Do You Like Chai Latte?

My daughter in law Deborah, introduced me to chai latte when I was in Boulder a few months ago. I knew what it was, but had never tasted it until I bought it at Whole Foods in Boulder. I couldn't believe that the 32 ounce concentrate that they sold was more than $8. Yes, it makes a lot of drinks, but that's pretty expensive. I recently found a brand at Trader Joe's called Oregon Chai. It's half the price, and very good. To go one step further, you can make your own blend of chai tea. It's nothing more than a blend of herbs, spices and tea. I found a recipe which I modified a bit to get it just the way I like it, and below is the result. You can make this blend for about $1.50, from which you will get 8 servings.
                                          Homemade Chai Tea Concentrate

    I used a 1 1/2 quart crock pot for this Ingredients: 4 1 1/2 inch slices fresh peeled ginger, use vegetable peeler for the slices. 2 2 inch cinnamon sticks 8 whole cloves (I get mine in bulk bins) 15-20 green cardamon pods or 2 heaping demitasse spoons powdered cardamon 2 6 inch vanilla beans, cut into 1 inch pieces OR 2 cap fulls non alcohol vanilla extract 1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg (dried if fresh is not available) 3 T. sugar, or equivalent amount of agave 1/2 cup honey 4 cups water 6 black tea bags, decafe if you prefer Put all ingredients except the tea bags into the crock pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Add tea bags. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove tea bags and press with spoon to get all water out. Strain contents of the crock pot, then place in 1 quart beverage container. Add water to make 1 quart. Now you have your chai tea concentrate ready for use. I have not tried this yet, but if you want to reduce the calories, you might cut the honey in half, and use a little artifical sweetner. Just a thought. The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it once, then tweak it to your personal taste, a little more cinnamon or a bit more ginger, your choice. I hope you enjoy this money saving recipe. I prefer it hot, but it's great cold too. Enjoy.

What Are Boomerang Kids?

Boomerang kids are those that after being out on their own for a period of years, come home again. The reasons for their return to their parents are varied, but usually are due to unemployment, debt, or divorce or illness. As many as 25 million adult children are back at home. This number increases during economic recessions, so it's very high right now. For me, my goal for my children was always financial and emotional independence. When a child comes home after being on his own for many years, there are bound to be adjustments, misunderstandings and arguments. Assuming that the goal of most parents is to help make their adult children independent again (there are some parents who are thrilled that their children are back home and do not make an effort to help them regain independence), here are a few things that experts say you, as the parent, should consider.

Set expectations with your adult child as soon as they return home. Let them know that this is temporary, that you will help them resolve the problems that brought them back home, and let them know the guidelines for living in your house again. After all, you are making a big sacrifice to help them. You've probably gotten used to life without them in the house, enjoy it, and will have to change your ways somewhat. You may also face financial responsibilites that you weren't counting on that might delay retirement.

Set a time limit. Many adult children may take advantage of your hospitality. Make sure that they pull their weight.

Charge rent. Adult children often say, "Are you kidding?" when asked to pay rent, but it will give them some sense of responsibility, even if they are in a deep financial mess. Your goal as the parent will be to help them sort out their financial troubles and get on their feet.

Many cultures encourage or even demand that children stay at home until marriage. It is likely that an Iranian child will stay at home until marriage, possibly even after marriage. The same holds true in many Mexican homes. American culture generally has children leaving the home after college. If American kids went back home after college many might wonder why they're not out on their own. In other cultures, they would think it strange if the kids didn't stay at home. But in this time of high unemployment among adults from 22-30 and high divorce rates, it is very likely to see these young adults back at home. The challenge (besides getting along with each other)is to get the child back on his feet, employed and independent as soon as possible. That's a big challenge today.

Can The Maldives Be Saved?

It was appropriate that on April 22, Earth Day, Ron and I drove to the Landmark Theatres in Hillcrest to see the documentary, Island President. It's about the plight of the Maldives, a country of over 2000 islands, that is struggling to survive. The reason for its possible demise is global warming. The film focused on the efforts of the former prime minister of the Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed, who worked tirelessly prior to the Global Warming Conference in Denmark in 2011, to convince world leaders to help save the tiny nation, by reducing CO2 emissions from 392ppm to 350ppm (parts per million). He felt that if the Maldives went under (the water level is rising at an alarming rate and land is disappearing), other nations would face the same plight.

  We were spellbound for 1hour and 40 minutes as we watched this tiny man deal with his own country and world leaders. He was like a rock star in his own country, admired by many for lifelong struggle for democracy in the Maldives, and for speaking his own mind. Nasheed served 19 months in solitary confinement under the former leader of the Maldives, and to his surprise was released relatively unharmed. Within several years he was the prime minister of this tiny country in the Indian Ocean. He was forced to resign last year due to mounting tensions and political unrest, but he definitely left his mark. His leadership led to positive proposals for his country at the Denmark Global Warming Convention in 2009. For now, the Maldives are alive and well, but it will take a great amount of work to keep them alive. They are trying to become the first country to be carbon neutral. Their goal is to do so by 2020. That is a lofty goal, but one which they intend to achieve. It's the best way to reverse the damage we have done to the planet.

Our intention was to have breakfast at the new hotspot in Hillcrest, Snooze. I wrote about it a few weeks ago. I had eaten at their Boulder location and absolutely loved the food and the menu. Well, aparently everyone else does too. At 1pm there was a one hour wait. We'll try it another time, during the week. It's right across from Landmark Hillcrest theatres.

    Learning how other countries and cultures are dealing with global warming was a great way to celebrate Earth Day. Most of us don't see on a daily basis the damage that has been done to the planet. If we don't deal with the problem we'll be leaving our grandchildren a planet that may not be able to be saved.

Zucchini Butter (or Marmalade)

If you've got a vegetable garden going for spring and summer, you're probably overloaded with zucchini. You can only eat so much zucchini bread or zucchini muffins. Here's another idea of what to do with excess zucchini. Make the recipe below for zucchini butter. It's a great item to have on hand. Use it as a spread for a vegetarian sandwich, scramble it into eggs for breakfast, or serve it as an appetizer on crackers. It's so easy you'll make it again and again.

                              Zucchini Butter

  2 pounds zucchini, more or less*
1/4 cup olive oil or butter, your choice
 2 minced shallots, garlic, or combination of both
 Salt and pepper

   Coarsely grate the zucchini. Let it drain in a colander for 3 to 4 minutes or until you are ready to begin cooking. Squeeze the grated zucchini in a dish towel to remove excess water. In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil/butter. Sauté the shallots briefly. Add the zucchini and toss. Cook and stir over medium heat until the zucchini reaches a spreadable consistency. If you scorch the bottom, turn the flame down! (And scrape those delicious bits into the marmalade for added flavor.) The zucchini will hold its bright green color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam. I hope you enjoy it.

Pie In A Jar

Besides getting great local gossip at the Y, I also get some great recipes. I was spinning next to a woman the other day who was telling me about pie in a jar, and that she had made these little individual pies for a baby shower and everyone just loved them. Each pie is made in a half pint mason jar, completely assembled and ready to bake, then frozen. They're in the freezer for that night when you have a yearning for something warm and home made, or when unexpected guests drop by for dessert. I made apple pie, but you can use any fruit or berry, or if you're really lazy, just use the store bought filling. I also made my own crust, but again, buy the store bought if you wish. Anyway you make these, your guests will be delighted not only with a wonderful home made pie, but the presentation. They are so cute!!

Pie in a Jar

4 half pint mason jars, with lids, available at Ace Hardware
pie crust, enough for 1 regular size pie with top crust
fruit filling or crumb topping

Pie Crust

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cupt + 1 T shortening (I use Crisco butter flavor)
1/4 cup ice water, or as much as needed

prepare crust and wrap in plastic wrap until needed. In the mean time, make the filling

Filling

2 cups peeled and cored apples, sliced (or any fruit of your choice)
2 T. sugar (brown or white)
2 T. flour
1 T. butter (cut in little pieces)
cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla as desired

Mix all ingredients together and get ready to assemble.

Assembly

Roll dough, and cut rounds for the tops of the pies from the lid of the mason jar. Roll out pie dough, or simply take little pies and press on inside of jar, bottom and sides. Then fill with fruit mixture, almost to the top. Take the rounds you cut for the top and place them on top, crimping the sides all around. Cut a few slits in top for steam to escape. Put tops on jars and store in freezer. If you prefer a crumb top, use 2 T. oatmeal, 2 T. butter cut in bits, 2 T. brown sugar and a little cinnamon. Mix all together and press on top of fruit mixture, then put the top on and freeze.

When you're ready to eat, cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until pies are brown and bubbly. Do not worry about the jars cracking. They won't. Enjoy.

I know they sound like a lot of work, but they really aren't...I made them today and they came out great.

The Gulf Oil Spill Two Years Later

I have recently heard ads on TV and radio from various Gulf states, trying to get tourists to return, two years after a horrific oil spill. The ads say they're back to "business as usual", and I thought to myself that could not be true. It's not. It would be nice if millions of gallons of oil could spill into the Gulf and in two years time things would return to normal, but that is far from the truth. After all, it's been 23 years since the Exxon oil spill in Alaska, and the waters and wildlife have not yet completely recovered. The estimation by scientists is that it will be several decades before marine life and water have recovered. Several months ago, after a campaign to show the world how much BP has done to help cleanup the Gulf, a report describing the "unprecendeted" harm to dolphins in the area of the 2010 spill, a vast stretch of the Gulf south of the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coasts and the Florida panhandle. Carcasses of 675 dolphins were recovered in the region from February 2010 to February 2012, or roughly 337 each year. The average number of "strandings" annually in the northern Gulf from 2002 to 2009 was 74. And the 159 carcasses recovered in Louisian waters after the spill was eight times higher than the historical average. Additionally, nearly all of the live dolphins captured and studied in the Louisiana area were underweight, anemic and suffered from liver or kidney disease. About the same time, another study was released describing the damage to a coral colony at the bottom of the ocean seven miles from the site of BP's well blowout as unprecedented. The colony, usually thriving with marine life, was covered in brown muck. It was like a graveyard of corals. On the surface things may look like they're returning to normal, but beneath the surface-in some cases only a few feet below the sand and surf-lurk a host of hazards: thick tar mats, petrochemicals absorbed by marine life, and particles of oil broken down by chemical dispersants that have settled in the ocean bottom. Adverse effect, mostly invisible to the public, continue to be documented by scientists: killifish, a small fish often used for bat that are usually plentiful in marshy areas of the Gulf, are suffering from chronic illnesses as a result of absorbing toxic chemicals, insects like ants and crickets are disappearing from wetlands that still contain petrochemicals in soils and water, and at the bottom of the food chairn, zooplankton is still being found contaminated by traces of oil. BP recently paid many billions of dollars in fines to communities in the area to help clean up the spill. This is helpful, but federal and state bills must be enacted to make oil drilling safer. All the money in the world is never going to restore life in the Gulf to what it was. I remember how outraged I was when the oil spill occurred, and now it is 2 years later and BP has paid a lot of money in fines, but isn't anyone criminally responsible for the deaths of 11 men and ruination of marine life, water, plantlife, and communities that depend upon the Gulf to survive? You tell me.

Guerilla Gardening In San Diego

One of the easiest ways to beautify our city is to take abandoned lots or any unused land and plant something. Such an easy idea, actually an old idea that has found a new life. Not only are people planting native plants, called "seed bombs", but fruits and vegetables are also being planted. It's a great way to beautify and feed the city, and get adults and children alike, involved in gardening and conservation. Brilliant. The guerilla movement is nationwide. I'm just trying to think of where, in my community, seed bombs could be planted. I'm going to keep my eyes out for both the seed bombs and a place to plant them. Below is an excerpt from the UT, which tells more about the new trend called "guerilla gardening." San Diego’s first seed bomb vending machine is managed by Jim Mumford, founder of GreenScaped Buildings and a specialist in planted roofs and vertical gardens. He fashions himself as an eco-warrior who scans for new ways to get people talking about greening the urban environment. “You put two quarters in and turn the dial and out rolls a seed bomb,” Mumford said. “It’s a great feeling.” He was amazed by the interest when he took his “secret weapon” to a recent environmental fair in San Diego. “Watching the kids, it was like a magnet. They had to come over and look at it,” Mumford said. “Because of that, the parents came over and talked. ... A lot of this is really just to get the conversation going.” The guerrilla gardening movement gained attention in the early 1970s when activists in New York City made illicit plantings on blighted parcels. Its roots go back at least to the 19th century, when a pioneer nicknamed Johnny Appleseed planted the frontier with apple trees. Keep your eyes open for seed bomb vending machines. Buy your seed bomb, find a local empty lot that needs a little sprucing up, then drop the bomb. What an easy way to beautify San Diego! “Gardens, scholars say, are the first sign of commitment to a community. When people plant corn they are saying, let's stay here. And by their connection to the land, they are connected to one another.” Anne Raver quotes