No Judge

“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.”

— Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
German-born theoretical physicist;
developed the theory of relativity

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Starry Night

“It has to be dark for the stars to appear.”

— Warren W. Wiersbe (1929 – 2019)
American Christian clergyman & writer

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Happy 75th, Sir Ronald!

 

Happy 75th Birthday to Sir Ronald!

 

 

 

 

 

We got to do one of those bucket list trips to Australia and New Zealand.

 

 

 

 

Sooo many memorable moments! Here’s lookin’ at you, kid!

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Opt for Optimism

“I am an optimist–it does not seem to be much use being anything else.”

— Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
British statesman, soldier & writer;
former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

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Presidents Day

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”

— Warren Bennis (1925 – 2014)
American scholar & author

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Just Thinking

 

“Patience is also a form of action.”

— Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)
French sculptor

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National Flag of Canada Day

At 12 noon on February 15, 1965, Canada’s red and white maple leaf flag flew for the first time on Parliament Hill. 1 year later, February 15th officially was deemed National Flag of Canada Day, reflecting Canadians’ common values of democracy, inclusion, and equity.

Of course, Canada became an independent, self-ruling nation as the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. Prior to 1965, however, the primary flag flown was the Canadian Red Ensign, including the Union Jack and Canada’s coat of arms. We LOVE our friends and neighbors to the north. Happy National Flag of Canada Day!

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Love

 

“To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you are the world.”

— Unknown

 

 

Our own value is often unknown to us unless we dare to let ourselves be loved and feel love. Special courage is needed when we have lost love, but we must always remember the importance of caring for and encouraging others, especially when loneliness is a challenge.

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Climb Up!

 

“Nothing is too high for a man to reach, but he must climb with care and confidence.”

— Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875)
Danish poet, novelist & writer of fairy tales

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Hmmmmm….

Beware the messages of people who point fingers and rant about other’s hatred, when they are the ones repeatedly spewing hatred and negative attacks. Hmmmmmm….

“Hatred is the anger of the weak.”

— Alphonse Daudet (1840-1897)
French author

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Purrrrrrrrr….

National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day started with the Greek storyteller Aesop (620 – 564 BC), who said, “Don’t cry over spilt milk.”

 

 

 

Since then, many people have repeated his philosophy and added their own spins. For example, Greek tragedian Sophocles (496 – 406 BC) questioned, “Why bemoan what is done and cannot be recalled?”

 

 

 

 

English writer W. Somerset Maugham (1874 – 1965) thought the reason was “because all the forces of the Universe were bent on spilling it.”

 

 

 

British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay (1966 ) noted he’s not going to cry over spilled milk because he’s “too busy looking for the next cow.”

 

 

Whatever “take” you like on the ol’ saying, at least don’t do it today. As American humorist Evan Esar (1899 – 1995) observed, “A creature that never cries over spilt milk is a cat.”

Purrrrrfect!

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LOL

 

“My way of joking is to tell the truth. It is the funniest joke in the world.”

— George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)
Irish playwright & critic

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Pizza! Pizza!

 

This is National Pizza Day, so have one delivered, go to your favorite pizzeria, or whip one up at home.

 

 

 

Pizza on the Grill
What? No pizza stone? No problem… you CAN make great pizza directly on the rack of your barbeque grill. This recipe is a Super Simple way to make pizza dockside or in the backyard.
8 oz refrigerated pizza dough
2 T cornmeal
Toppings, such as crumbled sausage, pepperoni, bacon, sliced mushrooms, sliced sweet onions, etc.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12” oval. Spritz 1 side with cooking oil and place oil side-down on grill preheated on high. Grill 2-3 minutes. Spritz the top of the dough with oil, then sprinkle with cornmeal. Turn dough over.

Add sauce, cheese & toppings, keeping a ½” border on edges. (This should take about 2 min.) Close the cover & shut the heat off directly under the pizza or turn it to low, leaving it on high on the burners that are not under the pizza.) Grill another 3-6 minutes (if kept burners on low) or 5-8 minutes (if shut burners off) till cheese is melted. Cut into slices and serve with grated Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder for guests to add, as desired.

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National Iowa Day

 

Joining the nation in 1846, the 29th state is also known as the Hawkeye State.

 

 

 

With corn fields and farming often getting top billing, Iowa has much more to offer.

 

 

 

Its oldest city is Dubuque, founded in 1788 as one of the first settlements in the entire Midwest. Dubuque is also home to Iowa’s oldest standing church… the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, built in 1833.

 

 

 

With the wild rose as its state flower and the eastern goldfinch as its state bird, Iowa’s motto is “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.”

 

 

With its population of 3.2 million people, Iowa has 400 bowling alleys, giving it the highest number per capita in the US, along with more golf courses per capita than any other state.

 

 

The National Hobo Convention is held annually in the town of Britt, complete with a hobo parade, hobo queen coronation, and a hobo museum.

 

 

 

 

 

The Iowa 80 Truckstop is the world’s largest and hosts the Trucking Museum in Walcott, dedicated to the history of trucking and vintage trucks.

 

 

Iowa also claims the 3rd highest motorcycle ownership in the nation.

 

 

 

Museums don’t stop there. Indianola is home to the National Balloon Museum, which offers hot-air balloon rides.

 

 

 

Noted as the safest state in the US, Iowa also leads the US in wind energy, producing the highest percentage of electricity powered by wind, at over 57% of its electrical power. Iowa also has the highest literacy rate in the US, setting a nationwide literacy and academic excellence standard.

 

 

In 1869, Arabella Mansfield (1846-1911) became the first female lawyer in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

Known for friendly communities and farmers’ markets, Iowa holds the first Caucus in every Presidential primary election.

 

 

 

Iowa has also produced nearly 20 Olympic athletes in multiple disciplines. In swimming, the butterfly stroke was invented by David Armbruster, head coach of the University of Iowa Swimming in 1935.

 

 

 

 

Also developed here in Davenport was the first single-loaf bread-slicing machine in 1912.

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Delicious Apple variety originated here in the 1870s as a chance seedling growing on Jessee Hiatt’s farm in Peru, Iowa. Thinking of it as a nuisance, he tried to chop the tree down several times, but it repeatedly grew back.

 

 

Iowa is also the only state bordered by two navigable rivers… the Missouri and the Mississippi.

 

 

 

In the Native American tongue, “Iowa” means beautiful.

 

 

 

Maquoketa Caves State Park welcomes visitors to tour one of the highest concentrations of Iowa’s hundreds of prehistoric underground caverns.

 

 

 

Another attraction is the Effigy Mounds National Monument, home to ancient Native American earthworks in the shapes of animals, including bears, birds, and deer.

 

 

 

 

As the nation’s largest producer of corn, eggs, and pork, it’s little surprise to note that hogs outnumber people 7 to 1.

 

 

 

On the yummy side, Le Mars, Iowa was officially designated as “The Ice Cream Capital of the World” in 1994 by the makers of Blue Bunny® brand ice cream.

 

 

 

Little-known facts include that Snake Alley, between Washington Street and Columbia Street in Burlington, Iowa was named the Crookedest Street in the World by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

 

 

 

Iowa is also home to the world’s largest Strawberry Shortcake. Created in 2009 as part of the annual Strawberry Fest in Strawberry Point, the cake measured more than 10 feet in diameter and featured more than 5,000 servings of berries, cake, and cream.

 

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Wear Red for Awareness

Wearing red on Fridays can signify various things, including paying tribute to all military veterans. However, the first Friday of February is also National Wear Red Day for a very different reason. This date signifies the annual campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women. Even one century ago, little was known about heart disease and even less about how it affected women. Considered a man’s disease, even the American Heart Association hosted a conference in the 1960s theme, “How Can I Help My Husband Cope with Heart Disease?” Women were mistakenly believed to have some natural protection from heart disease until their hormone levels dropped during menopause.

In the mid-1980s, studies found that the oversight was due to women being overlooked in studies, which focused primarily on middle-aged men. Further studies found signs of heart attack issues and stroke symptoms did not match the earlier assumptions of what constituted cardiovascular risk. By the turn of the century, researchers realized that while women tended to develop heart disease about 10 years later than men, more women were dying form it. And women under age 65 were twice as likely to die from a heart attack as their male peers.

In 2004, the Heart Truth campaign launched, unveiling the red dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease. The message? Breast cancer is not women’s biggest health worry because one out of 3 women will die of heart disease. Significant recent research also links menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats with an increased risk for high blood pressure, a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease. Women are increasingly encouraged to get involved in their own good health through regular physical activity and healthier eating habits much earlier in life. Good advice for all of us, I believe. An easy reminder is to wear red for awareness.

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Ahhhhh, Politics

“Under democracy, one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule – and both commonly succeed, and are right.”

— H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)
American journalist & essayist

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So, There!

“Irreverence is the champion of liberty and its only sure defense.”

— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
19th Century American author and humorist
(pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens)

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Stew on This!

 

Celebrate National Homemade Soup Day with a bountiful bowl of soup that soothes your very soul. For my hubby, Sir Ronald, something thick and beefy fills the bill. No need to open a canned soup when scrumptious is this easy to make on your own stove.
 

 

Souper Simple Beef Stew
6 T butter, divided
3 lbs diced and/or strips of steak
2 large, sweet onions, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
14-oz frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 env dried onion soup mix
2 (6-8 oz each) pkgs sliced mushrooms (shiitake & baby bella)
1 tsp Mrs. Dash (or other) garlic & herb blend
1 tsp thyme
Salt & pepper, to suit your taste
32 oz beef bone broth
2 c hot water whisked with 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon beef
½ c red wine
1 or 2 (14½ oz cans) petite diced tomatoes & juices
2 c raw baby carrots

Melt 2 T butter in large skillet over med high heat. Quickly brown beef, stirring; transfer with slotted spoon into a slow cooker on high heat. Add 2 T butter to the skillet and the chopped onions and celery. Let cook 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times; transfer to the slow cooker. Add remaining butter to the skillet along with the mushrooms. Let cook 5-6 min, stirring once or twice. Meanwhile, stir the pearl onions and onion soup mix into the slow cooker mixture, along with the seasonings. Gradually whisk 1 c bone broth into the cornstarch or flour till smooth. Then stir into the mushrooms in the skillet. Pour in remaining bone broth and the bouillon mixture. Let cook till bubbly and thickened. Transfer to the slow cooker. Stir the wine into the skillet to deglaze the pan, releasing any cooked on particles. Transfer to the slow cooker, along with the tomatoes and baby carrots. Cover the slow cooker and let cook 45 minutes.

KISS Tip: This is great served with some crusty, cheesy garlic bread.

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National Day the Music Died

The Winter Dance Party Tour scheduled 24 concerts in 24 days visiting 24 mid-western cities. Though it started on January 23rd, it ended abruptly on February 3, 1959, when wintery weather caused a plane to crash shortly after take-off into a cornfield outside Clear Lake, Iowa.

 

 

Along with pilot Roger Peterson, everyone else on board died in that crash, including rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson.

 

 

Don McLean named the day in the lyrics to his 1971 song “American Pie.” Not originally scheduled to be on the flight, the 28-year-old Big Bopper, who was suffering from a cold, hoped to skip the long cold bus ride to their next stop in Minnesota and traded places with Buddy Holly’s bass player, Waylon Jennings.

 

 

And Ritchie Valens, considered a pioneer in Chicano Rock, was just 17 when he snagged his seat on the plane with Buddy Holly by winning a coin toss with one of the other band members, Tommy Allsup.

 

 

 

Buddy Holly, inducted into the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, was 22. An annual memorial concert is held at Clear Lake’s Surf Ballroom, which hosted the artists’ last performances.

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Ahhhhhh…..

“Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself and forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others.”

— Wilferd A. Peterson (1900 – 1995)
American author

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National Freedom Day

We all know that freedom is not free, for there remain people with ideologies who would take it from us. For National Freedom Day, I look at comments from two people who worked hard to protect and preserve our freedoms. Our deepest gratitude to all who have served our nation.

 

“History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.”

— Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969)
34th President of the United States
Five-star US Army General
World War II Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force

 

“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he is vigilant in its preservation.”

— Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)
United States General of the Army
Served in WWI, WWII, and Korean Conflict
Headed the United Nations Command in Korea

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No Polls Hold Sway

Photo by Mark Thomas

 

 

We need not all like a person’s personality in order to recognize his courage, especially when the nation and world needs it most dearly.

 

 

“Abraham Lincoln did not go to Gettysburg having commissioned a poll to find out what would sell in Gettysburg. There were no people with percentages for him, cautioning him about this group or that group or what they found in exit polls a year earlier. When will we have the courage of Lincoln?”

— Robert Coles (1929 – )
American author, child psychologist, and Harvard University Professor Emeritus

 

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Be Done with Evil

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

— Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
German-born theoretical physicist; developed the theory of relativity

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National Corn Chip Day

 

If you are of a certain age, you may well recall tuna casseroles topped with potato chips. For National Corn Chip Day, we suggest topping your dish with Fritos… regular or scoop-style, or any other chip made from corn meal, such as tortilla chips.

Or whip up a Super Simple Taco Pie with ground beef or shredded rotisserie chicken! Yummy comfort food on a cold winter’s day.

 

 

Super Simple Taco Pie
This is one scrumptious comfort food on a cold winter’s day!

1 lb lean ground beef
1 large (or 2-3 small) sweet onion, chopped
1 pkg dry taco seasoning mix
10 oz red enchilada or taco sauce (medium spiciness)
10-oz can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & chilies, & juices
1 c corn (fresh or frozen)
15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
10 oz bag Fritos (scoop-style), divided
3 c shredded Monterey Jack or pepperjack cheese or Mexican combo
1 or 2 slim green onions (green parts only), thinly sliced
Garnishes & toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, chopped avocado, salsa, additional Fritos scoop chips, sliced black olives, hot sauce, crispy bacon bits, hot or mild banana pepper rings, pickled jalapeño rings, or finely diced sweet pepper

Brown beef in large skillet over med heat, along with the onions, stirring to crumble the beef. Stir in taco seasoning mix and sauce. Then add the Ro-Tel, corn, and beans. Bring to a simmer and let cook, stirring often for 4-5 minutes.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, spread 4 c Fritos in bottom of olive oil-sprayed 13×9” baking dish, turning open sides of scoops to face upwards. Sprinkle 1½ c cheese over the chips before spreading evenly with meat mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, sprinkle with green onions, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble 1 c of remaining Frito chips. Sprinkle them over the melted cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve with your choice of garnishes & toppings on the side. Makes 4-6 servings.

KISS Tips: Do not freeze this dish before or after baking as the chips will turn to mush. Serve on its own or with a green salad on the side. You can also replace the beef with shredded rotisserie chicken or browned ground turkey or chicken or other protein of your choosing. Make your own taco seasoning mix by combining 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp each: smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper (or cayenne, if you like it hot).

KISS Variation: Turn this into Super Simple Taco Dip by omitting the Fritos chips in the mixture and bake this as a dip, including as much or as little cheese as you prefer, and serving with the scoop-style Fritos on the side as dippers.

 

 

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Oops!

Photo by Jelleke Van Ooteghem

 

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err.”

— Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Indian lawyer, spiritual & political leader, and nonviolent resistance advocate

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Let’s Laugh About It

Photo by Victoria Romulo

 

 

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”

– Irish proverb

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National Spouses Day

Let me espouse my spouse on National Spouses Day (which falls on the 24-and 1/2 anniversary of our first date). Sir Ronald is the craziest, smartest, funniest, loveliest man I could ever have married. I am blessed (& burdened) by his “everythingest” to the max! The pic is from our honeymoon in 2001. Ahhh… so young. Okay. Okay. Middle-aged, but younger than we are now! Happy Spouses Day!

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Just Imagine

“It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”

— Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945)
American engineer, professor, and physicist
Credited with building the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket

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Lobacious Lobster

 

For Lobster Thermidor Day, I open my 2017 cookbook Lobacious Lobster. Among the “Decadently Super Simple Recipes” is KISS Lobster Thermidor (page 89), ideal for Lobster Thermidor Day!

 

 

KISS Lobster Thermidor
The first time I was served a Lobster Thermidor in a restaurant, I was wide-eyed and overwhelmed by the richness and unrelenting decadence. When I figured out how simply it could actually be made, I felt giddy. Naturally, I simply must let you enjoy this pleasure, as well.

6 whole lobsters (1 and ½ to 2 lb size), steamed & cut in half lengthwise
4 T melted butter
¼ c Dijon mustard
6 T butter
6 T flour
1 c milk
2 c heavy or whipping cream
1 c coarsely grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to suit your taste
2 T butter (not melted)

Remove the meat from the lobsters, cutting into large chunks & saving 4 of the half shells to use as your “dishes.” Brush the insides of the 4 shells you will use as dishes with 4 T melted butter, followed by the mustard. Set aside in baking pan with edges. Mound the lobster meat from the 6 lobsters into the 4 prepared “dishes.” In a saucepan, melt 6 T butter over low heat & stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth. Return to the low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cream, 1/3 of the cheese and salt & pepper to suit your taste. Pour the sauce over the 4 filled lobster halves. Sprinkle with remaining cheese & dot with remaining butter. Bake at 400°F for just 6-8 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

KISS Tips: This is also lovely with the addition of sautéed sliced mushrooms. If you find coral (eggs) in the lobsters, you can mix it in with the cream to add to the sauce near the end. If it is your preference, you could also save it for another use. We also suggest serving lemon wedges and sprigs of fresh parsley as garnishes on each lobster.

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Be Someone’s Light

Photo by Daniel Mirlea

 

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)
English author & philologist

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Calmness….

Photo by Eugene Chrstiakov

 

 

“Calmness is the cradle of power.”

— Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819 – 1881)
American novelist & essayist

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National New England Clam Chowder Day

Super Simple New England Clam Chowder
Celebrate this classic American dish with clams, potatoes, onions…. and bacon, or I’d be lost!

4 (6.5-oz) cans chopped clams in clam juice
8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 T butter
2 large sweet onions, chopped
4-5 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 ½ lb small red-skinned potatoes, ½ “ diced (peeled, if you prefer)
1/3 c flour
2 c chicken broth or bone broth
8-oz jar clam juice
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon – lobster (or chicken)
2 bay leaves
½ tsp garlic powder, minced parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt & pepper
1½ c heavy (whipping) cream

Drain juice from clam cans into large measuring cup or bowl; set aside. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over med heat, stirring occasionally till nearly crispy; remove with slotted spoon to paper towels. Add butter to bacon drippings. Increase heat to med-high and sauté onions & celery 5-6 minutes. Add potatoes and sauté 1-2 more minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring and cooking for 1 min. Then gradually stir in the broth till well combined. Then stir in reserved clam juices & bottled clam juice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the bouillon, followed by the bay leaves and all the seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer, and let cook 15-20 min. (Potatoes should be tender.) Discard the bay leaves. Stir in half the bacon and all the cream. Return to a simmer to heat through. Stir in the clams and remove from the heat. Ladle into individual bread bowls or serving dishes. Garnish each serving with reserved bacon, oyster crackers, and/or  fresh parsley, as desired. Makes 6 servings.

KISS Tips: If not using half the bacon for garnishing, definitely add it to the chowder. Fancify the dish by topping with a crispy slice of baked puff pastry. Chowder is also excellent served simply with a warmed, crusty loaf of French bread. For a spicy twist, add ¼ tsp crushed red pepper along with the other spices. You can also choose a gluten-free 1:1 replacement for flour. For extra creamy, thicken with a little flour or cornstarch slurry.

KISS Variations: For Super Simple variations, add chopped or diced tomatoes and replace cream with tomato broth for Manhattan Clam Chowder. For Rhode Island Clam Chowder, opt for a clear broth by replacing cream with additional chicken broth. We’ve also heard of a sort of “combo,” by keeping the cream and adding tomato broth for New Jersey Clam Chowder.

Want to use fresh clams to replace some or all the canned ones? Scrub 7-8 lbs fresh cherrystone or littleneck clams. Bring 5 cups water and 1 cup white wine to a boil in Dutch oven. Add clams, cover and let cook 5 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove opened clams. Cover and let cook another 2-4 minutes. Remove remaining opened clams and discard any that failed to open. Pour remaining clam juice through fine mesh sieve to remove any shell bits or sand. (Add bottled clam juice or water if you don’t have a total of 4 cups of broth.) When clams have cooled, remove from shells and finely chop.

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May “47” Flourish

Photo by Casey Horner

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)
American Baptist minister & civil rights activist

Today many millions of Americans celebrate the relief, hope, and promise of the new Trump administration. Many millions also shudder in fear or even horror over the exact same thing. We can only unify in peace when we recognize shared truths. We all want many of the same things… peace, harmony, prosperity. We all abhor many of the same things… greed, dishonesty, hatred. We all need calmness, healing, good health, and even the American dream.

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Peace, Please

Photo by Pierre Lemos

 

 

“When two elephants fight it is the grass that gets trampled.”

— African proverb

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Oh, Bother!

English author A.A. Milne and English illustrator E.H. Shepard created the m ost beloved fictional teddy bear. Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in London’s Evening News for Christmas 1925. However, Winnie-the-Pooh was “born” on August 21, 1921, inspired by a stuffed toy the author had bought for his son Christopher Robin and by a bear they’d seen at the London Zoo. The first book of Winnie-the-Pooh stories was published in 1926. Happy National Winnie-the-Pooh Day!

 

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.”

— Winnie-the-Pooh

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Patriotism

 

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and the government when it deserves it.”

— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
American author and humorist

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Thank You for Your Service

 

“In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.”

— José Narosky (1930 – )
Argentine writer

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Happiness & Success

 

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”

-Albert Schweitzer 1875-1965)
German-French philosopher, physician, musician & Nobel laureate

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Welcome Ainsley Jo!

 

“A new baby is like the beginning of all things… wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.”

— Eda J. Le Shan (1922-2002)
American writer

 

 

 

Sir Ronald and I thank Adam and Caiti for blessing us with our third granddaughter. Ainsley Jo was born on January 8th. She joins her two big sisters, Ayla and Adaline, who are delighted with their truly terrific trio. We are overjoyed and look forward to greeting her in person.

 

 

 

 

And yes, mother and baby are home now and doing beautifully.

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Peachy Perfection

For National Peach Melba Day, let’s whip up a batch of this delectable Victorian-era dessert, originally made from peaches, raspberries, and ice cream. (Hmmm… rather like a frozen Bellini.) The dish was created by French Chef Auguste Escoffier in 1893 at London’s Savoy Hotel and named after the opera singer Nellie Melba. (Yes, the Melba Toast was also named after her.)

Super Simple Peach Melba
Sauce: 4 c fresh (or frozen) raspberries
2 T powdered (confectioners’) sugar
1 T lemon juice
¼ c water
Peaches: 4 c water
2 c sugar (or monkfruit)
¼ c honey
1 tsp 100% pure vanilla extract (or paste or a split vanilla pod)
2 T lemon juice
8 peaches (2½ – 3 lbs), halved (pits removed, if easy)

1 pint (or more) vanilla or French vanilla ice cream
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Make the sauce by simmering the raspberries, powdered sugar, lemon juice and water for 8-10 minutes. Then pour and press (with the back of a spoon) through a fine sieve into a medium bowl to remove all seeds. Set aside. Poach the peach halves by combining water, sugar, honey, vanilla, & lemon juice in a Dutch oven over med-low heat till sugar dissolves. Increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to med-low again and poach the peach halves for 2 min on each side. Use slotted spoon to turn them over and to transfer peach halves to an ice bath (large bowl half filled with ice and water) to stop the cooking before transferring to a plate. (Remove any remaining pits.) Use a sharp knife to peel off and discard the peach skins. Let the peaches cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. To serve, arrange 2 peach halves on each of 4 plates, along with a scoop (or more) of ice cream. Drizzle raspberry sauce over it all (or use it as a base). Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

KISS Tips: This is also nice garnished with some coarsely chopped, roasted pistachio nuts. You can refrigerate the poached peach halves in the poaching liquid. Also, you can transfer the cooled poaching liquid to a freezer bag and freeze it till your next peach poaching project.

KISS Variations: Go for the Frozen Bellini Melba by omitting the water in the sauce, but adding ¼ – 1/3 c chilled Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) just before drizzling over the peaches and ice cream. Or opt for Peach Melba Parfaits, by simply dicing the peaches and layering in tall, clear glass flutes with ice cream, raspberries, and a drizzle of sauce… and perhaps some chopped almonds or pistachios.

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