Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who submitted a prayer for consideration in the first ever Celebrate Every Day contest! You can take a look at the selections -- and discover a creative way to pray -- in the next post.

A Fun Way to Pray

A fun way to highlight the spiritual dimension of meals is to choose a prayer by chance. First, compile a list of six table graces. Then before each meal, roll a die from a board game. Whatever number you roll, that is your prayer.

You might choose the following six prayers:

1. For this day,
For this food,
For each other,
For your love
We give you thanks, O God. Amen.

2. Give us, O Lord, thankful hearts which never forget your goodness to us. Give us, O Lord, grateful hearts, which do not waste time complaining. Amen. (Thomas Aquinas, 1225-1274)

3. Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.

4. God, bless this food we are about to receive.
Give bread to those who hunger.
And hunger for justice to us who have bread. Amen.

5. (Everyone join hands for a moment of silence. Conclude with “Amen.”)

6. O God, we thank you for this food,
for health and strength and all things good.
May others all these blessings share,
and hearts be grateful everywhere. Amen.

If you have children who enjoy singing, you might want to substitute the following prayer for one of the six above:

(Sung to the theme song for the movie Superman)
Thank you God, for giving us food.
Thank you God, for giving us food.
Our daily bread, we must be fed.
Thank you God, for giving us food

If you have prayers that are particularly meaningful for you, substitute them for some of the six suggested prayers.

Tip: Plant a Garden, Even a Small One

Here it is, late August, and we are thorougly enjoying the fruit of the garden in our backyard. I'm so thankful that Kathleen planted and has worked in our garden. She finds it relaxing (though she does get sore sometimes when she's been weeding for a long time), adn we all benefit from the great food.

While most people are able to buy many high-quality, low-cost ingredients at their local supermarket, there are some ingredients that are just better coming from your own garden. Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to a tomato just picked from the vine. While you can certainly make many great dishes with canned tomatoes, canned tomato sauce and canned tomato paste, there are some dishes that really only taste good with perfectly ripe tomatoes right off the vine, including Caprese salad, gazpacho, and bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches.

Even if you have a small space for a garden – a postage-stamp sized backyard or some pots on a balcony – I recommend that you plant:

1. Tomatoes – Don’t go overboard (which is such a temptation when you’re perusing seed catalogs in the dead of winter or wandering the local garden center in the early spring). Instead, plant one or two of a few varieties. We always like to plant nice, red slicing tomatoes, big yellow tomatoes, red grape tomatoes and small yellow pear tomatoes. Experiment and see what you like. Also, consider planting heirloom tomatoes. Heirlooms not only have great flavor, you can same of the seeds and plant them again next year. Plus, planting heirloom tomatoes helps the many different varities thrive. (One important hint: whatever tomato variety you plant, make sure to move where you plant your tomatoes. Don’t plant them in the exact same spot in your garden as you did last year. That way, you cut down on the chance of soil-born diseases.)

2. Herbs – Nothing compares to fresh herbs in cooking. But have you seen how expensive fresh herbs are in the supermarket? And I don’t know about you, but I rarely use all the herbs I buy before they go bad. Instead, plant some herbs in your garden. Before you plant, think about what herbs you use in your cooking. For us, we use a lot of basil, flat leaf parsley and cilantro, so that is what we have in the garden. For you it might be rosemary and thyme. Look through your favorite recipes and decide what you would love to cook with, then plant those herbs.

That’s it. Of course, you can grow a larger garden: corn, zucchini, peppers, and more. But for the most bang for your gardening time and acreage, at least plant tomatoes and herbs. You’ll thank yourself.

Thinking Back to Last Week's Culinary Experiment

If you remember, last Thursday, I tried a culinary experiment: making tomato sauce totally from scratch. I knew that this recipe would not be a Celebrate Every Day recipe. After all, it would take a long, long, long time and involve many steps, making it anything but simple. Yet I wondered: would this tomato sauce be worth the investment of time and energy? Would it be better than my usual tomato sauce (which, by the way, is not any of the commercially available brands; I do make my own, just not totally from scratch)? I was pretty sure it would be.

I was wrong. As it turns out, while last week's sauce was good, it wasn't phenomenal. It wasn't even any better than my usual sauce. In fact, it wasn't as good. Peter's verdict when he first tasted it: he put down his fork and said, "I want the usual sauce!"

I've had a week now to ponder the mystery of tomato sauce. You would think that the sauce that was last week's experiment would have been superior. After all, I used the best and freshest ingredients: about a gallon of organic, vine-ripened and recently-picked tomatoes, carefully chopped; organic onions, garlic, basil fresh from our garden. But the ingredients I normally use are great too. After all, the tomatoes used to make the canned sauce and canned tomato paste are picked and processed at the height of ripeness. The only ingredient in the tomato paste is tomatoes, which have been concentrated to a sweet, tomatoey, thick goodness. The canned tomato sauce I normally use has standard ingredients: tomatoes, salt, onion, garlic, dried peppers and more -- pretty much the same as I used in last week's experiment.

What I've learned from this experiment is that you don't have to spend a lot of time cooking in order to make a great meal. It really is possible to make a meal that satisfies body and soul so you can celebrate every day.

Grilled Mediterranean Beef

Kathleen created this dish which has quickly become one of my favorite entrees for warm weather gatherings with family and friends. Over the last several years, this has been served for dinner on my birthday.

Grilled Mediterranean Beef is delicious, and surprisingly easy to make, if you three tips in mind. Tip One: Be sure to marinate the meat in the herb mixture for at least two hours, or for up to 12 hours (I have made up the marinade early in the day and had the meat marinating until shortly before dinner). Tip Two: Take the meat (still in the marinade) out of the refrigerator half an hour before you will cook it. Tip Three: If using a charcoal grill, start the coals half and hour before you want to start cooking, so the coals will be hot. (You can also use an indoor grill.)

Serves 8-10

1 cup fresh basil, lightly packed
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, lightly packed
½ cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pound (approximate) beef top round

Put the fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Whir to form a paste.

Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with 1 ½ tablespoons of the herb mixture. Place the beef on top, then top with the remaining herb paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two, and up to 12, hours.

Grill the beef over hot coals until medium rare, approximately 8-12 minutes per side. Let the meat rest for at least five minutes, then slice very thinly across the grain, preferably on an angle (otherwise, the beef will be tough and difficult to chew).

The Right Tools -- Your Ideas

I just posted a list of kitchen gadgets I believe can help you save time and energy -- and avoid a lot of frustration -- as you cook. After all, one of the best ways to simplify your cooking is to use the right tools.

What gadgets do you find valuable? What would your recommend people get to stock their kitchens?

The Right Tools

One of the best ways to simplify your cooking routine is to have the right tools. You can save time and energy – as well as avoid a lot of frustration – if you have the kitchen gadgets you need. I’ve listed the tools I find the most valuable, categorized as inexpensive, moderately priced and expensive. (Note that even in the “expensive” category, you don’t have to buy the most expensive tools to get good quality tools. It’s just that everything in this category is more costly.) If you are just starting out, or re-stocking your kitchen to be more efficient, this list is a good place to start.

Inexpensive

Box grater – A great tool for grating blocks of cheese (like cheddar)

Colander – the perfect tool for draining pasta and vegetables. (Be sure to get the colander’s holes are not so large that your favorite type of spaghetti will drain out with the cooking water!)

Charcoal chimney – With this, you can get the charcoals ready for the grill without using lighter fluid. This is better for the environment and for your health.

Ladle – Particularly useful is a ladle with a silicone cup that you can use to scoop out sauces, soups and more out of cookware with a non-stick surface.

Liquid measuring cups (two) – If you can, get both a 4-cup and a 2-cup (these can be easily nested one inside the other). Liquid measurements are not the same as dry measurements.

Measuring cups (two sets) – You’ll use them a lot, so get cups of high quality metal or plastic. My favorite set has not only ¼, 1/3, ½ and 1 cup measures, but also 2/3 and ¾ cup measures

Measuring spoons (two sets) – You’ll need them over and over again, so get quality. My favorite are made of thick metal that cannot bend, chip or crack. (Unlike earlier sets I had, including one made of thin metal that bent and another of cheap plastic that chipped and cracked).

Microplane zester/grater – As the name implies, you can use this for zesting lemons and other citrus as well as grating cheese. This is perfect for parmesan cheese.

Parchment paper – I use parchment paper for so many recipes: oven roasted potatoes (as well as other roasted vegetables), meatballs and of course for baking. Make sure to have at least a roll of parchment paper on hand at all times.

Pepper Mill – This is the easiest way to have freshly cracked pepper.

Reamer – I have a very inexpensive wooden reamer I use to juice lemons, limes and oranges.

Salad Spinner – The perfect gadget to wash and dry lettuce and some fresh herbs like basil and parsley.

Spaghetti Measure – This hard plastic disc helps you measure the perfect amount of spaghetti for one to four servings.

Strainer – Can be used instead of a colander for smaller tasks.

Tongs – This is the tool you need to turn food, such as pork chops. Get at least one pair of tongs that have silicone tips for use on cookware with a non-stick surface, and one pair of tongs with a long handle for the grill

Spatulas – Get at least two heat-resistant spatulas, a wide one for turning pancakes, French toast and other foods, and a narrower one for other uses.

Vegetable peeler – Use to peel potatoes, apples, carrots and more

Vegetable peeler with serrated blades – Use to peel tomatoes. This is one of my favorite tools of all time.

Wooden spoons – Use these to stir while you cook.

Moderately Priced
Baking dishes (at least in 9 inch x 13 inch and 8 x 8 inch sizes) – I have a set of Pyrex baking dishes I’ve used for decades.

Baking sheets – You will use these over and over again to bake cookies, roast potatoes and other vegetables, and more.

Blender – This is one of the few kitchen gadgets sitting on our counter top at all times.

Coffee Maker – Even if you don’t drink coffee yourself, you need a coffee maker in order to be a good host, because some of your guests do drink coffee. (If you are not a coffee drinker, you can store the coffee maker in an out-of-the-way upper cabinet to keep your counter clear.)

Immersion blender – A great gadget for making sauces and soups

Mixing bowls – My favorite are a set of metal bowls in various sizes. Also good are heavy-duty glass bowls. I suggest you stay away from plastic bowls.

Skillet – Buy a 10 – 12-inch, oven-safe skillet with a lid and a non-stick surface. You will use this to make so many dishes.

Expensive But Worth It
Food processor – I definitely think a food processor is worth it for so many jobs. It will save you time and frustration.

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer – Yes, I do suggest you get this brand. Contrary to rumor, I did not marry Kathleen for her Kitchen Aid mixer (but it didn’t hurt).

Knives – Buy a quality set of sturdy, well-built knives that can be sharpened. This does not mean that you have to buy the most expensive knives on the market. You can buy a good set of knives for the price of a single very expensive knife. In the long run you’re better off buying a quality set than buying a cheap and poorly-made set you’ll wind up replacing. And be sure to keep your knives sharp. Sharp knives not only work more efficiently, they are safer to use.

Panini Press/Grill/Griddle – Yes, you can buy a cheaper panini press, indoor grill, or griddle than one that does all three tasks. But one gadget not only costs less than three, it also takes up less space in your kitchen. Look for one with removable plates that are dishwasher safe.

Pots and pans – Buy a quality set of sturdy, well-built set. This does not mean that you have to buy the most expensive set of pots and pans available. You can buy a good set for the cost of one very expensive pot. I like stainless steel pots and pans with a heavy-duty aluminum bottom. They perform well and are easy to clean so they continue to look great. (Copper pots and pans require much more effort to keep looking great.)

More on Jesus & Food

A while ago, I mentioned that we can learn a lot about the spiritual significance of eating by exploring Jesus' relationship with food. Today, we'll take a deeper look.

Before Jesus told his first story, before he preached his first sermon, before he healed a sick person for the first time, before he called the first person to follow him, Jesus fasted. He did without food for 40 days in order to prepare himself spiritually for his work. After that extended period of fasting, he was obviously hungry. And that extreme hunger left him vulnerable. As Jesus was still in the desert wilderness, the tempter came to Jesus and tried to lead his astray, lead him away from what God wanted him to do, and lead him away from his true identity. The Gospel of Matthew records that the very first temptation involved food. “If you are the Son of God,” the tempter said, “command these stones to become loaves of bread.” That was a powerful temptation, a temptation for Jesus not only to prove that he really is the Son of God, but also a temptation to relieve his own, personal hunger, and relieve the hunger of other people, needy people. Just think of all the good he could do if he did transform not just one stone, but thousands of stones to bread? All he would have to do is listen to the tempter, instead of listening to God. Jesus responded to the temptation: “It is written, `One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:1-4)

That one passage may leave the impression that Jesus discounted the value of food. After all, he did without food during a 40-day fast. He refused to turn stones into bread in order to feed himself and others in the area who were hungry. And he understood that while we need food to survive, we need to be guided by God even more.

Yet it is clear from reading the gospels that Jesus was not opposed to eating. He enjoyed food. In fact his enjoyment of eating and sharing meals was in stark contrast to other spiritual leaders at the time. The difference was so striking, that some people criticized him. Jesus did not dodge the criticism; he took it on. He realized that many of the same people who were complaining about him had also complained about John the Baptist, who ate a restricted diet. “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Matthew 11:18-19) Few people today have the image of Jesus as a glutton and drunkard, but his contemporary detractors did.

Balance is vital. Jesus knew we need to eat to survive. Food is so important that when he taught his disciples how to pray, he encouraged them to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) He knew that we need to acknowledge God as the source of our sustenance, and that worrying about what we are going to eat, and worrying about if we are going to eat, can throw our lives off track. Just after teaching his followers what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus said, “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Jesus urged people to not focus on worry. “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25-33) Our primary focus is to be righteous, to live the right way, to live in a right relationship with God and thus live as though the kingdom of God were already fully here.

Broccoli & Potato Frittata

Are there days when you know you won' t have a lot of time to get dinner ready? Days when if you don't plan in advance you'll probably wind up getting something at the drive through or calling for delivery?

When you know you're going to have one of those days, this is the perfect solution. If you've planned ahead and have leftovers to go, this frittata will be ready in a snap. Plus, this takes those leftovers and totally transforms them. A frittata makes a great, light dinner, particularly when accompanied by a side salad dressed with a light vinaigrette, or with sliced vine-ripened tomato sprinkled with salt.

I used leftover roasted potatoes (see the recipe on the July 30 post) from dinner a few days ago, and quickly steamed some broccoli. (Of course if I had planned really well, I would have already had leftover broccoli ready to go.)

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 tablespoon butter
10 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups steamed broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces and cooled (you can use leftover broccoli)
2 cups oven roasted potatoes

Melt butter in a large (10-12 inch) non-stick and oven-safe skillet over medium heat.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the salt and the pepper, and beat* lightly. Set aside.

After butter is melted, add the the broccoli and potatoes to the skillet. Add the eggs. Let the eggs partially set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then with a small heat-resistant spatula gently lift up some of the egg that has set and let some of the uncooked egg reach the bottom of the skillet. Continue lifting the set eggs until most of the egg is set, about 6 to 8 minutes total from when you added the eggs to the pan.

Place the skillet in the pre-heated oven and bake for 8 minutes, till the frittata is puffy. Remove from the skillet onto a large plate or round platter. Cut into 8 slices, like you would a pizza.

Tip: If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, cover the handle in 4 to 5 layers of foil.

*A tip to beat eggs: First, pierce each yolk with a fork, then lighty beat the eggs with a whisk or a fork. This will enable you to beat the eggs much more uniformly.

Your Ideas

Did you have a favorite (or a number of favorite) mealtime prayers when you were a child? Or mealtime prayers your family has prayed together as your children are growing?

If you have one favorite – or several favorites – please let me know. I’ll share many of them – and select a few for a special project.

Tonight's Experiment: Definitely Not a Celebrate Every Day Recipe!

It's summer, and tomatoes are finally coming on strong. In fact, we have an over-supply of tomatoes. "Perfect," I thought, "I'll make tomato sauce from scratch."

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know that I don't use any of the commercially produced spaghetti sauces for sale in the supermarket. I always, always, always, make my own sauce. But I don't start with tomatoes. Instead, I start with canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Not only can I make this sauce year-round, it also tastes great.

Yet I've wondered: would the sauce taste even better if I started with freshly picked tomatoes? A lot of freshly picked tomatoes? More than six pounds of freshly picked tomatoes? Would it be worth all the time and the effort?

We'll soon find out. What I do know, is that so far this has taken a lot of time, and I mean a lot of time. With all the chopping, stirring, heating, draining, stirring, heating, food-milling (is that a word? food-milling: to put something through a food mill), then more stirring and heating, I've already invested more than 3 1/2 hours, and there's probably another 1/2 hour to go.

What I've tasted so far is not bad, but we'll see what the end result is. I'd be surprised if it's better than my old stand-by. And so far, it sure doesn't seem worth the time and effort.

Of course, this is definitely not a Celebrate Every Day recipe. Celebrate Every Day recipes not only nourish body and soul, they're also simple. And believe me, this is not simple! And so far I've given Kathleen a lot of work to do when she does the dishes after dinner -- knives, cutting board, pots, spoons, food mill, bowls, etc.

Check in later and see the results.

With Kids, Don't Give Up

Trying to celebrate every day with kids can be a challenge when it comes to meals. Some kids are fussy most of the time. Others have their moments. They won't eat vegetables. Or maybe they won't touch meat. Perhaps they will only eat food that is white. And whatever you do, make sure the different food doesn't touch.

Our son Peter started off eating just about everything. In fact, we knew he was ready to start eating solid food when he took a brocoli floweret off Kathleen's fork. But over the last year or so, he has become more picky, even shunning food he once loved.

What to do? We decided that we are not short order cooks. There will be no special meals. Okay, so we fudge that rule a little. There are times when we make something that we're almost positive Peter won't eat. At those times we do make something special for him, and ask that he just try* what we're eating.

But when we've cooked something we know Peter does like, or something that all the major components of the dish Peter likes, he needs to eat it. If he doesn't, that's it. And there will be no dessert.

When he has refused something even though we're sure he would like it if he just tried it, we have not scratched that meal from our repertoire. Instead, we serve it again another time.

Like last night, when I made Boneless Honey Pork Chops (see yesterday's post). A couple week's ago, he refused to even try it -- even though he loves both pork chops and honey. But last night, he ate it all without complaint. Not only that, he loved it!

So, if your children refuse to eat something that you're pretty sure they would like, don't give up on that dish. It may take a while, but most likely, they'll eat it in time.

*Try means to chew and swallow at least one bite.

Boneless Honey Pork Chops

My father-in-law used to hate pork chops. Apparently his mother -- and many in her generation -- were so afraid of disease from pork, that she overcooked it, rendering it tough. Because of his past dislike of eating shoe leather disguised as pork chops, my father-in-law used to avoid them.

I didn't realize his dislike of pork chops, until I was preparing it for dinner one night. Kathleen informed me, "I should have told you, but my Dad doesn't like pork chops."

Or not. It turns out, he really does like pork chops that are cooked the right way. Or should I say, any number of right ways. The key is, don't overcook them. The interior should be slightly pink; that way, the chops will be juicy and succulent.

This recipe for Boneless Honey Pork Chops is a great main dish when you have a side dish or two that needs last minute preparation. After all, once in the oven, these chops take care of themselves.

Serves 4

Pre-heat oven to 325.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 boneless thick-cut pork chops
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

Place a wire rack in a baking sheet. Brush the rack with oil; set aside.

Slather all side of the pork chops with honey (I find it easier to put the honey in a pie plate first, and then dip the chops in one at a time). Then coat the chops with breadcrumbs (again, I find it easier to put the breadcrumbs on a plate and dip the honey-coated chops in the breadcrumbs).

Place the chops on the rack; this will ensure that all sides of the pork cook evenly and that the bottom does not become soggy.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until slightly pink in the middle of the thickest chop.

A Simple Tip

Tonight, we had hamburgers, carrot salad and oven-roasted potatoes (all three recipes have been published on this blog). All three dishes come together really fast -- except the actual roasting of the potatoes. It takes about 35 minutes to roast them, and that is only after the oven is pre-heated.

So today's simple tip*: turn on the oven as soon as you come in the door from work. Or even better, if your oven has the great feature so you can program it to turn on at a certain time, use it! Program your oven to be pre-heated about the time you come home. That way you can pop whatever your baking/roasting into the oven right away and eat that much sooner.

*This may seem like such an obvious idea, but I didn't think about it myself until a couple months ago. Yes, sometimes it takes me years to realize the obvious!

Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

What to do with an over-abundance of bell peppers? What if you have a five-year-old son who loves sausage? One perfect solution -- sausage and pepper sandwiches!

This recipe reminds me of the great sausage and pepper sandwiches you find in the Chicago area. No wonder they're so popular!

You can make these sandwiches look as good as they taste by using a variety of bell peppers -- green, red, yellow, orange and/or white. After all, this is about celebrating, every day!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage (mild works best for our family, but if you like it spicy, go for hot Italian sausage), remove casing and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 - 4 medium bell peppers (or 2 large bell peppers) -- cut into thin slices, being sure to remove the seeds and white membrane
1 small onion (or 1/2 a large onion) -- cut into thin slices about the same size as the bell pepper slices
2 tablespoons beef broth
4 club rolls -- sliced in half

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the pepper and onion slices and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper and onion soften (about another 5-7 minutes).

Add the beef broth, and scrape up the caramelized bits on the bottom of the skillet. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this punch of flavor.

Spoon the sausage and pepper mixture into the rolls, and serve while hot.

Honey Grape Chicken Salad

Looking for something refreshing for dinner on a hot, humid day? Looking for a different spin on chicken, particularly when it’s on sale at the supermarket? What if you’re looking for both? This version of chicken salad hits the spot in so many ways: the juicy pop of the grapes, the hint of sweetness from the honey, the crunch of slivered almonds.

Accompany this with some great bread, and you’ve got a tasty, light dinner that’s perfect for even the hottest days. If you want, you can serve Honey Grape Chicken Salad atop lettuce, or by itself.

Serves 4

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 ½ cups seedless grapes*
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey*
½ cup slivered almonds

Combine the shredded chicken and grapes in a bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and honey to form the sauce. Add the sauce to the chicken mixture. Chill for ½ an hour. (You can also make this a day ahead.)

Right before you serve, stir in the slivered almonds.

*If you have young children, check with your pediatrician before serving grapes (which can be a choking hazard) or honey (which young stomachs may not be able to digest properly).

Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus

Are you looking for a quick trip to northern Italy? You can be there in less than half and hour with this delicious dish. Open a bottle of Italian white wine – a nice Pinot Grigio would be my favorite, put on music by Vivaldi, and you’re in Venice.

This recipe may require a lot of stirring, but it is surprisingly quick. And the results are delectable. This is a great dish to double and serve for special gathering.

4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/3 cup white wine
1 bunch asparagus
1/3 pound shrimp, cleaned and deveined
Parmesan cheese

In a medium sauce pan, heat chicken broth over low heat on stove. Add turmeric and stir to mix; do not let the broth boil.

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. When the butter melts, add onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir until opaque and well-coated with butter, about 4 or 5 minutes. As the rice starts to get slightly brown, add wine. As the wine cooks off, add ½ cup of broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the broth is almost totally absorbed. Continue to cook, adding ½ cup of broth at a time and stirring frequently. It’s important to add the broth slowly ½ cup at a time and to wait until the broth is almost absorbed before adding more broth. Continue adding broth and cooking until the rice is tender, but not starchy, about 20 to 25 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the asparagus. Wash asparagus and snap off the tough ends. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Steam asparagus over boiling water for 5 minutes.

When the last ½ cup of broth is added to the rice, add the asparagus and shrimp. Cook until the broth is absorbed and the shrimp turn pink. Top with grated Parmesan cheese to taste. Serves 3 or 4.

Back from Vacation

I'm back from vacation, so back to the "Celebrate Every Day" blog. In the coming days there will be more recipes, hints and tips to help you, your family and your friends celebrate every day with meals nourishing both your body and your soul.