The art of making natural things good

Making quick meals from healthy ingredients. It's a good thing.

I see this catchy tagline on a sign for a local pizza shop that I frequently pass.  The store is a "pizzarama" to be exact.

On a quick internet search I don't see these words attributed to anyone, so it seems the small business owner coined this turn of phrase or maybe saw it somewhere else and liked it for himself.

I like this collection of words, too. What is this gentleman saying to those who pass his shop?

My guess is he wants to make a statement that you can take simple ingredients and turn them into something fantastic without much fuss.

What is he doing? He's taking dough, tomatoes, cheese, spices...and turning those awesome natural ingredients into a beautiful pizza pie. Yum. Now that's art. Who can argue that?

Yes, let's agree the pizza shop owner is successful in the art of making natural things good.

Passing this pizza shop sign always makes me think about my own life. I, too, work on making natural things good every day myself.

I've always enjoyed food and cooking, but lately I've been on a kick to tirelessly take simple ingredients and make something fast and fabulous for quick, healthy dinners.

Even Cookie Monster realizes that
too many cookies will make you feel bad.

I'll admit that in days past I would come home and eat a cookie (or two or three or more!) and nothing else for dinner. I was too tired and lazy to do any more than that.

Not surprisingly, I didn't always feel so hot eating dinners like that. I wasn't really eating too much food, just not always the right balance of good things.

But no more.

I'm motivated to walk the talk. I'm energized to live what I believe. My updated philosophy is that it doesn't take a lot to make a good, quick meal on a weeknight.

What's my definition of a good, quick weeknight meal? A meal that takes anywhere from five or ten minutes to no more than half an hour to prepare.

And I'm making it work night after night. Tim Gunn from "Project Runway" would be proud of me making it work.

If I share with friends what I've made for a weeknight dinner, I can almost hear them groan wondering how I have the energy to pull that seemingly complex meal together after working all day.

Take it from me. It can be done. It's not as time-consuming as it sounds.

There are lots of good, natural and healthy food choices that don't take much time to prepare. Most nights I don't get home from work or exercise until 8 p.m. If I run an errand, my ETA could be 9 or 10 p.m.

So when I shop for food, I keep that in mind. I aim to buy ingredients that I can assemble easily and cook up quickly.

It does help that I usually roast veggies on the weekend to have at the ready all week long. If roasting veggies is not the art of making natural things good, I don't know what is.

Roasting propels vegetables into another dimension, bringing out all their inherent and sweet goodness. Carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, sweet potatoes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts.... Oh, the list goes on. If it grows in dirt, we'll eat it, especially when roasted.

Roasted golden beets are easy to prepare
and a nice addition to salads.

Lately I've been roasting golden beets in foil at 400 degrees until a knife goes easily inserted in the center. Easy to peel the skin off then, I like the beets chunked in my lunch salads. I'll even eat cold slices of the beets, sweet like candy, with some nice stinky cheese and bread.

Yes, having food prepped or prepared in advance certainly makes it easier to pull together a great meal, but what other natural ingredients are my go-to standbys for quick, healthy dinners?

How do I take natural ingredients and artfully make a good-delicious, yet also good-healthy, dinner for us on a weeknight?

Some simple, but satisfying meals we enjoy are:

A little bit of fish at the top of this plate.
With a lot of roasted veggies. Yum.



• Boneless chicken thighs, drumsticks, and cutlets. These all cook up so quickly in a pan on the cooktop. There are so many simple sauces and marinades to dress up our chicken and make it unique from one night to another: BBQ, teriyaki, lemon and olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pesto, and on and on.
• Fish, oh, that's always quick, fish. I either take out a frozen pack from Trader Joe's (they have so many kinds to choose from) the night before or some nights I run into the nearby supermarket and buy some fresh wild-caught Silverbrite salmon.

  

  Scallops are quick and easy to make.
  And so is zapping some fresh English peas
  and sautéeing some greens for healthy sides.

  Some butter, lemon, nice spices and herbs. That's all we need to make a light and healthy meal.
• Scallops. Pan-frying in olive oil caramelizes this luscious goodness from the sea. Oh, yes, scallops are a great and easy meal. 
• Shrimp. Need I say more? We are always happy with shrimp. You can defrost pre-cooked, boil some fresh shrimp in Old Bay seasoning, or grill some quickly on a skewer. We eat shrimp every which way you can think of. With cocktail sauce. In a salad. With sides. With pasta. 
• Did I say pasta? Pasta is a quick and versatile meal. We love it with any variety of tomato sauces (Italian gravy), pesto, or some good olive oil. With crab, clams, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, beans, greens, ricotta, mozzarella, ground meat, meatballs, sausage. Oh, pasta, how many ways can I love you? So many. 




A quick meal of natural goodness.


• We also throw any grains or beans into the quick-dinner mix as a side or part of the main course. It's easier now to find in stores pre-cooked brown rice, quinoa, lentils, and freekeh (who knew hubby would like freekeh?) for nights when all the time you want to expend is the time it takes to zap-heat something good and hearty in the microwave. And we always have on hand cans of black beans, chickpeas, white and red kidney beans, pinto beans.... Nutritious beans get the job done!
• Sautéed greens, any variety, always do a great job to round out many a healthy meal. I love my wok. So easy, so quick. Such natural goodness comes from my wok.
• And I really like hearty sandwiches for a quick meal. Grilled veggie burgers, portobello mushrooms, turkey burgers, prosciutto, roast beef. These are all great starts to a delicious meal. I'll scope out what's in the fridge and throw anything and everything together. You just can't go wrong. I add any greens we have raw or cooked: romaine, spinach, basil, broccoli rabe, sprouts, pea shoots, kale, Swiss chard... All these help make a hearty bundle of goodness between two slices of nice bread. Make it even better and throw on some ripe tomato, avocado, bacon, slices of provolone, Havarti, fresh mozzarella.... Mmm, the list goes on. All you need is a wee bit of creativity to turn a sandwich into a work of art.
• Pizza. Just like the shop owner making natural things good, it's a no-brainer to bring home lovely ingredients to easily throw together a variety of delectable combinations. Pizza. That's amore! 
• Breakfast for dinner. Eggs, waffles, pancakes, bacon, chicken sausages, frittata of any kind, cereals (I'm always a sucker for a quick pot of fresh-cooked oatmeal, cream of wheat, or multi-grains with maple syrup, butter, honey, brown sugar, walnuts, raisins, blueberries...). Any breakfast food for dinner makes it a "backwards" day in our house. My kids loved when I declared a backwards day when they were little. I still love breakfast for dinner to this day. Just call me a big kid. Yum.
• Last, but not least, some nights, a good old-fashioned PBJ sammy with a nice tall glass of milk hits the spot. Trader Joe's chunky peanut butter with roasted flaxseed and a good fruit jam or butter on some nice bread always makes me happy.

It works out for me that both hubby and I like leftovers and simple meals. For those nights when we don't feel like cooking, we are both happy to eat the meal from the night before.

And when there aren't any leftovers to be had, I'm also okay with just a good hunk of cheese, some spinach and kale yogurt dip with good bread or crackers, a cucumber or a handful of carrots, a glass of wine, and some fruit and chocolate as enders. That's a well-rounded meal right there. No work. No fuss.

For nights when I need a break from cooking and feel like something light myself, hubby is always fine with pulling out some of Trader Joe's frozen goodies since he'll have his pick of the many pre-made healthy pizzas, shrimp or chicken gyoza potstickers, pierogies, mini chicken tacos, and the like that I stock up for him.

Hubby and I also like any of Trader Joe's ravioli selection. Butternut squash ravioli is a favorite, with lobster ravioli a close second. And there are other wonderful varieties to choose from. All you have to do is boil water and add some pesto or butter to your ravioli. Nothing easier than that. Trader Joe's and other supermarkets, such as Wegman's and Whole Foods, with their healthy, natural food sections have themselves become masters at the art of making natural things good.

Wow! This list of natural goodness for quick meals makes me hungry. It makes me want to yell out that life is good in appreciation of all the wonderful food accessible to us on this good earth.

Yes, I've come a long way since my cookie-gobbling dinners, but I'm not saying that I never eat dessert before dinner while I'm cooking! I do like to eat as soon as I get home, so I have to start preparing good stuff right away before I reach for too many snacks.

It's become increasingly important to me, though, to take an interest and care about what I eat, since I know I'll feel better and healthier in the end. My family and I are worth taking the time to cook real food to care for our bodies and souls.

If you read me, you know I like food.

I also appreciate how rewarding it can be to elevate the process of nourishing our bodies to an art form, finding pleasure and joy in:

• Gathering good food to bring home for ourselves and our families.
• Preparing natural ingredients with love and noticing both the effort and the outcome. 
• Sharing our bounty and leisurely enjoying meals at the table with those we care about.

If we don't stress about all this and let it happen naturally, all this process of nourishment becomes an art that can make us and those we share with very satisfied and happy.

Although I've cultivated my interest in good food over the years and am happy to take more time to prepare meals on weekends and days off, there's no reason we can't eat just as well on weeknights if I bring home good ingredients that are quick and easy to make.

What artful tricks do you employ to turn natural ingredients into something good for your weeknight dinners? How do you practice the art of making natural things good?

Please share your tips and experiences. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time, yours in fun and cooking quick and good meals...Therese

Stoup! There it is

Rachel Ray is attributed with coining the term "stoup" to describe a one-pot meal thicker than soup and thinner than stew and it seems to have caught on. I like the word, but feel compelled to pronounce it with a German "sh" before the "t" to make it even more fun and then eligible for my favorite words list.

I was searching for a soup recipe with broccoli rabe around Easter because nothing says spring more to me than a bowl of rich greens. I found a Rachel Ray recipe that caught my eye. I've made it twice now and it's a keeper, so I wanted to share it with you.

I rarely make a recipe just as I find it since most of the fun in cooking for me is researching through my cookbooks and recipes online, analyzing the ingredients, and thinking about what I would do differently to tweak the tastes and make it my own. This recipe revision is already a favorite.

And it's not just me, foodie that I am. My youngest daughter was home to visit the last time I made the recipe and she ate three large pasta bowls full of this stoup! Two at dinner, and then one later for a snack! My son-in-law, hubby, and I also did a good job ourselves with making a dent in the full pot. Mmm, this stoup must be good, huh?

Stoupy goodness that warms the heart and soul.

Meatball and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, 1 large bunch, trimmed and cut into large bite-sized pieces (I like extra rabe, so I added two large bunches the first time I made this; the second time I used one large bunch, fresh, along with a bag of frozen rabe that I had found at Whole Foods. Still delicious with frozen.)
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, 1 minced, 3 chopped (Eh, I just chopped it all.)
• 1 lb. shredded or grated carrots (Rachel called for 1 carrot, peeled and chopped. That wasn't enough for me, so I threw in the whole pound. I like some carrot in my stoup.)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I used 1 large.)
• 1 can white beans, cannellini (The last time I added an additional can of beans, garbanzo. The more beans, the stoupier, I say.)
• Black pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock (I use Trader Joe's organic low sodium.)
• 2 cups beef or vegetable stock (I use Imagine brand organic low sodium beef stock from Wegman's, along with the cooking liquid from the broccoli rabe.)
• 1/3 pound orecchiette, little ear-shaped pasta, or ditalini (Orecchiette has a tendency to stack and stick together, so you need to stir frequently. Still turned out well, but I'll use ditalini next time.)
• 1 pound organic ground beef (Rachel calls for veal, but the beef works better for me.)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls (I use Trader Joe's organic bread crumbs. Nothing artificial, no preservatives.)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a generous handful, plus some to pass at table
• 2 to 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (Fresh if you have it, dried works well also. Don't forget to experiment and use any herb you like to your own taste.)
• Crusty bread, for mopping

Directions

Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to boiling water and the broccoli rabe and cook 7 to 8 minutes. Rachel says to drain the rabe and reserve. I reserved the cooking liquid also. There's just so much goodness in there, why throw this down the drain? I use this cooking liquid as part of my 2 cups of beef plus vegetable stock fluids.

While rabe cooks, heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, grated carrots, and onions. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, add white beans and heat through, a minute. Season veggies and beans with salt and pepper. Add drained rabe and the stocks and cover pot to bring to a quick boil. Add orecchiette or ditalini and stir. Reduce heat and simmer soup to a low-roll, uncovered.

Mix beef with egg, remaining clove minced garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, sage, salt, and pepper. Roll into 1-inch balls and drop into stoup. Cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve stoup in shallow bowls with crusty bread.

A generous sprinkling of Parmigiano cheese and that good, crusty bread to sop it all up make this a perfect meal to satisfy your soul. So make a pot and enjoy this stoup with your family. And when you call them to the table, you can say, "Sshtoup, there it is!"

Until next time, yours in cooking and fun...Therese

My new favorite breakfast sandwich

I had planned a hike and a picnic in the park this past weekend, but when the day came we decided to stay in and get some things done around the house. It's great to have plans, but sometimes for me it's more fun and relaxing to not have to go anywhere, to be flexible, and more spur-of-the-moment.

So our change in schedule was welcomed and presented itself as more an opportunity than a disappointment.

Besides, we could always take a walk in our neighborhood and eat our picnic food in the yard, if we were so inclined.

A good picnic or quick, on-the-go meal for any Italian, a native or a descendant, usually involves warm, crusty bread and prosciutto. I knew the food I purchased wouldn't go to waste during the week if we didn't go to the park and picnic, but since I like to think creatively about our meals, I had an idea for our Sunday breakfast. 

And with our son visiting for the weekend, I wanted to whip up something special.


Sorry! This is a two-inch leftover I ate the next day.
I didn't think to take a pic of this awesome breakfast when I was cooking.
But you get the idea of the layers and flavors of this sandwich.


This is now my new favorite breakfast sandwich that will be made again and again. I'm already a big fan of everything bagels with egg and cheese and Italian bread with fried eggs, cheese, provolone, and red peppers, but this sandwich takes the Italian egg sandwich to a new level that I'm really loving.

There are no specific measurements for the ingredients. Add as much or as little of each as you like. You can make just one for yourself or have enough for a fun brunch where guests assemble the layers on their own.

Be creative and add what you like to this mix to make this sandwich your own. I'm sure I'll also mix it up myself, trying new combos here and there, but here's my version from this weekend to get you started:

Therese's Italian egg sandwich (assembled in the order of the ingredients)

Any good Italian or French bread you like
Basil pesto
Prosciutto
Provolone
Fried egg (one or two per person, depending on your preference and how much bread you want to fill)
Fried or roasted red peppers
Sautéed Swiss chard or any other green you like (I'm going to try broccoli rabe next)
Artichoke spread (Trader Joe's makes a good one)

So while hubby was frying up an egg for each of us, I fried some red peppers I had in the fridge, and decided to sauté some leftover Swiss chard in olive oil to add some greens for more color.

Weekly, I buy this excellent line of bread at Trader Joe's that you bake at home. I like to buy the bag of six ciabattini rolls since they're just the perfect amount to throw a roll or two into the oven for fresh-baked bread at dinner each night for just hubby and me.

But since I knew I'd have more of a crowd in the house this weekend, I bought two long Ficelle loaves in a package that serves six. Ficelle is type of French bread that is similar to a baguette but much thinner. The word ficelle literally means "string" in French. Fresh from the oven with a hard, brown crust and plenty of air pockets, this bread, I knew, would be perfect for filling with lots of good stuff for picnic or hearty breakfast sandwiches.

The crusty Ficelle loaves fresh from the oven took about 10 minutes. As soon as they came out I opened them up and spread basil pesto on the inside. And then I layered the prosciutto and the provolone, so the cheese and the little bit of pork fat on the prosciutto would melt into the warm bread. Mmm. I can taste it now.

Then I added the fried eggs and topped it all off with some artichoke spread. If I hadn't started with warm bread I would have put these in the oven a few moments to meld all the ingredients, but that wasn't needed on this day. 

By the time I added the rest of the layers, we each had a two-fisted, rich and hearty egg sandwich with all the flavors we love. Everyone had plenty since the sandwiches were filling.

I used the fresh ingredients I had in my kitchen and fed my family the way I like.

Yes, I always love any sandwich with a fried egg, but this one was especially good, so I'll definitely make it again. And maybe I'll fry up some broccoli rabe, green peppers, and sausage next time to go with my fried egg. I can smell and taste that delicious combo already.

Let me know about any good breakfast sandwiches you've made or if you decide to try any of the ideas I've offered here. I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, yours in fun and food...Therese

Birthday lasagna

I like to cook. And I like to see my family enjoy a meal that I've made. Sunday dinners are important at our house, but birthday dinners need to be even more so because you want to be sure the one you're celebrating truly loves what you've made especially for them. 

Ask a young child what they want for their birthday dinner and they may say pizza or spaghetti and meatballs. Ask a young adult with a more experienced palate and they'll remember a delectable meal you made and ask for a repeat.

So in our house the past few years, Chicken Parmesan was my go-to recipe for birthday dinners. It took some time to make from scratch, but the meat and cheese melted in your mouth and everyone came away thankful that the birthday boy or girl requested that special dinner.

Right before Christmas, we celebrated hubby's birthday. Yes, it's a busy time of year, but we always make his day as special as the rest of the family birthdays we have sprinkled through the year. Before the big day, I asked hubby if he wanted chicken parm or the new lasagna recipe that I made for the first time this past March for my oldest daughter's birthday. Hubby is easygoing and said he'd love either, whatever's easiest for me, so I went with the winning lasagna recipe, which I had a craving for myself.

No big secret, you can find this scrumptious lasagna recipe on the box of Trader Joe's no-boiling, oven-ready lasagna noodles, but I'll save you the trouble by sharing this keeper right here:

Trader Joe's Bolognese Lasagna

1/2 package no-boiling lasagna noodles (I use Trader Joe's but any brand would work)
1 lb. uncooked sweet Italian pork sausage (or any sausage you prefer)
1 jar Trader Joe's Bolognese meat sauce (or any jarred or homemade red gravy you prefer)
12 oz. mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the casing from all the sausage links; place sausage in a large skillet; break up sausage with a fork or spoon while it pan fries until cooked. Add Bolognese sauce to pan; mix, warm through and set aside.

In a separate bowl cream together mascarpone, milk, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese; mix in nutmeg. Season with pepper to taste. Spread a thin layer of the mascarpone mixture on the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish. Dip lasagna noodles into mascarpone mixture one at a time to cover completely; place in a single layer in the baking dish; top with meat sauce and evenly sprinkle on some of the grated Parmesan cheese.

Keep layering in the same order until all of the meat sauce is used (this should make three layers). For the top layer (4th layer), dip the noodles; make the layer; pour remainder of mascarpone mixture over top and sprinkle on the remainder of the Parmesan.

Rest lasagna for about 30 minutes to allow noodles to absorb liquid. Place in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbly. Rest at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Serves six. (I double the recipe and use a 15 x 10 pan.)

This meat lasagna recipe is one among many in the food universe, but it's the mascarpone cheese that distinguishes this smooth and creamy, but not-too-heavy special birthday dinner that all will enjoy. Second and third helpings, along with contented smiles, attest to this. You may want to double the receipe as I do or you won't have any leftovers for a satisfying meal even better the next day.

Let me know if you try this. Here's to hoping your family will love it as much as mine do.

Until next time, yours in fun and cooking...Therese

Easing into the spirit

I've got the holiday spirit. Just seems like yesterday, though, that I stood in the aisle of a Super Walmart with Halloween decorations and candy just marked down and not even sitting there long enough to have been picked over, while the music blasting from the store sound system befuddled me. "Santa Claus is coming to town!" was quickly followed by "Silver bells, it's Christmas time in the city!"

This was too loud, too much, too soon. After all, it was only November 1, and it used to be that we didn't think about Christmas until Thanksgiving with the arrival of Santa Claus in the parade. The music blaring, it all came over me so suddenly. I held up my arms high and spoke to the Walmart gods. "He's not coming to town and it's not Christmas time in the city!" Everyone around me laughed out loud. Oops, I didn't just say that in my quiet voice to myself. Oh, well, I struck a nerve.

Most of the folks standing nearby took the opportunity to comment on the changing times, that it was all too soon, so contrived. Some just shook their heads disapprovingly at the blast of Christmas when they just weren't ready. One middle-aged woman, however, was a little nasty about it all. She was all too happy to commiserate with everyone, but felt compelled to take it to another level as she saw an opportunity to yell at a poor, unsuspecting WM worker who was unfortunate enough to turn down our aisle.

I cringed while she blasted him and threatened to call corporate. Ew, I was just joking about the too-soon Christmas tunes. Everyone else seemed embarrassed by the woman's behavior also. We never thought it would turn nasty. It was just fun to connect for a moment with folks you'd never see again. Then the women turned to me since she must have mistaken my humor for misery, and she asked me what flavor of Gatorade is best for a hangover. Ha! That was her issue!

I answered her question with a question. "Well, what color do you want to see when it comes back up to visit?" She didn't answer. Then I more helpfully offered "green lemon-lime," but not because it's Christmas-y. She muttered that it wasn't for her, picked up some orange, and then walked away. I got what I needed and headed out myself, glad to end another special adventure in Walmart.

Fast-forward two weeks. I'm back in Super Walmart, but a different one, one more local to my neighborhood. I walk in the store and I'm mesmerized by the full displays of holiday goodies. I find Christmas Santa and snowy winter T-shirts for my two long-haired Chihuahuas. Ninety-seven cents each! What a deal! I buy two for each pup.

I find cute holiday cocktail napkins to add to my collection. I love the ones with silly sayings. I pick up "I'm Dreaming of a White Chocolate Christmas!" and "Dear Santa,  I've been naughty...but it was so WORTH IT!" Yes, I'm silly myself.

I see the toy aisles bulging and decide I might as well pick up some goodies for my niece and nephew. I'm finding stuff, useful stuff. I stroll through the aisles with decorations and revel in the fact that I'm getting a first look at fully stocked shelves before the mania begins. I don't need to buy anything, but I'm enjoying the festive novelty, the bright colors....and then I realize, the quiet solitude. No blaring Christmas music! This store is just letting us be. Just letting us figure out on our own that we're interested and ready to think about the holidays. So nice, respectful, actually quite smart of them, and much appreciated by me, I think.

So as you may guess, my next errand was at my favorite neighborhood store, Trader Joe's. Lo and behold, the shelves were stocked with all the holiday goodies that I wait for each year and some new ones also. Mini gingerbread men, dark chocolate sea salt caramels, peppermint pretzel slims, dark chocolate minty mallows, minty melts, candy cane Joe-Joe's, Italian panettone, and Weissella soft gingerbread cookies from Germany, both sugar- and chocolate-glazed, are all favorites that have to be brought home.

New and sounding so appealing was "a very Merry Mingle candy." The box carols "cranberries, pecans, and caramel don their dark chocolate apparel, creating a heaping helping of holiday candy" (I love those TJ writers). Chocolate truffle filled figs made it into my cart also, as did some other unavoidable goodies. It was official. It was the beginning of my holiday season. Trader Joe said so, and that's all I needed to hear.

Holiday goodies from Trader Joe's. He always does it right.

So, the next work day, on my commute home, I decided to test if I was really ready for some holiday spirit. I tested the waters and searched for some Christmas tunes on the radio. Now I wondered if I was truly ready. It's one thing to buy some goodies. That I'm always up for. But in-your-face non-stop Christmas tunes--it may just be too soon.

I found 100.7 FM, WLEV in Allentown, PA, had Christmas on the playlist. An elegantly intricate orchestral arrangement of "We Three Kings" was playing. I liked it and listened. I thought about it, though. If they start blasting "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," I'm outta here. But then John Lennon cooed "So this is Christmas..." Ah, if John says so, how can it not be? I kept listening.

John was soon followed by one of my favorites. Classic Andy Williams crooning "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Ah, I love that song. All my kids will be home this Christmas! Still listening.

The next tune was "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Eh, it was Amy Grant, not Andy Williams' classic rendition, but still I listened since I guessed it wouldn't be fair to play Andy twice in a row. Anyway, yes, it is a wonderful time of the year, I think.

As I pulled into my garage, a beautiful arrangement of "Carol of the Bells" played as I reluctantly turned off the radio. I unloaded from the car all the trappings of my work day and workout after and then realized that, yes, I am in the holiday spirit! In my own good time, without force or undue influence, I have eased into the holiday spirit. As it should be. In our own good time...

Until next time, yours in fun and spirit (when you're ready)...Therese

All things pumpkin

Fall is here with the promise of good things. This time of year simply makes me happy. Not just the air turning crisp and cool. Not just nature's colorful show of beautiful fall foliage. Not just the anticipation of my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. Mostly because everywhere we look we see the most beloved autumnal symbol. The pumpkin.

All lined up and waiting to decorate your home for the fall season.

I LOVE pumpkins. Pumpkin-licious everything makes fall a favorite season. Okay, I admit, I love all the seasons. The changing seasons are just one thing I love about Pennsylvania. As soon as you tire of one, it's time for the next and all that it brings. But that's another story. Today we're talking about pumpkins and fall.

Fall magazine covers cry my name every year. Purchase me, purchase me, they say. After a turkey on the cover, pumpkins are the next reason I'd be tempted to buy a magazine. Sounds silly, I know, but pumpkins hold the promise and flavor of the season for me and the potential for new delicious ways to enjoy a favorite ingredient.

So tempting to see such a display.

Pumpkin is so versatile and satisfies when it's both savory and sweet. You can never go wrong with pumpkin pie for dessert or a late-night snack. And it's great for breakfast, too, especially on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

But I get ahead of myself when I think about food. Pumpkins first make the scene in early September. On first appearance in the market, I need to start my seasonal collection. I like to start with some mini pumpkins for my mantel, my desk at work, and to place strategically through the house. Of course, we can never forget some big ones for the front doorstep and by the fireplace.

And I always enjoy filling an old amber glass compote mom bought me years ago at a stand in Lancaster Amish country with some colorful and oddly shaped gourds for texture and visual appeal on the tablescape in the foyer. So welcoming to see as we pass through that space.

Baby pumpkins are so cute.

Yes, pumpkins are an important decoration to get me in a fall state of mind. Who doesn't love our family tradition of the annual trip to the local farms for October festivities, including the hayride to the pumpkin patch? My adult children still insist on the yearly adventure and what mom and pop would say no to that kind of pumpkin fun? Not me or hubby, for sure.

Certainly my two daughters have inherited my love of pumpkin. All three of us get excited to see the annual return of pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. Always better to dip our pumpkin cream cheese scones or some cakey-delicious homemade pumpkin chocolate chip cookies like the ones we enjoyed just this past week.

Also in my quest to satisfy pumpkin cravings, I love to search for new recipes to try. Decadent pumpkin cheesecake always delivers, so I enjoy making that around Thanksgiving. Results of a recent search have me thinking I want to try this season the pumpkin pie creme brulée I found on foodnetwork.com. Just reading the recipe satisfies as I imagine the creamy custard topped with burnt crispy sugar. Oh my.

This girl surely loves a good recipe, but it's also okay when I'm too lazy to cook or bake from scratch since I'm just as fine with popping, say, my frozen Trader Joe's pumpkin mousse in the oven. I found that after an intense workday, I'm not such a food snob and will eat anything store-bought if the ingredients are top-notch. I've told you before that this is why Trader Joe's is a favorite for me and the family. TJ's seasonal offerings always satisfy and fall is no exception.

As I check online at TraderJoes.com and peruse TJ's Fearless Flyer that hubby brought home the other day, I see other pumpkin products we know and love. They've also got pumpkin bread and muffin mix on the shelf for when I need a quick fix and don't have the energy to make a mess in the kitchen. 

For our nightly ice cream habit, we can't forget our favorite smooth, rich and creamy Pilgrim Joe's pumpkin ice cream with a just-right blend of seasonal spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of cloves. Top off some warm pumpkin bread, fresh from the oven, and that's just some down-home comfort in a bowl.

A beautiful display at a local farm.

New last year to our fall repertoire is TJ's pumpkin cream cheese, which is also oh so good. It's a creamy and whipped taste of heaven as an excellent spread on bagels, and even better for dipping ginger cookies or spiced wafers.

And on the back page of the October flyer, Trader Joe is now offering, while supplies last, Pumpkin Spice Coffee, spiked with actual spices, not artificial ingredients. The 100% Brazil Cerrado Arabica beans are roasted and infused with orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla beans, and all natural pumpkin spice flavor. This "official beverage of pumpkin season" is described as a low-cal slice of pumpkin pie in a cup. I'm sure you know what will be in my cart this week at TJ's!

Now I'll admit that the pumpkin fare I've described this far is all sweet, but I have to say that savory pumpkin works well for me also. Let it be noted that my dinner choice is made if I see pumpkin ravioli on a restaurant menu.

And last year I debuted pumpkin lasagna with sausage, fresh basil, zucchini, and ricotta for Thanksgiving to add some Italian flair to the bounty on the table. The dish was enjoyed by all and so the recipe is surely a keeper that will be repeated.

Fairytale designer pumpkins are just fun.

Now that I have all you pumpkin lovers salivating and dreaming about your next pumpkin foray, I'll share with you a favorite pumpkin bread recipe:

Therese's Pumpkin-licious Quick Bread (makes 2 loaves)

Mix together:
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups sugar (or less to taste)
4 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil (I sometimes substitute applesauce)
1½ tsp. salt


Then add:
1 cup pumpkin (canned is just fine) Note: My name's not Martha.
⅓ cup water
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups flour

Pour evenly into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake 50-60 minutes at 350°. Test for doneness with cake tester or toothpick.

Mm-mmm good! I also like to divide the batter between mini loaf pans for gift-sized loaves to send home with guests after a fall dinner party. Your friends will remember and love you as they enjoy their own pumpkin adventure the next day at breakfast. As Martha would say, it's a good thing.

So I'm hoping I got you excited about some pumpkin potential this season and you think of me every time you see the plump gourd-like squash in your travels. Remember, you too can have a pumpkin-licious life with all things pumpkin.

Until next time, yours in fun and the pumpkin patch...Therese 

The joy of blogging

Wow! Thank you, dear readers!

Today I celebrate 1,000 views of this blog after 19 posts since July 4 of this year. How exciting for me to know you're reading! Well, I know some of you may have just hit the link when you were looking for something else and not read, but that's a fact of search and browse, so I won't try to estimate the percentage of lost searchers and web surfers who never come back. But I will share with you some reasons that I'm enjoying this blogging experience.

Now don't let the title of this post mislead you and don't be disappointed. This entry won't model The Joy of Sex by Alex Comfort, that famous manual originally published in 1972 that features hairy, musky lovers.

No, no naked pics, but yet I have no shame and will steal a format made popular by David Letterman and do this as a top ten list. But I can't promise this topic will be as funny as Dave's. Eh, even Dave wins some and loses some. With that said,

Top ten reasons I like to blog:

10. Blogging is a wonderful outlet for creativity. Even the best of day jobs are work. Blogging is play. And I love every minute I can find to dedicate to this play. Blogger allows me to start a draft and work on it here and there, and I can write in advance and schedule. Wish I could blog daily like Julie Powell of the Julie/Julia Project. Wouldn't that be fun? Maybe in retirement. Or in my next life.

9. The blogger dashboard shows me what countries my audience comes from. So fascinating! It's fun to check out my stats and see what country is visiting today. Of course, 88% of traffic is coming in from the United States. And I understand that the visits from Guam were my daughter and son-in-law, who, now back in the states, lived there the past two years. And I'm even supposing that the representation from the United Kingdom might be my cousin (Hi, Jim!), but every day new countries pop up in my list: Germany, India, Canada, South Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, France, Russia, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Thailand, and Latvia, so far.

It's even better when the numbers for a country continue to go up, so potentially it's a repeat visitor. I'm not naive. I realize that maybe the international visitors are just a lot of individuals from, say, India, looking for a job "working to live" in the U.S. I even imagine that some are practicing their English language skills trying to read my blog. I'm sure they're confused by all my references. Sorry!

8. Google search results can be rewarding. And intimidating. I checked to see where I showed up searching a number of different ways. Lo and behold! Who'da thunk I'd show up in top results right under Mother Teresa of Calcutta and above my namesake Saint Thérèse of Lisieux?

Without diving into the fundamentals behind the Google search algorithm, I understand and see that I could search on different days and get different results, but regardless, I'm in the mix somewhere, usually in the top 20 list. Very cool when you're looking at 17 million or even 47 million results. 





7. Community blogging means more access. My daughter Melissa Brooks is on staff at The Times Herald. Her Babbling Bride blog is featured in the Times Herald's Life section. And now I'm listed as a community blogger a bit down on the page, below the fold. But hey, I saw a spike in readership after this placement, so the access is appreciated. Now readers include others in addition to family and fellow Facebookers after I post. Love you all! :)

6. It's fun to say "blog." The word "blog," with its first known use in 1999, is short for Weblog, or web log. The definition is a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also, the contents of such a site. I like words in general and have some favorites. The word "blog" makes the list: so fun, it just rolls off the tongue. The "bl" sound when I push my tongue up against my upper choppers says "blaaaaaag, blaaaaaaaag." And I can say it with my Count Dracula accent for even more fun. Okay, maybe this reason is funny. It made me laugh.

5. Blogging lets me share my passion. For life, adventure, fun, learning, cooking, family, friends, and travel. It's wonderful to share my thoughts about things I love and think about. I'm really happy about the themes I chose. The possibilities remain to share so much and I'm excited about the potential. Now if only I could make some time to code some custom HTML and spiffy up the things that are bothering me about the template I chose. I'll be happy that I'm writing for now. Design is next on my list. Speaking of lists...

4. Blogging was on my bucket list. And I made it happen. It always makes me feel good to accomplish something I was thinking about. My bucket list is a work in progress. And with checking off that one item, I made a commitment and now have a blog to maintain and share. Good deal for me to discover I really enjoy something I thought would be fun.

3. Blogging lets me share a little of myself with others. Those who know me at work and play may not readily agree that I have a shy side. At times, when I'm in a social mood, I can be loud and gregarious, first one on the dance floor, as I've told you before. But I do have a quiet side, an introspective tendency, and I like being alone just as much as being with others. And although I will readily share with others at times, I'm not always interested in sharing my deepest thoughts. I'm very aware, though, that this forum is quite public, so it's actually been an interesting experiment to share with you, my readers.

2. Blogging lets me share my love of Rick and Trader Joe. Haha! I've told you about my travels with Rick Steves and I've shared my love of Trader Joe's stores. And others share that interest, too, for sure. "Trader Joe" is one of the top keywords that have led searchers to find me! My post "I'm cheating on Rick with Trader Joe" has more hits than any other entry. Don't worry, readers, I'll be sure to blog some more about TJ. And I want to hear back from you. There's always so much on that topic to share. And like I always say, a girl's got to eat.

And the #1 reason that I like to blog:

Somebody's got to blog, so why not me?

Well, thank you again, dear readers. I hope you enjoy my perspective and the thoughts I share with you. And my hope for you is to find joy and share what you love, whatever that may be, and enjoy life to its fullest. Life's not perfect, but I truly believe we can make it what we will.

Until next time, yours in fun and blogging...Therese

I'm cheating on Rick with Trader Joe

Ha! Got you again! Yes, I’ve now exposed my three true loves:

1. Best friend hubby.
2. Travel love Rick.
3. Food love Trader Joe.    

The sweet whispers of TJ definitely call to me as a foodie, yet I also love his cousins: Trader Giotto, Trader Ming, Trader Jose, Trader Joe-San, Trader Jacques, Baker Josef, Arabian Joe, Trader Johann, and Pilgrim Joe…all who offer their ethnic cuisines alongside TJ’s. I do say they all serve me well, and that says a lot, you know, since a girl has needs.

We’ve been shopping at Trader Joe’s many years now. I got hooked at a store near work and loved the offerings so much that I did my shopping almost an hour from home for many years! And every time they asked my zip code at the register, I secretly hoped they would realize that this loyal customer deserves to have a store opened in her own neighborhood. And yes, that dream came true a few years ago! Alas, I was very loyal to the first store I frequented and didn’t think I could bear to two-time with the new store.

Your neighborhood store with good stuff.

Well, I’ve overcome that worry and I’m now a regular at the TJ‘s store in my neighborhood. I usually visit once a week after my exercise class (and hubby goes in during the week just 'cause he can't stay away either). It’s always fun to stroll the aisles to see what’s new, and I never walk out without finding good stuff. The changing seasons bring delicious offerings from all over the world, all at reasonable prices. And I’m usually hungry when I shop after a workout, so I look forward to TJ’s high-spirited, friendly staff offering free tastes, coffee, and advice on recipes. Smart marketing since I almost always purchase the items they showcase.

At first when I started shopping at TJ’s, I continued to stop by two other supermarkets to pick up stuff here and there that I thought I had to have. Little by little, I’ve been weaned off the major chains. Who’d a thunk that I could do all my food shopping at one relatively small neighborhood store? It’s obvious now that all I need is my Trader Joe.

You know what they say about shopping the perimeter of the supermarket. That’s where all the fresh foods are. The less you find yourself in the center aisles, the less processed and healthier the food in your cart will be. Well, that’s why TJ’s is a smaller store! They’ve done away with the middle! Ha! Anything with a Trader Joe's logo contains no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, MSG, trans fats or genetically modified ingredients. May not sound fun to some, but the food is all satisfyingly delicious, so my new philosophy is why eat the fake stuff? I want and crave the real thing.

The produce is fresher and tastier than any supermarket offerings.

There are so many delicious and healthy pre-made, easy meals to make on a busy work night.

The seafood and other frozen items are just awesome.

So, yes, this foodie is obsessed with her food love, Trader Joe. When friends and family like something I’ve made and ask me where I got the ingredients, like a broken record, I have to say Trader Joe’s. Now they answer for me, but their stomachs are full, so they don’t tease too much. 

My food love Trader Joe does it good. And when I leave the store, rain or shine, I feel good.

Until next time, yours in fun and food…Therese