An Open Letter to My Kids....

Maybe someday you will ask or maybe you won't but hopefully this information will tell you more about what made me who I am.

• Loved to ice skate by myself for hours at the local outdoor ice rink when I was in grade school.
• A new housing development was going up one year and there was a gigantic pile of dirt, must have been 25 or 30 feet high, Grandpa would take Aunt Vanessa and I to it during the winter and we would sled down it out onto the frozen pond.
• Before Aunty Ness was born I used to go with Grandpa to the model airplane fields and spend all day watching him fly the small planes. There was a funky old outhouse that he would take me too and always hold the door open a little because it was dark and full of spiders. He would give me rides on his shoulders and taught me to suck the nectar out of the purple clover there. I remember riding in his pickup, in a brown plastic booster seat (like you see in restaurants) and hitting a bump on the way out of the field and sliding down the seat and under the seat belt.
• Sometimes I'd go with Grandpa to the airport when he needed to check on something over a weekend. The hangers always seemed so huge and scary and smelled like oil, they were cool and dark. He'd always tell me to watch my head as we walked under the airplane wings, but really I think he did it to remind himself not to hit his own head.
• Grandpa would take me up in a bright blue and yellow stunt plane that he took care of for Albert Baggs, the name of the plane was the Funk.
• Grandma was full of adventures when we were kids. We traveled all over, Chinatown in Chicago was always a favorite. We would stop in the funny shops and get rice candy and surprise gift. The surprise gift came wrapped in Chinese newspaper and was usually $1. We would get lost a lot and often end up in not so nice neighborhoods but Grandma always figured out where to go. We went to the hologram museum and played at the beach. One time Grandma to my best friend Cheryl and I to the beach at Lake Shore Drive. We got all wet and didn't have any extra clothes so we took our clothes off quick in the parking lot and put on tee shirts for the ride home. We thought it was very funny. When I got older Grandma and I would always go to Penny's Noodles in the pot for Thai food and then we'd go to the shops on Belmont, The Alley, the army surplus store and the thrift stores were always my favorite.
• One of the funniest trips we took with Grandma was to Indianapolis, IN. I don't think she had much of a plan during that trip. We were in a restaurant when she asked the waitress if there were any good and cheap places to stay. The waitress replied that her roommates were out of town touring with the Grateful Dead and we could stay with her if we wanted, we did!!! We ate at a funny little diner called The Canary Cafe and Grandma scared us by driving down a big one-way street the wrong way!
• Dawn dish soap, the original blue, and saw dust remind me of my Dad. He'd always come home after work and scrub up and Dawn removed the grease. The house smelled like saw dust most weekends I can remember as a kid as Dad was always working on the house.
• Grandma Nonie, your great great Grandma, was feisty as anything. She always wore sequined tops to family gatherings, demanded real wine, and was sharp as a tack right up to the very end.
• From 6th grade through 8th grade I played the flute and marched in the Mokena Meteors marching band. Band was always before school started so I was always up very early. During the summer I would ride my bike up to the junior high for marching band practice and loved marching in the parades. Our uniforms were wool and scratchy and hot and the hats were heavy but it was still fun. I was 2nd chair flute all through junior high even though I challenge the first chair flute, Amy Rice, a few times I never did beat her. I always thought our band instructor, Mr. Lamb, could tell who what playing during the challenge. He had one bad eye, I think it was glass, and he seemed like he was 1,000 years old back then. He loved classic rock, well what we kids considered classic rock, and those were always the songs we learn in band and music class. I played in the pep band too. Louie Louie was always my favorite song to play. I hated solo and ensemble competition as I had horrible stage fright, sometimes not even making it through my piece without crying. I won many medals and eventually learned to get over the stage fright. I decided not to keep going with band once I reached high school as it was like a full-time job at the high school level and I wanted to do other things.
• I started Girl Scouts in 1st grade and stayed with it through 8th grade. My favorite part of Girl Scouts were the trips we would work toward each year. One year we went to Mackinac Island in Michigan, one year Washington DC, and one year to Turkey Run Indian (that's where we tipped the canoe).
• We went to Great Grandma Tippy's house almost every summer when I was a kid. (Grandma with the Cows as you guys called her). She got her name when I was little. She had a dog named Tippy that I recall walking with a limp but I might be wrong. I couldn't keep the Grandparents straight so I started calling her Grandma Tippy and the name stuck.
• I used to make mud pies at Grandma Tippy's house for fun and look at the shells she always had in the gardens.
• Often I would walk down to the levee from Grandma Tippy's house. It was always fun and mysterious because it was such a different place than home. Walking down the dirt road in between the tractor ruts looking for ducks and muskrats and the occasional skunk in the fields or in the drainage ditch. Sometimes I would see decoy ducks floating that a hunter had left. The levee was always fun. I'd look for shells or pretty rocks but mostly it was just neat because I was up high and could see all around and it was always cooler there by the river.
• Your Great Great Grandmother Melba's house was just across the cow pasture from Grandma Tippy's house. I only remember going in it once but it hadn't been lived in for many many years. When Great Grandma Tippy grew up there they didn't have electricity until she was maybe 8.
• I remember Great Grandpa George (Grandma Tippy's husband) taking me for rides on the tractor and he let me "drive" it once. I remember feeling like I was going to crash it. He would take me into town to the general store and I'd get candy corn when I'd come to visit. I'd always eat the white ends off first. They taste the best. He passed away when I was about 6 or 7.
• Grandpa George worked at the grain elevator up by the levee where they would store the grain and fill barges with it. He took me up there once when they were filling a barge and it was very very noisy.

To be continued....

What We Don't Know.....

I have become painfully aware of how little I know about my parents, not who they are as my parents, but who they are as people. What did they accomplish as children, what things did they do that they aren't so proud of, who did they dream of being, what sort of things did their parents do that they hated as kids, what were family gatherings like, etc. Maybe I just wasn't listening those twenty some years I was home, maybe I was too self-absorbed being a kid or trying to figure out who I wanted to be to care about who they were.

As my Dad's 60th birthday has come and gone and a recent visit to Chicago I'm left with a lump in my throat telling me I don't have forever with them. This may be a morbid thought but it's also a progressive one. Humans are innately sentimental, at least I believe this to be true, over our past, our history, and what events have shaped us to be who we are. We wouldn't spend billions on therapy, self-discovery, and self-help books if we didn't give a shake about the things that happen to us and to those that came before us. We'd simply be one sheep following one another until we met our maker.

My Grandma Tippy had the forethought to compose two small booklets about her childhood some years ago in which she presented copies to all of us each Christmas. I cherish those books and actually keep them in my safe. They are a story, in her own words, of what life was like back when. Tales that seems like fiction, that just couldn't be true; riding horses to school, deep poverty, an orange as a prized Christmas gift. It was after reading those booklets, complete with images she'd drawn herself, that I understood a bit more about who she was as a person, as my Grandmother.

I don't think I am alone in that we so often long to know more about someone after it's to late to ask questions. We don't want to be rude or pry about what their lives were like and unless that person is forward and open about their life we just never assume to ask. Do my kids know that I was second chair flute all through grade school? Do they know I won several first place ribbons in my high school senior art exhibit? Do they know that I once canoed down a river and tipped over in chest deep rapids? Do they care, will they want to know?

This blog was created not as a place of self-promotion but almost as an open working journal, that if kept up long enough, might just become a place my children can come to learn about their crazy mother and her life's experiences. Make a list of all the things you've done in your life, good and bad, add to it as you remember them, ask questions of your parents and Grandparents, keep it in a safe place and someday that might just be the best gift you could ever give to your kids. Sometimes understanding the way someone came to be who they are can give you a greater appreciation for why they do the things they do. There may just be a reason or ten why your Mother does that thing that makes you crazy!

These Ain't Yo' Daddy's Ribs

Let's hear it for the ladies! Yeah the ladies who have boldly mastered the grill and taken over a small piece of masculinity from the men in their lives. The primal urge to conquer the fire and sear large hunks of meat over an open flame no longer calls to the testosterone laden cave men of yore. I have a new found thrill and am learning to master the grill one piece of flesh at a time.

I grew up in your typical male-dominated grill household, as probably most of us did. The difference being my Dad was/is also a rather accomplished self-made amateur chef and multi-BBQ/chili-cook off competition winner. Wheew, talk about some shoes to fill, good thing for such a tall man he's got rather small feet. Not yet having found the need to compete "professionally" I still compete internally challenging myself to master new techniques, new tools, and new foods.

Well with summer in full swing and a BBQ, seemingly every weekend, for some various celebration of sorts ribs always seem to be the holy grail of who has mastered the grill. Are they tough, are they rubbery, maybe they're too fatty for some, or flavorless for others? Were they purchased from an artisan butcher or were they the 1/2 price bargain of the day off the grocery store rack, and does it really make a difference?

Long story short I've agonized for years, yes really, about ribs. Never having really been a huge fan and always too afraid to screw 'em up and be told to never touch the grill again I had kind of written them off as a food that "others" cook. With all of my Food Network knowledge, billions of cookbooks (including a few BBQ books), and the right tools I decided what the hell just go for it! You know what the were FREAKING AWESOME! So awesome in fact my own daughter proclaimed at dinner they might just be better than her Dad's, SCORE! So to all the ladies out there pick up the tongs, fire up the grill, and grab your rack (come on, your rack of ribs). Let's get grillin' and show the good ole boys club just what the ladies can do!

Ribs for 6 (ok there'll probably be leftovers)

3 Racks of baby back ribs (doesn't matter where you get them from just make sure they're meaty and fresh)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup loose brown sugar
1/8 cup salt
1/2 cup orange juice
18 oz bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1 tsp of chili powder

Prep the ribs by removing the silver skin from the back of the racks, slide your knife under a corner of the silver skin making a whole big enough to get a fingertip or two between the silver skin and bone, then start pullin'. Once the silver skins are removed grab a large stock pot (you may need two) and add the cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt and enough water to cover the ribs. Cut the ribs into 3-4 bone sections (makes it easier to get everyone to the party and will give you more surface area for saucing later) and add them to the pot.
Preheat your grill. Depending on the number of burners you'll want them on low and preferably only the outside burners. (Charcoal you'll want to let the coals burn down and place them around the outside of the kettle.)
Boil the ribs for 15-20 minutes until they are no longer pink. Add the OJ, chili powder, and full bottle of BBQ sauce to a sauce pan and warm on low until the ribs are ready for the grill.
Once the grill is warmed up place your ribs, unsauced, on the grill for approximately 20 minutes, flipping after the first 10. Next start saucing, you'll want to apply the sauce to the ribs at this point too. Sauce one side then flip after 5 minutes, sauce the back side and flip after 5 minutes, give one final saucing to the meaty side and pull off the grill after the last 3-5 minutes. Allow the ribs to sit under foil for 5-10 minutes before cutting into individual segments and serve.

I prefer my ribs on the sweeter side and so do my kids. Add a dash of cayenne or hot sauce to the mix if you prefer a kick. And voila you've got some kick ass ribs and you did it all by your pretty lil' ole self!

Happy grillin'

Holy Sabbatical Batman

Today's totally random blog post brought to you by memories, bbqs, failures, laughter, and the Food Network.

Have you ever "Bing mapped" your childhood home? http://binged.it/LUEjhl I did and I was sad, sad that the giant garden we had as kids was filled in and now just more sod, sad that the old full service gas station up the street had been bulldozed to make way for some other giant change store, and sad that well it just wasn't MY childhood home anymore. It brought back a flood of other memories though. The two great big Locust trees in our front yard and how every fall they would create a mess of tiny yellow leaves that would stick to everything after a rain; the memories of the shared suburban driveway leading to two tiny single car garages and learning to navigate the numerous protrusions while backing the car out when I learned to drive. The early morning visits with my wonderful retired neighbors in the wee hours of the morning when I was little; the garden window with its sharp corners that my Dad always managed to smack his head on at least once a year. The cedar siding that was more work than it was worth and the carefully crafted 10 ton wood front steps my Dad built. So many memories came flooding back and I realized what an awesome childhood I was blessed to have. If you haven't Google Earthed or Bing mapped places from memories past I recommend you do so. It can give a sense of where you've been and where you want to go.

After a sabbatical from the blog it became very obvious to me that I am great at starting things just not so great at keeping up with things that have no intended end point or goal. I think we all like to feel a sense of accomplishment, I know I do. The older I get and the more gray hairs I discover the more I realize I am at a point in my life where my goals are to keep my kiddos happy and healthy, teach them manners, respect, and how to fend for themselves. While I'd love to be climbing some corporate ladder or earning some higher degree I figure maybe just maybe with any luck I'll have lots of time to reinvent myself when they are older. Excuse, yeah probably, reality most certainly.

I figure with the amount of cooking shows I am addicted to and had watched as a kid I should have the equivalent of a culinary arts degree in about 20 years. I find GREAT joy in my culinary creations and honestly I'm not sure I would love it as much if I did it for a living. I work well under pressure when it's something someone needs me to produce for someone else, but turn the table and I get antsy and ornery and well kind of mean when the pressure is self-inflicted to produce something fabulous for others. (Make sense?) See we had a group of friends over for a casual get together and while I grilled wonderful pork tenderloins, made all the sides from scratch, and even produced dessert I was a mess and testy with everyone, who dared to cross my work zone, all day. My Food Network inspired dinner was a great outlet for my culinary prowess (kind of became my own personal version of Chopped), however why the heck did I put so much pressure on myself? It all turned out great and we all laughed and had a wonderful time.

Today's lesson: lighten up!

(Totally random blog post but eh who cares.)

Here's the menu from our summer adult bbq!

What does a nosey pepper do? Get's jalepeno business! (bwahahaha)
These jalepeno poppers have become a huge hit (thanks to my other half's sister for discovering them).
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheese-bacon-jalapeno-rellenos-53897.aspx#.T_L8cqm1R4w.facebook
Use the full 8oz of cream cheese if you dare. I've discovered baking them for 10 minutes then about 2-5 minutes under the broiler works best for a nice crispy top.
Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

http://shar.es/teQ0e

I used four tenderloins for eight people. Increase the oj and let them marinate overnight. These are fabulous and soooo easy. I prefer my pork done to about 145 degrees and slightly pink (which is now acceptable), no you won't get worms.
Smokin' Potato Salad
http://shar.es/teQeg

This is fantastic potato salad! I used quite a bit more smoked paprika but the beauty of this is making it to taste. I dressed the potatoes while they were still warm so they would absorb more of the flavor and also pureed the capers. (I have someone in my life who is anti-caper, though he never knew the difference once I snuck them in there.)

Long Beach Coleslaw
http://shar.es/teF0q

This was a totally new take on your traditional coleslaw and received rave reviews from the peanut gallery. It's a great "make-ahead", then just cut up the iceberg lettuce right before serving, mix and enjoy.

Killer White Peach Sangria

And by killer I mean yeah its so good you'll swig it back and realize you're going to have a killer headache the next day good. This is my own concoction and had everyone cheering for more.

1 giant bottle Pino Grigo or your other favorite white wine (about 8 cups)
1 regular bottle peach vodka (about 4 cups, eh or just use the whole thing like we did)
4-8 cups Sprite (for the sissies who like their booze diluted)
1 can frozen lemonade (do not dilute)
1 bag frozen fruit cut into bit size chunks (I used peaches, pineapple, and strawberries)

Freeze the Pino and Vodka overnight, then mix everybody together in a large pitcher and serve over ice.

Dessert (shhhhh I lost the recipe but I'll add it as soon as I find it)

Easy Easter Wreath

Spring is in the air, well summer really. Us hearty Minnesotans, yes I am starting to identify more with the folks native to the great white north rather than those of my native Chicago, manage to embrace the outdoors even is subzero temps but when spring arrives we come truly alive. Unusual March temps in the 80's have us all dizzy with spring fever. I also find my need to create is much stronger when the sun shines again, maybe it's the whole rebirth thing that spring brings about. I found myself anxious to take down the Christmas lights and joyfully cleaning out the gutters yesterday. Normally a disgusting task I was just happy to be up on the roof without fear of launching myself 20 feet into the air with a quick misstep onto some ice.
After removing the remnants of Christmas and winter paraphernalia from our house it just looked so sad and naked and colorless. I went digging through my box of seasonal decor and discovered a plethora a pretty plastic Easter eggs. Not having any bushes to decorate or trees with branches low enough to hang them from I thought...hmmm....a wreath. I scoured the town high and low to find a simple wreath form that wouldn't break the bank as it would be covered by pretty plastic eggs. Ah ha, Goodwill. If you haven't already discovered go check out your local Goodwill. I was elated with the wide array of wonderful Easter decorations and once loved floral arrangements and slightly tattered wreaths that were available. I managed to score a sad little grape vine wreath that had obviously seen better days. The clerk agreed $.99 was a fair price and with two bags of lime green plastic Easter grass at $.49 each I was ready to go! 

Here's what you'll need:

1 12" diameter wreath form of some sort
1 bag of plastic Easter grass
An assortment of sizes and colors of plastic Easter eggs
A hot glue gun and glue sticks

First using the hot glue, stick generous amounts of the Easter grass on your wreath form so as to cover it completely. I used one large egg to help mash the grass into the glue so I didn't burn my fingers.
Next glue individual eggs to the form/Easter grass. You'll want to vary the sizes and apply glue to both the side contacting the wreath form and sides adjoining any other eggs.

And voila! You have a pretty, weather proof decoration! This was a fun little craft project and something that should last for quite a long time, unlike the 80 degree weather we are experiencing in March!

Lost and Found

We are bombarded daily by celebrity successes and equally their failures, their "innate" talents thrown in our faces. We probably all know someone who seems to be able to achieve the impossible with very little effort and we all surely know someone who can just never seem to get it together. Most of us, however; probably fall somewhere in between, never quite reaching the celebrity we surely thought we were destine to attain as children and tired of the pitfalls that keep landing in front of us. I've wrestled most of my life with secretly wanting to be the best, to please my parents and have them  be proud of my successes and accomplishments, to please my boss, my coworkers, and my life partner.

I've always wanted to have that one God-given talent that everyone recognizes and falls back in pure awe that it's me with this talent. Then the other day a simple post on Pinterest struck me to the core. Now you are probably wondering why the heck this post contains a photo of Albert Einstein, right? It was a quote of his that suddenly made it all so clear to me. We need not have a special talent capable of winning a high-school talent contest or work tirelessly to perfect a skill we are sure will make us special but rather accepting that a talent in and of itself is being curious about the world. It struck me like lightning that I am a seeker of experiences, that my talent isn't tangible, it isn't to produce wonderful food, or beautiful art, or play guitar. My talent is to feel, to produce joy, to find out why, to add to my catalog of life's experiences.

As I get older I have realized through the many wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful people in the world and the vast array of experiences both good and bad I have had that the world is truly magnificent, that it offers up every kind of experience one could ever want if we only open ourselves up to it. I may be wrong but if I take history as a lesson so many people take the world for granted, choosing only to see the doom and gloom brought to us on the nightly news or to let the misfortunes of others or maybe ourselves derail us immediately upon their arrival.

The more I learn about Albert Einstein the more I identify with him. I may not be a genius however he did not identify himself as such either. The quote that struck me is the quote to the right.

That was my AH HA moment. The moment I realized it is ok not to have just one God-given talent, which sometimes I think may be more of a curse than anything, just one talent you can do better than almost everyone you know but then maybe the rest of your life is lacking and less than perfect. Maybe it is better to just be curious about the world and to feel fulfilled by getting to know it, its experiences, and its people.

Albert Einstein, no doubt, has hundreds of popular quotes which I am sure many were taken out of context though I don't care if this one was or not. It speaks to me and the more I learn about this man the more I love him. His moral code, his passion to understand, accept, and choose his own God, and of course his fierce commitment to knowledge and understanding.

Today I breathe, I breathe because I know who I am and that person is ever changing, and that is OK. There is nothing to loose in having a talent just as there is nothing to loose in discovering that you have none, finding out that your talent is simply being curious about everything, I'll take that in a heart-beat.

Oil and Balls

Yep so this post is totally not what all you dirty birds think it's about! Just a blurb about a few new favorite things.

So visiting my Sis back in Chicago, she has the complete opposite hair type that I do, she said she had started using Marrakesh oil. Now given the origin of this oil I am sure I am one of the last people on earth to know about this amazing stuff but I highly recommend it. If you style your hair often with hot tools or just have naturally dry, colored, or processed hair try this stuff out! A little dab and it's like you've put on a whole new head of hair. It smells fantastic to me, like a masculine version of a vanilla cupcake. It's not greasy and I am generally not one for hair products and I try not to wash my hair everyday (no that's not gross, it's unnecessary and environmentally responsible) so products build up or end up on my pillow and I end up breaking out. My sister has crazy curly hair and mine is stick straight so it obviously works well on either hair type.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002D4CXII

Ok and so now for the balls or ball as it may be. Yep I finally did it I finally bought one of those ball office chair contraptions. Ok so it looks totally ridiculous and I've already been teased about it several times. The fact of the matter is I sit at a desk 8+ hours a day with little opportunity to get much movement other that from the 64oz. of water and 3 cups of coffee I consume at my desk or heading the break room or copier I pretty much am stuck chained to my desk, blarg!



I started to notice my back and neck were really bugging me at the end of the day which proceeded into being an all day thing which I finally attributed to my posture and subsequently to my office chair. If you've ever contemplated a ball chair or read any reviews you know they get mixed reactions. Personally I can FEEL it working. If you don't keep your muscles engaged you sink side to side or fall off the chair in general. I can feel the back of my legs and butt working and ABsolutely can feel my core engaged to keep me upright. No slouching either! Slouching pushes the chair back which makes it awkward and uncomfortable. Anyway long story short is if your work in corporate America and are not allowed to escape your desk invest in one of these babies.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VK7CEG



I don't suggest using the oil and balls together though!

Cheers to all things wonderful and healthy!

Back to Basics

So by now you have no doubt viewed the Chipotle commercial that aired during the Super Bowl, if not take a peek now. I am literally nearly brought to tears by this commercial. Not just by the sweet sentiment of the thoughtful farmer or the cleverly animated little piggies but by the over all concept. I commend Chipotle for not only building an environmentally conscious business model but for being bold enough to put together a mass marketed commercial stating their opinion on what is wrong with our agricultural society, government, and consumption without being blatantly offensive.

While Chipotle is technically "fast-food" and isn't necessarily healthy it presents an option to the giant, corporate, conglomeration fry it up and pump it out as cheap as humanly possible chains. If Chipotle can sustain this type of business model my question is why can't all fast food chains? Sure this would probably mean they'd have to increase what they charge for a burger, but would that be the end of the world? If it means making their global foot print smaller and maybe avoiding what seem to be inevitable increased taxes on their products to make up for their unhealthy burden on those with less than stellar will power and failing health why would they want to continue to use up precious resources that eventually will decrease their revenue?

Maybe I'm getting to gushy over a little ole commercial but deep down a little part of me was touched and reawakened by Chipotle's commitment to a better product and a better business model. Food is just plain important, it doesn't need to be pumped full of chemicals and antibiotics to be mass produced to feed an ever increasing population or feed our ever growing waist-lines. Maybe if we all stop being such gluttons in American and quit pointing the finger at each other or at our government and own up to our decisions this type of practice would be sustainable for every business.

Invisibility

February 14th, 2012 - Driving home after picking up the kiddos. Miles says, "Mom, can real things be invisible?" I said, "No bud I don't think so. I think that's just pretend in movies and stories." Miles, "I have a friend who's invisible named Ryan." Me, "Oh cool." Miles, "I also saw an invisible pond once. It was just a pond hole." (HAAAA made me laugh so hard. Pond hole.)

Love the Skin You're In

I made a trip home to Chicago which became the speed dating version of visiting my family. With only four days and four households to visit the kids and I spent one night at each family members home. Wheew were we tired when we made it back to Minnesota. Families are complicated, everyone knows that, but they get logistically more complicated when they are spread far and wide across the Chicagoland area. My parents divorced shortly after my ex-husband and I did in 2007 after some 30 years of marriage. I knew, unfortunately, from early on they most likely would not be married forever. Sometimes though this is for the better. Both of my parents now seem happy in their new lives and still have respect for each other and there hasn't been any family drama to emerge out of their separation. The only real challenge for me has been trying to find a way to spend any amount of quality time with them and their new spouses now that I live 400 miles away!

From left to right: My sister, my son, me, my daughter, and my magnificent Grandmother.

The kids and I and my wonderful sister spent a few hours with my fraternal Grandmother on Saturday afternoon. She is completely amazing to me. Into her 80's now she is one of the most intelligent, compassionate, articulate, and motivated women I have ever met. All of my life and all of hers she has been passionate about the environment, working tirelessly to support any cause she thought could make a difference. She is an animal lover to the extreme and was an avid hiker and horseback rider. A gourmet cook and health nut, Dr. Decker is what we lovingly and mockingly call her because of her knowledge and passion for all things health related. Oh and the art oh the art! Her home is filled with her masterpieces and I have been lucky enough to inherit several of her works which proudly hang in my home. She is and always will be a legacy to which I am sure I will never live up to. Visiting my Gram was one of the highlights of this trip.

It dawned on me after my visit home that one of two things generally happens as we age, either our mind goes before our body gives out or our body gives out before our mind is ready to give up. We have little control or choice in the matter of aging. The way I see it we should take full advantage of our mind and body while they both get along. The world is far to big and exciting, colorful and wonderful to allow ourselves to be unhappy or bored. Maybe I'm feeling a bit sentimental with it being Valentine's Day and all but the truth of the matter is our time with our loved one's is limited and the legacy we choose to leave or the one that happens by accident is in fact important. I want my Grandchildren to look at me some day and think the same things and be inspired by the same wonderful motivations my Grandmother has represented to me.

Happy Valentine's Day today and everyday!

Time Saver Ravioli Soup

I literally threw this all in the crock pot in about 10 minutes this morning before I left for work. This easy, filling, healthy soup is a great addition to your weekly menu rotation. It's also easily modified to incorporate ingredients you have on hand.

Time Saver Ravioli Soup

32 oz. unsalted chicken stock
28 oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes
18 oz. frozen ravioli or tortellini
2 small zucchini grated
1 small yellow onion diced
1 large clove garlic chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder

You can use a cheese grater or shredder disc on a food processor for the zucchini or dice it small. Throw everybody in the crock and set on low for 6-8 hours. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve with garlic toast and a fresh salad for a complete fast and easy winter meal.

Italian Mac n Cheese with Parm Chicken and Red Wine Deglazed Mushrooms

Love is in the air and I just know you want to spend hours preparing a special meal for that special someone! This should do the trick and put everyone involved in a food coma after it's all said and done!

Ok first let me warn you I cook on the fly adding this and that so some of this may not be exact as I don't typically measure as I go along but here goes: (feel free to improvise adding or subtracting your favorite ingredients) Read all the way through so you don't miss any steps first.



The pasta dish alone I bet would serve 6.

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion (chopped)
1 8oz package baby portobello mushrooms (slice with stems)
1 8oz package button mushrooms (slice with stems)
1 1/2- 2 TBL chopped garlic or garlic paste
(cook onion, mushrooms, and garlic until onions are transparent and mushrooms are firm but cooked through. Reserve approx. 1 - 1 1/2 cups in a separate pan)
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach with some of the liquid
1 healthy dash Nutmeg
Salt to taste (the cheese has lots of salt so not to much especially if you are using sea salt)
Pepper
Red Pepper flakes (to taste) I probably used a TBL
1 1lb. box of large elbow macaroni
1lb. mozzarella cut into cubes
3 cups shredded Parmesan and or the Italian cheese blend (that's what I used) (reserve 1 cup)
Butter
Your favorite red wine


Start pasta boiling should take about 7 minutes to aldente.

Pour a glass of wine drink. Cook chopped onions, garlic, and mushrooms until onions are transparent and mushrooms are firm but cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. Add red pepper flakes. Reserve approx. 1 to 1 1/2 cups mixture in a another pan. Pour another glass of wine.

After reserving part of the mixture add the spinach and tomatoes. If you really like tomatoes like I do I think this recipe could even handle another half can of tomatoes. Cook through.

Drain pasta add to a very large mixing bowl. Add onion, garlic, spinach, mushroom, tomato mixture along with cubed mozzarella and Italian cheeses. Add a healthy dash of nutmeg. Mix together thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top off glass of wine.

Coat the bottom of a very large casserole dish with butter. Dish should be about twice the depth of an average 8 x 8 dish.

Mix about 4 oz of bread crumbs and 1 cup Italian cheeses. Coat bottom of casserole dish with about 1/2 the mixture. Reserve other half to top the dish.

Add pasta mixture to the casserole. Spread bread crumb mixture over top. Sprinkle with a bit more Italian cheese blend.

Pinch pieces of butter from the stick and dollop on top randomly on the dish.

Place in a 375 degree over for about 30-35 minutes.

Relax and finish glass of wine.


Part two chicken and mushrooms.

Chicken-Skinless chicken breasts (2)
marinate in your favorite Italian Parmesan dressing. Add a healthy dose of good paprika, salt and pepper. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 2 hours. Bring to room temp before cooking.

Add a healthy dose of red wine to your reserved mushroom mixture, add a tiny dash of nutmeg. Cook over medium to low heat until wine thickens and is absorbed by the mushrooms and onions. Keep and eye on it as the pan will need to be scraped as the wine reduces or it will burn. Add a dash of tarragon and thyme.

While the mushrooms are cooking coat the bottom of another pan with olive oil at medium high temp. Sere the chicken on both sides to lock in moisture then reduce the temp to medium low. (Cook chicken low and slow for best results.) Should take approx. 20-25 minutes to cook through at correct temp. You may want to cover the pan part way through to lock in more moisture. Sip wine while attentively tending the chicken.

Viola serve chicken covered with the mushrooms with a side of pasta. I think this pasta dish would be fantastic with the chicken added to it but would need an additional can of tomatoes for sure to add enough moisture.

I hope I didn't leave anything out. Good luck and let me know how yours turns out :)

Midwest Minestrone

This version of Minestrone makes me chuckle a little as it is such a Midwestern adaptation to traditional Minestrone. I love soups because they are so easy to modify and a classic Minestrone would have been exactly what this recipe represents, a gathering of scraps and leftover vegetables as well as any available pasta. Feel free to modify and let me know how it goes.

Midwest Minestrone

2 TBL butter
1 medium onion diced
3/4 c. cabbage sliced
1 leek diced
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 turnip diced
1 potato diced
1 carrot diced
1 tomato diced
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tsp. chopped parsley
7 c. chicken stock
5 1/2 oz. tomato juice
2 1/2 oz. spaghetti
Pinch celery seed and thyme
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat butter in large sauce pan. When hot add onion, cabbage, leek, and season to taste. Add basil, oregano, and remaining spices. Cover and cook for 4 minutes over low heat. Add turnip, potato, and carrot, mix well. Continue cooking covered 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat.

Add tomato, garlic, parsley and pour in broth and tomato juice. Stir and bring to boil. Season soup well and cook uncovered for 5 minutes over low heat. Break spaghetti in thirds and add to soup. Season and continue cooking for 12 minutes over medium heat until pasta is cooked.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Grandma's Turkey Noodle Soup

Classic comfort is Grandma's Turkey Noodle Soup. This is a great use of left over turkey or chicken especially if you have actually cooked the entire bird a day before.

Turkey or Chicken carcass
Water - enough to cover carcass
3-4 stalks celery with leaves chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 small cans chicken boullion soup
1-2 TBL salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. chopped parsley
1 1/2 c. sliced carrots
1 can cut green beans drained
4 c. egg noodles
1/4 c. butter
1.4 c. flour

In a large stock pot place carcass and cover with water. Add celery, onion, chicken boullion soup, slat, pepper, and bay leaf. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and let simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove carcass, let cool. Add parsley, beans, and carrots to stock, let simmer 10 minutes. Remove meat from carcass and add to soup. Heat soup to boiling, add noodles, cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Melt butter in a small frying pan. Stir in flour. Cook over low heat until flour is browned. Stir flour mixture into soup. Return soup to boiling and stir. Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I'm a big fan of asparagus and even if you aren't give this a try. It's not far off in flavor or consistency of cream of broccoli soup and can be so warm and filling on a cold winter's day. As always this is great served with fresh bread or warm rolls.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

1 1/2 lbs asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
6 c. chicken broth unsalted
2 ribs celery chopped
1 medium onion chopped
3 TBL butter
3 TBL flour
1/2 c. heavy cream
salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
1 dash cayenne
1 1/2 TBL fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Do ahead steps:
1/ cut tips off asparagus and simmer tips until tender. Drain, set aside.
2. In large sauce pan heat chicken stock, asparagus stalks, celery, and onion. Simmer covered 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and blend in blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender in pot until smooth.

Final steps:
Return stock mixture to pot. In small pan melt butter, whisk in flour and allow to bubble over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in heavy cream, stirring until thickened. Add this mixture to blended stock mixture, stirring constantly. Add asparagus tips and heat soup until very hot but not boiling.

Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Garnish with parsley.

Don't Be a Dip

Another childhood favorite I fondly remember present at family gatherings, spinach dip served in a Hawaiian bread bowl. Yum, I can smell the garlicy, herby, creamy goodness and taste the sweet, fluff of the bread. There was just something about those little chewy bits of dehydrated veggies from the Knorr soup mix that made it special in an odd sort of way. I guess this is one way to get your kids to eat their veggies! Add enough mayo and sour cream to anything and even spinach becomes delectable to a 5 year old.

Spinach Dip

1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 8oz. can water chestnuts (chopped)
1 pkg. Knorr dried vegetable soup mix
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Tear out the center of a round Hawaiian or rye bread. Scoop dip into the center of the bowl and served with the remaining diced center of the bread.

This recipe works well with the Hellman's olive oil based mayo and greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a lighter option.

Put on Your Game Face

Here's another fun recipe from my Mom's blue gingham binder. Sounds like a win win no matter who you are rooting for in this year's Super Bowl. Either way you and your guests are sure to get in the spirit after a couple of these babies just be sure everyone has a sober DD to get them home! Go TEAM!

Grandma Tippy's Bourbon Slush

7 cups strong brewed tea
2 cups Bourbon (gin or vodka)
1 large can frozen lemonade (do not add water)
1 large can frozen orange juice (do not add water)
2 cups sugar

Combine all ingredients and freeze. Should take about a day to freeze. Then shave into glasses. Serve straight up or cut with 7up.

The School of Essential Ingredients

For those of you who are avid readers, go you! I on the other hand have never been a let's pick up a novel and spend hours wrapping myself in words pouring from the page kind of gal. I read a few good books as a kid and got really into the Judy Blume books, even writing her once and was fall over excited when I received a letter back. Other than that there have been the occasional try and fail attempts at becoming a "reader".

Long story short I occasionally receive mystery gifts in the mail that usually end up being thoughtful displays of affection from my Mom. As long as I can remember she has been the spend any available minute reading anything good she could get her hands on type. I admire those types and have always felt their knowledge of the world and intellect was far superior to my own, though I know this probably isn't true it's just a different view of the world and a different use of their brain cells. Ha!

Recently I received a small package in the mail containing a book, The School of Essential Ingredients. My first thought was, ugh a book when am I going to find time to read this and blarg I have to sit and read this! See I've always thought maybe I am slightly dyslexic and I know I have a slight astigmatism so concentrating on black and white pages of tiny words doesn't exactly get me excited. I'm not a speed reader by any means and if there is one thing I am becoming more conscious of as an adult it is patience. Patience with myself that is. I have to remind myself that it doesn't matter now if it takes me 2 days, 2 weeks, or 2 months to finish a 300 page book. This isn't high school or college with a report due in 10 days or an exam critical to passing a class. This is my time. If I want to read and reread a page to fully understand or enjoy it then I can do that. I do, however, have to use some will power to turn the TV off and avoid my favorite travel and cooking shows and find a quiet place to allow myself to be enveloped by the story I hold.

This book, The School of Essential Ingredients, is a fairly quick read. No doubt you avid readers would have it finished in a day or less. It struck something inside me with so many of it's characters hitting notes from my own personal life. I literally found myself laughing out loud and a few chapters later sobbing with my dog coming over and gently putting her face in my lap to see what was wrong. It is truly a beautiful story of the nature of the human condition and of course about food! I wish this author had more fictional works under her belt but for now I will remain excited about this one in the hopes there are more to come.

http://www.amazon.com/Bauermeisters-Essential-Ingredients-Bauermeister-Paperback/dp/B0037JSNIW/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328278692&sr=1-4


Happy reading.

Make a Statement

As I mentioned I love unique fun finds no matter if it's food, clothing, jewelry, art, or otherwise related. Though I'm not a girly girl in the traditional sense, my Mother couldn't get me to wear a dress to save my life as a kid, I've learned to embrace my 5' 10" athletic or ummm maybe curvy frame. I love to wear heels and dwarf my competition and find new fun hair products, makeup, and especially shoes. I thought I'd share a few of my most recent finds that I think everyone should have.

First the boots. OH the boots. I waited months to purchase these as they are a bit spendy. Though when you live in Minnesota you basically live in boots for 6 months of the year. The splurge can be worth it to get them to last a few seasons and keep you warm and stylish at the same time.

I am in love with these Dansko Brinkley boots. They have a nice little platform to keep the leather up out of the slush and salt and a low enough heel that I can wear them to work everyday.
http://www.zappos.com/dansko-brinkley








Next up is this fantastic little dress from Maurices. I'd never in a million years think putting stripes on my Amazon woman frame could work but the diagonal stripes work wonders and both the print and material are so flattering. Paired with a sweater bolero jacket, the above boots, and a fun colored statement piece of jewelry and you've got yourself a great feel good outfit for work, dinner out, or a night on the town with the girls. The best part is it's sleeveless. I can see getting lots of miles out of this little dress in the summer too.
http://www.maurices.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12369945

Ok and this last little fun find is the new Infiniti by Conair® You Style Multi-Functional Styling Iron. My old iron bit the dust in all it's smoking glory so I was on the market for a new tool. This thing is fantastic. I was completely skeptical that it would be easy to use or deliver on soft curled waves but it did. After a little practice the end result are soft, gentle, slightly curled waves. This is a great alternative to strong curls that always make me feel like I am 12 on my way to Easter dinner. A little bit more grownup of a style. I found mine at Target and was well worth the investment.
http://www.conair.com/infiniti-by-conair-you-style-multi-functional-styling-iron-p-761-1_73_12.html

Happy styling!

Hit the Sauce!

If you're anything like me and have a crazy busy Brady Bunch family or even if you aren't and just like to try new things or eat more healthy give this pasta sauce a chance. It's a great solution from the jarred sauces that are often very high in sodium and sugar and low in actual nutrition. The pickiest of our four kids actually said this was his favorite pasta sauce, I nearly had a heart attack, of course he didn't actually know what was in it. Make an extra batch or two and keep it frozen for a quick sauce on busy nights. 

Adapted from The Six O'Clock Scramble's Sneaky Tomato Sauce

· 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
· 1 small yellow onion (preferably a sweet Vidalia onion), finely diced
· 10 baby carrots, or 2 large carrots, finely diced
· 2 tsp. minced garlic, (3 - 4 cloves)
· 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
· 2 cans 15 oz. tomato sauce
· 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and sauté them for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar and simmer it gently for about 15 minutes. Puree the sauce in a large food processor, in batches if necessary. Refrigerate then freeze unused sauce for later.

White Chicken Chili

It's Super Bowl time again which means wings, lots of snacks, and of course chili. This is my favorite chili recipe next to my Boyfriend Chili. I'll explain more about that one when I post that recipie. This one is full of flavor, super easy, and very filling, though you'll want to go back for seconds. I'd love your comments and suggestions if you give this one a whirl! (This is great in the summer too.)

White Chicken Chili
Ingredients

2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp ground cumin
2 ½ c. chicken broth (low sodium)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1lb.)

1 medium onion
2 large cloves garlic
1 TBL olive oil

1 11oz. can white shoepeg sweet corn
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 can white beans (undrained)
1 can butter beans (drained)
2 cans chickpeas (drained)
3 TBL lime juice

1 bag shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Tortilla chips
Avocado diced
Tomato diced
Cilantro chopped
Tomatillo salsa
Lime juice

Directions

In a large pot add chicken broth, cumin, and lemon pepper. Bring to a boil then add chicken. Return to a boil then cook at a high simmer for 20-30 minutes.

While chicken is cooking cut onion in to large chunks and chop along with garlic in a food processor OR finely hand chop. Sautee onion and garlic mixture with about 1 TBL of olive oil in a sauté pan until clear. Careful not to burn.

Remove chicken from stock and chop into bite size pieces. Return chicken and onion mixture to the stock and continue cooking.

Add beans, corn, lime juice and chilies to stock, chicken and onion mixture and continue cooking for 30-40 minutes.

Top with cheese and crushed tortilla chips. For the grown ups or adventurous kids add avocado (instead of sour cream), fresh chopped cold tomatoes, cilantro, a dash of lime juice and a few spoonfuls of tomatillo salsa. Enjoy!

Handyman?

I laugh sometimes at my determination to take on household projects that are typically left to male counterparts. I grew up with one half of my family, on my Father's side, who were all creative types. They are and were artists of every medium, architects, painters, sculptors, builders, you name it and it could be imagined, designed, and created. Food of course was the one common element that united us all no matter what other medium someone specialized in. My Father chose to go against the grain of his family, while still working with his hands, he became an airplane mechanic.

I grew up in a house that was well never really finished. It was a beautiful rambler that when I was about 5 or 6 my parents decided to COMPLETELY remodel including adding an enormous addition. At that time interest rates to buy a new home were something between 17.5% and 22%! It was much more economical to take out a loan than to buy a new home. Over the years I watched my Father pour literal blood, sweat, and tears into our family home. When I hear a table saw running it instantly draws me back to my childhood, hearing the scream of the blades running and the smell of fresh cut lumber in the air. The smell of the old blue Dawn dish soap does that for me too. My Dad would first wash his hands at the kitchen sink to scrub away the oil and debris of the day when he got home.

Being 6 when the projects started I was naturally curious and looking for any way to help. I remember being given jobs such as picking up nails around the outside of the house that had fallen into the bushes and grass after the house had been reroofed. My friend across the street and I got a penny a nail. Other odd jobs included handing sheets of tile to my Dad when he tiled the sunroom or taking the old hardwood flooring outside from the then den after it was pulled up. I remember it was Bruce hardwood and we thought that was so funny because that was my Dad's name too.

Other jobs I was given around the house as a kid which I LOVED were to carry bags of shot down to the basement at I think 25lbs a piece. My Dad was a trap shooter when I was between 9 and 12 years old and he taught me how to reload shotgun shells. We'd spend hours sitting at the reloading station at his workbench in the basement and he'd always tell me to be sure to put the primer in the right way or the shell could backfire. The bags of shot he'd never forget to tell me each time to not drop them or b-b's would be everywhere. Of course I never dropped one but he did!

I certainly didn't grow up a girly girl. I was expected to pull my weight as my Mom coming from a rural farming family no doubt wasn't allowed to just sit around and cause trouble either. Mowing the lawn when I was barely big enough to use my own weight to push the thing was fun back then and a challenge and I always felt like I accomplished something for the good when I was done.

Being the oldest with only one sister 6 years younger than me I received the brunt of the household tasks. Laundry, dishes, picking up sticks in the yard after a storm were all just part of regular expectations. Though we weren't "rewarded" monetarily my parents certainly made sure we were taken care of and had fun.

The point being because I wasn't treated as a girly girl I learned to wheeled a hammer and drill and fix things that needed fixing with confidence as an adult. So much of this transpires into cooking too. I'm not afraid to try a new gadget or ingredient or cooking method and I'm eager to learn new skills.

Last night I decided to tackle a small project that has been eating away at me for the better part of 2 years waiting for my other half to do something about it. Our 2 year old Golden Retriever/Yellow Lab mix is a chewer. She managed to get her teeth into a small dent in the basement door and chew a 2 foot by 8 inch hole in it. The door handle had stopped working properly some months ago and would lock anyone who visited the basement and closed the door behind them down there. So yesterday with my kids by my side and my son amazed at my ability to use a drill and jig saw helped me fix the door and solve a long standing problem.

To me life is about teaching my kids that it doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl. If there's something that needs fixing fix it, if someone has a problem help them, and if you are told you can't do something because of what's in your pants then try harder and prove them wrong!

Handyman, no, capable person yes!

Recipie for Success

I was asked recently to think back over my life thus far and jot down any accomplishments or acheivements I was proud of and ENJOYED doing. Doesn't sound like a difficult task really until you start thinking about that word, enjoyed. Sure plently of us were mathletes, spelling bee champs, athletes and so on, but how many of our accomplishments were acheived because they were expect or better yet demanded of us. Deep down who is the real you, what did YOU do that you felt good about becasue it was a reflection of your inner spirit. I've started a journey of soul searching to find out about the real me. The me that will try and fail and the me that will try, fail, and pick myself up and move on and somehow stumble across my calling. Sometimes we find out we are right where we're supposed to be we're just going about it the wrong way and sometimes we find out just the opposite. So for your reading enjoyment, and I challenge you to this test of your wills too, a list of the things I have been most proud of during my short 33 years.

(Segment your life into three categories or more like I did below and then try to come up with a minimum of 5 accomplishments or acheivements that your really truly and honestly enjoyed doing.)

Accomplishments
Childhood
Earned lots of Girl Scout badges and stayed in G.S. from 1st to 8th grade.

Held second chair flute for 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

Won 5 awards my senior year of high school for my art.

Being elected to our youth church council for a year.

Attended 19 youth conferences in high school.

Was voted pfoof master my senior year of high school. (Don't ask.)

Traveled across the country to attend national youth conferences by myself.


Young Adulthood
Researched colleges and found one to attend on my own.

Was awarded college scholarship by the theatre department.

Designed and created sets for several theatre productions in college.

Helped design, plan, and build a room for an ASID showcase house and had it featured in a Chicago paper.

Spent several semesters as a life model for an art class at my college.


Adulthood
Bought a car on my own.

Packed up and moved to Minnesota a week after graduating college.

Had two of my kitchens published in magazines.

Was invited to judge a National Kitchen and Bath competition.

Volunteered to present about becoming a designer to a group of design students.

Won 5 customer service awards at Expo Design Center.

Survived a divorce and made new friends because of it.

Lost 20lbs and kept it off and discovered that I like working out in group fitness classes.

Participated in two polar plunges to raise money for a local zoo’s polar bear habitat.

World's Best Lasagna

This by far is THE best lasagna I've ever made. Rave reviews from the peanut gallery, which include one less than adventurous eater, and all were asking for seconds. This is even better the second and third day and can easily feed a small army of hungry children.

World's Best Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 c. minced onions
1 tsp. salt
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp.oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 16 oz. package large curd cottage cheese
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c. mixed Italian shredded cheese
1 can diced tomatoes


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

In a large skillet over medium heat saute ground beef, onions, garlic, garlic powder, oregano and salt until meat is brown. Drain excess fat and add spaghetti sauce and drained diced tomatoes to the beef mixture, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Combine the mozzarella and Italian cheese in a separate bowl. Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Line bottom of pan with four lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture over noodles. Layer 1/3 of the cottage cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the cottage cheese. Repeat this layering until no ingredients remain.

Bake for 60 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicagoland Sin - Deep in Minnesota

When you grow up 40 minutes outside downtown Chicago deep dish pizza is just a way of life and anything else is simply sin. I love a good thin crust but nothing compares to to a true Chicago-style deep dish. Others try to copy it, freeze them and ship them to the poor souls who have searched but come up empty handed, or pass off their pan pizza as deep dish. I've been in Minnesota nearly 10 years now and trust me NO ONE makes an authentic deep dish pizza, believe me I've looked. That's when I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own version. The only thing missing is the scorching hot pizza oven and the well seasoned, cast iron, deep dish pizza pan. If you've got the time and have ever experienced the true joy that is a 50 minute wait to experience the salty, ooie-gooey, steaming pizza that IS Chicago deep dish and happen to be far from your beloved Chicago like me give this a try.

If you're single make it for a prospective significant other. It will either seal the deal or reveal that they are nuts if they don't fall over dead at the effort you put in and ask you to marry them on the spot over the mind blowing experience they just had tasting the best pizza they've ever had. If you hear something to the tune of eh I'd rather have thin crust, run, run far far away. If you aren't single well this is a fantastic way to seal the deal for eternity and ensure you're never single again!

Good luck. For best results use a 12" pizza pan with straight sides. I have a great heavy duty spring form pan which makes it easier to get it out without damaging the pan.

Serena's World Famous Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Pizza Dough
1 c. warm water
1 package fresh yeast
3/4 c. cornmeal (see instructions)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
2 TBL melted butter
2 1/2 c. flour (2-3 c. as needed)

Filling
2 c. mozzarella cheese shredded
2 c. Parmesan cheese shredded
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt

Additional fillings optional (Use your favorites but remember fresh veggies release lots of moisture and will create a soggy pizza.)
1 8 oz. can mushrooms
1 8 oz. can sliced black olives
2 boxes Hormel mini canadian bacon

Directions - Dough
Makes enough dough for a 12" round deep dish pizza pan. 1/2 recipe is the perfect amount for a 9" round cake pan. Preparing the cornmeal: One secret to making a great Chicago deep dish pizza is getting the cornmeal ground very fine so that you don't have a grainy texture to the crust. To do this take 3/4 c. cornmeal and grind it find in a coffee or spice grinder. Take the ground corn meal and sift it into your mixer bowl.
Next follow the instructions on the packet of yeast. Add the warm water to a mixing bowl with the cornmeal, yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil, and melted butter. Using a whisk attachment on your stand mixer stir the mixture for 10 minutes.
Add one cup flour to the mixer and use the dough hook to combine all ingredients. Add the remaining flour 1/4 c. at a time until you can handle and kneed the dough without it sticking to your hands. Over mixing the dough in the mixer will result in a tough crust. Depending on the humidity in the air you may need more or less of the 3 c. of flour. Next take the dough out of the mixer and kneed it by hand on a lightly floured counter. Kneed the dough for 3 to 5 minutes. The end result should be slightly softer than the palm of your hand near the base of your thumb.
Let the dough rise in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place. A good secret is to put some boiling water in a deep skillet. Put the skillet on the bottom wrack of the oven and the dough on the top wrack. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 30 to 90 minutes.

Forming the crust
After the dough has risen punch down the ball. Place the ball on a lightly floured surface and flatten with your hand. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a uniform circle about /4 inch thick. Very lightly oil the bottom of your pizza pan. Take your rolling pin and roll the dough around the pin, then lift it gently and place it over the pizza pan. Form the crust by pinching the dough 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise another 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

Filling the pizza
Layer the pizza in reverse from a traditional pizza. Combine your mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in a separate bowl. Squeeze the excess moisture from the diced tomatoes. Add the salt, diced tomatoes, basil and oregano to another bowl and combine well. Start with a layer of cheese on the crust, then a layer of diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives or whatever veggies you are using. For best results squeeze excess liquids out of the veggies before adding them to the pizza. Next add your meat layer and finally add a layer of sauce. Repeat these steps ending with sauce.

Baking the pizza
Put your pizza in a 475 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes reducing the temp to 450 and continue to bake for approximately another 20-30 minutes.

This is a super time consuming recipe but it is well worth it. I make it about once a year and it can be a fun project when you stuck inside with the kids on a blustery winter day.
You should end up with something that looks like this:

Addict or Enthusiast?

In a world where we readily have oh 1000+ television channels available at any given time with slight variations of roughly the same programing on virtually all of them and at least 50% of those channels promoting reality TV that represents pretty much anything other than reality I find myself sucked into any cooking or travel experience available on the boob tube. If there's been anything that's been a consistent interest of mine since I was a kid it has been the narrative, conversational format of cooking, travel, and nature shows. My favorites growing up were The Frugal Gourmet and Marty Stouffer's Wild America. I also willingly ate Grape Nuts and tofu as a kid so I'm not exactly sure how I didn't end up back-packing around the world and living out of a tent though sometimes that seems like a much more fulfilling alternative to life in the burbs.

The mass variety of culinary viewing available is almost mind boggling.  How many shows specific to ethnicity, budgets, dietary restrictions, and weird foods can there be? There's a lot riding on being a celebrity chef and often I wonder how much control they actually maintain over their passion once they've gone mainstream.

As I pursue my culinary endeavors I wonder if it's normal to develop crushes like a teenager for her high school teacher. The know how to wheeled a knife, wisdom, and the worldliness that come with years of international travels of any professional chef become intangibly sexy.

Crush #1

Couple the sarcastic, dry, intelligent wit with the bad boy, reformed, I don't give a f@$k attitude and experienced chef/world traveler/brilliant food critic/writer persona and this girl melts like chocolate under a heat lamp.

Crush #2
OK, not your classic beauty but come on every girl has to have a crush on the cute funny guy who'll eat or do anything to impress her, right? If humor and a talent for cooking make a man attractive well then Andrew Zimmerman has that all buttoned up.



Crush #3
And what girl doesn't love a grown man that goes by the name Bobby ya'll. Throw in a sweet southern drawl, a love for his Mama, and well it doesn't hurt to be tall, dark, handsome and a little funny and he can mash my sweet potatoes all day long.


Some gals drool over pro athletes and some over rock starts, obviously my weakness is for professional and celebrity chefs. I can think of worse things. A little inspiration never hurt in the kitchen so until I win the lotto (I need to start playing first) and can quit my day job to go travel the world, learn French, and go to culinary school I'll just have to keep watching my cooking and travel shows to survive my daily 9 to 5. The occasional cooking class or new cookbook should keep the dream alive too.

Cheers to you all who find your inspiration and motivation in the every day and keep dreaming big.

Confetti in the Kitchen

So as I mentioned I am a bit of a freak when it comes to bowls. Some people hoard reusable containers, ok I kind of have a problem there too, some people collect Hummels, and others collect various other trinkets and chotchkies. I on the other hand prefer my collecting to be of the functional variety. I think somehow this has translated down the line from my Mom's side. Her Mother, my Grandma Tippy, was born during the GREAT depression (unlike the great recession we have been experiencing now for what 10 years). As the story goes my Great Grandparents were so poor at one point they didn't have enough money to buy a stamp, I believe it too. Growing up, like my Grandmother did, in very rural Burlington, IA with only your vegetable garden and the handy crafts of neighbors and fellow church goers to sustain you would lead any family to cherish and keep everything that might now or someday be of any use or value.

Where am I going with this? My Mom too held on to just about everything that came into our home when I was a kid. Though eventually mass purging would take place to make way for new and wonderful treasures found during our summer escapades throughout Chicago and trips to Iowa, Indian, Wisconsin, and so on. Somehow all of this "collecting" had an opposite effect on me, as an adult, causing minor panic attacks when piles start to over run the house thus the functional collecting began!

Bowls are functional in every which way. The kids use them in the summer to make mud soup outside, they collect "unique" rocks from the gravel piles in the park, bowls are handy when harvesting the precious fruits of our long summer labor from the garden, they make handy resting places for the junk that isn't junky enough for the junk drawer but to junky to be displayed and doesn't have a proper home, and most importantly they become vessels of creativity in the kitchen.

If you think about it many of us have bowls passed down from Grandma and Great-Grandma that we spent Easters and Christmases mixing cookies, cakes, bread dough, and other treats while chewing their ears off and spilling the beans on our siblings. Those bowls aren't just bowls but rather they represent those who came before us and all of their heritage, knowledge, and caring. Maybe that's why my bowls are so important. Maybe someday I'll pass down my favorite set of confetti nesting bowls to my daughter in the hopes she too will fill them with memories and cherish the ones we've made.

My favorite 50's inspired Confetti nesting bowls from Zak! Designs
http://www.zak.com/Confetti-4pc-Bowl-Set--Assorted-Brights_p_934.html

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Chicken Chili

This is a great, super easy and very healthy chili I whipped up. It made the house smell great and it tastes even better. The sweet potatoes give it a great texture and the orange ginger glaze adds very subtle flavor while the whole serranos add just a smidge of heat making it manageable even for kids!

2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 serrano chili peppers poke several holes in each but leave whole
2 TBL olive oil
l lb (about 3 large) chicken breasts cut into chunks and browned in olive oil
2 small yellow onions diced
4 garlic cloves chopped
2 to 3 cups fresh tomatoes chopped or about 16 to 24 oz. canned diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans drained
4+ TBL chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. unsalted chicken broth
1/2 c. Iron Chef orange ginger glaze (in the Asian section of the international isle)

Add everything to a crock pot and cook on high for 5 hrs or low for about 8 hrs. I served it with day old bread from Jimmy Johns. It made at least 6 to 8 servings.