Thursday, October 31, 2013

CHURCH SUPPERS!

Ya know, I posted a soup recipe the other day on my blog and said it was a local favorite that I cooked.  It is and was, but I am unable to do the church suppers anymore.  It seems that my body was rebelling and my karma was somehow turning around on me.   I could not move with out aching for at least three days after and the last two that I cooked at I needed 5 stitches in my finger, and the last one that I helped at I cut my finger again!  I am done.

The church suppers at my Church in Pittsford are fantastic, taste good and are healthy.  We tried to have at least one every month and they were always profitable.  No price was ever set for them that I remember.  They had what was called a free will offer where you paid what you thought was a fair price.  If you didn't have money it was okay and you were still welcome.  We have had roast pork, chicken, turkey, meatloaf, ham, soup, pasta and even vegetarian dinners.  Desserts were usually made by the parishioners.  All of the meals were made from "scratch"!

The woman who has sort of taken over is fantastic and has a lot of family help along with some special others, but I know she is an extremely busy farmer's wife, a nurse, a grandmother and the superintendent of the church Sunday school and a true christian in the good sense.  Somehow she is also blessed with excellent time management skills!  Unfortunately a lot of the kitchen help is made up of older people like me that just can't seem to do as much any more and I feel that the church will begin to "fade with age".

The church needs help.  I worry but at the same time I have faith.  We need to get younger people involved to pick up the slack.  The way I socialize (I am really into solitude these days), I wouldn't know if we have enough younger people in the church or area that would carry on the tradition.  I know years ago, I would have been embarrassed to volunteer to do this and hope my friends didn't see me.  I guess that is one of the advantages of getting older.  I don't really give a "gosh darn" what people think of me now.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Papa Ray's Moroccan Tofu/Chicken Soup

Here is the recipe for my soup.  It is a favorite in my community and I get many  requests for it.  It can be made as either a nice thick hearty vegan or chicken soup.  When cooking for a Harvest Fair or Church Supper I make both versions.

Papa Ray’s Moroccan Tofu/Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
¾ lbs chicken breast (cut into strips or small chunks)
or
1 package of extra firm tofu if vegetarian
1 large onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1½ tablespoon of flour
2 –3 tablespoons of “Ras El Hanout” (spice mix below)
2 cans of vegetable broth
or
2 cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons honey
1 inch ginger root (chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 or 7 strands saffron
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
6 ounces dried apricots (diced)


Ras El Hanout

1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

This soup recipe is not supposed to be spicy hot. It is meant to be fruity and fragrant, therefore I have not included the ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper in the ras el hanout. It has been my experience that most American palettes can not handle all the heat.

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a heavy based pot (i.e. Dutch Oven). Add the tofu/chicken until starting to brown. Remove tofu/chicken from the pot and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Stir in the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring continuously, until starting to brown. Stir in the ras el hanout and cook for a further minute. Gradually stir in the broth. Add the honey, tomato paste, chopped ginger, and saffron. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors. Return the tofu/chicken to the soup and add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots. When soup returns to a boil. Cover and cook on a low heat for another 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

Goes well with a small salad, lemon wedges, and a good warm flat bread i.e. panini or pita

Travel Day


Thanks to the short game last night I managed to go to bed a little early and get my usual sleep.  I am currently up a bit early to greet the day, post the morning meditation on my Facebook page, and take the two dogs to the vets.  The dogs and cats have been fed and I am looking foreword to my cup of espresso before we leave.

I am extremely grateful that today is a travel day for the Red Sox and the Cardinals.  This allows me to have piece of mind over the possible conflict of choosing between the Red Sox or NCIS.  It is amazing that we can find satisfaction in such a small coincidence, or that it even would have such significance!

Do you realize that when the Red Sox win the series Wednesday that it will be the first time that the final game of the series will be played in front of the home team fans in Boston since September 11th 1918!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Of course!

I was up reading until 3:00 Sunday morning.  Because I ended up sleeping until 10:30 I missed church and had to do my worshiping/meditation outside in the garden.  An added bonus to the acquired serenity was finally getting the Garlic planted.  I have the one bed with about seventy five plants and now all I have to do is cover them with about eight inches of leaf mulch for the winter.  I do have one other bed with some carrots and parsnips still in it that I probably won't harvest until we get some snow.  The rest of the garden is put down for the winter.

The wife said yesterday that our life appeared boring and I tend to agree with her.  I would never have believed that five years ago we were traveling overseas and visited Scotland, Great Britain. Germany. Switzerland, France and Spain.  Now I get excited when the lawn tractor starts for me or I am awake long enough to work in the garden.  My wife's excitement comes from her weekly volunteering at the local food shelf on Fridays.

Of course all bets are off if the Grand kids come for a weekend.  Then it is a rush to the store to get frozen gluten free bread and bagels, Sun-butter, lactose free milk for one, rice milk for another, and also soy milk.  We must not forget the hot dogs and bologna, nor must we forget to have enough mustard for the one that is allergic to tomatoes.  He even puts it on french frys!  And because Papa puts honey on his cereal all the kids must add it too.  We actually buy it in quart jars from the local farmers market.  That way we know that it does not have anything added to it (GMOs or other sweeteners)  We must check on the location of the eppi-pens and their out dates and update their medical power of attorneys.  Is all this worth it?  Of course!  They are the future, they are my Grand kids.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Another subtle day

Today was another slow day.

At 6:30 this morning I watched a two hour movie with the dog and cats.  Following the movie it was time to feed the animals their breakfast.

The four cats:
Myah eats on the kitchen table
Sir Obie One Kenobie in the bathroom
Princess Yoda at the center post between the dining room and living room
Pepe Longstocking in the bay window

The two dogs:
Rocky eats on the front Porch
Rose also eats on the front porch but later after she wakes up

Then I loaded the truck for the weekly trip to the transfer station.  I found out that I am starting to appear as old as I feel.  The young workers there that always help the old folk empty trash from the cars and trucks now rush over to help me too!

Following that I stopped on the way home to pickup the mail and visited the folk at the local country store for a few minutes.  Then it was a quick ride home.

I did take out the ash from the stove to add to the compost heap, brought in the days firewood and started the morning fire.  As I was starting the fire "She who must be obeyed" got up from bed and came out and fixed our espresso and toast.  We usually sit and watch the morning news before the fire with our breakfast.

Our quick trip to Rutland involved stopping at the farmers market for our weekly supply of cheese, some home made soap, and some fresh vegetables (Leek, Gilfred Turnip, and a couple of small aubergines.  There was also a couple of stops for batteries, Christmas presents, and a cup of coffee for the trip home.

Already exhausted, we made a hamburger soup with some root vegetables (carrot, parsnips, and fresh garlic) from the garden, frozen olive oil and basil, canned tomatoes, celery, onion, and Mediterranean couscous.  Nap time and reading while the soup was simmering and then eaten with some crackers followed by the evening animal feed.  That was not the soup that I envisioned but was still very good.

Maybe I can complete my list tomorrow after church services.

Celebration

I got very little completed that I planned for the other day, so here it goes again.  I must finish work on the garden and get the Garlic planted.   On the agenda for the day is;

1.  Take recyclables and trash to the transfer station.
2.  Go to farmers market.
3.  Plant Garlic.
4.  Pull up Green Beans and Egg Plant to transfer to the compost heap.
5.  Turn over compost heap.
6.  Bring in firewood and start fire.
7.  Read!
8.  Maybe make a Moroccan flavored soup for supper.
9.  Take an after dinner nap before watching the game.  

Hopefully it will be a day full of music and life, one to celebrate.



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Puttering

All is well in my world today.  I woke up on top of the dirt again free of major pain and able to breathe and take sustenance.  My late morning cup of espresso and slice of Baba Louis' 4 Seeded Bread smothered with sun dried tomato, basil, and garlic cheese spread set the mood for the day.

I mowed the side/front lawn and collected some of the leaves.  Half of them went as mulch for our Blueberry bushes for the winter and the other half went into the compost pile to balance the three gallons of coffee grounds we got from Starbucks in Saratoga NY yesterday.  They actually pack it up in containers and leave them stacked up next to the back door for gardeners.  After that I just puttered in my garage the rest of the day.

Tomorrow I plan on planting our yearly crop of Garlic.  Once it is planted, we will cover this bed also with leaf mulch for the winter.  Garlic here is best planted during the World Series and harvested during the All-Star break.  The World Series has started.

 Tomorrow if the frost doesn't get them I will also pick the rest of the fall Lettuce.  Then all I will have left are the Carrots, Parsnips and a couple of Potato plants from the compost peelings.  For some reason, my eggplants did not produce.  I think because of a protracted wet spring and a shortened season.  Or I could possibly have planted the wrong breed.

I still have green beans planted also.  They have many blossoms but it has been too chilly for the  bees to work them.  They will probably join the compost heap next week and I am now going to watch Boston Red Sox beat the Saint Louis Cardinals.


Monday, October 21, 2013

A short rant on Facebook Patriotism


I consider myself a Patriotic American, I have retired from the military after 20 years of service after serving during the Vietnam and Gulf War Era. My father and stepfather(uncle) served during WW2. My grandfathers served during WW1. My great grandfathers served during the civil war. My family also served during the War of 1812, the Revolutionary War and the French & Indian War.
I guess my families mistake was raising me to think for myself.   I see many posts in Facebook that say "If you are a Patriotic American you will....." or "If you are a real American you will......"   To me this implies that If I do not take the recommended action I will be less than dirt etc.   Please, if you do not want me to express my own opinions feel free to unfriend me Because I will not be told what opinion I must have nor what I "must" do.  
Thank you for your time and patience.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

I don't know, It has been a fairly quiet day so far.  Saturday (yesterday) was a bit different.  It started with me waking up about 7:30.  Of course I fed our four cats and two dogs and then sat down to watch the news until my wife got up around 9:00 (a little early for her) to fix a cup of coffee and a slice of toast for me.

Now before you all start sending me sexist rants about waiting for the wife to fix my breakfast, I bought the coffeemaker (a Gaggia brand espresso maker imported from Italy) as a gift for my wife and she just happens to make the best cup of espresso in the world.  I am not supposed to drink coffee at all but sometimes if I whine really well, I am able to convince her to fix me a second cup later in the morning.

After my coffee it was a quick trip to the transfer station with the trash and recyclables.  We do not have the privilege of roadside pickup where I live,  As a matter of fact we must even pay for for the privilege of transporting our own trash to the center!  Following this exercise is the drive to the Post Office to check for our mail and to the gas station to get some fuel for the truck then back home.

Once home, it was turn around and drive to Rutland VT to get our yearly flu shot, then to the Pharmacist to pick up some prescriptions, continue on to pick up my wife's Avon order and then to the Farmer's Market for our sometimes weekly shopping.  Our first stop at the market was the Maplebrook Farm's Cheese Stand to pick up some smoked feta cheese, but horror of horrors, they already were out!  I settled for some smoked mozzarella instead along with some cheese spread made with sun dried tomatoes, basil and garlic. All still very good!  Next on the shopping list was some fresh celery root destined for a future soup, buttercup squash, and some fresh apples.  The entertainment at the Farmer's Market that day was a duo from "Woodchucks Revenge", a local folk group.  Kristina, a singer and violin player in the group is also my wife's french teacher.  We ended the Farmers Market tour by buying two CD's.

Now I normally don't care to run around this way on a Saturday but I was thinking, "This wasn't to bad today!"  But I was wrong!  I then find out they we are on our way to Sears to get my wife's eyeglasses double checked and fixed, then on to Hannaford's grocery store to get "my wife's stuff" and then home.  Just as I am leaving Rutland I hear "You didn't buy me my coffee!"  So we end up after expressing a few across the shift-console barbs towards each other stopping at a new Cafe in Pittsford so "She Who Must Be Obeyed" can buy herself a cup of coffee and an eclair.

Finally home for a supper of General Tso's Tofu and a relaxing evening of watching the firemen work their haunted house and the Red Sox win the pennant.  After the game was over and the firemen were done around 12:30, I waited up to call my son at 1:30 to say "Good Morning!" as my son was leaving his place for work and I was on my way to bed.  He appreciated the contrast in our lives but I don't think his mutterings were fit for print or even the internet.

That was my Saturday, how was yours?

Friday, October 18, 2013

A Quick Glimpse of Four of Our Seasons in Vermont 10/18/2013

 

    Fall


This evening, as I sit in front of my laptop in Pittsford, Vermont waiting to go outside to watch the lunar eclipse I look out the window and see the local fire department directing parking in the field in front of my house.  It is one of the fall's major events.  They have hosted a haunted house fund raiser the last two Friday and Saturdays before Halloween for over thirty years.  This is a good thing and is a major fundraiser for the volunteer fire department.  Not only do they do a fantastic job, it sort of brings the community together.  People from all walks of life and occupations come together and it is nice to see everyone working together.

     Winter


During the winter my major outside entertainment exclusive of clearing the snow from my 200' driveway is watching my dogs get their exercise chasing the snowmobiles going through the field in front.  Our front yard is completely enclosed with fencing allowing a lot of exercise room for them.  The teen age boy next door will run along our fence riding his snowmobile while his younger sister follows on her's.  Our dogs will start at one end of our yard, chase him along the fence line, come back and then repeat with her.  After a few minutes the children will return and our dogs meet them for the chase back.  Instant exercise with no effort on my part!  This allows me to spend more of my time in front of the fireplace sipping on a cup of hot tea, or if the grand kids are visiting, a cup of hot chocolate.

      Spring


A beautiful season watching everything coming to life.  Even nicer is during late spring, depending on how many children sign up, there will be anywhere from two to four T Ball fields setup.  I work in our small vegetable garden and when I take a break, I get a glass if ice water and sit in my lawn chair facing the ball fields.  This allows me to watch the children playing and having fun while their parents fret.  Somehow, all the games seem to be fun and exciting for the children and are quite enjoyable for me.

     Summer

This is the worst season here.  We have the worlds worst mosquitoes and some carry EEE and/or West Nile Virus.  I now know why my grandfathers would both wear long johns and flannel shirts in the garden.  On the really hot days they would wear a light blue chambray work shirt but would still have on the long sleeved long johns. 

There will be much more to follow at a later date....

Thursday, October 17, 2013

A NEW DAY

Well it is a new day with different problems.

We just can't get along on Facebook!   My family is extremely diverse, politically, emotionally, and culturally.  I guess that is what happens when you raise people to think for themselves.   It is strange though, that we all tend to get along in person.  Perhaps it is different stressors affecting the mind.

This last one is ripping my family apart. Below is a photo that is exploding on Facebook.  One showed up from a former friend of mine from Mechanicville.  I expressed my displeasure with it with two comments on the post.  She deleted the post and resent the post so my comments did not show.  I then commented on her second post explaining how i was upset and that if she didn't like comments she could change her privacy settings.  So I was become unfriended.  No big deal.  The next day it showed up on a relatives timeline.  I told my relative my feelings and she told me she could post anything she wanted (she can, anyone can) and I could either scroll past or not, and suggested I start a blog so I could vent.  I guess this is it.  If you check it out on Snopes.com you will find out that

   1.  There has been an EID stamp since 2001 (Not Obama's time).
   2.  The stamp shown is a Kalidascope Flower stamp, Not an EID stamp.

I did not find this out until last night.  It was to late, comments flew from different factions for various reasons and the result is I have been unfriended by my former (I think) daughter in law, her mother, her friend and her daughter.  They have unfriended, as far as I can tell, all my family members (about 8) because they are related to me, even the ones who share their political beliefs.  It is a big loss to all on both parties.  I remember one day going to my sister's for dinner.  She laid down a new rule - "No one talk about politics."  It worked and we all had a good time.

It is to bad we can't do that on Facebook!

Don't buy this stamp! It is pretty, but keep reading! Will be available November 1, 2013 President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to remember and honor the EID Muslim holiday season with a new commemorative 46 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp. The new stamp is the second MUSLIM stamp, and celebrates a Muslim holiday! If there is only ONE thing you Forward today, let it be this! REMEMBER to adamantly BOYCOTT this stamp when you purchase stamps anywhere. All you have to say is, "No thank you, I do not want a Muslim stamp on my letters!" Buy our US flag stamp instead, please! Pass this along to every Patriotic American you know & get the word out! Honor the United States Don't buy this stamp! It is pretty, but keep reading! Will be available November 1, 2013 President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to remember and honor the EID Muslim holiday season with a new commemorative 46 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp. The new stamp is the second MUSLIM stamp, and celebrates a Muslim holiday! If there is only ONE thing you Forward today, let it be this! REMEMBER to adamantly BOYCOTT this stamp when you purchase stamps anywhere. All you have to say is, "No thank you, I do not want a Muslim stamp on my letters!" Buy our US flag stamp instead, please! Pass this along to every Patriotic American you know & get the word out! Honor the United States of Americaof America