Indigo

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Just thinking about the color indigo warms me up on a bitterly cold day. Indigo is the deep midnight sky, a rich purplish blue. Its the quiet color with deep and subtle tones.
Recently I came across Teen Ink, a national teen literary magazine, book series and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos and forums. Students must be 13-19 to participate. It affords students the opportunity to share their creative work and opinions that affect their lives. http://www.teenink.com/About
Indigo by Sarah
The color of silence,
The color of shadow,
The color of dusk.
It whispers its secrets to those to can hear,
A soft silken voice, a breath in your ear.
Sweet scarlet bells that twinkle and chime
Dancing in starlight and skimming a rhyme.
Daylight’s end and night’s beginning,
When flowers fade and fires bloom,
Indigo springs on her lithe step,
A bright shattered light through night’s great gloom.
A stolen word though fiercely spoken,
Indigo slinks like a cat in tree oaken.
The canopy of leaves painted in sunlight
Suspended over a gown of pure white.
That is what she wishes to be
Indigo
Flying fast and free.
Instead she wanders through misty voids
Pacing
Watching
Seeking
Racing
Stopping only to watch the destroyed.
Velvet pears on stark moonlight
Sense her temper and her might
And flee to find what cover they can,
Casting imprints in the sand.
But Indigo merely glides past in frost
As haunting as a butterfly lost.

This poem inspired my quest for indigo in the dead of winter. I am starved for color.

The rich depth of indigo color brings to mind deep, calm seas. When used in art and home furnishings it can create a serene atmosphere.

Indigo is a color that is traditionally regarded as a color on the visible spectrum, as well as one of the seven colors of the rainbow.It is the color between blue and violet. The color indigo was named after the plant Indigo. The first recorded use of indigo as a color name in English was in 1289.

Indigo plants are mostly shrubs, but can occasionally sprout into small trees that can grow to up to 20 feet tall. They are generally small flowering plants with many rows of neatly organized leaves, often covered in small purple flowering buds.

Indigo is also a name given to a group of children, according to a pseudo scientific New Age concept who are believed to possess special, unusual and sometimes supernatural traits or abilities. Indigo can be a name, title, book, poem and even part of a song.  

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Cauliflower and Broccoli in Swiss Cheese Sauce

Cook's notes: This recipe was advertised in BHG  Holiday Slow Cooker 2013. I adapted the recipe by baking the dish rather than using a slow cooker. In addition I modified some of the ingredients.    

The dish was very flavorful and makes a great side for a meal. It would pair well with pork, ham or salmon.

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo pasta sauce (lite)
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme and basil
• dash garlic powder
• 1-1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (about 2 bread slices) or 1-1/2 cup Panko crumbs  
• 1 TB. melted butter
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• crushed almonds

Directions:

• In a large bowl add vegetables, Alfredo sauce, Swiss cheese, onion, thyme, basil and garlic powder
• Mix well and pour into a baking dish
• In blender or food processor add bread crumbs, parsley, melted butter and Parmesan cheese
• Spread crumb mixture evenly over the top of the broccoli-cauliflower mixture
• Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with crushed almond and bake 10-15 minutes longer. Vegetables should be more on the al dente side than soft and mushy