Kathy’s recipe is about as simple as it gets, but it is sooooo good!

Use chickens cut in pieces. Dip in flour mixed with salt and pepper and brown lightly.  Put in layers in a large pot or casserole and in between chicken layers, put cut up onions and celery.  I use lots of celery and onions because I like it.

If it’s in a pot, put over flame for about 2 hours.  If in a casserole, put in oven (I usually use 325 oven) for the same number of hours.

You can season more if you like, as with paprika or even garlic.

Image: public domain

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Maria is wild about lasagna and is willing to bet that you will be too, if you aren’t already! Just listen to some of these dishes:

• Sicilian chicken sauce lasagna
• Arugula and prosciutto lasagna
• Asparagus and goat cheese lasagna
• Tortellini lasagna Bolognese

Maria has traveled all over the world to collect the inspiration for this book. Most of the recipes feature the traditional broad noodles that we think of with lasagna, but some of her varieties use crepes, phyllo, tortillas, and even sliced polenta.

There’s much to drool over in this wonderful new cookbook! I made the “Lazy Carbonara Penne for a Crowd” (shown above) and it was very very well received. Below is the “Artichoke and Spinach Lasagna” which was also very popular :-)

Images: book - MacMillan, pasta dishes - Cyndi Lavin

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Hearty Vegan Black Bean Soup
Just 10 minutes of prep in the kitchen, then you can head to work while the soup cooks without you! Make a double batch so you have leftovers to freeze.

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup cooked ham or smoked turkey, optional
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 16-ounce package dried black beans, picked through for stones and rinsed well

5 cups water
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and ground black pepper

Garnishes
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is warm (about 30 seconds later), add onion, pepper and optional ham or turkey. Cook until the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.

Add garlic and cumin. Stir 1 minute.

Transfer mixture to 6-quart slow cooker. Add beans and water. Cover and cook on low until beans are very tender, about 6 hours.

Working in batches, transfer half of the bean mixture to blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return puree to remaining soup in slow cooker and whisk to blend. Stir in lime juice to taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. If desired, spoon a teaspoon of yogurt into each bowl, sprinkle with tomatoes and cilantro and serve.

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Share Something Sweet is a partnership between chocolate company Ferrero and Share Our Strength, a leading hunger-relief organization. This partnership is in its second year, and this year Ferrero has donated $150,000 to Share Our Strength and is giving others a chance to add to that donation. Right now, if you log on to Share Something Sweet and use it to “send something sweet” (that is, a customizable e-card), Ferrero will donate another $1 per e-card sent, up to $10,000. And for every person that joins the Ferrero Facebook page, “Ferrero Lovers Unite,” Ferrero will donate another $1 to Share Our Strength (up to $1,000).

The Ferrero Company was established in 1946 in Alba, Italy. The company’s first and most popular product was made with hazelnuts and cocoa, resulting the formula for the #1 selling sweet spread in the world - Nutella. The company has grown to include the very popular Ferrero Rocher chocolates and many other fabulous sweets.

Share Our Strength is a national organization working to make sure no kid in American grows up hungry. It weaves together a net of community groups, activists, and food programs to catc hchildren at risk of hunger and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn, and play. Since its founding in 1984, they have raised over $200 million.

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Here’s a meal to serve a crowd! Jason Bond is the Executive Chef of Beacon Hill Bistro in Boston. This is a long slow-cooked meal to prepare, so make sure if you’re going to do it that you plan way ahead!

Yorkshire Pork Chili
20 servings

1 Pork Shoulder, about 10 pounds

2 Tbls home-rendered lard or vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 Tbls coarse sea salt

5 turns black pepper from a mill

10 poblano chilis, seeded and diced

2 moras chilis

2 mulato chilis

4 onions, diced

4 sprigs cilantro, or 4 clusters cilantro berries

4 sprigs parsley

2 quarts stock or water

Remove the skin from the pork shoulder. Render overnight in a 250 degree to make your lard. Cut all the meat into half-inch pieces, saving the foot to cook with the meat. Reserve all other bones for stock.

In a 12 quart heavy casserole, melt the fat and add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Toast just until you can smell the spices. Then add the chilis, onion, cilantro, and parsley. Cook, covered, very slowly until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the pork and cook for five minutes, stirring. Add the stock, the pig foot, and cover. Cook in the oven at 250 degrees, or very slowly on the stove top for 6 hours, or until the pork is tender. Adjust seasoning, and chill to allow the flavors to blend overnight.

To serve, remove fat layer while still cold. Bring to a bare simmer and slowly reduce to a consistency you like. Spoon over cornbread or tortillas, or serve as a sauce for chili rellenos.

Jason Bond

Images: Beacon Hill Hotel

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Jennifer at Tree Hugging Family wanted to get everyone into the winter holiday spirit before kicking off December. However, she didn’t just want to post classic Tree Hugging posts. That said, with a little help from the rest of the channel, she rounded up a huge list of killer holiday (and eco-friendly) posts. Thanks so much, Jennifer!

Sit back, browse, read, and linger in the holiday bliss!

Remember, no matter the treat or recipe, you can always green it up by exchanging organic and natural ingredients for conventional.

50 Cute and Tasty Christmas Cookie Ideas

Cherry Dot Cookies

Organic Holiday Cookies!

Hey It’s Sugar Cookie Day - worth it for the pretty snowy cookie image alone.

Bacon Nut Stuffing

Top 10 Turkey Tools

Pumpkin Cheesecake - one of my personal favorite treats.

What Else Is In Your Beer? AND Vegan Beer & Wine - I know beer and wine do not make a meal, but hey, they are treats, and if you have a drink, you may as well get the best.

Don’t forget to green up your holiday crafts by using recycled materials when possible.

Making Festive Ice Wreaths

yo-yo Christmas tree ornaments

Easy Christmas Crafts for the Kids

24 Things To Make - A Crafty Christmas Countdown

Beautiful Christmas Wreath Ideas You Can Create Yourself

Quick and Easy Christmas Wreath Idea - Snowflake Wreath

Homemade Recycled Holiday Luminaries

Embroidered Christmas craft how-tos

Christmas in July Crafts for Kids

Christmas sewing & crafting tips and tricks

Free holiday projects from around the bead-osphere!

Free Holiday Beading Projects

Favorite Christmas tree ornament tutorials, free patterns & ideas

50 Holiday Things You Can Make Yourself

Thrifty Christmas Crafting

Homemade Christmas Ornament Ideas: Pinecones

How to Make a Candy Christmas Wreath

Make Your Own Pop Up Christmas Card

Green up your homemade holiday gifts by using recycled materials and natural and organic ingredients when possible. You can apply this thinking to almost any homemade gift idea.

Homemade Eco Gifts You Can Make for the Holidays!

Fabric Covered Journal Tutorial

How To Make Your Own Bath Salts

A Gift You Can Make With Your Children~ Hot Chocolate Mix Jar

Make Your Own Solar Light!

DIY Eco Chic Soap

Make Your Own Oilcloth Bags

Cheap Christmas Spa Basket Gift - Heating Pads

When it comes to green holiday tips you can do a lot; be a smart consumer, save energy, reuse items, and way more.

Turn Cereal Boxes into Gift Boxes

Green Product Review: Green Christmas Book

Tips on Staying Healthy During the Holidays

Green Christmas Shopping - 3RLiving Exclusive Discount to Unplugged Living - 3R Living has the coolest green gear, and now, you can score it for less.

• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #1
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #2
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #3
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #4
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #5

How To Reduce Your Winter Heating Bill

Weatherization Assistance Programs

Easy ways to save money when gift shopping online (conserve gas, stay at home and shop).

The First Snowfall - A Day for Fun and Quilting Inspiration

Snow! Snow Everywhere!

25 Reasons To Get Outside During Winter

Christmas Tree Coat Stand

Eco-Friendly Christmas Trees

Decorating Your Holiday Table - with the goodness of soy

Christmas Lights

Decorating Your Coffee Table for Christmas

Great Kitty Stocking Stuffers - recycled tins, natural kitty treats!

15 Unique Christmas Gifts - many recycled!

Steal This Christmas Gift Please!

Kitten Christmas Pictures - you know me; NOT a pet fan. So if I’m posting kitten pictures, you can bet your hide they’re flippin’ adorable. Even I was moved.

Best Holiday Books, 2008 - kid friendly! Use the library or share with friends to be extra green with holiday books.

Christmas Party Game Idea - Family Tree

Green Holiday Gift Guide: Great Books for Kids

Holiday Lights Video

[Image via stock.xchng]

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Guest author: Chris Kobayashi- Executive Chef/Co-Owner- Artisan Restaurant
Website: Artisan

Tomatillo Soup w/ pork shoulder, cilantro and crème fraîche

3 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds pork shoulder
salt
—–
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
5 ea garlic cloves, chopped
½ Tbl fresh oregano, chopped
2 ea roasted fresh poblano chilies, stemmed and seeded
1 roasted fresh jalapeños, stemmed
5 ribs celery, rough chopped
2 Tbl cumin powder
1Tbl coriander powder
1 ¼ cups dry sherry
2 ea medium sized green tomatoes, roasted and chopped
2 ½ pounds fresh tomatillos, cleaned and roasted
6 ozs spinach, pureed *optional
14 oz bag restaurant style corn chips, low sodium
(2) 32 ozs cans chicken broth, low sodium
2 bu cilantro, very finely chopped
2 Tbl good quality sherry vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
Olive oil for roasting
Salt and pepper
Crème fraîche
Cilantro Leaves

Preheat Oven to 450 deg

Heat the olive oil in a 5 qt heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Season the shoulder with salt and place the pork shoulder fat side down in the pot and pour enough water over the the pork to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the pork uncovered until all the water has evaporated and the fat has rendered out and falls apart to the touch (similar to carnitas). Remove the pork, shred with a fork and reserve.

While the pork is cooking, toss the poblanos, jalapeños, green tomatoes and tomatillos in a large bowl and pour a scant ¼ cup of olive oil over the top. Toss to coat, place on a sheet pan and roast in preheated oven until the skins blister and blacken slightly being careful not to burn them. Turn maybe once or twice through the roasting process. Reserve.

Once the pork is removed from the pot there should be a nice amount of oil in the bottom. Gently sweat the onion, garlic, celery, oregano and prepared chilies until all the vegetables are soft. Add the cumin and coriander to combine. Add the dry sherry and reduce the liquid by half. Add the tomatillos, green tomatoes, chilies, chicken broth and corn chips. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes so the flavors may marry. Add the pureed spinach (this option gives the soup a deeper green color but doesn’t compromise the flavor if omitted) and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Remove the pot from the stove add the cilantro, lime juice, and vinegar. Puree with a stick blender until desired consistency. Adjust with the salt and pepper if desired.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, and place the shredded pork on top. Garnish with crème fraîche and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Yield= 3 quarts / serves 6

Chris Kobayashi

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I was offered the chance to try making jelly out of R.W. Knudsen’s black current juice, and of course I jumped at the chance. The Knudsen juices are 100% juice. No added sugar. No artificial sweeteners. Nothing extra. Nada, zip, zero! Therefore, when you drink them straight, a juice like this one will pucker your mouth so fast it’s funny! But my oh my, the jelly you can make from this juice.

Many of us don’t make jellies or jams ourselves because of the laborious process of picking, cleaning, and cutting the fruit, and then there’s the water-bath process. More time. Did you know that you can make freezer jellies and jams instead, and eliminate the water-bath? And if you start with pure fruit juice, you’ll save even more time.

R.W. Knudsen Family’s Just Juices work great – jelly-making in less than an hour. Just Juice Black Currant creates a tart fruit flavor - paired with clotted crème and a fresh scone it’s a holiday win. Here is the recipe provided by the Knudsen company, along with my variation:

Black Current Jelly

1 32 ounce bottle of R.W. Knudsen Family’s Just Black Currant (4 cups juice)
1 1.75 ounce no sugar needed pectin
2 ½ cups sugar

Pour juice into 6-quart pan.
Gradually stir in pectin.
Bring mixture to full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Stir in sugar and return to full rolling boil.
Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Skim as necessary.
Fill, seal, and water-bath process according to instructions included with pectin.

Yields 5-6 8 ounce jars.

Instead of doing the water-bath, I filled my freezer containers, refrigerated them for 24 hours, and then put all but one container into the freezer. The remaining container was obviously for right now! My freezer containers (shown above) might not be quite pretty enough to use as gifts, but there are jars available that are freezer safe if you’d like to use these for Holiday gift giving!

Images: R.W. Knudsen, Cyndi Lavin

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ABC’s of Soup

Traditionally, soups are ideal for large families because they can be easily stretched for drop-in guests by adding more broth or water. They also keep well and reheat nicely for latecomers. Mom always used her largest cooking pot for soups. It was such a treat to come home from school on a cold windy day to smell soup cooking on the stove. Soup also allows the cook to combine any leftover meat or vegetables into the latest batch of soup to create a wonderful variation on the original. Years later, cold winter days continue to evoke yearnings for hearty hot soup.

NAVY BEAN & HAM SOUP
8 Servings

A meal of bean soup & corn bread makes an easy, hearty dinner that our whole family enjoyed. Mom added Fennel Seed to the soup to help offset the “side effects” of the beans. It took me years of practice to finally create a soup that is fairly reminiscent of Mom’s version.

1 pound Navy Beans
1 Onion, diced
1 Cup Celery, sliced
1 meaty Ham Bone
8 oz. diced Ham
1 can diced Tomatoes
4 Cups Tomato Juice
3 whole Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds, optional
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cornbread

Rinse and sort dry beans, removing any shriveled beans or foreign matter. Soak beans overnight in large pot, OR heat to boiling, remove from heat and let set for 1 hour.

Drain water from beans.

Add all remaining ingredients and fresh water to cover all.

Heat just to boil, then reduce heat. Cover & simmer soup for about 1 1/2 hours, until beans are tender. Do not boil, or beans will burst.

Remove Bay Leaves before serving. Serve with hot cornbread or saltine crackers.

VARIATIONS:

If no Ham Bone is available, add a teaspoon of Liquid Smoke and more diced Ham.

Omit Tomatoes & use water instead of Tomato Juice.

Omit Celery.

Image: Beth LaMie

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