Happy Cook'n

Race Day!

2011-11-10T05:17:00.001-08:00

When my son Jackson (Jackie) came home and told us that the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby was coming up, we kicked it into high gear! Since our Cub Scout Pack is very small, the Cub Master invited our younger boys (Carson & Andan) and their cousins (Brendan & Apollo) to participate too!

The first priority was to call my Dad (aka Grandpa) and schedule some wood working time in his workshop. To my surprise, my brother Brian and his son Apollo beat us to it! They were already cutting and sanding when we showed up! Doh! Looks like this is getting pretty serious!

Grandma made a wonderful dinner and Grandpa and I (mostly Grandpa) helped the boys design, cut out, and sand & shape their cars.

Excitement filled the air as those blocks of wood began to take shape.

When I was a kid, my Dad handed me the block of wood and a piece of sand paper and said "there's a car in there...just sand away everything that's not a car." Ugh! Needless to say, I decided to go with a "boxy" body design that year.

Now that Dad has all these great woodworking tools and with his expertise, making these cars was MUCH more fun!

When the first coat of paint was applied, the boys were thrilled!

Visions of our cars speeding across the finish line in first place began to fill our minds. "Your going DOWN!" I said to my brother...and the thus the trash talk began!

Even my Herbie car started to take shape!

Waiting for the cars to dry seemed to take forever!

Adding the windshields, mufflers, stickers, and wheels was like adding icing to the cake. The cars just looked better and better! I called my brother and told him that the cars were looking good and $78 at Ace Hardware said they were going to be fast too! A healthy supply of graphite, a wheel mandrel kit, and a special axel kit would ensure first place for one of us for sure!

The trash talk between my brother and I just grew and grew. Talk of his "Redemption" car grew and grew. It sounded pretty legendary. My brother-in-law got into it too. Before long, the stories of his Optimus Prime truck started to grow. This was looking like it was going to be a battle for the ages!

The day of the race finally came! Kathy made a huge dinner for the whole family. My brother Brian brought dessert...Humble Pie. He said that his "Redemption" car was going to be serving up plenty of that for everyone! Then he unveiled his car (whoops! I mean, his boy, Apollo's car!)...

I must say, I was very curious to see it!

The fog poured out of the case when he opened it and the headlights of his car cut through the fog like a laser! It was definitely intimidating! We all let out a collective gasp. I must admit, it was an impressive showing. Kathy grabbed the knife and said "I'm not ashamed...I'm going to eat some Humble Pie right now. Anybody want some dessert?"

My sister Kim and her family came for dinner. Their Optimus Prime truck was pretty amazing too!

Brendan was excited to race his cool Transformers truck! Wow! Amazing car! The hollowing out of the inside of that truck to get it under the weight limit was very impressive.

Yeah...I stayed up till 1:30am finishing off my Herbie car but I started to feel bad thinking about how the others would feel when my Herbie car flew past all the rest and took first place...especially after all the hard work everyone put into their cars! Maybe I shouldn't have lifted one of the four tires to reduce friction to make it go so fast. But then I saw Grandpa's car!

His Fat Boy rocket car was unlike anything I had ever seen before! Dinner was great...but who could eat with the big race coming up!

The boys were so excited!

Jackie looked great in his Scout uniform!

Carson couldn't wait to see his baby go down the track!

Andan was proud of his car too! It came out just like he drew it up!

We took one last photo just before we raced... All those hours of work! All the trash talking! Who (besides Kathy) was going to eat the Humble Pie? The moment of truth finally came! Was Redemption going to live up to its name? Stay tuned to see what happens!! :)

Pinewood Derby Mayhem

2011-10-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Pinewood Derby race that my Cub Scout boys participated in recently was a HOOT! I think you'll really get a kick out of this when you hear what happened. But, before I tell you about it, you need a little context to really capture the spirit of the event.

Earlier this year, my brother, Brian, really got into the Cubscout Pinewood Derby that his boy participated in. He called me several times to ask me questions about how to wire up his car. I said "wire it up?" He said "yeah...I want to install headlights! Wouldn't that be COOL!!" I said "Yeah, but Brian...who is building this car? You or your son, Apollo?" We got a good laugh.

However, over the course of the next two or three days, I got frequent updates from him on his progress. He wasn't going to work or doing anything else but building this car! We couldn't believe how much time he was dedicating to it.

And, it appeared as if he really was building the car instead of his son. After awhile, Apollo lamented to a fellow cub scout who replied and said "I can't wait till I'm a Dad so I can build a pinewood derby car." Ha! Not really, but we teased him a lot about it.

When he finished the car, he sent an e-mail with the following poster attached to it:

We couldn't believe he took the time to not just make the car but to create a poster too! Wow!! Finally, the day of the race came. The events as described by Brian were pretty entertaining:

Let me see if I can put into words what a humbling experience last night turned out to be. Something about a bunch of 9-10 year olds beating the pants off of you and your son that just doesn't sit well.

We pulled into the gym parking lot at 5:55 pm, dad ignited the car, all systems were go. We stepped into the line to weigh our cars and Apollo's weighed in at 5.1 oz. That's .1 ounce past the limit and they said "That's OK!" The Pinewood Derby God's were shining down on us tonight! I looked over at what was to be our crowning moment when we passed through the finish line with thoughts of confetti shooting from the crowd as our brilliant car dominated not only looks, but took 1st place in speed each time. Suddenly I had a Finding Nemo moment when the beautiful light turned into an Angler fish about to kill me! Good Feeling Gone! I noticed the track had a very wide looking spacer running down the middle of each track to keep the cars in their lanes and it seemed to be mocking me. Being the unshaken father I am, I asked Apollo to bring his car over so daddy could take a look at it. I placed it on the track and to my horror I see that Apollo and I counter sunk the wheels too far and the car wouldn't fit on the track! SON OF A... I quickly darted out to the truck to grab my tool box to see what kind of magic I could perform in about 3 minutes.

I wiped the rain from my brow and surveyed each tool that was at my disposal. All at once they seemed to cry out "Don't look at me man. You're the idiot who put us in this situation!" Ahhhh... I had to carefully rip the axels out of place and grab some nails to replace them. To my surprise, the axels had made the holes in the wood so big, the nails couldn't grip and the car was suddenly dead in the water! The only tool I could possibly think to use with the time constraints was Duct Tape. Nice. I always associated duct tape with speed and fluidity. I crammed, jammed and worked duct tape into the holes hoping to create enough grip to hold on to the wheels. With a little prayer and a lot of hope we re-entered the gym to begin the race. (meanwhile, my beautiful wife Cora was filming the entire ordeal so we could show our future posterity how quickly daddy could work under pressure and make something fantastic at a moment's notice. She was so proud of the husband she had married, the father who would raise their son to new heights, blah, blah, blah...)

The first race came and Apollo was eager to position the car everyone was watching onto the track. He had such a smile on his little face. The older kids ran to the end of the track to see how their car faired but Apollo wanted to run with his car cheering and encouraging it all the way down the track hoping for a new course record! The countdown started... 3... 2.. 1! The cars took off like a shot! Each one moving forward, then back, then forward again... A quick glance over to dad showed him praying like he's never prayed before. Was he praying to win? To dominate the other kids maybe? No. Dad was painfully praying that the duct taped wheels would not fall off. But he didn't show it. Stone cold was the look on his face.

The finish line was broken, the crowd cheered and a dad sat silently thanking his Father in Heaven that the car held together long enough to pass the finish line even if it was in last place. Apollo didn't quite see it the same way however. He was stunned that all of his work, blood, sweat and tears were suddenly being washed away with the emotions of failure. "It couldn't be", he thought. He grabbed his car and ran back to the starting box and placed his car in the next track. Naturally, he assumed his car was stuck in the slow track last time. 3... 2.. 1! and the cars tore off again! This time, similarly to the first, Apollo's car was slower than the rest... so much so, that it didn't even pass the finish line. Like Happy Gilmore, dad almost found himself lying on the floor yelling at his car to finish the stupid race when suddenly a small boy tapped it through the digital checkered flag. Laughter ensued. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH... THE GLOVES ARE COMING OFF!

I snatched up the car and politely asked the officials for a 5 minute pit stop. They continued racing the other cars while daddy pulled out his drill motor, tore off the wheels and began to dismantle the awe inspiring vehicle. With adrenaline now replacing blood I drilled 4 new holes. My heart was beating and aching so badly I could hardly see straight. I could hear the roars and cheers from others as their cars performed admirably. Normally, you need to tap your tires on with a hammer, but the adrenaline was flowing so steadily that my thumb was all I needed. I ran a quick test across the table only to notice that at any given time only 2-3 tires would touch. "Perfect!" This means less friction! I hoped. Fools! They thought they'd be able to keep Apollo and I out with their ticky tacky track when suddenly we created the greatest racer of all!

The crowd was on the edge of their seats to see what Apollo's dad was able to do to salvage their racer in time of need. Apollo gently placed his car in the starting blocks and waited for the countdown. It was so quiet you could almost hear a pin drop! The boy, now turned man through the trials he faced this evening briskly walked to the finish line hoping for what he envisioned as the greatest comeback in the history of Pinewood Derby racing. 3... 2.. 1 announced the officials. The crowd fell silent as the little yellow car that couldn't pass the finish line raced down the track...again and again and again. With each failed attempt, Apollo appeared more and more devestated. Yet, he dutifully ran his car back to the beginning each time with enthusiasm and a hopeful look as if, somehow...magically, the result would be different the next time.

The icing on the cake of this whole disaster was when the mother of a fellow scout called me the next day to express consolation. In an effort to cheer me up, she told me how grateful she was for Apollo's participation; because of Apollo's car, her son's car was not the slowest on the track. Are you kidding me!!??

After spending hours and hours making the car look cool, we discovered that the most important factor when building a Pinewood Derby car is speed. If your car is fast, it doesn't matter much what it looks like!

Only 364 days left until we unveil our new car which we will so eloquently refer to as "Redemption".

Sincerely,

Brian Oaks

Stay tuned because the saga continues...wait until you hear what happened to "Redemption!"

Outliers: The Story of Success

2011-10-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, I didn't receive a reply to the e-mail that I included in my last blog post. But, several days later, I did receive an e-mail that was sent to all the coaches. The message included instructions on how to be a great coach. An emphasis was made on the playing time policy of the league. I was pleased to see that they took action to make this a better experience for the children.

Our whole family (all 7 of us) and some extended family and friends went to Carson's next game to cheer him on. Normally, just Kathy or I go to his game. Carson was so excited that such a large crowd came to see him play. We all cheered him on like crazy and he played great!

His sister Brennah (right) and his cousin Marissa (left) surprised (and embarrassed) him with a sudden kiss when Kathy took this picture. He was so cute. We were so pleased to see him play and have fun and do so well!

Amazingly, I read something fascinating about this very topic just recently. We have a reading program at DVO that is designed to help each employee grow and develop and to help our company provide a better product and service to our customers. Each employee who does the weekly reading assignment gets to go to lunch with me. At lunch, we discuss what we read (and usually have a really good time too!). Since I'm paying for lunch, I get to choose the book.

This month, I chose Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers: The Story of Success." After what happened at soccer with Carson, I was fascinated by what I read. In the beginning of the book, Malcolm makes a shocking observation regarding the birth month of successful hockey players in Canada. About 80% of the boys on Canadian hockey teams are born in the first three months of the year. He says:

"The explanation for this is quite simple. It has nothing to do with astrology, nor is there anything magical about the first three months of the year. It’s simply that in Canada the eligibility cutoff for age-class hockey is January 1. A boy who turns ten on January 2, then, could be playing alongside someone who doesn’t turn ten until the end of the year—and at that age, in preadolescence, a twelve-month gap in age represents an enormous difference in physical maturity.

This being Canada, the most hockey-crazed country on earth, coaches start to select players for the traveling “rep” squad—the all-star teams—at the age of nine or ten, and of course they are more likely to view as talented the bigger and more coordinated players, who have had the benefit of critical extra months of maturity. And what happens when a player gets chosen for a rep squad? He gets better coaching, and his teammates are better, and he plays fifty or seventy-five games a season instead of twenty games a season like those left behind in the “house” league, and he practices twice as much as, or even three times more than, he would have otherwise.

In the beginning, his advantage isn’t so much that he is inherently better but only that he is a little older. But by the age of thirteen or fourteen, with the benefit of better coaching and all that extra practice under his belt, he really is better, so he’s the one more likely to make it to the Major Junior A league, and from there into the big leagues.

Barnsley argues that these kinds of skewed age distributions exist whenever three things happen: selection, streaming, and differentiated experience. If you make a decision about who is good and who is not good at an early age; if you separate the “talented” from the “untalented”; and if you provide the “talented” with a superior experience, then you’re going to end up giving a huge advantage to that small group."

He continues...

"Do you see the consequences of the way we have chosen to think about success? Because we so profoundly personalize success, we miss opportunities to lift others onto the top rung. We make rules that frustrate achievement. We prematurely write off people as failures. We are too much in awe of those who succeed and far too dismissive of those who fail. And, most of all, we become much too passive."

I am so fascinated by this book! And, after my last blog post and the letter that I wrote to the President of the local soccer league, I worried that I had over-reacted. However, when I read this part of Malcolm Gladwell's book, I was encouraged and I felt validated (and a little relieved too). I'm glad I stood up for my boy Carson and all the other younger and "less talented" boys in the league who have been getting less playing time and an inferior experience.

We haven't finished this Outliers book yet but we're really enjoying it and looking for more good books to read. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Sports for Life...Dan's Rant

2011-09-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

I love sports and spent a lot of time in my youth playing hockey, baseball, football, basketball, and just about anything else my friends and I could think up. I believe there are many life lessons that can be learned from sports, playing sports is a good way to get good exercise, and doggone it...it's just downright fun.

People can get pretty fired about sports. For example, my BYU Cougars lost to their in-state rival (I can't even say their name! Pu! ;) ) on Saturday. Well, with a score of 54-10, it was more than a loss...it was an old fashion butt-whoopin! The other team played well but the 7 turnovers by BYU had a lot to do with it. The sign on the Arby's restaurant in Provo right next to the BYU campus said it all:

I thought it was a pretty clever and humorous marketing ploy but some people didn't appreciate it. In fact, some people were downright mad! When the local radio station interviewed the store manager, the manager said that she gives out either a free fry, a free soft drink, or a free turnover after every BYU game and this was just a unlucky coincidence. She said she didn't even watch the game, didn't know the score, and didn't know anything about all of the turnovers.

I think it's silly to get so upset over something like this. On the other hand, I did get my feathers ruffled this past week and ended up writing the letter below to the President of the local soccer league. At the end of his Sophomore year last year, my son Danny was the 4th leading scorer on the Varsity soccer team and, as a Freshman, my daughter Brennah is currently a starter on the Varsity soccer team. I'm pleased that they're doing so well and having so much fun but it hasn't always been this way.

Perhaps because they grow up to be so big and tall (I'm 6'5" tall and 240 pounds), my kids seem to be late bloomers. It seems to take a while before their coordination catches up with their bodies. As a result, they're typically not as fast or quick as the other kids their age when they're young.

As a result, they tend to spend a lot of time on the sidelines at an early age. For 14 years now, Kathy and I have observed this tendancy and I guess you could say that it all came to a head this last Saturday. I was so upset by what had happened that I wrote the following letter to the President of the league. Rather than just complaining, I tried to suggest a course of action that might eliminate the problem I've observed.

I'm publishing it here and sharing it with my Cook'n Family because I'm curious to know what you think about it and if you've had a similar experience. Who knows...perhaps you will conclude that I really am one of those parents who has taken the issue too far...and you might be right about that. But, maybe not. I look forward to reading your comments!

Dear President,

I am writing to notify you of a serious problem in the NUCS (North Utah County Soccer) organization that has the effect of lowering self-esteem in children, infuriating parents, and discouraging kids from playing soccer. I am hoping that after you read this message you will take action to correct this problem.

With 5 kids and 14 years of experience in NUCS, my wife and I have observed that almost every coach desires to do a good job, to make the season fun for the boys, and to please the parents. However, helping the coaches determine what it really means to "be a good coach" and to "do a good job" is a responsibility the league has abdicated. As a result, the coaches are left to figure that out on their own. And, most of them conclude that the boys will have most fun if they win and the coaches measure their own performance, to some degree or another, on the win/loss record of the team.

As a result, each season and on every team, the more athletic players end up getting more playing time than the less athletic players. They play key positions and get more touches on the ball. The less athletic players get less playing time and when they get in, they wilt in a defensive or less significant position and get fewer touches.

Because of the increased playing time and more frequent touches, the good players get better and better over time! They get more experience and improve at a faster rate thus increasing the performance gap! And, they have more fun too because they’re the ones in position to score goals. The more fun they have the more likely they are to practice at home. As time goes by, the contrast between the good players and the bad players becomes more and more apparent. The good players get even better and the bad players seem to get worse.

Since soccer is a team sport and the team is only as good as the weakest link, the teams suffer because of the bad players. This obvious disparity between the good players and the bad creates anxiety among the parents, frustrates the good players, and hurts the self-esteem of the less experienced boys. It also puts even more pressure on the coach to skew the playing time so the team will do well. In the end, many of the good players go into a competitive league and the bad players eventually quit because they're not having fun and they're tired of sitting on the sidelines.

For example, two years ago, my boy Jackson was getting very little playing time and when he did finally get into the game, he was placed in a defensive position and seemed to get very few touches on the ball. I volunteered to coach last season and I made a couple key changes. I simply asked a parent to keep time and notify me every time 4 minutes elapsed so I would know when to do substitutions. And, I also rotated the kids in all the positions instead of defining a player as strictly offense or strictly defense and boxing a boy in some lonely defensive position.

After coaching this team for two years, the results for Jackson have been amazing! He's having a great time and he has become one of the best players on the team now! And, the experience for all the boys on the team has improved dramatically. The more athletic boys have improved because playing a variety of different positions gives them a new perspective and a real advantage. Coincidentally, my daughter, a Freshman who plays a starting defensive position on the Varsity team in High School, just mentioned last week that she can always tell when an opponent in the Forward position has experience playing Defense. I give the boys on my team the opportunity to play a variety of positions regularly. For example, in last Saturday's game, I encouraged my forwards to drive the ball deep into the corner and then minus it to a mid-fielder or defenseman. Then, I put my star player in a defensive position and told him that I’ve never seen a defender score but I believed he had a strong enough leg to do it. I’ve never seen more amazing and aggressive play from a defender before! It opened the eyes of the other defenders on our team to new possibilities that they’ve never considered before!

If you are skeptical about what I'm saying, I encourage you to contact some of the parents of the boys on my team. Many have said that playing on my team has been the best experience they've had in soccer. After last season, several boys moved to a competitive league but those who remained asked me to coach again this season and all of them signed up on my team. And, I’m pleased to say that it's going better than ever right now.

Over the last 14 years, my wife, Kathy, and I have observed the playing time and position discrepancy with coaches time and time again. That’s one of the reasons we volunteered to coach! The only problem is that we have three boys in the program and there are only two of us. Unfortunately, my son, Carson, age 7 years old, who belongs to the team that we are not coaching is not having a very good experience due to the league problem I mentioned in the beginning.

Because of game schedules related to my volunteer coaching commitment, the game Carson played in Saturday was the first one I was able to attend. I was anxious to see Carson play and he was excited to get onto the field. Sadly, he sat on the side of the field for most of the first half. When he finally got into the game, he was pulled after only a couple minutes! The second half was different only in that he sat on the sidelines the entire second half and played just the last 3 minutes of the game.

Well, I guess I was wrong about that. I said that he "sat" on the sidelines but the truth is, he didn't sit on the sidelines, this 7 year old hopped up and down and bounced around on the sideline anxiously waiting for his chance to get into the game while several other boys on his team played the entire game. My wife and I anxiously awaited his turn to get in and play too. We were so surprised when the coach pulled him after only a couple minutes in the first half. And, the three minutes of playing time that he got in the 2nd half seemed to go by so quickly! Carson only touched the ball three times the whole game long! It was so very disappointing.

I spoke with the coach after the game but to say that it didn't go well would be an understatement. He handled it poorly and, in the end, he threatened to throw Carson off the team if I ever "attacked him after the game like this again." Knowing the competitive nature of this coach, I was concerned that things might go poorly like this from the beginning so I recorded the conversation. In fact, knowing that I was recording the conversation, I was especially cautious about how I approached this, what I said, and how I said it. In summary, it went like this:

• I waited until everything had calmed down and everybody else had left.
• I introduced myself to the coach, complimented him on a good game, chatted a bit, and then expressed my concern.
• I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed that it was just an oversight or that perhaps he simply didn’t know that in this league at this age the kids are supposed to play a minimum of half the game.
• Since we can't change the past, I suggested that perhaps he try to make it up to Carson in the next game.
• Coach indicated that it was simply an oversight.
• Then, he wanted me to understand and accept the reality of the situation which is that some boys on this team of 7 year olds are going to play more than others because they’re better.
• He frankly apologized but he didn't seem to feel bad that poor little Carson sat out most of the game. He didn't seem to have any empathy for him. He feigned regret that Carson didn’t get much playing time but pointed out the importance of winning.
• He asked me to see it from his perspective which is that if he plays all the boys equally and the team loses that other parents will approach him after the game to complain.
• I told him that the win/loss record is important in a competitive league but not in this one and the directive this league has given is that all the boys should get playing time. I told him that if parents complain to him when the team loses he should direct those parents to the league.
• He apologized again for what happened to Carson saying that he didn’t have an assistant coach to help with substitutions
• I told him it was no problem...I just wanted to make sure he understood the guidelines of the league when it comes to playing time.
• When I said “No problem, I just want to make sure we have an understanding” he seemed to get very defensive and said he "didn’t appreciate being attacked after the game and that if this ever happened again he was going to throw Carson off the team!" I couldn't believe it!

The coach was walking away when he threatened to throw Carson off the team and, under ordinary circumstances, my only recourse would have been an appeal to the league. However, at that point, it would become a "he said/she said" matter and, most likely, you would probably conclude that this was just another example of an overzealous parent who wanted his kid to get more playing time. After all, there are some parents who will never be satisfied and I'm sure you run into this sort of thing all the time. I'm guessing that it was an experience like this that lead you to require the parents to sign a Parents Code of Conduct agreement when registering their child for soccer.

The difference, in this case, is that the coach was wrong. He was wrong to play Carson so few minutes. The boy is only 7 years old. He was wrong to ask me to accept the reality that some players are just going to get more playing time than others. He was insincere when he said that this was simply an oversight and he was wrong to try to blame it on the lack of an assistant coach when it was obvious that winning the game was his top priority and playing the better players more is his philosophy. He was wrong to characterize the way that I approached him as an attack on him. And, he was wrong to threaten to throw Carson off the team.

The "game changer," to use a coaching vernacular, is that I recorded this conversation and when he threatened me I told him I was recording it. He seemed to change his tune real quick. He called me 20 minutes later and left an apologetic message on my voice mail and two days later, he sent an e-mail to all the parents on the team apologizing for the playing time discrepancies letting them know that, from now on, he is going to "get all of the boys more equal playing time."

Although I'm still upset by what happened, I decided not to attach the recording nor mention the coach's name because he's not a bad person. He's just competitive and he wants to do a good job and he thinks that winning games is how he does that. I share this experience as an example only. The problem is not with this particular coach. This sort of thing happens time and time again among many coaches every season. This is a league leadership problem. We've observed this for 14 years now and the league does nothing about it. In fact, I had to scour the http://www.nucsonline.com/ website for a long time before I could finally find a statement regarding play time and finally found this statement in the deep recesses of the site: "Rules that apply to all groups: -Each player plays a minimum of half the game."

When my wife and I volunteered to coach, we were invited to attend an optional orientation meeting but we were never given a directive or anything in the way of a handout that emphasized this key league rule regarding playing time. It seems to me that the league should communicate this rule to the coaches. E-mail a survey to the parents and coaches and get feedback. If you're going to run the program, do it well! It only takes 30 minutes to set up an online survey and send a broadcast e-mail to all the parents encouraging them to participate. Getting invaluable feedback like this could help you shape the program and really make it great! And improving it will help the good players get better by playing a variety of positions, help the teams to play better because of closer parity in abilities, increase self-esteem in children, make parents happier, and, ultimately, encourage kids to play soccer and grow your program.

Don't get me wrong, I love Dodge Ball. I say hit'em and hit'em hard and if you don't learn to dodge the ball than learn to catch the ball or prepare to get hit! And, I'm all for keeping score. The reality in life is that sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. It's not always fair and we don't always get equal playing time. Sometimes we need to make opportunities for ourselves! Soccer and other sports can be a great vehicle to teach us important life lessons. We need to learn how to be gracious winners and good losers. We need to learn to do our best and give it our all. That's life and we can help the kids learn this through soccer.

But, at 7 years old, the discrepancy in athletic ability and player performance is not so great that one boy deserves to play the entire game and another deserves to sit all but 6 minutes of the game. That is just wrong. It happens time and time again and it needs to be addressed by the league. I hope you will take steps to correct this problem.

I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Dan Oaks

High-Level Software Engineer

2011-09-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

In the Status section of the "See What's New in Version 9.1.79!" page, I mentioned that we were trying to hire a new software engineer and asked you to "Say a prayer for us...and then send an e-mail to Mark and tell him why you think he should join the DVO team! Maybe if he feels the love he will take the leap!"

I am very excited to tell you that our prayers were answered and your e-mails were well received! Mark gave notice at his other job yesterday and will join the DVO team in two weeks.

Mark Williams and I have been friends for four or five years now. In fact, Mark was instrumental in helping me choose the platform, database structure, and the foundation for Cook'n Version 9. We hit it off right from the beginning; you might say that we're kindred spirits. We're the same age and we both started computing on a TRS-80 when we were about 12 years old. We developed a passion for programming at an early age and have loved it ever since.

The difference is that after starting DVO Enterprises, I have spent less and less time programming each year and more and more time in other business management activities; internet marketing, selling, finance, and managing people. Whereas Mark has just been getting better and better at computer programming. Mark is the type of guy who spends all day programming and then goes home at night and reads RSS feeds and other news about new technologies and other programming related subjects! To say that Mark will make a huge impact here at DVO is an understatement!

Mark is an amazing architect and held a highly esteemed position at GE. He and his team were instrumental in fundamentally changing some of the systems and processes at GE that improved the efficiency of all the other programming teams. And Mark's team was responsible for the key foundational pieces of the massive software project there.

After earning such a great reputation at GE and after working with people who regarded him so highly, he said that he was a bit choked up when he resigned. But Mark's boss said that he would take the opportunity at DVO too if it were him. And, he said that he thought he understood his motivation but expressed a willingness to make a better offer if he could keep him. Finally, he wished him well and told him that he knew Mark would be successful and that this sounded like a great opportunity for him.

It took real courage for Mark to take the leap from a company as solid and secure as GE to join such a company as small as DVO. Taking these steps to make this transition is a real act of faith. Mark seems to believe in the DVO vision and is willing to join the team to help us achieve our goals.

Although he was making a real impact at GE, I believe that he will be able to touch even more people and affect even more lives at DVO. In fact, his contribution at DVO will directly affect you very soon. I can promise you that! And, if we are successful at achieving our goals, our recipe software tools will revolutionize the industry simplifying meal preparation, bringing families together at dinner time, helping people to eat healthier, and saving people time and money at the grocery store. I felt good about our chances of creating something revolutionary before but, with the Mark miracle, I am certain that it is now just a matter of time.

Mark says that his first order of business...is to get me to allocate some time each week to programming Cook'n. I would really like to do that and I hope I can...but I'm so busy now that I think it will take a miracle; but it wouldn't be the first. :)

What's Cook'n?

2011-09-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

If you're wondering What's Cook'n?...the answer is: A Heck of a Lot! It feels like we've been in a whirlwind for the last year and a half.

The gusts slowed down around February when we finally resolved most of the major issues with the newest version of Cook'n. Then, things picked up again shortly after that when we got into the thick of the Cook'n for Mac development. I am so happy that we were able to finish it and release it a couple weeks ago!

Things are still crazy busy though with development of the mobile apps but we're getting close to the finish line now. A sneak preview e-mailer just went out. I'm so anxious to get feedback to hear you think. I sure hope you like it!

At first, I was going to go real lean on the features to keep our costs low and to test the waters in the mobile app space. If the first version went well then I was planning on adding more features and making the second version more robust. However, I changed my mind and decided to just go for it.

If you saw my "Coming This Spring!" notice earlier this year, you have probably realized that development of the mobile apps has taken twice as long as we all thought it would. But, the apps are very feature rich. I really think they will be a great compliment to Cook'n. I hope you like them!

In addition to the Mac and mobile app development and continued development of the Desktop app, we're also working on a cool new Plugin that has everyone around here buzzing. So, if you're wondering What's Cook'n? The answer is, LOT'S! :) If you think we're heading in the wrong direction, please let us know. Otherwise, feel free to share words of encouragement too if you think we're doing something right. Our success depends on feedback from you and...we're listening! :)

$500 Recipe Card Box

2011-08-31T17:12:00.001-07:00

I am sorry that I allowed so much time to elapse since my last post; especially considering the serious nature of the last post. Thank you to all of you who wrote such kind e-mails and posts in the Forum wishing Danny well. I am so grateful for your love and support!

I am pleased to say that Danny is doing well. We went to the doctor last week for a checkup. Kathy and I were worried when we saw the x-rays because the three vertebrae that are fractured are squished and bulging. The doctor said that they will never regain the original shape but he should make a full recovery...but then he gave him another 6 weeks of confinement.

Danny's going a little stir crazy. He seems pretty depressed too. Today was the first day of school. We're hoping that he will snap out of it when he sees his friends. Thank you again for your prayers and support! We feel very fortunate and very blessed.

I received a really fun e-mail from Rob recently that I just had to share:

"Hey Dan,
Just a quick note to let you know how Cook'n is doing great things. I have a man here in Myrtle Beach that does great woodwork. I have him make 4x6 recipe boxes that look like the old pirate treasure chest with a mahogany finish. I fill them with 600 of my best recipes from my Roberts Family Cookbook on the Dutch oven recipe cards. Let me tell you, I am not bragging, but it looks AWESOME!!!! I have made several of these for my family and friends. I made this one for a church auction to be auctioned off to send our youth on a ski trip this winter. When it was auctioned off it went for $500.00, that is enough to send 2 kids on the trip for the ones that can't afford it. I just want to thank you again for making such a GREAT product, not only has it helped me a great deal, but also helping others. I had two more church members tell me if I would make two for them, they would pay for 4 more kids to go. Is that a blessing or what? Cooking has always been a great hobby of mine and with your great software and recipe cards and my recipes, boy did that make us a winner again. Thanks again buddy. Have a great evening. Rob"

I asked him to send a photo of his recipe card box. I am anxiously waiting for the photos of the finished box. Way to go Rob!! :)

Dan

A Miracle

2011-07-14T23:48:00.000-07:00

Kathy got a surprise phone call this afternoon from Danny's Scout Master. He said "Danny got hurt. He fell off the ski lift and was being rushed to the hospital. But, it seemed like he was going to be alright because he had feeling in his fingers and his toes." He may have said more but if he did Kathy didn't hear it. She was rushing out the door.

Danny (16) is our oldest boy. He went on a High Adventure with the Boy Scouts this week. One of the activities was at the Sundance Ski Resort. In the summer, they haul people and their bikes to the top of the mountain on the ski lift so they can ride down.

I was in an important meeting when my cell phone rang. When I saw that it was Kathy, I silenced my phone and ignored the call. A moment later, it rang again so I silenced it once more. Just after that, it rang a third time. At that point, I interrupted my guest and told him that I better take the call because it could be an emergency.

Kathy was so upset that she could hardly speak. When she managed to say that Danny was hurt, I apologized to my guest and excused myself from the meeting. Kathy dropped off the other kids at the office with my employees and picked me up.

For the next 30 minutes, we called and called as we drove but couldn't reach anyone to find out more information. It was the longest 30 minutes of our lives! We could only imagine the worst. We prayed and asked God to bless our son. We finally got ahold of the Scout Master. He told us that Danny fell about 30 feet and landed on his butt. They weren't sure how extensive his injuries were but they suspected he may have broken his pelvis and/or back.

When we finally arrived at the hospital, the nurse told us that Danny was in getting a CAT Scan and that it would be 15 or 20 minutes before we could see him. We asked to see the x-rays. The nurse said she would get them but she never did. While we waited for Danny and for any kind of test result, my sister and her son showed up. Then, my parents showed up. A few minutes later, my other sister showed up and then her husband and one of their sons arrived. My employee came to the hospital too. The room filled up pretty fast.

We were so happy when they finally wheeled Danny into the room. Kathy put on a brave face to show support and encouragement. The morphine that they had given him had eased the pain quite a bit. As we waited for the test results, he explained what happened.

Apparently, half-way up the slope, the lift comes to a point where skiers can get off. The first time up the slope, Danny noticed a hat on the ground that someone had dropped. So, the second time up, he got the great idea of jumping off the lift, running and grabbing the hat, and then jumping back on again.

He jumped on, threw his leg over the seat, and told the boy with him to grab the hat. But, those ski lift benches rock and swing so much that it tilted and dumped him out. He had trouble pulling himself up again because every time he lifted himself, the seat would tilt forward and at 6'1" and 240 pounds, Danny's a big boy. The smaller boy with him pulled and pulled and Danny tried to pull himself up but he just couldn't get into the seat. He finally decided to just hang on until the lift reached the top.

However, after 10 or 15 minutes, his hands were so sweaty and slippery and he was so tired that he just couldn't hold on any more. He hollered to his buddy and said "I can't hang on any longer!" They started to panic. Just at that moment, the ski lift stopped with a jolt. We think the lift operator must have seen what was going on and hit the brakes. The jolt was the last straw. Danny lost his grip and fell about 30 feet.

The highest platform at the pool at Lava Hot Springs where we went camping last summer is about 30 feet. I get weak in the knees when I get to the top and can barely muster the courage to jump into the water. I can't imagine falling that same distance onto a rocky mountain side.

Fortunately, he landed on a relatively flat rock and hit the ground feet first. His knees buckled instantly and then he hit his butt. He bounced back up in the air and landed about 5 feet forward. He said everything went numb. After reaching the top, the scouts jumped on their bikes and raced down the hill to where he was. And, emergency personnel from the ski resort rushed up from the lodge. They strapped him to a board to prevent spinal injury and then mounted him on a sled. They tied a rope to the sled and lowered him down the hillside. He said it was a very bumpy ride.

The paramedics told the scout leaders they were going to take him to the nearest hospital. But, after they left, they radioed back and told the scout leaders at the lodge that Danny went into shock and his injuries seemed serious enough to drive a little farther to a different hospital that was better equipped for situations like this.

As Priesthood holders in our church, my Dad and I laid our hands on his head and gave him a blessing. The emotions were so intense that I could hardly speak. I almost broke down crying but then, a feeling of peace came over me. In the blessing, I felt inspired to say a number of things. Among other things, I reminded Danny that everything happens for a reason and that God has a plan for us. Sometimes we need to taste the bitter to know the sweet. I told him that although it didn't seem like it, ultimately, this experience would be beneficial for him. I told him that if he endured this trial with patience and faith that he would be better for it and that he would have a greater capacity to show empathy and love to those who are suffering. I pointed out that a great miracle had happened already because he could have been hurt far worse by a fall from that distance. I exhorted him to be diligent about following the doctor's advice. And, finally, I promised him that his injuries would be minimal and that he would make a full recovery in a short time.

The doctor came in just after that with the test results. He told us that his back was broken. He pulled up the CAT Scan images on the computer and showed us the three vertebrae that were fractured. Fortunately, they were compression fractures that blew out the back part of the vertebrae pretty good but didn't seem to damage the spinal column. As far as vertebrae fractures go, this kind was about the best you could hope for. He said they didn't need to do surgery and that they were going to put him in a brace. He said that he will have pain and discomfort for about three or four weeks and then he should start feeling much better. He said that he needs to take it easy for the next three months but that he should make a full recovery. He said that after the three months, he can play football and soccer and anything that he wants to.

Feeling so relieved at the news, I asked the doctor how soon until Danny could milk the goat again. Danny answered for him and said "I'm pretty sure it will take the full three months before I can do that Dad." I said "Oh boy...you're going to milk this for all it's worth, aren't you?" We chuckled at the pun.

The only trick now was to manage the pain. We put the brace on, helped him to the bathroom, and then, shortly after that, loaded him up in the car very carefully and came home. Apparently, the boy who was with him on the ski lift was pretty upset. He was crying over the whole incident. Danny called him from the car and told him he was going to be fine. He apologized for doing such a stupid thing and he told him not to feel bad. He said "I weigh three times what you do...there's no way you could have pulled me up!" Then he added "do you still have my hat?" I'm glad he still has his sense of humor!

In retrospect, we are amazed by what has happened. Obviously, things could have been so much worse. It was truly a miracle that he landed feet first and that he didn't break a leg or an ankle or two. Dad said that he fell on his guardian angel. I said that that guardian angel got his wings for doing such a miraculous thing and it was a good thing too because after having Danny land on him, he wasn't going to be walking again soon.

I told my employee and nephew, Andy, that the strange thing is that I was woken up last night by a dream I had in which I fell or jumped from the 5th floor of a hotel room. I survived it because I landed in the swimming pool below but I suffered serious injuries because the water was only 5 feet deep. I don't know what it all means or if it means anything at all...just that it seemed like a strange coincidence. He said that he was also woken up last night because he had a dream that he was attacked by a bear. I don't know what that means either but it worried me because my daughter is at girl's camp this week too and they're camping up in the mountains...in bear country! I was just about to drive up there to go get my baby! :)

Hopefully, after reading this post, you'll hug your kids a little tighter or call them on the phone and tell them how much you love them because sometimes you never know when tragedy will strike. And, perhaps, after reading this, you will realize that whatever problems, challenges, or difficulties you are facing now, things could be worse. I hope each of us will kneel down tonight and thank our Heavenly Father for the miracles and blessings in our lives. I know I will! God Bless!

Isla De La Mujeres (Island of the Women)

2011-06-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today we drove down to the dock, got on a ferry, and rode to Isla De La Mujeres (Island of the Women).

Carson and Andan got a couple cool hats before we got on the boat.

We enjoyed Mexican music and dancing on the boat ride to the island.

We got off the boat not really knowing what Isla De La Mujeres was all about...but we were excited to find out!

What was I thinking? ISLAND of the WOMEN. I should have known it would be all about shopping, shopping, and shopping some more! Kathy and Brennah loved it!

The highlight for boys and me was the food.

Sometimes the most unsuspecting hole in the wall restaurants have some of the best food! Believe it or not, Kathy said that this was the best burrito she had ever eaten! It had corn ...ask Kathy... It doesn't look like much but it was really yummy. It was served piping hot. It seemed as if it had been cooked on a frying pan for a few minutes to melt everything real good inside. It had corn and rice inside which was a surprise. But the flavor was the kicker. Besides garlic, I don't know what else it was seasoned with but it was the perfect combination.

The shrimp that I ordered was friend in butter and garlic. It was really yummy too.

The streets in Isla Del La Mujeres are almost all one-way streets. And, they're just big enough for a golf cart. So, we rented one and the boys and I tooled around town while Kathy and Brennah shopped the sales. We rode down to the beach and swam in the ocean. It was great fun.

We loaded all 7 of us up on the golf cart and drove to the other end of this 6 mile island to see the turtle hatchery.

The boys got to hold one of the turtles. They were pretty stoked about it.

We stopped at a road side stand and drank some refreshing coconut milk on the way back.

Ek' Balam

2011-06-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

We loaded up on the bus this morning and drove for 3 hours to the ruins at Ek' Balam.

These ruins were dated much older than the ones we saw yesterday.

At the top of this one...

...we found what looked like a baptismal font. There was a drain at the bottom so they could let the water out.

The view from the top was really cool.

This one was the 2nd tallest of them all. Danny climbed to the top...

...and gave me a "Fire Power" pose.

The kids felt cool air blowing out of this hole in the wall. They were curious so they stuck their camera (with a flash) into this dark hole, took a picture, and then looked to see what was inside.

There was a staircase!

So, we looked around to make sure the school administrators were not looking. Then, we got the skinniest and most daring boy in the group and encouraged him to climb in!

He climbed in and used the flashlight on my iPhone to explore it. He climbed to the top of the stairs and took a few more pictures. He noticed sunlight in the distance and wanted to continue exploring but a Mexican curator noticed the commotion and started to come towards us so we told him to hurry and get out. He grabbed a golden head and then this giant bolder tumbled down after him. As he was running away from it, he managed to grab his hat before a big stone door closed. Then an old friend showed up with a bunch of natives and took it before he could get out. OK. My son Danny may have embellished the story a little. What really happened is his sandal fell off as he was scrambling out. The worker guy seemed to notice he was missing a shoe and suspected the kids were up to something. We distracted him and when he turned his back, the boy dove in and got his sandal and then walked away. When he saw the boy walking away with both sandals on, he gave him a frowny look. The boy said it was the most exciting part of the whole trip for him! I'm just glad the thing didn't cave in on him or something!

This looks like a baby in the womb of this statue. The statue looks like it has wings. I wonder if this is the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus? It's very fascinating.

The school administrator who has seen a lot of ruins said that he has never seen paintings like this before. He says that the color usually fades over the years. This looks like a white guy sitting and teaching other dark skinned people. I wonder what it means!

It's tough to see in this picture but the tallest structure of them all was the one covered in trees pictured here. Apparently, that's what these ruins look like before the archaelogists get to them. They're just huge mounds of boulders with trees and brush growing on them! The Mexican government doesn't have the money to restore them so they just sit there like this. It was pretty amazing to see. I can see how restoring that would be a major undertaking.

We made some new friends on the trip. Brian and Amy Kunz and their four kids go to the same school. They have three boys that are the same age as our three youngest boys (sitting at the table behind us). The 6 of them had a great time playing on this trip and Kathy and I enjoyed getting to know Brian and Amy. Brian is the founder and president of Northridge Publishing; a very successful business that is similar in many ways to mine. We're kindred spirits!

In addition to making new friends, we really enjoyed this Crem de la Crem de la Kathy (Creme Brulee). It was a nice, light Italian dessert. It was the perfect finishing touch to the Italian dinner that we enjoyed this evening.

The teenage kids talked us into going out on the town later this evening. We went to Mextreme and had a great time!

We enjoyed coconut ice cream served in a frozen coconut...

...and pineapple ice cream served in a frozen pineapple.

The kids all danced and had a great time.

Then a Mexican witch doctor-type guy came out and cast a magic spell on the boys from the school. He sat all four of them down on these chairs...

...and then had each one lay back and rest their heads on the knees of the person behind them.

He cast a magic spell on each one as he did it.

When they were all laying down...

...he began removing the chairs one by one!

When all the chairs had been removed, it seemed as if the boys were floating in mid-air!

Finally, he backed up to get a running start. Then, he ran up and jumped on them and knocked them all to the ground! It was pretty hilarious. We all loved it. It was so fun!

Akumal Ruins

2011-06-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

We checked out of the Bungalow in Uxmal today and boarded the bus for a 4 hour ride to Akumal to see more ruins. Well, most of us did. Kathy and the three little boys drove back to the Hilton in Cancun. She texted me when she arrived and said "We're home!" :)

My parents, Danny & Brennah, all the kids from the school, and I drove to an Hacienda in Uxmal to see the ruins there.

We stopped for lunch on the way. It's difficult to see in this picture...but each window and door had a plastic bag with water hanging in it. It was very peculiar. I asked the waiter what it was for. He said that ancient Mayan tradition says that it keeps out the mosquitos. He said it's an old wive's tail like hanging cloves of garlic over the door or that a horse shoe brings good luck. I don't know if this one works but I do know that there were no mosquitos and we've fed a lot of mosquitos this trip...so maybe it's worth a try!

The chicken was so good! I thought that when we got out of Cancun, we would find some more reasonable prices but I was wrong. This dish cost $22. Maybe we got the special "Gringo" price!

These ruins were massive and much more elaborate than the last ones that we saw. They were more recent too.

We got to climb on these ones.

The stairs were very steep!

When we finally got to the top, we all sat down to rest. The view from the top was amazing!

We learned something very interesting when we got to the top. They excavated a hole in the top and about 6 feet in, they found...

...there was another ruin under the first. Apparently, it was the tradition of the Mayans, every 52 years, to build over the top of the first one. The guide said that they found some that were 7 layers deep!

This is the ruins of their arena where they played a ball game. The goal was to get the ball through that ring but you couldn't use your arms.

As I wondered what they could have possibly been thinking, I came up with a theory. I figured that if I were them, I would build these monuments with a vault in the center to store records. I told several people about my theory and then one of the guys in our group told me about a special he saw on the Discovery Channel regarding the ruins.

He said they used advanced Sonar technology to scan these ruins and they discovered a hidden cavern in the center. He said they also discovered a tunnel system underneath. They followed it and discovered a hidden entrance far away. The entrance was blocked with rocks and tons of ancient artifacts. They've been excavating the entrance of the tunnel for three years now! I am so fascinated by this. I'm going to do more research when I get back. I't so intriguing!

The Hacienda was amazing. We all had a fun time cooling off and swimming in the pool.

The food we ate for dinner was probably our least favorite of the whole trip. I got a seafood gumbo-type soup that tasted like beef stew but with seafood instead of beef. The spaghetti shrimp dish was fried in butter and just wasn't that good. My stomach was a little upset after eating it. I didn't even take a picture of it.

However, the ambiance was great! I still have trouble wrapping my brain around these open air structures with no walls or windows. My mind keeps asking "What do they do in winter?" I keep forgetting that they don't have winter here like we do in Utah!

Snorkeling

2011-06-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today was a day for snorkeling, swimming, and playing at the beach. The boys made a cool sand castle before breakfast. I think our visit to the ruins yesterday inspired much of this.

French Toast for breakfast on the beach in paradise while writing my next blog post...it doesn't get much better than this! Kathy was in love with this French Toast. She ate it every morning for the three mornings that we were here! I was in love with the fresh squeezed orange juice! There's nothing quite like it.

The snorkeling was amazing. From the shore to the reef (about 200 or 300 yards), the water was only about 5 feet deep and it was full of life.

Kathy and I found several sea turtles. We watched them graze on the ocean floor and come up for an occasional breath of air. The current moves you around sometimes and at one point, this huge turtle surfaced right next to Kathy while she was adjusting her goggles. She was looking right into the face of this massive sea turtle. It startled her so much that she jumped and freaked out just for a moment. I was laughing so hard!

We saw a sting ray and followed it around for a while. Kathy knows me. She made me promise not to try to pet it because she didn't want me to end up like the Crocodile Hunter guy.

I swam all the way out to the reef to see what it was like. On my way there, I ran into a 5 foot long Barricuda! With it's big teeth sticking out, it was pretty intimidating. I saw hundreds of the most colorful fish and sea creatures I've ever seen.

The big waves pushed me right into the coral reef and into a sea urchin. I got poked pretty good by its long quills which drew blood. I figured I better swim back before I got myself eaten by a shark or something!

Danny said he found five old cannons underwater. He was pretty stoked about it. He said it was really cool.

The little boys liked the pool best. They swam for hours and hours. They took a break for a bit to eat and then went right back into the water. We all got sunburned again pretty good today. By the end of the day, Andan's eyes were so red from the chlorine in the water that everything looked blurry. He fell asleep at dinner and we had to carry him back.

We were in our swim suits almost the whole day and I didn't have my camera with me so I don't have a lot of photos. I did bring my camera to dinner though. We ate at Restaurant Laugh Out Loud...HA!

The cool breeze coming off the ocean felt great!

My Mero Tikin Xik: Platillo tradicional Yucateco con achiote servido sobre hoja de platano (fish dish served on a banana leaf) was SO delicious! The only thing that looked yummier...

...was the Camarones Scampi: Servidos en una cama de linguini con ajo, jitomate y cebollina; cocinados en una salsa de mantequilla, limon y alcaparras acompanado de pan con ajo (linguini shrimp dish) that my Dad got.

Kathy loved the Tampiquena: Corte de res Delgado servido con frijoles, guacamole, enchilada roya y tiras de poblano con crema acompanada de tortilla de maiz (beef dish) that she tried. We don’t know what “tiras de poblano con crema” are. They looked like green bean casserole and tasted really good!

Danny's Pollo en Chile Ancho: Pollo rostizado servido con mole de chile ancho con champinones, cebolla verde, papa chambray y jitomate cherry. Platillo unico de excitante sabor!! (chicken dish) was unbelievably good. That mole sauce gave it a very unique flavor.

The live fire made the preparation of the banana flambe very entertaining!

This sauce was to die for!

Tulum Ruins

2011-06-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

We loaded up on the bus and drove to the ruins of Tulum today. This hole in the wall is the entrance through the wall that surrounds this ancient city.

Kathy was not interested in the slightest...but I could not be more fascinated. The mystery of the ruins is so intriguing to me.

One of the reasons the ruins are so interesting is because I believe that if we do not study and learn from history we are bound to repeat it.

The other reason is because of my religious beliefs. To archeologoists, the ruins at Tulum are very intriguing and mysterious because of the evidence of Christ there and stele of the Descending God.

Scientists and expert archeologists cannot explain where the Mayans came from or where the people from these great civilizations disappeared to. They don't know where the Indians came from or how they got here. They speculate that there was once a land bridge between the continents and that the Indians crossed this land bridge while following migrating herds for food.

Artifacts in many of these ruins indicate a belief in a Descending God; and stories of a white God that descended from the sky were told again and again for generations. According to the stories, this white God promised to return again. In fact, when Columbus landed here in 1492, they thought he was the white God who had promised to return.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, however, know how these people came to the American Continent, what happened to them, and why they believe in a Descending God.

About 600 years before Christ's birth, God led a group of people out of Jerusalem because it was going to be destroyed. According to 2 Kings 25, Jerusalem was in fact invaded and destroyed at this time but since this group of people left Jerusalem, the Bible does not contain a record of their history.

These people brought the writings of the Bible with them and they kept records of their own. These records indicate that they sailed a boat to the American Continent and began a civilization here. The account of their history is fascinating. It includes a detailed description of the civil war that destroyed them too. But, The most significant part of this record is the account of Christ's appearance here in the American Continent.

After Christ's resurrection, He appeared to the apostles and many others in Jerusalem. According to the record of the people on the American Continent, Christ appeared to the people here too. He descended from Heaven dressed in white. He healed the sick and taught His gospel to the people and promised that He would return again in great glory one day.

Christ said He would visit these people in John 10:14-16: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." The "other sheep...which are not of this fold" that He was referring to were the people here in the American Continent. And, they did in fact hear His voice and see Him!

His visit had such a profound impact on the people and their culture (much like it has had on ours!) that the buildings and ruins that are left testify of His visit and so do the records that they kept. Just before the final destruction of this civilization, a man named Mormon compiled all their records into one. Since paper, metal, and stone would decay and corrode over time, Mormon carved his writings on plates of gold to preserve them. These writings of Mormon have been translated to many languages and can be found in a book called The Book of Mormon.

Our guide's name was Abinadi and he is a BYU fan! Yeah!

They put a roof over the artifact inscribed in front of this house so it doesn't erode with the rain and weather.

The temple marks the equinox and solstices which is typical of other Mayan structures. But, this slanted building just to the left of the temple was built in alignment with both the morning star, or the planet Venus, and the sun to mark April 6th as the birthday of the Descending God.

They say that on that day, Venus can be seen rising into the night sky directly over the door of the temple and sunlight forms a brilliant star that can be seen only on that day. Apparently, this is pretty significant because Mayan Gods were known by the day on which they were born. And, April 6th is the birthday of the Descending God.

This building has a cenote inside it (or underneath it). This is the fresh water source for the whole city.

This is a cistern that they filled with water for people to access.

These are the foundation stones for homes that once existed here. It reminds me of photos of New Orleans after Hurrican Katrina and photos of Japan after the Tsunami. The "after" photos showed nothing but slabs of concrete and foundations where homes once were. The "before" photos showed what the neighborhoods looked like before the disaster. The contrast was incredible. I just can't imagine what this must have looked like when the homes existed here...but I'm so curious to know!

This is a photo of the temple. This temple and these ruins are referred to as that of the Descending God because of the numerous inscriptions and artifacts of a Descending God. For generation after generation, they tell of a white God that descended from the sky in great glory.

An ancient account by a Spaniard indicates that the temple was colored. This is what they think it looked like back in the day.

There are three inscipriptions above the three doors. The one on the left is the image of their God known as Quetzalcoatl. The inscription above the center door is of the Descending God, and there is just a blank slab above the door on the right which they think represents the Holy Ghost. It was so fascinating!

The entire Yucatan is completely flat. As you can see from this view, the place where the temple is built is the highest point around.

This is a view of the temple from the side.

As I mentioned before, this beach is protected by the 2nd longest barrier reef in the whole world. It spans for miles and miles. There is just one break in it right here in front of the temple. It's a little hard to see in this picture but if you look carefully, you can see white waves breaking on the reef on the right and more waves breaking on the left. The only way to land a ship here without crashing it into the reef is at this point.

In this photo you can see the temple in the center with a tower on each side. They have found slots where torches were placed on the temple and on both towers so sailors could see this from the sea so they would know where to land their ships without crashing into the reef.

This is the beach between the temple and the far tower where ships would land.

The kids were not as interested in the ruins as I was but they still had a fun time. Danny and Brennah enjoyed swimming at the beach and the three little boys chased Iguanas like the one pictured here.

Cenotes

2011-06-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up early and toured the Cenotes! We boarded a Jungle Limosine...

...the likes of which...

...I've never seen before. Then, we drove deep, deep into the jungle.

We put on our harnesses...

...climbed a rickety tower...

...and rode a zip line down!

It was VERY fun!

The birds are beautiful here! This one is called a Clock bird because it swings its tail back and forth like a grandfather clock.

We weren't sure what to think about the next event. Zip lining down into a dark cave was a little scary!

But I gave it a go! After riding the zip line into the abyss of the cave for a couple hundred feet, we splashed into a pool of cool water. Apparently, Cenote is a term used to describe a system of underground caves that are filled with water.

After zip lining down into one cave...

...we rappelled down into another.

It was great fun!

It wasn't scary when the kids were doing it. But when it came to my turn, I had to stop and think about it for a minute to wrap my brain around it! :)

Once we all made it to the bottom, we went for a swim through the cave system! We put on life jackets and started swimming. Do you see the light just behind us and to the right? That's the entrance. Watch your head as you go through or you'll bonk it on a stalactite! We just kept going and going. The farther we went, the darker it got.

We stopped in a big cavern and used the two flashlights our group of 15 people had to watch the bats fly around. Talk about creepy! Andan asked me if those were blood sucking bats. I said "of course they are son. Just stay low in the water." Ha! How could I resist!

As we moved to the far side of the big cavern, we realized that we had to go through an entrance that was even tighter than the first. We almost had to go under water to fit (and it wasn't lit like this photo--it was pitch black!)! I started to feel a little Closter phobic! I told everyone to stop breathing so hard because I was afraid we were going to use up all the oxygen! "What if an earthquake hits right now?" Those were the thoughts going through my mind!

Then I realized that if I was feeling Closter phobic, Dad, who IS Closter phobic, must be REALLY scared! He was white as a ghost! The life preserver that he and mom were using for flotation purposes wouldn't fit in the narrow passage. The guide told them to leave it behind! That's how tight it was! I was surprised that he actually went through with it. Later, he said that the batteries in the flashlight he was holding were giving out and I found out that, for him, the only fear greater than entering that cave was the fear of being left behind all alone there...in the dark!

After we got to a certain point, the guide turned off his flashlight and told Dad to do the same. It was pitch black but after our eyes adjusted, we could actually see the outline of our legs in the soft glow of the water. The guide said that light rays from the cave entrance reflected in the water all the way to our location deep in the cave. It was so cool!

Finally, we got onto this bicycle-type contraption called a Sky Rider and started pedaling. We traversed the jungle from a tree-top perspective and then, after a while, the cable took us down through some Cenote caves. It was such a neat experience!

Kathy had a problem with her bike and was only able to go 20 feet before she had to return. As it turned out, she was the last in line. Andan, our 5 year old, went just before her. By the time she figured out that she was going to have to sit this one out, Andan was long gone. Kathy was worried he would have trouble so she asked the guide to get on a bike and go check on him.

The guide went about ¼ of the way but couldn’t see him so he returned. They figured everything was OK…but when we all got to the end, Andan never showed up! I started going back, walking through the floor of the jungle to find him. The guide jumped on a Sky Rider and went looking for him. And, Kathy panicked. It took us about 45 minutes to find him which felt like hours and hours. Fortunately, he was OK. He got stuck going up one of the inclines so he sat there all alone in the jungle till we found him. He was pretty sad…but he was very relieved to see us. Kathy was very relieved when we showed up with him. I think we just earned "The Worst Parents of the Year" award!

Sunday in Uxmal

2011-06-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Sunday so we got dressed in our Sunday best and went to church. That's the short version of the story. The long version goes like this: The Liahona school administrators asked us to find the nearest meeting house for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We found an address and gave it to the bus driver. Then, we got into our rental car and left to get there before everyone else. But, we got lost! We couldn't figure out the directions...and neither could Google Maps! We drove around and around but just couldn't seem to make sense of it!

Finally, I stopped and asked for directions. Before long, I had 6 Mexicans around me trying to tell me which way to go! We finally found it 15 minutes after the Sacrament services ended. Doh!

We were feeling pretty bad because the school asked us to do just one thing and we messed it up! However, as it turns out, the bus driver was familiar with the area. He understood the directions perfectly and got the kids there (with Danny & Brennah on board) right on time!

Danny & Brennah said it was unbelievably boring because the services were in Spanish and they couldn't understand a word of it! I guess now they know what it was like to go to the Catholic church a couple hundred years ago when the services were held in Latin. :)

I thought it was great to go to church. One of the nice things about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is that it is the same no matter where you go. Ever since our plane touched down, everything has been so foreign...but the Spirit in church made us feel like we were home.

We checked out of the Hilton and went straight from church to a Bungalow in Uxmal. The rooms were not quite the same. Among other things...there was NO TV! I was like "SWEET!" because I can't stand it when the kids waste time watching TV, especially when there are so many fun things to do in this exotic paradise! Kathy took a look around and said "can we go back to the Hilton now?" She's a good sport though and she stuck it out. The boys liked it...especially the mini-bananas!

Kathy has a "No Swimming" rule on Sunday that I just don't get. I don't remember reading anything about not swimming on Sunday in the scriptures! :) But, I do believe that it is important to keep the Sabbath Day Holy and if that means not swimming to her than I support her 100%. We have been SO blessed to be able to come on this trip in the first place. We've been kept safe and protected along the way. We don't deserve this at all. We're so grateful to God for all the blessings we've received. The last thing we're going to do is complain.

So, we got out of our Sunday clothes and changed into something more comfortable which, for the boys, were pajamas. Then, we went for a walk on the beach to explore this new place.

One of the things that makes Uxmal so unique is that if features the 2nd longest reef in the world where the big waves break. Since the big waves break about 200 or 300 yards off shore, the beach is AMAZING! The water is calm and teaming with life! We just can't wait to snorkel here and see the sea turtles and exotic fish!

Fresh seafood is the name of the game in Uxmal so we tried it all. The kids weren't too thrilled with the Whole Fish...but it was yummy. Danny and I ate it up! It felt like one of our many camping trips.

I don't even know what this was called or how it tasted because someone else in the group ordered it. But, it looked interesting enough that I snapped a photo so you could get a glimpse!

After dinner, we went back to the room and called it an early night so we could wake up early and swim! Plus, I noticed that the windows in our room only had a thin, white shade that didn't look like it would keep out much of that bright, early sun.

The beds were hard as a rock at the Carribe Club Hotel in Uxmal and the heat and humidity was so thick you could cut it with a knife but I still slept well...most of the night. In the middle of the night, a plastic cup fell to the floor and made a loud noise as it bounced around. I laid there wondering what happened. Then, I thought I heard a scratching sound that sounded like mice. We brought quite a few snacks from Walmart and left them out on the counter. There were lots of mice and rats in the Dominican Republic where I served a two-year mission for my church...I don't know why I thought there wouldn't be some here! I got up and turned on the light and thought I saw them scatter...but...it may have just been my mind playing tricks on me. I looked at the food but couldn't see any trace of them. So I went to bed.

Turning the lights on and off woke Kathy. She was freezing! So she turned down the A/C. Later, she woke up hot so she turned it up again. By morning, we didn't really feel too rested. Let's hope the next day turns out half as good as the others!

Parasailing!

2011-06-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Today we went down to the beach and got on some wave runners...

...and road them to a boat.

Then, we got into this contraption on the back of the boat...

...and went Parasailing!

At its highest point, the rope is 650 feet long and the Parasail is 350 feet above the water.

Carson loved it!

And so did Andan!

But as for me...I'm a frayed knot! I'm an Eagle Scout and I know knots. This is not the knot I would have chosen for this!! But even more troubling was the fraying that seemed to be taking place. I've seen plenty of broken nylon ropes and I imagine that this is probably what they look like just before they break! I figured the guys running this operation probably tied this knot a few years ago and haven't thought about it since! My mind began calculating the chances of us surviving a 350 feet fall into the ocean. It wasn't quite so scary when I was in the boat and the others were up in the sky! Then I remembered that there was a parachute attached to the back of us. That should break our fall! As long as we didn't fall out of it. Since we weren't buckled in at all, I realized that I better hold the boys and the bar. Then I realized it...what has happened to me? I was acting just like Kathy! So...you know what I did next? I grabbed the bar even tighter and thought "She would be so proud if she could see me now!"

I couldn't be happier to get my feet on solid ground and go to dinner!

The Nachos Grande were unlike any I had seen before. That Mole sauce is pretty popular here. It's pretty yummy. I don't know about you...but I like it a lot! This photo looked better when it was served…but before I could even get the camera turned on, the family was already digging in. We were pretty hungry after our adventure at the ocean today.

Carson loved his spaghetti. It was really yummy!

Kathy went with the usual...chiminichanga.

I tried the burrito...and it was...OK. Secretly, I was hoping Carson wouldn't eat all of his spaghetti! :)

I think Mexico is rubbing off on us!

We've been here for a while now...my hair is really starting to get long! :)

The kids enjoyed making funny faces.

The restaurant was decorated nicely. It was a classy place...but we couldn't quite figure out the skeleton Santa over-head. It was a little creepy.

After dinner, we went outside and listened to this live band play some salsa music. There were several different drummers...

And they were all great! :) The kids from the school arrived today. We'll probably see our two oldest, Danny & Brennah, a lot less because they will want to hang out with their friends from school.

Cliff Jump'n in Xel-Ha

2011-06-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Xel-Ha which is a Mayan name that means "Heck of a great time eating and snorkling!" Well...if it doesn't mean that, it should because that's what we had. It's actually a place where a fresh water river meets the ocean. Snorkeling at Xel-Ha (pronounced Shell-Ha) is like swimming in a HUGE salt water fish tank! It was amazing!!

We took some under water photos but haven't developed them yet...so we'll have to wait on those. The kids had a great time at the park there.

Even Grandma got into the action. I taunted her into climbing up into the tree bridge but I didn't really think she'd actually do it. At the end of the day, she told me that she never thought she'd see the things she has seen or do the things she has done on this trip. She said she and Dad feel 20 years younger!

After eating a HUGE all-you-can eat breakfast, snorkling for 4 hours, and then eating a HUGE all-you-can eat lunch, we got all strapped in...

...and went speeding down a Zip Line...

...right into the water!

Coming back was just as fun!

We went cliff jumping too! Danny asked me if he had to wear his life jacket. In my best Pirates of the Caribbean voice, I said "First, there's nobody here to enforce the rule...there's just a sign. And secondly, you must be a Mexican for the code to apply and you're not. And thirdly, the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules. If you think you can survive it, then go ahead and do it. Welcome to Mexico, Mr. Oaks!”

So he did!

Kathy jumped too!!

Carson jumped and Brennah jumped too but nobody was there to shoot a photo of it.

Jackie and Andan were too afraid to do it by themselves. But, Jackie was willing to do it if Danny held his hand and counted to three. Andan said he was willing to jump with me but after counting "One...Two..." he tried to back down. But, I didn't let that deter us. I quickly said "THREE!" and we jumped (well, I jumped and brought him with me)! Kathy wasn't too happy about it. I heard a derogatory "Daaaan..." :( as we left the edge of the cliff. But it was all good. Andan was all smiles when we came up!

I took a short-cut and climbed the face of the rock wall to get back to the top. It's a good thing that rope was there to help. And, it's a good thing you can't hear me panting! We scrambled back to the bus and slept on the 90 minute ride back to the hotel.

I'm sorry but I didn't get any food photos or recipes. We left the camera in the locker during each meal. The buffet was so good. There was a wide variety of delicious and unusual food. But, the hit today was the Cayap drink. It was a Piña Colada with Mango juice and it was unbelievably good! I've gotta get a recipe for this! If any of you have ever heard of this before or know how to make it, please let me know.

Sub Sea Adventure

2011-06-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

The kids loved the boat ride that we went on today. All of our senses were alive as we soaked up the scenery, the smells, and the feel of the ocean. It was such a fun adventure! The water was so crystal clear that you could see the bottom of the ocean from the top of the boat. At one point, we even saw a mantaree swimming along the ocean floor!

The boat took us out to a submarine-type vessel anchored near a huge coral reef. Kathy didn't love it quite as much as everyone else. See the look on her face? That's the look of someone who doesn't quite have their sea legs yet.

We went down into the bottom of this sub to go on an under-water adventure.

We saw tons of colorful fish and corals.

We were even fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a rare sea creature when a mermade swam by!

The dinner recommendation we received took us to La Destileria.

The boys liked the decorations. The ambiance was nice. I really liked the view of the harbor out the huge windows. I wanted to eat outside on the deck but the girls preferred the air conditioning inside.

Andan wanted me to take this picture of him behind bars. What a ham!

I guess this is the distillery that the restaurant derives its name from...or at least a replica of it. They're pretty excited about the Tequila here in Cancun. We don't drink alcohol so we haven't tried it but they pretty much offer it to you wherever you go. After being couped up in a hotel room with all these kids for a couple weeks, I'm afraid I might find Kathy down at the bar one of these nights! Just kidding! :)

We all enjoyed the uniqueness of the Destileria Soup: A Delicious black bean cream soup with gouda cheese, bacon, noodles and spring onions. I've never had anything quite like it before.

My Dad enjoyed Chicken Mocajete: A delicious combination of nopales, chorizo, fresh cheese, beans and avocado, served with your house salsa and fresh hand-made tortillas.

Danny really liked his Chimichanga. In addition to the great taste, the green sauce that it is served on really has a powerful visual effect.

I went with the Coriander Fish Fillet prepared over a light creamy coriander sauce, served with mushrooms, rice and steamed vegetables. The fish was very tender and fresh...and surprisingly filling. The steamed vegetables really hit the spot. I made the right choice. We tried a wide variety of dishes and then did the old "everybody pass your dish to the right" move half-way through the meal so we could get a taste of the other meals. Kathy was pretty eager to switch and I quickly found out why. Her meal came with a hot sauce that really lit up my mouth! I couldn't get my Coriander Fish Fillet back fast enough!

Dinner was very good...but the desserts were fantastic! We picked a couple and shared them.

This crepe dish was our favorite. It had nuts and ice cream wrapped inside. The pool of butterscotch that it was sitting on was the perfect topping. Watching the nine of us eat these two desserts probably must have looked like a pack of wolves after the kill. I'm just glad the little boys didn't pick up the plate and start licking it..............otherwise I wouldn't have been able to! ;)

2011-06-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

We did one of Kathy's favorite activities today...SHOPPING! She and my Mom love going to the flea market. Our kids love it too. They got some hand-made custom bracelets with their names on them. They loved that.

My Dad and I tried to act like we were having fun to support our wives...but I'm pretty sure that we would have preferred to do anything else. We're just glad we didn't get any fleas! The only perk was that we knew we were going out to eat dinner afterwards so it was really only a matter of time.

We were pretty hungry but we decided to pass on the Tacos & Pizza Lovers option. I thought that was an interesting combination...but not one that I would have necessarily put together.

The Mextreme restaurant that we went to came highly recommended.

Andan had a hard time eating with the mask that he got from the flea market...but he managed.

I couldn't remember all the things that we ate so I took a photo of the menu. The variety intrigued me! I had a hard time choosing so I went with the thing that looked most unusual and foreign. Brennah had already decided to go with the Lime Soup which was very interesting so I went with the Molcajete Mixed! Arrachera, chicken and shrimps (yes, shrimps!). Served with prickly pear (nopal), sausage, grilled onions. Panela cheese and red or green sauce.

The fruit drinks balanced served right off the waiters head were LOTS of FUN!

Balancing on one foot too made it even more interesting.

Compared to the hot and dry climate in Utah, the sweltering, humid heat of Cancun is quite a contrast. After shopping in the oppressive heat of the flea market, the cool smoothies were unbelievably refreshing! The little boys really liked the blue "Spider Man" drink in the middle and the rest of us took turns sipping the others. They were great!

Even the food was served off the waiter's heads. The kids loved it. I was just glad he didn't drop it. I was too hungry for a mess-up at this point! You see, the camera-man (not me!) had trouble figuring out how to work the camera and the poor waiter had to balance there for quite a while!

Brennah's Lime Soup was spectacular! It had a strong limey kind of flavor that made it pretty sour but not in a bad way. It was actually really good!

My Molcajete Mixed was served in a really cool cast iron-type pot thingee that added a real nice touch. And, the variety was great! The battered and fried green onions (center middle) were super! The chunked cheese was very unusual but good. The prickly pear (nopal) was sourish. It must be an acquired taste. I ate a lot of it but it's going to take more than one meal to acquire a taste for prickly pear. I did notice that it cleansed my palate. Everything I ate immediately after the prickly pear tasted SO good! Have I given you a clue?

OK...something is falling on the roof as I'm typing this and it's wigging us out a bit. We moved out of the Hilton and went to a Bungalow in Akumal. We are in a very remote location and we will be here for the next 3 days. The rooms do not have TV's and the fam is going through withdrawals. It's great! Whoa! There it goes again! A storm just blew in. It must be coconuts or something but it's loud and a little freaky. Kathy's ready to pack up and go back to the Hilton!

During our meal, the staff got out and did a little dance. The music was blaring and somewhat intoxicating.

So...when we finished our meal...we joined them! It was great fun! The kids absolutely LOVED it! I over-ate so it felt good to get up and shake some of that food down! :) Kathy shot some video of this which I'm sure you would really enjoy watching...especially if you need a good laugh but I don't think we want to go there.

On the way home, a huge, albino snake fell out of the tree and attacked the kids. ;) It started singing and swirling it's eyes in a hypnotic fasssssshion. It was all very thrilling!

When we got back, the boys and I went out to the beach to watch the storm clouds blow in. It was magnificent! There's something remarkable about watching a fast moving storm blow in off the ocean. Kathy told us to make sure we didn't get rained on because she only had a few dry outfits left. Well, we didn't get rained on...but I'm not saying that the boys didn't get wet. They tried to avoid the waves and they were successful...most of the time. :)

Walmart in Cancun

2011-06-11T08:03:00.002-07:00

My internet connection wasn't working right so I'm a little late with today's Exotic Food Adventure post. But what an adventure it was!

We got a tip from friend who suggested that we go to Walmart to buy bottled water at a discounted price. Wow! A Walmart? Cool. That sounds familiar! It looked familiar too; like all of the words in Spanish...that was similar! ;)

But in many ways, it was so foreign. I whipped out my iPhone and snapped a few photos so you could see what I mean.

Jicama? I've never heard of this before but people were putting it into their cart and walking off with it so they must know what to do with it!

You can see that Carson got a lot of sun too!

Mamey? The kids were just as fascinated as I was!

This is the Papaya that I referred to in my last post.

We noticed this Prickly Pear something-or-another is served with many of the meals. We still don't know for sure what it is. It has kind of a sour flavor. When I pointed it out to Kathy, she reminded me to use the "Claw."

Now when you pick a pawpaw

Or a prickly pear

And you prick a raw paw

Next time beware

Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw

When you pick a pear

Try to use the claw

But you don't need to use the claw

When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw

Have I given you a clue ?

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

That's why a bear can rest at ease

With just the bare necessities of life

The fish department had a wide selection. It also had a powerful scent that the kids didn't care for much!

Dad showed us some of the finer points of the fresh seafood. The kids were pretty grossed out by the octopus. I'm trying to imagine myself putting that into a bag and then putting it into my cart to take home and eat...but I can't imagine it.

I have never seen so much yogurt in my life! Yogurt must be pretty big here or something.

There was one type of pizza offered...but nobody was interested; I think it had something to do with the hot dog topping. Not our favorite! Of course, as I always say to the kids, don't knock it till you've tried it and I can say with certainty that I've never tried this before.

Batida de Lechoza (Papaya Milkshake)

2011-06-08T18:36:00.000-07:00

We were excited to begin our Exotic Food Adventure in Cancun. Our flight to Cancun arrived late last night. It was too dark to really see anything but WOW what a surprise we had when we woke up this morning. If this is not paradise, I don't know what is!

The ocean is an amazing shade of blue that I have never seen before.

The kids were ready to swim but we figured we better eat first.

The fresh fruit we ate with our breakfast was amazing! The pineapple was like candy. It wasn't just that it was really sweet...it seemed less acidic and less harsh.

The papaya was new to almost everyone's palate. My daughter Brennah loved it. I liked it but I prefer to put it in a blender and eat it like this:

I learned to make Batida de Lechoza while serving a two year mission for my church in the Dominican Replublic. This is probably the most popular fruit juice in the Dominican Republic. And for a good reason.

Time: 15 mins. Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups of papaya cut in cubes

1 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla

4 cups of evaporated milk

2 1/2 cup of ice cubes

Preparation:

You should give this a try! Just put all the ingredients in the blender and keep on at high speed until the ice is blended. Serve immediately.

The oatmeal was amazing for some unknown reason. Surprising, huh? It was smooth, tender, and tasty. The breakfast sausage was...well...not so good. Nobody really like it very much. The skin was very tough and it seemed like really moist Jerky!

We drank watermelon juice with breakfast which was very unusual...but really good. We also drank a green concoction which (except for the green color) reminded me a little of V8 because of the celery flavor. I liked it but most of the kids (and Kathy) cringed slightly at the taste.

After breakfast, we hit the beach and enjoyed this carribean paradise!

After swimming in the ocean for a while, we played in the swimming pools.

Finally, we went to the hotel room exhausted and before I finished getting dressed, the kids...

...and Kathy...

...discovered the Ciesta! The fresh air and ocean play zapped our strength.

Well, everyone but me. I was too busy writing this post...but I sure wanted to sleep. It felt like someone had drugged me!

And, who could sleep with a sunburn like mine! You can pretty much see every swipe Kathy made with the sunscreen. I can feel every missed spot!

Well, today was quite an adventure. I am curious to know if anyone can get papaya and try the Batida de Lechoza recipe...and if so, how you like it! Please let me know.

I wonder what we will discover tomorrow! Considering that Andan drank ice water and that I forgot and brushed my teeth with water from the tap (both of which we were advised not to do), I hope we don't discover the meaning of Montezuma's Revenge!

Exotic Food Adventures in Cancun

2011-06-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

The school that our kids go to does a Super Trip each year. Last year, they went to Washington DC. One year they went to England. This year, they're going to Cancun, Mexico to do service and to tour the ancient ruins there.

Well, you know what a good cook Kathy is (and how much I like to eat really good food)...Kathy and I were intrigued with the idea of going to paradise to see what they eat there!

We decided to participate in the Super Trip this year and take the whole family. In fact, we decided to go up a week early before the school kids get there on an Exotic Food Adventure! My mom is an amazing cook so we invited her and my Dad to come too!

We like to go camping in our travel trailer but we've only been out of the country once before! We're not sure what to expect...but we thought that we were sure to find some exotic food and discover some new recipes to share with you on the Cook'n Blog.

We decided to wear the “Dirt Shirts” we got from our last trip to Moab to make it easier to keep track of the whole gang in the airport. We don't want to lose any of them!

Poor Dad was pretty anxious about the trip. He tossed and turned all night long and got diarrhea from the stress. He and Mom showed up about two hours earlier than planned! Speaking of diarrhea...how worried should we be about getting sick from the food in Cancun? Does anyone have any advice?

We bought Burger King as we rushed through the airport at our lay-over in Houston...from here on out...it's nothing but Cancun exotic food for us! My parents didn't though. They unpacked lunch bags with neatly wrapped salmon patties and ate them cold with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches....on the plane! There's something about the smell of salmon patties on a plane that...well...REMINDED ME OF HOME! Yum! And Dad wouldn't even give me a bite!

With five kids and my two parents, this family group consists of NINE people. Just making travel arrangements for a group this size took a considerable amount of time (thank you Barbara@dvo.com!). And, moving 9 people with all their luggage through the airport was no small feat! Feeding them for two weeks could cost a fortune...but I'm not sure. Is food in Cancun expensive? As you can tell, we have no idea what we're getting into! I look forward to comments from the readers of the Cook'n Blog.

My next post should be from Cancun. Hopefully, by the end of this trip, I'll have some good recipes and exotic food adventure stories to share with you! Stay tuned!

Make Reasons to Celebrate!

2010-04-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Roxy, and I had afternoon tea at the Beehive Tea Room today. Talk about fun! The decor was eclectic, the food was amazing, and the ambiance was dreamy. I had a bowl of vegetarian split pea soup and the house specialty cocoa. Roxy had spinach quiche, a salad, and also the cocoa. (I know, not exactly TEA; next time.)

As we chatted, Roxy was telling me about her frustration at the lack of dating going on in her life and amongst her circle of girlfriends.
Being the proactive gal that she is, she's decided she's going to hold monthly "soirees," and the qualification for anyone invited (males that is), is to BRING A DATE! (In case you don't know--I didn't--a soiree is a party where guests are carefully chosen. The name is what makes the whole thing so hoity toity.) Very cool idea, huh?

I think this plan has all sorts of possibilities and we talked about a couple--one being a Soiree How-To book with recipes included. So with my interest piqued, I went online to look for soiree-appropriate recipes, because I think it would be really fun to hold a family soiree from time to time. All invited guests would be asked to contribute something to the refreshments table.

Here are a few ideas I found that were reported to be very popular (not just because they are tasty, but they are also easy to prepare):

For warm weather soirees, fresh raspberry lemonade with ice cubes made with pureed raspberries.
Mango, strawberry, grape, kiwi fruit cups.
Following the latest trend in treats, CUPCAKES of all sorts and sizes--the more decorated and gooey, the better.
And in keeping with the sophisticated name of the event--soiree--all sorts of exotic cheeses and crackers.

These are just a few ideas to get us started. But the one thing I know, if we serve things the family doesn't typically see at our table, the more of a WOWEE! impact we'll have and the more memorable the evening could be. Do you have special party recipes or ideas? If so, let us know--we're all in this together, so let's share. There could be dozens of reasons to celebrate, and we could start with the arrival of Spring. A soiree could be just the way to do it! So until next time, here's to one awesome soiree, and of course, here's to happy cook'n!

Savoring Sweet Peas

2010-04-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and with it comes wonderful fresh green peas. One of my favorite dishes is baby peas and new potatoes in white sauce. OH the joy! Fresh peas have been a favorite vegetable for centuries--especially in Europe.

Delightful to look at and sweet to taste, the diminutive pea may be the most seductive of all vegetables. Historical accounts certainly suggest this is true. In the early 18th century, ladies kept a plate of fresh-shelled peas at their bedside, regarding them as a great treat.

If you've never had an affinity for peas, it may be that you've only experienced the canned or frozen version. But let me tell you, one mouthful of the fresh, sugar-sweet variety (emphasis on FRESH), and you'll soon understand why all the hoopla when new peas show up in the stores and our gardens.

I first and foremost recommend the peas and potatoes in white sauce meal, and then give these recipes a try. And if YOU have favorite pea recipes, please share. We're all in this together, remember. And until next time, happy cook'n!

COUSCOUS-CRUSTED VEGETABLE TART (serves 6; pressed into the bottom of a cake pan, cooked couscous provides a healthy, easy-to-prepare alternative to a more traditional pastry crust. If desired, the crust can be made ahead, then covered and refrigerated.)

1 C water
2/3 C couscous
3/4 tsp dried marjoram, divided
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 C sliced mushrooms
1 C fresh green peas
1 (7 oz) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
1/4 C skim milk
2 large eggs
1 C shredded Jarlsberg cheese

In 1-qt saucepan, bring water to a boil; stir in couscous, 1/4 tsp marjoram, and salt. Remove from heat, cover tightly, and set aside 5 min. or until couscous is tender.

Meanwhile, lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. spread couscous mixture in bottom of pan and, with fork, press into an even layer. Set couscous crust aside. In large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute 2 min. Stir in mushrooms and the remaining 1/2 tsp marjoram; cover and cook 5 min., stirring occasionally. Add peas, cover, and cook 3 min. Remove from heat, stir in peppers, and set aside to cool slightly.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In 1-cup measuring cup, beat together milk and eggs until blended; stir into vegetable mixture along with cheese. Spread vegetable-and-cheese mixture over couscous in pan. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake 20-25 min. or until tart is firm in center. Cool tart in pan 10 min. Remove side of pan from tart, cut and serve warm.

SALAD GREENS WITH PEAS, CASHEWS AND MINT (serves 4)
1 qt water
1 C fresh green peas
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 - 3/4 C salted cashews, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 C mixed salad greens

In 3-qt saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add peas and cook 2-4 min. or until slightly tender. Drain peas immediately and rinse under cold running water to cool; drain and place in medium-sized bowl. Add red onion, cashews, mint, and lemon juice to peas, stirring until well combined. Drizzle oil over pea mixture and toss lightly to coat. To serve, arrange greens on large patter or onto 4 individual serving plates and top with pea mixture. Delicious!

Almonds--A Tasty Way to Better Health!

2010-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

The California Almond Growers Exchange, the world's leading producer of almonds, are constantly on the lookout for changes in food trends and focus on providing healthy, tasty recipes. To this end, they often publish little cookbooks, one of which landed in my possession--thank you, Aunt Annie.

We want to include more almonds (nuts, paste, flour, milk) in our diets because of their low fat content and high nutrition-to-calorie ratio. They store well, for months, if placed in tightly sealed containers in the central portion of the refrigerator.

Here are three recipes from this little treasury that I think you'll like. And if you have any almond tips or recipes you could share, please do. We're all in this together, as I say, so let's share the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (serves 6-8)
1/2 C rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 head cabbage (about 3 lbs)
Water
Spicy Filling (recipe follows)
1 lb thin-sliced bacon
1 C beef broth
1 C dairy sour cream
2 Tbsp flour
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

In saucepan, add rice and the 1/2 tsp salt to 2 C boiling water and cook for 10 min; drain and reserve for Spicy Filling. with sharp knife remove cabbage core and blanch cabbage, core side down, in a kettle of boiling water to cover, for 10 min., or until it is softened. Drain cabbage and refresh it under cold water. Carefully remove the leaves to a towel to dry and trim away and tough ribs. Prepare Spicy Filling.

Place 1/3 C of filling in center of cabbage leaf, fold in sides and roll up; fasten with toothpick, if necessary. Wrap a slice of bacon around the roll. Repeat until all of meat mixture is used. Arrange rolls in one or two baking dishes, just large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour broth over rolls and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hr. and 30 min., or until bacon is browned.

In bowl, whisk together sour cream and flour until smooth; add the tomato sauce and mix thoroughly. Spoon off excess fat from the baking dishes and pour sauce over rolls. Return rolls to oven for 15 min. more.

SPICY FILLING:
Drained rice
1 C toasted slivered almonds (see info. below)
1 lb Italian sausage
1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 C half and half
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C bread crumbs
1/4 C minced parsley

Mix thoroughly.

BROILED STUFFED BURGERS (serves 4-5)
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 C grated Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese
1/4 C finely grated onion
1/4 C chopped almonds
2 Tbsp minced parsley

Season ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire; shape into 8-10 thin patties. Combine cheese, onion, almonds and parsley, mixing well. Divide cheese mixture evenly among one-half of the patties, placing in center of meat. Top with remaining patties; pinch edges to seal tightly. Broil, about 4 inches from heat, 4-6 min. on each side, or until desired doneness is reached.

HAM & ALMOND PITAS (makes 3 sandwiches)
3 C finely chopped ham (about 1 lb)
1/2 C chopped and toasted almonds (see info below)
1/3 C sliced green onion
1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C mayonnaise
3 pita breads
Lettuce, shredded

Combine ham, almonds and onion. In small bowl blend cream cheese and mayonnaise; add to ham mixture and mix well. Halve pocket breads; fill each with about 1/2 C filling; top with lettuce. (NOTE: shredded chicken or turkey could easily be substituted for the ham.)

HOW TO TOAST ALMONDS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread in single layer in shallow pan. Bake 15 min., stirring often, or until they begin to turn color (DON'T wait for them to become golden brown.) After removing the almonds from the oven, their residual heat will continue to toast them slightly.

Make Your Own Condiments--No Kidding!

2010-04-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

From one of my favorite magazines, Mary Jane's Farm, I found an interesting and fun idea: making our own condiments. Don't you think the extra work might just be worth the absence of all those chemicals, and artificial this-es and thats found in the store-bought stuff? I'm told the extra flavor is well worth the effort also.

So according to the article, "Easy Homemade Condiments," (April-May, 2010, pp. 58-59), making our own ketchup, mayo, and mustard isn't as daunting as we might think. And a very cool thing I learned is that ketchup can be made from frozen tomatoes! So if you have a bumper crop this coming summer, keep this idea in mind--not all extra tomatoes have to go to salsa. AND, this ketchup recipe can be frozen as well.

The article also said mustard is not just easy to make, it's inexpensive too! Finally, the mayonnaise takes only 15 minutes to make, and includes only five ingredients. Now before we launch into the recipes, I have to ask: do YOU have a recipe for a homemade condiment? Please share--we're all in this together, so let's help each other out! And until next time, happy cook'n!

FRESH TOMATO KETCHUP (yield: 2-3 C)
3 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 whole cloves
2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/3 C light brown sugar
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp sea salt

Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, and all spices into a stockpot and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 40 min., stirring regularly, until about 1/3 of the juices have evaporated. Let sit for 30 min. to cool. Remove cinnamon stick.

Put the tomato mixture in a blender and process at the highest speed for 1 min. (pulse to start). Run the mixture through a food mill, using the finest mesh screen, or a fine sieve and return to a clean sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, add the brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt; adjust spice to your taste. Simmer for about 1 hour to thicken the ketchup. Allow to cool to room temperature. Store in a jar in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

(To freeze ketchup, store in canning jars; when ready to use, thaw and simmer for 15-20 min to allow the extra water to evaporate.)

(To make ketchup from frozen tomatoes, thaw tomatoes completely and drain in colander. Quarter the tomatoes instead of chopping. since you'll lose most of the tomatoes' water when draining, you'll end up with less volume. Per the recipe, reduce the sugar and vinegar to 1/4 C each, and the salt to 1/2 tsp; when thickening, simmer for only 30 min.)

BASIC YELLOW MUSTARD
1/2 C yellow or black mustard seeds
3/4 C apple cider vinegar
1/3 C water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt

Soak mustard seeds in vinegar and water for 2 days. Place mixture in blender along with sugar and salt; puree until almost smooth. Add water if needed, for desired consistency. This mustard will be very spicy, but will mellow after a day or two in the fridge. To make an herb mustard, add 1 tsp of your herb choice with the sugar and salt. For honey mustard, add honey to the completed mustard at a 1;1 ratio.

(TIPS: Homemade mustard keeps for about 1 month in fridge--this also stops the increase in heat. To make your mustard yellow, add turmeric. Don't use aluminum for mixing or storing mustard--oxidation of aluminum will occur. Heat activates an enzyme that kills the flavor of mustards; if using your mustard in a cooked recipe, add it toward the end of the cooking time for maximum flavor.)

(To make a simple mustard from powder: mix 1 Tbsp mustard powder with 1 tsp water, 1 tsp vinegar, and 1 tsp sugar. Let stand 15 min. to develop flavor. This equals 1 Tbsp prepared mustard.)

COOKED MAYONNAISE (yields: 1 1/4 C)
3 egg yolks
3 Tbsp cold water
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil, or sesame oil, or safflower oil
3 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt

In medium saucepan, whisk egg yolks and water until bubbly. Place over medium-low heat and continue to whisk until mixture just begins to thicken, coating the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Continue to whisk, and add oil very slowly in a steady stream. Allow the mixture to cool, then whisk in lemon juice and salt.

Quick and Healthy Treats

2010-04-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Continuing yesterday's theme of dealing with the time crunch, let's talk about what we can do to provide a healthy treat without investing a lot of time to make it. This is when we need a good recipe or two up our sleeve.

Filling the bill are a couple no-bake treat recipes that are not just quick to make, but healthy as well. I found them in a 1996 Rodale Press (Prevention Magazine) little booklet, "Simple and Sweet: Quick and Healthy No-Bake Recipes." This was sitting amongst other cookbooks on a shelf in our public library's USED BOOKS section. I think I found a real treasure here.

Try these out and let me know what you think. Now if you've got a quick and easy dessert recipe, please share. We're all in this together, remember. There's nothing like a good treat at the end of a meal, and now we can have our dessert, no matter how little time we have to make it. So until next time, happy cook'n!

FUDGE SURPRISE (makes 48 servings; the surprise in this candy is the baby-food prunes that substitute for most of the fat and give the fudge a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture.)
2 Tbsp butter
2 1/2 C sugar
2/3 C evaporated milk
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 jar (2 1/2 oz) baby-food prunes
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1/2 C chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp vanilla

Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with wax paper, extending the paper over the edges of the pan. Set the pan aside. In large saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 min., stirring constantly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly stir in the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate melts. Then stir in the prunes, marshmallow creme, nuts, and vanilla until well combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Chill until firm.

To serve, use the wax paper to lift the fudge from the pan. Then cut in desired pieces.

HOLY COW FRUIT COOKIES (makes 20; the HOLY COW is what you'll hear because they're so good!)
20 dried apricots, cut up
20 pitted prunes, cut up (or 1 C raisins, or chopped dates)
1 C rolled oats
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans
4 Tbsp frozen apple juice concentrate
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

In blender or food processor, blend or process the apricots, prunes, oats and nuts until finely chopped. Stir in the juice and cinnamon. Shape into 20 balls. cover and store in cool, dry place.

Little Known Household Time-Savers

2010-04-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

Life can be a rat-race sometimes, and so who couldn't use more time in the day? I'm too often feeling like I'm a day late and a dollar short, so I'm always looking for ways to save time (and a little money in the process wouldn't hurt either!).

This said, I found some tried-and-true time-savers in the back of an old cook book my Aunt Annie had. A few of them have stood the test of time so well that they're common knowledge now (rubbing alcohol removes ball-point ink marks, or baking soda on a damp cloth will remove grime and grease from the glass oven door, for instance). So I'll skip those I'm pretty sure you're aware of and go to the "little known" household time-savers. A couple can save us some money as well:

Don't buy expensive animal retardants from your garden shop or nursery, instead, stamp a few moth balls into the ground near flower beds to keep dogs away.
To remove gum from hair, rub a plain chocolate bar into hair--then wash. (The fat in the candy reacts with the gum--peanut butter will do the same thing.)
A cloth wrung out of a solution of 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in one quart of water, will make windows and mirrors sparkle.
Don't buy expensive (and possibly toxic) air fresheners, instead, place a bowl of vinegar in that stuffy or smokey room; it will absorb tobacco smoke or the smell of paint, and keep the air fresh.
Rinse a pan with cold water before heating milk in it, to prevent scorching and make cleaning it easier.
To make sour milk from sweet milk, add 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to 1 C sweet milk. Let sit a couple minutes and watch the curdling!
Place a layer of mini-marshmallows in the bottom of a pumpkin pie, then add the filling. You will have a nice topping as the marshmallows will come to the top.
Cut paper drinking straws into short lengths and insert through slits in pie crusts to prevent juice from running over in the oven and to permit steam to escape.

And now, just for giggles, here's a recipe from this same dusty old cookbook that would be fun to make and share. Who would've thought we could make our own TOOTSIE ROLLS? And until next time, happy cook'n!

OLD TIME TOOTSIE ROLLS
2 Tbsp soft butter
1/2 C Karo syrup
1 tsp vanilla
7-8 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder
3 C powdered sugar
3/4 C powdered milk

Blend butter and syrup. Add cocoa and vanilla. Mix in sugar and dry milk. Knead until well mixed. Roll into a rope and cut into 1- or 2-inch chunks. Wrap in waxed paper.

How About A Little Somethin' Different for Dessert?

2010-04-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

As the weather warms, the inclination to hold a backyard barbecue or go on a picnic increases. And don't you love how these little events inspire us to experiment with different recipes? When we're invited over to a friend's house, I'll ask what I can bring. And very often the response is, "Oh, how about a little somethin' different for dessert?" Hah! I always love a good challenge.

Our neighbors grabbed the chance to throw a little backyard get-together a while ago, and I had the chance to answer the call for a different dessert. I found a recipe my Aunt Toots used to make, and I think you ought to know about it. It's a pudding made from crackers--it not only tastes great, it's a great conversation piece--who would ever think crackers could turn into pudding?

Do you have an unusual recipe we could try? Please share--we're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff! And until next time, here's to a little somethin' different for dessert, and of course, here's to happy cook'n!

"GONE CRACKERS!" PUDDING (serves 8; this is a creamy coconut pudding topped with meringue)
2 large eggs
1/2 C sugar, divided
1/3 C cornstarch
1 quart milk (4 cups)
1 C crumbled saltine crackers (20, 2-inch squares)
1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole or baking dish. Separate eggs, placing whites in a medium-size bowl and yolks in a small bowl. Set aside 3 Tbsp sugar. In 2-quart saucepan, with wire whisk, combine remaining sugar and the cornstarch. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil--about 10 minutes. Slowly beat a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; pour yolk mixture back into saucepan and cook 1 min. longer. Stir in crackers, coconut, and vanilla; spoon into greased dish.

To make meringue, add cream of tartar to egg whites. with electric mixer on high speed, gradually beat the reserved 3 Tbsp sugar into egg-white mixture until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pudding. Bake pudding 15-18 min. or until meringue is lightly browned all over. Cool pudding to room temperature on wire rack, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Beauty From the Kitchen!

2010-04-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know a product you likely have in your kitchen cupboard or pantry has magical properties? I'm talking about cold-pressed sesame oil and I'm talking about health and beauty magic. Its unique chemical structure allows it to penetrate the skin easily, providing you with health benefits including stress reduction, increased immunity, and pain relief. Best of all, it has many natural antioxidants, which explains its reputation for slowing the aging process.

I can't get enough of this stuff. Here's what I do with it: Into a new bottle of this oil I add a few drops of my two favorite essential oils (I love lavender and orange). I then put the bottle in a cup of hot water to warm for five minutes. The makes the oil thinner and easier to apply. After slathering myself from top to bottom, I get a face cloth and pat off the excess oil. I wrap up in a terry robe for a little while, I'm just a tad greasy until my skin absorbs the oil (and it doesn't take long).

Health food stores carry good essential oils as well as excellent grades of cold-pressed sesame oil, and there are online resources as well. Be sure to store the oils in a cool, dark place. Also good to know: the shelf life of all unrefined oil is only about six months. I call this oil my "miracle oil" and I often make up a batch, pour it into small dark brown bottles, and give it as gifts.

Another hot beauty potion we'll find in our kitchens is the wonderful orange. many swear by topical vitamin C. It can stimulate collagen production and can minimize fine lines. If you don't want to spend big bucks on the topical serums found in high-end department stores or health food stores, just go the sticky route and rub a slice of an organic orange over your face three times per week.

Do YOU have any great "from-the-kitchen" beauty tips you can share? Please do--we're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff. And until next time, here's to softer and prettier skin, and of course, here's to happy cook'n!

Weekend Fun With Your Meal in a Bag!

2010-04-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Everybody I know is cutting back and spending less. But everybody I know still wants to enjoy life--especially when the weekend rolls around. So here's an idea: Take your road trip or go to the ball game, but pack your treats or meal with you. Brown bag it. This isn't just a work-day lunch idea anymore.

Here are a few suggestions and ideas for your own "Brown Bag Specials:"

Use thinnley shaved slices of meat or sausage and heap on sandwich bread. Thin slices are easy to chew and taste better. Combine ham and turkey or several kinds of sliced cold meats.
Use a variety of breads: bagels, buns, loaves, English muffins, corn bread or hard crusty rolls.
Spread each slice of bread from edge to edge with butter or cream cheese. These spreads keep breads from drying out and fillings from soaking through.
Combine meat and vegetables or cheese and fruit to make interesting fillings. We all love that chicken salad with grape halves, for instance. Experiment with different combinations. We never know what's good until we try it.
Wrap lettuce, tomato and other veggies separately from the sandwich itself--they'll keep their crispness this way. Then assemble when you're at your venue.
Have a mix-and-match sandwich basket--the variety will be fun for everyone.
Create breadless sandwiches: Roll ham or turkey slices around a string cheese stick. Or bring a carton of ham, chick, or potato salad and when at your venue, plop a dollop of the salad on a slice of turkey or ham and roll up for a yummy breadless "wrap."
Add an unusual cookie or bar--one you don't usually have at home. The surprise adds to the fun of the activity.

Now here's a fun recipe that makes a nice alternative to a cookie, that you might want to add to your weekend "Brown Bag Extravaganza!" Let me know if you take me up on this frugal weekend fun idea, and until next time, happy cook'n!

PEANUT BUTTER LOG (makes one 10-inch log or 1 dozen little logs)
1/2 C old fashioned peanut butter
2 1/2 - 4 Tbsp non-fat dry milk (I use powdered milk)
1/2 C raisins
1 Tbsp honey
Coconut, or chopped nuts, or sesame seeds to roll in (optional)

Blend peanut butter and honey. Mix in as much powdered milk as you need to make the mixture easy to handle and stiff. Knead in the raisins evenly along the dough as you form it into a one-inch thick, 10-inch log; roll in coconut, chopped nuts, or sesame seeds. Chill and slice. It can also be rolled out and cut with cookie cutters.

Smarter Eating!

2010-03-31T05:29:00.000-07:00

Actress, Meryl Streep, has been quoted as saying, "The produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician." I would agree with her. Today there's just no debating it: we really ARE what we eat--much of degenerative diseases and other chronic illnesses can be prevented or aggressively minimized through our food choices. In other words, it's worth our while to engage in smarter eating!

I always have smarter eating in mind when scouring my recipes and favorite magazines. So when reading one of my Mary Jane's Farm magazines yesterday (see the Oct-Nov 2009 issue), I found a couple great recipes that really support smarter eating. They involved sweet potatoes and acorn squash. They both contain carotenoids that help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. They're also chocked full of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and fiber.

Both recipes are either made and baked or served in a cast iron skillet. Try these and let me know what you think--we're all in this together remember, so share your thoughts, tips, or your own healthy eating recipes. And until next time, happy cook'n!

SWEET POTATO BANANA MASH (serves 4)
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 bananas, ripe or overripe
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Boil sweet potatoes in 2 qts water for about 20 min. In blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and mix well. (A large bowl and fork to mash everything together will work also.) And honey or maple syrup can be substituted for the brown sugar, or omit the sweetener completely. It's yummy either way. Spoon mixture into your cast-iron skillet for serving.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH (serves 4)
2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 small sweet potatoes
1/2 lb ground Italian sausage
2 C water
1 C polenta
1 1/4 C milk (I substitute water--lactose intolerance dictates!)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
4 tsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves face down in large glass baking dish with 1-inch water in the bottom. Pierce potatoes in several places with fork and wrap in foil. Bake squash for 45 min. and potatoes for 1 hr. Peel potatoes and mash with fork.

Meanwhile, cook sausage in small skillet; drain off fat and set aside. In large saucepan, bring water to boil. Add polenta, whisking continuously. Cook for 5 min; reduce heat to low. Add milk (or substitute with water); stir and cook for 5 min. Add potatoes, sausage, brown sugar, and salt to polenta; mix well.

Place squash halves in 10-inch cast-iron skillet and add 1/2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp maple syrup to each one; spoon in polenta mixture and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Return to oven and bake for 15 min.

Prepare NOW and Cope Later!

2010-03-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

What with world events, the increase in natural disasters, and the economic downturn, the folks in our neighborhood have been taking assertive steps to be more prepared in the event we might be visited with some sort of calamity.

Our neighborhood is likely similar to yours--folks are turning more to scratch cooking, gardening, and canning. I have some neighbors who have become avid quilters and are making extra bedding for their families.

It's not that we're "dooms-daying" or anything. We just sense the need to prepare NOW so we can cope later. And we're not hoarding--we're taking little steps, such as buying an extra can or two of tuna each week, a case of toilet paper instead of just a couple rolls, or stocking up on some candles, is what we're doing.

Even Dan and Kathy have noticed the "preparedness trend" and saw that folks could use a little organized help in becoming more prepared, so they partnered with some experts in this area and produced a great DVD to serve as a resource. And as I check the bookstores, there are more and more books on the subject as well.

One of the steps I'm taking is to learn how to use alternative cooking sources (sun-ovens, the rocket stove, and Dutch oven cooking). The wisdom in not being tied to electricity or gas aside, being able to create a meal via an alternative heat source is really fun. There's even talk in the neighborhood of holding an "Alternative Breakfast" some Saturday morning this summer. All food would be prepared using some sort of alternative cooking source (I don't think barbecues are going to count). Sounds cool, huh?

So how about you--are you sensing anything, or taking steps yourself to be more self-reliant and prepared? If you have ideas, tips, stories, or just want to talk about this, please comment. We'd love to have YOUR perspective--we're all in this together, remember, so let's help each other out. And until next time, happy cook'n!

NOW, here's a Dutch oven recipe I'm trying as soon as our weather permits (we dug a fire pit in our back yard). If you try it too, let's compare notes:

DUTCH OVEN STEW (serves 6)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2/3 C chopped mushrooms
2 C frozen corn
1 pkg (10 or 12 oz) wide noodles
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
2 C shredded Cheddar cheese
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste

Brown ground beef in 5-qt Dutch oven or skillet with lid. Drain fat, if need be. Add onion, mushrooms, and corn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread uncooked noodles evenly over top of ingredients. Sprinkle cheese evenly over noodles. Pour the entire can of tomatoes over all. Simmer, tightly covered, 1 hr, then let stand 3-5 min. before serving.

This is obviously stove-top directions. I will be checking the Dutch oven cookbook I just got to find out how to cook it in our fire pit. I know so far that successful Dutch oven cooking relies on how many charcoal briquettes are used, etc. I have a lot to learn between now and when I actually try this method out. But I'm excited and I'll report back on how this new cooking adventure is going.

Fresh Veggie Pizza to DIE For!

2010-03-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

We live close to Robert Redford's Sundance Resort, so we go there from time to time for lunch. The beauty and ambiance of the place is world famous, but its food is almost legendary. The Sundance chefs place a strong emphasis on freshness, using local ingredients in their dishes. And they are masters at creating "feasts for the eyes." The presentation of the food at the Foundry Grill and the Tree Room are simply stunning.

Our latest lunch involved a fresh veggie pizza to DIE for. I couldn't get enough, and I left wishing I had the recipe for it. Well, funny how things work. It just so happened that in one of my Aunt Annie's Country Living magazines (July 1995), THERE WAS THE VERY RECIPE! I almost hyperventilated!

Now I haven't made it yet (I wanted to share this with you right away), but I intend to this coming weekend. So I can't vouch for how literal this recipe will translate into what we ate for lunch the other day. But let's give it a try and compare notes. In the meantime, if you have a restaurant recipe you think we ought to know about, please share--we're all in this together, remember, so let's spread the good stuff! And until our next visit, happy cook'n!

GARDEN-VEGETABLE PIZZA (serves 8)
Although this recipe involves a good deal of preparation, almost everything can be made ahead of time, including the individual pizza crusts. You can pre-bake the crusts and saute the vegetables early in the day, leaving just a little time for assembly and baking prior to serving.

Pizza crusts (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small sweet green pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 small zucchini, cut into thin strips
3 1/2 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, thinkly sliced
1 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C crumbled blue cheese

Prepare pizza crusts and set aside on baking sheets; leave oven on. (If desired, crusts can be made several hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature; if this is done, heat oven to 400 degrees before proceeding with recipe.)

To make topping, in large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onion, green and red peppers, and oreganp; saute 3 min.. Stir in zucchini and mushrooms; saute 5 min. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook 2 min. Remove heat and set aside.

To assemble pizzas, brush tops of crusts with some of the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella on each crust, then top with tomato slices. Mound sauteed vegetables on top of tomatoes. Divide Parmesan and blue cheese among pizzas and bake 8-10 min. or until cheeses melt and brown lightly. Serve.

PIZZA CRUSTS:
3 C flour
1 pkg rapid-rising dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 C very warm water (120-130 degrees)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
Yellow cornmeal

In large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. In 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, mix together water, olive oil, and honey. Stir into flour mixture until blended and dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead 3 min. Wash, dry, and lightly oil mixing bowl. Place dough in oiled bowl, turning to bring oiled side up. Cover with clean cloth. Let dough rise in warm place, away from drafts, until double in size--about 1 hour. When dough has doubled, heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets and sprinkle each with cornmeal. Punch down dough and divid into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch round; place rounds on prepared sheets and bake 8-10 min. or just until lightly browned.

An EASY Weekend Meal

2010-03-26T05:53:00.000-07:00

We've all got a lot to do this weekend (that's what the research says--people are slammed on weekends), so how about a recipe for an EASY and delicious meal--one we could eat at home or take with us if we have an outing planned?

I'm always on the lookout for just such meal ideas and recipes, and I found one in an ancient Southern Living Magazine my Aunt Annie had saved. It can be made fresh by stir-frying or be the answer to your leftovers. Give this a try and let me know what you think.

And speaking of letting me know what you think, please share YOUR tips, recipes, or suggestions for easy meals or uses for leftovers. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. (I repeat this plea with every post because I know what can happen when folks work together--amazing things result due to the synergy that results!) And with that, have a great weekend, and happy cook'n!

OPEN-FACED PHILLY SANDWICHES (serves 2)
1 (8-inch) submarine rolls, unsliced
1/2 lb boneless round steak (or leftover steak, roast beef, etc.)
2 Tbsp Italian dressing
1/4 tsp diced crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 C fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 slices provolone (or other) cheese

Make a 1 1/2- to 2-inch deep vertical cut around outside edge of each roll, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Remove tops of rolls, and discard. Hollow out about 1 1/2-inches of each bread roll, forming a boat (hence the name, submarine). Set boats aside.

Cut steak diagonally across grain into 1/8-inch strips; place in a small shallow bowl. Add dressing and crushed red pepper, tossing to coat; set aside. Melt butter in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and mushrooms, and saute 15 min. or until onions are golden brown. Add bell pepper, and saute 8-10 min. or until bell pepper is tender. Add garlic, and saute 1 min. Remove mixture from skillet, and set aside.

Stir-fry steak mixture in skillet over medium-high heat 2-3 min. or until steak strips are no longer pink and have desired crispness. Fill bread boats evenly with layers of steak mixture and onion mixture; top with cheese. Broil, 5 1/2-inches from heat, 3 min. or until cheese is lightly browned.

NOW, what will make this recipe quick and EASY is going the left-overs route. Plan ahead earlier in the week so you have leftover beef, bell pepper strips, sauteed mushrooms, and already sliced onions. Your leftovers can then be stir-fried or just mixed together and microwaved for a couple minutes to heat through.

A Rhubarb Awakening!

2010-03-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Poor rhubarb, so misunderstood! To think that I used to be among those who would turn up their noses at these luscious, light-pink stalks. I became converted though, when a friend brought our family her rhubarb torte after the birth of one of my children. My taste buds met with much more than they bargained for, I'll tell you! It was love at first bite, and the beginning of my "Rhubarb Awakening!"

The Romans were the first to take the plant seriously. And eventually, rhubarb's popularity extended to Holland, Scandinavia, northern Germany, and Afghanistan, having always been a favorite ingredient in Siberia. Technically it is a vegetable, and that was how it was first used. But it's combination of high acidity and the American's ongoing penchant for sugar contributed to its being used in this country mainly as a dessert. In fact, talk to most cooks, and they'll tell you about their grandma's pie or crisp recipe that they use over and over.

I'm guessing you likely have a favorite strawberry-rhubarb pie or crisp recipe you consistently use, but please do try this aforementioned rhubarb torte recipe out. (And don't hesitate to share your favorite rhubarb recipe--we're all in this together, remember.) If you don't just love this rhubarb dessert, I owe ya a root beer! So until next time, happy cook'n!

RHUBARB TORTE
(Using fresh rhubarb straight from the garden really does make the difference between a good dessert and a truly memorable eating experience.)

1 C flour
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
5 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 large eggs, well beaten
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder (I prefer non-aluminum, such as Rumford's)
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3C finely minced or chopped rhubarb

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press into the bottom of a glass pie pan and bake for 10-12 min. Combine the remaining ingredients and spread over the crust. Return to the oven and bake 30 min. more, or until center has set. Serve warm, topped off with either vanilla ice cream of sweetened whipped cream (or both...what the heck!).

The TOP 10 Googled Foods of the Year!

2010-03-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

According to Restaurants & Institutions, the top 10 most-Googled recipes of last year were:

This isn’t all that surprising, is it? Seems there are just standard foods we just gravitate to, and this list reflects that. Does it gibe with your own cooking-search behavior in 2009? Myself, searched for 4 out of the ten recipes—cheesecake, banana bread, salsa, and lasagna.

Salsa because I am planting 20 tomato plants this gardening season, with hopes and dreams of having enough tomatoes to put up my own salsa. Here you’ll see the recipe I plan to use. And since I have a LOT of apples (it’s the end of the fruit storage season and the beginning of a new one), I thought I’d make up a few pies. So here you’ll also see one of the apple pie recipes I plan to use.

If you have a recipe you could share in any of these categories, please do. I’d love to see what your best recipes are. We’re all in this together, remember, so let’s help each other out. No need reinventing the wheel, after all. And until next time, happy cook’n!

HOMEMADE TOMATO SALSA

4 large ripe tomatoes on the vine

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1 red jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop, dice, etc. Mix altogether and enjoy!

CARAMEL APPLE PIE TO DIE FOR

10 individually wrapped caramels

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Unwrap and cut caramel candy in half. In a large bowl, mix candy with flour. Stir in apples, ice cream topping, and lemon juice. Pour filling into pie crust and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Place in oven on a sheet of foil to catch the drips. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Bars that Are Above Par!

2010-03-23T05:35:00.000-07:00

Don't you love picnics and backyard barbecues? And the warmer weather that's coming (please tell me it's coming) means picnics and BBQs! So with this in mind, I thought it would be fun (and would take our minds off this lingering cold front that's moved in), to test-drive some new dessert recipes--bars to be specific.

Try these out and let me know what you think. Also, if you have a good bar recipe, share it with us. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. When we share, no one needs to reinvent the wheel, so to speak! And until next time, happy cook'n!

APRICOT ALMOND BARS (makes 36 bars--well, depending on how you cut 'em. I LOVE a big, honkin' bar!)
CRUST:
1 C flour
1/2 C butter, chilled, cut up
1/4 C water

FILLING:
1 C water
1/2 C butter, cut up
1 C flour
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp almond extract

TOPPING:
1/2 C apricot jam, warmed
1/4 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 C powdered sugar
2 to 2 1/2 tsp milk
1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch pan. Place 1 cup flour in medium bowl. With pastry blender, cut in 1/2 C butter until it's the size of peas. Add 1/4 C water; mix until dough forms. Flatten dough into a disk. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan. Cover; refrigerate 30 min.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 C water and 1/2 C butter to a boil. Pour boiling mixture into large bowl. Add 1 C flour; beat at medium speed until smooth and flour is absorbed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 2 tsp almond extract.

Spread batter over dough in pan, covering completely. Bake 50 to 55 min. or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven. Spread with apricot jam; sprinkle with almonds. Cool on wire rack.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and 1/4 tsp almond extract; mix until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars.

LEMON RASPBERRY BARS (makes 30 bars...well, maybe, or maybe 15 biggies!)
CRUST:
1 1/2 C flour
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C unsalted butter, chilled, cut up
2-3 Tbsp water

FILLING:
4 eggs
1 C sugar
1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder (I prefer non-aluminum, such as Rumford's)
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 C raspberry jam
Powdered sugar
Fresh raspberries for garnish (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 C flour, 1/4 C sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry blender, cut in butter until butter is the size of peas. Add 2 Tbsp water; toss to moisten. Mixture should be moist and crumbly; if mixture seems dry, add additional water. Press mixture evenly over bottom of pan. Bake 18-20 min. or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 C sugar, 1/4 C flour and baking powder until well blended. Add lemon peel and lemon juice; blend well.

Spread jam over partially baked crust. Top with lemon mixture. Return to oven; bake an additional 20-25 min. or until set and lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. When cool, cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

CHOCOLATE CHIP-OATMEAL-WALNUT BARS (makes 48 bars--hmmm, maybe--maybe 20 humungous bars! This is a delicious twist on Blond Brownies.)
1 C butter, softened
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 C old-fashioned oats
1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
Dash salt
1 (12 oz) pkg chocolate chips
1 1/2 C chopped walnuts, toasted*

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, beat butter at medium speed until soft an smooth. Add brown sugar, sugar and vanilla; blend well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In medium bowl, combine oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Spoon and spread dough in ungreased 15x10-inch pan. Bake 15-20 min. or until golden brown; cool on wire rack.

*TIP: to toast nuts, spread on baking sheet; bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 min. or until lightly browned. Cool.

Uh-Oh! Gotta Work Late--What'll I Do For Dinner?

2010-03-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

Life can be such a rat race. But we don't need that race to interrupt our goal of preparing a good dinner tonight. Here's what to do: Let CHEESE come to the rescue! Here are a couple recipes our family likes that's "saved my bacon" more than once. And anyway, who doesn't love cheese?

Try these out and let me know what you think. And if you have a quick and easy recipe you can share, please do. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. And until next time, happy cook'n!

QUICK MEXICAN PIZZA (serves 4)
2 C shredded Colby/Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 lb ground beef
4 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 C salsa
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1/4 tsp cumin (or to taste)
Green and red sweet bell peppers
Onions
Mushrooms
Fresh tomato slices
Black beans
Cilantro
etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook meat, drain. Stir in seasonings (you could also just add 1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix instead of these seasonings). Spread 1/4 C salsa and 1/2 C meat mixture on each tortilla. Top each with 1/2 C cheese and desired toppings. Bake for 8-10 min. or until crisp and lightly browned. Top off with cilantro, if desired.

CHICKEN & CHEDDAR GRILL (serves 2-4, a great use for leftover chicken)
Cheddar cheese, shredded or sliced
French or Italian bread, sliced in half lengthwise
Chunky salsa
Sliced cooked chicken breast (shredded works well also)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Layer bread halves with cheese, chicken, salsa, and addtional cheese. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 min. or until cheese is melted.

More Veggies--Better Health--Easy Meals!

2010-03-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung--well, sort of (I'm in Utah). But hope is definitely on the horizon because I saw some very brave daffodils yesterday. With the coming of warmer weather and thoughts of getting into the old bathing suit in a few short months, we tend to look for healthier meal ideas that might help us shed a pound or two.

Relate to any of this? It's a pretty standard pattern of behavior. So with that thought in mind I've been scouring my Aunt Annie's recipe collection, and sure enough, there they were--"Veggie Recipes for Losing Weight." I kid you not. I wish you could've known her--what a darling she was!

Anyway, like the rest of us, Aunt Annie understood that eating more vegetables really is the way to better health, that they're a fairly easy meal to make, and as said, that increased consumption can lead to weight loss. So here are a few she marked with a star (those were her favorites). Be sure to comment if you have a good veggie recipe, or just want to tell us about YOUR favorite Aunt. And until next time, happy cook'n!

ALMOND ASPARAGUS (serves 4)
2 lbs fresh asparagus
1 1/2 tsp salt
boiling water
3 Tbsp butter
4 tsp slivered almonds
dash nutmeg

Wash asparagus thoroughly; remove scales and woody base. Tie in bundle. Stand upright in tall saucepan or coffee pot; add salt and boiling water to a depth of 2-inches. Cook 10-20 min. or until just tender. Do NOT overcook. Drain; place in serving bowl. Melt butter; stir in almonds. Pour over asparagus. Finish off with a dash of nutmeg.

COTTAGE VEGETABLE CASSEROLE (serves 6-8; nah--I don't think this really contributed to Aunt Annie's weight loss, but it was a favorite...)
2 (10 oz) pkg frozen mixed veggies
2 C cottage cheese
1/4 C sour cream
2 eggs
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Paprika

Thaw veggies, place in shallow 1 1/2 qt casserole. In small bowl, combine cottage cheese and sour cream; beat until blended. Add eggs, flour, sugar, salt and pepper; beat well. Pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 min.

CHEESY-ALMOND BROCCOLI (serves 8; OK, I see what went on here: Aunt Annie started out with the healthy asparagus thing, got a little tired of that and went to the cottage cheesy thing, and finally just said, "FORGET IT!" and ended up in cream cheese!)

2 (10 oz) pkg frozen broccoli spears (fresh will substitute nicely)
2 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 C milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C toasted slivered almonds

Cook broccoli as directed on package; drain. In small saucepan combine cream cheese, butter, milk, salt, lemon rind and juice. Stir over medium heat until smooth and bubbly hot. Spoon over cooked broccoli; garnish with slivered almonds.

A Passion For Nutmeg!

2010-03-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

When next you dust a fruit punch, custard, or cake with nutmeg, think of this: There was a time when smugglers of this aromatic spice were put to death. in fact, as food historian Waverly Root tells us, the Portuguese so valued their 16th-century monopoly of nutmeg that they distributed phony charts of the seas surrounding the Spice Islands, hoping to steer foreign vessels toward dangerous unknown reefs.

Thank goodness this isn't the case today--nutmeg is plentiful, and easily available. But some things haven't changed--we still appreciate this versatile spice. In Grenada, even ice cream is flavored with it, and good cooks use it in pumpkin soup and with every vegetable imaginable. I LOVE what it does to my spinach souffle, for instance. In America, we add a pinch to white sauce for just the right mellowness, and use the spice to accent baked acorn squash. Of course, eggnog without nutmeg just wouldn't be eggnog at all.

All this said, let's look for more nutmeg-involving recipes--maybe add a few to an Easter or "Welcome to Spring" brunch or luncheon. Here's a dandy recipe to get us started. It's a time-honored cake that's a tradition for good reason. It's SO good. Now, do YOU have a recipe, thought, idea, or good story we ought to know about? Please share. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. And until next time, here's to enjoying more nutmeg, and of course, happy cook'n!

OATMEAL CAKE
A broiled coconut icing makes a quick topping for this old-fashioned cake.
1 1/2 C hot water
1 C old-fashioned oats
1 1/3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 C sugar
1 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine hot water and oats; set aside to cool slightly. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat sugars and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add oats mixture and flour mixture; beat until uniformly combined, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Spoon mixture into greased pan. Bake 45 min., or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 5 min. Meanwhile, prepare icing:

ICING:
1 C flaked coconut
1 C chopped nuts (pecans are wonderful for this)
2/3 C firmly packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir together. Heat broiler. Spread icing over top of cake in pan. Place under broiler just until bubbly and golden, about 2 min. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.)

The "Skinny" on Sweet Potatoes, Plus a Not-So-Skinny Recipe to Die For!

2010-03-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Do you know the differences between a yam and a sweet potato? Although the terms are generally used interchangeably, there are some distinct differences:

SWEET POTATO:

short, blocky, with tapered ends
22-28% dry matter
feels moist in the mouth
tastes sweet
high in Vitamin A

YAM:

long, cylindrical, some w/toes
20-35% dry matter
Starchy taste
Low in Vitamin A

It’s economical and blends well with herbs, spices and flavorings—from processed baby foods to main dishes, casseroles, salads, breads and desserts, the sweet potato adds valuable, appetizing nutrients and color to any meal.

One baked sweet potato (3 1/2 ounce serving) provides over 8,800 IU of vitamin A or about twice the recommended daily allowance, yet it contains only 141 calories—weight-watchers love this! It also provides 42% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C, 6% of the RDA for calcium, 10% of the RDA for iron, and 8% of the RDA for thiamine for adults. It’s low in sodium and is a good source of fiber and other important vitamins and minerals. This complex carbohydrate provides beta carotene, a factor in reducing certain cancer risks.

For the most food value, choose deep orange-colored sweet potatoes, and select sound, firm roots. Handle carefully to prevent bruising. It’s best to store in a dry, unrefrigerated bin at 55-60 degrees F (this is called curing). DO NOT REFRIGERATE; temperatures below 55 degrees F. chill this vegetable, giving it a hard core and an undesirable taste when cooked.

Wash cured sweet potatoes, scrub skin and trim off any bruised or woody portions, and bake or boil until slightly soft. If boiled, drain immediately. Thoroughly cool then wrap individually (skins left on) in freezer film or foil, and place in plastic freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze (most dishes freeze well).

If cutting calories, serve the sweet potato plain—minimize margarine or butter and use skim milk or unsweetened orange juice as liquid when preparing them mashed.

Helpful Hints:

Bake large pan of sweet potatoes at once; freeze or store in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
Freshly dug or uncured sweet potatoes are better boiled and used in dishes that include fruits or syrups. The curing process makes it sweeter and improves the cooking quality.
Canned or frozen sweet potatoes can substitute for the fresh form in any recipe calling for cooked sweet potatoes as the starting point. Six to eight canned sweet potatoes equal about four medium fresh sweet potatoes. (See measurement relationship below.)

Fresh	Canned	Cooked & Mashed
2 medium sweet potatoes	3 to 4	1 1/4 cups
3 medium	1 pound can	2 cups
4 medium (23 ounces)	3 quart cans	2 l/2 cups

To reduce calories in your favorite recipe, experiment by reducing the sugar or fat by using the next lower measure on the measuring cup. For example, when a recipe calls for 1 cup sugar or fat, reduce the amount to 3/4 cup. For 3/4 cup, reduce it to 2/3 cup, etc.

Sweet potatoes make an attractive house plant. To grow a sweet potato vine, place it in a jar of water with part of the potato remaining above the water—narrow end down. Put the jar in a warm, dark place; keep it filled with water. You’ll see new roots and a stem in about 10 days. As soon as this happens, move it to a sunny window.

SWEET POTATO PECAN PIE (One 9”pie)

1 (9”) unbaked pastry shell
2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
1/4 cup butter
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, (NOT evaporated milk)
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Pecan Topping

Preheat oven to 350 F. In large mixer bowl, beat hot sweet potatoes and butter ‘til smooth. Add remaining ingredients except pastry shell and Pecan Topping; mix well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon Pecan Topping evenly over top. Bake 20-25 minutes longer or ‘til golden brown. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pecan Topping: In small mixer bowl, combine 1 egg, 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup, 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, melted, and teaspoon maple flavoring; mix well. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans.

Dinner on the Double with Fried Rice!

2010-03-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

We all know that for speedy suppers that are big on flavor and low on prep time, we should plan ahead for leftovers. For instance, roast an extra chicken for a quick casserole later in the week, or saute a second helping of vegetables to toss with tomorrow night's pasta.

If this plan-ahead idea appeals to you, then you'll want a list of a few foods that work well this way. Rice is a perfect example. Leftover rice makes a great one-dish meal--Fried Rice--when time is at a premium. Use a combination of chopped cooked chicken and ham, or substitute leftover beef, pork, or shrimp; simply adjust the ingredients according to what's on hand. If you prefer a spicier version, bump up the heat with another teaspoon of chili-garlic sauce. Available in the Asian section of most supermarkets, it's a fiery-hot blend of ground chili peppers and garlic that also adds fast flavor to marinades and pasta sauce.

All this said, let's do FRIED RICE 101:

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
Add 2 lightly beaten large eggs, and gently stir 1 min., or until softly scrambled
Remove eggs from skillet; chop and set aside
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in skillet
Add 1/2 C diced onion, 1/2 C diced bell pepper; stir-fry 3 min.
Add 1 C chopped cooked meat, poultry, or shrimp
Add1/2 C frozen sweet green peas; stir-fry all for 2 min.
Add 3 C cooked rice, 1/4 C soy sauce, 1 tsp chili-garlic sauce
Stir-fry all for 3-4 min., or until heated through
Stir in scrambled eggs
Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sliced almonds

This serves 4, takes about 10 min. to prep and about 10 min. to cook. And what a terrific use for leftover rice!

Can you suggest other leftover foods that you've found work well into next-day dishes? Please comment with your ideas. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. And until next time, happy cook'n!

Lighter Dinners for Brighter Days

2010-03-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

My husband, Rich, just about worships Daylight Savings Time. He collects and restores antique John Deere tractors, so he loves the idea of having more daylight after he comes home from work--more time to work on his babies. Me, not so much--probably stems from the days when I struggled to get "my babies" to bed during the daylight--"It's not bedtime, it's still light outside!" (even though it was 9:00 pm), was what I always heard.

Anyway, it is that time of year again. Energy levels soar with the warming temperatures and the increasing daylight hours. Appetites shift, too--to lighter, brighter fare that emphasizes fresh flavors over fat. In this recipe, the main ingredient (bow tie pasta), is punched up with the tastes of fresh veggies and balsamic vinegar. It's just the kind of food we're looking for as we move outdoors and into the light.

And if YOU have any lighter recipes you really like, please share. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. I've never seen the sense in re-inventing the wheel! And until next time, happy cook'n!

Bow Tie Pasta with Grilled Vegetables (serves 4)
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1/4 C water
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb thin asparagus
2 portobello mushroom caps
1 medium red onion, quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
8 oz. farfalle (bow tie pasta)
l large tomato, chopped
3/4 C (3 oz) crumbled feta cheese

In large bowl, combine basil, water, vinegar, oil, pepper and garlic; blend well. Add asparagus, mushrooms, onion and bell pepper; toss to coat.

Heat grill. Remove vegetables from balsamic mixture; reserve mixture. Place vegetables on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4- to 6-inches from medium coals. Cook 4-8 min. or until tender, turning once. Watch vegetables carefully since cooking times will vary. Coarsely chop vegetables; cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook farfalle according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 pasta water. Drain farfalle; place in large serving bowl. Toss farfalle with reserved balsamic mixture. Add grilled veggies, tomato and cheese; toss to combine. If necessary, add 2-4 Tbsp reserved pasta water for additional liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste.