Petosky Stones on a Michigan Beach

Have you noticed a spirit of discontent and dissatisfaction that has absorbed into the fabric of people lately? I see it everywhere and it troubles me. I see people raising their voices at strangers. I feel the disgust toward me from people who are of a different political persuasion. I sense judgement, prejudice, condemnation.  I hear members of my own ‘clan’ criticizing each other behind the backs of so-called friends.

We attended an art show this week and my husband commented, “All the art seemed so angry.” – loud and in our faces.

I don’t know….maybe it’s just me.

As I age, I want my life to be a gentle and peaceful presence upon this planet. I want my tiny splash to make ripples of goodness and grace and forgiveness and acceptance.

Remember that old song? “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” 

Are you humming? Me too. 

Chickpea Cutlets - Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Remember when Valentines Day was all about decorating a shoe box and lugging it to school for the class party? Didn't you secretly dream of getting a Valentine card from that special someone - and then actually read the messages on the cards to see which friend chose which card especially for you? My Valentine went way over and above this year and sent me these beautiful tulips! If you look closely, you can see another bouquet on the piano in the background - 2 dozen!! They did not fit in one vase. I am blessed with love and showered with kindness, thoughtfulness, and appreciation.

So the least I could do in return was clean the kitchen, set the table, and make a nice dinner. I think I did pretty well by choosing Isa Chandra's Chickpea Cutlet, homemade mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash. You can find the Chickpea Cutlet recipe all over the internet, so I won't reprint it here.

The texture of these cutlets is *almost* like meat....but not really. You're supposed to use a knife to cut them.... but you could just use the side of your fork. They are simply some crushed chickpeas and seasonings.....but there is also some of the mysterious wheat gluten thrown in. So, basically, it's a meatless meat for those of us who no longer eat meat, but still want to include a knife when setting the table and chew something toothsome. Try them - they're excellent! In fact, make a double batch.

What to do when you don't want to cook or blog.

 Day 17: Make or eat a traditional dish. 

I don't know about where you live, but here in Michigan, hard cider had taken over! It's so very, very delicious! I recommend! Lucky us, we have an excellent cider mill just one mile from our front door, so I admit, we indulge once in awhile. 

Here was our first serving. 

Here was our second serving. Then we split a black bean burger. 

Vegan Month of Food Day13: Kitchen Tour Time

Vegan Month of Food Day 13: Kitchen Tour Time

I love my home. I love the little village where we live. I love my yard and my garden. I find great comfort in being in my tiny world, just me and my things and my people. So comforting. 

You can see why I love my kitchen - great, right? It's not new and it's not top of the line, but for me, it's everything. It's the heart of my home. 

My pantry. Check out all my spices on the right hand door. Yes, I use them all. 

The view from the window over my kitchen sink. Beautiful Michigan in all seasons. 

A treasured refrigerator magnet. 15 years ago,  I let my kid wear that Monster-Truck- garage-sale sweatshirt to  preschool on picture day. He was so happy! Look at that cute mug! PS - I'm still the same kind of mom..... 

More treasured refrigerator magnets. These are stone towers that my son and my nephew made in a river in Tennessee years ago. Both things of great beauty. 

Made by my daughter when she was in her "I Love Wolves" phase. 

I treasure this because I treasure her. 

Original art by my mom... Olives. 

May I Rant?

I have the two cutest, most adorable nieces on earth and that’s a fact. Well, I actually have a lot of nieces and nephews who are all tops in my book, but when a child is between the ages of 4 and 10 they are just perfect in my eyes! Give me a 1^st grader any day.

When I saw my little nieces last summer, I brought along a used book of fairy tales from the free table at our local library, thinking we could while away the hours reading some classics. Oh, how naïve I am.

They were horrible. I mean, horrible. Violent. Racist. Frightening. Children being punished. Children getting  lost in the deep woods. Nightmares. Orphans. Scary wolves and snakes. Drought. Famine. What was I thinking?

I knew it was time to throw the book away, when I struggled to get through “The Story of Ping.”  In case you don’t remember, Ping is a little duck who is late coming home one day. To avoid the punishment of a severe spanking, he swims away, and gets picked up (stolen!) by a little boy. Through a macabre twist of events, the boy’s mother wants to EAT poor little Ping. Somehow he gets away from the boy and returns to his family, late again, but this time willing to take the punishment for being the last one home.  Really?

It was totally coincidental, when about a week after realizing how violent our children’s classics were, I heard a show on the BBC about the horrible Grimm Brothers. They are the guys who wrote Cinderella, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel.  More weirdness. Did you know that in the original version of Cinderella, the step sisters cut off their toes and heels to force their feet into the glass slippers? Or how about this: the queen in Snow White calls for the liver and lung of Snow White.  Snow White actually dies in the original story – killed by her step mother, who stomps on her while wearing fire-hot iron shoes. Freaky.

Then last week we ‘celebrated’ Halloween, when the ghouls and goblins come out of the woodwork. The cover of our local newspaper featured a toddler dressed up as one of these ‘un-dead’ beings. Bloody and gruesome.  I ask, “What has happened to common sense?”  Life is too precious to mess around with this kind of perversity.

I am so thankful that my little nieces were celebrating Halloween dressed as a bumblebee and a kitten. Hopefully they can be sheltered from the strange side of life for as long as possible – of course I know the weirdness is out there, but there is no need to invite it into our lives. We live once, so we might as well make our time here a force for the good. 

Your thoughts? 

My Three Things and a New Dog

I have this queer habit of lying in bed at night, reciting three things aloud, and yes, my hubby hears this every single night:  my lesson plans, what I am going to wear, and what’s for dinner. Leave one of these elements out of the nightly routine and I am a mess come morning.

Lesson plans: “Should I begin the unit on Robert Frost or Science Fiction tomorrow?” (You can see how important it is to know what to teach to a room full of 8^th graders.)

Wardrobe: “Should I wear my sleeveless blouse or my black turtleneck sweater.” (You are thinking I am joking, but that’s how often the weather changes up here in Michigan, seriously. I am addicted to the Weather Channel.)

Menu: “Should we eat a real meal on plates or just grab any old can from the pantry and call it good?” (You probably now understand that I am a control freak.)

So lately, I haven’t really been going through my famous three-point-nightly-plan and it’s gotten pretty ugly around here. Bringing up the poetry lessons instead of the Asimov lesson; arriving to my freezing cold school building with a short sleeve shirt; and coming home to an empty fridge. So sad.

But NOT this week! I have tons of great lessons planned; all the summer clothes are tucked away and sweaters are out and at the ready; I MADE A MENU! (big announcement!) Everything comes from Del Sroufe’s excellent cookbook “Forks Over Knives.”

                Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Ponzu Sauce, brown rice, raw veg salad

                Quesadillas and refried beans, Nacho cheese, roasted tomatoes from the freezer

                Broccoli Rice Casserole, Gardein Chicken Nuggets (LOVE those things), salad

                Lotsa Veg Soup, garlic toast, bruschetta

     Red Lentil Dahl, white rice, green beans from the freezer

One reason I have been so off kilter these past few weeks is this pretty girl, named Lucy. We rescued her from the pound a few weeks ago and my life has been filled with long walks, training, and trips to the Chow Hound for dog food. This girl can EAT!

The Empty Nest

I am an empty-nester and I’m not sure what that means.

                No more wet towels on the bathroom floor?

                                Fewer trips to the grocery store?

                                                Yet another change in the way we eat?

                Certainly fewer cars in the driveway.

Different types of TV?

                                Board games after dinner?

                                                More time playing piano?

                Certainly more afternoon walks.      Certainly more time creating care packages.

                Will that pile in the basement go away?

                                And what about late night bonfires?      

                                                Who will ask me to do stuff?

                                                                “Mom, can you_____?”

                Certainly fewer laughs and funny stories.

I am taking it in stride: looking to my future.

I am relying on myself.

I am remembering long years of laughter and tears and worry.

I feel satisfied and melancholic.

Two Changes in My Life: One Small, One Big

DISCLAIMER!!!

 Hey, before you make this soap - read this! Turn out, after using this soap for a while, I actually did not like it AT ALL! 

Change Number One

 I started making my own laundry detergent. It's great. I will never use the name brand stuff again. 

Grate one bar Fels-Naptha soap.

 Add 1 C Borax and 1 C Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. 

Use 1-2 T per load. 

I put my grated soap in the processor to make it a smaller shred. 

After I added the Borax and Washing Soda, I gave it all a big whirl. 

Change Number Two

We lost our beloved puppy, Cabby, when she was hit by a car. My house is quiet and my heart is heavy. 

Animal Antics

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A turtle laid her eggs right in my onion patch a few weeks ago.

Cabby has learned how to eat strawberries right from my strawberry patch.

Sparky and Cabby have finally gotten used to each other.

Old Beanie Babies make great chew toys (or props for horror flicks).

Shopping in the big city

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I always go a little bonkers when I get the chance to shop in the big city. Check out my new pantry additions from Trader Joe’s:

                Red Pepper Spread with Eggplant and Garlic (putting that on a pizza later this week)

                Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce (that would be killer on a pizza also!)

                Marinated Artichokes (pizza worthy)

                Bruschetta (don’t make me say it….pizza)

                Artichoke Antipasto (you know…)

                Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar (this stuff is awesome on lettuce, avocadoes, and anythig with black beans….just a drizzle make your plate pop)

                Thai Red Curry Sauce

                Thai Yellow Curry Sauce

                Dukkah (can’t wait to try this…it’s a nut and spice blend for veggies and bread)

And from the Middle Eastern place:

Roasted Red Pepper and Onion Dip

                Rose Water (what does a person do with this?? Help)

                Pomegranate Molasses (this is going in cocktails)

                Date Syrup (this is a new product for me, but the guy behind the counter gave me some great ideas how to use it. Stay tuned.)

And from the Indian Place:

                Two bags of Panch Puran seasoning (which I have been dying to try!)

Then there was the 4 pound bag of garbanzo beans, pita bread and anise cookies. Oh, and the pile of Indian Fare instant meals….. which I adore for lunches.

My husband just smiled at me and started making room in the pantry when I got home and started unloading. But, see what I made him for his lunch? Homemade hummus from dried beans with a huge scoop of the Red Pepper Spread. NUM!

                

Random stuff and finally back to the kitchen.

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I am almost an 'empty-nester."

I feel like I am finally coming up for a breath of air! Life has been full-up-to-the-brim these past few months…. pant….pant….pant…..Whenever I am on the verge of whining and complaining, my husband  patiently reminds me that I live a ‘full life.’ He is so wise (and kinda irritating, because sometimes it just feels good to whine and complain…. !)

We ate the entire thing.

Congrats to our youngest son who graduated from high school. To celebrate, I hosted a big open house where I served shredded chipotle pork and also some shredded Mexican chicken breasts. Tortillas, cheese, lots of guacamole, homemade refried beans and tons and tons of rice. Fruit salad. Mexican soda. 80 guests. The most decadent and delicious Tres Leches Cake. 

I want Thomas Jefferson's vegetable garden.
He loved peas. 

I took my students and their parents on a week long field trip to Virginia and Washington DC. I did a really great job of eating vegan for the entire week, but I did indulge in a big scoop of mac and cheese at Pickett’s Buffet (love that name) in Gettysburg. I am not counting it as cheating though, because it was totally desiccated and void of any cheese. I didn't even enjoy it.

The folks. 

My mom had knee replacement surgery this week and I have complete guilt because I haven’t seen her since the surgery….:( Now that school is over, I can do a bit more traveling.

He hopes to get a degree in electrical engineering and spend his
  life building stuff like this small satellite. 

My middle kid drove to Seattle this week to begin a summer internship. That’s a long drive from Michigan. I know he will love his time there – great city and better weather than west Michigan, I hear. J

I hosted a small picnic for my choir. On the menu were grilled hot dogs and guess what? I totally broke my vegan diet and ate TWO of them. Except for a few bites of cheese and maybe a small bit of meat, that’s the very first time! Oh, and a few slices of that awesome Tres Leches cake you see up above!  Crazy! I just couldn't resist!  

I'm the old brunette, not the gorgeous blonde! But that is my daughter. 

I cut off all my hair. Man, did I need that! It was getting pony-tail long. 

48

I lowered my cholesterol by 48 points in the past 9 months. Doctor is pleased and so am I! 

Thoughts about a birthday

24 years ago our first child was born - a beautiful, healthy daughter - and our lives changed forever. Those of you who are parents understand exactly what I mean. Having children means giving of yourself until there is really not much more to give! Am I right? Oh, but what rewards there are for those who look….

Small kisses and big hugs……

 school art projects taped to the wall…… 

   homemade Mother’s Day cards with hand written messages…… 

     walks to the park and hours (well, it seemed like hours) pushing the swing back and forth…….  

a pink elephant birthday cake…… 

     new school shoes…… backpacks thrown on the floor, overflowing with textbooks, candy wrappers, running shoes, sports uniforms.....

      special parties:  baptism, confirmation, high school graduation, college graduation!........ 

          painting the bedroom pink, and then yellow….. 

baby dolls, Barbies, ballerina outfits, hair ribbons, make-up¸ glittery shoes, twirly skirts, fuzzy slippers…

       girls’ weekends in Chicago….

                the first day of kindergarten, the first day of college, the first car, the first job, 

                       the first apartment, the first boyfriend, the first broken heart……

long nights awake worrying, praying, wondering….. 

my heart is full of thanks and awe. 

Blessed Easter to you!

A blessed and FROSTY Easter to you all. 

He is risen!

We had the most interesting frost this morning... every strand of dune grass was  covered with the tiniest crystals of frost. Beautiful! 

Lots of work to do on the beach once it all dries out! 

Snow drops are not ruined by frost.

Walking on water?? No, it's just frozen.... 

Cabby made a new friend today! 

Easter dinner, made by my hubby: Chicken Cordon Blue, green beans, carrots, salad. 

Chilled Double Chocolate Torte

Look at this glorious dessert! It tasted as incredible as it looks, believe me; we scarfed it down in about two days. The mousse topping was so creamy and ridiculously chocolaty.  This was actually a ‘practice’ dessert for my St. Patrick’s Day party. (You may recall that I served small finger sized desserts instead of something fancy.)

Cabby says, "May the luck of the Irish be with you." Of course, that was after she got into the Baileys  Irish Cream.... no comment.

Confession: I was afraid to serve this because it’s…. shhh….  don’t tell…. Vegan.  No eggs, no cream, no cream cheese, no butter. But there is a super secret ingredient. Read on, dear blog friend, to discover my delicious secret.

Another confession: I am kinda kicking myself for chickening out and not making this for my party…. Oh, well, next time! 

On the near horizon is a fantastic vegan luncheon, and this frozen beauty just might make it to the menu.

To see the recipe click over to Oh She Glows and follow the directions to a 'T' :) ....and here's a hint about the secret ingredient:

Crazy, right? 

And speaking of things that make my heart go 'thump'.... I saw the first robin of the year today! 

Won't be long now!

And more heart thumping than a robin, there was a mature bald eagle eating his lunch on our ice earlier this week. Lucky me!

Saturday and a Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

One last ice fisherman.... will winter ever end? 

What a busy day! #saturdaysarethebest    We spent the day working in the house, barely making it out of our PJs and that felt so, so good! The kitchen is spotless. The bathrooms are gleaming. Dinner is on the stove (Spiced Potatoes with Lentils and Barley). Deck furniture is out of storage even though there is still some snow on the ground. #westmichigan.

And the most impressive announcement….. the laundry is all done!!! My hubby spent the day in the basement with basketball blaring on the TV #goblue AND #goMSU and he patiently washed, dried and folded every thread of clothing. I am blessed. (Not that the laundry is done, but because my guy loves our family and home that much – thanks, babe!) #besthusbandonearth

I did run a quick errand to the grocery store looking for red lentils, but no luck. I want to make a coconut curry red lentil soup just like the one I had at Seva Restaurant in  Ann Arbor a few weeks ago…spicy, sweet, creamy, hearty. #iliveinasmalltown

Speaking of great food, I made these little lovelies for my party last week, and as much as I want to share the recipe….. I must admit that I have lost it. (the recipe, not my mind) #gettingoverwhelmedwithclutter. Luckily, you can google “Lemon Tassies” and choose whichever recipe suits your fancy. They were excellent!

I also made my famous Bourbon Brownies. #cantgowrongwithboozeydesserts , but the best dessert on the tray were the chocolate chip cookies from The Joy of Vegan Baking. #donttellmyfriendstheywerevegan. Dawn, over at Vegan Fazool, suggested the recipe to me and I send her zillions of thanks! #killerrecipe It’s better than ANY other chocolate chip cookie recipe. #idareyoutotryitt

Chocolate Chip Cookies (from The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

Here’s what you need:

4 ½ t Ener-G Egg Replacer (equivalent of 3 eggs)

6 T water

1 C non-hydrogenated, nondairy butter, softened (Earth Balance brand is the BEST)

¾ C granulated sugar

¾ C light brown sugar

2 t vanilla extract (use the good stuff, you are worth it!)

2 ¼  C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1-2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 C chopped nuts (pecans are the BEST)

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Whip the egg replacer until it’s thick and creamy. (Colleen suggests using a food processor, but I did it by hand.) Set it aside.

Cream the butter, sugars and vanilla. Add the egg replacer and mix thoroughly.

Combine the flour, soda, salt and gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. When it’s almost all combined, add the chips and nuts.

Bake for 8-10  minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool.

(printable recipe)