As has been our custom for the last 4 years, last night, Cathy and I, the three girls and their husbands went to the KC Rep’s production of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and afterwards went out for dessert on the Plaza.

Tonight, we will get together for Cathy’s birthday.

Then we will all get together for Christmas evening.

It is great for us that all of them have stayed in the Lawrence area (so far). This time of year is a blessing when things slow down enough for us to share more time together.

Christmas letter 2011

They were married on June 18, 2011 at the church of Brandon’s Grandparents, Eudora Baptist, and the reception was held at Stoney Point near Baldwin. As the pictures evidence, the day went wonderfully and without a hitch. They honeymooned in California.  Megan is now completing her last year at Washburn, completing majors in music and mass media. Brandon works in the energy industry. They rent a house in the Edgerton area.

As most who read this will know, Megan is our youngest daughter and the third daughter to get married in less then a year (and last one; we are done now, empty-nesters).

Happily, all the girls and their husbands live in the area.

For pictures, go to the links below including some of the best of the professional photos and a photo book that Cathy put together.

Photos:

• A photo album of select professional pictures
• Cathy’s electronic scrapbook of Megan and Brandon’s wedding. Her best to date.

However, I (David) noticed that the author and those at EatingWell also compiled another cookbook called: The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes for Simple, Everyday Suppers in 45 Minutes or Less.

So I checked it out from the library. It is 150 more good recipes. Looks like we may buy it as well. Below is our first supper from it. Check it out.

Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl – A nice meal, 20 minutes. Cathy doubled the liquid (to make it more of a soup than a rice bowl).  The recipes says it serves four. Maybe this works as a side or lunch. We made the 4 servings work for a supper for the two of us (still only 500 calories). Sweet and filling. Worth a try.

The subtitle: 150 healthy in a hurry recipes.

I (David) don’t remember how I came across the title but I checked it out from the library. Cathy likes it. In the last week or so, she has made four meals from it,  three of them below. So I just ordered it from Amazon. Links below to the link to the book and the recipes we have had so far that we would recommend. I will add more as we time goes on.

The book – http://www.amazon.com/EatingWell-Serves-Two-Healthy-Suppers/dp/0881507237

Curried Pear Chicken – We loved it. It made the house smell good. Mild and good. From their book on recipes for two.

Chicken & Farfalle with Creamy Walnut Sauce – Tasty and a great source of Omaga-3 which are essential for good health. You will will need some walnuts (which we have on hand and use in granola and more). They also recommend walnut oil which we do not have (we substituted olive oil).

Spaghetti with Mushroom Bolognese – While this is meatless (we are not a vegetarians but eat meatless from time to time), it is still very tasty and hearty. David didn’t miss the meat.

• Easy Bars (David’s favorite; and they are easy)
• Peanut Clusters
• Hershey’s Double Chocolate Mints bars
• Dessert bars
• Sandies
• Spritz
• Chocolate Peanut Butter balls
• Hoot N’ Holler Whiskey bread
• Rosettes
• Sandbakkels

Hoot N' Holler Whiskey Bread

When we are having a larger group over for an informal meal (like we are tonight for playing cards), we often make shredded beef for sandwiches. It is fairly simple to prepare in the crock pot that morning and is ready to go whenever the group is ready. There are lots of such recipes out there. Here is one that we use. It is from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Italian-Beef-for-Sandwiches/Detail.aspx.  In case it is ever deleted or moved, here is the recipe:

Over the last two nights, we have had the duo of meals around braised chicken. Below are links to the two recipes. Highly recommended.

Night 1:
Wine & Tomato Braised Chicken
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/wine_tomato_braised_chicken.html

Note: we had it on brown rice rather than pasta.

Night 2: (built around the leftovers of night 1)
Braised Chicken Gumbo
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/braised_chicken_gumbo.html

For your viewing pleasure:

• A collection of photos from the wedding taken by Cathy’s sister (Becky).
• The video Matt and Betsy created for the wedding/reception.
• A video clip of Matt singing at their evening dinner/dance: “It is a new day, a new life for me, and I am feeling good.”. It’s a hoot.

They honeymooned in Virginia for the week.

More to come.

David

Betsy‘s wedding is 3 weeks away (10/10/2010). Preparations are going well. She do not find a teaching job (as there were very few out there) so she is subbing and tutoring. We were concerned she would not be able to keep busy subbing (based on a friend’s experience in the Lawrence school district last year) but she is subbing for multiple districts and so far she has worked all she wants.

Amy, our newlywed, is teaching music education in the Topeka public schools again; her third year. She is now teaching general elementary music, rather than elementary strings as she did the last two years. Overall she enjoys it.

Megan is a senior at Washburn University in music with a minor in mass media. She enjoys both. She is also working part-time for the local crisis pregnancy center. She started off as a volunteer and then was asked to work part-time providing clerical/administrative support for the director. This year they have given her more responsibility for their publications, etc. She will marry next June.

For the second year, Cathy is teaching one biology class at Veritas Christian School. Her first year was a challenge. This year’s class is much smaller and with last year’s experience under her belt, is having a much easier time with it. The class is very interested and engaged in the subject as well. She is also teaching 4 classes for homeschoolers in physical science, biology and advanced biology. So she is quite busy but enjoying it all.

David’s (my) work at the Division of Water Resource is very busy as always but I continue to enjoy the challenge. For more about what I do, see DWR’s web site or if you are really interested, subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter.

Since January, I have been working hard at diet and exercise. I am in as good a shape as I have been physically for at least 2 decades, losing about 20 pounds and still going (I have about 5 more to go). I have been putting some of what I have learned on my blog at http://dbarfield.org/. I have much more to add to the site; maybe after Betsy’s wedding.

Things are going well at Community Bible Church. This time of year is always encouraging with the start of new studies and lot of visitors. Earlier this year, we started a new community group with mostly empty-nesters. CBC’s Antioch school continues. Last week I started teaching a class on biblical finances during our equipping hour (9:00 am) using a book by Crown Ministries called Your Money Map. It is a great resource. Again, I am putting some highlights and resources from the study on my web site. We are also going through this materials with two daughters and fiancés and another young couple.

I went looking for a hummus recipe. Below are two that seemed good with helpful comments on modifying the recipes to taste.

First recipe and comments from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hummus-III/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch paprika
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Original Recipe Yield 2 cups

Comments:

• This recipe, like most, is not going to suit everyone’s taste as written. But it is a good basic recipe and a good place to start. Remember that you can always add more of one ingredient, but “removing” means adding more of every other ingredient. My thoughts: 1. notice the recipe starts with 2 cups of beans, not 2 cans (garbanzo beans are also called: chick peas or ceci beans 2. drain and retain all the bean juice as you will want to add it later to get the texture to your liking (water will also work) 3. tahini can vary in intensity, I recommend starting with about 3 TBSP and working up or down from there (Tahini can be identified by its bitter taste) 4. start with 1 OZ of lemon juice and work up if you like your hummus more sour 5. it’s always best to add salt towards the end because some beans have salt in the juice 6. garlic- what can I say about garlic- some people will say 1 clove, some people will say 12 cloves (I use 3-4 depending on size) 7. olive oil is traditionally served on top, I blend 1TBSP in and pour more on top- olive oil is a “good oil” so don’t worry about adding it 8. paprika is traditional on top but won’t add much heat, if you want some kick, blend in cayenne, jalapeños, or crushed red pepper (I use 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes) 9. I consider cumin a necessity (start with 1/4 tsp and work up from there, I like 1 tsp) 10. have fun- try adding roasted garlic, chives, scallions, roasted red peppers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or feta cheese
• My husband and I are Arabic so we eat a lot of hummus and after making this recipe we agreed it is absolutely easier to make it then to get in our car and drive to the restaurant and carry it out. However, we needed to make a couple of minor changes to get to this point. We used 2- 15 1/2 oz cans of garbanzo beans. We thought it was a bit too much tahini so we used slightly under 1/3 cup. We added an extra clove of garlic (at least). We also added red pepper which is a staple ingredient in hummus so I was surprised it was omitted (not a lot- maybe a teaspoon or so). We also agreed with other reviewers that you need some of the chick pea juice to thin it out just a bit. We used 3/4 of a can of juice from one can of the chick peas. My mother in law tells me that if you peel the chick peas (which is supposed to be fast and easy) it will come out better too- I don’t think I will do this though because it tasted great just like this. We also used a little more lemon than the recipe called for – it just depends on your taste.
• Lots to read on this one! Here’s a review of the reviews. Use fresh lemon juice. Save bean liquid if thinning necessary. Some like less Tahini – 2T works. Cumin, Tabasco or red pepper adds flavor. Roasting the garlic mellows it. Some add more cloves. Make it the night before serving so all the flavors meld. Indian or pita bread brushed w/olive oil, topped w/parmesan cheese, toasted in the oven and cut in wedges works well for dipping as does bagel and other chips, or crackers. Tahini can be hard to find – some grocers carry it on the peanut butter aisle. I go to a fun health food store called Manna Mills that carries it. Hummus is heart healthy and earth friendly. I disliked chickpeas as a child & recently learned to enjoy them (read the classic ‘The Yearling’).
• Been making Hummus for 35 years. This is THE recipe! I’ve made gallons of this one, and lived next door to a Lebanese family in Georgia recently, the Dad a restaurant owner, who live on Hummus… and mine (this one) kicked butt! Add 1/4 to 1/2 C roasted red peppers to the mix for color and flavor to die for. Forget the blender. If a blender works, it’s too thin. A big, heavy duty Quisinart will save hours! Another tip: Fill muffin tins, then freeze them, then put the Hummus portions in a bag in the freezer. One cake, thawed, warmed a little, with 2 T Premium olive oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds, served with warmed pita bread is the way to go. SOOooooo good for you!!

A second recipe from: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/hummus/

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed (see comments below suggesting less)
• 2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish

Method

1. In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.
2. Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.

Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips with which to serve the hummus.

Makes about 3 cups.

Comments:

• Also, try using roasted garlic for a sweeter taste.
• Here I must point out a distinct difference in your method for the garlic, and the way the Arabs do it. Arabs never cut garlic. They smash it. Garlic contains two separate chemicals within its cell walls that don’t mix when you cut or slice it. Only when you smash it, do they mix. And if it’s smashed well enough, you don’t need to mince it. Especially since it’s going into the food processor. Your garlic should be sticky when you’re done. If it’s not sticky, you could add 4 times the amount and not get the flavor. My Lebanese father-in-law puts his garlic in a plastic bag and pounds it with the handle of his knife for about 2 minutes.
• I always make “roasted red pepper” hummus which added flavor and kick. It’s essentially the same recipe as Elise’s… Add ground cumin, roasted red peppers and cayenne pepper to taste. The cumin gives ‘depth’; the roasted red peppers adds a bit of sweetness; the cayenne adds spice. It also gives the hummus a lovely orange-red color.
• A few important notes from a real hummus expert:

• 4 garlic cloves is too much, unless you really like your hummus garlicky. I recommend 2 for the amounts in this recipe.
• The tahini quality is crucial. If you can get an Arabic brand or better yet an Israeli one, buy as many as you can.
• I usually use more tahini, about 1 part tahini for every 2-3 parts chickpeas.
• no need for olive oil at all.
• most important – the chickpeas. Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpeas, and this is a good indicator of the importance of this ingredient. use canned chickpeas if you must, but the result will be far better if you can get dry chickpeas, immerse them in water for a day and then cook them for about 4-8 hours (remove the gray foam that forms when the water boils, then continue cooking over a low flame until the chickpeas are very soft but still in one piece). Since it’s quite an operation I take about a pound of dry chickpeas (much more after immersing and cooking) and freeze about 2/3 of the amount I get after cooking in 2 separate containers for next time.
• Don’t put all the ingredients in the food processor together. If you want a very smooth hummus put only the filtered chickpeas in the food processor and process until you get a homogenous paste. Then add the tahini, some of the cooking water, lemon juice, garlic and salt (I also add a 1/4 spoon of cumin) and keep processing. Add some more water if the paste is too thick
• I know this is quite different and perhaps it’s not easy to get dry chickpeas and Arabic tahini in the US, but trust me, it’s worth the effort.

• I use dried chickpeas and soak them at least 8 hours, sometimes 16. Then I cook them 3-4 hours until they are soft enough to mash. When I put them into the food processor I do not drain well, leaving a little of it’s own juices sometimes adding a half a cup or more which I believe helps in texture as well as flavor. Like many other comments I too add cumin for that extra depth of flavor. And in regard to the garlic being too much I add 4 to 5 cloves to the boiling chickpeas about 5 minutes before they are done just to take the zing out of the garlic. The last time I made it I put in a ton of fresh herbs; basil, oregano, thyme and some rosemary. It turned out spectacular!

Tahini (sesame seeds and oil)

From http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dipsandsauces/r/tahinirecipe.htm

Tahini is a Middle Eastern pantry essential. It is the foundation for amny Middle Eastern recipes like hummus and baba ghanoush.

Tahini can be prepared homemade or purchased at a Middle Eastern grocer in a can. It is called tahini or tahina, depending on the region.

Prep Time: 5 minutes;  Cook Time: 10 minutes;  Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 5 cups sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350. Toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, tossing the seeds frequently with a spatula. Do not allow to brown. Cool for 20 minutes.

Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add oil. Blend for 2 minutes. Check for consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil and blend until desired consistency.

Yield: 4 cups

Tahini should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. It will keep for up to 3 months.