The Wedding

Jo, George and Carrie's Hands

Baklava Recipe

By popular demand...ok, Amanda's demand...

Melinda's Baklava.
Need:
2 quart saucepan
pastry brush
towel to cover phyllo dough between laying down the sheets
9x13 pan

Preheat oven to 350.

1 lb Phyllo dough, thawed and cut in half to fit a 9x13 pan.
1 c unsalted butter, melted (I use my small crockpot, works great)

In a small bowl, mix
1 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts (I like walnuts or pistachios)
3/4 c. finely chopped dates
3/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves

Peel off 10 sheets of phyllo and place in buttered 13x9x2 inch pan brushing with butter after each second sheet. Spread with 1/3 of nut-date mixture.

Place 5 more phyllo sheets in pan, buttering after each one. Add 1/3 of nut-date mixture.

Place 6 more phyllo sheets in pan, buttering after each one. Add remaining nut-date mixture.

Top with remaining phyllo sheets, buttering after each one.

Cut into diamond shapes. Pour on remaining melted butter.

Bake at 350 Degrees for 30 minutes, then turn oven down to 300 degrees for 1 hour.

After turning oven down, mix:

2 c. sugar
3 c. water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 stick of cinnamon

in a 3 quart saucepan and bring to a slight boil. Simmer on stove until baklava is ready to come out of the oven.

When baklava has reached a nice golden color, remove from the oven. Remove cinnamon stick from the syrup and mix in 1/2 cup of honey (I prefer mesquite honey) just before pouring the hot syrup over the baklava.

Cool and serve.

Zucchini Mushroom Lebanese-style Pies

bread dough (see earlier post for pizza dough recipe)
1 large zucchini, grated
4 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp sumac
1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves

1. Divide dough into 24 balls; then cover with damp cloth. Allow to stand for 30 minutes in a warm place.
2. In the meantime, make filling by mixing remaining ingredients, except 3 tablespoons of olive oil; set aside.
3. Roll dough into 5 inch rounds (about 1/4 inch thick).
4. Place one heaping tablespoon of filling on each circle and fold over to make a half moon shape and firmly pinch edges together. Place on well-greased baking sheets and brush generously with remaining olive oil.
5. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 for about 20 minutes or until light brown.
6. Serve hot

Notes:

Sumac sounds all deadly and poisonous, but I buy mine from a local middle-eastern grocery store. (and there have been no food-related deaths as a result)

I like to use the Williams-Sonoma pizza crust recipe.

Also, for convenience can be made as one pie with the edges folded up like a rustic apple pie.

Good Times

I suppose Beth really does have a reason to fear the helium.

You've heard of the flying nun, but how about a flying father?

This I believe

NPR has a series I love called This I Believe. This particular essay caught my attention as it's something I see so often in my work, something that makes me want to keep working.


This I Believe

Contributor: DENISE
Location: NEW HOPE, PA
Country: United States of America

I believe that I have learned a lot about how to live from people suffering from severe and persistent mental illness. I am a psychiatrist who has been practicing for nine years, and I have a clear memory of teaching a class to medical students when I was a young resident in training. The purpose of the class was to teach medical students how to examine a patient with mental illness. There were snacks provided and the med students immediately made a fast beeline for the food, gobbling-down most of it before the patient volunteers, many of whom were homeless, had chance to serve themselves. As the mental health clients picked through the remnants of the catering, I was struck when several of them called-out, “hey doc, you want some?!” before serving themselves. For several days after that, I continued to tell my colleagues how much more courteous and thoughtful my patients were than my students. I BELIEVE that many of the most humane actions often come from those whom society considers inhumane and that true generosity of the heart often comes from those who seemingly have the least to offer. I BELIEVE that those whom we idolize will often fall short of our expectations
As my career progressed, I realized that I would be reminded time and time again of how much we all can learn from those suffering with mental illness. My patient suffering from depression and low self-esteem said to me, “I want to be around bright and successful people, but they don’t want to be around negative and depressed people…and that’s who I am! I don’t blame them for not wanting to be friends with me…I wouldn’t!” I tried to tell her that nobody…nobody feels or acts bright and successful all of the time, but I knew that she wouldn’t believe me. In her mind I was the “too chipper psychiatrist that shit sugar and pooped candy hearts.” How could I possibly understand her negative hell..after all, I was just doing my job…I got PAID to tolerate her negative presence. At that moment I took a deep breath; do I remain in the upbeat, splenda’d mode of encouragement…or…do I BELIEVE that the truth will set us both free! I chose the latter. In fact, I said, “when we started seeing each other a year ago, you really irritated the heck out of me. Now, I realize that it ‘s not personal, you really are just miserable, but even though you feel this way, I must tell you, you are really quite funny and witty; I look forward seeing you each time we are scheduled to meet. I’m trying to help you, but I know that it’s going to take a long time and that we might fight. I believe that in spite of all of this misery and frustration, we can have a meaningful therapeutic relationship and learn from one another. I BELIEVE that misery not only loves company, but also wants to be confronted and put in its place.”

Travel Warning

So Naomi Campbell says it's safe to travel in Kenya now.

This brings up several questions:

1. As a celebrity, she probably never ventures into the real Kenya, so how would she know?
2. Why would I look to her as the travel expert?
3. Is Kenya really safe with HER there?

mmmm, ok

bushy