On November 11th each year we are reminded to thank the nearly 23 million men and women who have served our country. The history of Veteran’s Day is actually interesting; it started with President Woodrow Wilson honoring the anniversary of the end of WWI with Armistice Day in 1919. The story goes that he knew the soldiers had gone without good food for so long because of rationing so the president invited 2,000 veterans to the White House for a ravioli dinner. Apparently, ravioli was a new staple in the U.S. thanks to the popularity of canning. Maybe next year we will remember to have ravioli to celebrate… I try my best to thank these men and women throughout the year and keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

This day really got me thinking about both of my grandfathers who served in WWII. Both were in the Army; one a TEC 4 and one a Paratrooper in the 503rd Regimental Combat Team. Their stories are amazing to look back on and are a snapshot of the life of veterans. As a child, I did a school project about Corregidor Island in the Philippines where my grandfather jumped and nearly lost his life in 1945. The 503rd jumped into some of the fiercest fighting of the war and it was a turning point in the South Pacific. Apparently, when my grandfather jumped, his chute didn’t open but his rifle and his camera (which he always jumped with) broke his fall. He was rescued by an American medic, who happened to find him in an abandoned Japanese garrison. It is an amazing story of luck and survival. In rereading it tonight, I came across some letters written from a Philippine woman to my Great Grandmother. This woman talked of how they fed my grandfather when he was passing by their farm and needed some water. He was so grateful to have a taste of fresh food and family that he returned regularly to play with the children and chat. This woman spoke of how grateful they were for the help of the Americans and said there would always be a home for my grandfather as long as he was near. My great grandmother ended up sending boxes of clothes and canned goods to this family as a token of thanks. These stories so humanize what service really means. It is amazing to know and be able to pass on this part of my family’s history to the next generations.

Pfc. Robert Eskridge, U.S. Army

Sergeant Jack Cochran Sr., U.S. Army

 

Remember to thank a Veteran today and remember them every day!!

Kelly

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem.

Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim.

Read more

Fall is officially here and I am loving it! Fall means beautiful days, cool nights, a chance for snow, and pumpkins! I will be the first to admit that I still love to carve pumpkins, only now I love to cook with them as well. Pumpkin seeds are such a yummy way to use something that most people throw away. It is also so easy! When you head out to pick up some pumpkins this year, remember to grab a baking pumpkin as well to get a jump start on Thanksgiving preparation. We got these beauties at Anderson’s farms…if you haven’t been to their premier corn maze…check it out.
Here are a couple easy projects for a fall evening. What else do you do to celebrate the cooler weather?

Mary & Kelly

Pumpkin Puree

Cut a hole in the top of your baking pumpkin to remove the stem and then cut in half.

Remove the seeds and put them in a bowl of salt water to brine; set aside.

Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a lined baking sheet. If you don’t want the bottom to brown, add a little water in the bottom of the pan, which will help it steam, not roast.

Bake the pumpkin at 350° for 30 minutes-1 hour (depending on size and the thickness of the flesh) until the flesh is tender.

Scoop the flesh out of the shell and allow to cool. At this point, if you want to use in casseroles, soups, stews or stir fries. Go for it. Otherwise…

You can save this in the refrigerator for up to a week.

When you are ready, place the flesh in a blender or food processor (adding a little water if necessary) and blend until smooth. The food processor will puree it without water, so choose depending on your ultimate use.

Place the puree in a container and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the puree cover with a lid and freeze.

You can use as a replacement for canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving. Don’t be afraid! It will look a lot more orange than canned product. With spices, it’ll bake up looking normal in a pumpkin pie.

A homemade and delicious alternative!
Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Remove pumpkin seeds from any pumpkin and place in salty water to brine; allow to soak 2 hours-overnight. Separate the seeds should from the goo.

Strain out the seeds and place in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Season generously with salt and seasoning salt (we like Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic seasoning, if you haven’t tried it, go get some immediately!) If you like them spicy, you can add a little extra chili powder to the mix. If you want something sweet, add a couple tablespoons of brown sugar to the mix.

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until dried out. Turn off the oven and let dry till cool. This adds something. I like it dry and crunchy.

Put in a container on the counter for the fall holidays or serve with soup, salad … everything!

So you made your lovely French bread…today I want to share something that we make with that wonderful bread! These sandwiches are incredibly simple and flavorful This is something you can prep ahead of time and make even on a weekday. We used a spicy sausage (habanero pork sausage from our local Whole Foods) which was a nice complement to the sweet peppers. An addition of some tomato adds some depth; they basically disintegrate and create a wonderful sauce. It’s a really great dish for fall; hearty without being heavy. Yum! What do you think??

Kelly

Sausage Sandwiches with Peppers and Onions

3 Bell Peppers (Assorted Colors)
1 Large Onion
1 Tomato
1 Pound pork sausage
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
½ C Red Wine
1 T Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 baguette
Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Slice the peppers and onions lengthwise, keeping the onions separate.

Slice the sausages on the diagonal using a good knife (putting the sausages in the freezer for a half an hour before you slice them will help.)

Preheat the oven to 350° and place the bread in the oven whole. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage to the pan and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes.

Move the sausage to the outside of the pan, then add the onions to the center of the pan.

Allow the onions to soften, about 2 minutes, then add the peppers and toss the ingredients together.

Allow to cook about 1-2 minutes before adding the tomatoes and the liquid ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook to reduce the sauce by half.

Slice the bread in half lengthwise and cut into sandwich sized pieces. Serve the sausage and pepper mixture on the open bread making sure to spoon some sauce on top. Garnish with some grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
PS. Don’t worry if there are leftovers, we will show you a way to use them coming up!!