Tag: traditions

Family Togetherness: Wednesday Breakfast

“Frukostdags” by Hanna Pauli Wednesday morning breakfasts appeared one day without any solicitation on my part. On Wednesday mornings I like to make pancakes. They make for a nice variation from the typical egg burritos or oatmeal. One Wednesday morning I was surprised to discover 

Add A Bit of Ambiance

I learned long ago in music appreciation class about the surreal power of music. Years later I felt that power as I sat in the front row of the music hall, with tears streaming down my cheeks, listening to a classical pianist’s rendition of Chopin. 

Classic Carrot Cake with Variables

Classic Carrot Cake

Carrots were used in Europe as an inexpensive sweetener in cakes and puddings dating far back as the Middle Ages. It is no surprise baked goods sweetened and flavored with vegetables and fruits remain a favorite commodity. The Classic Carrot Cake arrived in America in the 20th century as a “healthy alternative” to traditional desserts. The beloved carrot cake can be found in tea houses throughout Britain and cafes across the American continent. The contents of the carrot cake vary with the region and the person making it. For some folks additions like coconut, raisins, nuts and pineapple are a must have. There are those who prefer a spongy moist cake, others a dense cake, a light cake, a plain cake, wheat-free cake, a sugar-free cake, less oil and the list goes on.

For the past three months I have put in countless hours researching this iconic dessert. My question? What makes the perfect carrot cake? Conclusion? There isn’t one. At least not a perfect carrot cake recipe to satisfy the majority of the masses. We all have our own taste. I could post a recipe from the internet with a following of rave reviews but where is the fun in that. I was curious if I could come up with a base recipe that would support the amount of substitutions people would want to make and still be pleasing.

One note I do want to expound on is substitutions. Often times we make the rationale when replacing part of the oil with applesauce that we are making the cake healthier. Fact is the opposite is true. While it is correct that applesauce reduces the fat content it inadvertently increases the sugar content. Ideally if you choose to replace the oil with applesauce or buttermilk, remember to reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup.

Be sure to scroll down to the Variations section for alternative suggestions.

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
3 cups carrots, finely grated (about 6-7 medium sized)
Cream Cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.

Spread walnuts on a baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Finely chop nuts; set aside.

Wash and peel carrots. Using a box grater or food processor finely shred carrots; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs and sugars until completely incorporated. Drizzle oil in a steady stream while mixing constantly to emulsify.

In a small bowl sift flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add chopped nuts; mix to incorporate. Gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined. (Ribbons of flour are still noticeable.) Fold in carrots until completely combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Variations:
— Replace 3/4 cup of oil with 3/4 cup buttermilk.*
— Reduce the oil to 3/4 cup to 1 cup.**
*The proteins in milk can produce a tougher crumb in cakes.
**Reducing the oil this much will result in a drier cake. We recommend reducing the oil no more that 1 cup.
— Substitute all-purpose flour for: 1 cup wheat, 1/4 flax seed meal and 3/4 white. OR substitute all wheat, spelt or a combination or whole grain flours.
— Reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup.
— Replace sugar with equal amount of Xylitol or 1 1/2 cups honey or 2 cups applesauce.
— Use equal parts white and brown sugar or all white or all brown.
— Add 2 teaspoons vanilla. (add with eggs)
— Add 1 cup toasted coconut. (add with carrots)
— Add 1 (8-oz) can pineapple, drained and squeezed. (add with carrots)
— Add 1 cup raisins or sultanas – soaked in orange juice or rum. (add with carrots)
— Add 1/4 cup chopped Crystallized ginger. (add with carrots)
— Substitute allspice or pumpkin pie spice for nutmeg and cloves.

Notes:
— Our carrot cake was baked using a glass 9X13 baking dish. Dark metal or ceramic pans may vary baking time.
— If you live in a higher elevation you might need to make adjusts. Click here for helpful hints.
— To make cupcakes reduce baking time to 20-25 minutes.

Add the Final Touch to the Dinner Table

In many a household dinner has become a rush of events. From mine own experience with little ones crying from hunger, the baby begging to be held and the chaos that ensues now that mom is not looking can dampen any attempt for a peaceful 

Moroccan Tajine Chicken & Lentils

Morocco is located at the northern tip of East Africa spanning from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea to the Sahara desert. Morocco is largely mountainous with a great expanse of coastal plains and desert. It is noted that Morocco has the the most 

Making Time for the Family: An Easter Celebration

savior-and-redeemer

Consolator by Carl Bloch

In our home we celebrate Easter in both secular and non-secular ways. For us the Easter Bunny is not an integral part of our Easter holiday but rather becomes a fun pass time for the children like hunting for eggs while waiting for the Easter feast to cook. Historically Easter coincides with a few other cultural traditions such as the Iranian New Year, Jewish Passover (that recounts the escape of the Israelites from Egypt in addition to the removal of all leaven bread), Catholic lent, and the celebration of the Spring Equinox. Worldwide traditions provide a cache of ideas to pluck from religious and secular alike.

womenatjesustomb

Women at the Tomb (Author unknown)

The Journey:
Holidays that originate in another country have educational potential. We can learn about the traditions, customs, types of food they ate, their sleeping conditions and games they played. On the Eve of Easter we take a journey back in time. We unpack the tent and roll out our sleeping bags for an indoor family camp out. We sing, dance and play an ancient Roman game of Knucklebones (similar to Jacks) using pebbles. For dinner we enjoy an earthy Eastern meal followed by a short devotional recapping the last few days of Christ’s mortal life.

spring-bunny-carolyn-bell

“Spring Bunny” by Carolyn Bell

The Spring Bunny:
The Easter Bunny was first introduced in the US by German immigrants. Their culture believed the egg to be a symbol of rebirth. The idea for the Spring Bunny came from a friend of mine. To keep the spirit of Easter focused on Christ the “Spring Bunny” comes hopping around their home on the morning of the first day of Spring. He delivers eggs filled with money and baskets filled with candy and surprises. For Stephen it is a sacrilege not having the Easter Bunny on Easter morning. To appease us both we agreed to adopt the name “Spring Bunny” leaving Easter out of it.

Our Spring Bunny will arrive Easter morning to hide plastic eggs filled with stickers, beads for our reward system and money. The baskets contain a few pieces of candy, a wind up toy (to have races with), bubbles and a small something geared toward each child like a bucket and shovel, a ball, stuffed animals or a book. The idea is to keep it light and fun.

The Easter Feast:
Our Easter table is laden with the fresh bounties that spring has to offer. A white linen tablecloth, symbolic of the cloth that Christ’s body was wrapped in, drapes the table. A bouquet of herbs adorns the table in recognition of the spices that were carried to the tomb to dress the body of Christ. Our meal is meager with spring vegetables, crusty bread and a fruit flavored pork roast.

norman-millauer-getty

Photo of  painted Czech Easter eggs by: Norman Millauer/Getty

Easter Delights:
After Easter service the kids are thrilled to paint Easter eggs, bake cookies, make crafts and hunt for eggs. After hours of hiding and finding eggs we all sit down to watch “Veggie Tales: An Easter Carol.” Before we had kids we always watched “Jesus of Nazareth,” directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Robert Powell is amazing in his gripping portrayal of Jesus the Christ.

A few ideas for families with older kids are:
–Plan a Spring picnic. Pack a lunch and head to the park or country.

–Watch the sunrise. Climb to the roof of your building or set out for the mountains. Bring along some nibbles for breakfast and some blankets.

–Plant a garden. Gather some of your neighbors to plant a neighborhood garden or keep it private in your own backyard.

–Make an advent calender using plastic eggs and an egg carton. Fill the eggs with a scripture from the last days preceding Christ’s death and an item represented in that scripture; leaving the last one empty). Read one each night beginning 12 days before Easter. Some items to include might be 3 dimes, a cross, white linen and so on.

–Make fun decorations like a banner or a special tablecloth.

–Host a neighborhood parade or festival.

–Devise an Easter egg scavenger hunt.

–Play egg relays.

–Pin the tail on the bunny.

–Make oversized Easter Bonnets to wear in the parade.

–Buy a new spring outfit for church.

–Take a family portrait.

Grilled Parmesan Garlic Asparagus

With the arrival of Spring comes the fresh picked asparagus. We love asparagus. They make a lovely dish to accompany any holiday meal. They are fantastic in omelets as well as soups and stir-fry’s. Asparagus is a perennial, related to the lily with fern like 

Herbed Boiled Potatoes

Herbed boiled potatoes is a family favorite. We often serve them on Valentine’s Day, Easter and other special occasions. This version of red potatoes transforms the ordinary boiled or baked potato into something spectacular that your guests will really enjoy. Potatoes can be very tricky 

Scrumptious Honey Whole Grain Cornbread

Historically cornbread has been around long before the first European settlers arrived. The Native American Indians taught the new settlers how to grind corn into corn meal to make “Pone”. Using a simple mixture of ground corn meal, water and salt this early version of cornbread became a valuable staple to the New settlers those first few years after their arrival. Cornbread was especially popular throughout the Civil War as it was quick and cheap to make. The ingredients used depended on the region; for instance, the addition of sugar and flour was typical of the North while the South favored an unsweetened version cooked in a cast iron skillet. Cornbread has had quite a makeover over the years. The variations are endless with each family claiming to have the best recipe ever.

You would think my dad being a farmer from Georgia would have passed along a treasured recipe. All we got was Betty Crocker and Jiffy. Needless to say I was never a fan of cornbread as it was always dry and flavorless. Then I met the Odoms in Woodville Texas. A loverly little town in East Texas with fresh air, tons of trees and lots of old 19th century houses. Odomville was a small community comprised of the descendants of the Odom family located about 30 minutes out of town heading East toward Fred Texas.

During my visits in Odomville I mostly enjoyed sitting at the kitchen table with Mr. Odom and Alice eating a square of cornbread. Alice died of old age shortly after I arrived in Woodville. It was a somber time for us all even more so for her beloved Mr. Odom. They had known one another since childhood and the loss was almost more than he could bare. I continued to visit Mr. Odom when in the area as I so enjoyed his stories of Odomville. And so it was on my last day in East Texas I was with him at the kitchen table once again sharing a meager snack of cornbread and milk.

I am extremely particular about cornbread. There are but two recipes I can say I have enjoyed one being Alice Odom’s recipe and the other one is this recipe for honey whole grain cornbread. The sweet kiss of honey mingles well with scrumptious earth grains. Serve as a side with chili or a salad.

Source: Mayfiles
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup whole grain flour
2/3 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9X13 baking dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix honey and butter until combined. Add eggs, buttermilk and soda; mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, flour and salt. Add flour mixture to milk mixture; folding just until combined. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Notes:
If you do not have a natural foods market near by Whole Grain Flour can be found in most supermarkets that sell Bob’s Red Mill flours. If you cannot find whole grain try blending 1 part kamut + 1 part spelt + 1 part hard white wheat.

Family Togetherness: A Tradition of Storytellers

I met the Bogarts when I was teenager. I took dance classes at the same ballet studio as Mrs. Bogart. Mr. Bogart was a music producer and Christian music artist. They lived in a vintage home a few streets from my house, making it convenient