Bruce Barone

May 12, 2019May 12, 2019

Motherly Love

I love this photo.

She had just gotten a new cut and color at Frankenhair in Westfield, Massachusetts. A salon on School Street that has “been bringing hair back to life since 2014.”

Keep this in mind: back to life.

And for a minute let’s consider what we learned in college about Dr. Frankenstein and his creation, the “monster.”

I suggest as the doctor is the father of the monster, the creation, he too has the name Frankenstein. This is, in fact, what has happened in our culture; we have everything from “Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein” to “Son of Frankenstein” and many more, including, of course, Frankenhair.

But I digress. Let’s imagine that Frankenstein is representative of the bullied, the down-trodden, the lonely, the immigrant, the fatherless. I could go on, but I hope you get the picture.

So what is it about this photo and motherly love? First, I think the photo is funny and expresses Susan’s loving and perfect spirit. Second, she blesses everyone, male or female, the bullied and the immigrant, the fatherless and the needy, the down-trodden and the lonely.

She nurtures people. She encourages people. She believes in a person’s potential for good–and blesses them with motherly love bringing them back to life. Just as she has received a divine love , she gives love in return–sharing comfort and understanding.

She is blessed with the motherly love of God and she is an expression of this motherly love.

And she inspires me daily.

If you are looking for beautiful portrait, nature, or documentary photography, or someone you know is looking for photography that helps to create a more artful and beautiful life, please contact me.

May 11, 2019

Moroccan Pot Roast

You will love the way your house fills with the aromas of coriander, ginger, cumin, cinnamon!

Ingredients

For the spice mix

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed coriander seed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (to taste) crushed red pepper flakes (or if available, Marash or Aleppo pepper*)

For the beef

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3-pound or 1.35 kg) beef chuck roast
1 medium onion, quartered
3 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 bay leaves
1 cup (235 ml) water
1 cup (235 ml) pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh parsley

For serving (optional)
Couscous
Glazed carrots

Directions

1 Make the spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, coriander, turmeric, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, paprika and pepper.

2 Heat the oven: Set an oven rack near the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (or 160°C).

3 Season and sear the meat, then add vegetables, spices: Sprinkle the roast all over with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot with a lid, heat the oil. Add the beef and brown it on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Add the onion, carrots and bay leaves to the pot. Stir in the spice mix.

4 Braise the meat: Add the water and pomegranate juice to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and place in a 325°F (or 160°C) oven for 2 1/2 hours, turning once halfway through the cooking time.

When the meat is fork tender, remove it from the oven. (If it is not tender enough, leave it in a little longer.)

5 If serving with couscous and glazed carrots, prepare these when the pot roast is close to being done.

6 Finish the sauce: Transfer the meat to a platter and cover loosely with foil.

Set a strainer over a bowl and pour the sauce through. Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and skim off the fat from the liquid. Add the lemon juice and taste. Add more salt and pepper, if you like.

Serve the pot roast: Slice the meat and serve in shallow bowls on top of the couscous and carrots. Ladle the sauce over the meat and sprinkle with parsley.

Note: I did not strain the sauce. It did not need it. I served the carrots from the pot and made “Ancient Grains.”

Based on a recipe from Sally Vargas.

May 5, 2019May 5, 2019

The Best General Tso’s Chicken Recipe–Baked, Not Fried!

Just look at this photo!!!

YUM!

A healthy version of General Tso’s Chicken.

Ingredients:

4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-sizes pieces
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil baking dish. I used a 10 X 12.
Place chicken in large bowl and mix with cornstarch.
In separate bowl, whisk together chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, paprika, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
Pour over chicken and marinate for 30-60 minutes.
Pour this mixture into baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Stir, and bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.
Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions–if desired.

May 3, 2019May 5, 2019

Garden Gate

Today

We hear

The rain

Before we see it

Falling on the roof

Smashing against the windows

I see

Two make cardinals in the garden

And two female cardinals

A dove and two sparrows

In the far corner

I see a gate

A garden gate

Now supporting

The growing clematis

May 2, 2019May 5, 2019

Day In A Life

Another gray day

Here

In Western Massachusetts

But beautiful

In its own way

Like a painting

Or drawing

Pretty as a picture

No lawn mowing

For me today

Reading

And cooking

May 1, 2019

Showers Bring May Flowers

The daylily

Still

Wet with this morning’s rain

Behind me

Garlic growing

Like a weed

In my garden

Both to bloom

In June

April 24, 2019May 4, 2019

Lemon Potato Salad with Mint

This is so simple to prepare and it is simply delicious!

Quoting food writer and cookbook author–and staff reporter for the New York Times Food section, Melissa Clark:

“This light and refreshing potato salad is the antithesis of the usual, creamy, mayonnaise-based recipes. The mint and scallion add a bright, herbal flavor while the sprinkle of chile lends a kick. Make this the morning you plan to serve it and let it marinate at room temperature all day long. Or refrigerate for longer storage but be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving. Other herbs like cilantro, parsley, tarragon and sage can be substituted for the mint; adjust the quantity to taste.”

Ingredients:

2 pounds small waxy white or yellow potatoes, roughly about the same size (I used the Dynamic Duo from The Little Potato Company.)
Juice of 1 lemon, more for serving
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light green parts, more for serving
¼ cup torn mint leaves, more for serving
¼ teaspoon Turkish pepper, more for serving (I used red pepper flakes.)

Preparation

Place whole unpeeled potatoes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until potatoes are just tender, 15 to 25 minutes depending upon size. Drain and cut potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks as soon as you can handle them. (I have always cut the potatoes before boiling.)
In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, salt and olive oil.
Transfer hot potatoes to a large bowl and toss with dressing, scallions, mint and Turkish pepper. Let cool to room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to use. Just before serving, top with additional lemon juice, scallions, mint and Turkish pepper.

April 22, 2019May 4, 2019

Roasted Chickpea, Carrot and Cauliflower Salad

This is based on a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.

I made it last week following their recipe (stove-top) and I made it for an Easter dinner and I roasted the ingredients.

I prefer the roasted version.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 15 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and blotted dry
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup orange juice
chopped fresh mint

Directions

Preheat over to 450. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil with chickpeas. Roast chickpeas for 30-40 minutes until nicely toasted. Keep you eye on these so they do not burn. Removed and set aside. Combine carrots and cauliflower with olive oil and salt and roast for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. In a large frying pan (I used a wok) heat stock and orange juice with the smoked paprika and cumin. Reduce slightly and then add the chickpeas, carrots, and cauliflower and heat through for about 5-10 minutes. Top with mint. Serve hot or at room temperature.

April 14, 2019May 4, 2019

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

⁴This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”^[a]

⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna^[b] to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[c]

“Hosanna^[d] in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Matthew21:1-11

April 5, 2019April 15, 2019