Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

This is the lemon cake that my Nana usually always makes for me when I go home to California. We both forgot about it during my last visit and I didn’t realize until I got back to Sicily that I hadn’t had my Lemon Jello Cake fix.

Luckily, I have the recipe! And lucky for you, I’m going to share it!

This is one of the easiest cakes you can make and I will argue that it’s one of the best-tasting cakes you will ever eat.

What makes this cake so great is the glaze. The cake is baked in a jelly roll pan so it is only about an inch thick. After it’s done baking, you pierce the cake all over with a fork and spread it with the sweet-tart lemon glaze. The glaze sinks down into the cake and the result is the best lemon cake EVER!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Nana’s Lemon Jello Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1 small package lemon jello
3/4 C. water
4 eggs, well beaten
3/4 C. oil

glaze:
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 C. powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 18 x 13-inch jelly roll pan.

2. Pour cake mix and lemon jello powder into a large bowl; whisk together to remove any large lumps. Stir in the water then add eggs and oil. Blend, using a wooden spoon, with 50 strokes. There will be lumps, this is ok.

3. Pour batter into a greased and floured jelly roll pan; smooth batter with a spatula so that it is even. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees, checking after the first 20 minutes.

4. While cake is baking, mix together powdered sugar. lemon juice and zest.

5. While cake is still warm, pierce with fork all over then spread glaze evenly over the top. Allow to cool, then cut into squares and serve.

Mixing the Batter

As you can see, the batter will be lumpy. It’s important to smooth the batter evenly with a spatula after pouring it in the jelly roll pan, so that it will bake evenly.

Cake Batter

One of the greatest inventions ever, the microplane grater is perfect for zesting a lemon in seconds!

Lemon Zest

How do you juice your lemons? I usually just squeeze them by hand, using a small strainer to catch the seeds.

Squeezing Lemons

When making the glaze, you don’t have to use a cute little whisk like this one. But it always puts a smile on my face!

Mixing the glaze

After the cake comes out of the oven, pierce it all over with a large fork. The holes will allow the yummy lemon glaze to penetrate the cake.

Piercing Cake

After the glaze is poured over the warm cake, make sure to spread it out quickly and evenly with spatula.

Pouring Glaze

As the cake cools, the glaze hardens just a bit. Now is the time to dig in with your fork before dividing the rest into squares!

Finished Cake

Related Recipes:

* Giant Lemon Sugar Cookies

Around the Web:

* Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake from Tartelette
* Layered Lemon Cake from Smitten Kitchen
* Lemon Curd Cake from Alpineberry
* Best Lemon Cake Ever from Fancy Toast

http://pinchmysalt.com/2007/09/14/quick-and-easy-lemon-cake/

Has a lot of photos............

http://pinchmysalt.com/2007/08/22/lemon-tips-tricks-and-recipes/

Lemon Tips, Tricks and Recipes
# Aug 22nd, 2007 Desserts Tips and Tricks
# Vegetarian

Bowl of Lemons

If oranges are citrus symbol of winter, bright and sunny lemons are what we reach for during the summer! In Sicily, lemons star in refreshing summer treats such as lemon granita, sorbetto, and gelato, and who in the United States can imagine a summer without fresh-squeezed lemonade, or a cool glass of iced tea accompanied by slices of lemon?

Available year round, the versatile lemon is a staple of kitchens throughout the world and this is especially true in the Mediterranean. One of the first things I noticed about eating out in Italy is that lemon slices are almost always served as an accompaniment to grilled meats, fish, and salads. Well, there’s good reason for that! A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is a great way to add flavor to food without using too much salt.

Here are some ways to take advantage of the abundance of fresh lemons that are, luckily, available just about everywhere at any time of the year! Try using a combination of lemon juice, olive oil and fresh garlic next time you need a quick marinade for chicken, pork, or thin-sliced steak. Grilled sausage also benefits from a quick squeeze of lemon juice after it comes off the grill. And of course, lemon is the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of seafood.

Let’s not forget the vegetables! Lemon juice and olive oil make a light and refreshing dressing for green salads while steamed vegetables taste great with a dab of butter or olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. And lemons pair well with fruits and berries, also! For a new twist, try adding lemon zest to your favorite blueberry muffin recipe.

Lemons add wonderful flavor to both sweet and savory dishes but there is another great reason to enjoy this versatile citrus fruit. Lemons are packed with vitamin C, one of the most important anti-oxidants in nature. So if you aren’t doing it already, try brightening up your diet with the addition of fresh lemons, your body and your taste buds will thank you for it!

Quick tips for lemons:

* When shopping, choose smooth-skinned lemons that feel heavy for their size.
* Store lemons in the refrigerator if you will not be using them immediately.
* 1 medium lemon equals approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
* If lemon is cold, microwave it for a few seconds before squeezing to help extract more juice.
* Before juicing, use your palm to roll the lemon on the countertop a few times.
* If you will be using both the lemon zest and juice, remove the zest before cutting and juicing the lemon.
* When zesting a lemon, make sure to remove only the thin bright yellow part of the skin as the white pith underneath is bitter.
* Lemon juice sprinkled over fresh fruit such as sliced apples, prevents discoloration.

Here are a couple of lemon recipes that you are sure to enjoy: a classic lemonade to cool you off during the long, hot summer and some giant lemon sugar cookies–because cookies should be enjoyed all year long!

Fresh Lemonade

1 C. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3/4 C. sugar
Ice Cubes
4 C. water
Lemon slices

In a pitcher, stir together lemon juice and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the water and ice cubes and stir again. Serve immediately.

Giant Lemon Sugar Cookies

2 C. sugar, divided
Zest of 2 lemons, divided
1 C. butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla
1 T. lemon juice
2 3/4 C flour
1/4 t. salt
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda

Prepare lemon sugar: In a mini food processor, blend 1/2 C. sugar with 1 t. lemon zest. Pulse several times until the lemon zest is incorporated into the sugar. Put sugar mixture in a shallow bowl and stir lightly with a fork to break up any clumps. Set aside.

Prepare cookie dough: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and remaining 1 1/2 C. sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time then add vanilla, lemon juice, and remaining lemon zest. Add flour mixture, one cup at a time, blending well after each addition, until all flour is incorporated.

Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shape the cookies: Using a jumbo cookie scoop or your hands, shape two tablespoonfuls of dough into a ball and roll in lemon sugar. Place ball of dough on cookie sheet and press down lightly with the bottom of a glass until cookie is about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat. Six cookies will fit on one 18 x 13 inch baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Giant Lemon Sugar Cookies

Yield: 24 giant cookies

Related Recipes:

* Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes

Around the Web:

* Meyer Lemon Butter Cookies from Alpineberry
* Ginger Lemon Cookies from Tigers and Strawberries
* Meyer Lemon Sables from Orangette
* Lemon Poppyseed Cookies from Oswego Tea

subscribe to Pinch My Salt by e-mail

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html

Nikki’s Healthy Cookie Recipe

You can use unsweetened carob, or grain sweetened chocolate chips, or do what I did and chop up 2/3 of a bar of Scharffen berger 70%. I sort-of shaved half the bar with a knife and then cut the rest into bigger chip-sized chunks. You can make your own almond meal by pulsing almonds in a food processor until it is the texture of sand - don’t go too far or you’ll end up with almond butter. And lastly, the coconut oil works beautifully here, just be sure to warm it a bit - enough that it is no longer solid, which makes it easier to incorporate into the bananas. If you have gluten allergies, seek out GF oats.

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn’t solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don’t worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/carrot-oatmeal-cookies-recipe.html

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
March 26, 2009 | 134 Comments

If you somehow combined a coconut macaroon with a bit of carrot cake, you might end up with a cookie like this one. I took a few carrots leftover from Bryant’s Jamaican Veggies Patties, shredded them, and turned them into a batch of carrot-flecked cookies. They are egg-free, vegan, and sweetened with maple syrup. I used fragrant coconut oil, plenty of chopped walnuts and rolled oats as well. For those of you who loved Nikki’s cookie recipe a while back, give these a try. The oats get golden and a bit crusty-crunchy on the bottoms, but the carrots, coconut oil, and a kiss of ginger keep things nice and moist inside. So good.

Five Grain Recipe

Because there is no cane sugar, these cookies lack that super sweet, high-key edge. They’re not going to be as sweet as most American baked goods you’re used to, but I think they’re better. Because there are no eggs in the batter, you don’t need to worry about sneaking a taste of dough ;)...And while I love these just as they are, I can imagine playing around a bit by adding some shredded coconut, or different nuts, and/or dried pineapple - or doing a curried version.

Carrot Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

After your initial batch experiment with the type of nuts/seeds you use. Lemon zest, clarified butter, and olive oil might be ingredients to play around with as well - but I haven’t tested them in this recipe. And I have to say, I love the flavor and richness the coconut oil brings to these cookies. If you have a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour, feel free to substitute unbleached all-purpose flour.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/tokyo-five-grain-recipe.html

Tokyo Five Grain Recipe
March 29, 2009 | 82 Comments

Many of the natural food cafes I enjoyed while in Tokyo stocked a small number of products available for purchase - honeys, dried beans, t-shirts, and little books full of cafe recipes. Almost all of them sold small packets of mixed grains. Some of the packets were barely the size of my palm, filled with miniscule amaranth grains, brown rice, and millet. Others packets were bigger featuring a various blends of whole grain rices, quinoa, and different beans. I’ve never seen anything quite like it available here at home, and I was excited to come back and play around with some new grain combinations. This particular blend was inspired by one packet I brought home. There’s nothing inherently Japanese about the end result, aside from the origin of inspiration. It features equal parts brown rice, red rice, and millet, plus some quinoa and amaranth.

Five Grain Recipe

I’ve been enjoying it on its own, with a drizzle of soy sauce, and a couple drops of toasted sesame oil, but I could imagine this particular blend being great stir-fried with eggs and greens. Or fashioned into some sort of take on arancini by forming the cooked grains into balls, then dredging in egg-wash and breadcrumbs before pan-frying or baking. It could be a great stuffing for oven-roasted tomatoes, I could go on and on. Just keep in mind that the quinoa lends a dominant grassy note - and start thinking about ideas with that in mind.

Tokyo Five Grain Recipe

I don’t rinse the amaranth along with the other grains because the grains are SO tiny they run right through my relatively fine-gauge strainer. So I stir them in later. Short grain brown rice will give you a stickier rice blend in the end, use medium if you prefer more separation. The photo up above features short grain.

1 cup short or medium grain brown rice
1 cup red Bhutanese rice
1 cup millet
1/3 cup quinoa
1/4 cup amaranth
2 teaspoons salt

Rinse the rices, millet, and quinoa. Drain and put in a large thick-bottomed pot. Stir in the salt and amaranth. Cover with water up to your knuckle - about two inches above the grains. Bring to a boil, then turn down the flame as low as it will go. Cook uncovered (simmering) until all water is gone, about 45 minutes.

If you overshot the amount of water you added and your grains cook before the water absorbs entirely, strain off any extra water.

This makes a big pot of mixed grains. Plenty for multiple meals.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/grandmas-grain-recipe.html

Grandma’s Grain Recipe
August 13, 2008 | 88 Comments

I rarely cook mixed grains because I feel compelled to cook type each grain in a separate pot - a pot for barley, one for rice, another for millet, etc. No one around here looks forward to doing the resulting dishes. It’s bad enough scrubbing one rice pot, let alone a collective. Each grain cooks for a different amount of time, hence the need for all those pots - or that’s what I thought. Today’s recipe is a simple, single pot approach to mixed grains inspired by the following reader email, a grandmother of four...

Dear Heidi...I have three children and four grandchildren. There is one simple dish my three youngest grandchildren totally expect for me to have around when they come to see me. I have named it “Grandma’s Grain” and would like to share it with those who frequent your website. It smells so good when it cooks, and is delicious! My grandchildren would rather have a bowl of this cereal than almost anything else I cook - and they can be very picky. This will stick to your ribs for about 4 or 5 hours, much longer than a bowl of regular cold cereal and milk.

We season it with extra virgin olive oil, season salt, food yeast, hot sauce, or any favorite seasoning. Avocado is a wonderful addition we thoroughly enjoy. It can also be eaten with the traditional milk and sweetener. This can also be used in a casserole the way you would use rice. The best, K.J.B.

The resulting cooked grain blend is textured, peppered with flecks of color, and filling. The millet, which cooks fastest breaks down and lends a creaminess that you wouldn’t get otherwise. I can think of a hundred reasons to cook up a pot of this over the weekend and use it as the foundation for many meals - breakfast, lunch, or dinner - throughout the week. In the photo up above I’ve simply drizzled the grains with a bit of half-and-half, and sprinkled with a bit of raw sugar and toasted walnuts. For lunch I might go for a scoop with a poached egg and a little side salad. Or I could use it as the backbone of a “fried-rice” type dish with tofu. Or a baked version of arancini in place of day-old risotto. Or, or, or...

Also, before I sign off I want to apologize for not being very responsive in the comments the past week or so. I just got back from an inspiring trip to Chile and Argentina, which means I’ve been plane and hotel hopping for the past ten days. I’m looking forward to sharing some stories, recipes, and photos in the coming weeks...And thanks to everyone who emailed me suggestions :)...

Grandma’s Grain Recipe

If you can’t find one of the ingredients, don’t be discouraged. Simply substitute more of whatever you do have - more rice, millet, etc. I made a few minor tweaks to K.J.’s recipe, mainly a bit of salt during the cooking process, along with a few little word adjustments for clarity.

1 cup long grain brown rice (I use Lundberg’s)
1 cup millet
3 handfuls of whole barley
3 handfuls of whole oats (groats)
1 handful of red rice, wild rice, or a mixture of wild type rices
2 teaspoons salt

Mix all grains together, rinse, drain, and put in a large thick-bottomed pot. Stir in the salt. Cover with water up to your knuckle - about two inches above the grains. Bring to a boil, then turn down flame as low as it will go. Cook uncovered (simmering) until all water is gone, about thirty-five minutes. If you overshot the amount of water you added and your grains cook before the water absorbs entirely, strain off the extra water.

This makes a big pot of mixed grains. Plenty for a family of four to use over the course of a week.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/ottolenghi-red-rice-and-quinoa-recipe.html

Ottolenghi Red Rice and Quinoa Recipe

Heidi notes: Ottolenghi uses (and recommends) Camargue red rice. The red rice most available to me is a Butanese red rice. Use whatever you can find or substitute a good brown rice, farro or wheat berries. I should also note that I’ve adapted the recipe measurements to suit U.S. cooks.

1/4 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup quinoa
1 cup red rice (see headnotes)
1 medium white onion, sliced
2/3 cup olive oil
grated zest and juice of one orange
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 handfuls of rocket (arugula)
salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spread the pistachios out on a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes, until lightly colored. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and then chop roughly. Set aside.

Fill two saucepans with salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer the quinoa in one for 12 - 14 minutes and the rice in the other for 20 minutes. Both should be tender but still have a bite. Drain in a sieve and spread out the two grains separately on flat trays to hasten the cooling down.

While the grains are cooking, saute the white onion in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil until golden brown. Leave to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl combine the rice, quinoa, cookied onion and the remaining oil. Add all the rest of the ingredients, the taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Makes a large platter.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/favorite-cookbooks-ginny-evans-recipe.html

Favorite Cookbooks: Ginny Evans
March 24, 2009 | 52 Comments

I met Ginny a couple years ago when she came to one of my book signings. We chatted a bit, and she told me she was a recent graduate of The Natural Gourmet School for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. We talked a bit about the externship she did at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, discussed our favorite places to get coffee, and ran down a list of the fantastic ingredients spotted at the market that week. A couple of hours later, Wayne and I were making our way home on the light-rail when we saw Ginny again. We were getting off at the same stop, and in one of those quirky twists of fate, it turned out we were neighbors. She lives just across the park from me, and we’ve since become friends.

Ginny’s focus is on health-supportive cooking, and she often cooks for people with special dietary needs. She is particularly interested in cooking for new mothers, who have a time of rebuilding and replenishment ahead of them. She teaches private cooking classes, can help you stock your pantry in a more mindful way, or show you how to make your own baby food. Needless to say, I thought she’d be a great person to feature here.

GINNY’S COOKING STYLE (in her own words):

A friend of mine once described surfing as one of the purest and most inspiring sports because each wave is different and unpredictable and new. I feel similarly about cooking; the inspiration comes from a distinct moment of hunger, from the food at hand, the company shared. I’ve always been fascinated by the weaving together of food and culture, and used to envy the food traditions of Italy and India. Cultures where sauce recipes and family dishes are guarded secrets and family heirlooms. I’m proud to be a part of the burgeoning California cooking style, one that borrows from many different cultures but uses only the freshest ingredients -substituting what grows locally and seasonally in place of the traditional ingredients. Creating something that has classic flavors but is eclectic and fresh. When I come home from the market right now I love to cook up green garlic, white chicory, any kind of kale, baby collards...add a farm egg and a piece of Meyer lemon-rosemary bread and in five minutes I have, in my mind, a perfect breakfast.

Ginny Evans Favorite Cookbooks

FAVORITE COOKBOOKS (the ones Ginny turns to most often for recipes and inspiration):

- Unplugged Kitchen, Viana La Place - Food is simple. Food is beautiful. Food is accessible. This book is poetry and my absolute favorite to pull out when I need some inspiration. Hand written notes and snippets of kitchen wisdom round out almost every page. I took this book on a solo trip to France and read it cover to cover. Twice. Out of print but fairly easy to find.

- Cooking by Hand, Paul Bertolli - This book is a labor of love with chapters that read like a sensual novel. Twelve Ways of Looking at Tomatoes...Cooking Backward...Aceto Balsamico, each gives the reader a heavy dose of info, but the recipes are succinct and easy to follow.

- Moro, Sam and Sam Clark - This book feels special - as it was a gift - but also because each recipe has a beautiful color photograph, the paper feels good in my hands, and each Mediterranean-inspired recipe sounds like dinner.

- One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends, Rebecca Katz - This is my go-to book when I need to cook something especially healing. Written for cancer patients and their caretakers, it has nutritional information for each recipe and an especially inspired soup collection. It also has a section on healthy desserts.

- Outstanding in the Field, Jim Denevan - This book is the story of a farm to table restaurant taken on the road, a collection of seasonal recipes that look to showcase local ingredients. It has great photos and very unique recipes with few components, and the chapters are interspersed with tales of farmers and fishermen.

- Full Moon Feast, Jessica Prentice - Thirteen moons comprise this cookbook, each moon referring to a particular food time in the year. It is a book about intuition and culture and the context in which a certain food dwells. With a recipe list to entice any type of eater, this book is about the connection we share with food.

- Wild Garlic, Gooseberries, and Me, Dennis Cotter - Cookbooks these days have so much more to them than just the recipes. I recognize in Dennis Cotter’s book a passion for food, for the farm and for the earth. The food shots are more like portraits, and I get the feeling that any recipe I choose to make will be time-tested and special. I might actually have to go find his restaurant one day, a great excuse for a trip to Ireland...

- The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, Peter Berley - Both comprehensive and sparse at the same time. Organized by dishes and also by season, this book is great if you are looking for something specific, a grain salad, a soup, a dish using tempeh. No photos but with illustrations for certain preparations (artichokes!) I love this book for the condiments and sauces section, with easy recipes for curry and chutney and quick pickles.

- Voluptuous Vegan, Myra Kornfeld - I have wowed clients with soups from this book for many years, and if you have the time, the full-menu ideas are quite fun and different. Myra has three books out now, two of which offer nice preparations of fish and chicken, but this is still my hands-down favorite.

- Seductions of Rice, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid - I always get wanderlust as I read about Thai red rice, Chinese congee, and soothing tea rice. The authors travel the globe a few times over and bring home with them tales of the people and food they encountered. This book is a great way to break out of the grain and bean routines, and I love that there are so many cultures and food traditions living and breathing in the same book.

Related links:

- Ginny’s website

- Past cookbook list: Cookbooks Author Bryant Terry
- Past cookbook list: Textile Designer Malinda Reich
- Past cookbook list: Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi
- Past cookbook list: Grace Bonney of design*sponge
- Past cookbook list: Cookbook author Eric Gower

52
Comments

http://www.101cookbooks.com/high_protein_recipes/

High Protein Recipes
Heirloom Beans & Seitan
Heirloom Beans & Seitan - November 30, 2009

This is simply heirloom beans and roasted broccoli with shallots and pan-fried seitan. Something I threw together one night after getting home from the airport. It’s filling and hearty, and quick to make - particularly if you have cooked beans stashed in the freezer...but canned beans will work too.

Tempeh Curry
Tempeh Curry - November 20, 2009

A vibrant tempeh curry recipe loosely inspired by a recipe from Lora Zarubin’s cookbook, I am Almost Always Hungry.

Red Lentil Soup
Red Lentil Soup - October 15, 2009

A single-pot lentil soup with brown rice. Made by browning some onions, adding the rest of the ingredients, and simmering until the whole lot until its done.
Double Broccoli Quinoa
Double Broccoli Quinoa - September 1, 2009

This is another favorite - I cook up lots of broccoli, then puree half of it into a pesto. The other half is cut into little florets. Toss the broccoli with some quinoa, sliced avocado and a drizzle of feisty chile pepper oil, and you’ve got a nice meal on your hands.

Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad
Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad - July 15, 2009

Warm, coin-shaped slices of pan-fried carrots, white alubia beans, and chopped dill tossed with a tangy-sweet lemon shallot dressing. It tastes good the day you make it, even better the day after.

Lemon Cucumber Tofu Salad
Lemon Cucumber Tofu Salad - June 22, 2009

A simple tofu salad recipe made by marinating cucumbers and chopped dill in lemon juice and olive oil, then tossing with tofu, pine nuts, and avocado.

Giant Black Bean Salad
Giant Black Bean Salad - June 7, 2009

A twist on the ubiquitous black bean salad - giant black beans and toasted almonds are tossed with a honey-jalapeno-lime dressing and served with a bit of crumbled feta over a bed of baby arugula.

Pan-fried Chickpea Salad
Pan-fried Chickpea Salad - March 11, 2009

A salad made by pan-frying chickpeas with leeks and a bit of garlic. The creamy dressing is made with plain yogurt and curry powder, and the salad is finished off with plenty of chopped cilantro and chopped red onion.

Adzuki Butternut Squash Soup
Adzuki Butternut Squash Soup - February 11, 2009

A hearty adzuki and butternut squash soup recipe adapted from Jae Steele’s Get It Ripe cookbook. The soup has a bit of chipotle flavor and is made even better with a drizzle of cilantro olive oil prior to serving.

Cashew Curry
Cashew Curry - January 29, 2009

A simple, last-minute curry recipe - curry powder in coconut milk, deeply toasted cashew nuts, a handful of green beans, two handfuls of tiny cauliflower florets, and a bit of tofu for good measure.

Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh
Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh - January 21, 2009

The best tempeh recipe I’ve highlighted to date - it features a simple ginger and garlic-spiked orange glaze that plays of the nutty earthiness of the pan-fried tempeh beautifully.

Giant Chipotle White Beans
Giant Chipotle White Beans - January 7, 2009

A riff on Laurence Jossel’s fantastic NOPA beans - plump, creamy beans baked in a bright, chunky chipotle tomato sauce, topped with crunchy breadcrumbs, plenty of oozy queso fresco, and an emerald drizzle of cilantro pesto.

Lentil Almond Stir-Fry
Lentil Almond Stir-Fry - January 3, 2009

A good cold-weather stir-fry recipe. Tiny potatoes, brussels sprout wedges, toasted almonds and lentils are served with a drizzle of mint and a bit of thinned-out, salted plain yogurt, and a sprinkling of chopped dates.

Wild Seaweed Salad
Wild Seaweed Salad - December 28, 2008

Toasted wild nori alongside cilantro, tofu, and plenty of wild rice. The dressing for this salad isn’t shy - assertive notes of sesame, ginger, cayenne pepper and soy sauce work their way into the wild rice and tofu. Lots of flavor.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples
Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples - October 29, 2008

Shredded brussels sprout ribbons, apples, garlic, pine nuts, and tofu in a skillet with a hint of maple syrup.

Pepita Salad
Pepita Salad - October 20, 2008

A great pepita salad that can brighten up any table. Made from a simple combination of yellow split peas, toasted pepitas, and cilantro pesto.

Hummus en Fuego
Hummus en Fuego - October 8, 2008

A beautiful, spicy hummus recipe made from pureed garbanzo beans, toasted walnuts, and spicy crushed red pepper oil finished with a few chopped olives and a bit of cilantro.

Heather’s Quinoa
Heather’s Quinoa - September 27, 2008

A one-skillet quinoa recipe - quinoa, corn, chopped kale and pan-toasted tofu tossed with a big dollop of pesto and finished off with a few roasted cherry tomatoes.

TLT Sandwich
TLT Sandwich - September 17, 2008

A vegetarian TLT sandwich inspired by the classic BLT sandwich. This version includes chipotle-marinated tempeh alongside oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, a bit of shredded lettuce, and a generous avocado slather on a thin slice (or two) of great bread.

Chopped Miso Salad
Chopped Miso Salad - September 10, 2008

A favorite chopped salad recipe - fresh and crunchy with toasted, plenty of pan-fried shallots, chives, cabbage, red onions, and tossed with a simple miso dressing.

Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry
Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry - September 4, 2008

A tasty, quick, and easy stir-fry recipe featuring golden crusted, pan-fried chickpeas, chopped kale, summer squash, tofu, and a bit of lemon zest.

Curried Bean Salad
Curried Bean Salad - August 20, 2008

This bean salad recipe salad features pretty heirloom beans along with a few black lentils, splashed with a brightly-flavored ginger-curry vinaigrette.

Lemon Achiote Grilled Tofu
Lemon Achiote Grilled Tofu - August 6, 2008

Simple to make, this lemon achiote grilled tofu recipe gets a nice tangy backbone from and achiote and cayenne-spiked marinade made with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a bit of brown sugar.

Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake
Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake - July 30, 2008

A savory, summertime ricotta cheesecake recipe made with shredded zucchini, dill, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect picnic fare.

Edamame Soup
Edamame Soup - July 20, 2008

Charlotte’s edamame soup recipe was a big hit with Wayne - a bit of olive oil, potato, frozen edamame beans, and vegetable stock come together to make a satisfying, protein packed bowl, of pale green tastiness.

Maple Grilled Tempeh
Maple Grilled Tempeh - July 10, 2008

A fantastic salty-sweet grilled tempeh recipe. The marinade is made from a simple (but effective) combination of maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic and ground chipotle pepper.

Big Slurp Dumpling Soup
Big Slurp Dumpling Soup - May 8, 2008

A quick and delicious dumpling soup - tender, translucent pasta pillows, pale green from their pea-stuffed bellies, are buoyed by yellow lentils in a simple clear broth. Golden puddles of olive oil are suspended across the surface, pooling in various cracks and crevices.

Cumin-spiked Tofu
Cumin-spiked Tofu - April 7, 2008

Slabs of tofu marinated in a cumin, garlic, yogurt slather and cooked on a grill or in a grill pan or skillet.

Spring Wild Rice Salad
Spring Wild Rice Salad - March 24, 2008

A spring-inspired wild rice salad - vibrant asparagus, yellow split peas, and wild rice tossed in an almond butter dressing and finished off with a bit of goat cheese and chives.

Favorite Egg Recipes
Favorite Egg Recipes - March 22, 2008

A quick list of favorite egg recipes from the past few years. It includes favorite omelette, frittata, egg salad, and crepe recipes.

Yellow Split Pea Soup
Yellow Split Pea Soup - March 6, 2008

Healthy, beautifully textured, and colorful this split yellow pea soup makes for a terrific lunch. The yellow split pea soup base is topped with a tzatziki-inspired yogurt dollop, a touch of mint, a spoonful of finely chopped black olives, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Garam Masala Tofu Scramble
Garam Masala Tofu Scramble - February 11, 2008

A favorite (and quick) tofu scramble recipe using shaved fennel, caramelized onions spices and dried fruit, and then counter-balancing those flavors with cilantro and chopped nuts.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup - February 5, 2008

A delicious, healthy, textured split pea soup recipe made from an impossibly short list of ingredients. Vegetarian, no ham hocks in this version.

Curried Egg Salad
Curried Egg Salad - February 4, 2008

A variation on my favorite egg salad recipe, this version uses plain yogurt in place of mayo and incorporates curry powder, chopped apples, toasted pecans, and minced chives.

Caramelized Tofu
Caramelized Tofu - January 28, 2008

One of my favorite tofu recipes, caramelized strips of tofu served over sauteed shredded brussels sprouts. It come together quickly and uses just one pan.

Poached Eggs Over Rice
Poached Eggs Over Rice - January 7, 2008

An unassuming yet satisfying little rice bowl recipe - simply a reasonable serving of chard-flecked whole grain rice topped with a poached egg.

Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup
Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup - January 3, 2008

Healthy, quick, and satisfying this lentil soup recipe delivers layer after layer of flavor. The tang of the tomatoes plays off the earthiness of the lentils, and the fragrant bolt of saffron yogurt brightens each bowl.

A Tasty Frittata
A Tasty Frittata - December 20, 2007

The prettiest, tastiest, frittata recipe. Made with potatoes, onions, and eggs drizzled with a cilantro chile sauce.

Cottage Cheese Muffins
Cottage Cheese Muffins - September 29, 2007

Golden, puffy, sun-dried tomato, and cottage cheese muffins. High in protein, low in carbs, they are a great, satisfying way to start the day.

Vegetarian Lentil Burgers
Vegetarian Lentil Burgers - September 9, 2007

Tasty, hearty vegetarian lentil burger recipe. Slathered with saffron yogurt and stuffed with avocado, lettuce, and onions.

Quinoa and Grilled Zucchini
Quinoa and Grilled Zucchini - July 30, 2007

A great way to use nutritious quinoa. This quinoa and grilled zucchini recipe is tossed with a pretty, pale green cilantro-flecked avocado dressing.

My Favorite Grilled Kabob
My Favorite Grilled Kabob - June 27, 2007

A kabob recipe featuring grilled mushrooms, lemons, tofu red onions and a delicious red pepper walnut slather.

Skinny Omelette
Skinny Omelette - June 13, 2007

Eggs cooked crepe thin and stuffed. A delicious and lighter alternative to heavy, cheese-stuffed omelette recipes - great for lunch and brunch.

White Bean Salad
White Bean Salad - June 8, 2007

A tasty white bean salad topped with toasted walnuts, crumbled cheese, and a hint of citrus. Makes a good side dish, a satisfying lunch, or light dinner.

Baked Eggs
Baked Eggs - May 18, 2007

Baked eggs in edible cups with cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and lots of vibrant spices.

Egg Salad Sandwich (the only one I’ll eat)
Egg Salad Sandwich (the only one I’ll eat) - April 8, 2007

The egg salad sandwich recipe I turn to multiple times a week. Light on the mayo, with good quality eggs, chopped celery, and a sprinkling of chives on thinly sliced whole grain bread.

Ultimate Veggie Burger
Ultimate Veggie Burger - March 14, 2007

One of my favorite recipes from Super Natural Cooking - this hearty veggie burger recipe is made with garbanzo beans, cilantro, onions, lemon zest, eggs, bread crumbs, and sprouts.

Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad
Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad - September 8, 2006

An impromptu quinoa salad recipe made by tossing a quick tahini dressing with chickpeas, red onion, and cilantro.

A Good Soup for the Sick
A Good Soup for the Sick - April 21, 2006

Turn to this miraculously delicious soup when you are feeling sick - beans, water, garlic, shallots, chiles. Total active prep time was under five minutes, the rest is just waiting and anticipating.

Edamame Salad with Shiso + Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Edamame Salad with Shiso + Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette - March 2, 2006

Makes a fantastic lunch, and it comes together quick and easy. For those of you unfamiliar with shiso, it is a fierce looking herb with spiky leaves, and wonderful edgy green nose.

Chocolate and Green Tea Pudding
Chocolate and Green Tea Pudding - April 4, 2005

A rich, delicious dairy-free pudding recipe made with chocolate soy milk, tofu, matcha, and semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips.

16 Tuna Casserole Recipes

Posted By TipNut On January 7, 2010 @ 1:04 pm In Recipes | No Comments

This week’s Recipe Hit List features a collection of tasty Tuna Casserole recipes that I’ve found around the ‘net. It’s cold way up here in Canada and although tuna casseroles are mainly a tried & true favorite during Lent for my family, I’m craving one right now! Guess what’s on the menu tonight in the Tipnut household .
Tuna Casserole Recipes

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

Tuna Casserole Recipe By noteatingoutinny.com

1. Better Tuna Noodle Casserole [1]: Using up what I had in my kitchen and substituting what I didn’t, I found myself making a similar recipe to his, only with half a can of white tuna instead of ham. Threw in peas, fresh mushrooms, a chopped scallion, and it was delicate and light, perfect for cold weeknight eating–to mimic one of Jacques’ repetitious expressions, “you know?” Yes, I know. Recipe from Not Eating Out In New York.
2. Cheesy Tuna Casserole [2]: It’s one of those dishes that everyone seems to have a different version for. I came up with my own when the kids were little and I was running late for dinner. I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand that the recipe called for, so I improvised. Recipe from Full Bellies, Happy Kids.
3. Recipe: Tuna Noodle Casserole [3]: Tuna Noodle Casserole, made like my mom used to make it, is one of those creature comforts that I need every once in awhile but do not need to overdo. It is also one of the few things I use canned soup in anymore, but I would not make it any other way! Recipe from Dine & Dish.
4. Tuna Casserole [4]: It was really important to me to make a version that didn’t call for cream-of-anything soups. I detest canned cream soups even more then I do tuna because, to me at least, they always give the dish a very cheap and chemically “casserole” taste. Plus they give me the same symptoms as the flu about 15 minutes after ingesting. This version is still creamy, rich, and comforting, and after you try it I doubt you’ll go back to canned soup recipes. Recipe from Imperrfections.
5. Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole [5]: This easy tuna noodle casserole is made with American cheese and sour cream to make it even creamier. Has the crushed potato chips topping. Recipe from Land O’Lakes.
6. No Bake Tuna Noodle Casserole [6]: Recipe from Better Homes And Gardens.
7. Tuna Noodle Casserole [7]: Tip: substitute 1 1/2 cups diced boiled ham or cooked chicken for the tuna. This is the recipe that used French’s Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions. Recipe found at French’s.
8. Tuna-Melt Casserole [8]: If you enjoy diner tuna-melt sandwiches, you’ll love the flavor of this! It’s a warm, welcome dish any night of the week. To save time, use packaged broccoli flowerets. Recipe from Delish.
9. Tuna Twist Casserole [9]: Toss together purchased Alfredo sauce, canned tuna and frozen broccoli, and you’ll have a hearty casserole in a snap! Recipe from Betty Crocker.
10. Macaroni Tuna Casserole Recipe [10]: This dish is so easy to fix, and the flavor is better than any tuna helper I’ve ever tried. Recipe from Taste Of Home.
11. Lemon Oregano Tuna Noodle Casserole [11]: Recipe from Knorr.
12. Crowd-Pleasing Tuna Noodle Casserole [12]: You won’t believe how easy it is to make this classic casserole featuring that favorite combination of tuna, noodles, peas and cream of mushroom soup. This version serves 8, so everyone can dig in! Recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen.
13. Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole [13]: Choose best-quality tuna that’s packed in olive oil for this dish. Even after draining it, you’ll get moister, richer results than if you used water-packed tuna. Recipe from Martha Stewart.
14. Tuna Casserole [14]: Rachael makes a spin on the classic comfort food. Recipe from Rachael Ray Show.
15. Southwestern Tuna Casserole [15]: Try chef Cat Cora’s recipe for Southwestern Tuna Casserole, a dinner from her complete seven-day menu. Recipe found at Oprah.com
16. Tuna Casserole: Creamy Goodness [16]: The recipe led my four-year-old to declare: “This is the most delicious pasta ever!” Recipe from FamilyFood.

Don’t Miss These Tips:

* 17 Tasty Casserole Recipes [17]
* 15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes [18]
* Free Casserole Tote Tutorial [19]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/tuna-casserole-recipes/

URLs in this post:

[1] Better Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://noteatingoutinny.com/2007/02/09/better-tuna-noodle-casserole/

[2] Cheesy Tuna Casserole: http://fullbellies.blogspot.com/2009/03/cheesy-tuna-casserole.html

[3] Recipe: Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://dineanddish.net/2009/03/what-is-comfort-recipe-tuna-noodle-casserole/

[4] Tuna Casserole: http://imperrfections.blogspot.com/2009/08/tuna-casserole.html

[5] Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://www.landolakes.com/mealideas/ViewRecipe.cfm?RecipeID=9844

[6] No Bake Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pasta/no-bake-tuna-noodle-casserole/

[7] Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://www.frenchs.com/recipe/tuna-noodle-casserole-RE0143.html

[8] Tuna-Melt Casserole: http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/tuna-melt-casserole-1082

[9] Tuna Twist Casserole: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/tuna-twist-casserole/

[10] Macaroni Tuna Casserole Recipe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Macaroni-Tuna-Casserole

[11] Lemon Oregano Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://www.knorr.ca/en/RecipesView.aspx?ENCcmlkPTc0NzM=

[12] Crowd-Pleasing Tuna Noodle Casserole: http://www.campbellkitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeID=50684

[13] Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mediterranean-tuna-noodle-casserole

[14] Tuna Casserole: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/tuna-casserole/

[15] Southwestern Tuna Casserole: http://www.oprah.com/recipe/food/recipespasta/20090227-tows-cat-southwestern-tuna-casserole

[16] Tuna Casserole: Creamy Goodness: http://citymama.typepad.com/cityfood/2007/01/tuna_casserole_.html

[17] 17 Tasty Casserole Recipes: http://tipnut.com/casserole-recipes/

[18] 15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-soup-recipes/

[19] Free Casserole Tote Tutorial: http://tipnut.com/free-casserole-tote-tutorial/

17 Tasty Casserole Recipes

Posted By TipNut On March 26, 2009 @ 1:06 pm In Recipes | No Comments

Here’s the latest batch of casserole recipes that I’ve been collecting (can you ever have enough casserole recipes?). You’ll find the first list here: 12 Make Ahead Casserole Recipes [1] and another batch for breakfast casseroles here: 12 Breakfast Casseroles [2].

Alfredo Chicken ‘n’ Biscuits Recipe From tasteofhome.com
17 Tasty Casserole Recipes
*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. Alfredo Chicken ‘n’ Biscuits [3]: (As seen in pic above) Chock-full of veggies and topped off with golden-brown biscuits and Alfredo sauce, this casserole will warm you through. Recipe from Taste Of Home.
2. Tuna Casserole…Revised and Healthified [4]: Essentially, by making some simple substitutions and a couple minor additions, I made radical changes to the nutritional values of the dish. I reduced the total calories from 471 to 247 per serving. I also reduced the total fat by 70%, the saturated fat by 78%, the cholesterol by 65% and the sodium by 70%. I also was able to increase the potassium (which helps lower risk of stroke by lowering blood pressure), and increase magnesium which aids in the absorption of calcium and strengthens bones and teeth as well. I increased the Vitamin C in the dish which is an important antioxidant, and the Vitamin A which aids the immune system and helps improve eye health. Recipe found at Converging Cuisine.
3. Tater Tot(-less) Hot Dish [5]: I made a faux cream of [fill-in-the-blank] soup by thickening up some chicken stock with some flour and milk. I also went heavy on the vegetables (leeks and celery) and, for punch and fragrance, I added a pinch of celery seed and herbs de Provence. And I roasted tiny cubes of russet potatoes to stand in for the the tater tots. Yes, I’d say I put my stamp on the Tater Tot Hot Dish. How Minnesotan of me. Recipe from The Kitchen Sink Recipes.
4. Chicken Divine – Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole Recipe [6]: A cheesy and delicious chicken recipe that will always be a favorite for family or friends. Serving this with rice and perhaps a soup would make a perfect lunch or dinner for everyone to enjoy. This recipe is for the serving of 6, great for family or friends gathering. Recipe from Simply Craving.
5. Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole [7]: Cheesy sauce, yellow saffron rice, tender chicken and broccoli, this casserole spells comfort food with a capital “C” for me. Recipe from Southern Plate.
6. Seven Layer Taco Casserole [8]: Here’s a fun meal that can be made in a snap! It is very affordable and super tasty. What a cheap and easy weeknight meal! There are only a few things that I will buy in a can: refried beans, tomato paste and sauce, and tuna fish. Everything else I make from scratch. For this recipe you will need a 16 oz. can of refried beans. Buy whichever brand you like. Recipe from The Frugal Chef.
7. Mexican Chicken Fajita Casserole [9]: I tweak it a little by adding corn kernals to it and also a bit of salsa to the tomato mix. It is very easy to make, looks really impressive, smells wonderful while it is cooking. Your guests will think you went to a whole lot of bother for them and you don’t have to tell them otherwise!! Recipe found at Dew Drops.
8. Freezer Meals: Chicken Divan [10]: I would consider all of these excellent frugal and nutritious meals! We have used these many times over for freezer cooking! Recipe from Passionate Homemaking.
9. Reuben Casserole Recipe [11]: If you like traditional Reuben sandwiches, you’re going to love this variation. Recipe found at Brenda’s Barbecue Delights.
10. Recipe – Chilean Corn Casserole [12]: A traditional Chilean dish, this “Pastél de Choclo” is a family favourite. Here is my mother’s vegetarian version, which omits the usual beef and chicken. Make lots, you’ll want seconds! Recipe found at Fran’s House Of Ayurveda.
11. Crab Dip Casserole [13]: In our family, we have a fantastic crab dip recipe. I was trying to figure out a way to convert it into a casserole, and came up with this variation. YUM. Recipe found at To Meat Or Not To Meat.
12. Italian Sausage & Spinach Casserole [14]: Recipe from Better Homes And Gardens.
13. Corn & Black Bean Casserole [15]: Super easy, but tastes more complicated! An easy one-dish meal that has endless adaptations. Recipe from GFCF What’s Cooking.
14. Cheese & Onion & Bread Casserole [16]: I have found and adapted an incredible casserole that is made with onion and bread! Two of my favorites. And now, I will share it with you. P.S. It is also vegetarian, which makes it even better in my house. Recipe found at Food = Love.
15. Cheeseburger Casserole [17]: Recipe from Cooking With Chef Kelly.
16. Italian Biscuit Topped Casserole [18]: This week’s recipe is from an old Pampered Chef Recipe book that I have. It’s quick and easy and generally enjoyed by kids and adults. It’s a great way to cook your spaghetti and bread all at one time in the same pan. Recipe found at Stampin “GH” Mom.
17. Hamburger Noodle Casserole [19]: I am always on the look out for new healthy, low fat recipes. So when I saw the Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook at the grocery store, I had to get it…It was very tasty and filling. The recipe reminds me of a taco casserole recipe I have read on several other blogs. Recipe found at Kristin’s Kitchen.

Don’t Miss These Tips:

* 16 Tuna Casserole Recipes [20]
* Recipe Hit List – Tasty Main Dishes [21]
* Tempting Crockpot Recipes [22]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/casserole-recipes/

URLs in this post:

[1] 12 Make Ahead Casserole Recipes: http://tipnut.com/make-ahead-casseroles/

[2] 12 Breakfast Casseroles: http://tipnut.com/breakfast-casseroles/

[3] Alfredo Chicken ‘n’ Biscuits: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Alfredo-Chicken—n—Biscuits

[4] Tuna Casserole…Revised and Healthified: http://www.convergingcuisine.com/?p=157

[5] Tater Tot(-less) Hot Dish: http://thekitchensinkrecipes.com/2009/03/18/how-minnesotan-of-me/

[6] Chicken Divine – Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole Recipe: http://www.simplycraving.com/chicken-divine-chicken-rice-and-broccoli-casserole-recipe-20090322/

[7] Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/09/cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-casserole.html

[8] Seven Layer Taco Casserole: http://thefrugalchef.com/2009/03/seven-layer-taco-casserole/

[9] Mexican Chicken Fajita Casserole: http://msdewberrys.blogspot.com/2009/02/mexican-chicken-fajita-casserole.html

[10] Freezer Meals: Chicken Divan: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/05/freezer-meals-chicken-divan.html

[11] Reuben Casserole Recipe: http://brendasbarbecue.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/rueben-casserole-recipe-are-you-kidding-me/

[12] Recipe – Chilean Corn Casserole: http://franlife.blogspot.com/2009/03/recipe-chilean-corn-casserole.html

[13] Crab Dip Casserole: http://tomeatornottomeat.blogspot.com/2009/02/crab-dip-casserole.html

[14] Italian Sausage & Spinach Casserole: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/meat/italian-sausage-and-spinach-casserole/

[15] Corn & Black Bean Casserole: http://gfcfwhatscooking.blogspot.com/2009/02/corn-and-black-bean-casserole.html

[16] Cheese & Onion & Bread Casserole: http://marmeetoall.blogspot.com/2009/02/onions-new-recipe.html

[17] Cheeseburger Casserole: http://cookingwithchefkelly.blogspot.com/2009/03/cheeseburger-casserole-aka-my-familys.html

[18] Italian Biscuit Topped Casserole: http://stampinghmom.blogspot.com/2009/03/recipe-thursday-italian-biscuit-topped.html

[19] Hamburger Noodle Casserole: http://kristins-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/03/hambuger-noodle-casserole.html

[20] 16 Tuna Casserole Recipes: http://tipnut.com/tuna-casserole-recipes/

[21] Recipe Hit List – Tasty Main Dishes: http://tipnut.com/tasty-main-dishes/

[22] Tempting Crockpot Recipes: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-recipes/

15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes

Posted By TipNut On October 23, 2008 @ 1:10 pm In Recipes | 4 Comments

Chilly fall mornings and cold winter evenings–nothing brings comforting warmth straight to the bones like a piping hot bowl of homemade soup. Here are my top picks of soup recipes that I found around the net this week. I enjoy all kinds of soups but prefer regular home fare so this list of soup recipes reflects that–no gourmet cream soups made the cut .

15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes
*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. World’s Easiest Supper: Taco Soup [1]: I first made this soup about ten years ago (oh lord, that makes me feel so old!). We instantly fell in love with it. Even if it weren’t so incredibly quick and easy, the flavor would have won me over on its own. You’re just not going to believe how great this tastes! Recipe found at Southern Plate.
2. Garlic Lover’s White Bean Soup Recipe [2]: This hearty soup (which is so thick it should probably be called a stew) is so simple it can be made by nearly anyone. It can also be eaten by nearly everyone: it is vegan and fat free, and any ingredient except for the beans and water can be successfully omitted if necessary. Additionally, it is very, very good for you. Dried beans, garlic, potatoes, onions, carrots, parsley (which is the world’s most popular herb), and even rosemary and thyme are all some of the World’s Healthiest Foods. Recipe Found At Farmgirl Fare.
3. Martha’s Tomato Soup [3]: I saw this soup recipe in the November issue of Martha Stewart magazine. It caught my attention because of how easy it was and how good it sounded. It also ia a very budget friendly lunch or dinner. Recipe found at Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures.
4. Slow Cooked Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup [4]: This is a very hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soup and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day. If you don’t care to eat the leftover soup as is, thicken it with a little corn starch or flour for a great pot pie filling or just top the thickened soup with cheese and garlic mashed potatoes. Yumm! Recipe found at Plain Ol’ Food.
5. Baby Portabella Mushroom Soup [5]: I love Baby Portabella Mushrooms! They are so versatile and they have such a nutty/meaty flavor! They are just perfect to sub into any dish in place of meat and even make an entire dish around! If you’ve never had a soup with mushroom broth then do try it, especially if you are a mushroom fan! The flavor just can not be beat! Recipe found at Dianne’s Dishes.
6. Cream of Mushroom Soup [6]: It tasted superb! I have modified the recipe a little because it was too thick for us by adding extra fresh milk and I made my own homemade chicken broth. The taste is just simply excellent! Recipe found at Bits of Taste.
7. Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup [7]: Original recipe that was inspired by a regular creamy broccoli soup recipe. Found at Alaina’s Favorite Recipes.
8. Homemade Chicken & Rice Soup [8]: Frugal tip: I only add about 1/2 the chicken back into the soup. I save the other 1/2 for making chicken tacos the next day for lunch. Both stove method and crockpot method instructions provided. Recipe found at Farmhouse Blessings.
9. Autumn Chicken Meatball Soup [9]: Instead of using pieces of chicken, we uncased a quality chicken sausage, rolled small meatballs from the chicken inside, and plopped them right into our soup. It was delicious, the first, second and third time we cuddled up over a bowl! Recipe found at 5 Star Meals In A 5 Foot Kitchen.
10. Homemade Chicken & Noodles [10]: I tweaked it a little, but it is very good. It is not a soup, but it is not a stew. It is kinda both. Confessions Of A Magical Mom Of 5.
11. Creamy Potato Soup [11]: I have a found a recipe for potato soup I had tried once before and I thought it was delicious! The only issues I had with the recipe was that it called for 3 cans of different cream soups, and I thought surely you could make it without those. So yesterday I began my journey in doing just that! I must say the results were just as heavenly and it’s much more nourishing without the addition of the cream of soups. Recipe found at Enchantingly Simple.
12. Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup [12]: I really wanted some soup, so I found this recipe in my trusty Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. That thing is a lifesaver! It makes a lot, so be prepared for leftovers! Recipe found at Good Thymes & Good Food.
13. Spicy Veggie Beef Soup [13]: I know, I know, vegetable beef soup??? It truly has the potential to be dreadfully dull, but I promise this version is NOT! Recipe found at Diary of an Accidental Farm Wife.
14. The Best French Onion Soup (Ever) [14]: The last recipe I posted for French Onion soup was from Cook’s Illustrated and the soup came out great. So when I saw that they had an updated recipe, I had to give it a try. The big change between the recipes was that the updated version calls for caramelizing the onions in the oven rather than on the stove top. This change lets you get a lot more flavor out of the onions and means you don’t have to stir the onions every minute. They call this, “The Best French Onion Soup,” and after trying it, I can’t argue! Recipe found at Cookography.
15. Southwestern Black Bean Soup [15]: Recipe from the Food Network, here’s how to make the beans from scratch instead of using canned–Homemade Beans For Lieberman’s Black Bean Soup [16]: The first time I tried Dave Lieberman’s Black Bean Soup, I was full of trepidation. There is just something about using canned beans with their liquid that really icks me out. But I forged ahead anyway–I don’t remember why now–and was floored. It was really, really good–but of course it was with all that bacon! Recipe found at The Spiced Life.

Also make sure to check out today’s earlier tip: 12 Tips For Tasty Homemade Soup [17].

Don’t Miss These Tips:

* 12 Tips For Tasty Homemade Soup [17]
* Homemade Onion Soup Mix [18]
* Crockpot Chicken Soup For The Soul [19]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/homemade-soup-recipes/

URLs in this post:

[1] World’s Easiest Supper: Taco Soup: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/09/worlds-easiest-supper-taco-soup.html

[2] Garlic Lover’s White Bean Soup Recipe: http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2006/03/garlic-lovers-white-bean-soup.html

[3] Martha’s Tomato Soup: http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/2008/10/tomato-soup.html

[4] Slow Cooked Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup: http://plainolfood.blogspot.com/2008/09/beef-barley-and-vegetable-soup.html

[5] Baby Portabella Mushroom Soup: http://www.diannesdishes.com/2008/10/baby-portabella-mushroom-soup.html

[6] Cream of Mushroom Soup: http://bits-of-taste.blogspot.com/2008/07/cream-of-mushroom-soup.html

[7] Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup: http://alainarecipes.blogspot.com/2008/10/creamy-broccoli-cheese-soup.html

[8] Homemade Chicken & Rice Soup: http://farmhouseblessings.blogspot.com/2008/10/homemade-chicken-rice-soup-and-some.html

[9] Autumn Chicken Meatball Soup: http://www.5footkitchen.com/2008/10/autumn-chicken-meatball-soup.html

[10] Homemade Chicken & Noodles: http://theprincessandallthepee.blogspot.com/2008/10/tasty-tuesday-homemade-chicken-and.html

[11] Creamy Potato Soup: http://enchantinglysimple.blogspot.com/2008/10/homemade-potato-soup.html

[12] Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup: http://goodthymesandgoodfood.blogspot.com/2008/10/old-fashioned-chicken-noodle-soup.html

[13] Spicy Veggie Beef Soup: http://accidentalfarmwife.blogspot.com/2008/09/soups-on-saturday.html

[14] The Best French Onion Soup (Ever): http://www.cookography.com/2008/the-best-french-onion-soup-ever

[15] Southwestern Black Bean Soup: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/black-bean-soup-recipe/index.html

[16] Homemade Beans For Lieberman’s Black Bean Soup: http://thespicedlife.blogspot.com/2008/09/southwestern-black-bean-soup-it-isnt.html

[17] 12 Tips For Tasty Homemade Soup: http://tipnut.com/homemade-soup/

[18] Homemade Onion Soup Mix: http://tipnut.com/homemade-onion-soup-mix/

[19] Crockpot Chicken Soup For The Soul: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-chicken-soup-for-the-soul/

How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries: {Recipes & Tips}

Posted By TipNut On January 7, 2010 @ 6:27 am In Food Tips, Recipes | No Comments

Here’s How To Make Four Different Kinds Of Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Here’s a handy recipe guide showing you how to make four different types of chocolate covered strawberries: Chocolate Dipped; White Chocolate Dipped; Double Chocolate Dipped and Chocolate Tuxedo Strawberries. These are so easy to make yet are such an impressive (and romantic) treat. Don’t miss the big list of tips shared at the bottom (underneath the recipes).
How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Preparation:

* Before starting to dip the strawberries, cover a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
* For best results, make sure strawberries are at room temperature before starting.
* Clean strawberries by gently rinsing them with cool water then pat completely dry with paper towels. Leave stems and leaves on the strawberries.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate Covered Strawberry With White Chocolate Drizzle
6 ounces of dark chocolate
3 tablespoons half and half cream
1/2 tablespoon of butter (unsalted)
20 large strawberries

* Heat the chocolate and cream in a double boiler with gently simmering water. Stir frequently.
* Once the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, add butter and stir until butter is melted. Turn off heat.
* Dip strawberries one at a time, as high as you like with chocolate, then lay on covered baking sheet.
* Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until chocolate is set.

Optional: Drizzle with melted white chocolate for an impressive display.
White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Dipping Strawberry Into Melted White Chocolate
24 large strawberries
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening

* In a double boiler, mix the white chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of shortening over gently simmering water. Stir until melted.
* Dip each strawberry into the melted white chocolate 3/4 of the way up the strawberry, lay on baking sheet.

Optional Chocolate Drizzle:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

* Mix and melt together over a double boiler. After chocolate is melted, dip a spoon into the chocolate and drizzle over the white chocolate covered strawberries.
* Pop the baking sheet into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for the chocolate to harden and set.

Double Dipped Chocolate Strawberries

Double Dipped Chocolate Strawberries
20 large strawberries
8 ounces white chocolate candy coating (4 2-oz squares)
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

* Melt white chocolate candy coating in a double boiler over gently simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat.
* Dip each strawberry right up to the stem of the strawberry. Place on covered baking sheet and allow the chocolate to set before the next step.
* Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in double boiler with gently simmering water. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat.
* Dip each strawberry no more than 1/2 way up (leaving the top portion of the white chocolate candy coating exposed).
* Place on covered baking sheet and allow the chocolate to dry before refrigerating.

Chocolate Tuxedo Strawberries

Chocolate Tuxedo Strawberries Make Quite The Impression!
How impressive are these, and yet so easy to make! Use the same ingredients as the double dipped strawberries above but increase the semi-sweet chocolate chips to two cups, the difference will be the dipping method. You’ll also want to make sure to use large strawberries that have good length to them for the best “tuxedo” effect.

* First dip strawberries with the white chocolate candy coating right up close to the top. Allow the coating to set before next step.
* Melt the semi-sweet chocolate as directed in the recipe above then dip each strawberry first at the back, then on both sides at an angle, meeting the same level at top with white layer and then meet at the bottom of the strawberry, leaving the middle white chocolate candy coating exposed to create a “V” for the white tuxedo shirt.
* Lay strawberries on covered baking sheet tuxedo side up and allow chocolate to set.
* To make the buttons and bow tie, fill a ziploc bag with melted dark chocolate (allow to cool a bit so it’s not too hot to handle), snip a tiny bottom corner off, then squeeze bag gently to dot the buttons and fill the bowtie (two small triangles pointing to each other). For really tiny buttons you could also use a toothpick dipped in dark chocolate then dab onto the tuxedo shirt.
* Refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes).

Dipping & Prep Tips

* Wash and pat dry the strawberries right before dipping them instead of doing this hours ahead of time, this will help prevent too much water absorption and “mushy” strawberries.
* Do not allow the chocolate to overheat or get scorched by high heat, this will make the chocolate bitter and grainy.
* No special tools required for dipping the strawberries into the melted chocolate, simply use a fork (inserted into stem end of strawberries). Or if the leaves and stem are still attached, use them to hold onto when dipping.
* When dipping strawberries, “swirl” them while they are submerged in the melted chocolate so they get covered really well.
* When dipping strawberries in melted chocolate, allow the excess to drip back into the pot before placing them on covered baking sheet.
* If chocolate gets too thick while you’re still dipping strawberries, gently reheat to thin. (See picture above of the white chocolate dipped strawberry, that’s too thick).
* If you don’t have a double boiler, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stir between each cooking session and make sure you don’t overheat the chocolate. You can also use a pot of gently simmering water with an oven-proof glass bowl sitting in the water (not submerged though).
* When melting chocolate in a double boiler, don’t allow any water to splash into the chocolate–this will make it unusable.
* For an extra twist, you can embellish the strawberries by sprinkling finely crushed nuts or candies over the just-dipped strawberries.
* Carefully remove the chilled chocolate covered strawberries from the baking sheet with a flat knife if necessary.
* Once the chocolate coated strawberries are made, they should be served that same day (or within 12 hours).
* You can use the above recipes and methods to dip other fruits too! Try cherries, banana and pineapple chunks for variation.

Don’t Miss These Tips:

* How To Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons [1]
* Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss & Lip Balm Recipes [2]
* How To Make Chocolate Leaves [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/chocolate-covered-strawberries/

URLs in this post:

[1] How To Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-chocolate-dipped-spoons/

[2] Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss & Lip Balm Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-chocolate-lip-gloss/

[3] How To Make Chocolate Leaves: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-chocolate-leaves/

http://marmeetoall.blogspot.com/2009/02/basics.html

The Basics

Before I start this series of posts, please remember that I am not an attorney, I am not an investment counselor, I am not a banker and I do not have a degree in any of the subjects that I will discuss. What I will be writing about here is simply what I have learned in the 7 months since I lost my husband. Some of these things may seem simple, but many times we still don’t want to have to think about them, much less deal with them. Some of the things that I feel are so important may already have been taken care of by you and your spouse. I just hope and pray that these posts will give you the security of knowing that if the unthinkable happens, you will be prepared.

The following are some of the things that, if you are married and/or have children, need to be put in place:

1. Have an attorney you trust draw up a Last Will and Testament for both you and your spouse. At the same time, also have him draw up a Living Will for you both. I realize that you can go online and do these things. I also realize that sometimes that doesn’t get done. Also, most people don’t have the knowledge to do a proper Will if they have more than one child, minor children, a large estate, or other special circumstances. It is well worth the small amount of money you will pay an attorney.

2. Make sure both you and your spouse have life insurance. I do not sell life insurance and I am not an insurance specialist. There are different types of life insurance and you will need to check with someone to see exactly what you need. But, you will need to take into consideration your individual circumstances. If you are a stay at home mom, you have minor children, you are disabled, or you otherwise depend on your spouse for all the income for your family, you will need enough life insurance to take care of you and your children until those children are no longer your financial responsibility. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to deal with my grief, the grief my children were going through, and then have to make a total lifestyle change in the form of getting a job outside the home and putting our homeschooled children into public school. My husband made sure that wouldn’t have to happen. I will be forever grateful. Also, if you are a single parent, you STILL need life insurance so that your appointed Guardian will be able to care for you children. And, if you are divorced, please try to make sure that your ex-spouse also has an insurance policy with your children as the beneficiary. We are not talking much money here, really. And it is SO worth it. Give up a couple of cups of coffee a month. Don’t eat out a couple of times. You will not regret it. I promise.

3. If you own a home with your spouse, make sure the Deed to your home and the loan documents are “Joint Tenancy with Survivorship”. What this means is that if one of you were to die, then the home automatically belongs to the surviving spouse. The only thing you have to do is get your Deed put in your name. This is done through your county once you have a Death Certificate. Your home will not be part of probate (if there is no Will) or probated in the Will. There will be absolutely no question about who owns the home.

4. Know where all of your money is kept. What I mean by this is: Make sure you know where all of your checking accounts, savings accounts, 401k accounts, IRAs, stocks, bonds, education funds, business accounts, etc., are held. Also, I would also suggest that all of these accounts are also joint, with survivorship. All I had to do after James died was take his Death Certificate to my bank and they changed all of our accounts to my name only. This is because ALL of these accounts were joint. In the case of 401k accounts or IRAs, make sure the beneficiary on those accounts is current.

5. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!! If you are NOT the one taking care of bill paying each month, PLEASE make sure that you know how it is done. I cannot tell you how many women I have talked to who have not paid a bill since they’ve been married. With online banking, online billpay and all the other options we currently have, make sure you have - in a safe, secure place - a list of all accounts with usernames and passwords for each account.

6. In a secure place, preferably a fire-proof safe or bank safe-deposit box, have a copy of your Marriage Certificate, all of the Social Security cards for your family (you should never, EVER carry these around with you!), birth certificates for your entire family, Divorce Decrees (if applicable) and a copy of your Last Will and Testament. You can also include the Deed to your home. You will need all of these documents.

7. It would also be wise to know where all of your car titles are (if paid for) and repair documentation. If you are the only one taking care of the automobiles, it is nice to know what has been done and when.

This list is just the beginning. These are the things that I needed immediately after the death of my husband. There are certain things that have to be taken care of, the sooner the better. You will NOT want to take care of them. You will HATE having to take care of them. It doesn’t matter. It still has to be done. I wish I was given a list when I started.

The next installment will be on a more personal level. I will be listing the people you need when the unthinkable happens.

Posted by Gena

http://marmeetoall.blogspot.com/2009/02/this-is-hard.html

This is Hard

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?”

— Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

I am working on Part II of my series. I have written and re-written about 70 paragraphs. I am currently working on what I believe will be the next installment. Who knows? I am not perfect. I’m not sure what to write down and what to keep to myself. When I start writing about things you will need, people you should know, what you should do, all of my emotions come into play. I want to tell you exactly WHO the people are that have helped me and how they did it. I want to tell you WHY these people were so helpful. I want to tell you HOW to help others and maybe help yourself at the same time. The problem is that it is all so very personal. We all have very different personalities. What helped me may not help you. The very things I felt I couldn’t live without, you might hate. The people that I loved to have around me, you might not need.

So, I am trying to put aside my fears about how I could be perceived. I am the walking wounded right now. Open and vulnerable. I don’t want to be judged, but someone may judge me. I can’t handle being told that I might be doing it wrong, but someone may decide that I am doing it wrong. In grief, there is no right or wrong - there just IS. And it is a daily IS. You wake up with it. You have it beside you, inside you, all around you, throughout your day. And, you go to bed with it. If you sleep, you dream it. It is hard and it is all-encompassing. I would be lying if I said it were any other way.

I am well aware of the fact that I did not lose a child. I lost my husband. I have been told that “losing a spouse is not the most difficult thing - you can always get another husband.” I am well aware of the fact that you can most certainly remarry. I am also aware of the fact that it is possible to fall in love again. I know that losing a child is devastating - one of my best friends is going through it. However, I have lost my husband. My other half. The man I love. The father of my children. The person I talked to first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The man I shared my life with. The husband that I wanted to spend my golden years holding hands with. The person I wanted to share our grandchildren with. It is still hard. In life’s hard things, maybe it is not the most difficult thing of all to bear. But for me, it currently IS the most difficult thing to bear.

I will publish Part II. I am writing this series in hopes that it can help just one other person. I truly and absolutely believe that I am not going through this for nothing. I will learn from it. I will grow stronger from it. I will help others who are going through it. This is my goal. I just have to get past the fear.

Posted by Gena

http://marmeetoall.blogspot.com/2009/02/part-ii-good-people-to-know.html

Part II - Good People to Know

I was thinking about all the people that have been so helpful to me over the past 7 months. Their knowledge and support has been priceless. I have gotten to know these people simply by talking to them every time I’d see them. Many of them were introduced to me through our business. But all of them were invaluable during those first months after James died.

The following is a list, certainly not complete, of some people that will be helpful to you if the unthinkable happens. It also makes it so much easier if you already have a relationship with these folks. I was lucky that I did.

1. A local banker, or bank representative. My sweet, loving, strong banker-lady literally sat with me for 2 hours and helped me get all of our joint accounts closed, business things straightened out, money moved around and my individual accounts reopened. She talked to me about investment possibilities, telling me she could suggest someone to help if I needed it. She prayed with me, yes PRAYED with me. She calmed me down. She lifted me up. She is an angel here on earth. She knew me and the girls because we were in there about once a week. She had known James because he came in when we set up all the business accounts. She is incredible.

2. A good attorney. I can’t say enough good things about my attorney. I worked for him when I was a young, newly married woman and only quit when it was time to have Whitney. He has stayed a friend of our family and a sort-of family attorney for all these years. He knew my husband. He knows my children. He knows my ex-husband and all of his family. The day James died he called and told me he would do anything I needed him to do. And he has. In fact, he did almost everything in the beginning. I couldn’t handle any of it. I didn’t want to think of life insurance or making phone calls. I didn’t want to fill out paperwork. I didn’t want to think about the will, or making a new one for myself. I didn’t want to talk to doctors or other lawyers. He took care of things for me. He made sure that things were done properly. He is still looking out for my interests and those of my children.

3. An insurance agent. We have always used a local agency for our homeowner’s insurance, car insurance and most recently, big truck insurance, trailer insurance, etc. The owners of the agency have helped me get everything straightened out. They were always there to answer questions and most recently, they helped me find health insurance since our COBRA ran out.

4. An auto mechanic. Strange one to list maybe, but mine has been very helpful. We have always tried to stay out of debt. We don’t have new cars. We have older, paid for cars. My mechanic is one I trust and doesn’t try to do things to my car (and James’ truck) that aren’t necessary. My mechanic knew and respected my husband and understands my situation. He is kind and honest. He knows that I am trying to get a few more years out of both vehicles.

5. Your librarian. Another odd one to list, but I love to read. I know my librarian and she is wonderful. Actually, they are all very knowledgeable at our public library. One of the very first places I was brave enough to leave home to visit after James died was the library. My sweet librarian already knew what had happened and had a stack of books waiting for me. They were not books on death or grief. They were not my typical homeschool, spiritual, crafting, sewing, cooking, learning books. They were simply fluff. Nice fluff. Beach books, if you will. They took my mind off the reality of my life. I could escape while reading them. And read I did. Hours and hours of escapist reading. I couldn’t sleep so I would read.

6. A pastor. We were currently between churches. We had left our last church. We were searching for a new church. But, one of my husband’s oldest and dearest friends just happened to be our pastor in our old church. He now has his own church and it is many, many miles away from where we live. This man had also just lost his 15-year-old son to brain cancer. He is an incredible man of God. He talked to me endlessly on the telephone, helped me make arrangements for the funeral and then drove up and spent the afternoon talking about my husband and consoling my family as only a friend could do. He had known James far longer than I had. They had been through things. Big things. It was the most beautiful service I have ever been a part of and I will forever be grateful to him for being there.

7. Your neighbors. I don’t think much of an explanation is needed here. In the South, we have always taken food to the grieving and the sick. I grew up helping Mama cook for bereaved families. I have eaten much delicious funeral food in my day and probably cooked and delivered even more. My neighbors kept me and my family in food for weeks. Literally. We are a close neighborhood, but the outpouring of support blew my mind. Maybe we don’t expect it in this day and age? I don’t know. I just know that I still have food in my freezer from July of last year.

I am sure there are others that I will remember and wish I had talked about. I love my friends at Publix, Sam’s, BJ’s and Target. They have all hugged me, loved me and helped me. I do the same things, at the same places, every week. Since my mother lives with me, I visit the pharmacy at Target and Publix quite frequently. I get to know people. If I don’t go in for a while, these friends ask how I’ve been. It took me a while, but eventually I was able to tell them why I hadn’t been in. Everyone was incredibly supportive.

I think we are so afraid to ask for help, or to appear vulnerable. The first few times I left the house after James died I remember thinking that all the people around me probably thought my life was just as it had always been. The shoe store lady just figured I had to get some shoes for Summer since she had outgrown hers. The gas station attendant just greeted me as if nothing had happened - after all, I was just filling my tank. Nothing had changed in their lives, that I knew about. But I felt as if I was carrying around a HUGE secret that nobody knew about. It was the weirdest feeling. I was doing normal things, but I felt anything but normal. Things still had to be accomplished, but I was barely able to leave home to accomplish them. I have talked to people about this feeling and it seems to be pretty normal.

I still sometimes wonder when the “time limit” is up. When am I supposed to feel “normal”? When will things be okay? They aren’t yet, so I just keep doing what I need to do each day. I try to remember that grieving takes time. It is different for everyone. It is an individual thing. I do know that I have longer moments of being okay than I did even a month ago. I can remember telling a friend of mine right after James died that I had about 1 second of believing that things would really be okay at some point. Honestly JUST ONE SECOND. It was so brief, I could barely register the feeling. Now, I have hours, and sometimes even days, of not only feeling it will be okay, but knowing that it will be.

Posted by Gena

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.