The Proceeds… October 14, 2009

I am just throwing this out here and we can chew on it a bit, there is always room for discussion if necessary…but the idea of needing to declare who the beneficiary of our proceeds has come to my attention, and I hope to address this quickly, so there will not be any stickiness later.

I have great appreciation for the many wonderful non-profits and foundations that are in existence today working to prevent suicide. I have participated in fundraisers for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and I think highly of them. But, I wanted to put a couple of ideas on the table and then we can take a poll and let the “people decide?!”

From the top of my head these are the organizations that I propose we select a recipient from:

1. TWLOHA  aka: “To Write Love on Her Arms”

   Their missions statement reads:

   To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

   Please visit their website for more information regarding their amazing vision and work.

2. The Jed Foundation

   Their mission statement reads (in part):

   The Jed Foundation works nationally to reduce the rate of suicide and the prevalence of emotional distress among college and university students.

   Please visit their site to get a clearer picture of their vision and wonderful efforts.

3. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

   The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide.

   Please visit their site for more information about the fabulous work that they do and how they go about doing it.

There are, I am certain, many other worthwhile organizations who would be wonderful recipients of any funds we are able to generate through our work and this project, but these are the first three that come to mind and that I would ask to be considered as the beneficiary. They all do incredible and important work and I know that any money raised would be put to good use with these groups.

Have your say, vote here!

Mama’s Meatloaf October 14, 2009

My first submission for the cookbook:

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs ground beef

1 cup bread crumbs (preferably parmesan or italian style)

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup ketchup

Lawry’s seasoned salt (you be the judge!)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all above ingredients together well in a large bowl. (I usually line a baking dish or 9×13 pan with aluminum foil) Then pat and shape the mushy stuff into a “loaf” shape.)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together approximately 1/2 cup of ketchup (more if needed) and 1 cup of brown sugar (that’s right, love that brown sugar) and use this as your topping, spreading over top of loaf.

Cook for 1 1/2 hours, in my oven it takes just a little less. My family loves this stuff, and so do I. The topping is the best part and forms a lovely sugary crust.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi with an Indian Touch October 14, 2009

Submitted by Mamta Singh

• Serves: 2-3
• Preparation Time: 10 mins (To boil the Pasta)
• Cooking Time: 5-7 mins
• Calories: Clueless (Heck, just enjoy!!)

INGREDIENTS:

200 gms Penne Pasta

400 gms Medium-sized Shrimps (Deveined)

1.5 cup mixed frozen vegetables

1 teaspoon whole black pepper seeds

2-3 cloves

2-3 green cardamom

1 Bay Leaf

1-2 cinnamon sticks

5 tablespoons Olive oil

METHOD:

1. Boil Pasta in water and keep aside.
2. In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil.
3. When the oil is warm, add the whole peppers, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon sticks.
4. When the pepper begins to crackle, add, the frozen vegetables and shrimp
5. Add salt to taste and saute.
6. Cover pan and leave the contents to soften at medium heat.(5 minutes)
7. Add the boiled pasta and stir for 2 minutes making sure the pasta doesn’t break.
8. Serve with garnish of choice (I prefer finely chopped green coriander leaves).

Tada!!

Deluxe A.C.M.E. Deluxe Boiled Raisin Cookies October 14, 2009

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups raisins

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup shortening

3 eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

Extra sugar in which to roll dough

INSTRUCTIONS:

Invoke the gods of dried fruit. Scrutinize the raisins to ensure that they are pest-free while humming “I heard it through the Grapevine.” Eat three raisins and claim that you are from the Fresno Raisin Quality Control Bureau if anyone walks in. Boil the raisins in the 1 cup of water (stirring frequently so they don’t scorch) until the water has all boiled off. Make appropriate high-pitched dying raisin noises such as “Oh no!!!” and “Help us!” Admire the pleasingly plump and juicy (dead) raisins; ah yes, they will be richly redolent raisins.

Cream the shortening and sugar (if you fancy yourself a show-off multi-tasker you could do this while the raisins suffered). Add the eggs (for the cooking impaired – eggs sans shells, please) and vanilla. Mix well, then add the raisins. Produce more violent raisin noises like, “AAAAAAAAHHAHHHH, AAAAIEEEE!!!” Throw back your head and laugh maniacally. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the cremated (?) mixture.

Read the prior instruction and disregard the part about sifting and just dump everything in together because it really tastes just as good that way. Mix well. Sing a mixing song. Attempt to get the extra batter off the beaters by lifting them out of the bowl and turning the mixer to “whip.” Clean the dough off of the walls and the ceiling. Eat some of the dough, but DO NOT let anyone else (especially your spouse, your brother or your father). Tell them that you are the Boss of Pastries if they protest. Or scare them with vivid stories of the diseases you can get from eating raw eggs (on second thought, I don’t recommend this strategy; you’re inclined to scare yourself more. SALMONELLA! SALMONELLA!!!). Throw a beater at anyone who gives you too much grief.

Make the dough into spoon-sized chunks or balls (depending on how anal-retentive you are) and roll them in the extra sugar. Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet for between 8 to 10 minutes at 375°. Oh. Go back in time and pre-heat the oven to 375°.

Hide them from your father because he will eat them ALL. This recipe makes one really huge cookie that will be quite raw in the middle or 236 really weensy-teensy burnt ones. Call Kathryn (Kate) at (801) 518-5685 and invite her over as she is the OFFICIAL Deluxe A.C.M.E. Deluxe Boiled Raisin Cookie Taste and Aesthetics Control Monitor and is required BY LAW to sample your cookies.

Critics will rave, “Swell,” “Splendid,” “Scrumdiddelyumptious!!!” and “You boil the cookies?”

NOTE: I have embellished the “instructions” portion of my Great-Grandmother’s recipe just a tad. A BIG FAT tad.

P.S. If you need to read a version in bigger type, please visit this link.

Cooking Up Something Good! October 14, 2009

Tonight, in the company of some dear twitter friends…an idea emerged. We were discussing hot chocolate, of all things, and then @cinammon_swirly came up with the idea of collaborating for a cookbook and having the proceeds go towards suicide prevention efforts…I immediately jumped on board! I came up with a rather silly idea of a cookbook title and then @cinnamon_swirly came up with title of  “Cooks for a Cause”! I just love it…so with her permission, I am writing this blog post so that all who care about this cause can submit recipes that we can use to create this beautiful gift of love in the name of suicide prevention.

Please, make a little note with your recipe as to why you feel drawn to sharing and contributing to this cause…it will make it that much more meaningful when the project comes together. Lives will be honored, struggles and survival celebrated and hope will endure through our message to the world about suicide prevention and it’s importance!

I will update the post as we have more to add… this is just the very beginning stages of our idea… but please, get started with the submissions. Don’t hold back, perhaps we should go the route of “comfort food”…it just has to be something that is comforting to you. No matter what, we will cover beverages, appetizers, main courses/casseroles, desserts, etc…

Let’s do this… together!

(Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @Cooksforacause.)