dec408's Profile

Any suggestions on how to make a smoothie if you don't have a blender? Can this be done in a food processor, or would that just be disastrous? Otherwise, all I've got is an immersion blender.

I could write pages about this! I agree with Ros and MBush and many others who reminded us that we are guests and, as such, should act gracious. Someone is working hard at something they may or may not be skilled at, but they are offering to share their home and food with you. In my view, this may be the ultimate act of kindness and hospitality - providing you (ideally) with a warm and caring environment in which they offer something they have carefully prepared to nourish your body, physically and socially.

Food can and should bring people together, not drive them apart. I have seen it transcend language and cultural barriers. Several years ago, we hosted some lovely women from the Republic of Georgia. They spoke Georgian, some Russian, and very little English. I spoke no Georgian or Russian and was somewhat surprised when they joined me in the kitchen as I began to prepare the evening meal. Nonetheless, together, we all snapped green beans, pitted cherries for pie, and tested the pasta for doneness. We had a terrific homemade meal that was far from fancy but one I remember vividly to this day as being filled with laughter and genuine caring. Afterward, they helped wash and dry the dishes and tidy up. The bonds of friendship were formed immediately and still remain strong.

Let food unite! And where it doesn't, let there be forgiveness.

I followed the recipe fairly closely, substituting pecans for walnuts, using about 3/4 cup of sugar in the filling, and omitting the 2nd straining and final powdered sugar topping, and they turned out great! Friends and family loved them and several asked for the recipe. Sweet, yet tart and tangy without being overly sweet. I didn't find the cinnamon overpowering, but perhaps mine is not as fresh as others. I had no problem in having enough of either the crust or topping for a 9x13 pan, although I used the sieve method and a couple of times toward the end, I thought I had extracted all of the cranberry puree, only to discover that it would yield more. I think a food mill would be much more efficient, and these are certainly good enough to merit a new food gadget purchase!