Past and Present….or a bit of photographic time-travel

This is the continuation of a brief series I have sporadically posted where I print out an old photo and go to its location, hold up the original and try to match it to current day and snap a few photos. I have always enjoyed history, and personally I think this is pretty cook.

The buildings are as follows: Above and first below, the Brisbane Building 1896; the Old County Hall 1905; our current City Hall being built in 1930; the Hotel Lafayette 1900 (and you can see from the original that there have been additions added on); and Lafayette Square 1900;

For more in this series, click here and here.

Urban Simplicity.

The day after…

As I type these words the pot of turkey broth that is pictured above is simmering on the stove permeating the entire house with delicious aroma. If your like me you enjoy leftovers as much as the Thanksgiving meal itself (well, ok, maybe not quite as much, but almost). Anyhow, here’s a few recipes which incorporate leftovers from a traditional Thanksgiving feast. These originally appeared in Artvoice about five years ago; to read that  entire article, click here.

Turkey Broth


1 cooked turkey carcass, and any scraps, juices, and pan scrapings

1 onion, quartered

1 carrot, cut into thirds

4 ribs celery, cut into thirds

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

10 whole black peppercorns

Combine the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed stockpot and cover with enough cold water to cover them by two inches. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a slow simmer. Cook for a few hours, skimming the surface as necessary. Strain and refrigerate until needed.


Shepherd’s Pie Made from Thanksgiving Dinner Leftovers


Dice leftover turkey and vegetables, combine with enough gravy to moisten. Assemble the vegetable/turkey mixture in an oven-proof casserole and “cobble” it with mashed potatoes and stuffing. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown and hot throughout.

Turkey àla King


Combine diced, cooked turkey with enough gravy to moisten it; add whatever vegetables you like. Bring to a simmer and add heavy cream. Serve over mashed potatoes, stuffing, or if you’re feeling particularly decedent, puff pastry.


Turkey Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Chipotle Chilies


Dice leftover cooked turkey, along with fresh celery, onion, and a couple sliced sundried tomatoes. Mix it in a bowl with a few tablespoons mayonnaise and a little Dijon mustard. Add a small amount of either chipotle powder or minced chipotle in adobo. Season it with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve over lettuce salad or as the filling for a sandwich.


Turkey Noodle Soup


Dice 1 small onion, 2 carrots, a few ribs celery, a clove of garlic, a cup or two of cooked turkey, and one small turnip. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a soup pot and add the vegetables and turkey; cook, while stirring, for a few minutes. Add enough broth to cover the ingredients by a couple inches. Season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook egg noodles in a separate pot, then add to the soup.


Turkey and Vegetable Stirfry

Yield: 4 servings

3/4 cup broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 thin slices ginger

1 clove garlic, sliced thin

1 pound mixed vegetables

8 ounces cooked turkey


In a small bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and salt, then set aside. Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the vegetables and turkey; stir fry for a few minutes. Stir the broth mixture and add it to the stir-fry. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the vegetables are cooked.


Turkey Mulligatawny

Yield: 3 quarts.

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 slices ginger, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed hot pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 apple, diced

6 cups turkey stock

3 cups diced, cooked turkey

1/2 cup cooked white rice


Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add the onion, cel­ery, carrot, and red bell pepper, sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, sauté 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar, curry powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, and crushed hot pepper, sauté 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 5 minutes over low heat while stirring constantly. Add the diced apple, stir in the turkey stock and diced turkey, and simmer for 20 minutes. Just before serving stir in the rice. 

Le pain perdu…

French Toast, Pain Perdu, or “Lost Bread.” I have posted many variations of this dish in the past but not in quite a while. This is a favorite breakfast of my son who is home from college for the holiday. And this is the variation that I made for him today…whole wheat French toast with blue-berry pineapple syrup. This is really easy and fun to make and people will likely be impressed that you made everything–even the syrup–from scratch. Anyhow, for recipes, lore, and “how-to” photos follow this link (scroll down).

Urban Simplicity.

Five quotes on Thankfulness…

So today is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. This is my favorite holiday because it is simply about getting together with family and having a really good meal. But, I believe and hence its name, it is a time for reflection; a time to be thankful. Personally, I know that it is so easy to forget and take for granted all that I have in my life; all that I should be grateful for on a daily basis. While monetarily I have very little I still have more than many, and my life is filled with wealth in so many other ways. My cup, quite literally, runneth over. And for this, I truly am thankful. Anyhow, here’s a few quotes that inspire me.

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~Meister Eckhart

“We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts.”
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.”
~Harry A. Ironside

“Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.”
~Marcus Aurelius

“Rest and be thankful.”
~William Wadsworth

More Five Quotes.
Urban Simplicity. 

Another view from my handlebars…

This was the view before me on my very short commute to work this morning. Incredible, right? Magnificent. I was so glad and thankful to be on a bike for this. To be in the open and feel the cold air on my face…for my body to be chilled a little; to see this first hand.

Urban Simplicity.

Three photos from a moving train…

Beautiful NY State. It really is. I took these photos last week while on a train from NYC to Buffalo. I love the fall colors before the snow came. The bottom photo I think is particularly interesting in that that camera focused in a the stream and everything else is a sort of blur because of the motions. Anyhow, I just came across them and thought I would share.  

Urban Simplicity.

Whole Wheat Bread with Caramelized Onion and Sweet Potato

This is yet another variation of my 100% whole wheat bread recipe…and a delicious one at that. This does entail an extra step (sauteing the onion and sweet potato until caramelized) but it’s worth it. After cooled, they are added to the dough while being kneaded and they melt into the dough offering a soft texture and subtle flavor. Anyhow, the recipe is below.
Whole Wheat Bread with Caramelized Onion and Sweet Potato

Makes 2 loaves

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium sweet potato, diced

6 cups whole wheat flour, divided

2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

3½ cups water, divided

4 teaspoons instant yeast, divided

2 teaspoons kosher salt

¼ cup honey


Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet then add the diced onion and sweet potato. Sauté for five or ten minutes, or until caramelized.
Add ½ cup of the water to the pan. Simmer until the water evaporates completely and the sweet potato is very soft. Transfer to a plate to cool, using a spatula to include the olive oil as well (as this becomes part of the bread). 
Separate some of the remaining ingredients in two bowls using this ratio: In one bowl combine 4 cups of flour, the vital wheat gluten, and 2 cups of water. Stir it just until combined; cover with plastic wrap and set aside. In a second bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups flour and 1 cup water and 2 teaspoons of yeast. Stir it just until combined; cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Allow the bowls to rest for at least an hour. After the ingredients have rested and have begun to ferment, combine the contents of both bowls to an upright mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Add the caramelized onions and sweet potato along with the oil in which they were cooked. Also add the remaining ingredients: the salt, honey, and remaining two teaspoons yeast. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour. Transfer the dough to a work surface, cut it into two pieces, gently shape it into loaves, and place them either on a baking sheet or in loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat an oven to 425F/218C. If making free-form loaves, slash them with a razor just before they go into the oven. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on. As the bread bakes rotate the loaves in the oven once or twice to ensure even baking. Remove the bread from their pans and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

A poem about something…

Open-Closed; Inside-Outside

I yelled at someone recently.

Yes.

It is true, as odd as it may seem.

I used my outside voice.

Inside.

Told him to shut the fuck up.

Seriously.

Which closed the door to my heart.

To compassion.

This hurt him, no doubt.

But also me.
And others as well.

Viewing life with a closed heart,

is like looking through a tiny pigeon hole.

Pointed only at me.

Life becomes incredibly narrow.

Small.

Monochrome.

But when viewed with an open heart.

A compassionate heart.

Everything expands.

Full bloom in multicolor.

Unexplainable largeness.

I need to apologize.

I need to forgive.

Him and me.

I need to fling my doors wide open.

And use my inside voice.

Five or Nine Quotes from Aldous Huxley

Aldous Leonard Huxley
26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963
“We are not our own any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves, we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We are not our own masters.”

“It’s a little embarrassing that after 45 years of research & study, the best advice I can give people is to be a little kinder to each other.”
“A child-like man is not a man whose development has been arrested; on the contrary, he is a man who has given himself a chance of continuing to develop long after most adults have muffled themselves in the cocoon of middle-aged habit and convention.” 

“We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.”
“Writers write to influence their readers, their preachers, their auditors, but always, at bottom, to be more themselves.” 

“We live together, we act on, and react to one another; but always, and in all circumstances, we are by ourselves. ”
“But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness, I want sin.”
“I know the outer world as well as you do, and I judge it. You know nothing of my inner world, and yet you presume to judge that world. ” 

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.”
More Five Quotes.

Crispy Tandoori Tofu!

I’ve posted a recipe for this tofu–or at least a variation of it–in the past but I made it for staff lunch today and thought I’d re-post it because it is so easy and delicious to make. Sometimes I eat it as a salad component but today I ate it on a sandwich with toum (my chickpea version of Lebanese garlic mayo), vegetables, and whole grain bread. Follow the links in this paragraph for the other components, and the tofu recipe is below.

Crispy Baked Tofu Marinated in Yogurt and Spices
1 (14 ounce) package extra firm tofu
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
Remove the tofu from its package and drain it. Place it between two plates to allow the weight of a plate (or two) to press out additional moisture. Drain the tofu again and slice it into ½ inch slices, then lay it on a baking sheet. To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, lemon, garlic curry, turmeric, hot pepper, cumin, and salt. Mix the marinade, then pour it over the tofu, gently turning it to coat all sides. Preheat an oven to 400F and allow the tofu to marinate at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a clean baking sheet that is fitted with a wire rack (if you have one, otherwise place it directly on the baking sheet but lightly oil it first). Sprinkle the sesame seeds across the tofu and bake it for about 30 minutes, or until firm and slightly crisp (rotate the pan every 5 minutes or so for even cooking). This is delicious on a sandwich, salad, or as a simple snack; it can be eaten hot, room temperature, or chilled. 

Thoughts on prayer (and what it means to me)

This is the second in a series I started a little over a month ago on positive scripture (click here to read the first). But first I have to state a very short disclaimer. I’ve said this before but feel I have to say it again. My personal theology is…um, well. Scratch that. Actually I am not quit sure what my theology is these days. But what I wanted to mention is that I take the bible almost entirely as metaphor, and that while I do consider myself a follower of the teachings of Jesus (which I usually fail miserably on a daily basis), I consider Him and His teachings a way, not the only way. That said, please do not send me hate mail or try to “save me.”

Anyhow, the scripture I wanted to highlight is Thessalonians 5:17 where Paul states that they/we should “pray continually.” This is the NIV version; the King James version states to “pray without ceasing.” Well that’s some pretty serious stuff. Or is it?

Over the years, like most I would assume, not only have I changed but so has my spirituality. How I see this now is to really live in a place of gratitude and to be in awe of life in general.

This passage–to pray without ceasing–is often taken and quoted out of context, just as I did. But the couple phrases just before and after this one are just as important, I think. 5:16 tells us that we should rejoice always; 5:18 says to give thanks in all circumstances, and 5:20 advises not to quench the spirit.

My interpretation of this is to really look on the bright side of life and enjoy every minute, and to take nothing for granted because everyday and every moment is a gift. Personally, I do try to do this, and many days I do. But some days are easier than others.

Sometimes it’s just simple things. Such as riding my bike at night and stopping to take photos on a cold night…feeling the wind on my face and being in touch with all that is around me. That to me is a way of praying; being in touch with the universe. Or talking to someone and looking in their eyes as they tell me a story and realizing that we, as everyone is, are all connected in some way. That to me is a form of praying as well. Sometimes at work while I’m juggling 10 or 12 pots on the stove and serving three parties at once and everything is running smoothly–and I am aware that it is running smoothly–I’ll acknowledge this ability that has been given to me, and be thankful for it; that to me is a form of prayer. Heck, even as I type these words–writing and thinking about prayer–can be a form of prayer. Sometimes–I really believe–just saying thank you is enough.

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~Meister Eckhart

So personally I really believe that everything we do can be a form of prayer if we are conscious of it.
“My life is my message.“
And that is the most difficult part, I believe…is to be conscious of things. Being conscious of our connectedness to one another and what we do and think affects others in some way. Being conscious of the beauty that is all around us, whether you are in the city or country. And of course being conscious of the Divine Spirit, Universe, or Source (or whatever name you choose to use) that is not only our life source but also in what we live, move, and breath.
Prana (prāṇa) is the Sanskrit word for both breath and life-force.

Ahh…but this is the most difficult part isn’t…being actively conscious of it. Sometimes this is so difficult. Sometimes–many times–I forget. And sometimes when this happens I may have an open–if not agitated–mind but a closed heart. I’ll relay a very brief and abridge story about this.

For varying reasons, some events that have happened in my life over the past few days have been the perfect concoction–the perfect storm, if you will–to bring me down. Down so low that I could not feel or see the beauty around me, and the Divine Presence all but got up and went away..or so I thought and felt. It was not quite a feeling of despair but it certainly was not the feeling of gratitude that I so prefer. It was as if I were surrounded by a grey cloud and not sure whether I would scream or cry. 

So tonight I decided to go to the health club for a power swim (to release endorphins) and a steam, which I find relaxing. When I arrived at the club I saw that the pool was closed for repairs. “Perfect,” my negative self muttered aloud, “why doesn’t this surprise me.” But I thought I’d go in and sit in the steam room anyhow. There was no one in there, which was a relief as I didn’t feel like talking. After cranking up the steam I decided to meditate for a few minutes and repeat my personal mantra. This of course is a more formal type of prayer to me. 

And as I breathed in the hot cleansing steam I let it slowly permeate my body and then let it out into the universe. Doing this and slowly repeating my sacred word began to relax me. After doing this for about ten minutes I was lost in my head (so-to-speak) and no longer aware of my surroundings. But then I was brought back when a big hot drip of water dropped from the ceiling and landed squarely on my balding head (no joke). It startled me but also made me smile. Then, being aware of my surroundings but still with my eyes closed, I expanded my senses. I could hear the sound of the steam. Feel its heat and wetness on my skin. And hear the chatter of people talking beyond the door and in the locker room. I emerged from the tiny steam room cleansed in more than the traditional sense.

Shortly thereafter, on my ride home my pores were still open as I pedaled and coasted in the late autumn’s night. The chilly air felt jarring at first, but good. I felt lighter. And looking up at the night sky watching as the clouds passed I realized that my grey cloud had lifted, too. Entirely, no, but some. Was I “cured” of my melancholy all together…of course not. But I did feel better in many ways. I felt connected. Connected to nature, to people, but most importantly to our Source.
I guess whet I’m really trying to say in this ramble is that prayer does “work.” I really believe this. It can be transforming and at the same time can mean many things. All of life can be a prayer, the key is to be aware of this (and with this, I speak mostly to myself). And with this I leave you with a simple quote which I think sums it all up…
.
“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
Søren Kierkegaard
.
More Positive Scripture

Greenwich Village at Night (pictures and words)

I was in NYC this past weekend, and no matter what city I find myself I am always drawn to it’s funkier neighborhoods. I love their color, flavor, visuals, and eccentricities. If I’m in Toronto, for example, I usually gravitate to Queen Street West or the Kensington market. The half-dozen times I’ve been to Paris I’ve stayed on the Left Bank. When I spent a very brief time in New Orleans in the late 1980’s I had an apartment in the heart of the French Quarter. And the neighborhood in which I currently reside–Allentown–has these same qualities but on a much smaller scale. So it should come to no surprise that when I visit NYC I usually end up in the Village, I always have. Technically not all of these photos are from Greenwich village, a couple are from Union Square, which of course is the next street over. The above photo is one of my favorites. It’s a group of Hare Krishna followers who are in Union Square every time I go there, they have been for as long as I can remember. I often listen to them sing and watch them dance for a minute or two. And this time I took their photo. After I did I dropped a couple dollars in their collection bowl. And as I turned to leave a young woman thanked me and offered a candle for me to place on a small altar with a hundred others (to the left of the photo). There was a small cushion to kneel if you’d like, and say a prayer. I did. It was lovely really. To kneel briefly in the midst of the hustle and bustle of this incredible city and say a silent prayer. When I closed my eyes it was as if I shut everything out and I went in, if even for just a few seconds. As I stood and turned to leave again, she thanked me again and asked if I were hungry. I declined, but it was truly lovely. Anyhow, while there this weekend I took a few photos and thought I’d share. Click any for a slightly larger view.

Urban Simplicity.