Medivac and Mint Chutney

One day he's driving around with the Blue Tooth attached, inspecting properties, and the next whizzing off in an ambulance to be medivaced to Honolulu.  Thanks to those of you who have been praying for him.  Bob's pretty much back to normal.  Except there will be no more heavy cream on the morning cereal, cigarettes, fast food french fries.  Stuff like that.  Don't want no more nasty strokes, do we??  His mom took back her ham, and has been giving us apples, strawberries and LETTUCE! of all things.  Or, trying to.  We have told her our CSA box supplies us with more greens than we can handle.

As far as cooking goes, we got back late Friday and he's had headaches (nicotine withdrawal or medication?) and hasn't been too hungry.  I did fix a very nice roast lamb for Sunday, but the really noteworthy foodie item on the menu was a Mint Chutney.  Mint Sauces I've had in the past have been rather insipid.  This one was truly outstanding.  Trust me. Hard to tell from the photo, so you just have to taste it.  So bursting with all the flavors.  Mint, of course, chili pepper, garlic, spring onions, and lemon juice.

Taken from Charmaine Solomon's gorgeous and ginormous volume, The Complete Asian Cookbook.  One of my all time favorite cookbooks, hands down.  The only changes I made were due to the usual, not having an item and switching it out for what was available.  Luckily, we have plenty of mint growing by the water tank.  I used shallots together with some chives, rather than the spring onions, and only one chili pepper, as there would be children eating with us.  With all its zippy taste notes, this is the perfect complement to a roast lamb.

Mint Chutney or Podina Chatni

1 cup firmly packed mint leaves
6 spring onions, cut into short lengths
2 fresh green chillies, seeded and pith removed
1 clove garlic, optional
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon garam masala (your favorite version)
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons water

Whiz everything together in a food processor or blender to a smooth paste (unless you'd rather pound things in a mortar and pestle, a bit at a time).  Pack into a small dish, smooth the surface, cover and chill until serving time.  How easy is that?  Keeps in the fridge for several days.

Passover Week and Resurrection Sunday

I received this painting from a dear friend of mine, Andrea Dyroff, via the miracle of email.  Her artwork is so lovely I wanted to share it with you.  She is a beautiful person as well, a cancer (twice) survivor, and a former Drama buddy.  The original is 7+ ft. by 6 ft.!  Also, her accompanying Easter meditation, which the painting illustrates, is as follows.

Palm Sunday....the day before, Jesus was overlooking Jerusalem and knew that most of the very-swollen-for-Passover-week crowd who were there would not know who He truly was, would not recognize that indeed, He was their Messiah. He wept. So....as He entered Jerusalem amidst the crowds who at that moment thought that He was the Messiah, the crowds hailed Him, Hosanna! Hosanna! (Save us now!)  Jesus knew that in a few days most of the same people would be shouting Crucify Him, Crucify Him.

Gethsemane....alone, abandoned by His closest friends, betrayed, aware on His human level of the extraordinary, excruciating physical, emotional pain just ahead. Aware as the Son of God that He was being asked to bear, pay the debt for, the entire sin of the entire world...angst beyond our understanding.

Golgotha, Calvary..... our debt stamped: PAID IN FULL.

RESURRECTION!!!!! Victory over death. "I will send you a Helper, a Comforter, the Holy Spirit. Lo, I AM with you always!!!" I pray that You will have a life-giving celebration of this most significant of all Holy days, holidays, that whatever your present circumstances are, that the truth and power of what our Creator Father God did for us, gave to us, will energize you wherever, however needed in your inmost being! : )

Her P.S. - The "rainbowy" colors (top of the painting) are a symbol that in the death
and resurrection of Jesus, 
all the promises of God have their "YES". 

My hope is that you would all have a joyful, peaceful, and Spirit 
filled, Passover week and Resurrection Sunday.

Good Griefs and Greetings

He Has Risen!

It's the Greek Easter greeting (in Greek of course). I'm supposed to be cleaning my house, but instead, guess what's being done? This. Meanwhile the windows are dirty and the mini-blinds are dusty. Though, I discovered today the origins of "Spring Cleaning" - likely not news to anyone else. It's the Jewish tradition of getting rid of all the chametz in the weeks before Passover. Anything with a possibility of yeast, mold, dust, dirt, etc. etc. All of which are symbolic of the yuck in our spiritual lives - sin in other words. That word no one wants to use anymore.

On another note - get ready for a rant. Observe this packaging. A lovely graphic, the product sounds good, apricot scented deodorant, pure, natural and organic. For sensitive skin. But go ahead, try to get it open. My sensitive skin is turning red. Do they try extra hard thinking up ways to make things difficult for consumers? Just for a laugh? This is similar to the "child-proof" aspirin bottles. Have you ever tried, in the grip of a raging headache, to get the top off one? Or pity the poor arthritis sufferer, with pain in her hands? Hey, and I've yet to meet the child who couldn't get those tops off in nothing flat.


The directions are there, if you can read them. They can be barely made out, tilting it at an angle, standing in good light. It's clear on clear, for easy reading. Then try to do what it says: "to remove dome twist up product." Right, if it only would. Twist, move, get off! I'm going to need my grandson for this. As a PS - I did try twisting from the bottom (at first I was afraid that would just smash deodorant up against the lid dome) so yes, success at last. It wasn't the obvious, and it wasn't clear. Clear directions don't necessarily clarify.


Here's another pet peeve - those labels in shirts made of unfortunate, synthetic, hyper-itchy materials, designed by their manufacturers to torment consumers. On purpose. You can buy a good brand of clothing, soft natural materials in the article, then they double stitch the label in, made totally out of skin irritants. On the right you see what needs to be done - rip, cut or tear them off. I've made holes in the back of a few nice tops, due to impatience. You need a decent seam-ripper. Okay, I'd better get back to getting rid of the chametz so we don't gross everyone out tomorrow with a dirty house.