Aagh - Down for the Count

I knew it was coming on.

I had felt extremely tired in the middle of the day, I had that all-over dull achy feeling and the beginnings of chest congestion.

I powered on. I did major grocery shopping and went to a meeting where I even gave a short presentation.

Next day I felt too exhausted to even fall out of bed. I managed to get myself up and look for energy in my first cup of coffee. Then I searched the back of the medicine cabinet for some cold/cough/congestion medicine. It was either that or blackberry brandy. Unfortunately, we had no blackberry brandy.

In the middle of winter when it’s freezing cold, and when the winds are howling and the snow is blowing, catching a cold can be an excuse just  to stay in bed with a warm quilt and a hot toddy and enjoy some downtime.

But during the final precious days of spring? When the temps are in the low 70’s and the sun is shining, and the sky is blue? My garden is calling out to me, I have things to do, places to go! Aagh.

My body needs rest. I decided it was time to appreciate the simple things of life – the soft breeze through the open window, an aromatic, steaming hot cup of tea with lemon and honey, the daytime solitude of our bedroom. Besides, I had control of the TV remote and my laptop keeps me connected to the world!  

By the second day, however, I decided my brain also needed a rest. So I turned off the TV and my laptop. (Sorry, world, I had to disconnect you.) Silence, almost. Birds singing. Noisy construction work going on next door. I pulled the blankets over my head and slept.

Sometimes I take good health for granted. Sometimes I think of all the people who live with chronic illness or pain. Sometimes I think about St. John Paul II, our Polish pope who showed the world heroic dignity though his suffering.

I do not do sickness well. I’m impatient and easily irritated. I do try to find some benefit in all this, some lesson to learn.

I am grateful for the gift of life and for family. I am grateful for beauty all around us and for times of solitude to become renewed. In the huge scope of life, catching a cold is a mere minor inconvenience.

And I am reminded I do need to put blackberry brandy on the shopping list.

I love my pink "solitude chair."

A Nontraditional Apple Cranberry Pie

I’m taking an online pie baking class. I’m up to lesson 7 - Fruit Pies.

For the assignment, several recipes are presented. I needed to choose one, make the pie, write an essay about the experience, and post a photo.

I chose an Apple Cranberry Pie. This one caught my attention because it seemed very unusual. To make the pie filling, the fruit is boiled together with raspberry gelatin and instant vanilla pudding. I had to see how that would turn out!

The first step was to bake a pie shell in a 9 inch pie plate.

While the crust was baking, then cooling, I sliced the apples, rinsed and thawed the cranberries that were in my freezer, and got all the ingredients together. 

I brought the fruit, sugar, and water to a boil. I kept stirring while it was boiling for five minutes. I added the gelatin and instant pudding and kept stirring while it boiled for another five minutes.

Then I rolled out the upper crust for the pie. So far, so good...

I carefully poured the filling into the pie shell and topped it with the crust. This is where it became very challenging. The unbaked crust did not want to stick to the bottom crust. Parts of it broke off. I ended up carefully wrapping the crust under the rim and using a fork to gently seal it.

The oven was preheated to 425 degrees F. I placed the pie on an upper rack and baked it for about 12 minutes, or until the crust was done.

Not too bad, considering...

I let the pie cool, then refrigerated it. It tasted good, sweet and tart - with ice cream to go with it.

To make this pie again, I would not make the top crust. Instead, I would use my mini pie cutters to cut the rolled out dough into small shapes. They could bake at the same time the pie shell was baking. Then the prebaked shapes could be placed on top of the pie fill. This would be easier and quicker and, I think, more attractive. 

So now it's on to lesson 8.

Apple Cranberry Pie

Ingredients

3 cups peeled and sliced apples (Granny Smith)

1 1/2 ups cranberries

3 1/2 oz. raspberry gelatin (small box)

3 1/2 oz. instant vanilla pudding (small box)

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. 

1.   In a sauce pan, boil apples, cranberries, water, and sugar for 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

2.   Add raspberry gelatin and vanilla pudding. Boil and stir continuously for 5 minutes until well-mixed. Set aside to cool.

3.   Slowly pour fruit mixture into a baked pie shell.

4.   Cover with another unbaked pie shell. Slit the top of the pie to vent while baking.

5.   Bake at 425 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes, or until top crust is done.

Happy Baking!

Update: Please check out my newest blog Resolutions.

A Presidential Campaign Kickoff

Going to a political rally is a way to participate in democracy in action. There is a candidate speaking about his or her views and reasons to be elected. There are cheering crowds, music, and patriotic flag waving. There’s the opportunity to meet strangers who are passionate about issues you believe in, or maybe just considering. And when it’s a warm sunny day by the lake with free ice cream, it’s even more fun.

So that’s where we were on Tuesday when Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont launched his campaign in Burlington for President of the United States.

The Lake Champlain waterfront, with a view of the Adirondacks of New York, made for a perfect setting for the rally. It was estimated up to 5,000 people were there. 

After a few words from local supporters, it was time for Senator Sanders, known by everyone as "Bernie," to take the stage. He and his wife Jane walked by just a few feet in front of us.

The national and local media were there. From where I was standing, a blinding light for the cameras was shining in my direction, so I really couldn't get any good photos while he was speaking to the crowds and for the media. I did get one of him and his wife greeting supporters.

After his speech, Bernie continued shaking hands as he made his way back to the Black Jeep to leave the event. We were standing as close as we could get. Geo shook hands with both Bernie and Jane. With the crush of people who were there, this was the best I could do for a photo.

Ben and Jerry who founded "Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream," are endorsing the Senator. They had given one of the introductions.

They also provided 70 pounds of ice cream for a free scoop for everyone. Even that was not enough because I hear they ran out. I had a cup of Phish Food (chocolate and marshmallow). 

After the event, a lot people lingered on the lakefront. It was a delightful day, a dynamic campaign launch, a memorable event.

President Coolidge: More than Two Words

A favorite story about President Calvin Coolidge is about a woman at a dinner party who had said to him that she made a bet that she could get him to say more than two words in conversation with her. He simply replied, “You lose.”

On Wednesday evening we were treated to a lot more than just a few of Calvin Coolidge’s remarks. The audience at the Brownell Library in Essex Junction, Vermont had the chance to go back in time to see and hear what it may have been like in the 1920’s to spend about an hour with the 30th President of the United States. 

The presentation was the final one for the season of the 1^st Wednesdays Vermont Humanities program. It was entitled Calvin Coolidge: More Than Two Words. The presenter was Jim Cooke, an actor who impersonates Calvin Coolidge. 

“Calvin Coolidge” reminisced about growing up on the family farm in rural Plymouth, Vermont. He suffered the loss of his mother at a young age and of his sister when he was a very young man. His opportunities for education and his involvement in various elective offices opened the way for political advancement.

When Calvin Coolidge proposed to Grace Goodhue, his future mother-in-law was not pleased. She tried to delay the wedding. She told Calvin that Grace needed at least another year to learn homemaking skills. She said that Grace didn’t even know how to bake bread. Calvin’s response: “We’ll buy bread!”

Calvin and Grace were married in the parlor of her home in Burlington, Vermont. The home is still there. I think of President Coolidge and his wife whenever I drive by.

During the presentation, I was most impressed by the close relationship Calvin had with his father throughout his lifetime. It was especially poignant that it was his father John who informed Calvin Coolidge – then Vice President - of President Harding’s sudden death and it was his father who administered the Presidential oath of office to his son who was visiting his boyhood home in Vermont at the time.

It was during his Presidency when Calvin’s sixteen- year- old son died of a staph infection. He had been playing on the tennis courts of the White House when he developed a blister on his foot. There were no antibiotics for treatment, and the infection entered the bloodstream. President Coolidge was devastated. From then on, any pleasure and enthusiasm he had for the office of President seemed to leave him. He probably blamed himself – that if he were not in the White House, his son would still be alive.

John Cooke will perform as Calvin Coolidge one more time at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth, Vermont on July 4, 2015 - the President's birthday. President Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872.

This was another wonderful event of the Vermont Humanities Council. We have to wait until August to learn what new programs the season will bring.

Goquick Whole Wheat Biscuits

Continuing with my 2015 project of trying out 50 recipes, yesterday I baked whole wheat biscuits. 

Although the recipe includes yeast, I was happy to see that there is no waiting for the dough to rise. Once the dough is made, simply roll it out, cut into shapes, and put the biscuits directly into the oven. In fact, they are almost as easy as Bisquick!

These are hearty little biscuits that would go well with a roast or even a quiche. We ate them with butter and honey.

The original recipe is from Southern Living 1984 Annual Recipes. (I made a few modifications.)

Whisk together:

2 ¼ teaspoons Fast-rise yeast (for bread machine)
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ Cup all- purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Add:
 ¼ cup softened margarine or butter
1 Tablespoon honey
1 scant cup warm milk
1 Tablespoon vinegar

Beat all ingredients until the dough clumps together. Roll out the dough to approximately ½ inch in thickness. Cut into round shapes using a cutter or the rim of a drinking glass. Place biscuits on a lightly greased baking pan. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes.

The dough came together really well using the paddle attachment of my Kitchen Aid mixer. I beat the ingredients in the same way as making a pie crust. My yield was 1 and 1/2 dozen biscuits. The yield would vary depending on the size cutter that is used. 

Because this recipe is so easy to put together, and because they will not be around long once they are out of the oven, I'm calling them: Goquick Biscuits!

Alistair Cooke - A Daughter Remembers

A few days ago, Geo and I had the opportunity to hear Susan Cooke Kittredge give a presentation about her father Alistair Cooke.

Alistair Cooke was a long time distinguished British journalist and broadcaster for the BBC. He was especially known for recording Letters from America, weekly accounts of life and politics in the United States. He completed 2,869 editions over nearly fifty-eight years. What I recall about him is that he was the host of Masterpiece Theater on PBS television.

Susan recalls that when she was growing up, her father had talked about the time he spent with actors Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard in California. He said he even had a home movie from 1933 of being on a yacht with them near Santa Catalina. Susan said her father never showed them this movie. It was only after he had died in 2004 that this film was found buried under books and papers in his study. Susan showed us this fascinating eleven minute film. We saw a very young and dashing Alistair Cooke, a young and handsome Charlie Chaplin, and a very, very young and vivacious Paulette Goddard. A remarkable home movie.

Alistair Cooke had a keen interest in the United States. In fact, he collected books about each of the states. In his apartment in Manhattan, he had these books arranged like a United States map on his bookshelves. For example, the New England states would be in the upper right corner, California on the far left, etc. Quite a unique system!

Susan also spoke about her experience the hours and days following the President John Kennedy assassination. There were two televisions in their apartment. Her father followed the events on one and she in another room on the other. She reported to her Dad what she was hearing while he watched and listened on the other TV. In this way, he put together reports for Great Britain. As a teenager, this was a time when she felt very important, being able to share in her father's work.

Alistair Cooke was in California when Senator Bobby Kennedy was running for President. He was in the hotel in the room adjacent to the kitchen when the Senator was assassinated. He saw him on the kitchen floor; he saw all the turmoil and commotion that followed this horrific event. As a journalist, Alistair Cooke grabbed a napkin and a pencil and began writing what he was witnessing.

In March of 2004, Susan's father died of lung and bone cancer. A memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey. Because he loved jazz, jazz was included in the tribute. This style of music is not generally performed at Westminster Abbey.

The hour Susan spent with us sharing about her father's life went by very quickly. I have since found so much more about Alistair Cooke on the internet. It was a treat to hear her give her perspective on this famous man. 

Spring Begins

The calendar says it's Spring, but as I was driving into Burlington this morning I saw that the outside temperature reading was only thirteen degrees. It might as well be January!

By the time I returned home, I knew I wanted to make something hearty for dinner. 

I had a container of cooked chicken in the freezer, and pie dough ready to roll out. Since I also had potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion, I decided to make chicken pot pie. While the chicken and pie dough were thawing out, I made English Muffin Bread - a recipe from my cousin. (It's fun to make because each of the two loaves bakes for exactly seven and one- half minutes in the microwave.)

For a cold weather New England style dessert, I found my recipe for Indian Pudding. I made this while the bread was raising. The basic baked pudding recipe originally came from A Vermont Cookbook. 

When it was time for dinner, I sliced and toasted the bread, then buttered it while still warm. After baking, the pot pie was finished off under the broiler, so the crust was lightly browned and the filling was steaming hot.

A popular way to serve Indian Pudding is to top it off with ice cream while warm, and the ice cream begins to melt into it. Instead I layered it with whipped cream. 

Indian Pudding

2 and 1/2 Tablespoons cornmeal
2 Tablespoons molasses (or maple syrup)
3/4 Cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups milk
2 eggs, separated

Combine all the ingredients except egg whites. Beat the whites until they begin to get stiff and then fold them into the mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 - 45 minutes.

Spring is off to an icy start, but with the oven going, it's always warm in the kitchen.

Sunday Afternoon - Boiled Dinner

It's mid-March and soon it will be St. Patrick's Day when many Americans - Irish or not - will be eating corned beef and cabbage.

I'm not a great fan of corned beef, but I do like cabbage in a boiled dinner. Yesterday I picked up the ingredients to prepare this meal: carrots, celery, cabbage, and a small 1- 1/2 pound chunk of lean pre-cooked ham. I already had the potatoes.

So for my preparation method, I cut the ham in half and set it in a pot with 8 cups of chicken stock. I added chopped carrots, celery, wedges of cabbage, and 5 large peeled and quartered potatoes. I seasoned it all with pepper, whole allspice, a bay leaf, and a dash of red pepper flakes (definitely optional).

It's snowing (again!!) and we have no place to go today. So the boiled dinner is on a slow simmer on the stove - to be ready for dinner early this evening. The meat and vegetables will give a nice flavor to the broth.

Enough for leftovers this week AND some for the freezer for a future meal!

Bread Pudding

I went grocery shopping and stocked up on the usual items. When I came home I realized we had way too much milk and bread and a lot of eggs. So for the weekend, I decided to make bread pudding.

This is what it  looked like, ready for the oven. I used a multigrain bread.

And here's the first serving, cooled and topped with whipped cream. I added a drizzle of maple syrup.

My recipe:

6 slices of slightly dried out bread
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup raisins
4 eggs
2 cups lowfat milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Tear up the bread into pieces and place into an eight inch baking dish.
Top with melted butter.
Scatter raisins over the bread.
Beat together the milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Pour mixture over the bread and raisins.
With a fork, push down the bread to soak up the liquid.
Bake in a 359 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

This was easy to make and a great way to use up some of our milk, bread, and eggs. Nice treat for the weekend.

Polish Donuts

Paczki!

My parents were Polish and we sometimes had Polish food when I was growing up. But Mom never made paczki, although I know other relatives who did. 

Paczki are Polish jelly-filled donuts that are especially popular just before the beginning of Lent. Where we live, I do not know of any bakeries who sell them. So when I found a recipe for baked (and not deep-fried) donuts, I just had to try to make them myself. So the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday I was in the kitchen with my new recipe.

I set out the ingredients.

My Kitchen Aid mixer did a great job of making the dough. The recipe called for 1/4 cup additional flour at the end so that the dough could be kneaded, but I found that I needed to use at least 1/2 cup.

Next was the kneading process - 50 turns - and then the dough was ready to rest for 10 minutes. (After all that kneading, I also needed a rest.) 

Then it was time to roll out the dough, cut into 12 round portions, and place on the baking pan. Here the donuts would rise until puffy, about 45 minutes - 1 hour.

Next they went into the oven. Here's what they looked like when they came out, slightly browned on top and bottom.

While they were still warm, I spread melted butter on each one and placed each in a baggie to shake to coat with sugar.

The traditional paczki are filled with jelly, or even custard. Instead I opted to serve them plain with strawberry jam or fig butter on the side.

These were fun to make, and it was a chance for me to connect once again with my Polish heritage.

We ate some, and Geo gave away the rest! So this weekend I'll be back in the kitchen with my recipe making more paczki.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons yeast (instant or regular)
• 2/3 cup lowfat milk – warmed to 120° for instant/110° for regular yeast
• 3 Tablespoons oil (canola or extra light olive oil)
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ - ½ cup additional flour
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter
• 1/3 cup sugar for coating
• 1 cup thick jam, custard, or filling of choice. (Optional)

Instructions:

1.     Place flour, sugar, salt, & yeast in large bowl.

2.     Stir in warm milk, followed by oil, egg yolks & vanilla.

3.     With electric mixer, beat for 2 minutes on high speed.

4.     Stir in enough flour until the dough holds together.

5.     Place dough on a floured surface and knead 50 turns, cover with plastic and let rest 10 min.

6.     Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

7.     On a floured surface, roll dough 1/2-inch thick. Cut circles using a 2 1/2 -inch round cutter,       dipped in flour. Re-roll scraps.

8.     Place portions on baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot about 45

        minutes.(1 hour at room temp). After 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375° F.

9.    When paczki are puffy, but not necessarily doubled in size, bake for 10 minutes.

10.   Meantime, melt butter and place 1/3 cup sugar in a plastic produce bag.

11.   Remove paczki immediately from pan to wax paper. Brush each one while warm with melted   butter and shake them in a bag to coat with sugar. 

12.   If filling, use a pastry bag with a long slender tip, pushing into the side. Serve immediately.

To see my newest blog, please go to Resolutions. 

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Snow Cake

I had just finished shoveling snow, came into the house, and sat down to look at our local paper. In it there was a recipe from the Rumford Complete Cookbook from 1932 - Snow Cake. Perfect for a snow day like today, I thought. I would make this for dinner.

I began by whisking the egg whites in my Kitchen Aid mixer until they were frothy. I poured the whites into another dish until needed.

I switched to the paddle attachment and, in the same mixing bowl, I creamed together the butter and sugar, then added vanilla. The butter creams best when it is at room temperature, or slightly softened. I used unsalted butter.

After I blended the flour and baking powder together, I added it to the butter mixture - a little at a time - alternating with the milk and egg whites.

When the batter was ready, I poured it into a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish. It looked like a buttercream frosting! It went into a 350 degree oven for about 1/2 hour.

The vanilla aroma was amazing as the cake was baking. (I had accidentally added 2 teaspoons - NOT 1/2 teaspoon - and the flavor in the finished product still came out very well.)

This cake would be great with frosting and fresh fruit for garnish. I decided just to use whipped cream and fruit - an organic mix of berries that I thawed while the cake was baking.

Here's the dessert.

Ingredients for Snow Cake:

1/4 Cup butter

Scant 1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or more to taste)

2 egg whites

1 and 1/2 Cups flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 Cup milk 

The recipe is a keeper, and one I'll be using again, even when we DON'T have snow to shovel!

Photography Exhibit

I enjoy taking photos. When I heard that there was a new photography exhibit at the Shelburne Museum, I was eager to see it. The exhibit is titled Kodachrome Memory: American Pictures, 1973 - 1990.

Geo and I went with friends to the museum for a presentation by the photographer Nathan Benn. Mr. Benn was a photographer with National Geographic when he was assigned to a project in Vermont in 1972. He was to capture images of everyday life in this very rural state. Choice photos were published in 1973, but most went into a box that he first examined about ten years ago. Some of these images are the ones on exhibit.

After his presentation, we went to see his work.

Geo is looking at an enlarged photograph of spools from the Vermont Spool and Bobbin factory in Burlington that had closed in 1976.  The photo looks almost like a painting.

This was one of my favorites. It was taken on a farm in Fair Haven, Vermont.

The original slides of the photos are under glass. There's a magnifying glass there to look at them more closely.

What I like about photography is that it captures moments in time that can be revisited again and again. The photographer interprets what he or she see through prospective and composition, and directs our attention to details of objects and events that we could otherwise easily miss. 

A good photograph tells a story, and Mr. Benn is truly a master storyteller.