Tomatillo

The tomatillo, or Husk Tomato/Mexican Husk Tomato, is a plant of the nightshade family.  While they are considered a staple in Mexican cooking, they now grow everywhere in the Western Hemisphere and are common in Texas gardens.

The fruit of the tomatillo is green and about the size of a large cherry tomato.  The inside is white and meatier than a tomato. They grow to maturity inside of a husk and range in size from an inch in diameter to the size of apricots.  The husks are inedible and should be removed before use.

Tomatillo Equivalent:
1 pound fresh tomatillos = 1 (11-ounce) can of tomatillos.

Growing Tomatillos:

When growing your own, they are ripe when the tomatillo fills out its papery husk but are still green in color. If they turn yellow, they are still useable but at this stage loose much of their tangy flavor.
The plants will grow to a height of 3 to 4 feet. They are generally available from May through November and are drought tolerant.
Some people will let them ripen until they are yellow-white; some even turn purple (the skin at least). The flavor of the fully ripe tomatillo is very sweet and adds an unusual taste to salsas.

Purchasing Tomatillos:

Choose small tomatillos. They are sweeter than the larger, golf-ball-size ones.
The condition of the "husk" is a good indication of the freshness of the fruit. The husk should be light brown and fresh looking (not shriveled and dried). Unlike tomatoes, tomatillos should be firm and free of defects.

Storing Tomatillos:

If you are not going to use them immediately, leave the husks intact, wrapped around the fruit like little paper bags. Either store on the counter or in the refrigerator. They should never be stored in air-tight containers. They will keep well for several weeks to a month. They may also be frozen whole or sliced.

Preparing Tomatillos:

Remove the husks before using as the husks are inedible. Tomatillos are very easy to cook with because they don't need to be peeled or seeded. Their texture is firm when raw, but soften when cooked. When growing your own fresh tomatillos, they are ready to harvest when the husks burst. Rinse before using as the tomatillo is covered by a sticky substance. Do not peel the green skin.

Cooking Tomatillos:Tomatillos can by very inconsistent in flavor, with some being sour and others tasting mild and sweet. If the tomatillos are to tart for your taste, try adding a little sugar to balance the taste.

Raw - Raw or uncooked tomatillos are often in Mexican sauces. They add a fresh citrus-like flavor.
Blanching - Blanching mellows the flavor. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole tomatillos (husks removed and rinsed) and boil for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and crush or puree as directed in your recipe.
Fire Roasting - Roast under the broiler, with a propane torch, or over an open flame such as a grill. Make sure the heat is quite hot before roasting. If the heat is not hot enough, the tomatillos wil turn mushy before being charred. The charred or slightly blackened skins will enrich your sauces with a smoky flavor.
Dry Roasting - This will produce an earthy, nutty flavor. Place the tomatillos in a heavy fry pan (preferably a cast iron pan). Turn heat to low and roast for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
 

Gratitude

At this season of Thanksgiving it is traditional to express our gratitude. Giving thanks has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to increase your personal well-being.  Gratitude has been linked to increased levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

 “You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach

Gratitude shouldn't be just for Thanksgiving - it can transform you to live the length and width of your life.  Human nature is inclined to look towards the negative, but keeping a daily Gratitude Journal will help to focus attention on the positive things in life.  Choose topics relating to experiences, opportunities, relationships, possessions, challenges/difficulties and sights.  Journal the effects of the situation on your senses - sight, smell, sound, taste and touch.  Then add the emotion you felt - joy, trust, anticipation, surprise, amusement, courage, pride, respect or love.

"Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago.  Watch for the new thing I am going to do.  It is happening already - you can see it now!  I will make a road through the wilderness and give you steams of water there.  Isaiah 43:18-19

How to properly serve grapes

While attending a recent breakfast buffet at my apartment complex, I realized that oftentimes grapes are not properly served.  Rather than dumping a big cluster in a bowl, try serving grapes in the following manner:

1.  Wash the grape cluster in a colander and drain.

2.  Using kitchen scissors, cut the grapes into small bunches of 6-8 grapes.

 

3.  Pile the smaller clusters on a serving platter or bowl and they will magically return to one big beautiful bunch.

Your guests will be delighted that you were thoughtful enough to make it easier for them to enjoy their favorite fruit!!

Curve Balls of Life

In this postseason of the ALCS and sweep by KC Royals, it seems only natural to talk baseball lingo.  Baseball calls it a curve ball for a reason:  you just don’t know where some pitches will land.  Life inevitably throws us curve balls, unexpected circumstances that remind us to expect the unexpected. How do you react when life throws you a curve ball?  Do you tense up?  Do you go with your original plan, regardless?  Or do you adjust to the curveball life sends you? Next time, try doing the following:

1.  Relax – in baseball, the secret to hitting the ball is to relax.  It’s the same in life.  If we go through life worried, nervous or fearful of when the next curve ball is going to be pitched, we won’t fully enjoy life.  Relax and seize the moment!

2.  Pick up the spin on the ball – A good hitter gives careful attention to the balls coming out of the pitcher’s hand.  If you are truly focused, you can pick-up the spin on the baseball and notice that it’s a curve ball.  With some practice, you can anticipate the direction of the curve, and then be ready for it.  In life, if we pay careful attention to the smallest details in our life, we open our minds up for bigger things.  Be mindful of changes and to the change in direction in order to address the ball being pitched.

3.  Slow down – The mechanics of a batter’s swing is all in the timing.  You need to be able to judge the ball’s speed, otherwise you’ll never hit it out of the park.  To hit a curve ball, you need to slow down, stay balanced and keep your eye on the ball.  Take a deep breath, slow down, evaluate and investigate before making a decision of taking a swing.  Don’t let yourself react blindly to the curve ball. 

4.  Swing through the ball – In baseball lingo this means striding forward and watching the ball hit the bat.  Oftentimes batters open up their stance when thrown a curve ball and pull their head out of the hitting zone.  If you do this, you will be lucky to hit the ball.  In life, sometimes we need to move forward with the confidence that we are moving in the right direction.

Curve balls can be thrown at us at any time in our lives – sudden loss of loved one, loss of job, loss of health, loss of finances – just relax and react to the curve ball by keeping your eye on it and not allowing it to pull you out of the strike zone.  Whether you hit it out of the park or a base hit – you still got a hit.  Then it’s on to the next pitch in the next inning of the game of life.

 

Evil Violence

This past week I was indirectly affected by a dear co-worker/friend losing her husband and mother-in-law in a heinous act of violence.  My friend and her husband had recently celebrated their fortieth anniversary – and their marriage was blessed with a bond that exceeded love.  Their immediate and extended families were the vortex of their relationship.  Sundays were spent having dinner at the home of her mother-in-law.  My friend’s words were, “We had the most blessed life.  We always used to say that if we were to die today, we would die happy.”

This unfortunate loss was at the hands of a convicted criminal with a violent history.  While a gun was involved in these deaths, gun control is an important issue but is not the root of the violence. Our society seems to have acquiesced to the inevitability of violence.  We hope that law enforcement can do a better job, that more thorough background checks will keep dangerous weapons away from criminals, and that the next crazed shooter won’t be in our neighborhood.

These examples deal with violence at its tipping point, not at its source.  The biblical narrative of the first heinous act of violence happened in the second generation of humanity – Cain murdering his brother Abel – in an act of jealousy.  Unchecked jealousy, left to grow and deepen and intensify, leads to acting out in violence.  In other words, violence is often the tipping point after resentment turns to rage.  If we choose to NOT do what is right, then sin is crouching at the door; it desires to have you, but you MUST master it.    

Violence is the result of a pathology of the soul.  Violence does not begin with standing armies, generational ethnic hatred, long standing social inequities.  Violence is as close to us as our own hearts.  “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”  (Genesis 9:6)  This scripture links to the fundamental reality that violence against human beings is wrong.  There is a worth, a value, a dignity, to every human life that makes selfish or wanton violence a moral offense.

Violence – like all sin – comes out of the human heart.  External stimuli can certainly affect people and deep psychological wounding certainly conditions people, and a culture of violence gives permission to be violent.  But the instinct and choice to act out in violence comes out of the heart.

We are called to be peacemakers.  We need vigilance, not vigilantes.  We need to close the gap with people rejected by others; connect with the wounded before they lash out and wound others.  We need to bring down the level of tension and stress around us by living in shalom – peace.  Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with ME!!!

Cucumbers – Seeded and Peeled

 

 

Cucumbers – the Cool Cuke

A cucumber is a climbing plant of the gourd family, native to the Chinese Himalayan region.  The plant produces a long green-skinned fruit with water flesh, usually eaten raw in salads, cooked in soups, blended in smoothies or pickled in a brine.  Cucumbers are a good source of vitamins A, B, C, potassium and electrolytes.

When seeding a halved cucumber use a spoon to scoop the seeds from a cucumber cut in half.  When a cucumber has been quartered, remove the seed with a chef’s knife.

 

Wash the cucumbers in cold water

Cut the cucumber in half or quarters lengthwise.  Use either a spoon or chef’s knife to remove seed.  Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. 

 

  

Labor Day

Americans celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September.  The holiday was a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.  It is a national tribute annually to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

The celebration of Labor Day is often observed in the forms of a street parade, festivals, picnics, cook-outs, outdoor games and gatherings with family and friends.  Most Americans view Labor Day as the symbolic end of the summer.  Large numbers of potential customers take advantage of weekend sales by retailers. 

In whatever manner you choose to celebrate Labor Day, pause and take a moment to reflect upon the labor privileges of Americans.  My personal labor heritage includes coal miners, entrepreneurs, railroad workers and union workers.  Their strong work ethic has provided a sound base for generations to come.  On Labor Day, I will reflect upon their lives with an enormous amount of gratitude for their invaluable personal contributions to the labor force of America.