Where Have I Been?

I have had to take a temporary pause from the daily cooking as my business travels, along with my husband's, have made it quite tough to do.  This is my busy teaching season where I teach law all across the country for a bar review course, preparing students to pass their respective bar exams.  And my husband, well, he is always needing to travel to see the people he represents in their baseball careers.  We are so blessed to have flexibility in our jobs, yet it makes it quite stressful at times when we cannot all be together.  Needless to say, I have been sharing the "Cooking To Contribute" endeavor with all that I meet, and I have made some wonderful friends along the way.  I have been contributing in other ways, as I always make a conscious effort to do some good in each day that God has given us.

For instance, I bought a military service man a meal and a beer when I noticed him sitting next to me in the airport restaurant.  I noticed his backpack with his name embroidered along with "UNITED STATES ARMY" in bold type.  I looked at him and said, "Thank you so much for all that you do for us here in America...can I please buy you dinner as a token of my and my family's appreciation?"  He replied, in his oh-so-respectful demeanor, "Ma'am, I would appreciate that and I am honored to do what I do."  With that, and a lump in my throat, I told the waiter to please put it on my tab. 

When I see the individuals outside of the grocery store with their metal box on the table asking for donations to "Help the Homeless", how can I resist?  Even if it is some spare change, every little bit helps.  And if for some unjustified reason, I am being ripped off or conned, I lay no worry on that possibility because it is not up to me to judge.  The Man upstairs knows one's heart, and I wish that we all, as a population, could take some pause each day to realize that it is so possible to "give" to one who has less than you...it is actually quite joyful and comforting.  The head pastor at our church always says, "The greatest blessing in giving is that you are the one being blessed."  When you give and sincerely care about others, it truly does touch your heart.

With my children at the forefront of this project, I am seeing the positive progress in my message of the importance of giving.  At the drug store yesterday, the cashier asked me if I wanted to donate to Lou Gehrig's disease research, and before I could even think about it, Sophia piped in with, "Mom!  Yes, we want to do that."  So, we did.

Please keep following as some yummy recipes are sure to be back soon...

I wish you all a day filled with love, good news, good health, beautiful weather and a full and grateful tummy!  :)

So Grateful To Be Called "MOM"

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and one of the best days in my life as a Mom.  The four of us (Joe, myself, Sophia and Giovanni) began the day with church, and went on to a wonderful lunch filled with so many "I love yous" and "We couldn't be what we are without you"s, that I felt more loved and needed than I ever imagined possible.  This job, this blessing, this responsibility, this wonderment--all referring to "Motherhood", is the most abundant existence there is.  A heart has no limits when it comes to love, and when you look into the eyes of your child, the "you" as you used to know it, is changed forever.  Forever changed by the magic and innocence of a child, and the natural appreciation for this angelic soul that God has placed in your care.  My silent talks within my soul each day begin and end with "Thank you, Lord...I am so grateful that you found me worthy to be their Mother."

In Friday's mail, I found an appreciation letter from the Orange County Rescue Mission for our recent donation.  Along with that was a factual depiction of how overwhelmed their shelter is due to the hundreds of people losing their jobs and homes in this economic crisis.  So, April and May's collections will be again donated there to help our local families that are struggling.  We pray that our small monetary contributions will help even the tiniest bit to relieve someone's suffering.  I will continue "cooking to contribute" to this worthy cause.  I love a sign that I see a few times a week at Giovanni's pre-school...it sums it up perfectly:  "Here I am Lord...Use me!"

Just as I hoped and envisioned, my children are catching on to how necessary this giving aspect is. Sophia asked me yesterday, "Mama, remember those children that we saw at Village of Hope--the ones that were playing on the playground?" I replied with, "Yes, sweetheart, I sure do," to which she pleaded, "Mama, please tell me that they have a school to go to."  I assured her that the public school system makes sure that they get to attend school, and that her donations and clothes will help to feed those children and give them something to wear to school.  She nodded confidently and smiled once again as if she was proud...proud to help one in need. 

Here is a yummy recipe that the family enjoyed...again, anything with pasta is a sure hit.  This was simple and great as left-overs as well:

"Chicken and Prosciutto Pasta"

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
6 oz. dried penne pasta (approx. 2 cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. prosciutto, coarsely chopped
1/2 of a medium green sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips
1/2 of a medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 15-oz. container refrigerated marinara sauce
1 10-oz. container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Coat a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Return to saucepan.
2.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add prosciutto, sweet pepper strips, basil, and, capers.  Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and pepper is crisp-tender.  Add to pasta in saucepan; mix well.
3.  Layer half of the pasta mixture in prepared casserole.  Top with 1 cup of the marinara sauce.  Top with remaining pasta mixture, and the Alfredo sauce.  Drizzle with remaining marinara sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4.  Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until heated through.  Makes 6 servings. 
--This recipe was from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications 2010  titled "Ultimate Chicken".

"Call For Action"

I was watching the Oprah Winfrey episode last Friday where she declared a "Call For Action" regarding distracting driving due to the use of cell phones.  Statistics state that texting or utilizing your cell phone while driving is equivalent to driving drunk--with a blood alcohol level two times above the normal.  That is shocking to say the least as drunk driving is such a horrible epidemic! 

Those of you that read my blog know how I believe that each and everyone of us can make a positive difference in the lives of others--Oprah has done so much of that for so many, over so many years...and hopefully she will have more accolades because of her drawing attention to this problem.

As my baby sister had to learn yesterday that her childhood friend died from a heroin overdose, I believe that a HUGE call for action is needed regarding substance addiciton in our youth population.  So many lives are shortened by this horrible epidemic and such pain and sorrow are left behind.  A mother and father should never have to bury their child...my stomach clenches at how horrific that experience must be.  We have dear family friends that had to bury their son after the Taliban took him from the mountains in Afghanistan while fighting for our freedom here and abroad, and I will never forget the phone call informing me of that fact.  Every generation has their "Do you remember what you were doing when you found out about...?"  Well I believe that these tragedies, whether they be war-related or drug-related or health-related or catastrophic situations, are happening at far too rapid a speed.  Our youth are having their childhoods eradicated--so much is exposed to them at far too young an age thanks to the internet, and drug cartels.

I pray that the family of this twenty year old woman can find strength and some sort of peace someday.  Never will this tragedy be understood...my heart aches for them, and for any other family that has had to experience the loss of a loved one at much too young of an age.

Please appreciate life, and honor its fragility and preciousness.  We all need to be grateful for the time we have here and live with purpose. 

I suppose the message in today's blog is recognizing a needed "Call For Action" when it comes to someone sick with addiction or someone in need of obvious help.  I pray that courage will enter each and every heart if there is a time when it is needed--especially in order to intervene with something serious.  I pray that love and care will abound, and that there can be hope placed in the hearts of those who have lost it.

"Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark."--George Iles

"Earthly Compassion"

On Earth Day especially, our thoughts turn to our planet and all of its glory with the hope and concern that it will endure far beyond our comprehension of years.  However, when I think of the earth, I think of all of its inhabitants and how we all need to do our part in caring for one another.  I recently sent out an email to all in my contact list asking for clothing donations so that we could deliver an abundance of blessings to a local rescue mission here in Orange County called "Village of Hope".  Village of Hope is a part of the Orange County Rescue Mission, and if you are interested in learning more about what this wonderful organization is accomplishing, please take a look at their website:  http://www.rescuemission.org/.

Well, the response that I received was awesome to say the least as I would come home day after day and find bags of clothing on my porch. Thank you so much for anyone who donated as you are assisting me in the teaching of this very important virtue to my children, but you are more importantly clothing many individuals who genuinely need it!  Here we are, about to set out to deliver these gracious donations...

What an awesome experience to get out of the car and have the mission volunteer say to me, "Hold on, I need to get a bigger container!", when he saw all that was in the back of my car.  He brought out a wood flat with a large container where we placed all of the clothes, shoes, and toys.  I wanted the kids to pose by the container so that they could get a visual of the "giving" aspect and how wonderful it feels.  A forklift then appeared and drove the container into the warehouse.  Giovanni wanted to see what was in there as he is fascinated with forklifts.  We went to the door, and he and Sophia looked up in awe at the stacks and stacks of shelves with boxes, containers, food, etc.  I explained how all of what they saw is going to help families and individuals someday soon in order to make their lives happier.  A certain smile appeared on their face as if to confirm that they not only understood, but felt as if they were a part of that.  Mission accomplished.

A "Simple Truth"

We have a collection of books on our shelves in the children's playroom, all of which are worth holding on to for one reason or another.  I am drawn to books that are inspirational, or reminders of how we should live while experiencing this relatively short life.  Life should not be as complicated as we make it.  Life should be appreciated for the time that it is vibrant, and respected at the time of its expiration.  However, unfortunately, our human nature is to worry and stress when most of the time it turns out to be wasted emotion.  The choice to be positive no matter what the circumstance, is just that:  a choice. 

I periodically like to trust the universe with sending me a message so I do silly tests or trials...such as, randomly opening a book and reading the first thing I lay my eyes on and accept it as what I was meant to read at that given time.

So, this morning while straightening up the kids' playroom (notice I didn't say "cleaning it" because that will take a day or two!), I looked to our bookshelf and reached for a book called "Simple Truths" by Kent Hurburn.  I closed my eyes and opened to a random page.  Surprisingly, I opened to the "Parenthood" section, and here is what I read:

"When you experience parenthood, the whole world remakes itself before your eyes. Nature aligns itself. You understand your parents more and honor them more for the love they gave and the struggles they had. You see your own imperfections cast in high relief, because you know how much you want to do things right, and how hard it is to know what it is you should do. You feel the unity of generations cascading into generations from the beginning of time. You feel something in the world that is more important than yourself. Your life suddenly becomes centered. Your own failings are cast in high relief, but so are your own strengths. You know what it is you believe in and must pass along. If you have a chance at parenthood, look upon it with a sense of mystery and awe. You are given the joy of watching life afresh, and the chance to help another human being take flight into the richness and mystery of life. The very clay of which our world is made is, for a brief moment, placed in your hands."

Now if that doesn't sum up what parenthood means to me, and all of its complexity!  However, with the complexity comes the simplest of truths:  Love is the meaning of it all, and is defined in the deepest sense as that between a parent and child. 

I hope that our children will love those in need, and will want to reach out to them whenever they get the chance.  A smile, a simple act of kindness, a donation of food, clothing, or money--simple things, a simple truth.  Every one of us can make a difference in the lives of those in need.  Hopefully our project will set that example for our children, as Joe and I attempt to pass along our strengths more than our failings. 

May you go out and shed a little light and love on someone today!  It's so easy to do...

"Come on people now, smile on your brother everybody get together and try to love one another right now."--The Youngbloods

April Showers

"Shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel...things are gonna work out fine if you only will"...--oh, the soothing voice of James Taylor!  How true these lyrics are!!!  Especially the "things are gonna work out fine" part, as we just come off the heels of "TAX DAY"!

I stop at a stand-still at times when I hear Sophia laughing at something she finds very funny -- her laughter is infectious, and my first thought is that "she is going to be a great friend."  I know the belly-aching laughs that my friends and I share and have shared over the years, and these are true moments of happiness.  As I watch Sophia grow, I know that I will often be reflecting back to the times my friends and I rolled on the floor with giggles that lasted for minutes on end..."Hello, Ms. Prata, can I just say "Wash and Wear haircut?"; or Heid, "The blue boat and radiator fluid?"; or Lor, a certain Ms. Holls with squinty eyes and padlocks on the fridge?"; or Goona, "The famous drive-thru at McDonalds?"; or Madi, "Why don't you put on your Nikes and get on your bike..." Oh, the inside jokes and memories that never lose their luster...

Three of my dear girlfriends have birthdays in the month of April, and one of them is actually on tax day, so April is a special and heart-warming month for me. I love my friends, and I hope to always shower them with love. So, here is a wonderful recipe to share with you all in honor of the girls who keep me laughing, who authored so many hilarious memories, and who know more about me than I do myself at times.

From "Cooking Light" magazine:

"Balsamic Chicken Breasts with Roasted Tomatoes"

Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Balsamic vinaigrette salad spritzer (such as Wish-Bone)


Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°.


2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; place tomato mixture on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until tomato skins burst and begin to wrinkle, stirring once. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl, scraping juices into bowl. Stir 1/4 teaspoon salt into tomato mixture.


3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.


4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Place chicken on individual plates; coat each breast half with 2 to 3 sprays of balsamic spritzer. Spoon tomatoes evenly over chicken.

--I served this with orzo pasta tossed with sauteed zucchini as the magazine suggested.

THUMBS-UP!!!

There is nothing worth the wear of winning, but laughter and the love of friends." -- Hillaire Belloc

The Fragility of Us All

The main thread that ties human beings together comes from the spool of feelings and emotions.  We all have them, we all feel them. 

Some of us are woven with the strongest of string in that we come from a family full of love, kindness and good fortune.  Some of us are sewn together with multiple pieces of fabric in that we have been adopted or perhaps have moved from family to family like in the life of a foster child.  Some of us have been wounded, abused, forgotten, neglected, hurt, or abandoned.  Some of us are so privileged that we have no idea how to even relate to one less fortunate, and our ego is largely out of control.  Some of us are so poor in pocket, but millionaires in spirit.  Some of us are generous, some are stingy.  Some are grateful, some are selfish, some are pessismists, and some are optimists.  The point is that although everyone is different, we are more alike than we think.

Every person on this planet has a "story"..the tale of where their life began, what they experienced along the way, and where they are today if they are still here visiting Earth.  I get teary-eyed when I pass a homeless person on the street because the first thought I have is, "That person is somebody's son/daughter."  Society wants to look at them as "the homeless", but they are individuals who obviously have had a rough existence.  I think of the moment of their birth:  Was their mother as ecstatic as I was holding him/her for the first time, or were they unwanted from the get-go?  Were they at once on the path of greatness and someone killed their spirit along the way?  Were they once motivated and responsible, but gave up on themselves?  Were they once healthy, but drugs and alcohol robbed their body and brain?  So many questions, not one right answer, because every story is different.  Where it is the same lies in the fact that everyone has "feelings" and "emotions".  I know that the prison population would be much smaller if those criminals really loved themselves enough to stop hurting others; if they believed in themselves enough to not take the path of least resistance...to live and do "right" each day rather than justify their "wrong" by blaming their circumstance.

Anyway...these are my thoughts today after driving my neighbor friend to her chemotherapy appointment.  Her story is that she is a loving wife and mother to her adopted five-year-old son, and she has cancer.  She has a very aggressive form of cancer, as I am so reminded by the portable chemotherapy machine which every few seconds make a static-grinding noise as it drips into her body while I drive.  Her strength and attitude are heart-warming.  She is destined to beat this horrible disease all the while knowing it is in her brain and many other organs of her body.  Her feelings of devastation are held at bay by her choice to be optimistic.  I am blessed to be asked to assist from time to time with taking care of her needs.  I will never know what it is she is feeling, I can only imagine...I can only try to help.  My attitude is:  If one is not suffering, help one that is; If one is not poor, be generous to those that are; If one is not homeless, help those that are; and the list goes on.

The recipe for today is titled "Sicilian Grilled Chicken"--we all know that the Sicilians are famous for their strength, albeit perhaps the "organized" strength if you know what I mean...ha ha ha (Joke...just kidding..really, Tony Soprano, I am just jokin'... fugetta bout it)!

Sicilian Grilled Chicken (from: www.amorebrand.com)
1/4 cups almonds

1 TBSP Amore Garlic Paste or 2 large garlic cloves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

2 TBSP Amore Sun-Dried Tomato Paste

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

4 boneless chicken breasts

In a food processor or blender, combine and chop the almonds, Amore Garlic Paste, basil and salt and pepper to taste.  Add the tomatoes, cheese, Amore Sun-Dried Tomato Paste, water and oil and process until finely chopped.  Heat a barbecue grill or grill pan.  Brush with oil.  Salt and pepper the chicken and place on the grill.  Cook 4 minutes or until just cooked through.  Transfer chicken to a platter.  Spoon on the prepared sauce.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

This received unanimous THUMBS-UP!