Fruit on the Bottom?

Do you love yogurt with fruit on the bottom? Have you looked closely at the nutritional facts on the container? Many commercial yogurts with fruit have also added an extremely generous portion of sugar, sweetener or other additives designed to prolong shelf life. Why not put your own fruit on the bottom?

I've been enjoying the season's plentiful harvest of big fat juicy blueberries, one of the most potent SuperFoods, by covering a serving of berries with Stonyfield Farms organic, fat free, yogurt. Not only is yogurt another of the SuperFoods, providing prebiotics as well as probiotics, aiding in maintaining a healthy digestive system, but combined with fresh fruit, it's a super tasting snack! In addition to the powerful disease-fighting antioxidants contained in blueberries, recent studies have shown blueberries to be an effective food to lower cholesterol. Read all about it.

Frozen Yogurt

Take advantage of the abundance of fresh blueberries available now and whip up a batch of frozen blueberry yogurt.

Zest and juice of one small lemon

2 cups plain nonfat yogurt

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (sweeten to taste)

1 pint blueberries.

In a bowl, blend the lemon zest, lemon juice, yogurt and sugar until smooth. Stir in the blueberries. Freeze in a plastic container for easy scooping or make pops by lining twelve 2 1/2" muffin pan cups with fluted paper baking cups. Divide the mixture among the paper lined cups and freeze until almost firm (1 1/2 hours) Insert a popsicle stick in the middle of each pop. Freeze until firm.

Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly for easier eating.

Cool Greens

Summer salad options abound with farm stands bursting with crisp greens and lovely sun-warmed red, ripe juicy tomatoes. I'm a romaine or green leaf lettuce lady but on a hot summer day, the crisp cold sweet juicy crunch of fresh iceberg lettuce is so refreshing. I've indulged lately and had bacon and blue cheese dressed iceberg wedges several times for lunch. With the warm salty richness and the cool crispy crunch offset by the smoky flavor of the bacon and the delicate juicy tang of sweet vine ripened tomatoes, who can resist?

Iceberg Wedge with Bacon and Blue Cheese

This is one of those wonderful, quick and easy to prepare dishes that needs no careful measuring. Play it by ear based on how many servings you need.

Cut a generous wedge of lettuce per serving.

Cook 2 -3 strips of bacon per serving until crisp, drain on paper towels, then cut or tear into 1" pieces. While the bacon cooks, dice 1/2 well ripened tomato per serving and whip up some dressing (you can use bottled blue cheese dressing if you don't want to bother with homemade - but use a good one, like those found in the refrigerated portion of the produce department.) If you choose to whip up your own dressing - use approximately 1/4 cup mayo per serving, thinned with a tsp of lemon juice and a little buttermilk until it's a nice consistency to flow over the lettuce. Add some freshly ground pepper and a generous serving of crumbled blue cheese. Assembly is next: drizzle some dressing over the wedge, sprinkle on the warm bacon pieces and the diced tomatoes. Thin slices of red onion are a great addition.

Three books to recommend this week. The summer heat and humidity is my excuse to hunker down in the house and get lost in a novel. Amy Ephron's short light fiction is entertaining reading. I chose her novel set in the jazz-age era of flappers, bobbed hair and ladies looking for husbands. One Sunday Morning is a fun fast read set in New York and Paris among the socially elite. Fancy clothes, grand mansions, gossip, luxury liners, mystery, murder and not too much mayhem as the engaging cast of characters seek Mr. Right. If you like this be sure to pick up her equally well-crafted novels, A Cup of Tea and White Rose.

Early in the week, I was pleased to find the new Lincoln Rhyme novel, Cold Moon, at my door courtesy of PEP Express and the Orange County Library. Diligently devious Deaver does it again, pitting the abrupt yet brilliant quadriplegic Rhyme against an equally brilliant criminal mastermind, the Watchmaker. The plot has more twists than a skein of yarn. A bizarre yet intriguing array of plots within a cunning master plot unravel with the mystery, clues and police procedures offset by the personal interplay with Amelia Sachs, Rhyme's partner and love interest. Cold Moon, coming so quickly on the heels of Jeffery Deaver's The Twelfth Card in 2005 is a nice treat for Deaver fans.

I wrapped up my reading week with another of Peter Abrahams clever psychological thrillers, Cry Wolf, set in a New England college town. Abrahams uses the architectural features of the college to generate mystery and intrigue while developing characters that we've all met before. The poor, bright boy who attends the posh, exclusive school by dint of merit, scholarship, loans and campus employment who falls into the malleable hands of a pair of gorgeous wealthy twins and is introduced to a world and lifestyle hitherto never dreamed of. We're whisked off to Christmas Eve in a New York penthouse, then by private jet to the family's Caribbean island for the Christmas break then back to school and the ensuing complications of a suicidal roommate, a larcenous townie, loss of funding for the second semester and then the devious plot to kidnap one of the twins for ransom. This is not the stuff Pulizter's are made of, but Abrahams is a master storyteller and this tale has enough mystery to keep the pages turning to the end.

Till next time. . . keep on cooking!

Convergence - tending to move toward one point . . .

I think it was 1985 when Billy gave me Mollie Katzen's Enchanted Broccoli Forest encouraging me to cook more vegetarian fare and get away from eating so much meat.

I grew up with a working man's lower middle class idea of the evening meal: meat, potatoes and a vegetable. The potato was invariably white and boiled, occasionally mashed and the vegetable came from a can with little variety: peas, green beans, stewed tomatoes and spinach. There was a variety of meats alternating between steak, hamburger, pork chops, daisy ham and chicken. Beef stew and pot roast showed up every now and then on weekends to break the monotony.

It wasn't until I was in college and began meeting people from different backgrounds that I was introduced to different cuisines including a wider variety of foods and methods of preparing them. And I developed a strong preference for ethnic foods over 'plain, old American'. I still give 'plain, old American' a wide berth in favor of foods with a European or Asian influence.

Vegetables and grains dominate much ethnic cooking. That was true for American cooking, too, until we got so affluent that families went from sharing a piece of meat, rounded out with a starch and some vegetables, to each family member having his own piece of meat, and not a small piece either. A whole steak, a couple of chops, half a chicken, you know what I mean.

While meat came from farm raised livestock and our produce from local farms, we were okay. But gradually the food industry became a big business, livestock is raised on factory-farms now, fed a diet they can't digest without hormones and antibiotics to keep them going. The seeds for our produce have been genetically modified and the plants grow with built in pesticide and fertilizer.

The quality of the food we now consume has become our slow poison, contributing to dozens of chronic diseases afflicting our corpulent nation while most of us continue to pile our grocery carts high with convenience foods loaded with strange ingredients we don't recognize, can't pronounce or begin to spell! High fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils are found in practically every item on the grocer's shelves. What have we let happen to our food supply?

I've had a strong interest in food for years. More so after being diagnosed with cancer in 1983. My surgeon asked if I were a vegetarian as my blood was like that of a vegetarian (a good thing). This was the result, no doubt, of eating small portions, 3 - 4oz pieces of meat at each meal during my adult years and having fresh salad each day along with fruits and vegetables. I'm sure I never ate anywhere near the quantity we now know is important for good nutrition and illness prevention, but her comment on my blood was a good indication that even doing something right, if not everything, makes a difference.

Gradually, more vegetarian fare made its way into our diets and Enchanted Broccoli Forest was just the beginning of the resources that I used to plan and serve whole foods.

Recently, I've been doing much more reading and investigation into the role foods play in our overall health and I've been very concerned about the quality of food that has found its way into our markets and onto our tables. Last December, I ordered the documentary, The Future of Food, which is a frightening picture of how industry has manipulated the production of our food supplies to benefit their bottom line. We still have the upper hand, as individuals we are the consumers without which big business cannot survive.

One key element from the film: "The choices we make at the supermarket determine the future of food." We are the customers to whom big business panders...are they really giving us what we want? Must be; we buy it.

One of the PBS stations in Los Angeles recently had a fund-raising drive and as is the case with public broadcasting stations, they bring in top gun programs to increase audience participation and hopefully increase donations. One of the programs recently aired was Mark Hyman, MD who presented material from his book, UltraMetabolism and his system of Neutrogenomics - how food talks to your genes. Dr. Hyman has down to earth simple guidelines to help prevent and cure chronic illnesses as well as the additional upside of eating well = natural weight loss. Greg burned DVD's of the program for me. I've watched it once, ordered the book and I plan to watch the program again as there is so much practical information to be digested and Dr Hyman is such a lively presenter that gaining insight and knowledge is also entertaining.

Several years ago, I picked up a copy of Nicholas Perricone's book, The Perricone Prescription. Dr. Perricone is a dermatologist and while assisting patients achieve radiant skin tone he found the nutritional and dietary information increased cardiovascular protection, decreased inflammation(the culprit responsible for so many chronic ailments) and helped melt away pounds.

These are a few resources if you are concerned about your health, the health of loved ones and the future for our children and grandchildren. What you put on your plate and on their plates is one of the most important concerns you can have.

I stopped by the Oriental supermarket the other day to pick up a few items and as the cashier rang up my 5lb bag of Jasmine rice, the smallest portion they carry, he looked up at me and asked, "What, no Uncle Ben?" We chatted a bit about the importance of food quality and he spouted facts that I haven't corroborated but which are probably in the right ball park. He told me that Americans spend about 7% of their income on food and Europeans and Asians spend about 40% of their income on food. (Is the disparity in this ratio a result of our high income and their lower ones?)

He pointed out that in other countries the quality of the food is of utmost importance. Freshness and the method of preparation are key. Quality over quantity most places except here. Here, our policy is the bigger the better - super size it? Who cares if it's a form of plastic with sugar and fat. It's fast, it's convenient, there's a lot of it and it's cheap. We pay the true price down the road.

The popular book, French Women Don't Get Fat, by Mireille Guiliano is all about the pleasures of eating well - wine, bread, chocolate - a delightful guide to choosing the best, freshest and tastiest for your plate while staying slim and healthy. Portion control...what's that?, say we. Ah, champagne and leek soup, mais oui!

I've started keeping a running list of the portions of fruit and vegetables I consume each day as it takes discipline and concentration to eat enough. The list continually surprises me at how short I fall on many days.

Lots of salads on these hot humid days...with many ingredients is the easy way to satisfy the bodies nutritional needs while satisfying the palate. If we don't enjoy the produce when it's in season, we're short changing ourselves. And if we don't seriously consider what's on our plates, we're short changing the next generation, too.

Till next time...keep on cooking!

Amazing Grains

Must be close to twenty years ago, I borrowed a book called Amazing Grains from the library to learn more about cooking grains but I can't recall ever cooking anything from it. Recently, I found the volume in the Friends of the Orange County Library used book store, and couldn't resist the temptation to buy it. The book is an overwhelming resource for anyone who wants a thorough education in preparing various grains. . .and it's a nice addition to my eclectic collection of books on food.

While I discourage anyone from using 'quick' grains, things like Minute Rice or Instant Oatmeal, which have been denuded of most of their nutritional benefits and have lost all their flavor leaving them a close match to boiled cardboard, I, like most everyone, want all the benefits of eating grains with a minimum of preparation but at the same time, have them yield maximum flavor. This means using unadulterated grains and planning on some soaking time as part of the preparation.

As 21st century Americans, grains are not a common staple of our everyday diet. Sure we eat some processed grains in bread and cereal but rarely do we plan a meal around millet, barley, quinoa, etc. It seems so old fashioned, doesn't it?

Summer is a great time of the year to start experimenting with grains. I know we think of grains as something to add to soups -- like mushroom/barley soup and we prefer soup as cold weather food, but barley is a perfect grain for a salad paired with garden fresh vegetables. Substitute cooked barley (not instant barley, please) for the pasta in one of your favorite pasta salads or just toss a cupful into a regular dinner salad. Or be adventurous and build a meal around the freshest vegetables, herbs and barley as I did recently.

I compromised and bought a pound of pearled barley. While this doesn't require pre-soaking, I did soak it for a couple of hours before cooking and found it cooked up much more quickly than the 45 minutes suggested in the cooking instructions on the bag. By the way, the bag I bought, store brand from my favorite supermarket, includes another interesting salad recipe to expand your repetoire.

Florida sweet corn and vine ripened tomatoes along with fresh basil from the patio and some young green onions joined the cooked barley with oil, vinegar and seasoning. Isn't it great when something so good for you can taste so wonderful? Here's the recipe I adapted from the New York Times.

Corn and Barley Salad

1 cup pearled barley

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (I used 6 ears of sugar and honey corn)

1 cup of diced red tomatoes

4 - 5 young green onions, sliced, green and white parts

2 - 3 TBS fresh chopped basil leaves (or oregano)

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 TBS wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

3 TBS fresh goat cheese (optional)

Cook barley according to package instructions. Prepare veggies, cut corn from cob if using fresh. Whisk together oil and vinegar, basil or oregano and green onions in large bowl. When barley is cooked (drain any excess water) return to pot and add corn. Mix well. Add barley mixture and tomatoes to large bowl and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a bed of greens of your choice with a few dollops of goat cheese, if desired.

With a meal this simple to prepare there's plenty of time to catch up on your reading. I didn't do much to improve my mind this week but I was thoroughly entertained with a couple of Peter Abrahams' novels. I started with The Tutor while I waited for the newly released End of Story to arrive. Both are good entertainment. Abrahams' talent for suspense novels is layered with intriguing detail. This is a very bright man, who must do a lot of research.

Following up with Robert Parker's new release, Blue Screen, was sadly disappointing. Sunny Randall sounds like Spenser in high heels. When the plot doesn't interest you and you can't muster any sympathy for the characters, it's time to quit. Despite my formula for giving up on a book, I wallowed along for 86 pages before giving it the toss.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe Fourth of July. We need to all take a moment and contemplate exactly what we are celebrating on this Independence Day. We each have an obligation to ensure we remain independent. A quick scan of headlines indicates we are not far away from figments of Orwell's imagination. Is Big Brother watching you?

Until next time...keep on cooking.

Getting Your Vitamin C?

Interesting article in the current issue of Ode citing recent findings published in the British medical bulletin What Doctors Don't Tell You about the benefits of vitamin C in preventing and possibly curing heart disease. I remember when Linus Pauling's published recommendations for vitamin C were the rage back in the 70's. Research, backed by studies of 11,000 Americans, supports Pauling's findings that the people with the highest intake of vitamin C had the lowest incidence of heart disease. Findings like these obviously will present a real challenge to both the pharmaceutical companies with their plethora of cholesterol reducing drugs as well as to the food industry who have flooded the market with synthetically processed low-fat food intended as heart disease prevention.

As humans, we can neither produce nor store vitamin C so a daily dose is required either through our food source or as a supplement. Most of us find it difficult to eat our 5 - 8 servings of fruit and veggies a day and many of the ones we do eat are not necessarily high in vitamin C or because we've cooked them have lost most of their nutritional value. Using a supplement is a wise choice.

When I was a kid and visited my grandparents for a weekend or during summer vacation, my grandmother had a tendency to spoil me. Not only was I the first grandchild, offspring of her first born, but I made my appearance into this world on her birthday. That alone would have made me special to her but in addition, my mother died of tuberculosis when I was 18 months old and I lived with my paternal grandparents until my Dad remarried when I was about 3 years old. A lot of info to support the statement that I was spoiled.

Part of the spoiling was Gram making waffles for my breakfast. I remember how antsy I was as I waited for that first waffle to cook, watching for the escaping steam to stop seemed to take forever. I still grow impatient waiting for that first one to bake up golden and crisp. At my grandmother's house, my waffles were served with a generous slathering of soft butter, a sprinkle of sugar and then, instead of syrup or jam, my waffle, served in a soup plate, was doused in freshly squeezed orange juice. Gram didn't like the sweetness of syrup and wanted me to have the vitamin C from the oranges. She reasoned that I'd eat more if they weren't too sweet. Don't laugh, but I still eat my waffles with butter, sugar and orange juice. Had some the other day and as happens each time that succulent warm bite of waffle, with the tartness of the orange juice offset by the touch of sweetness from the sugar hits my tastebuds, I'm transported to my grandmother's kitchen and the warmth, security and love I felt as I sat at the table, impatiently waiting for the steam to stop.

I make a batch of sour cream waffles regularly. The recipe below makes four big fat Belgian waffles. When I make them, I eat one and cool the other three on a wire rack, cut them into quarters when cool, wrap them in waxed paper by serving size and then put them into a ziplock freezer bag. When I want waffles, I take a couple of quarters from the freezer and reheat them in the toaster. Believe me, these beat any you can buy in the freezer section of the market.

Sour Cream Waffles

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 TBS sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3 large eggs

Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the melted butter, milk, sour cream and eggs in a medium bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Whisk just until smooth, don't over mix. Cook in a heated waffle iron with lightly oiled grids.

Had a very entertaining week reading. Patricia Cornwell wrote a 15 part serial for the New York Times Magazine. I caught only a few episodes so was pleased to find the whole thing published in hard cover at the library. At Risk is a short fast read with an interesting plot twist. No Kay Scarpetta but authentic police procedurals and some interesting new characters.

I found Julia Glass's prize winning novel, Three Junes, a few years ago and have recommended it to many. Even read it twice. Ms Glass has a new novel out and it's equally enthralling. The Whole World Over reminds me of Maeve Binchy's work because of the in-depth treatment of a variety of characters, their problems and surprising interaction. As in Three Junes, Ms Glass weaves the histories and present circumstances of her cast of characters so deftly that the reader is constantly surprised to find the emerging pattern and the final canvas so neatly framed.

Rounding out my reading week, I really enjoyed Joseph Kanon's Alibi. The action takes place in Venice and the author uses the history of World War II, the breathtaking Venetian architecture and unique canal system to good advantage, giving this mystery story an intriguing background and moving the story forward with sympathetic characters caught in a web of deceit. Kanon's use of dialog to move the plot along rather than heavy descriptive narrative certainly makes the novel a fast and compelling read.

And I finally got around to watching Syriana. George Clooney continually amazes me with each new film he just gets better and better, doesn't he? While the acting talent in the film is highly commendable, it's the story, depicting a frightening reality of the precarious world in which we live, that should spur each of us to take an active part, regardless of how small, to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil, to clean house in our government, to become watchdogs of big business, to become aware of the issues and take part in our world, starting at the community level, then the state level and finally being an influence on how our national leaders represent us. Are we a democracy? A government run by the people?

Until next time. . . Keep on cooking.

Let's Stuff Veggies

With fresh produce abounding in the markets and at farm stands, it's a perfect time to go a little vegetarian. I picked up some lovely red peppers the other day that were just begging to be stuffed and baked. Zucchini or yellow squash boats are great for stuffing as well as big bold vidalia onions and fat firm tomatoes. In the fall and winter, cabbage and grape leaves are wonderful stuffed, too.

I decided to forego a meat stuffing and just fly with a tasty, high nutrition, low fat organic japonica rice filling for my two large, red beauties. I buy Lundberg Farms rice at Whole Foods Market but many regular supermarkets carry a good selection of Lundberg rice, too. While the rice was simmering, I sauteed some diced veggies: 1 large carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 vidalia onion (mirapoix) in a little olive oil with a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Once the veggies were well coated and starting to soften, I added a splash of red wine (happened to be open) water or broth will do, turned down the heat to low, covered the pan and let the veggies cook down. When the rice was cooked (see cooking directions) I mixed it with the mirapoix, and with the peppers cut in half vertically, stem to bottom, seeded and deveined, I stuffed them, placed them in a baking dish, tossed some Muir Glen organic fire-roasted crushed tomatoes over, covered the pan with foil and placed in a 350 oven for an hour and fifteen minutes. I removed the foil and sprinkled grated mozzarella cheese over each pepper half and returned them to the oven for another 15 minutes. The Japonica rice has such a surprising flavor. Rich and meaty with a sweet finish on the palate. Try it as a side dish to liven up a mild fish or poached chicken breast. But, truthfully, it stands up on its own as a fine main course accompanied by colorful vegetables. Give it a try.

I kept my pledge, and went to see An Inconvenient Truth on opening weekend. If you follow box office reports, you know that Cars raked in the most money this past weekend with over $31 million in sales and the plight of global warming came in #12, with about $1.75 million in sales. It's obvious, as a nation, what has our attention. In all fairness, comparing the two films is doing an apples and oranges exercise. I'm glad that many parents took kids to the movies - hurray for the wide screen. What's sad is how few adults made the effort to increase their knowledge about the situation or bothered to stand up and be counted to show the administration that global warming is a major concern for us as citizens and we want something done about it now, before it's too late to avoid disaster. It's not too late to go.

On a happier note, I also contributed to A Prairie Home Companion being in 11th place at the box office this weekend. What a fun film, particularly poignant if you're a listener to the weekly radio program.

And on the reading range, I finished up Bill Buford's book, Heat, which gives a very detailed picture of life on the line of a busy, upscale, restaurant. I loved reading about the hectic prep work and the pressure of filling orders to perfection in record time along with the super talent and mercurical moods of Molto Maria. Yet when I finished the book, I was more convinced than ever that dabbling in home cooking is fine with me. Home eating is fine with me, too, after being further enlightened by some of the food handling horror stories typical of all restaurant kitchens. Buford's disclosures are mild compared to Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, and I understand Bourdain's new book, Nasty Bits, tells more tall tales from the kitchen floor. I think I'll pass on that one for the time being or I'll never eat in a restaurant again.

In between the heat of the kitchen and the joy of the plated food in the dining room, I read Nancy Pickard's new novel, The Virgin of Small Plains. "An unforgettable tale of love, lust, faith, betrayal and redemption. A powerful, mesmerizing suspense novel__a tour de force!" After reading that blurb on the jacket, how could anyone resist? Least of all me! It was a fun fast entertaining book by a prolific author whom I've not read before.

Someone commented recently that she was reading a book that really didn't interest her, but since she'd started it, she was going to finish it. Horrors!

I follow the advice and wisdom of Nancy Pearl. I give any book the benefit of the doubt for the first (?#?) pages. The formula for (?#?) pages is: Hang in for the first 50 pages BUT if you are older than 50, subtract your age from 100 and that is the maximum number of pages to give any book to grab your interest and full attention. If it doesn't do it, put it down and pick up something else. Remember, "too many books; too little time."

Until next time - keep on cooking!

SOUP'S ON

With Alberto, the first tropical depression of the season, breathing down our necks, it seemed a perfect day, albeit a little hot and humid, to put on a pot of soup. A package of heirloom cannelli beans from Rancho Gordo has been beckoning to me from the second shelf of the pantry for ages. Encouraged by a recent post from Heidi Swanson using Calypso beans to produce a pot of succulent soup, I ventured off in my own fumbling direction. The soup is on its final leg and the house is redolent with a subtle smoky scent from the teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika that I added to the mirapoix while it simmered away before joining the beans in their rich pot liquor. The beans will easily hold their own as is, but I think a chiffonade of baby spinach leaves tossed in just before serving along with a generous helping of freshly grated parmesan cheese will elevate this simple bean soup to an impressive plateau just right for dinner on a blustery, wet evening. I've a nice cabernet waiting to be uncorked that should make a fine accompaniment. Anyone in the neighborhood is welcome to stop by.

White Bean Soup

One pound cannellini beans cooked

with a chopped onion and 2 bay leaves

2 carrots diced

1 onion diced

2 stalks of celery diced

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 package fresh baby spinach, washed and slivered(chiffonade)

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Wash and sort beans, cover with water and rest overnight (if using canned beans rinse off thoroughly before proceeding from * and use broth instead of water to add some flavor)

Cook beans along with a chopped onion in dutch oven. Add filtered or bottled water to cover beans by at least one inch (maintain this level while cooking).

Beans will require at least 2 hours to become fairly soft. Meanwhile saute the diced onion, carrot and celery (mirapoix) add a little broth or water and cover to finish cooking along with the spoon full of smoked paprika. After beans have cooked for a couple of hours, * add mirapoix, finish cooking beans until they are fork tender then add salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT ADD SALT TO BEANS AS THEY COOK. Remove bay leaves. Puree a couple of cups of the soup either in a blender or use an immersion blender, to give the soup some added body. Just before serving, add the chiffonade of spinach, give it a few minutes to wilt. Ladle soup into individual bowls and serve with a generous helping of grated cheese.

I was browsing through Elizabeth David's, French Country Cooking over the weekend and that probably provided the impulse to make the simple bean soup. The famous chef and food writer wrote: "Good cooking is honest, sincere and simple, and by this I do not mean to imply that you will find in this, or indeed in any other book, the secret of turning out first-class food in a few minutes with no trouble. Good food is always a trouble and its preparation should be regarded as a labor of love."

And speaking of a labor of love, I've just started reading Bill Buford's book, Heat. Buford, author,editor, amateur cook and food lover, joined Mario Batali at his famous restaurant, Babbo, working as a kitchen slave and lived to tell the tale in this newly released volume. The first few chapters give promise to a wonderfully humorous and enlightening look at the behind the scenes workings of a fabulous 3 star New York eatery along with the inside scoop on one of today's most prominent young chefs, with an illuminating exploration of why food matters. Can't wait to get back to it.

I was fortunate to follow up on a recent compelling book review for Ivan Doig's The Whistling Season. Here's another wonderful author that I'd never read. Whistling Season is his 11th novel. Why I hadn't been introduced to him before now is a mystery but I'm happy to report this volume is a wonderful story set at the turn of the century in the plains of Montana. Oops...that's the turn of the last century, of course! Doig reminds me of Wallace Stegner. If you haven't read Stegner's prize winning Angle of Repose, put it on your must read list.

The rain appears to have let up for the moment. Time to puree the soup and walk the dog. Hope everyone keeps dry. Till next time...keep on cooking!

An Inconvenient Truth

coming to a theater near you - be there!

Check it out, this documentary is a must see for every responsible citizen. See and hear for yourself just what all this Global Warming buzz is about, how it affects each of us and what steps we can take to avert a disaster. Join the millions nation-wide on opening weekend at a theater near you to show both your concern and indicate your support for immediate changes. Pledge to be there, buy a ticket and be counted! The film will be screened at several locations in the greater Orlando area opening on Friday, June 16th. Call friends and family, get a group together, spread the word, this is too important an issue to ignore.

On a lighter note, A Prairie Home Companion, the movie opens this Friday (6/6) at Enzian. Robert Altman and Garrison Keillor - can you think of a better combo? If you've never visited Lake Woebegone now's your chance to see it as well as hear it. Meet the Men's All Star Shoe Band and Guy Noir. Get acquainted with a place where "the women are smart, the men are strong and all the children are good looking." Garrison Keillor never fails to entertain, week after week with his successful PBS radio show - now's a chance to put faces to the characters. Just to see the dynamite cast that's lined up is worth the price of admission!

I had a light week in the reading department. I was completely captivated with Geraldine Brooks' Pulizter Prize winner, March. She has cleverly given a back story and answer to: what ever happened to the father in Little Women? Her well researched depiction of the horrors of the Civil War laced through the lives of some very interesting characters makes for a satisfying page turner. Marmee and the little women make a splendid backdrop to Mr. March's story, both familiar and sympathetic. Ms Brooks' previous novel, Year of Wonders, a tale set in the time of the plague, is a great read also.

I finished My Life in France, Julia Child's memoir. The book includes some great photos taken by her talented husband, Paul Child. After so many years of watching Julia's TV shows, starting with The French Chef on WGBS in Boston, I could hear her distinctive voice and precise enunciation in every written word and her marvelous sense of humor came through along with her dedicated, serious approach to her quest, making French cooking do-able for the American cook.

I cut my culinary teeth with her Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Still have it and still consult that faded, food-stained volume which now retails in the $45 range. My copy was a Christmas gift in 1967 and ran a grand total of $9.95 (no sales tax in NH). The book is more than a collection of recipes, it's a textbook, teaching techniques and processes. Once mastered, one can cook successfully and with great confidence. The following passage from the memoir leapt off the page at me, so I filed it away to share:

". . .nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should. Good results require that one take time and care. If one doesn't use the freshest ingredients or read the whole recipe before starting, and if one rushes through the cooking, the result will be an inferior taste and texture. . . But a careful approach will result in a magnificent burst of flavor, a thoroughly satisfying meal, perhaps even a life-changing experience."

So how about some onion soup - ala Julia?

1 1/2 lbs of yellow onions sliced (about 5 cups)

3 TBS unsalted butter

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

3 TBS flour

2 quarts of boiling beef broth or stock

1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

S & P to taste

3 TBS cognac

Rounds of toasted French bread

Grated Swiss or Parmesan Cheese

Cook the onions slowly in the butter and oil over low heat in a covered saucepan for about 15 minutes. Uncover and raise heat to medium, stir in salt and sugar.

Cook for 30 - 40 minutes stirring frequently until the onions have turned an even deep, golden brown. Then sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.

Off heat, blend in the boiling liquid, add the wine, season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30 - 40 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Pour into soup bowls over the rounds of bread and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Note: This is not the version of onion soup with the gloppy cheese top - that's gratineed.

Hope you'll try it, it's a winner. Till next time. . . keep on cooking!

Mea Culpa

Time to get off my soap box and face the real world. While bemoaning the lack of people wearing poppies over Memorial Day weekend, some desperate member of our society in the Boca area, snatched the contribution jar from an 80 year old vet who was collecting money / distributing poppies. Reminiscent of the guys who stole the money box from the Brownie's selling Girl Scout cookies in front of a Publix store. Sad commentary on our society, isn't it?

A Day to Remember

It's Memorial Day or at least the day we now choose to celebrate this holiday.
Moving the celebration of national holidays to Mondays was a good move, allowing folks to have a long weekend to celebrate with friends and family. Over the years, many of us have turned this day of parade watching and flag waving into a pool, picnic, barbecue day. And fashion mavens use Memorial Day as the harbinger for the white shoes and white handbags that were officially relegated to storage last Labor Day.

But how many of us actually remember what this day signifies? Over the weekend, I saw a WWII veteran in front of the grocery store with the traditional red poppies. Over the years, the number of these valiant men has dwindled. I remember always seeing two or three hale and hearty vets gathered together on street corners and at the entrances to stores, raising money and awareness of the needs of veterans with the sale of red poppies at Memorial Day. I also remember that almost everyone walking on the street, bustling about their errands, sported a poppy, showing support for the men who fought for freedom for us. Times have changed. We don't see many people walking on the street these days period, never mind sporting poppies at Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. I guess many of those folks driving along may have a poppy. Who am I to judge? But I strongly suspect, the change collected in those little canisters didn't amount to much this past weekend, even though we are a far more affluent society than we were 40 + years ago. Our priorities have changed.
Or maybe it's just that our way of donating and contributing has changed and it's no longer de rigeur to look for handouts on the street corners, better to mail address labels or mount a telemarketing campaign. But that's so impersonal, isn't it? I liked having the smile and thank you from those wizened faces and the firm handshake of a calloused hand from a man who left home and family, took up arms and faced an enemy, so I could grow up, safe and sound in America. There's something very personal and very special about that.

Today is a day to remember all those who gave their lives fighting to make our world a better place. A feature article in today's Orlando Sentinel used the figure 619,837 lives lost from World War I through today's war in Iraq. Over half a million brave men and women. Regardless of how we feel about the wars we've fought or the current war we're fighting, let's remember and respect the many lives given in the name of freedom. They've helped make it possible for us to grill that frank or smoke those ribs today.

For those of you who prefer to do your 'cue indoors - count me at the top of the list - I've had great success with slow cooking beef brisket simply sprinkled generously with a spice rub. I like a Cajun mix but a straight salt and pepper combo will do, as long as one of those peppers is cayenne. Wrap the meat well in foil, place in a shallow roasting pan in a 250 oven and let it cook. Plan on at least 40 minutes per pound. Whatever you do, don't rush it. I often put a 3 - 4 lb piece of brisket in early morning and don't remove it from the oven until late afternoon. Well wrapped, it won't dry out. You want the meat to be fork tender and shred easily. I treat the meat liked pulled pork, using two forks to shred it. But you can slice it against the grain with a very sharp carving knife if you prefer slices. I slather the beef, when serving, with Bobby Flay's cola based sauce (see recipe) and serve with cole slaw and onion rolls or fresh, crisp Kaiser rolls as a sandwich. Great way to enjoy an inexpensive cut of meat. No fuss, no muss, it cooks itself while you go about your day and if you wrapped it carefully in a foil packet, the pan only needs a quick rinse! What could be easier? Fast food it's not. But you'll have to admit, it's easy and oh, so good. Give it a try.

BBQ Sauce

Courtesy of Bobby Flay

1 cup cola

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

3 TBS A1 Bold

1 minced shallot

1 minced clove garlic

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by a quarter.

I'm spending the holiday with Julia and Paul Child. I'm deeply immersed in My Life in France. Who knows how I'll be led to cook the bay scallops I took out of the freezer this morning? But with Julia encouraging me, it's sure to be good. Till next time . . . keep on cooking!

What does a grape say

when you step on it?

Nothing

It just lets out a little wine.

I have no idea to whom we should attribute that pithy bit of humor but it was wine that was on my mind recently as I strayed from my favorite Boeuf Bourguignon and the classic Coq Au Vin and applied the technique to the 'other white meat'. Braised pork with red wine turned out to be a luscious pot of pure comfort food studded with carrot slices and petite peas then ladled over smashed potatoes. The leftovers reheated nicely, the flavors had the opportunity to marry well which makes me think preparing this a day ahead of serving would be smart. This is not a 30 minute Rachel Ray type of dish. It takes time to slow cook. Making it on a weekend would be a good idea - great for a Sunday dinner and then the re-heated leftovers will make a fast supper later in the week. I used lean boneless spareribs but a boneless pork shoulder would work well, too.

Braised Pork With Red Wine

2 pounds boneless pork, cut into large chunks

Salt and pepper and 2 Tbs flour

2 cups fruity red wine, like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir

1 cup good chicken stock (water will do)

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1 lb of carrots, peeled and cut into chunks on the diagonal

8 - 10 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 cup petite peas - defrosted if frozen

Place pork chunks with salt, pepper and flour in plastic bag. Shake to coat. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in dutch oven over med high heat and sear pork chunks, browning on all sides. Do not overcrowd pan. Sear in batches removing seared pieces to a plate. Add a little more oil if needed. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots, onions and garlic to pot stirring to deglaze, getting up all those nice brown bits. As the garlic and onion become fragrant, return pork and accumulated juices to pan, adding wine and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook until pork is fork tender and falling apart. (1 1/2 - 2 hours)When done, remove all solids with a slotted spoon and reduce pan juices to about one cup or less. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return pork to pot, add cooked peas , warm through, then add chopped parsley for garnish if desired. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes enjoying the remainder of the bottle of wine!

Never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink and NEVER succumb to purchasing that foul product on the grocery shelf referred to as cooking wine. This doesn't mean you have to use your best vintages...but by all means use a good tasting medium priced bottle to bring out the best in any recipe. It's flavor you are seeking and a bad wine will only give a bad flavor. Reminds me of. . .

Charles Frank and Ella White, of the Boston Irish Whites, were married early in the 20th century, around 1908, I think. As with most young married couples then, they initially lived with Charles' folks until they had enough money saved up to rent a flat of their own. Living with your in-laws is a tough start for any young couple but the clash between the frugal Mrs. Frank and the young bride, Ella, came to a head one morning as Ella, descending the stairs for breakfast overheard her mother-in-law complaining to Charles about his young wife's extravagance in using too much butter when she made a cake, in throwing out left over coffee and buying expensive cuts of meat. "She'll have you in the poor house, son" wailed Mrs. Frank. Ella took a deep breath, marched into the kitchen and politely proclaimed to her mother-in-law, "Nothing you put in your gut is wasted."

She told me this story to emphasize the importance of serving good food whether it was a lowly fried egg, which she often had for her lunch to save money, or the wonderful roast with all the trimmings she served to her family on Sundays. Ella Frank nee White was a marvelous cook and a generous woman with a heart of gold. She was my maternal grandmother.

Guess what? Had a note from Lisa Unger in response to my email congratulating her on Beautiful Lies and she reports the sequel will be published in 2007. Looking forward to that. Meanwhile this week I indulged in some fun light reading. Finished up Tough Cookie, a Diane Mott Davison culinary mystery. Those are always good fun and I glean new ideas for food prep. I have her new one, Dark Tort, waiting for me. Gave the new Mary Higgins Clark, Two Little Girls in Blue, a whirl. It's been decades since I read any of her books. It was an engaging fast read. Interesting material on the phenomenon of telepathy between twins. Cage of Stars, Jacqueline Mitchard's newest is a page turner, too, offering insight into the practices and beliefs of LDS members (Latter Day Saints) with a story line that stretches believability but nevertheless holds your interest . This has been a week for light fare, to round it off, I'm halfway through John Sandford's Dead Watch.

I was a little ashamed of myself for indulging in so much popular fiction this week but quickly justified my lapse by reminding myself I watch no TV tripe. Looking forward to the Fringe Festival selections I've chosen to see later in the week. Maybe I'll see some of you there. Till next time...keep on cooking!

Put your Lemon Drops on Ice!

Did you get the word? Oprah's Legends Ball has been preempted by none other than George W. For all of you who've invited friends, mixed up gallons of Oprah's fabulous lemon drop martinis and for those of you who've even bought the fixin's for Rachel Ray's 5 minute appetizers...it all has to wait until next week. Quel dommage. I strongly suggest the lemon drops be consumed prior to the President's address on the immigration crisis - it'll help to be mellow while you listen to that fellow.

Speaking of George W, I've just started a book he would do well to read or have read to him, Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers - How Man is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth.

We each need to understand what is happening to our planet so that we can take steps to bring about decisive action. The news over the weekend was a prime example of the havoc weather is playing. In Florida, people lost homes to wildfires because of lack of rain. In New England, people are being flooded out of their homes because of unprecedented rainfall. Global warming is affecting all parts of the world - meanwhile our executive administration is sitting on its hands in denial. It's so obvious with the extreme change in weather patterns that something is amiss.
We have to get our heads out of the sand and start urging our representatives to move in the right direction to ensure we have a planet for future generations. Meanwhile, there are millions of us who can each do his part to try to remedy the mess we've made in the name of progress.

On the lighter side, if you're looking for a good read, check out Lisa Unger's Beautiful Lies. For a first novel, this is a swift page turner with writing that doesn't ring of formula and characters with depth involved in an interesting mystery. And she's from Florida!

For sheer beauty of words and emotions, Anita Brookner is hard to beat. I first ran across her work a few years ago with her latest novel, The Rules of Engagement, and entertained myself this Mother's Day with her 1984 Booker Prize winner, Hotel Du Lac. Fascinating characters in a delightful Swiss setting elegantly depicting a range of human emotions moving the story to a surprising climax. I highly recommend getting acquainted with Ms. Brookner's work.

Dining Indulgence

A simple meal can take on gourmet proportions with the generous use of a kitchen staple that has been relegated to the "bad for you" list for way too long. I speak of butter...sweet cream, unsalted, high butter fat BUTTER. Fish fillets prepared a la Meuniere (no accent marks in this format, sorry) is a quick, easy weeknight preparation that would impress the fussiest dinner guest. I use tilapia fillets on a regular basis but any white fleshed, mild fish will do: cod, haddock, sea bass, flounder, etc. The instructions listed are for four servings...easily reduce the amount of butter and parsley to accommodate one or two servings.

Fish Fillets a la Meuniere

4 fillets of white fleshed fish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon flour (I like Wondra but AP will do)

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 lemon, halved and seeded

4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (flat leaf preferred)

1. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour, shake off excess.

2. Use a skillet large enough to hold fish in a single layer, place over medium high heat. Add 4 tbs butter. When butter starts to foam, add fish and saute, turning once until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer fish to serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard butter from pan.

3. Add remaining butter to pan over medium heat, add a generous pinch of salt and allow butter to foam. When foam subsides and the butter turns lightly brown, squeeze in all the juice from both lemon halves and add parsley. Swirl pan to blend and spoon sauce over fish. Serve immediately.

Kick this up a notch by mincing two large cloves of garlic and adding to butter along with lemon juice and parsley. Either variation is lovely with petite peas and roasted cauliflower. Another quick and easy weeknight dinner!

Fiddleheads????

I was checking out one of my favorite websites, Mighty Foods, earlier today.

As I scrolled through the post I was taken back a good 50 years to a day when my step-mom came home with a couple of paper grocery sacks crammed full of ferny looking things. She filled the kitchen sink with cold water and dumped in the greenery. She was so excited with her find but I couldn't imagine we were going to eat this sink full of weeds. I soon learned these were fiddleheads, young, unopened fern fronds which are cleaned, cooked and eaten just like other greens. Much like the short season of dandelion greens, fiddleheads are only available for a short span before they unfurl and become ferns. This harvest was a rare treat. Mom had picked them at her brother's farm in Maine and transported the delicacies over the border into New Hampshire. I doubt there was a law against it, but those Mainiacs might have begrudged losing such a find to their snobby southern neighbors.

In our blue collar home, gourmet food preparations were unknown but plain fresh food was abundant and these fiddleheads were no exception. After many rinsings, the greens were ready for a long hot boil with a generous helping of diced salt pork. I don't think any green vegetable in that house was ever cooked without salt pork nor was it ever served until it had lost every bit of it's bright green color! When the fiddleheads were cooked to the requisite limpness, we were each handed a bowl, with a dollop of butter, a sprinkling of vinegar and a generous shake of salt and pepper. The juices at the bottom of the bowl were mopped up with slices of airbread. Man, was that good!

I love dandelion greens and we had those every year as our lawn was very accommodating, supplying us with several good meals of the bitter green before they went to flower. The lowly dandelion makes for fine eating and drinking, too. My friend, Nancy Schwartz, had a knack for making a great dandelion wine. She'd pick the dandelions in the spring and make the wine with her secret recipe and put the bottles away in a dark place (hidden somewhere in the garage, I think) until the fall when it was ready for decanting. The bottles I was lucky enough to have were a stiff competition for Harvey's Bristol Cream. I often wonder where Nancy is and what she's doing. Sad how people drift in and out of our lives moving on and how easy it is to lose touch.

No fiddleheads or dandelion greens in my pantry but I did cook some greens this morning - green beans. I decided a little ethnic treatment would be good for a change so I carmelized a nice big yellow onion, added a couple of cloves of minced garlic and tossed in a pound of cleaned young slender firm green beans that had been blanched for about 4 minutes. I added a generous pinch of Mexican Oregano purchased from Rancho Gordo and a small can of tomato sauce and simmered gently until the beans were tender yet still a bit firm to the bite. They'll cook a little more when reheated in the microwave tonight for dinner. They'll be a nice accompaniment to a Tilapia fillet I plan on having for dinner before heading out to the free new play reading at Lowdnes Theater at 7pm. (This year's monthly play readings have been great entertainment and you can't beat the price. Come on out and join the fun!)

When I was working, I'd clean and blanch green beans on the weekend and put them in a ziplock bag in the fridge then they were ready for an easy prep for one of my fast 30 minute dinners. It's really handy to have fresh veggies ready to roll. Eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day takes a little planning and preparation. But good food can be fast food with a little forethought. Not only is it good for you...it's so much less expensive than those prepared, processed, packaged products! That message was brought to you by the letter P!

Reminds me of the Sesame Street episode where I heard, "This is the letter N. It stands for: ninny, nincompoop and numbskull!" Of all the words that start with the letter n, they sure picked a great trio to enhance a youngsters vocabulary, didn't they?

Dastardly deeds done in the dark...

With a ridiculous penchant for alliteration, years of thinking in head rhymes, it wasn't really surprising that the above phrase popped into my mind one of the first times I ventured out into the deep dark wee hours of the morning with my new charge Gilly, aka Kris Kringle, to allow him to 'water the bushes'.

Dark appears to be a popular adjective with the literati lately. Just look what I've read these past two weeks: Thomas Perry's Nightlife (night is dark, right?); Anne Perry's Dark Assassin; Stuart Woods' Dark Harbor and I'm on the waiting list for Dark Tort, Diane Mott Davidson's newest offering. See the recurring theme? Do they consult each other? All, by the way, are fun, fast reads. Great entertainment.

Catch it if you can. Theater Downtown has a dynamite little production currently playing, Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg. It's easy to see why the critics are raving and the performances are selling out. The author's message is heart-rending, the characters are well cast and the set is amazing considering the small space. There's nudity and coarse language, after all it's a locker room. Support local theater but more importantly - treat yourself to live theater at its best.

Here's a fun site with a daily download that will give you pause for thought or at least bring a smile to your face. I've always been a fan of, "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull" attributed to WC Fields, though I always thought there were four more letters in that last word. I was surprised to find a like phrase from none other than Harry S Truman, "If you can't convince them, confuse them." Do you think someone suggested that to GW?

What's Cooking?

I realize not everyone is an eggplant fan. But for those of you who are and especially for those whose mouths water at the thought of eggplant parmesan, but hesitate to make it because of all the prep steps, Pierre Franey has taught me a fast easy preparation that by-passes the breading/frying steps in a traditional parmesan-style dish by simply peeling and roasting slices that have been slathered with a butter/parmesan slurry. I've taken the dish one step further by topping it after baking with some of the tomato pizza sauce from a previous post. This is a week night possibility since it's a total of 20 minutes to prep and cook the dish and it makes a wonderful side with a chicken breast or pork chop. I can make a meal of it on its own with a big greeen salad washed down with a mellow merlot.

Aubergines au Four Parmigiana

(Baked eggplant parmesan)

1 firm eggplant

4 - 5 TBS unsalted butter at room temperature

3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Peel the eggplant and trim off the ends. Cut the eggplant into half inch thick slices.

Blend the butter and cheese and spread on both sides of eggplant slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange the slices on a baking sheet in one layer (I cover sheet with parchment paper for ease of cleanup). Bake 15 minutes or until eggplant is tender when pierced. Serve as is or with a generous dollop of tomato sauce (see 4/17 post) on each slice. More fast and easy whole food. Enjoy!

Green Issues

What a week this has been; what a rare mood I'm in! Yikes,that sounds like a take off on an old song, doesn't it? But it has been an exceptionally busy, hectic week. The May issue of Vanity Fair arrived in my mailbox and just happened to be their first green issue. It's chock-a-block full of great articles covering all aspects of the green house effect with suggestions for what needs to be done going forward to avoid catastrophe. Don't hesitate to spend the best part of a $5 bill on this informative issue covering articles by Al Gore; Arnold Schwarzenegger and George Pataki among others. See hunky George Clooney in his "walk the walk" electric car along with Annie Liebovitz's fantastic cover photo: www.vanityfair.com/magazine/pressroom/. Included in the issue is a handy pull-out insert, "What You Can Do - 50 ways to help save the planet." Many good suggestions that each of us can incorporate into our daily routines. From something as simple as changing lightbulbs, recycling, eliminating plastic bags along with disposable goods and turning off the water while you brush your teeth to driving a hybrid car and planting your own garden. Get it, do what you can to make some changes NOW and encourage others. If we don't do it, who will? Had to look it up, but Eldridge Cleaver said, in a speech in San Francisco back in 1968, " You're either part of the solution or part of the problem." I'd prefer to be a part of the solution, wouldn't you? Check it out, then start making gradual yet regular efforts to eliminate waste, conserve energy and make wise purchases. Choose sustainable solutions remembering that we pay a very high price long term for cheap costs in the short run.

More Greens
I've been conscientiously adding items from the Rx Super Foods list to every meal. Incoporating most from the list every week. Broccoli is a favorite, so it's easy to include and lately I've found that it not only adds a nice little fillip to a grains meal as well as being a great side for meats, poultry and fish, but it makes a lovely light lo-cal lunch. Try this easy winner:

Broccoli, Red Peppers and Goat Cheese (serves 4 - 15 minutes)

2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

1 head broccoli, florets only

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 - 3 bottled roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 shallot, thinly sliced (or use green onions)

1 tsp dried basil or 2 TBS fresh basil chiffonade

juice from half a fresh lemon

salt and pepper to taste

2 - 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Wash and drain broccoli, in a large skillet, heat oil over med heat. Add broccoli, garlic and shallots and cook 5 - 8 minutes until crisp - tender (add splash of water to steam a bit). Stir in roasted red peppers, basil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Remove from heat, divide among plates, sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

(This is particularly good with some whole wheat pita bread for a fiber filled light lunch.)

If you're curious, here's the list of Rx Super Foods:

Broccoli • Oranges • Spinach • Blueberries • Pumpkin

Turkey • Soy • Yogurt • Walnuts • Wild Salmon • Tea

Beans • Tomatoes • Whole Grains

How many of them do you eat each week?

A Book Bonanza

Orange County Library came through with a bevy of books from my request list. I quickly made my way through Jonathan Kellerman's new Alex Delaware saga, Gone. An entertaining fun, fast read. Another thoroughly enjoyable quick read is Tess Gerristen's The Apprentice, the follow up novel to her bold mystery novel, The Surgeon. This physician turned author delivers great plot and interesting characters combined with a solid foundation of medical facts producing an intriguing psychological mystery. I'm planning to zip through her entire oeuvre.

Abide With Me, Elizabeth Strout's new offering, was savored a little more slowly, but is definitely a page turner as was her previous best seller, Amy & Isabelle. I also devoured May Sarto's tiny book with a big message, As We Are Now, the story of an old woman trying to stay alive in a nursing home. This story was written in the early 70's, yet the intelligence, wit, dignity and fire revealed in the sparse pages, are not unique to that era but apply to all of us as we approach our final years.

And then, lest my mind grow rusty with fluff and floss, I'm wending my way, chapter by chapter through Kevin Phillips new offering on "the peril and politics of radical religion, oil and borrowed money in the 21st century," American Theocracy. This well documented, heavily referenced work delivers in-depth examples of the precarious position in which we now find ourselves - dependent on oil, with unprecedented levels of public and private debt while being swept along in a surge of politics based on fundamentalism that is shaping policies both here and abroad. This is not a quick read but it certainly is a must read.

And as man cannot live by books alone...how about a little pizza?

I've been enjoying homemade pizza many Friday evenings and several friends have asked for the ingredients. I usually make a batch of dough big enough to provide 4 crusts for 8" - 9" pies. Remember, I'm cooking for one. If you choose to make this, dividing the dough in half rather than fourths will produce a couple of 12" pies.

Pizza Crust

1 package yeast

1 cup warm water (105 - 115)

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups all purpose unbleached flour (use additional 1/2 cup if needed)

5 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in bowl and combine.

If using electric mixer, use dough hook and allow to knead for approximately 5 min. If kneading by hand, place dough on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth - approx 5 to 8 minutes.

This dough must rise once (in a well oiled bowl covered with oiled plastic wrap). When doubled in size, punch down and form into a ball, divide into 2 or 4 portions. Roll out on lightly floured surface to desired thickness (I like it pretty thin). Drizzle dough with olive oil, cover with tomato and grated cheese. Bake in very hot oven, preferably on a pizza stone, but if no stone, bake on a heated cookie sheet. (use cornmeal on stone or cookie sheet to prevent sticking)

I heat the oven at 500 for one hour, then turn the temperature down to 450 to bake pie.

I place remaining balls of dough in individual plastic sandwich bags and freeze for later use.

Tomato Topping

1 19oz can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 TBS olive oil

1 shallot minced (or onion)

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp oregano(dried) use 3 tsp if fresh

1 tsp basil (dried) use 3 tsp if fresh

Salt & pepper to taste

Saute the shallot and garlic in the olive oil. When wilted, add tomato and herbs and cook over medium heat until reduced to a thick consistency. 15 - 20 minutes. Spread sparingly over pizza crust, cover with grated mozzarella cheese, then drizzle with olive oil before placing in 450 oven for 12 - 15 minutes.

I freeze leftover tomato sauce for next batch.

If fresh basil is on hand, sprinkle hot pie with a chiffonade of basil before serving.

If you make it let me know...happy reading and good eats!

In my long lost youth,when I was very thin, I read the dictionary when there was nothing else to read, now I read cookbooks, needless to say, I'm no longer thin!

I have read that it's not a good thing to read while eating, but I do. Occasionally, I just turn the pages of the latest New Yorker magazine and read the cartoons but mostly I read about food while I'm eating. Not only do I enjoy the meal in front of me but I use the time to gain more insight into the magical world of food preparation which never ceases to intrigue me, pique my imagination and assure I never have a dull moment. If I'm not shopping, prepping, or cooking, I'm reading about it. That's a bit of an exaggeration but close to being right on the money!

A couple of years ago, I discovered the remarkably simple yet soul satisfying methods of Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers of the London River Cafe in their eye appealing, easy to follow volume, Italian Easy. Their treatment of a humble center cut pork chop became my favorite way to cook a chop and I shared it with all my cooking friends - probably shared it with lots who think I'm daft going on so about the marvels of a simple chop with lemon juice!

My 'at the table' reading this past week has been Pierre Franey's compilation of columns he wrote for the New York Times back in the '70's, The Sixty Minute Gourmet. If he were writing it today, I'm sure the sixty minutes would be pared down. Think Rachel Ray or better yet, stick with the French who have made cooking one of the greatest of the performing arts. Jacques Pepin will delight you with his easy yet elegant, Fast Food My Way. If you need a technique resource book to give you some confidence with handling a saute pan from stove top to oven and out quickly with a variety of pan sauces to impress any guest, add How to Cook Without a Book to your arsenal. Master some simple techniques for meats, veggies and accompanying sauces and salad dressings that will put a fine meal on the table in 30 minutes or less using whole foods, skipping cans, prepared sides or swings through the ubiquitous drive-in window. Use the freshest whole foods, choose organic, free-range meats, poultry and eggs along with fresh vegetables and prepare them simply with a minimum of cooking to preserve the flavors and nutrients. It's fun and makes for some delicious eating as well.

The Simple Pork Chop

Adapted from Italian Easy and Sixty Minute Gourmet

Heat oven to 350 - Use saute pan that can go from stovetop to oven

(Use 8" pan for 1 - 2 chops, 12" pan for 4 chops)

Center cut boneless pork chop - 1/2" thick (1 per person)

Dredge chops in Wondra flour w/ salt & pepper, shake off excess

Saute chop(s) in 1 tbs olive oil & 1 tbs butter over med heat for

approximately 3 - 4 minutes until one side is nicely browned.

Flip over and squeeze juice of a lemon wedge (1/4 of lemon)over each chop.

Toss rind(s) into pan and place pan in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Remove chops to warm plate, squeeze juice of 1/4 lemon per chop into hot pan along with 1 TBS butter, swirl to melt and mix then pour over chops on serving plate.

While chops are cooking prepare a salad and a steamed green veggie and you have another fabulous meal on the table in less than thirty minutes. Who says there's no time to cook great meals?

Life changes at my age are a big challenge. But without a challenge life is hardly worth living. Last Thursday, the little guy above came home to live with me. He was named Kris Kringle by his foster mom as he was found wandering dirty, matted, hungry and very frightened in a parking lot the week before Christmas. A good Samaritan called the Coastal Poodle Rescue Group and this miniature poodle was taken into a foster home, given medical care, love and attention and put up for adoption.

Kris is probably between 10 and 12 years of age, completely deaf with cataracts in both eyes but he doesn't let that slow him down from enjoying a good brisk walk. The hint of a walk is all it takes to get this little guy's nub of a tail in rapid motion and his tongue, which bears a strong resemblance to a slice of ham, starts wagging, too. Kris loves to walk. I'm delighted to have the company as I stroll the neighborhood and now I have no excuse for putting off a walk as Kris is quick to let me know it's time to go!

Fast Food

Enjoyed a wonderful 'fast food' dinner the other night. Bay scallops with steamed broccoli and mashed yam. This is a 15 minute meal, 20 if you dilly dally! Serving sizes listed below are for one...Just increase to accommodate.

1/4 lb bay scallops, rinsed, dried and tossed in a little Wondra flour and jerk seasoning. Saute over medium heat in a non-stick pan in a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of butter...Shake to cook evenly for 4 - 5 minutes. Finish with a squirt of lemon juice. Meanwhile, steam some broccoli flowerets and microwave a scrubbed sweet potato. When the potato is done, scoop out flesh and mash with salt & pepper to taste and squeeze the juice from a wedge of lime over it and mix it in. The broccoli can be dressed to taste, just salt & pepper and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of olive oil or even a pat of butter. This colorful plate of delicious food is a winner from scratch to finish in 15 minutes. Get the potato and broccoli going first, when almost finished cooking, 5 - 6 minutes, start the scallops. Finish up the veggies while the scallops brown.