Recipe: Easy Entertaining With the No Stress Express

November 22, 2015November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

One of the most fun things about teaching cookery classes is when you get feedback from the students. Any feedback is helpful, but of course hearing that they were able to successfully master a recipe is always a good thing! This recipe is without a doubt number one on the list of “I did it and it was fabulous”. It is delicious, easy and great for entertaining. And what I like about it best is its adaptability. You can eliminate ingredients, substitute ingredients and alter the recipe to accommodate those with food intolerances. So when you have a dinner party and need a go to recipe, this one will take you on the no stress express!

Italian Chicken with Artichokes

Serves 6

2 small jars of marinated artichoke hearts

4 Tblsp olive oil

¼ cup plain flour (can use gluten free if needed)

6 chicken breast fillets (skinless and boneless) free range and organic if possible

6 tomatoes (peeled and quartered)

4 small cloves of garlic (minced)

1 lb. fresh mushrooms (trimmed and sliced)

1 cup (8 oz) dry sherry

2 Tblsp fresh parsley (minced)

1 ½ tsp salt

¾ tsp pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

Drain the artichokes, saving them for later, and combine ½ of their liquid with the olive oil in a skillet.

In a bag, place the flour and chicken together, and shake to coat the pieces well.

Brown the chicken in the skillet with oils, over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. When finished, transfer the chicken to a casserole dish.

Combine all the other ingredients except artichokes and simmer over medium/low heat for 10 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake uncovered in a preheated oven

(180 C/350 F) for 20 minutes

Sprinkle the artichoke hearts on top and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve with orzo pasta or rice pilaf and a veg such as roasted asparagus spears. Or just some nice crusty bread and a lovely dressed mixed leaf salad.

If you happen to have access to fresh herbs you can use them instead of the dried oregano and basil if you prefer. Just double the amount. And if you have a crowd that doesn’t like artichokes (but don’t know why they wouldn’t) you can substitute marinated sun dried tomatoes instead. My son in law is allergic to mushrooms, so when I make this dish I omit the mushrooms in the batch, but just sauté some separately. Then anyone else in the family wanting that earthy flavor can just sprinkle them on top after it is served. I also like to sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top just before serving for some extra deliciousness!

The cool thing about this recipe is that you can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days before you need it (or it can be frozen). Dare I even say it tastes better then the first day it is made because the flavors have time to deepen.

This is also a nice dish to make for a family with a new addition. It is a challenge sometimes for a mommy with a baby to get dinner on the table. Many times I would make this dinner and take it to a friend just home from the hospital and they would say it was the best gift they could have received. More practical than flowers. And if you know someone with a bereavement, it too can be just the bit of homemade love and comfort to help them get through a difficult time. Food is healing!

Easy Peasy Love,

YDP

Soul Dog

November 21, 2015November 21, 2015 ~ Harper220

How do you say goodbye to your best friend? How do you let go of someone that literally saved your life? How do you grapple with the inevitable finality of a family member’s time on earth? Well, even a year after our beloved Jack passed from this life, I still don’t have the answers. All I keep saying is, we were blessed with the best soul dog there ever was!

Sure Jack was a four legged canine with a tail and fur and all the other bits and pieces that dogs come equipped with, but he wasn’t just a dog. He was so much more. Clearly he wasn’t human, but I don’t know what else to call him but a soul dog. Of course all dog owners (the good ones anyway) are going to say, “oh my dog is special, he is the best, he is more than just a dog, etc”. But I don’t consider myself a dog owner. I was simply the caretaker for 14 glorious years to a soul, an old man soul, who happened to inhabit the body of a black and white pit bull terrier mix!

The thing about Jack is I didn’t want him. We had dogs over the years, the regular ordinary kind of dogs. I was always the one to shoulder the burden of the care and expense. When my ex and I got divorced I knew I couldn’t do that anymore. A single mom of two kids working full-time and going to college in the evenings it wouldn’t have been fair on a dog anyway. My kids would beg for us to get another dog and I always refused. So my son got clever. He didn’t ask, he just resorted to the old tug at the heart strings approach. He called and asked for a ride home from a friend’s house. He mentioned his friend’s mom had rescued a little puppy at the park and they couldn’t keep him. When I arrived to pick up my son, he came out and through my car door window placed Jack in my lap. He was a sweet little thing at the time, and he said, “Mom, can we just look after him until we find him a home?” Once Jack hit my lap his DNA became embedded in my heart. We never found him a home, because we didn’t need to. He stayed with us and graced us with his presence.

No matter who it was that met him or interacted with him, they too became enraptured by his beauty and his personality. Whether the vet, the groomer, the doggy daycare helper or the boarding facility he went to when we were on vacation. They all gave Jack “the special treatment”, forgoing the protocol for proper dogs, because Jack was special and that is what he deserved. He was regal and his beautiful brown eyes would just pierce your soul when he looked at you. In his prime, he was a stud. Very imposing and muscular. But he was such a softie and wouldn’t hurt a fly. In fact he was even friends with a cat (named Cous Cous) that would walk the neighborhood on a leash with its owners. Clearly that cat wasn’t a standard cat either.

Jack wasn’t without fault. The guy had the most deadly gaseous emissions. Like, so bad it was toxic. I think I might still have a tinge of black lung in fact. He was also sneaky. He would do naughty things behind our backs but then act like an angel, or pretend he was bored and yawn when we confronted him about it. Once we decided to see if we could catch him in the act of jumping on our bed when we were away from the house. My Hubby set up a camera and indeed we got it all on this video.

But then we were like, how could we be mad at someone who just wanted to feel near to us when we were away? It was just that this was his clever way to stay close to us, on our bed under our covers. Not too hard, not too soft, but just right. A sort of Goldilocks syndrome. For the record, he had his own beds, complete with blankies and all. But if he really wanted to be on our bed that much while we were out of the house, well then I suppose he deserved it.

Jack was a bit lazy and liked to sleep in and also to cuddle. In fact, his were the best cuddles you would ever have. They were therapeutic in fact. Researchers recently came out with a study confirming the fact that petting and touching dogs helps to boost our oxytocin levels (feel good hormones). I could have announced that statistic to the world! When I became an empty nester at 36 years old I needed some oxytocin big time. My daughter left for university and my son left to attend boarding school across the country at the same time. There I was, feeling so sad and lonely missing my kids. But Jack just looked at me everyday with those eyes. As if to say, “Hey what about me, I’m still here, I’ll give ‘its da cuds’ to make you feel better” and that is just what happened. Our long walks, our drives in the car, our visits to the dog park, they all helped me get through the difficult times. He was there! And even if he could be bossy (like when you stopped petting him cuz your hand was about to fall off and he would nudge you with his head to make you keep on going) you knew that he had your back. He was loyal and protective.

In his younger years, when he had his teeth, he liked to chew. He would go through toys like nobody’s business. I should have taken stock in Pet Smart! But he also liked a taste for a bit of wood. Or a lot of wood. He ate the wooden threshold on my back door, he ate the wooden fence across my driveway, and he literally ate an entire set of wooden steps in my back yard. Luckily my Hubby replaced those with brick! So that wouldn’t happen again! But the worst was when he ate through the wooden window blinds in my house. You know those really pretty (and expensive) plantation shutters? Yea, well to top it off, he ate only a bit of each set. I wished he had just eaten all the slats of one whole set. But no, each and every window had just a little bit chewed off. He was so sensitive that if you did get mad at him he would pout for days. I couldn’t take the mood of the house being so ill affected! In fact, during “Shutter Gate” when he knew I was mad at him, I would just have to point at the blinds and he would slink off to another room. And I missed him when he did that. So I made sure to keep the pointy finger tucked away.

We have this thing in our family which we call “dee-dees” and it is like being tickled. Jack would come over and stand there and wait to be dee-deed on his leg or tummy. He would go into this trance like state where his eyes would be semi closed and you just knew he was happy to have chosen us as his guardians.

When Jack was five years old we decided to get him a companion. Stella (also a black and white pit mix) moved in and though he acted like she was a bother, we knew he kinda liked her. She, now 10 years old, is a bootylicious doggie and all that flesh makes her good and warm to cuddle. Together they made the big move with us to Ireland. I think getting out of L.A. gave him a few extra years and bit of pep in his step. Even though they were both fixed, there was the “mojo” going on with her. For some reason, being in the car made him even more frisky. We would drive around Dublin and people knew it was us. Not because our silver Mini Cooper was so recognizable in itself. But because it would be bouncing up and down as we cruised through town.

Stella loved him so much. He just put up with her. He would go from room to room in the house to get away from her but she would always follow him. He had 5 years as an only child, she never knew life without him. As much as I have grieved Jack’s passing, she probably misses him even more. She used to sit on his head, why I never figured out. Maybe to keep him from going into another room? But now there is no one to sit on and she is lost. I don’t have the heart to get another dog. Jack can never be replaced. So now we dote on Stella even more, and we do adore her so much. But here is the thing, she is a dog. A sweet dog, but a dog.

Jack was extra special, out of the ordinary. He knew things no one else knew. In fact he knew when it was time for him to go. I didn’t want to accept it. I resisted. I took him to the vet to get medical bandaids to keep him going. The vet suggested giving him human food to help with his weight loss. So I was hand feeding him scrambled eggs, poached salmon and roasted chicken. He gobbled it up and also looked at me like, “why did you wait so long for the good stuff?” But he couldn’t walk anymore, and when he lost his dignity and did his biz in the house he gave us that look. Those gorgeous brown eyes said, “it’s time”. He wasn’t in pain, but his body just gave out. I asked my Hubby to take a photo of a one last cuddle session with the one we used to call “handsome man.”

We didn’t take Stella with us. Jack deserved our undivided attention. The last drive to the vet was dreadful as my Hubby held Jack in his arms. Usually very stiff, he was so weak and floppy. Before his last breath I kissed him on the lips and said, “I love you now and forever”. Sobbing away, my tears which Jack used to lick from my face, now fell on the veterinarian’s sterile tile floor. He was at peace. And though his physical body gave out his spirit lives on. There hasn’t been a day in the last 365 that I haven’t thought of him. How many get to have the privilege of spending 14 years with someone that has had that much of an impact on their lives? People say, 14 is a long life, as it’s 98 in dog years. But what is it in soul dog years? It’s infinity! Because he will eternally live in our hearts!

Lovingly and longingly missing my “midder mans”,

YDP

ps. Jack has even joined us on this new journey of ours to London. And though the Mini Cooper wasn’t literally bouncing up and down on the ferry ride over the Irish Sea, he was still in the back with his girl Stella

The Broken Road

November 20, 2015November 20, 2015 ~ Harper220

Everyone has heard that phrase “everything happens for a reason”. No matter the religious affiliation, or lack there of, people spout off variations of this quote as a way to make sense of events in their lives. Maybe it is a way to give us hope, or validate our faith. Or simply because as humans our minds are always working overtime trying to analyze and categorize the information it receives.

So here is one of those “E.H.F.A.R.” moments in my story, and it is quite explosive indeed. As I have shared on here before, my Hubby and I moved to Ireland in 2008. It was at the tail end of the Celtic Tiger and to say finding housing was difficult is an understatement. But we ended up getting a very nice brand new apartment in South Dublin. It was quite handy though as it was walking distance to Hubby’s office. So he would come home everyday for lunch. However we often said that we wished we had been able to move into another apartment we looked at just around the corner. It was older, quainter and very Irish. I mean, when you move somewhere across the globe you kinda want a different experience, a more local indigenous feel. At least we do. As much as we wanted it and as much as we tried, we didn’t get it. Because the owner was away on holidays and we literally had one day to find a place, the real estate agent said she wasn’t able to get in touch with him. We were heading back to L.A. to pack up our things for the move and couldn’t wait around in Dublin until his return. Oh well.

When we were settled into our new place, which we called our “could be anywhere in the world box” we would still look longingly at this darling multilevel cottage. In Ireland they call it a semi detached house. It came complete with a cozy fireplace (aw, boo hoo, our fav) and had lovely brick facing. Everyday we walked passed it we would grumble a bit under our breath, why couldn’t we live here?

Well one day, we got our answer. It happened to be on, of all days, a Friday the 13th! I had to drive out to Abbylix (a little over an hour from Dublin) for a meeting and wasn’t at home all day. Hubby walked home for his usual lunch. While there tucking into a bowl of cereal he heard the most incredibly loud and powerful explosion. He didn’t know what it was, but soon found out what. The place we wished we had lived in had just blown up due to a gas leak. Luckily no one was killed. The reason is because no one was in there. Had there been someone there surely they would have perished. Several people on the street were injured by the flying debris of the blast. And to this very day, the home has yet to be rebuilt. Now every time we pass it, we don’t grumble we give thanks! For us it is a stark reminder of how things happen for a reason. Here is a link to a news video about the house blast.

As I write this post I am in Clarksville, Tennessee. My son, a captain in the U.S. Army, is about to take command of his new company. There will be a change of command ceremony this morning. A very proud moment for our family. I think about his own journey to get to this juncture. But that is his story to tell. However, as his mom I am witness to his “broken road that led him” to this place. It is not a coincidence that it was a song by famous Rascal Flatts called “Bless the Broken Road” that was the first dance song at my son and his wife’s wedding. It is so important to them in fact that my son even had the lyrics framed for one of their anniversaries.

Take a moment in your own life to reflect on what are your broken roads that led you to say, ‘things happen for a reason.” We may not always know the reasons at the moment, but in hindsight we often discover that it was all meant to be.

Faithful Love,

YDP

ps. I know this is corny (but I am the queen of corn) but I am currently sitting in the hotel lobby writing this and the song “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey just started playing. I can’t listen to this song without thinking of my friend Stacy Smith. She visited us in Ireland a couple of times and just recently asked me to retell her this story of the house explosion. She retells it to many people she knows that are frustrated when things aren’t happening the way in which they want. Not that I recommend this, but when you see a stark visual reminder like a photo of a destroyed home, you kind of start to put it all in perspective.

Woman Crush Wednesday Special Edition

November 18, 2015November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

Woman Crush Wednesday! Yipee! And yes if you couldn’t tell today is and forever shall be my favorite day of the week. It’s because of the famous foodie infatuation that happens when we honor our favorite women chefs. However since I am on my way to see my favorite peeps (aka family) than I guess we shall forgo the usual craic in the kitchen accompanied by bad singing and bad dancing (but always good recipes) if that is okay… just this once.

I thought it might be a good idea to take a little walk back in time over these last two months and see just how much love we have been throwing around the kitchen. We have met seven beautiful and talented chefs, whom we have learned about and have learned from, on this journey. Just to make it a bit easier (as I know my blog has yet to flesh itself out organizationally speaking) I will include links to all my previous posts in the recap of each of the recipients.

Our first three women hailed from my soul home the Emerald Isle! We started off with the super sweet (minus the refined sugar) Susan Jane White. And what an inaugural #WCW! We sure had fun making her delicious and nutritious treats. Here is the link if you want to take a gander at the gorgeousness (hers and the megawatt breakfast bars)! Just be forewarned, you WILL fall in love with her dimples! And you wouldn’t meet a nicer person! She’s a keeper! So is her latest book The Virtuous Tart which is on the short list at this year’s Irish Book Awards.

Next we stepped into the shoes of Rachel Allen, one of my beloved former Ballymaloe Cookery School teachers. She elegantly guided us through the most stunning Broccoli Soup, and one look at her flawless face and you too will be stunned! Wowza! Here is the link and I guarantee you, besides drooling over her photos, you will want to give the soup a go! Especially with all these cold storms blowing in these days! Yet she braved stormy seas for her new book, Coast, also recently announced as a nominee at the Irish Book Awards.

Our third honoree was none other than the lovely Trish Deseine. A legend in the culinary world, Trish’s return to her homeland after many years living in Paris has come with more than open arms. The good news she was back on Irish soil was fortified by the “Land of a Thousand Welcomes” with a nomination for her book Home. Here is the link to our epistle on her ethereal self, which also includes her most amazing apple cake recipe that we made on the day.

YDP flew over the Irish Sea to the UK for the next #WCW star. Or shall I say, stars! Yes we honored the Hemsley Sisters and discovered the secret to their smarts, stamina and striking looks! They do indulge in great food, but with a conscience. So we followed their lead and made some of their nom nom Black Bean Brownies! Check out this link if you want to be amazed at their ascent into the posh pages of Brit magazines and give their recipe a whirl. You won’t regret it! One thing I will never regret is meeting the sisters at the Feastival this past summer. Doubly delicious!

The next Brit who got some lovin’ was the most adorable and approachable Sabrina Ghayour. Quite honestly I can’t say enough good things about her as she continually bowls me over with her kindness…and her kick-A food! This girl can cook! I was lucky enough to attend one of her cooking demonstrations. Trust me all her recipes are da bomb! Open her book Persiana with your eyes closed and choose anything. You will love it. But I like to think just cuz it’s cold outside doesn’t mean we can’t have a salad! So for our lovefest with Sabrina we made a sexy fig and green bean number that would knock your winter wooly socks off! Here is the link if you are in the mood.

Our last English Rose was the positively upbeat powerhouse that is Lorraine Pascale. Her series of books, all with “made easy” in the title, is quite a feat. Especially since life hasn’t been easy for her. But you would never know it. Her smile would light the world if ever there were a global power outage. And her food is freaking fantastic. We crushed all over her delectable banana and rum loaf. Here is the link because you will want to make this and get to know her as well! Get ready for some great inspo!

Finally we headed stateside for our first American chef. But here is the twist, Laura Vitale was actually born in Italy and moved to the U.S. at twelve years of age. So she is a dual citizen like I am! It is great to get to know someone else who is extremely patriotic about both halves. She is a real go-getter and racks up recipes like nobody’s business! We made her cauliflower cheese gratin, which is a real winner just like she is. Check out the link for yourself and enjoy this comfort food recipe in the comfort of your own home.

While I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in person three of our honorees (which actually is four because of the Hemsley’s) I want to introduce you to someone who deserves a #WCW honor all to herself. I briefly mentioned something about her in the #WCW post featuring Lorraine Pascale. Dr. Stacy Smith, a most incredible human being and dear friend of mine, is making her own mark in the world. However, not in the culinary sphere but in communication. She is the foremost authority on media analysis studies. She began her career doing groundbreaking work on violence on television and its affects on children. Next she focused her research on over sexualization in children’s programing (yeah, Disney, you had your day under Stacy’s microscope). The last several years have seen the most eye opening data coming out of Dr. Smith’s Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California. And the most specific area she is working on at the moment has to do with gender equality in Hollywood. She and her team painstakingly comb through the top 100 films each year and track the number of roles for women. Not only the roles we see on screen but also the writers, directors and other “below the line” folks on the credits. Her reports are quoted by any number of news outlets everyday. When she speaks, the world takes notice! By brining to light the struggles of women trying to climb the ladder of success in Hollywood (and let’s face it who doesn’t like a bit of news from tinsel town) this call to action could help bridge the gender employment and compensation disparity.

I pointed out to her that it isn’t just the film industry that deals with this issue. The culinary world has been dominated by men for as long as anyone can remember. Which is ironic considering that cooking in the home was traditionally the woman’s domain. The women who have climbed up the soup ladles (my term for the proverbial ladder in a professional kitchen) know all too well the challenges. However, in this fab article by L.A. chef Suzanne Goin, sometimes you gotta just get stuck in and deal with it! Have a read here for yourself.

By the way, for the record, though I am feminine, I am not a feminist. I am a humanist (if that is what you call it). I believe in equality not just for gender, but for race and religion too. However, because at present it isn’t so, some people are doing their part to bring attention to the situation. Stacy is not out walking a picket line. But she is in the lab objectively analyzing the facts, about which no one can argue. Likewise, I am not out on a picket line. But I try to bring a little sparkle to our special gourmet girls. Nothing against the men in the foodie world. They are ‘totes amazo’ and they do get loads of attention from all over the place. And I love them too. But the only man you will see me crush on is my hubby! And because he crushes on me too, he asked if I would share something with you.

I wasn’t sure I would actually post a proper link to these videos even though I might have causally mentioned it. Hubby rarely asks for anything, and he specifically asked me to do this. Not just because he filmed and edited them did he want me to share them, but because he is my #1 fan! Even though he spends hours upon hours (in his spare time) filming and editing these, he still laughs at my quirky bits. I guess it is a good sign when your Hubby still likes your dorky dance moves. So without further ado, below are the direct links to two cooking demos from yours truly, Yankee Doodle Paddy. But I’m giving you fair warning…be prepared for bad singing, bad dancing, but some darn good recipes! For those of you who follow me on snapchat (username: blissbakery) this is nothing new. You have to deal with these wacky food installments on a regular basis! Especially on Woman Crush Wednesday. Too bad the snapchat video stories disappear within 24 hours. It’s a total “Love-apolooza”! LOL! And with a few more demos in the can (aka already filmed ready to be edited) you will be seeing more very soon! Enjoy!

Posh Nosh: Bacon Wrapped Dates

Weekend Wonder: Pumpkin Pancakes

Crushed up love,

YDP

P.S. By the way, since three of our amazing ladies are up for awards for their books, here is a link if you would be so kind as to place a vote. The deadline is this Friday the 20th of November. The awards will be announced at a gala event on the 25th. Thanks in advance for your support of the Irish contingent of our Woman Crush Wednesday recipients. Best of luck to them too!

Recipe: Purple People Eaters

November 17, 2015November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

What’s your favorite color? Mine is blue! I’m not sure why, I just like it. I enjoy the blue of the ocean and the sky. And it is the best color for me to wear as it matches my eyes. I have loads of it in my house and when my kids were young I even had a blue colored car. Sure I like most of the other colors in the spectrum. I’ve had my issues with yellow, but I’ve worked that out as you know from my mustard story on here. But there is a big problem I have yet to work out, and it is that I just don’t like purple. I may not know exactly why I love blue, but I defo know why I don’t like purple and it boils down to one reason… that reason stems back to my childhood. “There she goes again” I can hear you say! But you would feel the same way about purple if you had to deal with this one.

So I told you already on here about our family car the ice cream truck. Well after that fun lovin vehicle we had a purple Pontiac. They didn’t normally come in purple as a purchase option, and I don’t think they do these days either. But my mom had this great idea to take our Pontiac Le Mans, which was gold with a black hard top, into a place called Earl Schieb’s. Earl could do you up a paint job on your car real nice, and for only $19.95! Well that is what the television advertisements said anyway. My mom had this paint swatch (like the kind you get at the hardware store) with different shades of purple. She carried it with her everywhere. She wanted to make sure she picked the right color and was very excited about getting a new coat of paint on her car. Well, I didn’t think it was all that great, but no one asked me.

But one day she came to pick me up from school in that car. She was rolling down the street with the music blasting. As if the color of the car itself wouldn’t make people turn their heads?! Remember this was in the era of the wood paneled station wagon (think of the show Brady Bunch). Our family just looked like the psychedelic bunch! I was used to that moniker, but on this day I happened to be walking with a boy whom I liked. We weren’t officially going steady, but it was a crush. His name was Pat (short for Patrick, haha me and my Irishness). Anyway, I pretended not to notice her. So she made an illegal u-turn and came back around on the side we were walking on and revved the engine. Since it was an old car, it kind of went “vroom vroom, splat, splat, splunk!” As it died right there in the road she screamed out the window, “Hey Karen come on we have to go to the laundromat”. Like I didn’t know that by looking in the car which was filled to the brim with dirty clothes. I was so embarrassed at that juncture. I barely looked at Pat when I slinked into the Purple People Eater!

These days being the foodie that I am, I’ve noticed chefs getting all excited about purple food. Everyday its all about purple sprouting broccoli, purple potatoes, purple eggplant/aubergines in every recipe I see. I haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet. In fact I am so anti purple that I only buy green grapes! Until today! I went out and got some purple grapes and decided to make my own Purple People Eaters! I want to lick this dislike of mine for purple. I mean its not purple’s fault! With these two super easy recipes, if you have a dislike, or even a mild mediocre opinion of the color, you will become a purple promoter! One recipe is savory and one is sweet. You can even eat them all in one meal as I did, my lunch then my dessert after!

Ingredients for Savory:

500 g (or a little over 1 lb) of Purple Grapes (or reddish if they don’t have purple) make sure they are seedless and rinse them before using

2 shallots, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters

Fresh sprigs of thyme (or another herb such as rosemary)

Olive oil (just a couple tablespoons at the most)

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 200 C/400F. In a large baking tray put in the grapes (with the branches/stems still attached but in smallish bunches), the shallots, and the fresh thyme (put some sprigs and also a teaspoon of the chopped leaves), drizzle all of this with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Delicately mix them all up buy shaking the tray back and forth. Then roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of the grapes. You want them to be a bit reduced and shriveled but still holding a bit of their shape. Also the shallots should be a bit caramelized. Remove from the oven and serve alongside a lovely pan seared steak. Or as I did, in a salad with some dressed mixed leaves, toasted pine nuts, goat’s cheese and cooked shredded chicken for the best lunch ever!

Ingredients for Sweet:

500 g (or a little over 1 lb) of Purple Grapes (or reddish if they don’t have purple) make sure they are seedless and rinse before using.

1 box of jello gelatin any flavor you like (I used lemon), which is 3 oz (85 g)

Instructions:

Remove the grapes from the branches/stems and rinse very well and drain. Place the contents of the jello pack on a plate or a bowl. While the grapes are still wet roll them in the dry jello crumbs until the grapes are fully coated. Then place on a parchment lined tray and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour until they firm a bit. Eat as a snack while watching tele (they taste like a healthy version of Sour Patch Kids) or use as your dessert instead of a calorific cupcake like I did!

It is a funny thing how kids get embarrassed by their parents. Do you think parents are ever embarrassed by their kids? I remember one time my son and I were home alone and me being me (which if you know me is pretty wacky) I was doing something he obviously didn’t like. He said, “Oh my God Mom you are embarrassing me!” in that teenage sort of tone. I responded with, “I think that it might be necessary for a third person to be present in order for you to feel embarrassed, no?” He just shook his head and said the classic line, “Whatever!” I could have used the old standby that most parents say, about walking barefoot ten miles in the snow to get to school. However, my story would have been about walking with a boy I fancied and having my mom cruise up in the purple people eater. But I just bit my lip hence you got the ear full, but you also got a couple of recipes to boot! Enjoy!

Purple Rain of Love,

YDP

Recipe: Love Wins!

November 16, 2015November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

“Love is the force that transforms and improves the face of the world.”

-Paulo Cohelo

Last night was the culmination of a weeklong competition I was hosting on social media called #LOVEfest. I wrote about it already on here last week, but wanted to just share a few thoughts about it. A sort of debriefing or re-entry after one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. In fact, last night after my final snap on snapchat when I announced the winners, I broke down in tears.

Don’t fret, they were tears of joy actually. And playing some of Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” as my background music probably helped the tears flow like the rain in Simba’s pride’s final battle in the The Lion King. It is just that in light of what has happened in the world the last few days since I wrote my original post about the lovefest, now more than ever I suppose people are re-evalutating things in the world. And certainly when looking at the quote at the very top, what is the face of the world today?

With hundreds of entries in this competition it was easy to pick out who would win two of the three prizes. With a prize going to the first entry I received, that was simple enough. The hard part was not letting on who it was! Even the prize for most entries by one person was straight forward, it was just down to counting. However there were a few people who were literally on fire sending me multiple images every day of the competition. So it was close! I was delighted as it made me see how excited people were at finding love and hearts in their world. Even in the most unsuspecting of places. However it was the prize for best image that had me in a conundrum. How could I choose? Like a parent deciding which child they loved best? So I had an epiphany that I should put all the names in a hat and draw one out during my live snapchat announcement.

Of course we had to have a last minute “pump up pep talk” with the help of my pretty pit Stella

As 9pm on 15/11/15 was drawing near, the images were flying in fast and furious. And beautiful heartfelt notes along with them saying that, especially since the Paris terrorist attacks, this was indeed something to help them take their pain and put it into a positive. The irony is that I never actually stated what the winning prizes were going to be. I have hosted several competitions before, and my Hubby thinks that my followers knew they would get a good prize so they didn’t worry. But it was almost as if the prize was irrelevant. In fact on my birthday this past Friday I received from all of them so many good wishes, birthday cards and in fact even gifts from my followers. My heart was so full it was about to burst. And along with all those participating in the competition, we agreed, that though we can’t change the whole world, by planting seeds of love where we stand maybe love will grow beyond our immediate environment.

I announced the winner for first snap to NIAMH. Her entry, which she literally sent to me on snapchat within moments after I posted the competition, was of a head of broccoli. Ooh I personally love me some broccoli! And though it did have a heart shape, she emphasized it even more by adding some snapchat animation to it with a LOVEly red heart!

Then I announced the winner for most snaps to Jan. She had sent me in a week’s time seventy five images of hearts and LOVE in her world. This was astonishing considering the fact that for some of it she was traveling and didn’t have wifi access. She had so many amazing snaps but one stood out in particular. It was quite funny because of it’s unlikely location and also that she hadn’t noticed it before. A heart at the bottom of the fire blanket box in her apartment building.

Finally I drew a name, not from a hat, but from a heart box of mine that has been with me for quite some time. I put all the names on paper, folded them up and gave the heart a shake. Which is what literally happened to me this week. My heart was shaken to its core with all the LOVE that flowed in from Ireland, America and the U.K. The name I pulled out was Sheeners15! I remembered one of her many entries because I don’t think I ever noticed the heart on the Pink Lady Apple sticker before, and I eat them all the time. So you see how much the participants were opening my eyes as well?

I made a brief (because I was weepy) congratulatory speech to the winners and all the participants and told them it had been an honor to host such a special contest. And of course I encouraged them to keep spreading the love. By creating and finding these heart and love images, they are reinforcing the fact that behind the visual reminders is what it is all about…..LOVE! Since it is love that features in my cooking (my secret ingredient) and indeed visually, as the letters in my home are visible to all when I do my snapchat cooking demos, I feel passionately about promoting my beloved purpose in life.

I received news back from the winners with their addresses so I could send off their winning care packages. They were over the moon! As well I received amazing notes from people who didn’t win but thanked me for doing it as they shared how much they loved the competition. People even sent snaps congratulating the other winners! Wow!

So you see, social media can be used in a positive way. I have met all these folks through snapchat, twitter and instagram and have witnessed firsthand the kindness of strangers. I have seen people competing in a fair and friendly way. I have seen those who may have “lost” but still praise the winners and share their gratefulness for simply being part of the game. And it makes me realize that we can make a positive difference in this world, because no matter how big or small, a positive will always outweigh a negative! Because LOVE wins!

Love & Hearts,

YDP

ps. I think it is ironic that the week I started this competition Twitter decided to change from using stars as a way to “favorite” a tweet to using hearts! Oh, it was controversial, but it was a LOVEable choice! Good one Twitter!

Here is just a small sampling of the #LOVEfest images sent to me this week…..

Several folks found LOVE in their cooking

Some found it in the clouds

Some found it in their coffee

And of course mommies found it in their kids

Even siblings found some LOVE

Loads found LOVE with their pets

And some found LOVE in nature

Some even found it on their clothes without previously noticing, including me and my scarf!

Lots of LOVE on toys

Some found it in their lunch

Some found it in their treats

And then we have the fabulous Cheerios Heart! Which even rivals the other cereal heart found here if you click on my twitter.

People were looking up high (as in a wall shelf) and looking down low (as on the ground)

And some used their LOVEfest snaps as a way to show solidarity

And like me, people used hearts and LOVE to be inspired everyday!

Two of my fav #LOVEfest images came from #bffs (best friends forever) as their separate snaps showed that like love it takes two, a give and receive, a reciprocal representation of love in action! Right, so I just did all that philosophical analysis over a heart shaped sambo they made! LOL! But when you’re on a LOVE roll you just do that sort of thing!

Oh wait, you’re thinking to yourself the title says “Recipe: Love Wins!” which means there should be a recipe, right? HELLOOOOO! The recipe is clear, concise and you can go forth in confidence. Spread love my friends! That’s it! Wherever, whenever and however! xoxo

Recipe: BBC Good Foodie Fieldrip Friday

November 14, 2015April 1, 2018 ~ Harper220

This week was a “specialdition” of Foodie Fieldtrip Friday. It was a Friday the 13th (which I think is lucky) and my birthday. Hubby gave me a ticket to the BBC Good Food Show at the Olympia here in London. I mean what do you give a girl who doesn’t have everything and doesn’t want everything? You give her what she is passionate about, and for me that is FOOD!

So I took the tube to “F cubed” (that’s FFF for Foodie Fieldtrip Friday) and was bowled over when I walked into the Olympia and saw the vast array of food stalls, restaurant kiosks and food theaters showcasing top chefs doing demonstrations. The “Super Theater” was set aside for the A list celebuchefs, and Hubby booked me in to see Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood demo together. Inside there were thousands of seats waiting for the eager fans to sit on the edge of every word the chefs uttered. They asked for two volunteers from the audience and while I didn’t get chosen, it was actually a good thing. I was capturing the whole experience for snapchat and don’t think I could have managed both things simultaneously!

The Great British Bake Off, one of the U.K’s top shows, just recently completed their sixth and most successful season. As hosts of the show, Mary and Paul are institutions in the culinary world with numerous top selling books between them. In the short time they were on stage, they each demonstrated one dish and doled out competing kitchen tips while they seamlessly sautéed and whipped away. Mary made a lovely Chicken, Shallot and Asparagus main course and Paul baked a gorgeous Chocolate and Cherry Roulade. They had the audience in stitches of laughter with their cute banter as they argued about how to separate eggs and whether the roulade should be rolled away or towards. They reminded me of an old married couple!

After the the superstar demo I couldn’t help myself and wandered up towards the stage. The MC for the event, Andy Friedlander, was still on stage and I introduced myself. He was so kind and took a photo with me. I look like a goof ball but I was so excited! He told me that he usually works in sporting events, but he is involved with the BBC Good Food Show every year. He did a great job as a mediator between Paul and Mary, savory and sweet. He kept everything tied up together nice and neat.

I spent the rest of the afternoon poking around and enjoying all the food tastings, entering give away competitions, and having lunch (the same food prepared in the demonstration). Mary’s chicken was incredible, so moist and subtly flavored. The shallots added a nice sweetness and there was a bit of tang with a touch of lemon and creme fraiche. And Paul’s roulade was the perfect little birthday treat as I adore chocolate and the cherries were a delicious addition.

I bought a few goodies while I was there, some gourmet popcorn, some artisan crisps and an amazing pack of flowering teas. Not only are they beautifully tasting but they look beautiful as well! I also received a big goodie bag, and I felt like it was my birthday party favor. I mean it really was a foodie freebie giveaway galore. I could have stayed all weekend and not seen it all. I never actually stopped by the booze booths. There were numerous Gin, Wine, Craft Beer and Whiskey displays, all on tasting. They even had a Cocktail Class where you could learn how to become a mixologist.

My favorite area was a place for people to write down their kitchen tips and display them on a clothesline for all to read. It made me realize even more that food and cooking are communal. Even if we aren’t sharing our kitchens with others while we prepare our dinners each night, we can certainly share our helpful hints. And of course I had to share mine!

Though I had to dash out as I had my birthday dinner with Hubby, I got to peak at Sabrina Gayhour’s cooking demo on one of the various stages. She was making my all time fav nibble, her Lamb Lollipops. She was one of our Woman Crush Wednesday recipients and I was gutted I couldn’t stay for her entire presentation and say hello to her afterwards. But it made me realize that I wanted to share her recipe with you as it was one of the recipes I learned while taking her cooking class a couple of weeks ago. It is super easy, yet the flavors are very complex. And hands down, they are so darn good I am still dreaming about them!

Lamb Lollipops

Serves 4
3 heaped tsp cumin seeds
500g minced lamb
100g dried cranberries
2 large eggs
1 medium onion, minced in a food processor or very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 heaped tsp ground turmeric
1 small (20g) packet of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped – stalks and all
2 heaped tsp salt
A generous amount of black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

For the yoghurt
250g thick Greek yoghurt
Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed oranges
Juice of ½ an orange
2 heaped tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp olive oil
Generous seasoning of salt and pepper to taste
1 small packet (20g) of fresh mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped

To serve
Sumac
Tortilla wraps

1 In a preheated pan over a medium/high heat, dry-fry the cumin seeds to waken up/intensify their flavour; this will take a few minutes, but be careful not to burn the seeds– just toast them lightly.

2 Preheat a large frying pan over a medium heat (or high if using electric).

3 In a large mixing bowl, add together all the kofta ingredients along with the toasted cumin seeds, then really work the mixture thoroughly using your hands, pummelling and working the meat mixture through, making sure the ingredients are evenly combined.

4 Drizzle some oil into your frying pan – just enough to coat the base of the pan.

5 Make your koftas by taking a small amount of the mixed meat mixture – about the size of a ping-pong ball – and then roll each one into a ball. Then roll and flatten the ball in the palm of your hand into slightly elongated shapes and fry them for about 6-7 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and cooked through.

6 Mix the ingredients for the yoghurt together.

7 Season the koftas with sumac before serving in a wrap with the yoghurt drizzled over them.

It may be hard to believe, but even though I ate my way through the Olympia, I was still able to eat dinner. Sometimes you’ve gotta do what you gotta do. But all for a good cause! Seriously though, the dinner at the Portland restaurant was amazingly delish. We had a couple of little nibbles (pumpkin cakes they were called) and then went straight for our main courses. Hubby had venison with celeriac and I had cod with spring onions. We shared the most amazing side dish of broccoli that had been sautéed with almonds. I could have eaten that as a main dish it was that good! We were too full for dessert, but our server (a sweet lady from Ireland) brought out a little box with some tasty treats: Two lemon macrons and two pieces of brown butter cake.

While I feel like I am continuing to digest my fantabulous foodie fieldtrip from yesterday, I will no doubt still chew on some nuggets of wisdom from the day. Mary Berry was especially inspiring to see. Even at 80 years old she whizzes around the kitchen with vim, vigor and vitality. She loves what she does and it shows. You can tell she puts that love into her cooking. She is beautiful inside and out. And she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I particularly loved when referring to her departed mom she said, “She went to heaven at 105” rather than saying she died, or passed away. I mean what a lovely way to remember her mom with such confidence and reverence, and also not worrying about offending anyone by using a Godly term!

I am looking forward to the next year of the BBC Good Food Show, but until then we will have quite a few more Foodie Fieldtrip Fridays, so thanks for coming along!

Filled to the Brim with Love,

YDP

P.S. Though the snapchat story (video I took on the day) has already expired, as they do within 24 hours, you are welcome to follow along anytime. My user name is blissbakery (all one word) and I do cooking tutorials and little visits around London. As well, my doggie Stella pops up here and there as well. The only thing is that the photographs from snapchat, which I often use on my blog posts, aren’t the best quality. So apologies in advance. But if you have read ABC of YDP you will already know that!

Yankee Doodle Paddy

America + Ireland = LOVE

Month: November 2015