Dreams Come True in the Year of the Tiger

Oh the Crescent City is devine. It's full of oysters, crab, shrimp and of course gumbo. Actually it's also about duck and poor boys and crawfish. It's all a good time. Saint Bernard Parish is still a sad place trying to get back on its feet. The feet of the trees come up through the roads even now, years later. Bourbon Street is newer and cleaner. It seems everything got hospital grade cleaning after Katrina, even Bourbon Street. The St. Louis Cathedral on Christmas morning was alive and well and warm. New Years is fast approaching. Will I put my faith in my own abilities, the abilities of others, or the abilities of the devine? Super greatful for the holiday season of much joy. M.

I just signed up for facebook. That is a really weird experience. I can't believe how many people in the world I just connected with. I am going to remember this moment forever. I suspect the future is going to be really different.

Harvest Moon Week

This week has been so much fun reading the Martha Stewart Magazine. People keep asking me if I read it. Of course! There's an article about Joshua Tree and how Martha came to town. Well, I knew that, but it was fun to see in writing. I love the picture of Martha in front of the Joshua trees. I have photographed so many Joshua trees. I'm going back to Greek cooking school this week, but I haven't been baking. I made some beautiful Autumn cards, but of course I haven't sent them. Anyway, I miss you guys. Thanks for being there. Marilee

Let's Get to Fall

Growing up in southern California, I was not aware of the seasons. It always seemed to be summer. Now, I live in the high desert of Calfornia, and the end of the oppressive heat in September is very welcome. I had planned to go to Oak Glenn last weekend, but the fire just last week kept me home. I will go soon. The apples and everything about Oak Glenn just intrigues me. I have many happy breakfast memories from Oak Glenn. That's where I bought my first Farmer's Almanac. I use the almanac to predict the weather and consider planting dates. As a gardner, I am a complete failure. Still, I dream about the kind of garden that Martha Stewart has and shows in her magazine. Never the less, I am blessed. This week is all about yoga. The Bhakti Festival is coming to Joshua Tree, and I am volunteering www.bhaktifest.com. I already met some very interesting people following their own dreams. I really enjoy meeting people like Leslie. She's been traveling extensively through Guatemala and Mexico and Oregon and Washington. She's a model for me to follow my bliss! I am off to stretch since I have really let my yoga practice go. Your friend & Martha's, Marilee

It's not easy being Martha

I got my hair cut. It's as close as the beautician could get me. I'm holding the cover to the baking book. I'm going to keep working on it since I just love her haircut. The lady at the beauty parlor even saved my hair to donate for kids who need it. That made me feel really good. I brought Debbi, who cut my hair, a dozen of the blueberry muffins from the book. They turned out well. See ya. M.

Greek Cooking & the end of Summer

I attended a Greek cooking class taught by Popi Terzi in Huntington Beach, CA this week. What a terrific end to my summer. We worked with okra and chicken and feta and kalamata olives. Mediterranean food really makes me happy. Everybody in the class knows Popi from one Greek festival or another. I didn't know Tom Hanks' wife is Greek. Popi has written two cookbooks. She hugged me when I left for the long drive home. That's what I love about my teachers. Next month she will be teaching indoor barbecue butterflied leg of lamb with spicy lemon potatoes. I'm in. Her website is http://www.popisatheniancuisine.com

It's time to go get my hair done just like Martha on the cover of the baking book. Wish me luck!

Looking Back and Whiskey with a side of Milk

This morning I was reading about Julie Child. She was part of a cooking demonstration given in La Jolla almost 3o years ago. I got the booklet at a thrift store. It was fun to look back in time. One of the main recipes was a choulibiac (fish in pastry--very French and that's how they spelled it in the U.C.S.D. Med. Faculty Wives Cooking Series brochure). I have had some experience with that dish when I was a caterer many years ago. I love it and Julia too. When I was growing up in front of the t.v., however, Graham Kerr was the man I watched all the time. It's funny because my brother told me mom really wanted to be Graham Kerr (he mentioned something about alcohol and Graham, but I was too young to focus on that). I told him mom wanted to be Jack LaLane. He wore those weird polyester jumpsuits and could swim forever. I remember watching Julia Child, but I don't ever remember wanting to be her. My generation, watching Saturday Night Live, liked to poke fun more than anything. Even though I wanted to become a journalist, one of my first jobs, was cooking. I worked in an oyster bar as a short order cook. I made Oysters Rockefeller and Clams Casino. This was when the Orange County Performing Arts Center was just being built. Old Timers from the theater would come in and order shrimp scampi and whiskey with a side of milk. Those were the days.

Crackers and Accepting what Is

I worked so hard on those crackers from the baking book. I guess I shouldn't have skipped to the back where things are made with yeast. Actually, I knew enough about yeast to be very careful with it. I was very careful. That wasn't the part that gave me trouble. You have to get the dough really thin. I am somebody who has actually made Norwegian Lefsa and that stuff is really thin. It's just the recipe called for the dough to be put through a pasta machine. You know, the hand cranked thing that helps you make raviolis or spaghetti. First I had to locate the thing. That was no easy task. Then, the trick was keeping the dough cold. Start on the wider settings in order to get to the second narrowest setting. It took me some time to figure this out. It's the only way to get it thin enough to attain the right color and texture. My sister went to the doctor today. I got really worried. I spoke to her and she says she's okay. I'm going to see her right now and tell her I really love her.

Martha was in my Beautiful Neighborhood

One morning I was at the grocery store really early in the morning. I love to go grocery shopping, but I can't handle the noise and craziness. I go early. Anyway one morning I was in the parking lot on my way to the car when I saw this really pretty woman. I instinctively new she wasn't from around here. I didn't let myself stare because that's just against the rules when your from the lower middle class ( and I worked hard to get there) and you know that person is from the upper class. Later that week I read in the paper that Martha had been hiking in the national park nearby and had been to antique store where I practically live. She was all the talk at the antique store. I walked around the shop wondering which items she liked and didn't like. They sell lots of oil lamps. They are really special and I collect for those occasions when the electricity goes out. The old dishes from Hall and also Chef's Ware are pretty special to me as well. I was intrigued with Martha since probably 1995 when I started reading her magazine. During the difficult times when she was away from her usual life, I read the magazine even closer. The lady who was the editor was funny looking, and I read her column because I wondered how difficult her job was. She's not the editor today. Well, I'm off to bake selection #2 from Martha's baking book. You don't need to wish me luck because I'm working on the "simple" recipe section of the book. Ciao.

Am I really Martha Stewart or Peg Bracken?

I did it. I baked that first pan of ten beautiful little muffins. They came out perfect, even a little "spicy" from the plums. I was scared at the folding part of the recipe. It looked too moist, and I was tempted to add more flour. I resisted and all was well. I really have to laugh at myself about not making the bisquits because of the heavy cream. As I was adding that entire stick of butter, I realized I was adding plenty of cholesterol to my heart. Oh well. After I finished, I had to take a look at Peg Bracken's cookbook. If you don't know her, she wrote The I Hate to Cook Book. I think she even smoked when she was alive. That sounds a lot like my mother. Still, I looked in the book for any muffin recipes. There weren't any, but there was this recipe for a muffinburger. Wow! Basically you take ground beef, onions and A-1, put them in a cake pan and cover them with corn bread mix and bake. Sounds kind of cool which leads me to wonder if I can bring out the inner Martha, or will Peg always be the inner me? I'm so jazzed about those muffins, I'm going to see if I can get laundry done without turning everything red.

Finding a Soul Mate in Martha Stewart

It's been a long time coming. Buying my first home and wanting to make it perfect happened fifteen years ago. I'm not a perfectionist, yet I really admire those who are. So, I started reading Martha's magazine when it first came out. I felt a kindred spirit with her connection to the changing seasons and her description of her childhood. I'm not Polish. My mom was adopted, and I really don't know what I am or whom my people were. Looking at the pictures of the perfect meals and parties, I see how my life could be so much better. It must be something from my childhood (no doubt) that keeps my from cleaning this house. I could keep trying to find myself, but I'm going with Martha. I have the cover to her baking book. She looks great. Next week I'm getting my hair done just like that cover. Let the good times roll.