Festivities Abound I am Jewish (by all means)—born and raised. My husband, on the other hand, is not. Though I must say, I’m often overwhelmed by his knowledge about the Old Testament. The love he has for dreidels and potato latkes is astonishing. And yet, I have to remind him that he is not Jewish. “But look,” he always says, “I’ve been circumcised.” “I see that,” I tell him, “but that’s not enough.” “You mean the size?” He laughs. “No silly. I mean it’s not enough to make you Jewish,” I say to him as I blush. Still, we celebrate in our household both holidays, the Jewish and the Christian, which means our home gets more than just a handful of festive events. However, since our youngest child has left the nest, holidays don’t have as much significance in our lives as they used to. Sadly, now it’s seldom that we even celebrate any holidays. It was up until about six years ago that I spent an ample amount of time decorating the house for the holidays. For years I managed to put up two beautiful Christmas trees alongside a remarkable collection of menorahs and plenty of colorful dreidels. My trees were incessantly something to talk about—two live, full, tall trees, with hundreds of white and shiny lights. One displayed my unique collection of colorful, handmade jesters, which my husband started to collect for me when we got married. The second tree was a bit smaller, yet splendid—dressed in colorful red, silver, gold, and green metallic ornaments. The taller tree took center stage in the foyer, where the high ceiling naturally compliments such a large tree. The other’s place was in the family room where big windows played tricks on the eyes, giving the illusion as if there were trees all around you. “You put up the most beautiful trees I’ve ever seen. Thank you,” my husband said each year. A few days ago, my dear husband approached and asked, “Do you mind if we do Christmas this year?”
“You mean dinner?” I asked. “No. Trees…and dinner.” “Of course,” I said to him, feeling as if we were about to live life again. Time to get the boxes of ornaments from the basement. Are you ready for the holidays? What do you have in mind for decorations this year? Do the holiday activities kick the energy back in your life and make you feel alive? Happy holidays to all of you. Michelle Drunken Cranberry Sauce Even after working so closely with a Michelin trained chef, like Chef Johannes Klapdohr, turkey is still not my thing—definitely not the leftovers from it. No matter what I do to this bird, or what recipe I follow, for me, turkey will never be a gourmet meal. For the last two decades, I’ve prepared a turkey for Thanksgiving. I’ve dressed it, fried it, braised it, stuck a can of beer in it, talked to it—I’ve tried every recipe that came my way, and still, the bird was dry and tasteless. If you’re like me and you cook a turkey just because your family and guests are expecting you to, here is what I do to save the day, and get compliments for the boring bird I serve. I use my mother’s delicious recipe for cranberry sauce that will revive any turkey—it will make it more than just edible. Actually, I’ve shared this recipe in the past and received many thank-you comments and emails about it. So why not share it again? Who knows how many kept the recipe or just didn’t see it… I use this cranberry sauce with other birds like Cornish hens, chicken, duck, and even ham. Some members of my family just spread it on a slice of bread or even eat it with a spoon. Mom’s Drunken Cranberry Sauce 1 bottle of Ruby Port 1 ½ cups sugar 2 cups (1 pkg) fresh cranberries, rinsed 1 tbsp. frozen concentrated orange juice (do not dilute) 1 ½ tbsp. fresh ginger—grated 4 medium garlic cloves, minced Place the wine and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add the rest: cranberries, orange juice, ginger and garlic. Cook over low-medium heat until reduced to 3 cups. Stir occasionally. Press the mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl. Add the residual from the sieve back into the strained mixture. Place in a nice serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours before serving. Serve cold. The good news is, if you end up preparing this sauce, it doesn’t matter what the big bird tastes like, as the cranberry sauce will do the trick.
Happy Cooking! Michelle Feeling The Blues I love everything about food—eating it, preparing it, writing about it and creating it! Period! I bet I’m not the only one. While this hobby can get expensive, it also can be a challenge to your health. People like me, who are prone to gaining weight easily, should be watching everything that goes in their mouths. Like I often say, I can gain weight just by seeing food—I really don’t need to eat it. It’s now been five days since I started my diet—and I’m miserable. While following a specified diet makes it a bit easier, I still miss my food. The loss of a few pounds in five days has not encouraged me as we all know that the first few pounds are nothing but water weight. It will be a long time before the first pound of real fat will melt.
Patience is the key—sadly, it’s not really my strongest characteristic. Many people say that weighing yourself daily does not have a good effect as weight often fluctuates—many variables, not necessarily fat, influence weight. Aside from the theory, my scale calls my name every morning. At times, when the hand doesn’t go in the right direction, it will yell at me. The scale for me is a tool to remind me that dieting is not an overnight sensation—it is more of a long process that will eventually turn into a lifestyle. Yuck! Small Bird If you are a turkey hater, and willing to consider a turkeyless Thanksgiving, you may want to consider my invitation to take a peek into my kitchen and my plans for this Thanksgiving. Out of respect for this holiday and for what the turkey represents, I feel that having a bird on the festive holiday table, and as part of the menu, is meaningful—it’s a reminder of our history. It’s one thing not liking turkey but another thing to suppress the tradition. Thus, a compromised menu can be the right answer for people like me who don’t like turkey but wish to follow tradition. This year I put together a festive menu that includes a few of Thanksgiving’s traditional dishes like, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and even a cranberry trifle for dessert. However, instead of a big bird, I’m going to have a small bird, a Cornish Hen. This recipe, which I’m about to share, I use frequently. Not only is it a recipe that will guarantee you a divine, mouth-watering Cornish-hen, but it’s also an excellent solution for parties of two or four when you don’t have the need for 10 pounds of meat. If you choose to follow this recipe, I can assure you that you will be showered with compliments. Before you know it, you’ll add this to your list of favorites for outside of the holidays. I created this recipe over twenty years ago, and have made it over and over again. Michelle’s Stuffed Cornish Hens
Ingredients: 2 Cornish hens 1 package of stuffing, chicken flavored 2 cloves of garlic, mashed 3 tablespoons Orange juice, concentrated frozen ½ cup olive oil 3 tablespoons honey 4 tablespoons black currant fruit spread ½ cup ketchup 2 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 2 rosemary sprigs 4 thyme sprigs 4 celery stalks, cut in half 4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the stuffing following the package directions. Set aside and allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix garlic, orange juice, olive oil, honey, black currant spread, ketchup, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Remove the bag with the neck and gizzards from Cornish hens’ cavity. Rinse Cornish hens with cold water. Place Cornish hens into the bowl with the marinade. Turn the hens to coat all sides with the marinade, making sure marinade gets into the cavity of the birds. Stuff Cornish hens with stuffing and place in an oven-safe covered pot or deep dish. Place the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, celery and carrots around and in between the Cornish hens. Pour remaining marinade over the hens, and cover with the lid. Place in preheated oven and cook for 90 minutes; baste the hens using a bulb syringe every 15 minutes. Remove lid and cook for another hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes. Place the Cornish hens on a large platter. Do not remove the stuffing. Cut each hen, vertically, in half so that each hen yields two portions. Arrange carrots on a platter next to hens or serve them in a separate bowl. Bon Appétit! Michelle I’m Puzzled Chairs, a few magazines, maybe a courtesy telephone and, less likely, a coffee bar. This is pretty much the typical waiting room in an average physicians office in the United States. No matter how much time we spend in these waiting rooms, we’re never happy about waiting. In today’s busy life no one has enough time. We expect everything to be quick, if not instant. Not only do we often complain about waiting, but sometimes we even threaten to leave. Some waiting rooms are an exception to the rule—they’re spacious and offer more than what you expect. Like the Mayo Clinic. Each time I visit the Mayo clinic I make many mental notes…the cleanliness (I mean spotless), the number of elevators, the kind staff, the commitment to excellence, the most up-to-date technology, the on-time appointments and the waiting rooms. Large, roomy, comfortable chairs, courtesy telephones, a business center where you can work, magazines and… a generous table with four to six chairs, offering a community effort puzzle. For years I’ve looked at these tables and the puzzles they hold. Some of which have only a few pieces together, while others are almost complete. Each time that I look at these tables I think, how many hands have touched these puzzles? Were they clean hands or did they carry germs? Of course, they had germs—everything we touch is covered with germs—some worse than others, as they can be pathogenic. So, why offer community puzzles here, whereby nature there are more sick people than healthy ones that often sit next to immune suppressed people. The truth is, that unless we live in a bubble we touch germs all day long—we can’t prevent the obvious contact with germs. However, we could, and should, reduce the risk of infection transmission by washing hands before we touch our mouth, eyes, and nose, or any portals entry. Best practice is to have alcohol-based hand rub in your pocket. It’s not only the puzzles. Look around you. Telephones, money, keyboards, door handles…everything is covered with germs. Germs are everywhere—you don’t have to get infected by them!
Don’t be puzzled—reduce your risk of infection! Michelle Say Cheese I’m afraid this cheese might not leave you with a smile. History tells us that many German immigrants settled in the Midwestern part of the United States. Today the Midwest is saturated with second and third generation Germans. It is often said that people refer to Midwesters as Germans. If you have ever visited this area, you’ve probably noticed that the locals have many characteristics that are unique to Germans—fair skin, blond, straight hair, and a body structure on the larger side. Last week, while in Rochester, Minnesota, I blogged about the local beer cheese soup. I wasn’t willing to give it up—not even for the price of freezing in the streets where the temperature was 17 and windy…brrrr—just writing about it makes me shiver. If you missed it, it’s not too late—you can still get the story here. As you recall, I reached out to my co-writer, Chef Johannes Klapdhor, asking him to kindly share his beer cheese soup recipe, so we don’t have to make the trip to the Midwest to enjoy it. It was this past Sunday when I put my apron on and followed chef’s recipe. Twenty minutes later the aroma of the beer and cheese wafted through my kitchen. Fifteen minutes longer and I could serve the soup. But not before I tasted it. Delicious, I thought as soon as the spoon hit my tongue. I loved everything about it—the color, the texture, the consistency, and of course the aftertaste. However, it didn’t resemble the soup they serve in Rochester. I reached out to Siri, asking her for a beer cheese soup recipe. “Here is what I found,” she said and displayed a long list of relevant recipes. I glanced through the list and noted that there were several recipes called Wisconsin Beer Cheese soup. “Okay, Michelle,” I started a conversation with myself. “Chef Johannes was born and raised in Germany—his recipe must be the authentic one…the Midwestern recipe was probably Americanized a bit.” To make sure my theory was more than an assumption, I gathered all the new ingredients and followed the Wisconsin recipe. One hour later, the soup was ready. It was not too complicated to follow, but more involved than the one Chef Johannes shared. And the taste? Hmmm, I was not sure. Although, I’ll be honest, it was similar to the one in Rochester—but not the same. My stubbornness surfaced. I was not happy. I set the two soups aside and didn’t bother with it again until dinner. Only then did my creativity take over and I decided to merge the two soups together. First I combined a small quantity of the soups together in equal parts. In one word, this was the winner! Out of curiosity I plugged the ingredients into a software program offered by Recipal, and nearly fell out of my chair. Clearly this is not a soup to eat if you’re watching your weight or cholesterol. I reviewed the nutrition facts and made my way back to the kitchen. I merged the remaining soups and put it into two, tall takeout containers. I called a skinny friend of mine, telling her that I had some fresh soup for her. Now when I’ve removed this fatty hazard from my house, I think that by not sharing any of these recipes with you, I’m doing you a huge favor. Whether you’re overweight or not, this soup will clog your arteries, and I would end up feeling responsible for that. Obviously, you can still find similar recipes on the Internet—there are hundreds of them out there. But, before you take the risk, please read the nutrition facts I have attached, and make sure you know what you’re going to introduce into your body. Like I said, not every cheese puts a smile on your face.
Michelle It Takes A Medical Degre Good news—I just had my checkup at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. It looks like you will continue to enjoy me and my writing, as I’m healthy. The only thing my physician was not happy about was my weight. Well, I’m not happy about it either. I don’t really want to talk about it. But my physician is seriously pushing the issue. Apparently, he thinks I am fat, even VERY FAT. As I listened to the options he offered, I realized that technically I’m obese. Wow! Really? But, everyone tells me how good I look. Wait a minute. I don’t get it. I can’t be obese and look good at the same time. Someone must be lying to me. As I returned home, I rushed to the mirror. Okay, I know I’m not a model, but there is a gap between what I saw in the mirror and what my physician’s diagnosis is. Maybe everyone is lying to me. Okay, I thought it might be a good idea to check it out myself. I took off my clothes and looked at the reflection. It was sad and shocking, disappointing and quite gross. I hate to admit it: I’m obese. My physician was right. And those who are telling me that I look good, I’m not sure about them. I guess it takes a medical degree to be honest—otherwise, you might be considered rude. The bottom line is, both hurt my feelings. One said I’m fat and one lied to me. So, I’m going with the mirror—I’m going on a diet. Why? Because it appears that walking alone is not enough for losing weight—it will not do the trick. And apparently the diet I thought I’m on has shown no results. In the last few weeks, I lost nothing but time. If you are my friend and wish to support my efforts, please follow me here and encourage me as I take you along on my upcoming journey. Losing weight is hard, but I am going to fight it!
Love, Michelle I’m Going Crackers I’m still hoping to have my lavash crackers for sale this year—if not for Thanksgiving, then before Christmas. Every day I spend my time trying to have a better understanding of what it really takes to bake a cracker and sell it. As I wrote in my first blog in this series, dealing with government agencies isn’t easy. However, it’s better to work with them than against them. It’s important to have everything in place and start kosher rather than fail your first inspection. As the saying goes, it’s important to make a good first impression. The consequences of a closed-down business can be hard to overcome. So, I’m doing it the right way. Over the last four months, I’ve been looking for a shared kitchen where I could bake my crackers. I visited several kitchens of this type, but couldn’t make it happen. I couldn’t see myself cooking in any of these places, as their level of sanitation didn’t suit my expectations, and probably wouldn’t meet those of the authorities, either. I believe these situations occur because authorities don’t have sufficient manpower to inspect these kitchens on a regular basis. The sad and aggravating part is that kitchens take advantage of this situation and don’t care. Like many other things, shared kitchens are nothing but a moneymaker. If they were to keep their site neat and clean, they probably would have to increase their expenses, meaning making less money. The one place that did meet my standards wasn’t a shared kitchen—it was a place that sells preordered meals. Though I liked the place and the owner, they didn’t have the kind of license that would allow them to share their kitchen. My next thought was to turn an existing, tiny place into a kitchen and also have it serve as a store. That was when I met the director of the North Georgia district for the GA Department of Agriculture. It only took me one phone call to realize that I was talking with a knowledgeable and experienced individual who genuinely cared about the person on the other end of the line. This was someone who might be able to help me find a solution. I quickly started to believe that my dream would come true. Thanks to Mr. Brown, I now know about Home Based Business licenses—this is not a Cottage License. It appears that when you have more than one kitchen in your home, you can designate one of the kitchens for business. Wait! Let’s make sure we’re clear: You also have to have a separate entrance to this kitchen so an inspector wouldn’t walk through any of your living or sleeping areas. Also, you need to have a two-basin sink and a separate sink for hand washing. With the exception of the sink, I could apply for this license. Mr. Brown kindly emailed me all the paperwork that I would need to complete to apply for this kind of license. He even went the extra mile and took me step-by-step through the process. Now, just so you understand, my home is not even in his district. He was merely a super nice person. To make a long story short, today, after paying the plumber to install a new sink, and thanks to Mr. Brown, I submitted my completed application to the Georgia Department of Agriculture for a Food Sales Establishment license. Like I always say, I’m a dreamer who does everything to make my dreams come true.
Do you, or did you ever have a dream where you worked yourself to death to make it come true? Michelle Be Careful What You Wish For Did you ever think about how seriously I'm taking my blog series? How careful I am to convey precise information? Or, if I research prior to writing about something? Generally speaking, I don't make up any of my stories and never offer information I'm unsure of. And if I’m going to recommend something to you, I try it myself first. This is true even with recipes that my co-writer, Chef Johannes, kindly shares. I always test these recipes first, making sure they can be prepared easily in a home kitchen, and that everyone can get the ingredients without having to substitute. I’m aware of these sources where chefs and other professionals get their supplies—places that a regular consumer can’t enter. So, when Chef got back to me and sent me the recipe for the beer cheese soup that I wrote about the other day in my blog # 28, Oh Boy, It’s Cold, I rushed to the kitchen to prepare it. But when I gathered the ingredients, I realized that there was no cheese on the list. Hmmm, I thought, and texted Johannes, asking him about it.
Ten minutes later he emailed me, “Voilà,” he said. “Here is the one with cheese. Now you can pick and choose.” I guess I shot myself in the foot, as now I'll need to cook both—as the saying goes, be careful what you ask for. Stay tuned while I’m in the kitchen. Soon, I'll share with you the better recipe of the two. Maybe you will end up with two winning recipes—you never know! Time to get cooking. Michelle YO-YO WEATHER Earlier today I returned to Atlanta after spending almost a week in Minnesota. After the need to break out my winter gear while I was there, here, in Atlanta I was met with a different story. As soon as entered the airport, I started peeling off layers like an onion… my coat, my jacket, leaving myself in short sleeves and much more comfortable. It wasn’t only the temperatures that marked the yo-yo between Minnesota and Atlanta, but also the landscape—from brown-gray, naked trees up in Minnesota to a rainbow of pink, red, orange, yellow and brown here in Atlanta, where fall had finally spread its feathers, like a peacock, showing off its color. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this magnificent weather, cool but not freezing, with temperatures in the 50’s—much better than the 17 degrees I left behind. Since walking is still a priority for me, I'm going to change into my workout gear and hit the road. I can already feel the crisp fall air and the crunching of leaves beneath my feet. It’s almost as if the air is clearer and the colors more vivid this time of year. It gives me energy. I bet I'll see many others like me ... walking, or even jogging. Are you in a walking mood—will you be out there with me?
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