld, she is the guru, of hiding the veggies) dish. Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Fritters. They hate the smell of the cauliflower cooking, so kick them outside during that process. But the end result sometimes deserves a picture to the grandparents, of said kids, eating the veggies.

Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Fritters

1 large head of cauliflower
1 tsp salt
1 12oz or 1 pound package of thick sliced bacon
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup flour
1 large egg
fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt
1 tsp granulated garlic
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon finely sliced scallions

Rough chop the cauliflower and place in a pot with the tsp of salt, cover with water and boil until the cauliflower is soft. Drain and place in the refrigerator until cool, about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile render the pound of bacon, until the strips are crispy then drain the bacon on a paper towel. Reserve the grease. Caramelize the finely diced onions in 1/4 of the bacon grease you reserved. Set aside. Pull out the cooled cauliflower and mash the hell out of it, add the caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 1 egg and the 1/2 cup of flour and mix well. Season with the black pepper, kosher salt and granulated garlic~form into 3oz patties. In a saucepan, heat some of the reserved bacon grease and fry the cauliflower patties on both sides until brown and crispy. Serve with sour cream and scallions.

    Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant? I'm halfway through my fishburger and I realize, Oh my God. I could be eating a slow learner. ~Lynda Montgomery

Southern Comfort

     Something about the threat of snow, makes me want to rush out and fill my refrigerator with comfort food. Nothing says loving like a home cooked meal. That is why, I have always been a fan of diners, because they serve classics that your Grandma used to make. Rarely, have I been disappointed with a diner's menu. I love the look, the feel and the ambiance of a diner. If it has 1950's decor, I am even more enamored. Shiny chrome soda counters with cherry red seats, mini jukeboxes at the tables, signifying a simpler time, when kids met after school for a soda, or to share a banana split. I think that is what is missing now with society, nostalgia has no value or worth. Personally, I think if everyone shared a banana split from time to time, there would be less intolerance.

     So what to make for dinner?, is my primary conundrum. Food really looks great in print. I can have it all whipped up, and be doing the dishes by the end of the paragraph. Writing about dinner is definitely easier than actually doing it. I try to be adventurous when planning dinner, however, it does backfire on occasion. One time, believe it or not, I attempted a slider recipe online.  I didn't have a printer at the time, and I was too lazy to write it down. So, I quickly scanned it and believed I got the gist of it, meaning I only read the ingredients. Well long story short, your supposed to cook the meat before you layer it on the dinner rolls. The result was a greasy, barely palatable mess. It pays to read the entire recipe, and not make it up as you go along. It would help if my guys were a little daring. We stick to the old standbys, that get us through the week:  hamburgers, sloppy Joe's, chicken pot pie, and goulash to name just a few.

     I must have been a Southern woman in my prior life, because southern food is the epitome of comfort food. Smothered pork chops are a sheer act of genius, I have never met a baby back rib that I did not like.  Southern food is your Grandma's big heart, tattered recipe cards kept in a rusted tin on top of her stove, she cooks from that heirloom cast-iron skillet, catfish dredged in cornmeal , chicken and dumplings, the dumplings stewed with the chicken until they are tender and falling apart. Biscuits so light they could float, hoecakes fried with butter and finished with rich maple syrup, hush puppies light, crispy and sweet with the flavor of corn and onions. Blackberries as big as strawberries, growing right outside her window and southern sweet tea brewed in the Alabama sun and sipped from Mason jars, from her porch on a long summer evening. A southern woman's kitchen holds the history of years of cooking, the nostalgic scent that intoxicates us all. I am swept away just writing about it.

     I tried Collard greens on my family and believe it or not, the experiment worked my kids adored them.

Collards, Gould Style

6 cups chicken stock

3 cloves of garlic
1 onion diced
1 pound of bacon, diced
3 bunches of collard greens, rinsed well, trimmed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon butter
couple pinches sugar
1 pinch red pepper flakes

In a stock pot render diced bacon until crispy, add diced onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Add chicken stock and simmer, add collard greens and let cook down on medium heat for about 45 minutes. Turn down to a simmer, season with the salt and sugar, cook an additional 45 minutes to an hour, the greens should be tender and dark green. Drain the greens and add butter and red pepper flakes and mix. You can reserve the liquid to reheat leftovers.

A three-year-old gave this reaction to her Christmas dinner:  "I don't like the turkey, but I like the bread he ate."~Author Unknown

If you don't quit it, I am gonna.........

     This time of year it is easy to forget that we are all moving way too fast, and in different directions. Funny when I was younger, I don't remember life moving at warp speed. Christmas vacations seemed to last forever. Oddly, I can remember being anxious to get back to school to share what I had got for Christmas. In those days it was Atari, Rubik's cubes, and Swatches. My sister and I loved those watches. Now, I see the same moments in my children, summer vacations that feel like a lifetime,  having marathon cartoon sessions, staying out after the street lights come on, and writing out your Christmas list complete with drawings and definitions.

     My husband and I, for 13 years were unable to go anywhere without the boys. That also entailed if they were younger, all the necessary stuff one needs to go out of the house with a baby. Diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, bottles, burp clothes, pacifiers, more clothes, coats, hats, mittens, toys, etc, etc. I was smart or maybe not,  I had my children 6 years apart. So I only had one baby's stuff to haul around, however, I did get to do it twice, instead of doing it all at once with two little ones.

    When we did go anywhere, we inevitably heard the "I wants" out of the children. Some days, you could weather the battle, while other days, you threw in the towel. I have been known to leave a full cart in the store. Raising kids takes lots of love, patience and understanding.

     When I had my first child, I kinda kept him in a glass box, he never had a wet diaper for more than a second. I read all the books, tried all the tricks and generally I think I over mothered him. I even went out and got a child leash. I was nervous, it was new, I wanted to do the right thing. When the second one came along, I was tired, and amazed that I was going through the whole diaper thing again. You never know family, until your sister-in-law (love you She.) is helping you learn the fine art of breast-feeding, all the while the baby is screaming, I am sweating, and all I want is for this very awkward moment, to have a happy ending. Surprise, it was a happy ending, the baby started on formula, and I realized that I was not cut out for dairy farming. It is ok, I have accepted it.

      What I was not prepared for was the second one, he wanted no part of rocking, cuddling or smooching. He wanted food, a burp, a diaper change, a swaddle, then leave me alone. I was not equipped for non-nurture language. You have no idea how right on I was.

     This boy wanted a taste of the outside very early, and put Jeff and I, through some pretty stressful times. We did not have the skills to deal with mobile boy. We installed a slide lock INSIDE the door, he was a convict that wanted to be sprung. As he got older, and more crafty we removed chairs, because he was able to stand on the chair and reach the lock. With chairs gone, he realized that a broom handle or any stick for that matter would work to slide that lock off. So you can imagine that we were always on our toes.

     Back then, dinner in my house was similar to feeding time at the zoo. Not even one minute into dinner, the statements would commence "I don't like meat", "What is that green stuff?","Can I have something else?", "What if I just eat one bite, can I have dessert?" What was funnier still, was that I, a 38 year old woman was bartering with a 3 year old.

     We learn, we adapt, and we eat way more Macaroni and cheese than we want to. I have enjoyed exposing my children to food, that they otherwise would never eat. The are curious now, about things that they have never seen. Like Pomegranates,Ugli Fruit, Passion fruit to name just a few. That is the one thing that I enjoy about technology, we are able to enjoy fruits, vegetables and international cuisines. Items normally not available to the consumer are now widely available. I just LOVE IT. What follows is how to tackle an artichoke. My kids love them ,I am not sure if it is the actual vegetable, or just because we dip it in butter.

1. Decide how many artichokes family will eat, we usually polish off 4 or 5.
2. Rinse your artichokes under cool water, some people recommend wiping the chokes with a soft brush, to remove the film that it produces during its growing period.
3. With a sharp knife cut the top off the artichoke.
4. Remove the stem, in a fashion that will allow the choke to sit standing up.
5. With poultry shears trim the artichoke petals, by snipping the tips off, those tips can cut prick you, and end an otherwise enjoyable family dinner.
6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, with a large lemon cut in half and squeezed into the water.
7. Place the rinsed,trimmed chokes into the boiling water and cover, cook until they are tender, meaning when pierced with a knife it goes through the base with ease.
8. Melt some butter and let the kids pull the petals and dip in butter and suck the tender flesh off, working their way until all the petals are removed. What is left is the heart, remove the fuzzy covering, cut the heart up and enjoy.

A vegetarian is a person who won't eat anything that can have children.~David Brenner

The Devil made me do it~

Besides the fist pump, Snooki and the Situation, New Jersey has the Jersey Devil. It is a mythical creature that has haunted the Pine Barrens for 260 years and has been witnessed by over 2,000 people.But how did such a story come to pass. Legend goes that Mrs. Leeds was a poor woman, and barely eked out an existence. She found out she was pregnant with her 13th child. She complained to friends and relatives that the "Devil could take the next one", and that is just what the Devil did. When the child was born, it was described as a monster, which was said to have flown off into the darkness of the Pine Barrens. I don't know about you, but the word Barrens itself scares the crap out of me.

In the first five years of the Jersey Devil's birth, the townsfolk were terrified of the Pine Barrens because of the unexplained sightings. A local clergyman decided to exorcise the devil, banishing him from the townsfolk. There was one catch however, the banishment would only last 100 years, after that the Jersey Devil was free to return.

While the exorcism was performed there were two sightings of the horrible creature by two very reputable figures, with no reason to make stories up. One was a naval hero Commodore Stephen Decatur, and the other the former King of Spain and brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Bonaparte. 100 years to the date the Devil returned and ravaged livestock with a vengeance. The people of Pine Barrens were gripped with terror again. As time marched on,the vast number of sightings caused New Jersey to enter a Sate of Emergency. Residents were instructed to be indoors by nightfall, and secure all animals at night. The newspapers regularly reported on numerous sightings, although the validity of the Devil began to wane. Somewhere, somehow, one person recognized the notoriety of the situation and in 1930, the Jersey Devil became official. The state's hockey team was the Jersey Devils.

     In 1966, sadly a farm was raided and 31 ducks, 3 geese, 4 cats and 2 dogs were killed, one dog a very large German Shepard had his throat ripped out. Then in 1987, a rather aggressive German Shepard was found mutilated and the body was located 25 feet from where he was originally hooked up.

     Many people from the area disagree, about exactly what  the Jersey Devil is, is it a bird? One teacher suspects it resembles a Pterodactyl based on the tracks it leaves. Whatever it is, it has been seen by reliable people, police, government figures, postmen and area businessmen. The tracks and footprints even if they were hoax's, what explains them being on roofs?

     Where ever the truth lies, one thing is for sure.  It is hard to collaborate over 2,000 stories of the very same creature as far as the New York Border..I'm just saying....

     If you are in the Jersey area for Halloween be sure to lock yourself up in the most haunted prison on the eastern seaboard.  The Eastern State Penitentiary  is the place for you.  If you would rather take a leisurely hayride through the haunted Pine Barrens then the Night of Terror is the ride for you, the attractions are not for the faint of heart and guaranteed to scare the socks off you. If wandering around a maze is your idea of a good time, visit Corner of Chaos Haunted Maze New Jersey's largest walk-through attraction, where perhaps you could come face to face with the Jersey Devil and join the many eyewitnesses.  Be sure after you have been all scared out try The White Horse Diner, for the diner food that your Mom used to make, everything from Liver and Onions to Chicken and Waffles can be found here, a great end to a perfect evening.

Deviled Corn Pudding

4 cups of corn cut from the cob

1 can cream corn

1 medium onion, diced finely

4 tablespoons bacon fat

4 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp prepared mustard

1 (8oz) box of corn mix~ Jiffy works great

2 eggs

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

GENEROUS SHAKES OF TABASCO

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cheezit crumbs crushed up

2 ozs melted butter

In a sauce pan add bacon fat and saute onion until translucent add flour and cook for a few minutes on low heat.  Add milk and can of creamed corn and cook until slightly thickened. Season the sauce with the mustard, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and hot sauce.  Mix well.  In another bowl mix the Jiffy mix and slightly beaten eggs until well mixed.  Set aside.  When the sauce has cooled slightly add the four cups of corn and fold in the corn meal egg mix into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into a well-greased baking dish and top with the crushed cheezit mixed with melted butter and bake in a 350F oven until the crumbs are golden brown.

Avoid any diet that discourages the use of hot fudge.~Don Kardong 

Guaca ~~what?

Well I am proud to say that I lost 17.2 pounds.  Weighing in at 184.2 pounds, allowing for clothes that is close to 18 pounds, but I will take any number lost.  I am not fussy.  I know this will be a long journey, I did not put the weight on overnight, and well logically it will not come off overnight.  That is the problem with me, I want instantaneous results, and I am sure I am not much different from anyone else.  We have become a society of before and after, the problem for me is I seem to end up at before over and over again. The Doc. said genetics play a role in your propensity to gain weight, you know "Your Big-Boned".

 Funny thing I never viewed myself as big-boned, in fact I could convince myself of just about anything at times.  We don't always want to see the truth. The truth hurts, but it also can be the motivation to relearn all that you have been taught about food and dieting. 

  As many of you know, I am a chef and I have spent a lifetime surrounding myself with good food, so it is no surprise that I am overweight.  I have struggled my entire life with weight issues.  Having the career that I do, you'd think that I enjoyed torturing myself.  We are always learning, and I think life is one giant classroom, you learn and then move on to the next lesson. I am relearning how food works in my body. The food industry wants you to believe that eating 100 calorie snack crackers somehow helps you lose weight, but what they don't want you to know is that those same crackers can spike your blood sugar causing a short burst of energy followed by an equal decrease in blood sugar leaving you hungry, this is a vicious cycle that I know very well.  What is my solution? , it is to choose foods that will aid in the full feeling.
      Like avocados, yum..these odd little fruits also known as alligator pears bring several advantages to the dieter, its high fat content helps to satiate(feeling full) thus avoiding overeating. When we go to the supermarket we gravitate toward low-fat items and unfortunately avocados have unjustly been categorized as the culprits.  We need to reprogram ourselves, and begin to realize that fat is OK, fat will not make you fat.  Say that five times fast.

Guacamole

2 avocados, medium, peeled, pitted
1 tomato diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 scallions chopped
1 small red onion minced
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Mash avocados and add all ingredients, and season...and serve with your favorite tortillas...also good served alongside broiled fish.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.~ Virginia Woolf

The Gilfeather...a turnip of champions.

     Most people that don't come from these parts, know or even wonder about the Vermont delicacy,  the Gilfeather turnip.  Its history is somewhat mysterious, and you have to know someone that knows someone to get it in time for Thanksgiving. But when you get it, you'll be happy that you did.

      The Gilfeather is a distant cousin to the sweet white German turnip.  It became part of Vermont history when John Gilfeather, described as" a lanky bachelor of few words" from Wardsboro, Vermont began growing this unique turnip in the early 1900's, and through hybridization became what it is today.  John Gilfeather knew a thing or two about enterprise, and he kept the seeds to himself and cut the tops and bottoms of his turnips to prevent reproduction.  The strange thing about this vegetable is that after the first frost the mild taste becomes sweet and the texture creamy.  The Gilfeather is one of few widely recognized and officially certified vegetables indigenous to Vermont.   Wow, so why the secrecy?  There is a debate out there that Gilfeathers are in fact rutabagas, but the distinction can be askew because in Colonial times turnips were referred to as rutabagas and vice-versa.  Whether it is a rutabaga or a turnip is not so important as the celebration that honors John Gilfeather's wacky vegetable.  On Saturday, October 23rd you can take part in the 8th annual Gilfeather Turnip festival, a fun family day filled with turnips. Admission is free and a popular feature of the festival is the turnip tasting, where local chefs vie for the best turnip recipe.  New England is full of festivals and The Keene Pumpkin festival is the Finale that definitely ushers in the winter.  If you are in the neighborhood and like turnips this is your party.

      The magic and nostalgia of New England is in full bloom right now, and tradition is weaving its tangled web. Every weekend from here until the quiet slumber of January is full of events.  From Maine to Maryland you can celebrate small town folklore and cultural heritage that makes New England a place to remember.

Gilfeather Turnip Soup, A Wardsboro Tradition

1/2 pound butter (Cabot's of Vermont the best)
2 pounds of gilfeather turnips, peeled and chopped
2 onions, minced
2 cups minced celery
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
8 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of cream
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a kettle and saute onions, celery and garlic until sweet smelling and translucent.  Add chicken stock and turnips and let simmer until turnips are tender.  In a food processor, puree soup until smooth. Return to stove top and simmer.  In a small saucepan melt the 1/4 butter and add 1/4 cup flour and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.  Transfer some of the hot soup to the flour mixture and mix well.  Add back the mixture of soup and flour to the kettle and simmer until slightly thickened.  Add cream, nutmeg and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with fresh croutons.

   You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans.~ Ronald Reagan(1911-2004) quoted in the Observer, March 29 1981

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!!!

The best thing about living in the Northeast is the definition of the seasons.  As much as I would love the summer to never end, there are quiet moments when I notice in the morning that the air has changed. It is crisper and more vivid.  During the month of August, I go through a roller coaster of emotions, "I wasted the summer being me", I wrestle with the "I should haves". The summer dies, so to speak,  and the fall is born. I adore the smells of kitchens busy with fruits of summer harvest. As much as would like the fast lane to never end, at some point the quiet solitude of hibernation seems very attractive.
   When I moved to the Northeast, I was young and I could not appreciate the seasons, I was too busy trying to be "me", I missed it, or rather, I did not appreciate it.
     Now, time has a habit of catching up to you and your eyes are open.  WOW!!!, is all I can say, the trees are creatures of their own habits.  This year is truly a wild ride.  The hills are ablaze with reds,oranges and yellows, and I can say, I hear you Mother Earth!!, you have announced the advent of winter.  At times I wish, when I was younger that I could notice the subtle changes. But my life was too noisy with jobs, children, and family.
   The one holiday that I adore is Halloween!!. The two holidays that I actually decorate for is Halloween and Christmas.  Halloween means to me the doorway to rebirth and rejuvenation.  Sure, there are those that can argue that Halloween represents evil, but that is their interpretation.  To me it is honoring those that have went on without me.  What better way to celebrate their lives than give them their own day.  It is unfortunate that death is associated with skeletons and evil. 

   When I think of Halloween, it conjures Pumpkins!!, the kind that you trudge through the muddy terrain to find, in fact it is the "Great Pumpkin", the one gourd that is worthy of your company.  The perfect spectacle to your holiday!!! Most people do not realize that the gourd you carve to welcome the trick or treater's is also a very versatile player in the root cellar.  It is known as the winter squash and can reach a weight of over 75 pounds.  Most parts of the pumpkin are edible; the flesh, seeds, leaves and even the flowers.  It is boiled, baked, steamed and roasted. It plays a role in all of holiday dinners.  Pumpkin has a honorary seat to every Thanksgiving feast. The classic pumpkin pie, the one time that Cool-Whip is appropriate.
But as we are stuffing our faces on the holiest of stuffing days, let's remember that pumpkins were once believed to relieve freckles, they have zero cholesterol(that is important for all us "old farts"), low salt and contain beta carotene that helps prevent certain types of cancers and helps lower the risk of heart disease , and the seeds help to reduce the risk of prostrate cancer.

   This is the gateway to the holiday roller coaster.....we get on and we all hope that we can stay on till the end, so much is happening, family, friends, co-workers, etc.  But in the end when we open our eyes each morning we remember the crisp air and vivid mornings when the hope of a fruitful spring is a distant dream.

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.~ Voltaire

The Food Ponzi...oops, I mean Food Pyramid.

One of my good friends sent me a very cool e-mail about the food pyramid. It was early mind you, so I was not sure that I was reading the information correctly? The information I was reading suggested that the food pyramid was in fact upside down?  Does this mean that Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs could in fact be possible?  Well I think, I would like it until my car was totaled by a ginormous donut.

Well lets ponder the food pyramid and then flip it over.  

Eat a variety of foods~ that means not just all the colors of skittles, fruits,vegetables, protein, starch and dairy are good starting points.   Eat more of some foods and less of others.  Logic tells us that an apple pie does not constitute a serving of fruit in the good sense of the word.  Hmm, less cheeseburgers, more carrot sticks check!  I want arms like Michelle Obama!! let's get serious here.

Really, it does not take a degree to understand the delicate balance of what you should eat and what you should not eat, it is a matter of desire...will what I want, override what I should have? I can be honest and say at least 7 times out of ten my desire overrides my conscience.  Quit making tasty things!!!
  Lets flip the table..with the food pyramid.    So what we would be seeing is that grains would make up very little of your diet.  That would be at the top.  Well that makes sense.  Think about it?  If you lived in a field of wheat, how long would you really survive?  My guess is not long, because you would have no way of processing what you have.  Keyword here!!  Process...this is where we are going wrong..the processing.  So we need to make fruits and vegetables the foundation, instead of the grains. Next, would come the dairy and proteins in the middle of the pyramid.  Key to this, is moderation, choose healthy dairy and lean proteins.
 You know what, fat is not all that bad for you, I am not recommending that you make a bee-line for McDonald's, what I am saying is the body needs a degree of fat. Without it your body starves and creates imbalances.  Fat with protein blocks the sudden rush of sugar into the body from certain foods, and prevents a flood of insulin being released into the body.  Fat as well, aids in the feeling full sensation and helps in the healthy functions of the organs including the brain.Good sources of fat are olive oil, nuts, salmon, and avocados. 
Gradually changing what you have been taught takes time, and common sense always applies here. Here is a great recipe for the waist: dinner serves 4

1 spaghetti squash, cut in half, seeds removed oiled and seasoned salt and pepper
1 tomato, diced
1 can sliced mushrooms drained
1/2 bunch of scallions sliced thin
4  4oz portions of salmon any kind will do(wish I still was in AK)
1 cup panko crumbs (panko japanese bread crumbs~the best crumbs)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
4 ounces prepared horseradish
3 ounces mustard~dijon works
2 ounces maple syrup
1 tsp chopped dill weed
1 lemon squeezed
4 ounces olive oil
salt and pepper to taste.

Heat oven to 350F and cook deseeded and seasoned (meaning use 1 ounce of olive oil that you rubbed up the squash with)..hehe..and cook until soft meaning when stabbed with fork it feels done.  Set aside and let cool.    In a bowl mix panko crumbs, garlic, horseradish, mustard, maple syrup, dill weed, lemon juice and 1 oz olive oil and set aside.  In one saute pan heat 1 ounce of olive oil, season your 4 salmon pieces with salt and pepper and add to hot oil.  Do not turn until there is a crust , turn over and let cook for a minute and remove.  Place par-cooked salmon on a oven ready pan and divide the horseradish topping between the 4 pieces.  In another pan heat 1 ounce of olive oil until hot and add green onion and diced tomato, saute for a minute or two add mushrooms and cooked spaghetti squash.  Season and keep warm.  In the same 350F oven finish cooking the salmon.  When it flakes, typically it is done.  Top the the spaghetti squash with the salmon and enjoy a waist friendly meal that keeps you satisfied.

New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin.~ Mark Twain(1835-1910)

Twirl the Baton, Mirliton.

What the heck is it?  Is it edible?  More importantly do we have to eat it? :(   Surprisingly this is edible and it belongs to the gourd family that includes melons, cucumbers and squash.  It can be eaten both raw and cooked. When cooked it resembles summer squash.When raw it is added to salads and salsas and often lime or lemon juice is added as a marinade.  Chayote, or Mirliton is native to Central America, but are successfully grown in the warmer regions around the globe.  The most common variety that you would see in the supermarket are pear-shaped and have a thin light green skin.  When cut in half there is a large flat pit, the flesh tastes fairly bland and is said to be somewhere in between a cucumber and potato.  
Believe it or not this strange looking fruit has a few rumors associated with it.  In Australia, where it is called choko, there are people that insist that McDonald's apple pies are made out of the chayotes.  This rumor might have surfaced around World War II because people were trying to stretch their budget and canned apples at that time were a luxury, and the obvious fact that apples were not indigenous to Australia, a predominantly tropical country.    If that rumor did not grab you enough the next one will, it is said that due to the chayote's cell-regenerative properties legend has it that this fruit caused the mummification of the townsfolk of San Bernardo in Colombia due to the extensive consumption of chayote.  The mummies can still be seen today with their skin still well-preserved.  The chayote fruit and leaves have been used in the treatment of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and to dissolve kidney stones, it also has diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties.  It is rich in Vitamin C and amino acids.
You see it is always the food that looks strange and tastes strange that we should be eating. Chances are if it looks like a cheeseburger and smells like a cheeseburger, you might need more chayotes in your diet to reverse the damage it causes to our bodies.  If I only knew then what I know now? 

I am trying to eat better. And, I do feel wise after drinking tea. After eating vegetables, I just feel hungry.~Carrie Latet

Is that Blue Hubbard in your cupboard?

Have you ever went to the supermarket and seen the mighty Blue Hubbard squash. The origin of this squash is said to have come from South or Central America, and lore says that is was brought to the port of Marblehead, Massachusetts by a sea captain named Jack Sparrow, no I jest it was Knox Martin then cultivated by a Mrs. Hubbard. Blue Hubbard squash is considered an heirloom variety, a specialized, localized crop that requires care and money to bring to market.

This squash can be over 2o pounds and looks a little scary to the average Joe. Hubbards are heavy and are grown in fields right alongside pumpkins and most time people just use them for ornamental decoration . I think because they are downright intimidating. Processing this squash is not for the feint of heart, after you have scrubbed the tough outer skin for any dirt. Take a meat cleaver and smack it with some force.

Inside, the flesh and surrounding core look much like a pumpkin and is scooped out much in the same fashion.

Now that you have a scooped out squash throw it away, haha... no,if you have any pent up aggression towards anyone this will be a good exercise for you. Take your meat cleaver and with sharp strikes hack it into manageable pieces. Because, this particular squash is wet steaming it or boiling it will ruin the quality of the finished product. I would put the pieces in a large roasting pan and roast in the oven about 350F until the hard flesh is soft when poked with a fork. Then like a spaghetti squash spoon out the flesh and mash the soft flesh and season. Definitely a great way to warm the tummy on a winter's evening.

After all the trouble you go to, you get as much actual "food"out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps~ Miss Piggy