Sunny with a chance of meatballs.

Bridging summer to fall. (Christine Salans)

 



Sometimes it is hard to let go of summer. (Katama General Store and Saira Doom)

But today is the best day.....

As Sharon Gannon said in Yogi Times (thanks, Braxton Rose for posting), "You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state."

Sometimes you need a few quiet deep breaths, sometimes you need a 2 hour yoga session and sometimes you need a 10 mile run (well not me personally for the 10 mile run but you get the point). Finding my natural state where I am truly in the present, if even for a moment - that's a goal.

I went walking yesterday at this pretty place where the Augusta Canal is on your right and the Savannah River is on your left. Many mornings a layer of fog lies across the water adding mystery and depth to the setting. It was a crisp and blue morning. A simple moment to just be.

Sosie and Sage's school had their mini fall break this past Friday, Monday and Tuesday. I took some kids and we went to Tire City Potters where the girls designed, carved and painted ceramic pumpkins that had already been thrown for them. The kids were very focused and worked hard for 2 solid hours. They were in the moment, flexing the limits of their creativity and having fun.  The cookies at Two Moms afterwards was only the icing on top, no pun intended. A simple moment.

Time to put on Waves by Mr. Probz and get cooking.

My sister in law told me about this awesome cookbook. It is the first time in a long time when I have opened a book, and a paperback at that!, and wanted to cook many, many recipes from it. It is by Jenny Rosenstrach who writes the Dinner, A Love Story blog as well wrote her first cookbook. This one is called Dinner, the Playbook and it is appeals because it is for real life cooks. The first recipe I made were Chicken Parm Meatballs. Kelley and I loved them. The kids didn't like them as much as I thought they would but my nieces really loved them.

I cooked them with sliced, steamed carrots with seasoning as well as a nice salad. Yum. Take the time to use the real carrots and peel them. There is so much more flavor than the mini carrots.

Chicken Parm Meatballs, Dinner, the Playbook
1 1/4 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
3T finely chopped onion
2T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or Pecorino) (could've used a little more)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds (makes it taste like sausage)
1 egg, whisked
grated zest of 1/2 lemon (I used 1 lemon)
salt and pepper to taste
1 14-oz can store-bought pizza sauce or her homemade marinara sauce
about 4 oz fresh mozzarella (in thin slices)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, use your hands to gently mix together the chicken, bread crumbs, onions, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, fennel seeds, egg, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Shape into golf ball-size balls and place a few inches from each other on a lightly greased foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.  In a small bowl, mix one spoonful of your pizza sauce with the olive oil.  Brush this mixture on top of each meatball.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and turn on the broiler. Spoon some sauce on top of each meatball, and cover each with a slice of cheese.  Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.  Warm the remaining sauce in a small saucepan. Serve the meatballs with a dollop of sauce.

 Enjoy and have a very happy day, everyone!!!

Fall in the South, y'all

Thank you, Rebecca Spengler for this delicious fall photograph above. I have been really appreciating the fall foliage from afar this year through pictures on Facebook.

Leaves have actually begun to change down here too in Augusta, which is surprising me because I feel like it was a bit later last year. Of course we also have some beautiful jasmine, roses, and other incredibly beautiful flowering plants in full bloom as well. Here are some flowers in my neighborhood.

Some other fall foliage beauties - another Spengler on left and Paula Roscioli on right.

I have a friend/former co-worker who is a talented photographer as well and she recently traveled to New Hampshire. Here is just one of her spectacular album. Look at that birch tree.....

I have always loved summer food the best but I really enjoy cooking fall and winter foods, with the sauces and slow cooking. Dishes that make the house smell so good while it cooks for hours. Even in 80 degree weather, you can still enjoy this type of cooking. Truly! Simple moments to be had!

When I think about moving to Augusta, I feel so grateful for the experience. Learning a new culture and even the little nuances that make life down here just a bit different than up north. Sometimes it is easier to notice the subtle differences.

I have been walking Chappy in this new park lately and there is a gigantic playground. OK - maybe gigantic is a bit of a stretch - but it is a really good size and very nice. I realized the other day that all of the play structures have huge covers over them. Of course that makes sense - keeps the kids shaded from sun and the structures from getting direct sunlight. I laughed at first because I don't think I have ever seen that in Boston.

I won't forget my first soccer game for Sage down here. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, blue skies and definitely warm. I walked onto the field and many people had umbrellas open. Who knew every day umbrellas weren't just for rain....they were also used for shade! Again, makes total sense but not an every day sight in Boston (except for the beach). Yes, I know....parasols....south.....gone with the wind....but still!

Mostly, I have appreciated the friendliness and genuine interest from everyone. I was walking the other day and this older gentleman and I ended up having a fantastic conversation about his life and military experience, beginning with being drafted for Vietnam. I feel so lucky to have had met him. People are always interested in striking up a conversation or just saying a simple hello. I have made some very good friends and for that I am incredibly grateful.

My friend Chris wrote me this quote in my birthday card. I loved it so much I had to post, "We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend." - Robert Louis Stevenson

The other aspect I have enjoyed about the south is the excellent manners, especially from children. In school, our kids now say ma'am and sir. That flows to outside of school on a regular basis. The level of respect and manners has increased, necessarily, here and that is appreciated.

In honor of Bill Withers' nomination to the Hall of Fame, put on Ain't No Sunshine on and get cooking!

Last night I made brisket. My mother in law started making this recipe years ago and honestly, I don't know where she got the recipe. You will laugh at the ingredients but it is so delicious and the easiest recipe I have ever posted. I have changed it up a bit over the years. It is a great weekend recipe but can definitely be done during the work week too. Everything can be put in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours as well. I made pilaf, roasted broccoli and a simple salad to complete the meal.

I will admit - I have been a bit nuts over the use of high fructose corn syrup in absolutely everything. As a result, I have tried to streamline this recipe to use ingredients that have few preservatives and artificial flavors/colors. However, no judgments. Do what makes you happy and sane. For the easiest recipe, use Lipton (or Trader Joe's) onion soup mix, canned cranberry sauce (Ocean Spray or organic), and either Heinz (or an organic chili sauce). I live in a place without Traders, so I made my own onion soup mix. Lipton, Ocean Spray and Heinz have stuff in their foods that I don't like to eat these days on a regular basis but really, that is my issue. I used Ocean Spray cranberry sauce yesterday because I couldn't find organic at Whole Foods.

Brisket
3 to 5 lb brisket (you should be able to see the lines in the meat - I used a 4 lb piece last night)
1 can cranberry sauce
1 jar chili sauce
1 packet onion soup mix (Or, 1 cup beef broth, minced onions, onion powder, ground pepper)

Place all ingredients in a deep pan or aluminum foil pan, cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 5 hours. Slice thinly on the diagonal or shred with a fork and let sit in juices for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with juices.

Enjoy and have a very happy day, everyone!

There was this one time, in band camp....

There was this one time....when I matched the cake! Thank you to Gwen and Bill Rosenblum for noticing and taking the shot. As you may have noticed, I never post pictures of people on this site, except for of me, and this picture was too great to pass by.

Today is a beautiful day here in Augusta. A feeling of fall but not a cloud in its blue sky and in the 80s. Kelley and I went for an awesome morning walk with Chappy (who today has at almost 9 months destroyed a shoe....my shoe...one of my favorite shoes....grr...but I digress on my happy thought) and then I went to my belly dancing class. See, the kids are away. The kids are away and for the first time in a year, we are alone in our house for 2.5 days. Last night we went to the Head Gates for a nice walk at sunset, had leftover Tuna Melts (see below) and watched Wednesday night television. It sounds mundane to some but felt like heaven for us. Tonight we are going out to dinner and maybe a movie...GASP. It is like we are dating again! Talking about things we don't get to talk about all the time and enjoying the silence when it gently comes upon us.

Where are the kids, you ask? They are on retreats for school. So far, I know Sosie has climbed an alpine pole and ziplined and Sage has taken a boat to Cumberland Island with her class. They are on amazing adventures in nature, without electronics and enjoying simple moments without realizing they are having them. I am so excited that they are having this time and hope that they are happy as well. Incredibly grateful that they can have this opportunity.

This morning, I was in my class and I had a simple moment. A moment where I was totally at peace with my body. I was kneeling on the ground doing this movement, listening to music and watching myself in the mirror to make sure I was doing this chest movement correctly. I felt really good. I felt really happy. I am a 44 year old woman and today I feel great about my body and myself. Let's face it, men and women, all of us, at times are not happy with their bodies. Our version of what should be or perfect is so skewed and when you something close to it, it doesn't look real, healthy, strong...or right. I have had two beautiful babies and my tummy isn't as flat as it was and my waist line isn't as small but I am me. I am my version of beautiful me. I cherish this moment.

There are things about Augusta that are just really cool and fun. I went to this great little restaurant for lunch yesterday and then we went to an art studio across the street. They have ceramic pumpkins that you can design, "carve", paint and then they will glaze and kiln. A very cool idea that I can't wait to try. Again, the sun was shining (sensing a trend?) and I really appreciated my town. Taking time, even when you are busy and swamped, to find something to do in your town is fantastic. My friend, Kathleen, went with her family into Boston and did the Freedom Trail. They live outside Boston and yet went into town to do this. How many of us have done the Freedom Trail who live/lived in Boston? Rediscovering your town can really change a mindset and mood.

Put on Lose Yourself by Eminem and get cooking!

So, I love me a good Tuna Melt. Yum. My mouth waters just thinking about them. I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit in September and just had to make it. It was a hit with the family, quick to make and awesome to clean up. The recipe says it makes 4 sandwiches and to put it on challah bread. We used a thin wheat bread and really liked it.

Tuna Melt, Bon Appetit, September 2014
Bread and Butter Pickles
1 English hothouse cucumber, sliced 1/8" thick
1 habanero chile or 2 jalapenos, halved (I did not add these)
1 sprig dill
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar (I used about 1/4 cup)
1T kosher salt (I used a little less)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Tuna Salad and Assembly
2 5-oz cans water-packed solid white tuna, drained
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 English hothouse cucumber, peeled, chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
2T olive oil
1T fresh lemon juice
1T whole grain mustard
1T finely chopped fresh chives
1T finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise, divided
kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
hot sauce
8 slices challah, toasted
4 oz cheddar, sliced
Iceburg lettuce leaves (I used romaine)

Bread and Butter Pickles
Pack cucumber, habanero, and dill into a heatproof glass jar; set aside. Bring vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, celery salt, mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt, then pour into a jar. Cover and let cool; chill. (I admit, I was in a hurry and basically just put everything in a bowl with the thinly cut cucumbers and they tasted great.) Pickles keep for 2 weeks in frig.

Tuna Salad and Assembly
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix tuna, celery, cucumber, onion, oil, lemon juice, mustard, chives, dill, celery salt, and 1/4 cup mayonnaise in a medium bowl; season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

Place bread on a baking sheet and spread remaining mayonnaise over 4 slices; top with tuna salad and cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. Top melts with lettuce and pickles, and close.

Enjoy and have a really happy day, everyone!!