Take The Challenge

We all realize that getting people back to works means having consumers buy American products rather than foreign made products.  But it's cheaper to buy products made in China, you might say.  Not necessarily true.  I have been researching the origin of products for quite some time now, and have determined that with a little extra time and effort, you CAN buy most products, at the same or less price, made in America.  Here are a few examples, and then I challenge you to try for one month to buy everything American made AND not spend any extra money.  If you're able to do this, I'm sure you'll be happy to pass this information on to others and help get America back to work.  (or should I say show American manufacturers that they must produce their goods domestically). 

Our trade agreements encourage corporations to go abroad to produce goods.  American companies go to China or Mexico, get cheaper labor, yet the retail price of their goods do no necessarily reflect their savings.  The corporation is just making more money, but the consumer is not benefitting.

Here are a few examples.  Hallmark Cards, an old and established corporation, makes their greeting cards in China.  For this you pay $3.50 per card.  Dollar Tree carries only cards made in America, and the price is 50cents.  Why buy Hallmark?  Colgate toothpaste is produced in Mexico.  For the same price, buy Crest, which is made in America.  Viking is the only oven now made in America.  It's expensive, but top quality.  Kitchen Aid is also top of the line, and made in the USA.  There are no electric coffee makers made domestically anymore. 

Light bulbs and other items carried at stores like Lowes, Ace and Walmart, can vary in price.  You may find out that the name brand, produced in the USA, is actually less expensive than the off brand. 

Bottom line is that you must start checking labels for everything you purchase.  Food, furniture, clothing and household items can all be bought from countries that produce them domestically, and usually at the same or lower price.  Take a look at a website I spoke of a while back, www.madeinusaforever.com.  It gives you information on so many companies that produce domestically, in every category.  Look at labels when you buy, and see if you can complete the challenge I offer you.  It doesn't sound like much for one person to do this, but once it gets going, we can really make a difference.

So Simple, So Good

On my August trip to Boulder to see Phil and his family, we did some good eating, as usual.  Because the kids were both sick we stayed home for dinner every night, which is definitely not a bad thing when Phil's in the kitchen. 

On one particular night we had a very simple dinner.  Phil bought a whole chicken, butterflied it, seasoned it with salt and pepper, and put it on his grill (actually a smoker) outside for about 30 minutes on each side.  While the chicken was cooking, he went to the garden and picked a cucumber, and several different types of tomatoes.  He skinned the cucumber, chopped it with the tomatoes, and added some oil and vinegar.  A great loaf of good Italian bread was then sliced, rubbed with garlic, brushed with olive oil, and placed on the grill to toast.  That was dinner and it was delicious and healthy.  The chicken was so moist, with a nice smoky flavor.  The bread, toasted with olive oil, was fantastic, either plain, or as Phil and Deborah showed me, used as the base for the tomato and cucumber mixture.  Kind of like bruschetta.  A nice dry white wine completed the meal. 

Oh, If I could just hire someone to cook like that for me all the time.  So simple, so good.

Overcoming Fear

Regardless of age, we all have fears.  Some are so minor they don't interfere with life at all.  In fact, most people may not know you even have them.  Other fears, like fear of water, heights, large crowds, or small spaces might be more difficult to live with.  People who have these fears usually learn to live with them and to avoid situations that they find uncomfortable.  Others want to conquer their fears. 

Last week I was lucky enough to spend two days with seven wonderful women in Newport Beach and Catalina.  Thank you Fran, for sharing your Newport Beach timeshare with us.  Several months ago  Fran and I had decided to get together a group to go ziplining in Catalina.  We thought we had lots of women willing to try, but in the end there were just six of us.  Then Fran thought about her timeshare in Newport, so we combined a mini vacation in Newport and our zipling adventure.  We had a wonderful two days, but the ziplining was the highlight.

I had never thought about the fact that ziplining might be scary.  I just thought it would be fun!  But, when I got up to the first platform and saw our guide take a big step off into air, I started getting heart palpitations.  Of the six of us who went to Catalina, two (Barb and Fran) had ziplined before.  The rest of us were new, and frankly I don't think any of us had focused on our fear.  Not until you get up there and see what you're in for does the fear set in.  I knew ziplining in Catalina was extremely safe.  The guides are so thorough about checking equipment and making sure everyone understands how to tuck, slow down, and come in for a landing.  But walking off a platform with hundreds of feet of nothingness below you, even though you're in a harness and attached to a wire, is SCARY.  We were told that everyday people get up on the platform and can't do it.  They end up walking down the mountain.  The four of us who had never done ziplining before looked at it as an opportunity to overcome a fear.  We all did it, we all survived, we all enjoyed it, and we'd all do it again.

Ziplining is exhilerating.  Our course consisted of five platforms.  Obviously the first was the scariest.  There were eight people in our group, the six of us and a couple from Ramona.  The Ramona couple went first, then one or two from our group.  I said to Carol that I was getting so nervous that I had to go next or may lose my nerve.  I went next, hung on for dear life, and made it to the other side.  My legs were shaking as I got off and my hands were sweating.  Whew.  The adrenaline was pumping, and as soon as I recovered from platform one, we were ready for the next.  The second platform was the longest one on the course.  Again, I stepped off into the air and was whisked through the air at about 40mph.  I loved it, and about halfway through the zipline I was actually looking around and enjoying myself.  I knew at that point that I would complete the course.  What a thrill.  We all finished in fine style, all exhaused, but with such a smile on our faces, such confidence in ourselves, and such good feeling in our hearts that we had done it. 

Safety is always first, and although we're all contemplating what our next challenge will be, we know what it won't be.  It won't be bungee jumping or parachuting out of a plane.  It will be safe.  Ron always worries about my safety, and I do too.  Don't worry, Ron.  I won't do anything that's not safe.  Ziplining, at least in Catalina, is very safe.  If you haven't tried it, I hope you do.   Thanks Ryan and Alex, for showing us such a good time.

Everyday There's Something New To Discover

It was just a few days ago that I had a great thrill watching a pod of dolphins feed on fish just a few feet from me.  I was back at the beach a few days later to walk with Fran.  While waiting for her to arrive I saw a man struggling to lug a 40 pound yellowtail to the parking lot.  He had been spearfishing and had caught a huge yellowtail and had carried it all the way to the shower area.  He was exhausted, and asked me if I would watch his fish while he went to get his car.  Of course I said yes.  He said it was very unusual to see such a large fish close to shore, and after looking up videos on "how to spearfish," I'm not sure I know how he did it.

He was not wearing a wetsuit, as the water temperature was about 72 degrees.  All he had was a mask and a speargun.  Spearfishing is probably as old as civilization itself.  It's usually done from shore in lakes or streams, in clear water, where the fisherman can see the fish and just stab them.  In ancient times this was done with a pointed stick, but today, fishermen use a metal speargun.  I can see that with a little practice it would be fairly easy to spearfish from shore.  In the ocean, underwater, well that's a little more difficult.  You have to dive underwater, holding your breath, find the fish, stab them or shoot them with the speargun, then bring them to the surface.  That would be easy with a 5 pound fish, but how this guy did it with a 40 pound fish, I'll never know.  He had to be a little lucky, too, to be underwater at the exact time that this huge fish swam by.  In any event, he was able to spear it, bring it to the surface, swim with it to shore, then lug it to the shower area at Moonlight Beach.  I admired his skill and bravery, and told him to have a nice dinner, as he walked to his car with his catch.  Just another beautiful day in paradise.

Wacky Ways To Help You Sleep

Lack of sleep is unhealthy.  It lowers you immune system, inhibits your ability to think clearly, and just generally makes you irritable.  It seems to me that young children and teens are the only ones that sleep soundly.  Part of sleeplessness has to do with what's on your mind, but sometimes it seems that no matter what you do, you just can't get to sleep, and there's no apparent reason why. 

During times when I have have many issues on my mind I have had difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep.  Now I have a free mind, yet I often still feel sleep deprived.  The aging body needs less sleep, but with tossing and turning all night, you  are not getting the deep REM sleep that really rests you.

I have no trouble falling asleep anymore.  I'm exhausted most nights and fall asleep within 5 minutes.  The problem comes around 3pm when I take a bathroom break.  I could lie there for hours afterward, never fully going back to sleep but just dozing. 

Linda in Bakersfield sent me an article on 2 wacky ways to relax and get to sleep.  Here they are.

1.  Wear thick socks.  This will increase the blood flow in your body and regulate temperature.  So simple.  Maybe it will work.

2.  Drink 1/2 glass of water before bed, then put a pinch of salt on your tongue.  This is supposed to put your body into sleep mode. 

These are both so simple, and worth a try, especially if you have difficulty falling asleep.  I'm not sure that they'll help me much, especially the salt on the tongue.  I will just be thirstier and wake up more to drink and pee.  Well, if you have a sleep problem, here are two suggestions that might help.  Let me know.

How Good Can Burgers Be?

I recently returned from Colorado where I spent a few glorious days with our son Phil and his family.  He loves to cook, and on one warm summer night he made some grass fed burgers.  The twist is, he made his own potato buns, plus homemade aioli and tomato relish with currents, to top the burgers.  I wouldn't even begin to give you the recipe for the buns, nor would I ever make my own buns, but he loves to bake and experiment, so since his brioche buns had been such a big hit, he decided to try potato buns.  He is an avid reader of Cooks Illustrated, and got the bread recipe from the magazine.  I was skeptical, but honestly, they were out of this world.  The meat was 1/3 lb. grass fed beef from Whole Foods, seasoned with just salt and pepper, and cooked medium rare.  He topped the burgers with a little homemade aioli and the homemade tomato relish that he whipped up in about 20 minutes.  This relish is great on burgers, meatloaf, chicken or sandwiches.  Try it, then make some extra and keep it in the refrigerator to kick up a sandwich.

                                        Tomato Relish With Currents

Tomato Relish:

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced
• 2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced (or any tomatoes you have on hand.  Phil used sweet 100's and halved them and did not seed them.
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T. vinegar (any kind)
• Currents to taste (Phil used about 3 T.)

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the ingredients meld, and form a thick consistency.  This will take about 15 minutes.  Add more or less tomatoes as you see fit.  The worcestershire gives it a nice tang, but if you don't want that, just leave it out.  The currents give the sauce a sweet taste. 

 

Hope you enjoy this, and as usual with Phil's recipes, measurements are NOT exact, so use more or less of these ingredients to suit your own taste.  Enjoy.

A Few Days In Boulder

I recently returned from a visit with my Colorado kids, Phil, Deb, Lennon and Elsa.  I had to cancel my trip in June due to shingles and then skin cancer.  Both kids were sick when I  arrived this time, but Phil and Deborah thought they were on the mend, but that turned out not to be true.  They were sick most of the timeI was there.  Sleeping was an issue for both of them, but we still managed to have a great time.  Elsa, at 7 1/2 months, is really a little person now.  She's so happy, loves being entertained by her big brother, always with a smile on her face.  She's crawling everywhere, and into everything, but she's really an easy baby.  Lennon turned 3 in August, and it seems like overnight, is talking a blue streak.  Of course he mimicks what he hears at home, so his language is pretty sophisticated.  He's still a bit hard to understand, but my guess is that in the next few months I won't need an interpreter. 

Since the kids were sick, we stayed home most of the time, and had a few delicious meals, just thrown together last minute by Phil.  I don't have the recipe for the soup Phil made on the day of my arrival, but I will describe it because it was that good.  Phil had some beef broth that he had sitting on the stove that he had made from bones and marrow, so it was dense and delicious.  He chopped finely some carrot, onion, celery, halved some tomatoes, chopped kale, and added small beans, cut up sausage, several herbs (he doesn't remember!) including a bay leaf.  He cooked this thick soup for 20 minutes, spooned it into a bowl, and topped it with a fried egg.  Who would have thought of that?  Certainly not me.  It was just delicious, so good in fact that I ate the remaining soup for lunch the following day, when we had leftovers.  He is such a creative cook and he always surprises me. 

Ron and I had bought Lennon a set of Lincoln Logs for his birthday, so I spent much of my time helping him build a cabin.  Elsa is just happy with a pot from the cupboard to push around.  Deborah is so sleep deprived, and try as I might to get her to lay down and take a nap, I couldn't.  Well, every stage of child rearing has its challenges, and this too shall pass.  Lennon starts prechool, which should help a lot. 

I have several more recipes from my vacation to share with you, but at another time.  Unfortunately Phil is not one to write down his recipes, so when I ask him for a recipe,  nothing is ever very specific.  So, I've got to try them all before blogging about them.  Look for a few recipes within the next few weeks.

As Easy As Pie (I Mean Cake)

I can't take credit for this absolutely delicious  and simple recipe that you can keep on hand for those times when you have the urge for something warm, sweet and homemade.  I found it while browsing Pinterest a few weeks ago, and came home and tried it.  Kind of like the pie in a jar that I wrote about a while back, but much easier.  The key to this one is that one of the cake mixes must be angel food cake mix.  I don't know why, just believe me.  Here's what you do.

Assemble as follows:

1 box Angel Food cake mix
1 box any flavor cake mix
2 T. water

Directions:

Using a large plastic bowl with a tightly fitting lid or a large zip lock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix stirring or shaking well.

For each individual serving, take out 3 T. of the cake mixture and mix it with 2 T. of water in a small microwave safe container. I like making it in a coffee mug. Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Voila!   You now have your own instant individual cake and it is warm and inviting. You can top with a dollop of fruit or whipped topping if you like.



Keep the mix tightly sealed in an airtight container until used and remember: This recipe is called 1-2-3 Cake because all you need to remember is 3 T.mix, 2 T. water, and 1 minute in the microwave.

It's a great hostess gift, either baking up the cake in a coffee mug, or giving the cake mix all mixed together in a cut container.  Also, how about gifts for Christmas?  People love getting homemade gifts. 

I've only tried the chocolate with angel food cake so far.  My next try will be lemon, and I'll top it with a nice vanilla sauce (take vanilla ice cream and heat it) or fresh fruit.  Enjoy.

True Food Kitchen Is Truly Delicious

On a a recent Saturday, I drove to LA to spend the day with my mom, always a treat.  The day began with David and fiancee Tracy coming over to show me "the ring."  It is gorgeous, they are adorable together, and I am so happy that my son finally found a wonderful woman to spend the rest of his life with.  They are so busy, that 45 minutes was all the time they had for us, but that's all right, mom and I were busy too.

We rustled up a delicious lunch of herring and sour cream, with pickled onions and apples.  It was just enough to hold us until an early dinner.  Next, we were off to the Academy, to see a new film, "Two Days In New York."  It's by Julie Delpy, starring herself and Chris Rock.  The movie will not appeal to everyone, but we thoroughly enjoyed.  I know when I don't look at my watch through the entire film, I liked it. 

Next, we were off to Santa Monica Place (completely redone) to have an early dinner at True Food Kitchen.  This particular day was one of the hottest and most humid days we've had in a long time.  Everyone was at the beach or at the shopping mall.  For lack of parking, we almost gave up and came home.  I'm so glad we didn't.  True Food Kitchen was great.  Here's a little background on the restaurant. (information taken from Dr. Andrew Weil's website).

True Food Kitchen Factsheet

History: Andrew Weil, M.D., met Phoenix restaurateur Sam Fox in the late 1990s at one of Fox's restaurants in Tucson (Fox Restaurant Concepts operates 25 restaurants in Arizona and the Midwest). After spending time with Dr. Weil, and in particular after cooking with him at his ranch, Fox came to understand how delicious healthy food can be, and realized that Dr. Weil's concept for a restaurant - one that serves great food that just happens to be good for you - could work. On Oct. 27, 2008, the first True Food Kitchen opened in Phoenix, Ariz. It was an immediate success, and inspired Fox and Dr. Weil to open new locations in the southwest, with the long-term goal of a national rollout.
Concept: All True Food Kitchen locations feature dishes that closely adhere to the principles of Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory diet. They are intended to be a new kind of restaurant: one in which delicious flavors, healthy nutrients, environmental awareness and an inviting atmosphere come together to create an unforgettable dining experience.
Dishes are influenced by Mediterranean, Asian and Californian cuisine, and include soups, appetizers, salads, pasta, rice and noodle dishes, wood grilled dishes, sandwiches and burgers, brick oven pizzas and desserts.

Mom and I shared a few items, giving us a chance to taste several items on the menu.  We started with grilled sardines.  These are nothing like the little ones that come in the can.  These are about 6 inches long.  They butterfly them and grill them, and serve them with a lemon wedge and a small watercress salad.  What a great way to start a meal.  Other good looking appetizers included hummus, with pita, tomatoes and feta, vegetarian potstickers served in a warm broth, and a raw veggie bowl, filled with all kinds of raw vegetables, beautifully arranged, and served with several dipping sauces.

For our main courses we ordered a sashimi tuna salad, with avocado, edamameme, sesame seeds, and a most delicious ginger-sesame dressing.  We also ordered a hot casserole of spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, garlic and cheese.  Absolutely wonderful.  Other items which I didn't get to try included a delicious looking kale salad, steak tacos with red beans, small pizzas, a bison burger and sea bass with veggies.  Presentation of everything was wonderful, and except for the fact that they serve no Diet Coke, everything was perfect.  They do, however, have some interesting fruit and vegetable drinks, including a lemonade infused with cucumber. 

Lucky for us in San Diego that True Food Kitchen has recently opened in Fashion Valley.  It's a bit far for me to go for a meal, but it will give me an excuse to go shopping, something I don't like to do.  The one negative is that Ron doesn't like the menu, it will be a place I will go to for lunch with my women friends.  He wants something heartier, and kept saying, "What will I order?"  He could always go for the bison burger or the pizza, but whereas True Food Kitchen is exactly the kind of food I like, it's exactly what Ron does not like. 

Give this restaurant a try if you're in the area of Fashion Valley.  The prices are moderate, the setting is contemporary and comfortable, and the food is delicious.

Which Are Better? Prison Meals or School Cafeteria Meals?

Food is a subject near and dear to my heart, and I know a bit about prison meals as well as school cafeteria meals.  My son Phil was (maybe still is) trying to produce a burrito for mass school lunch programs, but trying to do so within budget while maintaining the proper number of calories, fat, carbs and protein is quite a challenge.  He has produced his healthy burritos for several school districts in Colorado, but those small districts have different standards than the big districts.  They are unfortunately more interested in price than a healthy product.  Prisons, too, are all about the price.  Their budget of $2.62 a day per inmate does not allow for much in the way of fresh produce and meat.  Many canned  and fresh products that they serve are past the expiration date.  And the new nutrition pyramid that emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains?  Forget about it.

A typical prison lunch will include the following:  2 slices of white bread with one slice of processed cheese or bologna, canned fruit cup, canned corn  or beans, fruit drink watered down.  A school lunch will consist of a slice of pizza, canned corn, canned fruit and a cookie, served with 1% milk, usually flavored (chocolate or strawberry).  Which would you rather have?  Neither!  They are both high carborate, high sugar, low fiber and very little protein. 

For many children who participate in the school breakfast and lunch program, these are the only real meals they have each day.  We can do better than to serve them meals that are below standards for good health and nutrition.  People like Jamie Oliver (celebrity chef) have done much to improve the lunches in large districts like Los Angeles, but have met with such resistance from the administration that very little has changed.  I do think that Los Angeles has gotten rid of flavored milk.  That's a start.  Small districts in socially conscious regions of the country have taken it upon themselves to improve the quality of food they serve to their children.  We've got such a long way to go, as I showed you last week, where I blogged about a typical French school lunch in a typical French village.

Prisons are supposed to provide a healthy diet for the inmates, but as you can see from the lunch I described above, they don't.  Budget restrictions make it necessary for them to purchase out of date food as the norm.  Very little in the way of fresh fruits and vegetables exist.  Lunches revolve around rice and beans, white bread and watered down fruit drinks.

Which lunch would you prefer?  I'd rather skip lunch and wait for dinner and hope it would be better.  (unfortunately in prison the dinner won't be any better).  It's not too hard to figure out why our kids are so fat.  Look at the fat, sugar and calories they are consuming, and the lack of exercise they get.  The results are predictable, and until we turn this around we are going to continue to be the fattest nation on earth.  (other than American Samoa).  Sad, but true.

For purposes of this blog I have given you a typical lunch meal in prison, and a typical lunch meal in many lunch school cafeterias.   You be the judge of who eats better, the prisoners or the kids.  More importantly, why can't we improve the quality of school lunch programs?  Individual districts and schools have made enormous strides, but overall the children are still eating a high calorie, high carbohydrate diet, loaded with sugar or corn syrup.

Cake Pops Are All The Rage

Cake pops are fun to make (especially with kids), and can be used in a myriad of ways.  Baby showers, bridal showers, childrens' birthday parties are just some of the ways to use them.  Imagine a child's birthday party, with every child getting their own cake pop!  They would love it, and you will love using your creativity and imagination to make these delicious treats.  You can even put them in a little box, tie with ribbon, and give as a gift when you're invited to someone's house for dinner.  Enjoy.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 18 Cake Ball Pops

Ingredients:

• 1 (18-ounce) box cake mix of choice, baked in a 13x9-inch pan, cooled and halved (freeze other half for next time)
• 1/2 cup creamy frosting , your choice
• 1 (14-ounce) bag White Candy Melts (white chocolate chips
• 18 lollipop sticks
• Candy Colors
• Colored sugars, pearls and other decorations

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, crumble half of a 13x9-inch cake with the hands, until no large chunks remain. Add icing and mix with fingers until well combined. Using a cookie scoop, or small spoon,  portion into 18 balls. Roll between the hands until round and smooth. Place on parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze until no longer sticky, but not rock hard, about 1 hour.
   
   
2. Melt Candy Melts according to package directions. Dip lollipop stick ends into melted candy and insert into cake pops. Place back on parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1 hour to set the stick in the pop.
   
   
3. Add candy color to small amounts of melted chocolate and, working with one pop at a time (leave the rest in the freezer), dip in melted chocolate until completely covered. Shake off excess. Immediately roll in sugars or place decorations on. If chocolate dries too fast, you can use royal icing to apply decorations. Stick in a thick piece of styrofoam to dry completely. Proceed with remainder of pops.
   

We've Moved On

It was just about a month ago, the evening of August 7 to be exact.  Ron and I were coming home from our Tuesday night game of bridge at Esplanade in Solana Beach.  We were driving up the coast, which takes about 10 minutes longer, but one of our favorite things to do, so even though it was late and we were tired, we drove up Highway 101.  Ron turned to me and said, "I think I have finally put my 19 months at Taft behind me."  I was a little surprised, because I had noticed that he was talking more about his experiences in prison recently and I took that to mean he still had some emotional work to do.  On the other hand, I also noticed that he was happy all the time, relaxed and not worried.  This was a huge change.  For many months he would think about the fact that his probation officer might drop in unexpectedly on any given Friday.  He always had Friday in his mind as a day he might again have that gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, the sweats, and general anxiety over the possibility of a visit from probation.  That is gone.  He believes now that his visits and calls from her will occur every three months, which we think is the minimum contact she is supposed to have with her clients.

She knows now that Ron is doing everything he is supposed to do.  He has several jobs which keep him busy (this is most important to probation).  He is fullfilling all his obligations and doing everything right.  Since she's been monitoring him for almost a year now, she has confidence in the fact that he is one of the clients that she does not have to keep an eye on.  The Fridays when she did drop in, especially if she gave him several days notice, were no problem, but the anticipation and anxiety that Ron felt about what she might say or do, caused him great pain. 

The weekends roll around now and Ron's mind is free.  He is not anticipating a bad call from a lawyer or probation officer or anyone, for that matter.  Sure, we still have the typical aggravations of living in the 21st century, like dealing with banks, health insurance, and cell phone problems, but these pale by comparison to what we've dealt with in the past 10-12 years.  It feels so good  get in the car with Pepper and drive to the campgrounds in Cardiff, go to Bull Taco for dinner, watch the surfers and the sunset, and appreciate the truly spectacular city we call home. 

We've moved on from the days of dreading what might come in the mail or  who might be calling when the phone rings.  Of course one never forgets 19 months of incarceration, but knowing that there is life after prison, should give others hope.  It may not be the life you planned, but it can be damn good.

Give Me A French School Lunch Anytime

I recently dined at Bo Beau in Point Loma, one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego.  I love French food, and while enjoying escargots, beef bourginion and a sampling of wonderful French wines, I started to think about a recent blog I had written on school lunches.  I wondered what the French serve their children at school for lunch.  I knew their meals would be different than ours, but I couldn't imagine how different.

I went to the website  www.karenlebillon.com to get the facts.  Karen is a Francophile, foodie and writer of all things French.  She writes a blog, and each week she posts the lunch menus at a typical French school.  You'll be drooling when you see what these kids eat each day.  First, 70% of the food served is organic, with their goal to be 100% organic by 2014.  Second, most of the food is locally bought and prepared, no frozen meals for these kids.  Finally, the cost per child runs between $1-$5 (not euros) per meal.  Here are two meals from the village of St. Etienne: 1.  organic beets with shallot sauce, roast chicken with organic lentils, cheese (soft cheese similar to brie), seasonal organic fruit. 2.  organic fusili salad, organic omelette and organice steamed spinach, plain yogurt (no sugar added), organic fruit.  Each meal is accompanied by a baguette and a bottle of water.  (no milk or sugary fruit drinks).  These meals make me want to go back to school! 

By contrast, our American school lunches serve 1% milk, most of it flavored and filled with sugar, only 50% of our schools offer fresh fruit, the rest have canned fruit cocktail or the equivalent, very few schools offer  a salad bar, only 10% of American schools serve legumes, most bread and grains are from refined white flour, only 5% of bread served is whole grain.  Finally, potatoes are considered a vegetable, and 50% of the lunches include french fries. 

This was quite an eye opener for me.  I had no idea the villages of France served their children such healthy, varied meals.  Regardless of your opinion of the French, one thing we can all agree on is their ability to produce great meals.  It's wonderful that they're teaching their young people to enjoy well prepared, healthy meals.

Preserve Your Summer Herbs In Oil

What a great idea!  Thank you Jan, for sending me your e-mail from Cindy to remind me about freezing herbs.  Most of us have an herb garden, producing more than we want in spring and summer and very little in the winter.  In the past I have chopped herbs and bagged them, then popped them in the freezer for future use.  This essentially dries them out, so you have dried herbs.  By freezing them in oil or butter, you are maintaining the moisture and have something much closer to fresh herbs.  The tough, hearty herbs, like oregano, thyme and rosemary, do best with this method.  The softer herbs, like basil and mint, not as well.  Follow the instructions below and you will have herbs all year round.  Be sure to label, because once they're frozen you'll have trouble telling what is what. 

You can also purree tomatoes, peaches or any summer fruit, freeze in ice cube trays, and have them ready for tomato sauce or smoothees all year long.  Just another way to make life easier, yet still have the freshest ingredients all year long.  Enjoy.




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8 Steps for Freezing Herbs in Oil

1. Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally from the market or your own garden.
2. If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves. 
3. Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
4. You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
5. Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
6. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
7. Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags. They will pop right out.
8. Don't forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!

 

 

 

Perfect Iced Coffee For the End Of Summer

You may not always feel like going out to your local coffee house to get your favorite drink, but that doesn't keep you from making it at home.  From basic iced coffee to something like an ice blended, here are several drinks you can make at home, to cool you down.  After all, it's only early September.  We could have two warm months ahead of us.  These recipes are from Gevalia website.  Their coffee is great anytime of year.

The Little
Black Book
of Iced Coffee
Secrets

Recipes

Chocolate-Hazelnut Iced Coffee:
Stir 1 Tbsp chocolate-hazelnut spread (per serving) into hot coffee. Refrigerate. Stir and serve over ice. Top with whipped cream if you were good today.
Whipaccino:
Blend ¾ cup cold brewed coffee and ½ cup vanilla ice cream (per serving) in blender until smooth. Serve immediately. Repeat if necessary.
Mint-Mocha Iced Coffee:
Melt 2 soft chocolate mint candies (know what we mean, junior?) in each serving of hot coffee. Refrigerate. Serve over ice. Get fancy with whipped topping, shaved chocolate and a sprig of mint.
Caramel Iced Coffee:
Stir in 1 Tbsp caramel ice cream topping for each serving of hot brewed coffee. Refrigerate. Serve over ice. Wait—it needs whipped topping and a drizzle of caramel. There. Perfect.
Lemon-Ginger Iced Coffee:
Place 9 scoops of Gevalia ground coffee, 1 Tbsp lemon zest and ½ tsp ground ginger in filter basket of coffeemaker.Use 6 cups water to brew, then stir in 1/3 cup honey. Refrigerate. Serve over ice. Garnish with le

The Basics

How to brew perfect Gevalia® iced coffee:
Use 12 slightly rounded Tbsp of Gevalia ground coffee in coffeemaker and fill to the 8 cup level. Brew. Refrigerate. Serve over ice. Makes 8 servings. Do not exceed 12 Tbsp of coffee or the filter basket may overflow.
How to sweeten coffee at any temperature:
The answer is simple syrup. Just mix ½ cup each sugar and water in small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate in tightly covered container up to 1 week.
How to avoid watery iced coffee:
Don't pour hot coffee over ice. Instead, make coffee ice cubes. Just pour coffee into ice cube trays. Freeze and use in place of regular ice cubes.
How to serve up fancy flavors:
Vanilla, orange, coconut and more—your favorite flavor extract (¼ tsp per serving) will dissolve quickly in hot coffee. Refrigerate. Stir and serve over ice.
How to make ice cubes even cooler:
Place 1 frozen raspberry in each compartment of an ice cube tray; fill with water and freeze until solid. Add to iced coffee just before serving.

Ideas To Make Life Easier

I'm always looking for  tricks to make life easier, make my house more organized.  Here are some wonderful tips (thank you Lynda) for baking, cleaning and organizing.  My two favorites are using baby powder to remove sand (who knew?) and cooking cookies on the top of muffin pans to create a container, then fill the cookie shell with ice cream or mousse.  Other great ideas include how to fold a fitted sheet.  I've never been able to do it without creating a complete mess.  Maybe now my sheets will look nice and neat.  Finally, aloe vera cubes for soothing sunburns.  Whoever came up with these ideas is so clever.  Wish it were me.  The very least I can do is pass it on to you.  I hope there's something here that will make your life easier.

 

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Ideas to Make Life Easier

Why didn’t I think of that?! I guarantee you’ll be uttering those words more than once at these ingenious little tips, tricks and ideas that solve everyday problems.

Hull strawberries easily using a straw.

Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture
will disguise dings and scrapes
Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or
computer screen with WD40.

Stop cut apples browning in your childs lunch box
by securing with a rubber band.

Overhaul your linen cupboard, store bed linen sets
inside one of their own pillowcases and there will
be no more hunting through piles for a match.

Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone & iPod
in a bowl. The concave shape amplifies the music.

Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.

Add this item to your beach bag. Baby powder
gets sand off your skin easily, who knew?!

Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.

Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls
against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the
floor.

Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a
stocking over the vacuum hose.

Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting
crosses into a box lid.

For those who cant stand the scrunching and
bunching: how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet.

Forever losing your bathroom essentials? Use
magnetic strips to store bobby pins, tweezers
and clippers, behind a vanity door

Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty
soles rubbing on your clothes. And you can
find them in just about every hotel.

A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy. Magnets
hold the plastic cups down to make them
tip-resistant.

Bread tags make the perfect cord labels.

Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones, so
much more fun and easier for kids to eat.

Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper
bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet
stuff.

Install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles.

Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough
over the top and voila, you have cookie bowls for fruit
or ice-cream.

Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing
sunburn relief.