Fresh and Lively Cuisine

Hey you ask, what's so special about your wife's cooking? After all, many women are good cooks. Well, that may be true, but I am partial to my wife's cooking for several reasons, and she rarely let's me down with less than an average meal. Just allow me a few minutes to explain why.

In today's world, you are a lucky man to find a woman who can cook. You (and your kids) are even luckier if your wife loves to cook. I consider myself a very lucky man. Of course, we could also talk about the lucky woman with a husband who loves to cook. But for now I'll keep the writing from mine or the husband's point of view.

It has often been said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Well after many years of eating good meals at home, I finally have to admit that this old proverb applies to me. It's funny how what you thought were silly or unsubstantiated sayings of the past come back to you when you try to understand why things are the way they are.

Yes, I think so much more highly of my wife, Marie, for the delicious meals that she unselfishly prepares. She is a great believer in that if a meal is prepared with love it is so much more nutritious than a meal that is prepared grudgingly. And as it is in our house as in most homes, the kitchen is the place were people congregate and eat what she lovingly prepares.

And you are blessed, or beyond lucky, if you can pick and harvest organic fruit, vegetables, and herbs from your own garden to use with your meals.

Of course, this may be wishful thinking for some, but for me it's a reality and I'm so grateful for it that I had to try to put my experiences into words and share a favorite meal or two.

Just yesterday for example, my wife made a couple of large pumpkin pies that I thought were the best I've eaten. This was a home made pie that would be difficult to duplicate if only for the uniqueness of its most important ingredient. She used pumpkin not from a can but from a one of a kind, mixed-variety pumpkin that was growing in our garden.

I could definitely taste and appreciate the freshness in the pumpkin pie. It not only tasted fresh but tasted wholesome (i.e., good for you) and went straight to my heart from my stomach. Hey, that's where the saying came from! Máma Mía!

You may still be wondering how all of this good eating gets to my heart. Well, aside from the almost other-worldly great taste, it was a mix between a Blue Hubbard squash and a regular pumpkin, there were the all important human ingredients of "caring" and "doing good for others" that you don't normally get in a store bought pie. For example, the squash/pumpkin was freshly picked by Marie after carefully watering it over the growing season. She then picked it at the right time and prepared the pie as an expression of her loving and giving nature.

All this and more adds greatly to the taste and enjoyment of the pie and contributes to the sense of a warm home environment and ultimately a contented heart.

Marie's Home-made Pumpkin Pie

3 ½ C Pumpkin
1 ¾ C Sugar (Florida Crystals; Organic Evaporated Cane Crystals)
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
½ tsp Cloves
Pinch Nutmeg
3 ¼ C Half & Half Cream
¼ C Brandy – Optional (If Brandy is not added, increase cream measurement to 3 ½ cups)
4 Large Eggs, Beaten

Wash pumpkin, cut in half and cook in oven till soft (about 20 – 30 minutes). Scoop pumpkin from shell, puree in food processor until smooth.

Mix together pumpkin, Brandy, sugar and spices, mix well making sure there are no small lumps of spices remaining. Add beaten eggs and Half & Half cream and mix well.

Pour into prepared 10" unbaked pie shell.

Bake in pre-heated 425 degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake 40 – 50 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with Whipped Cream. Makes two 10" pies.

Pie Crust

4 C Unbleached Flour, sifted
2 tsp Sea Salt
2/3 C Butter (Non-rBST)
2/3 C Crisco (or similar shortening)
1 Cup plus 1 T ice cold water (put water in freezer before assembling ingredients)

Sift flour and salt together. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender until it resembles small peas. Add water and mix quickly with a fork. Gather dough with fingers until it is all mixed together (do not knead). Divide in half, roll out on wax paper and unroll over pie dish; removing wax paper after dough is positioned correctly. Crimp dough around edges, making sure there are no air bubbles.

Whipped Cream

1 pint Whipping cream
1 – 3 T Powdered Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla

Whip cream until peaks form, add sugar and vanilla stirring until sugar is thoroughly mixed in. Add more sugar to taste, if necessary.