Corn Potato Ham Chowder

The weather here in Pittsburgh had dipped into the '30's this past week.  It signaled me to prepare comforting soup to come home to at the end of the day.  This is one recipe that is of the meat and potato variety.  I used leftover ham I had.  (I will be posting a plant based version in the future).

It has high nutritional value also aside from a satisfying delicious taste.  Vegetables like carrots, celery and yellow pepper were added.

My picky taste tester, my husband Bob, gave it two thumbs up.  You would too.  Yummy!

Corn Potato Ham Chowder

• 1 - 15 oz can creamy sweet corn
• 1 - 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups diced celery including leaves if any
• 1 cup diced peeled carrots
• 1 cup, diced sweet yellow pepper
• 1 1/2 cup cooked ham, cubed
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup milk or non dairy milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot.  Slow cook for 6 hours at low setting or 3 hours at high setting.

Gooey Raisin Bran Almond Butter Clusters on Banana Slices

I needed food sources that could help give me my daily required amounts of  folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.  I prefer to get them from food rather than supplemental pills. I recently noticed I had sores in my mouth and googling some of the causes led me to believe that they could be due to deficiencies in these three nutrients.

 I read that breakfast cereals are good providers of these three vitamins.  I was surprised to find out that the majority of the cereals in our pantry only gave around 33 % of these three nutrients per serving (1 cup). Luckily I discovered that Special K Original cereals (not the other varieties of Special K) provided 100 % of these desired vitamins.  The same can be said for a one cup serving of the Total Raisin Bran.

I also found out some fruit bars provide 100 % of these three nutrients per bar.  Examples are Target's Market Pantry Apple Cinnamon Fruit Bars and the Strawberry variety. These two kinds of snack bars, however, contain oats as one of their prominent ingredients and I unluckily have shown sensitivity to oat products in the past especially in combination with other foods that cause inflammation.  I get flareups in the joints in both my left and right hand middle fingers when this food allergy occurs.   So I decided to develop an alternative to these portable snack bars. Something that I can eat when I have no time to gobble either of the two cereals, Special K Original and Total Raisn Bran with milk for breakfast. I wanted either of the two cereals as the main ingredient for this portable snack.

The recipe I present here is a gooey cluster using Total Raisin Bran combined with almond butter that one can top banana slices or other fruit with.  The nutritional data rated a serving of this dessert high in almost all the listed vitamins.  The drawback is the high amount sugar due to the agave extract or maple syrup that is used.  I need this syrup to bind the bran flakes. By the way,  maple syrup is recommended by Dr. Weil rather than agave extract.  It turns out the latter though low in the glycemic index scale has a large amount of fructose.

I gave the nutritional values of the dessert using agave versus maple syrup below.  Maple syrup has less fructose content according to Dr. Weil which is good news but it has higher calories. Despite this, I will go with maple syrup rather agave extract.

Gooey Raisin Bran Almond Butter Clusters on Banana Slices

4 servings

• 2 tbsp almond butter 
• 4 tbsp agave extract or maple syrup
• 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups Total Raisin Bran 
• 2 bananas, sliced into round discs

Combine the almond butter, agave extract, and unsweetened cocoa in a bowl and thoroughly mix with a fork till uniformly blended.  Add the Total Raisin Bran to the mixture and daintily mix with a spatula till the bran flakes are coated with the almond butter mixture.  Place around a tbsp to the banana slices.

It will be gooey but the banana will help you handle the cluster.  I kept my banana clusters in a small plastic container and included a little plastic spoon (I borrowed from my granddaughter) to scoop up the mounds for my snack on the go.  Of course with handy napkins nearby.

With agave extract

Amount Per Serving

Calories 190 Calories from Fat 48

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5.3g 8%

Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 121mg 5%

Potassium 437mg 12%

Total Carbohydrates 36.3g 12%

Dietary Fiber 4.6g 18%

Sugars 16.7g

Protein 4.0g

Vitamin A 6% • Vitamin C 9% Calcium 53% • Iron 53%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Very high in calcium
• Very high in iron
• Very high in niacin
• Very high in pantothenic acid
• Very high in riboflavin
• Very high in thiamin
• Very high in vitamin B6
• Very high in vitamin B12
• Very high in vitamin E
• Very high in zinc

Bad points

• Very high in sugar

With Maple syrup

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 115 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 242 Calories from Fat 48

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5.3g 8%

Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 123mg 5%

Potassium 478mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 49.7g 17%

Dietary Fiber 4.6g 18%

Sugars 28.6g

Protein 4.0g

Vitamin A 6% • Vitamin C 9% Calcium 54% • Iron 54%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Low in sodium
• Very high in calcium
• Very high in iron
• High in manganese
• Very high in niacin
• Very high in pantothenic acid
• Very high in riboflavin
• Very high in thiamin
• Very high in vitamin B6
• Very high in vitamin B12
• Very high in vitamin E
• Very high in zinc

Bad points

• Very high in sugar

Eggless Plant Based Vegetable Omelet

I had been trying to make an eggless omelet ever since I embraced the plant based approach to eating.  I finally found the proper proportion of ingredients which include whole grain and spices to make me happy eating an omelet made in an unconventional manner.  I did not want to use tofu which some plant based recipes have used since I want to limit my tofu intake for the week for balance in my repertoire.  I also want a preparation that will have the texture of a soft omelet as I savor it in my tongue.  Not dry but one that has that cushion like feel still there.  I would like it to be sturdy too.  Most of all I want one that utilizes whole grain if that is needed since I have a feeling I would have to resort to a batter type omelet.

I resorted to adding cornstarch to the whole wheat flour mixture to add that soft texture and feel to my tongue.  I used cumin and garlic powder to mask that woody taste that whole wheat imparts. For liquid I used unsweetened almond milk.

For vegetables, I knew I could not go wrong with adding green onions and sweet peppers.  I added mixed greens consisting of spinach, kale with some carrots in it which I bought ready to be used from Sam's Club. I wanted a no fuss recipe that I could make with not much concentration since I was not a morning person and this mixture fitted the bill.

I am happy to announce that I did it!.  I ate this omelet this morning with gusto with some catsup and toasted crisp baguette and fresh sliced grape tomatoes for freshness.  I was a satisfied happy camper not a depressed "why do I have to do this plant based approach" person.

I could just imagine what other recipes I could magically concoct with this wonderful batter.  This eggless omelet is a wonderful start.  Happy dance is what you would do with it.

Eggless Plant Based Vegetable Omelet

2 servings

• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour   
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp non dairy milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tbsp green onions, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp sweet peppers (I used yellow peppers), cubed
• 1/2 cup loosely packed mixed greens of kale and spinach with shredded carrots
• cooking spray

Combine all the flour, cornstarch and baking powder in a small bowl and mix with a fork.  Make a well in the middle of this mixture and add the milk, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Blend the mixture thoroughly.  Add the vegetables.  

Spray a pan with cooking spray and heat at medium heat.  Place the vegetable/batter mixture in two batches for easy flipping.  Cook till the batter is crisp but not burnt and the vegetables are cooked through. 

Serve with sliced tomatoes and baguette slices.  You can also eat the omelet with catsup of your choice.

Mock Lobster Roll

Two shows on the Food Channel make me run to my kitchen and prepare what I see even early in the morning.  The dishes are so enticing I just have to have them.  One of the dishes I saw recently on Unique Eats or Good Food America (not sure which one now) was Maine Lobster Roll.  I happened to be on the Plant Based Approach to Eating but that made the kitchen preparation more fun because of the challenge.

I have seen recipes online using tofu for everything under the sun so why not for this.  Two things are important in a dish:  taste and texture.  I happened to have a go to recipe for chicken or tuna salad that I love.  I was confident it would work for this Mock Lobster Roll.  I conceived that the tofu would provide the texture (not to mention the protein also) that our mouth savors as we eat lobster or shrimp or chicken.  The softness of the tofu would mimic the tenderness of the lobster as I bite on the sandwich.  Even though it will not have the taste of the ocean as in the lobster, the texture it provides is enough for me as long as my dressing with its spices and vegetables will be fabulous enough to envelop the tofu to make me forget the fact that it is not the real thing.

This recipe did not fail me.  I had it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks these past two days.  It is that good.  The ingredients are in your pantry and the preparation is simple and easy.

This picture does not show the cumin.

Mock Lobster Roll

• 4 tbsp cubed soft tofu (previously drain the tofu block between paper towels before cubing)
• 3 tbsp pickle relish
• 1-2 tbsp chopped onion 
• 1-2 stalks celery, cut in small sizes (you can use less celery but I like a lot of fiber)
• 1/4 tsp bay seasoning
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp vegan mayo
• French Baguette cut into roll size or sausage rolls

Mix all the ingredients except the baguette.  Place the prepared salad over toasted baguette rolls .  Garnish with tomatoes and dill pickles.  Caution:  this is addictive.

Mary did you know I'm falling more in love with you

I knew about Mary, the Mother of God, and I prayed for her intercession ever since I was taught as a child the Hail Mary and later on the rosary.  I remember kissing and wiping my handkerchief on her usually perfumed statue at Bisita or the Immaculate Concepcion Chuch in my hometown Malabon in the Philippines following what my elders did. When we were little, my mother would make it a point that we prayed the rosary together every night. The mantra "the family that prays together stays together" was so believed then.

I went to Marian pilgrimages to Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines every summer while I was growing up and into my adulthood. I actually blogged about the Tuguegarao heritage tour our high school class '65 at St. James Academy took this past summer in the Philippines where we had the opportunity to behold  the beauty and rich history of the statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Marian churches we visited.

I was taught we do not worship Mary nor the other Saints and definitely not their statues that are prominently displayed in all the Catholic churches worldwide. These venerated persons are instead considered intercessors or go betweens in our relationship with God. They are our influential and cool BFF's that we hang out with who will ask God for us what we need but are too shy to ask for.

I have to admit I had a more personal relationship with Jesus through the years, one that has deepened even more lately. Mary was there for me on the side lovingly and generously watching over and interceding for me.  But I had nothing like a girl crush on her, however. I knew how great she was but I did not swoon over her. Not until this past December. It was not an apparition nor a miracle through her that jelled this new found admiration and awe. Rather an eloquent sermon, a Christmas song and what I perceive a soul that was open and ready for a reveal that did it.

Mary and Second Chances

I try as much as possible to attend the Mass that my husband, who is part of our church choir, is singing in though I find the time it is held sometimes rather inconvenient. The evening of December 8, 2015 was such night I preferred to be somewhere else rather than sitting in the pew with droopy eyes.

The celebrant was Fr. Tom Dansak who loves to explain the significance of every reading or part that he finds worthy enough to elaborate on. On this particular evening I dreaded he would deliver these beautiful informative comments that I find prolong the Mass. I was tired and lacking in sleep and in a bratty mood. I just wanted to go home early.  And then he gave The Sermon.

Being a biblical scholar which I found out later, he first corrected us by saying that December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is really the feast of Mary's parents.  They conceived Mary without original sin or that taint or stain we have in our soul when we were born.

This original sin as all Catholics were taught in their catechism class came about because Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the apple of the tree of Knowledge which they were prohibited to do. As a result to make the long salvation history contained in the Old Testament short, all the prophets were focused on the coming of the Savior that would free us of this original sin. But how, when and who would be involved were prophesied but not in direct ways.

According to Fr. Dansak, Mary, the second Eve, at fifteen years old, was generous enough to say the big YES to the angel who came to ask her if she wanted to be the Mother of God.  Thus Mary afforded us the Second Chance for salvation by giving birth to our savior Jesus Christ. Without her we would have been goners.

Father Dansak also made beautiful parallelisms between Eve and Mary.  Whereas Eve did not obey God's wish, Mary did was one of them.  There were more parallelisms which I unfortunately do not remember.

Father Dansak had a way of saying things which made me have an AHA moment in this eloquent sermon. His explanations made the significance of Mary's YES sink in and I discovered Mary or saw her with new eyes as the poster above says.  I began to admire and fall in love with her with a different intensity.

The Song "Mary Did You Know"

Whereas the sermon on Mary and Second Chances gave me the brainy foundation, the song "Mary Did You Know" offered the emotional aspect to complete my growing love for Mary.

I was preparing the prayer ritual for our end of the year Luncheon/Prayer meeting which I host at my house for the prayer group I belong to headed by Sue and facilitated by Natalie.  I wanted gratitude to be the theme.

As usual I googled for inspiration for the ritual and I was pleasantly surprised that Mary and gratitude were synonymous in one online source I found. I decided on this aspect to carry out the theme for the ritual. I needed some songs to go with it and picked the song Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix as one of them.  Other artists including The Voice champion, Jordan Smith has sung this song. (My husband actually sang it in the meeting so beautifully).

Here is the YouTube link to the version with the graphics from the movie the Passion of Christ to go with the compelling words. The visual that went with every line was heart wrenching.  Here is a less graphic version by Mark Lowery.

Not only did I know more about Mary after seeing these videos,  I identified with her.  I realized she had felt the pain and joy of a mother raising a child exactly how myself and other mothers have had. She was portrayed to be less abstract and more human by the beautiful lyrics and visuals.  I started to feel a closer relationship with her as a result.  I found a BFF in her. 

An Open Heart and Soul

A mutually admitted emptiness as Richard Rohr puts it I believe is an important key in my seeing Mary with new eyes.  It was not just my own neediness to know and longing to be loved by God but also God's own humility to admit His need for my love.  It is this mystery of reciprocal love in turn that made it possible for me to have an open soul and heart to learn to fall more in love with Mary, the Mother of God.  I am grateful to the humble and loving God for this gift.  

Easy Turkey Noodle Soup

Sometimes the best dishes come from leftovers.  In this recipe, I used turkey meat that I froze from the holidays.  I served this comforting and delicious soup during the yearly luncheon I hosted for my prayer group. They were asking me at the end of lunch how I cooked it and I told them what I used.  I told them leftover turkey with all its glorious fat.  Rose exclaimed no wonder.  This is a decadent recipe as you can see.  But it is good.  I did not saute any vegetables or the meat and just dumped everything in the soup pot. I only included the meat which I removed from the bone.  I did not want any guest choking on a turkey bone. Aside from the chicken bouillon cubes, vegetables and turkey, the dry minced onions and garlic powder gave the soup its amazing flavor.  I cooked the pasta separately and added it after the carrots and celery are cooked.  Better than any canned ones or even what you get in restaurants.  So next time you are wondering what to do with your turkey leftovers, remember this delicious, easy and economical recipe.

Easy Turkey Noodle Soup

• 2 cups cooked turkey meat (or chicken) plus any fat or broth if any  
  
• 4 stalks celery sliced into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 cups carrots (I used baby carrots)
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 tbsp dry minced onions
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp sage
• 6 cups water
• black pepper to taste
• salt to taste
• 8 oz pasta of your choice, cooked according to the package instructions.

Place all the ingredients except the cooked pasta in a large soup pot.  Allow to boil and then bring to a simmer till the carrots and celery are cooked.  Then add the cooked pasta.  Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Slow Cooker Shiitake Mushrooms in Red Wine Sauce

I find that I can control myself from diving into the carnivore dish I prepare for my husband by preparing  a plant based food that is similar except for the absence of meat, oil, dairy or eggs.  It can also be a totally different type of dish as long as it can compete in flavor against the meat containing one. Yesterday I had a hard time keeping myself from going beyond just tasting the Slow Cooker Oxtail Braised in Red Wine I prepared for my husband because I did not have a plant based dish that could compete with it.

I decided this morning when I woke up to develop a recipe that contains all the flavor and even beyond what the oxtail dish offered.  I did not want to use any vegetable broth or nutritional yeast for flavoring so I depended on the carrots, celery, onions (fresh and dry) and garlic (fresh and dry) to increase the intensity of the taste of the red wine sauce.  I also added sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste plus Worcestershire sauce to increase the flavor.  I added flour to thicken the sauce.

The slow cooker was what I used to cook this Shiitake mushroom dish.  It is ideal since the slow cooking process allows for the dried Shitake mushrooms to soak and soften thus eliminating one more step.  I did not saute any of the ingredients to avoid the use of oil.

This is a plant based main dish which is delicious and very hearty.  It is also a complete main dish with its "beef like" shiitake mushrooms, potatoes and other vegetables like carrots and celery.  The sauce has that distinct taste that only cooking with red wine imparts.  It can go over rice or mashed potatoes or pasta or with just a crusty bread. It can also be a side dish for a family dinner with carnivores since it goes well with steak and baked potatoes.

Happy New Year.  Thanks for reading my blog.

Slow Cooker Shiitake Mushrooms in Red Wine Sauce

• 18-20 dry shiitake mushrooms (I bought mine from the Asian store) 
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup cut carrots (I used baby carrots)
• 4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into slices with 1/2 inch thickness
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 stalks green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp minced dry onions
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 1 ½ tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker bowl.  Slow cook for 3 hours at high setting or 6 hours at low.  I cooked mine in an Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.  Serve over pasta or rice or mashed potatoes or just with crusty bread. 

Slow Cooker Oxtail Braised in Red Wine

During our Alaskan Cruise this past summer. one of the dishes that I loved was the oxtail and beef short ribs braised in red wine that was served during lunch in the cafeteria buffet prepared by the Celebrity cruise line chefs.  I wanted to duplicate what I tasted and used this Internet source as an inspiration.  I used less wine and skipped several steps listed in this source including the browning of the oxtail, sauteing of the vegetables and the reducing of the volume of the wine.  Instead I just placed all the ingredients given in the adapted recipe below in the slow cooker.  Despite skipping most of the steps in the original recipe this version, Slow Cooker Oxtail Braised in Red Wine, got the thumbs up from my picky taster, my husband Bob.

It was suggested to prepare and refrigerate the dish the day before you will serve it in order for you to easily remove the fat.  I could not wait to do this and just skimmed off as much of the fat while it was still hot using a spoon.   Here is the recipe of this decadent dish. It was so delicious I got off my plant based approach to eating.  One bite to taste led to more and more. Tsk, tsk.  Not to worry I am going back to my healthy eating tomorrow.  Promise.

Slow Cooker Oxtail Braised in Red Wine

(Adapted from this Internet source)

• 3 lbs beef oxtail
• 2 cups carrots (I used baby carrots)
• 4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into slices with 1/2 inch thickness
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 bottle (around 300 ml) red wine
• 2 cups water
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker bowl.  Slow cook for 4 hours at high setting or 8 hours at low.  I cooked mine in an Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 3 hours at slow cooker setting.  Serve with rice, crusty bread and simple salad greens.

Empathy - the Key to Forgiveness

At about the same time this year, my husband and I went to New York to view three Metropolitan Opera shows and of course to eat at the various restaurants.  For me, there is no place on earth like New York to have fun and just be merry.  The hustle and bustle are what for me makes New York, New York.  I love being there.

Despite my cold and bronchitis, we went home happy though tired.  It was only two days later after the trip did I realize my wallet which was in my overnight bag was stolen.  I called the airport and police to find out what happened but to no avail.  I had no answers except the credit card reports.  Transactions had been made on one card.  Two orders at McDonald's that were made on the same occasion and two huge Metro pass purchases were some of them.  I was devastated and very upset.

I woke up in the early morning hours of the next day after this emotionally draining incident with the strangest feeling and vision.  I saw two men swiping the Metro passes that they had bought with my stolen credit card. For some reason I felt compassion not anger. I believe empathy had soften my heart.  I saw in their faces the eagerness to use the card because they were in need.  I am not condoning the act but somehow the gift of understanding their predicament helped me overcome my anger and felt some kind of acceptance of the sad realities of life.

I also understood then how one of the parents of a child killed in the incomprehensibly merciless massacre that occurred in the Sandy Hook elementary school last year could forgive the assailant.  Instead of lashing out in anger at the murderer and his parents, this parent reached out to the parents of the murderer and consoled them by saying how she could just imagine how they felt.  Such benevolent forgiving act can come only from a heart that was not hardened but enlightened by her own sorrow and tragedy.

Father Tony of our church during the Xmas mass touched on why Christ became man. He explained as we celebrate the Jubilee of Mercy as proclaimed by Pope Francis to bear in mind that Christ is the epitome of this mercy. Fr. Tony further equated mercy to empathy.  Christ after all made the ultimate act of coming on earth to feel what we feel and live as we did, to undergo the trials and temptations as well experience the joy and the triumphs undergone by humans.
.
When I posted just a few weeks ago how we need to be representatives of God, one commentator could not understand how God almighty needs PR or public relations done for him by others.  I had similar questions about the mystery of the Incarnation or Christ becoming man.  Can He not just make as good? After all He is all powerful.  Also can He not understand what being human is like after all He is all knowing?

But life and living and believing are all riddled with things we could not comprehend.  It is a mystery what God needs or His perception of what we need.  In all the Christian churches, the death of Christ is symbolized in the Crucifix which is prominently displayed in front and center of all their altars of worship. This surprises me since the beginning, the Nativity, and the end, the Resurrection, of Christ's life are both as profound if not more especially the latter than his Death.  Could it be because He wants to show us during our deepest moments of darkness the He knows how we feel?  Could this all knowing God after all know that it is easier for us to understand now with this ultimate example of empathy how He is able to forgive and understand our desperation? He has been there after all.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Silken Tofu with Soy Mirin Dip

The star of this recipe is the Soy Mirin Dip.  It is amazing in taste and extremely simple to prepare.  You can not only use it to dip the silken tofu but also any steamed vegetables you might have like broccoli.  I had a similar dip with deep fried tofu with bonido flakes at Sawa Japanese Restaurant in Monroeville, PA two days ago.  I had four other vegetarian appetizers aside from this, seaweed salad with sesame oil, steamed broccoli with garlic sauce and vegetarian dumpling with its dipping sauce.  Yesterday as I googled how to prepare a similar dish I found out that bonido flakes come from fish.  Oops. And I thought I was having an all vegetarian lunch.

In my research to prepare this dish, I found a website that prepared the deep fried tofu using the ingredients I have below.  I decided to pan fry it on a skillet sprayed with cooking spray.  I would say I would have preferred to have deep fried it but then I wanted to be faithful to the  plant based eating approach, no oil even plant oil is the norm

Arancini (Rice Balls) from Slow Cooker Chicken Mushroom Rice Casserole

I love Olive Garden and I have actually kept on comparing what I ate while I was Italy against those I had at this chain establishment to the shock of some people in my tour group.  I eagerly ate Arancini or Italian Rice Balls at Olive Garden when my husband and I were there many months ago and was disappointed.  I wanted this appetizer to be more flavorful.  I happened to have leftovers of the Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice Casserole the recipe of which I have posted in this blog. I decided to use these to make my version of Arancini.  

It turned out to be tastier than those I had at Olive Garden.  The casserole itself is pretty moist and flavorful due to the chicken, mushroom and cheese already in it.  Thus its deliciousness carried over into the rice balls. My picky taster, my husband Bob, loved them.  This means you would too.  

One could consider this one of my two meals in one slow cooker dishes.  You can eat the casserole one day and make the rice balls some other day of the week.

Here is how I did it.

Arancini (Rice Balls) from Slow Cooker Chicken Mushroom Rice Casserole

Yielded 11 balls

• 1 cup leftover Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice Casserole
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup spinach, cooked in the microwave and drained
• 2 mozzarella sticks, cut into 1/3 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup more bread crumbs for coating the balls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix the leftover casserole, egg, cheese, 1/4 cup bread crumbs and spinach in a bowl.  Shape into balls and insert a piece of the mozzarella piece in the middle of the balls.  Roll the balls in 1/2 cup bread crumbs.   

Place the balls in a sprayed pan and bake for 30 minutes.  

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce.  

Secret to happiness or avoiding bouts of brattiness

Xmas school plays enacting the nativity this time of the year bring back memories of a case of childhood envy. When I was in grade school, I was always pissed that I was assigned roles in nativity plays that I did not like.  Other kids would just be ecstatic to be given any part.  Not me.  I wanted to be the Blessed Mother wearing the blue veil pinned to her head and donning the flowing white robe.  I instead was always assigned the role of one of the three kings since I was one of the taller girls in class though there were boys to choose from.  Beautiful Vivian with her porcelain skin and demure beauty always got the part year after year.

I never quit this desire to be the Blessed Mother in a play or tableau. When I was in high school, Miss Gutierrez, my piano teacher, decided to hold her students' recital at her huge residence which also housed her music studio.  For the theme of the recital she decided to have the rosary with each student being assigned a "bead" in it to play his or her piece.  Well there had to be a Blessed Mother of course in the finale.  She would be perched on a high mound outside the sprawling grounds that could be seen through the grilled windows in the studio.  No I did not get the part that went to Offie with the aquiline nose and iridescent skin.  Of course I was disappointed.

Since I was obsessed about this Blessed Virgin Mary stuff, I missed appreciating the fact I was assigned to play my recital piece in the finale. It was not because I was the best student. My piece which had a Carribean beat did not fit in any mystery of the rosary. I only realized being the finale was a big honor when Charito, a schoolmate, told somebody in school that I got this part and this person told me. In fact my sister Bebeng had to be appeased by being given another piece to be played together with me.  I think she was acting up in the chorus. All the while I was the envy of every kid in the recital, I was jealous of Offie who my mother described as having a moon face anyway to make me feel better for not getting her part.

This episode in my childhood wanting something did not leave an impression on me that it can be toxic not only to me but to others close to me.  One particular incident did. I remember a time when I was told by the girl behind the refreshment counter at a theatre that they did not have both the hot dog and blueberry slushy that I ordered.  I saw at the corner of my eyes my two daughters, who were in grade school then, nervously holding their breaths. They were anxiously waiting if I would be throwing a hissy fit.  I realized then my brattiness was affecting others not just me.

This bratty attitude had caused me two jobs since I was unhappy and miserable. Not only did I want things my way but right there and then. It was not so much wanting things or to quit wanting them as the poster above suggests but more not having the patience to wait that was causing my misery.

Nowadays I am happier since I have realized one fact.  It, whatever it is that I want, might actually happen. Not that day but someday. Somehow having this spirit of hopefulness gives me peace despite disappointments.  On that note on the occasion of her birthday. I wrote Vivian on her timeline in facebook about the Blessed Mother envy. Another classmate Danny commented we should have a reenactment of the nativity play on our next reunion and I might finally get my break.  Oh Danny thanks. Dreams do come true. LOL.