MJs Table Talk

Know your foods Number! Organic or Genetically Modified?

2009-11-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Mary Jane's Magazine published a helpful tool in this months issue. The key to cracking the code of the Price-Look-Up (PLU) code. Those sticky oval labels that are attached to fruit hold the secrets of where and how the produce was grown.

Four-digit number means the produce has been conventionally grown using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Five-digit number beginning with an 8 means the produce is genetically modified.

Five-digit number beginning with 9 means organically grown.

Who knew? Now we do!

Photo: MJ

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Day to Breathe!

2009-11-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

It has been an intense few weeks at school and traveling. Today however, I was thrilled to be celebrating a friend's birthday. Four of us stole off to downtown and went to a favorite haunt, Papa Hayden's! You go to Papa Hayden's for two reasons: they have over 25 amazing desserts, and the food is always yummy! What better place to celebrate a birthday! Pam chose a Pistachio Chocolate Million Layer cake that was amazing in every way. So, although it was drizzling in Portland today, we spread lots of celebration cheer! Happy Birthday Dear Friend! Oh yea...no more hanging out on the front lawn with the hose...hahahaha! Inside joke :)

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return to Sunday Dinners #16, NYC and the Bar Mitzvah Table!

2009-11-01T02:06:00.000-08:00

Today we enjoyed an extra hour of sleep! After a fun and bit crazy Halloween in NYC with friends, it is nice to lounge a bit extra today. Our few days in this fun city have been full of exploring and fun. We even slipped in mass at St. Patrick's! The event bringing us to NYC was Ben's Bar Mitzvah. A whirl wind day of temple, lunch and a Halloween party that was a blast! Today we will gather with friends of his family to have an intimate brunch before we all head out to the four corners of the world. In my case, back to the school books. But, at least for one more day, I will enjoy fall in the city, good food with dear friends, a walk in Central Park to see the Marathon and a long cab ride to the airport as we avoid the World Series traffic. It has been wonderful! Seeing lots of dear friends and eating bagels has been the best!

Authentic Homemade NYC Bagels!
Serves/Makes: 8

Ingredients:***Dough:***1 1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115*F / 45*C )1 tablespoon dry active yeast1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon vegetable oil2 teaspoons malt syrup2 teaspoons salt4 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour (more if needed)***Kettle Water:***6 quarts water2 tablespoons malt syrup or powder1 teaspoon salt***Toppings: (optional)***Sesame seedsPoppy seedsMinced fresh garlicMinced fresh onionCaraway seedsCoarse saltCorn meal for sprinkling baking sheets (optional)

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir in oil, malt and one cup of the flour. Add salt, then enough of remaining flour to make a stiff dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead for 10 to 12 minutes. Cover with a floured dish towel and allow dough to rest on a board for about 15 minutes. Divide dough into 8 sections and form each section into 10-inch long strips. Roll the ends together to seal and make a ring. Place on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let bagels rest 15 to 20 minutes, rising about halfway and becoming slightly puffy. Meanwhile, fill a large cooking pot or Dutch oven three quarters full with water. Add the malt syrup and salt. Bring water to a boil. Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment and, if desired, sprinkle generously with corn meal. Set aside. Line two other baking sheets with a kitchen towel, set near your stove. Reduce boiling water to a simmer and cook 2 bagels at a time (do not crowd the pot). Simmer bagels for about 45 seconds on one side, then turn and cook other side for another 45 seconds and then drain bagels on the towel-lined baking sheet. Carefully place bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake bagels plain or sprinkle with a topping of your choice. Place in the hot oven, immediately reduce heat to 425F (220C), and bake about 17 to 25 minutes. When almost baked, turn bagels over (a pair of tongs do the job easily). If you have a baking stone, finish bagels on the stone directly. Transfer bagels to wire rack to cool. These freeze well, which helps to retain a just-baked taste, if they aren't all eaten on the first day. To freeze, slice cooled bagels first, place a small strip of plastic between the bagel halves and place in a plastic self-sealing freezer bag. When you're ready for a bagel, they'll come apart easily, ready to pop into the toaster/oven and enjoy.

Compliments of CDKITCHEN. Enjoy!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

November Good To Knows...

2009-10-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

I have a few favorite magazines that I love to read each month. Magazines are a great mind break from the heavy school work, business reading, and novels that dot my intellectual book consumption. They are like a coffee break, a chance to catch your breath and smile.

This month I came across a few fun items and good to knows that I have to pass on:

Quote: Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.
~ Charles R. Swindoll

Coconut Tres Leches Hot Chocolate ( I know...amazing!)
From BHG.com

3 cups fat-free milk
1 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 a 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk or 2/3 cup
2 Tblsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Sweetened Whip Cream (Optional)
1/4 cup chocolate shavings (Optional

In medium sauce pan combine the 3 milks and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Whisk in cocoa powder until well combined. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Serve in mugs topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings! Makes 5 1-cup servings! Yummers!

November 11 is Veterans day and the kick off to send holiday cards and messages of cheer our service members through the HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES program. The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes make it all happen and more info. can be found on redcross.org Program runs through December 7th.

Country Living Magazine is reporting that November 18 the skies will light up with the annual Leonids Meteor Shower, visible between midnight and sunrise. Plan a star gazing party and make a wish!

Quote: You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
~ Kahlil Gibran

BHG says that Wednesdays are the best day to buy airline tickets that is 21 days before hand. Seats are often repriced!

Check out the350project.com site to learn how you can help keep your local small businesses around. The project: Choose three independent businesses you would miss if they closed. Stop in, browse, and perhaps buy something. The commit to spending $50 each month in locally owned stores.

Plan ahead for the holidays parties and shopping ~Sittercity.com

Enjoy the knowledge!
~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return To Sunday Dinner #15, 50 is the new 25!

2009-10-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Sleeping in, reading a good book, and having breakfast in bed are just a few of the perks when its your birthday in our home. Celebrations around the table are of course center stage, while sending gratitude up for the blessings that have come our way.

Today it was my hubs celebration of life. Feeling like there is so much more to come and to do, we talked about our dreams and perspective on the journey thus far. Midlife is a strange thing, dreams are more philosophically based and the fast lane no longer has the same appeal when now you can downshift and enjoy the view on the way to your deeply rooted goals. No tolerance for nonsense or the negative nellies in your life. A freedom is born that the twenty and thirty somethings just rarely posses.

I remember an elder in my life once joking that you spend the first half of your life accumulating your stuff and the second half getting rid of it! Just imagine if in the youth of embarking on our twenties we could really understand this reality and did not spend time looking behind us or around us to find our meaning and identity, or throwing on resources on things that would hold little meaning for us in a few years. If instead we took the approach of the wise ones, you know the neighbor next door who volunteers at the hospital, or the woman at the park on the bench feeding the birds as we jog past, or perhaps the uncle who comes to visit and always has time for a game of checkers with your kids. Yes these are the blessed for they know it is in the moment, unencumbered by things and others expectations, that the true magic of life unfolds in the moment.

They say this new generation that has been born will live until 100. I say look around, many of us in our generations will be here at 100. So, 50 is the new 25! What are you going to do with it? The new dawn is just breaking over the horizon and you have the freedom to choose differently this time, what will you make of your the next 50 years? Don't make a list in your mind of all the things that can go wrong, instead embrace that fact that you have the gift to dream! If you have limits, well work with them. Show me a 20 year old that does not have a list of limits: no money, competition for jobs, acne, insecurity of image, etc., etc, etc! They dream and then take a step towards those dreams. So it is with any age. Don't allow the barriers of mental or physical fears keep you from your dreams. Imagine, 50 more years is a long time and you can spend it rocking in a chair or changing the world. Whether it is a innovation that rocks the world or it is a first grader you are helping learn to read and open up their world, dream!

Purpose and dreams...the secret elixir to a long and healthy life!

Enjoy some Vanilla Cider with a wise one in your life. Let them share their story. You will be humbled and amazed at the wealth of fascinating experience dwelling in each one of them.

1 quart fresh apple cider
1 tsp brown sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 whole nutmeg

Put all ingredients in a pot and simmer. Remove vanilla bean and nutmeg, serve hot with a cinnamon stick.

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return To Sunday Dinner #14, Celebrate!

2009-10-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

It is a big weekend in our home! My daughter turned 21 this month and came home to celebrate this weekend! Friday we scooped her up at the airport and went directly to a darling little restaurant called Fenouil. Then we took her to The Nines Hotel above Macy's downtown and had drinks at the Departure Club only to run into friends and have a wonderful time. We surprised her with an overnight is a swanky room that enveloped us in old Hollywood glamor. We woke to breakfast at the Urban Farmer and headed home for a weekend of homework and friends.

Today we rose early to meet Andrea at Mother's in downtown Portland to celebrate some more! This darling bistro is home cooked food like your little Jewish mother use to make! Listed as one of Portland's top 10 breakfast haunts, we were not disappointed. Crunchy French Toast, amazing breakfast potatoes and sausages had us moaning as we said our goodbyes and headed out to say goodbyes to friends. We managed to get a few hours of relaxing and then packing in before heading to the airport. Sweet but oh too short, celebrations are the best Sunday dinners I can think of!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Photos by MJ

October Make and Take Shakes It Up!

2009-10-17T03:05:00.000-07:00

Friday was another fun and barely successful Make and Take. This gathering was at my house and the projects were Autumn Trail Mix and Homemade cards. Marci, a past member was able to join in the fun and catch us up on all she has been doing.

We started with shaking up our trail mix with candy corn to add a little color and surprise. I adapted the recipe from Martha Stewart.

Autumn Trail Mix

1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup roasted almonds
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup candy corn
1/2 unsweetened flake coconut
1/4 cup sunflowerseeds

Mix it all together and fill glass jars. Secure lids and decorate with fall embellishments!

We also revisited a M&T that Jean offered a few months ago on card making. We each needed new supplies and wanted to create some gift sets for the holidays. This almost didn't happen when my paper cutter decided it was finished with performing...Jean saved the day by retrieving her industrial cutter and we produced quite a little stash!

For lunch I made a traditional Peruvian dish called Carapulcra with rice and Butternut squash soup. We enjoyed pumpkin pie and caramel dipped pear and apple for dessert...yummers! My favorite little fall twist was a batch of Hot Vanilla Apple Cider. This was also an adaption from Martha Stewart.

Vanilla Apple Cider

1 Gallon fresh apple cider
2 whole nutmeg
1 vanilla bean, split and scrapped
2 tblsp of brown sugar
Bourbon is optional

Place all ingredients in pot over medium heat. Bring to boil and sift hot cider into mugs and set nuts and bean aside.

Deliciously rich and unexpected flavors!

Thanks gals for another lovely day together!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Bazaar for Charity!

2009-10-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a Bazaar worth stopping by! I know these gals, and they knock themselves out putting on a wonderful bazaar that they then donate all their profits to charities! The crafters are high quality and the facility is fun and easy to shop in. Lets get in the holiday mood! See you there on Thursday night, Nov. 5th! Runs through the 8th.

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

FOOD LOYAL brings Eating Design to the catered experience!

2009-10-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

Here is an idea who's time has come! Celebrating food infused with deep cultural and personal design meaning. I can't wait to try out Patricia Martin's new vision approach at my next party! Here is what her homepage has to say about having a catered party by Food Loyal:

Patrons exchanging half plates with the opposite side of the table to spark conversation…

A menu and eating customs re-enacted from early 19th century America…

Root vegetables stamped using squid ink with words that resonated with a family’s heritage, weaving their story within and throughout the meal...

These are just a few examples of Eating Design, a new field where eating is more than just a menu. It’s a holistic approach combining food and design, creating an experience that communicates a story, idea, or message. It goes beyond taste. Food Loyal brings Eating Design into every event as a way to build memorable, exciting, and meaningful events. Food Loyal’s event planning uses Eating Design concepts and individually tailors them to your events and guests. Our unique approach will transform your special event into a memorable and new experience.

At Food Loyal, we create a unique experience tailored to your specific needs for celebrations, dinners, corporate events, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, ceremonies, holiday parties, or any other special day with a personal stamp. We plan all events ourselves, and arrange the food by calling on our existing relationships with select caterers and chefs.

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return To Sunday Dinner #13, Moonstruck Free Mocha!

2009-10-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

My friend Savina, over at Cacao Nibbler has reported on some shocking news for us sweet eaters...

HOLD THE SUGAR

Food officials from major companies, including Kraft, General Mills and Hershey, are currently meeting to discuss how to avoid running out of sugar by the end of the year. It seems as if there are tariffs imposed on the amount of sugar that can be imported into our country due to the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981. 200 years ago one had to have a prescription in order to get sugar in this country. During that time, a person ate about a one to two pounds per year. That’s a far cry from our current annual consumption of 156 pounds of added sugar per person. Could this potential limit be a blessing in disguise? This may also be a good time to try some darker chocolates!

Thank goodness we can still eat chocolate! Check out her site for more great chocolate facts and tours. I also nabbed this link from her site for you to get your free Moonstruck tomorrow!!!

On Monday October 12, enjoy a FREE 12 oz. mocha or hot chocolate at any of their five Portland area locations. Click here for more details.

Sunday is here and the weather is cold outside my window today. I have lots of homework and a bit of a sniffle, so going out for our normal Sunday rituals won't be happening. Gathering around the table will be me and my hubs. He is recovering from the Swine Flu...yuck! I have been good so far and want to keep it that way, so the afternoon will be spent drinking hot tea, maybe a movie snuggled up under my favorite sweatshirt blanket from the Ponderosa Ranch in Lake Tahoe (I had the biggest crush on little Joe as I was growing up), and taking a nap! Does it get better than that? We empty nesters have the flexibility to really enjoy the twists and turns of life. If you gotta have a sniffle, I say it is all about what you do with it!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

What The World Eats!

2009-10-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

TIME is featuring a wonderful photo essay this week called What The World Eats! 16 families around the world are featured Check it out here

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Sea Glass Festival! Come Get Tumbled!

2009-10-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

My niece over at Moonight Court has this new post! Looks like great fun and did you know Sea Glass even has a website? Check out Moonlight Court for this and other fun topics! It is her birthday this month, so make sure to tell her MJ sent you with birthday wishes!

North American Sea Glass Festival
2009 Sea Glass Festival - Erie, Pennsylvania

Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18

in Erie's Bayfront Convention Center

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Its Make and Take, Oct. 09

2009-10-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Well, after a long summer break the Make and Take group is back in the saddle. We will be having two sessions this month, because our September got away from us. Today Jean dazzled us with a wonderful meal and a craft that was cozy fun and easy. We made these beautiful velvet pumpkins in no time at all. Simply take a round of velvet to the size you want, bast the edges, about 1/4 inch from edge, pull string/fishing line to cinch the top leaving enough room to fill with rice, the cinch tight and sew shut. The best part is to glue gun on a REAL stem from a pumpkin as the finish touch! Way too darling to make only one!

As an added bonus we made fun floral arrangements with the leftover pumpkins :) Another wonderful project Jean! I must say the gluten free brownies and Halloween oatmeal cookies

made my day even better! Thank you for the space to create and be together!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Snail Mail And The Uncompromising Impact Of It!

2009-10-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

I go to the mailbox and unlock the door. As I peer in the cubby I am half way hoping it will be empty. After all, it is going to be filled with junk mail, bills, and who knows what. I pull out a little stack and I see it, a hand written letter. My heart beats a little faster and my step is a little quicker, I have a smile that says, “I just won the lottery!” I race to home, make a cup of tea, and settle in for what has to be the best read of the day. The pages unfold in my fingers and my heart is touched.

Snail mail it is now called. For hundreds of years it was the tool of communicating great messages of love, life, and business. Couriers rode by pony, boat, bike, and foot to ensure it was delivered through express means come rain or snow, or even the occasional dog bite! Beautiful papers, pens, seals, and labels have been created to make the art of writing even more engaging and heartwarming. In 2009, the handwritten letter is on the endangered species list. Since the dawn of email, handwritten has been relegated to communication with those who don’t have a phone or a computer…yes all two of them! Well a new day is dawning for what is now an “Artisan” craft and when done by the lay person it screams from the mailbox, “I care about you!”

So, get on board, and find that perfect pen that sings in your embrace; buy some special papers, notes and cards that have you longing for a reason to use them; clear a space on the corner of your desk for a beautiful writing valet to hold them all; and buy some breathtaking new postage stamps to adorn the left corner of your posts. It is time to spell out the words, write the full sentence, and hand address the envelope, best part, we get exercise walking to the mailbox…wow! Just think how happy the mail person will be to see your happy post in that pile of dreg that they are usually stuck sorting!

As the holidays are approaching and our job market is diminishing, I think it is a great time to become an Artisan writer yourself!

Looking for a job? Try a new approach and send your follow up thank yous for interviews by mail, with a penned note done with elegant style. If you are an employer, hang onto your staff by developing a habit of recognizing good work with handwritten notes sent to their homes. Both will gain great remembrance when decisions have to be made.

Holidays are coming, and as we are all watching our money, get creative and give the gift of your time. Send a thanksgiving letter this year, handwritten, telling your friends and family why you are thankful for them; send a Christmas events letter that you hand write and include a note that you have made a donation to the recipients favorite charity; or send a New Years letter, hand written with your resolutions and wishes and ask your recipient to send their wishes and goals back to you. Then next year you can each get together over a glass of wine and exchange letters and see how you did moving closer to your dreams.

The point is, no matter the holiday or event, nothing says “Hello, I love You, I Want The Job, I Hope You Feel Better Soon, I’m Sorry, or Happy Everything” like a hand written letter or note. So, head out to the stationary store, yes they still exists, and purchase your combination of what says “you” or perhaps make your own notes. The local community colleges and art schools have wonderful classes in calligraphy and paper making that will take you to a whole new level of Artisan Writer! Which ever you choose, having these treasures will inspire you to develop your art in writing a letter.

For great ideas, check out The Handcrafted Letter or other inspirational reads at your local library or book store. Hope to see a post from you in my mailbox soon!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return to Sunday Dinner #12, The Child Within ~ Come Out and Play!

2009-10-04T01:10:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl I had a red little sports car of my own. I peddled it around the neighborhood trying to run over the boys and raced with neighborhood dog to the finish line. All these years later, that little girl is asking me to come play ~ put the work away and race around the neighborhood! I have been working hard lately as the hours melt into days and the days disappear into weeks. That’s what happens when I am in school and focused. The world stops and I am consumed with the task. The only problem is the world does not stop, and my soul cries for balance as the little girl beckons for me to come out and play.

So this Sunday I will breathe and take my spirit by the hand and make a day filled with all I love. Family, friends and those small details I am missing as the days disappear behind the books. Today I will bake for those I love, I will chat it up on the phone and not worry what is waiting for me, I will walk with camera in hand and enjoy what unfolds, I might even race around in the car for a bit ~ but I promise not to run over any boys!

Thank you Emily for the perfect recipe for my perfect day!

Cranberry, White Chocolate & Toasted Walnut Scones

Recipe By Emily at Sugar Plum

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, 1 T baking pwdr., 1/2 t salt, 1 t cinnamon, 6T sugar and some for sprinkling, 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces, 2/3 c sweetened dried cranberries, soaked in hot water, 1/2 c chopped walnuts, toasted, 1/2 c white chocolate chips, 3 large eggs, divided use, 1/4 c yogurt, 1 1/2 t vanilla extract, 2 T crystallized ginger cut in small pieces.

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees, spray cookie sheets with oil.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; whisk in 6 tablespoons sugar until combined. Knead in butter, using fingertips, until well incorporated and mixture starts to clump together, forming pea-sized lumps. Gently stir in cranberries, walnuts and white chocolate chips until combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, yogurt and vanilla until combined; sprinkle into flour mixture and toss together using a fork.

Turn shaggy dough out onto a floured surface, and gently pat and knead until it comes together, handling as little as possible. Form two (6-inch) rounds. Insides of the rounds should be thicker. Slice each round into 6 equal triangles and place on cookie sheets. Whisk the additional egg in a small bowl and brush evenly on scones; pat crystallized ginger into the tops and sprinkle with additional sugar if desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks until ready to serve.

Makes 12 scones

Photos By: Dominic Blackmore and Emily at Sugar Plum

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Celebrating Friends and the Spirit of Food!

2009-09-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Temperatures are changing and our food cravings are turning to the hearty satisfying flavors of fall. At the same time, holidays of every type are upon us for the next several months. What better way to enrich our celebrations then food, family and friends!

Mary Jane Magazine has her 7 ways to celebrate food to get us started!

1. Challenge Yourself ~ "Food blossoms into fabulous festivity when you dare to try a new recipe." She goes on to say that we should gather up some fresh goodies and make any night a special occasion!

2. Gather Together ~ "When family gathers around a table, something magic is born. Suddenly, as someone passes the potatoes, the stage is set for sharing far more than food alone." I could not have said it better myself!

3. Forage For A Feast ~ "Bestow a woodland bounty upon your table this fall. Think local; think wild!" Wow do we live in the right place to make this happen. Throw on those boots!

4. Feed A Need ~ "There really is no better way to pay reverence to food then to prepare it with a hearty dose of generosity." She uses how the characters of May Alcott's Little Women rally their Christmas breakfast for a family in need.

5. Pause To Pray ~ "Eating is the perfect opportunity to get in touch with gratitude as we acknowledge the gift of food." I love what children come up with when giving thanks!

6. Cook Over A Campfire ~ "Eating outdoors tends to evoke a deep, instinctual appetite that makes food taste extraordinary. It's more than just a physical satisfaction; its the emotion that arises." Give Some'ors!

7. Take Your Farm To School ~ "Farm to school programs bring locally farmed food to school children. They illuminate the path from farm to fork and instill healthy eating habits." Wish they would do this at work!

Of all these great ideas, number 5 has great meaning for me. It was not until recently that I physically understood the power of blessing ones food. Intentions, that have been made forever, are revealing themselves to be measured scientifically. The proff is in the outcome. With this theme I found a wonderful company that uses my favorite ingredient....CHOCOLATE, to impart wise intentions from Buddhist Monks upon YOU! I ntentional Chocolate, out of LA sells chocolate that they play recordings of Buddhist Monk's chants! They infuse their chocolate with good intentions! This is from their site:

All Our Chocolate is Embedded With This Intention:

“Whoever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well-being for the benefit of all beings.”

All the more reason to live life gratefully, while surrounding your family and friends with good intentions as we all celebrate food! ~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return to Sunday Dinners #11, DUCK...Incoming Pumpkins!

2009-09-27T13:19:00.001-07:00

Fall has come stumbling into the Northwest this morning as leaves just begin their show of colors. Is there anything more beautiful then the eruption of fall? It is the first day I am seeing squirrels racing around on the trees to gather seeds. I think all the hot weather threw off their schedules a bit. We even had a mountain lion sun-bathing in the backyard last week!

So now that fall has finally flung, lets get in the mood with a little farm hopping! In the summer I love to go the the farmer's markets sprinkled through the city to gather fixings for my table, but in the fall, I LOVE to go directly to the farm! So, today after you have pulled yourself together and met your Sunday obligations, pile the family or some good friends in the car and head to the farm. In Portland it is a tough choice to narrow down just the one, so maybe this will be a farm hopping day to find just the right pumpkins and corn. I suggest the Plumper Pumpkins on NW Old Cornelius Pass Rd. This little gem offers field trips and parties as well! Nestled up on the hillside, the Kessinger family provides a fun day for all ages with pumpkin flinging, hayrides, hay mazes, food, produce, animals and more! We have enjoyed our visits over the years and I am sure you will love it as much as we do! Tell them MJ sent you!

Make sure to buy some yummy fall produce. Here is a new recipe for me that I found in Mary Jane's Farmgirl magazine that I thought would be perfect for dinner tonight!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded

2 small Sweet potatoes

1/2 pound of ground sweet Italian sausage

2 cups water

1 cup polenta

1 1.4 cups milk

2 T brown sugar

1/2 t salt

2 T butter

4 T maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place Squash halves face down with 1" of water in the bottom. Pierce potatoes in several places with fork and wrap in foil. Bake squash for 45 min and potatoes for 1 hour. Peel potatoes and mash with fork.

3. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a small cast iron skillet and set aside.

4. In large sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Add polenta, whisking continuously. Cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, sausage, brown sugar, and salt to polenta; mix well.

5. Place squash halves in a 10' cast iron skillet and add 1/2 T butter and 1 t maple syrup to each one; spoon in polenta mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon on top. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Makes 4 servings!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return To Sunday Dinners #10, Beware Of The Widow Makers!

2009-09-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

It is a gorgeous day here in the Northwest with bright sun and cool weather. After spending last week in the hot bay area of California, it is a welcome relief to be home and spending a relaxing day looking at vacation photos.

I spent the week helping the gals settle into their new college diggs and then headed to the coast to see friends and family. It is a wonderful thing to see family you love and don't get to see often. Even the smells of the coast and the redwoods allowed all my favorite childhood memories to wash over me. Once I got my hugs in, I headed to Pigeon Point, north of Santa Cruz. I used to spend many weekends there gazing out at the wild ocean waves, contemplating life. This particular trip held a beautiful surprise for me, I discovered a wood board walk behind the lighthouse that went clear out over the rocks where I could watch the waves and sea wolfs below me! What a treat to have discovered this now. It was a bit creaky and wobbly, but I ventured out and was rewarded with playful glances from the sea wolfs and the thundering of the crashing waves. Moments filled with awe and peace. I wish I could sustain that feeling always.

I decided after a few hours of wandering the trails around the lighthouse to head back to the valley. Pulling onto to HWY 17, I had another favorite childhood memory pulling me towards the Felton exit, and at the last moment, I gave in and veered off the freeway to Big Trees. It is a state park nestled in the mountains of Felton where a very small patch of true old growth redwood trees have been protected. My father and mother use to take me and my brother there as children. As I got out of the car the strong pungent smell of redwood filled my nostrils...heaven! I slapped on my hiking shoes and headed off on the one mile deserted trail loop that takes you deep into the grove. As I strolled along clicking my camera the sun began to dance in and out of the grove as it lowered in the evening sky. I stood still listening, expecting to hear quiet. Instead I heard a soft tinkling sound like rain, it was the shower of needles and tiny pine cones falling the 500-600 feet from the tops of the trees, blanketing the forest floor. As I stared up into the canopy, the tree tops swayed with the light breeze that had kicked up. As I got deeper into the forest I started to feel a bit vulnerable out there all alone, remembering how big the bear are in the area. I decided it was the same distance back to the car either direction I went, so I just breathed deep and enjoyed the moment. A few feet ahead was the giant of the grove, a soaring redwood tree that takes over 10 men holding hands to encircle...can you imagine? As I stood awhile appreciating the grandeur, I suddenly heard a piercing snap and crack behind me that shot from my toes to my throat. I spun around, petrified of the sound, just in time to see a massive branch falling several hundred feet down through the center of the grove and crash to the forest floor with a resounding thud that shook the earth. My heart raced as I realized the "Widow Maker" gave no warning and was far to close to me that I had to actually tell myself to breathe again. A few short moments later several people came running from the trail ahead in front of me to ask if I saw it, I had and they could tell by my ashen face as they got closer. They lightened the moment by reminding me of the old question, "Does a falling tree make noise if no one is there to hear it?"

Just before the Widow Maker fell I had been asking God a very important question that I was needing some guidance on. I asked for a sign, but was not even through formulating my request when the branch snapped and made such a mess of my sanity. Well, I am embarrassed to say I have no recall of the question...hahaha! Now this could be good or this could be bad, but the point for now is maybe I am being reminded to be present to the moment and not worry so much about the questions! Works for me!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

What Is The Best Tool For Keeping Your Family Healthy And Happy?

2009-09-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

This is a repeat of the original post that started MJs Table Talk over a year ago. I put this short paper together on the research I discovered on the power of the Family Table. It cites the major studies from surprising sources on just what the table can do for our families and lives as Americans. I hope you will read this and share your impressions and experiences with all of us. ~ Come Back To The TABLE!.

The Importance of the Family Meal

The sound of the ringing bell pierced the air as Patty struggled to get her books in her backpack and get out the classroom door. Today was the day. Today she got to hit the first pitch of the game. As Patty jumped on her bike and sped off down the path to the park her heart was racing with anticipation, “I’ll show that Robert I can hit a home run!” As she flew onto the field and spun her bike to a stop, all her pals were waiting for her. The afternoon was off to a great start as Patty slammed the 3^rd pitch over Robert’s head toward the outfield. “Yahoo” she screamed as she ran the bases, making sure to smile at Robert as she ran past second base. The final score was 7 to 3; Patty’s team had won the game.

After the game several kids said they had to hurry home for dinner or they would be late. Patty’s family ate a little later than most of her friends, so she sat on the field for a few minutes remembering how the bat felt when it made contact with the ball. Robert interrupted her thoughts as he came over and congratulated her, then asked if she was busy Friday night and that maybe they could go get a soda together. Patty was thrilled, but hid her excitement. “Well, I think that would be fine.” Robert could just barely contain himself, “OK then, I will come by your house at 7pm and we can bike to Eddy’s Diner together.” Patty reflected and said, “Can we make it 7:30pm? I have dinner at 6:30pm.” Robert smiled big and bowed while saying, “Your wish is my command.” Patty jumped on her bike and raced home. The whole way there her feet barely touched the pedals.

When Patty arrived home she plowed through the door happy and singing. “What’s up with you, squirt?” her brother yelled over at her. Patty beamed and said, “We won our game today!” “Great! Congratulations”, her brother said with pride, “now set the table please.” Patty’s family was gathered in the kitchen putting the final touches on the meal they were about to share. Patty’s mom told her to wash up before she set the table. At 6:30 sharp the entire Johnson family was sitting around the dining room table buzzing about all the events of the day. Patty was toasted for her win and beamed as the family made a fuss. Her brother then presented a math problem to his dad that he had been struggling with. His dad said he would be happy to help him after dinner. Everyone cleared their plates to the kitchen and Patty’s mom asked her to help wash the dishes tonight so her brother could get to work on his math. Over the warm suds Patty and her mom talked about her going to Eddy’s for a soda with Robert. She liked talking to her mom about things. Her mom told her it was fine, she could go, but she had to be back by 9pm sharp.

Do you feel like you have just read a scene out of “Leave it to Beaver”? It is actually a scene out of my neighborhood growing up in the 60’s, a time when kids went out their front doors to play with each other, no parents in sight, no play date schedules, and a hard fast rule to be home in time for dinner. In my exploration of the family meal, I plan to look at the benefits of the ritual of eating together and what barriers keep American families from having family meals at home around the table. Is the family meal the best protection for raising a healthy teenager? The family meal, until recently, was a time we were all pulled together and shared food, identity, validation, and tradition. In today’s America, this ritual has become a script of the past, an almost nonexistent custom for many families. The modern stress of time management for dual income earning parents, sports and lessons-driven children, and competitive social pressures, has left families gasping for air and disconnected from each other and the family table. This has resulted in exhausted families struggling to keep from becoming another scary statistic in our failing family society, where divorce rates soar over 40%, marriages are decreasing (Hurley 1), and children are becoming more isolated by schedules and technology.

A plethora of studies by leading U.S. universities,
doctors, and psychologists, point to the family meal as a cornerstone to stability and good mental and physical health in adolescents and the overall family function. Family routines and rituals indicate “how families act and what they believe” (Fiese, 4). A family meal in most of these studies is defined as at least one adult and at least one child eating together. Regardless of the variety of approaches taken in these studies, scientists consistently state that “children who ate with their families were less likely to drink, smoke, do drugs, struggle with asthma, suffer depression, or have eating disorders” (Spiegel Interview).

Prof. David Dickinson of Vanderbilt University writes that while researching what impacts children reading abilities, his team of researchers has found family dinners to be the number one contributing force to higher skill levels, even over parents reading to children. “What we found was that our data on the quality of conversations in mealtimes was a much stronger predictor of how later development would go for children’s language and literacy development” (Spiegel). Parents who incorporated more unusual words at dinner time conversation saw students who achieved higher scores on standardized vocabulary testing (Fiese, 15).

A study out of the University of Minnesota in 2007 found that teens who ate family meals five or more times per week went on to have healthier eating habits in their adult lives, consuming more fruits and vegetables, registering higher vitamin intake and, a more balanced breakfast and dinner structure (“Eating Together”).

Conversely, those teens that ate family meals twice a week or less had doubled their risk for substance abuse, states Joseph Califano, from the National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) (Califano). He goes on to report that children age 12 to 17 will engage in risky behaviors increasingly as the number of meals with their parents decline. “Parental involvement and religious activities are the two most effective protective factors for teens (1).” When middle and high school teens were asked about the dangers of drug use, almost half stated their parents never talked to them about drug use. “Today when parents send their children off to middle and high school, they are tossing them into a world where illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol are readily available…” (1).

For very young children, toddler to 7 years-old, if regular meals around the family table are not part of the daily structure and a lot of TV is watched instead while eating, children have a higher rate of obesity, and “if they gain extra weight by grade 3 in primary school, they are likely to never lose it” (“Family meals”).

In a study on the dramatic benefits of the French diet, a French Paradox was discovered in the 1990s, as it was revealed that uniting around food had a “potentially potent healing secret” (Kesten 32). Although French people smoke more than Americans and eat substantially higher fatty foods, their heart attack rate is 40% lower. Researchers were able to identify several beneficial factors to the success of the French diet. First, in addition to the fatty dairy foods, the consumption of red wine and heart healthy nuts, vegetables and few meats were regularly consumed; second, they take longer to eat, relaxing between bites and connecting with table mates; and third, they eat consistently in family groups, with usually three generations of members at the table. Their overall life style is one of emotional, intellectual, and practical support. The study found that the act of eating while being relaxed and more intimate around the family dinner physically off set the negative aspects of the French fatty foods and smoking habits (Kesten 33).

There are a variety of statistics from many studies claiming anywhere from 25% to 60% of American families have given up a regular, structured family meal. The 2007 Annual UNICEF report on the state of the world’s children reports that in 2000, in the U.S., only 65% of 15 year-olds ate their main meal at the family table several times a week (UNICEF 4.2a). David Bohl, author of Slow Down Fast, published, in the Journal of Family Psychology, the results of research conducted over a 50 year period, showing that family rituals and meals “contributed to marital satisfaction, improved children’s health and academic achievement, a stronger sense of personal identity for adolescents, and stronger family relationships” (Bohl 1). With the family meal having so many benefits for our children and culture I am left to ask: what are the main barriers to making the family meal the modern center piece for American society and families? Two clear problems surface when looking at the available studies: the American culture’s perceived lack of time and our appetite for consumerism.

Time ~

One of the greatest challenges of the modern American family is the hectic schedules that have become part of our social fabric. The ubiquitous busyness is found in the details of each family, and this diversity puts “each family in a separate universe” (Darrah 14). In the act of scheduling our family lives so full “good parents have created schedules for their kids that only CEOs used to keep” (Doherty & Carlson qtd. in De Graff 39). Dual income earners talk on average only 12 minutes per day, and children as young as 5 years-old have afterschool music, sports, and tutoring lessons as their playtime becomes more structured and scheduled (Doherty & Carlson qtd. in De Graff 39). “Well-intentioned parents are acting like recreation directors on a turbo-charged family cruise ship. Family life revolves around children’s activities rather than these activities revolving around the family schedule” (39). Portland mayor elect, Sam Adams, stated on an interview with the AM North West show last week that 45% of eighth graders in Portland will not go on to graduate from high school. All the while a family table ritual so basic to a family’s structure, when applied on a consistent basis, can achieve more effectively the pursuit of higher grades and healthy children than any other tool in the family toolbox.

A second grade teacher for thirty years in Albany, New York, is outraged and feels that “(This is an abused generation)…after thirty years of teaching the same age group, she has never seen children so tired and burdened from being up too early in the morning, going to bed too late at night, while being crunched in between by extremely competitive activities” (Doherty & Carlson qtd in De Graff 41). The National Association of Elementary School Principals is stepping up to say that this problem of over scheduled children is not one of parents choosing the wrong activities, but of being out of balance. “Balance requires setting priorities. In our view, there is a serious imbalance and a confused set of priorities in the raising of this generation of children” (Doherty & Carlson qtd. in De Graff 42).

There are many contributing factors that have gotten us into this bind, and not one single decisive cause. When Doherty and Carlson interviewed hundreds of parents in their community the following list emerged as key factors in driving overscheduled families:

§ More opportunities for children, especially girls

§ More intense sports schedules

§ Competition for sports facilities and performance halls means invasion of

family time

§ More working parents

§ Parental guilt

§ Overreaction to the message that kids do better if they are busy and

involved in the community

§ A sense of danger in the neighborhood

§ Fear that one’s child will miss out or get left behind

§ Increased emphasis on the capabilities of very young children

§ Pressure on contemporary children to succeed

§ The expectations of elite colleges for “well-rounded” applicants

§ Parental peer pressure (Doherty & Carlson stated in De Graff 43)

In Busier Than Ever, the authors point out that dual income households reached 59.6% in 2000, with 68% of mothers having paid employment and 58% of those mothers having children ages birth to 3 years-old. These cultural shifts have created a redistribution of household chores and childcare to be shared with fathers and other caregivers. Women are still seen as the main caregiver of children in the family structure, while maintaining careers and doing twice the amount of house cleaning as men (Darrah 48). On the positive side, the average time fathers now spend with children has dramatically increased from 24 minutes to 102 minutes of one-on-one time per day (49). Couples are having smaller families and when combined with a cultural shift where parents are reluctant to allow unsupervised play, parenting requires a larger commitment of supervision and transportation. Also, the impact of the global shift to a 24/7 work dynamic has given way to 30.6% of spouses working nonstandard hours. All of these idiosyncratic ways of living have complicated the impact of time on the family structure (49).

Douherty and Carlson point out that the “adult world of hypercompetition and

marketplace values” has invaded our families. Parenting is more like “product development” and parents under pressure become insecure, fogging their judgment to knowing when enough is enough. It is a situation most parents don’t like, but have no idea how to correct. It is also hard to be the early adaptors to a slower life style when “a sane life style looks so strange in an insane world.” (45).

Stuff ~

Another barrier to gathering around the family table is stuff. Yes, consumption of goods that we think we need keeps us working harder and longer to pay for these things. Once we buy new stuff we must maintain it, protect it, and in the case of technology learn to use it and upgrade it; we become attached to stuff and this often increases our demand to work more because we are now on call in the new environment of 24/7.

Our things have come to represent our measure of success. They are rarely needs, but more often wants that come with strings attached. This practice of luxury consumption has left us busier and chasing a work ethic that supports spend-then-pay. This behavior can create the absence of what otherwise we so strongly want in our family life, and “no amount of stuff can fill the void created by our own absence” (Susanka 45) in the lives of our children. So when we are remodeling our home, shopping, programming our technology, or washing the boat, we are serving our purchases rather than choosing our family priorities. We are at a loss as to why we are tired and don’t have time to do those things that are most important to us. According to Susanka,

In many ways we have lost touch with why we do what we do. We’ve come to believe that the more we accumulate and the more we accomplish, the more we have lived, and the more meaning our life must have. Yet when we stop to reflect for a moment, we realize that the things that make us feel most alive and most whole have little to do with our working lives, acquisitions, and our accomplishments (49).
Back to the table ~

What is it about the family table that provides the comfort for our daily lives? Is it the nutritious meals, or the emotional dramas that play out, or perhaps the deep analysis of world events, or bantering back and forth on daily news? Not completely. Although all these factors contribute to the strength of our family core, it is in the consistent casual gathering of being together, looking each other in the face, children knowing they can count on seeing their parents and being engaged with them in a relaxed environment that envelopes each member into a zone where sharing and caring are played out in many different forms. As the practice of family meals “has dropped below critical mass” (Weinstein 8) in the U.S., affecting a broad group regardless of race, class, or economic status, “family dinners are no longer a given. We are living in a time of intense individualism, in a culture defined by competition and consumption” (Weinstein 9).

It is in this environment that ritual has a place to heal and strengthen our families. Ritual sets the ordinary events of our day into meaningful context and expression. The family meal is a ritual that allows our core family beliefs to be highlighted, and this allows us to pass on these important values to the next generation. In addition we teach our children how to prepare food and how to have a healthy relationship with food. Society no longer respects the dinner hour, so we adults must purposefully reconstruct the meal ritual to allow us to come together in an uninterrupted circle that strengthens and nurtures our family members. We must take responsibility for being the authority in our own homes. Even in the most dysfunctional families, the family meal allows some security of consistent value of being together, a sense of place, and grounding for children (Weinstein 10-15).

Marshall Duke is a clinical psychologist at Emory University, who conducted standardized psychological tests on children and found that “the more kids knew about their families, the better they measured up” (Weinstein 28). Duke suggests that the more history and functionality a child knows about his family, the better his state of well-being and psychological immunity for coping is strengthened. At the family meal, children hear their family stories over and over, and these give a sense of identity, belonging, and hope (28). This is the main tool in averting addiction and high risk behaviors, as pointed out by Califano. The ramifications of addiction are far wider than the substance abuse itself. Eighty percent of prisoners are in prison for substance abuse related convictions; the majority of major diseases are caused by smoking, drinking, or drug abuse; seventy percent of child-abuse cases are inflicted by drug abusers; and in the majority of teen pregnancies, one of the partners was high (35).

Weinstein points out that the most troublesome aspect of all this data is that when teens reach the ages of being more susceptible to using drugs, it is usually the time when family dinners begin to decrease because of teens’ withdrawal and busier schedules. These two events overlap around the ages of 12 to 17 when children are at the highest risk, and the time when they “need, and crave, adult guidance, even when they communicate the opposite” (36). Important motivation in keeping children from experimenting is that if they make it until 21 years of age without using drugs, alcohol, or smoking, for the most part they will not use them as adults (37).

From the rich, diverse spiritual histories in America, meals have been imbued with spiritual meaning. Through the act of saying grace before meals, we are inviting another presence to our table. Bill Huebsch, a Catholic theologian points out that “In Catholic theology, we say that what Christ chose to leave behind as a memorial of himself for his followers was not a theological system or a memorial code. His memorial was a meal – supper – just that” (146). Huebsch feels that through the meal people become more tolerant and our society becomes more peaceful (148).

Clearly we have a ritual that could be a powerful solution in our modern day society to help quiet our fears and comfort our children. A basic requirement of human need is met when we gather together, look each other in the eye, share our stories, and consistently participate in the nutrition and caring of family. With a tool so powerful, how can we ensure each family utilizes it?

Gather ~

Our surrounding culture does not support family meals. We are a society that has placed our values on the individual, but often leave our youngest individuals to fend for themselves. Our children are not thriving, they want more unstructured time, and most important they want time with their parents. The ritual of the family meal allows the blank canvas of the family’s culture to be painted with strong vibrant colors that nurture and create an identity of belonging. Because of this sense of being rooted, children thrive and engage in all aspects of life.

Experts see the family meal as the best protection for raising a healthy teenager. Below are some ideas gleaned from the many sources and studies I have researched for this paper. I am also developing a ten-week seminar that will allow parents to explore the benefits and barriers to achieving their own family meals. Through the discovery of self each family member will have the opportunity to reshape their contribution to and expression of the family priorities within the framework of their own family’s needs. A need for table is my cry to arms.

Solution Tools

* Sit down and decide what is important to you for your family. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline and foresight to protect the family meal (Weinstein 225)
* Commit to cooking. One person must make it their priority and ensure it happens. Of course everyone can pitch in, but one adult must own the commitment (Kaufman 1)
* Create community. If you do not live by family, create family where you are. Invite neighbors over for a potluck; create a community garden; help the elderly and new mothers in your neighborhood by visiting them with a cup of tea; walk out your front door and develop a passion for place (Saavedra)
* Find the time to eat together by making a consistent family meal the priority when creating the family schedule (Doherty/Carlson 156)
* Incorporate a return to Sunday dinner or a week night potluck to incorporate friends and extended family into your family’s rich circle of ritual (Saavedra)
* Be flexible and start from where you are. Maybe breakfast works better for the main family meal then dinner (Doherty/Carlson 154)
* Don’t use meal time to discipline or grill your children, except for light directions on good manners keep the gathering a safe place to relax (Doherty/Carlson 156)
* Craft a special environment even for normal meals. Light a candle, eat outside, or use a special table cloth (Doherty/Carlson 42)
* Have the children help prepare the meal and clean up afterwards (Doherty/Carlson 43)
* Have conversation starters in mind to stimulate relaxing conversation (Doherty/Carlson 42)
* Do menu planning and weekend preparation of food to help reduce stress (Kesten 43)
* When taking nutritional breaks at work or play, enjoy the company of others (Kesten 30)
* Make celebrations soulful. Create a theme, ethnic menu, or different locations to eat meals in your home (Kesten 43)
* Have a planned late afternoon snack and schedule dinner later in the evening (Fiese 35)
* Family meals allow a time to teach children what foods are available with the seasons and how to eat them (Wood 48)
* Eighty percent of success in life comes from just showing up, whether you feel like it today or not (Doherty/Carlson 43)
* Start your family’s schedule-planning with a family meal. Then, choose carefully what is added around that schedule and ensure your family activities are reflecting your family values (Saavedra)

Final dish ~

It is in the small details of our family life that children find comfort, identity, and preparation for adulthood. Given the variety and volume of the studies used in my research confirming the overwhelming benefits of the family meal for long-term health, higher grades, less addiction, and less risky behavior in our teen population, why is the American dinner hour not honored and protected in our modern society?

The answers are more subtle than one would expect. They are hidden deep in the fabric of our daily lives, behind the busy schedules, high tech toys, and competitive over-scheduled lives of our families where once rituals of valued traditions and deep connections thrived. In this pile of discarded family values we find our unassuming family meal, the most powerful candidate that has sealed the fate for most American family failures. Family meals are in fact, so innate to the structure of a human being’s development that its loss has left us unbalanced, unhealthy, and accepting destructive ways to fill the void. The family meal, yes the coming around the family dinner table to share food, our daily stories, and be accepted through validation and support is the missing link to our spiritual and physical well being in modern society.

~ Come, let’s gather around the table!

Works Cited

Ballenger, Bruce P. The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2001.

Bohl, David B. Resurrecting Family Rituals. March 2008. 23 April 2008

Califano, Jr., LL.B., Joseph A. A Weapon In The War On Drugs: Dining In. Sept. 2003. 9 May 2008

Darrah, Charles N., James M. Freeman, and J. A. English-Lueck. Busier than Ever!: Why American Families can't Slow Down. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2007.

De Graaf, John. Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler, 2003.

Doherty Ph.D., William J., and Barbara Carlson. Putting Families First: Successful Strategies for Reclaiming Family in a Hurry-Up World. New York: Henry Holt and Company LLC, 2002.

Fiese, Barbara H. Family Routines and Rituals. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006.

Hearold Sun. Family Meals a recipe for Fit Kids. April 2008. 9 May 2008.

Hurley, Dan. Divorce Rate: It’s Not as High as You Think. The New York Times April 19, 2005. May 30, 2008.

J.A.D.A. Eating Together as a Family Creates Better Eating Habits Later in Life. Sept. 2007. 9 May 2008.

Kaufman, Leslie. “Mom Puts Family on Her Menu Plan.” The New York Times July 11, 2007, sec. F; Dining, Dining Out/Cultural Desk:1

Kesten, Deborah, and George A. Hughes. The Healing Secrets of Food: A Practical Guide for Nourishing Body, Mind, and Soul. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2001.

“Mayor Elect Sam Adams, Interview.” KATU, AM Northwest. 21 May 2008.

Moccia, Patricia. The State of the World’s Children 2007. New York: UNICEF House, 2007.

Spiegel, Alex. The Family Dinner Deconstructed. Feb. 2008. 23 April 2008

Susanka, Sarah. The Not so Big Life: Making Room for What Really Matters. New York: Random House, 2007.

Weinstein, Miriam. The Surprising Power of Family Meals: How Eating Together Makes Us Smarter, Stronger, Healthier, and Happier. Hanover, NH: Steerforth Press, 2005.

Wood, Roy C. The Sociology of the Meal. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1995.

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return To Sunday Dinners #9, Road Trip To Santa Clara!

2009-09-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

This week I had a three day intensive introduction to my Masters degree. Exciting and scary all rolled up into panic. After finishing class Saturday night and collapsing in bed It was then time to get on the road and head south for a 10 hour road trip to drop off my daughter at school. We stopped along the way to visit with friends and take a much needed break. They provide a beautiful garden to rest in and delicious treats to recharge our batteries. It has become a wonderful ritual I look forward to anytime I am traveling to California.

So today around the table is all about taking home with you and being open to the possibilities! A garden rest or a stop at Dennys, it is all about the time together!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

This Place Matters!

2009-09-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Preservation Nation is having a photo contest this summer and it ends Sept. 15, 2009! So hurry and get your entry in. The place that matters most to you is something to think about even if you don't enter a photo. You can find their photo stream also on Flickr under preservation Nation!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Peach Blueberry Pie, Me Oh My!

2009-09-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is a site worth taking a stroll over to see with your mouse! This is a sample of what awaits your visual taste buds; Peach Blueberry Pie! I know, amazing!

Good Food on KCRW with Evan Kleiman in Santa Monica, CA.

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

A Return To Sunday Dinners #8, Labor Day Weekend: Living In-Between!

2009-09-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

Fall is such a cozy time of year filled with changes in our lives and our environment. After the sweet and light fare of summer, fall takes us into deep and rich flavors and explosions of vibrant hues of red, orange and green landscapes. Only days away from falling back in time, life will take on a more purposeful feel as kids head back to school, work schedules settle in, the forest blankets itself with leaves to prepare for winter; all the while the holidays will dance in our minds eye as they quickly approach.

Let’s slow it down and enjoy the transition. For now, on the in-between, where summer bumps into fall, let’s pull out the quilts while our thong shoes still sit by the door. Knowing that everyday will be filled with a bit of both for awhile. Labor Day is such a marking weekend for this transition, while we grab the last days of summer BBQs, sleeping in, traveling, friends and family, or simply giving up thanks for the many blessings that the labor of our days has created. With so many people loosing their jobs, it could be a time for redefining your version of labor. None-the-less, make the space this weekend to be gentle with yourself and celebrate how you live in the in-between.

Today in Portland it is raining. We will be spending a lovely brunch with friends at their home and I am taking some delicious dill and cheddar biscuits. So this evening as our family gathers around the table we will be sharing a rich bowl of soup with more biscuits. I found this wonderful book that I hope to explore more throughout the fall: Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, By Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette. It is a delightful tour of his soups that he prepares for the other monks. By month, he offers something for everyone with antidotes of where the recipe has come from or his inspiration for his creation. I found the Saint Christopher Soup very entertaining, not the most appetizing selection by far, but it may be appropriate for your college care packages!
Serves 6

8 cups vegetable broth
1/2 medium cabbage, shredded and diced
8 tablespoons of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine cabbage, lemon juice, salt and pepper and let sit for one hour in a bowl, stirring from time to time. Then bring broth to a boil, add cabbage mixture, and cook for about 5 min. Serve immediately.

This is a wonderful curative soup that is often used in France to ease indigestion problems or hangovers. It is a common remedy for many illnesses.

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

Handing Down With Heart, A WWI Tradition!

2009-09-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Handing Down With Heart

By Willow Coyote

Cookbooks..this fall on Wisdomquilts.com we connect with our roots through Willow Coyote's story of her grandmother and the rich family stories she left in the margins of her cookbooks. Pour a hot cup of cider and pull up a chair to read Willow's accounts of Clara's life! Here's a snippet:

My Danish grandmother, Clara, and my Irish grandfather, Vane, loved each other dearly. They had met when my grandmother volunteered as a Red Cross worker in the small community of Oretown, where her family had a small farm on the Oregon coast. She randomly drew his name from a list of lonely young soldiers to write to during WWI. They initially corresponded as friends, fell in love through the post over one and one-half years and, after he was discharged from the service, he came home to court her formally and ask her parents, Christian and Mathilde, for her hand. They married and built a life together that eventually found them retired in that lovely cabin in Long Beach, Washington.

Many years later, and long after Grandpa had crossed over to The Other Side, Grammy's fervent wish to join him was granted after she suffered a brief but devastating illness. I was three years younger than my daughter, Karli, is now when she passed. Since I had evolved into somewhat of a self-taught gourmet cook by then, my mother, Betty, thought it appropriate that Grammy's kitchen things should come to me. I was grateful, and offered no argument. Among the boxes I unpacked was a small, red, metal box containing recipe cards for countless family classics. (Alas, the recipe for the pastry twists was not to be found, and eludes me to this day). As I went through the file one rainy afternoon, something unique about the cards began to emerge... Grammy had written in their margins, "Vane loved this," "Vane didn't like this at all," "Bessie gave me this," or, "This was awful!"...

Read complete story

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

September Celebration Calendar!

2009-09-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

September

[Rosh Hashanah, Baby Safety Month, Backpack Safety Month, National Ovarian Cancer Month, National Preparedness Month, National Organic Harvest Month, National Honey Month, National Prostrate Awareness week] TURN OFF THE TV WEEK 2-26!
4 Oatmeal Day
7 Labor Day
8 International Literacy Day
11 Patriot Day
12 World Suicide Prevention Day
National Popcorn Day
International Chocolate Day
13 International Chocolate Day
National Grandparents Day
17 Citizenship Day
19 Remember POW/MIAs Day
National Coastal Cleanup Day
International Eat an Apple Day
Rosh Hashanh
22 Autumnal Equinox
26 National Book Festival On The Mall
27 National Good Neighbor Day
28 Family Table Day
30 National Women's Health & Fitness Day
~ Come Gather Around The Table!