Brown Sugar Spice Pepitas, how I love thee!

Spinach Salad with Brown Sugar Spice Pepitas.  Bowl by Alex Lanham.

My sweet husband, Jack, loves pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas) so when I saw four different ways to spice them in the October 2011 issue of Everyday Food magazine, I knew I would be trying all four!  My favorite is Brown Sugar Spice.  They are excellent for snacking and keep in a zip-loc bag for a couple of weeks (if you don't eat them sooner!).  I served them as an appetizer for Thanksgiving.  They are also wonderful as a garnish for a winter salad of spinach, Romaine or mixed greens with mandarin orange sections, dried cranberries, feta and Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette (although I substitute agave for the honey in this recipe so technically it's Agave-Balsamic Vinaigrette if you want to get picky). 

I also used them to garnish a baked acorn squash with brown sugar and butter.  Yum!

Brown Sugar Spice Pepitas

Preheat oven to 300.  Combine 2 cups pumpkin seeds (I buy them at Winco in the bulk bins, also available at Trader Joe's), 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, 2 TBS dark-brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1 TBS water, 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.  Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and toast until seeds are golden and crunchy, about 20 minutes, stirring  halfway through.

Easy, tasty, crunchy!  You can't go wrong!

Soup for Supper: Semi-Homemade Soup from Vjera

I asked my good friend, Vjera (rhymes with Sierra) to write a guest post about how they like to make semi-homemade soup by starting with a mix and embellishing.  Vjera works full time so this is a good way to get soup on the table quick after a long day at work. 

This is a simple recipe we use when we want soup but don’t want to dump it out of a can. Now, I know it’s healthier to make it yourself, but when we don’t have time or the ingredients, it’s nice to have another option.  This soup is very thick and filling and makes enough to serve several (or have leftovers).

We start with a Bear Creek Soup mix (found at Winco and other stores).  Our favorites are the Potato Cheddar and the Broccoli Cheddar.

Follow the directions on the package.  While the water for the soup is heating, brown some meat.  We usually do ground turkey, but you could do ground beef or sausage.  Drain the meat and set aside.  Choose a vegetable to add to the soup.  We usually add frozen broccoli to the Broccoli Cheddar.  Or open a can (or two) of corn and drain.  When the soup is almost done, add the meat and veggies to the soup and stir in.  If you like a extra zing in your soup, add a little Tapatio (hot sauce) to your bowl after you dish up.  Serve hot!

Soup for Supper: Split Pea and Barley Soup

Split pea soup is not pretty so I took this photo as I was loading the slow cooker.

Did you get a new slow cooker for Christmas?  Do you need a new soup recipe that's filling and tasty on a cold night?  Is your New Year's resolution to eat healthier?  If you answered yes to any of these, today's recipe may be just the ticket!  This is one of my favorite stick-to-your-ribs winter soups.  I served it recently with these crazy panini sandwiches made in the waffle iron.

I grew up eating split pea soup with ham and then as an adult, I started making vegetarian split pea soup.  This recipe can go either way - you can add chicken apple sausage or kielbasa or you can leave it out and it's just as good!  You can even have it both ways if you're serving carnivores and vegetarians because you add the sausage at the very end so you could just add it to individual servings.

This recipe is from my favorite, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann.  Jack really likes this soup because the added barley dilutes the flavor of the split peas that can be a little overwhelming to him.  I like that this soup cooks for a long time so if it's a long workday, you don't have to worry about it.  Note: this is the only split pea soup recipe I've ever made that called for soaking the peas overnight before cooking.  I do it - because I'm a recipe-following kind of girl - but I'm guessing you could skip that step, especially if you forget to do it the night before.

Mary Moo's Green Split Pea and Barley Soup

1 lb. dried green split peas
2 TBS olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium-size carrot, minced
3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 TBS Bragg's Liquid Aminos (this is a vegetarian stock substitute that is available in natural food stores)
2 TBS chicken or vegetable bouillon powder (I use two large vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 tsp garlic powder (I usually don't have garlic powder so I press a couple cloves of fresh garlic into the sauteeing vegetables)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 2 TBS chopped fresh marjoram, to your taste (Who ever has fresh marjoram?  I use 1 tsp dried marjoram and add it to the veggies)
4 to 8 ounces chicken apple sausage (optional), to your taste, browned in a saute' pan or under the broiler, and sliced

Note: I chopped the celery, onion and carrot all together in the food processor.  Easy!

Put the split peas in a colander and rinse under cold running water.  Pick over and discard any that are discolored.  Soak them overnight in a medium or large slow cooker in enough cold water to cover by 2 inches at room temperature; drain well and return to the slow cooker.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat heat.  Add the onion, celery and carrot (and garlic if using fresh) and cook, stirring a few times, until just softened, about 5 minutes.  Put in the cooker along with the barley, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, bouillon powder, garlic powder and cayenne.  Add water to come about 3 inches above the vegetables.  Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours.

Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the marjoram and sausage, if using.  Add water to thin if the soup is too thick.  Cover and continue to cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or until the sausage is heated through.  Ladle into serving bowls and serve hot.

"One" Little Word for 2012

Before we get much further into 2012 (can't believe it's January 3rd already!), I want to share my "One" Little Word for this year.  I don't generally make New Year's resolutions (other than my standing resolution that I have renewed each year - and kept faithfully since I was 16 - not to buy any Madonna albums) but I do choose One Little Word.  As I wrote in November, I started this practice of choosing One Little Word in 2010 and I learned about it from Ali Edwards.  My word for 2012 is actually two words: God's Love.  This came to me in church sometime in November.  As with previous years, I tried to set it aside, thinking that something else would come to me but it just stuck and I knew this was what God had for me. 

It's difficult to share this because it's so personal but it's much easier for me to accept that God loves others unconditionally  - my husband or my sister or my friend or the homeless person on the corner - than it is to accept that He loves me with an unending love.  I often pray - especially for newborn babies - that he/she will never have a single moment of doubt that God loves them.  It's much tougher to pray this for myself.  But as Ali reminded us in her blog post, "the main thing to remember is that this is your word. It’s not for your child, parent, partner, spouse, sister, etc."  

So I embrace these words for me.  I seek to learn what God will teach me about His love for me this year.  I started a little journal to jot down the things He is showing me and here's the first verse I wrote in it: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1a

Do you choose One Little Word? I'd love to hear the word you've chosen if you want to leave it in the comments.

I've seen miracles in 2011

Jack graduated from OHSU with a BS degree in Nursing.

As we celebrate the first day of 2012 and I read posts on Wastebook from friends who had a tough year in 2011 and are looking forward to a better year ahead, I began to reflect on the miracles I saw this past year.  I have truly seen miracles happen in my life and the lives of friends and family.  I don't use that word lightly.  I believe a miracle is something that only God can do, that is usually unexpected and often outside our understanding.  One that came to mind immediately - but which I don't think I recognized as miraculous at the time - was Jack's graduation from Oregon Health Science University with a BS degree in Nursing.  As I wrote on his graduation day, he was the first in his family to receive a bachelor's degree.  And he graduated at age 42 - summa cum laude (with highest honor).  This is truly a miracle in my book.

It also seems miraculous to me that after more than eight years of discussing it, Jack and I have finally decided to become parents and we're hoping to adopt in 2012.

Other miracles I saw were more personal.  I saw one miracle in another person's life that is among the most amazing miracles I have seen in my life.  I don't want to share more because it's not my story to tell but it has truly strengthened my faith to see how God worked.

This is a short post because I don't have much more to say on this topic.  Somehow it just seemed important to testify to the miracles I saw in 2011.  In the past, I have also had those years that my friends are describing where I couldn't wait for the new year, for a new start, thinking next year has to be better!  In spite of hard years - or maybe especially in the midst of them - let's look around us for the miracles, big and small.

Leftover turkey panini sandwiches -- in the waffle iron!

I haven't blogged nearly as much as I wanted to this month.  But it was December so I guess that's all I need to say.  I'm actually too busy to be on here tonight but in the midst of cleaning out the refrigerator (aka munching on all the leftovers that won't keep), washing the dishes from said clean-out and packing to go to my niece's wedding, I had to pop in here to share this idea that you just might need this week!

I was asking Jack what he wanted to go with his leftover split pea and barley soup (an excellent recipe that I'll share another time) for lunch today and he said a turkey sandwich -- and could I make it in the waffle iron?  Well, I took this as a huge vote of confidence for my recent fascination with paninis made in the waffle iron and went on to create a new crazy sandwich!

I have been making marmalade - a lot of marmalade - recently to give as gifts and we still have quite a bit in the refrigerator so I decided to combine some with Dijon mustard and mix in diced leftover turkey (could also use deli turkey or even ham).  I grated some cheddar and some Gruyere (turkey and Swiss is a classic combo, right?) and buttered one side of the bread.  I put a little cheddar on the unbuttered side of one slice of bread, added a layer of the turkey/marmalade/Dijon mixture, sprinkled on some Gruyere, added the other slice of bread, buttered side out and stuck it in the pre-heated waffle iron.  I held it closed for about 30 seconds to smush the bread well, then cooked for another minute and a half.  Voila!  It was fabulous!

So go forth and create!  Use those leftovers in creative ways -- maybe even in the waffle iron!

Give the gift of handmade pottery!

Are you still looking for that unique Christmas gift for a special someone that's handmade locally, durable, practical and beautiful?  If you live in the Eugene area, look no further than my friend Alex Lanham's booth at the Holiday Market!  If you've read even a few posts on this blog, you will have noticed the many photos that are captioned something like, "Yak, blanched dandelion and tofu stew with sprouts.  Bowl by Alex Lanham."  Alex is an amazing, talented potter who also teaches in the local schools.

Pasta/soup bowl.  These were a special order but I bet he would make them for you too!

I know you've seen the birds eye view of many of Alex's bowls but I thought it would be nice to show you how beautiful it is from the side so I took photos of our favorite pieces. 

Jack's newest Alex mug.  Yep, he likes his coffee.

The Alex mug that I drink my tea from each day.

We just love Alex's pottery and we own lots of it, from serving bowls to platters to pasta bowls to mugs.  We use it everyday, we put it in the dishwasher and we've never broken a single piece so that tells you it's durable.  I also love the feel of his bowls.  Texture is an important thing for me with pottery.

 

You can find Alex's pottery - and many other beautiful, handmade items at Holiday Market (including pad thai - although you should eat that, not give it as a gift) this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  To find Alex's booth, go to the food area and take a right.  He's on that main aisle that runs north/south, right before you walk out the doors to the Holiday Hall.  To help you find it, here's a photo.  Yes, he's the guy who also sells tie-dye toilet paper.  Tell him Lisa sent you!