tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69439090704146096942024-02-07T11:03:37.839-06:00Wild Life in the WoodsWild Life in the Woods:
Where You'll Find Faith, Food, and FunAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comBlogger413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-21619045018374662762013-06-25T07:33:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:28:43.271-05:00Grilled Eggplant, Red Pepper and Fresh Mozzarella on Ciabatta Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
This recipe is super simple in terms of preparation, and the payoff is HUGE: crusty bread, meaty eggplant, sweet and pungent roasted red peppers, melty mozzarella, and the zingy bite of creamy garlic mayo. Yowzer! This one is definitely going into our summer rotation of meals, as a do-over recipe for a busy night.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LBi-Ua2LR4mw3xqlykPrhVcFvSSb8JHZ9pKXm54UMAg7fFncsEFzybLIR0T5iR2S9MW-pJasCKQtv4msDDTv6qF_Ys4gI7zT4O6hC-xZSW7uPFIxMvLO8C4pMxGjOIylC2J54-aLYkMP/s1600/sandwich+(5+of+7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LBi-Ua2LR4mw3xqlykPrhVcFvSSb8JHZ9pKXm54UMAg7fFncsEFzybLIR0T5iR2S9MW-pJasCKQtv4msDDTv6qF_Ys4gI7zT4O6hC-xZSW7uPFIxMvLO8C4pMxGjOIylC2J54-aLYkMP/s640/sandwich+(5+of+7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Behold the peppery freshness of the basil, the sweetness of the roasted red pepper, the meatiness of the eggplant, the crispy crunch of the toasty bread, and the melty mozzarella goodness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I found this recipe on the<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-eggplant-and-fresh-mozzarella-on-ciabatta-with-roasted-red-peppers-garlic-mayonnaise-fresh-basil-and-arugula-recipe/index.html" target="_blank"> Food Network site</a>, and it was originally prepared by <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/bobby-flay/index.html" target="_blank">Bobby Flay</a>. Love me some Bobby Flay! I adapted it slightly, mostly because I had no arugula. Had I had some, I would have added it, and I think the sandwich would have been the better for it. Arugula is peppery, and fresh, and both of those would have been welcome elements. So if you have some, I'd try adding it. We talked about adding some romaine, which we had on hand, but decided that it wasn't really what was wanted. Maybe a spring mix of greens, or some frisée would have worked as an alternative to arugula.<br />
<br />
The only real prep work comes in the mincing of the garlic, the slicing of the eggplant, and the roasting/peeling of the peppers. That's about it. Plus, if you don't already know them, I'm going to teach you two helpful techniques that you can transfer over to lots of different recipes.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>Technique #1: Make a garlic paste.</b> </h4>
<br />
This is also a technique I use in making garlic bread, and sometimes salad dressing. Raw garlic is acrid, and crunchy when you bite down on it, right? Can even be a bit unpleasant, if the bits are too big. To avoid that, you simply make a garlic paste. First, you mince the garlic finely. Once you're there, sprinkle some kosher or coarse grained sea salt over the garlic, and mince some more. The salt crystals will further serve to break down the cell walls of the garlic, and you'll notice your minced garlic is looking juicier. The salt also will draw out the liquid. Then using the side of your knife's blade, squish down and smear your pile of salted minced garlic, and then scrape it all back into a pile again, and mince some more. Once you've done this several times, your garlic should resemble more of a paste. It's now ready to be added to the mayo, and it's pretty close to an aioli. So if you like the sound of the word, aioli, go ahead and call it an aioli. <i>Because it's fancy.</i> Or call it what it really is, a garlic mayonnaise.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>Technique #2: Roast your own red peppers. </b></h4>
<br />
People buy already roasted red peppers in a jar, and you can do that, but why would you want to, when it's summertime, peppers are plentiful, you're already firing up the grill anyway, and this is fun to do besides? (Jarred red peppers taste mundane and kind of slimy in comparison to those you prepare yourself, anyway.) Here's how you do it. Brush your red peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Take them out to the grill and char those suckers till they scream. Seriously: you want them black on the outside. (Alternatively, in wintertime, when you're NOT firing up the grill, you can put them on a cookie sheet, and place them 6" away from the broiler heating element. Heck, you can even do this over the stove top's flame if you have a gas cooktop. But that get's a little trickier, and I've actually never done that. Just seen it done on TV.) Bring the red peppers inside and stick them in a bowl and cover the bowl quickly with plastic wrap. What you are doing now is allowing them to steam themselves. As they do, the charred black skin will loosen. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Come back, remove the plastic wrap, and carefully peel or scrape the skin away. Cut them in half, scrape out the seeds and stem. And then cut each half into four slices. Voilà! You now know how to roast your own red peppers. (Or yellow peppers. Or orange peppers.) And they are ready to put on your sandwich.<br />
<br />
Ciabatta is a flat, crusty Italian bread. The texture is chewy, with a lot of holes. It is the PERFECT bread for this sandwich. And you're going to cut the entire long loaf in half, lengthwise, to grill it. And then place all the ingredients on that entire half and THEN put the top back on and only THEN cut the individual sandwiches, after all the grilling is done. So you really don't want a tall bread. Long and flat is the way to go. If what you have is a taller bread, I guess you could slice it and make this sandwich in individual servings and grill them inside, as a panini. But my assumption here is that you are firing up the grill. Therefore, just grill the entire loaf, and buy a flattish loaf of bread. OK?<br />
<br />
So here's how things went down, in Sandwich Town, last night:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXHsd4FE9RFdGmBNr9TWJf_8oD0dAfkXlB1QFd0KHuBIdKhAwv9PWLpLxggF8vR4x78QOSB3B5Zbg2t3kMF08mCswvp-jcoAwTYCpflHjTXpQ84nQzU1GpOPVFS_GiJKo1Lq_AQYUo9uH/s1600/sandwich+(1+of+7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXHsd4FE9RFdGmBNr9TWJf_8oD0dAfkXlB1QFd0KHuBIdKhAwv9PWLpLxggF8vR4x78QOSB3B5Zbg2t3kMF08mCswvp-jcoAwTYCpflHjTXpQ84nQzU1GpOPVFS_GiJKo1Lq_AQYUo9uH/s640/sandwich+(1+of+7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Bread's been slathered with garlic mayo. Eggplant is being applied.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYgfGrY496JwJ0hWT6sEce8LWDBi1nzBeu_1IrFGygpNgei35uVQNc3fLQwDsa1oz7NE0lX8Tgd3w0mqlWpQz9WR125NfMUMSYYKPekncsKSLysxZn0NGjPe565CcidIn_FJyRFXqdw2D/s1600/sandwich+(3+of+7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYgfGrY496JwJ0hWT6sEce8LWDBi1nzBeu_1IrFGygpNgei35uVQNc3fLQwDsa1oz7NE0lX8Tgd3w0mqlWpQz9WR125NfMUMSYYKPekncsKSLysxZn0NGjPe565CcidIn_FJyRFXqdw2D/s640/sandwich+(3+of+7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Cheese being applied. Next step: take this half of sandwich back to the grill to allow cheese to melt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCR5EWIXfY-cd1jF414fS_1WKJ3hZm5HLZvyQF6xs3_VUh4O_Yo32OGIpfVFTgJ4gc_6TT6rP7Wzm8KZdo9ec1Wsd4d2762U8xgtZ7D3Xar8ID92KMjHTvZNyQXulpEdA9cc2xmOB4k6o/s1600/sandwich+(4+of+7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCR5EWIXfY-cd1jF414fS_1WKJ3hZm5HLZvyQF6xs3_VUh4O_Yo32OGIpfVFTgJ4gc_6TT6rP7Wzm8KZdo9ec1Wsd4d2762U8xgtZ7D3Xar8ID92KMjHTvZNyQXulpEdA9cc2xmOB4k6o/s640/sandwich+(4+of+7).jpg" width="514" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Peppers are then applied to melty cheese goodness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsf5ENs0HBMwcFAUzkQqlK7wLC-MLiVE20CkMn1Az2sHX5k-wTASdjLONkyv4i7grCH0vfwrxrwPq8RLVMhUWQENLMHIdQ0HNyY4rcxoWlCIWF65ix3dm8GiB3RS0yEfmqu92Aef3hL59h/s1600/sandwich+(6+of+7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsf5ENs0HBMwcFAUzkQqlK7wLC-MLiVE20CkMn1Az2sHX5k-wTASdjLONkyv4i7grCH0vfwrxrwPq8RLVMhUWQENLMHIdQ0HNyY4rcxoWlCIWF65ix3dm8GiB3RS0yEfmqu92Aef3hL59h/s640/sandwich+(6+of+7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Then tear up a few basil leaves, and sprinkle them on top.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On with the recipe!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Grilled Eggplant, Red Pepper and Fresh Mozzarella on Ciabatta with Basil and Garlic Mayonnaise</span><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
1/2 c. mayonnaise<br />
4 cloves of garlic, smashed to a paste (see Technique #1, above)<br />
salt, and freshly ground black pepper<br />
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2" rounds<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
olive oil<br />
2 red bell peppers<br />
1 loaf of ciabatta, sliced lengthwise, in half<br />
1 log of fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/2" rounds<br />
fresh basil leaves<br />
<br />
<b>Preparation:</b><br />
Combine the mayonnaise and the garlic paste in a small bowl, and season well with salt and pepper. Allow flavors to marry, in the fridge, for at least 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Heat a grill to high. Brush the peppers with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Char on the grill. Place in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and let them steam themselves in the bowl for 10 minutes.When 10 minutes have elapsed, remove the skin, stem, and seeds. Slice into eighths. <br />
<br />
Brush the eggplant on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.<br />
<br />
Put bread on the grill, cut side down, and grill for 30 seconds, to warm it through and to crisp up the crust. Spread the bottom half of the bread with the garlic mayo, then place on eggplant slices and fresh mozzarella. Return this half of bread to the grill and close the lid to melt the cheese. This should take about a a couple of minutes. Remove from grill and top with red peppers and basil. Drizzle with additional olive oil, and another sprinkle of salt and pepper, to taste. Spread top half of bread with some mayo, and place on top of sandwich. Slice, and serve.<br />
<br />
Oooooh la la.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBry1M63G4kB6Qgt7ITdNR6IrzrsjBqUdCOyQbf3bI-w5dz4Q_ag7swXtVDgLpjbf78bzd-WkdtC_itsnh9v_THD3QxUcEnfSV4PpGp1aUmDeG31fvEWLelsp7d8X3CFdE2iwQSafVHco/s1600/sandwich+(7+of+7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBry1M63G4kB6Qgt7ITdNR6IrzrsjBqUdCOyQbf3bI-w5dz4Q_ag7swXtVDgLpjbf78bzd-WkdtC_itsnh9v_THD3QxUcEnfSV4PpGp1aUmDeG31fvEWLelsp7d8X3CFdE2iwQSafVHco/s640/sandwich+(7+of+7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Here, he wears his leetle hat. Bon appétit!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If this looks good to you, please share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter. Or pin it on Pinterest.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-74278887370560254802013-06-22T08:58:00.001-05:002013-07-02T15:23:27.478-05:00Wines for Early Summer Sipping<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<i>Today my friend <a href="http://jiosa.com/" target="_blank">Denny Jiosa,</a> wine connoisseur and jazz guitarist extraordinaire is recommending some great wines for early summer. The recipe I've chosen to pair with these offerings is Grilled Ratatouille Pasta, and you can find that <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/06/grilled-ratatouille-pasta-with-roasted.html" target="_blank">here. </a>Or, you can just enjoy in one of my most favorite ways to enjoy a glass of wine: a loaf of crusty artisan bread, with a little butter or olive oil. Mmmm...</i></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKfnXazKKViL4ntkxRKjypyINbdcbOGhwGuZP90QCYdLYdFdP5YxNosSYV_RcDzCjGeKRHnPCG_83jrC-dqIqvqSgk9YK2C1e_wOPDer1zVZG-AIrZ2JVvwGrk1VqgR-5yWJtBs-CV13R/s1600/rose+(3+of+3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKfnXazKKViL4ntkxRKjypyINbdcbOGhwGuZP90QCYdLYdFdP5YxNosSYV_RcDzCjGeKRHnPCG_83jrC-dqIqvqSgk9YK2C1e_wOPDer1zVZG-AIrZ2JVvwGrk1VqgR-5yWJtBs-CV13R/s640/rose+(3+of+3).jpg" width="454" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
<br />
<i>However you like to enjoy wine, here are some thoughts and excellent suggestions from Denny:</i></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jammin Jiosa's Wine Notes</span></b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: large;">with Denny Jiosa</span></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Spring has definitely sprung. The early days of summer have arrived. It's hot, it's humid, and time for grilling out! </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
I must admit, I have never been a fan of rosé wines. Some are too sweet, many of them just are not appealing on the nose, let alone the palate. However, my opinion has changed. I have recently tasted several "dry" rosés that were very tasty and perfect for warm weather. One in particular I loved is Rosato di Refosco from <a href="http://bastianich.com/wines_rosato.html">Bastianich</a>. It is 100% Refosco grapes from the Friuli–Venezia Giulia Italy region. This wine has great fruit and structure with flavors of wild strawberries, rose petals, and orange peel. I know why I liked it so much, aside from it tasting so darn good: it is a rosé for the red wine lover! With its medium weight on the palate, its structure is like a light red wine!</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeoySyBBJypaf9ZZ7Bdv2uQfjlEaIhFYZmqxva4Wmv3Ym8TsLXcgWchg64KvHXDBevRF4o9YN-xQlqs7ePyScCyubfjVKNgJ12IkWllP1XKtO1vueJEszxazD4cKfcfou5P7jT5CsFvWQ/s1600/wines_rosato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeoySyBBJypaf9ZZ7Bdv2uQfjlEaIhFYZmqxva4Wmv3Ym8TsLXcgWchg64KvHXDBevRF4o9YN-xQlqs7ePyScCyubfjVKNgJ12IkWllP1XKtO1vueJEszxazD4cKfcfou5P7jT5CsFvWQ/s320/wines_rosato.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p2">
Chill it down and serve it with grilled chicken, grilled eggplant, and mozzarella cheese or just enjoy it on it's own while relaxing on the patio! Here's a link to the recipe Susan chose,<a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/06/grilled-ratatouille-pasta-with-roasted.html" target="_blank"> Grilled Ratatouille Pasta. </a> This recipe incorporates both the eggplant that I mentioned, plus the mozzarella, and, you get to use your grill, which is one of the nicest parts about early summer.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1OyzJXimFdb9bLLvMLdf8Rk6gv400KV6zfJT41j7TNWUSeL04HGpAzY7wu_DHMnC0ZLxVy0ZZFp6xEI9PA570cLxYBXDpLnq0gRZfUUkg4hSkxr3i46jZ3921hH62e7lpuz5MgUaENmL/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(8+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1OyzJXimFdb9bLLvMLdf8Rk6gv400KV6zfJT41j7TNWUSeL04HGpAzY7wu_DHMnC0ZLxVy0ZZFp6xEI9PA570cLxYBXDpLnq0gRZfUUkg4hSkxr3i46jZ3921hH62e7lpuz5MgUaENmL/s640/Tue+Dinner+(8+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled Ratatouille Pasta, and a nice rosé.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
I know I have said it before, but I LOVE Australian Shiraz! I have a new favorite and great value for you. Small Gully "<a href="http://www.vsimports.com/wine.php?id=471">The Formula</a>" from Robert's vineyard. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNB3q1eUAOpzAHmFiVwQcxeLG_I9ArOQCYlR2C_0tPGCltreRvheFXvdv6IBHapW3rS4Kxmbu27b7Zb5xV0ot4tSmV7XpAijYYcJbdUVafoz_Dhs7Z_1pLO-xzSnNaPNruLhlDgrdSYyna/s1600/77796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNB3q1eUAOpzAHmFiVwQcxeLG_I9ArOQCYlR2C_0tPGCltreRvheFXvdv6IBHapW3rS4Kxmbu27b7Zb5xV0ot4tSmV7XpAijYYcJbdUVafoz_Dhs7Z_1pLO-xzSnNaPNruLhlDgrdSYyna/s320/77796.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p2">
I love what these guys do with their wines. They have several to choose from so investigate their selections and try them all! "The Formula" is 100% Shiraz from the Adelaide Plains region . It is deep in color, full in body and bursting with blackberry, leather, tobacco flavors, and it's kissed with a hint of vanilla. Thirty-six months in American oak barrels adds to the smoothness and beauty of this delicious wine. Thirsty yet? Hope you're hungry too….serve it with grilled steak! Here's a link to what Susan says is the <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2012/02/expensive-steak-house-taste-at-fraction.html" target="_blank">best steak she's ever had in her life,</a> and how you can have that expensive steakhouse flavor at a fraction of the price, through dry aging regular choice meat.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JxaH5FiOOKI5bPhpuXZtOqCZ7bIFffhuPofmSqMSE4lOXCsa_fkMhdjCd_r7LO-RsrzEZuKCnYDfq8cEoKEMZY7IbnMh2GrUzk6_W1fKY_8sFK77zZnnzDaBp9JW8wunf1iZL4Za-YbY/s1600/done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JxaH5FiOOKI5bPhpuXZtOqCZ7bIFffhuPofmSqMSE4lOXCsa_fkMhdjCd_r7LO-RsrzEZuKCnYDfq8cEoKEMZY7IbnMh2GrUzk6_W1fKY_8sFK77zZnnzDaBp9JW8wunf1iZL4Za-YbY/s640/done.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Dry aging steak is easy, and unbelievably delicious. Enjoy the best steak you've ever had with your glass of shiraz!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p2">
<br />
Start the grill, grab that someone special, turn on the jazz, and pop the cork! Remember, you need great music to complete your wine experience, please visit <a href="http://jiosa.com/albums/"><span class="s1">http://jiosa.com/albums/</span></a> and get your copies today! </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Salute!<br />
<br />
<i>If you enjoyed this post, and want to make a note of the recommended wines, or the recipes, Pinterest is a great way to do that.</i></div>
<div class="p2">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-21789974455044260292013-06-19T13:52:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:23:47.158-05:00Grilled Ratatouille Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Fresh Mozzarella<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_ETm_5MGZ_gAVCHIx9Bd1gU3_qfRm7twOoRxNShfNfvFa9IhjfUGxH_sJ5rvbPTiQOP4HmJEOarJ_6QgKIDvkOywIcwVzpYDLiyfu9PfQP788aY-ahYxFtiLbOSWV4cYfZu1YZgvdYbD/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(7+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_ETm_5MGZ_gAVCHIx9Bd1gU3_qfRm7twOoRxNShfNfvFa9IhjfUGxH_sJ5rvbPTiQOP4HmJEOarJ_6QgKIDvkOywIcwVzpYDLiyfu9PfQP788aY-ahYxFtiLbOSWV4cYfZu1YZgvdYbD/s640/Tue+Dinner+(7+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behold the brilliant colors (and flavors) of summer! Love it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's almost officially summer, my friends, and the tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant will be rolling in before you know it.<br />
<br />
And you'll be asking me if I have any great ideas for what to do with all that lovely produce. And I do! Oh, I do!<br />
<br />
How about a lovely grilled ratatouille?<br />
<br />
"Wait a minute!" (I can hear your objections now.) "Won't a French stewed vegetable dish drip through the grill grates?"<br />
<br />
Nah. Not the way you're going to do this one.<br />
<br />
And as a bonus, my friend and wine connoisseur, <a href="http://jiosa.com/" target="_blank">Denny Jiosa,</a> has written another wine tutorial for me for wines for late spring and early summer. He mentioned a rosé to me that he said would go nicely with eggplant or some fresh mozzarella. So I came up with a recipe that would go nicely with the wines he's recommending. Be watching for his take on some lovely wines for early grilling season.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnPFiok4riZRspbLwDolTflkQQqreV7Xe7YlzbGl9V7TzOQvqr-GNZQzzlU1owx87BfEqo01aKZc_zE9cdWlsiCuiOzczMRghGLOaXpllbHjT0PI0ouqYF-FH5oU4zXajHpzHlHNjiey6/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(6+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnPFiok4riZRspbLwDolTflkQQqreV7Xe7YlzbGl9V7TzOQvqr-GNZQzzlU1owx87BfEqo01aKZc_zE9cdWlsiCuiOzczMRghGLOaXpllbHjT0PI0ouqYF-FH5oU4zXajHpzHlHNjiey6/s640/Tue+Dinner+(6+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Isn't a rosé beautiful to behold?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But today, let's get started on a dish that uses some of lovely lusciousness of summer!<br />
<br />
I use roasted garlic in this recipe, which adds a nice sweet, mellow note to this dish. <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2012/04/iron-chef-michaels-symons-mac-and.html" target="_blank">Here's how I roast my garlic.</a> When I go to the effort to roast some garlic, I always do several heads at a time, and then store the unused ones wrapped in foil in my fridge. Roasted garlic is one of those ingredients that can jazz up many dishes you are already making: it just takes thinking a bit outside the box to imagine what you could add it to. I use it in meatloaf, mac & cheese, pizza, pasta sauces: lots of things.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Grilled Ratatouille Pasta</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 3 slices<br />
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into eighths<br />
1/2 red onion, sliced thickly<br />
4 large tomatoes<br />
3 T. white balsamic vinegar<br />
1 head roasted garlic<br />
1 log of sliced fresh mozzarella, with slices cut into bite-sized chunks<br />
1/4 c. chopped parsley<br />
1/4 c. chopped basil<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
olive oil (about 1/4 c., for brushing on vegetables, and finishing the dish)<br />
<br />
1 lb. large, thick, curly pasta (I used radiatore, but fusilli, gemelli or cavatappi would be nice as well)<br />
<br />
<b>Preparation:</b><br />
<br />
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook your pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about a half a cup of pasta water to use to make a sauce at the end, if you desire. (I just used my veggies and olive oil, but in case your pasta and veggies might need an extra drink of liquid to make more of a sauce, you'll have it on hand.) Drain, and then return to the pot, to await your grilled veggies.<br />
<br />
Heat a grill, or your grill pan to medium high. Clean, and lightly oil your hot grill. Brush all your veggies with olive oil, on both sides, and sprinkle with salt. Working in batches, if necessary, grill your veggies, turning occasionally, until browned and tender. Transfer veggies to cutting board and allow to cool slightly: I'd cut the tomatoes last, since they retain heat the best, and were quite hot when I was chopping them.<br />
<br />
Roughly chop up the vegetables, and add them to the pasta, along with 2 or 3 tablespoons of vinegar (to taste) and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, plus any reserved pasta water that you desire to achieve the consistency you like. Squeeze roasted garlic from head of garlic onto pasta. Add mozzarella chunks. Stir. Taste, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chopped basil. Serve!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJ9mjjK4GcJKndtEVrg9ediEGZfkmrIFcTiuc-nu01Ox9neezAH1gZE400nYMW-x1a2sG48c6FjaVK5yJhyphenhyphen2zKNjY43r7TPwkkdH2AtxBqXWoGnxoAaL8X2xpDWV3XjN48Gbm_vlTJUga/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(1+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJ9mjjK4GcJKndtEVrg9ediEGZfkmrIFcTiuc-nu01Ox9neezAH1gZE400nYMW-x1a2sG48c6FjaVK5yJhyphenhyphen2zKNjY43r7TPwkkdH2AtxBqXWoGnxoAaL8X2xpDWV3XjN48Gbm_vlTJUga/s640/Tue+Dinner+(1+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Peppers, onions, and zucchini grilling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtsOEF6rkY8cN0XPZukBYBIQ7AyUap7n4_5bT45UdZ8i3vwl2AvYHOxusbeGOqG-91G93XOqXDyKXJoZxeIBBB-BHpbp9DVR6sgbxa8Yosueu8BJnOhFegQWoo7a-RpS_FWk-Cy0Dng_u/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(2+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtsOEF6rkY8cN0XPZukBYBIQ7AyUap7n4_5bT45UdZ8i3vwl2AvYHOxusbeGOqG-91G93XOqXDyKXJoZxeIBBB-BHpbp9DVR6sgbxa8Yosueu8BJnOhFegQWoo7a-RpS_FWk-Cy0Dng_u/s640/Tue+Dinner+(2+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Tomatoes, grilling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gZkiHRRfphO3Oo95G0ZuCBNTWwGL2rmPavZiPXiX37To5S8LZ7dKSkE4PFumjBvBhUPFOKKDnGU_SYdofWIxRXonzrJE_q76KgGv2VcPkEie4D-vVSK1oBkqr_SSHVgn5I_iv1KlHWSj/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(5+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gZkiHRRfphO3Oo95G0ZuCBNTWwGL2rmPavZiPXiX37To5S8LZ7dKSkE4PFumjBvBhUPFOKKDnGU_SYdofWIxRXonzrJE_q76KgGv2VcPkEie4D-vVSK1oBkqr_SSHVgn5I_iv1KlHWSj/s640/Tue+Dinner+(5+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Giving the veggies a rough chop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL8IZeTgwbSHYjouGN3b-rURsVb_MTzK172hZtWxiTtAp51iI65Bjr-pSCH_pTaDsCNe6NlBgYX3OUBQUi5WeKUbN5kvgpDDbodpLukAskdksjmza-BU1s0bGWFPFt8lPcO7__66Gl6Uq/s1600/Tue+Dinner+(8+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL8IZeTgwbSHYjouGN3b-rURsVb_MTzK172hZtWxiTtAp51iI65Bjr-pSCH_pTaDsCNe6NlBgYX3OUBQUi5WeKUbN5kvgpDDbodpLukAskdksjmza-BU1s0bGWFPFt8lPcO7__66Gl6Uq/s640/Tue+Dinner+(8+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Bon appétit!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-6949501829723992552013-06-13T08:24:00.005-05:002013-07-02T15:30:31.108-05:00Cascade Platinum Plus: A Review, and Some Thoughts on Dishwashers and Dish Washing<br />
<br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I participated in a campaign on behalf of <a href="http://www.momcentralconsulting.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Mom Central Consulting</a> for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.</i><br />
<div>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>I have a sordid past, when it comes to dishwashers.<br />
<br />
For starters, in the home where I grew up, we had a dishwasher, and its name was Susan.<br />
<br />
OK, sometimes, we called it the name of one of my siblings. And every once in a while, when my siblings moved out, my Dad would pitch in and wash a sink-full or two himself. Now, make no mistake: we owned a machine <i>called </i>a dishwasher, but it never got used more than a couple of times. My mom used it as a place to store her pressure cooker, and other oversized pots and lids. I kid. you. not.<br />
<br />
I think she never really trusted it. She believed it really didn't get the dishes clean. (She may have been right about that. How well it worked, I really don't remember, since we hardly EVER used it.)<br />
<br />
But I'm sure she also believed that somehow, she was building character in me, by giving me that thankless task, day after day. And, she may have been. All that dishwashing experience did teach me to be picky as to whether or not a dish had really gotten clean, or not.<br />
<br />
I do like a clean dish!<br />
<br />
Somewhere further down the road of my sordid dishwashing past, I remember a girlfriend telling me that she had been to a women's retreat at her church. And she mentioned that one of the speakers had said that she practiced the presence of God in the tiny mundane tasks of the day, like dishwashing. That she would say to herself as she washed a cup with soapy water, "Oh, Lord, would you wash my spirit clean on the inside, just as I am washing the inside of this cup, to cleanse it from its impurity."<br />
<br />
Me?<br />
<br />
Um...not so much.<br />
<br />
Washing dishes tends to bring out the whiner in me. But I am pretty darn thankful, (and practicing an attitude of gratitude is a spiritual discipline!) to HAVE a dishwasher of my own that I can USE, now that I'm an adult. And probably, that assists my spirit in "staying clean" in that it sometimes keeps me from grumbling about the job that never seems to end:<br />
<br />
DISHWASHING!<br />
<br />
It's never done, is it? You finally get the kitchen cleaned up, and before you know it? It's time to turn around and start it all over again. I do recognize that having a dishwasher to assist me in this chore IS a huge blessing. Living without one, at more than one stage in my life, has made me very thankful to have one in my home <i>that I actually use</i>. (Love you, Mom!)<br />
<br />
And so I'm thankful for dishwashers,<i> except </i>when my dishwasher leaves food or spots on my dishes. And then I have to start all over again by hand washing the ones that didn't get clean when going through the machine. DON'T YOU JUST HATE THAT? That can lead a poor struggler right back down the Grumbling Road again, because you can end up having to re-do the job that the machine was designed to do.<br />
<br />
Recently, I was sent a few samples of Cascade's Platinum Pacs to try. I was actually quite pleased by their performance in my dishwasher. One thing I liked was that I don't have to snip open a tablet that's individually wrapped (the way I do with the brand I have been using). I just pop the pac right into my dishwasher detergent compartment, and the whole thing dissolves nicely when I run a load of dishes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHFZj6bjyNgRTeJDeWqpUlX7MhEzL3fdRNhr3cppH1sCbxr3Gt39Pz7MJOBEsyGJzza8PrMOzkXbZnXnDoBgiYMj2YlKrFRXvLEjl56LJQgRUC2fD18I5zVOxYO1Rz66j8K_g63jTnOMM/s1600/Cascade+Gem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHFZj6bjyNgRTeJDeWqpUlX7MhEzL3fdRNhr3cppH1sCbxr3Gt39Pz7MJOBEsyGJzza8PrMOzkXbZnXnDoBgiYMj2YlKrFRXvLEjl56LJQgRUC2fD18I5zVOxYO1Rz66j8K_g63jTnOMM/s640/Cascade+Gem.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
You can see from the 3 little colors on the pac (and it almost looks like a piece of jewelry to me!) that it has what it calls a triple-action formula. According to the product information that I read, it has increased enzyme power that helps it clean better. (It contains the grease fighting power of Dawn: my favorite dishwashing liquid for doing dishes by hand.), Then it has a dual surfactant system that helps your dishes shed water and shine. And it has a specially designed chelant and polymer system that helps prevent hard-water film build-up, not only on your dishes, but also on your dishwasher walls, as well.<br />
<br />
All I know is that my dishes came out clean as clean can be. And that outcome helped keep me from grumbling. Which I view as a GOOD thing!<br />
<br />
Gail Simmons, the editor of <i>Food & Wine</i> magazine, and a judge on <i>Top Chef, </i> has also partnered with Cascade, to discuss why presentation is just as important as food preparation. We eat first with our eyes, and having sparkling clean dishes and a meal that has been beautifully plated, helps your family and guests enjoy their meal even more. Here's a link Cascade's YouTube page, where you can see a video to learn more from Gail Simmons about the importance of how you present your culinary offerings:
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0.000000%, 0.000000%, 100.000000%); font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">http://bit.ly/124rLfa . </span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(0.000000%, 0.000000%, 100.000000%); font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"><br /></span>
Cascade is sponsoring a photo contest on Instagram, where you can enter your beautifully plated food offerings with the hashtag, #MyPlatinum, for a chance to win some great prizes! Here's where you can find out how to register for that: <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">#MyPlatinum Instagram contest: </span><span style="color: #1221f9; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">http://tinyurl.com/PlatBlog.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #1221f9; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>And here's the photo that I submitted to it this week:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtQT9UQLTfpoG7-lgswueQGVGufSqTKtEsu-HCuJozaxNukmx0CYN2d9tIR2aiAe9FY8hjkNQnBfwAX08b6-3iQmhzbDXnJ_H9kDeP8qhzD-_cGVysyy_wtRoYfnb01NMdVZbLPIUJ-zk/s1600/Cascade+fork(1+of+1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtQT9UQLTfpoG7-lgswueQGVGufSqTKtEsu-HCuJozaxNukmx0CYN2d9tIR2aiAe9FY8hjkNQnBfwAX08b6-3iQmhzbDXnJ_H9kDeP8qhzD-_cGVysyy_wtRoYfnb01NMdVZbLPIUJ-zk/s640/Cascade+fork(1+of+1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Sparkling silverware on a shining plate of Aztec Salad.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My experience with Cascade Platinum Pacs has been at least as good as the dishwasher product I have been using, and I would happily purchase it myself, assuming I can find it for the same price, or less, as the product that I have been using.<br />
<br />
Want to know more? Check out Cascade's<span style="font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"> website: </span><span style="color: rgb(0.000000%, 0.000000%, 100.000000%); font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">http://bit.ly/16Te3N5 </span>You can also check out
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">Cascade's Facebook page: </span><span style="color: rgb(0.000000%, 0.000000%, 100.000000%); font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">http://on.fb.me/10Y8RQQ </span><br />
While this product review was sponsored, all opinions are strictly my own. Because this girl's ALWAYS got an opinion. And, she's glad to share it. :-)<br />
<br />
Got any opinions yourself on dishwashers and dishwasher detergents?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-41144026955191391382013-05-28T08:01:00.002-05:002013-07-02T15:29:23.988-05:00How to Make Sourdough Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
We've finally come to the fourth and last post in this series on making homemade sourdough bread, in which I will share with you the recipe that I've found that works the best for me. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSvxwf3k9almtGTSxbXCe7n0J2qSErN7XbpUIv78PP6f6mIeFZQASmfAKecJiZZKw_lVmQyBEDSLSaHFkWfPDASwLTUJveo2gxyAOGu7aMRVos-_Z1ndrnvzEl6jwdKo1w8GLCcRyrjiG/s1600/BS%2526C+%25282+of+8%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSvxwf3k9almtGTSxbXCe7n0J2qSErN7XbpUIv78PP6f6mIeFZQASmfAKecJiZZKw_lVmQyBEDSLSaHFkWfPDASwLTUJveo2gxyAOGu7aMRVos-_Z1ndrnvzEl6jwdKo1w8GLCcRyrjiG/s640/BS%2526C+%25282+of+8%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The joy that's set before you, if you run the race with perseverance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In<a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-make-sourdough-bread-deflating.html" target="_blank"> Part 1</a> of the series, I shared with you some <b>deflating truths</b> that I've learned through this five month learning process. I don't share these truths with you to scare you off - far from it! I share this information just to make sure you are duly warned. These are the <b>things</b> that I didn't know before I started that <b>I wish someone had shared with me</b>.<br />
<br />
In<a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/05/sourdough-bread-baking-ingredients-and.html" target="_blank"> Part 2,</a> I talk about the scientific reasons as to why you really MUSN'T cut corners on the quality of your<b> ingredients,</b> (even though I may have tried to myself, initially :-D ) and I share with you the specific ingredients and tools you'll need to bake your own beautifully delicious sourdough bread.<br />
<br />
In <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-refresh-and-maintain-sourdough.html" target="_blank">Part 3</a>, I explain the somewhat lengthy process of being sure that your <b>starter</b> is happy, healthy, and fully<b> refreshed</b>. (Yes, I've tried shortcuts in that area, too, but sadly, you really bake a better loaf of bread if you actually follow the directions. Who knew? :-D )<br />
<br />
So, today, in my last and final post in this series, I'll share with you the <b>recipe</b> that has worked most consistently and best for me. And to those of you who love<a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cook's Illustrated</a>, you won't be surprised to learn that I follow their process. I tried the <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">King Arthur </a>recipe and process, but the bread produced by that recipe was tame and boring, when compared with the lovely sourdough tang and improved texture that came from following the procedure outlined by Cook's Illustrated.<br />
<br />
TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS I ANTICIPATE, IN ADVANCE:<br />
<br />
I prepared my loaves of bread using a<b> Kitchen Aid mixer,</b> using their dough hook attachment. If you want to use this recipe and<b> knead by hand</b>, it will work just fine, but you'll need to double the amount of time you spend actually kneading.<br />
<br />
I'm going to tell you this next fact because I have some bread making friends who LOVE to grind their own whole wheat flour to use in baking bread. I understand their passion. I've shared it myself. Friends, I've made this recipe substituting my own <b>freshly ground whole wheat flour</b> for some of the all-purpose flour. In comparison, the bread it produced was not nearly as satisfying. It didn't rise as high, was much heavier in texture, and overall, my family and I were disappointed in the outcome. I know you'll probably want to try this out for yourself, if you're passionate about grinding your own flour, and maybe you'll have a better outcome than I did. But I'm going to tell you that given my experience, I won't be repeating that experiment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
(I love whole wheat bread, in general. But not in this particular recipe.)<br />
<br />
REMINDERS IN REGARD TO EQUIPMENT AND INGREDIENTS:<br />
<br />
I use filtered water.<br />
I use unbleached, artisan, all-purpose flour with a protein level of between 11-13%. (I actually use King Arthur, and yes, it really DOES make a difference. I've tested, I've tasted, and I've seen.)<br />
I always measure my flour and my starter by weight, on a scale. It's much more accurate.<br />
Once my dough is made, it rests on parchment paper for the remainder of the process. It acts as a sling. You'll be glad you have it.<br />
I also use a big round pizza stone in my oven, on which I bake the bread, to help develop "oven spring" and the kind of crust I want.<br />
I use a big spray bottle to spray water onto my loaves, to help them develop that beautiful "blistered" look to the crust.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
If you don't understand why I strongly encourage the use of each of these items,<a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/05/sourdough-bread-baking-ingredients-and.html" target="_blank"> read this.</a><br />
<br />
TIME CONSIDERATIONS:<br />
<br />
It's not a difficult process, but it's a time consuming process.<br />
<br />
EVEN WITH A FULLY REFRESHED STARTER (and refreshing your starter takes a couple of days), making a great loaf of sourdough is still a TWO DAY PROCESS. The sourdough needs the long, slow fermentation it gets from spending the night chillin' in your fridge, to develop that great sourdough tang. So...how does this work out, practically speaking, in terms of time? (Think Algebra word problem, here.)<br />
<br />
Let's say you want fresh bread for a lovely Italian meal you're planning for dinner on Wednesday night.<br />
You'll need to start making that bread on Tuesday morning. Each step of the actual bread making process is very easy. But time must be allotted for allowing gluten strands to form through kneading, and then allowing those gluten strands to relax through those the specified resting times.<br />
<br />
Here's the basic outline, with some time constraints, to help you get a ballpark picture of what this process looks like when broken down, time-wise:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>MAKE THE SPONGE: then let it rise for 2-3 hours</li>
<li>MAKE THE DOUGH: then let it rest 20 minutes</li>
<li>KNEAD THE DOUGH: by machine, this takes about 5 minutes</li>
<li>LET THE DOUGH RISE: this takes 3-5 hours</li>
<li>STRETCH AND FOLD THE DOUGH</li>
<li>DIVIDE AND SHAPE THE LOAVES: then let them rest for 15 minutes</li>
<li>REFRIGERATE THE LOAVES OVERNIGHT: 8-12 hours</li>
<li>PROOF THE LOAVES: allow the dough to rise once it comes out of the fridge takes 2-4 hours</li>
<li>SLASH AND SPRAY THE LOAVES</li>
<li>BAKE THE BREAD: 30 minutes</li>
<li>COOL THE BREAD: <i>Ideally</i>, the bread needs to cool for 2 hours. (In practice: this is hard to do!!!)</li>
</ul>
In case you are wondering about that first step, the one called "making a sponge"? A sponge (also called a levain in some bread recipes), is just a beefed up starter, made by mixing a portion of your fully refreshed starter with some filtered water and flour. So...just to review...you use a portion of your fully refreshed starter to make a sponge, and once it's fully developed, the sponge is then used to make bread dough.<br />
<br />
Refreshed Starter ------>Sponge------>Bread dough. <br />
<br />
Get it?<br />
<br />
(Once you've removed that half cup of fully refreshed starter from the starter you've been nurturing, you can store the<i> remainder </i>of the unused refreshed starter back in the fridge, and pull it out again next time you're ready to feed it: within a week is best.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGOC641D4YM1lRg4eNiB3z26bfKz-vOpGICRvlQ9jmAPY7BA9l23x1AE2z1GDske6TIQdh9o-BGhnwiVEq6S5pUYa2C9kEtipJP8vEDAwPDTlfEn7_V6x2IbB9suiXj-5cSUcVYCSXKSj/s1600/Sourdough+(1+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGOC641D4YM1lRg4eNiB3z26bfKz-vOpGICRvlQ9jmAPY7BA9l23x1AE2z1GDske6TIQdh9o-BGhnwiVEq6S5pUYa2C9kEtipJP8vEDAwPDTlfEn7_V6x2IbB9suiXj-5cSUcVYCSXKSj/s640/Sourdough+(1+of+5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">PROOF THE LOAF: Here, we see the loaf on the parchment paper, on the jelly roll pan, following its all-night nap in the refrigerator.<br />
I'm now going to allow it to rise for a while.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUtKZvoB_fPcg7hY_aFQw1Jo7o8GOaoMqwQR1qPR1QnsIAnFdi1tkJlBJWxb0LaF2-LGUklpb8owi-9UuyuVPJJNuLeDtl9n7Wmf8AAzH8FXsyHxL9FSAhEGhM2LX81RkU95Pb1XkG8VZ/s1600/Sourdough+(2+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUtKZvoB_fPcg7hY_aFQw1Jo7o8GOaoMqwQR1qPR1QnsIAnFdi1tkJlBJWxb0LaF2-LGUklpb8owi-9UuyuVPJJNuLeDtl9n7Wmf8AAzH8FXsyHxL9FSAhEGhM2LX81RkU95Pb1XkG8VZ/s640/Sourdough+(2+of+5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">SLASH THE LOAF: after its final rise/being proofed, right before I put it in the oven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sourdough Bread</span><br />
<br />
<b>INGREDIENTS</b><br />
<br />
<b>SPONGE:</b><br />
<br />
4 1/2 oz. refreshed starter (1/2 cup)<br />
3-4 oz. filtered water, at 80º (use about 3 oz. if it's humid, 4 oz. if your environment is low in humidity)<br />
5 oz. unbleached, all-purpose flour (1 cup) with a protein level of between 11-13%<br />
<br />
<b>DOUGH:</b><br />
<br />
12 oz. filtered water, (1/12 cups) at 70º<br />
24 oz. unbleached all-purpose flour (about 4 3/4 cups) with a protein level of between 11-13%<br />
2 1/2 teaspoons of table salt<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MAKE THE SPONGE: With a half of a cup of bubbly, fully refreshed starter (that was last refreshed no more than 12 hours earlier), you're going to make the "sponge". In a bowl, with at least a 1 quart capacity, stir together the 1/2 c. (4 1/2 ounces) of starter with 1/2 c. filtered water, until fully combined. Then stir in 1 c. (5 oz.) flour. The mixture will be like super-thick, lumpy pancake batter. Lumps are OK, in other words. Cover bowl with plastic, and let rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours.<br />
<br />
MAKE THE DOUGH: Add water and sponge to the bowl of a standing mixer. Using a dough hook, with mixer running at lowest speed, add the flour, 1/2 of a cup at a time. Once all flour has been added in, continue to mix until dough forms a ball, and then let the mixer run one minute longer. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and allow dough to rest for 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
KNEAD THE DOUGH: Using your fingers, make a little pocket in the dough and add the salt to that pocket. Knead dough on low speed until it is smooth, soft, and moist, about 5 minutes. You are going to love the way the dough feels: just like a baby's behind! Transfer dough to clean work surface and knead for a minute by hand, until dough forms a firm ball.<br />
<br />
LET THE DOUGH RISE: Spray a 4qt. capacity bowl with non-stick cooking spray and place dough in bowl. Then spray top of dough with cooking spray as well, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand until dough doubles in size, 3-5 hours.<br />
<br />
STRETCH AND FOLD THE DOUGH: Scrape dough out onto clean work surface. Gently stretch dough to redistribute and refresh yeast, as far as you can, without tearing it, and then fold dough into thirds, like a letter.<br />
<br />
DIVIDE AND SHAPE THE LOAVES: Using a bench scraper or a knife, divide dough in half. Each piece should weigh about 1 1/2 lbs. Form each half into a ball or an oval, depending on the shape of the loaf you want, and cover with plastic wrap, allowing the dough to relax for 15 minutes. Continue to form the shape you want, and place each loaf seam side down on a separate sheet of parchment paper. I place them each on top of an upside down jelly roll pan, spray each loaf with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap.<br />
<br />
REFRIGERATE THE LOAVES OVERNIGHT: Place the cookie sheet with the loaves on parchment paper, covered in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator overnight, between 8-12 hours.<br />
<br />
PROOF THE LOAVES: Remove the loaves from the refrigerator and from off the jelly roll pan, and place on the kitchen counter. Loosen plastic wrap slightly and let rise until doubled in size, for 3-4 hours, being sure that loaves are at least 6" apart. After 3 hours, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, and place pizza stone/baking stone on rack. Preheat oven to 500º. Slide loaves one at a time onto upside down jelly roll pan. (You can use a baker's peel for this if you have one, but I don't.) Using a knife tip held at a 45º angle, slash surface of loaves, two or three times, about 1/2" deep. Working quickly, spray the surface of the loaves with water.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
BAKE THE BREAD: Slide the parchment paper and the loaves of bread onto the baking stone. Immediately close the oven door, and lower the oven temperature to 450º. Set the timer for two minutes. Quickly open the oven door when the timer goes off, and spray the loaves with water, being careful not to spray the oven light, which could shatter. Close the oven door, and set the timer for two more minutes. Open the oven door and spray the loaves one last time, closing the door quickly. Set the timer for 25 minutes. Bake until deep golden brown. (If you want to be sure your bread is done, you are looking for an internal temperature of 210º with an instant read thermometer, but I have found that the exterior color of the crust is a good guide.) Bread will need an approximate 30 minutes total in most ovens, but keep an eye on things, since your mileage may vary, depending on your oven. Remove bread (and parchment paper) from oven, and transfer the loaves without the parchment paper to a cooling rack. Bread takes around 2 hours to cool, at which point you can cut it more easily, without squishing it or tearing it. Good luck waiting that long.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eWnSEusUoKvyj6CyoPT8cZbjhf4YB1jn7fvHnYI1M0MxaMqU3pqy0w0l7vzg43A4lpQ4Ns-EEWdnETHzhmHDJMgRMyCAUD78RwJCMPCo7SSYASOOCfbr51sQcGHsI1-EvnIqJR5cTPXP/s1600/BS&C+(5+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eWnSEusUoKvyj6CyoPT8cZbjhf4YB1jn7fvHnYI1M0MxaMqU3pqy0w0l7vzg43A4lpQ4Ns-EEWdnETHzhmHDJMgRMyCAUD78RwJCMPCo7SSYASOOCfbr51sQcGHsI1-EvnIqJR5cTPXP/s640/BS&C+(5+of+8).jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Might as well throw in a pot of soup, as long as you're making bread.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Please, if you enjoyed this post, or this series of posts, let me know in the comments.<br />
Share it on Facebook or Twitter while you're at it.<br />
Pin it on Pinterest to remind yourself that this is something you're ready to try.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-70994929355697317992013-05-16T13:03:00.001-05:002013-07-02T15:32:42.767-05:00Take Action in the Fight Against Cancer: a Sponsored Video<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the American Cancer Society. All thoughts and opinions, however, are my own. I am so glad to share my own experience, in hopes that it might somehow be a catalyst toward helping win the fight against cancer.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
See the beautiful woman on the left?<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8diUcFz8fAFQLJhOrTWLI_S8MXAgI4ZUXeW9_EjFCs4M-tKFyYDCqbrzncxK65KqkozZkP1gnMvbysvc7ZRog5mX3vtV1DG_nDe4jAWECmisCxPJz1FR0za7tWC19i09fisNyan05UFF/s1600/Mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8diUcFz8fAFQLJhOrTWLI_S8MXAgI4ZUXeW9_EjFCs4M-tKFyYDCqbrzncxK65KqkozZkP1gnMvbysvc7ZRog5mX3vtV1DG_nDe4jAWECmisCxPJz1FR0za7tWC19i09fisNyan05UFF/s640/Mom.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mom and me, five months before her death.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Have you ever seen a mother-of-the-bride look at her daughter with more love?</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
She died of a cancerous brain tumor, at the age of 69.<br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxyJqy4HBIrgsUvhZa3YjwzASD_6ftY_tc3ba1KiHTXj6PSzeiJJ-E3uwnk-c_0QYWdW6wxRGhaw8MNF_BfqkDxHhwVYp5beDCTQO3XHnRRF2SXPYQZXTVkadFUIZGqsFSkBbNdrzqAYu/s1600/Papa&Beau+(1+of+1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxyJqy4HBIrgsUvhZa3YjwzASD_6ftY_tc3ba1KiHTXj6PSzeiJJ-E3uwnk-c_0QYWdW6wxRGhaw8MNF_BfqkDxHhwVYp5beDCTQO3XHnRRF2SXPYQZXTVkadFUIZGqsFSkBbNdrzqAYu/s640/Papa&Beau+(1+of+1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papa and my firstborn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
See the handsome man holding the precious little boy?</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
He retired following the death of his wife, determined to enjoy life to the full, in part because losing his wife awakened him to the finiteness of life. He bought a boat, went mountain climbing, rappelling, sailing, and travelling. He died of prostate cancer at the age of 76. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Both died, too young, and far too soon, leaving me and my siblings as orphans, my kids without grandparents, and me with the knowledge of my unfortunate genetic predisposition toward that dreadful, deadly disease. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I'll bet you have similar stories in your family, or among your dear friends.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Despite tragedies like these, we have a friend and ally in the fight against cancer.</div>
<div class="p2">
<a href="http://www.cancer.org/fight/index" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<a href="http://www.cancer.org/fight/index" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The American Cancer Society </a>will turn 100 years old on May 22, 2013. Did you know The American Cancer Society is a nationwide but community-based volunteer health organization? It works not only toward the prevention and early detection of cancer, but also by helping those who have received a cancer diagnosis, by helping support the work of finding a cure for cancer, and by rallying lawmakers and our communities to join together in the fight against cancer.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Did you know, for example, that the American Cancer Society has contributed to a 20% decline in cancer death rates in the US, since the 1990's? That comes to nearly 1.2 million lives saved.Their work has also helped lead to a 50% drop in smoking since the 1960's, which has also led to an overall drop in lung cancer rates, as well. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Silence is what allows cancer to grow. Speaking out and taking action? That's what will help The American Cancer Society to continue to contribute to research that will help find the cure. That's what will help them provide screenings for people who need them, but who can't afford them. That's what will help them continue to provide free places for patients to stay while they are receiving their treatment, and rides to get there.</div>
<div class="p1">
I am so impressed by the volunteers who lend their hearts and their hands to help those who've been diagnosed. I am so impressed by those who give their time and their money to aid in this fight.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<br />
<script src="http://video.unrulymedia.com/wildfire_123389774.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
Please watch this video. And then, do more than be impressed and inspired. Take action.</div>
<blockquote style="background-color: #fef8eb; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 15px 15px; padding: 10px 20px 0px 15px;">
This post is sponsored by the <a href="http://unr.ly/YNE0vd" rel="nofollow" style="color: #e34272; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"><script src="”</span" type="”text/javascript”"><a href="http://go.toutapp.com/fc7a10b07cc0e96a13" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(227, 66, 114); text-decoration: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://video.unrulymedia.<wbr>com/wildfire_124911955.js</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“></</span><wbr style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">script></span></p>
</script></span>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-42758687429009545152013-05-13T07:51:00.001-05:002013-07-02T15:29:47.117-05:00How to Refresh and Maintain a Sourdough StarterI've been baking sourdough bread since January, so in this series of posts, I'll be sharing with you what I've learned over the last four months from baking my own.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbUVR1yYdxgzNMM9uxER-diGWMfDIbsJaoLoIfRxnRee39bOwLacDS-AG_f8yKNsoljTBSjOVthodFEeOp2JKN63QmMdWotV2NBDMzbD1Ra8Sv1bBZKBCE5CiA_trny4RvdzsX02Q8mx-/s1600/BS&C+(4+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbUVR1yYdxgzNMM9uxER-diGWMfDIbsJaoLoIfRxnRee39bOwLacDS-AG_f8yKNsoljTBSjOVthodFEeOp2JKN63QmMdWotV2NBDMzbD1Ra8Sv1bBZKBCE5CiA_trny4RvdzsX02Q8mx-/s640/BS&C+(4+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slicing into a beautiful loaf of bread you've created yourself is really rewarding!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In my <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-make-sourdough-bread-deflating.html" target="_blank">first post,</a> I gave you an overview of the process in general, with a few perhaps somewhat deflating truths: what to expect in general, and some things I think you should be prepared to deal with if you want to give this rewarding process a whirl.<br />
<br />
In the <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/05/sourdough-bread-baking-ingredients-and.html" target="_blank">second post</a>, I explained to you WHY it's important to only use the ingredients specified in this recipe, and also mentioned specific tools you will need.<br />
<br />
Today's post is the third in this series.<br />
<br />
<b>WHAT THIS POST IS <i>NOT</i> ABOUT:</b><br />
<br />
Unfortunately for some of you, this post is NOT about how to begin your very own starter. There is a simple reason for this: I have never done it. <br />
<br />
There ARE books that will tell you precisely how to do this, and the one I'm reading and loving right now is called<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/local-breads-daniel-leader/1103810727?ean=9780393050554" target="_blank"> Local Breads, by Daniel Leader. </a> After checking this book out from the library, I knew it was important and informative enough that I actually wanted to own it. So, that's a pretty high recommendation. I'm looking forward to trying quite a few of its recipes.<br />
<br />
Here's how I stumbled into unintentionally owning (but not making) my own starter.<br />
<br />
I was given my starter by a neighbor who had ordered it for herself, but who upon receiving it, then realized the level of involvement one needs to be a good sourdough parent, and who (happily, inasmuch as it concerned me) asked me if I might be willing to adopt. I jumped at the chance, produced my first "meh" loaf of bread by following the directions that came with my King Arthur starter, <span style="color: black;"> and began my journey toward making truly wonderful sourdough bread.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
My search took me to <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cook's Illustrated</a>, with whom I have a wonderful track record of finding scientifically satisfying and accurate answers. Using the King Arthur starter, with the directions that I obtained from Cook's Illustrated, I've achieved the kind of simple sourdough loaf I hoped I might be able to produce.<br />
<br />
<br />
My search goes on for different varieties and uses of sourdough, and so far, I've found I can make a scrumptious sourdough pizza crust, and wonderful waffles using my sourdough starter. I've also discovered that there are some phenomenally bad sourdough recipes out there on the internet, and that you can't trust every recipe you run into, no matter how yummy it sounds. But at least I don't have to make THOSE cinnamon rolls again!<br />
<br />
<b>WHAT THIS POST <i>IS </i>ABOUT:</b><br />
<br />
What I will give you in this post are the directions you need for refreshing and maintaining a sourdough starter.<br />
<br />
So the very first thing I want you to understand is that these directions have very little to do with actually baking a loaf of bread.<br />
<br />
This is just the necessary background work you <b>have</b> to do so that you CAN make a great loaf of sourdough bread. <br />
<br />
This is NOT a recipe for sourdough bread.<br />
<br />
That will come in the next, and last post in this series.<br />
In other words, these directions, for refreshing and maintaining a sourdough starter, while NECESSARY, are not SUFFICIENT.<br />
<br />
Once you have obtained a sourdough starter, (and you can obtain one like I did from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/classic-fresh-sourdough-starter-1-oz#1522#" target="_blank">King Arthur</a>, if you like), you will need to follow the package directions for getting the starter active, (a one time process), THEN you will follow <b>these </b>directions so that you can be ready to make your first loaf of bread. Following these directions for refreshing your sourdough starter involves around 36 hours, total.<br />
<br />
<i>So if you want a couple of loaves of bread on Wednesday, you'll follow the "refresh the starter" process for 36 hours, beginning on Sunday night, and you'll be ready to begin the bread baking process on Tuesday morning.</i> <br />
<br />
<i>On Tuesday, once the bread dough is kneaded and prepared, it needs to enjoy a nice, slow ferment overnight in your fridge on Tuesday night, and then you'll be ready to let it do a final rise on Wednesday outside your refrigerator, and then, you'll be ready to bake it.</i><br />
<br />
It's involved, I know.<br />
<br />
But two big loaves of sourdough bread last us for a week. I generally serve it when we have time for a nicer sit down meal together. (And we're pretty busy these days, with activities scheduled for 3 nights out of each week.) If my menu doesn't lend itself to a loaf of bread on the night I've baked my loaves of bread, then I freeze the uncut bread, and then I have beautiful loaf of sourdough bread available for a special meal when guests come over.<br />
<br />
Do you know how great the bragging rights are when you can tell someone you made that wonderful sourdough bread they are enjoying?<br />
<br />
Huge! :-D<br />
<br />
If you want to be ready to bake bread any day you like, you CAN omit refrigeration of your starter, and store the starter out on your counter, but if you choose to go that route, you must refresh it daily with flour and water. That will cause you to go through a tremendous amount of flour, pretty quickly. But it will give you more flexibility in terms of being able to start a loaf of bread at a moment's notice. If you need to bake bread pretty often, because, for example, you have a large family, storing your starter on the counter and feeding it daily might be your best bet.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvGPl8CrFIuJ35DxnO4OZVtdUtgacX8UMq5CwCW6kshDvI2aO-YwBR4cNm_QSuPOyQ6q5HYNKR-E5WgHrkEbYd3-gl5hoEN7Beegrm0heu9GVXcXTsW1wujRu3BbmMKbIdrCLTi7soPc6/s1600/Sooze+Sourdough+(2+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvGPl8CrFIuJ35DxnO4OZVtdUtgacX8UMq5CwCW6kshDvI2aO-YwBR4cNm_QSuPOyQ6q5HYNKR-E5WgHrkEbYd3-gl5hoEN7Beegrm0heu9GVXcXTsW1wujRu3BbmMKbIdrCLTi7soPc6/s640/Sooze+Sourdough+(2+of+5).jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">I took this picture in the early days of learning to make sourdough bread, to show the type container I was using to grow the starter in, and the height in the jar that the starter reached before it was refreshed. Also note that the weight of the starter doesn't change: I just didn't have the lid on the jar in this picture .<br />
Very important: please note that I was using the wrong type of flour, because I am pig-headed, and slow to learn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2sosMYvEftlZZ94FaYqPiqMozDc_pzyNK_hFBuA4IoG3xikKqC-eFlWs3FvPY5RiX2rdnFj-b-pdxN_HbGPnO2ZACeD0qsztlYh_NLQiyNbMytjpcGMzOQRmYPraIQMpwqOapIhpx2LL/s1600/Sooze+Sourdough+(4+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2sosMYvEftlZZ94FaYqPiqMozDc_pzyNK_hFBuA4IoG3xikKqC-eFlWs3FvPY5RiX2rdnFj-b-pdxN_HbGPnO2ZACeD0qsztlYh_NLQiyNbMytjpcGMzOQRmYPraIQMpwqOapIhpx2LL/s640/Sooze+Sourdough+(4+of+5).jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how much my starter grew overnight? Look how high it got in the jar. (Note that the weight didn't change: it's just that after I took the last picture, I added the jar lid.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here, then, are the directions you need for refreshing and maintaining a sourdough starter, if you plan to refrigerate it when not in use.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Refreshing and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter:</span></b><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
<br />
Sourdough starter<br />
Bottled or filtered water<br />
Unbleached, all purpose flour with 11 to 13% protein content<br />
<br />
INSTRUCTIONS:<br />
<br />
<b>How to refresh your starter:</b><br />
<br />
Begin this process in the evening, <i>two days before</i> you plan to begin the recipe to bake bread.<br />
<br />
Stir the starter well to recombine any liquid that may have gathered on the top. Measure out 1 c. (9 oz.) of starter, and discard remaining starter. (I dump mine down the sink. You also, however, have the option of giving what you would have discarded to a friend who is interested in trying sourdough baking.) Place measured starter in a glass bowl or container with at least 1 1/2 quart capacity. Stir in 1 c. (8 oz.) of bottled or filtered water, until combined. Then stir in 1 1/2 c. (7 1/2 oz.) flour, until evenly moistened. The mixture will be lumpy, like pancake batter. That's just fine. Cover with plastic wrap.<br />
<br />
Let stand at room temperature for 8 - 12 hours.<br />
<br />
Now repeat this process two more times. The first time will be the next morning; the second time will be the next evening. (For example, if you start refreshing your starter on Sunday evening, you will refresh it a second time on Monday morning, and the last time on Monday evening. You will be ready to USE the starter you have refreshed in a recipe on Tuesday morning.)<br />
<br />
Now that your starter is refreshed, you can use the amount specified in the bread recipe that you are baking. Return the unused portion of refreshed starter to the refrigerator for a week. At that point, you will need to give it another feeding.<br />
<br />
<b>Long term starter maintenance:</b><br />
<br />
If you don't plan to bake for a while, you can store your starter, covered, in the refrigerator, even up to several weeks, and revive it the next time you'd like to bake, following the steps given here. It is best to feed it weekly, however, even if you don't plan to use it that week. Just stir it up, and follow the directions given for one feeding (discarding excess, and adding the prescribed amounts of flour and water). Leave it out for 4 - 6 hours to allow some bubbling to occur (that means the yeasties are doing their thing), and then return it to the refrigerator.<br />
<br />
Please let me know if you have questions, or if anything I've said is unclear.<br />
I recommend that you either print out these instructions, or pin them to a Pinterest board. Please feel free to share this on Facebook or Twitter, as well.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-47944682604770276602013-05-06T15:51:00.004-05:002013-07-02T15:30:15.122-05:00"Time": a Review of Rod Stewart's New ProjectRod Stewart is one of the best selling musical artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He has spent FOUR DECADES of his life as a successful professional musician. That's a record that few can match, considering how difficult it is to<i> stay</i> relevant over the long haul in the music business. This album, his newest effort, entitled <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/time/id619551949" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"Time"</a>, was written on the heels of him penning his 2012 memoir, "Rod". It's his first album of new material in almost 20 years.<br />
<div class="p1">
It's almost as if sorting through all those memories in order to tell his life's story unblocked the log jam of his creativity, and the songs began flowing. So, in a sense, "Time" is very much an autobiographical music project. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/Rod_Stewart/TimeCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/Rod_Stewart/TimeCover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The album cover.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
<br />
<br />
As a writer, I find it to be true that tapping into one's memories and examining them sometimes unlocks a flood of more memories. As any writer knows, re-living memories and the feelings associated with them are the stuff of good writing. And I think musically and lyrically, Stewart has created a strong project.<br />
<br />
In Stewart's own words:</div>
<div class="p2">
<i>"Suddenly ideas for lyrics were piling up in my head,"</i> he says. <i>"Next thing I knew, I had a song called 'It's Over' about divorce and separation. And now I was getting up in the middle of the night and scrambling for a pen to write things down, which has never happened to me. I finished seven or eight songs very quickly and I still wasn't done, and it became apparent that I would eventually have a whole album of material to record."</i></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Several of the cuts on this project harken back to the days of his early career-making song, "Maggie May", utilizing a mandolin and a driving, steady beat. Since Maggie May has always been my favorite song of his, that means these new songs, like "She Makes Me Happy" and "Can't Stop Me Now" suit me just fine. <br />
<br />
<object height="324" width="575"><param name="movie" value="http://videoplayer.vevo.com/embed/Embedded?videoId=USUV71300578&playlist=false&autoplay=0&playerId=62FF0A5C-0D9E-4AC1-AF04-1D9E97EE3961&playerType=embedded&env=0&cultureName=en-US&cultureIsRTL=False"></param>
<param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param>
<param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://videoplayer.vevo.com/embed/Embedded?videoId=USUV71300578&playlist=false&autoplay=0&playerId=62FF0A5C-0D9E-4AC1-AF04-1D9E97EE3961 &playerType=embedded&env=0&cultureName=en-US&cultureIsRTL=False" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="575" height="324" bgcolor="#000000" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br />
<br />
But "Live the Life" reminds me the most musically of Maggie May. Give it one listen, and you'll know why: the mandolin, the fiddle and the whole groove are very reminiscent of that earlier hit. "Live the Life" also contains what I think may have been the hookiest hook of all his songs: "Love the life you live, live the life you love." (I kind of wish I'd written that one.)<br />
<br />
The song "It's Over", inspired by one of Stewart's divorces, expresses the deep sentiments of pain and loss that anyone who has watched a marriage crumble might relate to.<br />
<br />
"Beautiful Morning" is anthemic in nature, and another hard-rocking tune. The title words are repeated again and again, making me want to sing along, and reminding me to celebrate the life I've been given. I do kind of wish he'd left out the part of the lyrics where he sang about the hotel south of "Frisco": (since nobody who lives there actually calls it that), because it left me teetering on the edge of being disappointed that I don't have my own room in that hotel, with a four poster bed and a sea view...but I digress...<br />
<br />
Stewart co-wrote every song on this project with the exception of "Picture in a Frame", which was written by Tom Waits and his wife, Kathleen Brennan. This song is so poignant, so touching, and has grown on me to the point of becoming one of my favorites. It should have been in a Toy Story movie: that's the vibe I'm talking about. I was thrilled to discover that Stewart had recorded a Tom Waits song, since he's a favorite around our house.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/Rod_Stewart/Guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/Rod_Stewart/Guitar.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock on, Rod.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
<br />
<br />
I can't not mention that a couple of these songs seem to have been written especially for his children, which I relate to on a very personal level, and they are "Live the Life" and "Pure Love". I found these lyrics from "Pure Love" especially touching, since I have a son who is about to leave for college:<br />
<br />
"There may be oceans in between us now<br />
But I think about you every living hour<br />
No don't forget me now that we're apart<br />
Just open up that great big loving heart<br />
You'll always be, you'll always be<br />
You'll always be a part of me<br />
<br />
Don't ask me now where all the time has gone<br />
I've loved you since the minute you were born<br />
So many times we have laughed and cried<br />
I see you now, it fills my heart with pride<br />
You'll always be, you'll always be<br />
You'll always be a part of me. "<br />
<br />
~sniff~<br />
<br />
While there were a few songs that didn't float my personal musical boat, all in all, I can truthfully say I'll be listening to this project again and again. I love the energy.<br />
<br />
Glad you're writing again, Rod!<br />
<br />
Rock on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
<i>I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.</i></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-28848388920808523732013-05-04T15:08:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:31:04.428-05:00To Be Loved: A Review of Michael Bublé's New Project<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i>I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/To_Be_Loved/ToBeLovedCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/To_Be_Loved/ToBeLovedCover.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The album cover of Michael Bublé's latest project: To Be Loved.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><br /></i>
This week I received the new album by Michael Bublé, entitled<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/album/to-be-loved/id605526405" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> To Be Loved</a>. Because my husband produces and writes music, we're kind of a "tough crowd" around here. Not easily pleased.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
But there's a whole lot to love on this album. It's a mixture of old Sinatra-esque standards, a few Motown classics, with some adult contemporary numbers thrown in for good measure.<br />
<br />
Canadian Michael Bublé has sold more than 45 million albums worldwide. Let's just stop and ponder that number for a moment, shall we? 45 million. Holy cow. He's also been awarded three Grammys. "To Be Loved" debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts, making it Bublé's fourth consecutive number one album.<br />
<br />
He must be doing SOMETHING right.<br />
<br />
Michael Bublé says this album came out of a place of deep contentment in his life, and it shows. The songs largely give off the vibe of a man in love, happy in his marriage, and looking forward to the birth of his first child.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/To_Be_Loved/Michael1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.one2onenetwork.com/Userfiles/To_Be_Loved/Michael1.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">He cleans up nicely, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I've been aware of his music, of course, and, listened to some of his songs, but after listening to this album carefully enough to write a review, I think I can say that Mr. Bublé might just have won himself a new fan. His voice is agile, his technique skilled, and he shows it off to great effect on both the classic Sinatra ballads, "You Make Me Feel So Young" and "Nevertheless", the tunes which start and end the album. His treatment of these songs is so smooth and easy it reminds me of straddling a highly polished bannister in a great big mansion, and gliding down it with nary a splinter to spoil the ride.<br />
<br />
Another strong track is the second one, "It's a Beautiful Day". It's a perfect example of why he's been so successful in the adult contemporary music genre. "It's A Beautiful Day" is of the happiest little break-up songs you'll ever hear: finger-snapping, toe-tapping, bubbly fun. Bublé co-wrote this song, and it's my favorite of all three of the songs that his writing efforts added to the album.<br />
<br />
The third track, "You Don't Know What It's Like", is an old BeeGees tune. I liked this so much: dare I say it? I liked it better than the original. The orchestration and production reminded me of some old Sam Cooke tunes that I've loved. Very elegant, very soulful. Nice.<br />
<br />
I have always been crazy about the Motown sound, and I really enjoyed the way Bublé covered "Who's Loving You?", a tune penned by Smokey Robinson. It's been covered by not only Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, but also The Temptations, The Supremes, and possibly most notably by the young Michael Jackson, when he was still a part of the Jackson Five. I liked Bublé's treatment of the tune a lot, but I fell in love with it when I listened to this live performance of it, recorded in the New York Subway.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yMEXQNvEszA" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
In this clip, you'll see him surrounded by Naturally 7, the group that stepped in and took the place of Elvis' Jordanaires on not only this tune, but on "Have I Told You Lately?". I love the way the super polished Bublé cuts loose and growls this tune straight from his gut. There was possibly more soul in this live recording than on any of the rest of the project. I'd love to see Mr. Bublé cut loose even more in the future, and pull the music out of the depths of who he is, with the passion and soul that you see here.<br />
<br />
In the meantime? On this album, what he offers us for the most part is sweet, skilled finesse.<br />
<br />
Which is nothing to sneeze at, either.<br />
<br />
Are you a Michael Bublé fan?<br />
Have you listened to this new project?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-89416861162523258922013-05-01T11:45:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:31:29.947-05:00Sourdough Bread Baking: Ingredients and ToolsThis is my second post in a series of posts on how to make sourdough bread. In my <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-make-sourdough-bread-deflating.html" target="_blank">first post,</a> I gave you an overview of the process, with a few perhaps somewhat deflating truths: what to expect in general, and some things I think you should be prepared to deal with if you want to give this rewarding process a whirl.<br />
<br />
There are some critical things that I've learned in regard to the ingredients that one uses to make sourdough bread, as well as a few must-have tools that will enable you to have an excellent outcome with the recipe that I'll be sharing in an upcoming post. In this post I'm going to be sharing precisely why these specific ingredients and tools are so important.<br />
<br />
If you've spent any time at all reading recipe reviews, you'll notice that people very often give a recipe a poor review or a low number of stars, but if you examine their comments closely, you may notice that the person who had a bad outcome substituted critical ingredients, or that they went about preparing the recipe in an entirely different way than was outlined in the recipe. And then, they blamed the recipe for their failure. <br />
<br />
Let it not be so with you.<br />
<br />
<h3>
WHY THE TYPES OF INGREDIENTS YOU USE MATTER:</h3>
<br />
The number of ingredients in a loaf of sourdough bread is small.<br />
Flour, water, sourdough starter, salt.<br />
How hard could that be?<br />
What's the big deal? Why be so fussy?<br />
<br />
As it turns out, this teeny weeny list of ingredients contains some critical adjectives/qualifiers. Qualifiers that will make all the difference in the kind of result you have.<br />
<br />
<b>Flour:</b><br />
<br />
The flour needs to be unbleached, all-purpose flour, with a protein content of between 11-13 percent. Each element of that description is important. I want to specifically address the issue of protein content, as it is not one that is familiar territory to most home bakers, and an issue that you might be tempted to roll your eyes at as unimportant.<br />
<br />
But I assure you that it IS important.<br />
<br />
Yes,<i> the type of unbleached all-purpose flour you use actually matters</i>.<br />
<br />
I admit to initially being a skeptic on this point.<br />
<br />
I am frugal. I like to use store brands if they're just as good, They help me save money. Sometimes, their product is just as good as the product made by a national brand. National brands tend to pour more money into advertising and then jack up the price of their product.<br />
<br />
But the question arises:<br />
<br />
<i>Is the store brand of unbleached all-purpose flour every bit as good as, say, King Arthur flour? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRdEdpguIecPGhaAHMAV_E0whyK9tzehQE4BeoegAWz8VBKt-AqrpGDVFCATVR-RBNMjrO3prgzkiw2PovF4oEnaEOs_97j5-P5D26k47s5_r26V85me-Col-cTLWg80SA-knRp6R00j5/s1600/soozepix+%25283+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRdEdpguIecPGhaAHMAV_E0whyK9tzehQE4BeoegAWz8VBKt-AqrpGDVFCATVR-RBNMjrO3prgzkiw2PovF4oEnaEOs_97j5-P5D26k47s5_r26V85me-Col-cTLWg80SA-knRp6R00j5/s640/soozepix+%25283+of+3%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Comparing the labels on a bag of Publix Unbleached All Purpose Flour and White Lily Self-Rising Flour.<br />
Note the difference in the grams of protein per serving.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The answer to that question is found in the protein content of the flour.<br />
<br />
The sources I've been studying have all agreed on the importance of the percentage of protein content found in the flour that one uses to bake bread. So I began to wonder precisely why this is such a critical issue. It turns out, there is a very good scientific reason for WHY your choice of flour matters, and it's not just because they're trying to sell you the more expensive flour.<br />
<br />
You'll note that the flour I mentioned has a protein content that is 11-13% protein content. Most store brand unbleached flour is 10% protein content, or lower.<br />
<br />
You can find the level of protein content on the side of your bag of flour. Most labels say that a serving of flour is 30 g of flour. If you scan down the label, you can find the grams of protein in each serving. For example, looking at the store brand of flour at Publix, their unbleached all-purpose flour has 3 grams of protein in 30 grams of flour. You divide 3g by 30g, and you come up with a protein content percentage of 10%. White Lily flour, the flour that I use for making biscuits, is milled from a soft wheat flour, and has an even lower protein content. There are two grams of protein to thirty grams of flour which equals 6.6% protein.<br />
<br />
King Arthur flour, which has 4 g of protein in a 30 g serving comes out to having a protein percentage of 13.3%. Clearly, it has significantly higher percentage of protein, and it meets the requirements specified in the recipe.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE3uTnaRMEkd_EYXMHlwbEuyk-Lpxv40lvjp0DuoF2GpHnsJjHhD8X3fkMx0qWLKA5E0eNpwqQmD8JHS9_F3So0f7ovAc_BvN7BhGLF_yCZZwcFSt8iNjeg9No8Bu9KokdkuOs0hl7UE-/s1600/king+arthur+(2+of+1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE3uTnaRMEkd_EYXMHlwbEuyk-Lpxv40lvjp0DuoF2GpHnsJjHhD8X3fkMx0qWLKA5E0eNpwqQmD8JHS9_F3So0f7ovAc_BvN7BhGLF_yCZZwcFSt8iNjeg9No8Bu9KokdkuOs0hl7UE-/s640/king+arthur+(2+of+1).jpg" width="598" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Pointing out the higher level of Protein in a serving of King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Why is the level of protein in your flour so critical? Protein is what allows gluten to form. Gluten is the magical elastic substance that enables bread to rise. It also helps bread retain moisture, so a higher protein content means your bread will stay fresher, longer.<br />
<br />
So: if you want your bread to have a nice, high rise, and to stay fresher, longer, take the time to be sure that the flour that you use has a protein level of between 11 and 13%.<br />
<br />
<b>Water:</b><br />
<br />
Now what about water? Why does my recipe specify the use bottled or filtered water? Put simply, the chlorine that kills bad bacteria in your tap water can also potentially hurt the yeast in your sourdough starter. Use water that won't discourage what you're trying to facilitate the growth of. Got it?<br />
<br />
I use water that comes from our kitchen's reverse osmosis water filtering system, but I've read of some people who use a Brita water filtering system, others who use their refrigerator's filtered water, and others who buy distilled or spring water. I'd just avoid your local tap water, unless you know exactly what you're dealing with chemically.<br />
<b><br />Sourdough Starter:</b> <br />
<br />
I'm not going to tell you how to make a sourdough starter for this simple reason: I've never made one. My starter came from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/classic-fresh-sourdough-starter-1-oz#1522#" target="_blank">King Arthur,</a> . Click the link in the name King Arthur, to check on their product and you can decide if you might want to order a starter from them as well.<br />
<h3>
<br />TOOLS:</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKtO_afnuc15u2C0J99uLeFU5kM-a_z6mypDD1B8bL46qKdXVtlrjQInr2PK4pgXfL-V5SJysNDgDHFu5Bmh_egv05hTyKyDryto_bft9oMg1hyeoyZMpIKPcxRSnkZjfktxxel6w3bPb/s1600/Sooze+Sourdough+%25284+of+5%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKtO_afnuc15u2C0J99uLeFU5kM-a_z6mypDD1B8bL46qKdXVtlrjQInr2PK4pgXfL-V5SJysNDgDHFu5Bmh_egv05hTyKyDryto_bft9oMg1hyeoyZMpIKPcxRSnkZjfktxxel6w3bPb/s640/Sooze+Sourdough+%25284+of+5%2529.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of the Oxo Scale I use, and love, and the sourdough starter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<b>Scale:</b><br />
In my opinion, the most important tool you can buy to help you make great sourdough bread is a scale. I really don't know how you will successfully navigate the breadmaking process without one I have an Oxo scale. It is awesome. I'm not selling them. I just like them that much. If you only use a measuring cup, 1 cup of flour can vary in weight tremendously, depending on whether the flour is scooped or spooned into the measuring cup, and on whether the flour you are scooping from has been fluffed recently, or has settled. Use a scale, and worry on these points and how an incorrect amount of flour will affect the outcome of your bread (in terms of stickiness of dough if too little flour is used or heaviness, dryness, and density of bread if too much is used) will be eliminated.<br />
<b><br />Baking stone:</b> <br />
I use a large circular pizza stone that I ordered years ago from Pampered Chef. A baking stone that has been pre-heated will conduct heat instantly and efficiently into bottom of the loaves you are baking, producing what professional bakers call "oven spring".<br />
<b><br />Spray bottle:</b> <br />
Any type will do, but you will want to be able to spray a large, fine mist over the loaves of bread, several times, after you have placed them in the oven. This helps your bread get that glorious crust that is so prized in artisan loaves. I use a Rubbermaid Heavy-Duty Spray Bottle, that I keep set aside for this purpose only.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
So that's it. I hope I've convinced you that ingredients and the tools that you gather together to make sourdough bread can and will make all the difference in the results that you'll have.<br />
<br />
In my next post, I'll explain to you what I've learned about sourdough starters.<br />
<br />
Were you aware of the important role that the percentage of protein plays in baking bread?<br />
<br />
Please feel free to pin this post on Pinterest, or share it with your friends.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-11620069655074331332013-04-20T14:20:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:26:37.417-05:00Grilled Trout with Browned Butter, Caper and Pine Nut Vinaigrette<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Interested in a RIDICULOUSLY EASY AND DELICIOUS vinaigrette/sauce for the next time you grill some fish? I thought you might be! Well, I found it, and let me tell you, this one, you have GOT to try! The secret to the deliciousness of this vinaigrette is the browned butter.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3LUjg6pWiB1i2i91wwEQxAIAmCgIZ-j2DOK1VHqMaOnGYoNBDEaZxgchGKwTJZW9g40U7UjyUaHQcxZ85_xMtJUrpQINi27eIWofTdNUJ1n6pHeGimL_5dCylDJA1Q3XCBpTdnqMy9rw/s1600/steelhead+(7+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3LUjg6pWiB1i2i91wwEQxAIAmCgIZ-j2DOK1VHqMaOnGYoNBDEaZxgchGKwTJZW9g40U7UjyUaHQcxZ85_xMtJUrpQINi27eIWofTdNUJ1n6pHeGimL_5dCylDJA1Q3XCBpTdnqMy9rw/s640/steelhead+(7+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
My husband went fishing again up near lake Michigan and came home with a few (but not nearly enough!) steelhead trout. They're a delicious fish, but this recipe sends them to WAY-Over-The-Top Super Deliciousness with this astonishingly easy vinaigrette. With the right ingredients, ANYONE can do this, I promise you. My husband and I have decided we're going to try this vinaigrette on salmon next, and I know it will be RIGHTEOUS!<br />
<br />
Curious as to how you make a browned butter? Browning butter is just about what it sounds like: melting the butter in a sauté pan over moderate heat, and then continuing to heat and stir it until it just starts to turn a medium brown. Depending on how hot your flame is is, it only takes two to four minutes, so just watch it carefully, keep stirring it while it's heating, and remove it from the heat when it's tan in color. It will continue to brown for a bit even after you remove it from the heat. What you're wanting to achieve ultimately is a nut brown color and a toasty aroma. You stir it while you're heating it because the milk solids in the butter will sink to the bottom of the pan and burn if you're not careful, so keep that spoon of yours a-moving.<br />
<br />
We grill the fish, and then spoon the vinaigrette over the fish and the rice. Really hard, huh? If you doubled the vinaigrette recipe, it could go over the arugula salad, as a dressing for it, too. But since I had a little leftover vinaigrette from the last time I made my yummy <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2013/03/spinach-and-butter-lettuce-salad-pecans-blue-cheese.html" target="_blank">Spinach and Butter Lettuce Salad,</a> I just sprinkled that leftover vinaigrette over my arugula, and used a vegetable peeler to cut long thin strips of Parmesan to decorate the top.<br />
<br />
My husband was so hungry last night and ready to eat that we rushed the picture taking, and forgot to sprinkle the dish with the toasted pine nuts, and the salad with the Parmesan. But trust me when I tell you that we added both before we ate, and they are important finishing touches of flavor and texture to this dish.<br />
<br />
Here's some pictures to give you an idea of this process:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ1w5F3NaftRLm3lRZPS-oCT_LFM00tnYgj9rxrAjXKAaq4_Ftw8fLnhwU5RwkmohtBm53dKQPL6xw137wHnxVvKjKu1oY_fmjzXKILLaOkpQ80tpwgGX-8cfpQzJD6bRwlAl6D7ZW2Zs/s1600/steelhead+(1+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ1w5F3NaftRLm3lRZPS-oCT_LFM00tnYgj9rxrAjXKAaq4_Ftw8fLnhwU5RwkmohtBm53dKQPL6xw137wHnxVvKjKu1oY_fmjzXKILLaOkpQ80tpwgGX-8cfpQzJD6bRwlAl6D7ZW2Zs/s640/steelhead+(1+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Before the trout heads for the grill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUjUnLX3SeSxh1Z07VIzeIXfdlEyLIN5w0GtWe4x5wFDtxtP6B-7G2y606ztaHQECr1Z6M4xMUgWk0zAa24PfQgdtoghqc5aS2kAWoJ8AsKQY9kpzqamfw0Q0OzzR6GfnLCqxIVGIW69J/s1600/steelhead+(2+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUjUnLX3SeSxh1Z07VIzeIXfdlEyLIN5w0GtWe4x5wFDtxtP6B-7G2y606ztaHQECr1Z6M4xMUgWk0zAa24PfQgdtoghqc5aS2kAWoJ8AsKQY9kpzqamfw0Q0OzzR6GfnLCqxIVGIW69J/s640/steelhead+(2+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Food around the corner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRuWPg65_Dc8cV15ogxpvcsGYpVEacxS2k69vSjKNLHm-6qLbF4xMILMihtu-aVtdDYTGm7xn5d-J-feCaqV6G_hFLhpA9Qyy_l2WD3HzWbAvBPmcUImyhWiUHmcwMQeSnhIJCSUK1kQm/s1600/steelhead+(4+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRuWPg65_Dc8cV15ogxpvcsGYpVEacxS2k69vSjKNLHm-6qLbF4xMILMihtu-aVtdDYTGm7xn5d-J-feCaqV6G_hFLhpA9Qyy_l2WD3HzWbAvBPmcUImyhWiUHmcwMQeSnhIJCSUK1kQm/s640/steelhead+(4+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Shhhh...we're resting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTiOKGF8TatQExrnGnA7SYaE4h9tqC9T1qo0-9NZ9xLMKCXYKyXqsXupkMW2Udgt1k_RsRT5SPSJlxFbuCXcHQ5H-iLswHkG0oa2o1aFwHDDFBGetYOfw0WogjwugOrfr7vyeSxXba9W8/s1600/steelhead+(5+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTiOKGF8TatQExrnGnA7SYaE4h9tqC9T1qo0-9NZ9xLMKCXYKyXqsXupkMW2Udgt1k_RsRT5SPSJlxFbuCXcHQ5H-iLswHkG0oa2o1aFwHDDFBGetYOfw0WogjwugOrfr7vyeSxXba9W8/s640/steelhead+(5+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Here comes the browned butter vinaigrette!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvGhraT5GzD-sbnwt7FmlEYltc7iJTabu4C8bo2NNi4UcwMp8AE-xde0HT4w4uXajQ1S4b7Morm_nErUfScPYNEhIHZ96qpYJdUbYrjT8fMyVvatRLcZCX8lCuPvniDiRxsjxYfd1f4PH/s1600/steelhead+(6+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvGhraT5GzD-sbnwt7FmlEYltc7iJTabu4C8bo2NNi4UcwMp8AE-xde0HT4w4uXajQ1S4b7Morm_nErUfScPYNEhIHZ96qpYJdUbYrjT8fMyVvatRLcZCX8lCuPvniDiRxsjxYfd1f4PH/s640/steelhead+(6+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">This picture actually makes me salivate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Grilled Trout with Browned Butter, Caper, and Pine Nut Vinaigrette</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1/2 stick butter<br />
1 T. olive oil<br />
1/4 c. finely chopped shallots<br />
2 T. white balsamic vinegar<br />
1 T. drained capers<br />
1 t. chopped fresh rosemary<br />
<br />
Sea salt<br />
Freshly ground black pepper<br />
<br />
1/4 c. pine nuts<br />
<br />
2 lbs. steelhead trout fish fillets<br />
<br />
<b>Preparation:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Toast the pine nuts in a small sauté pan. That should only take a couple of minutes. Watch them carefully and stir them when they start to smell good, to try to toast both sides evenly. If they start to brown too quickly, remove them from the pan quickly onto a saucer to cool them down. Reserve.<br />
<br />
Prepare barbecue (medium high heat).<br />
<br />
Cook butter in a small skillet over medium heat until brown, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in oil, shallots, vinegar, capers, and rosemary. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.<br />
<br />
Brush the fish fillets with a little olive oil, and then sprinkle them with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the trout, flesh side down, unti brown, about 2 minutes. Turn trout over; grill until cooked through, about another 2 minutes. Transfer trout to plates.<br />
<br />
Spoon vinaigrette over trout, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. (I put the vinaigrette over the rice that I serve on the side, too.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSvYdECr74mJORWUBFzXixNhyTT9r1HX3ZX3b2GyVvH3YZ_aDHuHWQxxRSxzENG-ydyvuUIrVzPQV7UDPcrSug3qHvYNS6gYaUBZA1JrbNorqDy99fgFKTZuecciKxf3LazkEHyzrOuuL/s1600/steelhead+(8+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSvYdECr74mJORWUBFzXixNhyTT9r1HX3ZX3b2GyVvH3YZ_aDHuHWQxxRSxzENG-ydyvuUIrVzPQV7UDPcrSug3qHvYNS6gYaUBZA1JrbNorqDy99fgFKTZuecciKxf3LazkEHyzrOuuL/s640/steelhead+(8+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Basking in the glow of the golden sunset.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Please, feel free to share this on Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.<br />
Let me know how much you love it!<br />
Because, you will!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-81430138949310308522013-04-13T19:35:00.001-05:002013-07-02T15:32:05.769-05:00Long Overdue Thank You NoteTo the alert Bible School Teacher who took me aside and told me she was worried about my four year old son, because he always ate his graham crackers in such a way as to form the shape of a "gun", and then pretended to fire that gun?<br />
<br />
<div>
To that same woman, who scared the absolute bejeebers out of me, because SHE'd raised a son who didn't do that with HIS graham crackers?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To the same lady who thought that maybe my son might be obsessed with guns and violence and who told me she worried that he might grow up to be a school assassin or some other kind of social deviant?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thank You.</div>
<div>
You were right.<br />
<br />
But it might be worse than you thought.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEh1bYPzmMpDt0NHNjGuMr92mfanXUBYVrUqLp5fjM3zPJFABxg-YNOow_-jlyiK0k8t6FbbW4Tqd7Fnvo8o5rgz22c76du3T0NfVEHb9XqTdoHJ8PCEkueLyzU5-CCarDNqXlyM_m5Y5/s1600/Beau+Interview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEh1bYPzmMpDt0NHNjGuMr92mfanXUBYVrUqLp5fjM3zPJFABxg-YNOow_-jlyiK0k8t6FbbW4Tqd7Fnvo8o5rgz22c76du3T0NfVEHb9XqTdoHJ8PCEkueLyzU5-CCarDNqXlyM_m5Y5/s400/Beau+Interview.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borderline Hipster<br />
Would you trust this guy?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My now 19 year old son is a Borderline Hipster.<br />
<br />
Despite possessing a hipster's tendency toward musical snobbery, my hipster-like son is kind, gentle, thoughtful, sensitive, a deep thinker, loved wherever he goes, and a whole lot of fun.<br />
<br />
He won a debate scholarship. And he's never debated. Except with his dad and me.<br />
<br />
But no matter how much his dad would have liked it, he didn't want to go hunting. Just wasn't into it. (Not interested in killing things, so much.)<br />
<br />
I've never forgotten the words you spoke to me, oh Well-Intentioned Teacher of my son, warning me of the darkness to come. <br />
<br />
And now, I have a few words I'd like to share with you, fifteen years later. In the words of Agent Maxwell Smart:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oPwrodxghrw" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
What you DIDN'T know, Teacher, was an earlier story from my son's life, that might throw a bit more light on the situation. You see, as a young mother of one son (at the time of this earlier story), I tried very, very hard to shield my son from all violence. I didn't want to scar his tender psyche. I may not be the only young mother in history who has ever embarked on such a noble endeavor.<br />
<br />
Historically, many mommies have treasured their sons before me, and attempted to shield them from the evils of this world, as well. It's our JOB, to protect our offspring, after all.<br />
<br />
So, by the time my son had reached the tender age of two, he had not seen one single gun, nor one TV show, nor cartoon, with a gun. Because I was GOOD at my job. Or at least, I was good at the task I'd assigned myself.<br />
<br />
One day, my friend Rachel and I went for a walk to Radnor Lake. It's a lovely spot, where mothers can push their babies in strollers on the road beside the lake, with no traffic whatsoever to molest. Rachel took her son, Austin on our walk. Austin was two and a half years older than my two year old, and my son's idol. My toddler worshipped the ground Austin manfully strode upon. At four and a half, Austin was what my son called, "a big boy".<br />
<br />
Rachel had given her son one of those huge G.I. Joe green plastic machine guns as a toy. Austin knew a walk in the woods is a valuable place to have a gun, so the gun came with. I pushed my two year old guy in the stroller, while Austin acted as our little group's scout, charging bravely ahead to "shoot" at any danger that might (in his vivid imagination) be coming our way.<br />
<br />
My boy watched with a fascination usually attributed to mesmerization.<br />
<br />
Midway through our walk, he could stand it no longer.<br />
<br />
"Mommy, what does Austin have in his hands?"<br />
<br />
My world screeched to a stop as the very moment I had held at bay for two long years, finally arrived. Inwardly, I had a few choice words I wished I could offer to Big Boy Austin, for having stolen my baby boy's innocence.<br />
<br />
But dang it all, I would NOT be beaten in my endeavor to preserve purity in my two year old's life, by a FOUR YEAR OLD!!!<br />
<br />
So, being careful not to lie to my son, after a few beats, I answered,<br />
<br />
"Well, son...it's a green stick".<br />
<br />
He thoughtfully considered my answer for a moment, and then looked at me with a lust in his eyes I'd never before seen, and replied with all the heartfelt earnestness that a two year old can muster,<br />
<br />
<i>"Oh, Mommy! I WANT a green stick!!!"</i><br />
Proving, dear readers, that a Mom can do what she can do, but she can only do so much.<br />
<br />
So, dear Well-Intentioned Bible School Teacher: thanks for trying.<br />
<br />
But despite both of our tireless efforts...<br />
<br />
my young man is who he is.<br />
<br />
And, oh, how I do love who he's becoming!<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-40099164893865070152013-04-01T07:45:00.003-05:002013-07-02T15:27:23.492-05:00How to Make Sourdough Bread: The Deflating TruthAt the risk of running many of you off in the first two seconds, I'm going to tell you a hard truth: <i>making truly excellent sourdough bread at home is not for the faint of heart. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
There are much, much easier ways to make great artisan bread at home. I've done it. <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2012/07/semolina-sesame-artisan-bread.html" target="_blank">I've shared one of them on this blog. </a><br />
<br />
But those recipes AREN'T sourdough. And if you've ever left your heart in San Francisco, and part of that experience was enjoying their exquisite sourdough bread, or if you're at least a more determined and inquisitive cook who thinks, "Surely I could make something sort of like that", well, then, you've come to the right place.<br />
<br />
Because, you can.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ma-i5kZsnXm5zlQRtdhhh-_tvRwuE17rCkIm8prSDEZoEki65_igXgZ6oMeaOYJV-70iP3xdRPL3t-M2N5kadGWpqY7H12IW-PAE_94gHpWuP5DuCZ4tdN_QtSrQK8ytLbxI95NlLzLO/s1600/BS&C+(2+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ma-i5kZsnXm5zlQRtdhhh-_tvRwuE17rCkIm8prSDEZoEki65_igXgZ6oMeaOYJV-70iP3xdRPL3t-M2N5kadGWpqY7H12IW-PAE_94gHpWuP5DuCZ4tdN_QtSrQK8ytLbxI95NlLzLO/s640/BS&C+(2+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Here's the proof! Oh, yes, you can!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'll also tell you after baking with sourdough for a full three months, that it's a little bit harder to find sound, helpful information on the internet regarding sourdough than you might think. There's information out there that is just bad, or poorly written. I wish there were more and better books and blog posts on it.<br />
<br />
Let's put it this way: I kissed a lot of Sourdough Toad Recipes before I found my Sourdough Prince Charming.<br />
<br />
So maybe this is a post whose time has come.<br />
<br />
Here's another deflating truth: making your own sourdough bread takes a lot of time, and a lot of flour.<br />
<br />
It also takes throwing a lot of goop down the sink.<br />
<br />
I'm a frugal sort of gal. It's really painful for me to read that I have to stir together perfectly good ingredients, and then "discard" large portions of it. You're going to have to trust me on this when I tell you that you might as well resign yourself to doing this. I HAVE discovered a recipe for pizza dough that I can make when my starter is happily fed, and it's the last time I'm supposed to discard that last amount of starter. And I'll share that recipe with you, too, in an upcoming post. But for now, I want you to be prepared that throwing large portions of your starter away as you go is just a part of the process of getting your starter up and running.<br />
<br />
I stumbled into making sourdough bread. My neighbor had purchased a starter via the internet from King Arthur Flour. It's from an original starter that is over 200 years old, which is pretty cool. Her starter arrived in a little jar in the mail with instructions on how to hydrate and feed it and bring it into working order, so to speak. I think she kind of blanched when she figured out how much work there is to this process, and called me up to see if I might want to adopt it.<br />
<br />
My dog Deacon died in July. My husband can't be talked into another puppy, as of yet, and my maternal instincts were needing something to nurture. "Sure!" I said. "I'd love to play with a sourdough starter." So, I took it in, and it has taken up residence in my accommodating fridge. So, that's another thing a prospective sourdough parent has to consider: where will you KEEP the baby?<br />
<br />
(Because yes, I've gone that far over the edge: it's become my "baby".)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-VTn7a0JHvjQq4zEDkrn6qauRbVdxlcyKHjplPmZcFiyZUkKF0TY4qMlx6FZwruuyFhlU1cdli1iRznycDk_LEYoLFxQzosJuRchmtS4jOB9SaWq8IdhPqu_f8xjIkS9M4yhH0hNPF-F/s1600/bun+in+the+oven+(1+of+1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-VTn7a0JHvjQq4zEDkrn6qauRbVdxlcyKHjplPmZcFiyZUkKF0TY4qMlx6FZwruuyFhlU1cdli1iRznycDk_LEYoLFxQzosJuRchmtS4jOB9SaWq8IdhPqu_f8xjIkS9M4yhH0hNPF-F/s640/bun+in+the+oven+(1+of+1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Here's my little bun in the oven. Isn't he precious?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You have two options:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>You can keep the starter out on the counter. If you choose this option, you will have to feed it every day. Feeding it involves adding a very specific amount of flour and water, mixing it up, and discarding a very specific amount. Unless you are a very dedicated baker, who bakes often, I do not recommend this option. The advantage to this method is that your starter will always be refreshed, and you can begin any sourdough recipe that very day. The disadvantage is that you will be going through a butt-load of flour to keep your sourdough starter-baby fed and happy. It would be wise, in fact, to buy stock in Gold Medal, Pillsbury, Martha White, or King Arthur, if you plan to go this route.</li>
<li>You can store your starter in the refrigerator. The advantage to this method of starter storage is that you do not have to feed your starter everyday. The downside of this method is the TIME involved to get a recipe up and running: you can't just take your starter out of the refrigerator and bake with it any old time you want to. When you take the starter out of the fridge, you have to stir it together, feed it flour and water, throw out the extra, AND give it 8-12 hours to bubble up, and THEN repeat that ENTIRE process two more times. </li>
</ol>
If you're actually following closely what I just said, you probably think that I really explained something wrong, but I assure you, I didn't. Let me give you a "for instance". (I always did better in Algebra class if they plugged in the names "Bill" and "Sally" rather than Person A and Person B, so here's a more concrete example.)<br />
<br />
If I take my starter out of the refrigerator on Sunday night for its first "refreshment", I will not have a loaf of bread till WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Are you tracking with me here, people???<br />
<br />
THIS is why I said making your own sourdough bread is not for the faint of heart.<br />
<br />
But is it an investment of time, flour, and effort that is worth making?<br />
<br />
Well, I think so, or I wouldn't be writing about it. But only YOU can determine if it's right for you.<br />
<br />
So, in upcoming posts, I'll tell you:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>How to refresh the starter.</li>
<li>The recipe that really and truly works.</li>
<li>That pizza dough recipe that I use the last cup of ALMOST completely refreshed starter to make.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Here's hoping I haven't scared you off completely. What I really HOPE to do is to inspire some brave, but informed soul to take on this eminently rewarding challenge.<br />
<br />
How about you? Have you ever tried making sourdough bread?<br />
<br />
Think you might be up for the challenge?<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-39927081226446939002013-03-28T13:30:00.001-05:002013-03-28T15:09:23.571-05:00The Salad to Bring When They Ask You To Bring a SaladYou offer to bring "something to go with the meal" when you've been invited over for dinner, and the host says, "Oh...just bring a salad". You want to bring something that will stand out as scrumptious. But you ALSO want to bring something EASY. What to do?<br />
<br />
A couple of nights ago, I found your answer!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5M_jLqFdJxpVpjbNzkWsb_E68JxlXMNDB880maxvkNJgCSy98ZTiHNad_Jkt47i2ghfwJWIx0EQ3OEVJAWcn5cTRlNcI09rmOMg92nK7UO8Ui89rEokd7cnO1f-OGhpMCfvvk67o8gKq/s1600/BlueCheeseSalad+(1+of+2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5M_jLqFdJxpVpjbNzkWsb_E68JxlXMNDB880maxvkNJgCSy98ZTiHNad_Jkt47i2ghfwJWIx0EQ3OEVJAWcn5cTRlNcI09rmOMg92nK7UO8Ui89rEokd7cnO1f-OGhpMCfvvk67o8gKq/s640/BlueCheeseSalad+(1+of+2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Spinach and Butter Lettuce Salad with Pecans and Blue Cheese</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I found the original recipe for this salad on <a href="http://epicurious.com/">epicurious.com</a>, one of my favorite go-to recipe sites. This particular recipe, listed in their "best of" salads recipe section, looked fairly simple. It had been given a 5 star rating: but could a salad really be that good, and that easy? Oh, yeah. It could. I've had this salad two nights in a row (three helpings each night) for dinner, with a simple rotisserie chicken from Costco. But it would go great with MANY types of meats, really. Serve this at any meal that needs a salad, and you'll find your guests coming back for seconds and thirds, like I did.<br />
<br />
I think it's the balance of flavors and the variety of textures that makes it <i>so </i>good. Creaminess, tanginess and saltiness come from the blue cheese. You get crunchiness from the pecans and the crisp salad greens. There's a touch of spicy heat to the pepper and the shallot in the dressing. There's acidity in the vinaigrette, as well as a touch of sweetness form the maple syrup in it. And the craisins are sweet and tart and just a bit chewy, all at the same time.<br />
<br />
The only real chopping I did (which is the thing that tends to put me off when it comes to salad making) was chopping the pecans after I roasted them (which took about 1 minute) and the shallot for the vinaigrette (which also took about 1 minute). The rest was simply throwing in the proper amount of ingredients and tossing it around with the vinaigrette.<br />
<br />
The original recipe on the <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spinach-and-Endive-Salad-with-Pecans-and-Blue-Cheese-236012" target="_blank">epicurious.com </a>website called for endive. I didn't have any, and I don't tend to buy it, but I did have a couple of heads of butter lettuce, and a great big bucket of spinach, so that's one way I altered and adapted this recipe. The first night I made it, I didn't have any craisins, so I substituted strawberries. They were good, and lent their own charm, but I found I preferred the more concentrated intense flavor of the craisins. (Next time I may try dried cherries, because I'm a huge cherry fan.)<br />
<br />
To toast pecans: spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350º for about 5 minutes. When you just begin to smell them, you'll know they're done. Unless you have a cold or a stopped up nose or no sense of smell.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv5TmecTGRt4c4lFsc-Rd5WsvlfoPpPsjMDwNacsepQtI_BdVx-jsaYVgraYo7hqT34ftGTATSh7SfTllVUQrFZmW_C54tVxy_NpUwwvyHn69iVu1U9vPJLVT80hvakeJoHCY-nvRsaY5/s1600/BlueCheeseSalad+(2+of+2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv5TmecTGRt4c4lFsc-Rd5WsvlfoPpPsjMDwNacsepQtI_BdVx-jsaYVgraYo7hqT34ftGTATSh7SfTllVUQrFZmW_C54tVxy_NpUwwvyHn69iVu1U9vPJLVT80hvakeJoHCY-nvRsaY5/s640/BlueCheeseSalad+(2+of+2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You owe it to yourself to make this as soon as possible. Good, and good for you!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spinach and Butter Lettuce Salad with Pecans and Blue Cheese</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b>Ingredients for Vinaigrette</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 small shallot, finely chopped (approximately 2 T.)<br />
2 T. white wine vinegar<br />
1 T. maple syrup<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients for Salad</b><br />
<br />
2 heads of Butter Lettuce (Romaine would be fine, too)<br />
10 oz. spinach<br />
1 c. pecans, toasted and chopped<br />
1/2 c. craisins (dried cherries would be nice, too)<br />
1/3 c. crumbled blue cheese<br />
<br />
<b>Preparation: </b><br />
<br />
Whisk together ingredients for vinaigrette in a small bowl or measuring cup.<br />
Toss salad greens in a large bowl with vinaigrette, and sprinkle with nuts, dried fruit, and blue cheese.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv5TmecTGRt4c4lFsc-Rd5WsvlfoPpPsjMDwNacsepQtI_BdVx-jsaYVgraYo7hqT34ftGTATSh7SfTllVUQrFZmW_C54tVxy_NpUwwvyHn69iVu1U9vPJLVT80hvakeJoHCY-nvRsaY5/s1600/BlueCheeseSalad+(2+of+2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv5TmecTGRt4c4lFsc-Rd5WsvlfoPpPsjMDwNacsepQtI_BdVx-jsaYVgraYo7hqT34ftGTATSh7SfTllVUQrFZmW_C54tVxy_NpUwwvyHn69iVu1U9vPJLVT80hvakeJoHCY-nvRsaY5/s640/BlueCheeseSalad+(2+of+2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">You owe it to yourself to make this as soon as possible. Good, and good for you!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You totally need to pin this on Pinterest. You are welcome to share it with your friends on Facebook, or tweet about it on Twitter as well.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-84692380350737120332013-03-26T18:22:00.003-05:002013-03-26T18:28:19.902-05:00Spring Cleaning Your Way to a Healthier Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
We haven't had a LOT of colds around here this winter, but the one we had, all four of us shared. It took its time picking off family member after family member, and took us over a week, each, to recover. It was the gift that kept on giving, and it was a DOOZY! As you read this, I could name three close friends of mine who are all presently suffering from some form of pretty fierce virus. It's been an especially tough year, this year, it seems, for colds and flu.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUimqaoqZ_M55grpq2h-8hCK-h-eCyIQNsYKLutvD2aMPxtqebwRWXxFYV0ygMtJCIDKs1OPpds6hZXNRgyjCfRxejOP9jgIsk3xqCyZkHRi900F_v08cwz-pys73qfOaXGA8v4LEOFbb0/s1600/Lysol+(1+of+1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUimqaoqZ_M55grpq2h-8hCK-h-eCyIQNsYKLutvD2aMPxtqebwRWXxFYV0ygMtJCIDKs1OPpds6hZXNRgyjCfRxejOP9jgIsk3xqCyZkHRi900F_v08cwz-pys73qfOaXGA8v4LEOFbb0/s640/Lysol+(1+of+1).jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Staged Sneeze Photo of Great Adorableness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
One of the things I like about having older kids who have studied biology is that they "get" the whole concept of colds and flu being transmitted through live viruses, that we pick up very often through our hands, which then carry the virus up to our face. With just a bit of <strike>ceaseless nagging</strike> reminding, they're willing to wash their hands when they get home from school or church. They do it because intellectually, at least, they get the importance of eliminating those germs and viruses through soap and water. (The CDC says that washing our hands for a full 20 seconds with soap and water is the single most important thing we can do to prevent illness.)<br />
<br />
But not all of us have kids that age. We can't protect our kids from everything, but what can we do in our own homes to help our families avoid catching the bugs that seem to be so prevalent? And as spring weather approaches (spring IS coming, isn't it???) and our minds begin to turn to spring cleaning, how can we take that energy, and use it in a way to keep our families healthier?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRh31J_FahH39qqvmpuWg_3g4jiGVhKzuwhWG68p1ct3VFNJMvdnzP4Kv1WJf7O_o4QEWPsU17_GIURoZynG4zC31iubdPNXY9eQSuzvIYpDzzRpTY_IZrFwt_nZg6XfBHRO-yAvT1uo4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-26+at+5.48.05+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRh31J_FahH39qqvmpuWg_3g4jiGVhKzuwhWG68p1ct3VFNJMvdnzP4Kv1WJf7O_o4QEWPsU17_GIURoZynG4zC31iubdPNXY9eQSuzvIYpDzzRpTY_IZrFwt_nZg6XfBHRO-yAvT1uo4/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-03-26+at+5.48.05+PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Healthing??? Momma??? What the heck???"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I recently was made aware of a new initiative that the folks at Lysol are leading, called "Healthing". Now, normally, I am not a big fan of "verbing a noun": that misbegotten idea that it's a grand thing to turn a noun into a verb. When people talk about something "impacting" them, for example, I start reaching to offer them a bottle of laxative, so their situation doesn't get any worse. But in this instance, I think what Lysol is going for with the concept of "Healthing", is that we use the adjective "clean" as a verb, (as in "I cleaned my house"), and so the idea is that WHILE we're cleaning, we're not just de-cluttering, organizing, or picking up, but we're also actually disinfecting while we clean. So that surfaces where our family's hands touch aren't just stain free: they're actually free of germs as well. Using a disinfecting product, like Lysol Disinfectant Wipes, is a great way to get rid of germs while you clean. And while you've got the wipes out, don't forget to wipe down the items that you and your family frequently touch: the light switches, the door knobs, and the cabinet pulls.<br />
<br />
The other aspect of Lysol's "Healthing" campaign that I really like is that they are reaching out to EDUCATE the general public. They will be connecting with 65,000 schools to promote healthy habits and good hygiene. What a blessing that will be to so many homes, indirectly. If little Johnny next door doesn't catch a cold and bring it to school, the whole class might be spared from catching that same cold. The healthful ripple effect could potentially go on and on. They are also reaching out with educational programs to moms of newborns, and through educational programs at select locations of the YMCA. At each participating YMCA location, Lysol will provide participants with hands-on (disinfected hands-on, no doubt!) training about the products and the steps required to implement more healthful cleaning habits in the home, while making the idea fun and approachable for kids. Lysol will also be providing disinfecting products to those local YMCAs, and will even be donating a one-year membership to a deserving family.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
For more information about Lysol's "Healthing"initiative, you can visit their <a href="http://www.lysol.com/healthing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. Here's a link to their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Lysol" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>, and finally, a link to their Guidebook on <a href="http://www.lysol.com/healthing/what-is-healthing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"What Is Healthing?"</a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just to keep things transparent, here's why I wrote this post:</span></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I participated in a campaign on behalf of <a href="http://www.momcentralconsulting.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Mom Central Consulting</a> for LYSOL</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup>®</sup></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<br />
<div>
Here's to a happy, healthy spring! </div>
<div>
Have you got any plans for spring cleaning?</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-63354685682068945992013-03-17T23:48:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:33:45.277-05:00The Blind Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
When I was 17, I got my driver's license. I wasn't one of those kids who was chomping at the bit to have my freedom, or living for the day when I could finally drive a car. I'm more what you might call "the cautious type". <br />
<br />
When I go to the pool, I dip my toe in the water to check the temperature. I sit on the side and dangle my legs for a while, and then I slowly lower the rest of my body into the water, inch by painstaking inch, gradually wading my way into the pool from the shallow end. I'm not the girl you'll be likely to find jumping in from the side, or diving into the deep end, or doing a canon ball off the board. (You probably know which type you are, too, I'll wager.)<br />
<br />
It's my way, and it has served me well, just as other folks' ways work for them. I'm not advocating my way over those who dive right in. It's just how I roll.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ys6QUZMv58NEnt_vUg4B50RcIEI8y2uhegHPBvPdURp0edK2_VTiUV3yONqHls-1Im9SAxp7sKZIJn42IA3Cmp5436F_BR3P7OoXrUZ2bZ3io9WXLJgadhzesOMtnMnkd0NVdw8Gv-Z3/s1600/Rear+View+Mirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ys6QUZMv58NEnt_vUg4B50RcIEI8y2uhegHPBvPdURp0edK2_VTiUV3yONqHls-1Im9SAxp7sKZIJn42IA3Cmp5436F_BR3P7OoXrUZ2bZ3io9WXLJgadhzesOMtnMnkd0NVdw8Gv-Z3/s640/Rear+View+Mirror.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">You gotta check your mirror.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, when I finally decided that it might be OK for me to GET my driver's license, as you can imagine, I was a safe and careful driver. My Dad mentioned something to me one day about watching out for my "blind spot". I didn't really know what he was talking about, but assured him I knew, and I would. And then, I went to change lanes, to get into the left hand lane. I glanced in my rear view mirror. All clear. I glanced in my side mirror. All clear. I put on my blinker, and I began to pull into the passing lane to my left. <br />
<br />
And nearly got T-boned by the car that was where? Say it with me, everybody: "in my BLIND spot". (Which, of course, reminds me of the time when Inspector Clouseau says to the blind beggar on the street, "Ahre yew BLIND???" "Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I am...")<br />
<br />
Sure enough, because of the way our car was designed and constructed, there's this one. little. spot. in the driver's field of vision (at about 8 o' clock, if you know what I mean) where you HAVE to turn your head and check before you pull into the lane to your left. If you don't turn your head, you risk a collision. Some of the little box-like cars that have been designed in the last few years have such significantly large blind spots due to their "cool" design, that the driver NEEDS a video camera in the car that takes pictures of what's behind and beside the car. Because the "cool" factor has greatly reduced the driver's field of vision. (Not meaning to offend, like I'm about to, but that's just crazy bad design in my opinion.)<br />
<br />
The day I experientially learned where my "blind spot" was, in regard to my car, was a life changing day for me in my driving career. As I saw the accident I was about to cause (and thank God I didn't! I swerved back into my lane in time!), my pulse leapt into overdrive, and I think I sucked all the oxygen in our car down my throat and into my lungs in a single gasp. I learned, experientially, which is often the very best teacher, that checking my mirrors was not enough. I really and truly DID have a literal blind spot.<br />
<br />
I've been involved in social media for 14 years: since 1999. I've seen a lot of on-line drama in my day. But what never ceases to amaze me is the "blind spot" that we human beings have when it comes to our own lives. I want to be very clear that I am equally perplexed and amazed by my OWN blind spots. I'm not laughing at humanity (although that's lots of fun to do, and a great pastime that I enjoy immensely, but it's just not what I happen to be engaging in at the present moment) so much as I'm marveling at us.<br />
<br />
We sit in church on Sunday morning and wish that "so and so" whom we love (or detest) was there, to hear that fine message that "they" so need to hear. It's crystal clear when we look at the lives of others where they need help, or what they need to do differently.<br />
<br />
How can we be so very blind to our own folly?<br />
How can we be so incapable of change?<br />
<br />
When I was in college, in chapel, I saw two guys do a skit as a visual aid that I will never forget. They each entered the stage from opposing sides, each carrying a log so huge it appeared to be almost telephone pole size. They swayed with those logs like elephants swing their trunks like pendulums, only they were swaying under the weight of the huge logs they were carrying on their shoulders. <br />
<br />
"How you doin', Joe?"<br />
<br />
"Oh, I'm fine, Jim. How you doin'?" they intoned, as they swayed toward each other, like knights in a jousting match, moving their lances toward each other with all the excruciatingly slow speed of a herd of turtles.<br />
<br />
"You know, Joe, you don't look so good. I think you got a splinter in your eye. Let me see if I can help you get it out."<br />
<br />
"Sure. Hey, Jim, wait! I think you got one, too! Let me help!"<br />
<br />
You can imagine the hilarity that ensued as they approached each other to try to extract the "splinter" that was obstructing the other's field of vision.<br />
<br />
They were, of course, illustrating the parable that Jesus told, that is recorded in the gospel of Matthew in chapter 7, verses 3-5:<br />
<br />
<i><span class="text Matt-7-3" id="en-NIV-23320" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-7-4" id="en-NIV-23321" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-7-5" id="en-NIV-23322" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But how do we do that, Jesus, with that huge blind spot we're lugging around with us, everywhere we go?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> We'd like to think we're above having a blind spot. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's what I thought when I was a novice driver in high school. I really didn't think my Dad realized how careful, how cautious, how competent I was, as a driver. I was Caution Personified. Blind spot??? Pshaw. That was for underlings. Mere mortals. Driving dipwads. The careless crowd. I knew what I was doing!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until I didn't.<br /><br />Until I found out I had a blind spot, too.<br /><br />Apparently, it comes with the design. All God's chilluns got a blind spot.<br /><br />So, does he fault us for that?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Psalm 103, the Psalmist tells us: </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<i>As a father has compassion on his children,<br />so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;</i><br />
<i>for he knows how we are formed,<br />he remembers that we are dust.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="background-color: white;">With our "blind spot" in mind, read this passage from the letter that James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, wrote to believers in Him, back in the first century.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it - not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it - they will be blessed in what they do.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div>
<div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Ps-103-14" style="position: relative;"><i><span class="text Jas-1-25"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-103-14" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I read these verses this week, I was struck by how we can look at ourselves in a mirror, but go away and forget what we've seen. Sounds like our blind spot in action, to me. </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We hear a good sermon. Or we feel the prodding conviction of the Holy Spirit to make a change. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-103-14" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then we toddle on our way, and that important thought slips away from the forefront of our minds, and into some dark corner of our brain, where it can rise up again to nag at us later, at the most inopportune moments. </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-103-14" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
But James has some pretty strong ideas about how to overcome our blind spot, and to James, it's all about what we DO. We take what we hear (from the perfect law that brings freedom), and we do. And what we peer at intently? It's not our reflection, and how "bad" we are. It's gazing into the perfect law that gives freedom: also known as the royal law. (James mentions this in chapter 2, verse 8.) The law of the great King of all kings. And what is that royal law? Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In action.<br />
<br />
Not just with words.<br />
<br />
With action. DOING IT, as James says.<br />
<br />
BONUS!!! With that action, comes blessing, says James. We will be blessed in what we do.<br />
<br />
Do I have a blind spot? Yup. I do.<br />
(But then, so do you.)<br />
You see things about me that doubtless I cannot see about myself.<br />
But if I'm gazing intently into the perfect law that brings freedom, and taking action to do what it says, to love God with all my heart, and to love my neighbor as myself?<br />
<br />
I have to believe that the One who designed me as I am, and who loves me as I am, will speak to me in His own way, and show me my blind spots, as we go down the highway of my life.<br />
<br />
God grant me ears to hear your Voice, when You point out my blind spot, and a heart that's willing to obey, and hands and feet and a voice that put your direction into action.<br />
<br />
Do you ever wonder about your own blind spot?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="text Matt-7-5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-36652028363022092702013-03-15T18:47:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:34:16.228-05:00How to Make Homemade Chicken Stock<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAscjNRiU9hj5xLnfyr_fxHoFNeSfoRKbsZqQ0l3D0seo4iyoHG5TXChfqcck0eLIEsa5O1oBRcQq5k8At2VP1P0OXhENQSwdrna-LflmVmptZduIItYQ5MPN6RUOBuzPe5Q2pscdHu8H/s1600/stock+(5+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAscjNRiU9hj5xLnfyr_fxHoFNeSfoRKbsZqQ0l3D0seo4iyoHG5TXChfqcck0eLIEsa5O1oBRcQq5k8At2VP1P0OXhENQSwdrna-LflmVmptZduIItYQ5MPN6RUOBuzPe5Q2pscdHu8H/s640/stock+(5+of+5).jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Pouring the water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chicken stock is one of those almost ubiquitous ingredients that efficient home cooks keep in stock (pardon my homonym). Smart cooks buy it by the box-full and store it on their pantry shelves, to have some handy when they need it. But smarter cooks store it in their freezer. And why would they do that? Because they make their OWN homemade chicken stock, themselves, silly goose. (Uh oh. A fowl pun. Poultry pun alert. You have been warned. Read no further, unless you enjoy playing chicken.)<br />
<br />
"But I don't know HOW," you cluck. (That WAS you clucking, wasn't it?) <br />
<br />
Say no more, my little chickadee, because Susan in the Boonies is gonna show you how to make your very own homemade chicken stock. And honest to goodness? It couldn't be easier! And, it's cheaper than shelling out three bucks a box for the store bought stuff. And BONUS: your meals are going to taste so much BETTER, once you start using your own homemade chicken stock. <br />
<br />
(I recently made a pot of <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2012/09/soup-for-chilly-fall-evening-lentil.html" target="_blank">Lentil Soup with Kielbasa</a> with store bought stock and I could not believe how inferior the flavor was to my normal pot of lentil soup. Seriously! There was that much of a difference!)<br />
<br />
I haven't posted my recipe before because, and I hate to say this: chicken stock looks a lot like dishwater. Even homemade chicken stock looks kind of unappetizing. But homemade chicken stock tastes SO good, and makes such a difference in the dishes I cook. And it's so easy to make. I knew I really, really NEEDED to share the procedure with you! So the challenge has been to make an appetizing photo. I think we've finally arrived at shooting some nice ones.<br />
<br />
(PUN ALERT: Here's hoping we haven't laid a photographic egg. Did that crack you up? Because there's nothing like a good yolk. And that was NOTHING LIKE a good yolk. All these poultry puns are scrambling my brain. Omelette up in a minute, when I can't think of anymore, due to my brain being fried. At which point, I'll just poach some puns from some other chick. Unless you want to hen one over easy. STOP EGGING ME ON!!! I mean it!)<br />
<br />
I have several recipes for soup on this blog (<a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2012/09/soup-for-chilly-fall-evening-lentil.html" target="_blank">Lentil Soup with Kielbasa,</a> <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/09/slow-cooker-tortilla-soup.html" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup</a>, <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2009/04/h1n1-or-as-inspector-clouseau-would-say.html" target="_blank">Virus Killing Soup</a>, <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2009/04/h1n1-or-as-inspector-clouseau-would-say.html" target="_blank">White Turkey Chili</a>, and <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/09/slow-cooker-chicken-and-dumplings.html" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings</a>,) with which I use my own homemade chicken stock. Since I've been promising for a while that I'd post my recipe, in case you don't have your own, it's high time I make good on that promise. There's really nothing to it, as long as you've saved a chicken carcass or two from the last couple of chickens that you cooked. I also save/freeze the little bags of giblets/innards (heart, liver and gizzard and neck) that come with most chickens that you roast: no sense in wasting all that flavor.<br />
<br />
Making your own stock is a great way to get the most value out of the chicken that you buy, too. It's ALMOST like free chicken broth, because after I roast a chicken, I take the carcass, and dump it in a ziplock bag and stick it in the freezer. Then, when I have the celery on hand (not something I necessarily buy regularly), and a few hours at home (which is nearly any day), I can get a pot of stock going, and the whole house smells like Thanksgiving.<br />
<br />
I use what I need for the dish that I'm making that day, and freeze any leftovers, to have on hand for the next time I need chicken broth. It is so great to know that you have a delicious and wholesome basic recipe component on hand, waiting in the wings (as it were), for whenever you need it. And, you know exactly what ingredients are in YOUR chicken stock, (no MSG, for instance) because you made it yourself!<br />
<br />
If you want to kick YOUR cooking up a notch? Homemade chicken stock is a wonderfully easy way to do it. The recipe I use comes from the yellow Gourmet cookbook. I've adapted/changed their recipe for my own use, because I use the carcasses of a couple of chickens, and their giblets. I don't go buy a whole fresh chicken just to make stock.<br />
<br />
NOTE: It is fine to begin making this recipe with two frozen carcasses: no need to thaw them.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chicken Stock</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
2 chicken carcasses, plus their giblets<br />
4 quarts cold water<br />
2 onions, unpeeled, and halved<br />
2 whole cloves<br />
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled<br />
1 celery rib, halved<br />
2 carrots, halved<br />
1 t. salt<br />
6 long fresh sprigs of parsley<br />
8 black peppercorns<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
<br />
<b>Procedure:</b><br />
<br />
Put chicken carcasses and giblets into a large stockpot, add remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Skim froth. Simmer for 3 hours, skimming froth whenever necessary.<br />
<br />
Strain stock through a colander, into a large bowl, and discard solids. If you have time, refrigerate stock a few hours, and you can skim the fat off the top.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z_9cNa4sdfDrC4ewYDQqh_8r-CrUzPIgWelhwQWouGjIEtWAZm4TvmEkscjsFgqungupvZLaJpWJvFKVS_YhpXca0QRd6IUKJ6y94lG8w-2wnNTs9o-nrZ7DDZqCQ9HaTEy3WoMw88eD/s1600/stock+(1+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z_9cNa4sdfDrC4ewYDQqh_8r-CrUzPIgWelhwQWouGjIEtWAZm4TvmEkscjsFgqungupvZLaJpWJvFKVS_YhpXca0QRd6IUKJ6y94lG8w-2wnNTs9o-nrZ7DDZqCQ9HaTEy3WoMw88eD/s640/stock+(1+of+5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopping</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ork2_ypfIvhasJaYX9NGWBtGqvS3NPn6EobG9LQ8EB0pi4zVJOamrKL3kd4TwyodT1mf5EmX49dH8llgDTgiS3dTQ0D-OI56T8Via2mMJyhRQQfp0QFFoBG_PTx2LAgNtRMf8jfDxwJI/s1600/stock+(2+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ork2_ypfIvhasJaYX9NGWBtGqvS3NPn6EobG9LQ8EB0pi4zVJOamrKL3kd4TwyodT1mf5EmX49dH8llgDTgiS3dTQ0D-OI56T8Via2mMJyhRQQfp0QFFoBG_PTx2LAgNtRMf8jfDxwJI/s640/stock+(2+of+5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mise en place: which is, being interpreted, everything ready to rock and roll!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHRCE1OUgA5AOdW-wpn_1IS0Y5BQmVjGT9ZO9VSOAclRF5JeCJ-FNropsIJemER-_LDU7n5-59pETQF50PNo4Em6fiu_eSEfGaQXvGdCs8TO7k04bfo1xQVr0El5wwx8_quOimH8qDLLN/s1600/stock+(3+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHRCE1OUgA5AOdW-wpn_1IS0Y5BQmVjGT9ZO9VSOAclRF5JeCJ-FNropsIJemER-_LDU7n5-59pETQF50PNo4Em6fiu_eSEfGaQXvGdCs8TO7k04bfo1xQVr0El5wwx8_quOimH8qDLLN/s640/stock+(3+of+5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everybody in the hot tub!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwriihZV9f0phj48YDT1AdWuBLm7TsvbwUpkQ7t5OXcSCVSwbCgBQdEz0EEo7kfCxb6tgI8voqb4e-OqolmZuvVYIEZc8TBinJtVet0XVZaF29O8cB7JyqTflZ8AZhIgu-CXhECAbjrIbb/s1600/stock+(4+of+5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwriihZV9f0phj48YDT1AdWuBLm7TsvbwUpkQ7t5OXcSCVSwbCgBQdEz0EEo7kfCxb6tgI8voqb4e-OqolmZuvVYIEZc8TBinJtVet0XVZaF29O8cB7JyqTflZ8AZhIgu-CXhECAbjrIbb/s640/stock+(4+of+5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just add water!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Please share this basic, but oh, so important recipe on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. If you haven't tried making your own chicken stock before, this is a Must Do. You will be so glad!<br />
<br />
If you do make your own, how do our ingredient lists differ?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-85207993767324963322013-03-05T15:58:00.000-06:002013-07-02T15:35:00.424-05:00Spaghetti and Venison Meatballs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmOVtLM7US-G0K_zVihjUU8ez0qk5aO2rBIE3Ucyomj6SiWXQUJFiqwy9LtMVbux1cwqQHqEXEV0u-19MXTnAfM674fPEUB-Dnev1T3ZeBSlhrDr3ZJSur_C9UBLtd0PleeU73rtmRoTc/s1600/Meat+Balls+(10+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmOVtLM7US-G0K_zVihjUU8ez0qk5aO2rBIE3Ucyomj6SiWXQUJFiqwy9LtMVbux1cwqQHqEXEV0u-19MXTnAfM674fPEUB-Dnev1T3ZeBSlhrDr3ZJSur_C9UBLtd0PleeU73rtmRoTc/s640/Meat+Balls+(10+of+10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Boonie Sooze's Spaghetti and Venison Meatballs: Git In Mah Belly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These meatballs are so delicious they're addictive. Once you've cooked them, and sampled one, you will wonder how there will ever be enough left for dinner. Don't say I didn't warn you.<br />
<br />
Even though this recipe SAYS it's for venison, you can definitely substitute beef, if you don't have any venison handy. I frankly don't know how anybody can afford beef any more. My husband is a hunter, and we have a freezer full of venison. Much of it is ground venison, and that we use for making chili, meatloaf, Bambi burgers, tacos, and venison jerky. So venison has pretty much become our "beef", unless it's for a treat, like when we dry-age steaks for a very special occasion. But for those of you who DO still buy beef, feel free to use beef in this recipe, instead of venison.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9X3WGb2wYCJxmsMuq0As3cDGsIQ7OJCAt6nfeUsBixdXeDt6q0qi3KkgOixUPiiUCaChxBRQWRzIDiIMGMI5nDM1847Qkjn50U4S-Jq2UlPJ6ERWt6MHacFU1JQLtIQve93aCAbCGUrG/s1600/Meat+Balls+(2+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9X3WGb2wYCJxmsMuq0As3cDGsIQ7OJCAt6nfeUsBixdXeDt6q0qi3KkgOixUPiiUCaChxBRQWRzIDiIMGMI5nDM1847Qkjn50U4S-Jq2UlPJ6ERWt6MHacFU1JQLtIQve93aCAbCGUrG/s1600/Meat+Balls+(2+of+10).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Lined up like Brave Little Soldiers, preparing for the hot tub. Of boiling oil.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Just in case you DO have access to wild venison, here are some added benefits of using venison (as opposed to beef). Wild venison is obviously going to be "organic": no hormones added. It's higher in protein, and significantly lower in fat. Venison is extremely lean. So that ought to help you feel a little less guilty about frying the meatballs. (If you'd prefer to bake them, I'm sure you can. You might miss out on that lovely crust that comes with frying them, though.)<br />
<br />
The origin of this recipe was a recipe I saw Chef <a href="http://www.mariobatali.com/" target="_blank">Mario Batali </a> prepare, and his recipe was inspired by the meatballs made by<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004862/" target="_blank"> Kristen Davis</a>'s (actress from Sex in the City) mama. I altered his meatball recipe by substituting venison for beef.<br />
<br />
I also found his tomato sauce recipe not exactly to my liking, and altered it by adding a bit of sugar, and some dried red chili pepper flakes. Yes, you can substitute a store bought marinara, and that will be fine. But, it will not be as delicious. This sauce is not that much extra trouble, and it is absolutely wonderful.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz69cwMWzNWlWKzXhP7t8pBnsB7cGh9jg7UO3F6U6tx7u_JGTEaR6Sp5QOuakxoRFGN8P-L9HzTNT-_JUFBDU5EUHkfl3aA47WV32aRSDDi6fOHtqhLmk3PTMtVeFYrWHkQ2aLNbXNlF7/s1600/Meat+Balls+(1+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz69cwMWzNWlWKzXhP7t8pBnsB7cGh9jg7UO3F6U6tx7u_JGTEaR6Sp5QOuakxoRFGN8P-L9HzTNT-_JUFBDU5EUHkfl3aA47WV32aRSDDi6fOHtqhLmk3PTMtVeFYrWHkQ2aLNbXNlF7/s640/Meat+Balls+(1+of+10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Aren't they luscious looking? You can see the bread cubes, and the pine nuts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKuy_NxSgWmAdDAPKn99x1183pxtate-LFGfK0wFlrLcb5byihY_WQ1l4R5eZGZ5kRBJ9dy1RWqHALA2c4qio770w3t2VnUbefM-s9zN7J7TOHf_WoOIhKfslhBdR9F_obSBM8mS3mAUJ/s1600/Meat+Balls+(4+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKuy_NxSgWmAdDAPKn99x1183pxtate-LFGfK0wFlrLcb5byihY_WQ1l4R5eZGZ5kRBJ9dy1RWqHALA2c4qio770w3t2VnUbefM-s9zN7J7TOHf_WoOIhKfslhBdR9F_obSBM8mS3mAUJ/s640/Meat+Balls+(4+of+10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">We who are about to die, salute you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk8blzXUf9JW8fQbGaJr4iQnD_w3dkHREjoT5RROYyMOG_2qGSsgMmfvXmTsRQT48HbCyzRfBkr-Gvd5hJxkMfakeKZC9okFRS6nktldkbNsJkYU1m7acrWlHaDeekOFZlnVPUDR4WOR9/s1600/Meat+Balls+(5+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk8blzXUf9JW8fQbGaJr4iQnD_w3dkHREjoT5RROYyMOG_2qGSsgMmfvXmTsRQT48HbCyzRfBkr-Gvd5hJxkMfakeKZC9okFRS6nktldkbNsJkYU1m7acrWlHaDeekOFZlnVPUDR4WOR9/s640/Meat+Balls+(5+of+10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Is it hot in here, or is it just me?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcJya0LmzHNYAOHlZeBZj6G-p2Oezh3UxpC3Dk_L4dP24J3k1Cd6vY_-zCNpNfJdzLMTrxRGkFExrZvwZonwfiOf5W5zABmrNXvDTwt2FhONbz483JQuWEiIvm2bjlBwOz6ucbamdTvmU/s1600/Meat+Balls+(9+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcJya0LmzHNYAOHlZeBZj6G-p2Oezh3UxpC3Dk_L4dP24J3k1Cd6vY_-zCNpNfJdzLMTrxRGkFExrZvwZonwfiOf5W5zABmrNXvDTwt2FhONbz483JQuWEiIvm2bjlBwOz6ucbamdTvmU/s1600/Meat+Balls+(9+of+10).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The tomato sauce, up close, and personal. Can you see the thin little garlic slice?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Boonie Sooze's Spaghetti and Venison Meatballs</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<h4>
</h4>
<h3>
<b>Tomato Sauce</b></h3>
<b><br />Ingredients: </b><br />
<h4>
<b><br /></b><b><br /></b>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/4 c. olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3 T. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 T. dried thyme)</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">2 28 oz cans of peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand, and juices<br />1 T. sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 t. salt</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/4 t. red chili pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
Procedure:<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In a 3 qt. pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook until soft and light golden brown, 8-10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Add thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, being sure that the carrot is quite soft. (You don't want crunchy carrots.)<br />Add the tomatoes and juice, bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce to simmer for 30 minutes, or an hour if you've got it, until almost as thick as oatmeal. Season with salt, sugar, and pepper flakes, to taste. I think I added about a teaspoon of salt, so add a 1/2 teaspoon, and TASTE, and see how much more you think it needs. Add sugar, and red chili pepper flakes, also to taste. You can add less than I did, or more, depending on how your family likes it.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Venison Meatballs<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ingredients:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3 c. day old bread, cut into 1" cubes</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">2 lbs. venison</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3 eggs, beaten</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3 garlic cloves, minced</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3/4 c. Pecorino Romano cheese</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 t. sea salt (or kosher salt)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />1 c. canola oil for frying (2 c. if you use 2 pans, like I did)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 lb. spaghetti</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">2 T. salt</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish</span><br />
<br />
Procedure:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In a shallow bowl, cover the bread cubes in water for a minute or two. Drain the bread cubes in a strainer over the sink, and squeeze the excess moisture out of them with your hands.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, beef, eggs, garlic, Pecorino Romano cheese, parsley, toasted pine nuts, salt, and pepper, and mix with your hands to incorporate. Use an ice cream scoop to help you form meatballs that are about golf ball size. This amount of meat made about 32 meatballs.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In a large, heavy bottomed skillet (cast iron works well) heat 1 c. oil, until smoking. Cook the meatballs in oil until golden brown, and cooked through, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. (I used two pans to speed my process along. In total, I fried 3 pans full of meatballs.) Drain the meatballs on a plate lined with paper towels, and keep warm.<br /><br />Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 T. of salt. Add spaghetti, and cook according to package instructions. Drain, and top each plate of spaghetti with sauce and meatballs, and garnish with some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.</span></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1ybBb3UbtRev0Yvcvw6iI2Tzcem_B5fQ-LnHyOos2Phsq6WCwYwPr0wr789NyZc4-HDr1jRy0JQMjnhTnDGRzP_oCZpVZCJ3-KuRBx33a6kuNAeNbQjDAc4zkBP4ivejk1vmievInYLm/s1600/Meat+Balls+(7+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1ybBb3UbtRev0Yvcvw6iI2Tzcem_B5fQ-LnHyOos2Phsq6WCwYwPr0wr789NyZc4-HDr1jRy0JQMjnhTnDGRzP_oCZpVZCJ3-KuRBx33a6kuNAeNbQjDAc4zkBP4ivejk1vmievInYLm/s640/Meat+Balls+(7+of+10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">See the crispy crust they get on the outside? Yet so tender on the inside!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39ZhyphenhyphenVNO8pgWjEAV3INR9HpKdaokZpiJjtlNBmlhNkO3ReT2zwe-g52z22Ok5CK39oxTXzuzOvEnFL21W9s8J_l4vcISm06k2hf3c3mLFE3GlY86yIjyLdNWXSgSBBMIF2dZT2qN1kVb3/s1600/Meat+Balls+(8+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39ZhyphenhyphenVNO8pgWjEAV3INR9HpKdaokZpiJjtlNBmlhNkO3ReT2zwe-g52z22Ok5CK39oxTXzuzOvEnFL21W9s8J_l4vcISm06k2hf3c3mLFE3GlY86yIjyLdNWXSgSBBMIF2dZT2qN1kVb3/s640/Meat+Balls+(8+of+10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">I want you. Now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">If this looks good to you, why not pin it on Pinterest. Please feel free to share it elsewhere, as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
</h4>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-72943356910284704672013-02-24T14:59:00.000-06:002013-07-02T15:35:38.907-05:00Pistachio Crusted Salmon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpcxbQ9jhD9sXCivW9U27j53N_bRpByFv65JrMJoSxO_Sy4Nv4JIS8LYOLEodzHLFJx06yzmSBjqA6Vpp27fEjzvZMIB7DYIncfMXK7hJFlA6TM8SO8VqV9L-OGWGqqmLlU5XibBbDdd_/s1600/J&F2013+(12+of+12).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpcxbQ9jhD9sXCivW9U27j53N_bRpByFv65JrMJoSxO_Sy4Nv4JIS8LYOLEodzHLFJx06yzmSBjqA6Vpp27fEjzvZMIB7DYIncfMXK7hJFlA6TM8SO8VqV9L-OGWGqqmLlU5XibBbDdd_/s640/J&F2013+(12+of+12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I served it with sesame noodles and a tossed salad.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Wild salmon is one of those super-foods that you'll find on nearly every list of Top Ten Healthiest Foods. Containing Vitamin D and selenium, and rich in omega-3's, it prevents inflammation, aids in cognitive function, is good for your heart, your joints, your skin and hair. You gotta love a food that will help you feel and look better!<br />
<br />
We used to only eat grilled salmon, and while I love it cooked that way, exclusively grilling it outdoors is a bit limiting. Besides, my dear husband is loathe to grill in the wintertime, and since I'd love to eat more salmon year round, I knew I needed to come up with a recipe that I could cook inside, any time of year.<br />
<br />
Last year when I went to a <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-big-night-at-salud-cooking-school.html" target="_blank">cooking class taught by local chef Deb Paquette</a> (<a href="http://etchrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">of Etch Restuarant</a>), at <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/service/salud-cooking-school-6" target="_blank">Salud! Cooking Schoo</a>l (located at my local <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/whole-foods-market" target="_blank">Whole Foods Market)</a>, I sat beside a very nice man who asked me if I'd ever taken a class by Deb before. I said I had not, and as we chatted, he mentioned that he'd attended a couple of classes taught by her before. Then he asked me if I'd like his favorite Deb Paquette recipe. Heck, yeah, I would!<br />
<br />
And then our class began. So, he whispered the recipe to me that I'm going to share with you today, and I quickly jotted it down in pencil on the back of my recipe handout for the evening. And it's that same recipe that I've since gone to again, and again, whenever we've had salmon since. Couldn't be easier, or more delicious!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWnKjlDVzGoRr-chP3NkBmeIPUBHrcfjt8cMwm1DWMKzNZCl4iX5mcQJ7peyFO2NeOEYHbTchlmffTdmutMan57yIwdri5mHytvpI9mP0_1kKeLVfpupXAMVxZ9Wd2A6ecyycIELt9rBd/s1600/J&F2013+(11+of+12).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWnKjlDVzGoRr-chP3NkBmeIPUBHrcfjt8cMwm1DWMKzNZCl4iX5mcQJ7peyFO2NeOEYHbTchlmffTdmutMan57yIwdri5mHytvpI9mP0_1kKeLVfpupXAMVxZ9Wd2A6ecyycIELt9rBd/s640/J&F2013+(11+of+12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">You can see both the bread crumbs and the pistachios in this shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A couple of notes, from my many, many times of preparing this recipe:<br />
<br />
<b>NOTES:</b><br />
<br />
1) There is a huge difference between WILD salmon, and farm-raised salmon, both nutritionally and taste-wise. Once you have wild Sockeye salmon, you will not believe the difference. It is SO worth the price.<br />
<br />
2) It's important that your fish be fresh, so buy it from someplace that you know turns over inventory regularly, and that offers quality you trust. I buy wild salmon at my local Whole Foods. I've found the guys who work in their fish department to be both knowledgeable and pleasant, too, which makes a big difference.<br />
<br />
3) I make my own breadcrumbs, and you should, too. Those ends of loaves of formerly fresh bread can be stuck in a food processor and ground and stored in a ziplock bag in the freezer. There is an tremendous difference in homemade crumbs and those cans of processed crumbs you buy at the store, and there's just no good reason not to make your own.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH54rKm4JjgieOn-boGPfEeVDzMVL9UqZvEE5yMMSd5XaSIo5Kr4MQ6EpFyXOtM7cDAkrP336u6NL-x9Hp34wzhjGpjxIbyn8N1gXxnAIWmrq4i9zBdY1wj0foc1OdXzjRb4NWayaa-Ue/s1600/J&F2013+(9+of+12).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH54rKm4JjgieOn-boGPfEeVDzMVL9UqZvEE5yMMSd5XaSIo5Kr4MQ6EpFyXOtM7cDAkrP336u6NL-x9Hp34wzhjGpjxIbyn8N1gXxnAIWmrq4i9zBdY1wj0foc1OdXzjRb4NWayaa-Ue/s640/J&F2013+(9+of+12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the fish, spread with the Dijon and lemon juice, and where I ground the nut/crumb mixture in the food processor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pistachio Crusted Salmon</span><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 (approximately 2 lb.) side of salmon, skin on<br />
2 T. Dijon mustard<br />
1 T. lemon juice<br />
1/2 c. shelled pistachio nuts<br />
1/2 c. bread crumbs<br />
4 T. olive oil<br />
salt and freshly ground pepper<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<br />
Pre-heat the oven to 350º. Place the salmon skin side down on a cutting board, and slice into 4 portions. Whisk together mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl, and paint salmon with mixture.<br />
Coarsely grind pistachios in food processor, and then add in bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and 2 T. of olive oil, pulsing until combined.<br />
Sprinkle and press nut/crumb mixture onto salmon.<br />
<br />
Pour 2 T. of olive oil into cast iron skillet, over high heat. Brown fish for 2 minutes each side.<br />
Place skillet in oven to finish cooking fish, for approximately 8 minutes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEp2aKaJZ-VGb-CwzWpobBTU0-LMSNOWlWErn6UAn66_IjVF_iLCXr_wnvWAUQcWlPeCY02q0virt89vViNeWTynTQKNHx8V2-fEZ-Ue1phbsm4yJwtCywsWEwW6ECm7aN-PkbON7AU8C8/s1600/J&F2013+(10+of+12).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEp2aKaJZ-VGb-CwzWpobBTU0-LMSNOWlWErn6UAn66_IjVF_iLCXr_wnvWAUQcWlPeCY02q0virt89vViNeWTynTQKNHx8V2-fEZ-Ue1phbsm4yJwtCywsWEwW6ECm7aN-PkbON7AU8C8/s640/J&F2013+(10+of+12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild sockeye salmon has a beautiful vibrant color that you can see in this picture. Farm raised salmon is more muted, both in color AND flavor (but especially in flavor).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Please give this recipe a try, and I encourage you to Pin it on Pinterest, or share it on Facebook or Twitter.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-60144099603519004802013-02-17T11:38:00.001-06:002013-02-20T08:43:37.603-06:00Reflections on Hemingway's Girl<u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hemingways-Girl-Erika-Robuck/dp/0451237889/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361121003&sr=8-1&keywords=hemingway%27s+girl" target="_blank">Hemingway's Girl</a> </u>was a really good read. Let that be said, first of all.<br />
<br />
I haven't read any Hemingway since I was in junior high, sneaking into my sisters' bedroom to read the books from their Great Books literature class. I did this in hopes of either becoming super smart, or at least perhaps I might inadvertently stumble across a book with a slightly racy part or two, like I had when I read Pearl Buck's <u>The Good Earth</u>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
At the point when I read it, I <i>liked </i><u>The Old Man and the Sea</u>, but was secretly left to wonder why<i> this </i>book qualified as a Great Book.<br />
<br />
No matter. That's my less than enthusiastic review of Hemingway's work. Given that I last read his stuff in junior high, I'm thinking I maybe SHOULD give him another try.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://erikarobuck.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/hemingways-girl-jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://erikarobuck.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/hemingways-girl-jpeg.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a good read! I recommend it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I won a copy of the book <u>Hemingway's Girl </u> (written by Erika Robuck) from a book club I participate in from time to time over at<a href="http://www.greatthoughts.com/" target="_blank"> Great Thoughts</a>, with Andrea Katz. Andrea has turned me on to so many enjoyable reads, and I love seeing what she's recommending. She selected Hemingway's Girl as her<a href="http://www.greatthoughts.com/2012/12/top-books-of-2012/.html" target="_blank"> top read of 2012</a>, so I knew this was likely to be a winner. And it was!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.erikarobuck.com/index.html" target="_blank">Robuck</a> does a great job of not only making Hemingway come alive as a person, but also of telling a carefully woven tale, that will keep you turning pages, all the way to the end. I interacted with her recently on an online Twitter book club chat, and may I say what fun those are! How often do you get to respond to an author on a personal level on what resonated with you from their work?! This is one of the things that makes Twitter worthwhile, in my opinion. You can address questions to the author, and be answered in real time. Amazing.<br />
<br />
As an aside, I will also mention that Ms. Robuck also did a fantastic job of assuring historical accuracy. She carefully researched Hemingway and Key West during the mid 1930's, and it shows.<br />
<br />
So part of what I'd like to share today is not just that I read and recommend this very good book, but the way it plays into the things I'm thinking about lately. When you reach my age, and your kids are racing headlong toward the finish line of leaving your home, you begin to reflect on your life. You think about the things you've done, and the things you've yet to do.<br />
<br />
At the end of Hemingway's Girl, the main character, Mariella, receives a letter from Hemingway, written just prior to his suicide, where he, too, is reflecting on his own life, in a similar manner. In telling Mariella how significant a role she has played in his life, he compares her to a character from the book, <u>The Old Man and the Sea</u>. To Hemingway, Mariella has been neither the fish, nor the boy, but the sea: the one who keeps him afloat, the one whose beauty surrounds and inspires him.<br />
<br />
For me, this was a call back to my own life: what have I done that is of any worth? Are there lives I have made a difference in? People I've encouraged, helped, or inspired?<br />
<br />
I firmly believe that God places each of us here on this earth to accomplish things He has prepared in advance for us to do. There's a Bible verse that I cherish that speaks to that, and it's Ephesians 2:10, which states:<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
By the time you reach my age, you really OUGHT to have a clue in regard to some of the works that God created you to do. That's one of the beautiful things about reaching middle age. I know what my strengths are, and what my gifts are. In the movie "Chariots of Fire", Eric Liddell says, "God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure." I have some fairly clear ideas in regard to the gifts God has placed within me: when I use them, and use them for good, I really do feel His pleasure.<br />
<br />
I was meeting with my group of Friday Friends last Friday, and one of my friends was in pain and asked for prayer. One of my other girlfriends, who struggles with chronic pain, and who had brought her heating pad to group to ease her own pain, took that heating pad she'd brought for herself and laid it on the friend who had asked for prayer. It was such a beautiful, significant gesture to me.<br />
<br />
It doesn't take much to help: it only takes what we have, what's in our hand.<br />
<br />
What is it you do, that when you do it, you feel His pleasure?<br />
<br />
What do you have in your hand, that you can share?<br />
<br />
I am longing to be Spirit-led, and to do the good works He's prepared in advance for me to do.<br />
<br />
Nothing more.<br />
<br />
But nothing less.<br />
<br />
How about you?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-16115707973179240952013-02-12T12:41:00.001-06:002013-07-02T15:36:24.352-05:00Dueling Linzer Hearts Cookies<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4HtmgsgJUNOKmZxdv8AXgpBNWFxkTlqCvEoyc1hKxNybyK5eRK2nx6NYPOefivfzJGkdC2o8tQ9h-624ceZ9tjC8rV9z1p2zbZ8TMGSdbXmRIWhZMQli9TkWZOAA1eqOnUBB2bDGLiGh/s1600/cookies+(8+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4HtmgsgJUNOKmZxdv8AXgpBNWFxkTlqCvEoyc1hKxNybyK5eRK2nx6NYPOefivfzJGkdC2o8tQ9h-624ceZ9tjC8rV9z1p2zbZ8TMGSdbXmRIWhZMQli9TkWZOAA1eqOnUBB2bDGLiGh/s640/cookies+(8+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Linzer Heart Cookies: for the ones who have your heart.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I posted a recipe for Linzer Heart Cookies <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2010/12/cookies-that-didnt-get-swapped.html" target="_blank">a long time ago</a>, that came from my Silver Palate Cookbook, one of my favorite cookbooks from days gone by. And it was good.<br />
<br />
But this recipe is from Alex Guarnaschelli, and she's one of my favorite chefs. And she'd recommended this as one of her most favorite Christmas gifts to make for special friends. Would her recipe be as good as the original recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook?<br />
<br />
That's how this post came to be known as Dueling Linzer Hearts Cookies. <br />
<br />
Which Heart Will Prevail?!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxH5UaOff35ZK7S18zpkbjfN58vZgaFyRG14nq70rT_uMl74HzxxhE_GJG3dmCadnLsDRqEGC89LKiJKKlEY3fP-tapzQ22aYtVw15AG98o6zoCLt-w-xFa8xicxrgSj63WqMmfyyNdx8/s1600/cookies+(5+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxH5UaOff35ZK7S18zpkbjfN58vZgaFyRG14nq70rT_uMl74HzxxhE_GJG3dmCadnLsDRqEGC89LKiJKKlEY3fP-tapzQ22aYtVw15AG98o6zoCLt-w-xFa8xicxrgSj63WqMmfyyNdx8/s640/cookies+(5+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Assembling the cookies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
What are the differences in the two recipes, you ask?<br />
<br />
Alex calls for less sugar in her ratio of sugar to butter.<br />
The Silver Palate recipe calls for an egg.<br />
Alex calls for almonds.<br />
The Silver Palate calls for walnuts.<br />
Alex calls for cinnamon, nutmeg, and a greater ratio of jam.<br />
The Silver Palate calls for a cup of cornstarch, which makes for a very tender dough.<br />
Alex calls for using two heart-shaped cookie cutters of graduated sizes: this makes for a prettier cookie.<br />
The Silver Palate recipe makes a larger quantity.<br />
<br />
They were BOTH great.<br />
So...I'd make my decision based on which nut I happened to have on hand, and preferred the flavor of. For me, if forced to choose, I think I'd choose Alex's recipe, because I love almonds so much, and the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg is nice.<br />
<br />
Anyway, these cookies are PERFECT for Valentine's Day, although I made them for Christmas. Hope you'll share them with someone you love, either way.<br />
<br />
<b>NOTES:</b> The cookie dough in this recipe is extremely tender. You will need to separate it into three batches, and chill it in between rollings (whenever you're not working directly with a batch of it, it should be resting in the refrigerator). When you are working with a batch of dough that is not being refrigerated, roll it and cut it as quickly as possible.<br />
<br />
You'll need two heart shaped cookie cutters of graduated sizes: one slightly larger than the other. You can see in the picture what I'm talking about, from the size of the "jam window".<br />
<br />
Also, you'll need a fair amount of waxed paper as you're preparing this recipe, so check your supplies!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUtKEHJ6UBqmEj5Ac2Kmu0EOd15eqJQliu_JS58W06svsg0nVMQtpFmMduL-FIp2Q1q2Utioz-9TDYimYffcJTMloKPEqXlHG7pJ_TVq_yPcqrB9MCz10qXWZNjlk8rAkXJEqRjq89Qo0/s1600/cookies+(4+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUtKEHJ6UBqmEj5Ac2Kmu0EOd15eqJQliu_JS58W06svsg0nVMQtpFmMduL-FIp2Q1q2Utioz-9TDYimYffcJTMloKPEqXlHG7pJ_TVq_yPcqrB9MCz10qXWZNjlk8rAkXJEqRjq89Qo0/s640/cookies+(4+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The daughter lends a helping hand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzNThzmifONGZEq9VVPvXcbbI-VMJDeHA4FsSrUyRhCnJfkKgsEMYSbzFs-IWI4nLXsDbtkUQ0FYuWVMVJjQeIt_2WcGuo8XuJ9Dv6gy7mBq098d8vHalFZ_IiKU4w9rWt1JhwOBtsJNl/s1600/cookies+(3+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzNThzmifONGZEq9VVPvXcbbI-VMJDeHA4FsSrUyRhCnJfkKgsEMYSbzFs-IWI4nLXsDbtkUQ0FYuWVMVJjQeIt_2WcGuo8XuJ9Dv6gy7mBq098d8vHalFZ_IiKU4w9rWt1JhwOBtsJNl/s640/cookies+(3+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for their powdered sugar shower.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4qxM7oH_DmbMmXeZzZJvUaHvFHn0Y9QmBGJkvkYqfNLhjUjSypT_gPn7-Rw705jXx6LjvpFo1ZFfteoLS2Wz1y-hIl2sV_34HqLcYOPaoeDiw_gGqNTD9OP-O0Nl6vRQ9utNvqnLn5DG/s1600/cookies+(1+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4qxM7oH_DmbMmXeZzZJvUaHvFHn0Y9QmBGJkvkYqfNLhjUjSypT_gPn7-Rw705jXx6LjvpFo1ZFfteoLS2Wz1y-hIl2sV_34HqLcYOPaoeDiw_gGqNTD9OP-O0Nl6vRQ9utNvqnLn5DG/s640/cookies+(1+of+8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Spreading some preserves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Linzer Heart Sandwich Cookies</span></b><br />
recipe by Alex Guarnaschelli<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
2 1/2 sticks of butter<br />
3/4 c. sugar<br />
2 1/3 c. all purpose flour<br />
1/2 c. slivered almonds, ground<br />
1/2 t. cinnamon<br />
1/4 t. freshly ground nutmeg<br />
1 c. seedless raspberry jam<br />
<br />
Powdered sugar, for dusting<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<br />
Whip butter till smooth in an electric mixer. Add sugar and keep mixing for 5 minutes, till the mixture is light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, ground almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.<br />
<br />
Lay 3 large pieces of waxed paper out separately on a flat surface. Sprinkle each with a coating of flour.<br />
<br />
Blend the flour mixture in with the butter. Place 1/3 of the dough onto each piece of floured waxed paper. Coat dough top with a light layer of flour, and top with another piece of waxed paper, cut the same size as the bottom sheet, forming a packet that is a veritable "dough sandwich". Place 2 of the packets in the fridge, and work with only one packet out of the refrigerator at a time.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350º.<br />
<br />
Roll each packet of dough into a rectangle of 1/8" thickness. Refrigerate each packet after rolling to keep dough nicely chilled.<br />
<br />
Make cookie bottoms: Cut as many of the larger hearts as you can from one packet. Reserve scraps to wad up and re-roll (once you've chilled them again) to make more cookies. Arrange cookie bottoms on lightly greased baking sheets. Repeat with other 2 dough packets.<br />
<br />
Make cookie tops: Cut hearts with the smaller cutter out of the center of half of the cookies you've cut. Reserve the scraps in a ball, chill, and roll out again when chilled to make more cookies.<br />
<br />
Bake the cookies until very lightly browned for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven. You do not want to over-brown these cookies, so keep an eye on them. Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, and then remove them to a flat surface.<br />
<br />
In a small pot, gently warm the raspberry jam, bringing it to a light simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.<br />
<br />
Spoon about 1/2 t. of jam onto each cookie bottom, and place a cookie top on each. Dust with powdered sugar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6yDp1S-atjduUyiAPQEc-xhxXdBeuxPuJOYIlEWF4as71orNAUK1YIRNbq2SSiCTCU-1ZxKyTrrUQ2nnltMxFXc1m0ZbH8Bz_5Eiqo7xeTVF3LQ9nQwzBJMa20d9zO7LV1kVKoTvNaHI/s1600/cookies+(7+of+8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6yDp1S-atjduUyiAPQEc-xhxXdBeuxPuJOYIlEWF4as71orNAUK1YIRNbq2SSiCTCU-1ZxKyTrrUQ2nnltMxFXc1m0ZbH8Bz_5Eiqo7xeTVF3LQ9nQwzBJMa20d9zO7LV1kVKoTvNaHI/s640/cookies+(7+of+8).jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Showers of Sugar: I love that you can see the sugar falling!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Got any cooking plans for Valentine's Day?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-74359001966711450422013-02-10T10:41:00.000-06:002013-07-02T15:36:53.732-05:00Believing and Doubting<br />
James 1: 5-8<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
<i>If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.</i></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2_Zno990D0jPaL40APlWHN0i-dpGCZgdma7fQpaywUrtqpflI3kntMBJ555cObW57z6VpQHwtFl4fTa6U1q3AYgMTi8LZDGYiOXD15I4IyDjGi2QV_Fb_1A6fT70wztWTUrwT9dG_Puw/s1600/SunsetintheBoonies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2_Zno990D0jPaL40APlWHN0i-dpGCZgdma7fQpaywUrtqpflI3kntMBJ555cObW57z6VpQHwtFl4fTa6U1q3AYgMTi8LZDGYiOXD15I4IyDjGi2QV_Fb_1A6fT70wztWTUrwT9dG_Puw/s640/SunsetintheBoonies.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recent sunset in the Boonies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
What do we do when we need wisdom? To whom do we turn?<br />
<br />
Based on what I know about myself, and what I see in others on social media and in real life, there's a real tendency in us human beings to look to people around us when we need help. We hope to find someone smarter than us. We go, in fact, to everyone and almost anyone else, it seems, but God. <br />
<br />
James says this is not how we ought to be living, as believers. If we are keeping in step with the Spirit, He's the one we need to seek first for wisdom. The wisdom that God supplies may direct us to go to other counselors as well, but the Spirit of Jesus ought to be our First Call.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It's comforting that according to James, God doesn't beat us up or mock us for not knowing what to do. He gives generously. He is glad for us to consult Him. He knows how we're made. He knows we are but dust. He knows we need help. <br />
<br />
I like to think that my Father is just waiting for me to approach. He's my Papa, sitting in a big chair when I come in to talk to Him. He leans down eagerly to help His child, happy to do so, not finding fault.<br />
<br />
James says that when we ask we must not doubt.<br />
<br />
I don't know about you, but I wrestle with doubt all the time. It's not so much doubt that God CAN answer my prayers. It's more doubt that He will.<br />
<br />
As I was thinking about doubt, the story in Mark 9, the story of the boy possessed by an evil spirit whose father brought him to Jesus, came to mind.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Beginning in verse 21 of Mark, Chapter 9:<br />
<br />
<i>Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"<br />"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."<br />"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."<br />Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"<br />When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."<br />The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up</i>.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Clearly, in the father, we have an individual who is keenly aware of his own struggle with doubt.<br />
<br />
But Jesus doesn't turn him away. In fact, Jesus gives him the very thing he asks for.<br />
<br />
Which seems to be in direct contrast to James' words that one "must believe and not doubt" and that "That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord."<br />
<br />
So, how do we reconcile the two?</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The story in Mark chapter 9 provides hope for individuals like me who struggle with doubt from time to time. <br />
<br />
What did the father of the little boy do that made all the difference? <br />
<br />
First, he came to Jesus, and asked for help. Choosing to bring our struggles, our needs, our problems to Him demonstrates that we DO have faith, whatever our measure of faith might be.<br />
<br />
Second: He was honest about his struggle to believe. It's not like God doesn't KNOW that we struggle with doubt from time to time. Pretending to believe by saying all the "right words" doesn't change the true condition of our hearts. Since He already knows where we are and how we feel, why not be honest with our Father?<br />
<br />
I think there's a place for saying, "Lord I believe. Help my unbelief." I don't think God condemns us for having doubts, as much as He longs to be approached with love. <br />
<br />
I think James is recounting the condition of one trapped in doubt, ("like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind") not reporting a punishment that we receive for doubting.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
The fact that the father showed up at all with his son, the fact that he asked for help: these show a level of belief, of faith. He chose the right person to go to for help. What makes this man NOT unstable, is that he was able to honestly confess the condition of his heart to the Lord, and then ask for help overcoming his unbelief, all the while acting on the faith that he honestly had.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I wish that when writing this verse, James had given a nod to people like me, who struggle with unbelief from time to time, yet who press on in their relationship with their heavenly Father. <br />
<br />
My struggle isn't with whether or not God exists, or whether or not Jesus is His Son. These, I believe to be true. Nor is my struggle with the power of God to effect change. I know that He can. <br />
<br />
My struggle is with believing that He will do the things that I ask Him to do. Because some prayers that seemed to me that ought to be totally within the will of God have gone unanswered. Dear people I have loved have gone unhealed. And so my struggle comes from the hurt place left by unanswered prayer.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Sadly, God is not my genie in a bottle, that I can direct, who gives me exactly what I want.<br />
<br />
He's God, and I'm not.<br />
<br />
Which should be of GREAT relief to the rest of you.<br />
<br />
So, to come full circle: take your concerns, your problems, your questions, to the One who gives generously, without finding fault. He is longing to spend time with you, to walk in fellowship with you. Confess your unbelief - He knows all about it, anyway. And ask Him, by the power of His Spirit, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, to help you overcome your unbelief.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-56301911988489105082013-02-05T11:30:00.001-06:002013-07-02T15:38:08.674-05:00Detours on the Road to the Promised LandWe've been studying the Israelites' exodus out of Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land at our church. Their story is not one of starting at Point A, and following a straight line that ends at Point B. Their path was a tortuous one, and if you saw it drawn on a map, you might have one of those, "What the heck???" moments. Clearly, a guy resistant to stopping and asking directions was driving, you might think, because they made a little side trip that took them a looooong way from where they ultimately hoped to end up.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2YAz5BzjPYtBSdg_ORGbQmAWejrY-vanQF2PRqNhF5NPOF5_3ibpadHBkALJI6H45z1QcPtbsPHKhmFKmKIW4OqS0Lp379wOvOgagW_UGakeh5yuywSf-XKH5FmuAVctjAVZsZPAHtMp/s1600/Wilderness+Wandering+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2YAz5BzjPYtBSdg_ORGbQmAWejrY-vanQF2PRqNhF5NPOF5_3ibpadHBkALJI6H45z1QcPtbsPHKhmFKmKIW4OqS0Lp379wOvOgagW_UGakeh5yuywSf-XKH5FmuAVctjAVZsZPAHtMp/s400/Wilderness+Wandering+Map.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had Moses been drinking Crazy Juice?<br />
Shouldn't he have appointed a Designated Driver?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Turns out, their Forty Year Road Trip was not only a fact, it was also a metaphor, filled with metaphors, for something much, much greater.<br />
<br />
We search for meaning in our lives, because in our hearts, we know that we are on a journey as well. We're on our own trek through the wilderness, and it's awfully hard to see past the bend in the road that is Today, to what Tomorrow might hold. We think we know where we're going, and maybe we do. Many of us have a very specific goal in mind, and that goal is our Promised Land.<br />
<br />
The Israelites had been slaves. They'd been slaves for generations in Egypt. Four hundred years worth of slavery had been more than enough for the children of Abraham. God had made promises to their forefather, promises of a land they could call their own, and it was high time for Him to get moving on keeping those promises. Getting out of Egypt, and out of slavery, sounded mighty good on the front end of this excursion.<br />
<br />
But on their way on the Great Road Trip to End All Road Trips, things got a little tough, as they will, on Road Trips. There were a few bumps. No bridge to cross the Red Sea. An army pursuing them, ready to haul them back to Egypt. No food. No water. Weariness. More attacking armies.<br />
<br />
Admittedly, any of these circumstances would be enough to squash the joy of YOUR family's road trip, wouldn't you agree? And poor Moses, the Pater Familias, had a whole lot of whiners who'd gone along for the ride. Day after day, the cry went up: "Are we there yet???" And there were plenty of Israelite Alpha Males who'd gone along, who were pretty sure they knew how things could be better handled, to help the Israelites reach their goal: the Promised Land.<br />
<br />
Was there anything wrong with a slave longing to have his own land? Where he could build their own home, and enjoy the fruits of his own labor?<br />
<br />
Absolutely not!<br />
<br />
It was, in fact, God's promise to them (Gen. 12:7; Gen. 13: 14-17; Gen. 15:18; Gen. 17:8).<br />
<br />
There was nothing at all wrong with having such a desire.<br />
<br />
So...um...why, oh, why, did He not just take them there? From Point A, to Point B? Shortest route possible? He was God, after all. He knew the way.<br />
<br />
It appears that the reason had a lot to do with there being a purpose in the aforementioned side trip: <i>where </i>God led them. Because make no mistake, despite the huge detour, <b>He</b> was leading them. Cloud by day- a cloud that possibly helped protect them from the burning rays of the desert sun. Pillar of fire by night, probably providing them with a night light and with heat, on cold desert nights.<br />
<br />
So where did He lead them on that "detour"?<br />
<br />
The southernmost point on that map, the most "out of the way" location on their trip, was Mount Sinai. And Mount Sinai was the very place where God entered into a covenant with Israel, where He promised to be their God, as they would promise to be His people. It was also the mountain where He gave them His law, whose commandments served to define them as a people.<br />
<br />
Here's my point: I have a dream. I bet you have a dream in your life, too. Just like the Israelites, many of us have goals: a place we'd like to reach in our lives. <br />
<br />
My dream is of forging a new career for myself, as a writer, and maybe even writing a book someday.<br />
<br />
What's yours?<br />
<br />
Is there something - some desire, some heart longing unfulfilled, that is eating up your energy, your thought life, your efforts? Is there something that you are devoting yourself to?<br />
<br />
It's not wrong to have a dream. Just as it wasn't wrong for a nation of slaves to long for their own land where they could have their own homes. It's not wrong to have a dream for which you are striving.<br />
<br />
But the journey we're on: sometimes, we move from point A to point B, directly. Sometimes, like the Israelites, we take more detours than we'd like. But it's in those detours, the places that we've been led that don't necessarily fit in with our original plan, that God reveals Himself to us in the "not yet".<br />
<br />
What He wants, more than anything, is our longing to have Him be our guide. What He wants is to share the journey with us. To call us His own, and for us to in turn, call Him our dearly loved and depended on Father. To be in a living, loving, vibrant covenant relationship with Him.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Principle #1: Detours can be God's way of calling us to Himself in the Not Yet.</span></b><br />
<br />
When Moses stayed on top of Mt. Sinai receiving the law from God, and was MIA for 40 days, the Israelites got up to no good. In the absence of their leader, they talked Aaron into making a calf idol for them that they could worship: something that seemed familiar, and that reminded them of the "good old days" in Egypt. The way the folks back there used to worship.<br />
<br />
God would have none of it, and told Moses, at first, that He was going to destroy the whole unfaithful lot of them, and start over with Moses, fulfilling His promises through the offspring of Moses. Moses interceded for the people, begging God to forgive. God agrees in chapter 33 of Exodus to forgive, and even promises to send His angel to go with them. But He Himself was unwilling to go with them.<br />
<br />
Again, Moses intercedes, and again, the Lord relents, and promises that His Presence will go with them.<br />
<br />
What Moses knew, and what the nation of Israel needed to learn, was that achieving the thing you desire more than anything is well and good, but that thing achieved without the joy of the fellowship with His Presence in your life, is a thing that's not really worth having. He knew that our hearts remain restless, till they find their rest in Him.<br />
<br />
It's the RELATIONSHIP, stupid!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Principle #2:</b> <b>It's not the "Getting There", so much as the "<i>How We Go About Getting There</i>". </b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
If it's acclaim we aspire to, or acquiring wealth that motivates us? (And, at their most basic levels, those desires spring from true human needs: the need to feel loved, and the need to feel secure that our physical needs will be met.) Desiring to be loved, or to have enough money, in and of themselves, are not wrong. But fame and fortune alone are pretty much worth nothing, if we've missed the joy in the journey that comes from taking that journey in the Presence of the Father, in close fellowship with Him.<br />
<br />
Just as the Israelites were tempted to go back to what had been familiar in Egypt, the worship of idols, worshiping the idols of this world will not truly get us where we'd like to go.<br />
<br />
Likewise, being willing to compromise what we know to be true and right, which is, at heart, our own integrity, for the sake of "getting there faster" won't take us where we hope it will. Shortcuts can be ruinous to the spirit.<br />
<br />
In the same way, stepping on a fellow sojourner in order to more quickly achieve your goals will end up poisoning you, on the inside.<br />
<br />
So much of what we long for will turn to ashes in our mouths if we haven't earnestly sought to align our goals with HIS goals for us.<br />
<br />
And His goals for us are these:<br />
<br />
1) that we love Him, first, best, and most. That He would be our pearl of great price, for whom we'd give up anything and everything.<br />
<br />
and <br />
<br />
2) that we treat our fellow sojourners with the utmost care, concern, and respect on our way.<br />
<br />
Don't buy into the lie that life is all about you achieving your dream, and that it's all up to you to get yourself to your Promised Land.<br />
<br />
It's not.<br />
<br />
God has something for you in the journey, in the detours.<br />
<br />
Put more succinctly:<br />
<br />
1) Love God.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
2) Love your neighbor as yourself.<br />
<br />
Simple.<br />
<br />
Yet in another way, so hard to do, as we wrestle with how to walk that out, in light of own desires and dreams.<br />
<br />
If these thoughts have pricked your heart, as they did mine as I was thinking through them, invite Him to take you wherever He'd like you to go on your journey. Make Him, (perhaps again) your pearl of great price. Resolve to treat your fellow sojourners with the love and kindness you'd like to receive, yourself.<br />
<br />
How do you see God's hand at work in your path?<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-47634631242488508702013-01-21T10:50:00.002-06:002013-07-02T15:41:14.259-05:00Wonderful Red Wines for those Cold Winter NIghts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
This week, my friend, world class musician, and wine connoisseur Denny Jiosa is doing another wine tutorial for us. Denny has some great and affordable red wine recommendations for the cold nights that most of us are facing this winter.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyl5-CNRzU5B36Foh3G07LV3Otw-lGo3axUUTMgJAxBPeOb9PTbrO3PD7tjOwZ0nanCGpjqZtXT0D0HDkqudDyiMIkXeLqwCDzmrO4UwpBWytyOgZOHMo3WVJOKaIhG1e262f8jaVmXHC5/s1600/wine&plate+(6+of+6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyl5-CNRzU5B36Foh3G07LV3Otw-lGo3axUUTMgJAxBPeOb9PTbrO3PD7tjOwZ0nanCGpjqZtXT0D0HDkqudDyiMIkXeLqwCDzmrO4UwpBWytyOgZOHMo3WVJOKaIhG1e262f8jaVmXHC5/s640/wine&plate+(6+of+6).jpg" width="444" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">This wine, with this pasta? Magnifico!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last time my husband and I dropped by the wine store, Denny recommended we try the first wine he mentions in today's Wine Notes: "Le Cantine di Indie Vino del Popolo". Sure, it's a mouthful to say (it's an Italian wine), but even more importantly, it's a mouthful to sip as well! We loved it so much we have since purchased several bottles to keep on hand to serve with a great plate of pasta. And can I just tell you how well it goes with anything that contains BACON? Like a Pasta Carbonara, or my most favorite pasta in the whole wide world, Perciatelli all'Amatriciana. (Or, as I call it, because I'm not sure exactly how to pronounce it: <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/12/perciatelli-allamatriciana-best-pasta.html">Best Pasta Ever.</a>) You might also want to pair it with an antipasto plate, and I've included a link to a recipe for one that is an absolute a show-stopper:<a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2009/02/big-night.html"> Mixed Antipasto.</a><br />
<br />
So, without further ado, let's get on to:<br />
<b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jammin Jiosa's Wine Notes</span></b><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: large;">with Denny Jiosa</span></b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Welcome to 2013! The weather is cold and hopefully you have a cozy warm fireplace burning, someone to snuggle with, and a great glass of wine! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
This time of year calls for some of my favorite grape varietals including, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Nebbiolo, Valpolicella, and Primitivo!</div>
<div class="p1">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTsslFNriV9brpORWOwWuuIbzf9CU7jJwF8u_g7uSOyZYpgDJ6iGfZw2-6Vjbdw0jpjkw4tScGgQ5IGtDN-zdpBZKKKQ1CxRzSIab98mMFXXGfKZ9aqqZSRFfkFNM3wHuPiYHXnUf3Iyr/s1600/vino&bambino+(5+of+6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTsslFNriV9brpORWOwWuuIbzf9CU7jJwF8u_g7uSOyZYpgDJ6iGfZw2-6Vjbdw0jpjkw4tScGgQ5IGtDN-zdpBZKKKQ1CxRzSIab98mMFXXGfKZ9aqqZSRFfkFNM3wHuPiYHXnUf3Iyr/s640/vino&bambino+(5+of+6).jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">It's the wine of the people, people!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p2">
Let me tell you about a new Italian wine I am quite fond of, <span class="s2"><b>Le Cantine di Indie Vino Rosso del Popolo </b></span>(wine of the people). It's a blend of 50% Nebbiolo, 30% Barbera, and 20% Dolcetto. This is a dry wine with characters of bright red fruits, low tannins, and obvious elements of Italian terroir. Perfecto with red sauce, cheeses, or an <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2009/02/big-night.html">antipasto plate</a>! These grapes are from the Piedmont region of Italy. Nebbiolo is king in that area and is what Barolo and Barberesco are made from. An outstanding wine at around $15.00. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONbE76v-1lgFmWNXfmEYeZUBqS6UraN1J4oxPWl3HW_q6h9RiqLuGV_2DRYNey0twGMSW4CDHM7x5ZNu-4ZotSObgZT-On97uJW6ezjZhWyHAdFLhZn5rOPNVXkHSzysU0MrHNIeZ3FS6/s1600/DSC_0002_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONbE76v-1lgFmWNXfmEYeZUBqS6UraN1J4oxPWl3HW_q6h9RiqLuGV_2DRYNey0twGMSW4CDHM7x5ZNu-4ZotSObgZT-On97uJW6ezjZhWyHAdFLhZn5rOPNVXkHSzysU0MrHNIeZ3FS6/s640/DSC_0002_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aforementioned antipasto. It really is to die for.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
On the Shiraz side I really enjoyed<b> Small Gully Mr. Black's Little Book Shiraz 2008</b> from Barossa Valley, Australia. This to me is a wonderful comfort wine in that it reflects jammy blackberry, raspberry, chocolate and vanilla with a long,warm finish! This would be outrageous with your favorite <a href="http://wildlifeinthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/03/bambi-burgers.html">grilled burger</a>! Just a delight on the palate! $15.00</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Next up,<b> Cannonball, a California Cabernet </b>with fruit from Napa, Mendocino, and Dry Creek. This wine's taste is loaded with dark cherry, strawberry, and dark chocolate. What I really noticed (and enjoyed) was the hint of cedar on the palate. I would assume the vines of some of the fruit were grown near cedar trees. Vines pick up characteristics of the terroir (the dirt) they are grown in and pass on elements to the grapes. Delicious with lamb chops! Check it out…$15.00</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
My birthday was a few days ago and I was given the chance to taste an exquisite wine, a<b> 2008 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon</b>.This is what most Cabernet's aspire to be. Full bodied on the palette, blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate, smoke and a touch of vanilla. This was a special treat (gift) and at $250.00 a bottle, not one I will experience often. Thank you Dave, at Red Spirits and Wine in Bellevue, TN.!</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Start that fireplace, grab that someone special, turn on the jazz, and pop the cork! Remember, you need great music to complete your wine experience, so please visit<a href="http://jiosa.com/albums/" target="_blank"> <span class="s1">http://jiosa.com/albums/</span> </a> and get your copies today! </div>
<div class="p1">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>P.S from Susan:<br />If you have any wine questions for Denny, we'd love to hear them in the comments! We're hoping to provide information that is informative and helpful</i><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943909070414609694.post-48964172953423639832013-01-15T13:06:00.001-06:002013-07-02T15:41:46.618-05:00Name It, Claim It, Not So MuchI've begun the Beth Moore study on the book of James, as of last Friday, and while I realize her studies are not to everyone's taste, I am inordinately fond of "Blonder Than I Pay To Be" Beth Moore. I find her to be honest, humble, hilarious, and absolutely passionate in regard to her faith in God.<br />
<br />
I am long overdue for feeding my faith, too. I've been diligently feeding my sourdough starter lately, but not treating my spirit with the same amount of careful nurturing attention. And if you are what you eat, physically, how much more is that true spiritually? A steady diet of overdosing on Facebook and social media garbage is not going to bring me the results I desire internally.<br />
<br />
I'm excited about doing this study, and plan to periodically share things that my little brain thinks need sharing.<br />
<br />
This is kind of a long post, but grab a cuppa, and go on this little journey with me, and I hope you'll find it a trip worth taking.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNo0qWc4INd2OiazPGuBqL5cLqkoNORl-TA5yS6WpXQ66Y7HH-FtgJSEONYCusOLDK5gExcyT4Z4ZOPMChCfpCKFJJVyuSVgKNObgc-o-xM_xDCJjvGw17OT87GgXYwVoHJncavKUDzf4B/s1600/Creek+reflections2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNo0qWc4INd2OiazPGuBqL5cLqkoNORl-TA5yS6WpXQ66Y7HH-FtgJSEONYCusOLDK5gExcyT4Z4ZOPMChCfpCKFJJVyuSVgKNObgc-o-xM_xDCJjvGw17OT87GgXYwVoHJncavKUDzf4B/s640/Creek+reflections2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The Creek in the Boonies: picture credit by Caroline Williams</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, I was reading today the story about Peter being imprisoned in Acts, chapter 12. The story takes place probably about ten years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Jewish followers of Jesus had begun to welcome Gentile believers into their midst, a fact that angered strict followers of the Torah. In a public relations move, hoping to gain approval from those who most rigidly observed the law, Herod, who was half Roman, half Edomite, decided to persecute the Jewish believers in Jesus who were associating with Gentiles. This pleased the more strict followers of Jewish law, and helped Herod achieve his political goals. <br />
Here's the text of Acts 12:<br />
<br />
<i>It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.<br /><br />So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.<br /><br />The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.<br /><br />Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me, " the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly, the angel left him.<br /><br />Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."<br /><br />When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"You're out of your mind, " they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."</i><br />
<i>But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv2EXeatcCDirrtGd3fhf4M7siQoJOtxGiDOPp7G-9s7bSdBf3PBIXm_rMPbMJI3TIVK24lBOYog51CQR6ASDfwYTps0LEH9VzhEAr9HAYKEkz_tcclP1F-XLIw2B_a1Dd4DMb4NW7_yN/s1600/Creek+reflections1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv2EXeatcCDirrtGd3fhf4M7siQoJOtxGiDOPp7G-9s7bSdBf3PBIXm_rMPbMJI3TIVK24lBOYog51CQR6ASDfwYTps0LEH9VzhEAr9HAYKEkz_tcclP1F-XLIw2B_a1Dd4DMb4NW7_yN/s640/Creek+reflections1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Creek Reflections: picture credit by Caroline Williams</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Don't let the two different "James" confuse you. Apparently, it was a very common name. The first James who is mentioned in the text is the James that the gospels refer to as one of "the three": Peter, James and John. They were the three disciples who were closest to Jesus during his life on earth. His "besties". The night before he died, when he went to the garden on the Mount of Olives to pray, they were the ones he took with Him when He went off to pray by Himself, immediately before His arrest. James and John were brothers, known as the "sons of thunder" for their fiery temperaments.<br />
<br />
So what has happened to Jesus' best buds in the years following His resurrection? Well, this passage tells us that one of "the three" has been put to death by the sword. No special protection offered him. Peter, the subject of this passage in Acts 12, has been thrown into prison, and likely faces execution himself.<br />
<br />
You know how anniversaries of deaths of loved ones stir up things inside of us? Don't you imagine that every year when Passover rolled around, the memories of that last Passover with Jesus, when He was arrested, tried, and crucified, had to bring up traumatic memories for His disciples who were with Him that night, when the troops approached, carrying torches and swords to arrest Him in the garden? We all know now that He was resurrected, that the story has a jubilantly happy ending, but at the time, the trauma of watching their best friend be arrested and hauled off by soldiers (who were accompanied by a mob), tried, convicted, beaten, and then executed publicly by a slow and brutal method of execution, had to have made a traumatic impression on His disciples. Maybe they suffered in varying degrees from PTSD, after what they experienced that weekend. Who can say?<br />
<br />
All I know is that Peter, even though he had been Jesus' bestie, knew that being one of Jesus' best friends hadn't cut his good friend James any Divine Slack. James was executed, and there was no earthly three-days-later resurrection for James, either. He was just done, when it came to his life on earth. And here it was, Passover weekend again, with all its likely traumatic memories and associations, and Peter was chained up between two soldiers in a dank, dark prison, and very likely, about to face the same fate James had.<br />
<br />
Weird though it may be, I somehow find this set of facts comforting. (As well as cautionary.)<br />
<br />
Why was this James, this extra-special bosom buddy of Jesus, allowed to be killed by the sword?<br />
Why was Peter rescued?<br />
<br />
It's a mystery!<br />
<br />
It was the will of the Father, who actually sent those angels to miraculously cause Peter's chains to drop off, who caused the prison door to swing open, and who led Peter out into the street, only to disappear into the night.<br />
<br />
When Peter realized it wasn't just a vision, and ran to the home where the believers were earnestly praying for his release, and when he finally convinced dizzy little Rhoda to let him in, his words were to "Tell James and the brothers about this". The "James" he is referring to here is a different James than the one who died by the sword. The "James" he refers to here is the half-brother of Jesus, and the one who was the acting head of the church in Jerusalem. (And that's how this story ended up in a study of the book of James, a book written by the half-brother of Jesus.)<br />
<br />
Here's how that story spoke to me, this morning.<br />
<br />
I grow so tired of what I believe to be heresy that is prevalent among believers in the North American Protestant church today: the teaching that God wants you to be "blessed" - but in this brand of teaching, "blessed" means to be financially successful and in perfect health, with every little thing your little heart desires. That if you name the blessing your heart desires, and claim it by faith in God's power, that as God's beloved child, you will receive it. And if you don't get what you want, it's probably a lack of faith on your part. Or it's because there's some sin in your life, that God wants you to repent of. Because obviously, if you're not getting those blessings you want, then the favor of God is not on you.<br />
<br />
If <b>that </b>is the will of God for followers of Jesus, I guess He really didn't have it completely worked out when it came to one of His Son's best friends, huh? Because He allowed James to be put to death with the sword.<br />
<br />
I do believe God tenderly loves His children. But I don't believe it guarantees us a life of ease, without struggle. Looking at the situations of James (the brother of John) and Peter in this story, I'd say if anything, that the implication is that in following Jesus, there are no guarantees of safety, ease, or personal comfort.<br />
<br />
But, both James and Peter would tell you that knowing Jesus, and following Him, was worth anything, and everything.<br />
<br />
Sometimes He rescues us from the immediate problem at hand.<br />
Sometimes, He doesn't.<br />
<br />
But whether or not things go as<b> we </b>might wish, never does His love for us fail.<br />
<br />
So to all my friends who are struggling in the midst of difficult situations: please, take heart. Your difficult situation does NOT mean that you are not holy enough, or not special enough to God for Him to answer your prayers. <br />
<br />
It just means that life IS hard, and full of struggle. <br />
That sometimes, for reasons we may not understand, God allows that struggle to occur, without a miraculous, immediate deliverance.<br />
But in the midst of it, as believers, we have the knowledge that He loved us enough to die for us, that we might be reconciled to Him. We have the knowledge that we were chosen by Him, to be His dearly loved children. (Col. 3:12) We have the promise of Immanuel, God with us, in our struggles.<br />
<br />
Any thoughts you'd like to share?<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85887/susan_in_the_boonies/429d921873f1d88890b61117080921ca.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139599163464020063noreply@blogger.com