Spring for A Poem

Spring for a Poem
It's April Poetry Month and today's featured author and poet is Jane Yolen.

Photo Credit Jason Stemple.com

She's an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, and children's books. She is the author or editor of more than 400 books including "Owl Moon", "The Devil’s Arithmetic" and the popular series "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?'

Yolen is also a poet, a teacher of writing and literature, and a reviewer of children’s literature. She has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century. Jane Yolen’s books and stories have won the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, the Golden Kite Award, the Jewish Book Award, the World Fantasy Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Association of Jewish Libraries Award among many others.

For more information about the author, scheduled events, awards , and book listings check out http://janeyolen.com/

Yolen has been a poet and a poetry lover all her life. She wrote her first poem in first grade. Despite her father's misgivings early on that she couldn't make a living writing poetry, though he liked her poems, she eventually proved him wrong.

My all-time favorite of her books is "Owl Moon" an unrhymed picture book poem, a Caldecott winner. Yolen's daughter Heidi is the little girl featured in this book. Today she is all grown up and lives next door to her mother.

I met Yolen in 2017 at the Tucson Book Festival at one of the author sessions. As an admirer of her work, I inquired at a later date via email if I could post one of her spring poems. She was fine with my posting and sent me several poems. This year I wanted to repost one of the poems so I emailed her again for permission. She did ask me to update her bio. for my posting.

Yes, indeed Jane Yolen rocks. She is now the author of over 400 books with over thirty under contract. She remarried at 82 to an old friend/poet/teacher, both widowed for long periods of time.
Her new adult poetry books: include” KADDISH (which won the Slophie Bridey Award for best Jewish Book of the Year, and THE BLACK DOG POEMS written with husband Peter Tacy.

Children's book in rhyme or verse, EEK YOU REEK (written with daughter Heidi E. Y. Stemple)

WHEN NANA DANCES written with granddaughter Maddison Stemple-Piatt

"Turning the Page"
by Jane Yolen

"Turn the page," said the squirrels, but
nobody did."—Resa Matlock

“Turn the page,” the squirrels say,
less a directive than a hope.
But the trees sit moping
in their winter shawls of snow.
No hope there.

“Turn the page,” the squirrels say,
less a motion than an amendment.
But the snowdrops hide their shy
and drooping white faces.
No hope there.

“Turn the page,” the squirrels say,
less an answer than a question.
But the icicles drip disdain
with every new drop in the temperature.
No hope there.

“Turn the page,” the squirrels say,
less a prayer than the last rites.
No one in the backyard answers Amen.
It’s an old complaint by February.
No hope there.

“Turn the page,” the squirrels say,
less a gasp of life, more a rattle of death.
But then with a wild wind beating
drumsticks across the land,
daffodils break out in garden grins,

And Spring, with a mighty effort
turns the page.

©2017 Jane Yolen all rights reserved

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bites

HAVE A GREAT DAY

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bites

Cook's Notes: Everything is better when it's bite-size, especially at breakfast time. Wake up to these delicious Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bites, a fun twist on traditional French Toast. Pair with fresh fruit. Optional sprinkling toast bites with powdered sugar. The recipe is adapted from BHG and serves 6.

Cooking tips: Prep ahead a few hours by cutting bread cubes, placing them on a baking sheet to dry out to hold their shape better.
To keep finished French Toast Cubes warm while you cook the remaining batches, place them on a 15×10-inch baking pan in a 200-degree oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup 2% milk
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1 pound unsliced round loaf artisan-style country white, French or sourdough bread, cut into 2-inch cubes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter

Directions:

• In a large bowl whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add bread cubes; toss. Let stand a few minutes for the egg mixture to soak in.
• In a shallow dish stir together the sugar and cinnamon.
• In a 10-inch skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Remove a few bread cubes from the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Add to skillet. Cook 3 minutes per batch, turning to cook evenly until golden. Using tongs, immediately transfer bread cubes to the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll to coat. Repeat with remaining bread cubes, adding more butter to the skillet as needed. Serve immediately with fresh fruit or Mascarpone Whipped Cream.

Other ways to serve French Toast Bites

Spring Brunch Vegetable Egg Casserole

CAN YOU SPRING FOR ANOTHER EGG DISH?

Cook's notes: Spring Vegetable Egg Casserole is a great way to highlight all of your favorite seasonal veggies. The dish would be perfect for your next brunch. It’s a delicious make-ahead dish to serve a crowd when paired with zesty feta cheese and baked up into an easy casserole. Some suggested combinations include: asparagus, spring onions, tomatoes, spinach and peppers, broccoli and garlic, zucchini but the list of possibilities can easily go on and on. Chop veggies ahead for easier prep.

This egg dish can be made in advance. Just cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to one day before baking. Remove the cover, let the casserole rest at room temperature while the oven is heating up, and bake as directed.
The recipe serves 6-8 and is adapted from gimmesomeoven.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup onions, diced
• 1/2 cup of each red and yellow peppers, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large carrot (or 1 cup of baby carrots), peeled and diced
• 1/2 pound asparagus, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup diced white button mushrooms
• 4 ounces sugar snap peas, halved or 1 cup chopped spinach
• 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved and patted dry on a paper towel
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, 1-1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, sharp yellow cheddar, or a combination of the cheddar cheeses
• 12 large eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup 2 % milk
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence or Elote seasoning, divided 
  

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers saute for 3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil with carrots, asparagus, snap peas, broccoli, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened and cooked through. Add the mushrooms, spinach if using, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon spice seasoning. Stir for another 3-4 minutes. Place veggies mixture on two paper towels to drain liquid.
• Transfer about half of the veggie mixture to the prepared baking dish, and spread the veggies out in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with half of the feta cheese or 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Repeat by adding the remaining veggies on top in an even layer, followed by the remaining cheese.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, mustard, rest of the seasoning, and milk with a generous pinch of salt and pepper together until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the casserole comes out clean. Serve immediately.
• If you would like to make this casserole in advance, just cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to 1 day before baking. Then remove the cover, let the casserole rest out at room temperature while the oven is heating up, then bake as directed.
  
  
  

Worth Celebrating

 

Some things are just worth celebrating. A kitchen and a bathroom remodel, 3 birthdays, friendships, and the beginning of spring were all our book group needed to plan a celebratory gathering with spouses. Of course, we needed a cake

and our resident chef Bob

created this very tasty Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake, perfect for the occasion. Since his wife was recuperating from hip surgery Bob took up the task of making the cake under Cathy's expert tutelage. It was delicious, especially the frosting. 

With all the cooking I do, needless to say, this kitchen island is a dream come true with a 6-1/2 ft. spread, it's perfect for entertaining!

Good riddance to Formica counters, the ever-popular 80's look, now dated.  entertaining. And when the backsplash was added it all came together.  

Since there was leftover granite we were able to add in a bathroom remodel too.

Looking for book titles for your spring reading list? We read last month

"Paris Library" by Janet Skeslien Charles, this month

currently reading, "Something Beautiful Happened" by Yvette Manessis Corporon, 

and next month's "Weight of Ink" by Rachel Kadish.  

And now for the cake

Texas Sheet Cake Recipe from cooks.com

https://www.cooks.com/recipe/mo5pz3u4/texas-sheet-cake.html

Cornbread Muffins with Blueberries

These cornbread muffins burst with sweet blueberries

and certainly will add some pizzazz to your day. The recipe is quite straightforward and ready in under 30 minutes. It's a tender, moist, and buttery infused with sweet maple and bursts of blueberries muffin to enjoy for your next breakfast or brunch. I loved the textures and flavors. The recipe makes 12 -14 and was adapted from carlsbadcravings.com

Cornbread Muffins with Blueberries

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups blueberries

Dry 

• 1 1/4 cups ground yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Wet 

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

Directions:

• Spray a 12 count muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, dust with flour, or use muffin/ cupcake liners. 
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse and dry blueberries then coat with flour, set aside  
• Add dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Batter will seem very wet which is normal.
• Evenly divide the batter between 12 muffin tins (they will fill to the top) bake for 15-17 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool muffins in pan then remove.

Invite a friend/neighbor over to sit a spell and enjoy a muffin or two. 

With a good muffin start, it was a perfect weather day to enjoy some early spring blooms and the desert landscape found at the Tohono Chul Gardens in Tucson. 

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookies

Who knew there could be one more cookie recipe out there to try. This one is a keeper and I declare absolutely delicious! Raise your hand if you like a cookie with chocolate and a mint flavor. The cookies are rich, decadent, and have a few fun mix-ins with chocolate chips and chopped-up mint Oreo cookies. The refreshing mint twist is SO good!

 The recipe is adapted from twopeeasandtheir pod and makes 2-1/2 dozen cookies.  

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookies

Ingredients

• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups chopped mint Oreo cookies (can use Thin Mints)
  
  
  
• 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Sea salt for sprinkling on cookies

Directions: 

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.
• With a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
• Use a food processor to coarsely chop cookies.  
• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don't over mix.
• Stir in the chopped Oreos and chocolate chips. 
• Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Roll cookie dough into 2 inch balls and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake cookies for 9 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but still soft in the center. Don't overbake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.
  
  Signs of spring are emerging on the desert landscape. The purple Mountain Laurel were eye-catching with their vibrant colors. 
  
  
  
  

A Taste of Spring

As the snow melts and daylight stretches into evening, people who like to eat with the seasons know what's coming: asparagus. Asparagus is a spring vegetable. Take advantage of grocery sales and then head to the kitchen for the first taste of spring.

Asparagus 101: Choose spears with bright green stalks and purple-tinted tips. Make sure asparagus is dry before using as you don't want water to steam the asparagus in the oven. If grilling asparagus make sure the heat is not too hot and use spears that are thicker.

Cheese Tortellini with Lemon Roasted Asparagus 

Cook's notes: A springtime dish that's easy to prepare, bursts with lemon flavors and delicious roasted asparagus. Broccoli can be substituted for asparagus.
Recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com and serves 3-4
Ingredients:
For the roasted asparagus or broccoli

• 1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces or 1 bunch of asparagus cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or lemon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 lemon slices
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Tortellini

• 1- 9 oz. package cheese tortellini (refrigerated I used Buitoni but frozen works also)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Dash of crushed red pepper
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the broccoli or asparagus pieces on a large baking sheet. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic. Drizzle the mixture over prepared asparagus. Add the garlic and lemon slices, toss broccoli or asparagus until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once. Remove broccoli or asparagus when it's crisp and slightly charred. Remove lemon slices and tent a piece of foil to keep asparagus or broccoli warm.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. When cooked, drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Set the water and tortellini aside.
• Put the pot back on the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté 1 minute.
• Turn the heat to low and add in the reserved pasta water, cooked tortellini, lemon juice, and spinach. Cook on low until spinach is wilted for about 1 minute. Add in Parmesan cheese and asparagus or broccoli. Stir and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm and add lemon zest over the dish. 

Almond Lemon Pound cake

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the coast of Amalfi, and the Island of Capri. Traditionally, it is made from the zest of Femminello St. Teresa lemons are also known as Sorrento lemons. Limoncello is the second most popular liqueur in Italy and it has recently become popular in other parts of the world. Restaurants in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are now increasingly offering limoncello on their beverage and dessert menus.

Almond Pound Cake with Limoncello and Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

Cook's notes: This miniature bottle of limoncello was a real find at the liquor store. It was was just the right amount for this cake with a reasonable price. The cake has a moist spongy texture with fragrant bits of citrus. It can be dusted with powdered sugar, topped with a sauce, or fresh berries. 

Cooking Tip: 

• Almond paste can be pricey so by using 1/2 can and putting the rest in ziploc bag and store in the refrigerator there is enough to use for another time. It's a good addition to the almond cake. 
• Adding a bit of flour to almond paste in the Cuisinart helps keep the almond paste from sticking to blades.
• Lemon syrup is an excellent non-alcoholic choice to replace limoncello in recipes and cocktails. The syrup is liquid-based on lemon sugar with a consistency similar to that of the original ingredient. A wide selection of lemon syrup brands is available in supermarkets and online shops. One of the most popular options is Torani Lemon Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup extra-light olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1/2 of a 7 oz. tube or can of almond paste
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 tablespoons grated lemon peel
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup limoncello (lemon liqueur)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a springform pan (9 inch) with PAM.
• In a food processor add 1 tablespoon flour and almond paste. Pulse to crumble.
• Whisk flour, salt, baking powder and set aside.
• Beat 3/4 cup sugar, oil, and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add crumbled almond paste and grated lemon peel. Beat until smooth.
• Add eggs in one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Add flour mixture, stir to blend.
• Bake cake 35 40 minutes until golden brown and tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool cake on a wire rack.
• Mix powdered sugar and limoncello. After 20 minutes poke random holes in the cake and drizzle the powdered sugar mixture.
• When cake is completely cool, dust with powdered sugar or spoon a sauce over each serving.

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes with Honey Cinnamon Butter

  Sometimes, when you see something, you just have to stop the car. Last night was just that sort of night. The full moon rising made a stunning appearance with the mountain and desert landscape as a backdrop.  

Rise and shine with these homemade pancakes made with buttermilk, the key to a fluffier pancake.  

Add a drizzle of melted honey cinnamon butter and maple syrup elevating these pancakes to a whole new level. They're the perfect choice for any meal. A griddle can be used as well as a frying pan to make these pancakes.  

No buttermilk? Not a problem use the following buttermilk substitute you only need milk and vinegar or lemon juice. Pour 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a large measuring cup. Then add 2 cups of milk. stir and let sit for 10 minutes. When adding homemade substituting buttermilk to the recipe, use only enough to keep the batter thick. 

The recipe makes 12 pancakes and is from sugarspunrun.com 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 4 tablespoons butter melted and cooled 

Directions: 

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, until well-combined.
• In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
• Take your melted butter and slowly drizzle it into your wet ingredients while whisking, stirring until well-combined (the butter may separate and curdle if your other ingredients are cold, this is OK, just whisk to combine).
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined — do not overmix your pancake batter or your pancakes will be flat. Use a light hand when stirring, and a few flour streaks in the batter are fine.
• Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray or lightly brush with canola oil and place on burner on medium-low heat.
• Allow the skillet to preheat before adding the batter (about 5 minutes, it's good for your pancake batter to sit several minutes as well, which is why you prepared that before preheating your pan), and once skillet is heated (I usually test this by hovering my hand several inches above the pan and making sure I can feel the heat radiating from it) scoop pancake batter into pan (I use about 1/3 cup of batter per pancake).
• Allow the pancake to cook until edges begin to appear cooked and bubbles in batter begin to burst. Using a pancake spatula, carefully flip the pancake and continue to cook for several more minutes until the pancake is golden brown.
• Repeat until all batter is used — I recommend spraying or brushing the pan between each batch of pancakes.
• Serve warm topped with cinnamon butter and maple syrup!

Homemade Honey Cinnamon Butter

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon

Directions: 

• Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until well combined and fluffy. Serve at room temperature.
• Make it in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month. Allow softening at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Honey Cinnamon Butter is great on toast, waffles, and muffins too. 

Corned Beef Hash

CORNED BEEF HASH
Hash is a dish consisting of diced meat, potatoes, and spices that are mixed together and then cooked either alone or with other ingredients such as onions. The name is derived from the French verb hacher (to chop).
Corned beef hash became especially popular in some countries including Britain and France during and after World War II as rationing limited the availability of fresh meat.

In many locations, the hash is served primarily as a breakfast food on restaurant menus and as home cuisine, often served with eggs and toast (or biscuits), and fried potatoes or hash browns. The dish may also use corned beef or roast beef stirred into a potato mixture.
Hash has recently made a comeback as more than just a dish for leftovers or breakfasts. High-end restaurants now offer sophisticated hashes and the first cookbook dedicated exclusively to a wide variety of hashes was self-published in 2012.

Cook's Notes: If you choose to make this hash with eggs, you’ve got breakfast. Take away the eggs, pair them with a green salad, and dinner is served. Five cups of frozen hash browns can be substituted for red potatoes.
And don't forget a slice of Irish Soda Bread to round out the meal.

Recipe adapted from wholekitchenwordpress.com and serves 2-3
Ingredients:

• 4 medium-sized red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2-3 cups corned beef, diced in small pieces
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 3/4 cup carrots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups raw cabbage, sliced thin
• 1 cup combination mini yellow and red peppers, diced
• 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, rosemary, parsley and basil
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Place cubed potatoes in a large pot, covered with 3 inches of cool water, add in 1/2 tsp. salt.
• Bring the pot to a boil, then cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
• Drain potatoes in a colander and set them aside to cool.
• In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 TB. oil, onions, minced garlic, carrots, cabbage, peppers and saute until veggies begin to soften about 5 minutes.
• Add in butter, cubed cooked potatoes, spices, and corned beef, stirring to combine.
• Continue cooking until potatoes and corned beef begin to brown about 10 minutes – stir every 2-3 minutes. Add a dash of Worcestershire just before serving.
• Serve the hash in bowls. Adding over-easy eggs on top of each bowl is optional.