Dairy-Free Caramels - Sweet Freedom, Living Allergen Free

Another installment from Dawn Kiehl-Beals in her Sweet Freedom series.  I can't wait to try these!

Enjoy!

Surprise Your Gluten and Dairy Free Friends

It's the week after Thanksgiving and its time to pull out the Christmas gift lists.  When I was a little girl,   now was the time my grandmother would start to bake and make homemade candy.  One of her greatest joys was to fill box after box with goodies and pass them out to family and friends.  Her gift said, "I love you, you're important to me, you're worth my time."  She showed me that gifts don't have to be expensive or complicated to share our love.  This year as you look over your list maybe you'll find someone who has to live gluten or even dairy free.  Imagine their surprise and delight to receive a box of cookies and candy made especially for them.  I know how much it means to me when family and friends make sure there is a special pie or treat that I can enjoy along with the rest of the family.

I've talked about ways to mix gluten free flours and ingredients to avoid but what about someone who has to avoid dairy?  It's one of the many things on a long list of foods that I'm allergic to.  There are lots of readily available dairy replacements but you still have to read the label to be careful of hidden ingredients.  If the label has the word Parve or Pareve on it then you can be 100% sure it is dairy free.  However, if you see the words casein or whey stay away! 

There are lots of dairy replacements and tricks but today I'm going to focus on a select few products.  For a long time soy was the only milk alternative out there, which made it tough for people like me who are also allergic to soy.  Thankfully, now there are lots of choices including rice, almond, coconut and hemp just to name a few.  Canned coconut milk can also be used when you need a "heavier", more whipping cream like consistency.  Sour cream and cream cheese made from soy are delicious and can be used as an equal replacement in any recipe.  Yogurt made from soy, coconut milk, rice milk and almond milk are all very good.  Use the plain version of any of these yogurts as another replacement for sour cream in most recipes.  Butter replacements can be tricky.  Be sure to read the labels very carefully because many margarines contain casein and whey. 

One of my favorite candies my grandmother made was hand made caramels.  I've missed these delicious waxed paper wrapped treats for years.  But this year I found a recipe that rivals that memory.  After playing with the recipe and making some changes, I've come up with a "buttery" caramel with just a hint of salt.  It's the perfect combination of melting in your mouth while still sticking to your teeth!  I recommend making a double batch.  If you don't, then I promise that once you taste them, your friend will have to wait even longer to get your labor of love!

Dairy-Free Caramels

1 cup Earth Balance margarine

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 can (14.5 ounce) coconut milk plus enough almond milk to make a total of 2 cups (coconut milk and almond milk combined)

1 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla

Prepare your pan/s:  Line an 8 inch x 8 inch pan with parchment paper.  I do this by very lightly oiling my pan, then laying in the parchment so the parchment does not slide around.

Place the margarine, sugar, brown sugar, coconut/almond milk mixture and corn syrup and sea salt in a large saucepan.  Use a saucepan that doesn't have any teflon coating.  I don't know why but it works better!  Clip a candy thermometer to the saucepan.  Slowly bring ingredients to a low boil stirring very, very often.  Keeping things at a low boil prevents the caramel sugars from forming grainy crystals, prevents boil over and hot sugar spatters.  

Cook over medium-high heat while continuing to stir often until candy reaches 250 degrees F.  Depending on your stove this can go very quickly or take quite a while.  The key is to stir often and make sure it heats to 250 degrees F.  An easy way to check if your caramels are done is to drop a teaspoon of caramel into a cup of cold water.  Give the caramel a few minutes to cool then take the caramel out of the water and form it into a ball.  If you cannot get the caramel to form a ball or if the ball flattens on your hand or counter then it still needs to boil some more.  The mixture will start out a very milky color but when ready will turn into a gorgeous caramel.

Pour the caramel into your lined pan and allow to cool completely.  Once cool, cut with a sharp knife or oiled kitchen scissors and wrap in waxed paper.

It's that time of year....

Pennsylvania Basket 

All products are from Pennsylvania and many from Somerset County.

Nothing brings on a case of the shudders at Cascio's like the word....I hate to even say it outloud.....Christmas!  As soon as the first word is uttered inside the store, all of our employees get this wide-eyed look of....yes....I think the correct word is terror. 

Christmas at Cascio's for years has created a sense of utter chaos.  There is no way around it.  Our basket business is one of the biggest things we do all year long.  The busiest day of the year is December 23rd.  Hands down....followed closely behind by July 3rd.  So the dash from the day after Thanksgiving until December 23rd is sort of nuts.  There is no other way to say it.  Really I am trying to soften it here a bit, but honestly it is just plain nuts.  

But with that said, let me also add that we are very appreciative of the business. I have often imagined what it would be like if it were December 23rd and we were standing there just looking at each other. No, we appreciate the business more then I can tell you.  It just all comes at once, in a flood, or flurry depending on the weather.  

I could regale you for hours with stories of basket deliveries going awry.  There is the basket we try to deliver hour after hour, day after day, until someone finally calls and tells us that the recipients have left for Florida and won't be home until February and how did "we" not know that?!  There are stories of snowstorms and delivery trucks getting stuck in driveways and my hands down favorite story of Mrs. Hayman falling backwards off a porch into a snow bank......but saving the basket.  That one is a classic.  There are a few stories I can't post here because I have promised that this page would have a PG rating.  You can let your own mind wander on that one, or ask me in person.  Some of those are classic!

Over the next week or so I will post a picture of a basket and a description of it and help you decide who on your gift list would appreciate a gift of food.  

Large Dried Basket

One of our baskets that is specifically designed to ship. Pound bags of all sorts of treats await the recipient of this basket.

One important thing for you to know is we have two baskets that are specifically designed to ship.  If you follow our blog but live away from Somerset, do not despair.  We can ship anywhere in the USA!  Just call.  445-4852  We designed these baskets to be able to ship via UPS.  If you have pleasant memories of Cascio's but you now live in South Dakota, why not send a gift from your home town from people you trust!  We would love to take care of your gift giving.  

We do corporate gifts too.  Is your company looking for a way to say thank you to your customers for doing business with you all year?  Then call us!  We can add your companies pens, t-shirts, or mug to a basket too to make it more personal.  We can design a basket just for you to meet your needs.  

We have been in the basket businesssince 1918.  Most of our basket designers have been at it for close to twenty years.  We know what we are doing and we put our reputation on the line with every basket that walks out the door.  Call us today.  

445-4852

With Thanksgiving...

I want to pause this morning before I begin making my Baked Apples, my annual contribution to the Brougher family Thanksgiving meal, and thank you for your patronage to Cascio's.  

Cascio's has been in business since 1918.  Not a lot of businesses can say they have weathered that many business climates to survive and still be relevant.  But we are sincerely grateful that we have.  In the early years, Cascio's had some hard times and went bankrupt three times before the Cascio family was able to find their footing.  

Remaining flexible and working hard to interpret your needs is what we work hard at and we NEVER take for granted that you will make that extra stop out of your busy day to come shop with us.

We are thankful for you, for your household and for the privilege of doing business in Somerset.  Thank you so much for allowing us to continue to do business at 242 West Main.  For this we give thanks.  

An Attitude of Gratitude - Sweet Freedom - Living Allergen Free

 Here is another installment from Dawn Kiehl Beals in her ongoing series "Sweet Freedom - Living Allergen Free"  Let me just add that at Cascio's we are thankful for the two ladies who write our guest blogs.  Thank you Dawn and Jane!

An Attitude of Gratitude

It was about 17 years ago and the week before Thanksgiving when I first found out that I had to give up both gluten and dairy.  Talk about a lack of gratitude!  I felt like I had just been issued a death sentence and had a real Eeyore attitude going on.  Instead of enjoying Thanksgiving, I moaned about what I could no longer enjoy.  Christmas loomed over my head like a cloud, no chess pies, no home made candy, how would I ever get through the holidays.   Thankfully, I'm  typically more of a glass half-full kind of person.   So, I finally told myself to either get over the bad attitude or eat what I wanted and be sick.  I choose to get over it and was actually feeling physically so much better by Christmas that I didn't mind what I was missing. 

Today, there are ways to create all of your favorite holiday goodies into gluten and dairy free versions.  In fact, they're so good no one knows the difference!  That wasn't the case 17 years ago.  Choices were few and far between and definitely tasted " different".  It's one of the reasons why I'm so passionate about sharing what I have discovered about living gluten and dairy free.  For me, it's a choice to be healthy and get the most out of life rather than a punishment.  I love playing with recipes and trying them out on unsuspecting family and friends.  It's a real compliment to hear how much they enjoy a meal and then watch the disbelief on their faces when I tell them it was gluten and dairy free! 

My, how my attitude has changed!  When I was deciding about what I wanted to share this week, I spent a lot of time thinking about thankfulness.  Thankfulness, like any other response or attitude is a choice.  It has nothing to do with food or the fact that dinner is scheduled for the same time as the big game.  It's not about having a to-do list longer than the hours left until Thursday or the fact that it takes weeks to get ready and only minutes to eat.  Thankfulness is about allowing ourselves to be in a position where we grow closer to God by acknowledging His fingerprints all over our lives.  Thankfulness brings light into dark corners and takes the focus off of us and onto where it belongs.  When we're thankful we're stronger, healthier and happier.  We recognize just how much we have and share it with others.  This year take more than just a few minutes to say grace before digging into the bird and pies.  Focus on all the things in your life that you have to be thankful for and share it with those around the table.  I know those who will be sitting beside me on Thursday are at the top of my thankful list.  Families come in all shapes and sizes, related by blood or friends who we love, filled with quirks and idiosyncrasies.  But the bottom line is that there ours!  This year don't worry if the turkey is dry or the rolls are burnt or you forgot your covered dish.  Laugh, talk, spend time with each other and most importantly take time to thank God.

Enjoy this recipe for o e of my favorite holiday pies!

Derby Pie

Directions

Beat 4 eggs

 Add 1/2 cup sugar - beat

Add 8 oz Kari syrup - beat

Add 1 tsp vanilla or 2 tsps bourbon

Add one stick (1/2) cup melted butter alternative

Dump 1 cup pecans and 3/4 cut chocolate chips in bottom of gluten free pie crust.

Pour batter over nuts

Bake at 350* for 45 to 60 minutes

Side note from Jodi:  Don and I recently enjoyed this recipe at Dawn's home.  I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that is outstanding!  In fact, I am pretty sure Don had more then his fair share.  Excellent!

Holiday Products

One of the most requested product that we offer at Cascio's is our party trays.  Vegetable platters, fruit platters, fruit and cheese platters, all made fresh the day you are picking them up.  We never add preservatives.   Pictured above is our fruit and cheese tray.  A wonderful combination of fresh fruit (the pineapple is amazing!) and cheese is always a crowd pleaser.

Our vegetable trays are a traditional blend of fresh vegetables and come with a french onion dip.  Again I feel it is important to add that all trays are made the day you are picking them up and we do NOT add any preservatives to the product.  

Cheese and cracker trays and shrimp trays round out our selection of product.  We have all of our trays available in a large and small size.  Large trays feed 15 - 20 people and small 8 - 10.  

We also make tossed salad, fresh spinach salads and fresh fruit salads all that can be added to your holiday meals and take the added stress of trying to create a special meal.  Call Cascio's today to order your holiday trays and salads.  445-4852

Tuscan Corner - Farro & Millet Risotto

Sincere thanks to Jane Adams for another trip to Tuscan Corner!  

Enjoy!

Farro and Millet Risotto

There is a friend who shares my love of cooking. She has a broad base of food knowledge and prefers things a bit on the spicy side of the spectum. My pallet is more conservative although I do try to push beyond my comfort zone sometimes. I usually learn something from her when we cook together and sometimes the favor is reciprocated. Of course being the ultimate gastronomist, she has all the proper utensils and gadgets. Williams Sonoma has got nothing on her.  If there is a unique spice or herb,  this woman probably stocks it!

Giving credit where due, she probably is the reason I have become so passionate about meal preparation. Many an evening we have spent holed up in her well equipped kitchen, sipping wine, listening to good music, chopping, mincing, mashing and laughing. While not necessary a Weight Watcher’s endorsed program, it has been cheap therapy. And frequently when we have gotten together, a meal has been planned into the agenda.

During an Italian grocery shopping excursion to the local COOP in Tuscany, my friend found a “new” grain that peaked her curiosity. It turns out farro is an ancient grain which has been feeding the Mediterranean populations for thousands of years, rich in fiber, magnesium and vitamins.  It is also easily digested and low in gluten,  making it a good choice for those with wheat tolerance issues. It is similar in appearance to wheat berries and/or brown rice and has a pleasant nutty taste. Often used in soups, salads and hot dishes, farro can also be a substitute for arborio rice in risotto. We didn’t get the opportunity to prepare a meal with farro in Italy but once back home, I was determined to get acquainted with it.

I first opted for the risotto. I love the creamy consistency of a risotto and how it sticks to your ribs like a classier version of mac and cheese! This particular recipe includes millet, another smaller seeded grain that gives this dish a more porridge-like texture. Millet is full of important nutrients and heart protective properties. Regular consumption may even reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes!

Ingredients

•           3/4 cup / / 5 oz / 150 g uncooked millet

•           4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

•           fine grain sea salt

•           1/4 cup / 2 oz / 55 g unsalted butter

•           2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

•           1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped

•           2 cups / 14 oz / 400 g semi-pearled farro

•           roughly 7 cups / 1.6 l good-tasting vegetable broth

•           2 big handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan

* I took the liberty of adding a few dried porcini mushrooms during the simmering process.

Directions

It works best to cook the millet and farro separately here. Start by adding the millet to a small thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Toast it, stirring constantly, until the millet is golden and fragrant - just a few minutes.

Add 1 3/4 cup / 475 ml water, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and a couple generous pinches of salt. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the grains are cooked and free of liquid. Taste, and if they need more time, cook for a few minutes more, then remove from heat, and leave covered for another 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and set aside....but I’d recommend not waiting to long to enjoy it or somebody may beat you to it! Delicioso!

*Additionally I finished it off by mixing in about a cup of cubed, roasted butternut squash and

 a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. 

It ain't Christmas without a Fruitcake....

Everyone has a fruitcake story. Some are stories about cakes that Grandma made and how your holiday is just not complete until Aunt So and So recreates the recipe for the whole family to enjoy.  That's the Norman Rockwell version.  Then there is the "Oh crap Grandma made that $%# fruitcake again" type story.  That is more the Scrooge version.  But admit it, we all have a love/hate relationship with a fruitcake somewhere in our past.  

I remember well my first bite of fruitcake.  My parents had these friends who every year threw the best New Years Eve party.....EVER!  I remember those parties so well.  A ton of fun.  The hostess every year would outdo herself with cooking and baking for the big event.  One year we showed up and sure enough the table was covered with all sorts of terrific options and this really pretty looking cake.  I don't remember ever seeing a cake like that before, it had red and green dots in it and it looked amazing. Then I tasted it.  Someone should have warned me.  The hostess had been soaking that cake in Rum since the Easter Bunny had dropped colored eggs on her front lawn!  I was only about 9!  I think I had to do a stint in AA after that.  I vowed never to eat fruitcake again.  Ever!  Side note:  This is the same lady who took my favorite Christmas candy of all times, chocolate covered cherries,  took a syringe and filled them with liquor. Again, no one told the children and I bit into what I was hoping was my favorite candy only to have my eyes water and throat burn for an hour.  My question is why was no one watching the children? But I digress....

About five or six years ago we started stocking Claxton fruitcakes.  I have to admit upon seeing the word fruitcake I was immediately transported back to that fateful New Years Eve where I discovered I don't like Rum....so imagine my surprise when shipment after shipment of fruitcakes vanished.  

The manufacturer of the product describes them like this:  

Sun-ripened California raisins, delicious pineapple, crunchy Georgia pecans, plump juicy cherries, freshly shelled walnuts and almonds, tangy lemon and orange peel, blended into rich pound cake batter....baked to a golden brown.  

Well I got to admit, that sounds pretty good to me.  

Last year when I posted to Facebook that we had received our shipment of fruitcakes my friend Chris Burtner  called me up and said, "You got to be kidding! People really buy those?" He thought I was joking when I said yes they do and they are very good.

They are....they truly are.  That many of our customers can't be wrong.  Stop by today and try them in one pound sleeves or a gift box of 3 - 1lb. sleeves.  For those of you who remember grandma's cake fondly, I hope this is a nice reminder of Christmas from your past.  For those of you who remember the cake as a doorstop, I hope this will change your mind about fruitcakes.  For me, I am still reeling from that rum laden cake I had many years ago....but thanks to Claxton I just got to remember some really fun New Year's Eve parties.  

BLEND YOUR WAY TO FREEDOM

Another installment from 

Dawn Kiehl Beals

Sweet Freedom - Living Allergen Free

Blend Your Way To Freedom

Whether you're new to the gluten free lifestyle or an old pro, one thing is for sure: you defiantly know what you can't eat!  The question is, do you know what you can?  With the holidays less than two weeks away, it may seems like you're being left out of the festivities (at least the eating part).  Everyone one around us is noshing on gingerbread men and pumpkin pie while we're stuck with a few minimal choices of pre-packaged gluten free cookies.  Don't get me wrong, some of them are very good.  It's just that you can't get Grandma's raisin filled delights in a box. 

This year, you don't have to feel sorry for yourself or miss out on holiday or family favorites.  Get creative and start working with all the gluten free flour choices that are available!  No one GF flour can be used as a cup for cup exchange in your favorite recipes.  That's why it's important to create a blend of flours. Following is a list, that while is no means exhaustive, should get you on your way to creating your own special gluten free blend.  

Millet Flour-

Millet is nutty and slightly sweet.  It's full of fiber, protein and nutrients.

Garbanzo Bean Flour-

This flour has a unique "bean" flavor.  However,  it works well in many gluten free blends and the overall taste when baked is pleasant.

Sorghum Flour-

This flour is very popular flour in the gluten free community.  It adds both texture and protein to baked goods.  The flavor is described as slightly nutty to no taste at all.  

White Rice Flour/Brown Rice Flour-

Just like white and brown rice, the flours are interchangeable and depend on your personal  preference and taste.  Use rice flour as part of your blend or alone in recipes that call for very small amounts.  It works well when making roux or gravy.  

Sweet Rice Flour-

Sweet rice flour works like the other rice flours and adds a unique flavor to pizza crusts and breads.

Amaranth Flour-

Amaranth flour can be used in GF blends and is higher in protein than most grain flours.

Tapioca Starch/Flour-

This starch acts as a thickener and binder.  It's a vital ingredient to a good GF blend.  

Potato Starch-

Used as another thickener, this starch adds moisture your baked goods.

Arrowroot Starch-

Although this is a very neutral flavored thickener, it is also one of the most expensive. Many people like it for gravies but if corn is not on your list to avoid then corn starch will work just as well.

Teff flour-

Teff flours adds both moistness and flavor to gluten free baking.  It can be described as both nutty and slightly sweet.

Soy Flour-

Soy is easy to use and nice to work with.  But, if you have a soy allergy like me, stay clear!

Buckwheat Flour -

Yes, this says wheat, but buckwheat is gluten free!  Use this primarily for pancakes, muffins and quick breads.

Quinoa flour-

This flour contains a complete protein and gives baked goods a nutty taste.

Certified oat flour-

Oat flour can be used in your blends but be sure it's been certified as gluten free!

Coconut flour-

I love coconut and this flour is great for desserts because of its natural moisture and delicious flavor.

Almond Meal-

This meal/flour adds moisture and protein to baked goods.   However, be sure to avoid this flour if you have nut allergies.

Xanthan Gum-

This is a fantastic binder and helps add the "sticky" to you gluten free mixes.  The bad new is that it's expensive but the good news is that you only use a very small amount in your recipes.  As a general rule, use 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour mix.

Shopping for these alternative flours is a cinch because Cascio's carries lots of gluten free flour choices by Frankford Farms.  Most are organic and come in one pound packages to help you start small.  Also available is a pre-packaged blend of gluten free flours by Bob's Red Mill and a yummy GF pancake mix too.  Gluten free flours can be stored in an airtight container for around 15 months.  If you purchase a pre-packed mix be sure to throw it out if it's past the expiration date.  Molds can grow in old mixes and cause severe allergic reactions. 

I encourage you to try creating your own blends and sharing them with me and others living gluten free!  You'll find that one blend may work well for cakes while another blend makes great breads.  Start now and by Christmas your family and friends will be begging for the recipes to your cookies and pies!

Check out the suggested flour blends below to help get your started with proportions and kinds of flours to put together.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend 1

1 part sorghum flour

1 part brown rice flour -or- soy flour (if you are not allergic!)

1 part millet flour

Gluten Free Flour Blend 2

2 cups sorghum flour

2 cups brown rice flour (I use superfine brown rice flour)

1 1/2 cups potato starch, not potato flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup amaranth flour

1/2 cup quinoa flour

Gluten Free Blend 3

2 cups rice flour

2/3 cup potato starch

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Gluten Free Blend 4

2 1/4 cups rice flour

1/4 cup potato starch

2/3 cup tapioca flour

3/4 cup sweet rice flour

1/3 cup corn starch

2 teaspoons xanthate gum

Pear Pie

Pear Pie

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
5 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon rind in mixing bowl. Arrange pears in layers in a 9 inch pastry lined pan, sprinkling sugar mixture over each layer. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Roll out remaining dough; cut slits for escape of steam. Moisten rim of bottom crust. Place top crust over filling. Fold edge under bottom crust, pressing to seal. Flute edge. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes.

Thank you Carla Harrold

In memory of Jay

Indulge me for a minute today. I am not going to provide you with a recipe or food tip or give you any new product information.  Today I want to tell you why I am so pleased to be associated with the Hospice fundraising project this Christmas.  It is really simple....his name was Jay.

To understand this story I got to take you the whole way back to my being a kid.  I grew up in a  rural setting.  My parents lived, and still live, in the house that was my great grandmothers.  It is out of the ordinary in that setting to have houses right across the road from each other but living right there were my cousins. Now this was a family where the kids were really stretched out.  My older cousins were actually graduated from high school and on their own when I was just little. But nestled at the tail end of the family were my two cousins Jay and Tammy King.  Jay was two years older then me, then one year below me was my brother Russ and following him in age was Tammy. We were sort of like stair steps.  

At this point is important that you understand that I don't have a single childhood memory that doesn't in some way include Jay or Tammy.  We got out of bed every day of our lives and we played together.  Some days we fought together.  We would argue and get mad and quit playing and march ourselves inside. If you didn't play with them that would show them!  But it didn't take you long sitting in your house, by yourself, listening to your friends outside having fun to realize you better get over yourself. The only one being punished by your absence   was you.  You shrugged off any last feelings of self righteousness and went back out to play.  It was like this for years.  

One of my favorite pictures of that time in my life is me on the first day of school.  I am standing  by my back porch in a dress that appears to be too short because I was already too tall for my age.  I am holding the hand of my friend Jay.  He was in second grade, a seasoned veteran, and ready to take me to my first day of school.  

Jay being the oldest of our foursome he was the ground breaker.  He got to do everything first.  He was the first of us to cross the road to our house without asking his mother, he got his license first, and he went to college first.  

But the most significant thing about Jay wasn't that he was first it was that he was the glue.  He hated when we all argued and was the first one to put our friendship back on solid ground. He was the one who came up with ideas like selling Kool-Aid along the road.  (Remember this was a rural road so customers were hard to find!)  He was the one who was.....he was the nice one.  Yes, that is the right word.  He was the nice one. Always happy,  always fun loving....always.  It was like we grew up in Mayberry. 

Then real life happened.

We all hit our 40's and for Jay it became a hard decade.  He was diagnosed with Melanoma.  It was a tough diagnosis.  Jay was devastated and all of us who loved him were too.  He fought long and hard.  Surgery after surgery.  Treatment after treatment.  Good news.....a bit of time that looked promising.....all to be brought back to reality very quickly.  It was terrible.  To quote my kids:  it sucked.  (I hate that phrase but in this situation, it fits.)

None of us wanted to believe it.  We all refused to really even talk about where he was headed.  We just kept smiling and praying.  We all prayed a lot. 

One of the hardest parts for me was visiting at the end.  In January of this year the cancer came roaring back.  It became clear it was going to win.  I went back to his parents house to visit him frequently.  I found it hard to make conversation.  Think about it, when you visit a friend you talk about yesterday, today and tomorrow.  How to you talk about tomorrow with someone who has few of those left?

A friend suggested we talk about the past.  We did.  I went to my parents attic and I got out the pictures of our past. I wanted desperately to find the one of Jay and I on the first day of school.  We talked about the teachers we had, we talked about riding our bikes, we talked about growing up and we laughed ourselves sick......sadly his sick was getting worse by the day.  

Then the day came that would be a huge turning point.  He couldn't stay at his parents anymore.  He knew the day was coming and he knew it would be a last stop.  On Valentines Day he was moved to the Hospice House.  I had not been there before.  I heard stories of their wonderful care, of a pretty home like setting.  I had avoided going because I knew that behind the pretty facade there was a truth that would be hard to accept. 

Once Jay was moved there I began going daily.  It was everything everyone had ever said that it would be.  A beautiful setting with caring staff to live out your days.  Jay and I continued our chats about the past until there was no more chatting.  Family and friends gathered and time slipped away.  Jay slipped away on April 20th.  

How does anyone give back to folks who take that kind of care of someone you love?  I still ask what you do or how you go about that.  But I am pleased at this point to have created a necklace and a pair of earrings that are being sold in the hospital gift shop for the benefit of the Hospice program.  

I am sorry this picture doesn't come close to doing the pieces justice, but it gives you an idea of color and style.  This is my second year of being involved in this program.  Last year we did a necklace and bracelet that were called Courage.  This year the theme is Faith.  Last year I felt that Jay would end up in the Hospice program and I was right.  I knew the kind of courage he had shown in dealing with his diagnosis.  This year I used Faith as I have faith that he has been made whole and well as he stepped from this world to the next.  

I have learned that we can't really change what is set forth for us on this earth.  Job 7:1 says,

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the days of an hireling?" I guess that Jay's time on earth was exhausted.  We all have a time appointed for us and for some it is way too short of a time.  But when there is an illness that must be faced and dealt with at the end of that journey there is a place to go that holds everyone together and makes the exit from this earth an easier transition.  

I am pleased to be associated with this charity.  They are supported with donations and the support of our community.  This Christmas consider giving a necklace or a pair of earrings that  every time the recipient wears them there is a reminder that you have supported a wonderful charity and necessary addition to our community.  You can find the pieces on display at the hospital gift shop and the volunteers there will help arrange for you to order a piece.

There is a saying that there are angels among us.  I would venture to say they reside inside the Hospice House.

Tuscan Corner - Stuffed Pork Roast

Tuscan Corner

Jane has giving us another recipe and all the information we need to create a delicious dinner.  Thanks Jane!

Enjoy!

As I cozied up to my Tuscan cookbook this past weekend, my eyes and my tummy were drawn to the ingredients for a pork roast. I’m not well versed when it comes to roasts of any kind. It’s only been within the past decade that I’ve become better acquainted with various cuts of meat. Truth be told, I make a better vegetarian than carnivore, but anything in moderation. Besides this involved cheese, mushrooms and wine, my favorite things!

There was a time when I would follow a recipe verbatim. To stray from the ingredients of proven outcomes would be reckless. I had little confidence because I lacked experience. With maturity comes bravery and the ability to throw caution to the wind. I am a rebel I tell you, free to embellish, change and revise a recipe. I do it, often with impunity and usually with positive results.

                                                            Stuffed Pork Roast

1 pound boned pork roast*

2 slices of melting cheese (such as Emmenthal or Gruyere)*

2 slices prosciutto*

4-5 sage leaves (fresh is best)

Flour (for dusting the roast)

1 Tbsp of butter

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small glass of white wine*

1 cup of chicken or meat broth

4 porcini mushrooms, chopped. May be dried or frozen if not fresh.

1 clove of garlic, smashed

1 small bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Kitchen string

*indicates my substitutions.

Slice open the roast without cutting through. Lay the cheese in the middle, not touching the ends. Over this lay the prosciutto and sage leaves. Close and tie firmly with the string. Dust with flour and salt and pepper lightly.

In a heavy pot with a cover, brown the roast in the butter and olive oil (I am always more liberal with the olive oil).  Toss the wine over it (I’m liberal with the wine too) and allow to evaporate somewhat. Add the broth and mushrooms, reduce the flame (or burner) to low and cook until soft through, about 1.5 hours. Add water if necessary during the process. Toward the end add the garlic and chopped parsley. When done, place on a platter, slice and serve with sauce from the pan.

I had the basic ingredients and fresh sage was still hanging on in my herb garden. With a little ingenuity, I could fake the rest. I used a boneless pork roast* even though it called for a “boned pork roast.” No prosciutto on hand but I did have its second cousin, chopped pancetta*. Hurting for white wine, I cheated with a cabernet* and used brie* as a soft cheese substitute. I tossed in a generous handful of pine nuts* when I added the broth and the dried porcini mushrooms. I did not finishing cooking the roast entirely on the cook top as the recipe suggested. Instead I transferred it into a large covered casserole and baked the last 30 minutes at 375 degrees. This allowed me to begin preparation in the morning and finish closer to the dinner hour.

The results were a flavorful and moist roast which also made an attractive presentation. The next time I would stick with the white wine (probably a buttery chardonnay) as it should better enhance the cheese and garlic. Prosciutto is a saltier and leaner ham which I believe I would have preferred over its fattier cousin. However those pine nuts enhanced the sage and cheese and they deserve to stay!