Angels among us

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another. 

- Luciano de Crescenzo

So true. I experienced this phenomenon many times this week.

Christmas morning, I was surprised by my son Jeremy's arrival. He'd been working away from home for several days and didn't expect to make it back for Christmas. He drove all night, exhausted, through a blizzard and arrived home safe and sound at 6:30 in the morning, thanks be to God.  I was so happy for him to be home, and he was happy to be home, too. 

My son, Bailey, 15 years old, is a delight. I realize that the time I get to spend with him now is very precious and I appreciate every moment. As part of his high school curriculum, Bailey is required to do volunteer work. We had the good fortune of being able to assist at Mount Saint Mary's Abbey in Wrentham, Massachusetts, a sanctuary in every sense of the word. I'm a firm believer that hard work is good for a person, and I had hoped Bailey would feel this way as well. He thoroughly enjoyed working at the abbey, as did I, and we felt truly blessed to be able to spend time with the wonderful sisters who have dedicated their lives to prayer and contemplation.

This year, my dear, devoted friends, Janice and Tim, hosted Christmas. They included our wonderful mutual friends, Anita and Andre, and extended families, too.

At Janice and Tim's, I got the chance to visit with my adorable 4 year old grand nephew, Tyler. What a nice boy, thanks to the parenting of his father and his mother, my niece, Janet. I told Janet how impressed we were with such a polite little boy and the wonderful mother she had become.  Janet was touched and happy to hear how we felt.

And then, another joy! I was completely surprised by the gift that my dear sister, Marcia, gave me! About 30 years ago, my brother Brian bought my mother a beautiful pearl pin on a trip to Japan. After my mother passed away, my sisters and I drew straws to choose an item of my mother's. My sister, Dottie, chose first, and selected the pin. The next year for Christmas, Dottie gifted it to me. A few years later, I gave it to Marcia. Now this year, Marcia gave the pin back to me. I was touched to be able to enjoy this special family heirloom once again.

I know that these stories aren't so unusual. Everyone has friends and family whom they love and are loved by them. But this year, I've become very much aware of how intertwined we all are: how we can only fly when we're made complete by others.

To accompany this post, I've chosen a fitting recipe: Divinity Fudge - one of my mother's favorite recipes from her "bible" - The Fanny Farmer Cookbook. This version comes from The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer. This seventh edition, published by Little, Brown & Company, 1945, is revised by Wilma Lord Perkins, who writes:

To

Mrs. William B. Sewall

in appreciation of her helpful encouragement

and untiring efforts in promoting the 

work of scientific cookery

this book is affectionately dedicated

by the author

Divinity Fudge

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup cold water

1 tsp. vinegar

1 egg white, beaten until stiff, but not dry

1/2 cup chopped nuts or coconut, etc.

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Boil sugar, water, and vinegar to 240 degrees F, or until mixture forms a firm ball when tried in cold water. Pour slowly on egg white, beating until creamy. Add nuts and vanilla and drop in lumps on waxed paper or spread in buttered pan and cut into squares.

Heating the brown sugar, water and vinegar in the pan.

Boiling until the temperature reaches 240 degrees F.

Ah, now the time where we get to test for the right stage. This was my favorite part of making fudge when I was little.  I remember my mother dipping her fingers into the cold water and picking up the strands and rolling it into a ball. Then she'd give it to me to eat.  I always thought that this chewy morsel was so delicious and even better than the finished product!

Here's the divinity almost at the firm ball stage.  
I popped it right into my mouth! Just for old time's sake, of course.

Egg whites whipped and ready for the sweet mixture.

Stirring it up and waiting for the magic to happen.

With a little effort, it's ready to drop onto waxed paper in no time.

Deeper in color than the divinity made with corn syrup,

these light and airy candies have a caramel taste

from the richness of brown sugar.

May you be blessed to enjoy them with an angel.

Season's Greetings!

It has been a few years since I've taken the time to sit down and write out Christmas cards. It was so nice to renew the tradition - sitting by the fire, going through my old address book and finding friends to re-connect with. There's something so calming and so dear about putting pen to paper, sealing envelopes with pretty holiday stickers, and making a special trip to the post office for Christmas stamps.


Speaking of connecting with people, I heard from Mary, a thoughtful, Yankee Kitchen listener, who took the time to contact me and share her memories of Gus Saunders and the Yankee Kitchen. She wrote about Gus's last broadcast, how sad she and her mother were that day, and how she wanted to maintain the connection among the callers. I remember that day very well, too, and how Gus said that there would be other things to come along to take the place of the program. Those days are irreplaceable. And, certainly, no one can take the place of the kind-hearted gentleman who was so dearly loved by his listeners.

Reminisce for a few moments as Gus greets new callers

in his typical welcoming way

I received a wonderful gift of Boston Kitchen cookbooks (The Yankee Kitchen's earlier name) from the daughter of one of the show's long-time listeners. While callers shared their own recipes with each other, it was a rare treat to get a recipe from Gus. However, in the very back of one of these cookbooks, is a section entitled "Some of Gus' Favorite Recipes". 

Here are three classic dishes that Gus enjoyed. Perhaps they'll grace your table this holiday season. 

Wishing you peace and joy and love,

Anita

Burgundy Beef

1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons bacon fat

1/2 cup onions, diced

1/2 cup carrots, diced

1/2 cup water

1 cup canned beef broth

3/4 cup burgundy

Dredge meat in mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Brown slowly in bacon fat.  Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer very slowly about 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. Stir often, adding a little water if needed. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Serves 4.

Potatoes Chantilly

6 medium potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot milk or light cream

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

2 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated

Boil, peel, and mash potatoes. Add butter, salt and milk and blend until smooth. Spread in oven-proof casserole. Cover with heavy cream (whipped) and sprinkle with grated cheese. Brown under broiler.

Cherries Jubilee

1 small can pitted, black cherries

2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch

2 ounces brandy

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Drain cherries and heat reserved juice in small saucepan adding arrowroot and blend thoroughly. Cook until reduced by one third and slightly thickened. Add cherries and heat through. Add brandy. Heat a few seconds and ignite. Pour flaming cherries with juice over ice cream. Serves 2.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese through the ages

Here's a dish that's been in my family - and probably yours - ever since I can remember. When I was little, my mother used to make it with crushed potato chips on top. When my kids were little, I added chopped apples to it for a healthier twist. I think it was about that same time when I began hearing macaroni and cheese referred to as "mac 'n cheese".  I'm so accustomed to that name now, it's hard to believe that we didn't always call it that.

A couple of years ago, my oldest son told me that he preferred the boxed kind of mac 'n cheese to the homemade one! Turns out that what he liked was a softer, creamier mac 'n cheese. Once I realized that, I started baking the homemade version covered. I prefer it that way now, too.

This afternoon, I got a request for mac 'n cheese from my youngest. What prompted it was today's visit to the orthodontist for an expander. If you've never heard of an expander, let me just say that this is basically a torture device that goes into your mouth and gets cranked up little by little to spread your teeth apart. This is the first step on the road to braces when your teeth are overcrowded.

When the orthodontist told my son that he should eat soft foods for the first few days, my son immediately suggested that I make homemade mac 'n cheese.

This is my version of a recipe that I got from the back of a box of Mueller's elbow macaroni many years ago. Vary it as you, and your loved ones, see fit.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

4 TB corn starch

11/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard 

1/4 tsp. pepper

5 cups milk

3 TB butter

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. shredded mozzarella

1 lb. box of elbow macaroni - cooked 6 minutes in boiling salted water, then drained

In a medium saucepan, combine corn starch, salt, dry mustard & pepper. To speed up the white sauce process, heat the milk in the microwave first. I do this in a couple of batches: 2 1/2 cups of milk heated on high for 3 minutes, then add it to the saucepan, then the next 2 1/2 cups of milk microwaved, then added to the saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat while stirring. When it comes to a boil, stop stirring and let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add butter and stir. Reserve 1/2 cup cheese for topping. Add remaining cheese and stir until melted. Add elbows. Turn into a large greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake covered in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Put under the broiler for a couple of minutes if you want to brown the top. For a crunchier top, bake uncovered for the entire baking time.

It's the pie that you want

Apple Crumble Pie
Easy-to-make and uber-crumbly

You know when you're home at night and you really want something sweet? There's nothing in the house to eat and you know you could make something, but you're tired and you really don't feel like making anything? That was me last night. I remembered that I had apples and that they could be made into a pie. I said to myself, "Apple pie would be good."

"Yes, good idea! Make an apple pie," said a voice from the next room.

An hour or so later, there was that voice again. "So, where's that apple pie?"

I did not feel like making a pie.  Well, not a crust anyway.

Then I thought, "I could make a crustless apple pie. A Dutch apple pie." And, with that thought, an apple pie came to fruition. ;)

We have pie!

Well, we had pie.

Correction, I had pie. The kids had none. That's because they had fallen asleep.

But, today they got the pie that they wanted.

Did I mention how good this pie is, er, was, and will be when you make it?

Apple Crumble Pie

For the crumb mixture:

2 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar

1 packet of instant oatmeal (apple/cinnamon flavor works great)

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

Combine dry ingredients. Add butter and stir with fork until crumbly. Reserve 1½ cups for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a pie or quiche plate.

For the filling:

1 c. water

1 c. sugar

3 TB cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients, bring to a boil and stir until thick. Set aside.

Peel and cut 5 cooking apples into pieces - sort of like thick slices cut in half (about 3 cups), and place into prepared pie plate. Pour filling mixture over apples. Cover with the remaining 1½ cups crumb topping.

Bake at 350F for about 55 minutes or until topping begins to brown. Cool a bit on wire rack.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

All dressed up and nowhere to go but down

How to make "Pumpkin" Coffee at home with regular coffee

"This comes pretty close to the pre-sweetened seasonal coffee you get in the store."

"Pumpkin" Coffee

1 measured cup of brewed coffee

1 dash of ground ginger

2 dashes of ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons of Monastery Creamed Almond Honey

 or 4 teaspoons of regular honey - more or less to taste

Milk or cream 

Stir and enjoy!

I always get disappointed when I read a recipe that calls for some obscure ingredient like Monastery Creamed Almond Honey. Certainly, you can use regular honey and it will still be enjoyable. However, almond honey does make the coffee taste better, and a trip to the Abbey to buy the almond honey makes life better, too.

I live near the calm oasis of Mount Saint Mary's Abbey, a beautiful place in Wrentham, Massachusetts. There is a lovely chapel here where you can sit down and find a few moments of peace.

The Chapel at Mount Saint Mary's Abbey, Wrentham, Massachusetts

I began visiting the abbey after the birth of my son almost 20 years ago. The nuns used to bake bread and sell it twice a week in a small vestibule that you would enter through a large medieval-looking wooden door. With an infant in my arms, I would do as the sign said:  "Ring the bell before entering and wait for the sister to come to the turn". Sister would appear in a booth-like structure, slide open the window, and greet you. If you asked for bread, she, in a calm and deliberate fashion, would proceed down a flight of stairs to the kitchen, retrieve the loaves, then walk back upstairs, and place the loaves, warm from the oven, into a paper bag.

Quite a refreshing change from the crazed outside world.

Although the nuns no longer sell bread, they do offer their wonderful candy that they make on the premises and sell in the gift shop. You'll also find the delicious Monastery Creamed Honey - in several flavors - made by the Monks of Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, VA.  There are Trappistine jams and jellies, too, books and cards of a religious nature, and other lovely gift items available in the shop.

Inside the box of candy is a tiny brochure with the following:

With regard to those who live in a calm and deliberate manner, I invite you to spend a few minutes listening to Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, speaking on mindfulness.

If you listen all the way to the end, you will learn that the practice of mindfulness can even lead you to getting more enjoyment out of a cup of coffee.

Peace.

Leave the light on

It's back to school, back to business - a hectic time for everyone.

The beginning of September really does feel like the New Year. The calendar is full, the days are spoken for, the night is often busy, too. When the family sits down together for a meal these days, it's a rare treat. When it's just not possible to get together, make 'em happy with comfort foods that will keep until they get home.

Monday is my day off, but it was full of appointments. Driving during the morning rush, I saw little ones walking out the door with giant backpacks and moms pushing strollers, leading the older children safely to school. I felt nostalgic watching them, remembering earlier days when my kids were little, thinking of the sweet innocence of children and the excitement of living in a home where everything is fresh and new.

I work Saturdays.  By the time I finish this last day of the week, I generally come home to a house that's been neglected.  Dishes piled up here, clothes strewn there, cupboards bare.

Imagine my surprise when I actually came home to a rare treat! Waffles were on the menu. My son Jeremy, who never cooks, realized that if he wanted to eat, he had to take matters into his own hands.

Necessity being the mother of invention, Jeremy made waffles.  Here is a quote from my oldest son that I never thought I'd hear: "I decided not to use vanilla. I used lemon extract instead." 

Waffles

"I got it online," says Jeremy

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups warm milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon lemon extract

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. 

Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.

Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour

mixture; beat until blended.  Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron.

Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

As I write this, I'm the only one home.  Bailey's working out at the gym, Justin is working after school, and Jeremy is visiting his gramma.

I just finished making this delicious lasagna. They'll be happy to find this when they get home.

This wonderful recipe is an old standby from my friends, Janice and Tim. No ricotta in this one. Just hamburg or ground turkey, and the rest of the traditional lasagna fixins.

The original recipe calls for lasagna noodles cooked for a few minutes. 
Today I tried the "no boil" type noodles.
They worked really well.

Trader Joe's and Roche's Food Club brands featured in this one.

The delicious finished product.

All layered and lovely and ready to eat.

Classic Lasagna

16 oz. lasagna noodles

2 qts. spaghetti sauce

1 cup water

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

3 cups mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 pounds hamburger or ground turkey

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. fennel (if desired)

Cook noodles in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Let stand 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water so you can handle it. Lay the strips on paper towels. Brown meat & drain fat. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir in sauce & water.

Pour 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Put a layer of noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella, cheese & parmesan cheese; repeat layers finishing with the last remaining meat sauce, mozzarella and parmesan. Cover with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

I call these tasty treats, "Back to School Brownies". Perfect with a nice glass of milk and not too sweet. This recipe is from the back of the Nestle Toll House Cocoa package. They're chewy and delicious.

Hits the Sweet Spot

Chewy Cocoa Brownies

1 2/3 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

2 TB water

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 c. flour

3/4 c. Nestle Toll House cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. chopped nuts (optional)

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. 

Combine sugar, butter & water in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir into sugar mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 18-25 minutes until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan over wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars. Makes 2 dozen brownies. 

Falling for the end of summer

Enjoying the late blooming flowers.

   The

        last

           vestiges

                      of 

                         summer.

         
             
                  
                    Cooler

                           nights.        
                 
               


                         






The sun sets earlier, the day ends.



Let's set the mood with some soulful music from the fabulous Nnenna Freelon.  The end of summer, the end of a love. The Meaning of the Blues.

And now, some chardonnay.

Calling All Angels. Round and full, it marries well with the creaminess of scalloped potatoes.

From Marion Morash, The Victory Garden Cookbook, a reliable source for preparing vegetables - from basic methods to accompanying sauces - and classic recipes, like this one.

Comfort food for the coming months.

Naomi Morash's Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes

"When I got married, Russ said that he hoped someday I could make scalloped potatoes like his mother's. She  always cooks them in a deep-dish casserole and lets the flour thicken the sauce." ... Marian Morash 2 1/2 lbs. boiling potatoes 1 large onion 1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese salt & freshly ground pepper 4 TB flour 6-8 TB butter 3-4 cups milk Peel (if you wish) and slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch pieces, drop into cold water. Peel and thinly slice the onion.  Roughly grate the cheese.  Butter a deep 2 1/2 - 3 quart casserole dish.  Dry the potatoes. Divide the ingredients into fourths and in the following order, layer the potatoes and season with salt and pepper, and the onion slices, sprinkle with flour, dot with butter, top with cheese. Repeat this layering three times. Pour over just enough milk to cover the potatoes. Cover the dish and place in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until the milk comes to the boil and bubbles.  Remove the cover and bake for another 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is browned. Serves 6-8, From The Victory Garden Cookbook, Marian Morash, Knopf, 1982.