۞ Sweet Interruptions ۞ 56

Deborah, Zen Cooking has been adopted from the Buddhist Monasteries in Japan. It refers to the eating only in season vegetables and fruits, but none with strong odors... they don't eat onions, garlic, etc. The western world has added meat to that diet, but the Buddhist were vegetarians.

edited to add "in season herbs, nuts, ... anything harvested from nature.

This message was edited Nov 13, 2008 9:28 PM

Ok, Laura has a wonderful market to shop in. Have you seen that huge fresh vegatable market Trisha took pictures of a while back. Unbelievable!

Yes... I'd love to visit that farmers market... we don't have a decent one anywhere around here.

And Zen Gardening was a Western creation... really has nothing to do with Zen at all.

My family needs to eat more fresh vegatables. But onions would be a must to eat with peas and collards..

Well, the Zen only restrict themselves from strong odor plants because they are believed to excite the senses... and they seek to control their desires. It's ok to eat them if you're not a monk.

Well, we've been told to eat only natural stuffs.... but don't many also die from natural causes...
yuk. yuk. yuk.
Sistah Deborah, please share your recipes.. Pretzel Salad and Crackling Cornbread.

Good nite my sistahs and nieces.

Actually, my Zen cooking is more like Zen gardening. Being Zen is being in tune with your surroundings and naturally knowing what to do. I don't claim to be good at that, but it seems to fit my style of cooking. I get an idea of what I want to cook and throw things together and they more than often turn out good. I believe Zen gardening is more or less randomly sticking plants in until it looks right.

"Zen" is being in touch with what is within you... it has nothing to do with your surroundings. "Zen Gardening" is a tourist term made up by westerners.

Feng Shui is manipulating your surroundings to help improve your life... Chinese term.

You're a very intuitive cook... you seem to know what would taste good together... and that comes from having a very delicate palate.

This message was edited Nov 13, 2008 10:44 PM

Hey Laura glad it helped your day and I am thinking I may have to see what I can find and make a pair for Cedric when he comes to visit...LOL

now girls go check out the Santa thread I got my stuff today and made my first Santa...I think he turned out ok..he is a gift for Ms. V's birthday.

I don't think I even want to inquire about the "mishap" mentioned above. But that is just flat out wrong to do to anyone.

now off to bed I go as I was late this morning big time out of bed at 6am and should have already been on my way to work ...just good I don't have to clock in now till 6:30 made it with 5 min to spare LOL

My pretzels were stale so I had to use graham cracker crust which made it pretzeless Salad :0(


Pretzel Salad
2 c. pretzels, crushed (sift off any loose salt before crushing)

3/4 c. melted butter
1 c. and 1 Tbs. sugar, seperated
8 oz cream cheese
1 medium carton frozen whipped topping
2 (3 oz) packages strawberry gelatin
2 c. boiling water
2 (3 oz) frozen strawberries, undrained

Combine pretzels, margarine and 1 Tbs. sugar, pat into 9x13 pyrex dish. and Bake
8 minutes at 400*. Cool

Mix 1 cup sugar, cream cheese and frozen whipped topping. Spread over pretzel crust,

Mix gelatin and strawberries when mixture starts to set, pour over salad and refrigerate.

***********************************************************************************************

Cracklin Cornbread

I use Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Self Rising White Corn Meal Mix.
I use the Corn Bread recipe on the back of the bag. Use skinless cracklins. Use an Iron Skillet. Spray w/pam Preheat, oil in pan until a sprinkle of water makes a splatter & spit. Then pour the mixture in the cast iron skillet and cook 425* until brown. Let cool 5 or so mintues then turn over onto a serving dish.

If anyone wants the instructions on the back of the bag I'll be glad to type it out. I don't add the optional sugar. We don't like sweet cornbread at my house.

I'm with you Deborah, cornbread should not be sweet!

The Pretzel Salad sounds wonderful, the bike shop employees are coming over for a business meeting/potluck on Sunday night. I think I should make that for them!!

It's so simple and easy. Just make it way ahead so that the jello is good and set. Makes coming out of the dish when you cut into in nice serving squares. Don't tell them it's Pretzel salad. They can see it's a strawberry jello desert. But watch the faces after a few bites. I bet someone will ask what's the crust made from. Salty nutty taste will win them over.
Unless you tell them, its really hard to decide what it is. Totally makes the difference from a plain ol' graham cracker crust. I only wish I had some that weren't rancid. I had to modify using the grahams for Kathy. It still tasted ok, it's just the pretzels make it, well, Pretzel Salad. LOL

Sorry to unload that last night, I am glad I am not the only one that feels that way though. I didn't want to point out who or where as I didn't want to stir up trouble, but I was very bothered by that. I feel as if you all are a part of my family and love you all dearly and would be heartbroken if I found out one of you was not really who you claimed to be....I think that is why I got so upset over it.....

Seriously-who had the pic of the mini pinecone tree?? Was that you Trisha??