LATCH ON TO THE AFFIRMATIVE
Did you know that Old Age may come after you with equal grace, force, and fascination? So wrote Walt Whitman (poet and optimist) a century and a half ago. His positive view on aging has been borne out in many recent psychological studies. Shown a series of positive images, anything from a dead animal to a bowl of ice cream, young adults respond most strongly to the negative, while older adults are less likely to be impressed by the negative and more readily latch on to the positive, according to a study in Psychological Science. Young adults, says an article in the Journal of Happiness Studies, are apt to dread old age and imagine it as pure misery. But this is because the young cannot predict their own ability to adapt. By age 60, most of us begin to perceive that our years are numbered, but rather than causing anxiety, this leads people to reexamine their priorities and focus on achievement goals or learn to be content with their lives as they are. A health scare, or even a bout of illness, may have the same effect. "Grace, force, fascination," may truly characterize the aging process, at least sometimes, thus offering valuable compensation for forgetfulness, wrinkles and other nuisances as well as undeniable declines.
Source: University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, June 2008.
DID YOU KNOW
The phenomenon of M&M's and the marketing sound bite 'The milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand' were created from an idea that dates back to the Spanish Civil War. Forest Mars, who would go on to found the chocolate empire, observed that the sugar hit of choice for soldiers was chocolate drops. Noticing that they didn't melt in the scorching Spanish sun, he found that the key to their solid state lay in the hard sugar coating. Mars copied this and ordered loads to be made, naming them M&M's, and he put them on sale in 1941.
Source: Cat Flaps and Mouse Traps, by Harry Oliver; Metro Publishing, 2007; $16.95/hardback.
THIS WEEK'S RECIPE GETS ITS NAME FROM SANDWICH
I was first introduced to a Monte Christo sandwich at a hotel in Washington DC when I was a delegate to the White House Conference on Foods, Nutrition and Health in 1979. The second time I had one was at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park in California where it was a house specialty. It's one delicious sandwich and famous enough to be listed in the Food Lover's Companion published by Barron's. It consists of slices of chicken or turkey, Swiss cheese and sometimes baked ham. Then it's dipped in beaten egg and sauteed in butter until golden brown, much like French toast is made. So naturally, when I saw a recipe for a Monte Christo Casserole in the Naperville, Illinois, Daily Herald this spring I had to make it. The recipe called for a pound loaf of garlic or herbed bread and I used a loaf of Ecce Panis Roasted Garlic Italian available at Chief and Ray's. I also increased the meat and cheese from 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups each. I divided the recipe in half, freezing an 8x8x2-inch glass casserole unbaked and baking the other half. I'm glad I froze it unbaked because I didn't like it as well reheated but thought it was wonderful fresh baked.
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MONTE CHRISTO CASSEROLE
- 1 pound loaf Ecco Panis Roasted Garlic Italian bread
- 2 cups chopped ham or turkey or a combination of both
- 2 cups Swiss cheese
- 6 large eggs
- 4 cups milk (whatever kind you have in the refrigerator)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Fresh ground pepper
Arrange rack in center of the oven and heat to 325F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with Pam. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with meat and cheese; transfer to prepared dish. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and pepper; pour over cubes. Press lightly on bread to make sure it gets soaked. Bake until puffed and golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Start checking at 40 minutes. Serve warm. Recipe makes 8 to 10 servings.
Source: Adapted from Naperville, Illinois, Daily Herald recipe.
BLUEBERRIES, THE WONDER FRUIT!
No problem getting a generous amount of fresh fruit during the summer months, blueberries included. When we were a family of 6 I froze blueberries so we could have blueberry pie in the winter. Also, to extend the season of fresh blueberry desserts I froze Blueberry Buckle to enjoy later. Health conscious shoppers pay a premium price for out-of-season blueberries so take advantage of the plentiful supply available now. Because they are so popular and good for us, I'm always on the lookout for new ways to serve them. Blueberry Bread Pudding is the latest. I made enough changes in this recipe to call it my own, using a fraction of the bread, half as much sugar and a lower temperature to bake it. Tasters at the Bryan Chief went through my samples in record time. If a 9x13-inch amount is too much, bake half the recipe in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. If you like blueberries and bread pudding, this recipe is a "must make!"
BLUEBERRY BREAD PUDDING
- 4 cups milk (whatever kind you drink)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 8 cups day old bread cubes
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. In large bowl, whisk the milk with vanilla. Add the bread; submerge it for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy; stir in softened butter. Add soaked bread. Fold in blueberries and white chocolate chips. Spoon into prepared dish and bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Recipe makes 10 servings.
Source:
Adapted from recipes in Better Homes & Gardens and A Taste of Lake Geneva 111. |
