Butternut Squash soup is an old favorite – with a twist of rosemary adds a wonderful flavor

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We LOVE butternut squash soup but I tried something different this season and it worked out really well! Hope you like it!

INGREDIENTS:

  •  2 lbs of butternut squash cut in half
  • 4 Tbsp of olive oil
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic crushed
  • 2 pints of Better than Bouillon Vegetable stock ( for vegetarian) or Chicken stock
  • 2 Tbsp of chopped chives
  • 4 Tbsp of Non Fat Plain Yogurt

 

 Directions:

  1. Cut the squash in half and place into a roasting pan 
  2. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil over the squash and then place a rosemary sprig onto each one
  3. Roast at 400 Degrees C until soft and slightly caramelized – remove the rosemary and discard and skin and seed the squash preserving the flesh of the vegetable.
  4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and saute first the garlic and then the onion until translucent.
  5. Add the squash, stock and seasoning to taste.
  6. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 10 minutes
  7. Puree in a blender or Cuisinart and test for seasoning again ( salt particularly)
  8. Serve in bowls with a dollop of yogurt with chives sprinkled over. YUM!butternut-squash-roasting-with-rosemary butternut-squashButtternutfrying-onions-to-make-soup

 

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Posted in Blog, Family, Gluten Free, Recipes, Recipes to Make with Children, Soups, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Mains | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Recitals – love the focus! Such good brain work for children and adults! Do you play the piano?

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Two of our grandsons are learning to play the piano. It is a great family tradition — my late father Jack Wolfowitz, lost his father at the age of 14. He and his entire family were musically talented – his sisters and mother taught piano to local children – and he was a fabulous musician. So he started a band to help support the family, and then had a number of bands which played at various nightclubs where he was too young to be a patron but not too young to be a musician! He became one of the most well known general surgeons in South Africa but never forgot the joy of music. Growing up, every weekend my home was full of music – my dad played the piano and friends of my parents joined in by singing and dancing – every Sunday night was a party. I learned too – taught by my aunt Essie – but  after 10 years of playing didn’t keep it up – I still play by ear – but not much. Such wonderful happy memories. Our oldest grandson Jack is named after my father and he and his brother Jonah are beginner players. Here they are all dressed up for a Halloween concert – Jonah is running for president  – who knows maybe one day he will – and Jack is the mad scientist. Fun to watch – and fills me with memories.jonah-playing-piano-recital-nov-2016 jack-playing-piano-recital-nov-2016

 

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Passing the California Bar Exam – such an Achievement !! Two of our scholars took it and two of them passed it!

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 WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE!  Two of our Larraine Segil Scholars took the California Bar Exam and both of them passed it! AMAZING – we are so proud of them!

Here is Tania Gonzalez getting the Bar results  – first in her family to finish high school, go to college, go to graduate school – and now she is a lawyer! And she was the little girl who FOUGHT with the school system when they insisted that she stay in English as a  Second Language classes ( ESL) and after her father begged the school over and over to let her test for mainstream English classes – finally took the test and never looked back. We chose her as our 2015 scholar from Southwestern Law School knowing that whatever she strove for – would happen for her – she is THAT determined. So proud of our Tania!

https://www.facebook.com/gonzalez.tania/videos/10210947921639473/

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And then Hindi Stohl – mother of 6, OBGYN, Religious School teacher as well as Associate Professor of OBGYN at UCLA and Head of Maternal Fetal Health at Harbor UCLA Hospital – Woman Extraordinaire – Hindi passed the California bar which she took just a month or two after giving birth to her 6th little boy!  We are so very proud of Hindi and know that she is on her way to change the world, affecting positively the lives of women and their babies daily. We chose Hindi as our 2014 scholar knowing that she would succeed at whatever she did. Here she is below – and then below that – the picture of her graduating with her 6 boys -the oldest is holding the baby ( 3 weeks old). MD, OBGYN, Specialist in Maternal Fetal Health, and now JD! AMAZING!

hindi-stohlhindi-graduating-with-6-baby-boys-may-2016

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Our Larraine Segil Scholars Holiday Party -Women of Excellence!

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 We held our Larraine Segil Scholars Holiday party for 2016. What a fabulous group of women – all but three of the USA based women were there – and of course we missed our two South African scholars.

Check out our website: www.larrainesegilscholar.com

Here we are – accompanied by some of our families!

lss-holiday-party-2016

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The best part about the election is that it is over! YAY! And now we can focus on great recipes!

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 So relieved that the election is over – now to focus on some really great recipes!

I was longing for some lamb stew – so I took pieces of lamb already cut into bite sizes, and made a really delicious mixture in my slow cooker – and voila – the next morning it was ready to go! Truly delicious – enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs of stew lamb cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 large red onion sliced
  • 2 Tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 large can of roasted tomatoes in juice
  • 1 large can of white pinto beans
  • I can of kidney beans
  • 1 pint of water or vegetable stock
  • 2 Tbsp of paprika
  • 2 Tbsp of curry powder
  • Lemon pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Saute the onions until translucent in the olive oil. Remove and put into the slow cooker which is on high
  2. Saute the lamb in the same pan until browned on all sides.
  3. Add the contents of a large can of roasted tomatoes in sauce to the pan and mix well scraping all the pieces off the pan into the mixture.
  4. Remove all and put into the slow cooker.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients
  6. Turn the slow cooker onto low if at night before you turn in – or onto high if you are cooking in the afternoon and want the dish for dinner.
  7. I like to do this dish at night – then turn it off the next morning or onto warm – and it will be ready for dinner when you come home from work!
  8. Serve with basmati rice ( throw that into the rice cooker and it will be ready when you are – brown rice works well too!)
  9. Add a green salad with cherry tomatoes and a light lemon juice and olive oil dressing.
  10. I like to add chutney ( Mrs. Balls Mango chutney is a family favorite!)

lamb-pieces-for-curry

 

par_cooked_brown_rice_-_stonesoupwhite-pinto-beansred-kidney-beans-on-a-wooden-table

 

 

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Birthday cakes made by Grandma – a Vampire cake and a Lego one – for our twins who turned 5!

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 This year was a challenging cake year! Noah was very specific – he wanted a vampire cake with teeth and a vampire figure on it – and blood! It had to be chocolate with chocolate frosting. Sigh. Then his twin Gabriel was also very specific. He wanted a lego man cake – yes in the shape of a lego man – with a lego character on the top and a lego truck. Sign. He wanted vanilla frosting but the cake had to be rainbow colors!
OK – I was on it! The planning began weeks before  – my son helped by directing me to various sites and toys that fit the bill – then I printed out pictures and the design process began. After two days of baking – there were going to be 26 kids and 26 parents – so I reckoned four cakes – two each -and that the Vampire cake had to be a double double chocolate layer cake, and the lego man had to sit on another cake – both to be rainbow – it was a 7am till 9pm process – on two consecutive days.

Here are the results! BTW I let Gabe make the truck ( bought him a lego box) and of course had an extra one hidden for Noah – and they both held their respective toys ( Count Dracula for Noah and Lego Man for Gabe ) all day long. So much fun – lucky boys and lucky me!

gabe-and-noah-fifth-bday-noahs-cakegabe-5th-lego-man-cake-2016noahs-vampire-cake-2016 gabes-lego-man-cake-2016

 

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Enjoying the early fall weather – gorgeous time of year!

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The California Drought Continues. We worry a lot about our water bill which is HUGE and getting larger. We get no release for being an agricultural property. And we recycle, and reclaim etc etc. But the bill keeps going up. Very very concerning.

The good news is that the early fall weather here is truly wonderful – warm with a tinge of coolness in the air especially at night. And we love living in California. Traffic is awful but having traveled worldwide I have discovered it’s awful everywhere!

Its time for soups, slow cookers, dutch ovens and pies! Here is a great recipe we enjoy!

Beef Tagine in a Dutch Oven 

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (1-pound) beef shoulder roast or petite tender roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 shallots, quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef; toss well to coat.

 

2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven  ( or an actual Tagine) over medium-high heat. Add beef and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add squash; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Sprinkle with cilantro.

a_scene_of_coriander_leaves



 

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Good looking family!

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A beautiful picture of our grandkids and their parents! We are all so blessed! The twins wanted suits – the vests, ties  – the whole thing! SOOO Cute! But Gabriel is still willing to snuggle…Grandma is in HEAVEN!

james-donne-jack-jonah-noah-gabe-yom-kippur-2016-before-shulgrandma-loving-gabriel-big-boy-in-a-suit-but-still-willing-to-cuddle-yom-kippur-2016

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The first computer programmers at NASA JPL were WOMEN! DID YOU KNOW? PASS THIS ON!

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For 24 years I taught Executive education at CALTECH which is associated with NASA JPL. My program was a 2 day program in the Industrial Relations Center for executives in business,mainly technology business, on Strategic Alliances.

Now I subscribe to the NASA JPL Blog – and they give regular TEACHABLE MOMENTS for STEM ( Science Technology Engineering and Math ) students  – and even provide lessons ( see the link below). However many ADULTS dont know much of this so do subscribe – it is amazing information. WOMEN WHO CODE – yes women were the very first at NASA JPL to create the coding structure with their acutely brilliant mathematical brains – and we are talking 1935 and beyond. Who said women were not good at math? PLEASE Pass this along to EVERYONE you know! 

 

A computer works with an engineer at JPL.

 

 

 

 
Computers weren’t always made of motherboards and CPUs. At one time, they were human! And at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, human computers were a talented team of women who went on to become some of the earliest computer programmers. In this photo from 1959, a human computer works with an early machine computer called the IBM 704. While machine computers were capable of some speedy calculations, they weren’t nearly as reliable or efficient as humans. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | › Larger image

 

In The News

This week, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. JPL was founded long before it became NASA’s premier center for robotic exploration of the solar system – and even before the agency existed. In fact, JPL started as the test-bed for some of the earliest rocketry experiments (thus the name “Jet Propulsion Laboratory”). There were a number of factors that conspired to change JPL’s focus from rocketry to space exploration. The Space Race and the resulting formation of NASA were two major factors. But also, with its growing expertise in launching rockets to new heights, JPL was anxious to take its experiments even farther. So in 1957, when the Soviet Union won the first leg of the Space Race by placing Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, into Earth orbit, JPL was called into action. A few months later, NASA launched the JPL-built Explorer 1, which became the first U.S. satellite.

ranger 7 photo of the moon

Explorer 1 became the first U.S. space satellite in 1958. It was built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Soon, the challenge was to land on the moon – and JPL was once again called to the task. Landing on another planetary body had never been accomplished so, understandably, it took a few tries to get things right. JPL’s first attempts at a moon landing with Rangers 1 through 6 all failed for various reasons. Some of the spacecraft flew very near the moon only to miss it by a few hundred kilometers; others met their mark only to have onboard cameras fail. Ranger 7 was the first mission to successfully land on the moon and transmit data, capturing images 1,000-times better than those obtained by ground-based telescopes. It wasn’t a particularly soft landing; rather it was a purposeful crash landing, capturing images along the way. But everyone at JPL was thrilled to have hit their target and returned usable data. These data, and those collected by subsequent missions, made possible NASA’s later human missions to the moon.

Ranger 7 photo of the moon

Ranger 7 was the first U.S. mission to fly by the moon. This was one of more than 4,300 images sent back during the flyby. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

At the same time it was launching the Ranger lunar missions, JPL had also set its sights on venturing even farther into space and began launching a series of missions called Mariner to Venus, Mercury and Mars. It wasn’t long before JPL’s specialty became creating robotic spacecraft to go not just to the moon, but also where no one had gone before.

Learn more about the history of JPL and the U.S. space program in the video series below. And explore the interactive timeline.

How They Did It

What’s often not known is that all the early rocket experiments and later missions to the moon and beyond wouldn’t have been possible without a team at JPL known as the human “computers.” Most of these human computers were women who either had degrees in mathematics or were simply very good at mathematics. Over the course of time, these women not only performed hundreds of thousands of mathematical calculations crucial to the U.S. space program, but also eventually became some of the first computer programmers at NASA.

human computers at JPL

A talented team of women, who were around since JPL’s beginnings in 1936 and who were known as computers, were responsible for the number-crunching of launch windows, trajectories, fuel consumption and other details that helped make the U.S. space program a success. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

In the early days of space exploration, the best mechanical computers were large (the size of a room) and not particularly powerful. Human capabilities were much more powerful for many tasks, including the rapid calculations needed for trajectory analysis and verification, as well as the graphing of data points on trajectories, which made a spacecraft’s path easy to see.

One of the human computers’ main tasks was computing the planned trajectories, or paths, for a spacecraft based on the vehicle weight, lift capacity of the rocket, and the orbital dynamics of the planets.

When a spacecraft is launched, it begins sending telemetry signals back to Earth. These signals tell engineers information about the spacecraft’s location and health. But this information isn’t perfectly straightforward. It arrives as a bunch of numbers that need to be combined in formulas along with other constantly changing parameters (such as velocity, vehicle mass and the effect of gravity from nearby bodies) in order to reveal the spacecraft’s actual location. Before there were computers (as we know them today) to do these calculations, human computers would feverishly calculate the exact location of the spacecraft as the telemetry came in and compare that to the planned trajectories. Their calculations would reveal whether the spacecraft was on target.

a computer tracks a spacecraft's position as it makes its way toward Venus

A computer in the control room at JPL tracks the position of Mariner 2. The spacecraft became the first to fly by another planet when it reached Venus in 1952. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Doing the calculations required to get Explorer 1 into orbit was no small task. Calculating the trajectory for a Ranger crash landing or a Surveyor soft landing on the moon was even more challenging. Once humans were destined to be on board for the Apollo missions, the stakes were even higher. Fortunately, JPL had set the stage developing the techniques – and calculations – necessary to land a robotic spacecraft safely on the moon.

Why It’s Important

JPL's human computers

JPL’s human computers didn’t just help launch the U.S. space program; they also represented an important step forward for women and other underrepresented people at a time when much of the professional world and especially technical fields were dominated by white men. Janez Lawson (seen in this photo from 1953, front row, fifth from the left), was the first African American hired into a technical position at JPL. Having graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, she later went on to have a successful career as a chemical engineer. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Today, JPL continues setting the pace for exploration of the solar system using robots to go where humans hope to venture one day, such as Mars. Though trajectory computations are now done using modern day computers, humans are still required to do trajectory analysis and mission planning. Every mission is different, and with new techniques comes new simulation equations that must be developed and computations that must be performed during actual mission events to ensure success. But even now, nothing is fail-proof. Lots of variables can and do influence spaceflight. Arriving safely on another planet millions of miles away isn’t easy or taken for granted, but when things go right and we achieve a safe landing, it is definitely cause for celebration.

Teach It

When launching to another planet, we want to take the most efficient route, using the least amount of rocket fuel possible. The early human computers quickly discovered that launching when two planets are closest and using a lot of rocket fuel for the job isn’t the best plan.

 

Use this fascinating bit of history as a real world, advanced algebra and physics lesson with students in this standards-aligned activity that has grades 9-12 calculate the next launch window to Mars!

› Go to the lesson

 

 

 

Explore More

 

TAGS: JPL AnniversaryHistoryHuman ComputersLaunch WindowsAlgebraHigh School

 
 
  • Ota Lutz

 

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Tips on how to keep mushrooms fresh from Cooking Light Magazine

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We love mushrooms of all kinds – my favorite way to cook them is with olive oil or lower calorie Pam olive oil spray, salt, sliced onions on a flat baking pan in the oven for 30 minutes. YUM!

Here are some great tips from Cooking Light Magazine to keep mushrooms fresh! Who knew?!!

mushrooms

TIPS TO KEEP MUSHROOMS FRESH

Keep the Original Store Packaging

You can’t see it, but the wrap on packaged mushrooms actually has tiny holes that prevent damaging condensation and gasses from building up. You can, and should, store commercially grown mushrooms (presliced or whole) in their original container and wrap in the refrigerator; they’ll keep up to one week.

Keep Moisture at Bay: Wrap Loose Mushrooms in Dry Packaging

Storing mushrooms in a damp towel will shorten the length of time they stay fresh. Instead, refrigerate loose mushrooms in a brown paper bag; it will absorb any moisture and allow them to breathe. A partially opened zip-top plastic bag will also work.

Avoid the Crisper

The refrigerator’s vegetable bin is a moist place—not a friendly area for mushrooms. Instead, keep them in a spot where air can circulate, like an open shelf.

Keep Mushrooms Away from Pungent Foods

Mushrooms can take on the flavors of strong foods that are stored nearby. Keep them away from onions, garlic, and other foods with strong odors.

Rinse With Water

Clean mushrooms under cool, running water right before you’re ready to use them; then pat dry. It’s a myth that mushrooms easily absorb water, but if they’re rinsed too far in advance, they will discolor and deteriorate from the moisture. Cultivated mushrooms grow in sterilized compost, so you can also clean them by simply brushing any bits of “dirt” with a clean, damp towel.

 

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Turkey Meatballs with a twist

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Our farm manager share his recipe for Turkey Meatballs and frankly, they are the best I have EVER tasted! Max Arteaga is a really great cook – makes a terrific Paella and more! Here is one of his best! This is really low in fat – and since the balls are not fried – it reduces the calorie count too! turkey-meatballs-in-sauce Turkey Meatballs with a Twist Ingredients

  • 1 lb of ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup of raw rice ( rinsed and drained)
  • 3 cloves of garlic chopped fine
  • 1 Large white sweet onion chopped fine
  • 1 sprig of mint – chopped medium fine
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Tomato Sauce ( home made or canned pasta sauce)
  • Rice steamed cooked in rice cooker – for 4

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together except the tomato sauce.
  2. Make balls out of the mixture
  3. Then bring the sauce to a boil and put the balls into it – simmer at low heat for 45 minutes or until the balls and the rice in them is cooked ( I always keep one ball for tasting to check on doneness)
  4. Serve with steamed white basmati or jasmine rice and a green and red salad ( tomatoes, red peppers, radishes and garlic chives on mixed greens with light dressing
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A recent brunch for Committee of 200 Scholars at The Little Farm

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 The event was the visit of Israel C200 Scholar Sarai Duek to The Little Farm – and our Los Angeles based C200 Scholars rallied around her. C200 member Renee Pepys Lowe joined me as we celebrated these amazing young women. It was a loving and wonderful event! Of course our dog Smokey was front and center! And lay on her back for a good tickle. Everyone loved her although she is a bit rambunctious!

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#MOMSQUAD – An interesting video that throws light on the differences in generations -created by the daughter by a good friend Alexandra Addison

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We are so proud of our young friend Alexandra Addison – she is now a junior producer at BuzzFeed and just wrote and produced this video. If any of you have adult children you will absolutely identify with the HUGE difference in the generations – how did we do it all? Support our spouse’s careers, take care of the kids, cook, clean, pursue our own careers (which the ladies in the video do not) and soooooooo much more.

Fascinating! And stands alone without a recipe in this posting !! HA!

Alexandra – huge kudos for hitting the issues right on! Beautifully produced, directed and written! Your amazing career is on track – great things coming from you in the future. I am a BIG fan!

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A dinner with some of our 16 Larraine Segil Scholars – to welcome our newbies!

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Here are some of our LSS group – they inspire me! And our dinner to celebrate! And we gave out Plaques to those in attendance with the LSS logo designed by our very own Esme Williams-Berenc – here is the plaque for one of our scholars with the year in which she became a member of LSS.acrylic-lss-award-example-phoebe-chang

shilohsshilohs-dinner-picture-september-15-2016-lss-group

The next time we will be together will be at the LSS Holiday Party!

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Went to a fundraiser for the Huntington Library and Gardens – a true treasure of the Los Angeles area – if you can, go and visit both!

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We are constantly amazed and thrilled by the joys of the Huntington Library and Gardens – do yourself a favor and visit them if you are ever in LA. So much more rewarding than many of the other attractions!

Here we are celebrating at the fundraiser for that icon of Los Angeles life.

Thank you to our friends and former Chair of the Huntington Library board for all that they do to preserve this marvel.

larraine-and-clive-at-huntington-library-event-invited-by-stewart-smith-and-robin-ferracone-sept-2016

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Apples and Cinnamon – what a great combination! Any time of year!

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This recipe started out very high in calories but with the substitute unsweetened apple sauce it is still delicious and lower in total calories.

[#Beginning of Shooting Data Section] Nikon D2X 2005/11/23 12:59:28.8 RAW (12-bit) Image Size: Large (4288 x 2848) Lens: 60mm F/2.8 D Focal Length: 60mm Exposure Mode: Manual Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern 1/125 sec - F/22 Exposure Comp.: 0 EV Sensitivity: ISO 100 Optimize Image: White Balance: Flash AF Mode: Manual Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached Color Mode: Mode I (Adobe RGB) Tone Comp.: Normal Hue Adjustment: 0¡ Saturation: Normal Sharpening: None Image Comment: Long Exposure NR: Off High ISO NR: Off [#End of Shooting Data Section]

Apple Cinnamon Cake

  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened or substitute ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 apple, peeled and chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
  3. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.
  4. Combine flour and baking powder together in a bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apples and half the brown sugar mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and brown sugar mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

 

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Chicken, Capers, Artichokes – easy tasty meal! Don’t overcook the chicken!

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chicken-tenders-with-artichokes-capers-and-lemon

This was a fast easy meal as long as you have all the ingredients – which I did!

Chicken Breast Cutlets with Artichokes and Capers

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 pounds chicken breast tenders
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 (12 ounce) jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts, with liquid
  • 1/4 cup capers
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and shake off excess.
  2. Heat canola oil and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides, and no longer pink on the inside; set aside. Do NOT OVER COOK – I did and chicken tenders  ( which are basically sliced chicken breast) toughens up REALLY fast.
  3. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the caramelized bits. Add artichoke hearts and capers, return to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half or even less than half
  4. Place cooked chicken back into pan, and simmer in the sauce for a few minutes to reheat. Serve on a platter sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.
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Sour Cream Coffee Cake with English Custard – YUM

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We love custard – it comes from our South African ( British) heritage I guess. And it is SO easy to make with Bird’s Custard Powder.birds-custard-powder

I paired it with this easy Sour Cream Coffee Cake – which I made because I had light sour cream left over from the weekend’s baked potatoes. I do not often feature a brand but these two are the only ones that I use. Delicious!daisy-light-sour-cream

regular-rolled-oats-bag-honeyville-33newsour-cream-coffee-cake-with-birds-custardsour-cream-coffee-cake

Sour cream coffee cake 
Ingredients:3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (about 2.5 ounces), dividedCooking spray4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)1 ounce whole-wheat flour (about 1/4 cup)1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided

1/3 cup butter, softened

2  large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1  (8-ounce) carton light sour cream (such as Daisy)

2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.

4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground.

Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flours, baking powder,

baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.

5. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for

3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to

sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of

oats.) Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

6. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter

with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes

or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.

Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan cut and serve with dollops of custard ( made from Birds English Custard powder – follow instructions on the box – basically milk and sugar and heat!)

 

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Posted in Blog, Desserts, Family, Little farm products, Recipes, Recipes to Make with Children | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Easy, fast, delicious and using my favorite slow cooker!

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This is easy and tasty and fast! Throw everything into the slow cooker and go about your day – your home smells divine when you return!

Slow Cooker Chicken and OlivesOlives and pimentos

 

chicken-breasts

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (6ounce) can tomato paste
3/4  cup of chicken stock
1(6ounce) jar Spanish olives with pimento (with liquid)
 1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 16 ounce bag of noodles cooked drained and buttered well or cook rice in a steamer that you put on at the same time as the slow cooker – and it will all be ready when you come home – HEAVEN!  

 

 

  1. DIRECTIONS:
  2. Wash chicken breasts, drain, and season on both sides with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
  3. Place seasoned chicken breasts in crock pot.
  4. Mix tomato paste and stock together and pour evenly over chicken breasts.
  5. Add olives with liquid.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
  7. Serve each chicken breast over a small mound of prepared noodles, and dish sauce (with olives) over each serving. YUM!
  8. I like to cook rice in a rice cooker which I can also put on in the morning  and leave- and so when I come back I don’t need to cook up noodles ( which I love but are a nuisance to cook in my opinion and the butter is fattening – so save the calories and cook/steam rice with no fat!)
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Appointing three new Larraine Segil Scholars for 2016- amazing women with great futures!

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I am proud to announce that our 2016 scholars have been selected and are now part of the Larraine Segil Scholars group. We hold our quarterly dinner in late September to celebrate. Look out for another picture then of our happy group!

From The Presidential Key Executive MBA Program  at Pepperdine Graziadio School of Management, Pamela Irwin who just graduated this summer, has been selected to join our LSS group.Pamela Irwin

From Southwestern School of Law, Jessica Reid and Venessa Simpson, both JD candidates, have both been selected to join the LSS group.

Jessica Reid

Jessica Reid

Screenshot

Venessa Simpson

If you go to our website at www.larrainesegilscholar.com you will find all of their photos and links to their detailed backgrounds – we have great hopes for their futures!

This year for the first time the Scholars interviewed and selected the candidates. All finalists were prescreened and presented after lots of hard work by Debbie Leathers Associate Dean at Southwestern, and Kay Rosen, VP Development at Pepperdine. Because we could not decide between Jessica and Venessa, as in former years when we had two outstanding finalists, we chose them both! My goal of making the selection process independent of myself, came to fruition this year ensuring the scholar group will be sustainable past my life span.  Very rewarding and exciting for all.

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