Happy Winter Solstice! Music for Sunday

Ever since the days began getting shorter with the fall equinox, I have been looking forward to this day -- December 21st -- because this day marks the start of the sun's return back toward us.

While I enjoy any winter activity on a sunny day or bright, moonlight night, I don't like the darker days of winter. Like this morning, for example. I woke to the same gray skies that the darkness of last night had folded into. But with today's solstice date, I know that the march out of winter has begun.

Enjoy today's Sunday Solstice music and beautiful pictures. Happy Solstice, everyone! And don't forget to keep your eyes on the lights in your life.

A New Way to Pesto

The diminishing quality of pine nuts on the market over the last couple of years has brought disappointment to many-a-pesto-lover in the kitchen, given the high cost of these special nuts.

Many reviews and comments about pine nuts referenced a lingering bitter taste in the mouth that became known as "pine mouth," which was especially troublesome since it was impossible to know by look or smell if the nut you had on hand was good or bad. Even the FDA got involved, read here.

Making pesto can be costly enough, if you have to purchase all the ingredients from the store -- olive oil, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, and nuts. Thus, I for one, wasn't thrilled about dropping cash on nuts that may ruin a whole batch, let alone leave me clawing at my tongue for weeks to get rid of that awful taste.

Thus, I searched for an alternative, and low and behold, I found one. Garbanzo beans.

However, if you want to avoid making glorified humus, preparation of the pesto requires a couple tricks.

First, you have to bake the beans in the oven at 225 degrees for about 40 minutes. Second, you MUST be sure to add lemon juice. This ingredient is essential, and I will warn you that many recipes floating out there on the web for this garbanzo bean alternative to pesto have omitted it. Unfortunately, those who don't know any better will be highly disappointed, and likely voicing my own son's remarks after tasting the first trial batch, which were, "That's not good." (Note: remarks have been modified to protect reputations of all parties involved.)

Fortunately, I didn't throw out the batch, and after a fair amount of reflection over what I'd done, I realized what was missing, and the pesto was easily saved. (Note: it always helps to refer back to your own original recipes.)

Pesto can be prepared for a variety of uses. I tend to use mine for cracker and sandwich spreads, so it has a thicker consistency than what may be drizzled over pasta.  Whatever your fancy, you can modify the recipe to suit your needs. Pesto is highly forgiving that way. Want a pasta dressing? Then add more oil, and back off a bit on the beans.

Enjoy your own experiments, and have fun welcoming pesto back into your kitchen (with a better budget, too!)

Pesto with Garbanzo Beans

1 can garbanzos
2 cups fresh basil, packed
1 cup Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice

(optional: add 2 medium, seeded, roma tomatoes)

Mix all together in a food processor.

Serve what you need, and Freeze the rest in smaller tuperwares for up to 6 months.

I've posted a lot about pesto before. For the original tomato pesto recipe, go here.

Hello, Winter Sunday Sunshine and Music

Winter has settled in our valley with an unlikely companion this season - sunshine.

Usually our valley air gets hammered by inversions, where the cold air becomes trapped near the valley floor under a thick layer of impenetrable clouds, leading us to go through day after day without a sign of sun. Usually our valley gets highlighted in the news during these episodes as one of the worst places in the US for air quality.  Usually I spend my free time figuring out how and when I can leave this valley for brighter days. But not this year. So far, I've awoke on the weekends to glorious blue skies, leading me to make plans that actually take me outside -- here in the valley, of all places -- rather than elsewhere. I can only hope our good weather lasts, and take advantage of it while I can.

Here is a somewhat relevant photo that I found to share my experience with winter, thus far. (Since dropping my camera in orange juice a while back, it's been hard to get decent pictures, because the "new" camera I got, which was supposed to be identical to the first, basically stinks big-time. The quality of Canon's internal parts has obviously taken a nose-dive, unbeknownst to me when I thought replacing my camera would be simple, so long as I got the same model. And as far as the camera-in-orange-juice story goes, don't ask. It's complicated - but true to the luck I tend to run with.)

It's been a while since I posted Sunday music recommendations. This morning the view of the sun glinting off the snow-covered mountain peaks inspired me to search out some winter piano. Martin Herzberg's composition fit the bill.  Enjoy! I know I shall. It's filling my writing space and inspiring my muse quite nicely.

Goodbye, Summer. Hello, Fall

Spring and Summer rose with the sun each day, and like them, I grabbed hold of the line to which they were attached and was brought along on their fast-forward and unrelenting ride. Now I find myself in the midst of autumn with the sun dipping from the sky sooner than I'd like each evening, veiling my activities under ever-darkening and cooling night tide.

In a few words? Life has been crazy and busy and full of changes to which I've been slow to adjust. Yet, the world has moved along, and a few more pages have been torn from the calendar; and now I am staring at the last few eves of October, while wondering where the refreshing breezes of September went. Or August's for that matter. I have always loved August and its restful morning light that shimmies in through my window, feeling warm and welcoming like an old friend.

As fall wraps itself up into winter, I hope to wrap myself into finding more time to relax and reflect and share a bit more with friends. Like the new recipes I've come up with and books I've discovered.

One book which brought me back to my New Hampshire roots was written by Melissa Coleman: This Life is In Your Hands. Although tragic, I found it riveting and thought-provoking and well worth the read.

Another was John Green's Looking for Alaska, which was okay. Well, more than okay. It was great. Okay? If you're wondering what I mean, then you'll have to read the book to find out.

Until next time, enjoy the place where you find yourself at, and remain hopeful and anticipatory of the moments that surely will follow.

Better Days with a Recipe for Better Strawberry Pie

After feeling like I've been falling into a deep freeze the past few days, it looks like Spring is finally emerging victorious over Old Man Winter who wanted to rear back up its ugly head. I see a peak of blue sky on the horizon, which I am hoping will yield to a bit of sunshine later this afternoon.

This calls for a celebration. Not only because I'll finally warm up, but also because my face surgery went better than expected a couple weeks ago. The carcinoma was not as widespread as the doctors had prepared me for, and the scar is already hardly noticeable since it fits right along the edge of my nose. Plus, my stylish hat collection is growing, so I feel like a woman born-again -- at least when it comes to sizing up my status in fashion.

My renewed sense of energy has lured me back into the kitchen. With strawberries coming back in season in my neck of the woods, I'm going to share one of my son's all-time favorites: Strawberry Pie.

But today you not only get a better recipe than you'll find on the web, you get two. Plus, both are healthier and just as tasty. I don't think it can get any better than that, can it?

Well, I suppose it always can, but we're sticking to the pie.

First, with the healthier side. Many of you probably have heard the reports coming out about how bad sugar is for our bodies. Among its many dark deeds, it is directly linked to Type 2 diabetes. For years, I've always cut back on sugar in my pies, simply because with the natural sugars present in fruit, I decided that most recipes call for an overkill. Let me assure you that cutting back on sugar is not for lack of a sweet-tooth on my part. I LOVE sweets, and will never turn down cake or cookies for breakfast if such items are lingering in my kitchen from the day before.

However, after much thought on the matter and baking in the kitchen, I realized that most recipes were designed historically around a time-intensive transportation/delivery system that no longer is in place today. Historically, in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, fruits and vegetables that found their way into the kitchen weren't recently harvested, but had endured a week- to month's worth-or-more-of-time in transportation and storage. During that time, sugars would naturally break down, and thus fruits weren't as sweet as what they would be if they were fresh-picked and ripe at harvest.


These days, with improved refrigeration during delivery and shorter time from harvest to table, I've bet on the side that most recipes continue to call for more sugar than you typically need. Especially if you're using fresh regional produce. Even more so, if you're using your own.

I've found this too-much-sugar concept to be particularly true when making jam, and you can read more about that in my post here. Nevertheless, if using less sugar applies to jam, it's going to apply to pies as well, as I've been practicing all along. So here goes. Let's dive right in!

Better Strawberry Pie, Recipe #1

1 9-inch pie crust, lined in pie pan, pricked with fork and baked 10 min at 400 degrees
1 quart organic* strawberries, plus extra for fresh garnish
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup orange juice
whipped cream for topping

Hull and slice the strawberries and place them into a heavy-bottomed, medium sauce pan. Don't mash them. You'll lose what makes eating fruit good for you. (Do research if you want to know more.) Pour the sugar over the berries and then add the orange juice. Let the berries sit in this concoction for about 30 minutes. The juice and sugar will begin to draw out those natural sugars and water inside the berries. While you're waiting, pass the time by preparing the pie crust.

You can also pass the time by hulling and slicing those extra berries you bought and set aside. You'll be tossing these on top of the pie when serving it, so you might as well get them ready.

*Speaking of berries, use organic if you can. Strawberries are in the Dirty Dozen for pesticide residue, because they are grown with tons of pesticides. So go organic, if you can. Especially if you're cooking for kids.

After about 30 minutes, add the cornstarch to the berries and cook them over medium heat, while continually stirring them. The juice should thicken up as it starts to slowly bubble after about 5 minutes. I usually let it continue to slowly bubble for about 1 minute more with stirring. Once it is reasonably thick, remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for about 15 minutes. Then pour the cooked berries and sauce into the prepared pie crust. Set the pie in the fridge after it has cooled for 10 minutes more. The pie should be ready to serve after about 2 hours when it has completely chilled and set.

Top each slice with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Better Strawberry Pie, Recipe #2

So, I happen to love cheesecake, so that is where this recipe comes from. Combining two of my favorite pies. My son prefers the first recipe. Me? I'll go for either one, but if push comes to shove, I'll grab the second.

1 8-inch graham cracker crust, prepared

1/2 of the strawberry pie recipe above (for filling) (prepared separately)
1 package Pillsbury cream cheese (8 oz), softened to room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream (4 oz)
2 teaspoons orange juice or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all the ingredients for the cheesecake portion of the pie together until smooth. Pour into the graham cracker crust and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes (until firm). Remove from oven and let cool.

While the cheesecake layer is baking, make your strawberry filling for the top layer of the pie, as directed in recipe #1. When the strawberry filling is cooled to a warm temperature, pour it over the top of the cheesecake layer, and set in the fridge to chill and set. The pie should be ready to serve after about 2 hours. Top each slice with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Feel free to share any of your favorite ideas and tips.

Signs of Spring

 

The gray hues of winter finally released their grip last week, and I found myself lured out into the yard to begin spring clean up.  Once again I was pleasantly rewarded to see bursts of color poking up from last year's dead growth, which I had left behind. Our new kitten named Sky chased after her first buzzing insect, and thankfully didn't do too much damage to the new flowers she was pouncing on in the process. Sandhill cranes also kept me company as they sang their calls far overhead. They had returned from their winter feeding grounds.

These signs of spring fueled my hope that my yard may also serve as an analogy to my writing projects.  When I return to the manuscripts I've been scribbling away at all winter and carefully hone them with an editorial eye, I might be able to bright out something bright and beautiful as well.

Happy spring!

 

Kindle Highlights - a useful tool and much more

I'm a bit slow when it comes to technology. I've had my Kindle for nearly 2 years I believe, and only recently did I become aware of how to actually use the highlighting tool. Of course, it should come as no surprise that I DID KNOW this tool existed. And what's even more silly is how I first became aware of it. I'd come across a quote that readers had highlighted from The Ghost in Me, and it brought me pause because I didn't really remember writing those words. BUT obviously I had, because there they were, noted clear-as-day by other readers.

And here it is, as I saw it on Amazon.


Popular Highlights (What's this?)                
   

1. “We all have our beginnings, Myri. We are born with them, and we die with them, too. We carry them with us wherever we go. They keep our future open and unwritten… like blank pages waiting to be filled at the beginning of a journal, or those that lie waiting at the end of a book.”

   15 Highlighters    

After the initial confusion passed, the realization of my reality was followed by another equally silly idea, as I went on to think, Well that's pretty cool. I actually wrote that.

Uh, yeah.

As I said, I can be a bit slow, or daft, or absent-minded at times. But I'll also give myself some benefit of the doubt by saying that my life is full. I'm busy with my own kids--not to mention 180 other high school biology students, so it tends to be full of distractions. Plus, it seems perfectly reasonable that words I've strung together in the past have been shuffled to the side in order to make way for the new books that are working their way into the creative space occupying my mind.

But back to the point of this post: Kindle Highlighter as a Tool. For those that have to read and write analytical papers on novels, this is a handy way to keep track of text that moves you or relates to your paper topic. Other blog posts and web articles are available on how these highlighted texts can be downloaded by Kindle readers for use in such papers.

Kindle Highlighter also serves as another communication tool that readers can use, because readers can share text (just be kind and avoid sharing spoilers). For example, I was able to tweet a short passage that I liked recently as I was reading The Dress by Sophie Nicholls. Here is the tweet I sent, courtesy of Amazon as I was highlighting the prose on my kindle>

TWEET: Passages like these are just simply beautiful to read. And the author does this again and again:     

Ella watched her disappear then, watched her gaze travel far away, out into the air somewhere above her head, where she imagined that she could almost feel the shape of the past shimmering and pulsing for a moment. -- The Dress by Sophie Nicholls

I also noticed that my kindle offers subtle highlights on popular passages that have been selected by other readers. I can see these in the background of the prose as I'm reading. It was neat to pause and reflect on how this lovely novel was connecting with others, and if we were have similar or different experiences with the book.

All in all, if you are a student who has to write an analytical paper, or a reader who simply likes to share books you like, the Kindle Highlighter offers another interested way to connect with other readers.

I look forward to seeing how I use kindle highlighter in more of the ebooks I read, both as a reader and a highlighter.  

Better Pasta Salad and Music for Sunday (pre-SuperBowl Sunday)

It's Superbowl Sunday! Are you ready for all the activity? I've found some beautiful Native American Flute Music for you to enjoy this morning as you get ready for the day ahead.

Before the game I am hoping to get some snowshoeing activity in with my daughter. But first I'm sure I'll be busy prepping some sort of food for the festivities and the week ahead. One of those is a Pasta Salad. This is a great dish to share with a group of people you are hoping to impress. Better yet, you can bring any leftovers with you to work for a simple lunch. As a teacher, I am always looking for simple but satisfying (and no, a Snickers bar just doesn't cut it despite what the commercials say).

So, if you're looking for a great and easy meal, scroll down to the recipe below. It takes about 30 minutes to make from start to finish. It can be served fresh-made with hint of warm still lingering, or chilled after being set in the fridge.

 Enjoy!

 

Better Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
8 ounces of BowTie pasta (1/2 of a 16 ounce bag)
6-8 ounces of broccoli (frozen or fresh)
1/4 of a red onion, chopped
1/2 cup cranberry raisins (crasins)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
6 strips of cooked bacon (chopped) OR 1/4 lb deli ham (sliced for sandwiched and then chopped by you)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar (I use pure raw sugar seen in the photo here, but granulated works just as well)

salt/pepper, sprinkled to taste

Instructions:
Cook the pasta until just tender, drain and set in your salad bowl.

Cook the broccoli until just tender as well (don't let it get mushy or too soft). Drain the broccoli and add to the pasta in the bowl.


If you are using bacon, cook that as desired, then cool and chop.
Or, if you are like me and prefer a less fatty, ready made meat, go for the deli ham and chop that up instead. Add the meat to the pasta bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients (onion, almonds, cheeses) add stir together.

In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar with spoon until smooth. Pour this over the ingredients in the pasta bowl and mix to distribute throughout the salad.

Top with a bit of fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste.

Chill or serve as is.

Serves about 8 generous portions.

Music for Sunday

Apparently, I need to start getting back into the habit of posting music for Sundays on a regular basis, if I want to stay in the loop of the Indie music scene. The first music video I am sharing below is a prime example of one good reason why. ... >>> I had no idea Chase Kimball could sing! He has such an amazing voice, which complements singer/songwriter Keiyana Osmond so well. You see, this young man used to be a playmate of my daughter's, and they began toddling around the neighborhood when they were 3 and 4. Plus, I love Maroon 5, so it all adds up to a perfect pleasant little surprise.


I've featured Keiyana's original music video previously, Dancin on a Wire here.

The other music video I am sharing for Sunday features a blend of classical music and loons. Yes, those beautiful, haunting melodies of one of Earth's most ancient birds. These are the sounds that I wake up to on summer mornings in New Hampshire. They also help tuck in the evening at the end of a good day. I miss hearing their songs immensely, and can not wait until I return to Lake Winnipesaukee once again. Jim Irwin's music with loons is also a nod to the latest novel I am working on, set in New Hampshire. I hope to have it done by summer's end. Enjoy!

Happy New Year! 2014 Resolutions and Revelations

Okay, so I'm a few days late and many dollars short, given that I've just been whirled through the holidays by teens that have an insatiable thirst for activities that involve dips into my wallet where they believe lies an unlimited stash of cash. Ha! That's all I will say on the matter.

But since it is 2014, I thought I'd share a couple revelations and resolutions I've dug up in the past few days of the new year.

First, some new activities are apparently in order. My first dream of the new year was the curious nightmare of my being drafted onto the National Men's All-Star Basketball Team. Curious, yes, especially since I have never in my life played a serious game of basketball outside of PIG, HORSE, and Around the World--and I must add, never once did I ever win one of those. The self-respecting basketball-playing-brother with whom I did play in my younger years never allowed it. Which lends perfect sense to the ending to the aforementioned curious nightmare of the new year, where the dream-team captain suggested I start things off with hitting the court to practice some simple lay-ups.

Simple? This is me we are talking about. And it never ceased to boggle the mind (especially that of my 6-foot-4 basketball-playing dad) as to how I could jump onto the back of any good-natured horse within reach, but couldn't dribble a ball and manage to hop and shoot at the same time. Go figure.

Being one to never walk away from digging up the meaning of vivid dreams like this, I think I finally can say that its foundation lies in two realities. One: the fact that lately I've been watching basketball games while I run on the treadmill at the gym. This always makes time fly since the game moves too fast for me to keep track of, combined with the fact that I only have a screen to view, but no commentary to fill me in on what is going on. (No, I don't like the feeling of ear buds in my ears). So I am left running in a state of perpetual confusion and distraction -- which is a good thing, if you really don't want to know where you are at in terms of distance traveled or calories burned.

And Two: I've come to the resolution to begin seriously writing again, and since I've been out of the serious writing game for more than a couple years for more than a couple tumultuous reasons that deserve no fleshing out here -- we're all human, so you can fill in whatever details you'd like -- I am definitely going to have to start easing back in to writing with the basics. Although I do hope it is more like riding a bike, rather than learning to play a new sport like professional basketball.

Now that I've shared this resolution, I feel like I'm stepping out on to a stage, and since I've already been published and should have made a bit more progress by now, I kind of feel like the world will be watching. (But since my world is relatively small, maybe it actually won't be all that bad).

Now on to revelations. First of all, my friend Rick pointed out that 2014 is the year of the Valentine, due to the fact that it is made up of those two numbers that pinpoint that annual day of love: 2 and 14. So, that is good. I'm all for love, and now I will be reminded of it every day all year long, thanks to the astute and positive outlook of my friend Rick Walton (who happens to also be an amazing and talented children's writer -- go on, google his name for yourself, and treat a little person in your life to one of his awesome creations.)


The second revelation came to me in a chain email from my mom, who was hoping that by sharing it would bring her lots of good luck. Time will tell in that regard, but I'm sharing the tidbit of info gleaned here (and since I didn't forward the email, perhaps this will count in not breaking the chain and dousing my life with bad luck): The upcoming month of August will have 5 full weekends! This is not a common occurrence apparently. So if you like your weekends, then August will be a happy month for you. And if you're not like me, you'll probably want to start planning now~

There you have it. A resolution and a couple revelations. I feel like my welcoming in of the new year is now complete.

Happy Valentine's Year! (And feel free to share your own resolutions and/or revelations here. Because honestly, if I were to put my own items to a list, it would be rather short.)