Gifts for Friends Who Don't Cook 2

Pasta Soup Mix in a Jar
Ingredients:
1/2 cup macaroni
1/4 cup dried lentils
1/4 cup dried, chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 dash garlic powder
Mix Parmesan cheese, onion flakes, soup base, parsley, oregano
and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
In a one pint jar, layer ingredients in this order:
Spice mixture
Macaroni
Lentils
Mushrooms
Store with tightly sealed lid, until needed.
Attach the following recipe with a hang tag to give as a gift:

Basic Pasta Soup Combine contents of jar with 3 cups water in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 servings.

Texas Ranger Nine Bean Soup Mix in JarsIngredients:
1 pound black beans
1 pound red kidney beans
1 pound barley pearls
1 pound pinto beans
1 pound Great Northern beans
1 pound navy beans
1 pound lentils
1 pound yellow split peas
1 pound green split peas
1 pound black-eyed peas
Mix all together and pour into a pint-size Mason jar. Or you
can layer the ingredients one at a time.Tie them with a raffia bow,
decorate the jars if you like and and give as gifts.
Attach the following to a gift tag: 

Texas Ranger Nine Bean Soup Mix in a Jar 2 to 3 cups Texas Ranger Nine Bean Soup Mix 1 pound ham, diced 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 (10 ounce) can Ro-tel tomatoes and green chiles 1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes and liquid, broken up Salt and pepper, to taste Wash and sort beans. Place in a Dutch oven and cover with water 2 inches above beans. Let soak overnight. Drain beans. Cover with water, and add the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours until the beans are done. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add some more water if thickens to much. Adjust seasonings if desired. Alternative cooking method: Wash and sort beans, place all ingredients in slow cooker cover with water andand cook on low setting overnight (or for 8 hours).

Heavenly Garlic Bagels Mix in a Jar
This is great for friends who have bread machines. If no bread machine,
you can still use this mix to make great bagels.
And homemade bagels are so much better than storebought ones,
totally worth the effort. If giving this as a gift,
you might want to give to more accomplished cooks. Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 1/3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (get a non-GMO one)
Place yeast into a small zip baggie and set aside, or set aside
a pre-packaged envelope of yeast. Mix and place remaining ingredients
into a quart-size jar. Lay baggie of yeast on top of mix and apply lid.
Attach the following instructions to the jar if giving as a gift:

Heavenly Garlic BagelsPlace all ingredients of the jar plus 1 1/8 cups water into a large bowl. Mix throughly, but do not overmix. Allow to rise in a warm place covered. Punch down the dough but do not let it rise again. Remove and set aside two 1/4-inch balls of dough. You will use these later to determine if it is time to boil your bagels. If the dough pops to the top of the boiling water right away, you are ready! Place dough on a floured surface and divide into 8 equal portions. Form balls, and gently press your thumb through the middle of each ball, and slowly stretch dough into a bagel shape. Leave bagels to rise once more on same floured surface, lightly covered with a towel. While bagels are rising, bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon sugar to boiling water and stir to dissolve sugar. Drop first dough ball (you set these aside earlier) into boiling water, using a slotted spoon. If first ball does not pop to surface, wait a bit and drop in the second ball. If it pops to the surface, it is time to boil your bagels by dropping them carefully into the boiling water, 2 or 3 at a time. Boil on each side for 1 1/2 minutes, then remove from water and cool on a wire cooling rack for 1 minute. Brush each bagel with an egg wash (1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, or a mixture, if desired. (Nonstick cooking spray may be substituted for egg wash.) Bake at 400 degrees F on baking sheet which has been sprinkled with cornmeal (can use greased baking sheet), for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Variation: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic bread seasoning for a more pronounced Italian flavor.

Ultimate Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix
Makes 4 quarts of wonderful mix to give as gifts. You could combine
this with the Blueberry Lavendar Orange syrup or one
of the other marmalades found here.
This recipe would be relatively easy to make with organic ingredients.Ingredients:
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
1 cup corn flour
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1/2 cup instant oatmeal, powdered in blender
2 cups buttermilk powder
5 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/4 cup vanilla powder
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons malt powder (optional)
In an extra large bowl, using a strong wire whisk, blend all-purpose flour,
whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour, corn flour, cornmeal, powdered oatmeal,
baking powder, baking soda, vanilla powder, sugar, salt and malt (if using).
Place mix into four 1 quart jars (you may need to tap the bottoms to get it all to fit)
and store in a cool, dry place for up to one year.
NOTE: Whole wheat flour can go rancid if it gets too warm, so it may be a good idea to
refrigerate this mix if you do not have a very cool place to store it.
Attach the following instructions on a gift tag:

Please refrigerate this mix until used. Ultimate Waffles or Pancakes 1 cup Ultimate Pancake and Waffle Mix 1 egg 1/2 to 2/3 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil In a medium bowl, stir pancake mix with water, egg and vegetable oil. Add more water, if necessary, to make a medium thickness batter. If using as waffle batter, double recipe and follow manufacturer's directions. Make pancakes in usual fashion.

Gifts for Friends Who Don't Cook

With the holidays around the corner and being on a strict gift budget this year, I have been thinking about things I can make that would be appreciated by the recipients. I think of these following recipes as gifts from the heart. We all have friends who are either too busy to cook great meals or just plain don't cook. I have several bachelor friends, as well as family members who just don't take the time to cook for just themselves. By giving them the beginnings of a great home cooked meal, I think you are giving a gift that demonstrates both caring and concern for their health and well being. And a couple of these are not bad recipes just to make ahead for yourself, either. Many of the ingredients listed can be found as "organic" in most supermarkets. If you are vegetarian or are giving this as a gift to a vegetarian friend, I would suggest using "SmartGround" by Litelife in the recipes that call for meat. SmartGround is a great vegetarian substitute.


I have included an idea for the gift tag with the preparation instructions, which should be included with these food gifts. There is one for each of the following recipes at the bottom of this page.  You can use mine as a template or create your own version. 

Country Soup Mix in a Jar
Fills one 1-quart jar, in pretty layers
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup dried split peas
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta
1 cup uncooked twist macaroni
In a wide mouth 1-quart jar, layer the barley, peas, rice and lentils.
Then layer around the edges the onion, parsley, salt, lemon pepper, bouillon
and the alphabet pasta. Fill the rest of the jar with the twist macaroni. Seal.
Attach a gift card with cooking instructions.


Vegetarian Black Bean Chili Mix in a Jar

This is very healthy. It has almost no fat, and is mainly from the bottom of the food pyramid.
 It is also relatively inexpensive to make, even if you use organic dried ingredients.


3 cups black beans, sorted
3 tablespoons dehydrated onion
3 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon crushed oregano
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (do not omit)
1 1/2 cups white rice.
Instructions:
Put black beans into the bottom of a jar.
Combine spices in a zip-type bag. Poke a hole in the upper edge of the bag, being careful not to pierce the bag where air can get into the spices. Tie around the top of the jar with raffia or other natural fiber ribbon. Attach a gift card with cooking instructions.You can tie spice bag and gift tag together, if you like. Put rice in a zip-type bag, and place in the jar.

Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Mix in a Jar

Great last minute gift idea!!

1 (2.75 ounce) package country gravy mix (regular or no-fat)

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

2 teaspoons dried celery flakes

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/4 cup uncooked wild rice

1 cup uncooked white rice

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dried mushrooms

(shiitake, chanterelle or oyster)* 

Pour gravy mix into wide-mouth pint jar.

In small bowl, stir together bouillon granules, onion, celery and parsley.

Pour into jar to make second layer.

Add layers of wild rice, white rice and mushrooms.

Seal with lid. Attach gift tag (below) and decorate jar as desired.

Love Soup Mix in a Jar

18 cubes "salt-free" vegetable bouillon

1/4 cup dried minced onion

1/2 cup dried split peas

1/2 cup mixed dried red and black turtle beans

1/2 cup uncooked twist macaroni

1/4 cup barley

1/2 cup dry lentils

1/3 cup long-grain white rice

1 cup uncooked tri-color spiral pasta

Use a canning funnel or any funnel that has about a 2-inch neck. This will make it easier to fill the jars with the ingredients. Be sure to use a wide-mouth, 1-quart canning jar. Layer ingredients in the order given: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, small shape pasta, barley, lentils, rice, and enough tricolor spiral pasta to fill jar.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: For a meat version of this soup, just omit dried red and black beans, the vegetable boullion cubes and use beef instead. Remember to change the instruction card info for the non-vegetarian version, decreasing the cooking time to 45 minutes, before the pasta is added at the end, so that the cooking time is around 1 hour.)

Attach a tag with cooking instructions.

Painted Desert Chili Mix in a Jar  

I just like the name of this one.....it really is beautiful. 

Layer in a 1-quart jar:

1/4 cup dried parsley

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons white cornmeal

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 cup dried pinto beans

1/4 cup small dried white beans

1/4 cup small dried black beans

Approximately 1 cup dried kidney beans

The ingredients are layered, like sand art. Don’t worry about getting the layers even. The desert effect comes  from the rippled appearance of the spices. One tip is to carefully add each seasoning along the edges of the jar, then fill in the middle of the layer. This way all of the beautiful colors show along all of the edges.
Attach a gift card with cooking instructions.


And here are those instruction tags I mentioned: 

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili Mix in a Jar  Wash beans. Put in pot with contents of seasoning bag.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cover beans with 2 inches of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer until very well done (about 2 hours).  Beans should be very soft. Add water as needed to keep beans from sticking.  There should be some liquid left on beans when done.  To cook rice, put 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt into a pot and when it boils,  add rice. Lower heat, cover and steam for 20 minutes.  Serve about 1/2 cup rice in bowl, and ladle beans over the top.  Sprinkle with minced cilantro, finely chopped green onion, a squeeze of lime juice.

Country Soup Mix in a Jar Add contents of jar to 3 quarts of water, 2 stalks chopped celery,  2 sliced carrots, 1 cup shredded cabbage (optional) and 2 cups diced tomatoes.  Over medium low heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.

Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Empty contents of jar into a large saucepan or Dutch oven.  Add 7 cups water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes  or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Love Soup In large kettle, brown 1 pound or ground beef, "Smart Ground" or other "ground meat" substitute in a little olive oil. Remove tricolor pasta from top of jar and reserve.  Add the rest of the jar contents to the kettle with 12 cups water.  Let come to a boil and simmer approx. 45-55 minutes or until beans are done.  Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15 minutes more.  Serve with your favorite bread or rolls and a tossed salad.  Makes 12 servings

Attach these instructions to the jar:

Painted Desert Chili Mix in a Jar Pour contents of jar into 12-quart pot.  Add: 1 medium diced onion  4 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes  1 large can of tomato paste  1/2 cup cider vinegar  1/2 cup brown sugar  49 ounces tomato juice  2 pounds ground beef or turkey, browned  Fill remainder of the pot with water. Bring to boil.  Let simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes a lot of chili...invite the neighbors!

Link to Page 2 of Dry Soup Mixes

Roasted Potatoes and Shallots with Grilled Mushrooms and Arugula

Roast potatoes/shallots:
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound shallots, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound portobello or shitake mushrooms sliced 1/2" thick Olive oil Salt and pepper 2 Cups Arugula, washed, stems removed Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Directions: 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss potatoes, shallots, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper together in a 13 x 9" baking pan. Roast 1 hour, shaking pan occasionally during roasting. Combine dressing ingredients; set aside. 2. Drizzle mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked and tender 3. Toss arugula with 2 tablespoons dressing. Add remaining dressing to potatoes and shallots; toss. Serve arugula topped with the potatoes, shallots and mushrooms.

The Artful Omnivores Green ABC's - Amaranth, Chinese Spinach

Amaranth, also called Chinese Spinach, are bushy, green-colored plants some of which have leaves that can be eaten and taste similar to spinach, and some of which produce seeds that can be used as a grain. The plant is a relative to the pigweed, which is a wild plant. Additionally, sixty species of amaranth exist in the world. Certain amaranth varieties are considered vegetables and are grown strictly for their leaves. Others are grown only for their seeds. One variety, named Joseph's Coat, is used strictly for decorative purposes, mainly as a bedding plant. Dyes can be made from several varieties. 



For many centuries, amaranth was used as a food source. For example, it was considered a dietary staple for the pre-Columbian peoples who inhabited Mexico. Now, it is commonly grown in Mexico, Peru, and in Nepal. Because of its highly nutritional value, it is also becoming more popular as a food additive in the United States. Thus, it is being grown in Illinois, Nebraska, and Colorado.


You can identify an amaranth plant by its broad leaves that produce clover-like flowers. These flowers contain seeds that are used in a variety of ways including to commercially produce cereals, similar to puffed rice, pastas, and baked goods. Amaranth grows well in warm weather with conditions that include much light. Under ideal growing circumstances, amaranth plants can grow to heights of up to 4 feet. Amaranth plants are ready for harvesting 5-6 weeks after their seeds have been sown.


Because of the many varieties of amaranth that exist, when purchasing an amaranth plant, it is important to know whether the leaves and seeds are edible. If you want to purchase only the edible leaves, you can usually purchase them, by the pound, in health and natural food stores. When purchasing the leaves, look for clean and firm leaves. Once purchased, you can safely store the leaves in your home for up to one week provided that the leaves are stored in your refrigerator. Amaranth leaves are used similar to spinach and can be boiled or fried as a tasty side dish. Additionally, the leaves are high in fiber and contain high levels of iron and calcium.


An amaranth plant typically produces 40,000-60,000 seeds during its lifetime. These seeds, and the products made from them, can also be purchased at health and natural food stores. Amaranth seeds provide an extremely versatile cooking ingredient in recipes. Besides being used commercially to produce highly nutritious foods, the seeds can be toasted, ground into a flour, which is gluten and wheat free, cooked with other grains, or added to stews and soups as a thickener. Amaranth grain is extremely high in protein (16-18%) and contains the amino acids lysine and methionine. These amino acids are not typically found in other grains. When purchasing amaranth seeds you can store them in your home for up to six months as long as you store them in your refrigerator in an airtight jar or container.


Because of the amaranth plant's cooking diversity, many recipes have been created for its use. Before using amaranth, however, you may want to look into using these recipes and experiment with ingredients to produce a desired result. Amaranth has been used for centuries because of its nutritional qualities and will continue to develop a culinary following because of its ability to provide both a vegetable and a grain to a health-conscious audience.


Nutritional data available here.





This information was provided via www.essortment.com 

The Artful Omnivores Green ABC's - Bau Sin (Chinese Mustard)

Bau-Sin is a broad-leaved Heading mustard with thick and broad stalks. This mild, sweet Indian mustard possesses glossy, golden green leaves with a trace of red veining. The leaves are fine for salads, and are high in pro-vitamin A and C. Plants mature to a beautifully folded heart prior to bolting and may even form a head in cold weather. Stems of bolting plants are sweet, crisp and tender, although it may become bitter if overgrown. Seeds are sown in late summer for harvest in late fall and early winter. Bau-Sin is very popular in Taiwan and southern China.


Nutritional data available here.

My Favorite Chai Recipes

"When we lived in the Pacific Northwest, I drank chai every day,throughout every season. One of my favorite recollections of that time is going down to the beach in winter, sitting by the local jetty, the surf pounding with a winter storm. With a fine sea mist swirling about, we would sit watching the sea lions fish for salmon at the rivermouth on one side, the waves from the ocean crashing on the other, a steaming cup of chai warming us body and soul. "

Please NOTE: You will need some sort of fine mesh strainer to make this version.  Also, most Chai recipes contain cinnamon.  I abhor cinnamon, so I usually replace with mace, although I can abide the very subtle flavor imparted by a cinnamon stick, as opposed to cinnamon powder. 

**MY BASIC CHAI**Four 1 1/2 in. slices fresh ginger (use vegetable peeler)

One 2 in. cinnamon stick

Four whole cloves

1/2 tsp. powdered cardamom

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. mace

1 dash nutmeg

1 heaping Tbsp. turbinado sugar or sucanat

1/4 cup honey

4 Darjeeling or Earl Grey tea bags (any full bodied black tea will do)

2 cups cold H2O

2 cups milk or soymilk

Place teabags in pot with the cold water and bring to a slow boil. Then add all other ingredients in order above. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add milk and bring to boil, then take off heat. Strain through strainer or coffee filters and serve hot or in a tall glass filled with ice. Refrigerate unused portion. Chai will keep for a couple of days. If you want to make the basic chai with out the milk, it will keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge, in an airtight container. Then you can just heat and add the milk when you are ready to drink. Be warned, this tea can be addictive, especially in the cold winter months!

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**DRY CHAI MASALA**

You can make this version to take to work or on trips. Just add to hot tea with milk.

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

8 whole cloves

1 teaspoon mace

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon dried, ground ginger powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder

1 black cardamom pod (optional)

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)

3/4 cup turbinado sugar

Grind all the ingredients, except for the sugar, in a spice grinder until fine. Add to sugar and mix throughly.

Place in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid & store in cool, dark place.

This blend stays fresh for about 6 months. Add to brewed tea with milk, about 1 teaspoon per cup.

***You can also add non-fat dry milk in equal measure to the sugar to make this a more complete mix for camping, etc. I have made chai with instant tea in the mix, but it was pretty awful. If you make this mix, use fresh brewed tea from teabags and add the dry mix to it. Still pretty easy. This one makes a great mix for gift giving.

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**CHANDRA CHAI** 

This version is slightly spicier than the previous recipe.

6 Darjeeling or Earl Grey tea bags

12 (+/-) silver dollar-sized pieces fresh ginger (to your taste)

4-5 sticks cinnamon, broken into little pieces

1 1/2 Tbsp. green cardamom pods or 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom

2 Tbsp. black peppercorns

1 tsp. whole cloves

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 tsp. licorice root

1/2 tsp. allspice berries

1 vanilla bean (optional)

5 cups water

3-4 Tbsp. honey or turbinado sugar

Soy milk or cow milk

Combine all ingredients, excepting the honey (sugar) and milk, with cold water in a pot. Cover snugly! Simmer over a medium-low flame for 50 minutes. Remove from heat, but let sit, covered, for another 40-50 minutes. Filter the dreamy concoction into a suitable container. Stir in the honey and add enough milk to taste.
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**MASALA CHAI**

1-1/2 cups water

1 inch stick of cinnamon

8 cardomom pods

8 whole cloves

2/3 cup milk

6 tsp. sugar (or to taste)

3 teaspoons any unperfumed loose black tea

Put 1-1/2 cups water in saucepan. Add the cinnamon, cardomom, and cloves and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer again. Throw in the tea leaves, cover, and turn ff the heat. After 2 minutes, strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately.

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**NONFAT MASALA CHAI**

(makes 3 cups)

3 cups of Water (please, not hot!)

1 teaspoon Chai Masala (recipe given above)

2 to 3 teaspoons loose Tea Leaves (or 3 tea-bags)

1/4 cup (or more) Evaporated Skimmed Milk

Sugar (or Equal or Nutrasweet) to taste

Place the water and chai masala in a saucepan and put to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tea leaves (or tea bags). Please note that the amount can be varied depending on personal preference. Continue to boil for about 1 more minute. Add the evaporated skimmed milk (directly from the can). Boil once more. Strain and pour into individual cups or tea kettle. Serve with sugar (or Equal/Nutrasweet) on the side.

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Easy Chai

3 - 4 Tea Spoons/4 Teabags of good tea (Darjeeling is a good one)

A chunk of dry ginger (or fresh ginger if dry isn't handy)

3 - 4 cardmom pods, crushed or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

3 Cloves

Small piece of cinnamon

A Tsp of coriander seed

1 or 2 whole black peppers or 1/2 tsp black peppercorns (optional)

Sugar to taste

Milk, warmed slightly

Brewing:

Bring 2 cups of water to boil (microwave or otherwise). Add all the ingredients and boil again for about 15 seconds.

Let stand for a minute. Filter or strain tea into cups and add warm milk.

CHAI CHAI CHAI

My Love Affair With Chai


I lived in on the Oregon Coast for a number of years and that is where I my love affair with chai began. In the Pacific Northwest, where the weather may be gray, chilly and drizzly at almost any time of the year, one perfect way to escape the chill for a bit is to visit one of the dozens of coffee shops that literally stand on every corner. The ambience of these little havens from the cold is that of a warm cozy friend's house, where you can curl up in an overstuffed chair and read or sit at a tiny bistro table with your friends, sipping the perfect latte, nibbling on today's fresh chocolate almond biscotti. This atmosphere is almost addictive, but it can be a problem if you are not a coffee drinker.


So, most of these shops offer what I consider to be one of life's little secret pleasures, Chai. Chai is basically a fragrant, spicy tea, sweet and milky with a heavenly exotic flavor. The word "chai" itself means tea, so to call it chai tea is a bit redundant. Chai is Indian in origin where every household has their own special version, but the basic chai is the same. These days, you can purchase chai in several forms, from spiced tea bags to liquid mixes you just add milk to. But to truly enjoy chai, you must savor the aromas as well as the flavors. Several different recipes follow or you can try your own. My signature touch is that I use mace and drop of vanilla in my chai. If you have tried Chai already blended and didn't like it, try making your own. There is a world of difference.


Since this is a sweetened tea, if you do not use sugar, almost any sweetner will make an okay substitute. I have had chai made using Equal and Splenda and neither one was that bad, but unless you are just dead set against (or can't have) sugar or honey, I wouldn't ruin a potentially good chai with chemicals. I have also made a dry chai blend with non-fat powdered milk, which was pretty good, too, to take on camping trips. I just boiled water, brewed my strong black tea and added the dry mixture. You can drink chai hot or cold. Either way, it is delicious. Experiment and find you own way to make Chai! Or you can use the following link to see my favorite chai recipes.

CHAI, CHAI, CHAI

The Artful Omnivores Green ABC's - ARUGULA

Arugula perfect size for harvesting (New Moon Farm photo)

Arugula  (Eruca vesicaria sativa)

Arugula is one of those greens that some people love and some can't stand. I am ambivalent about it. I like it in a salad, but I am not sure I would want to eat it at every meal, although I have acquaintences who would.  

Contrary to what many people think, arugula is not a type of lettuce, although it resembles some of the oak leaf lettuces. It is really a leafy green herb of the mustard family. Also known also as rocket, Italian cress, roquette, and rucola. Dating back to the Roman Empire, it is a true heirloom green. Only in recent years, due to its newfound popularity with foodies, have new varieties have been introduced. Fortunately, seeds for several of older and regional Italian varieties are widely available.

The plant has elongated green leaves that are lobed like the leaves of an oak, serrated like other mustards or smooth like spinach.  Arugula, like mustard,  is related to both the radish and watercress. There are several types and varieties and all vary slightly in flavor. Some are bitingly hot and pungent, while others have a slightly nutty flavor. Arugula makes a great addition to a salad mix, on sandwiches or sauteed/wilted with other tender greens.

Native to the Mediterranean region, arugula has been grown as a vegetable since the Roman era. The Romans ate the leaves as a vegetable, used the seeds to flavor oil, and made aphrodisiac and medicinal compounds from the plant.  The white and maroon flowers are quite pretty and make a nice addition to a salad also. They have a more mild flavor than the leaves, with a hint of clove essence. 

Arugula is very easy to grow and does well in cooler temperatures of spring and fall. If left to self seed, arugula will come back year after year, although it is probably better to replant it as it can become invasive. If left to winter over, arugula flowers are one of the first in the spring and will attract bees early in the season. 

Arugula should be picked when the leaves are small and tender (less that 5 inches long) as it can become bitter quickly of allowed to become too oversized.  Larger leaves can be included in mixed greens as cooking tones much of their any bitterness. Adding walnuts to a salad containing arugula will bring out its nutty flavor.

Arugula is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese.

Nutritional data available here. 

Sweet Tater Punkin Soup

Olive oil to saute onions in

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. Ground Ginger (if you use fresh, cut it in chunks you can remove before you puree the soup)

1/2 tsp. Curry, 1/4 tsp. ground Cumin, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups cooked sweet potato

2 cups chicken broth (You can use veggie broth for vegan version...will taste slightly different, though)

2 cups cooked pumpkin (Use the big can -15-16 ounces-if you are not preparing your own) 

1 cup of milk (Use soy milk of making vegan version)

1 - 1 1/2 cups of water

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot using med-hi heat. Add onion and saute til starting to become transparent. Add the ginger, curry, cumin, nutmeg, and garlic and cook briefly. Add the sweet potato, broth, water, and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Puree soup at this point, using an immersion blender. (If you do this in a regular blender or good processor, let it cool slightly. Return it to the pot immediately.) Slowly Stir in the milk until heated but not boiled. Milk may curdle if you boil it.

This is a sweet soup, but very healtful. Serve with a savory bread to counterpoint the sweetness of the soup. 

An alternative version:

Instead of curry and nutmeg, substitute 1 tsp of Mexican Chili powder, a drizzle of honey and squeeze of orange juice.  Garnish this version with cilantro and serve with blue corn chips. 

Help Stamp Out Food Snobbery

This is a reposting of an article from one of my other blogs which was written about 3 years ago. I thought I would put it back up because I recently listened to something on NPR about things people pay big bucks for that are not the real thing...caviar was one of those things and there is something about that in this post.

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I think that it is time that I do my part to bring attention to the issue of food prejudice. Since I am so in touch with food, I am going to address the food snobs of the world here on my blog today. That's right, it is my blog and I can say what I want to about whatever subject I am inclined to write about....mu-ah-hahahahahaaaa.I love the power of the blog!! Okay, I am getting a power high so I better get back on subject. This just has to be said.My simple definition of food snobbery: Refusing to even try or consider trying a particular fruit, vegetable, regional or local dish for any reason at all. If you are a food snob, let me help to set the record straighter on a couple of things:

Sushi versus Chitlins

I went to a Sushi restaurant in Japan once where there were a bunch of fish swimming happily together in a huge tank. We ordered and the next thing I know, the chef is screaming like a ninja and grabbing a live fish out of the tank and flinging it down on the table in front of us. When he pulled out a cleaver and hacked the head off right in front of me, I almost fainted. Needless to say, I didn't eat sushi (or much of anything else) for a while. Chitlins on the other hand are quite civilized by comparison. I have seen them being cooked before but that is it. Chitlin preparation has the good manners to stay out of the public eye as much as possible.

Grits versus Polenta

Grits and polenta are the same thing. If you let your grits simmer too long and they get really thick, you have made polenta. In Northern Italy, where polenta is a staple dish, it was first made when maize or corn was brought there by explorers. It is cooked down more than grits, but there is not much difference except for the seasoning and serving methods. Of course, grits can be pretty bland and boring if you buy those wussie white ones at the grocery store or you don't know how to cook them. I buy stone ground, organic yellow corn grits. Fortunately, I do know how to cook them (Granny taught me) and mine are delicious.

Livermush versus Blood Sausage

Do I even need to explain this one? Yes, I guess I do.

Livermush is decidedly Southern and Blood Sausage is decidedly disgusting.

Livermush probably had its origins with German settlers to the Southeastern areas of the US from Pennsylvania. Blood Sausage never quite caught on here in this area although I understand it is popular elsewhere. My best friend growing up moved to the US from Europe and we helped her mom to make BS at their house once. I repeat, ONCE. And I never ate any that I am aware of but sometimes when I ate dinner at their house, I was a little confused as to exactly what I was eating.

Okra versus anything

I already wrote an entire blog entry about okra, so refer back to that post from August  to read up on okra. One quick note about okra: it is NOT indigenous to the Southern US (it just loves our climate); it is native to Africa; is an edible hibiscus; and is eaten all over the world.

Caviar versus Catfish Roe

I have eaten caviar once or twice myself, but don't remember particularily liking it. It tasted a little fishy. And speaking of fishy, there are people willing to pay $50+ an ounce for Beluga caviar yet look down their noses of folks who catch and clean their own fish and eat the roe. Joke is on them. Back in the late 1990's, the FDA busted a caviar "importer" who had been packaging and selling catfish roe as Beluga for years. Took DNA testing to determine that the roe in question was not from sturgeon, but in fact from the lowly Ictalarus punctatus or the common channel catfish.Nobody noticed the difference because, lets face it, who eats caviar on a regular basis? Do you know anyone who does? Neither do I.

Cow Peas versus English Peas

Cow Peas- A drought tolerant and warm weather crop, cowpeas are well-adapted to the drier regions of the tropics, where other food legumes do not perform well. It also has the useful ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through its nodules, and it grows well in poor soils with more than 85% sand and with less than 0.2% organic matter and low levels of phosphorus. In addition, it is shade tolerant, and therefore, compatible as an intercrop with maize, millet, sorghum, sugarcane, and cotton.

This makes the cowpea an important component of traditional intercropping systems, especially in the complex and elegant subsistence farming systems of the dry savannas in sub-Saharan Africa. English peas are just a cooler weather, slightly different cultivar of Fabaceae or Leguminosae, or the legume family. There is nothing sophistocated or gourmet about English (green) peas. In fact, if you compared the common field pea grown in the South to the English pea, the English pea is by comparison a thin and pale relative, as far as adaptability and usage. 

Water Cress versus Creasy Greens

If you ever watched the Dobie Gillis show back in the 60's, you most probably remember Mrs. Chatsworth Osborne, Jr., Resident RB&S, who was forever giving parties where they served watercress sandwiches. This is probably about the silliest food affectation I know of, in all of my culinary experience. Watercress on buttered slices of bread with the crusts cut off was supposedly the height of snooty cuisine. Somehow the idea of a weed that grows along the sides of the road, in ditches where there is standing water pasted onto a tiny piece of white bread doesn't really impress me all that much. And why couldn't they even have a "big boy" sandwich with the crusts still on...did those rich people have weak choppers or just still long for mama? Don't get it.

I don't remember my Granny even planting "creasies", a delightful little spicy, edible green plant, but she certainly got excited once it showed up in the corn field in the fall. It grows in a rosette, kind of like arugula. Today, you can buy creasy green seeds (Upland Cress is how it is sold) and plant some for yourself, but in the foothills and mountains of NC, they were/are considered a wild, uncultivated food, not to be taken for granted. I think maybe planting creasys would not set well with some old timers. Creasy greens are cousin to watercress and the name "creasy" is probably an Appalachian mispronunciation of cress. They are peppery and add a little spice to other greens.

There are lots more foods I could mention, but my fingers are tired and I have to go.  My break is over and I need to get back to some real work. Hope you enjoyed my little tongue in cheek (Really? Maybe.) missive today.