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...and they lived happily ever after. Smith & Lady: poets, artists, photographers & adventurers.
Our relationship was forged to the soundtrack of Yoko Ono's magic,
frenetic, love-laden song, "Walking On Thin Ice." ( play song )
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Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
Dear God-It-Ess-Universe,
Of immediate concern in the vicinity is the flooding that’s happening in the U.S.
And of course, the tornadoes.
I am writing to let you know that I am concerned. I do not wish suffering for people. But of course I choose biosphere over people, if that choice has to be made in that way.
Perhaps extreme weather events are the only way we’re going to change, and perhaps people in the U.S. in particular need to be awakened to extreme weather events and their cause.
I think the best thing we can do is stop driving cars unless necessary, stop eating meat, unplug everything we can, and live within the rhythm of sun, moon and birdsong.
It’s reputed that meat, the desire for meat, is the cause of much suffering on this planet, both to our biosphere and to massive amounts of people and animals.
It takes so much more water, fertilizer, land space, vegetable matter to raise a pound of beef than, say, an equivalent amount, calorie-wise, of asparagus.
Forests are being clearcut in the Amazon to grow things to feed cows and to grow biofuel so that people can have luxurious lifestyles. The Amazon is the greatest area of lung on this planet. Please help us cease this clear-cutting by making wiser choices as ethical people and by creating better, more ethical opportunities for the people doing the clear-cutting as a vocation.
I am making incremental changes in my lifestyle to try to consume less, eat more locally, eat less meat, etc. Three weeks ago I bought four bags of magic beans. Two weeks ago I cooked two different things in the oven at the same time to save on energy consumption. The week before I learned how to make a healthy, inexpensive and tasty variant of hummus. This past week I’ve started to make my own bread.
I’m buying cage-free eggs from local farmers. The vendor at the West Side Market showed us pictures of the chickens. They are beautiful. They laze about in tall beautiful expanses of green grass. The egg yolks are bright, rich yellow, and I swear they taste extra fine.
I am soon getting half a share of produce from Geauga Family Farms. Pick up points are not limited to Geauga. There are points in Cuyahoga and Lake County as well.
I have doubled up duty on car rides. The two days I commute to work, I also do something special with Grandma. And I’m doubling and tripling up other car trips as well. I’ve started to consider only going to entertainment and poetry events in my local community as much as possible. My near goal is to commute with friends to get to events that are further out to minimize our impact on the environment and pocketbook. I aim to do everything I can do, within reason, yes, yet stretching my idea of reason to something that can effect change and help me live in a more joyful and reverent manner.
So what I’m asking you is to ease up on the floods and tornadoes, Universe. Have some faith in us and help us keep the faith by making immediate changes where we can perceive possibility for change.
Other prayers of note:
I pray for moderation, yet I pray to be possessed when I should be possessed.
I pray that I am ethical, calm, joyous, productive, and the same for Smith.
I pray that a certain family member starts writing a poem every day.
I pray that I finish my commitments so that I can feel more free to follow through on commitments to myself.
Thank you for the many, many blessings and miracles I receive daily from you-me-It-Universe.
Some private thoughts, hopes, thanks, prayers as well…
Love, Awomen and Amen,
Lady
LADY’S HUMMUS RECIPE
1# chickpeas, soaked overnight, rinsed, boiled in lightly salted water 1-2 hours until soft.
2 heads of garlic, roasted at 350 degree Fahrenheit 1/2 hour.
1/4 – 1/2 cup of your favorite vegetable oil (olive oil is a hoax perpetrated on the masses)
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Squeeze roasted garlic out of its skin and mash in large bowl with fork, then blender. Squeeze cooked chickpeas between fingers as much as possible and put in the bowl as well. Add the other ingredients. Mix as much as desired (I like little chickpea bits left in mine.)
Tags: Amazon, biosphere, floods, global warming, prayer, tornadoes, vegetarianism
Posted in Being, Conversations, dreams, ethics, Events, Family, Food, On Writing, Philosophy, Recipes, spirituality | No Comments »
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
We are changing perspective and recognizing that air strikes are not humanitarian aid.
The UN is going to investigate the violence in Libya (http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article1505727.ece), and it seems possible that Muammar Gaddafi (alternate spelling Moammar Gadhafi) will step down.
I say this because the opposition in Libya seems to be having some success. Take a look at this article: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/03/01-8
It is possible, based on the information I’ve read of the opposition so far, that Gaddafi will step down from internal pressure. It will be interesting to learn more about El-Senussi and his perspective, and the history of Libya and social movements in Libya.
According to the article, Pro-Gaddafi militiammen were repelled by the opposition supporters when they tried to overtake Zawiya on March 1st. The article also says, “The cities of Misrata east of the capital and Gherian to its south also appeared to remain in opposition hands, as was virtually all of the east of the country, including several key oil fields.”
I spent some time trying to learn more about the opposition forces, and who they really are. Marc Ginsberg, the former ambassador to Morocco (appointed by Clinton), wrote an article on the subject. He says that there’s a fear the fighting could revert into a “Spanish Civil War” stalemate with Libya disintegrating into factions and tribal regions divorced from a central government. I disagree with his assessment (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amb-marc-ginsberg/who-is-in-charge-of-the-l_b_830647.html) based on the fact that he was appointed by Clinton, has contributed to Fox News, and is very business oriented. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Ginsberg)
There IS one part of the opposition movement that gives me hope, and with which I can agree fairly fully. The group’s name is “The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change.” What I really like about this group is that it is unarmed, and is composed of “communists, socialists, liberals and partisans of democracy in the country and civil societies making various activities.” This group aims to change Libya by peaceful means. Let it be so.
The movement, which includes members of religious movements and members of previously arrested Islamic groups, is calling on the Libyan people to join them, peacefully. Let it be so. (http://english.sunnionline.us/Articles/Articles/2551-who-is-who-in-libya-the-opposition-and-islamic-movements)
The exiled crown prince of Libya, Mohammed El-Senussi, who seems to have some stake in the situation (and sympathy from the West as he’s been living in London since 1988), says that military intervention should NOT happen. I agree very strongly. Let it be so.
“Let me be clear. There is a difference between a no-fly zone and military intervention and the Libyan people do not seek external military involvement on the ground. That will not bring about the peace and freedom that we crave,” said El-Senussi.
Let the amount of deaths be minimal. Let it be so.
Not only is the UN planning to investigate, but EU leaders are going to gather on March 11 in Brussels for a summit to deliver a response to the crisis in Libya and the Arab world. However, the EU might have an economic stake in the outcome. So a resolution provided solely by the EU is not sufficient for action. A resolution provided by the UN, if supported by a lot of the Arab nations, might be sufficient for a better course of action. And please remember to take into account Libya’s own crown prince’s words–that he feels military intervention should NOT happen. I agree, and I also want Gaddafi and Gaddafi’s forces to cease killing people immediately, and I do not want foreign (US) intervention in Libya at this point, save for possibly, UN peacekeepers.
Also, we must take into account the relatively higher standard of living Libyans enjoy and the relatively high life expectancy. The information we’d been receiving in popular media outlets in the West about Libya and Muammar Gaddafi (a.k.a. Moammar Gadhafi) was incomplete.
By the way, I find this wikipedia article very interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Gaddafi_International_Prize_for_Human_Rights. Here is the list of recipients:
1989 Nelson Mandela
1990 “The children of Palestine”
1991 The indigenous peoples of the Americas
1992 The African Centre for Combating Aids
1993 “The children of Bosnia and Herzegovina”
1994 The Union of Human Rights Societies and Peoples in Africa
1995 Ahmed Ben Bella, Francisco da Costa Gomes
1996 Louis Farrakhan
1997 Gracelyn Smallwood, Melchior Ndadaye, Melba Hernandez, Manal Younes Abdul-Razzak, Doreen McNally
1998 Fidel Castro
1999 “The children of Iraq”
2000 Souha Bechara, Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Evo Morales, the Movement of September, the Third World Center
2002 Mamado Diaye, Roger Garaudy, Ibrahim Alkonie, Jean Ziegler, Nadeem Albetar, Ali M. Almosrati, Khaifa M. Attelisie, Mohamed A. Alsherif, Ali Fahmi Khshiem, Rajab Muftah Abodabos, Mohamed Moftah Elfitori, Ali Sodgy Abdulgader, Ahmed Ibrahim Elfagieh
2003 Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
2004 Hugo Chávez
2005 Mahathir bin Mohamad
2006 ?
2007 Libraries of Timbuktu.
2008 Dom Mintoff
2009 Daniel Ortega
2010 Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan
Lady
Posted in Conversations, Creative Writing, creativity, dreams, Environment, ethics, Events, Family, On Writing, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Publications, Recipes, Relationships, spirituality, writing | 1 Comment »
Saturday, November 27th, 2010
Lady’s Thanksgiving Recovery Plan Soup
Celery Root & Lentil Soup
1 large celery root
1 C lentils
1/4 head garlic (2 large cloves)
2 red peppers (optional, seeded)
1# carrots
1 large onion (preferably red)
4-8 T olive oil
1-2 bouillon cubes (I used beef, but you could use vegetable or chicken boullion as well, or even miso)
dash celery seed (optional)
1/2 t dried basil flakes (optional)
2-3 bay leaves (optional)
Soak lentils in approximately 3-4 C water overnight.
Chop garlic and onion. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot and saute the garlic and onion. Then chop the carrots and peppers (I prefer large pieces) and throw them in the pan.
If the celery root has come with stalks and leaves, cut them off, wash them, chop them up and throw them into the pot & stir.
Skin the celery root and chop the root up into 1/2″ chunks, and throw them in and stir. Salt the veggies a little bit and stir.
Saute until the celery root is slightly aromatic, about five minutes. Keep stirring the ingredients over medium heat so that they don’t stick to the bottom.
Add the lentils and enough water to cover the veggie mixture with about an extra half inch or so at the top. Add the celery seed, bay leaves, basil and bouillon and put on a high flame bring to a boil, then simmer, about 30-40 minutes until vegetables are nice and tender and water is somewhat reduced. You might need to add seasoning to taste (I use adobo powder.)
Posted in Food, Recipes | No Comments »
Sunday, November 14th, 2010
1/4 head garlic, peeled & chopped
32 oz can whole tomatoes
1 large red onion, chopped
1# carrots, chopped
4 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 can dark kidney beans, drained
1 can canellini beans, drained
4 large kale leafs, shredded
1/3 C macaroni noodles (uncooked)
2 cubes chicken boullion or other salty seasoning
1/3 C olive oil
In heavy-bottomed pot, saute onion, garlic and carrots until onions semi-translucent (about five minutes on medium heat.)
Add rest of ingredients, except for the macaroni, plus about six cups of water. Go ahead and dump in the entire contents of the can of tomatoes, including the juice. Chop up the tomatoes into large pieces in the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat, covered, until carrots are cooked through (about twenty minutes.)
Add macaroni and simmer for ten more minutes. Good served with sprinkles of parmesan cheese. 8-10 servings.
Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »
Sunday, October 31st, 2010
Why Halloween? Cuz I made it on Halloween. That’s why.
Loaded with fruit (including apples!), this gooey mass bakes into one hell of a hallowed treat:
LADY’S FRIGGING AWESOME HALLOWEEN BANANA BREAD
1/2 C butter
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 C flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 enormous bananas
1/2 C raisins
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/2 C apple sauce
1 large apple, peeled & cut into various sized chunks
Preheat oven to 325 F. Mash bananas and reserve. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in eggs. Add bananas and applesauce to butter/sugar/egg mixture and blend. Add dry ingredients. Blend. Add raisins, cranberries and apple, and blend by hand. Pour into loaf pan and bake approximately 60-80 minutes, until knife inserted into center comes out without any ectoplasm attached.
The slices taste really good with butter.
Tags: banana bread
Posted in Food, Recipes | 1 Comment »
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
Ragged Robin Cookies
1/2 C raisins (yellow, not brown)
1/2 C nuts (of course, chopped–not too fine)
3 C all-purpose flour (prefer _off_ brand)
1 t baking soda
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
1/2 C butter
1/2 C shortening
1 C sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Scald nuts and raisins: bring 2 C water to a boil and add chopped nuts and raisins. Simmer.
Meanwhile, sift flour, soda and salt (or mix).
In separate bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar; add eggs. Beat. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture gradually. You may need to use your hands!
Scoop nuts and raisins into dough and incorporate (it’s OK to get some of the water into the dough to help with its pliability).
Drop onto greased sheet (approximately 1 T of dough per cookie). Bake 12-15 minutes until light golden brown.
Grandma: This was the first recipe in my file. I copied it from the American Weekily Section of the Plain Dealer. I am now 86 years old–was 15 when I copied it. If anything seems unusual, it’s because I make slight changes to suit myself!
Tags: cookie recipe, grandma
Posted in Family, Recipes, Relationships, spirituality | No Comments »
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Sweet Bean Soup of Tremont
2 cans great northern beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 can corn, drained
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 large yam, cubed
4 large dried apricots or peaches, chopped (or fresh fruit if you like.)
small quantity (1/4 C? dried fruit mix such as raisins/apples, etc.)
1 handful fresh minced parsley
1/4 t grains of paradise or whole peppercorns
1/8 t grains of cardamom
1/4 – 1/2 t celery seed
1 t or 1 T berbere powder or curry powder
1 t powdered cumin
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and diced
3 large shallots, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small potato, cubed
adobo powder or seasoned salt
1/4 C oil, preferably peanut oil but you could use whatever.
Stir and fry garlic/shallots/onions in oil, small flame, 3-5 minutes with generous dash of adobo powder. Add potato/yam/carrot and stir & fry 3-5 minutes, low flame. Add celery seed, berbere and parsley, fry 2 minutes. Add beans, cumin, grains of paradise and cardamom and fruit. (The apricots will make the soup kinda sweet.) Stir together. Add cold water to about an inch over the top of the mixture. Add more adobo powder to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low flame 30 minutes, until veggies are tender and liquid has boiled down somewhat (do not cover). Add canned corn before serving.
A Lady K creation.
Posted in Recipes, spirituality | 2 Comments »
Saturday, September 11th, 2010
PARADISE STEW
1/2 C saved fat, skimmed off a curry.
1 t sesame oil
dollop peanut oil
More fat if you are adventuresome.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot until ready for this blend (chopped):
1 shallot
1.5 old onions
2 large cloves garlic
Put these aromatics in the oil on low flame and tend to when you think of it.
Meanwhile, chop:
5 stalks celery, chopped with leaves. While you are chopping the celery, throw some celery seed into the aromatics (onions/shallots/garlic) to prepare them for the celery.
Next, chop:
2 carrots
1 sweet potato (skinned)
1 potato
I like to chop into shapes of all sizes. Add to pot.
You might be baking a birthday cake for your grandma at this point. I was for mine. So I kinda let these ingredients caramelize on low flame, although interspersed with periods of supervised high flame, while I worked on the batter for her cake. I imagine, oh, 10-20 minutes of caramelization is good.
Next:
Put in two thighs and two breasts. Chicken. Put them on the bottom of the pan under the vegetables to sear.
(While chicken is searing but not too hot, work on the rest of Grandma’s birthday cake and get that in the oven.)
Now the chicken should be pleasantly seared on one side. Cover the contents of the pot with water, probably about a half inch above the material ingredients. Add 1/2 cup dried lentils (green or brown) to the stew.
Next:
1 very liberal dash of Balsamic vinegar
liberal shakes of Adobo powder (all purpose seasoning)
1 t (use your own discretion) of Berbere.
10 grains of paradise
20 grains of cardamom
Bring to a boil, then reduce to low flame and cover. Let stew for a while. Once it has turned into a nice stew but still has lots of liquid and the lentils are soft (probably 30-45 minutes?), add:
Raisins – 1/2 C
Israeli couscous – 1/3 C
1/2 stick cinnamon
Cook until the couscous is done. Eat & enjoy.
Tags: paradise, paradise stew, stew
Posted in Recipes, Relationships, spirituality | No Comments »
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