the essentials

earlier this week i taught a cooking class to the pathway program ladies of the heart ministry center.  thankfully, i had help from friend and fellow volunteer, julie, as well as, hendrix.  the class went well and we were able to provide a crockpot to the ladies who didn't have one.  generous donors donated enough for all the women.  a crockpot may not seem like an essential kitchen item to some, but to a new mom it certainly can be.  or to a mom trying to get back on her feet without a spouse.  one of the women came up to me and said how much she wished she had the ten crockpot recipes when she had her baby a year ago.  she was alone, with a newborn, and stressed out.  she lost a ton of weight and couldn't find time to cook herself a proper meal.  another item that we brought were some chef knives.  this was exciting for some of the women since most of them do not have a proper kitchen knife to prep meals.  i remember when i first started cooking and i was chopping onions with a steak knife.  not  particularly safe or efficient.  and let's face it, when you are just getting started in the kitchen, every little slip up can seem like a monumental failure.
the clients of the heart ministry center are all lacking in some sort of life essential.  some worse than others.  a few days after the cooking class, i read this story on the heart ministry center's facebook page:

“When two young men came into the HMC on a very cold afternoon, they cautiously approached Dana and I at the front desk. You could see how scared and cold they were. We welcomed them and provided a hot cup of cocoa, and soon they shared their story. These young men were stranded in Omaha, having traveled here from Las Vegas on a job promise that fell through. Now, they were isolated in a city with no family, friends or funds. An HMC volunteer met these young men at another non-profit, and steered them in our direction.

Their names are Stephan and Alexander, brothers, 18 and 19 years young. We immediately noticed how lost and afraid they seemed, and how they were unable to stop shivering. They told us of having to stay in the streets during the day with clothing not nearly warm enough to fend off the cold. Our attempts to find other agencies to help get them home were unsuccessful, so we took their information, gave them our home phone numbers, and asked them to please come back the following day. When they returned the next morning, they looked somehow different. We could actually see a glimmer of hope in their eyes, and a smile on their faces – because they knew someone was ready and willing to help them.

The HMC Executive Director, John Levy, approached me and told me the Center would be happy to help Stephan and Alexander. When I told the boys we were going to put them on a bus home, they immediately cried tears. Mother Nature intervened before they could depart, however, postponing their bus ride for a day due to inclement weather. In the interim, we put together enough food to last them the duration of their trip. I rummaged through my purse to find what little cash I could find to help them while another member of the HMC staff, Keith, transported Stephan and Alexander to and from the bus terminal so they did not have to walk another day in the cold in an unfamiliar city.

The brothers thanked us profusely before they left and late last week I got a text message from an out of town phone number stating, "Hello. We made it, happy to be home. Wanted to thank you again so very much. We will always remember you." It was Stephan and Alexander.

We will always remember them too.

For me it was unimaginable for any human being to be in such a situation. I saw my own son in them, and thought if he were ever in such a hopeless situation, I would hope someone would come along and help him too.

The small family (staff) we have here at the Heart Ministry Center is one I’m proud to be a part of. Each and every day I learn life’s great lessons here, because this is what we do." - June Bear, Operations Director
(to read john's blog post  about the outstanding HMC staff, go here)
......
stories like this are why i am constantly talking about the heart ministry center.  the kindness and amount of giving that happens there daily is overwhelming and humbling.  the staff there is extraordinary.

cooking with heart

2 hours.  5 recipes. 4 women. all mothers. yesterday, i met with three women from the pathway program and talked about grocery budgeting, meal planning, and cooking technique.  i also demoed five recipes for them.  we made minestrone, berry oatmeal, chicken "nuggets" & apples, shrimp with white beans, spinach, and feta, and spaghetti with spinach & egg.  it was a really great afternoon.  they all really wanted to be there and wanted learn.  some had more experience than others in the kitchen.  some did quite a bit from scratch cooking already.  some had lots of picky eaters at home.   we were all mothers, though.  so it took no time for us to compare notes on toddlers, picky eaters, and the struggles of feeding all those mouths.  in the end, i do think they enjoyed the class and took something away from it.  they tried all the dishes and even liked the spaghetti with spinach & egg (which i thought was the weirdest dish and would get some "no thank yous").  they agreed that breading the chicken cutlets WAS  totally simple and fast.  they asked how to alter some dishes for picky eaters.  they started to tailor the minestrone soup to their family's taste.  talking with each other about what they were going to add to it when they made it at home.  they were happy for some new ideas to add to their regular shopping and cooking routine.  i was happy to cook and serve food to women making life better for themselves. hell, i was happy to cook and serve food. 
.....
spaghetti with spinach & eggs (adapted from time for dinner)
spaghetti, prepared according to package directions
eggs, one for each eater
spinach or chard
olive oil
garlic, minced
salt
pepper
parmesan
hot sauce
prepare pasta, meanwhile fry an egg for each eater.  toss hot pasta with spinach, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.  cook on low until spinach is wilted.  place in bowls and make a well with pasta.  place an egg in each "well", top with parmesan and hot sauce.

2325 sack lunches to Omaha youth, 1100 people helped with clothing assistance

those numbers are just a few of the things the heart ministry center pulled off in january.  yes, in one month HMC helped that many people.  now you know why i won't shut up about how awesome they are!!  i was lucky enough to spend some time there last week. it was wonderfully eye opening.  i met some awesome people and am going back to teach a cooking class (finally!) to their women in the pathway program.  ericka, the pathway coordinator, asked me to focus on freezer meals, once a month cooking, meal planning, and budgeting.   these are especially important for the women to learn since most are on food assistance.  the pathway program's main goal is to help the women become self sufficient. so when these women find jobs/get better jobs, the hope is this class, will arm them with the knowledge and ability to budget and meal plan and it won't be so hard to acclimate to losing some of their food assistance.  i want the recipes to be easy, fast, and all the ingredients to be relatively inexpensive, that can be found at any grocery store.  it should also be noted that these women have voluntarily joined the pathway program and chose to attend these classes.  this goes back to what i was saying about people really wanting to learn how to cook and garden. the women are making the choice to make life better for themselves and for their children.  sometimes without the support of  their families. 

i have come up with some freezer friendly meals for breakfast & dinner.  they are:
apricot french toast served with cottage cheese
whole wheat berry pancakes
egg "cups" (those egg meals in a muffin tin all over pinterest)
quiches
lasagnas
minestrone
chili
enchiladas

then for lunches i was going to recommend making big batches of the following, once a week.  inspired from this post. they can also be served as a side at dinner:
lentils
black beans, rice, and spinach
ravolis (the frozen kind, prepared)
hard boiled eggs
black eyed peas (see recipe below)

for some cheap, quick, & easy meals i was going to talk about...
roasting
tacos
grilled cheeses and all the variations
soups + stews

for kid -friendly, but not totally gross meals....
homemade mac + cheese with veggies
mexican "pizza"
homemade whoppers (with ground turkey, whole wheat buns) and sweet potato fries)
spaghetti and eggs (linguine + spinach with fried egg, hot sauce, and parmesan on top)
runza casserole
appetizers for dinner (cheese, fruit, hummus, veggies)
pizza

what do you all think? anything i am totally missing? please share any recipes, tips, or ideas that you have with me. i want to really set the women up for success in the kitchen, for it to be fun, and for the kids to get into it, too.
.....

black eyed peas with leeks (+ variations) inspired by 101 cookbooks 
-- total cost: less than $6, enough for several lunches or as a side to one dinner and as the main dish for a couple lunches
1/2 lb. dried black eyed peas, prepared
3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
olive oil
butter
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper
small handful, fresh or dried herbs (parsley, tarragon, marjoram are good choices)
heat olive oil + butter in skillet, add leeks and cook until almost caramelized.  add leeks to warmed blackeyed peas.  season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and herbs.  add more olive oil if too dry looking. serve warm and enjoy.
*great with beef kielbasa or apple chicken sausages stirred in
*make a light soup by adding to veg or chicken broth
*put a poached egg on it
*beautiful with a roasted chicken
*easy protein for a kids lunchbox
* berries are tasty alongside

let's get cooking AND eating

happy monday!!

elle and i only have a few spots left for our cooking classes on thursday, june 24th.  go here to sign up or email dailygrubomaha@yahoo.com.  here's a reminder about what will be happening: 

Take a cooking class with Anna Clements and Elle Lien, two cooks with the same focus of creating simple, seasonal meals.

Elle is the chef and owner at Daily Grub, a locally sourced, whole food diner. Anna is the farmer and owner of Clementine's Produce and Provisions and a primary grower for Daily Grub.

Taking inspiration from what's fresh at Anna's farm each month, classes include recipes and cooking instruction for six meals with suggestions for adapting them to any diet. A seventh recipe for preserving that month's produce is also included in the class.

Each month's class is different. No recipes will be repeated. 

At the end of class we'll sit down with tasting plate of the recipes featured that month. Feel free to bring a beverage! 

Classes begin at 6 pm and are held at the Educated Baker kitchen, located in the Mastercraft building at 1111 N. 13th St.

Looking forward to cooking with you!

also, look for the dinner in the field event to go up this week. . . elle lien of daily grub and bryce coulton (the guy behind the meat) of the boiler room  will both be contributing to this memorable event.  we are lucky to have such great friends/chefs in our lives. 

get connected

3 things you could do to help and get connected to your community:

Great Plains Black History Museum Community Clean Up Day -- May 21 from 9:30 - 2:00

the muesum needs our help to clean up the grounds by mowing the grass, hauling trash, and pruning --- build up your karma bank and rsvp at their facebook page.

Tom DeBuse Memorial  and Fundraiser for Luci ---May 28 from 3:00 - 10:00

huge, family friendly fundraiser at the hot shops art center to raise money for a daughter and to celebrate the life of a father. . .rsvp on their facebook page

Plentiful Plant Sale benefiting the Heart Ministry Center and Sacred Heart School --starts tmrw. at 9 am

NE corner of 90th & Dodge; thurs - sat:  9am to 8pm and sun: 1pm to 6pm

2 ways to get connected with your health and spirit:

Consulting is now available from Clementine's.  For $40, Anna or Caitie can come out and give you a plan to get your yard or garden in tip top shape.  Additional help is available at a rate of $10 per hour.  We can help you get the herb garden, perennial garden, cut flower garden, back yard, or veggie garden of your dreams.  Email clementinespandp@gmail.com ---spots are filling up!!!

Cooking Lessons - June through October. Spots are selling out!! Rsvp on Facebook.

we love mobs!

yesterday, we had our second crop mob and it was so wonderful. mobbers put about 100 pounds of seed potatoes in the ground!  AND they planted more greens, root veggies, the entire cut flower/herb bed, and ONIONS.  awesome, awesome! thank you, thank you, thank you to:

1. the subscribers who came out and worked at THEIR farm--bryce, don, katherine, adam, and deb.
2. our intern growers!  you ladies are a godsend to our farm and family.
3. the levy family, michelle, anne, mary & daughter from the heart ministry center.  the plot is ready for tomatoes & peppers and the greens are thriving thanks to all of you.
4. taylor and friends got some hand planting done, people!  all of our beautiful flowers and herbs will be thanks to these ladies.
5. anyone who dropped a potato or onion in the ground! BRAVO!!!
6. the palubecki's!  melinda and joann helped us with hendrix, the dishes, the farm, and so much everyday.

we are blessed and supported by so many. xoxo

in other news, our beloved daily grub closed last week.  BUT we are still doing cooking classes with elle starting in june.  they will be held at the educated baker kitchen in the mastercraft building.  classes are for sale at the daily grub facebook page (under shop now tab) or email dailygrubomaha@yahoo.com to sign up. we are really excited to do these classes and hope to see you there.

also, would you like to come to a dinner in a field?  our field.  inspired by something like this. . .? details soon!

happy cake!

it is the one year anniversary/birthday of one of our favorite restaurants/clients this week.  daily grub, elle and the crew will be celebrating their amazing accomplishment this thursday.  if you have never been.  go.  just go.  have anything with ancho cashew cream sauce.  bring a vegan cake to enter in the contest.  watch the community, love, passion, and deliciousness unfold in front of you.  leave with belly full and a happy spirit.  places like daily grub make cities better.  they give other restaurants something to live up to.  elle and her restaurant inspire.  so from all of us at clementine's p+p. . .HAPPY CAKE, DG!!

the three c's.

i like things in threes. 
i feel weird with even numbers.
now you know one more weird thing about me.

1. crop mob!
the clementine's p+p crop mob weekend is next weekend: april 9th & 10th.  we will be making flower beds & planting flowers, making raised beds, constructing compost bins in the main field, painting signs for our farmstands, planting onion sets, planting potatoes, and putting up deer fence.  lunch will be provided, as well as, fresh air and sunshine.  volunteers will be given $10 gift certificates to clementine's p+p.

2. cook book review!
i impulse bought mark bittman's, how to cook everything, cookbook on sunday.  boy, am i glad i did that.  this book is amazing.  i am sure i am little late on this and everyone already knows this.  oh well.  i've been busy growing a human and produce.  this book has been revealing all sorts of cooking tidbits i didn't know. . .like you don't have to soak your beans and you can freeze (in cooking liquid) cooked beans almost indefinitely. go buy it.  only $24.95.

3. cooking classes!
cooking classes start in a month. you better sign up before they fill up.  elle, of daily grub, and i will be teaching a cooking classes twice a month at her restaurant.  classes are based on in season produce from our farm.  you can find more information here.  sign up happens on facebook or by emailing dailygrubomaha@yahoo.com.

stuff you should know about (& do). . .

happy day, all!  there is a lot of stuff i keep forgetting to tell you about.  and to remind you about.
so here's a run down:

1. the boiler room is doing another wine dinner on march 24th and their patio is open.  this looks like a real goodie.  remember chef paul gets to go to nyc at the end of this month and be super awesome at the dinner for the james beard foundation. 

2. we will be having our crop mob weekend on saturday, april 9th and sunday, april 10th.  both days from 8-1, lunch provided.  families are invited and more than welcome.  the fresh air and sunshine is free.  it is BYOT (bring your own tools).  some things we will be doing are: building raised beds, spreading compost, erecting deer fence.  every crop mobster will also get a $10 gift certificate to use at clementine's p+p.  go to our facebook events page to sign up for either day.  can't wait to get dirty with you. (gross)

3. clementine's p + p will start it's cooking classes with elle lein of daily grub in may.  classes are for sale now on daily grub's facebook shop.  these classes are going to be  a wonderful way to learn new ways to cook simple, delicious, and fast meals with the season's freshest produce.  classes run from may thru october.

4. my buddy, michelle, and i will be hosting a clothing swap on sunday, may 2nd at the farm.  everyone who comes must bring at least 7 items to swap and a treat to share.  we have a lot of 0/2, 4/6, 10/12, and 14/16 sizes.  if you and a group of friends are those sizes or another. . .contact me and i will include you on our mailing list.  this a great way to get some new to you, free stuff for spring.

5. clementine's p+p is donating it's surplus to the heart ministry in addition to growing a separate plot of veggies for them.  we are still looking for another $150 in donations to cover the costs of seeds and supplies.  i will post a blog with the details and greatness that is the heart ministry this week. 

6. daily grub has some new hours.  and is open for BRUNCH now.  the waffles on saturday were amazing.

xoxo