The Conjurer's Kitchen

Bee The Change!

2012-02-13T07:57:00.001-08:00

Cook the Perfect Steak

2012-01-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

If you're a foodie you should check out Food52. There are lots of recipes and videos like this one there. You should also check out the Serious Eats article they mention in the video.

Cake Release Paste

2012-01-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

Think About This

2012-01-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it's a commercial for a major brand but it does make an important point. Eat locally. It's better for everyone. Eat Real. Eat Local.

National Popcorn Day

2012-01-19T05:58:00.000-08:00

Image by veggiefrog via Flickr

Today is National Popcorn Day. I've always known that corn was sacred to many indigenous cultures in the Americas but I didn't know that Aztecs actually popped it. That 's just one of the interesting things you can learn at the popcorn website.

I don't eat a lot of corn since I found out that most corn in North America is genetically modified. I do occasionally get a craving for popcorn so I look for organic and non-GMO. There are many ways to top popcorn but my favorite way is to cover it in caramel. Yup, I have a sweet tooth.

Easy Popcorn Balls

1/2 C. butter
3 C. brown sugar
1 C. light corn syrup
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4-6 quarts (16-24 C.) popped corn (unpopped kernels removed)

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil.
2. Pour in condensed milk. Return to a boil. Boil five minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Pour hot caramel over popcorn and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Grease hands and form popcorn mixture into balls.
6. Let balls cool on greased cookie sheets or waxed paper

Here's another way to make popcorn balls.

You can dress your treat up with all kinds of decorations and add-ons including:

Food coloring
Edible glitter
Melted white, milk, or dark chocolate (on top)
Melted peanut butter or butterscotch chips (on top)
Nuts (peanuts, pecans, cashews, etc.)
Chocolate or white chocolate chips (inside)
Peanut butter or butterscotch chips (inside)

Enjoy.

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

I bought Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries last night. I admit it. I was lazy. I didn't want to buy sweet potatoes and make my own. I just wanted to dump some on a cooking sheet and wait 22 minutes. These julienne fries were perfect. Just the right amount of spice.

I could conceivably make these if I had all the spices: sea salt, chipotle peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, chili pepper, yeast extract and jajapeno pepper powder. Then I'd need mustard, cilantro, cornstarch, rice flour, sugar and tapioca. I'm sure there's a recipe out there somewhere but for now it's easier to buy these. So there.

I suggest that you spread them out on the cooking sheet so that they don't touch and that you turn them a couple of times during the next 22 minutes. If you don't they won't get crispy and that would be a shame.

I ate them with a little Japanese mayonnaise and some organic ketchup. Yummy.

Harvest Jellied Headcheese

2012-01-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

There are very few foods from my childhood that I still eat. When I was a kid I actually hated headcheese but, a few years ago, I had a craving. I was lucky enough to have a great butcher who made it. Then I moved. I now live in a neighborhood that seems to be anti-headcheese. The only way I can have it is if I buy jellied headcheese from a company called Harvest Meats.

I've got to tell you that, especially when compared to the butcher I used to buy from, the Harvest headcheese is a vastly inferior product. The picture above was taken of the last package I bought. That huge, empty brown area is pure jelly. It ran right through the roll. I was not a happy camper. On top of the excess jelly, this product is way too salty.

Headcheese is such a simple thing it boggles the mind that someone could mess it up so badly. I guess I"ll be travelling back to the old neighborhood whenever the craving gets too strong. I definitely won't be buying this product again.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

Donate To Pacific Assistance Dog Society

Happy Holidays!

As you can tell, I haven't been posting this month. I've been dealing with a medical issue. I've decided not to stress about blogging for the rest of the year. I will be back going full tilt boogie in January of 2012.

See you then.

Mad

Witchy Holiday Song

2011-12-01T17:54:00.001-08:00

2011-11-21T21:36:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I just need a little spice in my life. Not much. My body can't handle a lot. I'm sensitive to the smallest amount of spice. Sometimes I just get a craving. I was in the throws of one of those cravings when I bought a package of Kraft Tex Mex cheese with jalapeño peppers. I'd seen the commercials. I figured I was going to pay for what my taste buds wanted.

I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but I was sorely disappointed in this product. It was extremely bland. I had to add some hot sauce just to taste anything. Me. I'm so sensitive to spice that even a quarter of a teaspoon of chilli powder can have me in tears.

If there's anything worse than not getting what you expect from a food related product I don't know what it is. I think next time I crave Tex Mex I'll just by a block of cheese and a jalapeño.

Broccoli Rice & Shrimp Soup

2011-11-14T22:29:00.001-08:00

Do you ever buy too much of something? I don't know how I ended up with a bunch of extra broccoli but I'm glad I had this recipe tucked away in my files.

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1/4 pound small shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 small onion, finely diced
1 carrot, diced*
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup rice
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 head broccoli, trimmed and cut in to small florets
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or scallions (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a soup pot. Add shrimp and stir over medium heat until cooked through (3 or 4 minutes). Remove shrimp and set aside.
Add onion to the pot and stir for one minute. Add carrot, stock, rice, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add broccoli and continue simmering for another five minutes then remove from heat.
Add shrimp and stir to combine.
Serve with a sprinkling of chives as garnish.

Serves 4.

*I like my soup "chunky" or rustic. I don't cut everything the same size or shape. Bigger pieces might take a little longer to cook.

Mystical Connections

Broccoli - has a water element. Its energy is protection and its planet is the Moon.

As always, the magical information used in this post come from Wicca in the Kitchen.

Banana Bran Buttermilk Muffins

2011-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

The other day I thought I'd be good and buy a high fibre cereal. Unfortunately I chose a no name brand. I had to toss out my first (and only) bowl because it was just gross. So here I was, most of a box of bran cereal sitting in my cupboard. I had to find something to do with it. Luckily I had a muffin recipe filed away in my recipe box. I have no idea where it came from but it seems to be a pretty standard recipe.

Now, I've never made muffins by myself before. I've helped other people but this was my first solo effort. Who knew there was a trick to filling muffin tins with those little paper thingys in them? I ditched them for the second batch. I think those turned out pretty well. They're tasty too. This recipe makes 24 muffins.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
2 cup hot buttermilk
2 cup all-bran cereal
2 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3 pureed bananas
4 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Set oven to 375 degrees F. Move the oven rack to second lowest position.
Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray, and line with paper liners.
In a medium pot, heat the buttermilk.
Add cereal to the buttermilk and let sit until the bran has absorbed the liquid.
Meanwhile purée the banana.
Once the buttermilk has been absorbed, transfer the bran mixture to a large bowl, and add in the puréed banana; mix to combine.
Mix the two sugars together, then add to the bran/banana mixture with the egg, vanilla and oil; blend well to combine.
Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and add to the banana mixture; mix gently to make a soft batter.
With an ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
Bake about 22-28 minutes or until muffins test done.

This recipe is pretty sweet. I know that there is a way to exchange the white and brown sugar for honey but I'm not really sure how it would work. Honey burns more readily than sugar so cooking time would have to be reduced. Maybe I'll try it the next time I make these.

Mystical Connections:

Bananas: Their planet is Mars. Their element is Air. Their energies are spirituality, love and money.

As always, the magical information used in this post come from Wicca in the Kitchen.

Kitchen Sink Breakfast Burritos

2011-11-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid scrambled eggs were made with green onions and crisp bacon and served with toast. The first time I saw a burrito was at a 7/11 when I was in my 20s. Now I don't know how I lived without tortillas. Breakfast burritos are probably my favorite breakfasts. They're so easy to make and you can put just about anything in them.

This morning's breakfast was a bit of a mashup. I had some celery, green onions and an avocado that needed to be used up. I only wish I'd had some left over Italian sausage. I would have also liked some red bell pepper just for the color.

Ingredients
2 green onions, sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 avocado, sliced
2 tbsp. sour cream2 eggs
2 8" flour tortillas

Directions
Sauté celery on medium high heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add eggs and green onions; cook until eggs are done. Add cheese on top for a couple of minutes until melted. Divide mixture between the flour tortillas add avocado and sour cream .

Mystical Connections:
Eggs have long been associated with fertility which only makes sense. Avocados belong to the planet Venus and have love energy. Celery belongs to Mercury and are a fire element. They have sexual energy. The planet for cheese is Saturn. In ancient Greece wedding cakes were usually cheesecakes.

What was I thinking when I put these together?

About the image: I was too hungry to beautify my breakfast for you. I was about to dig in when I thought I should get a photo.

As Always, the magical information used in this post comes from Wicca in the Kitchen

Foodspotting

2011-11-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

I've joined Foodspotting. You can find me there as madison1964. I don't know how much I'm going to be adding this month. November is traditionally "hermit" month for me.

The Dead Files

2011-11-01T14:45:00.001-07:00

video platform video management video solutions video player

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)

2011-10-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

I am a highly suggestible person. Whenever I hear That's Amore by Dean Martin I want pasta fazool. For those of you who aren't familiar with the song beyond “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie,” the second verse says, “When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool.” I can't help it, I love the stuff. I've had many different varieties of this rustic dish. I've never had one I didn't like.

The best thing about pasta fazool is that it's easy. You can substitute almost any of the ingredients. You need pasta. You need some kind of stock. You need vegetables. You can use left over meatloaf or bacon or Italian sausage. Of course, you can make it vegetarian by using vegetable stock and leaving out the meat. Check out all my substitutions at the end of the recipe.

Ingredients
2 medium onions chopped
3 medium stalks celery chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
1/2 lbs Italian sausage*
1 qt chicken or vegetable stock**
2 C chopped tomatoes***
3/4 C borlotti beans soaked overnight****
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz small, dried pasta*****
Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving******

Directions
Brown the sausage in your stock pot then remove them from the pot leaving the fat behind. Depending on how fatty the sausage is you might need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pot.

Put the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the pot and cook until the volume is reduced by half. This will give greater flavor to the dish.

Add the stock, tomatoes, beans, basil, bay leaf, pasta and sausage to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low and cover for an hour and a half if you are using beans you soaked over night. If you are using canned 45 minutes should be enough. Check the carrots and remove from heat when they are done.

Serve with a nice Italian bread.

I like my pasta fazool more like a stew. If you want a soup add an extra 2 cups of stock. This recipe should feed six as a stew.

*I ended up with really spicy sausage so I ignored all of the additional spices.
**I used my own homemade chicken stock. It already had the spices required.
***I didn't use the tomatoes because I'm not allowed to have them and it turned out fine.
****You can use almost any bean you like. You can also use canned which will shorten the cooking time considerably. I ended up using canned cannelli beans because that's what I had on hand.
*****I used small shell pasta.
******I used Romano because I like the flavor better than Parmesan.

While I was waiting for my stew to finish I decided to look up the magical correspondences for some of the ingredients. I went straight to my favorite bobok,Wicca in the Kitchen by Scott Cunningham. While he didn't have an entry for pasta fazool, he did have some interesting things to say:

Beans – Their planet is Mercury. Their element is air. Their energies are money and sex. They are also somehow connected to wealth. I think of the phrase “bean counter” meaning accountant. Carrots – Their planet is Mars. Their element is fire. Their energy is sex. Carrots increase sexual appetite. I wonder if that's one of those rabbit things. Carrots are supposed to be good for the eyes. Tradition says rabbits have good eyesight because they eat carrots. Maybe the carrots make they procreate like bunnies.Onions – Their planet is Mars. Their element is fire. Their energies are protection and weight loss. Onions, bread and beer were staples of the ancient Egyptian diet. Onions were used in incantations meant to keep harmful ghosts from children.

Oxfam's GROW Campaign

2011-10-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Click here to learn about Oxfam's GROW campaign.

2011-09-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've just finished reading Mists of Avalon. All 876 pages of it. Take my advice and read the paperback. The hardcover is heavy. Worth the read though. I never made it through Le Morte d'Arthur. All that "dead white guy" chivalry crap. Mists of Avalon tells the story from the point of view of the women, especially the Pagan women.

I spent the early part of this week watching The Power of Myth on DVD. I had always ignoredJoseph Campbell because he was, after all, a dead white guy. And dead white guys tend to look at things from a certain point of view and get them wrong (like considering ancient Egyptian culture to be a "death cult"). I was surprised how much I actually liked Campbell. I ended up watching the series with a kind of sadness because it was filmed a couple of months before he died. I really wish I'd known him/had him for a teacher.

Anyway you might not think these two things are linked but they both say the same thing: all gods are one, all goddesses are one. It doesn't matter what you call the "divine". It's all the same. This is something I've always felt. You can call your "higher" power Yahweh, Allah, Buddha or Jim-Bob it doesn't matter.

I only have experience with Christianity. I was sent to a Catholic school so I sat through 12 years of religion/ethics classes and was forced to attend mass at regular intervals. I never believed.

"God against man. Man against God. Man against nature. Nature against man. Nature against God. God against nature. Very funny religion!" Daisetz T. Suzuki on Christianity.

I have a huge problem with "male-centric" religions. The idea that women cannot be priests because only men have a special relationship to the divine really pisses me off. Try suggesting to a Buddhist that the Dalai Lama might be reincarnated into the body of a female and you will experience a major cold front before they turn away from you.

This male focus is the main difference between Paganism and Christianity. While some Pagans have become "female-centric”, I feel that this is short sighted. You need both. The Goddess and the God. Working together with nature.

Mists of Avalon does a very good job at showing some aspects of Paganism. In fact, many Pagans credit that book with awakening their love of the Goddess. I found myself feeling very close to the priestesses of Avalon while reading the book. I had been meaning to read the book for years. I felt a little inferior because every other Pagan I know had read the book. Now I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

In case you are wondering, the author, Marion Zimmer Bradley, was a Christian.

In a strange co-inky-dink a re-run of Bones made me spray coke out my nose:

Booth: God doesn’t make mistakes.
Angela: "Putting Testicles on the outside didn't seem like such a good idea". --- Aliens in a Spaceship (2006)

I’ve always felt there were a couple of design flaws in the human body. Not being male, I never considered the testicle issue but now I can see the point.

The other problem I’ve had with Christianity is it’s insistence that sex is bad and that women are the root of all evil. If we weren’t meant to celebrate our sexuality then our procreation would be just as matter of fact as that of any other animal. The female would go into heat and then the strongest male would mate with her.

Bradley’s book makes a very good comparison between the Christian view of sexuality and the Pagan view. Pagans say that all acts of love and pleasure belong to the Goddess. I would add the proviso that the acts are between consenting adults. As I’m fond of saying, consenting adults does not include children, animals or dead people. I think most Pagans would agree with me.

I think I’ll be suggesting Mists of Avalon to anyone who wants to know more about what Pagans believe. It’s as good a place to start as any.

Monsanto: Extinction

2011-09-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

Do Donut Peaches Sound Like a Good Idea?

2011-07-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

The other day I found something new at my local market. Donut peaches. They look a little like radiation mutation peaches to me. I bought a few and when I got them home I was even more confused. One of them had a sticker that said Flying Saucer Peaches. A little online research leads me to believe they're the same thing.

The origins of the donut peach are in Asia, where flat peaches have been cultivated for centuries. In the mid-1800s, several varieties were exported to the United States, and Chinese flat peaches, as they were called, became popular for a brief time. The fruits fell out of fashion, however, and the flat peach was considered an essentially lost heirloom variety until the 1990s, when it began to enter widespread cultivation again. Source.

I didn't think they tasted any different from “normal” peaches. They were good but weird. You could easily eat one in three bites. I think I prefer taking my time with my usual peaches.

I found this interesting video tutorial on painting donut peaches. In the beginning the artist gives you a bit of the mythology of the fruit.

Paganism Now A Religion

2011-07-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

Endgame Chess Party

2011-07-16T00:00:00.001-07:00

image: Showcase

When I came across a chocolate chess set today I knew I had to write this post. My interest in chess has been rekindled by, believe it or not, a television show. Endgame was a “blink and you missed it” show about a Russian chess master, Arkady Balagan, who is unable to leave his Vancouver hotel room after witnessing the death of his fiance. To pay the bills he solves people's problems. Most of the time those problems involve a crime of some sort. Arkady uses the people around him to go out and get information. He then puts the pieces of the puzzle together.

I really liked the show. You can buy the 13 episodes on iTunes in Canada. I'm not sure about the rest of the world. If you live in Canada you can watch the show on the Showcase website.

There's hope that the show is not dead yet. Head over to Save Endgame. They've got a petition going. They're also going to auction off some props/costumes from the show to The Canadian Mental Health Association. Pass it around. Support a good cause and maybe get yourself a unique piece of Canadian TV history.
And while you're waiting for the auction (or the second season of Endgame) you can bone up on your chess skills with your very own edible chess set. Maybe it will be winner eats all.

Chocolate Chess Pieces
image: Food Network

Ingredients:
24 ounces semisweet chocolate
24 ounces white chocolate

Directions:
Chop 24 ounces semisweet chocolate; microwave three-quarters of the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring until melted. Add the remaining chocolate; stir until smooth.
Fill 2 molds with the chocolate using a piping bag; scrape off the excess. Freeze 15 minutes, then pop out the pieces. Glue the halves together with melted chocolate.
Repeat with 24 ounces white chocolate, microwaving at 20-second intervals. Repeat as necessary until the set is complete. Wrap in plastic and freeze until ready to play.

Chess Board

Ingredients:

24 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate*
24 ounces white chocolate

Directions:

Chop 12 ounces semisweet chocolate; microwave three-quarters of the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring until melted. Add the remaining chocolate; stir until smooth.
Fill every second square of the mold with the chocolate using a piping bag; scrape off the excess.
Repeat with 12 ounces of white chocolate.
Freeze 15 minutes, then pop out the squares. Repeat three times (for a total of four - or you could buy four molds and do it all at once.) Glue the sides together with melted chocolate.

Wrap in plastic and freeze until ready to play.

*dark chocolate will look better but semisweet might taste better.

You can buy the molds for this project at Confectionery House. You'll need two chess piece molds and one to four chess board molds.

This recipe was expanded from one on the Food Network website.

Cut Your Food in Half

2011-07-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Lighter (+ Slightly More Surreal) Side of Food

2011-07-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

Talking to Farmers About GM Crops

2011-06-29T12:01:00.001-07:00

Healthy Eating Tips

2011-06-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

I saw this today and I think these are great tips. I'm going to go out and find her book.

Enjoy Your Meals Without Relying on Serving Size:

• Veggies are your buddies. Eat ‘em up; all your low-starchy veggies should be unlimited and enjoyed with every meal and snack from red peppers n’ hummus to morning omelets and dinner stir-fries.

• Roast, steam, poach, bake, braise and broil. No more fried food.

• Don’t confuse thirst and hunger. Sip a glass of seltzer with lime before you reach for food.

• Never travel alone. Pack veggies, nuts and dried fruits to keep you full on the go and help you avoid vending machines and temptations.

• Puree berries, melons and bananas to use as a spread atop toast, crackers, salads or sandwiches. You can also use these as homemade ‘ice-creams’ pureed with nut butters and cinnamon.

• Take a bag of frozen veggies out of the freezer in the morning, by the afternoon they’ll be ready to eat and perfectly defrosted to enjoy with your lunch.

• Avoid ‘fat free’ claims on packaging as you’ll be trading fats for loads of sodium or sugar instead.

• Enjoy a bit of lean protein with each meal to keep you full and keep your metabolism runnin’ steady and strong throughout the day.

• Say good-bye to store-bought chips and drive-through fries; create your own apple, parsnip, carrot and sweet potato chips and fries instead.

• Toast nuts n’ seeds in the oven. Try sweet (honey, cinnamon) or savory (chili powder, sea salt); store in a sealed container and use atop salads, as a snack or in stir-fries and pitas.

• Don’t fear fat. Avocados can be your best buddies. They’re loaded with healthy fats, high in fiber and add a creamy consistency to any meal from oatmeal to salsas.

Amie Valpone, HHP, AADP is a culinary nutritionist and author of The Healthy Apple.

Food Inc.

2011-05-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

I finally found it on YouTube. Food Inc. is a good documentary that looks at who controls your food and what you are really eating.

5 Minute Bread?

2011-04-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted make bread a home but my few attempts have not turned out well. The method shown in the video below looks easy enough. I think I'm going to try it later in the week. Fingers crossed.

Call to Attend the Agriculture Committee Meeting

2011-03-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Public Notice:

Tuesday March 22, 11:00-1:00, Room 362, East Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Come on out! Show your support for the motion for a moratorium on GM alfalfa!

Please note: It is fairly certain that this meeting will now happen but to double check on Monday and Tuesday see www.cban.ca/alfalfa for a posted update.

WHAT: Tuesday March 22, 11:00 - 1:00 the House of Commons Agriculture Committee is meeting a second time to discuss the motion for a moratorium on GM alfalfa. The Committee will vote on the motion on Tuesday unless the Conservatives stall the vote again by prolonging "debate". The motion will then go to the House of Commons for a vote.

WHY: A large audience of interested observers at the meeting will help push the moratorium through! It is a small room and an audience of 16 almost filled the gallery on March 10 when the motion was first debated. There is rarely a significant audience at the meetings and so it will be remarked on and show strong public support. Your presence at the Committee hearings will make a lasting impression to these MPs of the public support behind the moratorium. If the motion is passed, this impression will help Conservatives and Liberals to support the motion in the House of Commons.

On March 10, Conservative Agriculture Committee members delayed the vote on a motion but at the same time Conservative Saskatchewan MP Randy Hoback made sure to say that “The concern I have isn’t necessarily with the motion itself…When I go to my farmers in my area – we have a lot of alfalfa production – they’re concerned about Roundup Ready alfalfa…I don’t want to defend it [GM alfalfa].” Pierre Lemieux, Conservative Committee member and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture also said “There’s nothing wrong with this motion.”

TIMING: 11:00 - 1:00 the meeting will open to the public and the motions will be debated.

LOCATION: New Location on Parliament Hill! Room 362, East Block (the building East/Right of Centre Block/Peace Tower), Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

Read the Public Notice

PLEASE NOTE:
* Bring photo ID. You will not be permitted entry without your ID.
* Arrive 15 minutes ahead of time so you can go through security and get a pass.
* Please remember that observers to Committee hearings, just as to Question Period, cannot participate in the meeting and are asked to refrain from making loud comments etc. However, a nice round of applause after a good decision is not unprecedented and can be most welcome to Committee members who rarely get this feedback.
* A lunch will be brought in for the MPs to allow the Committee to meet over the lunch period, please note that food and beverages are for the MPs and we are asked to refrain from munching.
* There is a small waiting area outside the Committee room where we can wait - there is often another Committee that meets until 10:45.
* There are translation devices so that you can listen in English or French. Unplug these to unwind the cords. If the Bloc members speak and you do not speak French you will appreciate easy access to your device - Channel 1 should be English.
* CBAN Coordinator, Lucy Sharratt, will be attending and will arrive for 10:45.

Come on out to show your support, make change happen, and witness the results of your actions! Your presence could make a big difference.

Please contact me if you have questions. Best, regards, Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network

Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN)
Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice
431 Gilmour Street, Second Floor
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2P 0R5
Phone: 613 241 2267 ext. 25
Fax: 613 241 2506
coordinator@cban.ca
www.cban.ca

Support the Moratorium on GM Alfalfa! Take action at http://www.cban.ca/alfalfa

Irish Cream Chocolate Tart

2011-03-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

In honour of Pi Day I present this recipe from Life Made Delicious. I haven't had a chance to make it yet but it is very much on my list.

Tart
1/2 pkg Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts, softened as directed on box (1 crust)*
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup (75 mL) Irish cream liqueur or whipping cream
2 eggs

Topping
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
1/3 cup (75 mL) cocoa
Dash salt
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whipping cream
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
Additional cocoa, if desired
White chocolate curls, if desired

Heat oven to 425ºF. Remove crust from pouch; press in bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
Place chocolate chips in medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on High 40 seconds. Stir; microwave 5 to 15 seconds longer or until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool 3 minutes.
In large bowl, beat condensed milk, liqueur, eggs and melted chocolate with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Pour into cooled baked shell.
Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF; bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until centre is set. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Refrigerate 2 hours.
In medium bowl, beat all topping ingredients except additional cocoa and chocolate curls with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread topping over tart; sprinkle with additional cocoa and garnish with chocolate curls. Store in refrigerator.

* Here is a recipe for making your own pie crust instead of using the store bought kind.

Land O'Lakes Boycott

2011-02-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

Here's something I found at Searching For Sustenance:

To produce its Round-Up Ready Alfalfa seeds, Monsanto partnered with a company called Forage Genetics International, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O'Lakes Dairy Co-op.... [They] stand to make a fortune from polluting our food supply with untested and unlabeled GMOs.

I don't know about you but I'm getting sick and tired of having to constantly research companies that produce my food to make sure I know what I'm getting. This business of doing all the GMO dirty work through a subsidiary while promoting your products as "natural" or "healthy" is just plain underhanded and sneaky. Not to mention morally reprehensible.

Consumers have to stand up and tell food companies that they cannot mess with our food and not expect any consequences. Land O'Lakes needs to hear from you. Tell them why you will not be buying their products. Here's the contact information:

Chris Policinski
President and CEO
Land O’Lakes
4001 Lexington Avenue
Arden Hills, MN 55126-2998
651/481-2222

You can also write to Forage Genetics directly:

Forage Genetics International,
P.O. Box 339 Nampa, ID 83653-0339
(800) 635-5701 info@foragegenetics.com
Mark McCaslin, PhD, President - mccaslin@foragegenetics.com

While I was reading the Land O'Lakes information I found a video you might enjoy:

Image: Farm Wars

Changing the Food System

2011-02-20T00:00:00.001-08:00

A TED talk by Ellen Gustafson from 30 Project and The Feed Foundation.

Food Issues

2011-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Applied Research Center has just released a study called The Color of Food. It's no surprise to most people that people of color are at the bottom of the food industry job structure. It's also no surprise that they make less than a white male while doing the same job. How big the divide actually is will surprise people.

The Organic Consumer's Association is gearing up for Millions Against Monsanto campaign. Monsanto is the company that created most of the world's Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). They say that GMOs are safe but critics say that it's too early to tell. Keep in mind that this is the same company that created DDT and Agent Orange. Monsanto said those were safe too. In the US foods containing GMOs do not have to be labeled. If GMOs were causing problems we'd never know because we don't know we've eaten GMO food. For more information read Frankenfood: It's Alive and The Food Bubble.

A Little Bit Of Psychic History

2011-02-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

When I was 12 I found a book in the library that showed me how to read fortunes with an ordinary deck of playing cards. For awhile I was busy reading the cards for classmates. Until one of the teachers caught me and had a fit. Fortune telling isn't allowed in Catholic schools. I ended up having to write an essay on the origin of cards. Talk about grown ups being totally clueless! That essay just fueled my interest in all kinds of divination.

When I was 13 Santa brought me an Aquarian Tarot Deck and a Ouija Board. I was a Catholic living in a Protestant house with a Christian figure giving me pagan gifts. No wonder I'm all over the map spiritually. Anyway. I never connected with that deck. The images just didn't move me in any way. In fact, I developed some kind of block and I've never been able to read fortunes with a tarot deck. I can't keep all the information on each card in my head. I can't even do it with playing cards any more.

Out of curiousity I looked up tarot card reading on YouTube. I found this long (and kind of boring) video that goes through all the cards and their meanings. I think if I listened to this a few times I might get it.

What do you think? Is it useful? Have you any other online tarot suggestions?

When is a Business Not a Business?

2011-02-16T21:10:00.000-08:00

I found an article about a Meridan, Mississippi "fortune teller" who is challenging the laws that prohibit "his kind" from doing business inside city limits. The challenger, Sandy Mitchell, is a descendant of Meridian's "King and Queen of Gypsies."

One thing I couldn't help noticing about the article is whenever the relationship between the current Mitchell and the famous Mitchells is mentioned terms like "self proclaimed" show up. I find such terms very disrespectful. I would think that no one would be stupid enough to claim a relationship to a famous person that could easily be checked out in public records.

The other thing that surprised me was that this law forbidding fortune telling within city limits was still on the books. Really? It's the 21st Century for cripes sake. I'm surprised it took this long to get a court case going. I guess they do things differently down in Mississippi. The article mentions that if there was a change, such businesses would be restricted to a certain part of town.

I'm not going to get into the argument about whether or not someone should use his/her gifts for profit. To thine own self be true is what I say (thanks Will). If Mitchell legally makes his living reading tarot cards and he pays his taxes I feel he should be able practice his business just like anyone else. He should also be able to practice this business anywhere any other business is allowed.

I guess I'm naive to expect everyone be treated as equal.

Image: Deutscher Maler, 18. Jh. (Umkreis Samuel Beck/Seekatz): Die Wahrsagerin Oil on wood, 36.5 x 23 cm

At Least There's No Burning Involved... Yet.

2011-02-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

About a month ago the Catholic Truth Society published a book called Wicca and Witchcraft: Understanding the Dangers. It is currently out of stock on Amazon. It even has a couple of "customer reviews".

Here's what the Catholic Truth Society website says about the book

An introduction to these phenomena and how to evangelise those involved. To marginalised and spiritually hungry generations the growing spiritual phenomena of Wicca and witchcraft have proved attractive, with much to offer: power, supernatural abilities and socially acceptable agendas such as eco-activism and feminism. This booklet examines their origins, history, beliefs and practices, and then explains Catholic teaching’s cogent assessment of them. Furthermore it explores why young people are attracted to Wicca, and describes ways in which it is possible to bring witches and wiccans to Christ and his Church.

Who the heck is buying this crap?

In the US only 22% of Catholics attend mass regularly. Not that this is unexpected. In 2009 the Catholic Church called for a ban on social networks. Hardly anyone noticed.

Now they're taking a stand against Harry Potter? Are these the death throws of an outdated and irrelevant church? One can only hope. I've got nothing against Christianity. I have a lot of hard feelings about Christian religions. I grew up Catholic. I know how bogged down in dogma it is. It's too bad. Some of the rituals are rather pretty.

Here's a question to take away with you: What is the difference between Catholics trying to convert pagans and Muslim extremists believing that anyone who is not Muslim should be converted or killed?

Slow Food

2010-10-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

If They're Harmless Why Hide Them?

2010-06-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

Watch CBS News Videos Online

So Not A Tree Hugger

2010-03-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

Image via Tourism Vancouver

I'm having a hard time getting into a groove with this blog. It's not that I don't want to write it. I've been thinking about it for a long time. I think the thing that is stopping me is something entirely different.

I'm not comfortable in my own "Pagan" skin.

It's all because of the "nature" thing.

I used to joke that being a city girl, I got nervous if I couldn't see concrete. I've finally admitted to myself that it's not a joke. Don't get me wrong. I like nature. I just don't seem to be able to "connect" to it. Could be because I'm allergic to a huge portion of the things in nature. I'm just SO not a tree hugger.

I don't feel anything when I look at scenery. When I moved to Vancouver from Calgary 20 very odd years ago, I took the train. I was told the scenery on the trip was great along the way. After a half hour of looking at trees going by I'd had enough. And I still had another 23 hours to go.

Add to that the fact that I seem to have a "black" thumb. I killed a cactus for Demeter's sake! I think you can
see that there's a whole side of Wicca or Paganism that I'm just not connected to. It's not that I don't understand how important nature is. I'm always ready to do what I can to help the environment and the creatures of Earth. Walks, petitions, letters to politicians, emails, phone calls, donations I'll do it all for everything from climate change to pit bull rescue. I'll do what I can to help. As long as you don't expect me to actually be out in nature to do it.

Which leads me to the whole kitchen witch thing. Deep down inside, I believe that food made with love is magical and it can work wonders. Sharing that magical food is probably the best thing anyone can do. I don't do it often enough. I've always got excuses. I don't have the right tools. My kitchen is too small. Yada yada. Not only have I been cheating other people by not cooking for others, I'm cheating myself because too often I'll grab something ready made from the store. Tonight's dinner was a prime example. I bought a frozen pizza from Safeway. As I was eating it I was thinking that a) it was even worse than I imagined and b) I could have made one much better. From scratch. If I hadn't been so lazy.

I sometimes have this fantasy that I live on a small farm where all the food I need is grown or raised right there. I imagine this fantastic herb garden where that would help me make my own soap and shampoo etc. Beautiful. Perfect. Self sustaining using solar and wind power. A TOTAL fantasy.

I used to spend time on farms. Not a lot, maybe a week or so at a time. It drove me insane!

I have this other fantasy where I know all the plants on the planet and what they're used for. You know, use such and such for a burn and that for the hiccups. I'm lucky that I can tell rosemary from bay leaves. Or a maple leaf from a pine cone. I know that a lot of that is just remembering bits of information. But I don't feel it. I can't seem to get a connection. It would be so much easier to memorize that stuff if I did.

Which brings me back to cooking. I can follow a recipe. I just can't ad lib. I have no feeling for what goes with what in the kitchen. Nothing. I was shocked when I figured out that rosemary goes with lamb. To be fair, I never had lamb until I moved to BC. Nobody in my family knows how to cook it. Thank all the forgotten Goddesses for the Food Network.

I'm so jealous of people who are instinctual cooks. Lou Diamond Fraking Philips is better at experimental cooking than I am. How do I know? I follow @LPhillips on Twitter (doesn't everybody?) and my mouth waters every time he posts what he's cooking for his family. Sigh.

I started this blog thinking that it would spur me on to cooking more often. I hoped that my cooking would inspire me spiritually. Or vice versa. Hasn't happened yet. At least I'm thinking about it. Baby steps.

Chocolate Guinness Goodness

2010-03-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

A recipe for St. Paddy's Day from epicurious.com

Ingredients:

8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
One 14.9-ounce can Guinness Draught
3 cups heavy cream
7 ounces high-quality bittersweet (70 to 72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped

Special equipment: Six 8-ounce old-fashioned glasses

Preparation:

In large nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.

Open can of Guinness and slowly pour into 4-cup measuring cup, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Pour half of Guinness (about 7/8 cup) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan.

Add 2 1/4 cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.

Slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return mixture to saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. (Pudding will look separated.)

Pour into blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.

Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.

Beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add Guinness syrup and beat until combined. Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.

Note: you might want to add a couple of teaspoons of sugar to the reduction.

The Kitchen Witch’s Creed

2010-03-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

In this pot, I stir to the sun
an’ follow the rule of harming none.

Banishment of bane when goin’ widdershins;
an’ with water and salt negativity is cleansed.

Household duties are more than chores.
Magic abounds when mopping floors.

With this broom, I do sweep
to clean my house and safely keep.

Marigold, Basil, Thyme, and Yarrow
my spell is cast for a better tomorrow.

Lemons for joy and apples for health
the pow’r within brings great wealth.

And, in this kitchen, I do pray
To truly walk the Witches’ Way.

Copyright 1998, 1999 E. Zeigler

Working on a new relationship with food

2010-02-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

In my stumbles around the internet I came across a very interesting video. Jamie Oliver was given a TED Prize this year. He gave a 22 minute talk discussing why he got the prize:

I'm of two minds (not an unusual occurrence) about Oliver's mission. I agree that most of us need to change our relationship with food. I just wish he wouldn't go on and on about obesity as if it were the same for everyone. There is a set weight that is determined by a lot of different factors at different times.

In the late 1880s, Lillian Russell was considered the most beautiful woman in America. She weighed over 200 pounds. She lived to the age of 61. She died of complications from an injury she got while returning to the US from Europe. Years ago I remember a female Olympic bobsledder weighed 200 pounds and that's mostly what the male sports announcers talked about whenever she was on camera. If you look on YouTube you will find a video of a 200 female body builder.

My point? All three women would be considered obese by today's standards. You can live outside the norm and still be healthy. I think focusing on a person's weight when you talk about health is misleading. I've always been big and yes I have health problems. All of my health problems are inherited. I would have them whether I weighed 130 lbs. or 330 lbs. I will admit that my weight is currently exasperating one of those problems.

That's one of the reasons I started this blog. I'm trying to "eat better". I want to explore both magic and food. I think I would be much happier if I found the point where those things connect. Some how I want to put my knowledge and ability together to make something more. I don't know what the final project will look like. It will still be a life but hopefully a better, more serene life. The cynic in me is having a field day...

Back to Mr. Oliver.We do have to teach our children how to cook. We do need to make sure kids know where our food comes from. It doesn't come out of a box. Not naturally anyway.

My mother did not know how to cook... actually I have a suspicion that she just didn't like to cook. My grandmother (who I remember making donuts and Long John's on a regular basis) became ill, with some mysterious disease that was never talked about, when my mother was 10. As the oldest girl of seven children it fell to her to take her mother's work. She couldn't have been too bad at the job because they all survived. Maybe by the time I came along my mother was tired of cooking. Maybe she just gave up.

I can remember two recipes she made regularly: cabbage rolls (the German kind with lots of ground beef) and macaroni and potatoes. When I was in elementary school we lived across the street from a KFC. There was a corner store next to our house. I had a brother who was 13 years older than me still living at home. I can't remember him ever cooking anything. I do remember him running over to KFC for burgers quite often.

When I was in high school my lunch, almost everyday, was a chocolate bar and a coke. I also went through packs and packs of chewing gum. This was before the "sugarless" revolution. From age 13 to 19 I lived with my sister and her family (long story) and the food was better. I remember my sister making beef stroganoff, chilli and, for a while, tuna noddle casserole. Many Fridays or Saturdays were pizza night. For a while my sister made her own pizza from scratch and froze them. I'm not sure when she stopped or why. Sudays during the summer were BBQ steak and potatoes.

In grade 10 I took "Home Economics" which had nothing to do with homes or economics. The topic was cooking. I don't remember learning to cook anything specific in the class. At some point during my high school year my sister got into a car accident. She was bed ridden for a long time. While she was in bed I was in charge of cooking and cleaning. I don't remember too much about that period so I'm guessing it wasn't that traumatic. I like to cook for people.

I don't like to cook for myself.

That's quite a problem since I like living alone. My typical meal consists of some kind of meat that I can slap between two pieces of bread and add some cheese. Then I eat it while watching the Food Network.

Yeah I have a masochistic streak.

Every now and then I decide that I'm going "eat better" and cook real meals. I can cook. I can even make sushi - a big achievement for a prairie girl. I have a cupboard full of cookbooks. I have the ability to plan a weeks worth of meals but I don't. I make a shopping list, check it twice and leave it at home.

I've got to find the motivation somewhere. If I had been taught about food properly when I was young this wouldn't be a problem. I hope Oliver's revolution sweeps the planet. I just wish that he'd stop focusing on weight and just get on with it.

Fortune Cookie Recipe

2010-02-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

In honor of Chinese New Year I thought I'd pull out a fortune cookie recipe I've had in my collection for a while. I have no idea where it originally came from but I hope you have fun using it. Prep Time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons water
Preparation:

1. Write fortunes on pieces of paper that are 3 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 9-X-13 inch baking sheets.

2. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.

3. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir the water into the flour mixture.

4. Add the flour into the egg white mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. The batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a wooden spoon.
Note: if you want to dye the fortune cookies, add the food coloring at this point, stirring it into the batter. For example, I used 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring to make green fortune cookies.

5. Place level tablespoons of batter onto the cookie sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth and from side to side so that each tablespoon of batter forms into a circle 4 inches in diameter.

6. Bake until the outer 1/2-inch of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the baking sheet with a spatula (14 - 15 minutes).

7. Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Place a fortune in the middle of a cookie. To form the fortune cookie shape, fold the cookie in half, then gently pull the edges downward over the rim of a glass, wooden spoon or the edge of a muffin tin. Place the finished cookie in the cup of the muffin tin so that it keeps its shape. Continue with the rest of the cookies.

Some extra tips:

Make Up the Fortunes Ahead of Time: This will give you more time to compose the messages. The strips of paper used should be 3 to 3 1/2 inches long and no more than 1/2-inch wide.

Use Cold Baking Sheets: Fortune cookies tend to turn out best when you start with a cold (and greased) baking sheet. Since most recipes make more cookies than can be placed on one 9 X 13-inch baking sheet (the cookies spread out during baking), it’s best to use two baking sheets. That way, you don’t need to wait for the sheet to cool down before baking the next batch of cookies.

Cookie Size: Larger is BetterMany fortune cookie recipes call for making a 3-inch cookie. A cookie this size is more difficult to work with and fold than a slightly larger (3 1/2 - 4-inch) cookie. Another plus is that the larger cookie fits snugly into the cup of a muffin tin. This saves you from having to hold the cookie for several seconds after folding, to make sure it keeps its shape. My own preference is to use one level tablespoon of batter to make a 4-inch cookie.

Tilt the Baking Sheet: to Spread the BatterThe key to making fortune cookies is a batter that is evenly spread out on the baking sheet. This can be difficult to accomplish with a wooden spoon, since the batter tends to stick to the spoon. Carefully tilting the baking sheet in all directions gives better results.

Start By Making Only One or Two Cookies: The instant the cookies are removed from the oven, the race begins: you have twenty seconds at most to add the fortunes, fold the cookies in half and then shape them into the standard fortune cookie shape. It’s best to start with one or two cookies – that way, you’re not feeling pressured.

How to Tell When the Cookies are Done: The cookies are done when approximately 1/2 inch of the outside is golden and they are easy to lift with a spatula. The middle part of the cookie remains quite light in color.

Wear Close Fitting Cotton Gloves: You need to work with the cookies when they first come out of the oven and are still very hot - wearing cotton gloves makes this easier.

Be Prepared to Work Quickly: As noted above, you only have up to twenty seconds to work with the baked cookies before they cool down and stiffen too much to be workable.

9. How to Fold and Shape the Cookies: Remove the cookie from the baking sheet with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Lay the fortune in the middle of the cookie, and hold it there while folding the cookie in half.

Still holding the the folded cookie in both hands, between your thumb and index fingers, pull the ends down over the rim of a glass or a muffin tin, or the handle of a wooden spoon, until the ends meet. The opened side of the fortune cookie should be facing upward, towards you.

Welcome Weary Traveler...

2010-02-07T23:20:00.000-08:00

First off I will admit that this blog partly owes its existence to Wil Wheaton. I follow him on Twitter (doesn't everybody?) and a while back he posted about cooking something. I don't remember the exact words, but he used a magical term to describe how he made the item. I'm not sure it was "conjured up" but it was something similar. Anyway... It reminded me that I had been thinking of creating a kitchen witch blog for some time. So finally, after much procrastination, here we are.

Just what is a "kitchen witch" I hear you asking. The answer depends on who you ask. To me a kitchen witch is, first of all, a person who likes to cook. S/he is also a Pagan of some sort, most often Wiccan. S/he knows about all kinds of food lore and folk remedies. Kitchen witches usually have a green thumb. S/he uses his/her talent in the kitchen as part of his/her spirituality. S/he is mindful of the blessings of life and remembers the Goddess when she works.

Now comes the time where I admit that I am an "aspiring" kitchen witch. I've had the urge but I really haven't put in the time or energy. I hope that this blog will inspire me to get to work on that part of my life. I've got a lot of work to do.

I'd better start with cleaning my kitchen.

*The picture is Circe by John William Waterhouse.