Art Stuff

My family is the artistic sort.  My husband paints (really well), sings in the church band, writes lyrics, and is crafty.  My son is a modern dancer and sings with a nationally renown chorus.  Me, I am the quiet man.  My singing is relegated to the house, but it ain't bad.  I can't draw stick figures, but I  have an eye for photography and my dancing is more club style but it is joyful.  Even our foster son is into the arts.  He does flips that land light as a feather and raucously joins our family sing a longs in the car.  That said, there is a lot of paint, music, dancing and laughing in my home.  My son and husband are the most famous.  Zach sang for his chorus at the 9/11 Memorial Ceremonies last year. Frank has sold a number of paintings this past year and he is currently working on a series called Women of the Bible.

These are his most recent commissions.  The one on the bottom was huge!  At 24" x 48", it was the largest painting he has done. 

Here is a clip of my progeny at the 9/11 concert with his choir.

 I am so proud of both their accomplishments.  Perhaps I'll get to be thanked from a podium someday. 

Happy New Year!

It's 2014!  Can you believe it?  Consider what the world must have been like in 1914.   My grandmother (God rest her soul) was 1 year old that New Years day.  Her and my great grandparents lived in a two bedroom, tin roof house, in a little town, on the shores of North Carolina.  I too lived in that house when I was little.  It was only for a few years, but I have memories of ice cream made of snow, our enormous garden, and the yearly slaughter of a pig my grandmother shared with a neighbor.  It was the same life my grandmother grew up with and it left an indelible mark on me.  I have always said those years gave me my Southern sense of hospitality.  Which brings me to my recipe of the week!  It's a macaroni and cheese I came up with for my lactose sensitive son.  He can't tolerate anything derived from cow's milk, so over the years we have come to love goat's and sheep cheese. Here's a pic of the results.

Now that is what I am talkin' about!  Yum.  Totally easy and totally yummy

Zach's Mac

1 cup crumbled sheep cheese 

1 cup crumbled goat cheese feta

1 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk (It's the only thing that gives it a creaminess like a traditional Mac.)

5 eggs

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp dry basil

2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt, the cheese is salted enough)

2 tsp flour

Elbow Macaroni

Cook macaroni, as directed, until al dente (that's Italian for almost done).  While macaroni is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Drain and cool pasta under cold water.  Add to the wet ingredients.  Pour into 9" x 13" casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees until the casserole is firm and the top is brown.

Dig in.   

(We use this Bulgarian brand of sheep cheese we found in a Middle Eastern Store.  If you can't find it local, try online)