Jamie Oliver, my inspiration

Jamie’s documentaries in England created major changes in the school food system. Junk was banned as were vending machines, and students were required by law to take at least 18 hours of cooking lessons before graduating.

And why shouldn’t they? Why shouldn’t children be taught the things they truly need in order to survive in this world? How to cook at least six meals, how to brush and floss properly, how to finance and budget their money, how not to get pregnant and catch STD’s? I wasn’t taught ANY of that in school. Some I learned from home, and some I learned on my own. Life would have been so much easier if these things were required along with English, math and science.

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Lentil soup with ham…

I had to cook dinner in a pinch and didn’t have much on hand, but lentils. I should have used  Alison’s recipe she offered me last time, but I didn’t have access to the laptop. I’m getting awfully dependent on this thing!

So, I tried one with ham since my last one had no flavor. And I will try Alison’s lentil soup when we next have lentils.

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Food for the compost

In my recipes, I almost always have at least one picture of the food scraps, telling you they’re headed for the compost bin.

This is what happens to them.

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Growing the food for the recipes!

I planted my fall garden in the back yard today. Well, I planted my collard greens anyway.

Lone collard. Isn't he lovely?

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Spicy Mediterranean chili

Matthew and I have been on the Mediterranean diet kick since we got married. Let’s get it straight, we’re not on a diet, period. But we’ve tried to incorporate as much food as we can that is served in the Mediterranean. They tend to live longer, thinner, happier lives than many other cultures. Obsessed with Roman culture, if Matthew were given the chance to go back in time but had to give up everything in his present life, including me, I think he’d do it!

Though we’re in the middle of summer, we’re still crock-potting and eating fabulous foods–soups, stews and chilis. We haven’t melted yet.

Served with feta cheese, plain yogurt, red wine and pita! Just lovely if I do say so myself.

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Roast, carrots and potatoes

I’m a “meat and potatoes” girl myself. I’ve heard that line from my mother my entire life. In high school, I experimented with soufflés and quiches. No one in the house ate my food, mostly because it wasn’t meat and potatoes. Frustrated and heart-broken, I remember tossing entire freezer-burnt concoctions in the trash.

18 years later, my family is much more open-minded. They always eat my new concoctions and love them. Or at least, they tell me they do! They’d better if they’re in my house, right? (joking!)

But I try to make things they will like, and things they are comfortable with. After all, you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.

So, here’s mama’s receipe for roast, carrots and potatoes. It’s what this girl grew up eating, and one of my husband’s favorite meals.

Roast bigger than 2 to 3 pounds won't cook through in 6 hours....

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Lentil soup gone wrong

I met a colorful character in the blogging world named Alison at Alison Amazed. Born British, but brought up in Canada, her blog is littered with both English and Canadian terms. I adore folks who have one foot in one culture, the other foot in another culture and a finger and toe in a third and fourth. She makes beautiful, vegetarian dishes, but alas, I am not a real cook and need a recipe. Alison gave me directions. Not quite the same. But determined to eat more lentils for the folic acid and the fact that my cousin who lived in Chile for years claims they are so delicious she could eat them daily, I thought I’d give it a try. I can do this….right?

Who am I kidding? This chick needs a recipe. I will never be Rachael Ray. (And that’s okay. I’ve come to terms with it.)

Cooking lentils...

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Jennifer’s Whole Wheat Low-fat Lasagna

“What do you want for dinner tomorrow?”

“Lasagna—with lots of cheese.” Ahhh, my cheese-lover, no surprise there.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Rolls

Years ago, as a missile field cook, a military cop made a request for chicken cordon bleu. He explained it was easy to make on the grill, but could have been speaking Greek for all I knew. I tried to follow his directions and when I delivered it on the plate, he smiled. It wasn’t perfect, but it made the cops happy when we tried to accommodate their requests.

Roll them up, secure with a toothpick.

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Roasted Chicken with Veggies

A whole chicken? With the insides and the bones? I’d never even tried. It seemed too…..overwhelming. But this year of cooking and the very reason for this blog is to try something different, be bold, take a chance. To cook!

So, I did it.

I cooked a whole chicken. I touched everything. I wasn’t afraid. And it wasn’t as bad or as difficult as I thought it would be. I can do this! I am like my grandmother!

What a scary sight.

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