Lentils: They can be frugal or fabulous. We grew up with the frugal version: brown lentil stew on meatless days. Friend and cookbook author Triset De Fonseka uses red lentils in her Sri Lankan dals. I’ve enjoyed the fabulous, too, like pan roasted salmon on a bed of black/beluga lentils. Out of all the lentil recipes that folks make, though, lentil soup is at the … Continue reading Two Way Lentil Soup: Vegan or Not
As usual, on Thursdays, I chatted with Matt Swaim today and the subject was St. Blaise. He was a healer, especially for conditions of the throat. I thought it would be good to share a couple timely recipes now that we’re in flu and cold season (still!). The reason we have the blessing of throats on his feast day is when he was condemned to … Continue reading Warming Tea and Bone Broth
Today Matt Swaim, Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio and I chatted about yeast. For thousands of years, folks have incorporated yeast in making breads and drinks. Wild yeast still abounds today in nature on plants, fruits, etc. However, when we think of yeast we think of the dry packets of this actual living organism, which comes to life when it’s proofed in liquid. Here’s a … Continue reading No Knead Cranberry Nut Bread
Today on the Sonrise Morning Show, Matt Swaim and I were chatting about Pope Benedict XVI and the fact that we are mourning this beloved pope. We talked about some of his favorite foods of his homeland, Germany/Bavaria. (His mom, before she married, cooked in hotels so I imagine she brought some interesting recipes to both the hotels and her own kitchen). Here are some … Continue reading Pope Benedict XVI’s Favorite Foods
One ritual, so to speak, that I really enjoyed when we visited relatives in Germany, was their afternoon kaffeeklatsch. What’s a kaffeeklatsch? Basically, a mid-day gathering for comaraderie over cups of coffee and sweet bakery items. Now you don’t have to remind me how busy we all are during the holidays, but it seems to me carving a little time out in the afternoon for … Continue reading An Iconic Coffee Cake
I was reminded brisket weather is here from daughter-in-law, Jessie, who served a delectable, fall-apart beef brisket last week. “It’s your recipe,” she said. That brisket with red gravy was mouthwatering, really, served alongside buttery mashed potatoes. But true disclosure, it wasn’t my own, but one which a Jewish friend gifted me with years ago. This recipe may sound strange to some of you, especially … Continue reading Three More Brisket Recipes
This week Matt Swaim, Sonrise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, talked about the 3 wise men who are depicted in our manger scenes bringing gifts to Baby Jesus. Here’s some “legends” about them: They are often depicted as representing 3 races, 3 ages of adult men and 3 different areas. There are lots of different accounts as to who’s who. The first was called … Continue reading Homemade Peppermint Bark Famous Clone and Gingerbread Playdough
I so enjoy chatting with Matt Swaim, Sonrise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio. Today we revisited a popular Bible fruit: figs. Did you know figs were cultivated thousands of years before Christ was born? Sometimes it’s hard to find fresh figs, so I wanted to share a couple recipes using dried figs. The first is a lovely little tart and the second is an … Continue reading Blue Cheese Fig Tarts w Homemade Fig Jam
After Thanksgiving, the turkey carcass serves 2 purposes: turkey pot pie and turkey vegetable soup or stock. The first thing I do is pull off enough leftover meat to make a good 3 cups. That’s for the pot pie. If there’s enough meat left on the carcass, I make soup; if not, I’ll use the carcass for a flavorful and healthful stock. For the pot … Continue reading Double Crust Turkey Pot Pie
About Eating 