Happy New Year

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops 

4 boneless pork chops

1 T. olive oil

1 C. parmesan cheese (I used Kraft)

1 C. Italian bread crumbs

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

On a plate combine the last 4 ingredients. Rub the pork chops with olive oil and then dip (coat) each one in the cheese mixture. Press the mixture over the pork chops to make sure they are well covered in it. Line a pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the pork chops on the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Source: Janet's Appalachian Kitchen

Spatchcocked Lemon-Thyme Chicken

Spatchcocked Lemon-Thyme Chicken

Serves 4

1 whole 4-5-lb. chicken

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

3 lemons, thinly sliced

8 fresh thyme sprigs

3 small shallots, peeled and smashed

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at the head of the chicken, cut along one side of backbone with kitchen shears, then the other side, to remove it. Flip chicken over and press firmly on breastbone to flatten. Pat dry with paper towels.

Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil in the center of a baking sheet. Place lemon slices, reserving 4, and 3 thyme sprigs in a single layer on top of oil. Toss shallots and garlic in 1 tsp. oil, season with salt, and place on top of lemon and thyme. All of this will flavor the chicken as it cooks.

Place chicken, skin side up, on top of the aromatics. Carefully tuck 2 lemon slices and 1 thyme sprig under the skin of each breast. Drizzle chicken with 1 tsp. oil, season with salt and pepper, and top with remaining thyme sprigs

Roast chicken until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast reaches 165°, 40-5 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Cut chicken into pieces and serve.

Twas the Night Before Yuletide

Artwork by Willow Arlenea

 Twas the Night Before Yuletide

Author Unknown

Twas the night before Yuletide and all through the glen,

Not a creature was stirring, not a fox, not a hen.

A mantle of snow  shone brightly that night

As it lay on the ground, reflecting moonlight.

The faeries were nestled all snug in their trees,

Unmindful of flurries and a chilly north breeze.

The elves and the gnomes were down in their burrows,

Sleeping like babes in their soft earthen furrows.

When low! The earth moved with a thunderous quake,

Causing chairs to fall over and dishes to break.

The Little Folk scrambled to get on their feet

Then raced to the river where they usually meet.

“What happened?” they wondered, they questioned, they probed,  

As they shivered in night clothes, some bare-armed, some robed.  

“What caused the earth's shudder?  

What caused her to shiver?”

They all spoke at once as they stood by the river.

Then what to their wondering eyes should appear

But a shining gold light in the shape of a sphere.

It blinked and it twinkled, it winked like an eye,

Then it flew straight up and was lost in the sky.

Before they could murmur, before they could bustle,

There emerged from the crowd, with a swish and a rustle,

A stately old crone with her hand on a cane,

Resplendent in green with a flowing white mane.

As she passed by them the old crone's perfume,

Smelling of meadows and flowers abloom,

Made each of the fey folk think of the spring

When the earth wakes from slumber and the birds start to sing.

“My name is Gaia,” the old crone proclaimed

in a voice that at once was both wild and tamed,

“I've come to remind you, for you seem to forget,

that Yule is the time of re-birth, and yet…”

“I see no hearth fires, hear no music, no bells,

The air isn't filled with rich fragrant smells

Of baking and roasting, and simmering stews,

Of cider that's mulled or other hot brews.

”

“There aren't any children at play in the snow,

Or houses lit up by candles’ glow.

Have you forgotten, my children, the fun

Of celebrating the rebirth of the sun?”

She looked at the fey folk, her eyes going round,

As they shuffled their feet and stared at the ground.

Then she smiled the smile that brings light to the day,

“Come, my children,” she said, “Let's play.”

They gathered the mistletoe, gathered the holly,

Threw off the drab and drew on the jolly.

They lit a big bonfire, and they danced and they sang.

They brought out the bells and clapped when they rang.

They strung lights on the trees, and bows, oh so merry,

In colors of cranberry, bayberry, cherry.

They built giant snowmen and adorned them with hats,

Then surrounded them with snow birds, and snow cats and bats.

Then just before dawn, at the end of their fest,

Before they went homeward to seek out their rest,

The fey folk they gathered ‘round their favorite oak tree

And welcomed the sun ‘neath the tree's finery.

They were just reaching home when it suddenly came,

The gold light returned like an arrow-shot flame.

It lit on the tree top where they could see from afar

The golden-like sphere turned into a star.

The old crone just smiled at the beautiful sight,

"Happy Yuletide, my children," she whispered. 

"Good night."

Rain

Rain

By EileenDalla

Tears of our Mother.

Standing in the rain, feeling it on my skin,

Tasting it on my tongue,

letting it fill my eyes.

Becoming one with our Mother,

Opening myself and allowing Her to fill my soul.

Tears of our Mother

Washing me clean and giving me renewal.

Breathing her breath,

Seeing as she see’s

Dancing in her arms.

Turning to face her…, to accept her into my heart.

Damn "Politically Correct"

 Damn...I'm going back to bed. Before I've gotten my first cup of coffee down I've been blasted with a "politically correct Popeye", (no pipe or tattoo), some woman who rewrote Harry Potter to fit her Christian ideals, Thor is now a woman, and Wonder Woman has been reduced to the side kick of Batman and Superman in a pantsuit. What the hell is wrong with this world. Why is everyone trying to shove their ideas on the rest of us by trying to change what we have known all our lives? What makes you think your beliefs and ideas are any more important than mine? I live my religion and beliefs, they are mine and make me who I am. If you don't agree with me that's fine. I don't want you to change the way you think or live, so please don't try to change mine.
I'm so tired of "Politically Correct" I could puke. A tattoo and corn cob pipe doesn't make Popeye an evil demon who will turn your kids into monsters, in fact in my opinion you are the ones doing that by making them think the whole world should bend to their will just because they think they are more important than the rest of the world.
If you don't like the book Harry Potter and don't want your kids reading it, keep it away from them. Write your own book, don't take something that already exists and rewrite it to fit your own beliefs. This just shows your lack of imagination and intelligence.
Changing Thor into a woman does not change the fact that He is a God, maybe not your God, but a God to many people who still follow the Norse spiritual path and no less important to them than your God is to you.
And last but not least Wonder Woman. She was one of my childhood heroines, a strong independent woman young girls could look up to and who represented the kind of woman they could all aspire to be. By taking her out of her role as the champion every young girl could look up to you're telling them that all they can hope for is to be the subordinate of some muscle bound, egotistical man. Not something I want my daughters and grand daughters to believe.
Today is the day to Unify for World Peace. Take your first step toward accomplishing Global peace by letting go of you own self righteous  prejudices and allow people to live their own lives and walk their own paths peacefully.

Print this off, put it in a frame and hang it in your kitchen

Gluten Free Fried Green Tomatoes

  Gluten Free Fried Green Tomatoes 

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup rice flour, divided
1/2 cup GF cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Preparation

Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.

Combine 1/4 cup rice flour, GF cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.

Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet;

Heat to 375°.

Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden.

Drain on paper towels or a rack.

Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

This recipe was borrowed from Beaufort Online on Facebook  

GF Enchilada Sauce

 GF Enchilada Sauce 

12 lg. dry red chili pods 

(Hatch New Mexico chili's make the best sauce)

3 1/2 cups of water

2 whole cloves of garlic

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. lard 

(lard is a must for true authentic flavor but oil can be substituted)

2 Tbsp. masa flour 

(or regular flour if you don't have a gluten problem)

~

Rinse the pods and remove stems and seeds

Place pods and water in a large pot and heat to boiling,

reduce heat and simmer until pods are soft and pulpy. 

(approximately 20 min.)

Remove pods and place in a blender setting aside cooking liquid.

(I pour liquid through a strainer to remove any seeds or pulp I missed when cleaning. The more seeds and pulp in your sauce, the hotter it will be)

Add garlic and salt along with half the liquid.

Run through blender until you get a smooth, paste like consistency.

In a large skillet melt the lard and add the flour, browning lightly.

Remove from heat, add chili to flour mixture, continuing to stir until lumps are dissolved.

Return to heat, and stir in enough cooking liquid to produce a gravy like texture.

Rinse the pods and remove stems and seeds

Place pods and water in a large pot and heat to boiling,

reduce heat and simmer until pods are soft and pulpy. 

(approximately 20 min.)

Remove pods and place in a blender setting aside cooking liquid.

(I pour liquid through a strainer to remove any seeds or pulp I missed when cleaning. The more seeds and pulp in your sauce, the hotter it will be)

Add garlic and salt along with half the liquid.

Run through blender until you get a smooth, paste like consistency.

In a large skillet melt the lard and add the flour, browning lightly.

Remove from heat, add chili to flour mixture, continuing to stir until lumps are dissolved.

Return to heat, and stir in enough cooking liquid to produce a gravy like texture.

Gluten Free Slow Cooker Pork Enchiladas

GF Slow Cooker Pork Enchiladas

Pork Roast (size to feed your family)

 Enchilada Sauce

 GF Corn tortillas (number varies according to size of your roast)

Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (at least 8 oz and closer to 16 oz. The more cheese the better and extra sharp is a must)
Oil for heating tortillas

*( I make my own enchilada sauce from the dry pods, but canned or frozen could be substituted as long as it is gluten free).

 Enchilada Sauce 

12 lg.  dry red chili pods 
(Hatch New Mexico chili's make the best sauce)

3 1/2 cups of water

2 whole cloves of garlic

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. lard 
(lard is a must for true authentic flavor but oil can be substituted)

2 Tbsp. masa flour 

(or regular flour if you don't have a gluten problem)

~~~

Rinse the pods and remove stems and seeds

Place pods and water in a large pot and heat to boiling,

reduce heat and simmer until pods are soft and pulpy. 

(approximately 20 min.)

Remove pods and place in a blender setting aside cooking liquid.
(I pour liquid through a strainer to remove any seeds or pulp I missed when cleaning. The more seeds and pulp in your sauce, the hotter it will be)

Add garlic and salt along with half the liquid.

Run through blender until you get a smooth, paste like consistency.

In a large skillet melt the lard and add the flour, browning lightly.

Remove from heat, add chili to flour mixture, continuing to stir until lumps are dissolved.

Return to heat, and stir in enough cooking liquid to produce a gravy like texture.

Rinse the pods and remove stems and seeds

Place pods and water in a large pot and heat to boiling,

reduce heat and simmer until pods are soft and pulpy. 

(approximately 20 min.)

Remove pods and place in a blender setting aside cooking liquid.
(I pour liquid through a strainer to remove any seeds or pulp I missed when cleaning. The more seeds and pulp in your sauce, the hotter it will be)

Add garlic and salt along with half the liquid.

Run through blender until you get a smooth, paste like consistency.

In a large skillet melt the lard and add the flour, browning lightly.

Remove from heat, add chili to flour mixture, continuing to stir until lumps are dissolved.

Return to heat and stir in enough cooking liquid to produce a gravy like texture.

Pork Enchiladas

Put pork and enchilada sauce in a slow cooker and cook until it pulls apart. 
(low setting cooks in about 7 hrs., high in about 3 hrs.)

Remove pork with a slotted spoon and shred.

Heat tortillas in hot oil, dip in sauce and fill with meat, and cheese, roll up and place in an oven safe dish.

Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350* until cheese is melted 
(approximately 20 min.)

Gluten Free Bread

1 1/2 cups rice flour

1 cup tapioca starch or potato starch (not potato flour!)

1/2 cup almond meal

1/ 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 packet rapid dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/4 cups warm water (at 110 to 115ºF)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 eggs, beaten

Using one cup of the water, proof the yeast in the warm water (110 to 115ºF) and a teaspoon of the honey/agave (add the yeast to the water and honey stir; allow it to get poofy).

Whisk together your dry ingredients.

Add the proofed yeast to the dry ingredients; add the olive oil, remaining honey, cider vinegar and eggs and beat until a smooth batter forms. I use the word batter because gluten-free bread dough is more like smooth sticky muffin batter than wheat based bread dough -- it is not as thin as cake batter, though. Add up to 1/4 cup more water if you need to.

Scrape the dough into a ceramic loaf pan (or use a 7 to 8-inch round cake pan for rustic ciabatta style bread) and smooth evenly (I use wet fingers).

Place the pan in a warmed oven or draft free spot. Allow the dough to rise until it domes nicely -- from 45 to 50 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

When the oven comes to temperature bake the risen bread until it sounds hollow when thumped -- about 45 minutes to 55 minutes, and even up to 65 minutes if you're at higher altitude. Lower style round pan loaves will bake quicker -- at 30 to 40 minutes, usually.

If you like a crusty loaf, remove the bread from the pan and return it naked to the oven at 350ºF for an additional 10 minutes- keep an eye on it and don't let it get too brown. It should be a light golden color.

Cool on a wire rack.

How I see the Mother Goddess, Gaia.