Voice of America

A morning glory at my window

satisfies me more than 

the metaphysics of  books.

by Walt Whitman

Take some time today to find a poem you like and enjoy reading it with your favorite cup of tea or coffee. Perhaps if you are feeling ambitious to cook this recipe might work for you.

Mixed Fruit Cobbler

with buttery-orange cookie crust

Cook’s notes: This recipe comes CuisineAtHome.com June 2012. The original recipe was called Blackberry Cobbler. Since I used most of my blackberries on two previous recipes I decide to mix it up a bit and used four different kinds of fruit. The crust mixture is generous so consider using only ¾ of the dough for this cobbler. The recipe called for using an oval baking dish 2-1/2 qt. size which I did not have so used a 9 inch square pan. I have adapted some of the ingredients from the original recipe.

Ingredients: Filling

• 6 cups of fruit –I used blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 TB. tapioca ground (it is for thickening for the filling)
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1/8 cup orange juice
• 1 TB. cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Mix sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and salt in a blender
• In a large bowl add sugar mixture with orange juice and blend well
• Toss berries with this sugar mixture and let sit while making crust

Ingredients: Crust

• 1-cup flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 stick of butter softened
• 1-cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• zest of one orange

Directions:

• Cream butter and sugar till fluffy
• Add in eggs, vanilla and zest
• In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt
• Add to egg/butter mixture and beat till a moist dough forms

Assembling the cobbler

• Spoon berry mixture into baking pan
• Spoon dough over berries
• Gently spread dough over berries-it will be thin in spots, but spreads when it bakes
• Bake 55 minutes or until dough is browned and cobbler juices are thick and bubbly 

Serving suggestions: let cool 15 minutes before serving and a scoop of ice cream really adds piece de resistance

Walt Whitman

May 31, 1819- 1892

Walt Whitman worked as a teacher, printer, journalist and during the Civil War a volunteer in military hospitals in Washington, D.C. He published the first edition of Leaves of Grass, a volume of 12 untitled poems with the hopes this book of poetry would be enjoyed not only by scholars but by everyone. The work went through various editions throughout his entire life. The last edition contained more than 300 poems. Leaves of Grass is one of the world’s most famous literary works. His voice was the voice of America. He led a change in America during the 19^th century to write poetry that could be understood and enjoyed by everyone, poems of freedom that celebrated the common man.        

  

Walt Whitman became a great admirer of President Lincoln during the Civil War. After Lincoln was shot and killed Whitman wrote this poem O Captain! My Captain! in the president’s honor.  This poem compares Lincoln to the captain of a ship.  The following is the first of the three stanzas.

O Captain! My Captain!

“O Captain! My Captain our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

It's All About The Sauce

Julia Child was an American chef, author and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to Americans. She lived to be almost 92. When asked what she attributed her longevity to she said, "Red meat and gin."

One of my favorite Julia quotes is "Always remember if you're alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always pick it up, who's going to know."  
Channeling Julia is a blog written by Julie Powell. http://channelingjulia.blogspot.com/
Her first blogs profiled 365 days of cooking of over 500 recipes from Julia Child's book Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Her blog later became a book and ultimately a movie titled: Julie and Julia in 2009 with Meryl Streep. 
As I began to compile some of my favorite sauces I couldn't help but think about Julia and her infamous sauces she made with lots of butter. 
This Bearnaise Sauce was one of her signature recipes.  As I looked over the ingredients I can see how much our cooking choices have evolved over the years.
Ingredients:
1/4  cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 TB. shallot
1 TB. dried tarragon
3 egg yolks 
2 sticks of butter
2 TB. fresh tarragon
if you want to proceed to directions for this sauce follow this link
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/bearnaise-sauce-recipe3/index.html

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of rhubarb-cleaned and diced
• 2 cups of strawberries-sliced
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup water
• 1 TB. lemon juice
• 3 TB. orange juice

Directions:

• Mix sugar and cinnamon
• Toss rhubarb with sugar/cinnamon and let sit in a pan for 20 minutes
• Add water and cook on medium heat till sugar dissolves
• Add strawberries and simmer about 15 minutes
• Mix cornstarch with lemon juice and 3 TB. orange juice 
• Add to fruit mixture and cook till thick on a medium low heat
• Optional: 2 drops of red food coloring

Serving suggestions: serve over cheesecake or angel food cake or shortcakes/biscuits

Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 TB. tapioca
• 1 package frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed in the juices from the box
• 1 pint of fresh raspberries
• ½ cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1 TB. butter

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and tapioca
• Add one package of raspberries stir to coat
• Let stand 15 minutes
• Stir in water, cinnamon stick, salt and nutmeg
• Bring to a slow boil stirring occasionally
• Remove from heat and add lemon juice and butter
• Add pint fresh raspberries
• Cool at least 15 minutes then refrigerate
• Remove cinnamon stick before serving

Serving Suggestions: serve over ice cream or white cake or cheesecake or shortcakes


Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1-cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3-cup sugar
• 1/3-cup light corn syrup
• 12-oz. bittersweet chocolate cut in ½ inch pieces
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 TB. Kahlua or Grand Marnier or rum

Directions:

• Combine the cream, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and place on low heat
• Bring to a boil, stirring often
• Off heat head chocolate and shake pan to submerge chocolate in hot liquid
• Let stand 3 minutes until chocolate melted, then whisk smooth  
• Whisk in salt and vanilla and liqueur or rum
• Store sauce in a tightly covered jar and refrigerate. Reheat over simmering water before serving

Serving suggestions: serve over ice cream, chocolate cake

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce

Recipe from Bon Appetit magazine June 2011

Ingredients:

• 1-cup ketchup
• ½ cup bourbon
• 3 TB. brown sugar
• 3 TB. light molasses
• 3 TB. apple cider vinegar
• 2 TB. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TB. soy sauce
• 1 TB. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

• Bring all ingredients to boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally
• Reduce heat, simmer until sauce is reduced to 2 cups stirring often about 10 minutes
• Cover and chill

Serving suggestions: serve over ham or ribs or pork

Honolulu Sauce

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup margarine
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 TB. soy sauce
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• 2 TB. cornstarch

Directions:

• Mix cornstarch with orange juice
• Add rest of ingredients and cook on low heat till thickened

Serving suggestions: Serve over pork or chicken or ham

Currant Sauce

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup red currant jelly
• ½ cup dry red wine (Burgundy or Merlot)
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 TB. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• ¼ tsp dry mustard

Directions:

• Mix cornstarch with wine
• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan
• Bring to boil over medium heat-cook 2 minutes

Serving Suggestions:Serve over chicken or pork or ham

Happy Memorial Day

Take time to  show your appreciation for their service. Thank a Vet!

___________________________________

The World According to Bella

NiteDawg...All Lit Up

I wasn't too sure about my new NiteDawg LED Light Up Dog Collar gift.  I ask you, why do Mr. C and Mrs. S need to know where I am 24/7 ? Lake life is so much better when you can roam freely be unnoticed. You'd  think I was some dangerous dog on the loose that they need to keep track of my whereabouts.   

Really look at me in this picture below. I am resting comfortably enjoying a holiday campfire.

 Do I look like a menacing threat to the neighborhood? Is it really necessary I am visible for over 1,000 feet? Shouldn't I be able to roam the brush and woods on my own without someone tracking me?

Well...still not sure this was a necessary accessory.  At least I know wearing my  festive collar  I will fit right in for my neighbor's fireworks display tonight!   
Love, Bella

Holiday Entertaining

There's a great deal of poetry and 

fine sentiment in a chest of tea.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Courage of Life

Without belittling the courage

with which men have died,

We should not forget those acts of courage

with which men ...have lived.

The courage of life

is often a less dramatic spectacle

than the courage of a final moment;

but it is not less a magnificent mixture

of triumph and tragedy.

by John F.Kennedy 
________________________________

Straw and Hay

Italian bell' alimento in English translates to Straw and Hay. This pasta dish gets its name because the mixture of spinach and plain linguine looks like a mound of straw and hay when served. 

Cook’s notes: To avoid this dish getting too dry it only needs to heat through just till warm.

Cover dish with foil and bake 10 minutes @ 350 remove foil and cook for 5 minutes longer to have the topping crunchy

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. linguine noodles (use 1/2 plain linguine noddles and 1/2 spinach noodles) 
• 5 TB. butter
• 8 oz. cooked ham cut in thin strips (can use deli ham)
• 1 cup cooked peas
• 1 small package of mushrooms-cleaned and chopped
• 2 large egg yolks well beaten
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 Directions:

• Cook noodles in boiling salted water just till al dente
• Drain and return linguine to pot
• Add butter, ham, peas, and mushrooms and mix well
• In a small bowl beat egg yolks and add to cream
• Whisk till foamy
• Slowly add cream mixture to other rest of ingredients
• Stir in Parmesan cheese and cook on low heat till thickened
• Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9 pan
• Grate more Parmesan cheese over noodle mixture
• In a Cuisenaire chop 3-4 pieces of whole wheat bread till there is about 1-1/2 cups of breadcrumbs
• Melt 2 TB. butter and pour into Cuisenaire with the breadcrumbs and add 2 TB. parsley flakes and blend
• Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of noodle mixture
• Cover with foil and bake @ 350 for 10 minutes
• Remove foil and cook 5 minutes longer

A Sweet, Juicy, Low-Cal Fruit

In a recent post on Margaret Wise Brown I posed the question 
Does anyone remember what was the rest of this first sentence 
In the great green room from the book Goodnight Moon ?
Do not want you to lose any sleep over this so here's the answer...
there was a telephone
and a red balloon
second page reads...
and a picture of
the cow jumping over the moon
and the three little bears sitting on chairs. 

-------------------------------------------------------------

I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening. 

His mother put him to bed and made some chamomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter! "One table-spoonful to be taken at bed-time."

But Flopsey, Mopsey, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.

This ending from the book Tale of Peter Rabbit  by Beatrix Potter

Too bad Peter was naughty and didn't feel well and had to miss having yummy blackberries for supper. 
But we don't have to miss out (that's assuming we have been good and did not get into mischief :). The stores had plenty to choose from and even running a sale.  So with a couple of pints I decided to try out a few ideas. 


The bowl of blackberries above was sprinkled with 1-1/2 TB. Grand Marnier. I covered it with plastic wrap then refrigerated the berries for 2 hours. Great for a simple dessert or with your morning cup of tea.

On May 21  I posted a recipe for Blackberry/Mustard sauce used for London Broil. I updated the recipe and reposted it for May 21. In the recipe I decreased the amount of mustard to 1 tsp. and added 2 TB. of fresh juice from an orange and used 2 TB. brandy. With the sauce makeover I decided to try it as a dessert item. After the sauce cooled in the refrigerator for an hour to set, I served it over ice cream.
It paired very well with ice cream. 

 Recently had this Chicken Blackberry Salad at a friend's house for lunch. I took this photo before I devoured it. The salad was quite delicious and seemed easy to prepare. 

Ingredients:

• cubed chicken (time saver use rotisserie chicken from the deli) another option is to grill chicken pieces and place on top of mixed greens
• red grapes
• blackberries
• mixed greens
• raspberries
• chopped pecans
• option: red onion slices
• prepared dressing:poppyseed, raspberry or blueberry vinaigrette

The New "It" Bag

Cooking chicken, fish or shrimp  with vegetables in a sealed steamed parchment bag a.k.a. en papillote is becoming more popular.  On the May 13th posting I wrote about cooking walleye in parchment paper. This method may look fancy and time consuming but really these cute little bundles are a breeze to put together. Your company will think you spent more time in the kitchen assembling this than you actually did.
I found the following recipe that called for using Chinese 5 spice powder, shrimp, snap peas and peppers. Follow this link for recipe
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/five_spice_shrimp_vegetable_packets.html?section=comments

BonAppetit magazine June 2012 featured an article using parchment paper to create bundles to grill or bake.
I tried salmon with lemon, white wine, herbs and zucchini. If I would have had peppers on hand would have added them.
1. First cut parchment paper to 14 x 12 piece. Fold paper in half and cut into a heart shape.
2. Arrange vegetables, herbs on one side of heart shape paper. Top with fish ( I used salmon)
3. Add splash of wine, olive oil or butter (this keeps fish moist and creates a sauce)

3. Brush the edges of the paper with beaten egg white for a tighter seal if desired.
4. Working from one end begin tightly folding the open edge of the paper.

5. Continue folding the paper's open edge to form a seal. Transfer packet to a rimmed baking sheet and bake or place directly on the grill.

_________________________________________

Ralph Waldo Emerson

May 25, 1803-April 27, 1882

American essayist, lecturer and poet
"Live in the sunshine,
swim in the sea,
drink the wild air."

Rubies

They brought me rubies from the mine

And held them to the sun;

I said, they are drops of frozen wine

from Eden's vats that run.

I looked again-I thought them hearts-

Of friends to friends unknown;

Tides that should warm each neighboring life

Are locked in sparkling stone.

But fire to thaw that ruddy snow,

To break enchanted ice,

And give love's scarlet tides to flow,

When shall that sun arise? 

A Lady On The Cutting Edge

Give Yourself  To The Rain

Give yourself to the rain when it falls

Give yourself to the wind

Go with it

Blow through the bright dark

Green light on the trees

Listen to the rain

Again-through sleep

Dream of it

Brace nothing against it

Safe in your bed 

Listen

And give yourself to the rain

When it falls down.

by Margaret Wise Brown

Give Yourself to the Rain

May 23-1910-Nov. 13, 1952

It was no surprise when I held up the book Goodnight Moon a buzz rang out in the kindergarten room. Excited voices "Oh, I have that book,"  "I know that story"  " My dad reads that to me." 

Amazing the popularity of this book still after some 65 years. 
Today we were celebrating the birthday of a woman who was on the cutting edge of innovative ideas in the field of publishing children's books. Note that five year olds will get into celebration mode with the promise of a treat:)

Margaret Wise Brown was one of the pioneers of children's literature. Before she arrived on the picture book publishing scene fairy tales and fables dominated the world of illustrated stories. She wrote with the then new idea that children would rather read about their own lives instead of fairy tales and fables. She never had any of her own children but had the unique ability to see the world through a child's eyes. Brown was once quoted as saying "I wish to write a story that would seem absolutely true to the child who hears it and to myself." 

Brown was a New York socialite who lived life to the fullest mingling with the famous and the royals. Stories about the energetic Brown show her to have lived an extravagant and adventuresome life. I especially enjoyed reading a story about the time when Brown bought an entire street vendor's cart of flowers and threw herself a party to celebrate her first royalty check. Each subsequent book Brown sold she would then purchase a coat, car or airplane ticket to Europe to celebrate. 

Her dual role of author and publisher gave her a platform to make significant changes in the publishing world of children's books. She pushed for changes in payment practices for authors and illustrators. She insisted her artists receive the same royalty as she did for a book. She also was passionate about wanting stories for children affordable to all children. So she penned many stories for Golden Books.   

Brown died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 42.  It really is quite amazing in her short career she published over 36 books. Many are still popular today which include: The Important Book, The Noisy Series and the beloved Runaway Bunny. 

Question for you...Can you finish the sentence on the first page of Goodnight Moon ...In the great green room...

  

Memorial Weekend Cooking

Think of all the beauty that's still left in

and around you and be happy.

Anne Frank 

This photo was taken near Ely, MN
After finding this Anne Frank quote I choose this photo because I imagined if Anne could escape the chaos of her life she would sit on the bluffs and drink in the solitude. Perhaps she might even write in her diary.

Wishing you a grand week with some easy recipes for your upcoming Memorial weekend cooking:)

London Broil with Blackberry Mustard Sauce

Sauce recipe adapted from Southern Living May 2010

Cook’s note: This sauce also works well with pork tenderloins and chicken

Ingredients:

• ·         2 London broil patties
• ·         ½ cup onion
• ·         1 cup white mushrooms-cleaned and diced
• ·         2 TB. butter
• ·         ½ tsp garlic (it comes in a jar)
• ·         2/3 cup Blackberry preserves
• ·         1 tsp. Dijon mustard (original recipe called for ¼ cup)
• ·         2 TB. rum or brandy (I used brandy)
• ·         1/1/2 cup blackberries
• ·         1 TB. orange zest
• ·         ½ tsp. ginger
•       2 tsp. juice from an orange

Directions:

• ·         Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter
• ·         Salt and pepper meat and grill, add sautéed mushrooms and onions
• ·         Make sauce in a pan adding blackberry preserves, mustard, brandy, orange zest, ginger and orange juice
• ·         Whisk and cook on low heat about 5 minutes
• ·         Fold in blackberries and serve sauce over meat

Brownies Ala Mode

Recipe adapted from Nestle Chocolatier Wrapper

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 package of Bittersweet Chocolate Squares (62% Cacao)
• option use bittersweet chocolate morsels (10 oz package and ½ of another one)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/3-cup butter cut into pieces
• 3 TB brewed coffee
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup plus 3 TB. flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 TB. Kahlua

Directions:

• Preheat oven top 325
• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil and grease
• Heat chocolate, sugar, butter, and coffee in a small pan over low heat-whisk ingredients
• Stir till melted and well blended
• Pour into a bowl and stir in eggs one at a time and blend well
• Stir in vanilla and Kahula
• Add in flour, salt and nuts stir till well blended
• Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes but at check at 30-insert wooden pick in center should come out just a bit sticky
• Cool pan on a wire rack and after 45 minutes peel off foil and place brownies back into pan
• Cut into squares and top with whip cream or ice cream