My First

I have been writing this in my dreams  for a long time. It has taken me several weeks to get started, and I must admit that  some of this process has not been as easy as it claims to be for some one like myself who has not kept up with the concepts of the web etc. , but I have persevered and flogged through. Today I have just decided to post something! Even if I do not have everything correctly in its place and things are not showing up even though I have plugged them in one or more times.

I am a proud fifty- seven year old woman who is multi-talented in a time of her life trying to reinvent herself. I have done many jobs, gone to many schools, but if I were to say what have been my most obvious careers, it would be teaching and being a Mom. I went to art school, then back to college to study education. Teaching is what I have done for most of my grown years. One way in which I deal with the creative part of me is to cook, since I have not picked up a paint brush (except for painting walls) since my first child was born, who is twenty-nine (my youngest is twenty-four).  I think as do others that I am pretty good at it. I am inventive and most generally excited to talk, read and think/ learn about food . Which brings me here writing a blog. 

My oldest, who is a "do it now" kind of girl was edging me along to write a blog to help with my writing skills because I have had this idea of writing a cook book.  Not just a family cook book, though they would appreciate it.   I have often said that my girls are going to strap me up to the counter when I am ninety to cook all those holiday foods that they can not live without.  However,  my idea  for this book is more of a concern that their age group learn a more creative kind of  cooking: The concept that a recipe is just a guide; or seeing that food can be that canvas to express yourself.  Actually I have several ideas for books, but do know that I have some work to do.  This being one of them because there has to be some reason for someone to buy my book because who am I,  but another person at home cooking for her family or friends.  However, I did do test cooking for Nancy Harmon Jenkins' newly republished Mediterranean cook book (which was a great learning experience), and I have had the wonderful feeling of seeing ones name in print.  I told her that I should have been paying her instead of she me.  I thought it was a good exercise to follow a recipe since I do not cook or do any instructional thing without making it my own.  It was hard at first, but it did get very interesting as I went  along.  I learned a lot.  It is a great book so I recommend it when it hits the bookstores.

My intention for this process is not just to increase my writing skills but to share, along  with my two girls (hence the name of the spot my two cookies or my two cents as well)  some of my recipes and thoughts about food and cooking. Also to add my two cents worth of political commentary of the day. Of which I would be remiss if I did not mention  how excited I,  along with millions of you,  that our new president and first family will  start their journey with us to bring back the America  we can again be proud of.  It was worth all the work we have done to make it happen. I am a believer that we can change not just who would be President but our culture, a paradigm.  This really is a dawn of a new day.

The following recipe is a basic dip/sauce that can be used in many ways and changed to suit the food designer. 

1 can white beans (cannellini are great)

juice of 1 lemon

2 medium to small cloves garlic

olive oil about 2/3 tablespoons

if you like cilantro a good fist full

salt and pepper to taste whirl this in processor. 

Now make it your own ie. change the beans, add more of any of the items, add red onion etc.

Here is my own: I sliced potatoes like I was going to do scalloped potatoes and put them in a baking dish coated with olive oil and put the dip/sauce on top covered it and baked in a 350 degree oven  for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are fork done. take off the top and bake for 15 more minutes to brown the top. You will fall in love with the flavor of lemons beans potatoes. It is a great way to add fiber to your diet as well. Enjoy !

Pam Elliott