Recently, I was fortunate and took a trip to Anchorage, Alaska, to spend some time with my niece and her husband.  The scenery and company was more than I could have imagined. One of the days, we took a day trip up to Talkeetna.  Unfortunately, it was a rainy day, but yet, it was a wonderful day.  Talkeetna is a small "village" that is a great location for tourists.  There are little shops selling "Alaska" items, including quilts, animal pelts, antlers, jewelry, and such.  Of course there was also a brewery, the Denali Brewing Company, that serves wonderful food and beer.  One of the highlights of my eating for the day, though, was at a small food truck, "Spinach Bread," serving Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp.  Oh, my goodness, was that yummy!
Rhubarb always brings back such great memories from childhood.  As my mom was working in the garden, cutting rhubarb, I remember having a bowl of sugar, and taking a stalk of raw rhubarb, dip it into the sugar, and eat it raw.  When I was in high school, I remember making strawberry rhubarb sauce and strawberry rhubarb pie for my grandfather when he was in the hospital.  He wouldn't want to eat hospital food, but he would always eat the treats I took for him.
Now as an adult, I still love rhubarb for the memories it brings, but mostly, I love it because of the flavor and the fact that it is low in calories.  Unfortunately, it is impossible to eat it without adding sugar to it!! With this in mind, though, I have cooked it down into a sauce and sweetened with artificial sweeteners for a "no-guilt" dessert.
Today, though, I am making a blueberry rhubarb crisp, not exactly the one I ate in Talkeetna, but one that is certainly smelling wonderful as it is baking.  The first step is to wash the blueberries, picking out any shriveled ones, and making sure the dried blossoms are removed.  Then, wash the rhubarb, trimming any dry ends, and dicing into 1/4" pieces.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the blueberries, rhubarb, flour, and sugar.  Then pour into a greased 9" square pan.

It's now time to make the crispy topping.  I think that crisps are my favorite desserts because of the soft, sweet filling, accompanied by a sweet, crunchy topping.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter.  Cut together using a pastry blender, a fork, or even your fingers, then chop in the almonds.

Pour this on top of the rhubarb/blueberry mixture, and place in the oven.

After about an hour, you will have a bubble, sweet, and yummy smelling dessert.

Let cool slightly, and serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, although, it is right tasty by itself.  Now, when I tasted this, it is a little tart, which I personally love.  If you desire a little sweeter, you could increase the sugar in the rhubarb/blueberry mixture to 3/4 cup.

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

Filling:
3 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar (can increase if desired)
3 tablespoons flour

Crust:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions:
In a large bowl, toss together the rhubarb, blueberries, sugar and flour.  Pour into a greased 9" square baking pan.
In the same bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and oats.  Cut in the margarine.  Add almonds and use the pastry blender to finish combining.  Pour over fruit mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until bubbly.  Serve warm.  If desired, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

My hope is that you will love rhubarb as much as I do, and that you enjoy this recipe and any other rhubarb recipe you may choose to try.

Time Flies!

Wow, who would have thought that nearly eight weeks have passed since writing my last post.  Where has the time gone?  Actually, it has gone to 15 discussion questions being answered in my classroom forums, and to 7 papers.  I am looking forward to the day when I am done with school so I can have more time with baking, reading, and writing for fun, rather than for school.

For those of you who may not be aware, I have spent the last 3 1/2 years working on my Master of Public Health degree from Grand Canyon University.  Even being 9 weeks from finishing school, I often wonder, "what do I want to be when I grow up?"  Two things I have learned over the past few years are I really have enjoyed writing, and I enjoy educating.  My dream is to someday write my own cookbook.  Last spring, I worked on a Wright Family cookbook for my niece's wedding shower gift.  The thought has crossed my mind to take this initial book, and begin working on these recipes to develop healthier versions of them.  There is nothing like good ol' home-cooking, and having it be healthy at the same time.

The issue with writing a "healthy" cookbook brings me to the question...what does healthy truly mean?  For some, it might be eating low fat, for others it might be eating low sugar or carbohydrates, while others it might be eating Paleo-style.  These are just a few of the "healthy" diets, but really, most any food can fit into a healthy diet (unless you have food allergies), as long as we eat moderate portions, we fit this into our caloric intake, and that we participate in physical activity to help burn calories.

Many people would probably say that I am a liberal dietitian...because I do feel all foods can fit into a healthy diet, even "junk" foods and "fast" foods.  It is even possible to go eat at your favorite restaurant and still fit that into your healthy lifestyle.  Recently, I have had discussions with co-workers about removing all "junk" foods and regular sodas from vending machines, schools, and cafeterias to help address the obesity rates in the United States, but is this really the answer?  Certainly it is a possibility...to take away the choice of a person, but does that really help?  What is the success rate of this?  Have we actually seen a decline in obesity rates since taking sodas, regular potato chips, and candy bars out of our schools?  Have we seen a decrease in obesity rates since removing regular sodas and candy bars out of vending machines?   Is the answer taking away choices, or is the answer to provide the options AND the education to make the right choice?  Now, I'm gonna be honest...when those "junk" foods are completely eliminated from my diet, I end up craving these foods, and overeating on them...but if I allow myself these treats on occasion, I can be satisfied when I do eat them and not feel the need to overindulge. 

Addendum:  I had started writing this post probably 9 weeks ago...and now, I am down to 5 days of school left until I have my Masters of Public Health.  Yeah!!  And, as I read the original posting above, it still really holds true in my mind.  My dreams remain the same...educating and writing.  And another dream was considered throughout the past couple months...do I want to own my own business, such as a bakery (so much for "healthy" foods!!).  We are told in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future."  I tell ya...I have gone to this verse so many times, to reassure myself of the choices I make.  As for the bakery...I do think that someday I will operate my own bakery, but I don't think now is the time for me.  For the last 3 1/2 years, I've been working on my Masters degree, and this has taken so much time away from my family and my hobbies, and prior to that, I was helping take care of my mom during her year battle with cancer.  So, for the next several months, I am going to take some time to be with Brian and Brandon, and not have to take time to study, or to be at my place of work for 12-14 hours a day.  They deserve my time...just as I do, and mostly as God deserves my time.  And who knows...maybe there will be more blogs written, now that I'm not having to write an evidence-based research project (that by the way...was 66 pages long!!).  Till next time...the cookbook collector wishes you a Happy Easter. 

Blood is thicker than water, but Soup is thicker than blood!!

I know this is a pretty odd title, but this past weekend, I re-realized the importance of family.  In 2010, I became an orphan...meaning both of my parents were gone.  I was parentless, and for those that haven't experienced this yet, it's a different, odd feeling.  There are days I still want to pick up the phone and call my mom, especially when I've had a bad day, and have needed to vent.  Unfortunately, I have become the queen of holding things in. 
Of course, many of  us have heard the phrase "blood is thicker than water," but if you haven't, I want to share the "meaning" of this phrase.  According to Wikipedia (yes, I realize this isn't a "professional" resource, but since this isn't a research paper, I'm gonna use it), family ties (i.e. blood) are more important than the ties of friendship (i.e. water).  Now don't get me wrong...friends are very important, and I have some very dear, close friends, but yet, they aren't as strong as those family ties. 
This past weekend, I made a trip to Nebraska.  Very unselfishly, Uncle Harold and Aunt Arlene have "adopted" me as a 4th child, and I tell ya...that blood is thick, and I thank God for them!!  Which brings me to the Soup being thicker than blood.  Many times when I visit, soup is the focal point of the meals.  This time, it was potato soup and homemade chicken noodle soup (with homemade noodles too!!)...and then it was time to open gifts.  We "kids" received the most beautiful soup bowls (you can see a picture of mine following this article), and each time I use these bowls, I will remember that I have the blood-ties with Harold, Arlene, Kari, David, and Cindy, but even stronger than that, we have "soup-ties," that can't be broken!!  I love you all!!! :)

And to share a recipe, I did a "dump" soup today...on this lovely, cold, Kansas day.

Dump Soup

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup frozen onion, red and green pepper blend
4 cups beef broth
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can drained green beans
1 can drained wax beans
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 can drained carrots
2 fresh summer squash, diced
10 to 12 oz. V-8 juice
1 can tomato sauce
1-2 Tablespoons freeze-dried basil
Fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in large kettle and simmer for 1-2 hours on low until flavors are well blended.  Enjoy!!

 Dump Soup

Soup Bowls from Harold and Arlene

Needs Vs. Wants

This last weekend, I made a trip to Nebraska.  Had several things that I needed to do in Lincoln, and had a longer list of things I wanted to do in Lincoln.  Needless to say, after finishing my two "needs," I ran out of time, and did none of my "wants."  Does this mean I had a bad weekend or a bad trip?  No way...it was a great weekend.  I was lucky enough to spend time with my "adopted" family (Uncle Harold and Aunt Arlene's family) to celebrate Christmas, and then on Saturday, was blessed to spend time with the Wright family (including my aunts and uncles and many of my cousins).  Then on Saturday, I "wanted" to do another fun activity (going to a winery on my way back to Kansas), but thanks to a flat tire and driving on my donut, I didn't want to "waste" time there when I needed to be getting new tires.  Dadgummit...a trip to Nebraska and no wineries were visited!!! :(

This really made me start thinking about wants versus needs.  How does God look at these things?  Should I be happy that he gave me the opportunity to get the things done that I "needed," but then be disappointed because I didn't get to do all that I "wanted?"  Did God "punish" me because I didn't get what I want?  Absolutely not!!  In the Book of Matthew (Matthew 7:7), Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you."  I have to be honest...these were just frivolous "wants," so I didn't feel it was necessary to ask for them.  Would my timing have turned out better if I would have prayed about wanting to go to a winery?  Probably not.  Would praying have spared me from having a flat tire?  Probably not.  But, would I deal with all these stressors better if I prayed about them?  Absolutely.  As we go through life, it is important that we do "take it to the Lord in prayer," as sung in the popular hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."  God wants us to keep these lines of communication open, and I'll be honest...I haven't always gotten what I wanted when I've prayed, but I have always received a blessing in return. 

Since Christmas was last week, I'm still eating leftovers, so thought I'd share my supper tonight (and my leftovers will be for breakfast in the morning!!).

Ham and Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs
Makes 2 servings

1 T. olive oil
1 cup diced ham (I used leftovers)
1-1 1/2 cups diced sweet potatoes (I used frozen sweet potatoes fries, diced)
1 small onion, diced
1-2 T. agave nectar
Sprinkle of ground cloves
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon
Dash of black pepper
4 eggs

In skillet, heat olive oil and add the diced ham, sweet potatoes, and onion.  Saute until onion is translucent.  Season with spices and drizzle with agave nectar.  Continue heating till fully heated.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  In skillet, add a small amount of olive oil, if necessary, and fry eggs until desired doneness.  Divide the "hash" into two servings, and serve with 2 fried eggs on top.

Blessings

A couple years ago, a beautiful, thought-provoking song came out in the Christian music industry.  The name is "Blessings" by Laura Story.  I first heard it within a year of losing my mom to colon cancer, and knew that someday, I was going to sing that song.  I have...but the first time wasn't easy.  I sang it at a concert, in which some of my family were sitting in the front row...and there wasn't a dry eye in that pew.  I, too, ended up crying, and couldn't finish the song.  Since then, I've sang it a couple more times, and I've made it through, but have seen others in tears.  Let me share some of these words with you:

"We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.  We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
And all the while, You hear each spoken need, yet love us way too much to give us lesser things."

(Copyright 2011, New Spring Publishing/Laura Story)

I, for one, have prayed for all of these things...
I've prayed for peace...world-wide peace, peace within our own nation, peace within families, peace at work.  I've prayed for my family, for God to keep them safe, to protect them from harm.  I've prayed for healing...for Dad's cancer...for Mom's cancer...for my broken heart after losing both of them to their cancers.  How can I really look at these things as blessings?

This is a daily struggle for me...I can easily fall into the "woe is me," or "poor me" thinking, but that isn't what God wants from me.  These struggles are the exact moments when God is begging me to call out to Him...not to turn away from Him.  God loves me, and He allows me time to mourn, but then, "joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5).  Can I tell you "why" my parents both died at young ages?  No...and that probably isn't as important as knowing that my parents had both accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and they are with Jesus in paradise, and because of the faith that they had, and that they shared with me, I know that I will be with them again someday.

As I prepare for Christmas, I am sitting here watching the Hallmark Channel, and the movie this morning, "November Christmas," has been nearly as thought-provoking as "Blessings."  I don't want to spoil anyone else's movie-watching, but the message is just amazing, as a town gathers around a family dealing with a major health crisis.  I wish that all people could practice this Christmas-love year round, rather than just 1 month out of the year. 

In the meantime, what can we do to comfort ourselves during difficult times...we can help comfort others, just as the community members did in this movie.  This might be through praying for others, or sharing our own stories about loss, but more importantly, using our gifts to glorify our Lord and Savior.

Since I've been busy watching this movie this morning, I decided it was a great morning for a quick and easy breakfast, so I've included the recipe for you:

Paleo Breakfast Smoothie
Serves 1 (large serving)

1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 banana, frozen
1 tsp. agave nectar
2 T. almond butter

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a glass and enjoy.  


I pray for you, my reader, that you may know the presence of God, and that He is holding you in His hands at this very moment, and He loves you.  So, as you face this Christmas season, remember that God gave His son, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate gift, and the ultimate sacrifice for you...because HE LOVES YOU THAT MUCH!!  (And just so you know...you are a blessing to me...a gift from God!!) :)

Baby it's Cold Outside

Brrrr!!  Isn't it amazing how we can have sunny 60 degree weather one day, and 38 degrees with clouds and lots of wind the next!  Only here in Kansas.  Actually, that's not quite true...being from Nebraska, I've seen warm rain in the morning, and a blizzard by afternoon (that was 1996...when I was living in Kearney, Nebraska!).  If you have read my previous blogs, you know that I love this time of year, especially with the Autumnal colors, but more importantly...the food!!  I love apples...fresh apple butter, homemade chunky applesauce, and Uncle Harold's dried apples, but I equally love pumpkin...pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, Starbuck's Pumpkin Latte!  Of course, trying to follow a modified-Paleo diet, some of these things don't exactly work.  But played around today, and came up with a recipe for a Pumpkin Pie Creamer. 

Here goes...hope you enjoy.  (And you can enjoy it, even if you aren't doing Paleo...just switch out regular milk for the coconut milk!)

Pumpkin Pie Creamer

4 cups coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin (not the pie mix, just the plain pumpkin)
1/4 cup Agave Nectar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2  tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

In saucepan, put all ingredients, and whisk together.  You can add more or less spices, and more or less agave nectar to your taste.  Pour into pitcher and store remaining creamer in the refrigerator.   I used about 1/4 cup of creamer to the cup of coffee, but again, you can adjust to your liking. 

I hope you have the opportunity to play with this recipe, and that you enjoy it.  It's not quite like Starbuck's, but it's pretty good...  Now to just play with some other flavors at Christmas time, like chocolate/peppermint!! :)

Till next time!!!

       

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Fall always reminds me of the food processing and canning.  Of course, my last writing was making sweet pickles.  I remember spending a lot of time with Mom in the kitchen, and she canned almost everything!!  Green beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato juice, salsa, spaghetti sauce, peaches, apricots, pears, apples...pretty much if she raised it in the garden, she preserved it!  Today, on this beautiful autumn day, I decided to make homemade spaghetti sauce with meatballs...except it wasn't to can, but to eat...and it was yummy! 

For many years I have had "tummy trouble," and have decided to try to cut back on gluten and grain products, to see how my tummy responds.  So far, it has been very good!!  So, with the spaghetti sauce, obviously I couldn't do spaghetti, so I did the next best thing...cooked spaghetti squash.  I was so pleasantly surprised at the outcome of this and will definitely be making it again.  What is even better...I have "planned-overs" so will have a meal tomorrow and Monday, and may share with a friend of mine who eats Paleo-style.

Don't be scared about this recipe...it was simple, flavorful, best of all...good for my tummy! 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 pound ground bison (buffalo)
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. each of:  dried basil, oregano, thyme, and marjarom

Marinara Sauce:
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 tsp. each of:  dried basil, oregano, thyme, and marjarom
2 T. fresh minced basil leaves
2 T. fresh minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Spaghetti:
Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut spaghetti squash in half, place in baking pan, and bake for 1 hour or until it "shreds" easily with a fork.  While squash is cooking, mix together all the meatball ingredients, and roll into balls (I made 20 meatballs, so each serving was 5).  Place on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, and place in the oven alongside the squash.  Bake for about 25 minutes. 

While these are baking, begin marinara sauce by sauteing the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat.  One these are softened, but not browned, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, zucchini, and all the seasonings.  Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all flavors have come together.  For the last few minutes, add the cooked meatballs to the sauce, and simmer while you finish "shredding" the squash.

When the squash is done, remove from oven and "shred" with a fork.  To serve, place 1/4 of the "noodles" on serving plate, top with 5 meatballs (or 1/4 of the recipe) and divide the remaining sauce.  Makes 4 servings.