On Thinking Warm Thoughts

"The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money."

~Thomas Jefferson

 

 

I'm surrounded by candles and covered in handmade afghans and being incubated by two warm fur children and a laptop.  Bone chilling hardly seems an accurate description for this type of freezing. 

 

Winds whip, causing doors to slightly open as powerful gusts find their way through tiny cracks and crevices.  The furnace chugs away, sprinting through this Antarctic marathon without stopping for rest or refueling.  My tea kettle constantly whistles, signaling another warm cup, another attempt at these 'staying toasty' antics. 

 

 

Unbeknownst to them, my fuzzy socks and fingerless gloves have intense responsibilities placed upon them today.  I hope they are prepared for such lofty, albeit unreachable expectations.

 

Dare I say that I am in heaven?  Is it alright to completely revel in this feeling of cozy and snugly and calm?  Because, you see dear friends... I'm loving it.  I'm completely thrilled.  I can't smile brighter.  I live for days like this.  Days when I can enjoy our home, bake bread, light candles, knit and create....

 

 

 Upon emerging from my protective blanket cocoon, I shuffled into the real world, only to find cold, cold, and more cold.  Without hesitating, I prepared  myself a perfect cuppa and quickly gathered this-and-that to add to the simmer pot. (I promise that a nifty simmer pot makes staying in and being chilly a lovely little adventure.)

 

"What's that?  You want to make one, too?"

 

Good.  I hoped so.

 

  Here's how.

 

 

Simmer Pot Instructions

 

First, boil water in a kettle or pan.

While the water heats,  slice one orange (or lemon or lime....let your imagination run wild) and gather any other ingredients that suit your fancy.

(I also added cloves, vanilla essential oil, and dried rosemary from my summer herb garden.)

Cinnamon, allspice, lemon, cranberries and pine tree sprigs are all delightful additions and options- I promise.

Add all ingredients to the simmer pot of your choice. 

(I found my copper one at a thrift store for $2.00-score!)

Gently pour the hot/boiling water over the chosen ingredients.

Lastly, turn the stove on to a low setting (I usually set mine at 2 or 3) and wait for the yummy scent to waft through the air.

 

*Note: I typically use the same simmer pot for a few days, adding this and that as time passes.  Also, be sure to add more warm water every few hours to keep the potion from becoming 'sludgy' or burned.

 

 

With that, I'm lighting a few more candles, heading to my craft nook, and setting off to work on some paper crafting projects that I have up my sleeve.

 

Stay warm, my friends.  Stay warm and enjoy this day.

Infused with Sunshine

Grow what you love. The love will keep it growing. 

~Emilie Barnes

With happy fingers I plucked tomatoes from the vine.  My feet danced a snazzy jig and off I rushed to pull up the onions. Ponytail sagging over my left shoulder, I gave it a little toss and snipped away at the fresh oregano and basil.  

It was salsa making day and I had to gather the ingredients.

When I say "gather the ingredients" I secretly smile- no lies here.  This shopping spree took place on our little patio (with some banana peppers and jalapenos from my sweet mama).  I never, ever get to shop in my own corner of the world, so imagine my sheer joy when I realized that I had grown enough produce and herbs to make and preserve an entire batch of salsa.

Big. Proud. Grin.

Honestly, I'm still amazed that it worked out.  I mean, I really did it!  I really grew an entire garden full of ripe red tomatoes, crunchy bell peppers, flavorful onions, and spicy banana peppers and jalapenos.  In some small way, it proved such a joy to see it come to fruition.  

With the harvest gathered I packed it away and headed across the lawn and over the fence to my parents' house.  My mom and I had a salsa making date and I wasn't missing it for the world.

We pre-gamed with a good cup of hot java, read over the recipe, checked out our impressive stash of veggies and herbs, and took stock of the situation.

She pulled out her canning equipment, we discussed how it would work, and then set about chopping and chopping, slicing and dicing.

Thankfully, my mama chopped the tomatoes, removing every one of those pesky little skins.

She's a trooper and a master of all things kitchen.

I preferred dealing with the peppers and onions and garlic-- more aromatic and completely worth the watery eyes.

After much preparation, which included boiling jars and sealing lids, our "Sunshine Salsa," as we chose to call it, emerged from the cooker and our hard work was complete.

 My mama and I had ourselves the most wonderful time: talking, daydreaming, and admiring our hard work.

I'm beyond blessed to have such a special person in my life. I can't imagine learning from and with anyone else.

Now we're all eagerly awaiting football season.  

There's something about a salty corn chip, a scoop of summertime, sunshine salsa, and Sunday afternoon Steelers victories.

Bread Baking Day

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” 

~Robert Browning

The clicking sound of the oven preheating, mixed with the tapping of Charlie's tag against her water dish are the only sounds to break the silence.  The house is calm and in order, two notions which I love.

I'm about to say farewell to that calm and order, because in a few short days this holier-than-thou summer vacation will screech to a halt and I'll find myself thrown into the tornado of adolescent issues, paper grading, and lesson planning.  

While I try and forget about the alternate life awaiting me (a life which I truly do enjoy), I'm baking bread.  Two loaves. 

Yes, you read correctly. I did use the baking word.  I've long ago given up on baking cakes, as that tended to end in disaster and dysfunction, while giving my ego a strong lashing.  Plus, we don't really eat enough sweets to make it worth the while.  Sure, a cookie or ice cream cone here and there, but overall we're just not sweet treat eaters.  

But, bread, well bread is another story.  I'll never turn down a slice of homemade bread, be it topped with jelly, oozing with warm butter, or -heck- even plain (my personal favorite).

For the past two weeks we've enjoyed nothing but our own homemade bread.  No preservatives or chemicals or crazy compounds- just whole grain goodness with nifty designs (mostly stars) carved into the perfect golden crust.

Could this be a dream come true?  Carbs and art?  

I'm in bread baking heaven.

On Preserving and Keeping

“The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mood of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form without being disappointed by the change, for happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up.”

~Charles Morgan

Sometime this winter, when icicles hang from the eaves and snow piles high on windowsills, I will find myself grateful for this day.  As a matter of fact, I'm betting that I'll be thankful in early autumn, when I officially begin my soup making, sauce craving, and winter comfort food craze. 

As I flit about the kitchen (clad in warm slippers and flannel pants), adding basil or rosemary or parsley to the bubbling kettles, I'll remember today. 

The extreme heat and humidity shall rush to the forefront of my mind and I will recall (with happiness) the day I gathered and harvested my herbs while wiping sweat from my forehead and squinting my eyes from the sun. 

I'll think about the little gnats that swarmed around my face, the butterfly who danced on the daisies, and the finches that sang and hopped along the edge of the patio.

Inside the freezer, on the second shelf, my herbs are hibernating, preparing themselves for another time, another season.

And the beauty of it all is that these herbs (chives, oregano, sage, parsley, basil, thyme) began as small seeds, sunning themselves in the warmth of my window.  

 From spring to winter, the magic continues.

Starting From Seed

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree, yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."

~The Bible 

I started on St. Patrick's Day weekend.  

Ever so thoughtfully, I purchased my seeds and planed how to arrange them in the rows and rows of squares.  I made sure to place the seeds at the proper depth and to provide the perfect amount of water and sunlight.

Somehow (somehow), it worked.

Truth be told, I'm very fortunate.  As it turns out, the window in my classroom practically creates a greenhouse effect for my precious seedlings and plants.  Combine the abundant light with a well-placed heating vent and I have the perfect recipe for germination.  

See, I wasn't kidding about the fortunate part.  Lucky me.

Therefore, about a month ago, a brought these munchkins home, as to acclimate them to the outside temperatures.  You see, it's very important to gently introduce seedlings to outside temperatures and conditions.  To have re-potted them and placed them outside would have stressed their fragile stems, leaves, and root systems.  

As you can imagine, it proved quite the theatrical number as I would run outside, in the dark, in my pajamas to bring them in for the night.  Because, as you can probably imagine, it wasn't until I was snug in my bed with the pillow perfectly fluffed and the warm quilt tucked under my chin that the notion hit me--"The herbs!"

Typical.

All of my antics wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the sweet old lady who lives behind us. You see, she lives alone and has 24 hour care and a constant stream of nurses watching over her-- who never sleep, just so you know.  I don't even allow myself to imagine what they must think of me.

None-the-less, the herb garden is in full swing.  I find particular delight in it this year, as almost everything I have planted I grew from seed.  

Let me just tell ya something.  Seeds, although more tender and difficult, are much cheaper than plants.  You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be repeating this seed planing thing next year, and the year after that, and the--well you get the idea.

 This hummus- a crazy, improvised recipe- goes down as the first of many delicious treats from my little herb garden.  

Sprouts!

"Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but it's critical to know what it was."

-Anon

Sadly, I spent an entire weekend scouring our local stores for the ingredients needed to begin my baby bean sprouts.  I went everywhere, from big chain stores to local mom-and-pop joints.  At each place I would inquire about sprouts, and at each location I was given an ultra weird look and directed to a humongous display of seeds.  

I had officially given up my search and resigned myself to the Internet, where, thanks-be-to-God, I can somehow manage to find everything my little heart desires.  I won't even complain about the shipping costs, as it often beats the expense of gas and the other things I end up purchasing for myself along the way, like, say, Starbucks. (I try to resist...really...honestly.)

As it turned out, my Internet search, although fruitful, wasn't necessary.  In a practice of patience and a leap of faith, I decided to wait a few more days with the deep down, cross-your-fingers kinda hope, that I would be able to find my sprouts.

And, (gasp) wouldn't you know, that I found me some bean sprout seeds and an amazing set of sprouting lids at a health food store in Ligonier?

Want in on a little secret?  

Growing these lovely bean sprouts turned out to be one of the easiest things I've ever done.  

They are super healthy and pack an insane amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants into one's diet.  And- big bonus- bean sprouts, as it turns out, are extremely high in fiber and are one of the few foods that fall into the category of  a "complete food".  

Add them to salads, top a pita with hummus and sprouts for a delicious lunch, heck- eat them plain.  

I'm telling you, you'll never turn back.

You Had Me at Avocado

"Live simply. Expect Little.

Give Much.  Love Extravagantly."

Good evening, friends.  Are you comfy and cozy tonight?  Did you light your candles, take a warm shower and find your favorite blanket?

We did.  Charlie and I, that is.  Chad-o has ventured away on a business trip and us girls have prepared ourselves for the insane windstorm that's kicking up.  And- holy cow- let me say that it's intense out there. Trust me, I know.  The Neighborhood Watch just alerted our phone chain that a blonde woman was recently spotted "swimming" through the air, hair plastered to her face, clad in flannel pajama pants, a worn blue T-shirt and furry boots.  Apparently, she was trying to make off with a rather large trash can and a small, furry, black gremlin-looking creature.

Gulp.

Well, what can I say?  Chad-o was a sweetie and put out the trash before he took off.  I, naturally, undid all of his hard work and brought it back inside.  I had visions of our garbage decorating the lawns and shrubs of the entire neighborhood.  Better safe than sorry, right?

But, seriously, we have more important issues to discuss.  No more talk of wind and garbage.  So unladylike. Please forgive me.

With Chad-o gone, I'm completely bored.  He's an entertaining critter, and without him and his stories and our little games of trivia or kitchen karate, I'm lost.  It's just not fun.  Poor me.

On the flip side, there's nothing like the thought of food and a new, delicious recipe to cheer me up and take my mind off the loneliness.  

So, thanks to some quality time with the internet I spotted an avocado recipe that just sent my heart to high Heaven.  Avocado Chicken Salad, I love you.  I really, really do.  

Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad

approx. 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken breast

lots of avocado

one cereal spoon of mayo

about 5 or 6 shakes of the salt shaker

as much or as little green onion as you like

Mix everything together and put on pita bread or serve with baked tortilla chips (or any other type of carbohydrate delight).

Last, after you have eaten way more that can be rationally justified, crawl under your blanket, adjust the pillow, settle in, try to ignore the howling wind and pray that the power doesn't go out.  I'm alone tonight and I'm afraid of the dark.

The Joy of Feta

"The body is the soul's house. Shouldn't we

therefore take care of our house so that it

doesn't fall into ruin?"

- Philo

I woke to 16 degree temperatures today. Burr...

Did you ever notice that the lower the temperature drops the brighter the sun shines?  Crazy, isn't it?

Therefore, in keeping with a little promise to myself and a little goal that I set and a little--I mean big--race that I've signed up for, I donned my long-johns and mittens and hit the snowy, icy streets.

I only wish that I would have had my camera.  The reflection of the sun off the crystallized water created the most magical scene.  

During one particular part of my run I passed an old cemetery, full of crooked tombstones and crumbling statues.  The brilliant sapphire sky created the perfect backdrop, while the snow and ice provided a glittering and sparkling ground cover.  The angle of Mr. Golden's rays provided the perfect balance of shimmer, creating a blanket of diamonds and pearls over the long lost souls.  Thank you, Mother Nature, for picking up  where us mortal beings fall short.

***

I have a question for ya.  

Is it wrong and/or strange to think about food during my run?  I mean, after the beautiful scene in the cemetery, the aesthetics took a major dive.  

Tomorrow, you see, the students have the day off.  The teachers, sadly, do not.  Since the day will be full of meetings and planning and finishing up grades, we're having a little potluck lunch and I spent the better part of my run thinking about what to make and take.

And... Taa- Da... I chose Greek Hummus Dip.

Oh my goodness is it delicious and healthy and full of nutrients, vitamins and protein.

1 container of classic hummus

1 red pepper, chopped finely

1 cucumber, chopped finely

a bunch of Kalamata olives, chopped

a bunch of chopped, fresh dill

a bunch of feta cheese

Directions:  Spread hummus on bottom of pan to create the first layer.  Pile on the rest of the ingredients, saving the feta and dill for last.  Serve with warm pitas or corn chips.

And then, as if I wasn't way over my feta quota for the weekend, I made this lovely pizza.

(Thank you, sweet Kim, for the recipe!)

As you make your shopping list, please add this:  a jar of  Roasted Garlic Onion Jam from Stonewall Kitchen.

Although the name sounds strange and may cause a few wrinkled noses or furrowed brows, don't, my friends, be fooled.  This stuff is amazing.  I mean, it is absolutely, positively amazing.

Take a few spoonfuls and spread it over a pizza crust (or do like me and use a whole wheat flat bread).

Sprinkle a bunch of feta (or blue cheese) over the top and then bake for 10 minutes or so in a 450 degree oven.

Plan on being alone when you make this.  That way, you can eat the entire thing and avoid that whole sharing concept. (wink)

On Making Do and Making Up: A Snow Day Recipe

"Those who have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have 

to find time for illness."

 ~Edward Stanley 

My eyes sputtered to life at approximately 3:50 AM.  Insane, I know, but true none-the-less.  As I laid in the dark, straining to listen for the scraping of plows or the shrieks of wind, I became agitated.  I had planned a "Snow Day" and the quiet, calm extra-early morning hours did not exactly assist in creating the day I was envisioning.

With a heavy heart I rolled over, adjusted the pillow and pulled the quilt over my head.  While I wish this wasn't a true fact, it honestly is.  As I hid under the covers, I calculated the time to what I believed would be the exact moment the storm would hit, the school would call and classes would find themselves crossed off my list of daily activities.

The genius I am (wink), I quickly stuck my arm out from my little blanket fort, grabbed the alarm clock, re-set it (while adjusting for the fact that I needed to straighten my hair and pack my lunch), and grabbed my cell-phone.  I figured that I would wait until the last possible minute, the last possible millisecond, and then, if I hadn't heard anything, I'd rise, drink enough coffee to hide the severe disappointment and pray that I could pull off the morning tasks without being late.  With the cell-phone nestled just under my left cheek, I felt certain that it would ring before my alarm, making me one very happy girl.

Not so.

Knowing that my Chad-o was enjoying his peaceful slumber and that my serious state of agitation and excitement over a pending snow day would only go unnoticed for so long, I kissed him on the forehead, tucked him in and headed for the couch.  Upon looking out the window my hopes fell through the floor.  While snow had fallen, it didn't appear to be all that bad.  Naturally, I turned on the television, hoping and wishing and crossing my fingers that I'd see numerous school cancellations scrolling across the bottom of the screen.  Nope.  

With a heavy sigh I began making my coffee and telling CT that since I was up too early, I'd spend some time and cuddle with her on the couch.  Coffee in hand and puppy in arm, I snuggled between the cushions just as my school's name flashed across the blue cancellation band.

"Praise God!" I cheered.  "Praise God."

...and so began our perfectly wonderful day.

You should probably know that Charlie T. has firmly perched herself next to me and hasn't stopped chewing her paw for the last thirty minutes.  She's afraid, that furry one.  I'm guessing it has something to do with the intense winds that swarm and pound against the windows, causing the house to creek and crack while working to defend it's fragile inhabitants.  

We're snug in here, though.  The coffee's hot, the snowmen tress are lit and my list of things that must be accomplished are nil.  

My mama and I did battle the storm today, the brave ones that we are.  There's simply no stopping me when I get an idea.  And, let me tell you, an idea i had.  So, off we went.  Over the hills and through the slushy streets we ventured.  While we had a great time and got some stellar things, my list still contained one impossible-to-find ingredient.  We looked everywhere.  We went to every grocery store and food seller in our small town.  Sadly, we never did find it.

Oh well.  Make do, right?  

Who said that every recipe and every set of directions has to be followed exactly?  Not me, that's for sure.

I wasn't about to let a little Tahini stop my perfectly wonderful snow day.    

So I present a little Snow Day recipe that I made without, mind you, one of the main ingredients.  

Three cheers for being inventive and taking chances.  

Snow Day Hummus

*Otherwise known as Buffalo Hummus (Adapted from Food Network)

Like I said, I didn't have any Tahini, so I made do without it.  Then I changed things up a bit, adding a bit more spice, because honestly, I like it that way.

3 cups drained and rinsed garbanzo beans

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

5 Tablespoons of Franks Buffalo Sauce

1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar

3 cloves of garlic

A sprinkle of cayenne pepper

A hearty "sprinkeling" of sesame seeds (to make up for the lack of Tahini)- ha.

Place everything in the food processor and blend until thick, rich and creamy.  Garnish with some fresh parsley (straight from my indoor herb garden) and... yum yum yum...eat it up.

Here's hoping your day is cozy and warm and delicious and wonderful.