A very good friend of mine is once again taking part in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  I want to help because this is a disease that has touched people I love, including my mother.  My friend, Ralph, has earned thousands of dollars over the last six years he's participated in the Walk and I'd love to help him earn thousands more.  I've re-posted below, with permission, his letter explaining why finding a cure in our lifetime is important to him.  Please take a couple minutes to read it and help out as you can.  If you don't know anyone else doing the Walk please consider donating to Ralph.  I know times are tight for a lot of people so if you can't afford to donate please help boost the signal even more by sharing Ralph's message with those you know.  Thank you.

Dear Becky,
Happy New Year!

Yes, I'm a few weeks behind the times, but it's been a busy time. Winter has set in and it shows no immediate signs of letting go. I hope that everyone receiving this email is healthy and warm in this new decade. As we in the DC area stare at the snow that is still on the ground from Snowpocalypse, we dreamily turn our minds to plans of enjoying the time we hope to spend with family and friends with picnics, beach trips, and other outings after Old Man Winter finally lets go.

Personally and unfortunately, this time of year is also about remembering those who can no longer join my road-trips and adventures. I'll be taking more than a moment or two this warming season to rejoice in the memory of dear friends who lost their fights against breast cancer. Anyone who's known me for any length of time knows that I hold a particular loathing for this particular disease... this disease which has robbed me of several friends throughout the years and which will very likely claim another before the end of 2010. Every year in the USA, someone else is diagnosed with breast cancer EVERY THREE MINUTES. That's too much. I consider myself fortunate to have not lost anyone to breast cancer during 2009. However, I know that this fortune hasn't shone on everyone.

I have a fantasy. I've talked about it before, and I'll talk about it over and over until it becomes a reality. I want to, within my lifetime (not my childrens' lifetimes, but my very own), be able to raise a glass not only to the memory of lost friends, but also to the memory of the wonderful day when breast cancer joined the ranks of polio and smallpox and measles. I'd want to take that horrible list of diseases that were once considered to be death sentences with no possibility for parole -- but that now have simple vaccines and/or cures -- and add to it by at least one. I want to have my grandchildren (still many years in the future!) ask me "but why didn't they just get the shot for it?" and never have to attend a funeral for their loved ones who died from this awful disease. I want to look back on the day when a cure was announced and raise the toast "never more" and know it to be true.

In order to make these dreams a reality, more research needs to be done. In order to get more research, scientists need more funding. They need millions upon millions of dollars to find a cure. And that's where you come in, dear friends. That's where you can help. While it would be very cool to win the lottery and toss in a few million myself, that's unlikely to happen. It's also unlikely for me to record a hit song for me to donate the proceeds. I can't do it alone, and neither can you.

I will do what I have done for the past six years. I will continue to participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I will spend my evenings and weekends getting myself prepared for this event. I will also ask you for your support.

I know that times are tight. I know that some of you are in more dire situations than I went through last fall with the loss of my job. I know that money is short. But I ask anyhow. I ask because, though times are tight for many, they are not tight for all. I ask that each of you look into yourself and figure out if you can stand to lose another loved one. If you can't, then look into your wallet and see if you can help. Please try to help. Don't help for me or for my dead friends, help for all of your loved ones who are healthy today and who you want to keep that way. Help them stay that way. Don't let another year go by and wonder what could have been done... at the end of this first year of a new decade, know in your heart that you did what you could.

Donation link: http://awbc.lhhf.org/
Historical link: http://avonlj.lhhf.org/
(Note: both links are redirects to other sites whose URLs are a lot more convoluted than I want to include in an email.)

Thank you.

--
Ralph/Sas

I ventured into the world of cooking with quinoa tonight. Made a quinoa version of spanish rice. I must say it came out absolutely delicious! So here's the recipe.

* 2 c quinoa, rinsed and drained
* 1 - 2 Tbsp cooking oil
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
* 1 medium sized onion, chopped
* 1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder or paprika
* 1/2 - 1 tsp tsp ground cumin
* 1/4 - 1/2 cup sliced olives (I used green olives)
* pinch cayenne
* 1 - 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
* 1 3/4 cups some flavour of broth (I used chicken this time)
* Pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

1. Sauté the onion in the oil over medium heat until onion starts to become translucent
2. Add the garlic to the onion and sauté a few more minutes until the onion is translucent and garlic is turning golden
3. Add spices
4. Add quinoa and stir constantly for 3 - 4 minutes
5. Add tomato sauce and broth stirring occasionally until mixture begins to boil
6. Add salt if needed - broth and tomato sauce may already be salted
7. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes
8. Turn heat off and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes
9. Fluff with a fork and serve garnished with cilantro

I tried a new dish tonight. It has an interesting mix of ingredients but they really all worked together. A very tasty dish and definitely one I'll make again.


German Beef and Barley Bake

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup pearl barley
4 slices bacon, diced
3 cups tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 to 4 cups sliced green cabbage
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In large saucepan over medium heat, sauté ground beef, onions and garlic until beef is browned. Pour off drippings. Add barley and bacon; sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato juice, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in cabbage and caraway seeds. Spoon mixture into 2-quart casserole. Bake in 350° F oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Makes 6 servings.

So far I've made five soups.  I think I'm going to start putting together a cookbook of the recipes I like, with the modifications I've made to the recipes of course.  I'm not sure if I'm going to post the actual recipes here or just email them to anyone who wants one.

Anyway, the first two soups I made were cheaters...meaning I made them from pre-packaged mixes.  The first was was a corn chowder.  Absolutely fabulous so I need to find my own recipe for it.  The second was a mushroom and wild rice soup.  It was just ok which is disappointing since I love mushrooms and wild rice.  

The first soup I made from scratch was a Bean and Barley soup.  I used pinto beans and pearl barley.  It was fabulous with the exception of it was a bit too salty.  Couldn't figure out why until today when I realized I put in too much chicken base in my broth.

The second soup was made yesterday.  It was Bean w/ Bacon.  I'm considering it largely a fail.  It is way to bland for one thing.  It also uses potatoes and I've come to realize I don't like potatoes in soup.  I don't like the texture or bland taste of them cooked that way.  Maybe I need to dice them up into much smaller pieces.  I'll have to try that.  But, I also need to look for another bean w/ bacon recipe.  I do have to say the smell of the onions sauteing in the bacon grease was heavenly!

Today's soup is a Curry Barley and Lentil soup.  It is a total win!  It was quick and easy to make and has wonderful flavour.  I've not actually had a bowl of it yet but I have tasted it.

I've determined I need another stock pot.  Only having one is a pain though I suppose I could use my pressure cooker pot.  I also need to start replacing my herbs with fresher ones.  Don't think I'm ready to start growing my own herbs and drying them and such.  The other thing that would be useful is to learn how to use knives to cut up things quicker.  I have such envy of chefs when I watch them just chop away so fast you can't even hardly see it.


Monday's cooking adventure is going to be Bean and Cheese Burritos and maybe a German Beef and Barley Bake that sounds yummy.


But right now I hear today's soup calling me.....

I have been horrible about updating here.  Though I don't suppose it matters since no one reads it except my sister!  There's really not been a whole lot of excitement going on though.  I went to my parents for Thanksgiving.  I had a few friends over for dinner for Christmas.  I stayed home, curled up on the couch and watching movies for NYE.  And that pretty much sums up the last couple months.  I really need to get back out and start dating again.  Easier said than done.  

One new thing I've started doing is experimenting with cooking with beans, barley, lentils...all that kind of stuff.  Mostly been soups at this point but I have to say, I find making a soup from scratch to be very satisfying.  And most of the things I've tried have been pretty tasty.  I'll do another post that talks about the recipes.  Don't want to bore everyone who's not reading my blog and isn't interested in cooking.

I've also decided I want to learn to can.  Great way to save money, especially since I don't have a whole lot of freezer space to keep things.

I need to go see how the soup I have on the stove currently is doing.  I promise I'm going to try and blog much more frequently.  Maybe someone will actually start reading then.