Kathleen Rowland's Blog, page 8
May 1, 2016
May Basket Day is May 1st!
When I grew up in Sioux City, Iowa, we practiced this curious custom, and it went like this. Our mothers bought or helped us make little baskets. We put candy and flowers in them, left them on door steps of friends and neighbors, rang the door bells, and ditched! If we were espied by the recipients, the recipient might give chase.
Oh the fun of brightening someone’s day! Another ancient (ha, ha) rite–At our elementary schools we invited parents when we danced around the May poles.
April 27, 2016
Grilled Italian Eggplant “Sandwiches”
Think of the Eggplant as the bread. Eggplant has close to zero calories. Daughter Janice and I are making these!
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, (1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds), cut into 12 1/4-inch-thick rounds
Canola or olive oil cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan, or Asiago cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 small pieces focaccia bread, or rustic Italian bread
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces baby spinach
1 cup crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
Preparation
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Place eggplant rounds on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Coat both sides lightly with cooking spray. Combine Parmesan (or Asiago) and mozzarella in a small bowl. Brush both sides of focaccia (or bread) with oil.
Place spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in the wrap. Microwave on High until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Combine tomatoes and 2 tablespoons basil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until bubbling, about 2 minutes.
Place all your ingredients on the baking sheet with the eggplant and take it to the grill. Grill the eggplant slices until brown and soft on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Grill the bread until toasted, about 1 minute per side. Return the eggplant and bread to the baking sheet. Reduce grill heat to medium.
Place 1 eggplant round on top of each slice of bread. Layer 1 tablespoon tomatoes, 1 tablespoon wilted spinach and 1 tablespoon cheese on each slice of eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, spinach and cheese. Sprinkle each stack with some of the remaining basil. Place the baking sheet on the grill, close the lid and grill until the eggplant stack is hot and the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
What is Modern Vintage?
Here’s the definition from Urban Dictionary for Modern Vintage: Referring to Modern elements in design, art, and photography that reference and borrow from Vintage elements, or use vintage items interspersed within Modern. Your decorating style is Vintage Modern if you like mixing Vintage with Modern design.
April 21, 2016
To dye or not to dye, that is the question.
Do you think only their hairdressers know for sure? Most do not care. 75% of women dye their hair, and they believe by doing it, they’re boosting their confidence. Here’s another statistic: Six out of 67 female members of the House of Representatives show gray but none of the 14 female US senators do. I admit to falling into the “do” category with low-lights. Between visits, I know two tricks for touching them up. I smear Vaseline along the hairline and back of ears before stroking color with an artist’s brush. Low-lights cover about half of my gray.
How do you feel about going gray? Do you feel it’s more authentic? Emmylou Harris, 64, has let her hair go white naturally. Do white haired women have more fun than blondes?
April 20, 2016
Vietnamese knock back Pho the way Italians do expresso– swiftly, routinely
Pho is usually served in the morning. Pho is an herb-scattered fragrant noodle soup, a beefy cardamom-y delight keeps you full for hours. It’s often paired with strong Vietnamese coffee served over sweet condensed milk.
I’m making Pho using Martha Stewart’s recipe. Photo is courtesy of Ryan K. Liebe.
Ingredients
4 pounds beef marrow or knuckle bones, rinsed and patted dry
3 pounds oxtail, rinsed and patted dry
1 2 1/2-pound piece beef brisket, rinsed and patted dry
10 whole cloves
6 whole star-anise pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 1/2 large onions, 2 halved lengthwise, 1/2 thinly sliced
4 medium shallots
1 4-inch piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons granulated sugar, or a 1 1/2-inch piece yellow rock sugar (available at kalustyans.com)
1/3 to 1/2 cup Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce, such as nuoc nam or nam pla
1 12-ounce piece beef eye of round
2 pounds rice stick noodles
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
Cilantro sprigs, preferably Vietnamese, for serving
Fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai, for serving
Bean sprouts, for serving
Thai bird or serrano chiles, thinly sliced, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Asian chili sauce, such as sambal oelek or Sriracha, for serving
Hoisin sauce, for serving
Directions
Bring a large Dutch oven or stockpot of water to a boil. Add beef bones, oxtail, and brisket. Return to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Drain; return beef bones, oxtail, and brisket to pot.
Toast cloves, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander, and fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to pot.
Heat broiler. Place onion halves, shallots, and ginger on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, about 10 minutes. Transfer to pot.
Add enough water to cover (about 8 quarts). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; do not boil. Skim foam with a spoon, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a simmer.
Simmer until broth is golden brown and liquid level has lowered about 2 inches, 6 to 8 hours. Transfer brisket to a dish; let cool, then cover brisket with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Remove bones and oxtail; discard. Strain broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Stir in sugar and fish sauce. Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
With a large spoon, remove most of hardened fat from surface of broth; discard. Bring broth to a simmer over medium-high heat.
April 19, 2016
Rolling out for Better Biking
Maribel Mateo and her brother Tony Garcia are youth organizers tackling bike safety in Santa Ana. While watching clusters of kids navigating traffic and street crossings on Edinger, Mateo pointed out that many people in her hometown of Santa Ana can’t afford cars, her family included. To get around, they take the bus, bicycle or both. She talked about Bike to Work Month, which is May. It’s also the same month for the Ride of Silence, a global campaign for safer streets that memorializes cyclists killed by motor vehicles.
Photo courtesy of the Orange County RegisterWhile gathering the information for the grant application, the KidWorks team documented that from January 2011 through this past May, on the 1.7 miles they studied, there were at least a dozen bicycle crashes, most involving cars.
Weeks after their study, Priscilla Vallejo was killed July 13 while riding her bike to school. The 13-year-old died after being hit by a truck in a crosswalk at South Center Street and West Edinger Avenue.
Lynnete Guzman, community engagement coordinator for KidWorks, joined Mateo and Gatica on the sidewalk off Edinger. Traffic noise nearly drowned out their conversation.
As she usually does on her 2.5-mile commute to work, Guzman rode there on her bike. “Why fight over a parking spot?” asked Guzman, who helped the teenagers with the application. Gatica explained he arrived by skateboard because his bicycle is busted after another cyclist hit him.
Mateo said the multimillion-dollar grant will help alleviate some of the dangers. The improvements will take several years to implement.
To celebrate getting the grant, the KidWorks crew went to Knott’s Berry Farm. Still, they continue their work by pushing what’s called “active transportation,” moving by human power. Their latest effort was leading a night bike ride with, yes, plenty of lights.
Both brother and sister already plan careers as civil engineers. Their goal? To help make a safer world.
April 11, 2016
My favorite smoothie– banana, blueberry, yogurt!
I just returned from swimming laps and wanted (badly) to eat something filling but not fattening. I made this delicious smoothie!
Ingredients
5 ice cubes
1 ripe small banana, 90
1 cup blueberries, 85 calories
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 137 calories
Directions
In a blender, combine 5 ice cubes, banana, blueberries, and yogurt.
Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into two glasses; serve immediately.
April 5, 2016
I made spinach potato fritters to go with my salmon dinner tonight
A fritter costs 13 cents each to make!
Ingredients
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for frying
1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Preparation
Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and return to pot. Stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to dry out. Mash with a potato masher.
In a medium bowl, stir together bread crumbs, garlic powder, pepper and seasoned salt. Whisk in eggs and 1 Tbsp. oil. Stir egg mixture and spinach into potatoes until thoroughly combined.
Working in batches, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add heaping tablespoons of batter to skillet. Flatten fritters with a spatula and space them so they don’t touch. Cook, flipping once, until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat, adding more oil between batches, until all batter has been used. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Photo: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
March 30, 2016
Plant nasturiums in hanging pots!
Not only are nasturtiums beautiful, you can put them in salads. I like them in hanging pots because they trail. When friends ask me to suggest easy annuals to start from seed, I include nasturtiums on my list of suggestions. The seeds are fairly large and they can be planted right in the garden or in a hanging pot. In a hot climate they like a little shade. In my neighbourhood we have zero lot lines. Neighboring houses have no windows on side facing the other neighbor’s backyard. Don’t my hanging pots look charming against their tan stucco? (I asked permission to mount them.)
March 27, 2016
Introducting author Janie Franz and her book, The Bowdancer
The Bowdancer is Book One of the Saga, and I thoroughly enjoyed Janie Franz’s story, published by Muse It Up Press. Any reader will be happy to know there will be more in her series. Let me tell you about the heroine, Jan-nell. He is a young healer and keeper of village lore. She must find the child who will be the next bowdancer or a man worthy of love. When a village wedding is interrupted by four stranger, Jan-nell treats the injuries of one of them.
The leader of these men, Bastin, is an arrogant, intelligent rogue who also is searching for an equal. His presence questions the bowdancer’s life choice and stirs more than her mind.
Excerpt:
The arrow flamed in a yellow arc across the night sky, like a trailing star portending some great event. And in truth it did this night, the night of the Great Moon of Full Summer. This night the bowdancer’s arrow signaled a solemn rite and a village celebration—the union of Merin, the tall horserider, and Co-rell, the blonde chosen-daughter of Wise Woman Dan-da-nell.
They were often seen among the white mares in the meadow. Merin’s long hair flowed behind him as he raced to grab a handful of yellow-white horse mane nearly the same color as his own. He would swing himself upon a sleek back of one of the mares and come racing to scoop Co-rell high onto the horse with him, cradling her in his arms like a happy squealing child.
Jan-nell, the bowdancer, knocked the last burning signal arrow against her bowstring. She smiled as her mind composed the quatrains of an idyll to the horserider and his bride: white against white like playful doves, spirit folk.
When she released the arrow to call in the stragglers from the outlying farms, she shook her head and altered her imagery. No, not spirit folk, just sleek horses riding the meadows enjoying the fullness of coupling and sweet grass. But this young stallion and his mare would grace the village children’s tales and lessons. Jan-nell would see to that. Co-rell and Merin were the stuff of legends. She would gladly give the young ones a dream. They need not know that Merin could not speak a sentence without coloring the shade of a retiring sun and much preferred the silent movements of horses to men.
Jan-nell had spent too many early mornings drilling Merin in the wedding words he was to speak to Co-rell. There were only five short speeches, but they were impossible for him to remember, much less speak them to a woman. Finally, on this wedding morn, he had been able to say the words to Jan-nell without much stumbling. She did not know if he could repeat them at moon-rise to Co-rell.
Jan-nell frowned as she ducked into her solitary thatched hut some little distance from the village edge. She wondered why she remained with such simple wits. From a shelf above the stone fireplace she had laid with her own hands, she brought down a pot of scented oil and set it on the hearth to warm. Taking a small piece of cloth, she wiped the smoke from her large bow.
Purchase Links:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bowdancer-janie-franz/1030408702?ean=2940148195030
About Janie Franz
Janie Franz comes from a long line of Southern liars and storytellers. She told other people’s stories as a freelance journalist for many years. With Texas wedding DJ, Bill Cox, she co-wrote The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book and The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book, and then self-published a writing manual, Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid! She also published an online music publication, was an agent/publicist for a groove/funk band, a radio announcer, and a yoga/relaxation instructor.
Currently, she is writing her tweveth novel and a self-help book, Starting Over: Becoming a Woman of Power.
https://authorjaniefranz.wordpress.com
https://janiefranz.wordpress.com
https://thebowdancersaga.wordpress.com
Questions for Janie Franz
Level of schooling: I have a BA in Anthropology.
Birthplace: I was born in a tiny town in Tennessee that if you drove through it with someone and reached down to pick up your purse, you’d miss it.
Currently residing in: I currently live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I couldn’t get away from mountains. They are different from those near my birth but mountains just the same.
Favorite place to visit: I’m torn between two cities in the Deep South. Savannah GA and New Orleans LA. They both hold such charm and hospitality.
Favorite food: A beef, bean, and rice burrito with green sauce with lots of sour cream and a margarita. I’m a product of my new environment.
Excerpt:
The arrow flamed in a yellow arc across the night sky, like a trailing star portending some great event. And in truth it did this night, the night of the Great Moon of Full Summer. This night the bowdancer’s arrow signaled a solemn rite and a village celebration—the union of Merin, the tall horserider, and Co-rell, the blonde chosen-daughter of Wise Woman Dan-da-nell.
They were often seen among the white mares in the meadow. Merin’s long hair flowed behind him as he raced to grab a handful of yellow-white horse mane nearly the same color as his own. He would swing himself upon a sleek back of one of the mares and come racing to scoop Co-rell high onto the horse with him, cradling her in his arms like a happy squealing child.
Jan-nell, the bowdancer, knocked the last burning signal arrow against her bowstring. She smiled as her mind composed the quatrains of an idyll to the horserider and his bride: white against white like playful doves, spirit folk.
When she released the arrow to call in the stragglers from the outlying farms, she shook her head and altered her imagery. No, not spirit folk, just sleek horses riding the meadows enjoying the fullness of coupling and sweet grass. But this young stallion and his mare would grace the village children’s tales and lessons. Jan-nell would see to that. Co-rell and Merin were the stuff of legends. She would gladly give the young ones a dream. They need not know that Merin could not speak a sentence without coloring the shade of a retiring sun and much preferred the silent movements of horses to men.
Jan-nell had spent too many early mornings drilling Merin in the wedding words he was to speak to Co-rell. There were only five short speeches, but they were impossible for him to remember, much less speak them to a woman. Finally, on this wedding morn, he had been able to say the words to Jan-nell without much stumbling. She did not know if he could repeat them at moon-rise to Co-rell.
Jan-nell frowned as she ducked into her solitary thatched hut some little distance from the village edge. She wondered why she remained with such simple wits. From a shelf above the stone fireplace she had laid with her own hands, she brought down a pot of scented oil and set it on the hearth to warm. Taking a small piece of cloth, she wiped the smoke from her large bow.
Purchase Links:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bowdancer-janie-franz/1030408702?ean=2940148195030
About Janie Franz
Janie Franz comes from a long line of Southern liars and storytellers. She told other people’s stories as a freelance journalist for many years. With Texas wedding DJ, Bill Cox, she co-wrote The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book and The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book, and then self-published a writing manual, Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid! She also published an online music publication, was an agent/publicist for a groove/funk band, a radio announcer, and a yoga/relaxation instructor.
Currently, she is writing her tweveth novel and a self-help book, Starting Over: Becoming a Woman of Power.
https://authorjaniefranz.wordpress.com
https://janiefranz.wordpress.com
https://thebowdancersaga.wordpress.com
Questions for Janie Franz
Level of schooling: I have a BA in Anthropology.
Birthplace: I was born in a tiny town in Tennessee that if you drove through it with someone and reached down to pick up your purse, you’d miss it.
Currently residing in: I currently live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I couldn’t get away from mountains. They are different from those near my birth but mountains just the same.
Favorite place to visit: I’m torn between two cities in the Deep South. Savannah GA and New Orleans LA. They both hold such charm and hospitality.
Favorite food: A beef, bean, and rice burrito with green sauce with lots of sour cream and a margarita. I’m a product of my new environment.
