Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding

Nov. 10, 2005 - Caribbean Pepper Pot Soup Recipe

Caribbean Pepper Pot Soup

1T oil

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1T minced gingerroot

2T chili powder

½ - 1 chili pepper, finely chopped

1t coriander seeds

1t celery seeds

1t salt

1t cracked black peppercorns

1T packed brown sugar

4c butternut (or acorn) squash, peeled and chopped in 1” cubes

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can 28oz tomatoes, with juice, chopped

4c chicken or vegetable stock

1 can 14oz coconut milk

1. In skillet, sauté onion until soft. Add garlic, gingerroot, chili powder, chili pepper, coriander, celery, salt, and pepper and cook stirring 1 minute. Add sugar and stir to combine. Add squash, beans, and tomatoes.

2. Add mixture to CrockPot. Cover with broth and stir. Cook on low 6 hours, until vegetables are tender. During last 15 minutes add coconut milk. Serve. Garnish with cilantro.

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks: Judith Finlayson's 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes.

Nov. 9, 2005 - This Week's Menu

Our grocery bill, this week, came to a whopping $104. I did make 2 full lasagnas: one for us and one to give away. I also stocked up on pork chops and roasting chickens which were on sale. Here’s our dinner menu:

Cajun Tilapia

- spinach

- cous cous with olive oil and garlic

Pork Florentine (with spinach, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice, and cumin seeds simmered in the Crock Pot all day)

- Italian bread

Roasted Chicken with garlic, chili powder, cilantro and butter paste

- Pan Gravy over mashed potatoes

- asparagus

Beef Lasagna

- salad

Caribbean Pepper Pot (Crock Pot soup with butternut squash, tomatoes, poblano peppers and other veggies)

- broccoli salad

Oct. 26, 2005 - This Week's Menu

This week our grocery bill came to $98 for our family of five. Included are our weekly meals, a Sunday dinner for family, and a few supplies like foil and various paper products. I already had the beef, pork, and tilapia in the freezer from previous sales (see menu 2 weeks ago).

Stiffado or Greek Beef Stew with Onions and Feta Cheese (This robust stew has vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and allspice, and is served over hot buttered macaroni. I use Sunday’s tomato sauce in this Crock Pot recipe).

- Greek Salad made of red and green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, oregano, and parsley

Shrimp Wraps (Spicy shrimp tossed with Caesar salad and wrapped up in sun dried tomato tortillas)

- Peas with onions and bacon

Gingery Chickpea Stew in Spicy Tomato Gravy (Zesty! We eat this stew over basmati rice as a main dish). It makes a nice side dish too)

- Naan, an Indian bread

- Basmati rice

Old South Pulled Pork on a Bun (This meal is always a huge hit with the kids. The pork simmers in the Crock Pot all day in a homemade BBQ sauce)

- Cornbread

- Broccoli with homemade cheddar sauce

Sunday Dinner of “Macaroni and Gravy” (No one ever complains when served pasta with sauce that has been simmering all day long on the stovetop. We browned sausage and added a LOT of garlic to this gravy).

- Salad

- Spinach and Artichoke Dip with tortilla chips

- Good Italian bread and dipping oils made with extra virgin olive oil

Pizzas (Since we counted on a lot of leftover tomato sauce and meat, we’ll make homemade pizzas on [homemade, of course] whole wheat crust)

- salad

Blackened Tilapia (Frozen fish fillets bought at Sam’s Club, covered in blackening spices and sautéed in olive oil)

- Spinach sautéed in garlic with nutmeg

- Cous cous

Oct. 17, 2005 - Funny Rules of Grammar

Here are some great examples of grammar (or not!?). These are taken from Fumblerules of Writing by William Safire of the New York Times. See the link for the correct rules.

1. Always avoid alliteration.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid cliches like the plague--they're old hat.
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. Parenthetical words however must be enclosed in commas.
8. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
9. Contractions aren't necessary.
10. Do not use a foreign word when there is an adequate English quid pro quo.
11. One should never generalize.
12. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
14. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
15. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
16. It behooves you to avoid archaic expressions.
17. Avoid archaeic spellings too.
18. Understatement is always best.
19. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
20. One-word sentences? Eliminate. Always!
21. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
22. The passive voice should not be used.
23. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
24. Don't repeat yourself, or say again what you have said before.
25. Who needs rhetorical questions?
26. Don't use commas, that, are not, necessary.
27. Do not use hyperbole; not one in a million can do it effectively.
28. Never use a big word when a diminutive alternative would suffice.
28. Subject and verb always has to agree.
29. Be more or less specific.
30. Placing a comma between subject and predicate, is not correct.
31. Use youre spell chekker to avoid mispeling and to catch typograhpical errers.
32. Don't repeat yourself, or say again what you have said before.
33. Don't be redundant.
34. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
35. Don't never use no double negatives.
36. Poofread carefully to see if you any words out.
37. Hopefully, you will use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
38. Eschew obfuscation.
39. No sentence fragments.
40. Don't indulge in sesquipedalian lexicological constructions.
41. A writer must not shift your point of view.
42. Don't overuse exclamation marks!!
43. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
44. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
45. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
46. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
47. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
48. Always pick on the correct idiom.
49. The adverb always follows the verb.
50. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
51. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be by rereading and editing.
52. And always be sure to finish what

Oct. 17, 2005 - Guilt Trip

Bold all those that you ever were guilty of doing. When you are done, add one thing that is true about yourself to the end, then post the list to your blog.

I've run away from home.
I listen to political music.
I collect comic books.
I shut others out when I'm sad.
I open up to others easily.
I am keeping a secret from the world.
I watch the news.
I own over 5 rap CDs.
I own an ipod.
I own something from Hot Topic.
I love Disney movies.
I am a sucker for hair/eyes.
I don't kill bugs.

I have x's in my screen name.
I've slipped out a "lol" in a real conversation.
I love Spam.
I bake well.
I would wear pajamas to school/work.
I own something from Abercrombie.
I have a job.
I love Martha Stewart.
I am in love with someone.
I am guilty of TyPInG lIkE tHiS.
I am self conscious.
I like to laugh.
I smoke a pack a day.
I loved Go Ask Alice.
I have cough drops when I'm not sick.
I can't swallow pills.
I quit smoking.
I have many scars.
I've been out of this country.
I believe in ghosts.
I can't sleep if there is a spider in the room.
I am really ticklish.
I love chocolate.
I bite my nails.
I am comfortable with being me.
I play computer games/video games when I'm bored.
Gotten lost in the city.
Saw a shooting star.
I have had 2 serious surgical procedures.
I have kissed a stranger.
Hugged a stranger.
Been in a fist fight with the same sex.
Been arrested.
Laughed and had milk/soda come out of your nose.
Pushed all the buttons on an elevator.
Made out in an elevator.
Sworn at my parents.
Kicked a guy where it hurts.
Been skydiving.
Been bungee jumping.
Broken a bone.
Played spin the bottle.
Gotten stitches.
Bitten someone.
Been to Niagara Falls.
Gotten the chicken pox.
Crashed into a car.
Been to Asia.
Ridden in a taxi.
Shoplifted.
Been fired.
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.
Had a crush on a teacher/coach.
Celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Been to Europe.
Slept with a co-worker.
Been married.
Gotten divorced.
Saw someone dying.
Driven over 400 miles in one day.
Been to Canada.
Been on a plane.
Seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Thrown up in a bar.
Eaten Sushi.
Been snowboarding.
Been skiing.
Been ice skating.
Met someone in person from the internet.
Been to a car show.
Gone to college.
Done hard drugs.
Taken painkillers.
Met a celebrity.
I like playing practical jokes.
Seen all nine seasons of the X-Files.
Once swore Disco would never die.
Seen a ghost.
Attended a professional sporting event.
Attended a live rock concert.
Stayed up all night.
Lied about my name.
Thrown something at a spouse.
After a night out, have gone straight to work without going home.
I cut all the wires in my husband's car for spite.

I have been to Africa.

Oct. 17, 2005 - Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Parmesan Cheese

This soup is warm and hearty and QUICK! If you can't find pancetta, use a couple of slices of ham or bacon.

Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Parmesan Cheese

2T extra-virgin olive oil
4 thin slices pancetta
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium celery rib, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh)
5 cups of beef stock
2 cups of meat or cheese tortellini
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
salt and pepper
grated parmesan

1. Heat olive oil and cook pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery and cook till soft. Add tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary and cook 2 minutes longer.

2. Add stock and bring to a boil. Stir in tortellini and cook 5 minutes or till tender, but firm. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper and cook 2 minutes longer. Ladle in bowls and top with parmesan.

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Oct. 15, 2005 - Weekly Menu

What's cookin' this week? With fall weather quickly approaching we have lots of veggies and warm dishes for this week's menu. Coincidentally, this week's grocery bill came to $88 (same as last week!). On sale at my grocery store this week is pork for $1.79/lb and frozen Italian pasta for half price (cavatelli and tortellini). I stocked up on both for upcoming stews, dinners, and side dishes.

Tortellini Soup (This hearty soup with pasta is made with spinach, bacon, beef broth, and lots of veggies)

- bread

- salad

Meatloaf in the Crock Pot (Made with a chili sauce on top)

- broccoli

- mashed potatoes

Pork Stew with Sage and Scallion Dumplings (a Crock Pot meal made with red wine and vegetables)

- peas

- salad

Cavatelli and Broccoli (Italian-style soup that is warm, lite, and healthy)

- salad

- bread

Mellow Chicken Curry (Simmered in the Crock Pot all day, this meal is made with cumin and coriander which give it a mild spicy flavor)

- vegetable salad

Oct. 11, 2005 - An Added Bonus To Homeschooling...

Hey, Mom! What's that behind your back?

What's better than studying your ABC's in the morning and having a warm Toll House treat in the afternoon? Not much according to this little munchkin.

Oct. 10, 2005 - Menu For The Week

This Week's Menu

I spent $88 on groceries this week and stocked up on three beef roasts for the freezer. My grocery store has bottom round roast for $1.29/lb this week, so for $5 a roast I can't go wrong. I can stretch a $5 roast into two meals (dinner, then lunch the next day).

I have chicken and tilapia stored in my freezer from previous sales. The following menu is what I bought for $88 (we are a family of five):

Pot Roast with tomato gravy (CrockPot)
- mashed potatoes
- peas

Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Crab Meat (CrockPot)
- salad
- bread

Grilled Honey-Lime Chicken Sandwiches with avocado
- Mexican salad

Pasta and Chickpea Soup with Spinach (CrockPot)
- salad
- bread

Tilapia with Tomatillo Sauce and Guacamole
- salad

For lunches this week we will have homemade peanut butter with jelly on homemade bread, yogurt + fruit + veggies, and leftovers. Breakfasts consist of homemade instant oatmeal, eggs, or homemade granola with milk.

Sep. 28, 2005 -

Christianity Comes to Britain

I have to figure out how to get this back under the correct post!

Sep. 21, 2005 - Monks!

Christianity Comes to Britain

Can you guess that we read Chapter Two of Story of the World, Volume 2 today? First thing in the morning we made our cross necklaces out of clay so they would dry on time for our monk's supper. Later on in the day we made feather quills for copying words like the first monks did in their scriptorium. We used grape juice concentrate for ink.

In the evening we ate a delicous monk's supper. This dinner included yellow split pea and lentil soup, various cheeses of the region, crusty bread, pears, apples, apple cider, and a variety of crackers and flat breads. The best part of dinner? Monks were required to eat in silence!

Split Pea and Lentil Curry with Crispy Onions

1c yellow split peas, soaked overnight

1T olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1T grated gingerroot

2t cumin seeds

1t coriander seeds

1t mustard seeds

1/2t turmeric

1/2t cayenne pepper

1/2t ground cinnamon

1c brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

4c water or vegetable stock (add more if needed later in cooking)

Crispy Onion Topping

1T clarified butter

2 onions, paper thin slices

In a skillet, heat oil and saute onions till soft. Add garlic, gingerroot, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, cayenne and cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add yellow split peas, lentils and water or broth and stir to combine.

Transer mixture to slow cooker stoneware, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

To make Crispy Onion Topping: In a skillet, heat butter and add onions, stirring constantly until crisp brown. Ladle curry into bowls and top with onions.

Recipe is tweaked from Judith Finlayson's 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes - my favorite CrockPot cookbook.

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Sep. 20, 2005 - My Celtic Warriors

Three fierce Celtic Warriors

Our very fierce warriors chased one very frightened Roman soldier (me!) through our yard - holding off the invasion of the Roman(s). Battle axes in hand, the Celts with faces painted blue, stormed around yelling all kinds of chants. We love Story of the World!

Sep. 19, 2005 - Homemade Instant Oatmeal

Homemade Instant Oatmeal

What could be quicker and more nutritious in the morning than a steaming hot bowl of homemade instant oatmeal with all your favorite toppings? Delicious! I buy my rolled oats from Wheat Montana in 25 pound bags. These sacks provide my family with breakfasts and snacks all year long. We make homemade granola, baked oatmeal, oatmeal cookies and bars, and other tasty treats.

Since I learned to make homemade instant oatmeal, our breakfasts can be prepared quickly and easily using regular rolled oats. Give this recipe a try:

Instant Oatmeal

1 cup of oats, powdered using a food processor

2 cups of oats

8T powdered instant non-fat milk

1t salt

Variety of additions (see below)

8 plastic bags or small food containers with lids

In each of the 8 plastic bags add 2T powdered oats, 1/4c regular oats, 1T instant milk, and 1/8t salt. Add whatever oatmeal additions you desire (see below).

To make a bowl of oatmeal, empty contents of one plastic bag into a bowl and add 3/4c boiling water*. Let sit 2 minutes. Stir and eat!

Additions

We enjoy the following additions to our oatmeal:

1T brown sugar

Cinnamon

Dried apples, chopped

Raisins

Maple syrup

Dried cranberries

Dried strawberries, chopped

Walnuts

Dried blueberries or any dried berry

Any dried fruit

* You may have to adjust the amount of boiling water you add. Experiment!

Sep. 17, 2005 - Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I'm too sleepy to blog tonight.

In fact, it's been a few weeks. Hopefully I'll pick up again soon. But in the meantime, I am enjoying "Random Blogging" and reading what all of YOU have to say!

Good night.

Aug. 29, 2005 - Lunch Ideas

LUNCH IDEAS

Here is a collection of lunch ideas for busy homeschooling moms. Most of these ideas come from the "Hive Mind" over at the Well-Trained Mind Boards. Many thanks to all the resourceful mothers who have contributed.

Leftovers!

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Tuna fish sandwiches

Pasta salad with veggies

Pasta salad with tuna, mayo, and peas

Burritos with beans, cheese, or defrosted taco meat (made ahead of time in bulk, then frozen in lunch-size portions)

Quesadillas with cheese, leftover meats, veggies, beans

Waffles, pancakes

Rice and beans (add toppings like scrambled egg, cilantro, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream)

Soups made in bulk and frozen ahead of time

Canned soup with your own added pasta and frozen veggies

Baked potatoes with toppings like cheese, beans, chili, veggies

Chili

Lunch meats or wraps

Omelets

Bagel or English Muffin pizzas

Yogurt with granola

Various raw veggies and dips served with cheeses and crackers or bread

Fresh fruits with yogurt dip

Cottage cheese and fruit

Hot dogs and beans

Turkey dogs in crescent rolls with honey mustard dip

Chicken salad from leftover chicken

Crescent rolls or phylo dough stuffed with leftovers then baked

Calzones stuffed with leftovers then baked

Pasta with tomato sauce

Mac-n-cheese

Hummus, cheese, crackers, pitas

BLT's

Peanut butter on banana or apple with raisins

Mini fritattas baked in muffin tins (eggs, milk/cream, veggies, leftovers, etc)

Grilled cheese (throw some chopped veggies between cheese layers!)

Fish sticks

Egg salad

Nachos

Ramen noodles with veggies

This list will be updated as I get more input. Feel free to e-mail me with more ideas. Also, a list of Breakfast Ideas will be coming soon. Stay tuned!

Aug. 25, 2005 - Homemade Peanut Butter

Homemade Peanut Butter

Thanks to my new friend, “A”, I am now making my own peanut butter. I don’t know what took me so long to try this – it couldn’t be much easier! And “A” is right, kids love to eat it by the spoonful - right out of the blender.

First, I went to a health food store and bought “Butter Stock Gourmet Peanuts” out of a bin. The cost was $1.79/lb and I bought just over 1 pound. So (for about $2) I made fresh, additive- and preservative-free, organic peanut butter. Store-bought natural peanut butter costs a little more than two times that amount.

Second, get out a commercial blender or food processor. I used a Cuisinart food processor, but I could have used the blender attachment to my Bosch. If you use a regular blender, you might want to pulse and then give your motor a break. Alternatively, the health food store might have a blender right there next to the peanuts - mine did.

Add the peanuts and a pinch of salt (if desired) and start to pulse. Watch out! It’s loud at first as those peanuts spin at high speed. Be patient. The peanuts will eventually become creamy. Adding oil is not necessary if you wait patiently as they spin. Once the peanut butter has reached desired consistency, scrape it out into an air-tight container. Add chopped peanuts and stir if you would like chunky-style peanut butter. Though it is probably not necessary, I store my PB in the fridge.

I would love to hear your comments as you try making your own peanut butter. Let me know what type of peanuts you use, how much they cost, and how much you think your savings are. The taste is phenomenal and it is especially nice knowing there is no added salt, sugar or preservatives. Our favorite way to eat it? On homemade bread, of course! Enjoy!

And thanks "A" !

Thanks also to "L" for helping me acquire the nuts this time around!

Aug. 17, 2005 - Plan Your Meals and Squeeze Your Buns

Meal Planning 101

I want to encourage you, if you do not already do so, to plan out a week’s worth of healthy meals for your family. Take your grocery store’s circular, a pencil with a good eraser, a pad of paper, some recipe books, and a cup of tea to a cozy chair and get ready to plan your budget-friendly meals!

#1 Glance at your circular. Find three meats (including fish) that are on sale that your family enjoys. Write them down on a piece of scrap paper titled “Ideas”. Now go through some of your recipe books and come up with three meals that you can make with those meats. Scribble some notes on your Ideas sheet. Try to use an ingredient more than once. For example, if you’ll need cilantro for beef tacos, perhaps you can make an Indian-style curry chicken that also calls for cilantro. This way you’ll get more use for your money from that herb. Also, plan on buying some tomatoes to make a homemade salsa with plenty of chopped cilantro in it – for snacks this week! Write down your three meat dishes and possible snacks on your scrap paper so you don’t forget.

#2 Come up with two vegetarian meals and find recipes. Family favorites here include vegetarian chili, pasta with salad, vegetable fajitas, chickpea stew over rice, linguini with clam sauce, etc. Write down your two vegetarian meals on your Ideas paper.

#3 Now start a new piece of paper called “Grocery List”. Start to list all the ingredients you’ll need for your 5 meals. Glance the circular for fruits and veggies that are on sale for snacking and list them too. Will you need milk and eggs and juice for the week? Add those. Also, add any items you’ll need for lunches and snacks. We usually do leftovers here or “snack lunches” made of PBJ sandwiches, carrot sticks, nuts, cheeses, fruits, etc. This saves us money.

#4 Take another piece of paper and write “Meals” at the top of it. Write down your 5 dinners, plus their side dishes and stick this to your fridge. Don’t bring this list to the store! I can’t tell you how many times, after shopping for all my ingredients, that I’ve lost my original list of what I was making for my dinners. It’s hard to remember without that list – trust me!

Go get your ingredients! Stick to buying ONLY what is on your list. Pass up the Oreos and potato chips. If you’re craving cookies and chips, make them yourself, from scratch, at home. You’re either less likely to do so, OR you’ll make a version with no preservatives that taste much better. Your budget will thank you, so will your buns!

Aug. 15, 2005 - Chicken and Shrimp Over Pasta

Chicken Breasts with Shrimp Sauce

August’s issue of Gourmet magazine includes this delicious recipe in its “Quick” section. Feel free to omit either the chicken or the shrimp if you prefer. I’ve altered it slightly. I suggest serving this meal over penne pasta (or any pasta you have in the pantry would do!). At the very least, have some good, crusty Italian bread on hand.

4 small chicken breast halves (about 1.25 lbs total)

1t salt

½t pepper

1/4c olive oil

1T finely chopped garlic (I always add a little more than called for!)

3/4c dry white wine (to make more sauce, add a touch more)

2T tomato paste (to make more sauce, I added 4T)

3/4lb peeled medium shrimp

1/4c heavy cream (I used half-and-half and added a little extra to make more sauce)

1/2T fresh lemon juice

1T chopped fresh chives

1. Sautee salt and peppered chicken in 2T oil. Brown and cook through. Remove from pan to plate.

2. Add 2T oil to pan and cook garlic 1-2 minutes (do not brown). Add wine and tomato paste. Simmer and scrape up brown bits.

3. Salt and pepper shrimp. Add and cook till opaque, 1-2 minutes. Transfer 1/3 of shrimp to blender with enough sauce to blend and puree till smooth. Stir puree into remaining sauce in pan. Add cream, lemon juice, and any juices from chicken plate. Cook over moderately low heat until whole shrimp are just cooked through. Serve chicken topped with sauce and sprinkled with chives.

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Aug. 11, 2005 - As Requested, Recipes From This Week's Menu!

Gingery Chickpeas in Spicy Tomato Gravy

This is a CrockPot meal taken from 150 Best Slowcooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson. I serve it over basmati rice and with paratha, an Indian bread. The pickier eaters might shy away from this dish, but for those of you who love vegetables and tons of flavor, you’ll really enjoy it.

1T olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2T minced gingerroot

2t ground coriander

1t cumin seeds

1t salt

1/2t black pepper

2t balsamic vinegar

2c coarsely chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

In a skillet, heat oil. Add onions & cook till they begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Add garlic, gingerroot, coriander, cumin seeds, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Place chickpeas in slow cooker stoneware. Pour tomato mixture over and stir well.
Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Garnish with chopped green onion.

Vegetarian Chili

Here’s another winner from Judith Finlayson’s 150 Best Slowcooker Recipes. This chili is hearty and warm and delicious. Your husband might not even miss the meat (might not!). Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onion, and/or guacamole.

1T olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, sliced

6 clove garlic, minced

1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)

2T chili powder

1T cumin seeds

2t dried oregano leaves

1t dried thyme leaves

1.5t salt

1t cracked black peppercorns

1T unsweetened cocoa powder (trust me!)

1T balsamic vinegar

1T packed brown sugar

2 cans corn, drained

1 can (28oz) tomatoes, including juice, chopped

2c vegetable stock (1 can)

2c yellow-fleshed squash, chopped (acorn or butternut work too)

1 can red kidney beans

2 green bell peppers, seeded & cut into thin strips

Heat oil. Add onions, celery & carrots and cook till soft. Add garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute. Stir cocoa , balsamic, brown sugar, corn, tomatoes, and vegetable stock and bring to boil. Transfer to stoneware. Add squash and kidney beans. Stir.
Cook on low 5-7 hours.
Stir in green peppers. Cover and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Ladle into bowls and use toppings.

Linguini With Clam Sauce

1 pound linguini

Salt

1/4c extra-virgin olive oil

6 fillets flat anchovies, chopped (you can't taste them!)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1t dried thyme leaves

1/2t crushed red peppers flakes

1/2c dry white wine

1 (15oz can) can whole baby clams, with their juice

Handul flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Boil water. Add salt. Cook linguini about 7 minutes till al dente. The linguine will continue to cook in sauce later.

2. Heat oil. Saute anchovies, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook till anchovies melt into oil. Add wine to pan. Add clams and their juices. Drain pasta and add it to the clam sauce. Toss and coat the pasta in the sauce with clams until the pasta absorbs the flavor and juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper and parlsey. Serve with crusty Italian bread!