Jaycee Dugard’s Tomato Dumpling Recipe

“I don't believe in hate. To me it wastes too much time. People who hate waste so much of their life hating that they miss out on all the other stuff out here.” 

I read “A Stolen Life” when I was a community education and outreach volunteer speaker for an anti-sex trafficking of minors non-profit.  Although I’d read many books about sex-trafficking at the time, Dugard’s story was especially moving. I think her writing is so powerful because she is so brave and open in the way she shares her story. I really admire her courage, and the way she has transformed her life is nothing short of phenomenal. Her spirit is undeniable.  

I remember being surprised when I saw a recipe towards the back of her book. It didn’t really seem to fit in with her story, but then, after I thought about it, it was so reflective of her wonderful character. Most of her story is heartbreaking, but the end is full of hope. I think its such a genuine and thoughtful thing for her to want to share something she loves with her readers—in this case, a recipe she made with her grandmother.

So I tried it out. And honestly, I’m not sure it translated that well to gluten-free (due to the nature of the dough). But I will say this, it tastes much better than it looks! It was different than anything I’ve ever made, that’s for sure, and it was a fun experience.

My hope is that whatever brought you here, be it pinterest, twitter, facebook, google, whatever, that you will take a moment to learn more about the huge problem of sex-trafficking and sexual slavery, both domestically and internationally.  Here are some links to some great resources:

http://jaycfoundation.org

Jaycee's foundation, check it out!

http://polarisproject.org

http://sharedhope.org

http://mission21mn.org/ 

(the organization I volunteered for)

Cover Reveal: How to Date Dead Guys: My Most Anticipated Book of the Year!

"Dead people don't scare me. 

At least, not as much as live ones do."

Alright, I admit this isn't a gluten-free blog post, but I couldn't help but share my excitement for this incredible new book, out July 15th, 2014.

Ann Noser is an extremely talented author (and dear friend) whose debut novel is the first in her new-adult, urban-fantasy series "Under the Blood Moon," published by Curiosity Quills Press. 

Find out more about this can't-put-down series in my interview with Ann, which I'll post August 5th as part of her blog tour. And yes, we'll definitely talk about food!

In the meantime, check out the How to Date Dead Guys Goodreads page for more about the book, and follow Ann on Twitter for up-to-date information!

How to Date Dead Guys--The Spooky Synopsis:

College sophomore Emma Roberts remembers her mother’s sage advice:  “don’t sleep around, don’t burp in public, and don’t tell anyone you see ghosts”.  But when charming Mike Carlson drowns in the campus river under her watch, Emma’s sheltered life shatters.

Blamed for Mike’s death and haunted by nightmares, Emma turns to witchcraft and a mysterious Book of Shadows to bring him back.  Under a Blood Moon, she lights candles, draws a pentacle on the campus bridge, and casts a spell.  The invoked river rages up against her, but she escapes its fury.  As she stumbles back to the dorm, a stranger drags himself from the water and follows her home. And he sn't the only one.  

Instead of raising Mike, Emma assists the others she stole back from the dead—a pre-med student who jumped off the bridge, a desperate victim determined to solve his own murder, and a frat boy Emma can’t stand…at first.  More comfortable with the dead than the living, Emma delves deeper into the seductive Book of Shadows.  Her powers grow, but witchcraft may not be enough to protect her against the vengeful river and the killers that feed it their victims.

Inspired by the controversial Smiley Face Murders, HOW TO DATE DEAD GUYS will ignite the secret powers hidden deep within each of us.

All About the Amazing Ann M Noser:

My to-do list dictates that I try to cram 48 hours of living into a day instead of the usual 24.  I’ve chosen a life filled with animals.  I train for marathons with my dog, then go to work as a small animal veterinarian, and finish the day by tripping over my pets as I attempt to convince my two unruly children that YES, it really IS time for bed.  But I can’t wait until the house is quiet to write; I have to steal moments throughout the day.  Ten minutes here, a half hour there, I live within my imagination.

Like all busy American mothers, I multi-task.  I work out plot holes during runs.  Instead of meditating, I type madly during yoga stretches.  I find inspiration in everyday things:  a beautiful smile, a heartbreaking song, or a newspaper article on a political theory.  For example, a long drive in the dark listening to an NPR program on the SMILEY FACE MURDERS theory made me ask so many questions that I wrote HOW TO DATE DEAD GUYS to answer them to my satisfaction.

I’d love to have more time to write (and run, read, and sleep), but until I find Hermione Granger’s time turner, I will juggle real life with the half-written stories in my head.  Main characters and plot lines intertwine in my cranium, and I need to let my writing weave the tales on paper so I can find out what happens next.

Social Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Can I Stomach Eating Out Ever Again After Reading "Kitchen Confidential"?

Its sunny and 75 in California which means 'tis the season for my favorite summer past time--poolside reading while sipping on that sweet fermented grape juice.

Despite all my better judgement (since going out to eat is my favorite hobby, second only to napping), I picked up Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" for my daily dance with skin cancer (kidding--I wear SPF 180. No, seriously. If you can't tell from the pictures I post on here, I'm pretty sure I'm at least part albino).


So, to answer the big question: after learning about the dirty little freak show which is the food industry, will I be eating out again ever again?

Answer: Hell yes.

If nothing, Bourdain's book made me more appreciative of the rough and tumble world of restauranteering. Sure, Bourdain confirmed all my worst fears about the restaurant business, but those fears were more like solid suspicions anyway, and it didn't stop me before. Like Bourdain says in his book, "Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." (But for real, folks, as much as I enjoy the sentiment I must say your body is a temple. Enjoy it, but be good to it!) Although I disagree with his stance of vegetarians and, well, many other things, I love Bourdain's attitude that food is an adventure of the fearless variety.

Here are my five major takeaways:

1. I have a new respect for chefs. Not only do they make incredible food, but they are also human resource managers, inventors, grave diggers, publicists, and supreme organizers—all rolled into one salary.

2.  I’m glad I have celiac disease so I’ll never be tempted again by the “recycled” bread baskets.

3. Again, so glad I don’t eat flour after learning that staff feel free to use the stacks as liberator shapes (aka sex pillows).

4. After learning about all the work, sweat, and blood (literally—ew) that goes into every meal I will never again complain about my food unless its really, really bad. (To be fair, I don’t think I’ve  ever complained about my food before, but I have a whole new appreciation!)

5. My pseudo-dream of being a chef is shattered. I’m definitely not dedicated enough. I don’t want to hire/fire, give up every weekend, work my fingers until they are bloody stumps, and stress about every sprig of parsley. Home chef is just fine for me, thanks. 

“Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria's mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.” 

― Anthony Bourdain

 Food Books on My Summer To-Read List:

(you're welcome to read with me!)

The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory by Carol J Adams

Gluten Is My Bitch: Rants, Recipes, and Ridiculousness for the Gluten-Free by April Peveteaux

Good Enough to Eat by Stacey Ballis 

Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health by William Davis 

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef by Shauna James Ahern, Daniel Ahern

Last Dinner on the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Great Liner by Rick Archbold

I Made Stephen King's Tomato Soup Recipe

I don’t think there’s anything that makes me happier than a good book and a delicious meal. Okay, world peace yada yada would make me happier, but lets be realistic. In the real world, being able to sit down and read, alone, in the wonderful quiet, is nothing short of bliss. Having a belly full of yummlys straight from the book—mind blowing.

Confession: I didn’t finish the book before I made Marnie’s lunch. To be honest, I was about 500 pages in when I skipped to the last page.

I KNOW. Bibliophile blasphemy! But I was dying to find out if my Jakey changed the past. Thank God King knew better than to put spoilers on the back page, protecting greedy little readers like me from myself.

In fact, what my prying eyes found were recipes straight from the past, the same meals Jake ate. The foodie in me exploded with glee. I threw down the book (Okay, gently set it down. One doesn’t simply “throw” Stephen King!) and ran to the grocery store. That would buy me some more time.

See, finishing a great book is hard for me. Its like saying goodbye forever to something that was new and special. Of course, you can always go back and re-read a book. It’s not like it disappears when you’re done. But it’s never the same. When you finish a book you loved, its like the book becomes a memory. You can re-read and relive that memory, but it still feels like a memory. You never get that “first time” excitement back again. (Which is probably why I made a very unladylike squeal when I found out King was going back to Derry—my Derry! If only he’d brought me back Bill…but at least we see my favorite ginger, Bev! And on an interesting note, I had just dyed my hair red. See, everything harmonizes with itself, doesn't it JIMLA?)

(She thrusts her fists against the posts and still insists she sees the ...toast? 

Sorry, little tuna salad humor...I'm all done now)

Anyway, making my Stephen King time-travel meal was the perfect way to make this book last just-that-much longer. To wait just a little longer before saying goodbye.

Now about that food. The tomato soup had a wonderful chemical free taste, which is rare unless you make your own food, and I think that was what King was going for by putting recipes in the back. The 60s had a beautiful simplicity to food that we don’t usually experience in 2014. I mulled over this fact for a while, let it marinate, shall I say, and then thought F-it, I’m going to add a shit ton of cheese! To put it bluntly—the soup was kind of bland as laid out. I think my 2014 palate is quite spoiled, so after my initial taste test, I ventured from the recipe and threw in a handful of Italian cheeses and parsley. After it had time to simmer for a while--delish.

The tuna salad was perfect on its own. Simple, classic, clean. Don’t change a thing.

I won’t post the recipes here for obvious copyright reasons, but there is another reason, too. You should go out and experience this book (and food) for yourself. I finished it this morning, before I even had a chance to heat up my leftovers. You know that need you get from books? Its like nothing else. Well, I needed to know how this one ended. Something in it connected to my heart and wouldn't take its hooks out until I finished it.

Friends, if you've ever wished you could change something in the past, read this book. If you've ever wondered if you’d be willing to destroy the entire world in order to change your broken heart, read this book. If you just plain-old love a solid story, read this book.

And then make some tomato soup to cry into when its over. Just throw in a little cheese, first.