KENNETH'S HUMMUS

I tried ANOTHER new recipe today. I made hummus myself for the first time. Recipe told to me verbally by chef Kenneth from “Taste of Thyme: Good & Good for You Food”

I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, we were talking about LIGHT recipes – I can’t remember if I am to add some olive oil or not – but if you add any, add very sparingly, otherwise the calories begin to add up. The batch I made was without olive oil and was fine by me.

I am thrilled at the economics of making my own hummus. $.89 for a can of Trader Joe’s Garbanzo Beans and $.39 for a fresh lemon from Trader Joe’s as well. It was a bit of an outlay for the tahini, but will only use that 1 Tablespoon at a time. Tahini pays for itself after creating only two batches of hummus. I used ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper & ½ teaspoon ground cumin for spices and it is very flavorful and delicious. I am looking forward to an opportunity where I can make this for others.

My round-up of ingredients shows the blender, but I transferred the concoction to the food processor and I found my old 1980’s food processor worked better than a blender.

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Kenneth’s Hummus

1 15 oz can of Garbanzo Beans
1 lemon
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon tahini
1 clove garlic

Open can of Garbanzo Beans, drain, but reserve liquid. Squeeze or ream and save juice of one lemon. In food processor – mix beans, lemon juice, spices, tahini, garlic clove. Add reserved garbanzo bean liquid until desired consistency. Garnish with lemon zest. Makes 12 oz by weight.

This is zesty, tasty, light and less calories without olive oil.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

HOLY WEEK

Today is Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week - and will culminate at Easter at the Vigil.

A different look and feel of RUMINATION throughout this week until Easter.

Wishing you all a good Holy Week.

RED LENTIL AND SPINACH STEW

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me looking for RUMINATION postings. I’ve had a bit of silence on here. I have been OK. I had to work at the “day job” four days in a row – Monday through Thursday. Most of you know that I am a registered nurse, but for those of you who don’t know, four days in a row of caring for acutely ill patients can be exhausting.

There is a link on my blog for “Geranium Farm” which is the very popular home to priest, author, Barbara Crafton who I had the opportunity to meet earlier this month. I was agog. Barbara Crafton has noted in her writings that sometimes you get so tired emotionally, physically, spiritually, that you really just want to sit and look at the wall. That’s how I have been this past week. Doing my work. Doing whatever else had to be done, and resting the best I could.

I’ve continued with my generally meatless Lent. I’ve realized we are nigh on Holy Week and facing another ‘door’ as it were, or another milestone. Before I started on this particular Lenten journey, I thought I would start preparing vegetarian things I knew and move to doing something new. I realized I had been surviving just fine on what I knew and I was NOT plowing any new ground. Playing it safe. So to keep my word to myself that I would try something new, I tried preparing a new vegetarian dish today.

Often, in order to grow spiritually, we need to do something new. It’s ok that it’s not good or perfect. Just new. Drive down a new street. Shop at a new store. Talk to someone you’ve never talked to before. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Things won’t be different unless you DO something different. Once you’ve done it, there’s no going back. Even if things don’t go the way you expect them to, even if your experience is horrible, it’s still experience in which to glean wisdom.


I serendipitously found this recipe in the Weight Watchers “DINING FOR TWO” cookbook published in 2004. It has been long out of print. I had never made this recipe before today.

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RED LENTIL AND SPINACH STEW

1 teaspoon vegetable oil (I used olive)
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ to ½ crushed red pepper
½ cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth
1 ¼ cups water
1 cup frozen leaf spinach, thawed
¼ teaspoon salt
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the lentils, broth, and water; bring to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in spinach and salt and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.



Per serving (scant 2 cups): 230 Cal, 3 grams fat, 20 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans Fad, 0 mg Cholesterol, 1188 mg sodium, 39 grams carb, 13 grams fiber, 15 grams protein, 131 grams calcium. POINTS: 4


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I doubled the recipe. Even though it is from a “Dining For Two” cookbook – AND – I live alone – I have a cook once, eat all week philosophy. I am always in search of recipes that are good enough to each every day and do well as leftovers. I omitted the salt, there is already sodium in the vegetable broth.


What did I learn from this foray to a new dish?


I learned that there must be a difference between chopped spinach and leaf spinach; I will aim for the leaf spinach next time and see how that is, though the chopped seems to be fine. I did not realize this when I was purchasing frozen spinach at the store.


I learned one of the beauties of red-lentil dishes is that they can be prepared relatively quickly – even from dried lentils.


I made with Hot Curry (obtained from Penzeys)– which I really like but could be made with sweet or mild curry. To me, my experience is that it is very flavorful with the Hot Curry, though very light at the same time.

This could be easily garnished with a dollop of greek yogurt.


I would definitely make this again. I am glad I made it, I’ve now expanded my repertoire of vegetarian dishes. I do know that sometimes you try a new dish and there are a number of things that could be that you don’t make it again. Difficulty in preparation; peculiar hard to find ingredients; cooking time; taste; texture, etc. This one measures up. Moreover I think I would enjoy it in both summer and winter.


I got some experience. I got some wisdom.


SOLI DEO GLORIA

VERNAL EQUINOX

crocus (I planted years ago) photo taken yesterday on The Feast of Saint Joseph

Yesterday was the Feast of Saint Joseph – NOT the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker as Representative Nancy Pelosi inadvertently said in the last couple days. We wait for May Day or the first day of May for that.

Today is the Vernal Equinox, or astronomically the first day of spring when for the next quarter where both the days continue to get longer (until the summer solstice) but also the daylight will be longer than the nighttime. But only in the northern hemisphere.

It has been my observation and understanding that Pagan traditions attached great meaning to the times and workings of the earth, sun, and heavens. It is also my observation that “the church” has tried to eclipse (as it were) the pagan traditions with overlaying Christian traditions, eschewing or downplaying Pagan traditions. Christmas, rather the commemoration of Christ’s birth – which seems to arbitrarily assigned to the winter solstice time of year. Christmas is dependent upon Christ’s conception which is seemingly arbitrarily assigned to the vernal equinox – The Feast of the Annunciation is next week. Early Christians probably would not begin to fathom contemporary Christians observation of Christmas and “Jesus is the reason for the season” slogans.

We approach Easter. But even the word “Easter” shows its Pagan ancestry. “Eostre – comes from Austron – goddess of fertility sunrise whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox. The Venerable Bede noted that Anglo-Saxon Christians adopted her name and many of the celebratory practices for their Mass of Christ's resurrection.

To me, this doesn’t have to be an either/or argument, either Pagan or Christian. It doesn’t matter if yesterday was The Feast of St. Joseph or the very same St. Joseph the Worker. The argument, almost any argument exposes our human frailties of vast inability to fathom God. I am happy for both. I am happy for the equinox, it’s celebration, and happy also for the time in its cyclical and linear sense that we will soon once again mark Christ’s resurrection.

photo of same crocus today - the vernal equinox - the first day of spring - with snow

Yours is the day, yours also the night; *
you established the moon and the sun.

You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; *
you made both summer and winter.

Psalm 74: 15-16


SOLI DEO GLORIA

SNOWDROPS

A couple of you who follow this blog - know that I had to go to the store this morning to buy coffee filters just to make my first cup of coffee this morning.

Walking on my way back from the grocery store I spotted this every early spring perennial: SNOWDROPS. Called snowdrops often because they will push up out of the snow. They come and they go so quickly, they aren't as common as crocus, so it is a treat to see. It will still be several weeks before we are free of any frost danger in Chicago.

I hear the bluebonnets have started in Texas. The Silver Maples are in bloom here, they bloom very early, which most people don't notice, because a silver maple blossom isn't exactly showy.

It has been a challenging winter for most, we are on our second day of sun and people are talking about it.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

EASY CHICKPEA CURRY

Not only are you getting two posts today, this second post is a two-parter.

The first part is some of my comments about today’s recipe as well reader comments about a previous recipe.

Of the recipes I’ve posted, I’ve posted the chef’s original intent, followed by various cooks adaptations on recipes. Those of you who have cooked in my kitchen, cooked along side me in kitchens know I have a personal rule – that if I am cooking something for others – that is NOT the time to test adaptations, I must have a tested recipe if I am cooking for others.

The first two entrée recipes I posted – the Boiled Beans and the Herbed Lentils & Rice, are two recipes I’ve made for over 20 years. Not much of a stretch in trying new things really. But making these two recipes over the years was the foundation of knowing I could truly enjoy vegetarian dishes.

My own mother has been following this blog. (Perhaps this is a blog only a mother could love.) She calls me up and asks.

“Can you make the Herbed Lentils and Rice with Wild Rice?”

I say, “I don’t know – never tried it, and you know Wild Rice is NOT a rice Mom, it’s a grain!”

She says, “I’m out of brown rice.”

I say, “ya can do what you want, but no guarantees.” I add, “who runs out of brown rice!? I will buy you a giant bag of brown rice.”

Imagine all this with a Minnesota accent. She still lives in Minnesota, I in Chicago.

My sister and I will attest, our mother is someone who will change a recipe even before she tries it the first time.

She called me a couple days later to say the recipe was good with wild rice. Same amount as the brown rice -?- , I don’t know.

Today’s recipe “Easy Chickpea Curry” is a newer recipe. The first time I had it, my Provincial within The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory – Br. Nathanael Deward – made it for me. I loved it. I asked where he got the recipe, which was a Weight Watchers cookbook we both owned: “Now & Later” Cookbook published in 2009 – still available in some meeting rooms. I tried making it myself. It was ok, but not as good. One day talking on the phone, I asked what he did differently – substitute the coriander and cumin for hot curry powder (if you like it spicy). If spicy is not your deal, keep the original recipe.

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Easy Chickpea Curry


1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 red onions finely chopped
2 jalepeño peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup quinoa rinsed

2 cups water

For some reason, the jalepeños did not make the first casting call of ingredients photo-op

(1) Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Add the jalepeños, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.

(2) Meanwhile, mix the quinoa and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes.

(3) Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Top with chickpea mixture.

Approx 4-6 servings - 1¾ cup serving – approx 8 points.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

FORGIVENESS

I am off work today, with a to-do list longer than my day off. I was in the basement of my vintage condominium building and noted that it might be a good day to water the geraniums that I winter there. I put them in the glass block windows and water them two or three times during the winter. The summer leaves usually dry up, and there are usually these large wan leaves that look for the brief winter sun.

I live in a third-story walk-up, I carried the large plastic watering container down all the stairs and made my way by all the basement flotsam and jetsam to the windows. I realized I had not been close to the geraniums as much this past winter and thought I usually water them two or three times during the winter, but could only remember doing it once – and that wasn’t even this year. The geraniums were drier than usual. More dead leaves than usual. A couple had branches or sections that were completely dead. I began to worry I had ruined them. But I watered them any way and pulled away a number of the dried dead leaves from last year.

I returned to the basement about an hour later to put clothes in the dryer and could see how the geraniums had already perked up, looking almost as if I had not ignored them this winter season. I thought to myself how truly forgiving geraniums were, even in spite of my inattention.

I thought there were so many lessons to be learned here about forgiveness and attention, it wouldn’t take much to spell them out, but if you’re reading this, I’ll just let you fill in that blank.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

MEDITATION

What follows is a Mediation I gave on Friday, March 12 at The Episcopal Church of the Atonement in Chicago - between Stations of the Cross and Benediction. March 12 is also The Feast of Saint Gregory the Great.

“O all ye that pass by the way, stop, and consider………..”

These are the words that begin the meditation of the Thirteenth Station “The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Arms of this Mother.”

What is evident in this short phrase is one “passing by the way” and that one is exhorted to “stop, and consider…..”

Here we are. Passing by the way. The Way of the Cross.

Just what is this Way of the Cross? Father John David has a good summary I encourage you to read in the cover of the service leaflet. What I want to add particularly was that in ancient times of the church there were no “stations of the cross” rather, those who could would make a pilgrimage specifically to the Holy Land. These people would visit the sites believed to be places where events leading to Christ’s Passion happened. As centuries passed and especially as Jerusalem fell to the Turks, recreations of these sites appeared in western Europe, and making a pilgrimage to them, and making a pilgrimage within these sites was considered as good as traveling to The Holy Land. There weren’t always fourteen stations. Many traditions came and went over the centuries. Sometimes there were as few as eleven. Some places had as many as thirty-seven. As in anything regarding the church there were great arguments about them. Some said they focused too much on Mary. Some said not enough Mary. The fourteen stations of the cross as we know them wasn’t established until about the end of the seventeenth century – with a nice blend of both Christ and Mary.

The number of stations is not as important - as us just merely walking the steps and then stopping to consider.

You will find in most churches that Stations of The Cross are arranged in a counter-clockwise order. This was to be the opposite of pagan traditions of going in clock-wise or sun-wise direction – left-to-right if facing south.

“O all ye that pass by the way, stop, and consider………..”
Here we are – on our Lenten sojourn.

Here we are, about half-way through; nearly, but not yet at the time of refreshment this coming Gaudate Sunday.

Where are we on our pilgrimage of Lent?

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Today is also auspiciously and coincidently the Feast of Saint Gregory the Great. A Feast within our Great Fast. Saint Gregory the Great is the Patron Saint of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory, a canonically recognized religious community of men within The Episcopal Church. Myself, Br Ronald Augustine, Br. Will, and Br. William Henry are part of this religious community. Gregory the Great is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.

Saint Gregory the great was born in the mid-sixth century in Rome to a family of some privilege – his father a Roman politician. He was born at a time when the Goths would invade and sack Rome repeated times. His family was likely exiled but returned to Rome – where when Gregory’s Father was still alive, Gregory would become Prefect – or rather Mayor and Operations Manager of Rome all at the same time. Gregory was later made ambassador to the East traveling to Constantinople. Gregory participated fully in monasticism he found both in Rome and in the East. Gregory was hoping to retire into a life of monasticism and prayer…. But in 590 Pope Pelagius had succumbed to the plague and Gregory was elected Pope by acclamation – rather unwillingly.

Gregory the Great holds great meaning for Anglicans. Particularly, Gregory’s time was of great disease and political strife. Gregory was able to breath life back into missions of the church particularly to evangelize the pagan Anglo-Saxons of England by sending Augustine – who we know as Saint Augustine of Canterbury.

Contemporary author, editor, composer, and choral director J. Michael Thompson in his Treatise on Gregory notes:

In the modern era, Gregory is often depicted as a man at the border, poised between the Roman and Germanic worlds, between East and West, and above all, perhaps, between the ancient and medieval epochs.

In other words Gregory was not only a man in the middle, much like we are in the middle of Lent, but also living at a time of tumultuous change, much like our current social upheavals.

If Gregory were amongst us today, he would not recognize Stations of the Cross, but he would certainly recognize the Pilgrimage in the Holy Land and the importance they represent.

Gregory would not recognize Benediction of The Blessed Sacrament as a particular liturgy, this wouldn’t come until the thirteenth century. Gregory would recognize the importance of the blessedness and the veneration.

If Gregory were amongst us today, what he would recognize most of all is our observation of a Holy Lent.

In one of Gregory the Great’s recorded homilies, particularly on Lent, Gregory says

“Let us who have fallen away from the joys of paradise through food, rise up to them again, as much as we can, though fasting. But no one alone should believe that this fast alone can suffice for him, the Lord says through the prophet [Isaiah] I have not chosen such a fast, instead, break your bread for the hungry, and bring the vagrants and needy into your homes. If you see someone naked clothe him, and do not turn away your own kin.

Where have we been on our pilgrimage? Where are we going? Why am I here?

“O all ye that pass by the way, stop, and consider………..”

Emblem in window in former library space of Seabury Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL

SOLI DEO GLORIA

THE NEW AMERICAN PLATE

The American Institute for Cancer Research has information about reducing one’s cancer risk. One of the ways this can be done is to reduce the amount of Animal Protein consumed.

Interesting information found here.

THE NEW AMERICAN PLATE

Additionally, I had mentioned “NUTRITION FROM THE GROUND UP” with The American Dietetic Association, and I am glad to say that “RUMINATION” is now on their blogroll.


SOLI DEO GLORIA

March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month with the American Dietetic Association.

http://www.eatright.org/nnm/

“NUTRITION FROM THE GROUND UP” is this year’s National Nutrition Month Theme. For those who know me personally, you know I’ve worked in positions of helping people make nutrition decisions that improve their health and their life. In my current work as a Registered Nurse, I work closely with Registered Dieticians who I have the utmost respect for.

Nutrition from the ground up – is a way to think about being mindful about food, thinking of plant-based food choices. Click on the link above for resources about National Nutrition Month.

Click on the links below for tips on better eating in general. I will have more links soon.

www.eatright.org
www.MyPyramid.gov

POST EASTER PEOPLE

This past weekend was a "quiet day" weekend for the brothers within Province V of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory. We met at Seabury Western Theological Seminary. A number of us were called upon to offer meditations this weekend. I was one of the brothers that was "called upon." My offering of a meditation follows.

Spire of Chapel of St. John the Divine at Seabury Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL

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A number of years ago, when I was an aspirant, a postulant, or a novice, a brother in our community was staying with me for a quiet day weekend around the patronal feast much like this one. When one is a postulant, we are still trying to do the right thing. At that time, just about everybody in the community was my senior. He arrived on Thursday, and he and I were headed out for a bite to eat at the corner diner. So like this weekend it was a Friday in Lent. In order to demonstrate my knowledge of tradition, and to curry favor, I said to the brother,

“since it is Friday in Lent, I suppose we can make some non-meat choices.”

He replies

“Non-meat choices? Hell! I’m having steak and eggs!”

I say

“you are?”

I was baffled. I can’t remember the exact words he said to me, but he instructed me in a very kind way that he wished people would get around to acting like the resurrection DID happen. Even in Lent.

He enthusiastically ordered Steak and Eggs. This brother tells me that he thinks too many Christians act like the resurrection never happened.

He said

“We’re NOT JEWISH!”

I was a bit non-plussed, thinking, what would others think, not yet really comfortable in my own spiritual path or place in the community. I don’t remember if I ordered meat or not. I know myself well enough that I am very “when in Rome…….” So I probably ordered bacon.

I can’t say that I had any clear epiphanies just then, but that encounter has stayed with me and come back to me several times since then. I can’t say that personally that I have the capacity to express this fully, but I can’t help but say that it’s left an indelible mark on me.

The season of Lent has come and gone for me several times since then. Some of them I’ve wallowed in the Minor musical keys and the gloom and the sackcloth and ashes and unpredictable freezing weather. Some years I make attempts at “doing something for Lent” but those actions quickly falling away like New Year’s resolutions, while in the middle of eating a piece of bacon, thinking, “oh it’s Friday and feeling defeated, thinking “what kind of religious am I?”

For this year’s season of Lent, I’ve been move to a discipline of abstinence from meat for most of the days in Lent. I’ve ruminated on doing so over the last couple years, and for some reason, perhaps the Holy Spirit, it just came to fruition this year.

On the surface, it could seem like the radical opposite of a feast of Steak and Eggs on Friday.

Additionally this Lent, at the guidance of my Minister Provincial I am reading the meditations associated with the Eucharistic readings for Lent is the book DAYSPRINGS by Sam Portaro.

Immediately Portaro’s book became a challenge for me.

“Does God need your abstinence and fasts?”

The encounter in the diner from several years earlier came back to me. Portaro has been able to get underneath our motivations and humanness, peeling back tradition and laying bare what needs to be focused on.

Portaro elegantly says

It is a good reminder that the original purpose of the forty-day Lenten season was two-fold in function but singular in purpose. Lent was a time for preparing newcomers for relationship with God in the church and it was a time for repairing relationships within the community. It was, in both dimensions, preparation for companionship, for life in community.

Portaro in his book sheds light on Jesus’ feasting in the face of other’s traditional fasting. Portaro points out that Jesus did in fact have his own discipline and fasting based on right relationship, rather than tradition.

What is Lent for? Is it for fruitless self-pity? For demonstrating one’s piety? Or turning back to where we need to be?

The disciplines of our fasts are the opposites sides of the same coin where we feast. Our fasts allow us to affirm life and to feast in the resurrection in relationship with God. My own abstinence has also been a feast of spiritual discovery of which I am grateful, an increased awareness of my impact on those I know and those I don’t know. For me, the fruit of the abstinence is mindfulness. In other words – as Psalmody tells us, “Who can tell how often he offends? * cleanse me from my secret faults.”

I will close with the words of the Lenten Hymn. “Kind Maker of the world, O hear”
The source of the words are attributed to our Patron Saint Gregory the Great.

Listen for the returning, the affirming, for the fruition. Let go of, at least temporarily of your baggage surrounding Lent.

Kind Maker of the world, O hear
The fervent prayer with many a tear
Poured forth by all the penitent
Who keep this holy fast of Lent

Each heart is manifest to thee
Thou knowest our infirmity
Now we repent and seek thy face
Grant unto us thy pardoning grace

Spare us O Lord who now confess
Our sins and all our wickedness
And for the glory of they Name
Our weakened souls to health reclaim

Give us the discipline that spring
From abstinence in outward things
With inward fasting so that we
In heart and soul may dwell with thee

Grant, O thou blessed Trinity
Grant or unchanging Unity
That this our fast of forty days

May work our profit and our praise

Emblem in window in former library space of SWTS. Spiritus Gladius Meaning "Sword of the Spirit" and used with the symbol for the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul has the reputation of being the Apostle to the Gentiles (non-jews). Paul ministered at Antioch, which is recorded as the first Church of the Gentiles. And, the term Christian was recorded as first used at Antioch. (Acts 11:26)

SOLI DEO GLORIA

Talents

All brothers shall be alert to the possibility to a call to retreat at the weekend closest to the patronal festival of the Brotherhood, or at the embertides.
– The Rule of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory.

For me, this means a Provincial Quiet Day. A “Province” for The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory is generally a geographic subset of the entire community. I am blessed with having four other geographically close brothers that live less than five miles from me. Other brothers live regionally, but not in the area and I happen to be hosting a brother from Muncie, IN.

A brother will develop the talents given to him by God in his service in the work and worship of the Church. A brother shall use these talents to the best of his ability in the apostolate and ministry to which he is called.
– The Rule of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory.

The particular brother that I host – has many talents; however, some that I experience particularly is not only his generosity, but his ability to bake. When he visits us, he has often blessed us with fresh baked scones. With his permission I asked if I could share what he does here on this blog.

The recipe that is his source is from a now old-ish SUNSET cookbook published in 1994 called. ‘Starbucks Passion for Coffee.” It is out of print, but scads of used ones are available on Amazon, eBay, etc.


Like my own recipes, there is the original and how he has adapted it with experience. What I am grateful for today was I was awakened to him cooking in my kitchen, specifically to the sound of breaking eggs, and then the smell of baking scones. I had ground my coffee the night before and he mercifully pushed the “on” button before I got out of bed. The adaptation he was making today for the community was the blueberry version. When we gathered at Seabury Theological Seminary in Evanston today he was bringing scones for the whole province. By the time we gathered, I already had a hot one out of the oven at home. (I will leave detailed nutrition information up to the reader)



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Br. Francesco’s Bakery’s Famous Scones

For the Scones:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (no substitutes. will effect flavour and quality)
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
¾ - 1 cup finely diced dried apricots
(Use soft, moist dried apricots. If yours are chewy, soak them for 15 minutes in boiling water, drain well and pat dry.)
½ cup chopped pecans
1 cup buttermilk

For the glaze:
2+ tablespoons heavy cream (no substitute. Will effect flavour and quality)
2 + teaspoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425º and butter a baking sheet or stone (I have found that using a baking stone produces the best results). In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda (I use a whisk for this step). Blend the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips or pastry blender, until the mixture is crumbly. Add the orange zest, apricots and pecans. Toss to combine. Make sure that all of the apricots are evenly coated with the flour to prevent the fruit from clumping. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough is rough and shaggy. With your hands work the dough mixture until just all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Don’t over mix. Scones are similar to bisquits and pie crust if you overwork the dough the scones will be tough and chewy. Place one of the dough pieces on the baking sheet or stone and pat into a circle about 7inches diameter and ½ inch thick. Brush the dough (I gently spread the cream with the back of a spoon) with the cream and sprinkle with the sugar. Cut each round into eight pie-shaped wedges. Bake until puffy and golden, 15- 18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and re-cut the scones and place on a wire rack. Enjoy. For a truly English experience, serve with clotted cream and or butter.

Other Variations:

Blueberry-Citrus Scones (as pictured)

Substitute 2-3 handfuls of blueberries for the apricots and pecans (be sure to mix in the 2 tablespoons of orange zest. This enhances the flavour of the blueberries) and follow the recipe as written. Using fresh blueberries works best but frozen will also do the job. When you use frozen blueberries, you either can mix them into the flour mixture frozen or defrosted. If you defrost your blueberries, be sure to drain them and pat dry with a paper towel. The blueberries will still be “wet” but the less moisture the better. Too much wetness can make the scones “soggy”. I have made these scones using both these methods and I have found defrosting your blueberries work best.


Cherry-Almond Scones

Substitute 2-3 handfuls of tart pie cherries for the fruit and coarsely ground almonds for the pecans (no orange zest). Mix in a drop or two of almond extract into the buttermilk before mixing it into the dough. After you glaze the scones, press a few sliced almonds on the top of them. Same advice for using frozen cherries applies as for frozen blueberries.

Have fun experimenting with different flavours.


SOLI DEO GLORIA

MINDFULNESS

A short entry, I have been trying to get a bit more ready for this coming weekend’s Brotherhood of Saint Gregory Province V Spring Quiet Day. So. While I’ve had many thought about blogging, I haven’t had the actual time to do so. Perhaps more next week. What I will share is a link to this particular New York Times article I read a month ago. It was one of the things I had come across that sort of put me into action insofar as being mindful for Lent.

Learning What Food Looks Like Before It Goes Into the Package

I’m not anti-meat. I am anti-mindlessness when it comes to eating/consuming animal protein.

My Lenten vegetarianism isn’t so much about the “what are you giving up for Lent” aspect, but rather for me to actively be more mindful of food I consume and what that means about my place in the world around me.

A number of people who read this blog have asked me on my Sundays where I have eaten meat, they’ve asked what did I eat? What is interesting, is that the first Sunday I had chicken wings and chicken fingers, some bacon, some sausage, and some ham. The second Sunday I had some bacon. (I have given thanks for the lives of those chickens and pigs).

Before undertaking this Lenten endeavor, I imagined (fantasized) that I would be treating myself to peppercorn encrusted filet mignon on Sundays. The reality is I haven’t had the time, money, or desire really. This coming weekend when the Brothers are together I will be having some pork roast. I do look forward to that.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

RICE & HERBED LENTILS

I worked this past weekend and today Monday, I was off of work, and today needs to be my cooking day.

Today I made a recipe I’ve made for years. It is from a short compilation of recipes my brother and I made when we happened to work in the same office in the 1980s. My brother and I asked coworkers to submit recipes, we scotch-taped them to 8 ½ x 11 paper, scotch-taped some more clip-art that we really clipped with scissors and Xeroxed the whole bunch and just stapled the upper left corner. The compilation is called “Holiday Recipes” but when one reads the recipes, you really couldn’t tell what holiday it was except that we have the occasional Santa Claus included on the sheet. There really wasn’t any organization, these were really just non sequiturs of food.

It was a different time then, we had large Steel-Case brand desks that were in rows out in the open. We were clerks. There was an amazing amount of privacy in the openness and din of conversation. We all had IBM correcting Selectric Typewriters. I prized mine, after all, I was a “clerk-typist.” One had to pass a typing test to be a clerk-typist. Actually a number of the recipes were typed on these typewriters.



While I still have the compilation of recipes (I should scan them all at some point and share here mostly for a good laugh) I got this recipe from that compilation.

ORIGINAL RECIPE

Rice & Herbed Lentils

2 2/3 cups chicken broth
¾ cup dry lentils
¾ cup chopped onion
½ cup brown rice
¼ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon oregano dried
¼ teaspoon thyme dried
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces Swiss cheese

Combine broth, lentils, onion, uncooked rice, orange juice, and seasoning. Shred half of the cheese, stir into lentils. Bake in 1 ½ quart casserole at 350º for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Cut remaining cheese into strips. Uncover casserole then top with cheese. Bake 2 to 3 minutes more until cheese melts.

Over the years I made only a couple tweaks to this recipe, I’ve changed the broth to vegetable broth to make the recipe vegetarian; however, with the cheese it still would not be vegan. I use low-fat cheese. I don’t measure herbs exactly and I am generous with them. It is not necessary to stir while cooking.

Today I used three different kinds / colors of lentils for interest. Black / Red / Green

One thing I’ve noticed in my collection of cookbooks, there have been forays into vegetarianism over the years and decades. If you read some recipes it seems that as long as you avoid killing an actual cow for your recipe it could be deemed vegetarian. I see a number of 1960s & 1970s “vegetarian” recipes that call for chicken broth.

CURRENT ADAPTATION

Rice & Herbed Lentils

2 2/3 cups vegetable broth
¾ cup dry lentils
1 chopped onion
½ cup brown rice
¼ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon oregano dried
¼ teaspoon thyme dried
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces low-fat Swiss cheese

Combine broth, lentils, onion, uncooked rice, orange juice, and seasoning. Shred half of the cheese, stir into lentils. Bake in 1 ½ quart casserole at 350º for 1 ½ to 2 hours,. Cut remaining cheese into strips. Uncover casserole then top with cheese. Bake 2 to 3 minutes more until cheese melts.


SOLI DEO GLORIA