Love is Thicker Than Blood

Revelations

I come from a big family - seven kids, and I am "number five" in that long line up! Not quite enough for a baseball team, but I know, you don't hear of many families my size any more! In the 1970's most families had four kids, so it wasn't quite as crazy as it seems today. We were happy and other than some minor scuffles and teasing, there was never any big friction between any of us.

Sister + Sister + Sister!

I love my sisters unconditionally - they are a smart + chatty bunch! Gotta admit that it is hard to get a word in, but most of the time the conversation is interesting - so not so bad to have to sit and listen ;) The topics for our recent girls' weekend: incest, anti-lesbian smack talk, and extended rants about all of the losers in the workplace! Really - I am not kidding on this - maybe the full moon doesn't bring out the best in everyone...

I spoke up on all counts to try and shut this down: "I am not comfortable with all of this talk about abused children", "I have a lot of gay friends and I don't think those women being unprofessional has anything to do with their sexual preference"; "I have never worked with people like that -- I guess I work in a pretty good environment!" -- all for naught, I was talking to myself. Whatever happened to asking about each other's kids, hobbies, doing nails, singing songs etc.? I really feel like someone stole the love outta the air last weekend!

Four Years of Waiting

Know what really bites? It has been over four years since we all were together, and I was so excited for our weekend getaway. I ran around and looked for the perfect keepsake for each of them. Finally, I found these little hand-blown glass pendants that you can place a few drops of essential oil in -- I bought a small vial of Rose Otto because it smelled like the wild roses that grow in the country, a reminder of our childhood years. No two pendants are alike - just like we girls, I thought - PERFECT!

Two of the girls had no interest in even trying the fragrance, none of them said thank you and one lost her pendant somewhere in the cottage (not sure if she ever found it). What can I say? Not the end of the world, it's just stuff... I know, but I guess sometimes reality doesn't match our expectations, and although we are siblings I guess we are all just coming from very different places. That's not always bad, but... hell, let's blame it on the full moon!

What's Cooking This Week?

So, what's the recipe to comfort this kind of emotional train wreck? Man I just can't even think to create anything wonderful with food right now; I am coasting in survival mode - I was going to share my one sister's Satay recipe, but somehow it doesn't seem as special anymore -- bad karma!

The verdict... this week I am just eating whatever I please in moderation and reminding myself that their choices are not mine, that their words are not mine and that we all can have "less than stellar" moments. I can be loving and tolerant, I can delight in the unique characteristics of others and enjoy their company -- I am not defined by family dysfunction and I don't have to feel badly for my choices. At least I took a few nice photos while out in the country -- so that was a high point!

Wow! I feel like parts of the sister weekend were a weird dream. I just need a few days to re-group xo!

Moonbeams, Zombies, Chocolate

Man! I don't know about your town/city/village/space station but in Winnipeg, Canada the winter blues have hit a new level of freakishness - I did a little people watching while I was stopped in traffic this afternoon and I swear they looked like Dawn of the Dead extras; SERIOUSLY! My girlfriend asked me, "Is the moon full?" like she was reading my mind ((which she seems to have an uncanny ability to do, btw!)) - sadly, no, the moon is waning and it's just this wimpy yellow finger nail clipping; no magical power to transform regular peeps into monsters. So the full moon/wild thang factor can't explain the local weirdo surge...

Savings, Schmavings!

I wasn't planning on taking any vacation time until the summer months, but man the travel bargains are beckoning, given my situation. Our flat-as-a-pancake city has been transformed by grubby mountains of ice, snow and road salt, piled 6-8 feet high along the streets, creating strange marble runs for the zombie drivers to blitz carelessly through ((hey, they're zombies, can't kill what's already dead!)). This dreary, eerie ((did I mention, frickin' freezin'?)) environment, combined with the gloom-and-doomer predictions that the world will end in 2012 ((Mayan Calendar hype)) has this Momma thinking, "Savings schmavings... I want outta here; let's go for broke with a side dish of sun and sand!"

Recipe for Escape
Even my usual food therapy tactics seem unappealing, particularly since the near-catastrophic, painfully recent Paula Dean Arnold Palmer cupcake baking session! One promising culinary diversion is the collection of gourmet pastas I received recently from work: exotic pumpkin spice, chipotle pepper and cocoa chili linguine are waiting in the cupboard for their moment in the kitchen limelight - oh thank heaven!

I have been scouring my recipe books and online sources inspiration -- looking for sauces to pair with these fantastically flavoured pastas. I want to enjoy the cocoa chili linguine with something savory; for a main course - don't want to serve those chocolaty noodles as a dessert with fruit and whipped cream ((ugh!)). So I am thinking of a variation on a Mole ((not the critter, the burrowing mole - mole-ay, as in latin-american savory goodness)). I am thinking the mole, freshened up with some zucchini and bell peppers and maybe a bit of mango, would be just the ticket to alleviate my current state. Suggestions? C'mon - I am surrounded by zombies in a desolate deep-freeze called Canada. Won't/can't you please throw me a life line?

Have it your way...here is my recipe for Coco-Mole Linguine. For the cocoa chili pasta, try ordering online from Nature's Farm:

http://www.naturesfarm.ca/index.html

Cocoa-Mole Linguine

Mole Ingredients:

1 tsp. toasted cumin seeds, cooled

1 tsp. crushed, dried oregano
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Dried, crushed chilies to taste, or chipotle paste
2 medium onions, chopped

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 cloves minced garlic

3 medium zucchini cut into bite-size chunks

1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped

1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 tsp. sugar
Sea salt, to taste (approx. 1 tsp).
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1-14.5 ounce tin of diced plum tomatoes

1-1/4 cups water

1-15 ounce tin of rinsed pinto beans

Garnish:
1 ripe mango, finely chopped

1/8 tsp. dutch cocoa powder
Sour cream

Pasta:
Nature's Farm Cocoa Chili Linguine; or your favourite chocolate pasta.

METHOD:
Pulse toasted cumin seeds and chilies (or just cumin seeds, if using chipolte paste) in a coffee mill or small processor until finely ground. Mix together with cinnamon, oregano, salt and sugar in a small bowl.

Measure the olive oil into a heavy skillet and saute the onions until tender over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat slightly and add in the minced garlic, cooking until tender and taking care not to scorch it. Stir in the spice mixture, stirring constantly for 1 -2 minutes. Quickly add in the zucchini, kale and bell peppers; cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add in the tomatoes, zest, chocolate pieces, beans and water and bring mixture to a simmer - cover and stir occasionally, cooking an additional 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta to al dente. Serve the pasta topped with the mole and garnished with fresh mango, a small dollop of sour cream and a light sprinkle of cocoa. Enjoy xo!

Lead Belly Cupcakes :(

Sometimes more of something you love mutates into just TOO much! This was the case with the Paula Dean recipe for Arnold Palmer cupcakes. My baker's antennae were vibrating when I saw the amount of butter and sugar in both the cupcake batter and frosting, but I love Paula Dean and thought - "What the heck do I know?" Well I guess tastes are as diverse as our individual personalities, and although the batter tasted great, the baked end-result was waaaay too heavy and too fatty for this Momma.

Elephants in Tutus!
I baked the cupcakes the evening before the birthday, and frosted them the next day, so maybe if we could have eaten them freshly cooled from the oven the result would have been more pleasing. The flavour of lemon and tea was lovely, but it was overpowered by the butter and bulky texture. The dry heft of these cupcakes reminded me (and not in a good way...) of some day-old Hovis bread I bought in my university days when I was trying to eat healthy on less than $40 a week! How could something infused with so much fat be dry?

Canadian Content?
I am wondering if some of the challenge was in my technique (whipped all by hand, not with electric mixer), and also with our local ingredients. I know my Uncle Chuck in Florida has purchased flour and butter when he is in Canada -- he loves to cook and swears that the butter and flour in the Southern USA are different (???).Different variety of wheat? What are the cows eating? Anyway - no disrespect to the fabulous Paula, but I am wiping this lil' ole recipe right offa my memory banks! Thankfully I have another birthday coming later this month and can redeem myself :)

Love-in, Lovin', Le Vin?

Fab Feb is here! The sun tells me winter is waning, but with the frigid temps we're experiencing it can't happen fast enough. Thankfully, 'tis the season for love, lovers and all things romantic and lovely - that helps to warm my heart, as I scheme elaborate dreams involving rose petals, strawberries, chocolate, and other fanciful things. If only I could host a body paint event with different shades of chocolate, like some living sepia photograph composed of luscious mocha tones -- even if the art had a brief "shelf life", think of how fun the clean up would be! I've been to spas where they do chocolate beauty treatments (mani-pedis, body wraps etc.) and I've witnessed toddlers finger painting with chocolate pudding, so surely art and beauty could meet somewhere in the middle this Valentine's Day? Hmmmm....

Birthdays, Birthdays, Birthdays...

Two of my children are February babies -- so this adds to the Feb love-fest and helps to banish the winter blahs, blues; what-have-you... I never tire of finding ways to make their special days memorable. To this end, like a lesser star in deep space with plans for supernova greatness, I am attracting some interesting edibles in my pantry orbit: chocolate chili and pumpkin spice flavoured pastas are two especially inspiring recent additions. Now I am sleuthing to find interesting ways to prepare these exotic items and pair them with some lovely vino - pure, joyful fun :)

A lot of the recipes I am finding are for chocolate dessert pasta, and I was considering a more savory approach, so I may just have to "wing it"! Nothing like experimenting on the taste buds of one's friends and family...will keep you posted on the outcomes!

Oh Cupcake - Come to Mama!

For B-Day One, I am considering an Arnold Palmer cupcake experience - there's something about the mingling of lemon and black tea flavours that intrigues me. Here is the recipe, courtesy of the fabulous Paula Dean - I love her no-fuss, no-fear approach with simple, everyday ingredients; she always manages to find a new twist with old favourites:

Arnold Palmer Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup milk

5 black tea bags

1 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 Tbsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

Arnold Palmer Frosting - recipe follows

METHOD:

Heat milk in a saucepan and steep the tea for 15-20 minutes - do not boil. Remove the tea bags, squeezing to release the tea essence and allow the milk to cool to room temp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Beat sugar and butter together in large bowl until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each additions. Gradually add the tea-milk mixture, along with the lemon juice and zest - reserve 1/2 cup of the tea-milk for the Frosting recipe.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients; then add gradually to the wet mixture, stirring just to combine. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tins and allow to cool on a baking rack. When completely cool, pipe or spread on Arnold Palmer Frosting.

Arnold Palmer Frosting

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup tea-milk mixture (reserved)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

METHOD:

In a large bowl beat the butter, gradually mixing in the sugar alternately with the tea-milk mixture. Stir in the lemon juice and mix to form a smooth, creamy consistency. Ice the cupcakes and serve.