I got this new thing at work on January 1, 2012 called “paid vacation.” I don’t know much about it, but it sounds like a neat concept. I decided to test it out, and began planning a trip.

Suddenly, the day of the trip was upon me, although it seemed months away.

This morning, we left Owosso, Michigan and headed toward West Virginia. First stop: Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger. This kicked off an important element of my trip planning: hitting as many Diners, Drive-ins and Dives restaurants as humanly possible.

Krazy Jim’s was wonderful in an unexpected sort of way. You stand in line, cafeteria style, with your tray, waiting for your turn. I found myself sizing up the seating to see if we were going to have a spot, but it all worked out well in the end. You also better be ready to order, and know what you’re doing, because you will be chastised if you don’t. I got a double on a Kaiser bun with grilled onions and peppers. Eric got a double on a regular bun with fried egg and bacon. Deep fried mixed veggies and onion rings rounded out the food, and some sodas in glass beverages washed it all down. There were a lot of neat aspects of this experience, but I think the most memorable for Eric is that he a got a $2 bill and a half-dollar for change. Fun stuff.

After burgers, we hit the road for West Virginia. My maps program offered me several routes to navigate through Ohio, but I chose to avoid Columbus and tour the back roads of Ashley and Mount Vernon. What a treat: rolling hills, Amish carriages (road signs with buggies on them that said “Share the Road”) and beautiful homes, old and new alike. We were in awe as the hills rolled higher and greener as we headed for McConnelsville, Ohio, our next stop on the Triple D tour.

Along the way, we followed

Brown water

Charleston capital

60 motorcycle tour, lots of motorcycle

One-lane road

Allegheny

3500 feet

llamas

Dave's Lo Mein

My friend Dave was making Lo Mein the other day, and I got curious. I’d never had Lo Mein before, so I thought, “What the heck?” After receiving the recipe, I stopped at the Marquette Food Co-op to get the goods. This morning, it was time.

This dish is amazing, and healthy…and with a few tweaks, even to my ridiculous almost-vegan standards The ginger and green onion (two of my FAVORITE ingredients) came together in a wonderful way. And I love noodles, so I couldn’t go wrong there…

Ingredients
6 ounces cooked lo mein noodles (I used Thai rice noodles)
1T olive oil
1/4 cup raw shrimp (cleaned)
1T. brown sugar
1T. soy sauce (I used tamari)
1T. cooking sherry (I only had chardonnay in the house, and it worked)
3T. chicken stock (I used vegetable stock)
1/2 cup chinese cabbage (napa), chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup sliced carrot
1-2 green onions, depending on size, cut into one-inch pieces
1/2t. ginger root, finely chopped

Use the directions that came with your noodles to prepare them.

On high heat, add the olive oil to the pan, and stir fry the shrimp for one minute. Add the cabbage, carrots, onion and ginger, and stir fry for one minute. Add the noodles and the rest of the ingredients, and stir fry for one more minute. Remove from heat and serve.

This recipe from allrecipes.com was billed as a “delicious version of the classic with a little more zip,” and a more true statement couldn’t be made about this dish. I love cilantro, but don’t always find a home for it in my everyday cooking. This recipe is going on permanent rotation, however.

This dish is SUPER easy, inexpensive and pretty healthy. Stick to a rice or durum pasta for another healthy kick. For those of you leery about anything with a little heat, never fear. This is far from a “hot” dish as far as spiciness. Flavorful to the max, however!

Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) durum pasta
1 bunch fresh cilantro
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, pine nuts work best)
salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil (I used basil-flavored, to bring home the true pesto)

Cilantro Pesto

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and bring the water back to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm—better for you health-wise, and it makes leftovers have a little more texture). Drain well.

2. As your pasta is cooking, drop the cilantro, garlic, vinegar, parm, cayenne, nuts and salt into the food processor. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and blend. Gradually add more olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.

3. Pour the pesto in a small sauce pan and warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to simmer. Pour over your cooked pasta and toss.

By request, here is the previously mentioned Parsley Pesto recipe, straight from the wonderful gals at the Marquette Food Co-op. It is SO tasty…and versatile.

Ingredients
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Put your sun-dried tomatoes to soak in warm water. They need to soak for 15 minutes.
2. Chop your parsley and garlic.
3. Place parsley in a food processor and pulse briefly.
4. Add sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until almost smooth.
5. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse again briefly to incorporate.

This can be served as a dip with crackers, or be mixed into freshly cooked, warm pasta as a sauce. It is easy and fantastic…and extremely healthy!

Dante

YUM. I love to make Parsley Pesto, but I always have parsley left over, so I wanted to find another easy recipe that I could use up the remaining parsley. I found the following recipe at All Recipes.com. This took about 15 to 20 minutes.

It was an easy recipe, although I made a few amendments or clarifications, if you will. Dante was sleeping when I started this, but his nose woke him up, and he wandered to the threshold of the kitchen doorway (he’s not allowed in the kitchen when I’m eating or cooking), nose in the air.

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 pounds new red potatoes (this is about 6 medium potatoes)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil (I used garlic olive oil from the Olive Cellar)
* 1 onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed (Keep in mind, I’m a garlic fiend)
* 1 cup vegetable broth (you can use chicken, but I was trying for vegan)
* 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. Peel a strip of skin from around the center of each potato (I’m not sure why, but it does look nice in the end), place the potatoes in water. Set to boil…I set aside like the original recipe said, and then had to wait FOREVER for the potatoes to cook. If you’re an efficient chopper, get those potatoes going right away. Don’t forget to salt the water.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour in broth and 3/4 cup of the parsley; mix well. Bring to a boil. This will thicken, but should remain pourable.

3. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the black pepper into the skillet and stir. Pour the peppered sauce over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Pesto Potatoes

It is that easy, and it’s good. Very healthy, refreshing take on potatoes. I didn’t put butter on them as I was trying to behave, but I’m sure that would’ve just sweetened the deal.

Nutritional Information (based on this recipe making 6 servings, which is a stretch)
Amount Per Serving Calories: 134 | Total Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: < 1mg

We started a 600-Book Summer project one night while cleaning my bookshelves and reorganizing them. Jaime and I said we wanted to read 60 books this summer between the three of us, but Dr. Beck insisted that goal was not lofty enough, so she suggested 600. If anyone wants to join us to try to attain our goal, just let me know!
We’re up to ten of us…60 books each We still need more help!

In addition, we each selected five books the others in the group must try to read this summer. Those are listed at the bottom. Reading goes from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend

AND here’s our progress! 122 read, 478 to go

Kristy has read:
1. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
2. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
3. Deception Point by Dan Brown
4. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
5. ***in progress*** Memoirs of a Geisha
6. ***in progress*** The Professor and the Madman
7. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
8. Witch & Wizard by James Patterson
9. ***in progress*** The Romanov Prophecy

Jaime has read:
1. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
3. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoogles by Julie Andrews Edwards
4. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
6. Nightlight: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon
7. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
8. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
9. Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey
10. Dead After Dark by Charlaine Harris
11. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
12. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
13. Witch & Wizard by James Patterson
14. Deception Point by Dan Brown
15. **in progress** A Clockwork Orange
16. The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
17. He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
18. The Fallen 1: The Fallen and Leviathan by Thomas E Sniegoski
19. The Fallen 2: Aerie and Reckoning by Thomas E. Sniegoski
20. Alias: Infiltration by Breen Fraizer

Dr. Beck has read:
1. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoogles by Julie Andrews Edwards
2. Nightlight: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon
3. Jemima J by Jane Green
4. The World To Come by Dara Horn
5. The Alienist by Caleb Carr

Jess has read:
1. Hot Target by Suzanne Brockmann
2. Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann
3. Feel the Heat by Cindy Gerard
4. Into the Storm by Suzanne Brockmann
5. Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann
6. All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann
7. Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann
8. Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr
9. Hot Pursuit by Suzanne Brockmann
10. Virgin River by Robyn Carr
11. Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr
12. Prince Joe by Suzanne Brockmann
13. Forever Blue by Suzanne Brockman
14. Causing Havoc by Lori Foster
15. Satisfaction Guaranteed by Lucy Monroe
16. Ready by Lucy Monroe
17. 3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys by Lucy Monroe
18. Simon Says by Lori Foster
19. Hard to Handle by Lori Foster

Sandy has read:
1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
2. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
3. What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage
4. Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman
5. Sunset In St. Tropez by Danielle Steel
6. Heartbeat by Danielle Steel
7. Sweet Anger by Sandra Brown
8. Playing For Pizza by John Grisham
9. Ladies’ Man by Suzanne Brockmann

Jeff has read:
1. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
2. Deception Point by Dan Brown
3. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
4. Beyond Star Trek by Lawrence M. Krauss
5. The Last Juror by John Grisham
6. Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
7. O is for Outlaw by Sue Grafton
8. P is for Peril by Sue Grafton
9. The Appeal by John Grisham.

Terry has read:
1. A Time on Earth by Vilhelm Moberg
2. Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr
3. Angels Peak by Robyn Carr
4. Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr
5. Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krenz
6. Dawn In Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz
7. Summer In Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz
8. Foul Play by Janet Evanovich
9. The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers
10. The Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich
11. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
12. Going Home by Wanda E Brunstetter
13. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
14. On her Own by Wanda Brunstetter
15. Dear to Me by Wanda Brunstetter
16. Allison’s Journey by Wanda E. Brunstetter
17. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
18. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Tyler has read: (Is it cheating to have a book reviewer help us? I don’t think so!)
1. Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
2. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum
3. The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum
4. The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
5. The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
6. TikTok of Oz by L. Frank Baum
7. As Nora Jo Fades Away by Lisa Cerasoli
8. A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh
9. Naked in the Stream: Isle Royale Stories by Vic Foerster
10. Go Back for Murder by Agatha Christie
11. Verdict by Agatha Christie
12. Coming Clean: My Letter-Writing Journey by Sarah Dean
13. The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Sloman
14. Dominic’s Daughter by Barbara Mullen
15. He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope
16. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
17. Body Droppers by M.J. Ellison
18. Thirty Miles to Rosebud by Barbara Henning
19. The Bright Side of Ugly by Ida Nord
20. Knights of the Black and White by Jack Whyte
21. Standard of Honor by Jack Whyte
22. A House Full of Whispers by Sharon Wallace
23. Mine Towns by Allison Hoaglund

Jonathan has read:
1. Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler
2. Medusa by Clive Cussler
3. Universe in a Nutshell by Stephen Hawking
4. Templar Legacy by Steve Berry
5. Charlamagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
6. Third Secret by Steve Berry
7. Amber Room by Steve Berry
8. Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
9. Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
10. The Wrecker by Clive Cussler
11. Song of Ice and Fire: Books 1-4 by George R.R. Martin
12. The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
13. The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Dave has read:
1. Winter of the Wolf Moon by Steve Hamilton
2. Michigan Haunts & Hauntings by Marion Kuclo
3. Sphere by Michael Crichton
4. Black Coffee by Agatha Christie
5. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

SUGGESTED READS BELOW:

Kristy suggested reads:
1. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
2. Ghost Hunting by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson
3. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
4. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
5. Inevitable Sentences by Tekla Dennison

Jaime’s suggested reads:
1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
2. White Oleander by Janet Fitch
3. Look At Me by Jennifer Egan
4. Paint it Black by Janet Fitch
5. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Dr. Beck’s Suggested Reads:
1. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
2. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
3. The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
4. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
5. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Jessica’s Suggested Reads:
1. A Thousand Splendid Sons by Khaled Hosseini
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Tyler’s Suggested Reads:
1. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
2. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
3. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
4. A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh
5. The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

Jonathan’s Suggested Reads:
1. A Pirate Looks At Fifty by Jimmy Buffett

An Indian pancake. Not sweet, but savory. A trip for your taste buds, for sure. They are considered breakfast in India, but I like them more as a lunch dish. Apparently besan (or gram, chickpea flour) is a common ingredient in Indian recipes. It also is gluten-free, which is joyous. You can serve this recipe with a chutney or ketchup, but I didn’t think it needed anything.

Pudla

• 2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• 1 pinch of cayenne powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-inch piece of ginger, minced
• 1/3 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 T cilantro, chopped
• Safflower oil (or other high-heat oil) for frying

Toss ginger, vegetables and cilantro in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, combine besan, salt, turmeric, cayenne and cumin. Stir water into the mixture until there are no lumps, much like pancake batter. Fold in the vegetables.

Heat some safflower oil in a skillet over medium-high. Ladle some batter into the pan and cook until edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side briefly. Serve warm from the pan. The nice thing is the batter keeps in the fridge for a few days, so you can make a few at a time if you desire.

Yield: about 25 pieces

Just like pancakes, it takes a few to get it right. Make sure to use high-heat oil and keep the pan coated, or else sticking, smoking or burning will occur.

I didn’t make the chutney recipe that I learned with this recipe today, but I had it and it is fantastic, especially if you like the flavor of cilantro. Smearing this green goodness on the pudla was heaven. This also can be served with rice or as a dip, as well as with chapatis (flat bread).

Fresh Cilantro-Peanut Chutney

• 2 cups coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
• 3 to 5 green cayenne chiles or serrano, seeded
• 2 T boiled, skinned, peanuts or unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Place cilantro, chiles and peanuts in the food processor. Add the sugar and cumin, and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Best served within a few hours.

Yield: 1 cup

Quinoa is an interesting animal. I was first introduced to it in a cooking class, and I’m sold. Not only is it a complete protein, good for you and yummy, but it is gluten-free for those of you who have allergies like I do. When using it, think of it as a rice component. It is cooked similarly (2 parts water to 1 part quinoa), and has an absorbing texture that complements a lot of flavors and textures.

This recipe is a vegan one, but I didn’t notice because it’s fantastic. You can, of course, substitute any of the “weird” vegan ingredients with their non-healthy substitutes, but that’s on your conscience

I make a batch of this every Sunday and have a little for breakfast each morning during the week. It’s quick and easy for those of you like me who are bad about eating breakfast. Each morning, I just heat some up and throw in a little more almond milk to wake it up.

Maple Nut Quinoa Surprise

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 T nut butter (looks like peanut butter, but is good for you and tastes better)
• Real maple syrup to taste (You can use blue agave if you can’t find locally-made syrup)
• 1/2 cup almonds or other nuts
• 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit
• 1/2 cup almond milk

Rinse quinoa in a small strainer to remove the bitter aftertaste. Combine water and quinoa in a pan and cook on medium heat until the water is absorbed and small rings begin to leave the grain. Remove from heat and melt in nut butter. Add spices and syrup, mix thoroughly. Add raisins and almond milk.

With the raisins and almonds, this tastes a lot like cinnamon-raisin oatmeal, with a similar texture. You can find your own favorite way by playing with the fruit mixture.

Yield: 5 to 6 servings (this is very filling)

Enjoy!

So I took a six-week cooking class, and one session was on Indian food. I got some great ideas for different sorts of ingredients to work with, which is always my favorite part—learning about new and foreign spices and other types of add-ons.

The meal I made tonight was a curried rice dish. Very flavorful, but not spicy (with heat), the way some people think of Indian food. Here’s the original recipe, from the Marquette Food Co-op:

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2-3 tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp red pepper
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. cardamom
• 3 tsp. salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• basmati rice (cooked and drained)

In a wok-type pan, fry onions and garlic in oil until tender, then add spices and cinnamon sticks. A little water may be added if it’s too dry. Continue to fry, 2-3 mintues. Add chopped tomatoes and fry a few more minutes. Add chick peas, lentils and a cup or two of water. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, add frozen peas and simmer. Sprinkle fresh cilantro on top for garnish. Serve over basmati rice.

I made the above recipe without chick peas, regular peas or tomatoes, and it was awesome. I’ve also had it with those ingredients. Either way, the flavor and smell of the spices are the king of the court, so I don’t think the extras matter.

I also made Chapatis, in the Indian tradition, to scoop the rice (Indian tradition almost always dictates using the right hand, very rarely utensils). I find it very sensual to use the flatbread and fingers to eat—a total different experience than metal to mouth.

(You can use a cup of uncooked basmati rice, which gives you about three cups cooked. Boil the rice and two cups of water. It helps to wash the rice first to get the extra starch off of it. Once at a boil, turn it down to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes or until desired firmness)

I’ve made Chapatis before, for a sweet Good Karma Shawarma recipe, and loved it there too. I can see this extremely simple recipe coming into use for many things:

• 1 cups whole wheat or atta flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup warm water

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the water. Mix with your hand or a spoon. Turn out onto a lightly-floured surface and kneed for 8 to 10 minutes. Cover the dough and let it stand for at least half and hour, or up to 12 hours.
Divide the dough into eight pieces. Roll each into a ball, place some flour on your work surface, and flatten each ball, pressing both sides into the flour in turn.

To shape the bread, work one piece at a time, leaving the others lightly covered. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin, without turning it over, rolling from the center outward with light strokes and rotating the bread slightly between, until it is 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Set aside and repeat with the rest. Do not stack rolled-out bread.

Heat a skillet over medium-high, then rub the surface with a well-oiled cotton cloth or paper towel. Place a chapatti top-side down on the griddle and let it cook for only 10 to 15 seconds before flipping. Cook until small bubbles form, about one minute. Turn the chapatti back over to finish cooking, about another minute. At this point, it will start to balloon. You may gently press on the bread to force the bubble to widen.

For the chapatis, I used whole wheat flour and didn’t let the dough stand much at all, and it still was yummy. I also didn’t use any oil in the pan, and there wasn’t a problem.

Yield: 4 servings

Enjoy!

I am an olive oil junkie. Yes, that’s with an “i-e” … kind of how real drama is with an “h”. I tried cooking with olive oil about three years ago, and I haven’t gone back. I love the flavor of real olive oil, tuscan olive oil, garlic olive oil…anything from the Olive Cellar.

Anywho, I found some fantastic tortilla chips that truly satisfly when you just crave junk food, but don’t want to cave to the Frito-Lay variety. Check out Olive flavored tortilla chips from the “Food Should Taste Good” brand. The flavor to these chips is fascinating and addicting. In addition, the good news is they are Gluten FREE, cholesterol free and not genetically modified. There is no “soy” on the ingredient list. They still are prepackaged and contain a good amount of sodium, but it could be worse.

Just consider them health food for your weakest moment.

Apparently, there are other flavors (Jalapeno, The Works, Chocolate, Buffalo, Sweet Potato, Multigrain). Haven’t tried any of them…yet. I’d be interested if anyone has tested any of them—I’m sure nothing compares to OLIVE!