I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

- Charles Dickens

POTTED SPICED HAM FOR TEA TIME

1/2 pound baked ham, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 scallions, minced
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon
2 medium celery ribs, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons minced tarragon
1/4 teaspoon sweet cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce and/or 1/4 small habanero, jalapeno or Serrano chili, seeded and minced (wear gloves)
Worcestershire sauce to taste
add-in: sweet pickle relish
add-in: 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

In a food processor, pulse the ham until finely chopped. Add the scallions and blend.

In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard. Fold in the blended ham mixture, celery, tarragon and cayenne. Add in chopped chilis to desired heat level, then cool back down with sweet pickle relish and some mayonnaise. Season with salt and black pepper. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce then, taste and add a few dashes of hot sauce. Set aside for at least 10 minutes before serving. Preferably, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight to instill the flavors.

Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment.

Until spring shows up and astonishes me,

brownies will suffice.

Cinnamon Chip Cocoa Brownies
(adapted from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet)

140g butter
1 cup sugar
3⁄4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
1⁄2 cup flour
2⁄3 cup cinnamon chips, plus more for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line an 8-inch square pan with greaseproof paper.
2. Over a double boiler, melt butter, sugar and cocoa powder. Stir the mixture until it is well-combined, and hot enough for you to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping in to test. Remove from stove, and set aside to cool briefly until warm, no longer hot.
3. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition.
4. Stir in the flour until all of the flour is incorporated. Stir in the cinnamon chips; the warmth of the mixture will cause some of the chips to melt. Beat for about 40 strokes.
5. Pour the brownie mixture into the lined pan, and sprinkle more cinnamon chips on the surface.
6. Bake at 160°C for 20-25mins, then leave to cool completely before serving.

Floris Gerritsz van Schooten, A Still Life of Cheese, c.1585
oil on oak panel, 39.3 x 55.2 cm, Private collection

Better Cheddar

1 bar Cracker Barrel Vermont Cheddar 6-8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 1 large bunch scallions chopped to 1/2 green stems 3/4 cup toasted walnuts 1/2 cup mayo Grate cheese. Mix ingredients and serve on crackers. Add additional mayo to desired consistency if mixture is dry.

Do not let Sunday be taken from you.

If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan.

Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, cut in 1-inch strips

olive oil for frying

1 red onion, chopped

15 small mushrooms, sliced in half

flour (3-5 heaping Tbsp.)

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

1 28-oz. can tomato puree

1/2 tsp. each dried oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning

2 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated or sliced in thin strips

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Slice eggplant and put on a plate.

Mix eggs in a bowl, then pour into a shallow dish.

Spoon flour onto a plate.

Place bread crumbs in a mixing bowl.

Gently heat tomato puree on the stove, adding oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, and parsley flakes.

Grate or slice mozzarella cheese and put in a small bowl.

Grate Parmesan cheese and put in a small bowl.

Chop onions and mushrooms, then heat olive oil in frying pan and fry gently until just tender.

Slice chicken into strips and place in a bowl.

Preheat oven to 350° F and lightly grease large oblong casserole dish. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. When oil is hot, dip slices of eggplant in flour on both sides, then in egg, then in the bread crumbs. Fry on each side 3-5 minutes until slightly browned and you can pierce them easily with a fork. Place slices on a plate.

Add more olive oil to pans as necessary. Dip the slices of chicken in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, and fry until golden brown on each side. Remove from heat.

To layer the casserole, place half of the eggplant slices, then half of the chicken in the bottom of the casserole, spoon on half of the onion and mushroom mixture, about half of the tomato puree, then sprinkle on half of each of the cheeses. Add another layer of each of the ingredients, with the cheeses on the very top. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

“Prayer is where the action is."

American Red Cross Responds to

Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami

American Red Cross

~ And when it rains on your parade,

look up rather than down. Without the rain,

there would be no rainbow. ~

Almond-Flavored Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Citrus-Flavored Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Maple-Flavored Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon maple extract in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Peppermint-Flavored Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Rum-Flavored Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon rum extract in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Spiced Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ground ginger or ground nutmeg in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Vanilla Whipped Cream: Beat 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream, 3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form.