Easter Eggs, Deviled

I decided to decorate Easter eggs for the first time in years. That would explain why in never occurred to me our usual eggs, being brown, wouldn't work...

Enter plan B: make deviled eggs and dye the whites directly. 

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Use actual food coloring. I wouldn't recommend using the typical egg dying tablets. That dye isn't meant to be directly eaten, although it is food safe or you couldn't use it on the eggs at all). 

Step 1: get yo' self some hard-boiled eggs, shelled. Many ways to do this. I use an egg cooker.

Step 2: dye yo' eggs. I left them in about 10 minutes. I used a decent squirt of neon food coloring in each bowl. 

Step 3: drain yo' eggs. And admire the colors (ooh... aahhh...)

Step 4: place yo' eggs in a pretty platter. 

Step 5: fill yo' eggs with deviled goodness, and eat! 

They go particularly well next to a lamby cake with strawberry roses. So much color, and no leftover hardboiled eggs! I really like this whole idea. So much so I plan to try it out green and gold for some football game parties later this year. (GO PACK!!)


This content previously published in On the Table, April 2016.

The Twelve Days of Yule: Happy New Year!!!

Thank you 2014 - Hello 2015!!

My twelve days of merry yuletide giving have passed for this year. I really enjoyed finding ways to express our "attitude of gratitude." It's a solid reminder to be grateful for the ease of our lives, and that we have enough to share so we all make it through the cold.   

To recap: 
Day 1: Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
Day 2: Peace Action Wisconsin
Day 3: Doctors Without Borders
Day 4: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Day 5: Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans
Day 6: The Livestock Conservancy
Day 7: Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Day 8: Kiva
Day 9: COA Youth & Family Centers
Day 10: Milwaukee Achiever Adult Literacy Services
Day 11: Adaptive Adventures
Day 12: Interfaith Older Adult Programs

Something else I learned to be grateful for: the shear breadth of efforts of people doing things to help others. I know I don't have the resources to help every person, every cause, every day, all the time. Like many people, I choose to focus on something meaningful to me. But: I can in turn support others and their passions, even in very small ways (because those add up, am I right?). And collectively, we get it done.

I found a number of groups I wanted to feature but ran out of days. I may wait until next Yule, or find other festivals through the year to celebrate with some giving. 

Historic Milwaukee: Since 1974, promoting interest and preservation of Milwaukee's architectural heritage. They have great walking tours! International Institute of Wisconsin: Immigrant resettlement and assistance, since 1936
Next Door Foundation: Early childhood education, since 1969
Project SNOWstorm: Tracking the southern irruption of Snowy owl migration.
VolunteerMatch.org: When you want to help, but don't know where to start.


If you followed along, or maybe even chose to do some gratitude attitude giving of your own, I hope you found joy in the experience. 

I wish for you and yours every happiness - may your 2015 be blessed!!

Image from The Graphics Fairy

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 12, January 1, 2015

Twelve Bells Ringing

Interfaith Older Adult Programs
http://interfaithmilw.org/

Like many people, I have parents reaching a time in their life when they need more help with day to day things. I count our family as lucky as my parents have the resources to live in a place where they can get help immediately when they need it. There are also three of us children, and spouses, and families, and we all pitch in when needed. And for that I'm truly grateful. 

There are a lot of folks not so lucky. Too many elder folk without family or family close by, or without other resources. Interfaith does an amazing job of connecting elder folk who need help and the people who help them. They provide meals free, or $2.50 if you like, with no income restrictions - the idea is to bring people together to form friendships. Volunteers also help with regular telephone safety calls, transportation, or doing minor chores around the house. Funds cover meals, volunteer training, and other overhead. How does this fit with twelve bells ringing, you ask: I think it does because the relationships we have caring for each other is part of the whole point of having festivals and feasty celebrations. 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: listed but not rated

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 10, December 30

Ten Pipers Piping

Milwaukee Achiever Adult Literacy Services
http://www.milwaukeeachiever.org/

The old story of the Pied Piper speaks of leading children by way of music (okay, okay, so it was because the townfolk jilted him out of his payment. I'm going to overlook that). There's something about leading children that says to me education. And nothing more important in education that literacy - it is nearly impossible to learn anything else without first learning to read.  

Not everyone learns to read when a child. It's a hard life as an illiterate adult. My father spent decades working with an adult literacy group, teaching other adults to read. I've always admired him for it, but it was only after I became an adult that I recognized how great the need is to help folks read. 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: listed but not rated

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 9, December 29

Nine Drummers Drumming

COA Youth & Family Centers
http://coa-yfc.org/wp/

With all this drumming, I wanted to find an initiative in support of music. Howwww-ever: that was easier said than done (seriously). One organization that counts music programming as one among many is the COA Youth & Family Centers. They have outreach programs for Milwaukee youth, their families, and their communities, ranging from early childhood development, youth leadership, to a neighborhood medical clinic. And music. 

COA Youth & Family Centers has been providing outreach to families in poverty since 1906, a fact that both impresses me by its history, and depresses me that we are still working to bring people out of poverty. But work at it we must, one generation at a time. As Craig Ferguson would say, "keep banging on your drum."

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: four (of four) star rating

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 8, December 28

Eight Maids Milking

Kiva
kiva.org

Image from Animals Town

Given that what they want is cows... 

If you're not aware of the microfinance movement, now's your chance. Kiva is a cornerstone microlending organization, on a "mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty." Kiva coordinates small loans (as little as $25) directly between you and a borrower who would otherwise not receive the funds they need to move toward a new life. So, you could be helping someone buy cows. Or fabric and thread for a tailoring business. Or supplies for indoor plumbing. You get to choose.

What's really impressive is that 100% of the money lent by individuals through Kiva goes directly to the microloans; they take no cut of these funds for overhead. They fundraise separately for that; donations during the current drive (until December 31) will cover the overhead of Kiva staff so they can keep helping people help others. 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: four (of four) star rating

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 7, December 27

Seven Swans Swimming

Milwaukee RiverKeeper
http://www.mkeriverkeeper.org/

Okay, so I'm going to warn you upfront, this one takes some explaining. I wanted to do something beyond birds, so swans were out, even though there has been some really great success with Trumpeter Swan recovery. Swimming was tough: I couldn't find any initiatives to donate to (granted, if I had a few thousand rather than a few dollars to donate, I might get someone's attention). 

After some creative searching (I am a researcher by trade after all, and painfully curious by nature...), I found SWAN, the Senior Water Advocacy Network, a program associated with Milwaukee Riverkeeper. The group involves folks aged 50+ in efforts for water conservation and specifically offers training to those who want to become advocates for Wisconsin waterways. Sort of like a water-lorax (check with your Seuss). 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: not rated
Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 6, December 26

Six Geese A'Laying

The Livestock Conservancy
http://www.livestockconservancy.org

One of the most profound food movements has been the recent growth of interest in locally sourced, small farm produced goods. We're rediscovering that it really does taste better fresh and not heavily processed. When you get to the farmer's market, and and a farmer is selling "heritage" pork, or duck, or goose, where did they get their old-timey livestock?

The Livestock Conservancy has been saving rare breeds since 1977. They coordinate efforts between folks breeding rare stock as well as provide information and education for folks wanting more info about heritage breeds. Rather like that farmer you just bought this week's dinner from. 

Click here to donate.

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 5, December 25

Five Gold Rings

Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans

Image from postitartist

a.k.a. NEADS
(a.k.a. National Education for Assistance Dog Services)
http://www.neads.org/


I've heard both the five "gold" and five "golden" rings version. I like the gold version better even though that's harder to sing. All those golden rings I got from the gumball machine as a kid turned my fingers green... 

This one is another stretch, sort of. I'm thinking of the rings figuratively, and more literally as collars (see where I'm going with this...?). Service animals*, and dogs in particular, are the difference between existing and living for people challenged by disability. Best friend as helper is hard to improve upon. 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: four (of four) star rating


*Please be aware that there is a vast difference between true service animals and "emotional support" animals. There's a lot of misinformation about what emotional support animals can and can't do (pigs still don't fly). 


Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 4, December 24

Four Colly Birds

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
http://www.sanc.org/

Yes, you read that right: colly birds. Yes, we all grew up singing about "calling" birds, but that's wrong. The original lyric is colly, which is an old English way of saying black. So: we've got four black birds. 

And what's the first name you think of when you think of birds? Audubon. The National Audubon Society has a fantastic bird identification guide online, and a long history of conservation efforts. Their initiatives reach out here in Milwaukee through the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center (yes, there is a beer history). It's a beautiful place to take a hike, and of course they provide all sorts of educational programming. Particularly important for urban kids, so they can see a forest in person, or a pond that's not just a puddle, let alone the beaches of Lake Michigan (it's shocking how many kids in Milwaukee have never seen the lake). The SANC is an "independent, locally supported partner" of the national organization. Right up my alley. 

Click here to donate.

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 3, December 23

Three French Hens

Doctors Without Borders
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
a.k.a. Médecins Sans Frontières

How do you get from point A (french 

See note*

hens), to point B (today's group)? Doctors without Borders was founded in France in 1971. In many ways they have picked up where the Red Cross left off, serving medical and humanitarian issues on a global scale.

Can I really say enough about the need for medical care in developing or politically volatile regions? Recently, the global ebola virus crisis has made good press (Time's People of 2014, rightfully so). And yet the need goes beyond this drama to the many day-to-day needs of a typical community. 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: four (of four) star rating

*Note about the hen image: I cannot tell you how many images of "french hens" showed them with cigarettes. Slap a beret on its head, stick a cigarette in its beak - it's French, right?! True to stereotype (although that's changing), I couldn't bring myself to show smoking chickens and a health organization... 

Whaaaaaaat?!

Image from notgoinggracefully

Also: Happy Festivus, for the rest of us!  Random fact: Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle was declared Governor Festivus in 2005, and had his very own Festivus pole at the mansion in Madison. Doyle's Festivus pole is now in the Wisconsin Historical Society Collection. Who knew?!

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 2, December 22

Two Turtledoves

Image from realscience.org.uk

Peace Action Wisconsin
http://www.peaceactionwi.org/

Doves are widely recognized as a symbol of peace. The fact that there are two doves in this verse says to me we should be bringing peace to each other and those around us. 

Like many groups, Peace Action Wisconsin is the local affiliate of a national organization. I find it more empowering to donate locally, where the impact on the community I live in is more direct.

Click here to donate. 

Charity Navigator: not rated
National Affiliate


Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 1, December 21

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Image from imgkid.com

Feeding America of Eastern Wisconsin
http://www.feedingamericawi.org/


This one is all about food. Both partridges and pears are edible - what could be more abundant than having both! Food is such a basic need, and food insecurity affects millions in the US alone. Contrary to popular belief, folks in rural areas are twice more likely to go hungry than folks in cities. I will leave it up to you to find the exact numbers of people without enough to eat. The fact remains there are too many.

The double benefit of groups like Feeding America is the amount of food waste they prevent. By recovering perfectly consumable goods along the manufacturing and retail supply chain, we lessen our waste burden in addition to feeding folks. 
Win win!

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: four star rating (out of four)
There is also a national affiliate, and probably one for your area. 


Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving

There are so many traditions associated with the dark of winter. Some are ancient, some more recent, some stand-alone, some co-opt earlier ideas. For me, any celebration with family and friends that expresses an attitude of gratitude is a wonderful thing. As for these late-December fests, I hope we can agree that they all celebrate the idea that we have reached the darkest the season has to offer, and light is on its way back.

We call end-of-December celebrations "mid-winter," but really winter doesn't begin until December 21. Mid-winter actually falls on around February 2, Groundhog Day (half-way between the first day of winter and the first day of spring). Also shifted in the calendar and in common culture are traditions like the German/Scandinavian festival of Yule. This 12 day tradition originally began on December 21 and ended on January 1, making for 12 days of good times to mark the fact that we've made it past the darkest point in the year. Ancient folk could take a look at the foodstores and calculate survival until spring, and then splurge a little on some feasts (because we're good planners and put up more than we needed, right?). This is also a time when you gave to those who wouldn't have enough to make it, because taking care of each other is what we do (or should do, anyway).

In our home, we've been seeking to add some seasonal traditions to our days. I like the idea of celebrations that mark both the cycle of the year as well as give us some specific times to celebrate with gratitude. Many festival dates seem so arbitrary to me, but things like astronomical events just are. So this year, we're experimenting with marking the twelve day Yule celebration. And the best way I can think of to express gratitude is to give stuff away. Stuff stuff, or dollars that can be stuff. We're already swamped time-wise, so for us this year, I'm thinking small monetary donations; there's no reason to destroy the budget over this. Take the maximum you can afford, and divide by 12. Even Wikipedia recognizes that if we all gave a couple bucks, there would be more than enough. 

Since celebrations are more fun with a theme, our twelve days of giving will be based on the song The 12 Days of Christmas. Now, before you start schooling me on the hidden Christian meanings in the song, please do your own research in discovering that's simply not the case. It's a sweet idea, but it was imposed on the lyrics late in the 19th century, well after the earliest print version of the song in 1780 (which is some time later than its actual origin). It is true that the 12 days in the song are meant to fall between December 25 and January 5, but the idea of '12 days' of celebration over the dark days of winter is much, much older. 

For each of the 12 days, we're going to pick an organization, charity, group, cause that is based (even loosely, sometimes very loosely) on the verse theme of the day. For a reminder, and because there are some differences in the later verses, here are the twelve we will be using: 
Day 1: partridge in a pear tree
Day 2: turtledoves
Day 3: French hens
Day 4: colly birds
Day 5: gold rings
Day 6: geese laying eggs
Day 7: swans swimming
Day 8: maids milking
Day 9: drummers drumming
Day 10: pipers piping
Day 11: ladies dancing and lords leaping
Day 12: bells ringing

I tried to be creative in choosing the donees. It was important to me to keep it local if possible, and to think beyond the usual corral of organizations. Our donor dollars are often aimed at museums, but there are nature groups, arts groups, and educational initiatives. There are so many groups out there doing really amazing things. I used Charity Navigator both to get some ideas of where to donate and to check the charitable "health" of a group. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this whole shpiel, and if you follow along, or do a bit of your own yuletide giving, I'd love to hear about that too.

Image by justalittleknotty at DeviantArt

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

December 5 is National Comfort Food Day

I kid you not - Friday December 5th has been designated Comfort Food Day. 

I think comfort food means different things to different people, but in general it seems to mean something warm and filling. I'm sure there are people out there that find salads a comfort food, but they are vastly outnumbered by the soup-chili-mac n' cheese-casserole crowd. The idea itself is as old as the human need for comfort, but the phrase was only added to the dictionary in 1977.

My ultimate comfort food is a grilled cheese sammich and tomato soup. As a kid, that meant plastic-wrapped squares of Kraft cheese and white bread toasted in a pan with butter and pressed down until the cheese bonded with the bread, and Campbell's condensed tomato. In college they served grilled cheese & tomato soup every few Fridays; they also had Carmelita Bars. Sort of like an oatmeal, chocolate chip caramel cookie bar, and I was addicted to them. I've never found a recipe to replicate them. Maybe that's not a bad thing, aging and metabolism being what it is. This recipe is pretty close.

Pillsbury Carmelita Bars

There are so many ideals when it comes to comfort foods - everyone has their favorite. In case you are looking to change up your comfort food, here are some tasty options from around the web:

• Jamie Oliver's Insanity Burger over at Serious Eats
• Macaroni and Cheese Seven Ways over at the Food Network
• Baked Ziti over at Simply Recipes (a whole bunch more here)
• Southern Living lists 101 Favorite Comfort Foods - that's enough to me comforted twice a week!

• The Thrillest can tell you the comfort food for every state!

What's your favorite comfort food? Do tell!!

Magnet Monday: No Whine for You

Cheesy Refrigerator Magnet for Monday, November 24, 2014
"Little Italy New York", wood wine shelf, plastic wine bottles, circa 2001

Thanksgiving is this week Thursday, and for many of us a big dinner also means wine. Depending on the gathering, perhaps lots of wine. Or lots of whine. I prefer the former. 

Purchased in the Little Italy neighborhood of NYC on one of many trips there to visit family. One of my favorite magnets for its sheer realisticness (is that a word?), it's also an enormous pain to keep clean. Then again, you could argue that dust adds to the realism. What wine cellar doesn't gather a little dust - am I right?

If you're observant, you'll notice that all the wine labels are French. Shhh - don't tell the Italians!



Magnet Monday features a selection from our semi-vast and ever growing collection of cheesy refrigerator magnets. Without doubt the perfect souvenir. Only slightly less cheesy than collecting snow globes but maybe a lot easier to smuggle in your bra. If need be. Which I hope it never is. Unless it's really worth it.

Magnet Monday: In Honor of Labor Day - Philadelphia

Cheesy Refrigerator Magnet for Monday, September 1, 2014
"Philadelphia", Liberty bell, patriot soldiers, Betsy Ross, circa 2010

Easter Carrots

This Easter holiday was the first family gathering since I've had to go gluten-free with my diet. geekMan has been such a good sport through the saga of elimination diet diagnosis, but it was a new concept for the rest. We are an incredibly supportive bunch, and so many questions were asked about what I could eat. Pretty much everything at table, and I could avoid the dinner rolls and various breads (I miss my Aunt's date nut bread with dried apricots - yum!).

But then there's dessert. Apple pie. Sounds lovely, but not for me. And not wanting to make everyone else give up a favorite, I offered to bring another dessert. Something I could eat. Something they might want to.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
I adapted the following recipe from Ellie Krieger's, and tweaked the technique à la Ina Garten. Most of the adaptation was converting wheat flours by volume to GF flour by weight (the only way to bake - just ask Shauna at Gluten-free Girl and the Chef). The final result was unbelievably good. Moist, rich. A good semi-sticky crumb, perfect for a carrot cake. I also like that the cupcake to frosting proportions match: exactly 12, and exactly enough. 
 
Ingredients - Cupcakes
2 large eggs
165g (~5.8oz) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
154g (~5.4oz) Gluten-free flour mix*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (or so) finely shredded peeled carrots (I used 4, but I really need to list this in weight)

Ingredients - Frosting
4oz cream cheese, softened (half a standard package)
85g (3oz) confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 °F (325 °F convection). Place 12 paper liners in muffin cups (I used "Texas-sized" liners so they were tall enough to contain the frosting).

Combine eggs and sugar in bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix well. Add oil, applesauce and vanilla. Mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, measure flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl; whisk to combine. Add half dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mixer bowl. Combine carrots with remaining dry ingredients; stir to distribute the carrots. Add to mixer bowl, and stir to combine.

Distribute batter evenly among paper liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To frost, combine cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest, stirring well to combine. Divide evenly onto the 12 cupcakes.

Cupcakes sprinkled for the occasion.

*Gluten-free flour mixes can be purchased pre-blended, but they are just as easy (and far cheaper) to do on your own. I've been using the proportions of 7 parts flour to 3 parts starch suggested on Gluten-free Girl and the Chef with some success depending on the exact blend I make (she also explains vegetable gums, which I'm trying to avoid although it's not clear I'm sensitive to them; the thought of eating mold in my cupcakes is not appetizing). The blend I used for this recipe was comprised of brown rice flour, GF oat flour, sorghum flour, and tapioca and corn starches.