Television Christmas Classics

This really is one of "my favorite things" at Christmastime. Click here to visit Christmas Town.

Curried Peanut Sauce

I really like this sauce. I was a little concerned that it would be too orangy since there is marmalade and OJ in it, but the orange flavor was really not prevalent.

Ingredients (double this for my chicken recipe)

• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chile sauce with garlic

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Chop 2 chicken breasts into cubes. Place chicken and a small amount of the marinade mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and shake to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Stir-fry or grill the chicken. (You can also add some vegetables like chopped bell peppers, but if not you'll want a vegetable side to round out the meal.) Add sauce to the cooked chicken/vegs and let it warm through. Serve over rice.

(Here is the original recipe intended for grilled shrimp skewers.)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

I LOVE this movie. In the special features they say that little Natalie Wood believed the man who played Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) was really Santa Claus. I believe he is too! In character he is the most warm, kind, and gentle man, just what you'd think Santa Claus would be like. This movie reminds me that none of us are too old to believe in Santa!

Sausage and Spinach Soup

This is a yummy and easy soup, great if you have spinach to use up. I also have used kale instead of spinach. Those dark leafy greens are very healthy! I omit the fresh herbs since I never have them, or put in a little dried. The soup is good with cheese toast or saltines.

Sausage and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

• 10 ounce sweet turkey Italian sausage
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup prechopped onion
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained (such as Muir Glen)
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh Romano cheese

Preparation

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and 2 teaspoons garlic to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water, beans, tomatoes, and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat, and stir in spinach, basil, and oregano. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

What Makes Christmas

Movies:

White Christmas
Holiday Inn
Miracle on 34th Street

TV Classics (Rudolph, Frosty, etc.)
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Story
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Home Alone
Little Women

Music:

Bing Crosby
the Carpenters
Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song”
Handel’s “Messiah”
“The Nutcracker”
singing Christmas hymns

Food:
Wassail
Oranges
Lifesavers Sweet Storybook
Orange Sticks
Mixed nuts
Cinnamon/Cloves

Egg Nog

Good Memories:

• SNOW (not Christmas without it!), snowmobiling/sledding
• seeing Christmas Lights, especially on Temple Square
• church Nativity Displays
• performing Christmas music
• gingerbread houses
• wrapping presents
• making goodie plates for neighbors
• putting up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving
• caroling on a hayride (and freezing our tails off) with donuts and hot chocolate afterwards
• white elephant gift exchange
• playing games for hours

White Christmas (1954)

I'll confess, I've been listening to Christmas music for about a month now, and I got Aaron doing it too. We will likely end up putting up our tree before Thanksgiving! (Aaron's idea)

In the spirit of starting Christmas early, here's my favorite song from one of the greatest and most memorable holiday movies. The traditional Christmas music and movies are extra-comforting to me this year since, for the first time, I will not be able to spend the holidays with my family. At least I have these to cling to! Happy Holidays!



If you're familiar with the movie, you'll enjoy this list of memorable quotes.

Here are a few more video clips from the movie: dreaming of a white Christmas at the beginning, mutual, I'm sure, Sisters, The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing, the men sing "Sisters", the Minstrel Number, Choreography, Judy's rehearsal, Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, I Wish I Was Back in the Army, White Christmas finale, movie trailer.

The Best Carrot Cake

Although I admit I most always prefer a dessert containing chocolate, this is one of my favorite cakes! It is easy to make and SO good. The frosting is wonderful too. I always use all whole wheat flour in the cake; it gives it a nuttier flavor. Then if you substitute the vegetable oil for canola oil (a healthy oil), plus your carrots, it's arguably a healthy dessert (at least, that's what I like to think). Try it, you'll love it.

Carrot Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour, white or whole wheat
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Cream together the sugar, eggs, and oil. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Combine the two mixtures. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes. Let cool, then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Makes 12 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  

Cream the softened cream cheese. Blend with butter. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat well. Spread over cake.
(Recipe from The Essential Mormon Cookbook)

Here is my sweet little niece with the carrot cake on her 1st birthday. Happy Birthday, Hallee!

Recycling Candle Wax

The wick on my Pumpkin Pie Yankee Candle was burned down to the bottom, but there was still a good amount of wax left. There's no way I could just throw out precious Yankee wax, so I did a little research and used it to create this candle. Melt the wax, pour it in, and when it has firmed up a little, insert a birthday candle for the wick and hold until it's set. You may want to trim the birthday candle at the bottom to get the right height.

Baked Caramel Popcorn

I LOVE this recipe! It's crunchy like Cracker Jacks. It would be a great holiday gift or party food. Best of all it's lowfat (from Cooking Light). I like to add peanuts.

Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light molasses
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 cups popcorn (popped without salt or fat)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°.

Coat a large jelly roll pan with cooking spray.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, and molasses in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring once. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Place popcorn in a large bowl; pour sugar mixture over popcorn in a steady stream, stirring to coat.

Spread popcorn mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven; stir to break up any large clumps. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with West African-Style Peanut Sauce

I tried this recipe the other night for a quick meal and really liked it. I baked the sweet potatoes in the microwave to speed things up. This is a healthy, yummy recipe.
Note: It requires 1 tablespoon fresh ginger.

Paul Newman, 1925-2008

Paul Newman died on Sept. 25. There weren't, in my opinion, many good-looking men in old movies, but Paul Newman was one of the top. (And no, that's not the only reason I like him!) :)

Here he is pictured with Elizabeth Taylor in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

One of the most notable things about Paul Newman is that he was married to the same woman for 50 years, nearly unheard of in Hollywood. He married actress Joanne Woodward in 1958. When asked about the secret to his long marriage he would say, "Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home?"

He co-owned the Newman's Own food brand, of which all profits went to charity.

I loved hearing him as the voice of Doc Hudson in "Cars" because he played the older, experienced star, which he was. That role was also meaningful because Newman drove race cars off-screen.

Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward in 1958 and 2002.

I love this picture of them. Don't we all want to be this happy when we are old married couples?

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies

I'd been searching for a while to find a good chocolate chip cookie recipe. I'd tried many different ones in different cookbooks, and just wasn't satisfied. Who would have thought I'd find the recipe I now love on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chips package?? Ridiculous, I know.

Nestle has their Original Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, but also this modified version that includes oats. I love the oats for their nutty flavor, texture, and healthful benefits (which make me not feel quite so guilty about eating another cookie).

You can easily substitute raisins for the chocolate chips to make Oatmeal Raisin cookies.
P.S. If you have a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, send it to me!

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips
• 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. (sometimes I lower to 350)

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 to 13 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Mexican Corn and Bean Soup

This soup is sooo easy: a can of this, a can of that. It's really good too. Everyone I've made it for has liked it. It's perfect for a night when you don't feel like cooking and/or don't have time to cook. Sometimes I put chicken pieces in it. I like to serve the soup with tortilla chips and corn bread.

Mexican Corn and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (or sometimes I use taco seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
• 3 lime slices

Preparation
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, cumin, garlic, and oregano; sauté 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in corn, pepper, broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Serve with lime slices.

Yield
3 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups soup and 1 lime slice)

Curry-Coconut Sauce

I found this recipe in Real Simple magazine 2 years ago. I have made it many times for company and for us. It's a no-fail recipe, and everyone who has tried it has loved it. Combine this sauce with stir-fried vegetables/meats and serve over rice. If you don't like a slight heat, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes. Look in your grocery store's Asian food section for coconut milk. Usually I use a few sprinkles of dried basil for the fresh.

Curry-Coconut Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/4 cups light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until hot for 30 seconds. Add the pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic, and curry powder and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the basil. Pour into a bowl.

Yield
Makes 4 servings

Montgomery Clift (1920-1966)

I recently watched a movie called Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), starring Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift and Katherine Hepburn. I could tell right away that the movie was made after Montgomery Clift's disfiguring accident, and it was his first post-accident movie I had seen. In 1957 he was in a terrible car accident after which he had to have plastic surgery to "rebuild" his face. What a shame to ruin something so beautiful! The photo above is of him before the accident. There are not, in my opinion, a lot of good-looking men in old movies, but Montgomery Clift....WOW! He is definitely the top! Paul Newman and Randolph Scott are also on the list.

Montgomery Clift's life was so tragic, though. He had health problems, was heavily addicted to alcohol and drugs, and felt guilt over his homosexuality. He died at the age of 45 from heart disease, a result of his addictions. His death was called the longest suicide in history. So sad! In the movies I've seen him in he rarely smiles, but he's really a great actor. I wonder if smiled that little off-camera as well.

This photo is from "Suddenly, Last Summer," and you can see the difference in his face.

Waldorf Salad

I was asked last year to bring Waldorf Salad to a friend's baby shower. I had never had a Waldorf Salad before, but found this recipe and now I'm in love! Wow, it is SO good! It's the perfect side for a summer meal or sandwich lunch because it's light, fresh and beautiful. Don't make any substitutions (including fresh parsley), and I promise you won't be disappointed. Note: I usually cut the apples into bite-sized pieces, not like the slices shown here.

Waldorf Salad

• 1/2 cup walnuts halves
• 1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 lemon, zest finely grated
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large crisp apples, such as Gala
• 2 ribs celery (with leaves), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (leaves chopped)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 head Boston lettuce, trimmed, washed, and dried

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and break the nuts up into small pieces.

Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, honey, and lemon zest in a large bowl and season generously with pepper.

Halve, core, and cut the apples into 3/4-inch pieces, leaving the skin intact. Add the apples, celery and raisins to the bowl, and sprinkle with the lemon juice; then toss with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.

When ready to serve, toss walnuts into the salad. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter, or divide them among 4 salad plates. Place the salad on the lettuce and serve.

Baked Eggplant with Mushroom Tomato Sauce

My sister found this recipe, and it has become one of our favorites. Aaron just loves it! The eggplant and mushrooms are so meaty, you'd never know it was a vegetarian dish. You'll never miss the meat! My sister recommends serving it over noodles, and I always do that.

Baked Eggplant with Mushroom-and-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 peeled eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided
• 2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat; add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through mushrooms). Cover and cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high; uncover and cook for 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

Spread half of mushroom mixture in bottom of a 1 1/2-quart round baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant slices over mushroom mixture; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Top with 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/3 cup mozzarella. Spread remaining mushroom mixture over mozzarella; top with remaining eggplant slices. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon pepper; top with remaining tomato sauce. Cover and bake at 375° for 1 hour. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes.

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2000

Pad Thai & Spring Rolls

**I am not a food photographer. Hopefully these not-so-great pictures won't prevent you from trying the recipes.**

I have found a lot of recipes for Pad Thai, and they all seem quite different. I tried this one because it called for ingredients I had, and we liked it. We eat it quite often. The garnishes add a lot, so don't skip them; at least use the peanuts and either scallion or cilantro. You may be able to find rice noodles in your grocery store ethnic food section; if not they'll definitely be in an Asian market.

Pad Thai -- by Annie Chun

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil (divided)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced (or onion)
• 8-10 fresh medium sized prawns, cleaned and deveined (or 8 oz. chicken or diced tofu)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 oz rice noodles, cooked
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  

Sauce

• 4 tbsp lime or lemon juice
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1-2 pinches crushed chilies or pepper flakes
  

Garnish

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
• 3 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
  

*Note: If you're going to scramble the eggs in the same pan you use for the rest of it, use a non-stick pan. If not, scramble them separately and then add them to the rest. - H

Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok or pan over high heat. Add garlic, shallots and prawns to pan and cook until prawns are opaque. Transfer to plate. Add remaining 2 tbsp oil to pan then pour in eggs; stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, add sauce and noodles to pan and mix well. Then, add cooked prawns and bean sprouts to noodles and toss. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts, scallions, and lime wedges.

Spring Rolls

We love to eat these at a Vietnamese restaurant nearby, and they are pretty easy to make. I don't use a recipe; I just tried to re-create them. They are light and fresh, but you must pair them with a dipping sauce or they are bland. These are SO much better than fried summer rolls!

The wrapper is rice paper. You'll probably have to go to an Asian market for this unless your grocery store has a really good ethnic food section. I use 2 wrappers per roll because they tear. Soak wrappers separately in warm water to soften them. Place the filling in the center and roll it like a burrito, folding in the sides. As it dries it will stick together.

Filling: You can really use whatever you want. Some ideas:

• rice noodles, or even rice
• shredded cucumber
• shredded carrot
• chopped scallions
• mint, basil or cilantro leaves
• shrimp, chicken, beef or pork
• bean sprouts
• sliced bell pepper
• shredded lettuce

I like to pair them with a peanut dipping sauce such as this one.

Classic Movie Recommendations

If you are new to classic movies and want to become acquainted with them, below I have listed some that would be good to start with. To those of you who love classic movies like I do, you know I am leaving out a lot from this list! Keep in mind that this is just an intro. Also, feel free to add your favorite titles in the Comments section. These titles are linked to their TCM page where you can read the summary and view clips and trailers.

Film Noir Mysteries: There are tons of film noir, and most of them are good.
The Big Sleep (1946) Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall
Double Indemnity (1944) Fred MacMurray & Barbara Stanwyck
Mildred Pierce (1945) Joan Crawford
Dark Passage (1947) Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall

Alfred Hitchcock Mysteries:
Some of these are better than others. I like:
North by Northwest (1959) Cary Grant
Psycho (1960) Janet Leigh
Vertigo (1958) James Stewart & Kim Novak
Marnie (1964) Tippi Hedren & Sean Connery
The Birds (1963) Tippi Hedren
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) James Stewart & Doris Day
To Catch a Thief (1955) Cary Grant & Grace Kelly
I'm still working on seeing more of the Hitchcocks.

Misc:
All About Eve (1950) Bette Davis & Ann Baxter
Adam's Rib (1949) Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn
Charade (1963) Audrey Hepburn & Cary Grant
The Women (1939) all star cast -- Joan Crawford +
Gone With the Wind (1939) Civil War period film; it's 3:40 hours, but very good. Vivien Leigh & Clark Gable
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Maureen O'Hara & Natalie Wood
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938) my favorite Shirley Temple movie, LOVE IT
Heidi (1937) Shirley Temple
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) not one of my top, but it's very famous, good message. James Stewart & Donna Reed
Wait Until Dark (1967) For an old movie, this is scary! Very good. Audrey Hepburn stars
Yours, Mine, and Ours (1968) Lucille Ball & Henry Fonda comedy

World War II Era:
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) all star cast -- Myrna Loy +
So Proudly We Hail! (1943) Claudette Colbert
Mrs. Miniver (1942) Greer Garson & Walter Pidgeon
I Was a Male War Bride (1949) Cary Grant & Ann Sheridan

Disney 1960s:
Pollyanna (1960) Hayley Mills
Parent Trap (1961) Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith
Mary Poppins (1964) Julie Andrews & Dick Van Dyke
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
Summer Magic (1963) Hayley Mills
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) Angela Lansbury
The Gnome-Mobile (1967) this is a kids movie

Musicals:
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) Judy Garland-- this is one of her best films.
The Sound of Music (1965) Julie Andrews
The Wizard of Oz (1939) Judy Garland
The King and I (1956) Deborah Kerr & Yul Brynner
South Pacific (1958) Mitzi Gaynor
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Jane Powell & Howard Keel
The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) Debbie Reynolds
Brigadoon (1954) Gene Kelly & Cyd Charisse
Singin' in the Rain (1952) not my favorite, but it's a classic. Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds
--These above are all in color. If you are interested in the B&W musicals, anything with Fred Astaire would give you a good taste. One I really like is Holiday Inn (1942).

Vintage Photographs

Linked to the website I listed below of old ads and art is a site with great photographs of several different eras of history, mostly American. I chose the photo above to post because I love women's history and I love the '40s.

Mothers Day

I just today found the greatest website of '50s ads and art. Where has this site been all my life? (The pieces above did not come from this website, however. I got them several years ago; I don't remember where from.)

French Bread & Croutons

This bread is a little time-consuming, but not very difficult. I was pleased with the way this came out (it was my 3rd-4th time making it). I also really like to make croûtons out of french bread. Both recipes came from The Essential Mormon Cookbook, which I received as a wedding gift. Email me if you'd like the french bread recipe. Below is my version of the croûton recipe. Adapt it to fit your tastes. You could put any seasonings on it you like.

Herb Croutons

• French Bread, sliced and cubed (recipe says to remove crust, but I don't)
• olive oil (recipe also calls for melted butter, but I don't use it)
• dried herbs, such as oregano, basil, Italian seasoning
• garlic powder (optional)

Heat oven to 300. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with dried herbs and garlic powder. (If using butter, combine the dried herbs and melted butter before applying to the bread.) Stir with your hands to be sure each cube is coated. Bake for 25-30 minutes (or less) or until golden and crisp. Cool. Sore in an airtight container in a cool place.

PENNY SERENADE (1941)

Irene Dunn: "You don't like kids very much, do you?"

Cary Grant: "Oh, I like them alright, except when they're pests!"

ZIEGFELD GIRL (1941)

I recently watched a movie called Ziegfeld Girl. It certainly had an all-star cast: Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr and James Stewart. These women play show girls in the Ziegfeld Follies, which were actual productions on Broadway. Judy Garland looks radiant! James Stewart also looks at his best. Maybe it's because they were all young back then. For 1941, I was surprised to see such racy costumes, even though they were show girls. In any case, the costumes and the productions shown in the movie were very grand.

How to Get Kids to Eat Vegetables

This is an excerpt from Cooking Light, my favorite magazine.

How to encourage kids to eat their peas:
Do a greens tasting at a farmers' market, and try a different green every week. Or give kids a veggie budget at the grocery store, and let them loose in the vegetable aisle. Task them with choosing one red, one green, and one orange or yellow vegetable for the side dish or salad. With really young kids, let them pick between two items -- this green food or that green food.

Why teaching kids to cook is important:
Kids under five eat almost anything and then, overnight, they suddenly hate everything. Food becomes a power play at the table, and the parent may end up cooking a limited menu of foods the children will eat. That's not good for anyone. Teach them cooking, where the children are part of the creative process of shopping, prepping, and cooking. If they cook a food, they are more likely to eat it. That may be messier and take more time, but it's worth it.

(Cooking Light, March 2008, p. 56)

Iceberg Lettuce with Carrot Ginger Soy Dressing

I got two heads of iceberg lettuce from my produce co-op, and I usually never use iceberg lettuce. I found this recipe (and saw him make it on the Food Network) for the type of salad that you'd have at a Japanese hibachi grill. I really liked the dressing, and it was a great way to use my iceberg lettuce. It would be a good accompaniment to any asian entree.

Iceberg Lettuce with Carrot Ginger Soy Dressing with Cilantro and Red Thai Chiles

2 medium carrots, peeled, ends trimmed and sliced
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 large head Iceberg lettuce, quartered and cored
Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
1 large red Thai chile, seeded, deveined and thinly sliced, for garnish

Combine the carrots, ginger, shallots, soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, and vegetable oil in a blender and puree until dressing becomes a slightly thick sauce. Season with the salt.

Break the Iceberg wedges a bit to open them up and pour the dressing over top. Finish with cilantro and chile.

In Honor of My Sister's New House

I just LOVE this video.