Pumpkin and White Bean Soup

'Tis the season for pumpkin stuff and, with the weather getting cooler, here's one of my favorites!  This pumpkin-and-white bean soup is drizzled with pomegranate cream and sprinkled with the fruit's jewel-like seeds.  This recipe came from Texas Monthly.

Pumpkin-White Bean Soup 5 cups chicken stock 3/4 cup white pinto (cannellini) beans, soaked overnight and drained 1 pumpkin (3 to 4 pounds) 1 1/2 teaspoons corn oil 4 ounces bacon, diced 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 1 small carrot, diced 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped 1/4 cup dry white wine salt to taste 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped 1 cup roasted garlic-chile croutons (recipe follows) 3/4 cup pomegranate crema (recipe follows) pomegranate seeds Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 1 cup of chicken stock to a boil and add soaked beans. Lower heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender. Ser aside. Meanwhile, quarter and seed pumpkin. Place 3 pieces, skin side down, on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until slightly tender. Peel reserved piece and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Boil and cook diced pumpkin about 1 minute, until tender. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Drain boiled diced pumpkin and plunge into ice water. When cool, drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 1 minutes. Add onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until vegetables become translucent. Add wine and remove pan from heat. Remove skin and remaining fiber from baked pumpkin. Cut into pieces and add to vegetables. Return pan to heat, add remaining 4 cups chicken stock, and simmer for 45 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and purée. Strain, place in a clean saucepan, and heat thoroughly, adding reserved diced pumpkin, beans, and salt at the end. To serve, garnish each bowl with chives, croutons, and pomegranate crema and seeds. Serves 8. Pomegranate Crema 1 pomegranate 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt Quarter pomegranate, reserving seeds of 1 section to garnish soup. Juice the 3 remaining sections and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until reduced to a syrupy glaze. Cool, then in a mixing bowl, whish together with sour cream or yogurt. Makes 1/2 cup. Roasted Garlic-Chile Croutons 4 slices French or sourdough bread 3 tablespoons olive oil salt to taste 1 tablespoon roasted garlic, puréed 2 tablespoons pure chile powder (not prepared chili seasoning) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove crust and cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine olive oil, salt, and garlic purée in a mixing bowl and add croutons, tossing thoroughly. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with chile powder, and toss. Makes about 1 cup.

It Takes a Comedian

John Stewart's closing words at the today's remarkable Rally to Restore Sanity.




One of many great excerpts - "our inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe, not more".  No matter the messenger, the message is important and we should be listening.

It's Time To Plant Daffodils

While crocus are a definite harbinger of spring, daffodils announce its arrival with beautiful bright flowers. As soon as we see the daffodils emerge from the frozen earth, we know that spring is here. Plant these carefree perennial bulbs now to be sure you’ll get the explosion of color you want in the spring.

The ancestors of garden daffodils come from Asia and southern Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Although daffodils are best known for their big yellow trumpets, the species is actually quite diverse with over 24,000 named cultivars!

Daffodils have been bred and grown for generations. Daffodil hybridizers pollinate flowers by brushing the pollen from one flower onto the stigma of another. The resulting seedpod can contain up to 25 seeds. Each of these seeds will produce an entirely new plant, but the hybridizers must be patient. The wait for a bloom from a plant grown from seed is approximately five years! Between 1860 and 1930 more than 7,000 daffodil cultivars were introduced. Some of our best-loved varieties were most likely planted in our grandparents’ gardens – "King Alfred" was introduced in 1899, "Thalia" in 1916 and February Gold in 1923.

Narcissus is the name of the entire genus (plant family). Jonquil actually refers to a specific plant, Narcissus jonquilla. Daffodil is the common name for narcissus. There are twelve official classifications of daffodils.

Division 1: TRUMPET DAFFODILS. The classic daffodil. One flower per stem with a trumpet (also called cup or corona) as long or longer than the petals (also called perianth segments).

Division 2: LARGE-CUPPED DAFFODILS. The cup is at least one-third as long but less than the full length of the petals.

Division 3: SMALL-CUPPED DAFFODILS. The cup is a shallow trumpet, not more than one-third the length of the petals.

Division 4: DOUBLE DAFFODILS. The flowers look a bit like roses or camellias with extra petals in the trumpet, the outer petals or both. More than one flower per stem.

Division 5: TRIANDRUS DAFFODILS. Usually two or more flowers on each stem, with reflexed petals and a fruity fragrance. The flowers hang down slightly.

Division 6: CYCLAMINEUS DAFFODILS. The flower looks somewhat like a cyclamen. It has a short neck and highly reflexed petals.

Division 7: JONQUILLA DAFFODILS. Two to six flowers per stem, typically sweetly fragrant.

Division 8: TAZZETTA DAFFODILS. Paperwhite narcissus belong to this group. Up to 20 flowers per stem with a strong fragrance.

Division 9: POETICUS DAFFODILS. Snow-white petals around a very short cup with a green or yellow center and a red rim. They have one spicy-scented flower per stem.

Division 10: SPICIES AND WILD HYBRIDS: All species of daffodils, regardless of form, fall into this category.

Division 11: SPLIT CORONA DAFFODILS: Split irregularly for at least one-third their length.

Division 12: MISCELLANEOUS DAFFODILS. As the name implies, this category includes any daffodils that do not fit into other divisions.

Daffodils look fabulous in most landscapes. Choose varieties with smaller flowers and thinner foliage for rock and other small gardens. Masses of color have tremendous impact. The trumpet and large-cupped daffodils are stunning when planted in large sweeps. This design concept is called naturalizing. Areas that are perfect for this naturalized effect include: along driveways and paths, in front of wood lines, and on the sides of hills and slopes. Plant any variety of daffodils in existing perennial borders, cutting gardens and landscaped beds.

Daffodils are undemanding and extremely easy to grow. Under good conditions the bulbs should outlast us! While some bulbs tend to dwindle and die out over the years, daffodils should increase.

Daffodil bulbs are sized by their "noses" or tips. The larger the bulb, the more flowers it will produce. Larger sized bulbs are more expensive; however, you will be rewarded with more flowers in the spring. Select bulbs that are firm and free of blemishes. A little mold or peeling skin will not harm the bulb. The bulbs arrive from Holland in early September. To ensure the best selection, purchase your bulbs then and store them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to plant.

Daffodils are best planted in October. It is important to plant the bulbs in well-drained soil. If the soil remains wet for extended periods of time the bulb will rot. Select a site with at least six hours of direct sunlight. If the light is filtered, the flowers will require more than six hours of sun. You should receive planting instructions for each variety of bulb you choose. In general, large bulbs are planted 8" deep and smaller ones 5" deep. For a natural appearance, gently toss the bulbs in the air and then plant them wherever they land.

When you have finished planting, sprinkle a well-balanced fertilizer onto of the soil. A fertilizer with too much nitrogen will encourage excess leaf growth and a poor showing of flowers. There are several brands of fertilizers available which have been specifically formulated for bulbs. Follow the package directions carefully. Then water well.

If you notice the daffodil leaves emerging from the ground during warm spells in late winter, just let them be. They will stop growing when the weather becomes cold again. This will not affect the flowering later on.

After the flowers finish blooming, you must allow the foliage to turn completely brown before removing it. The foliage provides the bulb’s nutrition. If you cut the foliage back too early, the bulb will never flower again.

Over the years the clumps of bulbs may become so dense that they decline in vigor and produce fewer blooms. You’ll notice lots of healthy leaves, but fewer and fewer flowers. If this happens, dig them up in the late spring as soon as the foliage has died and divide the clumps.

Have fun planting drifts of these rewarding spring bloomers around your yard. They will surprise and delight you after a long cold winter.

Donuts - The October Daring Bakers' Challenge

The October 2010 Daring Bakers Challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious. 

Donuts aren't the healthiest thing in the world and I don't think I've ever made them before but when they came up for this month's Challenge I was willing!  I decided to make yeast donuts since I had all the ingredients.  I used this recipe from the Challenge - 

Preparation time: 

Hands on prep time - 25 minutes 

Rising time - 1.5 hours total 

Cooking time - 12 minutes 

Yield: 20 to 25 doughnuts & 20 to 25 doughnut holes, depending on size 

Ingredients 

Milk 1.5 cup / 360 ml 

Vegetable Shortening 1/3 cup / 80 ml / 70 gm / 2.5 oz (can substitute butter, margarine or lard) 

Active Dry Yeast 4.5 teaspoon (2 pkgs.) / 22.5 ml / 14 gm / ••• oz 

Warm Water 1/3 cup / 80 ml (95°F to 105°F / 35°C to 41°C) 

Eggs, Large, beaten 2 

White Granulated Sugar ••• cup / 60 ml / 55 gm / 2 oz 

Table Salt 1.5 teaspoon / 7.5 ml / 9 gm / 1/3 oz 

Nutmeg, grated 1 tsp. / 5 ml / 6 gm / ••• oz 

All Purpose Flour 4 2/3 cup / 1,120 ml / 650 gm / 23 oz + extra for dusting surface 

Canola Oil DEPENDS on size of vessel you are frying in – you want THREE (3) inches of oil 

(can substitute any flavorless oil used for frying) 

Directions: 

1. Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. (Make sure the shortening is melted so that it incorporates well into the batter.) 

2. Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside. 

3. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. It should get foamy. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm. 

4. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer (if you have one), combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. 

5. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well. 

6. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes (for me this only took about two minutes). If you do not have a dough hook/stand mixer – knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky. 

7. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 

8. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch (9 mm)thick. (Make sure the surface really is well-floured otherwise your doughnuts will stick to the counter). 

9. Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) doughnut cutter or pastry ring or drinking glass and using a 7/8-inch (22 mm) ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

10. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 °F/185°C. 

11. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side or until golden brown (my doughnuts only took about 30 seconds on each side at this temperature). 

12. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired 

I halved the recipe since I had no wish to eat 20 donuts nor did I have anyone to whom to give them.  I also used 1 cup of whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour.  I did that because I was curious about what it would do to the texture, not because I thought adding a little whole wheat flour would make fried bread any healthier!

I had a few challenges cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen without my usual tools.  I used a wine bottle for a rolling pin, a coffee cup for my donut cutter and a spice jar lid to cut the holes!

I also used a sauce pan to cook my donuts.  It took longer because I could only cook them one at a time but it also used less oil.  The donut holes are perfect for testing the temperature of your oil, especially if you don't have a thermometer!

After my donuts were done I made up a mix of granulated sugar and Chinese five spice and sprinkled it over the top of the hot donuts.

I'm not much of a donut person but I have to say, these were delicious!!  I quickly garfed down all the donut holes and two of the donuts before I forced myself to throw the rest away!

I'm not going to tell you to give donuts a try because that might be a dangerous skill but, if you're having company or for a special morning, homemade donuts might be just the thing!

Do Men Really Want What We Think They Do?

Financial Samurai wrote a very provocative post over at Consumerism Commentary last week, which I mentioned in last Thursday's Link Love post.  I admit I got sucked in and made an amazing three comments before I realized I was allowing myself to be provoked, just the way he probably intended.

In a nutshell, FS claimed that a friend of his couldn't get an online date because his income was too low.  His hypothesis is that all women are only concerned with income and since his friend, who lives in the Bay area only made $55,000 a year, no woman was interested in him.  Ridiculous of course.

All his male readers agreed and all his female readers were incensed.

The more I thought about it the more I wondered if we women don't do the same thing.  A favorite comment of single, middle-aged women like me is that we can't get a date because men our age are only interested in 20-somethings.  We roll our eyes, we scoff and we release ourselves from any personal responsibility.

Are we being fair?  Any time I read a post written by a woman asking where all the good men are, men respond by saying, "we're here, we're here!".  So what's going on?  Men think we're only interested in income and we think men are only interested in youth and certain, um, physical attributes.

Maybe we all need to back off, let go of our preconceived notions and put ourselves out there honestly and sincerely and accept that, if we don't immediately find ourselves in a relationship, the best match for us hasn't found us yet (or us them).  We need to enjoy our lives for ourselves and, if we're out there in the dating scene, we need to be patient and persevere and not look for somewhere to place blame.

What do you think?  Are you unsuccessfully trying to date?  What do you think is the reason?

Changing with the Times Can Help you Stay Young

I'm on vacation so this guest post is contributed by Mark Macaluso, he writes on the topic of Masters in Accounting Programs . He welcomes your comments at his email id: mark.macaluso985<@>gmail<.>com.

While everyone loves positive change, no one wants things to take a turn for the worse. The change that we resist the most is that which modifies our circumstances and makes them unfavorable.  The biggest of these changes is growing older. While we wait eagerly to become a teenager, go to college, become an adult, get married and have kids, we don’t look forward to the day we realize we’re getting old.  We worry and obsess over the way we look and the way we feel and because we spend so much time regretting the passing of time, we fail to enjoy the remainder of the time we have left. If you wish to remain young at heart even though your body grows older by the day, you need to change with the times and go with the flow – here’s how you can do this in simple ways:

·      Take pride in the way you look: Sure you’re getting wrinkles and your hair’s turning grey – but instead of turning to plastic surgery and botox, use common sense to look your best. Get your hair done in a style that suits you, dress fashionably but according to your body shape and age and carry yourself well with your head held high. When you feel and exude confidence, it shows!

·      Keep up with technology: When you feel in tune with all that is going on in the world and when you’re able to understand and keep up with all or at least most of the changes and innovations that are taking place, you don’t feel old, no matter your age. You’re still relevant and current as far as the world is concerned, so you don’t suffer from feeling left out.

·      Don’t let the idea of age stand in your way: If anyone says you’re too old to do something but you feel you can do it anyway, go ahead and do it. If you’re physically fit and mentally able, then age is not a barrier that should stop you from doing what you want to do. Believe in yourself rather than in what anyone else says, and unless you’re prohibited from doing so for health reasons, don’t hesitate to do what you feel like doing.

Age is just a number.  When you avoid laziness, stay physically and mentally active and keep yourself fit and well groomed, you not only age gracefully but also keep up with the times. 

I think Mark may think we're a little older than we think we are but I appreciate his effort!

Porcini and Pecan Pate

This one is straight from the newest edition of Food & Wine.  I made it for my bookclub weekend (where I am now!) and it is so good I wanted to share it!  There are some new (to me) ingredients and that's always fun!

4 to 6 servings (or more, it's pretty rich)

1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1/2 lb portobello mushrooms, stemmed
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon light miso
2 dry-packed sun-dried tomato halves
salt
toasted baguette slices, for serving

1. Put the pecans in a bowl and cover with cold water.  Let stand for 1 hour.

2.  Meanwhile, in a small heatproof bowl, cover the porcini with the boiling water and let stand until softened, about 15 minutes.  Rub the porcini to remove grit; transfer them to a small bowl.  Reserve the soaking liquid.

3.  Cut the portobello caps in half and, with a sharp paring knife (I use a spoon), trim off the dark gills on the underside of each one.  Slice the caps into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

4.  In a bowl, whisk together the tamari, olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, rosemary and miso.  Add the sliced portobellos and toss to coat thoroughly.  Let stand for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

5.  In a small saucepan, combine the soaked porcini and sun-dried tomatoes.  Slowly pour  in the porcini soaking liquid, stopping before you reach the grit at the bottom.  Bring the liquid to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are tender, about 4 minutes.  (I just turned the water off once it had reached a boil and covered it.  No need to simmer for 4 minutes.)


6.  Drain the pecans and transfer them to a food processor.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the marinated portobellos, porcini and tomatoes to the processor; puree to a coarse paste, adding  about 1/4 cup of the porcini cooking liquid.  Add a little more of the porcini liquid if the mixture is too thick.  Season lightly with salt.

7.  Transfer the pate to a crock and serve with toasted baguette rounds.

The pate can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Serve lightly chilled or at room temperature.

Note:  Nutritional yeast is not the same as the yeast you use for baking bread.  It can be purchased at health food stores.  I found it in the bulk aisle at Whole Foods so was able to get just a smidge for $.72 instead of a whole can for $12.99.

The holiday season is upon us.  Add this delicious pate to your cocktail party repertoire!

Going Home

I'm heading off to my hometown of Alpine, Texas (actually by the time this post goes live, I'll already be there) for a bookclub weekend on a ranch just outside Marathon, Texas.  I'll be seeing all my best girlfriends from back home and I'm really looking forward to it!  I've been cooking all day so I can make a contribution to the weekend's food.  (Check out Sunday's post for an excellent mushroom pate.)  We're reading  The World in Pancho's Eye by J.P.S. Brown.  It's a story about a kid growing up on a ranch.  Go figure!

I flew in from Virginia for this special weekend last year and then flew straight back out.  This year I'm driving from Houston and plan to stay a few days after the weekend so I can visit with other friends and see what's going on back home.  I plan to have my old car guy check out my car, my old vet clip the pug's nails and check out a few of my favorite old haunts.

On my way back to Houston I'll be stopping for a night in Del Rio, Texas to visit with a friend who I used to work with but haven't seen in many, many years.  She moved away from Alpine to Del Rio, Texas, and then to Montana for several years (her husband is in the Border Patrol) and we lost touch.  A couple of years ago she called me out of the blue saying they'd moved back to Del Rio.  We intended to get together but never did and then I left on my grand adventure.

Del Rio is about halfway between Houston and Alpine and when I decided to drive, I called her and made plans to stop by.  Her son, who is the same age as my son, moved home about a week ago.  The two boys grew up together and I'm looking forward to seeing him too!

I know it's going to be a great week.  It'll be interesting to see if things have changed at all.  Will I find that, like going off to college and then coming home, that everything is the same but that I have changed?  Does that still happen when we get older?  Or will my friends and I pick up where we left off, like no time has elapsed?  I'm looking forward to finding out!

Thanks to the various guest posters who are helping me next week!

Link Love 10.21.10

As usual, moving caused me to stumble in both my blog writing and reading but I'm catching up!  This week I'm thinking about articles with which I did not necessarily agree but which made me think a bit.  Always a good thing!

Daily Plate of Crazy is thinking about how for her, less money means poorer nutrition.  It's not a unique viewpoint but I'm not sure I agree.

Over at Consumerism Commentary guest poster Financial Samurai has a lot of blood boiling (mine included) with his post about women, online dating sites and men's income.  Lots of generalizing and sweeping conclusions.  Controversy can lead to a lot of comments and this post is no exception!

Bucksome Boomer is writing about the mixed signals we're getting about the economy.  Is it better?  Is it worse?  Does anyone know?  All I know is that in one of the hardest hit states in the country, 5 months post-graduation my son can't find a job with enough hours to meet his barest expenses.

and in an article I completely embrace -

50 is the New asks, "Who the Hell is Eric and Why is He Protecting Me?"  Call it the power of the Universe or serendipity, sometimes things do work out!

The wonderful Ruth Pennebaker of The Fabulous Geezer Sisters has another good one with Lines in the Sand and Everywhere Else.  She's ruminating on being a grownup.  Where exactly is that line?

Volunteering - It's Worth the Effort

This is a guest post by Carma who is joining the team here at  SimplyForties as a regular monthly contributor.  Carma is a very active retiree, living a good life down in Florida.  She's also my mother!  I think you'll enjoy her point of view.

This isn't my mother!

As I was enjoying my Friday morning working at the library, checking out books, Cds, and DVDs (lots of DVDs), I looked around the space and took note of all of the other volunteers like me busy doing their jobs, too. A volunteer checks in books, another checks them out. When the courier truck comes to deliver the books requested from all the other libraries in the county by patrons, a volunteer helps check them in and let patrons know they have arrived. In our library, another volunteer processes DVDs as they are checked in and reshelves them.

We each have our certain tasks to perform helping our able library staff and making it possible for the county to keep the library open to serve the community. The cost to fully staff the place with employees would be prohibitive, so we perform a real community service - and it is fun.

Then I began to think of all of the other volunteers at work in this community as well as in others all across the country. Not all volunteers are retirees, but most retirees are volunteers with one or more organizations. Getting back to the library, its rooms are used for training AARP tax aides, all volunteer; recently I watched a proctor oversee a student taking an exam; while pink ladies from the hospital regularly stop by each week on their way home from that volunteer effort.

The hospital is another place that runs more effectively with the aid of hard-working volunteers who make life a little more bearable for patients and visitors, who are often frightened and stressed. Our Hospice facility and thrift store, soup kitchens, clothes closets, Meals-on-Wheels, the schools, Habitat and its thrift store, all need the faithful hard-working volunteers who serve their communities. One of our neighbors conceived the idea of being the collectors of foodstuffs donated by the rest of us and delivering them to a local food pantry. Local organizations are usually the hardest hit when the economy is slow.

My newest venture, starting in a few months, will be to serve a term on the Board of Directors of our neighborhood. I’ll let you know how that goes! My husband has already taken his turn at that and it was a lot of work, especially for such a small place.

Volunteering is a blessing for people who live alone - it gets them out of the house and among other people. And here’s another blessing: when your particular choice is no longer a fulfilling activity (and this will happen) you are free to drop out and take a break. Then when your energy is recharged, you find a new and interesting opportunity. The choices are limitless!

In thinking back over the years, I realize that I have always worked as a volunteer in some capacity or other. It seems critically important to me that all those of us who can afford to do so, whether retired or not, should be contributing in this way to improve and support our communities. It enriches our own lives as well as those we help, probably in ways we don’t even realize.  Starting as a volunteer long before retirement lays the groundwork for later years and sets an example for your children that giving in all its forms is important.

Portion Control

Thanks to Bucksome Boomer for the idea for this post. She's giving away a food scale on her site and to enter you had to leave a comment including your best tip for healthy eating, which made me take some time to think what my tip might be and it's portion control!

I think most of us have spent the majority of our lives dealing with our weight and as a result, we have some idea of what's "healthy" and what isn't.  Regardless of the choices we make, we know that a bag of Chips Ahoy is not as good for us as a big bowl of roasted broccoli.  I love roasted broccoli but if I eat a huge bowl, roasted with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, that's not so great either.

Where do we find the "correct" portion size?  Not on food packaging, that's for sure.  The portion size included on food packaging is frequently based on what makes the product look good, as opposed to nutritional considerations.  Commercial granola cereals are a perfect example.  Kashi Go Lean Crunch lists a portion as 1 cup.  Special K Granola lists a portion as 1/2 cup.  Manufacturers know that we scan the nutritional panel and don't necessarily take the listed portion size into account when we make our choices.  In this example the Kashi cereal shows 200 calories and 12 grams of sugar per serving while the Special K brand "only" has 190 calories and 9 grams of sugar.  A cursory scan would lead us to choose the Special K, thinking it has slightly fewer calories and less sugar.  If we took the time to check the portions we would realize that in fact it has almost twice the calories and quite a bit more sugar than the Kashi brand.

So where do we turn for the information?  As in so many areas these days, it's easily obtainable on the Internet.  An excellent source is MyPyramid.gov, which is the official USDA site for the new food pyramid.  In this case 1 cup of cereal = 1 portion of grain, which is the suggested amount of grain that we eat each day.  Kashi was correct, whereas Special K is scamming us.

Healthy eating and weight loss eating aren't necessarily the same thing.  If you watch what you eat, feel like you're following all the "rules" and still aren't successful you might want to take a look at portion control.  Are you eating a lot of fruit?  Fruit is arguably healthy but is also high in sugar and, natural or not, sugar is a problem when you're dieting.  The daily recommendation for fruit is 2 cups.  The Pyramid also tells us not to let the total fruit calories exceed 267 on a 2,000 calorie a day diet..  If you're snacking on fruit all day plus drinking juice, you may well be exceeding the calorie count.  You may be eating a healthy diet but you may not be eating one that allows you to loose weight.

One area where a lot of people go overboard on portions is meat.  On the Pyramid the total recommended allowance is 5 1/2 ounces a day for meat AND beans.  An oft used visual is to picture a deck of cards as the size of your meat portion.  Do you usually limit your meat portion to the size of a deck of cards?  That would be a pretty small steak or chicken breast.

One area where most people agree that you can fudge on your portion control is vegetables.  Depending on the preparation, extra vegetables are an excellent way to assuage the hunger that often comes with being on a diet.  Just make sure they're raw, steamed or roasted with just a bit of olive oil, as opposed to swimming in butter, cheese and/or salad dressing!

One of my sisters is using portion control as her primary weight loss plan and has been pretty successful. She was already a healthy eater but focussing on portion control has allowed her to lose about 15 pounds without making any additional changes.

What about you?  Do you consider portion size when you eat?  I find I'm more of "sometime I do, sometimes I don't" person.  I'm going to try and do better!

Influential Reads

A link to an article listing someone's idea of the 50 Most Influential Books of the Last 50 (or so) Years came by on Twitter a couple of weeks ago and I clicked on it.  Having read quite a number of them, I tweeted back, asking the sender how many he had read.  He responded that he'd read four but, having seen the list, was planning to read more.  He's probably twenty years younger than I am and, as I perused the list again, thinking about the effect of reading some of those books now versus when they came out, I wondered how influential they would be to a new reader.

A perfect case in point is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown, which was published in 1970 and had a tremendous effect on how we felt about native Americans.  In 1970 the Vietnam War was still going strong and becoming increasingly unpopular.  The stabbing at Altamont Speedway had occurred the year before, officially ending the Summer of Love.  The Kent State shootings by the Ohio National Guard of four student protestors occurred on May 4, 1970.  Right in the middle of all that this amazing book was published, which we believed was the true story of how American Indians had been mistreated by the incoming settlers and how they continued to be mistreated.  To a group of people who were primed for protest and whose prior knowledge of Indian affairs consisted of what we learned in public school, this was powerful stuff.  Everyone wanted to be an Indian, date an Indian, dress like an Indian and redress Indian rights.

The emotions stirred up by the book in actual Indians empowered the American Indian Movement, which led to the 71-day standoff at the site of Wounded Knee in 1973, during which two FBI agents and two Lakota Souix were killed and a US Marshall was paralyzed.  That was the year that Marlon Brando refused to accept his Oscar for the Godfather and  had an Indian woman dressed in full regalia make a speech about the poor treatment of Indians in the film industry.

Needless to say, it was an extremely influential book but, if it came out today would it have the same impact?  If someone were reading their way down that list, with no sense of the history of the time when it came out, would they wonder why Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee had been included?

What about Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique?  Would a young woman reading this transformative book today understand the impact that it had on an entire generation of women when it came out in 1963?  To women who were feeling trapped by their roles as homemakers it was a bible, which gave credence to the Women's Movement, which in turn is directly responsible for many of the choices that young women today take for granted.

There are a number of books on the list that are influential for reasons other than current events but I wonder if those whose power relied on time and place will be remembered as anything other than historical footnotes.

What are some of the more influential books that you have read?  Did they make the list?   Do you think they'll make a new list, fifty years hence or were they more personally influential?   Not exactly literature but I still remember how empowered I felt after reading Helen Gurley Brown's Having it All when I was in college.  I later realized I didn't want it "all" but at that time in my life it was the perfect book to propel me forward!

Salmon Cream Cheese

When I was visiting my son in Oxford, Mississippi, a couple of weeks ago we had breakfast one morning at the Bottle Tree Bakery where, among other things, they make their own fantastic bagels.  I ordered lox and bagels, which they call the Uptown Bagel.  Not reading the menu carefully, I saw salmon, cream cheese, capers, onions and tomatoes.  When my breakfast arrived I asked where the heck my salmon was.  Turns out what the menu actually said was salmon cream cheese, capers, onions and tomatoes.  Okay, I saw what I expected to see!  My breakfast was delicious and I thought salmon cream cheese was a great way to stretch the salmon while still getting the flavor of lox and bagels.  I've been playing with making my own and here's what I came up with.  Perfect for breakfast guests!

This recipe makes 1 cup of salmon cream cheese

1/2 cup chopped smoked salmon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 oz cream cheese

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least a couple of hours or overnight to let the flavors meld.  Serve with the best bagels you can find (if you're in Houston, try The Hot Bagel), thinly sliced red onions, capers and lemon wedges.

Makes a good dip too!

Hello Texas!

My next adventure has started - I’m in Houston!  I said a fond farewell to east Tennessee and my wonderful homeowners there and spent a few days in the Atlanta area visiting family and getting ready to move on.  On my way west I stopped in Oxford, Mississippi for two fun days with my son and his girlfriend and then, not wanting to arrive in Houston after dark, spent one night in Baton Rouge.  I arrived in Houston last week Saturday on my birthday.  I think starting my next year in a new city is the best gift I could get!

One of my Houston homeowners is the sister of one of my closest friends and, having met her and her husband socially numerous times over the years, I like to think they are friends of mine too!   They have generously welcomed me to the Houston area with introductions to some of their friends who have wasted no time in extending me all sorts of invitations and filling up my social calendar!

The other night I was invited to play Mah Jong with some of the women I’ve met.  I’ve always wanted to play and was excited to get the opportunity to learn.  Everyone was very patient with me and took the time to explain the game and answer all of my questions.  It was a fun evening and I’m looking forward to being a regular substitute with the group!

The guy for whom I work as a virtual paralegal is actually based here in Houston and he is thrilled that I will be local.  I spent my first three weekdays here going into the office.  It’s been several years since I’ve done that and, although it was kind of exhausting, I enjoyed it!  Normally I won’t be working in the office but we both felt it would be good for me to spend some time there getting things organized.  He’s a nice guy and didn’t want me to be overwhelmed by the Houston traffic so I came in around 10:00 am and left around 3:00 pm.  Can’t complain too much about that!

I loved east Tennessee and I really enjoyed getting to know Knoxville, which I believe helped prepare me for Houston.  Just think, a little over a year ago I was living in a town of 5,000 people, where I’d spent most of my life, and now I’m in the fourth largest city in the country!  There is so much to do here and I can’t wait to dive in!

Stuffed Grape Leaves: The October Daring Cooks' Challenge

 Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. 

I was very excited about this month's challenge as I've never made dolmades before and I love trying new things!  

From the Wikipedia - Dolma (pl. dolmas or dolmades) is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and surrounding regions such as Iran and the Caucasus and Central and South Asia. Perhaps the best-known is the grape-leaf dolma, or sarma. Common vegetables to stuff include zucchini, eggplant, tomato and pepper. The stuffing may or may not include meat. Meat dolma are generally served warm, often with sauce; meatless ones are generally served cold, though meatless dolma are eaten both ways in Iran. Both are often eaten with yoghurt.

I decided to go with meatless dolmades to be served with a simple tzatziki sauce.  I found the grape leaves in my regular grocery store in the aisle where the olives are found.  If you use fresh leaves you will need to blanch them.

The hardest part of the whole operation for me was getting the leaves out of the jar!  There are several bunches of tightly rolled leaves jammed in there and getting them out without tearing them proved to be a bit challenging!

First up, make the filling.  Here's the one I used, which makes 36 dolmades:

• 1/4 cup plus 1 cup olive oil
• 2 medium red onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon minced mint
• 2 lemons, juiced

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, heat 1/4-cup olive oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and pine nuts and saute for 2 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add the rice, salt, raisins, mint and the juice of 1 lemon to the bowl with the onion mixture and mix well. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. Remove the grape leaves from the jar and drop them in batches of 4 or 5 into the hot water. Quickly remove them from the water and spread flat on a towel-lined work surface. Cut the stem from each grape leaf, as needed. (NOTE: Fresh grape leaves also need to be blanched for 1/2 minute.)

To assemble the dolmades, place 1 grape leaf on the work surface, dull side (or underside) of the leaf up. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the rice filling near the stem end of the leaf. Fold the stem (bottom) end up over the filling, fold the sides toward the filling in the center, then roll up the leaf into a small cylindrical package, being careful not to fold too tightly, as the rice will expand during cooking.

Place the dolmades in a large Dutch oven or wide saute pan, seam side down. Combine the remaining cup of olive oil and juice of 1 lemon, and pour over the dolmades. Cover with a heavy plate or baking dish and add water to cover to the level of the plate. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 1 hour, or until rice is tender.

Put a heat-safe plate on top to keep the dolmas from floating around and coming unrolled

Serve at room temperature, with tzatziki as a dipping sauce

Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced in half, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dill or oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

When I made my dolmades, I wasn't sure if you were supposed to pre-cook the rice. (I added the word "uncooked" to the above recipe so you wouldn't have the same issue!)  I couldn't figure out how the rice was cooked so I pre-cooked it.  After making the dolmades I decided that you're supposed to use uncooked rice, which cooks in the grape leaves as they are boiling.  While the rice cooks, it absorbs the liquid in the pan.  Since my rice was pre-cooked, it did not absorb the water.  It worked but next time I'm going to do it correctly and I think that will improve the texture.  I also added a pinch of cayenne pepper to my tzaziki sauce to give it a little kick but ended up not liking the result as much so I'll be sticking with the standard tzaziki next time!

Making dolmades is fun and easy and, since the meatless ones are served either cold or at room temperature, they can easily be made ahead and served as an appetizer for company.


Update - After I'd eaten a few at room temperature, I put the plate in the fridge and then tried one later when they had chilled.  The rice had continued to absorb random liquid and by this time was way too soft.  I also decided that 1 cup of olive oil in the cooking water was too much.  I tossed the rest of the dolmades. The filling was delicious when I started so I hated to waste it but the overcooked rice made them unpalatable.  Lessons learned!