A Notable Birthday Celebration

Mary Oliver poet and author

Mary Oliver's poetry is grounded in memories of Ohio and her home in New England near Provincetown where she moved to in the 1960's. Her poetry has been influenced by both Whitman and Thoreau. She is known for her clear and poignant observances of the natural world. Her creativity is stirred by nature. Oliver is an avid walker, often pursues inspiration on foot. Her poems are filled with imagery from her daily walks near her home.

Oliver has also been compared to Emily Dickinson with whom she shares an affinity for solitude and interior monologues. Her poetry combines dark introspection with joyous release. Oliver finds the self is only strengthened through an immersion with nature.

Oliver's honors include fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts (1972-1973) and the Guggenheim Foundation (1980-1981). She has also received an American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Achievement Award, a Lannan Literary Award, the 1991 Christopher and L.L. Winship/PEN New England Awards, and the Poetry Society of America's Shelley Memorial Prize

Mary Oliver September 10, 1935 

Praying
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.”
― Mary Oliver, from "Thirst: Poems" © Beacon Press, 2007.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” 
“I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.” 
For more inspiring thought provoking quotes follow this link below
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/23988.Mary_Oliver?page=1

Cook's notes: How about a decadent cake to celebrate this occasion? Try this really yummy cake recipe from Midwest Living

with toasted coconut, pecans and caramel. It makes a sweet sauce for a twist on German chocolate cake. So easy!
Ingredients:

• 1- 1/2 cups broken pecans
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped sweet baking chocolate
• 1/4 cup Dutch processed or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 5 large eggs
• 1- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• Toasted Coconut-Pecan Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:

• For cake: Grease a 9 inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper; set pan aside. 
• In a food processor, combine pecans, sugar, chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, pulsing until nuts are ground. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend or process till nearly smooth.
• Spread nut mixture in the prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degrees oven about 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean.
• Remove from oven. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
• To serve, cut into wedges and place on dessert plates. Drizzle with Toasted Coconut-Pecan Caramel Sauce.

Toasted Coconut-Pecan Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 jar caramel ice cream topping (room temperature)

Directions:

• Spread coconut and pecans in a thin layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 6 to 8 minutes or till the coconut is toasted and the nuts are golden brown, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven. In a medium bowl, stir together caramel ice cream topping, coconut and pecans.
• Drizzle over each serving piece of cake. 

Provencal Tomatoes

Provencal Tomatoes

recipe adapted from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)
Cook's notes:
I found this recipe to be the essence of late summer harvest with vine ripened tomatoes and fresh herbs. It was emphasized in recipe preparation to use fresh bread crumbs and fresh herbs. But I did find 1-1/2 TB. herbes de provence an excellent substitution for fresh if not available.
Bread crumbs were made by cutting off crusts of either whole wheat or white bread, pulse in food processor.
Since I found the stuffing a little dry I drizzled a little olive oil over top of each bread stuffed tomato before baking. It was recommended in the recipe to use a good olive oil.
Ingredients:

• 6 ripe tomatoes
• 1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 5 slices)
• 1/4-1/3 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 2 TB. minced flat leaf parsley
• 2 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 TB. minced fresh basil
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 2 TB. grated Parmesan cheese
• olive oil 
• optional: using 1-1/2 TB herbes de Provence instead of fresh herbs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut core from tomatoes, removing as little as possible. Cut them in half crosswise and remove seeds and juice. 
• Turn tomatoes upside down on a paper towel to get all of the juices out.
• Place tomatoes in greased baking dish right side up.
• In food processor, add bread to make crumbs and then add in scallions, garlic and spices. Pulse a few times to blend.
• Sprinkle tomatoes with a little salt and cracked pepper
• Fill the cavities of the tomatoes with bread mixture, add basil and drizzle with olive oil and bake 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese and Parmesan cheese and bake for 2-3 minutes till cheese melted.
  

First Day of School 

by Judith Viorst

Will they let me go when I need to go to the bathroom?
And what if I get lost lost on my way back to class?
And what if all of the other kids are a hundred, a thousand, a million times smarter than I am?
And what if we have a spelling test, or a reading test, or an…anything test, and I'm the only person who doesn't pass?

And what if my teacher decides that she doesn't like me?
And what if all of a sudden a tooth gets loose?
And what if I can't find my lunch, or I step on my lunch, or I (oops) drop my lunch down someplace like the toilet?
Will they just let me starve or will somebody lend me a sandwich? A cookie? A cracker? An apple?, Some juice?

And what if they say, "Do this," and I don't understand them?
And what if there's teams, and nobody picks me to play?
And what if I took off my sneakers, and also my socks, and also my jeans, and my sweatshirt and T-shirt,
And started the first day of school on the second day?

Pat Dennis

Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.

by Mark Twain

Meet Pat Dennis, Author, Humorist and Comedian

Pat Dennis is the award-winning author of the memoir Fat Old Woman in Las Vegas: Dieting, Gambling and Wicked Fun, Hotdish To Die For, Murder By Chance, Killed by Chance, Dead by Chance, Stand Up and Die, and writing as Nora England, The Witches of Dorkdom, a novel for middle school readers and up. Her short stories and humor have appeared in Minnesota Monthly, Woman’s World, Anne Frasier’s Deadly Treats, Resort to Murder, Silence of the Loons, Once Upon A Crime Anthology, Writes of Spring, Who Died in Here?, Pioneer Press, FMAM, Sun Current, Hartford Journal, and Impressions. Pat is also a veteran of more than a thousand performances as a stand-up comedian (now retired). Her short story After the Fall, in the “Cooked to Death” anthology is loosely based on true story a friend shared with her forty years ago. She works closely with Once Upon A Crime, an independent bookstore in Minneapolis, MN. 

I met Pat several years ago at the Hackensack Book and Art Festival where she was selling her books. She has participated in the Book Arts section of the festival for many years. I have read several of her books and enjoy her wit and humor. She has the uncanny ability not to take herself too seriously. Her book titles are attention grabbing and you know the stories will be an entertaining read. An extra bonus if you enjoy cooking many of her books include recipes.

“Hot Dish to Die For “a collection of six culinary mystery short stories where the weapon of choice is hotdish with deadly recipes included. Many of the stories have tongue and cheek titles e.g. The Lutheran Who Lusted, The Maltese Tater Tot and Death by Idaho Potato. 

“Who Died Here” an anthology of twenty-five tales of murder and death and somehow each one connected to bathrooms. The selected crime stories are written by mystery writers who come from USA and the UK. The litany of crimes recorded range from simply hilarious to some that are seriously horrendous. 

“Murder by Chance” is the first of Pat’s Betty Chance Mysteries series. It is one of my favorite of books about a tour bus guide/owner of casino trips, Betty Chance, and her adventures during a trip to Moose Lake Bay Resort and Casino in Northern Minnesota. Betty, her bus driver, Tillie, and Betty's niece, Lori find happiness in a new travel business that specializes in casino junkets. But along the way they become involved in addictive gambling, and murder! The humorous situations and dialogue keep the book moving at a fast pace. Recipes are included at the end of the book.

“Fat Old Woman in Las Vegas-Gambling, Dieting and Wicked Fun” is Pat's newest book. It is a light-hearted memoir. She sets out on a solo journey by car, train and Greyhound bus, to experience life in Las Vegas, gambling and all-you-can eat buffets. Pat travels the two thousand miles alone from Minnesota to Sin City. Her ability to take an honest and often hilarious look at her aging, declining health, out-of-control gambling and a myriad of neuroses make this an inspiring, funny and enjoyable read. 

Despite a myriad of health and mobility issues I found Pat's mantra that all things are possible admirable. People who afraid to do something out of their comfort zone or travel because they are overweight or have some health issues will find her determination admirable and even uplifting. 

Pat writes with realism as she captures the vibe of sin city and its pitfalls. Her descriptive anecdotes are hilarious as she writes about life on the street, Fremont Avenue and casino experiences. Her LV observations are relevant since this is book was recently published Jan 2016. And if you need some gambling tips she is not short on dispensing advice for your next trip.

A Holiday Meal

Walleye Fillets in Foil
Ingredients:

• 1 lb.  fish fillet (fresh or frozen)
• 2 Tb. butter, melted
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• dried parsley flakes 
• dried dill weed or herbes de Provence
• smoked paprika 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• sweet onion slices 
• lemon slices

Directions:

• On 4 large buttered squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil, place equal amounts of fish fillets that have been rinsed and patted dry. 
• Drizzle each fillet with melted butter and freshly squeezed lemon juice. 
• Sprinkle each fillet with parsley flakes, dill or herbes de Provence and paprika; top with onion and lemon slices .
  

• Wrap foil securely around fish, leaving space for fish to expand.
• Grill seven minutes on each side or until fish flakes with fork.

Check out http://www.walleyecentral.com/recipe.shtml  and http://fishing-in-minnesota.com/blog/2013/06/05/10-best-walleye-ecipes/#sthash.HC05EgyU.cOtqHbvn.dpbs for more ideas

Autumn Risotto with Butternut Squash, Sage and Pepitas 

Cook's notes: A time saver dicing and roasting cubes a few hours ahead. Make sure butternut squash cubes are at room temperature before adding to risotto.  

Recipe adapted from Hello Fresh Meals and serves four.
Cooking Tip: Have all your ingredients prepped ahead so assembling the dish goes quicker. 

Butternut Squash Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash cut into  1-1/2 inch cubes (2 cups) 
• 1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 inch wedges 
• 1 TB. olive oil or Blood Orange Olive Oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar, Cranberry Pear White or Honey Ginger White Balsamic
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• dash of pumpkin pie spice mix

Butternut Squash Directions:

• Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a bowl toss together butternut squash cubes and olive oil.
• Spread mixture evenly on the baking pan. Drizzle with white balsamic vinegar and a dash of pumpkin pie spice or Saigon Cinnamon.
• Roast at 400 degrees for 15- 20 minutes or until butternut squash cubes are crisp tender.
• Halfway through baking time add in  cranberries. When done roasting remove red onion slices, cover roasted squash with foil. Set aside to keep warm.   

Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups dried Italian Arborio Rice 
• 1 TB. olive oil
• 2 shallots, diced or 1/2 cup sweet onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1- 32 oz. carton of vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
• 1/4 tsp. dried sage
• 3 TB dry white wine (not Chardonnay) 
• 3 TB. pepitas
• 3/4-1  cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 TB. butter

Directions:

• In a saucepan simmer the stock and cover keeping it warm until needed.
• In a large pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot and cook, tossing for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add dry Arborio rice to pan, cook tossing 1-2 minutes until it looks  translucent. Reduce heat to medium low. 
• Add warm stock in 1/3 increments to fry pan with Arborio rice and stir frequently until the liquid is absorbed by the risotto. Continue the process until Arborio rice is al dente and a loose cream sauce has formed about 25 minutes. Add wine and sage in last 3 minutes of cooking time. 
• Stir in butternut squash cubes, cranberries, Parmesan cheese and 1 TB butter. Season with salt and pepper.  
• Garnish with pepitas and reserved sage leaves if desired. 
  

Serve the fish with a side of Autumn Risotto and Watermelon, Strawberry, Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil and Balsamic Vinaigrette
recipe previously posted

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/09/friday-faves.html

Arts Off 84

“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. 

It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder 
measures the depth of his own nature.”

Henry David Thoreau

This past weekend was the 9th Annual The Arts Off 84 Art Crawl. It's a 31-mile art touring event held in various outdoor locations along State Highway 84, between Pine River and Longville, MN
 
Art's Off 84 mission is to promote works of local artists and provide an art presence to the Pine River, Longville and surrounding areas. This juried event features high end art forms as well as quality handcrafted items. In my estimation it's an event not to be missed. 
There was something for everyone

like cute hats

music (no he's not behind jail bars but rather tent poles)

outdoor art

food and drinks

jewelry and wood

paintings

and a whole lot more.

Eight outdoor locations were visual treats on this Arts 84 Crawl.

An added bonus for us (not part of arts crawl) was a return visit to 

Creations at the Lake

A walk down the path entering the property of Lewis's Lodge  on Woman Lake (Longville,MN) was like a step into an enchanted land of lush landscape with stunning quilts and whimsical art displayed throughout the gardens. The owners's quilts were not for sale but there were a variety of artists scattered about on the property in several small buildings selling their creations. I was just as dazzled, mesmerized and impressed as last year's visit.  
The quilts were stunning. The workmanship and hours that went into each one certainly were impressive. 

   

Friday Faves

Vice President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick" speech at the Minnesota State Fair on Sept. 2, 1901. He was 42 years old; in less than two weeks he would become the youngest U.S. president in history in the wake of president William McKinley's assassination.

Watermelon, Strawberry, Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil and Balsamic Vinaigrette
  

Cook's Notes: Looking for something new to bring to your next BBQ? Try this refreshing Watermelon, Strawberry, and Tomato Salad with Basil Drizzled with Balsamic Vinaigrette. I loved the extra touch of a homemade balsamic vinaigrette over the fruits and tomatoes. I doubled the vinaigrette recipe below so I'd have enough to cover the amount of fruit used in this recipe. Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar elevates the dish to a whole new level. If possible use yellow heirloom tomatoes for a nice color contrast.   

Recipe adapted from awholenewtwist.com

Salad Ingredients:

• 3 cups watermelon, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 cups of strawberries, halved or quartered into bite size pieces
• 2 -1/2  cups halved, multi-colored, cherry tomatoes
• ⅓ cup julienned fresh basil
• ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese 
• fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 2 TB. good quality dark balsamic vinegar or Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1-1/2 tsp.  pure maple syrup
• ¼ tsp fine grain sea salt
• 2 TB. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

• In a large bowl, layer in order: the watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes and basil.
• If making in advance, cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours. 
• For the Balsamic Vinaigrette, add all ingredients in a blender and mix. Place dressing in small covered jar, refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, shake the balsamic vinaigrette, add salt and pepper to taste. Toss dressing with salad and add in crumbled blue cheese..

Chilled Italian Shrimp and Tortellini Salad

Cook's notes: This delicious, light shrimp and tortellini salad can be served as a side or main dish, perfect for summer potlucks or pool parties, or anytime you need a pasta. And the good news it's 8 Smart Points and 366 calories

http://www.skinnytaste.com/?s=Chilled+Italian+Shrimp&submit=%EF%80%82

It's Thursday-Fire Up The Grill

and while waiting for your dinner to cook browse these new titles and read what some book reviewers have to say about them. I baked Monster Cookies today

and  set aside a plate just for you. I don't suppose having just one won't spoil your dinner. Link to a previously posted recipe 

 http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/search?q=+monster+cookies

The incredible story of Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow's Mary's Meals charity cannot fail to inspire.
The title says it all - a charity literally founded in a shed in a remote but beautiful part of the west of Scotland now feeds more than a million children in the developing world.
This remarkable story was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s when the writer - driven by his strong religious conscience - joined his brother for what was supposed to be a one-off aid mission.
It was a trip with obvious dangers, as the duo travelled to a region where once peaceful communities were being torn apart by ethnic hatred.
But the brothers saw what a difference they could make and, inspired by the courageous people they met, both knew they wanted to do so much more.
Magnus took the brave step of giving up his job and, supported by friends, family and church, explored fundraising initiatives to continue his chosen mission.
In 2002, he visited Malawi - a country with many links to Scotland - and met a mother dying from Aids whose son said his dream was to have enough food to eat and to go to school.
The rest, as they say, is history and Mary's Meals was born.

This is a gem of a feel-good debut novel about A MAN CALLED OVE by Swedish author and blogger Fredrik Backman. It will make you laugh and make you cry and you will remember Ove for a long time.

Some would call Ove a curmudgeon, a lovely word meaning a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person. His wife called him the most inflexible man in the world - he borders on being obsessive compulsive but is generally a grumpy man who doesn't tolerate fools and likes things to be done that way he wants them. While many think that he is just a rude and grumpy man, at heart you will find out that he is one of the kindest persons you will ever know.

Ove is a 59 years old widower who has just been arbitrarily retired after 30 years in the same job. His world now revolves around his home and neighborhood housing complex where he rules the roost making sure that all local rules and regulations are followed. He is very lonely since his wife died, he quarreled with his best friend and neighbor years ago and rarely has contact with his neighbors.

Ove's world is one of anger and sadness. One day a new neighbor accidentally flattens Ove's mailbox driving in an area where vehicles are prohibited. This starts a very amusing, heartwarming and frequently very sad story as Ove's rigidly structured world is disrupted by unexpected friendship from Parvaneh, a vivacious small and very pregnant Iranian woman who has moved in next door with her Swedish husband Patrick and two girls. Parvaneh is perhaps the only person who can take on Ove directly and win, and starts to change his life for the better.

The bonds of sisterhood and the struggles of depression and suicide are fully explored in this brilliant story. Yolanda and Elfrida are sisters, originally living in a Mennonite community in the east end. Depression runs in their family, something both Elf and her father suffer from.

It is a novel about love, loss, and living told with wry and ironic humor. Yolanda is a wonderfully flawed and self-deprecating character, trying to keep her sister alive, while managing or not managing her own life. She has amazing and amusing insights and opinions on many things. Their mother is another amazing character and it is easy to see where Yolanda got her sense of humor. Elfrida is a concert pianist, but we hear very little directly from her, most of what we know we get from Yolanda or other characters. She has struggled long and hard.

So if someone says, "Isn't this book just sad?" I would have to say no, it is so much more. It is funny, celebrates books and poetry, Coleridge's poem is where the title come froms. Celebrates love and how much we will do for love. It is survival, and how we keep on living, finding tiny moments of joy, in which to hold. I never thought I would be reading a book that had me sniffling one second and in the next laughing. A book that holds the joy of living, right next to the face of mental illness.


J. Ryan Stradal’s debut novel, “Kitchens of the Great Midwest ” is a culinary journey through his homeland. Stradal captures the region’s patois and traditions, such as cutthroat Lutheran church bake-offs and teenage boys forced to make pungent Scandinavian lutefisk, but he also chronicles the rise of the heartland’s foodie culture. Ultimately, "Kitchens" reveals the strong interplay among food, family and our most cherished memories.

The novel’s heart is Eva Thorvald, a plucky, food-loving girl who grows up to become America’s most sought-after chef. Through the perspective of different characters over eight linked stories, "Kitchens" describes Eva’s unlikely trajectory to culinary stardom.

Eva’s role shifts depending on which character steers a particular tale. In one, she is the object of affection; in others, she bears contempt, envy or admiration. Stradal suggests that love — or the absence of love — is the most powerful condition of all.

This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist!

The Thing About Jellyfish is a beautifully written middle grade novel about the evolving nature of friendship, the labyrinth of discovering one's true identity, and the search for explanations to the mysteries of life. Being a science nerd wannabe, I relished all of the scientific facts in this book and how the book's parts were divided into the parts of the scientific method. I also enjoyed the author's anecdote in the acknowledgment section about how this book was born from the failure to get her essay about jellyfish accepted for submission.

Suzy and Franny had been the best of friends since they met in swim class at the age of five. However, during the process of adjusting to the land mine known as middle school, a rift forms between the two girls. Then the summer before the seventh grade, Franny drowns while swimming in the ocean. Suzy refuses to accept that it was a mere accident and becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about her friend's death.