tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23680753994061790602024-03-13T08:55:56.816-07:00EVERYONEEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-15270545560407418082009-08-25T11:11:00.000-07:002009-09-06T07:51:03.275-07:00In My Next LifeI will own a sailboat sleek<br />as fingers of wind<br />and ply the green islands<br />of the gulf of Maine.<br />In my next life I will pilot a plane,<br />and enjoy the light artillery<br />of the air as I fly to our island<br />and set down with aplomb<br />on its grass runway.<br />I'll be a whiz at math, master five or six<br />of the world's languages, write poems<br />strong as Frost and Milosz.<br />In my next life I won't wonder why<br />I lie awake from four till daybreak.<br />I'll be amiable, mostly, but large<br />and formidable.<br /><br />I'll insist you be present<br />in my next life—and the one after that.<br /><br />by Mark Perlberg from <span style="font-style:italic;">Waiting for the Alchemist</span>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-60364791657923717762009-08-19T15:14:00.000-07:002009-09-06T07:50:10.745-07:00The Lonely Shoe Lying on the RoadOne sad shoe that someone has probably flung<br />out of a car or truck. Why only one?<br /><br />This happens on an average one year<br />in four. But always throughout my<br />life, my travels, I see it like<br />a memorandum. Something I have<br />forgotten to remember,<br /><br /> that there are always<br />mysteries in life. That shoes<br />do not always go in pairs, any more<br />than we do. That one fits;<br />the other, not. That children can<br />thoughtlessly and in a merry fashion<br />chuck out someone's shoe, split up<br />someone's life.<br /><br /> But usually that shoe that I<br />see is a man's, old, worn, the sole<br />parted from the upper.<br />Then why did the owner keep the other,<br />keep it to himself? Was he<br />afraid (as I so often am with<br />inanimate objects) to hurt it's feelings?<br />That one shoe in the road invokes<br />my awe and my sad pity.<br /><br />by Muriel Spark, from <span style="font-style:italic;">All The Poems of Muriel Spark</span>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-39424470742144004582009-08-18T23:11:00.000-07:002009-08-28T18:40:56.948-07:00Fresh Fig and Thyme Cake<span style="font-style:italic;">I like to use a mix of the more common Black Mission and green Kadota figs. It is best to use regular olive oil rather than extra virgin olive oil in the cake.<br />Serves 8</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">INGREDIENTS:</span><br />Figs<br />1 pound fresh figs (quarter larger figs and halve smaller figs)<br />1 tablespoon granulated sugar <br />1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil<br />2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon<br />1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves<br />1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />Cake<br />1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour <br />1/4 cup cornmeal<br />1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon table salt<br />3/4 cup granulated sugar <br />1/4 cup packed light brown sugar<br />2 large eggs<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly<br />1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream<br />1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DIRECTIONS:</span><br />FOR THE FIG TOPPING: Butter bottom and sides of 10-inch spring form nonstick pan; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.<br />2. Combine all ingredients for fig topping in a bowl. Gently toss and transfer about a quarter of the figs, cut side down, to prepared pan. Figs will not cover entire pan! Refrigerate remaining figs while preparing cake.<br /><br />3. FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. In electric mixer, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and olive oil together on medium speed until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. On low speed, whisk in butter, sour cream, thyme and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk on low speed until just combined. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly over figs. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 44 minutes.<br /> 4. Cool pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Release the sides of the pan. Place serving plate over cake pan. Holding dish tightly, invert cake pan and serving dish together; carefully lift off top of spring form cake pan. If any fruit sticks to pan bottom, remove and position it on top of cake. Let cake cool 20 minutes (or longer to cool completely), cut into pieces, top with the remaining figs and serve.<br /><br />**And you thought figs were fruits… although they look like fruits and are quite tasty they’re actually the flowers of the tree. Like pineapples, they are inflorescences (arrangements of multiple flowers), false fruits or multiple fruits, in which the flowers and seeds grow together to form a single mass.<br />*Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber. Plus, if you’re just not that keen on prunes, figs have a laxative effect.<br /><br />Recipe by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-8805395693550509532009-08-10T15:14:00.000-07:002009-08-25T17:49:06.898-07:00I AdmitI've been eating the cookies behind your back<br />I couldn't cry at the funeral<br />I am not, and won't ever be, a vegetarian (although I'm conscious of overfishing)<br />I wear white after Labor Day (frequently)<br />I don't actually like you; I just enjoy the attention<br />I want more than my fair share<br />I've lied about books I haven't read, people I've never met and nodded about films I'll never see<br />I think buffets are barbaric<br />I probably wouldn't forgive me<br /><br />by Cristina Paul, inspired by William Carlos Williams' <span style="font-style: italic;">This Is Just To Sa</span>yEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-74718544442392862102009-08-10T11:11:00.000-07:002009-08-26T08:18:48.881-07:00Thai Beef Over Coconut Brown Rice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SpVSQJ4GRnI/AAAAAAAAAc0/pYhCfnmC0sw/s1600-h/IMG_0384.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SpVSQJ4GRnI/AAAAAAAAAc0/pYhCfnmC0sw/s200/IMG_0384.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374292167819150962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Serves 4</span><br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />1 cup brown jasmine rice<br />1 can (13.5 ounces) thin or light coconut milk (see first note below)<br />1/2 cup chicken broth<br />generous 1/4 teaspoon table salt<br />2 tablespoons fish sauce<br />2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce<br />1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)<br />1/2 teaspoon sugar<br />2 teaspoons vegetable oil<br />3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />2 long peppers or red jalapeños, seeded and julienned<br />1 pound ground beef sirloin<br />1/4 cup grated carrot<br />1/2 cup loosely packed and torn fresh basil leaves (preferably purple or opal basil)<br />1/4 cup loosely packed and torn fresh mint leaves<br />optional lime wedges, for serving<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, broth and water. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, keep covered and cook until rice is creamy and liquid has absorbed, about 30 minutes.<br />2. When rice is nearly done, combine fish sauce, tamari, lime juice and sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add scallions, garlic and chiles; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add beef. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until completely browned, about 4 minutes. Add tamari mixture and cook for 30 more seconds. Add basil, mint and carrot and stir to combine. Serve over coconut rice with lime wedges, if desired.<br /><br />*Coconut milk is the sweet, milky white cooking base derived from the meat of a mature coconut. Two types of coconut milk exist: thick and thin. Thick coconut milk is prepared by squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth. Then, the squeezed meat is soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time for thin coconut milk. Generally, thick milk is used to make desserts and rich sauces. Often, thin milk is used for soups. This distinction isn’t usually made in Western nations since fresh coconut milk is seldom produced, and most consumers buy coconut milk in cans. Manufacturers of canned coconut milk typically combine the thin and thick squeezes with the addition of water as a filler.<br /><br />Recipe by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-19458940237935575802009-08-04T23:11:00.000-07:002009-08-14T23:00:01.924-07:00Poem of The Week<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything in the universe</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />˜ John Muir</span><br /><br />syllogisms are toe - shoes of the mind<br />finger snaps are the coming storm<br />nametags are like unicycles<br />at a party, I'm the missing sock<br />a toe circling in sand is like a raised eyebrow<br />a fig is like a pregnant woman<br />my heart is a hammer<br />the crook of your arm - a silk scarf<br />After it all, your eyes were stones<br />dogs on roller skates are like toddlers on tippy toes<br />Even when things are different, they're still alike<br /><br />by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-75555526271822402162009-08-03T15:33:00.000-07:002009-08-25T17:38:43.684-07:00Preserved Lemonswhen life gives you lemons... preserve them!<br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />LEMONS - lots of them<br />1/4 cup coarse salt<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />Scrub two large lemons under cold running water and pat them dry. Cut lemons into eight wedges (or you may slice them into thick circles) and toss with coarse salt. Place salted lemons in a sterilized glass jar with a lid. Pour enough fresh lemon juice into the jar to cover the lemons (you will require many lemons for this part), and seal it tightly. Let lemons stand at room temperature for 7-10 days, shaking and turning the jar over once a day to redistribute the contents. Rinse the salted lemons and use them immediately, or cover them with oil and store them in the refrigerator for several weeks. Slice and serve them in salads or add them to fish and meat dishes. They are also a great surprise in a cocktail!<br /><br />*Preserved lemons are popular in certain parts of the Mediterranean and they're also a very easy and handsome gift.EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-74159374388243611402009-08-02T15:14:00.000-07:002009-08-16T17:27:33.831-07:00Blah-Blah-Blahg: Food For NoughtAfter a summer of warm travel destinations...<br /><div id="watch-player-div" class="flash-player"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://s.ytimg.com/yt/swf/watch-vfl114641.swf" style="" id="movie_player" name="movie_player" bgcolor="#000000" quality="high" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="sk=_WU9FS6RKQau4Po8bYytUkDm_mlX3TwMC&fexp=903903,902904&watermark=http://s.ytimg.com/yt/swf/logo-vfl106645.swf,http://s.ytimg.com/yt/swf/hdlogo-vfl100714.swf&sourceid=ys&video_id=M6ZVpZqistk&length_seconds=109&l=109&q=is%20it%20rain%20chorus&fmt_map=34/0/9/0/115,5/0/7/0/0&usef=0&vq=null&t=vjVQa1PpcFN_l1CYimmA7yAA0n6gmy62I8uDuI9JGvI=&hl=en&plid=AARxEOYL3dhxo7AX&keywords=SydesJokes%2CFunny%2CJoke%2CHumor%2CHumour%2CLaugh%2CComedy&cr=US&fmt_url_map=34%7Chttp%3A//v14.lscache5.c.youtube.com/videoplayback%3Fip%3D0.0.0.0%26sparams%3Did%252Cexpire%252Cip%252Cipbits%252Citag%252Cburst%252Cfactor%26itag%3D34%26ipbits%3D0%26signature%3D0CE2536592C920DB85872211888A21EEB5565301.D32947A190E1539E0940E3BF3E6A756963D6BC92%26sver%3D3%26expire%3D1250240400%26key%3Dyt1%26factor%3D1.25%26burst%3D40%26id%3D33a655a59aa2b2d9%2C5%7Chttp%3A//v6.lscache2.c.youtube.com/videoplayback%3Fip%3D0.0.0.0%26sparams%3Did%252Cexpire%252Cip%252Cipbits%252Citag%252Cburst%252Cfactor%26itag%3D5%26ipbits%3D0%26signature%3D3FAE21A887FE0495920E24E4F8C403CFAD5E8E8B.D0718D7ECC2E698BD0CAD5652807BB4ECA8F554E%26sver%3D3%26expire%3D1250240400%26key%3Dyt1%26factor%3D1.25%26burst%3D40%26id%3D33a655a59aa2b2d9&playnext=0&enablejsapi=1" height="100%" width="100%"></embed></div><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M6ZVpZqistk&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M6ZVpZqistk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-78718432187934198762009-08-01T23:11:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:41:57.433-07:00first is first<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/Sn9k8zo-JPI/AAAAAAAAAcM/o9d_Gg3iInM/s1600-h/images-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 101px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/Sn9k8zo-JPI/AAAAAAAAAcM/o9d_Gg3iInM/s200/images-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368120276665902322" border="0"></a> Today, I saw a baby hummingbird<br />A stranger marvels, “No”<br />“<span style="font-style:italic;">that’s</span> a hummingbird <span style="font-style:italic;">moth</span>”<br />(… ! …)<br />Oh to be wrong, and the delirium of discovery increases<br /><br />by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-90863530086686473022009-07-29T23:11:00.000-07:002009-08-25T18:01:48.176-07:00Pickled Nectarines<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SpSH7F-CFbI/AAAAAAAAAcs/T1C55G2V1dc/s1600-h/IMG_0383.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SpSH7F-CFbI/AAAAAAAAAcs/T1C55G2V1dc/s200/IMG_0383.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374069704644236722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />If you like spicier pickles, use a 2 inch piece of ginger root instead of just 1 inch. 12 apricots can also be substituted in this recipe.</span><br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />6 medium fresh nectarines<br />1 1/4 cup cider vinegar<br />1 cup water<br />1 cup granulated sugar<br />1/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />1 cinnamon stick<br />1 - inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and cut in strips<br />½ teaspoon salt<br />1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper<br />1 small sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. Quarter and pit nectarines; set aside.<br /><br />2. For pickling mixture, combine water, vinegar, sugars, cinnamon, gingerroot, salt and red pepper in a Dutch oven. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugars. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.<br /><br />3. Add nectarines and onion to pickling mixture; return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 3 minutes or just until tender, gently stirring once or twice. Discard cinnamon stick. With slotted spoon, divide nectarines and onion evenly among two clean 1-quart jars. Pour pickling mixture into jars; cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 3 weeks. Serve nectarines with a slotted spoon and drizzle with a little of the juices. These pickles taste great as an accompaniment to cheese, on top of a burger, and alongside grilled meats.<br /><br />***Before filling the jars, wash them in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Pour boiling water in and over the jars and let them stand in the hot water until ready to fill. The pickled nectarines are stored in canning jars, but are not processed as canned. Therefore, keep refrigerated and eat within 3 weeks.<br /><br />Recipe by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-748293599765494672009-07-27T11:11:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:39:15.868-07:00Blah-Blah-Blahg: Food For NoughtAccording to Vonnegut, "traveling is dancing for the soul". But long distance flights can also be a preview to menopause - the plane flying through Little Thailands of the skies one hour and coasting through toe-chilling Siberias in the clouds the next. The extreme temperatures aboard a plane aren't so bad if turbulence can be avoided. I recently experienced the extreme-sports version of turbulence which wrapped a rickety blanket of fear around me made of long and thin human hand bones.EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-82612249566251849442009-07-23T03:14:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:40:01.423-07:00FirefliesAnd these are my vices:<br />impatience, bad temper, wine,<br />the more than occasional cigarette,<br />an almost unquenchable thirst to be kissed,<br />a hunger that isn't hunger<br />but something like fear, a staunching of dread<br />and a taste for bitter gossip<br />of those who've wronged me—for bitterness—<br />and flirting with strangers and saying sweetheart<br />to children whose names I don't even know<br />and driving too fast and not being Buddhist<br />enough to let insects live in my house<br />or those cute little toylike mice<br />whose soft grey bodies in sticky traps<br />I carry, lifeless, out to the trash<br />and that I sometimes prefer the company of a book<br />to a human being, and humming<br />and living inside my head<br />and how as a girl I trailed a slow-hipped aunt<br />at twilight across the lawn<br />and learned to catch fireflies in my hands,<br />to smear their sticky, still-pulsing flickering<br />onto my fingers and earlobes like jewels. <br /><br />by Cecilia Woloch from <span style="font-style:italic;">Carpathia</span>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-4602714588434987212009-07-22T15:14:00.001-07:002009-08-12T22:01:35.608-07:00Asian Supper Salad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SoOeCefgzWI/AAAAAAAAAck/C6KiZE3dRkg/s1600-h/IMG_0381.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SoOeCefgzWI/AAAAAAAAAck/C6KiZE3dRkg/s320/IMG_0381.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369308946137927010" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Serves 4</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">INGREDIENTS:</span><br /><br />For Dressing/Marinade:<br />1 tiny Thai chile or 1 fresh Serrano chile (seed chilies to reduce their heat, if desired)<br />4 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 tablespoons sugar<br />2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce<br />1/2 cup fresh lime juice<br />1/4 cup water<br /><br />For Noodles and Meat or Tofu:<br />1 ounce dried mushrooms (preferably shiitakes)<br />1/2 pound thin soba noodles<br />1/2 pound cooked chicken, lean pork, or lean beef, cut into thin strips, or extra firm or baked tofu cut into 1/2 inch pieces<br />2 quarts water<br /><br />For Salad:<br />1/2 small sweet onion (Vidalia, Maui, Walla-Walla, etc., sliced thinly)<br />1/2 head napa cabbage, outer leaves removed, washed, dried and sliced into thin strips<br />1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn<br />1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn<br />1/2 cup roasted and salted, chopped cashews<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />DIRECTIONS:</span><br />1. Place dried mushrooms in a small bowl. Boil enough water to cover the mushrooms. Let mushrooms sit in water for at least 10 minutes. Then drain, squeeze out excess liquid from mushrooms, and set aside. Meanwhile, place onions in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside. Mix dressing ingredients in a medium bowl.<br /><br />2. Add the meat or tofu and mushrooms to the bowl of dressing.<br /><br />3. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a Dutch oven and add salt to the water. Add noodles and cook according to directions on package until tender, but not mushy. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, let drain completely and set aside.<br /><br />3. In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, herbs and onion. Divide this mixture between 4 large soup bowls or dinner plates. Pile noodles atop each mound of cabbage. Top each serving with the marinated meat or tofu, being careful not to pour too much dressing onto each serving. Leave the extra dressing on the table and invite friends to spoon extra the dressing over their salads, if desired. Top it all off with chopped cashews.<br /><br />**This dressing is also excellent over thinly sliced, barely ripe peaches, pluots or nectarines.<br />*Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage. In Korean cuisine, it's used in making the most common type of kimchi.<br /><br />Recipe by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-11776474032879757302009-07-22T15:14:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:37:45.432-07:00Blah-Blah-Blahg: Food For Nought<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SoCgY2gHIwI/AAAAAAAAAcc/gtPWmIfFB70/s1600-h/10_vanilla_bean.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SoCgY2gHIwI/AAAAAAAAAcc/gtPWmIfFB70/s320/10_vanilla_bean.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368467104633135874" border="0" /></a>Make Your Own Vanilla Extract<br /><br />You'll need 2 parts curiosity and 1 part time for this little do it yourself project. Vanilla's flavor is soluble in water or alcohol. So all you'll require is 1 vanilla bean (make sure that it doesn't look old or dry like Keith Richards face) and 3/4 cup of bourbon or vodka. Heat the alcohol and pour it into a clean 1-cup container that can be sealed. Now split your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the warm alcohol. Toss in the vanilla bean. Once the alcohol has cooled, seal the container and store it at room temperature for at least a week. Gently shake (like a Polaroid picture, if you wish) everyday for that week. Now you may strain the extract and it will keep indefinitely!<br />Bonus: This extract tastes better than the store-bought stuff and it costs less as well.EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-41795477792664309332009-07-18T15:14:00.000-07:002009-08-09T18:46:34.335-07:00Radicchio-lously Tasty Cauliflower Slaw<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/Sn96S8fDwXI/AAAAAAAAAcU/msa3E5gcVNE/s1600-h/IMG_0380.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/Sn96S8fDwXI/AAAAAAAAAcU/msa3E5gcVNE/s320/IMG_0380.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368143746741551474" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This is a bitter and slightly sweet alternative to the same old slaw</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Serves 6</span><br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />6 cloves garlic, with tips cut off (the side that is pointy)<br />1/2 cup virgin olive oil, divided<br />I head (about 2 pounds) cauliflower<br />table salt and freshly ground pepper<br />1/4 teaspoon sugar<br />6 ounces green beans, trimmed<br />1 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced<br />4 anchovy fillets<br />2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon<br />2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)<br />2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar<br />1 teaspoon Dijon mustard<br />1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (1 ounce), plus more shaved for serving<br /><br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.<br /><br />2. Cut one 12-inch sheet of foil and spread flat on counter. Place garlic cloves, in center of foil. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon oil over the garlic and seal packet. Place packet on oven rack and roast until garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Open packet and set aside to cool.<br /><br />3. Meanwhile, trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom. Cut head from pole to pole into 8 equal wedges. Place cauliflower in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sugar.<br /><br />4. Remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer cauliflower to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing cut sides down. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until cauliflower is well browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to cutting board. When cool enough to handle, chop into rough ½-inch pieces.<br /><br />5. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans and return to a boil, and cook until they start to turn bright green, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath. Let cool. Thinly slice beans on the bias. Transfer to large bowl, and add radicchio.<br /><br />6. In a blender or food processor, process anchovies, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, mustard, and roasted garlic until smooth. With machine running, pour remaining oil in a slow, steady stream, blending until emulsified. Season liberally with salt and pepper.<br /><br />7. Pour dressing over vegetables. Stir in grated cheese. Again, season liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Garnish with shaved Pecorino or Parmesan.<br /><br />** Radicchio is a bitter and slightly spicy leaf vegetable, sometimes called Italian chicory. Different varieties are named after the Italian regions where they originate: the most readily available variety in the United States is radicchio di Chioggia, which is maroon, round, and about the size of a softball. Just like Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese-makers of Parma, Italy, have attempted to protect the name "Parmesan" to signify only cheeses made in their region, so too have the radicchio farmers of the Veneto sought to protect the names of some radicchio varieties.<br />* Chicory is known for its toxicity to parasites (many bitter plants have a similar toxicity). Studies show that ingestion of chicory by farm animals results in reduction of worms, which has prompted its use as a forage supplement.<br /><br />Recipe by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-42182010275316745692009-07-14T03:33:00.000-07:002009-07-23T05:05:03.324-07:00Excerpt From a SonnetTime does not bring relief; you all have lied<br />Who told me time would ease me of my pain!<br />I miss him in the weeping of the rain;<br />I want him at the shrinking of the tide. <br /><br />by Edna St. Vincent Millay from <span style="font-style:italic;">Fatal Interview</span>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-57538495352705980222009-07-13T03:33:00.000-07:002009-07-23T05:04:21.412-07:00What I Ate In CartagenaArepas... lots of them.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhONUSq-qI/AAAAAAAAAbk/AP4jRZIvQWk/s1600-h/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhONUSq-qI/AAAAAAAAAbk/AP4jRZIvQWk/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361621347076864674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhN_XrphJI/AAAAAAAAAbc/ukXnKuHCGfs/s1600-h/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhN_XrphJI/AAAAAAAAAbc/ukXnKuHCGfs/s200/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361621107468764306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />I also ate Sancocho de Costilla <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(a meat soup accompanied by rice that has yucca and other vegetables)<br /><br /><br /><br />I disarmed many fishies<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhPNyRGVKI/AAAAAAAAAbs/L0Abr8AOVUo/s1600-h/IMG_0052.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhPNyRGVKI/AAAAAAAAAbs/L0Abr8AOVUo/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361622454634960034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's a before and after of one of my attacks:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhQLW7gwmI/AAAAAAAAAb8/a7HXJHZhkYM/s1600-h/IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhQLW7gwmI/AAAAAAAAAb8/a7HXJHZhkYM/s200/IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361623512448549474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhQfhRoFcI/AAAAAAAAAcE/22G8tO6M0A4/s1600-h/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhQfhRoFcI/AAAAAAAAAcE/22G8tO6M0A4/s200/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361623858823042498" border="0" /></a>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-45045232267141984352009-07-03T11:11:00.000-07:002009-07-22T20:04:24.648-07:00Advice to Young PoetsNever pretend<br />to be a unicorn<br />by sticking a plunger on your head<br /><br />by Martín Espada from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Republic of Poetry</span>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-11684045774563431582009-07-02T15:14:00.000-07:002009-09-18T17:46:49.244-07:00Tortilla Española For Two<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmfS29Pod7I/AAAAAAAAAbM/wNu5AnC763o/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 100px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmfS29Pod7I/AAAAAAAAAbM/wNu5AnC763o/s200/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361485723002763186" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as an appetizer.<br /><br />Spanish tortillas are often served warm or at room temperature with olives, pickles, and a garlicky mayonnaise (recipe follows) as an appetizer at tapas bars or at a picnic. Sometimes they are even cut and placed in crusty sandwich bread. They may also be served with a salad as a light entrée.<br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil<br />3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (2 medium), quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices<br />1/2 small onion, halved and sliced thin<br />1 minced garlic clove<br />1/2 teaspoon table salt<br />1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />4 large eggs<br />Spanish aioli (optional)<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. Toss 2 tablespoons oil, potatoes, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl until potato slices are thoroughly separated and coated in oil. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Reduce heat to medium-low, add potato mixture to skillet, and set bowl aside without washing. Cover and cook, stirring with rubber spatula every 5 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooking, add minced garlic and continue stirring every 5 minutes until potatoes offer no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife, 22 to 26 minutes total (some potato slices may break into smaller pieces).<br />2. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in reserved bowl until just combined. Using rubber spatula, fold hot potato mixture into eggs until combined, making sure to scrape all potato mixture out of skillet. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil, and heat until just beginning to smoke. Add egg-potato mixture and cook, shaking pan and folding mixture constantly for about 20 seconds. Smooth top of mixture with rubber spatula. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds until bottom is golden brown and top is lightly set, about 2 minutes.<br />3. Using rubber spatula, loosen tortilla from pan, shaking back and forth until tortilla slides around freely. Slide tortilla onto large plate. Invert tortilla onto second large plate and slide it browned-side up back into skillet. Tuck edges of tortilla into skillet with rubber spatula. Return pan to medium heat and continue to cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds, until second side is golden brown, about 2 more minutes. Slide tortilla onto cutting board or serving plate and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. Cut tortilla into cubes or wedges and serve with Spanish Aioli, if desired.<br /><br /><br />Spanish Aioli<br />This recipe yields about 1 1/4 cups - far too much for a small tortilla but you will want to refrigerate the aioli and use it for sandwiches.<br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />2 large egg yolks<br />2 teaspoons Dijon mustard<br />2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice<br />1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)<br />3/4 cup vegetable oil<br />1 teaspoon water<br />1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />1/4 teaspoon table salt<br />1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />1/8 teaspoon paprika<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />Process yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and garlic in food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. With machine running, slowly drizzle in vegetable oil, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and whisk in water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil, about 30 seconds. Whisk in salt and pepper. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 4 days.<br /><br />*Tortilla Española means "small torte" but it has nothing else in common with the Latin American staple known as a tortilla.<br /><br />Adapted by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-18981625548605144182009-07-01T11:11:00.000-07:002009-07-23T04:46:32.959-07:00Blah-Blah-Blahg: Food For Nought<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhNVX1THII/AAAAAAAAAbU/UkwW6sqF5XE/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 90px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/SmhNVX1THII/AAAAAAAAAbU/UkwW6sqF5XE/s400/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361620385954733186" border="0" /></a>Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink...<br /><br />The average amount of water us Yankees use in a day is more than any other country in the world. People in the States use 151 gallons per person per day whereas the French survive on 71 and Brits use a mere 37!<br /><br />The good news is that you needn't stop washing and brushing to save a few gallons each day.<br /><br />Some water saving tips:<br />1. DON'T hand wash your dishes! If you have a dishwasher, let it do the work - even if it's not an <span style="font-style: italic;">Energy Star</span> it will still use less water. Only run it when it is full and don't go overboard and pre-wash dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.<br />2. Keep your shower time down to 5 minutes. If you must bathe, use the bath water to water your plants.<br />3. You can halve your kitchen's flow in a few painless (for the wallet and for the old cranium) minutes. Buy a faucet aerator for less than $10. Just slip the metal collar over your faucet head and voilá - air meet water, water meet air. The mesh introduces air into your water stream to maintain a consistent pressure while reducing the volum of water that you use. Chances are that if you look inside your faucet's nozzle and it tells you the gallons per minute - you already have one. But if you don't they can reduce your use by up to 50%!.<br />4. Drink tea! Instead of your regular cup of coffee in the morning, have a cup of tea. Most coffee makers require far more water to use and clean up than your average kettle. Moreover, less water is used in the process of growing and harvesting tea leaves than coffee beans.<br />5. If you live in a rainy place, invest in a rain-barrel. They're about $100 bucks and they can retain up to 35 gallons of water. They are collapsible and can be stored easily in the off-season. Hey, rain is free water!EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-73644662980225863122009-06-27T03:14:00.000-07:002009-07-22T06:51:42.647-07:00Blah-Blah-Blahg: Food For NoughtWhen preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.<br /><br /> —<i>Susan Heller</i>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-65028723488266926292009-06-26T23:11:00.000-07:002009-07-05T23:23:34.258-07:00The EffortWould anyone care to join me<br />in flicking a few pebbles in the direction<br />of teachers who are fond of asking the question:<br />"What is the poet trying to say?"<br /><br />as if Thomas Hardy and Emily Dickinson<br />had struggled but ultimately failed in their efforts—<br />inarticulate wretches that they were,<br />biting their pens and staring out the window for a clue.<br /><br />Yes, it seems that Whitman, Amy Lowell<br />and the rest could only try and fail<br />but we in Mrs. Parker's third-period English class<br />here at Springfield High will succeed<br /><br />with the help of these study questions<br />in saying what the poor poet could not,<br />and we will get all this done before<br />that orgy of egg salad and tuna fish known as lunch.<br /><br />Tonight, however, I am the one trying<br />to say what it is this absence means,<br />the two of us sleeping and waking under different roofs.<br />The image of this vase of cut flowers,<br /><br />not from our garden, is no help.<br />And the same goes for the single plate,<br />the solitary lamp, and the weather that presses its face<br />against these new windows--the drizzle and the<br /> morning frost.<br /><br />So I will leave it up to Mrs. Parker,<br />who is tapping a piece of chalk against the blackboard,<br />and her students—a few with their hands up,<br />others slouching with their caps on backwards—<br /><br />to figure out what it is I am trying to say<br />about this place where I find myself<br />and to do it before the noon bell rings<br />and that whirlwind of meatloaf is unleashed.<br /><br />by Billy Collins from <em>Ballistics</em>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-86176049716569666752009-06-25T15:14:00.000-07:002009-07-06T18:20:16.177-07:00Ginger Baked Salmon<span style="font-style: italic;">Serves 4<br /><br />The marinade for this salmon is great used as a dressing for other recipes or poured over any kind of grain.</span><br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce<br />2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar<br />3 tablespoons sesame oil or toasted sesame oil<br />2 medium garlic cloves, minced<br />1 1-inch piece of ginger, grated with a microplane<br />2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced<br />2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar<br />1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />1 1 1/2 pound fillet of salmon, skin-on and cut into 4 equal pieces<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. Combine all ingredients except salmon in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. You will have a little over 3/4 cup of marinade. Set salmon, skin side down, in a rimmed dish and pour marinade over fish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You may marinate the fish in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.<br />2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and set a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack.<br />3. When the oven comes up to temperature, remove the baking sheet and turn the oven down to 275 degrees. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the baking sheet. Pour the marinade over the salmon. Bake for 9 - 13 minutes. The salmon will have a tender interior with nice crispy exterior. Serve and pour liquid over fish.<br /><br />**Nearly all salmon are anadromous; this is just a fancyway of saying that they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, then return to fresh water to have salmon babies<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproduce" title="Reproduce" class="mw-redirect"></a>. Salmon are believed<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore" title="Folklore"></a> to return to the exact spot where they were born to spawn and studies have corroborated this belief. We still aren't sure exactly how these creatures do it though.<br />* I had to add this little tidbit of information since it's summer: salmon, and other fish that are high in antioxidants and omega 3 oils, can reduce chances of skin damage and inflammation resulting from sunburn and potentially reduce the risk of skin cancers! Kind of cool. You shouldn't abandon the sunscreen but having a fillet of salmon after a day in the sun will seem doubly delightful and salubrious.EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-27610589489997318972009-06-20T11:11:00.000-07:002009-06-28T07:29:32.802-07:00Questions<p></p><p>If on a summer afternoon a man should find himself<br />in love with only one woman<br />in a sea of women, all the others mere half-naked<br />swimmers and floaters, and if that one woman<br />therefore is clad in radiance<br />while the mere others are burdened by their bikinis,<br />then what does he do with a world<br />suddenly so small, the once unbiased sun<br />shining solely on her? And if that afternoon<br />turns dark, fat clouds like critics dampening<br />the already wet sea, does the man run—<br />he normally would—for cover, or does he dive<br />deeper in, get so wet he is beyond wetness<br />in all underworld utterly hers? And when<br />he comes up for air, as he must,<br />when he dries off and dresses up, as he must,<br />how will the pedestrian streets feel?<br />What will the street lamps illuminate? How exactly<br />will he hold her so that everyone can see<br />she doesn't belong to him, and he won't let go?<br /></p><p>By Stephen Dunn from <em>Local Visitations</em> </p>EVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2368075399406179060.post-57825097103339390192009-06-19T03:33:00.000-07:002009-06-28T07:30:34.323-07:00Summer Roast with Mint<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/Skd9KNgaybI/AAAAAAAAAbE/g2cj85bDIkc/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ezBwXihoE_M/Skd9KNgaybI/AAAAAAAAAbE/g2cj85bDIkc/s200/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352384296530921906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />If you aren't afraid to turn on the oven in the summer... this recipe serves 4<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />INGREDIENTS:</span><br />2 small summer squash (about 12 ounces)<br />4 medium carrots (about 8 ounces)<br />1 1/2 cups chopped fennel bulb (about 1 small bulb)<br />1 medium onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces<br />4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper<br />1/4 cup freshly chopped mint<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DIRECTIONS: </span><br />1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.<br />2. Quarter squash lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Cut carrots into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Combine squash, carrots, fennel, onion, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Spread mixture evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Roast for 10 minutes and stir vegetables. Roast the vegetables for 6 – 10 more minutes until the vegetables are tender and the fennel begins to brown. Stir in the mint and serve.<br /><br />**Summer squash are harvested when they are immature, so their rind is still tender and edible. Summer squashes are actually fruits (they’ve got seeds!) of the species Cucurbita pepo, but they are considered vegetables in terms of culinary use. They are dubbed “summer squash" due to their short storage life.<br /><br />Recipe by Cristina PaulEVERYONEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08895441023029013442noreply@blogger.com0