Comfort Foods

When I think of comfort food, I think carbs. Breads, pastas, all the good stuff that if taken too far (rich sauces on top and lots of butter), and too often, can land you in a really fat place, if you are not careful. One of the dishes I think of most, when I think of warm and comforting foods, besides memories of my dad’s spaghetti, is macaroni and cheese. (My dad’s pasta and his homemade sauce deserve their own blog entry).

Macaroni and cheese was a dish I was raised on, simply because of the cost, (lets face it feeding five kids was not easy) but my parent’s macaroni and cheese was always wonderful. Looking back, I can remember that if times were good, there was a little meat added to the dish, but if times were not so good, there was no meat, and even less cheese. But no matter how tough times were, our little tummies always left the table satisfied. My memory reminds me there were various forms of the dish made by my parents, and all of them filling and comforting.

There are many adaptations of this American comfort food. In fact, if you are looking for a way to prepare the dish, you might feel overwhelmed by all the recipes that are out there (excluding the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese © variety). I have found a recipe that was placed in the New York Times, a couple years back, and have shared this with various people and now wish to share with all of you. The dish is easy to make and incredibly delicious. And the best part...no need to cook those elbows before hand.

When sick, or tired, or far from home, everyone seems to yearn for the gastronomic equivalent of a warm sweater, a kiss on the forehead, a special moment in time, or a favorite blanket. I am blessed to have many favorite memories of delicious foods made by my parents and grandparents. I only hope that I have been able to recreate some of those same memories for my children, which not only satisfied their palettes and filled their tummies, but will warm their hearts when reflecting back on growing up. (Even my chicken and rice dish). =)

New York Times Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not low fat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg *(if Cait is around, I skip this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
2. In a blender, puree cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together.* Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
3. Uncover pan, stir gently, and sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

FYI: The term "comfort food" was added to the Webster's Dictionary in 1972.

From Pin Stripes to Prison Stripes

I’m a little sad about the whole Roger Clemens ordeal. I had been a fan of his for a long time, but my feelings for him have changed over the past year. He has become somewhat of a bully on the mound, and his temper tantrums do not portray him as a positive role model. What happened? Why did he become so bitter? Was it ‘roid’ rage?

The sports role models we had as kids no longer exist. Media exposure and our culture's fascination with athletic achievements will insure that professional athletes will, for some time, be highly recognized and admired. But a closer examination of the headlines does not provide the role models parents are looking for. The modern athlete, more often than not, is materialistic, greedy, self-centered, arrogant, chauvinistic, and selfishly individualistic. Are these the values we want in our kids? I think not. And to be fair, not all athletes are like this, but the good ones are over shadowed by those in the media. Like Roger.

On the other hand do we have the right to judge our athletes any harder than the rest of those who make up our society? We want athletes to be more than a model of a role; we want athletes to be a model of all personal and public virtues. Why should we expect athletes to exhibit non-athletic virtues to any greater degree than we or others model such qualities? Virtues such as honesty, integrity, self-control, humility, kindness, generosity and the like are immensely important, but they are no more important to the athlete than they are to the rest of us. Why should I expect to point to an athlete or other celebrity to show my children an example of humility or generosity, more than I should live a life where I can point to myself?

My children are grown and can certainly watch the Roger Clemens story line unfold and come to their own conclusions. But if they were younger, I would certainly take the opportunity to explain that rules are rules, and players who flout the rules cheat the game, much as talented players who squander their innate gifts cheat the duty they owe to their employers and, by extension, their fans. This is the message I would want my children to learn.

As for Roger, I do hope the truth eventually plays out. I want to believe that as one of the great pitchers of my time, he is innocent. But if he isn’t, then I want to know that he is punished fairly for the crime, and that he accepts his punishment like a man and not a bully. Then he may better serve as a role model for our kids.

The Picket Fence

When we moved into our house five years ago, we surrounded our backyard with a picket fence. It wasn’t because we were into the whole “white picket fence dream” in which you finally reach attainment of your dreams. You know the one; the kids, the dogs, the house, the dream of the somewhat perfect life. Life was good and long time goals had been reached. It still is good, and we are blessed.

Our goals and dreams did come true, but the reality is, we had two dogs that needed to be barricaded in the yard to ensure their safety. So the fence was bought and put up almost immediately. It did not take us long to decide on the type of fence. I liked the idea of something that provided safety, but would not be seen as a wall to cut us off from our neighbors.

And the idea of a white picket fence did not interest me, so the fence was stained what become to be known as “poopy brown”. It matches the deck. I was happy with my fence. Until now.

We have a problem with our neighbors. It seems they are licensed to run a 5 bed hospital so people come and go all day long, which does not go over well with the dogs. Although they are doing their jobs (protecting their home and family), there is way too much barking. There is also the problem of people thinking they have to offer the dogs cookies all day. So the picket fence has to go.

I have no regrets about “fencing” these neighbors out, but I am sad to “fence” out the other side. I love those neighbors! Jim is trying to come with a way we can “drop open the fence” (I know this sounds strange) but I do not want to lose my connection to them. So up the new fence goes, and down comes the very first picket fence we ever owned.

Don't Be A Butt Head

It seems like yesterday (to me anyway) that revealing one’s butt crack was not in good taste. In fact, those who suffered the “butt” of many jokes were plumbers or refrigerator repairmen. I can remember a skit done on Saturday Night Live in which Todd and Lisa (Bill Murray and Gilda Radner) are watching the refrigerator repairmen whose butt crack is highly visible:

Norge Repairman: Yeah. Where's the.. [ spots the Norge ] What a beauty! An old Norge, you don't see many of these things anymore.

Lisa Loopner: No, not too often..

[ the Norge repairman bends down, revealing a crack in his butt, as Todd and Lisa make a few cracks of their own ]

Lisa Loopner: Hey, Todd! You think we should offer him some miniature mashmallows!

Todd: No, I think maybe he might like the big ones!

Lisa Loopner: It's too bad you're not studying overdeveloped nations!

Todd: I think maybe I'll switch to Math.. and go into long division!

Norge Repairman: You know.. when I was a kid, homework wasn't so much fun. [ returns to his work ]

Lisa Loopner: Oh, we're just laughing at something funny that happened on the way home from.. [ laughing ] ..school!

Todd: Yeah! The moon came out surprisingly early!

Lisa Loopner: Oh, Todd.. no wisecracks!

However, while this was funny back then, it might lose its joke appeal today, because the butt crack has become very much a fashion statement, especially among our youth. Girl’s bottoms, intentionally or not, have become the focal point of fashion and pop culture alike. The butt crack is the new cleavage, reclaimed to peek seductively from the pants of supermodels and commoners alike. Adding a tattoo on the lower back, or displaying a pretty thong, provides intentional invitations to stare at their derrieres.

The increase in the decrease of the waist band on most today’s pants also provides a better view of the cheeks. We have become a nation obsessed with having “bootylicious” bodies, so in order to do so, we have to better share our bottoms. It’s almost impossible at times to find a pair of pants that will not reveal at least an inch of one’s crack if pushed to sit down. While I have observed many girls constantly pulling up their pants while trying to bend down, there are far more that seem to revel in showing as much as of their backsides to innocent bystanders.

As a mother, I find it appalling that our youth seem to enjoy sharing more of themselves that they should be sharing. It just isn’t as funny as the refrigerator repairmen. So please put your cracks way. Don’t be a Butt Head...

Chocolate Chicken Mole

I have not meant for this blog to be one in which you see my “foodie” side, but when I find a recipe worth sharing, I have no choice but to, well share. It should not be a surprise that my favorite TV channel is the Food TV Network. I’m not hooked on all the shows, but I do have my favorite chefs. Ingrid Hoffman who does the “Simply Delicioso” show is one of them. Her cooking has taste bud appeal, and never seems like a challenge to make, and I have learned that Latin food is more than a simple taco.

I recently watched her make “Chocolate Chicken Mole” and I happen to love a good mole. The first time I ever had chocolate mole was up in Ithaca, New York while visiting some very dear friends. Since that time, I have not been able to duplicate that experience, out or in my kitchen. Until now. So it is that I now share this recipe with my friends and family. Trust me. It’s well worth the effort to make this dish.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 chipotle pepper with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can (or more to taste) chopped

1 cup raisins

2 cups canned chopped tomatoes

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (or 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder)

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (skin and bones discarded)

1/4 cup roughly chopped peanuts, for garnish

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish

1 orange, zested, for garnish

Fresh cilantro, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced, for serving

Flour tortillas, for serving

Place a pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion and garlic, stirring to soften for 5 minutes. Add the chipotle with adobo, raisins, and tomatoes, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Carefully pour the mixture into a blender. Add the peanut butter, broth, chili powder, and cinnamon. Puree the mixture until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the mixture to the pot over medium heat. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Add the shredded chicken and heat through. Transfer the mole to a serving dish and garnish with peanuts, sesame seeds, and orange zest. Serve with cilantro, lime, avocado, and tortillas. Enjoy!!

Washington and Lincoln

In this higly political season we are living in, it is a good time to reflect upon the accomplishments of these two popular and well-respected presidents.

George Washington...1st President of the United States...Revolutionary War General...Mount Vernon..."first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen”...drafted the Constitution...Farewell address... urged Americans to unite for the good of the whole country...warned the nation to avoid permanent foreign alliances...and so much more.

Abraham Lincoln…16th President of the United States…Republican...Civil War...outspoken opponent of slavery…Gettysburg Address…Emancipation Proclamation...13th Amendment to our Constitution...Reconstruction...first US President to be assassinated...

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Making the "Perfect" Biscuit

Making the perfect biscuit has never been an easy task for me. Even my attempts to make what some might call and “edible” biscuit has been a challenge. My “competition biscuits” are those made by my mother; the ones that have satisfied my palate all of my life. Quite honestly, her biscuits are made from a scratch recipe, passed down from her mother, or by following the recipe on the yellow box. I have tried both, and despite following her recipes exactly, my biscuits could only be substituted for hockey pucks. Seriously. I am not kidding. Ask my daughter.

This might seem trivial to many, but making the perfect biscuit has stumped me for decades. And I believe has irritated my daughter who loves my mom’s homemade biscuits. Oh sure, the “crack-open-the-tube-and-bake” ones are nice substitutes, but they are not “Gram’s biscuits.” However, I have just recently found a recipe from Ina Garten’s (The Barefoot Contessa) recipe box that proved to be a prefect and easy to make biscuit. In fact, my mother was visiting with me and agrees that these biscuits, made by me, were heavenly! What follows is this recipe. I’m only happy to share a successful biscuit with my friends and family. Be warned, this recipe is not for those on any diet plan. The butter alone can knock any diet plan out of the park!

Cheddar-Dill Biscuits
4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
1 cup minced fresh dill
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.

Meego's First Snow!

Meego gets a taste of what snow is all about... finally! Like his siblings, he found the snow to be fun to play in, and roll around in, getting as wet as possible!

Snowflakes, snowflakes
Falling to the ground
Each one rests so gently
They never make a sound.
Snowflakes, snowflakes
Are so pure and white
The special thing about them is
No two are alike.

Luke

I have shared my stories of Lexy, Meego, and Madison, and I would be remiss if I did not mention Luke in my blog. In fact, he would not like being left out.

Luke is the third Golden that entered this family, and he came along shortly after we lost our first Golden, Tyler (yet another blog entry I need to make). He endured the same welcome from Lexy as she got from Tyler. “Thanks for stopping by, now go away.” However, like his big sister, after a few days of being growled at, he soon fit in and life was good again on the dog front.

Of all of our Goldens, Luke has the most sedate personality. He hardly ever barks, and he is not one to get in much trouble (although he can dog well). He’s not usually the one to instigate rough play with the others, but can hold his own if he has to do so. Luke is Luke. He can be stubborn at times, and will every now and then, insist we do things his way. For example, when it’s bed time, Luke has to be coaxed to come up to bed, where the others spring into action and race up the stairs. His way, on his own terms, and in his own time. He’d make a good island dog! Luke adds so much to our Golden family, even when he is being quiet.

The White House 2009

As we approach the presidential election in 2008, which quite honestly has been a long time in coming, because we have been inundated with the presidential candidates “politicking” for a very long time, I wonder do people vote FOR their favorite politician, or AGAINST the one they do not like? According to one political web site I recently found “good democracy requires voting out bad politicians.”

I have decided (for now) who I will vote for, but my vote is based upon, to some extent, who I do not want to see in office from the same party. I like the candidate, but do I like them enough to want them for my president? This is the question I pose to myself. I hope that between now and then, my potential candidate provides me with more of a reason to vote for them, and simply not AGAINST the other candidate. There are far too many important issues that will help me to determine who I will vote for in November. I just have to hope that between now and then, my decision is one that I make with confidence and with an in depth knowledge about the person who will reside in the White House for four LONG years.

For those of you who might need some help in choosing your candidate, this link will take you to a web site that helps to sort out the issues.

Wax On, Wax Off

What you see is a Golden. Believe it or not. Our little Meego had a run in with a waxing pot, and because of the incident, he had to be shaved. (Thankfully, that’s all he needed, as it could have been worse).

Caitlin and I were doing our waxing routine, and he had to be nosey. His feet got tangled up in the electric cord, and the wax pot went up in the air and wax was all over the place; yet mostly on Meegs. After an emergency call to PetSmart to see if they did emergency wax removals from doggy fur (I am sure they are still laughing), Caitlin took him over to meet the girls who wash the dogs. Unfortunately, the only thing that worked was Mr. Razor, and what we now have is a dog that looks more like Lab than a Golden.

They say that dogs who know they are some how different than their peers have jealously issues and can become depressed. With all of his energy and antics, he has no time to become depressed. At least I have not seen any clinical signs of depression. I have noticed a wee bit of jealously. He now likes to PULL the hair out of Luke, who is the furriest Golden we own. The bad thing about this is that Luke lets him do it! So I have had to spray bitter apple on his fur to keep Meego away. Not fun for Luke, but it does help.

The moral of this story…wax and dogs do not mix well. Ever.

Lexy

What you see in the video below is a dog. More specifically a Golden Retriever named Lexy. One might say she’s a cute dog, a pretty dog, or even a silly dog. Then again, one might not even know she’s a she.

Like most dogs, she’s warm, lovable, and fills the role as one of the “Family Dogs.” What you can’t see in this picture is all the happiness, joy, and good laughs she has brought to our family. Although how could you not chuckle when you watch the video?

Her American Kennel Club registration papers identify her as “Tyler’s Little Shadow Princess Lexy.” We call her Lexy, Lex, Roo, Slider, Ruby Red, Spy Girl, and a bunch of other names. She was born in Oklahoma on an ostrich farm. One of eight pups, her personality from the start even amused the family she started her life with on that farm.

When we first met Lexy, we knew we wanted a female pup, but we had the choice of several female pups. Lexy seemed to seek us out. Of all her siblings, she was the most aggressive, but immediately won us all over. The vote to pick her was unanimous. Lexy was not to be the only family dog when we got her, and she had to earn the love of another family dog, a golden like her, named Tyler. It was almost two years, before he become fond of his pesky little sister.

What makes Lexy special is all the joy and happiness, and many good laughs she had brought to us over the past 9 plus years. She entered our family at a very difficult time. We had moved to Oklahoma, leaving all of our family behind in New Jersey, including my father who was terminally ill. None of us were happy, and laughs were hard to find, especially for Caitlin. No matter how hard we all tried, getting settled in our new home, schools, and jobs, was not easy. None of us would have expected that a tiny puppy would be able to fill our lives with such big laughs. (Tyler was the only one who did not find her amusing)

From the start her curiosity in learning her new world always seemed to lead to new adventures for her, and the occasional chuckle from us. It seemed she provided us with something to focus on rather than on what we were missing on back in New Jersey. As time passed, we were able to get back closer to home, and our family. Lexy came into our lives at a time when we needed a bit more happiness, and a few more laughs. If a doctor were to order the perfect pill to cure our blues, Lexy would have been the magic pill.

It's been 9 plus years since Lexy's adoption into our family and we couldn't love her more. She lost her brother Tyler several years ago, but has since become the older sister of Luke, Madison, and most recently, Meego. This is another whole posting! To this day, she is still a source of amusement to us all, and has not yet lost any of her puppy playfulness (as you can see in the video) or curiosity about her world, and we are grateful.

The Joys of Baking

"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort."

~Norman Kolpas

The above quote is certainly true. However, if Norman were to formulate a quote in regards to my old style of cooking and baking, he’d add the words, “interesting, unusual, thought provoking, and out of the ordinary”. It’s true, well almost.

Until several years ago, I had no real interest in the finer arts of baking and cooking. My culinary creativity was put to the test when I added hotdog pieces to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese ©. When my extended family got together for barbeques, I was the one asked to bring the paper goods. “It’s really better this way,’ I was informed. I had a spice cabinet full of spices and herbs, all for show. My baking and cooking supplies were almost non-existent. I didn’t need them. I hated cooking and baking.

Then one day I was standing in the line at the supermarket and a dish on the cover of Gourmet Magazine caught my attention. I bought the magazine and to my surprise the dish was not only easy to assemble, but I had all the necessary food and spices to throw it together. Of course, my next concern was would my family like it? They did! I was hooked. I was on my way to becoming a culinary Goddess.

Okay, that might be stretching it, but the truth is I finally saw myself as someone who might be able to function beyond the microwave on the kitchen. I started buying various food magazines and cookbooks and focused on the easier things to make. My family began looking for newer dishes to grace the table at mealtime! I soon realized that cooking and baking require love, time, and the ability to try new things. Fear really has no place in the kitchen.

So today I love to lots more time to devote to trying new things and have now amazed my friends and family at my talents in the kitchen. I’m happy there too.

“Noncooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.” ~ Julia Child

My Orange Blossom Cookies

Orange Blossoms *Makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies

1 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp orange extract

2 cups flour

¼ tsp salt

Heat oven to 400. Beat butter, sugar, and extract. Stir in flour and salt. IF dough is too soft, chill to firm a bit. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased trays. Press bottom of glass into dough to grease glass then into granulated sugar. (I use Turbinado sugar) Then press dough ball on tray with sugared glass to about ¼ inch thick.

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove immediately to racks to cool for about 30 minutes. Spread orange filling between pairs of cookies and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Orange filling:

¼ cup sugar

2 ¼ tsp cornstarch

¼ cup water

1 Tb butter

1 tsp grated orange peel

4 ½ tsp orange juice

Mix sugar and cornstarch in 1 qt saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cool. Enjoy!!

Technology and Umbilical Cords

I love knowing that through today's technology I have an almost constant "lifeline" to my kids. It can only be compared to an umbilical cord; a valuable link that joins mother and baby. The value of a healthy umbilical cord is important as it allows the mother to share nutrients with her baby and to exchange oxygenated blood between the placenta and the fetus.

My umbilical cord to my kids consists of cell phones, the land line (you know that thing hanging on the kitchen wall), and various computer programs that allow me to connect instantly, anytime, anywhere. Now that Caitlin is living so far from me, this connection has become all too important and one I could not be without. Technology allows us to share information. It allows me to see her in real time, so that I can really see how she is doing. (Facial expressions have become all too important). Cell phones link me to Daniel and this becomes important when the weather is bad and I have to know he is at work or home safe and sound.

The phrase "cutting the umbilical cord" is used symbolically to describe a child's breaking away from the parental home. They may leave home or be far from home, but they are never far from me as long as technology allows me this vital link. It allows me to breathe easier. I am grateful they understand this need I have and that they never mind me entering their lives via technology.