I may have won the battle, but it is still war!

So, today was a day just like any other Tuesday.  Got up.  Had breakfast and coffee.  Took a shower.  Did my make-up and hair.  Got dressed.  Went to work.  And so on and so on and so on . . .

But this evening as I was having dinner, I was watching Cupcake Wars on Food Network and I suddenly got this overwhelming craving for a chocolate cupcake.  So, I headed straight for the kitchen and starting digging through the pantry and this is what I came up with.

Cupcakes

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. Mix all of the ingredients well with a mixer.
2. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

These came out so soft and moist and rich!  I even surprised myself.

Just like my Granny used to make...

Beef stew and cornbread is my favorite cold weather meal.  And I like it the way my great grandma, my grandma, and my mother make it.  I personally have never made cornbread from scratch before, but here's to trying, right?

So today I decided to try it . . . homemade beef stew and corn bread from scratch!

Beef Stew
(There are no specific measurements for the beef stew.  It is all up to your own personal tastes.  And you can use any veggies that you like or happen to have on hand.)

• Beef stew meat
• Seasoned meat tenderizer
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Potatoes (cut into cubes)
• Carrots (sliced)
• Onion (cut into large pieces)
• Frozen peas
• Frozen okra
• Tomato sauce

1. In a skillet, heat a very small amount of cooking oil.  Add your meat and sprinkle with seasoned meat tenderizer.  Cook until just brown on the outsides.
2. Transfer the meat into a large soup or stock pot.  Pour in 3 cans of tomato sauce.  Add more seasoned meat tenderizer, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
3. Add in carrots, potatoes, onion, peas and okra.  Cover with water.
4. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

SIDE NOTE:  When chopping veggies for this (or anything at all) do not throw away potato skins, onion ends, carrot chunks . . . keep every scrap of vegetable you have left over.  Why?  Homemade vegetable broth of course!!!

Throw all your scraps and pieces into a pot of water with some salt, pepper and garlic and cook it down until the vegetable pieces are almost mush.  Then strain it out and you have perfect broth that you can freeze to use in any dish that calls for a broth.

And with this method, you control how much salt goes into your broth and you don't have to worry about preservatives either.

If you find yourself with not enough veggie bits to make a broth, toss what you have in a freezer bag and save them until you have more.  Once you've collected enough, make yourself some broth.

For this particular batch of broth i used carrot ends, carrot peels, potato peels, onion ends, red bell peper, green bell pepper, red cabbage, green cabbage, cilantro and garlic cloves.  Once it was cooled to room temperature, I poured it into a freezable container, put on the lid and stored it in the freezer.  It will be a perfect base for the next time I make veggie soup.

And now for . . .

Buttermilk Cornbread

• 2 cups Aunt Jemima Corn Meal Mix (This eliminates having to add flour, salt and baking powder.)
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 Egg
• Shortening

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
2. Use the shortening to grease the bottoms and side of an 8" baking pan.
3. Bake at 425 degrees or 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

Then all you have to do is butter your cornbread, put some stew in a bowl and enjoy a quick, easy and delicious home cooked meal.

Two completely unrelated thoughts . . .

Idea # 1:

Cookbook . . . we all have them.  But sometimes you come across one that you just can not live without.  I came across one when I was a kid, though I didn't know it at the time.

Someone named Sharon gave this cook book to my mother for Christmas in 1979.  I was 7 years old.  But it seems like this book has been in my family for my entire life.

The book???

Better Homes & Gardens:  All-Time Favorite Recipes


I know!  I know!  You must be thinking I have lost my mind.  What kind of cook book is this for a girl who loves exotic, artistic, and foreign foods?  How could she possibly find satisfaction is a cook book full of all-American, everyday dishes?

Simple!  Above all else, I am Southern!!!  And this book seems to cater to the Southern in.  If nothing else, the Sweet Best Ever Muffins are simply to die for!!!  By themselves, amazing!  But there are so many ways that you can improvise, alter and improve such a simple recipe!

"A collection of 1,007 recipes for main dishes, cassseroles, barbecue, vegetables, breads, and deserts."

But it is not just the versatility of the Best Ever Muffins.  It is EVERYTHING in the entire book.  Everything in the book can be customized to suit your personal tastes.  (Believe me.  I've had this book and have been cooking from it since I was 7.  YES!  This is the book that taught me to cook.)

Highlights from All-Time Favorite Receipes:
Sweet Best Ever Muffins
Swedish Pot Roast
Swiss Bratwurst Melt
Stuffed Pepper Cups
French Onion Soup
Finnish Chestnut Fingers

Then there comes a book that amuses me as well as inspires me to cook amazing and fantastic dishes.  The second book?

The Mafia Cookbook by Joseph "Joe Dogs" Iannuzzi


Joe Dogs is a legitimate former Mafioso . . . a member of the Gambino crime family who turned star witness for the FBI.  Okay, so maybe normally I'd turn my back on a Fed Snitch . . . but in this case, he wrote a brilliant cook book.

The Mafia Cookbook is a fascinating, entertaining and hilarious blend of recipes and stories and recipes from a true, traditional Southern Italian cook/Mafioso.

The cover says it best . . .

"With 37 new foolproof recipes of Mob favorites to die for, as well as the full story of 'Cooking On The Lam,' in which Joe goes from 'mobster' to 'protected witness'."

Highlights from The Mafia Cookbook:
Manocotti Marinara w/ Mint
Savory Sauteed Artichokes Sicilian-Style
Cicoria Insalata (Dandelions Greens Salad)
Steaks Cognac

 Okay . . . I have a million other cook books that I could talk about.  But those are my favorites.  So now . . . on to the second random idea I've had tonight . . .

Idea # 2

I think I may be 3/4 of the way into inventing a new recipe.  I realize that nothing in this world is new or unique, but I have been doing a lot of research on my idea and I have not yet found one single recipe that does what I am thinking about in my head.

Want a hint?

All I am willing to reveal at this point is that it involves cabbage.  That is all I will say for now.  Stay tuned for something so epic and awesome and AMAZING!!!

Glenn Danzig & The Art of Holiday Cooking

How often is it that a person can remember the first time they ever heard a certain word?

I remember the first time I ever heard the word Samhain.  It was in the original Halloween film, directed by John Carpenter and starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence.  I remember Donald Pleasence, as Dr. Loomis, explaining the significance of Samhain and Michael's penchant for killing on that particular night.  It stuck with me through many years.

My horror and fascination with Samhain led me into researching and studying other religious belief systems.

I worked with a guy (whom I still consider a friend) who saw me through many of my religious fascinations.

He was there when I studied Tao and Confucius.  He gave me the critical eye when I became interested in Hindu and Islam.  And when I threw myself headfirst into Krishna he finally asked . . . "What are you looking for?"

And I had no idea how to answer him.

Even though I knew, deep in my heart and soul what I was looking for, I had absolutely no way of expressing it in words to another human being.  I tried my best to explain to him what exactly it was that I wanted, but nothing seemed to make sense.  And I believe we just left it at . . . "Clarity".

But what does this have to do with cooking you might ask?  Well, it has a lot to do with cooking.

As we come upon the Autumn season again, it is time to turn back the clock to a time when things were simpler and more . . . natural than they are today.  Lets think back to a time before cell phones and computers and radios and televisions.

Imagine what it must have been like for the poor and uneducated when it came to protecting and taking care of their families, friends and loved ones.  No one knew for sure what they were doing.  They knew what they had been taught by whomever was in control at the time.  And we all know that history is written by the victors.

With that said, let me get to the point of this post.

Food is life.  Without it . . . there is no life.  We (humans) and animals and plants and every other living entity on this planet must have food of some kind.  So why shouldn't that food be blessed and infused with the power to protect those that are consuming it?

One thing that always fascinated me about Krishnas (and influenced me to be a vegetarian for more than 10 years) is that they believe that we should NEVER eat anything that results in death.  I realize that may be a very ambiguous statement, but let me try to explain.

If you slaughter and eat a cow, you have taken a life.  If you eat a vegetable that is a root, you have taken a life.  How?  The root of a plant is the life of the plant.  If you dig up the root, you have killed the plant.  Carrots, onions, potatoes . . . they are roots.  When you dig these plants up and eat them, you are killing the plant.  Whereas, if you eat a berry or a nut or a piece of fruit from a tree or a vine . . . the plant continues to grow and produce food.  But if you eat a root (carrot, onion, etc.) that plant is gone and no longer has the ability to produce food.

Get it?  I'm not saying that you should follow this strict regime that the Krishnas have laid out for themselves. I am just saying that you should have respect and revere ALL living beings.  Even plants.

Okay, so as Autumn approaches and the time for Harvest and Samhain and All Hallows Eve draws near, let us take a page from the book of (literally written by) Silver Ravenwolf . . . Don't just slop some food together and throw it on a table to serve.  Take a minute to appreciate and respect what nature has given you. And give nature thanks for her bounty.

ADAPTED FROM "HALLOWEEN" BY SILVER RAVENWOLF
(Why not try some of these when cooking during the Autumn holidays?  It couldn't hurt.)

General Ingredient Blessing
Lay out all ingredients for whatever dish you may be preparing.  Hold your hands out over the ingredients.  Envision pure white light entering the ingredients.  Circle your palms five times over the ingredients and say:

"From the East, the Air brings wisdom.
From the South, the Fire brings creation.
From the West, the Water brings love.
From the North, the Earth brings stability.
From the center, Spirit brings blessing."

Tap the kitchen counter 3 times and say . . . "The love is sealed."

Once you have all of your ingredients in the simmering pot . . . or casserole, or cake pan, or pizza pan, or toaster, or microwave . . . put your hands over it and repeat three times . . .

"Three angels came from the East
Bringing blessings upon this feast
The first said, "I banish all negativity."
The second said, "May you never thirst."
The third said, "May you never hunger."
In the name of the three, so mote it be."

With your hand or a wooden spoon, make the sign of the equal armed cross ( + ) over the food, then tap the spoon, or your fingers, lightly on the stove and say . . .

"This work is sealed.  Blessings of Vesta upon us."

And then when it is time to serve the Samhain feast, there is even a blessing for that.  (And yes I am still paraphrasing from Silver Ravenwolf.) . . .

Samhain Serving Blessing


Hold your hands over the cooked food and say . . .

"The golden rays of sun kissed grain
Sweet drops of rain caressed the fruit
Streams of moonlight danced in the fields
Sending energy into the root.
Blessings of the Mother
Strength of the Father
Unity of love.  So mote it be."

Make the sign of the equal armed cross ( + ) above the serving dish.  Tap the dish once and serve with a smile!

Now. . . go out and do some research and find the PERFECT Autumn/Halloween/Samhain recipes to use these blessings on and have some fun with your family, friends, and loved ones.

Blessed be.

Pumpkin . . . It Ain't Just For Pie Anymore

It's for soup too!

I love pumpkin.  But I don't like pumpkin pie.  So I found another way to cook pumpkin where I get the flavor, but not the weirdness of pie.

BLACK BEAN PUMPKIN SOUP


Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 green onions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced (slice dark parts and set aside for later)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (14 fl. oz.) vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika or more to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add green onions, bell pepper and garlic.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until soft.
4. Stir in cumin and thyme.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
6. Add beans, pumpkin, tomatoes and juice, broth and water.
7. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.  Cook for 10 minutes.
8. Stir in salt and paprika.
9. Top each serving with green onions.

Snow Day Soup

One day it started snowing.  And it just snowed and snowed and snowed.  The weather was too nasty to go to the grocery store.  And I was cold anyway.  So I opened the pantry, starting gathering anything and everything I could get my greedy hands on, and I made a delicious Lentil Vegetable soup.  It kept my mind off the snow and it kept me nice and warm.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 32 oz. carton of Pacific Curried Red Lentil Soup Base
• 1 cup of vegetable broth.
• 1-1/2 cups frozen vegetables of your choice (I used broccoli and peas).
• 1 cup mushroom slices
• 1/2 tsp Allspice
• 1 tsp green curry paste
• ½  tsp mild yellow curry powder
• 1 chopped onion
• Fresh parsley chopped
• Basmati rice

1. Add all ingredients except rice to a large pot and cook over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables and onions are fully cooked and soft.  Stir occasionally.
2. Cook Basmati rice according to package directions.  Serve soup over rice and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Simply Delicious

A salad is a salad, right?  Well, what makes a salad is the dressing.  And in my case, i do not like most bottled dressings.  There are a few that are okay.  But I love and adore raw veggies.  (I much prefer my veggies raw instead of cooked any time.)  So I am always on the look out for a salad dressing that i will like and that will not be so overwhelmingly strong or acidic that it detracts from the flavor of my beloved raw vegetables.

Finally I found a simple, Sicilian vinaigrette that has a wonderful flavor and enhances, instead of overpowering, my salad.

My salad was simple, but flavorful.  An herb mix (instead of plain, boring lettuce), tomato, baby red, yellow and orange peppers, green onion, cucumber, croutons, and a dried fruit and nut topping.  (Believe me, the sweetness of the fruit and the tartness of the dressing go together so beautifully.)

And here is the dressing.  Again, very simple.

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, pour into a cruet, and drizzle over salad to taste.

Salad dressing ingredients.

Finished salad dressing.

A beautiful salad all dressed up and ready to eat.