Aubergine

Bread Salad

2011-12-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

Known as panzanella in Italy, I just love this kind of eating. The basis for all the goodness is the bread. In this case, I used my WW seeded bread, which I should post as well.

2 slices bread (cut into small cubes)
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
2 Tbs crumbled Feta
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Vinaigrette to taste*

*
1 part red wine vinegar
2 part macadamia nut oil**
1 tsp Greek oregano

**
This is what I used, it will be just fine with your EVOO of choice as well.

If you love to soak your bread in the leftover salad dressing, then this is the dish for you. It's already done for you.

2011-10-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Bruce's Saag

I love spinach, and Garbanzo beans. If you feel the same, this is for you.

I            can Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
2 lbs.     fresh spinach (or frozen chopped)
1 Tbs.    Olive oil
1 tsp.     Garam Masala
2 tsp      Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp.     ground cumin
1 cup Non-Fat Yogurt (yogurt cheese) or Greek Yogurt

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat, add all spices and cook for about 1 minute, use heat judiciously, so as not to burn the spice. Now add the drained can of Garbanzo Beans, and combine with spices, turn heat down and simmer. Steam spinach until wilted, then place in dish towel, and wring out moisture, now place in bowl and liquefy using an immersion blender, or use a regular blender. Now add to beans, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Turn heat off, and allow to cool for 5 minutes, now stir in the yogurt, and serve. Goes well with Basmati Rice, or one of the Indian Flat breads, Chapatti, Roti, Naan.

2011-10-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Caramelized Onions

10 lbs Onions
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

Thinly slice the onions. Place onions in large pot, Dutch Oven type container on medium heat covered, until you hear them boiling, then turn heat down to low. Allow to braise in pot for 45 minutes, to an hour. They will be reduced by about 2/3d's, now uncover, and allow to simmer until the liquid is reduced, but there is still a little moisture. This can take hours, depending upon your humidity. Now can the finished product.

This process makes for a very sweet relish, all natural. Love it in steak sandwiches with roasted red peppers, and mayonnaise on a baguette, to die for. Use your imagination great with meat dishes, served cold in a salad, etc.

2011-06-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

Cuts

I just decided to have a roast beef sandwich, unfortunately I'd just placed a loaf of Banana Bread in the convection/microwave oven, and all bread I had was frozen. What to do.

I took the 3 thin slices of roast beef, and cut them into 1 inch squares, the same with the cheese slices, smoked chipotle jack, in this case. Into a bowl went these 2 ingredients, with 3 small cubed tomatoes, 1 tsp. of horseradish mustard. 1 Tbs. of Mayonnaise, 3 diced pepperocini, and about 1/2 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper. Mix, and eat.

To die for.

Scallion Frittata

2011-01-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

I wanted something with scallions in it for breakfast, and came up with this.

3 eggs

2 scallions

1 tsp. sesame seeds

Sriracha to taste

Dice scallions, place whites in saute pan and saute for 2 minutes, add greens and sesame seeds and saute for another 2 minutes. Break three eggs, add Sriracha and beat, then pour over contents of pan, turn heat to low setting, cover pan, and cook for ten minutes.

Additions: Crab, Tofu, Mushrooms, Ginger, Soy Sauce, let your imagination be your guide.

This recipe is worth cooking just for the aroma, yum!

Japanese Style Salad

2010-11-20T19:26:00.000-08:00

Had some Daikon radish and wanted a salad, so came up with this:

2 cups shredded Daikon

1 cup shredded carrot

1 TBS Soy Sauce

2 TBS rice wine vinegar

1 tsp Toasted sesame seed oil

1 TBS toasted sesame seeds

1 can tuna

2 TBS mayonnaise

Mix ingredients together, and enjoy.

Dressing develops a beautiful orange coloration from the carrots.

Options; wasabi, seaweed, chicken, hot sauce, Bonita flakes, could also be mixed with cold oriental noodles.

Delicious!

Bursting Tomatoes

2010-03-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

I watched the Barefoot Contessa this week, and she made an Angel Hair Pasta with fresh tomatoes. I was inspired to try it, with my variations.

1 Pkg WW Gnocchi
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic
1 bunch diced scallions
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Parmegiano/Regiano cheese

Saute garlic and pepper in olive oil for 30 seconds in medium heat pan, add tomatoes and move them around in the oil until they are coated, then cook for about 5 minutes, now add the scallions, and stir for about a minute, add the basil stir, and remove from heat.This cooks the tomatoes to the point that they are heated, but not bursting. Add the cheese, and then mix with cooked pasta.

I found the gnocchi a little heavy, so you might use a lighter pasta, but it will be good, whatever you choose. What makes this dish is hot, fresh tomatoes bursting in your mouth.

A Simple Dessert

2010-03-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

1/2 c Yogurt Cheese
1 c Blueberries
1 tsp Drambuie

Mix together, serve.

Tastes both delicious, and elegant. Obviously you could use other fruits, or a different liquor, use your imagination. I added walnuts once, and enjoyed that as well.

Yogurt Cheese

2010-03-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

I frequently cook with yogurt cheese, also known as "Greek Yogurt", Lebneh etc. depending on the culture. It is basically your yogurt of choice (excluding one with gelatin in it, which binds the moisture) with the whey removed.

Here is a link to making it easily:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/dining/17mini.html?ref=dining

You can also buy a Yogurt cheese maker, which is what I have, as I don't like leaving things open to oxygen. Here is the one I use:

http://www.cuisipro.com/site/eng/product_detail.aspx?category_id=category_007&subcategory_id=subcategory_053&product_id=prod_0144

Recipes to follow.

Bulgur and Beets

2009-06-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

My neighbor and landlord brought me some beet greens. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, then I came up with this.

1 cup Bulgur
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 can diced beets
1 red onion
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. Apple Cider syrup (or sweetener you have on hand)
2 crisp apples (Fugi, Gala, Granny Smith
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
4 cups beet greens

Bring water and salt to boil, and add bulgur and cook until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Add diced beets drained, diced onion, diced apples, cinnamon, and mix. Now whip the balsamic, oil, and sweetener for the vinaigrette and pour over the contents and mix. Now add the diced beet greens. This turned out very well, and was enjoyed by all who ate it.

Fish Salad

2009-04-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

I have started eating smarter, I owe it to myself. The other night I baked some Cod. The piece was too large to eat the whole thing, so I halved it, and stored it in the refrigerator. The next day for lunch, I broke it into pieces, then added cubed tomatoes, lettuce, balsamic vinegar, and Olive Oil, delish.

Asparagus and Roasted Pepper Bisque

2009-03-17T17:03:00.000-07:00

I don't like to waste food, so I try to incorporate everything I can into my cooking, including things such as the tough ends of asparagus stalks, and brocoli stalks. I made several dishes recently with asparagus, so I needed to use the stalks. Thus, the following recipe.

1-1/2 Asparagus stalks
1 ripe bell pepper
1 Tbs.Onion flakes
3 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic crushed
6 drops hot sauce
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1 32 oz. chicken stock
olive oil

Place oil for sauteing in pan, cut bell pepper half and seed, then place over burner to roast, until you have black bubbles formed on skin. Set aside to cool. When cool dice into 1" pieces. Cut the stalks of celery lengthwise, and then dice. Add the onion flakes, and garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute. Now add the celery, and bell peppers to the saute. Don't worry about the black pieces from the peppers, they provide that extra "roasted" flavor. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes, now add the asparagus, and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the hot sauce, and curry powder. Now add the stock, and bring to a boil, uncovered. Turn pan off, and cover. Let the pan sit for 1/2 hour. This will tenderize the vegetables, without making them soggy, so that you'll get a fresh vegetable taste. If you prefer, you can simply cook everything for 20 minutes, and the veggies will be tender.

Cool for 1/2 hour, now place in a blender, food processor, or food mill, and process until everything is liquified. Since the stems are likely a little woody, sieve the liquid, and you'll have liquid silk. If you used a food mill, you can skip this step.

This was made without milk, but if you want it creamy, you can add milk, half and half, plain yogurt, or sour cream as an addition. It would also be good with cheese sprinkled on top. Always add the milk to it when it is cooled a little, to avoid curdling. Enjoy.

RSS Feed

2009-03-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

I've added a button so you can subsribe to this blog through a reader. It is at the bottom of the page.

Carrot Raisin Salad

2009-03-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

12 carrots grated
1/2 to 1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 can pineapple tidbits in juice only
3 Tbs. Mayonnaise
1 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. freeze dried raspberries, or
1/4 cup fresh
juice contents of pineapple tidbits

Soak raspberries in cold water for 20 minutes. I part raspberries, to 3 parts water. Combine carrots, raisins, walnuts, and drained pineapple. Now place balsamic vinegar, and raspberries in small bowls, and use a whip to mash berries and combine with vinegar, now add mayonnaise, and combine until thoroughly mixed. Now mix in with salad mixture. If you need more liquid, use the juice, until you have the right consistency.

I used organic carrots, so did not peel, as that is where much of the nutrition is located. You could get by without the raspberries if you used raspberry vinegar. A nice variation would be to add a drained can of diced beets.

2008-12-07T16:20:00.000-08:00

Lat night I wrote this. I am celebrating a non-material Christmas this year, so this is my gift to you.

In my 65 years on this planet, I've noticed a few things I'd like to share:

1. Life is NOT a destination, it is a journey.

2. The world could be a different place, if we all just decided to be a little nicer to each other.

3. Most all successful politicians arrive at their positions of power through the constant, thorough manipulation of others.

4. Each day, it is good to learn something new, all through one's life.

5. The world is a better place when you do something meaningful in the life of another person each day.

6. Children's laughter is an elixir.

7.Civility with others is the ultimate social lubricant.

8. We all just need a little recognition.

9. Gathering friends and family around food is always a good idea.

10. Fundamentalism of any kind defines the world in an immutable fashion that exists only in the mind of the person that holds the fundamental belief.

11. Bankers are never your friend.

12. There is much good in innocence.

13. Walking the world in judgment of others guarantees a lonely life.

14. The horizon was once clear for 50-100 miles, naturally.

15. Never listen to those who talk the talk, always listen to those who walk the walk.

16. Create laughter wherever you go.

17. Smell the roses.

18. There are great aromas in the world, starting with toast, coffee, popcorn, bacon, star jasmine, and rosemary.

19. Watching a campfire for hours, up close, is a meditation.

20. Computers will connect us, or destroy us. The jury is still out.

21. There is a wealth of beauty in the world, if one just opens their senses.

22. There is a beauty in words.

23. Sex is fleeting, and wonderful.

24. Touch heals.

25. Luck is the meeting of preparation and opportunity.

26. You don't need everything you have.

27. Life could be so much worse.

28. Health matters.

29. Water is scarce, we just don't know it yet.

30. Making mud pies is a fundamental right.

31. Jealously both destroys you, and makes you ugly.

31. Trust your instincts.

32. Lifelong learning is a gift we can give ourselves.

33. Strawberries are a celebration, especially with sour cream, and powdered sugar.

34. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep each day, is imperative.

35. Define who you are, don't let others define you.

36. Music heals.

37. Friendship is always worth the investment.

38. Fresh tomatoes from the garden are a sacrament.

39. Listen!

40. Smile more often.

41. Care about others, especially when they don't make it easy.

42. If at all possible, live in a house with a porch.

43. Take long walks on a beach when you can.

44. Show appreciation.

45. Experience gratitude.

46. Know yourself, no matter how painful.

47. Smoking kills slowly.

48. Creativity opens you up as a person.

49. Being willing to be vulnerable pays great dividends.

50. You know more than you think.

51. Hurting others, ultimately hurts you.

52. Pickles make you pucker.

53. If you want others to do it right, don't try to control them.

54. Progress starts with a willingness to trust.

55. I have no tolerance for zero tolerance.

56. Anonymity breeds incivility.

57. Rubber bands are weapons.

58. Water bombs are fun for kids of all ages.

59. Breasts are a gift from God.

60. Humor heals.

61. Everyone has a gift.

62. We have it within our power...

Rum Nut Squash Bake

2008-11-27T11:34:00.000-08:00

This being Thanksgiving, I wanted a non-sugary dish to replace the traditional sweet potato casserole with the walnuts, butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. Having recently been given some acorn squash, I came up with this.

Acorn Squash
2 ripe pears (or apples)
1/2 cup pecan halves
3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS dark rum
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp garlic flakes
1 TBS fresh sage

Take 4 small, or 3 medium acorn squash, split in half, remove the seeds and pulp, Pam a baking pan and place acorns split side down and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1-1 and 1/4 hours based on size. Let them cool. Now remove skins and place in mixing bowl, core and thin slice pears, about 1/8th to 1/4", now add all ingredients, and mix well and place in casserole. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1/2 hour covered, then uncover, and bake an additional 15 minutes, and serve. If there are leftovers, you can reheat it with a layer of grated cheese of choice. In my case, it will be smoked gouda.

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Curried Cream of Cauliflower

2008-05-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, I'm an opportunistic cook, using what I have. I made a creamed cauliflower side dish the other day, called fauxtatoes by some, due to it's low carb nature. I steamed a head of cauliflower for 15 minutes, then added it to my vita mix with 1/4 cup chicken stock, and 1/2 tsp. salt, and blended until it was smooth. Then I added about 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, and served. It was delicious.

Having about 1 and 1/2 cup leftover, I combined the remainder with 1 cup chicken stock, 3/4 tsb curry powder, and blended until it was soup. Delicioso!

Purple Pears

2008-01-06T13:01:00.001-08:00

Many of my recipes are based upon what's in the larder. Last night I was to attend a gathering where I was to bring a dessert. I wanted something lite, post holiday. So I looked around. I found some pears, some blueberries, and a lemon that I wanted to use, so here's what I came up with:

3 15oz cans pears (in lite syrup) drained

1 cup frozen blueberries (defrosted, and drained)

1 whole lemon for juice

1 Tbs. Cinnamon

1 tsp mint leaf

1/2 tsp stevia

*optional 1/2 cup walnuts

Combine ingredients in a bowl, Pam a baking dish, and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1/2 hour. It turns the pears a deep purple, and to me is blueberry pears, as you have the flavor of blueberries with the texture of the pears. It was served warm last night. Today I finished the little amount left cold, and it tasted even better.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2007-11-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

I have always enjoyed Brussels Sprouts, and have always just steamed them, and then put a little vinegar over them to serve. I've recently seen some references to roasted sprouts, so decided to give it a go.

I placed 1 Lb of washed and stemmed sprouts with EVOO, balsamic vinegar. granulated garlic, and a little kosher salt into a bag, and marinated for an hour, and then placed them in a baking dish. Cooked in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, they came out crisp on the outside, and tender inside, and delicious. They loose their bitterness, are not vinegary, just wonderful.

These will become a part of my cooking repertoire.

Asian Country Pork Ribs

2007-11-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

I don't particularly like tomato based barbecue, but I love the non-tomato kind. So here's something I threw together the other day.

3oz House of Tsang Sweet Ginger Sesame Hibachi Grill Sauce*

2oz White Zin

2 oz Organic Brown Rice Vinegar

2oz Sesame Seed Oil

1 Tbs. Granulated Garlic

1 Tbs. Frank's Red Hot Sauce

2oz Soy Sauce

*This was what I had in the fridge, so I used it, but it would be easy to whip some sesame seed oil, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and rice wine vinegar together.

Take 5 and 1/2 lbs boneless country ribs, and remove as much fat as you reasonably can. Save the trimmings for another meal. Now cut the ribs in 2' pieces, mix with the above marinade, and place in refrigerator overnight, stirring several times.

When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400 degrees, then place the meat in a roaster using a slotted spoon so that you don't allow a lot of the marinade to follow. The pan should be large enough large enough to hold all the meat without crowding. In my case I used a 15" deep dish pizza pan. Now place in the oven and bake for ten minutes, now turn the heat down to 225 degrees, and cover. Cook for 3 hours, pouring off the liquid at 1 and 1/2 hours.

At 3 hours, pour off any liquid remaining. Set aside the liquids for another meal. Now cover the meat with the remainder of the marinade with a brush turning over to cover both sides of the meat, and return to the oven for 15 minutes, uncovered. This will finish off the ribs.

They were delicious, and melt in your mouth tender.

2007-10-31T23:29:00.000-07:00

If you like cheese, or are curious about cheese you've got to see this site,
365 Cheeses it is truly worthwhile, subjective descriptions, but also has lots of objective info as well.

From Another Blog

2007-10-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

I just read this blog at Amateur Gourmet and thought it was worth sharing here.

Spanish Squash

2007-10-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

To accompany the Chicken and Chorizo I wanted a nice vegetable dish, so I came up with this:

6-8 small yellow zucchini 3/4 to 1 " in diameter, or 2-3 larger cut into 1/2 " slices

2 TBS EVOO

1/2 -1 Tsp Sherry Vinegar

2-3 oz grated Sole Gran Queso cheese

Smoked salt to taste

Place the squash, EVOO, and sherry vinegar in a bowl, and mix to marinate. Add smoked salt, found at Spices, ETC to taste. Now place the mix in a small casserole, baking dish, and place the grated cheese on the top. Put the dish in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1/2 hour. This will give you a nice al dente dish.

The family doesn't tolerate onions well, so there were none in the recipe. If I were making this for myself, I would slice an entire onion and saute it until caramelized and add it to the dish. With 1 tsp of vinegar there was a slight vinegar presence, if I were to make it again, I'd use 1/2 tsp instead. If I added onions, I'd leave it at 1 tsp.

Chicken/Chorizo Casserole

2007-10-22T15:31:00.001-07:00

I get RSS feeds from cooking sites, and I recently saw a post about Chicken and chorizo, which interested me, so I decided to make it. The original recipe which came from 80 Breakfasts . Now she didn't follow the original recipe, as she added beans. I'm making it for the family tonight, and they have specific likes, and dislikes, as do I, so here is how I decided to make it, based upon her modifications. Here is my first example of how "cooks" see the world of cooking, I'm making it MY Chicken and Chorizo, by making it a casserole with a Spanish base, and American interpretation.

1 Lb. Chorizo Sausage

1 Lb. Chicken

1 cup whole grain rice

1 can beans

1 1LB pkg. Frozen Organic Corn

2-1/2 cups Low sodium organic chicken broth

2 Tbs EVOO

several threads saffron

3 cloves fresh garlic

1 tsp. Pimenton (sweet smoked paprika)

1 Fresh Lemon

In a large casserole that can be placed on a burner on the stove place the EVOO, and heat on medium, then add the rice and stir to brown. This increases the flavor of the rice, gives it a different texture that feels and tastes nutty. When it is browned, add crushed garlic, and stir, now add the chicken broth. Grill the chicken, I used unbreaded chicken tenders, but you can use whatever fresh or frozen chicken you have. Now do the same for the chorizo. After the pieces have cooled, slice on the diagonal into bite size pieces and set aside. Now add a couple of threads of saffron for color, the pimenton for flavor, the beans with liquid, then the meat, and then the frozen corn. Place the lemon, thin sliced, across the top. Now place in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately one hour, with a tight fitting cover until rice is tender. Uncover, and cook for an additional 15 minutes to brown.

Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic

2007-10-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

I've always loved garlic, and frequently joke that I'd put it in anything, including tapioca pudding. It is very healthy for you, increases circulation, has anti-bacterial properties, and truly enhances flavors in cooking in a truly elegant way. Known as the Stinking Rose it is truly unique in the culinary world.

As I write this, I can smell it's luscious aroma, as I roast several heads in the oven. It is simple to do, and oh so good. Simply select several heads, cut the tops off, and place in a garlic roaster, or aluminum foil, pour some EVOO over each head, and place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 45 minutes.

When it is completed you can simply squeeze a clove into your mouth, or use it as a spread for bread, add it to mashed potatoes, add it to any cream type soup, or bisque at the end to add another layer of flavor, or anything else that comes to mind.

A New Cheese

2007-10-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

I found Sole Gran Queso at Costco today. It is a dry, semi-hard, rich, delicate cheese that should go well with wine. I'll come up with more ideas with a Spanish theme as time goes on. Two thoughts, Chorizo, and Serrano ham.

2007-10-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

Found this, love it:

The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

Learning To Cook

2007-10-14T10:26:00.001-07:00

I grew up in the home of an uninspired cook. We had food allergies, so Mom cooked without spices, she was highly allergic to garlic, so I never had any until I was an adult. She was also uninspired as a cook, she cooked because she had to, not because she enjoyed it. I've always described her as that person who cooked zucchini to the consistency of oatmeal mush.

My dad did not cook, but he was an adventurous eater. He always said he'd try anything once, and that's what he modeled for us. So from Dad, I got the idea that there was more out there, and that it could be fun.

I joined the Army right out of high school in 1961, and started being exposed to new food. Before I was ever assigned overseas, I had the privilege of reading the "Ugly American" which basically taught me that other cultures had their own value, and should be accepted as being different, and to honor those differences. Basically, I learned not to make value judgments based upon my biases, but to value the differences.

Therefore, when I was assigned to Viet Nam in early 1962, one of the 3000 military advisor's President Kennedy sent, I was prepared to try new things. Including Bahn Mi Thit , Vietnamese Spring Rolls,noodle soups, and the best prawns I've ever had. These prawns were the size of a hand.

In 1963 I was transferred to San Antonio, TX for my training as a social worker where I continued to try new things, including Pearl Beer. I then moved to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO with exposure to more new foods. This was where I first had biscuits and sausage gravy, again, the best I've ever had.

In 1965 I was transferred to Nurnberg, Germany, where I spent 3 years. I spent time at Gasthauses which traditionally provided lodging, food, and spirits. I didn't speak much German, and Mootie (mother) didn't speak much English, but I was able to convince her I wanted whatever the GI's were not eating. So she fed me as a member of the family, and took great pleasure in introducing me to many foods I never otherwise would have been exposed to.

During my 3 years in Europe, I also visited Amsterdam twice where I learned about Steak Tartar, and Spain once where I was introduced to the pleasures of Mediterranean foods, especially squid and octopus, prepared in a myriad of ways.

In 1969, upon my discharge from the Army I briefly moved back in with my parents until I could get established. Several months later I rented a room from a young woman, and her son that I had picked up hitchhiking several times. That's the way we did things in the 60's, in Berkeley. As soon as I landed in my new room it occurred to me that I had never cooked, and that if I was going to be on my own, I'd better learn to do so.

Being a lifelong reader, I went to the local bookstore, and asked what the "bible" of cooking was. I was shown the "Joy of Cooking", and the "Betty Crocker Cookbook". After evaluating them both, I chose the Joy. I've always loved Beef Stew, so I looked up the recipe, and then went and purchased the ingredients. The recipe called for turnips, in addition to the onions, potatoes, and carrots. Once it was cooked I tasted it, it was horrid.

I discovered that I detested the taste of cooked turnips. At this point, I had an epiphany, I discovered that a recipe is simply the way some other cook has successfully made a dish, once, and that if you don't like it that way, just modify it. So I threw the offending stew away, and remade it the way I thought it should be. It was delicious.

At that moment, I became a cook.

A Quote

2007-10-13T22:31:00.000-07:00

"Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome." Isaac Asimov

Some Reading

2007-10-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

If some of the things I've just said above interest you in further reading about the topic, I read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" earlier this year, and you might find it of interest as well. The book is written by Barbara Kingsolver, One of my favorite authors. She and her family decided to spend a year eating only what they could produce themselves, or purchase locally. I found their story inspiring, informative, and a little quirky.

The Organic Choice

2007-10-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

It has always made sense to me, this organic thing. Looking at the pale imitations of tomato like foods found behind the counter at Subway, your local salad bar, the local Wal-Mart produce isle, it is an easy comparison to what you can pull out of the ground, and what Sysco/Food Service Of America supply us with. The appearance, the taste, the mouth feel are just so sublimely different.

We pay a price for convenience. The convenience of not having to plant, cultivate, water, harvest, and clean from one's own plot, or the plot of a neighbor is found in the quality of fruits and vegetables described above. The cost of transporting them 100's, if not thousands of miles. The lack of choices in what is available. The price we pay in the need for increasing chemicals as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, just to maintain the same yield. Not to mention the negative impact of these chemicals on our environment, the watershed, the air quality, and the developed weaknesses of growing produce in this fashion.

The business of producing, and distributing food has simply become an industrial process, and I don't mean that in a good way. What becomes important in industrial food is not it's inherent quality, it's goodness, but rather the cheapness of it's production, and the shelf life, that will make it profitable for the business. One example of this might be the increasing number of recalls of food products that are making people sick, and in some cases, killing them. This is what happens when profit wins out over quality.

So as our nation continues down the road of simple preparation, or no preparation we all pay a high price for this convenience in the descending quality of health of our lives. At least this is the way I see it. Now I'm not proposing that everyone go back to farming all their own food, or never eating out, or preparing industrial food,but I do think it will be helpful if we all take a step back, look at what we're doing, and how well it is working.

My interest here is in sharing my ideas, recipes, tools that work, and procedures in the hope that others can have fun, eat better tasting, more nutritious food, save money, and did I mention have fun?

To Begin

2007-10-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Many times, through the years I've thought about blogging, but rejected the idea, for any number of reasons. I am still reluctant/ambivalent about doing so, but have decided to give it a go. There is a delete blog button, so how can I lose?

One day when I was 13 or so I decided to help with the gardening, so I took some Ammonium Nitrate that dad had laying around, and proceeded to spread it around the garden, and then watered it in. The next day, as I came out to inspect my handiwork, I discovered that I had "burned" everything up. Everything had turned brown, I had chemically burned all the plant matter out of ignorance. Then and there I decided there had to be a better way.

This was 1956, just about the time that a Berkeley citizen by the name of Rachel Carson was writing a book titled "Silent Spring", so I wonder if I might have been channeling her right from the start, because I have done my best to live organically since that time.