Thanksgiving is my Superbowl. I start thinking about what I’m going to eat at least a month before, and it makes me nervous to go to someone else’s house (other than my family) because I’m a snob and wonder if the food will be good (no offense to any in-laws! Your food is always good!)

But this year we went to my husband’s aunt’s horse farm and I harbored no worries about eating there: they are all good cooks and I knew we were in for a treat. I had my parents come along and everyone brought something. My mom brought her sausage stuffing and my dad’s corn (cut off the cob that morning and sauteed with butter and garlic – to die for!). I brought my sweet/white potato mash with heavy cream and maple syrup; caramelized onion, Medjool date, and blue cheese pizza for an appetizer; and chocolate pecan pie. I will post recipes later.

The feast was incredible. Appetizers included shrimp and crawfish fondue and fresh jalapeno poppers. For the main event, Aunt Becky made  Spatchcocked turkeys from Martha Stewart Magazine (spatchcock means to remove the backbone so the bird lays flat) and another couple made a ham. Other sides: fresh beer bread, green bean casserole, squash casserole, broccoli and cauliflower au gratin, cornbread stuffing, oyster dressing, regular mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, creamed spinach, and frozen cranberry salad. There was enough food to feed the whole town and everyone take a leftover bag.  Desserts included a plain pecan pie, two pumpkin pies, a platter of various homemade cookies (from my mom), and cupcakes.

The Spatchcocked Turkey

One end of the island

More feast

We left with just a few leftovers because we knew we were in for 2nd Thanksgiving dinner the next night. Oh yes, you heard me right. Because the problem with going to someone else’s for this meal is that you don’t get leftovers, and leftovers are just as good as the meal itself. So on Friday night, after some Black Friday shopping, I put together a Thanksgiving dinner for my husband, parents, and a good friend.

And I made the best turkey I’ve ever had.

I don’t want to be boastful about it, but it was damn good. I, too, spatchcocked the turkey, which I’m now convinced is the way to go. It took half the time to cook and the breast was now protected by the thighs and wings, making for a very juicy bird. I also brined the turkey over night in a solution of water, sugar, salt, spices and maple syrup, and then rubbed the turkey down with a honey-maple syrup butter I made. So very, very good.

We had a ton of potatoes from the day before, so the sides were pretty simple, but that’s all you need. And I have to again give it up to Trader Joe;s, who helped me with cornbread (fantastic mix, btw) and their stuffing mix which I dressed up with mirepoix and pecans.

Of course, following up the best turkey ever isn’t so easy unless you follow it up with the best leftover sandwich of my life.

I'm so full but I sort of want another one.

Trader Joe’s Brioche Bun sliced in half with a bit of the bottom taken out to create a bowl. Then a layer of warm stuffing, a layer of warm potatoes, and the turkey. Put it all under the broiler so the turkey gets warm and the bread is toasted. Then top with cranberry sauce. Put the top back on, slice in half, and dip in leftover gravy.

A friend recently said that Mexican food is proof that Jesus loves us. I disagree.

Thanksgiving food is proof that Jesus loves us and more importantly, that he want to eat well.

Thanksgiving. Man. Does it get any better? I get to cook for days, feed people I like, and then, THEN, have a day of lounging and leftovers and pajamas afterward. I am thankful for it, indeed.

This year, I had a sort of potluck. M. made the stuffing, cranberry sauce, and bacon ice cream. Yes. Bacon. B. made the salad, rolls, and brought a pumpkin pie. R. made an apple pie. J. made sweet potatoes. So my job was easy this year. We did the turkey (Alton Brown’s brine recipe, G.’s basting concoction), cheesy baked mashed potatoes (Giada’s recipe), green beans with a lemon vinaigrette, parsnip carrot gallette, and gravy. The gallette was an on-the-fly concoction to substitute the carrot pie I was going to make before I learned that B&E were bringing a pie. And actually, it came out great, thanks to the newest member of the family:

Early Christmas present from my mom

This puppy helped me make pie crust, slice the veggies, blend the sauce. All in all, it’s my new kitchen hero.

Here’s what I came up with. Let’s just say there were a lot of requests for seconds:

Carrot Parsnip Gallette

2 discs of pie dough (recipe below)
1/2 lb. carrots, sliced
1/2 lb. parsnips, sliced
1 red onion, sliced into long wisps
olive oil
1/2 stick + 3 T. butter
2 c. + 2 tsp. water
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. cream cheese
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, shredded
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs + 1 egg white

Pie Dough (from the Cuisinart Food Processor recipe booklet)
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. ice water

Process flour, butter and salt until mixture is like course meal, about 8 seconds. Add ice water and pulse until dough begins to clump together. Do not let it form a ball. Divide dough into three equal parts and wrap each into plastic.

Press each section of dough into a disc. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Filling
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook slowly until caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. They will release a wonderful sweet smell and turn a golden, shiny brown. Take off heat and set aside.

Bring 2 c. water, butter, and tsp. of salt to a boil. Add the carrots, parsnips, and thyme and simmer until soft over medium, about 10 minutes. Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon and add the bowl with the caramelized onions. Add the orange juice and white wine and reduce until it is a thin syrup, about 15 more minutes. Pour over the veggies and mix.

In the work bowl of the food processor, combine cream cheese, parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth and pour over veggies.

Assemblage
Roll out two discs on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick.  In a lightly greased, square baking pan, spread out both discs side by side so that they overlap, and so that there is ample overage on all sides. You could also do this on a cookie sheet. Pour in the filling and begin to fold over the extra dough on the sides so that you the filling is contained on all sides. Press the top of the dough gently so that it forms a wide lip all around the top of the gallette.

Brush an egg wash made of egg white and 2 T. water over the top part of the crust.

Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Pour in filling

Fold over all sides

It came out buttery and extremely flavorful. The caramelized onions and the reduction sauce really clenched it. It was a fine addition to the Tday table and I’d make it again in a heartbeat.

Winter time is the best time to cook big pots full of soups, stews, and chili’s. For Sunday Super on this November evening a big pot of Chili is the ticket! My husband John’s recipe is the best chili – it’s not spicy. just hearty and delicious. We like to cook 2 big pots at a time and have enough to freeze for at least 3 if not 4 more meals. Here is how we do it:

With the holidays upon us, it is nice to be able to pull out frozen chili and reheat for a quick meal:

John’s Most Excellent Chili

5 lbs ground beef chuck
1 extra large sweet onion
2 – 3 large cans tomato sauce
1 large can tomato paste
3 large cans hot chili beans
2 large cans red chili beans
2 tbs beef base
1 tbs garlic powder
Crushed red pepper to taste
Chili powder to taste

Dice onions and brown with ground beef – drain off fat
Mix tomato sauce, paste and all varieties of beans together in pot with ground beef
Let cook over medium heat for several hours stirring occasionally
Add chili powder and red pepper to taste

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese
Elbow macaroni
Oyster crackers

Really warms you up on a cold night – Enjoy

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I was sufficiently piggish, so I’ve been trying to get back in the groove of eating light and healthy again. I tend to go crazy with the carbs and neglect green, red and orange veggies from time to time. So I’m trying to make an effort to make my meals more veggie-based. Thing is, I need a good helping of healthy carbs at meals to feel satiated, so today I came up with this casserole. You get carb satisfaction from the brown rice and corn, and you get a good helping of veggies, too. And to top it off, you get dairy-free cheezy goodness.

For this recipe you can use your favorite nutritional yeast or cashew-based vegan “cheese” sauce. I use the sauce from Happy Herbivore’s Soy-Free Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese recipe, but any vegan cheese sauce will do.

Cheezy Veggie ‘n Rice Casserole

3 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups vegan cheeze sauce
1/4 cup veggie broth
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup vegan cheeze, shredded (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook the onion and carrot in the veggie broth over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add the zucchini and continue cooking until zucchini is tender but not mushy. Combine everything except the shredded cheese and bake in a covered casserole dish for 20 minutes. If using shredded cheese, sprinkle on top and return casserole, uncovered, to the oven until cheese is melty and bubbly. Serves 4.

Variations:

For broccoli-cheeze casserole, substitute 1-1/2 cups chopped cooked broccoli for all the veggies.

Add 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds for crunch and protein.

Add 1/2 cup reconstituted TVP for extra “meatiness” and protein.

Top row: Cajun Smoked Turkey, Cornbread dressing, Honey-baked Ham
Second row: Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cauliflower Au Gratin
Bottom Row: Homemade Yeast Rolls, Rice Dressing

After much planning and excitement, Thanksgiving with our families was absolutely wonderful. It was great to spend time with everyone, and to see the responses to the food we cooked. I’m going to share a couple of recipes with you, since our families insisted on bringing dishes as well.

I hope you also had a great Thanksgiving! I can’t believe it’s time to plan for Christmas now!

Looking for inspiration for the new veg garden extension, I shared a couple of very nice Bath Gems with Charles Dowding this evening. Charles is a lovely cove, and I’m delighted he is doing so well and finding such an appreciative audience for his own very sensible approach to vegetable gardening. He runs courses at the B&B he runs with Susie, which I’d think would make an excellent Christmas pressie. Have a look at his website.

Save that left-over Gray! Place it in a freezer-safe container with a tight lid and use it late on in stews and soups! Yumm!

 Left-over tip: If you are not going to use the left-over turkey with in the next 48 hours – freeze it – this keeps it fresh

It’s just two days after Thanksgiving, but I’d forgotten to say my “thanks” for my bountiful container garden! Started from seed, this Waltham butternut squash vine has been fruiting these past few weeks. The squash blossoms are very impressive. I have a few other Waltham butternut squash vines fruiting as well, growing in other containers in my back yard. The only task that I’ve had so far is to make sure that my vines get enough air circulation, to reduce the chances of powdery mildew (see my previous posts on this topic).

As the vines grow longer and longer (and hopefully dotted with more squashes), I will likely prop up the vine (and off the ground) on upside down, empty 5-gallon containers.

Check out the lovely purplish-colored flower on one of my Black Beauty eggplants! These flowers signal that the eggplant fruits themselves will be arriving. I’ve had only leaves up until this point, so am very happy about this development! For more information about eggplant, check out this informative site:

http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/pubs/0203/eggplant.html

Approximately 73% of the products on the market, which claim to ZAP fat away are false.

The best way to lose fat is to eat 4 to 6 small meals per day.

Each meal should be spaced out approximately 3 hours from each other.

The meals are balanced with nutritional make-up and the portion sizes are controlled.

Here is a helpful aid to guide you.

Fiber is one of the key elements to weight loss.

The average Canadian, should be eating approx. 25-35 grams of fiber per day or 10 grams for every 1000 calories consumed. (Health Canada)

How does this relate to you?

There are many advantages to eating a high fiber diet:

• It keeps the digestion system running smooth and regular. (regular bowel movement)
• Helps maintain a healthy body weight.
• Prevent life threatening illness
• Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer (Colin)
• If you suffer from high cholesterol, a high fiber diet will reduce the amount of cholesterol found in your blood stream. (Lower your blood sugar level)

Fiber is categorized into two types.

1. Soluble – these types of fiber dissolve in water, and help reduce cholesterol in your blood. Examples are dry oats, legumes (kidney beans, lentils), brown rice, green vegetables and potatoes.
2. Insoluble – these types of fiber stay solid and do not dissolve with water. As a result, they promote regular bowel movement, and help prevent constipation. Examples of these fibers are wheat bran, seeds, whole grain, and the skin of fruits and vegetables.

I’ll save you the time and troubles of guessing what foods you believe are high in fiber.

List of Soluble & Insoluble Fiber Foods

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/soluble-fiber-foods-list.html

Take the time to add some of these items to your grocery list.

Find out how you can incorporate them into your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Always eat whole foods that are fresh, and avoid eating processed food.

The busiest season is upon us, and the only way to achieve your fitness and health goals is to prepare for the week.

Write down your grocery list, before you go shopping.

Plan your meals for the next 2 days.

Take a few minutes to visualize you preparing a healthy meal.

Now all you have to do is execute your visuals during the weekdays.

Anything short of maximum effort is an excuse to be fat and lazy.

I have had 6 nice cos lettuce growing for a few weeks now and getting a good crop of lettuce leaves. All of a sudden, one of them has just dropped dead – just laid down all its leaves and is a sad lettucey blob on the ground. Only thing I can think is it got a bit hot – I have read (subsequently) that lettuce don’t necessarily like the midday sun. So I am attributing it to lettuce sunstroke and will plant my next lettuce in a different spot – but if anyone has an alternative theory I would love to hear it

Nothing fancy or very original here. But it’s cheap, tasty and healthy! All you need are some tortillas for the wrap and some veggies for the filling. You’ll need 1 pack of tortillas (try the small ones, 110 calories each from Superstore), 2-3 lettuce leaves, 1/4 red pepper, 1/2 avocado, 1-2 green onions, feta cheese and, if you’re a meat lover, any deli cold cuts.

Instructions:
1. Cut avocado in half, place half (with seed inside)in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Scoop the other half and mix with a bit of feta cheese.
2. Cut green onion. Add to avocado mix. Set aside.
3. Prepare lettuce and red pepper by cutting them into very small pieces.
4. Put one tortilla on a plate and spread some avocado mix. Add some lettuce, pepper and meat. Then wrap and use two toothpicks to hold it in place.

These quantities should be enough for three wraps. Yummy…

I made it home Wednesday night with a package of cornbread stuffing and a bag of cornmeal. (I wasn’t sure if I would be up to baking the cornbread and all…) But when I woke up Thursday morning, I was kind of excited about making stuffing from scratch. The recipe for stuffing that I came up with was inspired by a recipe from Chestnut Cookbook, the package of stuffing that I brought home, and my sister’s comments while I was cooking.

The steps were pretty simple, but it took a while to bake the cornbread, let it dry out, etc, etc. I was particularly excited because a few months ago I froze some chestnuts that I gathered. (I know that you can bury them in sand, sawdust, or other things, but I didn’t really have time to figure that all out. I was also concerned about the likely mouse problem that could result from leaving a huge pile of unguarded chestnuts in my basement.)

My Approximate Recipe for Chestnut Cornbread Stuffing

1 recipe southern style cornbread from Joy of Cooking (preferably baked in advance so that it can dry out) cut into 1″ cubes

1 lb fresh/frozen chestnuts (still in shells)

2 stalks celery finely chopped

1 medium onion finely chopped

1/3 cup butter

2 generous tablespoons sage (to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

a bit of fresh parsley for garnish

Cut an X into the top of each chestnut and then bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes (or until tender). I bake them in a covered dish, and when I remove the dish from the oven I take a few nuts out at a time, leaving the rest warm for easier shell removal. Remove shells and chop finely. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in large pan over medium heat. Add onions and then a minute or two later the celery. Cook until translucent, taking care not to burn. Add sage, salt and pepper to taste, and chestnuts. Stir for a few minutes, and then add breadcrumbs. Pour in a little boiling water (I am sorry to say, I have no idea how much I used here..maybe about a cup). It should be enough to moisten the breadcrumbs, but not make them soggy. Cover and place in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes to warm before serving. I guess that you could stuff it inside a bird too, but I really don’t have any idea how!

Sandwiches and Saturdays go well together – here is a quick and tasty veggie sandwich to make you smile:

Roasted Red Pepper and Cucumber Sandwich:

1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
1 red pepper
1/2 cup  cream cheese – softened
3 tbs minced red onion
thinly sliced mushrooms
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 garlic clove – minced
Sliced whole wheat bread – soft tortillas can be substituted
6 romaine lettuce leaves
thinly sliced tomatoes

Cut red pepper into thin slices and saute in olive oil until roasted

Spread cucumbers and roasted red peppers in a thin layer on paper towels to drain excess moisture (about 5 minutes)
Place cucumbers and peppers in a medium bowl and mix the cheese, onion, salt and garlic – stirring with a fork until well blended
Spread mixture on bread, top with lettuce leaves and enjoy! (makes 4)

Minestrone Soup (beef optional)

3 tbs olive oil
2 tsp thyme
3 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves
1 large sweet onion, diced
8 carrots, peeled and diced
1 potato diced into small chunks
3 large celery sticks  – diced into small chunks
1 tbs sea salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corm (off cob)
1/2 cup penne or small shells (whatever pasta you have in pantry is fine – just chop it if needed) )
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 quarts water
1 cup beef or vegetable stock (see cooking basics tab above for stock how to’s)
1/2 cup red wine
Left over pot roast or roast beef is optional

Lightly coat bottom of a 10 quart pot with cooking spray.
Heat olive oil; add garlic, onions, carrots, celery, corn, potatoes, and salt – cook over low heat until onions are transparent.
Increase heat, stirring constantly for about a minute then add 3 quarts water, tomatoes,  stock, thyme and bay leaves.
Bring then bring then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
Add pasta and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until pasta of choice is tender.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with multi-grain bread, you can garnish with parmesan cheese of desired.

Enjoy

I think my favorite thing about any big celebratory meal is getting to channel my totally unfeminist dreams of being a midcentury housewife: cleaning the house, cooking massive amounts of food, setting the table, getting to use my pretty (though very unmatched) vintage servingware, lighting candles, and playing Astrud Gilberto and Les Baxter records.  I love the spectacle and dreamy domesticity of it all, later balanced out by a late-night drinks and karaoke visit to a new Roman Empire-themed gay bar in Minneapolis (yeah, that’s right).

Various stages of available light make up all of these photos, but even the less fancy ones should get the deliciousness across!  First, the table before most of the food got on there, but you’ll see the gravy bowl (full of carrot, rosemary, and sherry gravy) and my Pyrex holiday casserole dish atop its candle-warmer stand (it’s filled to the top with colcannon):

I took some individual shots of my appetizer contributions.  First, the cashew cheese log which I sprinkled with black pepper and chopped rosemary and served with balsamic marinated and dehydrated red onions and some tasty gluten-free crackers (and yes, it was super tasty!):

I also made roasted mushrooms, tossed in a splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh rosemary…they gave me an excuse to bust out my favorite vintage cocktail forks!

By the time our two lovely guests arrived, it was dark outside, so the picture of my appetizer plate is a bit dark.  Along with the cheese and crackers and mushrooms, we got to enjoy spicy stuffed mushrooms and sweet spiced nuts – I think the roasted nuts might be my favorite!

We all agreed we could have spent the whole night just eating appetizers, but we restrained ourselves in order to sit at the table and begin the “real” dinner.  You can’t see all of it, but this plate is loaded with roasted brussels sprouts, colcannon and carrot gravy, a tempeh-wild rice burger, raw cranberry relish, gf pumpkin cornbread-cranberry stuffing, pecan-topped sweet potatoes, and a yummy raw veggie salad:

As you can well imagine, we were pretty full after dinner, so we sat down to a game of canasta and let our digestive systems do their thing.  Eventually we felt brave enough to each have a piece of pumpkin pie, which were smaller than the photo might make them out to be and I baked it in a small springform pan.  I took a risk and went with the Voluptuous Vegan pumpkin pie recipe without having made it before, though to make it gluten-free I made a buckwheat-walnut crust based on a recipe from Extraveganza.  Though I was nervous about the filling not seeming to set up after baking and cooling (it looked and felt like tinned pumpkin on top), slicing it was not a problem.  The flavor was awesome — nicely spiced, just a hint of maple sweetness — and its lightness (a pretty low-fat pie filling recipe) was a great contrast to the flaky, rich crust with an earthy buckwheat flavor.  This is my next-day-leftovers picture, and it’s topped with barely-sweetened cashew cream and ground cinnamon:

Today I ate the same thing all over again!  It’s a good thing this was pretty much the only meal I had each day, or I probably wouldn’t be able to move.  I’m not generally someone concerned with how much fat I’m eating, but this is definitely far more than I eat on a regular basis.  Now I’m drinking heaps of water and planning on some very light meals over the weekend to give my body a little well-deserved break from heavier (though delicious) foods.  I was lucky enough not to have to work today, so I think I’m going to spend the night curled up with a movie or some crossword puzzles, and get to bed at a good hour.  Til next time!

By Annie

When it comes to homemade meals, it doesn’t get much easier than salads. But it’s a little too easy to get stuck in an iceberg lettuce and ranch dressing rut. To avoid this state of salad monotony, you need to build up a collection of interesting toppings and dressings.

Photo: Savour Life

There are so many great things you can do with salads, but sometimes you have to think outside the box. Try fruit instead of vegetables. Try nuts or seeds instead of cheese. And not all of your dressing needs to come from Kraft.

During the holiday season, there are a lot of festive ways you can dress up your salads. Here are some ideas you can use for inspiration.

We had a wonderful family Thanksgiving which focused entirely on my beloved grandson 2 1/2 year old Sean Henry who was able to keep everyone’s attention with professional ease.  I don’t do Black Friday.  I prefer shopping at a more leisurely pace.  So it is a nice quiet Friday with house guests gone home, dishes almost done and Jeff watching yet another basketball game.

Lettuce In Containers

We had a sprinkle of snow this morning, the first of the season.  It got me to thinking about, what else, next year’s gardens.  I’m really going to work harder next year keeping my lettuce bowl producing through the summer.  It’s is not a difficult task but does require some attention through July and August.  I’ve decided to use a garden calendar to keep me on track. These days, it doesn’t take much to distract me. (Sean Henry

I started out years ago with lettuce in single containers which was okay but did not really produce a steady flow of fresh lettuce

Then I got the idea to not only get a much larger container, but to stack two containers one over the other. The bottom  is more than three feet across and tall enough to keep rabbits out. These pots came from Campania www.campaniainternational.com/ Now I have some real growing space to have the lettuce coming steady through the spring.

Stacked Containers For Lettuce

I start out with seedlings purchased  from English Gardens at their March Garden Party weekend. These last into June. The secret to keeping the lettuce coming non stop is starting plants from seed four to five weeks before the others turn bitter and start to bolt. That’s where the calendar comes in.  I’m also scheduling dates for treating the veggie garden with OrganiMax and Actinovate, the organic products I’ll be using for keep the bad bugs and disease at bay. Unlike Martha Stewart, I won’t be married to the exact date, but plan to get the job done within a week or so of the date scheduled.  If I get my act together in the next month or so I will be Twittering and give a heads up what’s on my to-do list week to week.

… is not easily broken.”

This quote from Ecclesiastes leapt to mind when I first saw these three vines spiraling around one another.  The bright cranberry color is long gone, of course.  These half-runner bean vines have long since died and faded to grey and black and white and beige.  But I thought it was an appropriate image and concept with so many of us visiting our families during this holiday time.

I’m down in Georgia, visiting all the various strands of my family, some of whom I see very rarely, and some of whom are a constant support, strong enough and close enough for me to grow around and depend upon, just like these vines.  (I hope they feel they can “grow” upon and around my supportive strand, as well.)

My grandfather quizzed me pretty thoroughly about the family heirloom seed, and his eyes twinkled as he heard about the jars of seed.  He told me of a time, long ago during a drought, that he got down to one seed and despaired of keeping the variety alive.  He told me tales of my great grandfather growing it.

He wore his most mischievous grin as he asked, “They have some strings; don’t they?”  Yes, they do.  These beans are as far from stringless as you could get.   Stories and shared smiles to go with a living heritage.

Granddaddy also gave me more expertise and advice for cucumbers, squash, crowder peas, seed saving, spacing, planning, patience, and acceptance of what is — all essential skills for farming, some of them useful in many other areas of life.

And yesterday, I learned that there will be a new little strand joining us in April.  Exciting news and wonderful times.

I’m sitting on my sister’s couch in Atlanta, with Auburn and Alabama facing off on the screen (my brother-in-law is a dyed-in-the-wool Alabama fan, so it’s pretty exciting — if a little frustrating in the first quarter, with Auburn up by 14).  The tree with its red and white lights is awaiting our attention later.  Leftover turkey and stuffing and giblet gravy await us for dinner.  The sun is shining over trees still hanging on to bright orange-gold leaves.  The sky is a deep, pensive blue.

I wish you all a truly wonderful day.

8 monthary

Edie is growing, life is running and we as nomad family are moving. He has the unique opportunity to celebrate his 8th month in the Andes mountains trip through Venezuela. I could have dreamed about that for many years to be able to visit Latin America and my little angel already visited 3 continents.

Now what is new:

• His weight is 8,1 Kg   and length is 73 cm
• He is crawling on his fourth
• While we were travelling exactly on his 8th monthary he set down on his own
• He is still carried in the carrier but starts also his new trolley, he does not enjoy that much, but we try hard to explain him that it is not that bad and he can enjoy outside world from it also.
• He said already mama and baba. But the most of the expressions are hmmmm and emmmmm.
• He is teething a lot, his gums are itching him and his salivas are all around the house.
• He is eating very nicely, he started his 3rd daily dish. He used to have morning milk. I am still breastfeeding and I hope that I will still keep going on for some time. Than he has vegetable for lunch and second snack such as joghurt with fruit. He already tried some local Venezuelan fruit such as papaya, cambur (banana), fruit juices from passion fruit (maracuja) and so on.
• He managed very well his 12 hours flight from Europe to Latin America, and he already traveled from Caracas to Merida which is cca 800 Kms and it took us 2 days with few stops on the way.
• He likes local environment, except if its too hot in the car without aircon. He enjoys new things and he loves to explore new places.
• His health improved. He lost his running nose which he suffered back in Czech and he got some tent already. Although I use for him sun block cream with factor 60.
• He is smiling, playful angel which makes everybody smile and local people call him such as que lindo, que bello, catyre (blondie) and hermoso. He is able to attract everybody by his smile and his big beautiful eyes.

I am getting to know more and more people and Edie is happy to be visiting with us some of Carlos friends, I hope that soon we will find more activities to do and we will explore local environment as possible.

I will start section such as Venezuelan Diary where you will be able to read more from the local family life compare to the European standards.

A little now from his picture gallery

Edie in the Nota celebrating his 8 month

B-day drink………..,mnamiiii

8 month melody

he is sitting already

Edie was travelling a lot with us, visited Andes, Merida, Margarita island etc.

isla Margarita

Edie and his new pet iguana

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Today I have two recipes to share with you whilst I take a break from party preparations for this evening’s birthday party for my mum (she’s hit the big 50; although she’s still in denial about it).  I have finally graduated from soft foods to more normal foods but before I did that I made this delicious nutrient dense soup:

It was really easy to make; just take…

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
2 tsps smoked paprika
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garilc, crushed
750ml veg stock
200g curly kale
1 red pepper, chopped
1 sweet potato, cubed

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan or casserole dish.  Add the onion and fry until softened, then add the garlic, spices, red pepper and sweet potato.  Stir together to cover the veg with the spices and release their flavour.  Add the veg stock, and simmer for 15 mins until the sweet potato is softened.  Slowly add the kale until it’s wilted a bit.  Leave the soup to cool,and  blend altogether until reached your desired consistency.  Reheat and serve, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

If you thought that was easy, the next recipe is even easier.  I don’t know about you, but when I’m stressed I crave sweet things like nobody’s business, especially chocolate.  So I thought I should embrace this by making healthy sweet treats, and I included dates (the stress-relieving fruit).

There are loads of variations of these treats out there, and they go by different names.  You  may remember I posted about raw chocolate bombs a few weeks ago.  These are the same but are also called fudge babies by the likes of Chocolate-Covered Katie et al.  In mine I used 1 cup of almonds (soaked for 8 hours), 1 1/3 cup dates,  1/2 cup dried apricots, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 3 tbsp cocoa powder/cacoa powder.  Just put all the ingredients into your food processor and process away until the mixture resembles fudge.  At this point you will be able to roll them into balls, or mould into whatever shape you fancy.  I have taken photos of these but I’m staying with my parents and have forgotten to bring the connecting lead to upload the photos onto my laptop.  I’ll insert the images as soon as I get back.  They resemble my raw chocolate bombs anyway, in case you’re wondering.