by Krista | Jan 15, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Wind is gusting, rain is pattering against my window and cars are shushing past on wet roads. It’s a quiet, peaceful morning and I’m so grateful for the respite after this wonderful, but draining week. Much soul-searching has been done and now it’s time to rest, be thankful, and celebrate life. 🙂
I’m going to wear my favorite slippers…
…snuggle under cozy quilts…
…watch old movies…
…start new books…
…nibble chocolate…
…listen to happy music…
…write letters on monogrammed cards…
…dream of pretty places…
Bosnia
…and count my blessings.
I wish you a weekend of peace and happiness, dear ones. Thank you for making my world beautiful. 🙂
by Krista | Jan 14, 2010 | Bits 'n' Bobs
I feel overwhelmed this morning, my mind filled with the images and stories pouring out of Haiti, the heartache of dear friends, my own little struggles.
This week I finally found the courage to pull out my journals from my years in the cult. So much of those years are a blank to me. I can’t remember huge chunks of time, people, faces, experiences. They’ve all been blocked out. Until now I was happy with that. The things I remembered were bad enough. I couldn’t face any more.
But this week I was ready. Perhaps it was reading the WW2 stories, other accounts of escape and survival that showed me I was not alone, and I couldn’t be afraid anymore. Others have gone through far, far worse and survived to be beautiful people with healed hearts and bodies. I want to be like them.
I took several deep breaths, cracked open a journal and began to read.
My heart ached for my young self as I read page after page of sometimes daily emotional and spiritual abuse, brainwashing, and neglect. I wanted to reach in through those pages and give her a hug and tell her to hang on because everything was going to be OK. Sobs welled up inside me and I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to snatch her out of there, and grab all her friends while I was at it, whisking them away to a safe place where no one would hurt them again. I found myself wanting to break down the doors of those buildings where they hid us away from the world, those secret places where they could hide and justify their cruelty and lies, and shout at the top of my lungs: “It’s not true! IT’S NOT TRUE!”
I only made it through one journal before I had to take a break and just sit. Quietly. Silently. I plugged in fairy lights, pulled my favorite quilt over me, and just sat. For a long time. A lovely peace stole over me, and I started to smile. I realized I like my young self. 🙂 All these years I’ve been both sad for her and ashamed of her for not escaping, not getting out sooner, not fighting back. But as I read those pages I saw that I WAS a fighter.
Even in my darkest moments as I’m describing the bad things done to me I would write:
“But, I got to fall asleep in a pool of moonlight! How lovely is that?!”
“But, I got to see the sunrise this morning, and the sun is a puddle of gold on my head as I write.”
“But, it’s a gloriously rainy day, so how can I be sad?”
But.
Such a beautiful little word that allowed a young girl to find beauty and joy in a dark, dark place.
Then I cried. And cried. Such a huge release of pent up fear, pain, grief. I cried and then I wrote furiously, the words hurtling from my fingers, a rush of understanding, comfort and strength compelling me to write, write, WRITE!
When it was all over I discovered something wonderful: I wasn’t afraid of my past anymore. I wasn’t ashamed of it anymore. My old self and my new self met for the first time, a little shyly as we peered tentatively at each other before bursting into laughter, hugging each other soundly and twirling about the room.
We’re going to be OK.
So today, in the midst of so much pain and suffering all around me, I’m taking a moment to be grateful. I don’t know why terrible things happen. I don’t know where God is in the midst of it, why he doesn’t rescue everyone and keep them safe. I don’t know how to alleviate the suffering of the people of Haiti or of my dear ones. But I’m going to keep looking, for answers, for ways to comfort, love and heal. And I’m going to be grateful for healing, hope, love and precious friendship, the things that make life worth living.
by Krista | Jan 13, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
It may have been pouring rain for this week’s CEC festivities, but that didn’t dampen our spirits. Our theme started out as Aged (as in, we had to use recipes with aged ingredients) then some forgot and turned it into Simple Finger Foods, then Darren decided it was the perfect time to make mozzarella from scratch. It was a delightful hodgepodge of yumminess.
Beer and wine were poured as we nibbled on cheese, Italian salami and lovely, chewy bread dipped in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic.
Selwyn busied himself toasting rounds of baguette, crumbling Gorgonzola and sauteing garlicky flank steak for Black and Blue Crostini.
Darren stirred his milk mixture, cut it into squares, stirred, heated, stretched, pulled, and twisted until what had once been a gallon of milk became delicious knots of fresh mozzarella.
Deb made a wonderfully creamy and spicy Chimichurri sauce to dip slices of beef in, and Toby made a comforting mound of potatoes seasoned with bell peppers and all manner of colorful herbs.
I finished off the menu by mixing mascarpone, chevre and scallions together, stuffed the mixture into deliciously plump Medjool dates…
…and wrapped them in prosciutto. Then Cameron grilled them for me until they were slightly charred, the cheese a bit melty and the dates warm and soft.
After dinner we hung around for a couple of hours, talking with that comfortable amiability that comes with good wine, good food and good friends.
Selwyn’s Black and Blue Crostini
Ingredients:
Flank Steak (preferably Black Angus but any will do)
Granulated Garlic (enough to dust both sides of the steak)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp of sugar
Sliced Baguette Rounds (preferably sour dough)
Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese Crumbles
Directions:
- Take the Flank Steak and slice it in half lengthwise to make a more manageable piece of meat. Dust both sides with granulated garlic. Mix the soy sauce and sugar together, then marinate the steak in the mixture for an hour. Making sure the steak is in the fridge for at least the last 15 minutes of the marinading will make it easier to slice. Slice the steak into thin strips on a 45 degree angle to get a nice cross section, and set aside on a plate.
- Place the baguette slices on a cookie sheet and stick in a broiler on high until lightly toasted on one side. Flip the baguette slices and set aside to wait for the beef.
- Into a very hot pan with a little bit of olive oil to just coat the surface and keep the meat from sticking, place the marinated steak strips in and sear on both sides to desired level of doneness.
- Place the strips of beef on the untoasted side of the baguette, coat with your desired level of Gorgonzola, and Broil until the cheese is melted and begins to turn golden brown.
- Serve hot out of the oven.
- You can also serve this with a nice corn & black bean salsa to make a full meal out of it, or leave out the baguette and serve on a bed of spring greens that have been tossed in a light vinaigrette.
Deborah’s Steak with Chimichurri Mayo
(From America’s Test Kitchen)
Ingredients:
1 small flank steak (about 1 pound)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used Olive Oil)
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
Directions:
- Pat steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook steak until well browned, 3-6 minutes per side.
- Transfer to cutting board, and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly and serve with mayo.
- Whisk mayo, parsley, shallot, garlic and vinegar in bowl. Serve.
Krista’s Cheese-Stuffed Dates with Prosciutto
(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 (12 ounces) Medjool dates, pitted
8 thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise
Special equipment: 16 toothpicks or cocktail picks
Directions:
- In a small bowl add the cheeses, chives and salt and pepper, to taste. Mix together until well combined.
- Gently pull the dates apart and spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture inside. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick.
- We grilled them for 5-10 minutes.
- Arrange the stuffed dates on a platter and serve.
by Krista | Jan 12, 2010 | Spring
It was spring in Perdifumo, Italy where I was staying at a fairytale villa with my friends Becks, Nat, Viss and Trish. It was our last day before driving to Rome to meet up with my brother Ryan and two more friends, Ben and Stace, for a 10-day drive through the Balkans, and we decided to spend it exploring the mountain villages near the villa. After a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, Nutella spread on chewy bread and hot coffee on the terrace, we loaded up and headed out along the windy roads.
We passed ramshackle stone houses, discovered the abandoned home of a duchess, and delighted in the simple details of white sheets drying against ancient stone.
After exploring and walking for a couple of hours, our tummies were rumbling and we were in dire need of sustenance. We had stumbled on the tiny village of Laureana Cilento – a place that charmed us with it’s quiet, narrow streets and unbelievably jolly and kind townspeople who waved at us from school windows and came out of their homes in aprons and house slippers to smile and nod.
On our way in I had spotted the Il Blu di Prussia Cafe and was smitten.
More antiques shop and artist studio than cafe, I was confused as I stepped inside, feeling like I was in someone’s living room. But then the owner, beaming and welcoming assured me that yes, yes, it was indeed a ristorante.
His name was Memo The Beautiful. He told us so himself as he clasped his hands to his breast then flung them out dramatically. We fell in love with him instantly. 🙂
He brought us limoncello and Coke (American rubbish! he informed us ;-)) out on the terrace, apologizing that they make everything from scratch so it would take some time. Apologize? Seriously? We were THRILLED! We sat out under some beautifully flowering trees and visited away happily as we sipped our drinks and waited.
Finally, all was ready. He led us grandly as if we were visiting dignitaries and seated us on antique chairs, around an antique table, surrounded by old books, chandeliers and and his own exquisite Old World paintings.
Then the feast began.
Memo served us antipasti: roasted peppers, eggplant, artichokes, puffy fritters, locally cured olives, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, marinated lima beans, asparagus frittata, an assortment of hard cheeses, fresh bread and a lovely red wine served from a jug.
Next came homemade gnocchi with wonderfully savory Bolognese sauce. The gnocchi in Southern Italy was completely different than Northern, more like pasta than soft dumplings.
This was followed by the best roast chicken I’ve ever had in my life, with exquisitely crunchy skin, moist meat, and outrageously amazing potatoes crisped in the chicken juices, fluffy on the inside.
Before dessert we were granted a respite with luscious strawberries, still warm from the sun.
We leaned back in our seats and groaned as Memo and his lovely Aussie wife came out to visit with us while the walnut ricotta cake finished baking. Memo instructed that we must ALL come back to Italy so that he could find us good, Italian husbands. 🙂
Dessert arrived shortly, cool, creamy and and absolutely delicious.
With scarcely pinch of space left in our tummies, we still found room for sips from the tray of frosted bottles filled with homemade liqueurs, delighting in the strong flavors of lemon, almond and anise.
As our lovely dinner came to a close, we hugged our new found friends farewell, promising to visit them again some day. Then we were off to explore the mountain, finding a wonderfully overgrown castle and a secret garden we spied through the big blue door.
It was a beautiful day. 🙂
by Krista | Jan 11, 2010 | Winter
I’m the sort of girl who wakes up early, cheerful and absolutely ravenous! Oddly enough most of my friends can go for half the day without eating, and I’m practically perishing by the time they’re even thinking of food. I love them dearly but for sheer survival I’ve learned to carry nuts and dried fruit with me when visiting any of them. 🙂
Thankfully I have a few pals who like to eat before noon, and Betsy is one of them. Few things make her happier than waking up early and going out for breakfast with her hubby and friends. Whenever I visit I’m delighted to join in, and have feasted on many a Dutch Baby, Coconut Pancake, and sausage link with relish and abandon.
Most days though, I like to eat hearty and healthy at home. I usually start with a fresh squeezed juice of some kind. This morning it was ruby red grapefruit.
I like to serve it in a pretty glass, just because it makes it a little bit special.
This week I was craving muffins. Not sugary or chocolaty, but moist and grainy with lots of flavor and tender crumb. I found a marvelous recipe on the back of Bob’s Red Mill Wheat Bran.
Sweetened only with molasses and applesauce and using a scant 2 Tbsp of oil, they are low in bad fats and sugars. Thankfully they are not only healthy but delicious! Tender, moist and flavorful, they are easy to make, a snap to freeze, and reheat beautifully.
The only deviations I made from the recipe were to grind up the nuts (I don’t care for chunks) and use coconut milk instead of regular milk. I’ve been using coconut milk as a substitute in more and more of my baking recipes, and the results have been consistently wonderful.
I like them best sandwiched with peanut butter and creamed honey, served with simple scrambled eggs.
Moist Molasses Bran Muffins
(From Bob’s Red Mill)
Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat Bran
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Raisins (Unsulfured)
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup Molasses (or Honey)
3/4 cup Applesauce
1/4 cup chopped Nuts
2 Tbsp. Oil
2 Eggs, beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine wheat bran, flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Stir in nuts and raisins.
In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk, molasses, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
Spoon into greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 marvelous muffins.
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