We Don't Like Things We Can't Resolve and Stories of Pizza and Oysters

We don't like things we can't "resolve"; that we can't find a safe or comfortable solution for. Most often we are faced with those kinds of situations when we are in a state of fear - like being hit with a life threatening illness or in the current situation. In this situation we are having to live with continuously changing frightening things over which we don't feel much control. We have to take care ourselves first.

I heard a line today that is very apropos for the times we are facing and the message I've been promoting...Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes...including you.

Looks like the airport is almost empty. Choosing whether to go or not go somewhere isn't a singular conflict, it is inevitably going on in many, many households in our area and, inevitably, all over the country. And, remember, neither choice, going or not, will not feel "good". People have had plans and, looked forward to getting away, then this happened to concern them about travel and it came with frustration. When things like this happen, the ten-year-old in us starts "stomping his/her feet" angry about not getting to do what was looked forward to. It isn't going to do us any good, though, to obsess about the undesired change in life plans. The "live in the moment" thought I have shared is important here. Sit down, bring, your mind back out of the conflict, and begin thinking about what you are going to do instead to feel good, to treat yourself well and go forward in your life. 

I fried up some chicken strips last night with Panko and chicken thighs. I'm sitting here this morning with my coffee and munching cold chicken. I'm the type of person who loves cold pizza slices for breakfast, lol.That reminds me, for those of you for whom cooking is a good diversion I've posted my really yummy recipe for Shrimp and Portobello Pizza Splotches on a blog I've kept and am starting up again. Here's a link: https://ourpastourfuture.blogspot.com/2020/03/shrimp-and-portobello-pizza-splotches.html (And don't worry, people probably aren't hoarding Portobellos, lol)

Food! Comfort Food! It can be part of helping you cope. It's definitely what Hank would have been thinking about during the time of any crisis. On my way out of Trader Joe's yesterday I grabbed a bag of comfort food, Baked Cheese Crunchies. I love them and so do the two crows that visit me daily. I read an article on crow researchers who found that Cheese Puffs were a favorite of all crow snacks. I also treated myself to a tub of dark chocolate covered almonds (the crows aren't getting those). 

A funny thing happened while I was shopping TJ's the other day. After years of laughing at kale and kale eaters, (yes, there are people who are judging you for eating kale, get over it! ;- )) TJ's was demonstrating a salad mix that included kale and other really crunchy greens. The kit came with dried blueberries and nuts. It might have been the sweet dressing but I loved it and have since been buying said salad mix and adding fresh blueberries and some sliced almonds and pecans. And, last night's chicken strips were chopped up adding protein to said salad. Hank would probably be laughing at me for eating a salad mix with kale but, hey, I indulged him his anchovies and pickled fish! 

Ok, I have to tell you one more food story. When were first dating and dining at FX McRory’s on 4th Ave an amazing bistro and fine dining venue ( now closed, alas) that had the best Irish Coffee and Bouillabaisse in town, he wanted me to try raw oysters, "Think Ocean!, Think Ocean!" he encouraged with gusto as I, reluctant as I was, slurped down said bivalve. Oh My God...the taste, the texture, the whole experience is still one of my most horrible food memories. Years later I decided to make an old family favorite (my dad grew up on a farm) pickled tongue. You boil it, peel it, slice it and pickle it in a vinegar broth with onion slices. Hank eyed the whole process warily, now here's a guy who would eat anything. Remember Clinkerdagger Biggerstaff and Petts? His favorite dish was their Escargot Extraordinaire. Anyway back to tongue, after the slices were appropriately pickled it was time for him to try one...as he looked it over hesitantly, I couldn't help myself and encouraged with gusto, "Think Barnyard!...Think Barnyard!"

Stay hydrated (my new favorite libation is San Pellegriuno cans of carbonated Blood Orange juice. If sttress is rising, STOP, take a deep breath and do something to distract your mind. As often as you can, do what you feel like doing. The 10-year-old in you who would have been "stomping and upset" about not going on that trip, is feeling a little scared these days.  

Some Reasons We're Feeling So Stressed And Things We Can Do

I woke to, what continuously seems like, a rapidly changing world. Continued news stories about the Coronavirus, just growing more depressing. In normal times, our lives get going on a role, they sort of fall into an automatic pattern of activities. The general pattern evolves; then, our brains anticipate and build onto that framework as we add new things. We generally feel in control, that pattern gives us an inner sense of order.       

Ever wonder why even positive changes like a marriage or moving into a new home are high on the stress scale? The general pattern of our brain activity is disrupted; we are not on automatic anymore and we feel less a sense of inner order. Things like this disease making changes in what we’ve come to depend on, further disrupts our inner sense of order. And some of those changes are not even chosen, but forced on us, a rare situation in modern American lives; it’s something we are unused to. Then, in this case, add the chemicals of fear to the mix of an already disrupted inner order. This may result in a constant low lying concern for some or a feeling of almost terror for others.

There are a lot of neurologically explainable reasons why some people get hit harder than others when the disruption of inner order occurs and why the chemicals of fear are felt more intensely by some. It doesn’t matter, though, how people are responding is how they are responding. Judging them removes you further from being a calming force in their lives and increases your own feeling of inner disorder or chaos. Sitting in a state of judgement is not a healthy way for us to restore our own inner order.

What to do, what to do? Well, we can begin by attempting to spend some time focusing our minds, concentrating.  If you practice yoga, tai chi or enjoy jumping around in your living room to Beach Body workouts, this is the time to spend some time doing that. If you enjoy Sudoku, or crossword puzzles or, yes, you can admit it, even jig saw puzzles, force yourself to find some time to sit and put your brain to work on a very order creating activity. Two things are happening to make you feel better, first, your brain is experiencing a familiar pattern and second you are being forced to concentrate. These activities move your brain away from the overwhelmed “thinking” left hemisphere and into the creative, big picture thinking, right hemisphere. If you have learned and regularly practice a formal “concentrating” routine, like NeuroTherapy Training, you’ll be handling things better. If you’ve learned a method of concentration and shifting your brain but have stopped practicing it, this is the time to reintroduce it into your daily activities. YOU’VE GOT TO HELP YOUR BRAIN by calming the chemicals of fear and moving away from the chaotic overwhelmed left hemisphere.

Here’s another idea for calming us physically and emotionally - take a glorious hot bath. Dig out those fizzy bath balls, light a candle or two, make your favorite tea to have within reach. Part of what is accelerating your discomfort is physical stress. Relax those muscles in that warm water and some of the feeling of inner chaos will mechanically diminish. And, the aromatherapy of your favorite bath accoutrements and familiar scent of the soothing tea will both help bring some order back to your brain

Those of you with an artistic bent, dig out some paints and make a personal hand painted card to send to someone you care about or if you love to sew, turn on that machine and dig into that fabric stash and make a throw pillow or a cat toy or something simple and fun, and possibly something that you can use to brighten someone else’s day. It’s the same with you who find pleasure in the art of cooking. Go stand in your kitchen, (do the dishes if they are in the sink, that will help restore your inner sense of order as well) then get creative, call up your favorite recipe and start organizing the ingredients needed, the activity is like putting together that jig saw puzzle. Or maybe just dig out that cake mix that has been languishing in the back of your pantry and make it. Let yourself and your family indulge cutting off chunks and eating it without frosting.  Or get carried away and make that Teddy Bear cake you’ve been planning to try ever since you bought that pan at the yard sale. Art and the art of cooking force our brains away from the chaotic, worried left hemisphere and focus our minds. They also produce things that can be shared with others not doing as well as you may be with the disruption of inner chaos.

Whatever you do today, add something that calms your brain and helps you restore that inner sense of order. And, if you can, reach out to someone in a positive way, even if only by phone or internet, who may not be handling things as well as you are. Offer them conversation, or if they are near, one of your fizzy bath balls, that cat toy or hand painted card or maybe sit down with them over a cup of your favorite tea and discuss something that makes both of you feel good.

Shrimp and Portobello Pizza Splotches

Ingredients:

Dough:

Use premade dough you can keep frozen, or this recipe:

1 ½ cups bread flour (I often use strong flour recommended for pizzas, but regular flour works)

1 teaspoon dry yeast

½ -2/3 cup s lukewarm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Topping:

Butter

16 to 20.medium fresh or frozen (thawed) shrimp. (I cut each shrimp into three chunks before spooning the sauce onto the dough.)

Two Portobello caps sliced into 1” strips then cut into 1” chunks.

About 3 Tablespoons of a sweet, thick sauce as a binder (I use Mango Ginger Chutney and have used Fig jam; you could use apricot or other fruit preserves you may have on hand.)

Grated Mozzarella

Tomato-based pizza sauce of your choice (As it doesn’t take a lot, we keep prepared pizza sauce on hand, our favorite is Classico brand.)

Instructions:

You can use frozen dough to make it easy

If making dough from scratch:

Starting with a large mixing bowl, Sift in the flour. Add the yeast, stirring it in. Pour the water and oil into the center of the flour and mix it into a soft dough. (I happened to have some disposable plastic gloves on hand that made this step slick, no sticky fingers)

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for around ten minutes. This was kind of fun, better than one of those little stress balls, but I digress. You’ll want it smooth and elastic.

Grease a large bowl, I use metal, and place the dough in the bowl covering with plastic wrap. Put it in a warm place for about 1 hour to let it rise. It needs to double in size.

While dough is rising…

Prepare the topping. Slice the Portobello caps into 1” strips then into 1” chunks. Begin sautéing in butter on medium heat until they start diminishing in size. Peel about 16- 20 med. shrimp fresh or frozen. Add shrimp to mushrooms and sauté until bright pink and done. When shrimp have cooked for about a minute add the chutney or other sweet binder and mix well. Remove topping onto a plate (I cut up the shrimp into three pieces each at this point) and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425.

Back to your lightly floured surface, with your dough now raised, knead it again for 2 to 3 minutes. There are two of us so, when done, I cut the dough ball in half then cut each dough ball into four pieces. I freeze one half dough ball in a quart-sized bag for later use.

On a lightly greased cookie sheet, spread each quarter into a splotch (no perfect size or shape) each is about the size of a large pizza slice.

Spoon and spread pizza sauce onto each splotch. Spoon on the shrimp and Portobello topping allowing 5 or 6 shrimp per splotch. Top with Mozzarella.

Bake for about 12 minutes until crisp.

For Those Who Love To Cook - You Have A Gift That Can Brighten Someone's Life

THIS IS FOR THOSE AMONG YOU WHO ENJOY COOKING…we are having a tense moment in our country with the news 24-7 re. the corona virus. There are people out there whose lives are already overwhelmed, maybe trying to raise children and manage careers, facing a physical problem that already weakens their immune responses or someone who, for whatever reason, has more challenges than we do. This is a call to action for you to lift someone up a bit with something that will lift you up as well.

IF YOU LOVE TO COOK YOU ARE LUCKY...my tension, like others, has risen a bit in the face of this addition to normal concerns. But if, like me, you love to cook you are lucky. I had the Sunday morning political shows playing at a low level; the normal political punditing was, in this case, being interrupted by more information on the virus crisis. It was irritating me BUT, I knew what I needed to do…spend some time with some ingredients concocting a tasty dish. It would force me to concentrate away from tension-increasing thoughts…It would take me into my creative right hemisphere rather than the troubled, analytical left…It would evolve into the most amazing aromatherapy and then a treat for the taste buds. Not everyone is lucky to look at the process of cooking as creative and fun. They’ve never understood cooking as a way of expressing themselves and their individuality.

NOW, SINCE YOU ARE SO LUCKY and since there is at least one person in your life, if only being a neighbor, who really didn’t need the heightened tension and angst of the moment, I’m suggesting that you share an act of kindness with yourself and with another.

WHIP UP A DISH TODAY AND SHARE IT. Don’t go out to the store, you keep certain ingredients on hand for some of your favorite foods or desserts. We usually keep things around for recipes like Split Pea Soup or Snickerdoodles. You can go so far as to look over your ingredients and invent a dish. So…Chop those veges…whip that piece of meat out of the freezer put in a zip lock and immerse in warm water for fast defrosting…grab that favorite recipe…measure out all your spices into a little bowl. Start up the stove, or Instant Pot, or oven, or air fryer or Sous Vide…we have such great toys, don’t we? Soon that warm simmering or baking dish will be wafting and creating the most amazing aromatherapy. When you are done you’ve got something special to enjoy and something you can share with that family member, friend. neighbor or acquaintance who is more stressed than you and who could use a boost…the boost of a surprise of a person showing up with something warm and wonderful to eat.

MAKE WHAT FUELS YOUR SOUL. I made my Tomato, Onion Zucchini Dahl. I will offer up a comfort food recipe that you probably have the ingredients on hand for. It’s one that I’ve carried with me and loved since college days when I was attempting a Vegetarian lifestyle. I make it periodically because I love it and, also, because the aromas and taste bring back good memories. It always takes me back to the special time of college days…like awakening to feminism and riding a bicycle everywhere and sipping warm soup while enjoying engaging conversations with friends.

VEGETARIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP

Ingredients:

5-6 cups water

2 cups split peas

1 small onion, diced

1/2 cup pearled barley or rice (I love the texture of pearled barley)

1 tsp. Salt - then add to taste

1/2 tsp. dill seed

1/4 tsp. each sweet basil, oregano, mustard powder, celery flakes and black pepper

1 moderate handful toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

Bring water to rapid boil. Add rinsed split peas and salt. Let boil 3 minutes or until soft but still intact. Add barley, spices and onion; continue to cook, adding more salt to taste. After about 1/2 hour, add sesame seeds. (If untoasted, stir in a frying pan on stove top using high heat till they start to turn golden.) While simmering the soup be sure that heat is on medium or lower all the time; too high a heat will destroy the vitamins. Soup is done when peas are dissolved and grain is soft.

Indian Dishes: Aroma Therapy For Your Home, Diversity For Your Palete, And, (It's The Holidays) A Treat For Your Friends!

Here is an audiofile, a talk I gave on Simplifying Indian Cuisine Simplyfing Indian Cuisine

Many people, I'm talking mainly American's, enjoy diversity in their food and have enjoyed the culinary experience of Indian dishes whenever they've had them. Many fewer of those people, though, have tried to make Indian dishes. If they haven't looked at recipes they imagine the requirement of all kinds of odd ingredients and spices they'd have to go hunting for and cooking requirements they could only accomplish by holding the instructions in one hand while attempting an exotic flip of a spatula or some such food transporting methiod done in hot oil. STOP THINKING THAT WAY!

Simplifying Indian dishes or finding interesting Indian recipes already simplified is a very pleasurable pastime for me. I enjoy trying to make and enjoy the taste of the cuisine. So much more interesting and multidimensional than the basic American Fried Chicken/Mashed Potato Food that I grew up with. And, I have a husband who's had in his mind he doesn't care for Indian spices, but who surprises himself and me with his enjoyment of the dishes I make. He goes back for more.

A very basic larder ready for trying Indian cuisine should have several things:
Basmati Rice
Onions
Ginger - fresh chunks kept in the freezer or ready-to-use chopped or crushed in a jar
Garlic, fresh or ready-to-use chopped in a jar
Cilantro

Tomatoes, canned diced, tomato paste, or even  fresh
Garam Masala
Turmeric
Coriander seed
Cumin powder and whole cumin seeds

Lemon juice
Plain Yogurt

If you grew up in meat and potatoes America, like me, many of your friends probably did too and will be intrigued at your offerings.

I spent a 4th of July once (we were alone) making a Tikka Masala that was more complex than the one I offer here. I even concocted a Tandoori Marinade, marinated the chicken pieces over night and then used that chicken in a Tikka Masala sauace.

This is arecipe for Tikka Masala that I discovered in Real Simple online. It only uses one Indian Spice (actually a spice mixture) available at super markets*) You dump the ingredients in a crockpot, how simple is that! Then you dump three ingredients in a bowl that marinates while the crockpot is doing it's thing, easy relish to extend add more gastronomic pleasure to the chicken dish. Sometime before eating, you cook up some rice and VIOLA! New and intriguing aromas in your home and a delicious dinner (or gift).

My 'Indian larder' is well stocked, all I need is the heavy cream and some fresh cilantro.
Come on you reluctant cooks, you can get everything needed at your supermarket, dig out your crockpot and read on. Go for it, it will be such a treat.

And, it's the holiday season. Don't know what to do for a special neighbor or friend? Make a couple of Indian dishes, such as below. Pick up a package of Naan Bread at the local market. (Available at most supermarkets. Trader Joe's in the Seattle area has fresh and a delicious frozen Garlic Naan. Be festive, yet spend less, buy an interesting dish at Goodwill to deliver. Desire to spend more, buy a more expensive dish to include as part of your unusual gift.

(I was actually reading Real Simple magazine and found a Tikka Masala recipe, went online to look for a link to it to save, didn't find it but found an even simpler one for the crockipot. And I am definately trying it for dinner tonight, with the cucumber/cilantro relish)

* My favortie Garam Masala mixture I get from Puget Sound Consumer Coop Markets in the Seattle.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chicken-tikka-masala-recipe

Chicken Tikka Masala with Cucumber Cilantro relish
Serves 4
 preparation 10 minutes  cooking 490 minutes

Ingredients
Tikka Masala
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice blend)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1 cup rice, ideally Basmati, but other long-grain white rice will work
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cucumber Cilantro Relish
1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teas. each salt and pepper

Directions
1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours (this will shorten total recipe time). When chicken is done, shred it and stir into the sauce.

2. In a small bowl, toss the cucumber and cilantro with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

3. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.

4. Just before serving, stir the cream into the chicken tikka masala. Serve over the rice with the cucumber relish.

(Note from my first time cooking it: it is even better the next day (as are a lot of Indian dishes, the spices have time to blend. Put crockpot on high for an hour more or on low for a couple more.)

www.realsimple.com
Charlyne Mattox
December 2011

Amazing Soup from Left Overs - Just Add Some Crusty Bread for Dipping!

It's a cold day and I was in the mood for a comfort food, stick to your ribs soup. I somehow bought a 32 oz box of vegetable broth (generally only use chicken or beef broth) and was inspired to use it. A bowl of left over Indian spiced fresh green beans looked interesting in it's thick sauce of tomatoes/onions/garam masala/turmeric. I chopped the beans into 1/2 inch chunks and just used the sauce clinging to them. A couple of nice yams sat in the vegetable basket. Then there was two packages of a sausage/onion/hash brown mixture in the freezer.

Ingredients:
1 cup Indian green beans chopped into 1/2' piece
1/2 sweet onion chopped
2 large stalks celery chopped
1/2 large yam chopped into 1/2 chunks
2 teapoons thyme
 1 1/2 cup sausage/hash brown/onion mixture
1 32 oz. box Vegetable Broth
2 teaspoons Johnny's Seasoning or salt (or to taste)

My great left over Indian Style Green Beans seemed like a great base for a unique soup.  (2 lb. fresh green beans, 1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes drained, 1 chopped and sauteed sweet onion, 3 cloves garlic crushed, 1 teaspoon garam masala (more to taste), 1 teas. turmeric, salt to taste.)

I took out two packages of my sausage, onion, hash brown mixture and defrosted.

I chopped a sweet onion, some celery, garlic and the yam chunks. Sauteed them in olive oil with thyme.

Into my smaller crock pot with the vegetable broth went the green beans, sauteed onion/celery/garlic/yam mixture, the sausage mixture and seasoning salt.

Hey, I used left overs, things from the freezer and fresh vegetables...and it's delicious. I'm out to buy some crusty bread to dip into it. My Husband might even eat it if it comes with crusty bread for dipping.

Since I chopped up double the amount of the onion/celery/garlic/yam mixture have a bunch of ready that I'm freezing for future use in another interesting soup.

French Onion Soup For Two In An Electric Frying Pan

French Onion Soup For Two In An Electric Frying Pan

My husband has been wanting broth-based soups lately. He’s always had a love of French Onion Soup so I picked up a hunk of Gruyere cheese. (I told the deli guy I wanted about a two inch hunk. He said he had a precut one that is about 3 inches and he’d give it to me for the 2” price. I said that wasn’t necessary because of his thoughtfulness I’d be happy to pay the 3” price. He charged the 2” price and I’ll go back as they were nice.) 

It was a Friday night after a long day and a trip out in rush hour traffic for an errand. I thought maybe trying the French Onion Soup for the first time might be too much. I glanced over the recipe I had been cobbling together from several recipes I’d been looking at. Pretty easy, I thought. So into the frying pan went ¼ cup butter and 1 Tablespoon cooking oil (I was out of olive oil). While heating it, I cut a large sweet onion in half then from the flat edges made thin slices so the onion fell apart into strips. I added the onion to the melted butter/oil now heated. Just until translucent, the recipe instructed, not browned. As it translucented itself. I took out my thyme (an herb I’m using more lately) a 32 oz. box of lower sodium beef broth. I added the herb to my onions first to bring out its fragrance (salute to Indian cuisine for teaching me that). Then, I added the broth and set it to simmer for 30 minutes.

While simmering I grated my Gruyere and mad ¼ inch slices of the mini baguette that I picked up at Whole Foods last night. I moved the oven rack up for broiling. After the simmering was done I ladled the soup into the thick white soup bowls I’d bought for pot pies, a perfect venue. I laid three slices of baguette on top of the broth and heaped grated Gruyere on top of that. Under the broiler, and I watched until the cheese started to brown. Voila! French Onion Soup. We loved it. 

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil (I used cooking oil)

1 large sweet onion, cut into strips

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt to taste

Pepper If you like

1 32 oz. box or or close to equivalent of beef broth ( I used lower sodium and added salt to taste)

Grated Gruyere

1/4' slices of small baguette bread or slices of a larger baguette cut into chunks

Instructions

Heat the butter and oil on med low while slicing the onion. Slice the onion in half and then make thin slices starting from the flat sides of the halves so the onion falls into strips. Add the onion to the butter/oil. Cook the onion until translucent not browned. 

Add the thyme and stir into onions to bring out it's fragrance. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt, add more if desired. Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Top the hot onions and broth with the baguette slices and heap grated Gruyere on top.

Place under the broiler until the cheese startes to brown.