There have been many responses to my Veterans Day posting, and I would like to thank each and everyone of you. It does my heart good to know there are American citizens out there that believe as I do....that the men and women of all branches of our military, those presently serving and those who have served in the past, need and deserve our sincerest Thank You!
This video came to me after my blog was posted. It is wonderful....and I hope some of our children and grandchildren slow down their electronic habits long enough to watch it....it only takes a minute.           http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=KTb6qdPu8JE

Now, on the lighter side....remember my blog on country ham and the recipe from Larry Santure, the resident country ham expert at Smithfield Foods? Well, the doorbell rang and there stood a Fed-X delivery man with a big box for me.  Before I even got the box open, I knew it was country ham. The aroma wafted gently through the air as I enthusiastically opened the lid . There before me were 3 packages of Smithfield ham!



http://www.smithfield.com/



Thank you, Larry, thank you Smithfield!

And just in time for Thanksgiving!

You used to have to soak and scrub country hams, but today, Smithfield has taken all of the work out of preparing a country ham....this is GOOD! The large half ham is dry cured and is comparable to an Italian Prosciutto. I will be serving it in the same manner as a prosciutto... very thinly sliced.

I think good old country ham,  served American or Italian style, deserves a great side dish,one that pairs well with the salty ham. So, I think this calls for

Martha Stewart's  Cheddar-Corn Spoon Bread.

                                                                         Serves 6

1 tablespoon butter, plus more for baking dish

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups corn kernels

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

Coarse salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese

4 large eggs

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart souffle dish or casserole; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, milk, corn, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Let cool until just warm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Stir in egg yolks until combined.

2.In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the whites into cornmeal mixture until combined, then gently fold in the remaining whites with a rubber spatula. Pour into prepared dish.

3.Place dish in oven; reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. Bake until browned on top but still slightly loose in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

.

As you know, if you have been reading my blog very long, I am a follower of Martha Stewart. If you are still angry they sent her to prison, you might as well get over it. She did it in grand fashion, and she definitely earned a great deal of respect....far more than the group of criminals and thieves that convicted her!

(excuse the short rant) 

About 1983 I discovered the very young and attractive Martha, on late night television. She had produced a video on her preparation for her family's Thanksgiving. I was absolutely stunned at her talent, her vision, the attention she paid to details! This video changed my approach to entertaining, to say the least. She started planting flowers in the spring to match the colors in the table runners that her sister wove on her loom to be placed down the center of the Thanksgiving table! Okay, maybe I made a grocery list 3 or 4 days before the big event....but spring! I was blown away!

I have searched the videos that Martha has for sale, but cannot find it. Now I have written Martha asking about the availability of this video. If she responds, I will let you know what happens.

If you would like to see the videos that are available, go to

http://shop.marthastewart.com/search.htm?keyword=videos

I hope to see you at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery next Saturday, November 20th for the release of their newest  wine, Riesling. The artist responsible for the new label will be there, come and meet her.

I will be there assisting Frank Gazella of the Pieroguys Pierogies, preparing samples in a number of different wine sauces. Several other vendors will be there also, the list is growing . It should be a fun day, please join us!

Big event coming up at the vineyard….one week from now, November 20th and 21st!



Owner and vintner (winemaker) at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, Dennis Reynolds, has done it again! He and Cindy will be releasing their brand new wine, Riesling. Not only is the wine wonderful, but wait until you see the new label! I am not going to divulge any secrets here, but I will tell you it is the next “Local Artist Label” .I was thrilled to have one of my paintings, Vincent’s Sunflowers, on the 1st label in the series, but I am just as excited, possibly even more excited, because I have become such good friends with this artist. I will say no more…..just don’t miss it!

The wine and the label are OUTSTANDING!

How are your plans coming along for the country’s most important and celebrated dinner, Thanksgiving? I am sitting pretty….my dear little 92 year old mother has made reservations for 35 of us to join her at Lakeview Village for our dinner. No cooking! No cleanup! Of course, the downside of that is….NO LEFTOVERS! What will we do for food for the two or three days following the holiday? Good Grief! We will have to cook!

For those of you who will have leftovers, have you ever used Martha White’s recipe for Next DayTurkey Pot Pie? Pretty good stuff! Actually, I’ve never found one of her recipes that wasn’t good. So, if you have a lot of leftover turkey, give it a try.

Go to http://www.marthawhite.com and check out her webpage.

Next Day Turkey Pot Pie
Ingredients
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
FILLING
1 tablespoon Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 (9 oz.) package frozen spinach in a pouch, thawed
3 cups cubed cooked turkey
1/2 cup chopped country or baked ham
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
TOPPING
1 1/2 cups Martha White® Self-Rising Flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preparation Directions
1. HEAT oven to 400ºF. Spray 13 x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook and stir until tender, stirring occasionally.
2. STIR in spinach. Spread mixture evenly in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle turkey and ham evenly over spinach mixture.
3. COMBINE soup, 1 cup milk and pepper in medium bowl; mix well. Pour soup mixture evenly over turkey and ham. Combine all topping ingredients in same medium bowl; stir until smooth. Pour over soup mixture.
4. BAKE 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Of course, there is always the famous Kentucky recipe “Hot Browns”, a special turkey sandwich.

6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth 1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
12 slices toasted bread
sliced turkey
paprika
12 slices tomatoes
12 slices bacon, cooked

Preparation:
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Blend in flour; stirring until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper. Gradually add broth and milk. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Add grated cheese; simmer for about 8 minutes. Sauce will be quite thick. Arrange 2 slices of toast on each of 6 ovenproof plates. Top each slice of toast with turkey slices, cover with sauce, then sprinkle with a little paprika. Top each with a slice of tomato and a slice of cooked bacon. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Hot brown sandwich recipe serves 6.

Once the pumpkin pie is gone, what will you do for dessert?


Pecan Pie Squares                           
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
Cooking spray
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 large egg
4 large egg whites
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press flour mixture evenly into bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray, using a piece of plastic wrap to press mixture firmly into pan. Remove plastic wrap. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Combine brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently.
4. Combine egg and egg whites in a medium bowl. Stir one-fourth warm syrup mixture into eggs; add to remaining warm syrup mixture. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour mixture over crust.
5. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until set (the filling will puff up as it bakes but will deflate as it becomes set). Remove from oven; cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Veterans Day 2010

Yesterday was Veterans Day. Being the widow of a career Air Force Colonel, I can’t tell you how important this day is to all veterans and to the families of those who “Gave All”. I try to drive up to Leavenworth, Kansas every Veterans Day, to visit the National Cemetery where my Arch is resting, but yesterday, I didn’t make it. Instead, I attended the funeral of Albert Bernard Knickrehm, World War II Marine. Al was the husband of my dear friend, Dot, and the step-father of my daughter-in-law, Michelle.


I was unaware of Al’s service in the Marines, but when I arrived at the church, there they stood….3 beautiful young Marines in their perfect uniforms, one of them holding a bugle.

I knew it was going to be a moving ceremony.

The service was wonderful; Father Richard Storey knew Al and his family very well. I was surprised when the accompanist began to play the Marine Hymn and men stood up throughout the sanctuary. The Marines were present. Latin for "always faithful," Semper Fidelis became the Marine Corps motto in 1883. It guides Marines to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, to the Corps and to country, no matter what.
There is no such thing as an ex-Marine.

At the end of the service, two of the young Marines moved slowly and gracefully up the center aisle to the flag draped casket. Once there, they meticulously folded the flag and finally, presented it to Dot with a very softly spoken message of thank you from her country. I remember the words well from the day I was given the flag that had draped Arch’s coffin. "This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Air Force in appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service." It is so comforting to clutch that flag to your heart.

To end the ceremony celebrating the life of Al Knickrehm, the remaining Marine lifted his bugle and played the incredibly mournful “Taps”.

It was a lovely service and the perfect way to observe Veterans Day.


I ended my day by joining four dear friends, the Richters and the Wills, for dinner. There was wonderful food, fabulous wine, laughter, joy, memories and a tear or two. It was a very powerful day, a good day. A day I will remember.

It always surprises me when I have responses to my blog. It hits me like a bolt out of the blue….Gee, people DO read it! Occasionally they are not positive responses, but thankfully, that doesn’t happen often.

I started my blog almost 2 years ago, never dreaming that it would be popping up all over the globe! When I receive notice that I have a response, I figure it is a friend or relative telling me to keep up the good work, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d find a response from South Africa! Or Lyon, France! Or Tokyo, Japan! I send a notice to my regular readers, now close to 500, but they send it on to friends and relatives….and then they send it on to their friends……on, and on it goes! Amazing….and THANK YOU! Please keep passing it on, I love hearing from people who have been inspired by a recipe or painting.

Another positive result is the association with companies that I mention in my blog.

One of my new connections is with Larry Santure of Smithfield Foods in Smithfield, Virginia. After reading my last blog posting, Larry emailed me with a recipe he came up with, using a country ham product. I asked for his permission to share it with you, which he very generously granted. Thank You, Larry!

Caribbean Country Ham
Concocted and Developed by Larry Santure
Director of Country Meat Sales

A touch of the Caribbean melds with the Southern tradition of good ol’ country ham for an upscale dish.

Ingredients:
2 packages of Smithfield Biscuit Slices (16 oz)
12 ounces of Coke – not diet
16 ounces of dried fruit any combination
(a combination of apple, cranberry and pineapple is really good)
Lime juice, about 2 oz.
4 to five ounces of dark rum (Optional) may use rum flavoring as an alternative
1/2 cup of water

Preparation:
Chop the dried fruit in a processor to the point of being approximately one fourth the original sized pieces. Put the water, lime juice, 2 to 3 ounces of rum, and half the Coke in a sauce pan with the dried fruit and bring to a boil. Let simmer ten minutes and let cool. Drain the fruit with a strainer and save the remaining liquid. Place the ham in a shallow pan then add the remaining Coke and rum to the liquid from the sauce pan. Pour the mixture over the ham and let marinate for twenty minutes. Pre heat an oven to 350 degrees. Remove the ham from marinate and place flat on a large sheet pan. Cook in the oven no more than fifteen minutes and let cool for several minutes. (To hurry the process place in a microwave safe vessel and microwave for about 90 seconds or until fully cooked.)
To serve:
Arrange the ham in a circular pattern on a plate or platter and spoon the dried fruit in the middle. Garnish with thin slices of fresh mango.
Serves 6 to 8 persons (2 – one oz ham portions)
Enjoy.

Another email I received was from Jan in Colorado Springs. She said my blog had brought back memories of her childhood in Pennsylvania. When I said there was “no dressing except my Grandmother Ogg’s Cornbread Dressing”, she started thinking about a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe referred to as “Filling”. I Googled it and low and behold, I’m not sure how I lived all these years without hearing about it before! Pennsylvania Dutch Filling is a stuffing/dressing recipe using mashed potatoes and bread along with a ton of butter, so naturally, I decided I must try it. It is on my test-cooking list for next week. In the meantime, here is the recipe. Thank you, Jan!
Pennsylvania Dutch Filling
5 pounds Idaho potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1-1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
3 cups cubed bread , good country white, without crust
1-2 cups milk, or enough to moisten bread cubes
Salt, pepper and celery salt
Butter for top of casserole

Cook potatoes with salt until tender. Sauté celery and onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons oil until tender and slightly browned. Push to one side of the pan; add 1/2 stick of the butter and soak parsley in butter, then mix with celery and onions.
Drain potatoes; put in large enough container to hold all ingredients. Add the remaining 1-1/2 sticks butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1-1/4 teaspoons celery salt. Mix with electric beater. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Add celery and onion mixture and mix. In the same pan used for the celery and onion mixture, soak bread cubes in enough milk to moisten thoroughly and heat. Add to potatoes and mix. If mixture is too thick, add milk. Add dry bread cubes if too thin. Also use more or less of seasoning to taste.
Put in greased baking dish (or dishes), dot top with butter, and bake at 400° for 1 hour until golden brown.

My Goodness! Doesn’t Smithfield Ham and Pennsylvania Dutch Filling sound wonderful together! Add a salad and a dessert, and you have a great dinner! I think this particular meal calls for a rustic dessert. May I suggest this one. It is from Bette in Lyon, France. I have replaced Bette’s European measurements with those used in America, along with the baking temperature. I have tested it with my changes, and it is wonderful! Merci, Bette!

French Poached Pear and Brown Butter Tart
CRUST
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Pinch salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
1 large egg yolk mixed with 4 tablespoons of ice water
PEARS
6 cups water
2 cups semidry white wine, (may I suggest Somerset Ridge Oktoberfest!)
2 cups sugar
1 sage leaf
4 whole cloves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
4 Bosc pears-peeled, quartered and cored
FILLING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 Pinch salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with vegetable oil spray. In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar and salt and pulse once or twice until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Lift the lid and sprinkle with the egg- yolk mixture. Pulse 5 or 6 times, until the dough is crumbly.
2. Pour the dough into the prepared tart pan and press to form an even crust. Use a flat-bottomed glass dipped in flour to tamp it down. Bake the crust in the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until it is golden brown. Lower the oven temperature to 350°.
3. Meanwhile, poach the pears: In a large saucepan, combine the water with the wine, sugar, sage, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the quartered pears. Cover with a large sheet of parchment paper and a lid slightly smaller than the saucepan and cook over moderate heat until the pears are just softened, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the poached pears to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly. Cut each wedge in half lengthwise.
4. Make the filling: In a small skillet, cook the butter over moderate heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes; pour browned butter into a small cup. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla seeds, orange zest and salt. Add the flour and beat at low speed until smooth. Add the brown butter and beat the filling at low speed until incorporated.
5. Pour the filling into the baked crust. Arrange all but 3 of the pear wedges on the custard in a slightly overlapping circle, with the narrow ends pointing toward the center. Trim the remaining 3 pear wedges and arrange them neatly in the center. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, until the custard is golden and set. Let the pear tart cool completely before serving.

Hope you enjoy our Dinner from Here and There. I'm sure there will be more soon. However, next time I think I will start blogging on Christmas Foods and Goodies.



A Smithfield Country Ham

 We’ve all heard the stories of the Pilgrims and Indians joining together after a very successful harvest in 1621. This day was set aside to prepare and share the foods from their harvest and hunting. This day became known as the first Thanksgiving Day. Their celebration table was laden with the foods from their harvest, the forest, and the sea. They blended the crops the Indians taught the Pilgrims to grow and the cooking methods brought from England. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.
Today, a staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There were no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous. But we do know the feast included fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.

In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. Since that time, our Thanksgiving table has evolved into a very traditional dinner. Influenced by food producers such as Campbell’s, we have our favorites that we feel are as important as the turkey. For instance, the Green Bean Casserole, that became a tradition at Thanksgiving, was invented in 1955 by the Campbell Soup Company test kitchen. It is not a favorite of mine, but I bet it is still present on at least 50% of America’s Thanksgiving tables! for that recipe, go to
http://www.campbellkitchen.net/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=24099

Here in America, regional cooking influences the way we prepare our turkey dinner. American cuisine is not one cuisine, but numerous regional and ethnic cuisines reflecting immigration patterns. Take the whole stuffing/dressing debate. Is it white bread or cornbread? Is it full of apples and dried fruit or is it flavored with onions and celery? Is it seasoned with sage, or is it full of rosemary and thyme? Is it plump with smoked sausage or spicy with chorizo, or is it full of oysters? Or maybe it is the chestnut you want to bite into. It goes on and on!

I was born and raised in Missouri. It is right in the middle of the country, but is extremely southern in cooking traditions. To me, there is no dressing but my Grandmother Ogg’s cornbread dressing, full of butter, onions and celery.
We won’t even go into the discussion of “stuffing” the turkey with it or putting it in a casserole dish to be baked as “dressing”………

What we should go into is the discussion of Turkey….Ham….or Prime Rib…..
I am a huge fan of turkey gravy but can do without the turkey. What I do love are both ham and prime rib. In today’s economy I am sure I will choose ham over the prime rib. Besides, there will be leftovers with a full ham, something that won’t happen with the smaller piece of beef.
That decided, how do I choose a perfect ham? Raised on Boone County Country Ham, I would, naturally, choose a “country ham”. The finest country ham in the world is a Smithfield Country Ham, America’s version of Italy’s prosciutto. www.smithfieldhams.com

To understand what this type of ham actually is, go to You Tube and search the title “World’s Ham Capitol” to watch how America’s own Smithfield Hams are cured and prepared. While there, also check out “How to cook a Virginia ham.” Cooking a country ham is definitely different than cooking a city ham.

The wonderful thing about choosing a Smithfield Ham for your Thanksgiving dinner, is it goes beautifully with all of the traditional dishes of Thanksgiving…..sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and oh my, what it does with cornbread dressing! So, there may not be gravy for your mashed potatoes and dressing….but that is simple to solve! Make this gravy ahead of time and reheat it right before serving….See…everything works out!
Thanksgiving Gravy                                                
4 turkey wings (about 3lb.)
2 med. onions, peeled and quartered
1 c. water
8 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. chopped carrot
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 c. flour
2 Tbsp. stick butter or marg.
1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Heat oven to 400. Have ready a large roasting pan. Arrange wings in a single layer in pan; scatter onions over top. Roast 1 and 1/4 hrs. until wings are browned. Put wings and onions in a 5 to 6 quart pot. Add water to roasting pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on bottom. Add to pot. Add 6 c. broth (refrigerate remaining 2 c.) the carrot and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 and a 1/2 hrs. Remove wings and when cool pull off meat. (can save meat for other use) Strain broth into a 3 qt. saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables; skim fat off broth and discard. Whisk flour into remaining 2c. broth until blended and smooth. Bring broth in pot to a gentle boil. Whisk in broth-flour mixture and boil 3-4 min. Stir in butter and pepper. Serve, or pour into containers and refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 6 mos.



David Gross Paintings



jux•ta•po•si•tion

 [juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uh n]

1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast.

2. the state of being close together or side by side.

“Juxtaposition” is such a funny word.

While hanging some art work in my house, I had to deal with abstract paintings along with traditional wall paper and furniture. Talk about juxtaposition! But you know what? It works! My extremely traditional wallpaper in my kitchen goes so well with the antique photos of my Great Grandmother Ella Estes holding the first Bingham Johnston and the 2 photos of my Grandparents, Wm. Clyde and Florence Ogg. POW! Within 6 feet of them….4 David Gross 12” square acrylic abstract drip paintings….on the same wallpaper! Some may call me crazy….I call me lucky!

In the living room I have a huge bright almost primary color abstract within 12 feet of my Ponte Vecchio. To be quite honest…it doesn’t work as well because Ponte Vecchio just doesn’t belong over my mantle. However, it is going to stay there for awhile. It is for sale, but I am still enjoying it.

In my dining room, on stonewall looking wallpaper, I have 2 of my new sparkling abstracts, one above the other, and at a 90 degree angle and 4 feet away is my new big floral. I think my dining room is looking pretty darned good!

Right now, my house is a perfect example of jux•ta•po•si•tion!

You know, that word works well describing some foods that sound like they should not go together, but yet, they do. For instance, what do you think of the two words Maple and Vinaigrette together? One extremely sweet, the other vinegary and sharp. My favorite salad is one with a Maple Vinaigrette! This is a salad perfect for holiday meals…easy, readily available ingredients, but yet, delicious, unusual and perfect for company! What more could you ask for? I have watched people follow me to the kitchen, as I am clearing the table, just to continue picking the apples, dried cherries and pecans covered with the dressing out of the bottom of the salad bowl. I have never served it that it did not cause a stir! I hope you give it a try, I know you will love it.

Apple, Dried Cherry and Pecan Salad with Maple Vinaigrette


6 servings
Maple Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Salad

1 bag mixed baby greens (about 10 cups lightly packed) (5 ounce)

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted

For dressing:

Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar, and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Re-whisk before using.)

For salad:

Toss greens, apples, cherries, and 1/4 cup pecans in large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans and serve.

I've been enjoying many of the food related blogs that are out there. I have posted links to many of them, and if you scroll down on any of those blogs, you will find links to their favorites! It just goes on and on! Anyway, I thought I would pick several to feature here, giving you an opportunity to check them out.
I have an assorted list for you....some cooking, some photography, a few on interior design. My favorites are those that discuss my favorite subjects while showing some wonderful photography.
I think the best of all of them is Smitten Kitchen, written and posted by Deb Perelman of New York City. Deb is a freelance writer and photographer, focusing much of her work on food. She has a tiny little son and a great way of telling a story. If you wish to check out Smitten Kitchen, go to  http://smittenkitchen.com/
Next I have to list Over a Tuscan Stove, written by my friend Judy Witts Francini of Tuscany. I've blogged about Judy many times. She is a friend, a wonderful culinary tour guide in Italy, and an amazing chef. go to www.divinacucina-blog.com/
There are quite a few professional blogs, posted by companies, that I truly enjoy. The two that I find most reliable and useful are Martha Stewart's,  www.TheMarthaBlog.com  and King Arthur's Flour
at kingarthurflour.com/blog Both of these blogs are great sources for recipes, research, as well as equipment, ingredients, etc. If I had to suddenly go back into a professional kitchen and declare myself as a particular type of chef, I'd have to say I was a baker. King Arthur has a team of bakers who spend their days answering questions, explaining techniques, offering advice. It is a very handy service.
Moving out of the kitchen and into the dining room, I love the blog called Once Upon a Plate. onceuponaplate.blogspot.com  Beautiful table settings, centerpieces and some fun recipes. I've always had a facination with antique dinnerware and silver. Mari writes about these things I love, but more importantly, her photographs are wonderful!
I find myself admiring these cooks who remember to take photographs while cooking. At my age, I'm doing my best to remember to add all of the ingredients! Don't get me started on aging! Or automobiles....but that is a story for another time.
Hope you enjoy the blogs!

Looks like it has been almost 2 weeks since my last posting.....I must be having a great time because time is certainly flying by! Actually, I spent those 2 weeks painting and cooking, preparing for the painting exchange party held at my house last night.

Today, I am the very proud owner of a JoAnne Carlton original oil painting! That is me, the short one on the back row, holding my new painting. Tomorrow I am going to have it framed so it will be hanging soon!
Each artist brought an appetizer or a dessert to add to the table....and we ate well! My job was to prepare two pots of soup. I decided to make 1)Beef Tortellini Soup and 2)Smoked Shrimp Soup. The beef turned out pretty darned good, but I am afraid to say the smoked shrimp was a disaster! I have made this soup many times, always with great success. As I served it last night, I kept wondering what in the world was wrong. Normally a rich creamy soup with a medium thick consistency, this batch was thin, a pathetic excuse for the real thing. As the guests were arriving, I finally shrugged my shoulders and prayed there would be enough of the beef soup to feed everyone.
It wasn't until today, as I was putting away the clean dishes and wine glasses, it hit me like a bolt out of the blue...........I didn't put in the boiled potatoes before I blended the soup! No wonder it was thin!
The original recipe came from Cricket's, an unusual "restaurant" in Spring Hill, Kansas. Cricket's is no longer open, but at one time, had a great business. She would open her home on weekends, prepare whatever she chose to serve, and her tables were packed at all times. She took reservations up to a year in advance! Her Smoked Shrimp Soup was a favorite of her customers.
I hope you try it....but be careful to use all of the ingredients!

Smoked Shrimp Soup
4 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 pounds peeled and diced potatoes
2 medium to large onions, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
2 pounds Velveeta, diced
4 cups milk
1  16oz can stewed tomatoes, pureed
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes with peppers, pureed
1/2 bottle Wright's Liquid Smoke
1 1/2 pounds cooked and peeled salad shrimp

Cook potatoes, onions and celery in chicken broth until tender. Puree in blender until smooth. Pour into top of double boiler and combine with the Velveeta and whisk until melted. Stir in milk, tomatoes, Ro-tel, and liquid smoke. Pepper to taste. Simmer about 45 minutes.
Add shrimp and gently simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Serves 12

On Friday, October 22nd, I am hosting the Somerset Ridge Painters Annual Painting Exchange Party. My wonderful friends and fellow painters, along with their spouses and partners, help me celebrate our friendship and love of painting. Each of the painters does a painting that will be wrapped in plain brown paper and placed in a pile in the corner until after we eat, drink and be very merry!


My dining room table will be groaning from the weight of the platters of beautiful food! We Somerset Ridge painters adore good food and good wine, and we all chip in. I made 3 kinds of chili last year, but then we held the event in December when it was very cold. This year, I am thinking of Somerset Ridge French Braised Pork with Rosemary Cannellini Beans along with my Apple, Dried Cherry and Pecan Salad with Maple Vinaigrette. This is definitely an Autumn Feast.
Knowing the painters, they will fill in the meal with appetizers and desserts. When I say the table will be groaning….I mean it!
Later in the evening, the painters will each draw a number, securing their place in the drawing. All of the wrapped paintings will be moved to the center of the room and one by one, the painters will choose a secret painting from the pile. Number one will choose the painting, then unwrap it, showing the group her new possession! We plan on continuing this tradition until we each have a collection of paintings by our fellow painters.

I do have a problem….I haven’t started my painting yet. I have many photographs I’ve taken that I want to paint, but sometimes, getting started isn’t easy.

Now that I am thinking about the evening, I’m questioning my menu choice. Maybe I should do a huge Lasagna, or maybe we should go Mexican with a giant Tamale Pie. Oh my, more decisions! Whatever I choose, it has to be something that everyone, men and women, will enjoy, and it has to feed 25 people. Should I go German? Should I fix a big pot of Beef Goulash with Dumplings? Actually, that sounds pretty good! I think I just might have to see what Steve’s Meat Market is offering before I make my decision.

I just blogged about dumplings, so I won’t share the Beef Goulash recipe with you this time. Instead, I will give you several Tamale Pie recipes. It seems like everyone loves the Southwest flavors. My first experience with Tamale Pie was in 1968 in Bel Air, California. We took the kids to Disney Land right before Christmas. We stayed with my aunt and uncle in Bel Air. My aunt was a writer and newspaper reporter, and to tell you the truth, I’m not sure she knew how to cook. She knew how to make coffee and cocktails! Anyway, because of her job demands and lack of desire to cook, they had a lovely lady who cooked for them. She made one mean Tamale Pie, but unfortunately, I never got her recipe. But that first Tamale Pie has been the one I have tried to recreate.

Here is one using ground beef…...
1 1/2 pound hamburger
1 medium onion
2 cups stewed tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cups whole kernel corn
1 cup sliced ripe olives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
Topping:
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded cheese

Brown hamburger and onion. Add tomatoes, sauce, corn, olives, green pepper and seasonings and cook for about 20 minutes. Pour into well greased 8 x 12 inch baking dish or large casserole. For Topping: Mix the milk, cornmeal, butter and salt; cook until thick. Add the eggs and cheese mix well and pour over meat mixture. Bake until top is browned at 350 degrees, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serves 6

Now for the Chicken version….
1 broiler fryer chicken, about 3 pounds, cut up
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic crushed
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup strong chicken broth
salt
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
1 can (12 ounces) whole kernel corn with peppers
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese mixture

Preparation:

Wash chicken and pat dry. Heat oil in a Dutch oven; sauté onion and garlic until onion is tender.
Add chicken pieces, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth and 1 scant teaspoon salt. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
Remove from heat. Let stand until chicken is cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones, keeping chicken in large pieces.
To liquid in Dutch oven, add chili powder and oregano. Boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 3 cups. Skim off excess fat. Stir in chicken pieces, corn, and sliced olives. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cornmeal with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until thickened. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.
Line bottom and sides of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with about half of the cornmeal mixture. Fill with chicken mixture. Spoon remaining cornmeal mixture around the edge. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes, or until bubbly in the center. serves 6.

I will tell you my aunt’s cook added green beans to her Tamale Pie, probably trying to get veggies into my aunt and uncle. There are many recipes that include a can of Pinto Beans. Just rinse and drain the beans and add to them when you add the corn.

Darn, now I need some Mexican food!

When I was a little girl in Columbia, Missouri, my best friend, Carolyn Jackson, used to invite me over after school. Carolyn’s family had a cook named Maggie, who kept their home smelling of spices. My favorite time of year to go to Carolyn’s was autumn. Maggie made dozens of quart jars of her famous Apple Butter. There, sitting on the stove top, bubbling away in a big heavy kettle, was the thick, golden brown, cinnamon laced apple butter just waiting for us to come popping into the kitchen. Maggie would take a big wooden spoon and after stirring twice, would slather a piece of her warm homemade bread (just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?) with her spicy treasure. She would have us sit down on the back porch, where she would place 2 big glasses of cold milk and a plate of the bread with apple butter on the porch between us. Trust me when I say every time I see an apple, I think of Maggie’s Apple Butter. Ah-h-h, to be 9 years old again!

Today, the process of making apple butter isn’t as time consuming as it used to be. Maggie had to stay close to the stove to stir her heavenly mixture frequently, or it would stick and burn. Now, we only have to fill the slow cooker with the chunks of apples, add the rest of the ingredients, place the lid on top, set temperature on “low” and go to bed for a peaceful night’s sleep. The next morning, you wake up to the aroma of apples and cinnamon! Now, if only Maggie lived with you, you could also smell the freshly baked bread.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter
12 c. apples, peeled, cored and sliced
6 c. sugar or 6 packets Sweet and Low
6 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Put all the above in crock pot. Cover and cook on high 6-7 hours. Uncover and cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally until thick.

NOTE: This is coarser than most apple butter but better than most. Jonathan apples make the best flavored butter.

While we are on the subject of apples, my Mom’s Apple Raisin Cookies were always wonderful. In fact, my 2 favorite cookies have always been her Sugar Cookies and these Apple Raisin Cookies.

RAISIN APPLE COOKIES

1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
3/4 c. soft butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. water
1 c. diced raw apples
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 c. raisins

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices into mixing bowl. Add butter, sugar, egg, and water. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Fold in apples, rolled oats, and raisins.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.



Hope you have lots of apples this fall, they are crunchy and delicious! And if you are in the Kansas City area, drive south on 69 highway to Louisburg, Kansas. There, just west on highway 68, you will find the Louisburg Cider Mill http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/

Check out their web page and event calendar. Once you are there, you are just a few minutes away from Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery! http://www.somersetridge.com/

Please come and check us out….sit out on the veranda with a bottle of chilled wine, and if you bring along a picnic lunch, you can sit there and spend the afternoon in total comfort and relaxation. If you don’t want to bring a lunch, Cindy has wonderful hummus, pita chips, buffalo and elk sausages and Christopher Elbow Chocolates available in the tasting room. And you don’t want to miss the live jazz on the veranda!

Could we be heading for an Indian Summer?

You can tell cooler weather is approaching. Even though our days are still in the upper 70s to mid 80s, the nights are down in the 40s and 50s. It is truly wonderful….beautiful blue skies, clear as a bell. Today at the garden center, I had a discussion with one of their employees, about Indian summers. True Indian Summer is a period of abnormally warm weather following the first killing freeze of autumn. A killing freeze occurs when the overnight temperature reaches 28 degrees of cold…and may or may not occur with frost. Indian Summer typically occurs in mid to late autumn and can occur more than once. So, if we get down to 28 degrees or below one night, and then the warm weather returns, we will have ourselves an Indian summer! I personally am wishing for one.


Cooking during such weather is so much fun, as our cool evenings are perfect for those wonderful one pot meals that are popular here in the Midwest. Today I had an email from one of my fellow high school class members (Wyandotte High School, 1959, Kansas City, KS). Pat asked me if I had a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings that had very “eggy” dumplings. I have replied to her email, asking what type of dumpling her mom used to make. I haven’t heard back yet, but I figured a blog on dumplings might be timely.

There are many types of dumplings from around the world. Polish Pierogi,  Chinese Pot Stickers, Italian Gnocchi, and German Spaetzle, just to name a few. Seeing as how America is one big melting pot, you can find restaurants that feature these dumplings, and there are millions of recipes for them; but this blog is about good old American Chicken and Dumplings……

My favorite dumpling is the fluffy, light as a feather, pillow type dumpling. Pat’s favorite is the eggy type, which I can only assume are the rolled type, very much like squares of egg noodles. Cut into squares and dropped into the simmering chicken broth, the flour thickens the broth around the chicken and dumplings. So, here, just for Pat and you, are several recipes. Give them a try, then let me know which type you prefer.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
2 whole chickens (3 to 5 pounds each)
Butter, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Broth:
Bones and juices from chicken
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1-ounce celery salt
1-ounce granulated onion
1-ounce granulated garlic
1-ounce black pepper
Water, to cover
Dumplings:
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
Roux:
1 1/2 pounds unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
For the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat the chickens with the softened butter and sprinkle with salt, and pepper, to taste. Arrange the chickens in a roasting pan and put in the oven. Roast the chickens until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the leg registers 165 degrees F, (make sure the thermometer doesn't touch bone), about 55 minutes. Once the chickens are cooked remove them to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. Reserve the bones to use for the stock. Set the meat aside until ready to use.
For the broth:
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then drain and reserve the broth.
For the dumplings:
In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients and combine well. Form into a ball and transfer to a floured surface. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/4-inch, and then cut into 1-inch squares.
For the roux:
Melt the butter over low heat in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the flour, whisking continuously, until it thickens and becomes an almond color.
Bring the broth back to a boil, then add the chicken, dumplings, and the roux to thicken the broth.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes while stirring frequently. Transfer the chicken and dumplings to a serving bowl and serve.

Next, is the recipe for my favorite type. You use the same Chicken and Broth and Roux ingredients and directions from above, but this time you add spoonfuls of the following dough directly into the simmering broth along with the chicken and roux.

Classic Dumplings
 1/4 pound unsalted butter
 1/2 cup minced onions
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 4 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Add minced onions. Cook onions for approximately 2 minutes until tender. Do not brown. Remove from heat. Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix dry ingredients with butter and onions in saucepan. In a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk, beating slightly. Add eggs and milk to flour mixture in saucepan. Mix so it achieves the consistency of mashed potatoes. To cook, drop by the teaspoon into the pot of simmering broth. Cover and Simmer until dumplings are cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Don’t forget that box of Bisquick! On the box is a recipe for a 2 ingredient dumpling. Maybe that is right up your alley.

No matter which type of dumpling you like, Chicken and Dumplings can add the perfect touch to an Indian Summer evening. Enjoy!

Did you all think I had forgotten about my blog? I haven't, I've just been occupied. I have finished a large floral painting for tomorrow's event at Rosehill ART IN THE COURTYARD. The email invitation said...."Greetings! Meet the Masters... this Saturday, October 9th it's ART IN THE COURTYARD from 10-4pm. Rosehill's spacious courtyard is the perfect backfrop for our guest local artists to show off their work. Color, texture, line... they use it all to dramatic effect in their paintings. They are definitely masters of their craft. This is your chance to view and purchase that one of a kind piece of art you've been looking for.
We are proud to host this cultural event at the Garden Center, so rain or shine, the show will go on!"

Rosehill Gardens
311 East 135th Street
Kansas City, MO (Martin City area)
64145

so, please join us.........!

Last night, we (David, Claud and I) went to the opening of the new show at ARTichokes. I absolutely loved the work of Mark Mohr! If you have an opportunity to drop by the gallery, make sure you look up Mark's paintings....they are wonderful!
Before going to ARTichokes, I fed the guys big bowls of chili. There was some burping and belching from the back seat on our way.....I began to wonder if I had been the cause of intestinal distress! But alas, all was well!
Do you use a recipe for your chili? I've always just started adding things to the pot, tastings, adjusting, adding, tasting....and so forth. The only problem with that method is, sometimes you can keep adding and adjusting until you have a huge pot of chili! 
Back in January this year, Bon Appetit had a blog asking readers to send in their secret ingredients they use in their own chili. Among the responses were these:

Pickle juice  (I can see where this might be pretty good!)
Mexican chocolate
Vinegar and a pinch of nutmeg
A puree of chipotle pepper, onion and carrot
Coffee slurry
Chorizo sausage with a mixture of ground pork and ground beef...spices like oregano, paprika, chiles, jalapenos (I do add chorizo to my chili)
Butternut squash and Ancho chilies
Don't spare the chili powder and the cumin. Use a mix of both ground beef and cubed chuck steak.
Ground elk, venison, Italian sausage, tomatoes and peppers frozen from the summer garden, onion, garlic, cayenne, the three C's -cumin, coriander, and cilantro, dark red beans, black beans, pinto beans, and butter beans, tomato paste, a small can of spicy V-8, a dash of cinnamon
Good steak, Guinness beer, jalapenos, chipotle and ancho chiles, Penzeys medium and hot chili powder, slow cook time and LOVE  (Penzey's is a great source for spices. go to http://www.penzeys.com/ )
Beer! In the chili and with the chili
Grassfed/finished beef if it's not a vegetarian chili, dash of cinnamon, and as much fresh ingredients that are organic that I can get!
Homemade chili powder (toasting and grinding dried chiles & cumin seeds), and good Mexican oregano
No beans. Three types of chilies. Cook it low and slow. Add chocolate that the end to round it all out
A can of anchovies, or fish sauce if I am out of anchovies (IN CHILI?!?!)
Stewed tomatoes, tomato paste and a good old fashion chili brick along with your fave meat and spices
(okay, I had to look up Chili Brick. It is a chunk of packaged, commercially made chili that you add water to.....your guess is as good as mine!)
The stock has red wine, beef stock and lots of tomatoes
Dark beer; unsweetened baker's chocolate
A stick of cinnamon. Let it simmer with your chili.
Beans, peanut butter and cocoa
Corn and fresh coriander

Here is a Bon Appetit recipe for chili. It is a good, solid, down the middle of the road chili. Play with it, make it your own. And if you add anchovies....let me know how it comes out!
Halftime Chili

A winner in the Bon Appétit Recipes Sweepstakes, a reader poll conducted in honor of the magazine's 50th anniversary. Recipe by Richard Snyder, Santa Monica, California

Makes 8 to 10 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 pounds ground chuck
5 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 12-ounce bottle beer
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 15- to 16-ounce can prepared chili beans

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chuck and sauté until brown, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano and thyme. Stir 2 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, beer and tomato paste. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Mix in beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm over low heat before serving.

Tums, anyone?

Not about Food, not about Painting............

This particular posting is way off my usual route. I received this poem today from a high school class mate (Wyandotte High School, Class of 1959). It seems to me this poem needs to be passed along, so here it is.
A POEM WORTH READING

~ Author unknown ~

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
Though a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state.
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young.
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Someone who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician’s stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, though small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end?

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part,
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Patriotism – Pass it on!
YOU can make a difference for our country; it seems our politicians can only screw it up.

Color, Color and More Color!

It happened, and we were ready!  It took all of us to pull it together, working long hours, while in some cases, still working on paintings.  But, at the end of the day, the gallery looked beautiful, the food was pretty darned good and the art was looking great!

I have to tell you, the gallery looked beautiful because of Jacquie Davis. She worked for 3 days, scrubbing, polishing, shining, while we were busy at our easels! She was on top of a 10 foot tall ladder pulling down worn awnings; she was on her hands and knees with a scrub brush in her hand. There wasn't an inch of the gallery she did not work on, inside or out.
Jacquie is not one of the artists at For Art'sake, but her husband, Claud, is.  Claud and Jacquie also invited me to spend the night in their guest room so I didn't have to drive home, which I greatly appreciated! I discovered by 10pm, it hurt to stand, sit, lie down, cough, move in general; my bones ached, my head hurt, and I still haven't figured out why.

The North Gallery was filled with paintings by David Gross, Claud Davis, Cher Ulrich and myself. The jewelry was by 5 or 6 jewelry artists, including Amy Thomas of Bonner Springs. There was pottery, fiber art, and metal sculptures. With sparkling clean windows and new lighting above them, our front windows were very interesting.

In the South Gallery, our guests found the paintings of David Robey, and the lamps of Dale Langner and a large table covered with Somerset Ridge Wine and platters of food. Scattered about the gallery were tables and chairs for our guests to enjoy as they visited.

The show will continue to hang for at least 30 days. I will keep you posted as to the future shows at For Art'sake Gallery and Artist's Co-Op Studios.

Thank you to everyone who dropped by, I can't tell you what it means to us. Please return soon!

If you missed our opening celebration, please join us anytime. We are located on the west side of the town square at 10 S Silver in beautiful little Paola, Kansas. It is just 25 miles south of Kansas City!



some of the Somerset Ridge Painters on hand to join in on the celebration
l to r: Vicki Johnston, Kristin Goering, me, Maria Johnson and Audrey Benskin



Now, on to other business....I heard a rumor that the first lady was trying to start a movement against butter. Need I say more? You have read my recipes! Butter is a necessity! So, I decided to share a blog by David Lebovitz. Go to http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/09/how-to-make-irish-butter/

Hope you enjoy it!

Spice it up!

One thing I truly enjoy about pulling a show together for a gallery, after the paintings are hung, is planning the food. A gallery, worth its salt, serves great food and wonderful wine on opening night at the Artist’s Reception. It should be a celebration! It should be creative, a feast for the eyes! Being the “Foodie” that I am, I am always on the lookout for new, fun appetizer recipes for just such occasions.


Most galleries serve big bowls of pretzels, chips, etc. with an occasional cheese tray from Sam’s or Costco. Here at For Art’sake, we are all “Foodies” and love to cook. Well, maybe not David and Claud, but they do love to eat! So, we plan a great array of party food for our events.

The secret is to have food that can be picked up and eaten in one bite. That way there isn’t a problem with used plates and forks lying around the pieces of art! So, we have been talking finger foods for days now.

The menu will come together as the food is brought in from our collective kitchens. You all know how plans can change as the day progresses? Well, that can happen to a menu also.

It sounds like there will be some Oriental, maybe a little Mexican, some German and of course, Italian.

While thinking about the recipes I might use, I decided I should share some of them with you. After all, you “Foodies” hang in there with me when I go on and on about the vineyard and painting. You deserve recipes for your patience.

The “usual” cocktail buffet table includes Deviled Eggs, Meatballs, and something with shrimp or crab. It is usually a shrimp or crab dip. Boring!  I like to shake it up a bit......there is no reason to always serve the same old thing!

The first recipe is from Master Cook and it is called

Buffalo Style Deviled Eggs

12 Eggs, at least 1 week old (they peel easier!)
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 ribs celery, finely diced

Hard cook eggs. Cool, shell, then cut in half to make 24 shells. Mash yokes and mix well all other iingredients, except diced celery. Spoon or pipe the yoke mixture back into shells. Garnish with diced celery.

Next is a meatball recipe from the National Pork Producers Council. Italian meatballs are spectacular, but every now and then, you just want something a little different.

Pork and Apple Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded pared apple
1/4 cup soft rye bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup apple jelly

Sprinkle salt, cinnamon and pepper over pork; add apples, bread crumbs and walnuts. Mix lightly but thoroughly.

Shape mixture into 40 balls (1 scant tablespoon each). Brown balls (half at a time) in large frying pan. Pour off drippings. Add water, cover tightly and cook slowly 15 minutes. Remove balls to warm chafing dish. Stir apple jelly into cooking liquid and cook until melted. Pour sauce over meatballs.

Now, for the Crab recipe. This one is Oriental, served with a great Plum Sauce.

Crab Spring Rolls with Plum Dipping Sauce
3/4 cup cooked crab meat, flaked
1/2 cup cabbage, minced
1/3 cup cooked green beans, chopped
1/3 cup raw bean sprouts, chopped
2 tablespoons canned bamboo shoots, chopped
1 teaspoon pickled ginger, minced (1 to 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grated carrot
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped (1 to 2 teaspoons)
Spring roll (Lumpia*) wrappers

Plum Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons plum jelly
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Put 3 tablespoons of filling on front section of the spring roll wrapper. Form the filling into approximately a 3-inch by 1 1/2-inch mound. Fold one end of the wrapper over the filling. Next, fold the 2 sides toward the middle, then roll the wrapper up and place seam side down on a platter. At this point, the spring rolls may be sliced in half and served on a garnished plate with the dipping sauce, or they may be left whole and fried in hot oil, my preference.

Plum Dipping Sauce Instructions:
Combine ingredients and gently heat until jelly is melted. Serve warm. Makes approximately 1/4 cup.
I usually triple this part of the recipe. I love lots of Plum Sauce!


Now, mind you, if you are coming to the Artist’s Reception on Saturday evening, no matter how well I plan, I can’t guarantee these particular menu items will actually be there. But there will be food!
The Color, Color and more Color Show will be this Saturday evening, 9/18 from 6 to 8pm.
For Art'sake Gallery,  10 South Silver, Paola, Kansas.

I was just thinking back on the time when I used to post a new blog, almost every day. I wonder how I had that much free time! Now, I have to really work at finding a few hours so I can write a new posting once a week! There is a reason for my shortage of time, and only one reason and it is spelled PAINTING!

David Gross in studio

When I decided it was time to either give up painting or paint until I learned the things I needed to learn,  I chose painting. I searched for a studio and found one in Paola, Kansas, of all places. The small town atmosphere, the quaint town square, the great rent prices (!) all helped me make my choice. But the truth of the matter is this....David Gross and Claud Davis are the reason I am there.  These two gentlemen are my studio mates. We paint together, in our studio, 7 days a week, rain or shine. I have discovered this decision to join them has been one of the top 3 choices of my life. I can't put a value on what I have learned from each of them. David is an amazing painter who is an experienced teacher.  After a week or so, he figured me out; It seems I need to be "shown how to" because his terminology is so different than mine. I couldn't figure out what he was asking me to do! Once that was figured out, we became good friends and my painting has changed dramatically.

Claud working on painting

Claud, on the other hand, is not a teacher, but he is a painter! Standing a few feet away, I can watch Claud working on incredible paintings...UPSIDE DOWN! He doesn't sit when he paints. He stands before his easel for hours at a time, working on the most detailed paintings you can imagine. His attitude and work ethic is truly inspiring.

Okay, enough about how I spend my time.

Now I want to extend a personal invitation to you. David, Claud and I are having a group show along with several of our fellow co-op members. Our opening party is this Saturday evening at For Art'sake at 10 South Silver, on the town square in Paola, Kansas, from 6 to 9 pm. Please join us for our celebration and the unveiling of our latest paintings.

 I am anxious to show you Ponte Vecchio and my just completed Somerset Autumn on Wea Creek. And for fun...a few abstracts.

Hope to see you there!

Setting up for a day of painting

Today was a great day! I arranged for Claud Davis and David Gross to join me at the vineyard to spend the day painting. We set up our easels under the tent that was up for the harvest event on Sunday, and spent the day talking to Somerset Ridge Winery visitors and painting. We had decided to each paint a winery/grape painting, just to keep with the theme of the day. When I saw Claud"s and David's paintings, I decided to do a landscape of the creek that I love and wanders through Somerset, Wea Creek. When you have painters such as Mr. Davis and Mr. Gross, you try to avoid painting something that people will compare to theirs! I'm no dummy!

Anyway, we were there from 11:00am to 5:00pm and it was a day rich with fun, laughter, great conversation and some pretty spectacular painting! Claud and I each unveiled our most recently finished paintings; his "Yvonne's Forest", a glorious large painting of a field of vibrant deep pink Asters, and my "Ponte Vecchio", which is hardly a secret by now!

left to right: me, Claud Davis and David Gross

As you can tell by the photos, we concentrated on painting....... some of the time. We loved chatting with the people and saw some old friends.
Claud finished his painting of the grapes just as the winery was closing. I will photograph it tomorrow and post it soon. You won't believe it!

Tuscan Grape Bread and a painting, Apples and Pears, by Vicki Johnston

Before we left the vineyard, we picked several pounds of Norton grapes. I just baked a Tuscan Grape Bread to share at the vineyard tomorrow. It is two layers of bread dough with a layer of wine grapes (seeds and all!) and walnuts baked in the middle. There are more grapes on top, sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with honey and baked to a golden brown.
Here is Judy Francini's recipe. If you can't find wine grapes, I would not substitute table grapes. Try fresh blueberries instead.

Schiacciata con l’Uva Tuscan Grape bread

1/4 cup olive oil
1 rosemary branch
2 lbs red wine grapes, Concord grapes or blueberries
1 lb flour
1 cake fresh yeast
1/2 cup sugar
honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Heat rosemary branch in olive oil. Remove rosemary.
• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water.
• Place flour in a large bowl and add the yeast mixture. Stir to mix. Add the rosemary-scented oil and 4 Tbs. sugar.
• Knead dough until smooth.
• Place in greased bowl.
• Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Divide dough in half. Roll out into a thin rectangle.
• Place on greased cookie sheet.
• Top with 1/2 of the grapes.
• Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with oil.
• Cover with other half of dough, rolled out as before. Seal edges by folding bottom edge over top.
• Press down on dough to crush grapes.
• Cover top with remaining grapes.
• Crush these too, to release juices.
• Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with honey.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden. Baste, if possible, with any juices.

Read more from Judy, straight from Tuscany: http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/

Life is good....busy, but good. At least half of all the grapes have been picked, therefore, we are half way through harvest! Yeah! This last weekend over 3 tons of grapes were picked and crushed. That means we are now moving on to the red varietals.

At the studio, I have finally, at long last, completed Ponte Vecchio! It should be dry and ready to hang at the vineyard this weekend. I have invited David Gross and Claud Davis  to join me for painting in the vineyard. We will set up our easels and each work on a painting during the winery hours both Saturday and Sunday. We are also going to each bring a completed painting to hang for the weekend. I have seen the paintings by David and Claud, and you are in for a treat! So, please join us.....come sit on the veranda with a chilled bottle of crisp Chardonel or Oktoberfest wine, while enjoying some of Chef Kamal's Hummus and Pita Chips. There will be live music both afternoons. AND,  It is going to be in the upper 70s, temperature wise! See....it's true...Life is definitely good!

On Friday evening, the Crossroads Art District will be hosting the First Friday's gallery tours. I have a very special friend showing at the Leedy Voulkos Gallery http://www.leedy-voulkos.com/. Kristin Goering's paintings are always as fun and as vivacious as Kristin is herself! Also showing in the Crossroads area is Anne Garney. Landscape Paintings by Anne will be at The b Gallery. I am looking forward to visiting with both of these artists and seeing their latest work!

Things will be changing at For Art'sake in the next week or so. Our next show opens on September 18th with a fun Artist's Reception with plenty of wine and food starting at 6:00pm. The theme of the show is Color, Color and More Color, and trust me, there will be lots of it! Please join us for the evening.  For Art'sake is located at 10 South Silver, right on the square in Paola, Kansas. I bet the paintings David Gross, Claud Davis and I work on this weekend at the vineyard, will be a part of the show!

Italian Harvest Grape Pie
We will be the picking the first of the red grapes during this weekend's harvest . To celebrate, I am going to be baking Tuscan Wine Grape Pie  - Schiacciata con l'Uva. One of the nicest things about autumn in Tuscany is Schiacciata con l'Uva, an astonishingly rich, sinfully juicy wine grape pie whose country roots are clearly revealed by the dough and the crunchiness of the grape seeds. I use the recipe from my friend, Judy Witts Francini. You need wine grapes for authentic Schiacciata con l'Uva, and those I have! I think maybe I'll make enough to have some  at the winery on Sunday! You had better come to the winery!