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Archive for the ‘About me’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/18/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Helping Others, inspiration, Organization, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Zoom! Zoom! Ka-Boom! Aggression rages outside my kitchen window – thanks to one particular alpha male. With all his speed and might, this guy slams his body into another male. Zoom! He’s back to his guard post. This mighty hummingbird perches protectively on a chain that supports a sweet nectar feeder. A few seconds later, he spies approaching invaders and darts off to give chase. I watch as other hummingbirds attempt over and over again to reach the feeder, but alpha-bird will have none of that. I sigh, “Come on guys. Why can’t we all get along?”

#1 – Love Those Hummingbirds
In order to learn more about this hummingbird’s aggressive behavior, I searched the internet for information. From the World Of Hummingbirds and How To Enjoy Hummingbirds sites I learned:

♥ Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world and they are also the smallest of all animals that have a backbone.

♥ Because hummingbirds can rotate their wings in a circle, they are the only birds that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways and hover in mid air.

♥ The bright flashing-colored feathers of the hummingbird’s neck is called a Gorget.

♥ A hummingbird’s brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom.

♥ Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill.

♥ Hummingbirds can hear better and see farther than humans, but they have nearly no sense of smell.

♥ A hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,260 times per minute.

♥ A hummingbird baby is generally smaller than a penny.

♥ Most hummingbirds die in the first year of life, but those that survive have an average life span of 5 years.

♥ Hummingbirds are very territorial and will perch in trees, vines or bushes, between feedings to watch the area . . . and will attack other birds that might try to feed at their food source.

#2 – No Limitations
In another inspirational video from TED, activist Caroline Casey “tells the story of her extraordinary life” and “asks us all to move beyond the limits we may think we have.” Worth watching.

#3 – A Can You Can Hang

This repurposing idea from Brian Jewett is beyond clever. By attaching cleaned paint cans to a wall, he creates multipurpose hooks. A garment can be hung over the can, stuff can be stored in the can (I’m thinking keys), and something, like a scarf, can be hung on the can’s handle! Directions for this project can be found on Instructables. These can hooks would look great in a garage, an artist’s workshop, a child’s bedroom or playroom, etc.! There’s no end to creative ideas!

#4 – Yosemite HD
The talented combination of Sheldon Neill and Colin Delahanty, two young videographers, brings us this under-four-minute incredibly beautiful video of Yosemite National Park. Yosemite HD, a high definition, time lapse video, depicts the majesty of nature. Even if you’ve seen Yosemite with your own eyes, you’ll still want to see it through their eyes!

#5 – Every Moment
Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.
Thomas Merton

Enjoy every moment of your weekend!

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Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes Italiano

Posted in About me, Health, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My husband will wonder if I’m throwing an impromptu party when he finds a container of freshly stuffed mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in our refrigerator. Yes, I’m having a party, but just a party for one! With only two months left before my son’s wedding, I would still like to lose some weight. Since my son became engaged, my husband has managed to lose over twenty pounds. What about me? Well, despite the fact, that I eat a small-portioned, healthy diet and work in a mix of cardio and strength training on a regular basis, I’ve not lost a single pound! My trainer tells me not to fret, since I have lost inches and body fat. So what about the appetizers in my refrigerator? Other than at the gym, I hate repetition. Bored with the usual snacks of apples, celery, and carrots, I decided to reward my progress with some healthy gourmet snacks!

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes Italiano
Recipe as found in Deborah Anderson’s cookbook Easy Gourmet-Style Cooking With 5 Ingredients

Ingredients:
36 cherry tomatoes
1 – 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained
1 bunch of fresh basil, plus 24 leaves
2 tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
1. Rinse the tomatoes and set aside.
2. Also wash and set aside 24 small basil leaves and chop remaining basil.
3. Cut 12 tomatoes in half, squeeze out all the seeds and juice, dice and set aside.
4. In a food processor or blender, puree the beans, basil, garlic oil and lemon juice until it reaches a finely chopped consistency.
5. Place pureed bean mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and chopped basil.
6. Remove top 1/4 portion from remaining 24 tomatoes and discard.
7. Slightly squeeze out the seeds, liquid and pulp using a small spoon, so you can create a cavity within the tomatoes.

8. Fill tomatoes with the bean mixture.
9. Garnish each tomato at the top with 1 basil leaf.

Makes 2 dozen.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Having large ripe tomatoes sitting on my kitchen counter, I decided to dice those instead of the cherry tomatoes.
2. I used a little bit more lemon juice than called for, just to give it a fresher flavor.
3. I added half a shallot, a little salt and freshly ground pepper to the food processor before adding the beans.
4. You don’t want to over process this bean filling. It should still have small chunks of bean in it.
5. The recipe confusingly adds the basil twice – once to the food processor and then again to the pureed bean mixture. I ended up adding some to the food processor, and added in a bit more with the tomatoes. Although I love basil, I would probably not add as much the next time I make this recipe.
6. I did not discard the tomato tops as instructed in step 6. Instead, I diced them and added them to the bean mixture. I hate to waste food!
7. I used the small side of the melon baller to scoop out the tomatoes and then inverted the tomatoes on a paper towel to drain. A small demitasse spoon was used to fill the tomatoes and the mushrooms with bean filling.
8. Garnishing the tomatoes and the mushrooms in the photo are tiny Globe Basil branches from my garden.
9. The bean mixture is also delicious in baby bella mushrooms.

Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/11/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Health, Husbands, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Running with unbridled joy, Buster, my “grand puppy,” leaps into the air and performs his signature belly-flop into the water. Quickly, he locates his float-toy, snatches it with his mouth, dog paddles back, drops the float on the ground, sprays water over everyone as he shakes it off, and then barks a resounding “Let’s do that again!” Sitting in the cool shade of a tree, I watch Buster repeat this series of actions for almost an hour. During this time, my thoughts shift from “dog hair clogging the pool filter” to “what a joy it is to live in the moment.” This is just another life lesson I’ve learned from a dog!

#1 – Gelato or Ice Cream?

My family would leap in the air for a bowl of good gelato. It started several years ago, when my husband made it his job to find us the best gelato in each city that we visited in Italy. Thanks to him, we tasted some of the freshest-flavored and creamiest gelato we’ve ever had. Finding good gelato back here in the states is more challenging, so we soothe our demanding taste buds with ice cream. Both gelato and ice cream are delicious, but have you ever wondered what the primary differences between the two are? Here’s what I learned from TravelDudes:

1. Gelato is made with mostly milk, whereas ice cream is made with mostly cream. Therefore, ice cream has 2-3 times the fat content.

2. Gelato is made using a slow churning process, whereas ice cream is whipped. This means gelato has a lower air content making it denser and richer.

3. Gelato is served at a warmer temperature than ice cream, and freezes at a lower temperature, so it is soft from the first spoonful.

#2 – Don’t Just Sit There
During an NPR interview, Gretchen Reynolds, the New York Times PhysEd columnist, discusses the importance of standing up every two minutes of sitting. If you sit at a desk for the better part of the day, you might want to read or listen to her interview as she details “simple ways you can combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle” and other health and fitness issues.

#3 – Take the Mystery Out Recycling Plastic
If recycling were made simpler, more people would do it. Storing recyclable items at home until enough accumulates to warrant a trip to a recycling center is a minor inconvenience compared to the problem of figuring out what is accepted and what is not accepted at recycling centers. The Daily Green’s helpful article, “What Do Recycling Symbols on Plastics Mean?” takes some of the mystery out of recycling plastic.

#4 – The Net Worth of Imagination


Artist Janet Echelman took a leap of faith fourteen years ago when her paints went missing and she was forced to create an art piece using an unfamiliar medium – fishing nets. Years later, hers is a story of pursuing and adapting her vision and creating building-sized, billowy, volumetric sculptures. The nine minute TED video is inspiring, but what I found most inspiring were the TED conversations regarding “Creative vision – how do you develop and hold onto it, especially when obstacles appear in your path?” Look for these conversations under “Comment On This Talk.”

#5 – Make the Leap
“Leap and the net will appear” ~ Zen Saying

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms!

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Moving On

Posted in About me, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 8, 2012| 6 Comments »

A long embrace and a quick murmured, “Love you. Take care of yourself,” and he was gone. My firstborn, who has always marched to his own drumbeat, is moving on with his life. Although I am extremely grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that awaits him in New York City and for the fact that he is not moving out of the country, I allow myself to experience the bittersweet feelings that stir within.

With less than four adrenaline-fueled days to adjust to the idea of him leaving and to tie up loose ends here, I didn’t have time to sit, feel, and acknowledge the rumblings of my heart and brain until now. My brain confirms all the positive aspects of this transition, but my heart stubbornly refuses to let go of that last bit of apron string tied to him. I remind myself that he is following his dream, something that I endlessly supported. But in this mother’s mind, at this moment in time, I can’t help but think that this wonderful opportunity is carrying him far away from home and family. His hard work and perseverance paid off. He held fast to his dream even when his life didn’t go according to plan – when life’s zigs and zags carried him their unpredictable ways. How could I not be happy for him now?

In reality, he’s not lived at home for a while, but he’s always lived in the same state as the rest of the family. As he heads to the opposite coast, I take comfort in the marvel of today’s technology, which will help to appease my motherly worries. I worry about this son of mine because he has a different approach to life than my other children and because things seem to happen to him that don’t happen to the others.

His decision to drive across the country with his girlfriend rather than fly, a decision that baffled many, did not surprise me. I asked him why he wanted to drive for five days and arrive at his new job road-weary and tired. I asked him why he wanted to drive a car that already has 150,000 miles on it and risk it breaking down in the middle of nowhere. I asked him why he was making things so complicated. He told me calmly, “It’s only complicated to you, Mom.” And then he added, “In my line of work, you draw on life’s experiences for ideas.” I understood what he was telling me. It’s my fault, I thought to myself. Throughout the years I reminded my children about “life being a journey and not a destination.” It’s no wonder that they yearn to do more, see more, and experience more.

For three decades my identity has been wrapped up with my children. It’s inevitable that as they transition, so must I. With one child moving away and another getting married in a few months, the focus of my life must shift away from them. It is only natural. My time is coming again. My children’s growth and good fortune affords me the time and energy to fulfill more of my life’s dreams. It is now abundantly clear to me, that my children are not the only ones moving on.

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/4/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Entertainment, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2012| 1 Comment »

They’re finally here! After a seemingly long wait, the little strawberry stand down the way from my home finally reopened. Baskets overflow with big, red, ripe, juicy strawberries and customers eagerly stand in line to get some of the first-of-the-season beauties. They are just one of the reasons I love spring!

#1 – Strawberry Trivia – True or False?
A. Strawberries are the only fruit with the seeds on the outside.
B. The average strawberry has about 200 seeds.
C. Strawberries were once used as a toothpaste to clean teeth.
D. Strawberries are the most valuable fruit crop in the U.S.
E. Strawberries will continue to ripen once picked.
F. Strawberries are part of the rose family.
G. Strawberries offer more Vitamin C than any other berry.
I. Strawberries are the second fruit to ripen in the spring.

Answers: A (T ), B (T), C (T), D (F – strawberries are in fourth place after grapes, apples, oranges), E (F – strawberries will not ripen once picked), F (T), G (T), I (F – strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.

#2 – Berry Beautiful
Forget about drinking your strawberry smoothie! Slather it on your face instead! Because strawberries contain salicylic acid and antioxidants, you can use them to make beneficial and natural face masks at home. Go to Strawberry-Recipes to read about the benefits of strawberry facial masks and try its recipe below:

Homemade Strawberry Facial Mask

Ingredients:
4 to 5 very ripe, medium size strawberries
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon honey

Directions:
Rinse the strawberries and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. In a small bowl, mash fruit with a fork. Add cream and honey, mixing well. Apply immediately and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse of with lots of warm water.

#3 – A Wall to Watch
Friday’s Fresh Five! is all about sharing, so when I came across Wall to Watch, an “online gallery of undiscovered content,” I knew I had to share it. It’s a site that presents nine interesting articles a day. Check it out and enjoy!

#4 – Berry Good For You
Eating blueberries and strawberries are one of the nine things listed in the article “Boost your brain: things to do, eat and drink which could stave off Alzheimer’s.” I already feed my husband nutrient-packed strawberries and blueberries; now if I could only get him to follow tip number 2 and clean the house for his own good!

#5 – Love Is A Fruit
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Mother Teresa

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/27/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gardening, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 27, 2012| 1 Comment »

Bending to the wind and rain, the rosebuds looked as if they were praying. The first bloom of the season is usually the best, but this year the roses in my garden tempted fate by making their first appearance during a storm. Days later, with the sun on my back, I walked through my garden and inspected the blooms. Several had irregularly-shaped petals and showed signs of water damage. Reflecting on these imperfections, I thought about the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, where there’s perfection in the imperfect. With that in mind, these stalwart roses had to be some of the loveliest ones I have ever seen.

#1 – Held Up

Thousands of tiny figures support the weight of a man in a thought-provoking art installation titled Floor. Korean artist Do Ho Suh positioned the tiny figures, with their arms held upward, under plates of glass. Check out the rest of the photos first and then consider the artist’s message. Are you a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty type of person? Do you think this piece represents support or oppression?

#2 – Hold On To That Hose!

From This Old House comes this article 10 Uses For A Garden Hose. Here’s another 10 reasons why you should not throw out anything, at least if it can be reused!

#3 – Spice Up Your Life!

Herbs and spices bring flavor into our diets, but many spices do more than that. According to an article in Eating Well, the spices listed below are considered eight of the world’s healthiest spices. Read the complete article to learn about the benefits of each spice.

Chile Peppers
Ginger
Cinnamon
Tumeric
Saffron
Parsley
Sage
Rosemary

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme . . . wait thyme’s not on the list?

#4 – Morning Rituals
Some of my most creative thoughts, whether related to problem-solving or just ideas for projects and recipes, come to me when I am blow drying my hair. Having short hair, I’ve wondered if my creative productivity would increase if I grew my hair out. You know –  the longer the hair, the longer it takes to dry. A wise friend advised me to write down everything I am grateful for every night before I go to bed. It keeps life in perspective. And in the morning, upon her advice again, I write down everything that’s in my head before I even get out of bed. She calls it the “Morning Dump,” where you dump out all the thoughts floating around in your head and you start your day fresh. Along the same lines, of being grateful and starting your day in the proper frame of mind, comes an article called How To Wake Up Every Morning On Top Of The World from the website Tiny Buddha.

#5 – What Would Dorothy Say?
There is no need to reach high for the stars. They are already within you. Just reach deep into yourself!
-Unknown

Have a great weekend!

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Cinnamon Chia Seed Granola

Posted in About me, Health, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 24, 2012| 2 Comments »

Just mention the word chia and everyone instantly thinks of “hairy” green chia pets. But did you know that chia seeds are considered to be a superfood? According to Lindsey Duncan, ND, CN, of the Dr. Oz Show, “Contributing to its super-seed status, ounce for ounce, chia seeds have more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon! Chia is one of the most concentrated sources of omega-3 in any food. It also contains high amounts of omega-6 . . . Chia also contains calcium; in fact, it delivers 18% of your daily value per ounce, which is three times more than skim milk.” Ms. Duncan also states, “With nearly 11 grams of fiber per ounce, chia delivers 42% of your recommended daily value of fiber in a single serving. Fiber is vital for all aspects of health, and is especially key for weight loss and digestion . . . Chia absorbs up to 12 times its own weight and expands to curb your appetite, so adding just an ounce or so of chia seeds to your diet can reduce caloric intake and help lower the energy density (or calories) of foods, plus double the amount of fiber you receive.”

I keep a little jar of chia seeds on my kitchen table to remind me to sprinkle the seeds on my food at mealtime, but I’m always looking for additional ways to incorporate it into my diet. This recipe for Cinnamon Chia Seed Granola couldn’t be easier and it is packed with good things – cinnamon, chia seeds, rolled oats, and honey. It’s great for breakfast or for a snack! Need more super ways to eat this superfood? Here’s a link to 40 Ways to Use Chia Seeds.

Cinnamon Chia Seed Granola
Recipe provided by Peanut Butter Fingers

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 tbsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Combine the first four ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Slowly stir honey and canola oil into oat mixture until oats are adequately coated. Spread granola onto prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool until oats become crunchy and enjoy.

Makes four 1/4 cup servings

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I quadrupled the recipe because I wanted extra for snacking!
2. Because I quadrupled the recipe, I baked it longer. It took about 15-20 minutes of additional baking time to get my batch of granola golden and crunchy.
3. If you measure out the oil before the honey, the honey will slide right off of the oiled tablespoon!

Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/20/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Community, Creativity, Gardening, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This tree. This beautiful weeping cedar, a graceful perch for so many birds, is dying. It’s just a tree, I tell myself. But nonetheless, for over sixteen years, without any special wants or needs, this tree’s long, downward-growing branches covered with silvery, grey-green bursts of needles created an elegant archway into my garden. Now, it stands almost completely denuded. The arborist came last week, dug around, and shook his head while he uttered, “Probably some type of fungus. It’s a wait and see game, now.” Everyday, I go outside and look at this tree. I examine it for new growth – there is none. I touch the branches – needles fall slowly to the ground. I scratch lightly at the bark to see if there is any green underneath it – there is. There is still hope for this tree.

#1 – “Staying” Green

Planet earth is counting on creative people to save it. Smart concepts such as this “Urban Hotel” illustrate my point. Although you would expect solar-power and rain water recycling systems in these hotels, a unique feature of this concept are the bicycles in the rooms. The bicycles can be used for exploring surrounding urban areas or used for exercising inside the rooms. While exercising, the bikes convert “the bike’s pedaling into kinetic energy to power the room and any extra energy is used to deduct rooming costs.” Make sure to click on the link to view all the features of this earth-friendly concept!

#2 – The Green Gift

My neighbor came to visit the other day and she brought with her two gift bags. One contained my birthday gift and the other one contained another kind of gift. The bag was filled with empty toilet paper tubes. She remembered a comment I made about how I compost toilet paper tubes and paper towel tubes. After collecting several tubes, I cut them open, flatten them out and then feed them into my paper shredder. They add much needed “brown” organic material to my compost bin. There are many other items around the house that can be added to compost piles. TLC’s article on 75 Things You Can Compost, But Thought You Couldn’t is a good refresher course for those of us who compost. If you haven’t started composting, please consider it. It’s an easy way of redirecting some of your garbage away from landfills and back to the land.

#3 – When Chefs Get Bored

What do chefs do when they are bored? I don’t know the answer to that, but I would imagine they play with their food! Check out this series of food art photos and see that creativity knows no bounds in the kitchen!

#4 – To Market, To Market

What could be better than going shopping? What about shopping outdoors in the fresh air and sun? Most farmers’ markets carry more than just produce. I love walking up and down the rows of stalls looking at and sampling the fresh seasonal produce. I also enjoy visiting the stands that sell olive oil, soap, honey, hand-crafted and fresh baked goods, plants and flowers. I always make sure to bring my own bags/baskets, cash, and, of course, my camera. For more tips, visit Recyclebank’s 10 tips to Shop Smart at Farmers Markets.

#5 – The Tao of Pooh

“Say, Pooh, why aren’t you busy?” I said.
“Because it’s a nice day,” said Pooh.
“But you could be doing something Important,” I said.
“I am,” said Pooh.
“Oh? Doing what?”
“Listening,” he said.
“Listening to what?”
“To the birds. And that squirrel over there.”
“What are they saying?” I asked.
“That it’s a nice day,” said Pooh.
“But you know that already,” I said.
“Yes, but it’s always good to hear that somebody else thinks so, too,” he said.

Benjamin Hoff, author of The Tao of Pooh

Happy Earth Day! What about this? Do one thing every single day that is good for the earth!

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Tri-Color Potato Medley with Green Chile-Cilantro Salsa

Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The children’s counting rhyme “One potato, two potato, three potato, four . . . .” ran through my head as I wondered what to do with a five pound bag of tri-colored potatoes that my husband brought home after a quick run out to Costco. Small red, cream, and blue potatoes tumbled out of the bag as I prepared them for roasting. But before tossing out the bag, I looked at it and discovered a simple and seemingly low-calorie recipe, full of fresh flavors and a little bit of kick. Knowing that this potato salad would be a huge hit with my family, I changed course and turned off the oven!

Tri-Color Potato Medley with Green Chile-Cilantro Salsa
Recipe from RPE/Naturally Nutritious

Ingredients:
5 lbs. medley of potatoes
7.5 tbsp. cider vinegar, divided
5 fresh jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed
Juice from 1¼ fresh lime
2.5 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2.5 shallots, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and add salt. Bring to a boil and simmer potatoes until just tender, about 15-18 minutes. Potatoes will continue to cook after draining; do not overcook or they will break apart.

2. Drain potatoes and rinse under cold water until slightly cooled. Cut into bite-sized pieces while still warm and gently toss with 2.5 tablespoons vinegar. Continue to cool potatoes to room temperature.

3. While potatoes cook, coarsely chop jalapeños and pulse in a food processor with lime juice, cilantro, shallots, garlic, oil, and remaining vinegar until finely chopped.

4. When potatoes are cool, toss with pepper mixture and serve.

Makes 8 to 12 servings

Linnell’s Notes:
1. While searching for the exact recipe source, I found the potato distributor’s website and on it was the same recipe, but scaled back to serve 4 to 6 people. Here’s the link to that recipe.

2. Because the jalapeños I purchased were large and because I don’t enjoy the heat from peppers as much as the rest of my family does, I only added 2-3 jalapenos.

3. To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure to use an olive oil that has been manufactured without contamination from any wheat products. Bariani and Bertolli have been mentioned on a Celiac.com online thread as safe brands. In addition, cider vinegar is considered safe, but know that not all vinegars are gluten-free.

Enjoy!

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Banh Mi Bruschetta

Posted in About me, Husbands, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My husband seemed very pleased with himself as he carried the groceries into the house. “What’s up?” I queried while poking my nose into one of the bags. “I bought you something,” he proudly replied. Pondering what he could have bought for me at the grocery store, I said, “Oh, really?” While waiting in line at the check stand, my darling husband succumbed to the store’s clever merchandising ploy of surrounding the area with tempting, impulsive, and last-minute-purchase items. As he described the food magazine he purchased for me and why he thought it was a good one, I thought to myself, “How lucky am I? I have a husband who doesn’t mind running out to the grocery store and who thinks of me while he’s there!”

From my new magazine comes this appetizer version of a classic banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich. Banh mi sandwiches usually require a light crispy baguette, some type of meat, cucumber strips, jalapeño slices, cilantro sprigs, and pickled daikon and carrots. This simplified version is an easy and delicious way to use up some of your leftover Easter ham!

Banh Mi Bruschetta
Better Homes and Gardens, Best-Loved Reader Recipes, submitted by Amanda Humann

Ingredients:
24 ½-inch slices baguette-style French bread
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham
1 English cucumber, sliced or shredded
1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)
1/2 cup coarsely snipped fresh cilantro
Thin fresh jalapeño chile pepper slices, optional
Lime wedges, optional

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler. Spread one side of each bread slice with mayonnaise. Place bread slices, spread sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat about 1 minute or just until starting to brown. Brush lightly with soy sauce. Broil for 1 minute more.

2. Top bread slices with ham, cucumber, carrots, and cilantro. If desired, garnish with jalapeño slices and serve with lime wedges.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. To make this appetizer more like an authentic banh mi, make up a batch of pickled daikon and carrots and use it to top the mini banh mi stacks.

2. There’s no need to measure out the mayonnaise. Using a spatula, just spread it directly from the jar onto the bread. You’ll find that you’ll use less than the 1/3 cup called for.

3. Carrots should be coarsely grated or julienned.

4. If whole slices of jalapeño seem too spicy for you, cut the peppers into strips or coarse chop them. I wear rubber gloves (designated for food prep only) when I cut peppers. Hot chile peppers have oils that can burn your skin and eyes, so make sure you wash your hands with soap and water after working with them!

Enjoy!

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