Last Post

This is my last Convivio post as I want to start just posting on my Recipe Blog. Food is pretty much what I ending up writing about anyway!
If you are interested here is my Recipe Blog: La Buona Cucina

North Jersey Visit

I just got back from a visit to North Jersey with my Mom and even though it was to visit a very ill Aunt it was nice to see my many cousins and enjoy the foods I can't get down here in SC. I brought back a large carry on filled with lots of goodies, it was so funny when they searched it at the airport. I was born in Bayonne, NJ in 1970 but my parents "migrated" to Charleston, South Carolina when I was only a few weeks old. When I was growing up we visited Bayonne and Jersey City every Christmas and I have lots of memories all of which contain lots of cousins and lots of delicious Italian American food! I was able to see many of my first, second, and even third cousins on this trip and we ate lots of "North Jersey" fare. Here is a list of some of my favorite North Jersey things!

The best bagels around (I brought back a dozen!)!
That adorable accent!"Hey cuz, long time no see!"
Pizza, New York style.
Sabrett Hot Dog.
Wonderful stories of my Mom when she was growing up.
Lots of cousins, it seemed there was one around every corner!
So many different ethnic groups and along with that so many different ethnic foods!
Hotel Bar Butter ( We brought back 8 pounds!) on a fresh hard roll.
That very distinctive North Jersey smell, I know I'm weird but that smell evokes wonderful memories of my childhood.
Good food literally around EVERY corner. Even the hospital food was awesome, and I'm not kidding.
Cool Diners that look and feel like you've stepped back in time.
Loud, vivacious people, I am actually considered to be a quite and somewhat timid person in NJ!
Location, it is just across the Hudson from NYC.

More Pics!

Pulaski Skyway

The apartment my parents lived in when I was born.

Vinnies III, only in North jersey!

My first cousin Darin and his daughter, my second cousin. He used to throw snow balls at me and my sisters!

Another cousin I didn't know I had!

As you can see there is a lot more to Jersey than just these five smoke stacks!

Light Burdens

Some wife, weary already, her hands over-full with the multiplied cares and duties of her household life, may plead that she has no strength to spend in sympathy and help for others. But it is truly wonderful how light these added burdens seem when they are taken up in love. Another of these legends of Elizabeth tells that once she was bearing her cloak full of loaves to the poor whom she daily fed. Her husband met her, and being amazed at the size of the load she bore, looked to see what it was, and found only flowers. The loaves were as light as they were fragrant to the noble woman who carried them for the love she bore her Lord. So always the duties we perform out of love for him and his suffering ones become easy and pleasant as we take them up. Heavenʼs benediction rests over on the home of her who lives to do good.
-J.R. Miller, Home-making, 1882

The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

A dear friend of mine gave me this little book a few years a go for my birthday and it has added so much richness to my morning devotions. I can read through it again and again and it never seems to get old and I am continually amazed at how much the Puritans and I have in common. Some say that the strengths of Puritan character lay in their practice of prayer and meditation and I believe that my own life has been enriched by this book. Here is an excerpt from one of the prayers that I find myself returning to often.

Reliance
My Father,
When though art angry towards me for my wrongs
I try to pacify thee by abstaining from future sin:
But teach me that I cannot satisfy thy law,
that this effort is a resting in my righteousness,
that only Christ's righteousness,
ready made, already purchased,
is fit for that purpose:

If you would like to add something new to your devotions I would highly recommend this book.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

John Adams Miniseries

"To me history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn't just part of our civic responsibility. To me it's an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is."

— David McCullough

We are watching this miniseries based on David McCullough's John Adams and are history ought to be a source of pleasureloving it!. It was one of the fastest-selling non-fiction books in history, and McCullough won his second Pultizer Prize, for "Best Biography or Autobiography." It is a wonderfully done, educational, and thoroughly entertaining movie. We have used some of McCullough's books for homeschooling and were so excited to find this miniseries in our Block Buster store. Here is a site with some more information on the movie: John Adams HBO Miniseries. If you are interested in reading some of David McCullough's here is a list: Alibris David McCullough's Book List.

John Adams Quotes
"I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen." December 25, 1813 letter to Thomas Jefferson
“We recognize no Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!”
[April 18, 1775, on the eve of the Revolutionary War after a British major ordered John Adams, John Hancock, and those with them to disperse in “the name of George the Sovereign King of England." ]
“Daughter! Get you an honest man for a husband, and keep him honest. No matter whether he is rich, provided he be independent. Regard the honor and moral character more than all other circumstances. Think of no other greatness but that of the soul, no other riches but those of the heart. An honest, sensible humane man, above all the littleness of vanity and extravagances of imagination, laboring to do good rather than be rich, to be useful rather than make a show, living in modest simplicity clearly within his means and free from debts and obligations, is really the most respectable man in society, makes himself and all about him most happy.” (John Adams, p. 289)

Shakespeare and Homeschooling

O momentary grace of mortal men,
Which we more hunt for than the grace of God!
Who builds his hopes in air of your good looks,
Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast,
Ready, with every nod, to tumble down
Into the fatal bowels of the deep.
Richard III, III, iv

Chris and I love Shakespeare and we really wanted our children to experience and appreciate it as well. Our goal early on was to incorporate Shakespeare in to our homeschooling in a very natural way that was not too "educational" so that they would grow up enjoying it themselves. When they were younger I used Charles and Mary Lambs Tales From Shakespeare which my sister purchased for me at an antique store but is now back in print! Our library even has an audio version on CD. I would read it aloud and they would "narrate" it back to me and then we would watch a cartoon version, Shakespeare: The Animated Tales, of that particular play, which our local library also carried. As our children got older we started listening to the plays unabridged on Cd, my favorite series is, The Arkangel Shakespeare Audio Books,which, again, our local library carries. We also try to watch a live performance of the play we are "reading" that year or we simply watch a DVD from home. Our goal is usually one play a year and we really try to sink our teeth into it. We don't usually try to analyze it too much but rather enjoy it. Right now we are "reading" King Richard III using the Arkangel Audio Book because our local Upstate Shakespeare Festival will be performing this particular play it in July. I was surprised at how "Christian" this play was, it is intact thought to be one of Shakespeare's most blatantly Christian plays of all.
King Lear is said to be the most profoundly Christian of Shakespeare's plays, but the Christian truth is wrapped in pagan clothing, hidden from those who cannot see the symbolism. By contrast, Richard III is quite blatantly Christian and the Elizabethan audience would have clearly understood its message. Ironically, Christians in our day are likely to miss something of the Christian perspective of this play because we do not understand prayer so deeply -- especially not imprecatory prayer, which provides the key for this entire play. Curses, eloquent, terrifying curses, are thundered to heaven, mostly by Queen Margaret, but by others, too. Imprecatory prayers abound and they determine the direction of the play and the history it portrays.
Christian Homeschool Resource
The quotes from Richard III are amongst Shakespeare's most famous including:

"Now is the winter of our discontent". (Act I, Scene I).

"A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!". (Act V, Scene IV).

"So wise so young, they say, do never live long". (Act III, Scene I).

"Off with his head!" (Act III, Scene IV)

And I just came across this one today, "Little pitchers have big ears" (Act II scene II)

Here are some examples of papers my children did in the early days of enjoying Shakespeare.

Father's Day Meal

We had a great father's day. It was a nice opportunity to take the time to honor Chris for all that he does for us. It was more like a Father's Weekend because we had our main Father's Day meal on Friday and then we had a special lunch and opened presents on Sunday. Oh well, he deserves it! Sunday at church we were honoring our pastor for 20 years of service and we were reminded to give God the glory and thank Him for all the years of service our pastor has given. That was also a good reminder for me with honoring my husband.
Philippians 2:13. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Here are some pics from his meal. I made Barbecue Pork Spare Ribs with 2 different sauces: Carolina Mustard and Killer Barbecue, Tater Tots, and Pickled Zucchini. Then we had Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert!

Happy Father's Day!

I want to honor my 3 favorite father's in the world; my husband Chris Minard, my father Andrea Casolaro, and my father in-law Dick Minard, who passed away in 2004 but is still very much alive in our hearts and memories.
This is my husband and his father, Dick Minard who were both in the Navy. My husband learned so much from his father's example of leadership and the way he sacrificially gave to his family. I am so thankful for my father in-law and I reap the benefits of his leadership and selflessness he taught his son!
This is my father, Andrea Casolaro with two of my sisters and me on Halloween 1971. He always seemed to do the fun stuff with us! My father was so much fun and I have many wonderful memories of him. He made life so exciting and has a gift of turning the mundane into an event like the way he used to chase us around the house with crabs just before boiling them up for dinner! I love him so much and hope we have many more years to make memories!

And last but definitely not least, my husband Chris Minard, the father of my children. Honoring you as a father could go on and on. But I’ve chosen to focus on one quality I deeply admire in you: your faithfulness to our family! I am so very thankful for the example you have given to our children and to me of God's faithfulness: 2 Timothy 2:13 if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself. I love you so much and hope you have a very blessed day!!

Spiritual Pride

After reading this all I can say is, "Guilty!" What a great reminder of how much in need I am for the cross and how thankful I am for my patient & loving Father!

"Proud people tend to speak of other's sins, the miserable delusion of hypocrites, the deadness of some saints with bitterness, or the opposition to holiness of many believers. Pure Christian humility, however, is silent about the sins of others, or speaks of them with grief and pity. The spiritually proud person finds fault with other saints for their lack of progress in grace, while the humble Christian sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He complains most of himself and his own spiritual coldness and readily hopes that most everybody has more love and thankfulness to God than he."

"One under the influence of spiritual pride is more apt to instruct others than to ask questions. Such a person naturally puts on the airs of a master. The eminently humble Christian thinks he needs help from everybody, whereas the spiritually proud person thinks everybody needs his help. Christian humility, under a sense of others’ misery, entreats and beseeches, but spiritual pride commands and warns with authority."

-Jonathan Edwards- Spiritual Pride

Lavender, Who's Spikes Of Azure Bloom!

"And lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom
shall be, ere-while, in arid bundles bound
to lurk admist the labours of her loom,
and crown her kerchiefs witl mickle rare perfume."
William Shenstone The School Mistress 1742

Aaaah! Lavender is one of my favorite scents so I am very excited that my plant is in full bloom and ready to be harvested. Here are the easy steps to harvesting lavender or any other herb flowers.
Harvesting Lavender
Step 1: Go out in the early morning hours to cut because this is the time of the day the flowers hold the most essential oils.
Step 2: Choose flowers that are in full bloom and snip with a pair of scissors near the bottom of the stems, this will allow easier drying and will not harm the plant.
Step 3: Bind several stems together with a rubber band and hang upside down in a dry, airy space to dry.
Step 4: Remove the lavender buds from the stems. This can be done by placing the rubber band-bound stems into a clean pillowcase. Roll it up and gently press and roll it like you would a rolling pin. Do this on a flat surface. Scoop the buds out of the pillowcase and sift through to remove any large debris.
Now they are ready to use!

Lavender Uses

Easy Lavender Oil
Fill a jar with lavender stems, leaves and flowers that have been lightly crushed. Pour almond or olive oil over top and allow to steep for about a month. Shake the jar daily and keep in a cool dark place such as a pantry or closet.
After about a month, the mixture needs to be strained through a strainer and the oil needs to be transferred to a clean jar with a lid.

Lavender Muffins

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender flower petals
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another. Add the wet to the dry, stirring only until the dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Fill greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups). Bake about 20 minutes, until golden. Makes 1 dozen. Recipe from here: Susan Wittig Albert

Lavender Honey
8oz Honey (clover or any other light tasting honey)
4 tablespoons of Dried Lavender buds

Heat honey in double boiler till fully heated
add lavender and stir, pour into a jar with a lid.
Place out in the sun for 3 hours.
Bring the honey inside and allow to partially cool.
Strain out lavender. This makes a nice gift in a basket with some homemade lavender muffins!

Lavender Tea
1 1/2 teaspoons dried flowers
8oz. water
Place the flowers in a cup and pour the boiling hot water over top. Allow to steep for 5 minutes and then remove the flowers. You can add some lavender honey or sugar.
This tea is good for stress headaches. You can make lavender tea bags by removing tea from an already existing tea bag and replacing it with the lavender, add a a cute homemade tab, and staple shut. This makes a nice gift along with a cute antique tea cup and a poem about lavender!

Lavender Bag
Place dried flowers in a cloth bag and sew shut. Martha Stewart tip: Add a Lavender Bag to your dryer when drying your linen and sheets. Can be used at least 25 times! Place the bag under your pillow for rest and relaxation. Hang in a closet or place in a drawer for a natural deodorizer.

Lavender Pot Potpourri
1 cup Lavender flowers
Now add a tablespoon or 2 of your other favorite flowers and or leaves from your herb or flower garden such as mint, rosemary, thyme, and rose petals.
Mix the flowers and leaves together. Place in a bowl or sachet to scent a room. A drop or 2 of lavender essential oil adds more scent and may be re applied as needed.

Bedside Lavender
I like to place the dry flower petals in a tiny bowl by my bedside, lavender helps promote restfulness.

Lavender In Cooking
I like to use the flowers fresh or dried to decorate a cake.
Crush the dried flowers and use like a spice in sweet or savory dishes.

Lavender Tub Tea
Get an existing tea bag and carefully open it at the top and remove the tea. Fill with some dried lavender flowers and add cute little tab of your own. Staple shut. You hang this from your shower or tub faucet and the steam will cause the aroma to fill your tub or shower with the wonderful aroma of lavender! It's like a spa treatment in your own home. These make a nice gift in a basket filled with other "spa" items!
If you liked this information on lavender I got some of my information from page: Elaine's Lavender Page,there are many more recipes and ideas on there!