We Eat with Our Eyes Too

 

Above: Chicken noodle Soup and to the left, pizza with veggies and sausage

The chicken noodle recipe is below. The pizza is for color. I'll share that another day! 

I recently saw a friend's Facebook post, showing a meal this person loved, which was served at a local restaurant. Since I read the post as well as looked at the picture, I could see that it was a tasty pasta dish. But it really stopped me, because it was so monochromatic in color! It was a tan, bland looking pasta dish. I'm sure it was very good! The description sounded good but the picture was unappealing to me. I admit, I'm a big ol' foodie and I can cook and bake a bit above average if I do say so myself! I wondered why the restaurant didn't add some color to the dish, to appeal to the eyes too. I know we eat with our taste buds and bellies but we also 'eat' with our eyes and this is important to this self-proclaimed foodie. So restaurant owners listen up: when you serve a dish, add some color even if it's parsley! But also, would it hurt to add peas, mushrooms, peppers and onions too? No it wouldn't! Could tomatoes add some appealing red color to the dish? Yes! In addition, these colors add nutrition and balance to our diet! 

Even when I make chicken noodle soup as I did yesterday, I added celery, onions and carrots to the chicken, broth and egg noodles. (That's all of the ingredients, except herbs, salt and pepper.) The carrots add color and great nutrients too! When I reheat the soup, I might even add in some small pieces of broccoli and zucchini for more color and value. Just do it for me, chefs of the world. Whether you are a home or restaurant chef, add that color so that I want to come back for more! Please? Thanks and you're welcome! 

Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup

I made enough for about 6 folks with the following:

4 chicken breasts with a tablespoon of olive oil in the crockpot, set on high. 

After 1.5 hours, reduce heat and add chicken broth, sliced carrots, celery, and onions. I used about one cup of carrots and 1/2 cup each, the other two veggies. Cook on low an hour more. 

In a separate pot, boil your desired noodles. I used about half a bag of no yolk dumpling noodles from the store. Cook for 12 minutes, then add to the soup. Add seasoning of your liking. I added a rosemary-garlic blend, paprika, Cavendars Greek seasoning blend, and pepper and home-made Fines Herb mix. There is usually enough salt from the blends and the chicken broth. Cook for another 30-40 minutes! Enjoy! 

Choose Happiness, then Repeat!

 

    Happy 2024 everyone! 

I choose to be happy, everyday. It's a long-held belief of mine that you choose your mindset and then live it. Wow, that sounds so simple, doesn't it? But it's my recipe for grace-filled living and I stick to it, year after year. Now, I have a confession: every day is NOT happy, because I am a fallible, average human being and I make mistakes. I get angry. I experience disappointments and feel regret too, but in all cases, I do not let it make my entire existence sad. I move on and I choose to make the most of a bad hour or two and then I adjust my attitude until I can be joyful again. I do this with intention. Sometimes I sing or dance to get back in the groove. I most certainly do some sort of physical exercise because it's the best way to improve how you feel. Sometimes I call or text one of my favorite people or I may paint, sew, visit a friend, bake or play pickleball. In short, I make an adjustment and those choices manage to improve my attitude and then I am happy again. 

I've heard some people very dear to me state that they can't do what I do. I guess what they mean is that they cannot find choices that can positively adjust their feelings. But for me, it feels like a combination of bragging or prying to ask them to explain themselves. What can I ask? Should I ask if they have hobbies, maybe? Or, what if they say that all they have time for is work. Dare I suggest that they find or make time for themselves after work? Or even better, find a part of their work that brings joy and focus on that for a few minutes? Should I make such suggestions? Nope. But I do hope they read this sometime this year, and then invest in themselves by spending time on something that brings them joy. 

It's all any of us can hope for. For me, I will not make a resolution but instead if I feel myself grumbling or complaining, I will switch mindsets and choose to do that which makes me happy. This grandson, pictured above, is reason enough to make good choices, don't you think? Just remember when I say HAPPY 2024 to you, I mean it for the next 365 days and then let's repeat it the next year too! I hope it's a great and happy year for each of us. Choose wisely! 

Last Meals that weren't meant to be last meals

    The two pictures here recall our last meals with Dad as a family. We didn't know they would be the last, but nevertheless, they were. My actual last meal with Dad was a few days later at his house, where we had homemade burgers, a baked potato and a salad that I prepared for Terry and Dad, the day before we left the beach for home. It was COVID times. Restaurants were not at full capacity and even so, we arrived early, before any chance of crowds. And we went because he'd been cooped up at home for months and we all wanted a bit of normalcy. 

As you can tell by the name of my blog, I believe that food is love. I'll say it again. To me anyway, sharing a meal is an expression of how much I like to spend time with you. It's special. It is, I insist! If you think about it, maybe you'll agree! We eat with those we love or at least, like! We break bread, we often say grace and we do these things in a ritualistic way to show honor and loving care to those closest to our hearts. So I ran across one of these pictures in my memories on social media. I paused and considered how I miss this man who has been gone from this earth for exactly 11 months on the day of this writing. I LOVED seeing Dad enjoy his food! And he had been losing weight and had been a bit more lethargic as the last few months had passed. I saw him in March for his birthday and then in late May, for a trip to the beach to check on him and to share the trip with Jordan and Allie, who wanted to visit Papa. Each time, he was thinner and a bit more quiet. But otherwise, he was Dad - he was happy or optimistic as he put it, but otherwise he was good. So we took him to Martinis one evening, then an Irish Pub near his house (he had Shepherd's Pie) and then to Calabash for their famous popcorn shrimp. Dad ordered a senior fish and shrimp plate and although it took a while, he cleaned his plate!  I remember these days so clearly, because we slowed down, talked, ate, laughed and enjoyed each other. 

I cannot recall what I said to him, other than "I love you". I cannot recall every visit with Dad over these past few years but I know this - I loved this man and he loved me. He loved his 'people'. He just loved us. Here’s my plea to you. Go share a meal with loved ones after reading this. I hope it happens soon. I know you will remember to slow down, and to put your phone down too. Look at the people surrounding you. Indulge in those extra few moments. Do it for love. Do it for the memories. Do it for yourself! 

                                                            

A Goodbye 2020 Poem

 

She ponders the life she lives, and feels deep down in her being

that the world will recover but will she ever feel the same?

It’s ok if not, because the earth is a giant, lovely mother

that hugs you to her with sunlight, waves and moonbeams and so much

beauty, all around her. Still, she wonders if all will be ok in her world.

Will it? She decides that it will because there’s resilience and grit

and friendships too, if you know where to look for each.

There is music to soothe the soul and also to rock the blues away.  

Also, there is dancing and art and books upon books to show the way

 or to make you forget the sadness out there. Sadness in there too.

Loss. Grief. Anger that might be more like disappointment.  But wait!

There’s also exquisite beauty in the mountains and deep abiding love

among her favorite humans. She feels this so strongly that she decides that all is

right with the world. Her world. Our world. And so…it is, and will be and shall be.

Marci R. Dec. 31, 2020

Moonglow, an Attitude of Sorts

 

                                          (Pictured, Obey River Campground, TN on 10-31-20)

Moonglow 2020

Nov.15, 2020

This image more aptly represents me, in the time and place, Nov. 2020, COVID times. I’ve done some soul searching since my son arrived home for an extended visit to us for the holidays, from Mexico. He casually mentioned that my posts are nicey-nice…or something like that! “Well,” I exclaimed. “I think I’m trying to counterbalance the nastiness that is often all that one sees in social media” I tell him. Then I think about it for a few days.

Now this image is a true representation of me at the present because it shows bright light in the dark and I am NOT the bright light. I am searching for it. I search by thinking of trinity in the reflections in the water and sky. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are a beloved trinity. My husband, kids and family, another one. My friends, here, far away and long gone, yet another. I see hope, light and love, (another trinity!) in all of these.

Then, there’s the underlying, under the surface fears going on with me. I am facing a project that is not easy for me. I am creative, but very, very unorganized in thought and action. This project, while extremely important and meaningful, is sucking the lifeblood out of my usual positive self. Is this kind of pain, which brings to light all of my inadequacies worth the energy it takes to complete it? Well, what would I tell my students? “Have grit” I’d tell them. “Stick with it and with practice it will get easier”, I’d say. A little perseverance now will go a long way later, I tell myself! So I’ve done the equivalent of kicking and screaming, toddler style. I’ve stormed about, cried a little and stomped off to bed early. I have also worked on this project. It’s not easy yet, because I cannot create what I want, but must fit the project mold, perfectly.

I’m still trying to do this thing that is not easy. I’m still working on my attitude and feel the whole experience makes me a better human – a better wife, mom, and friend. Hopefully it will make me a better colleague, teacher and motivator. But for now, I must go into the dark night and seek the light of the moon, and face my inadequate and unorganized mess. I must shed some moonlight on it, since in this particular case, I’m not capable of spreading sunshine, but I will be again. I will by all that is in me. I will.

Now my social media persona is not all of me and now you see that. Like most, I want to be sunshine and nicey-nice. But sometimes, I’m a dimly lit moonglow and that’s ok.

Sourdough and Such!

 

Folks, this time I must defer to King Arthur for the recipe, because I tried really  hard to just stick to it! And the product was very nice and tasty too! 

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/rustic-sourdough-bread-recipe?fbclid=IwAR1f6Z6Na6_FUCTyPC8n_ETFxKhXXvfKa4OcpvYxarxWucdRGILU5CywO3Y&yoReviewsPage=2

Hopefully this link will take you right to their page. The main takeaways are this:

1. Sourdough starter takes patience, and a good memory...or good notes! It has to be fed at first, once a day and later, every 12 hours...twice a day! I started with my own new starter. It began with a cup of whole wheat flour and a 1/2 cup of lukewarm water. After this initial time, feed it with white all purpose or bread flour. If my memory is correct, the wheat gives a kickstart to the natural fermentation process of a sourdough. 

2. I almost forgot a few times. It is somewhat forgiving, this starter I'll call her 'Sally starter'. She looked a bit peckish a few times, but she bubbled right back up once I fed her. I even used half the required amount of flour and water once and she survived! 

3. On the 7th day, Sally rose to the occasion! See the very simple recipe that consists of water, flour, yeast (I really did add 1 and 1/2 tsp.) salt and starter!  I'm going to make more in a few days. Now Sally is chillin' in the fridge and if I read correctly I just take her out, feed her, then repeat, after she bubbles again. 

My main goal now is to use the 'discard' starter in recipes like pizza crust and pancakes. Confession; I used about 1 tbsp. of her in today's morning glory muffins. 

Why yes, yes...I like to bake. Why do you ask? Enjoy and thanks King Arthur Flour! 

THE Sauce....Strawberry-Rhubarb - It's what's for dessert!

Maybe you have heard me talk about 'the sauce'. Well...it's the bomb. This is the Strawberry-Rhubarb sauce that I make when Terry and I just want something to put on ice cream or it's so wonderful with pound cake, sauce and some cool whip. And ice cream. Don't judge! It's amazing! AND...it's simple. Here's the recipe:

This time I made an average amount that lasts about a week or two. 

1 and a half to 2 cups chopped rhubarb

2-3 cups strawberries. I use fresh when I can. 

1/8 cup water 

After chopping your fruit to desired chunks, add that small amount of water to a pot, then add the rhubarb and add

1 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a slight simmer. Add the strawberries and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup more sugar. I do this in small bits, then taste. Sometimes the fruit is sweet and needs less sugar. Bring this to a simmer again on medium heat and add

zest of one small lemon and the juice too. If you like thicker sauce you can add about one heaping tablespoon of tapioca at this stage of simmering.  I use Kraft Minute Tapioca, that comes in a small, 8 oz. box. It's a great secret ingredient for pies and sauces!   

Just before the fruit breaks up, take off the heat. Jar it. Scoop it in ice cream. Eat it from the pot!! Enjoy...you are welcome!