Pregnancy Foods: What to Expect for your Grocery List

By: Christy

Did you know (according to Your Pregnancy Week by Week, 5^th edition) the most common food cravings among pregnant women are

• Chocolate (33%)
• Sweets of some sort (20%)
• Citrus fruits and juices (19%).

I belong to the latter category. I can’t wait to eat an orange every day, and when I don’t have oranges in the house, I guzzle down fruit juices.  I have almost no desire for chocolate or other sweets, whereas before the pregnancy, I would always go through chocolate cravings. However, during the first few weeks of my pregnancy, oranges were far away from my edible foods list. All I could handle consuming for the first few months was peanut butter toast and cereal—really, anything bland.

The past few months I’ve been learning all sorts of facts like these as most of my reading time has been spent reading an array of pregnancy books and articles including the best-selling What to Expect When You’re Expecting. It’s amazing how long it has taken me to read the books on my book club’s reading list, or the other fiction texts in my collection that I normally devour.

Being that I’ve been spending so much quality reading time on pregnancy books, I thought I’d share some tips on ways I’ve modified my eating to integrate more calcium and other essential nutrients, which all of my books stress emphatically. I am typically a healthy eater anyway, but with some additional tweaks, I’ve learned to integrate more of those nutrients vital for healthy baby growth. Listed below are some of my new “go-to-foods”.

Breakfast

• Bran cereal with Greek yogurt and fruit (I like Kellogg’s All Bran, bran buds. The bran buds don’t overpower the yogurt taste like so many fiber loaded cereals do. The cereal also provides half of your daily supply of fiber, which is so important for pregnant woman. Yogurt provides calcium.).
• Whole Grain English Muffins with peanut butter and banana, or with a poached egg and cheese. Thomas’ Light Multi-Grain English Muffins are only 100 calories, and have almost as much fiber as the bran cereal (8 grams).

Lunch and snacks

• V-8, low sodium small size cans
• Hard boiled eggs (protein is so important and pregnant women aren’t affected by the cholesterol in eggs, so I keep these on hand every week)
• Cut raw vegetables: carrots, celery, broccoli, peppers, etc (It’s important to have these ready for a quick snack. All loaded with important C, A and B vitamins).
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole grain bread (it’s important to avoid processed lunch meats, and sometimes you’ve just got to have traditional comfort food).
• Chips and salsa (fresh salsa is nutritious, and a better alternative to cheese dips).
• String cheese (calcium)
• Pumpkin seeds (I love these homemade and they happen to be full of iron).
• Oranges (your body doesn’t store Vitamin C, so a fresh supply is needed every day).

Dinner

• Chicken breast, turkey burger (protein)
• Baked Potato with skin (loaded with iron)
• Spinach, romaine and mixed veggie salad (vitamin C, B, and iron)
  

  spaghetti squash

• mashed cauliflower mixed with boursin cheese or cream cheese (The cauliflower gives you vitamin C and the cheese is a source of calcium and protein–you need 3 servings a day of both vitamin C and protein).
• spaghetti squash with marinara or meat sauce (vitamin C, protein, and iron).

 

 

How to make Valentine’s Day Candy: It’d be a crime not to try this treat

By: Melanie

Though I’m slowly coming around, Valentine’s Day has never been my favorite holiday. While, sure, it’s cool to get a card or some flowers, I’d much rather receive something a little more personal: a thoughtful homemade note, perhaps. Or, let’s face it, my ultimate fav: a snickerdoodle cookie (hint hint, Brian!)

In my youth, I was amazingly bitter about Love’s holiday. “It’s nothing but an invited holiday sponsored by greedy corporate American so the Halmarks and the 1-800-Flowers of the world can increase their bottom line,” my punk self would insist.  And though I’m not sure I was totally off the mark, I do see the value in celebrating love. So, I figured, in honor of my younger self, I’d pay tribute to Valentine’s Day in a most untraditional way: with one of my favorite unexpected love stories. Nothing sappy. Nothing saccharine. Nothing…romantic, even. The book, is perhaps one of the best ever penned: Dostoyevsky’s  Crime and Punishment.

When you think of love stories, this certainly isn’t the first that comes to mind. In fact, this novel centered on a man’s senseless murder of a pawnbroker probably doesn’t come to mind at all. But hear me out. This is more than the unraveling of a man’s mind. It’s more than a journey through the stages guilt. It’s the story of redemption through love.  Raskolnikov’s ultimate salvation would not be possible without the influence, guidance, and loyalty of Sonya.

So, if you’re at all like me, and you enjoy a less than traditional Valentine’s Day, if Crime and Punishment is your love story of choice, then perhaps you’ll also enjoy a less traditional Valentine’s Day candy. Forget the chocolate…opt, instead, for cheese.

Yes, I realize these sort of look like raw meat. But isn't that the perfect considering they are paired with Crime and Punishment?

Cream Cheese Melty Mints:

Ingredients:

4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)

1 TBS Butter

1 TBS Mint Extract

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

Red food coloring

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, butter, and mint extract together in a large mixer. Beat until smooth.

Slowly add powdered sugar a little at a time until a soft dough forms.  Remove from bowl and place on a clean surface. Add as much as ½ cup additional powdered sugar, if needed to keep dough from being sticky. Knead dough until soft and smooth (about 2 minutes).

Chill dough for about 30 minutes.

Cut into 3 equal pieces.

With red food coloring, tint one portion pink, and another red. Leave the third portion white.

Roll the portions into long ropes. Wind each of the three ropes together. Cut into about 50 bite size pieces.

Keep in refrigerator or freezer.

Enjoy!

Pork Lettuce Wraps: A Delicious Recipe for Leftover Pork

By: Christy

Recently, as part of my husband’s “get in shape” resolution, he started the P90X workout program. I’m sure most of you have heard about it by now. It’s a series of exercise routines, which he absolutely loves. What has been challenging for him, but maybe more so for me, has been the diet. It’s tough to be creative when the the food items he can have are so limited. I also feel a little guilty seeing him eat his low-carb, and low-calorie meals, while I’m still indulging in my normal eating habits (but not that guilty…I am eating for two after all).  Either way, we’ve both been eating A LOT of chicken breast and both have been getting incredibly bored with it. So, a few days ago, Garret made a pork tenderloin which was delicious, but left us with a lot of leftover meat.  I was trying to come up with a clever way to use the leftovers, while still preparing a meal Garret could eat on his diet, and while also making it tasty enough to make up for the fact that I was using leftover meat (which tends to be a little drier).

My solution: Pork Lettuce Wraps. Thank you to Amy Tan, one of my favorite authors who describes so many delicious Asian meals in her novels, thus inspiring the twist in this meal. If you haven’t read anything by Amy Tan, I would recommend starting with The Bonesetter’s Daughter, one of my favorites. In the book, Tan deals with one of her favorite topics: the relationship between American-born, Chinese woman and their immigrant mothers. It’s a moving, and suspenseful story that crosses different cultures and time periods.

Back to the recipe…I don’t have specific measurements, as I was just working with items I had in my kitchen, so this recipe is for a more experienced (or more fearless) chef.

Pork Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

6 to 8 oz of cooked pork tenderloin, cut or shredded into thin strips

Veggies and pork saute with fluffy and fragrant jasmine rice

1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 handful (or more if you prefer) slivered almonds

1 to 2 to 3 handfuls (or more) of uncooked cole slaw mix

2 to 3 tablespoons Thai sweet and spicy chile sauce (any Asian sauce will do. You could even substitute soy sauce).

A few shakes of ginger powder

A few shakes of garlic powder

Directions

Saute the green bell pepper and almonds in a pan. After they have cooked for approx 10 minutes or so (on medium to high heat), add the pork. Warm the pork, stirring the mixture. Add the ginger powder and garlic powder.  Cook for a few more minutes. Add the chile sauce. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Add the handfuls of coleslaw mix, and allow to steam for only a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and serve with romaine lettuce stalks (for wrapping).

It is also nice served with or over jasmine rice.

So much flavor! And so easy to make! Your low-carb eater will love this recipe for leftovers.

How to Make Flavored Coffee: Spice up your morning

By: Melanie

I love coffee. I love everything about it. But, for a coffee freak, I am, perhaps surprisingly, not one of those people who wander out of bed needing that jolt of caffeine in order to start the day.

For me, it’s not really about the caffeine. This fact was reinforced since I’ve given up

I realize this is a horrible picture, but this documents the best coffee i've EVER had. It made my trip to Portugal!

caffeine all together. I just love the routine of it all: I like squeezing and smelling the bags at the market—debating what kind to try next. I love the daily preparation and the aroma that fills the kitchen as it brews. I love deciding which mug to use. (Most of my mugs were purchased on vacations; others had been favorites of my parents that I stealthily tucked into boxes when I moved away to college.) And, of course, I do love the taste.    

The sense of routine—of normalcy—that a daily cup of coffee can provide is, perhaps, what Claire and Henry seek in The Time Travelers Wife. Frankly, it seems the two of them are never not drinking coffee; the word “coffee” is written 64 times throughout the novel. It’s even important enough to be given a place on the cover art in the form of a blue picnic thermos.

Claire and Henry drink coffee socially, and it’s, of course, present during their most unusual…I guess we’d call it…“courtship.” Upon Henry’s returns from time travels, he always reaches for a cup. Claire, similarly, notices that after enjoying a steaming cup, things “[aren’t] so bad after all” (Niffengger 174).   

While that daily cup-o-joe can most definitely lend a sense of routine to the day, let’s face it: sometimes it’s nice to change things up a bit, too. Add a little spice. That’s where this recipe for Tropical Coffee comes into play. It’s the perfect pick-me-up on a cold winter’s day. Enjoy!

Tropical Coffee

Ingredients:

3        Tbsp ground vanilla flavored coffee

2      tsp sugar

1      tsp cinnamon

1      tsp cocoa

1      tsp dried tarragon

Pinch grated orange peel

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and then brew by your preferred method. Finish with milk or creamer as you desire.

Feeling feisty? Add a splash of kahlua.

Goat Cheese Toppings: 4 ways to top your creamy spread. Heidi approved.

By: Christy

Today I was reminiscing about one of my favorite childhood books, Heidi, by Johanna Spyri. Heidi is the heartwarming story of a Swiss mountain girl, living an idyllic existence with her grandfather in the mountains, who moves to the city, where comic capers ensue. She returns to the mountain and with her friend Peter, the goat-herder, inspires positive and amazing changes in her community.  Though the language is a bit old-fashioned, Heidi is a children’s classic that continues to inspire.

I have to admit, as a child, what inspired me to read the book was watching Shirley Temple movie version; my sister and I watched it with our grandma who introduced us to all her favorites from Shirley to Judy.

Heidi and Grandfather

Here’s a clip from the Christmas scene in the movie. She’s just so darn cute!

In the mountains, Heidi lived off the land and the goat milk and cheese drawn from her animals.   Not by necessity (as with Heidi), but by choice,  goat cheese has become a much loved snack in our house. Garret and I just love the creaminess of a soft goat cheese, drizzled with a simple topping, smeared on a slice of crusty French bread. Below are some sample toppers ranked in order of preference.

1. Honey. Don’t be shy! Just pour the honey all over the log of cheese. The sweetness of the honey pairs deliciously with the sourness of the cheese.
   

   Just cover with a fav topping and serve with bread!

2. Tomato Sauce. This almost tastes like you’re eating a pizza. Very savory.
3. caramelized onions. This heavy duty mix is nice topped on crackers.
4. Rosemary flakes. Not as saucy, but beautiful pairing of flavor.

How to Make Raisin Bran Muffins: The Importance of Eating “Quite Calmly”

By: Melanie

One of my all-time favorite works of literature (and not coincidently, least favorite movies) has to Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Every time I reread the play, I notice another pun, hyperbole, or hilarious bit of irony that had previously escaped my notice.

I think one reason I love this comedy so much is that it always strikes me as Seinfeld-esque. (Though in reality, I suppose Seinfeld is Wilde-esque!) Seinfeld is, perhaps, the greatest show ever. (I could have an entire conversation (with my dad, most likely) in which nothing but Seinfeld quotes and allusions are exchanged.)

The characters in the Importance of Being Earnest are all hyperbolic types of people that Wilde perceived in his Victorian society. Much like Seinfeld, the characters are devoid of morals, lie openly and often, and assume ridiculous fake identities (Bunbury and Art Vandelay, anyone?) Additionally, they pour over the minutia of everyday life. One of my favorite scenes in the play is when Jack and are discussing, at length and in great detail, muffins:

Jack: How you can sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You seem to be perfectly heartless.

Algernon: Well, I can’t eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuff. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.

Jack: I say it’s perfectly heartless your eating muffins at all, under the circumstances.

The serious nature with which Jack and Algernon dissect the eating of muffins is hilarious. (Akin to the big salad, perhaps?) But what’s more: I sort of agree. As a lover of muffins (and all bready breakfast foods)—one simply should not eat a muffin in an agitated manner! So, please, enjoy these raisin bran muffins. Eat them, but eat them calmly.

Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 quart buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

5 cups flour

3 cups sugar

5 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

1 15 oz box of Raisin Bran

Raisin Bran Muffins

Directions:

Mix eggs, buttermilk, and vegetable oil together. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl. Add liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until combined. Do not overmix—the mixture should not be smooth.

Let the batter sit for 24 hours in the refrigerator then spoon into either a greased muffin tin or muffin cups . Cups should be 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20.

The great thing about this recipe is that the batter can be refrigerated for up to six weeks, so you can enjoy fresh muffins every morning!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Drowned in Espresso, not at Hedeby Island

By: Christy

Perhaps you’ll notice that the title for this post is inspired by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,* which I just finished reading a few weeks ago. While I read, as I pondered the mysteries and suppressed cravings for Ikea meatballs (which I did satisfy this past weekend), I was  struck by how often the main characters drink coffee in the book. I literally just flipped through the book and in less than a minute I came upon quite a few coffee references. Here are just a few:

She used the toilet and got a cup of coffee from the espresso machine that Armansky had bought when at long last he recognized that Slander would never make coffee just because it was expected of her (115).

“Could I have just a little more coffee?” Berger asked. Vanger poured her a cup at once (205).

She went and bought a big box of Billy’s Pan Pizza, stuck two of them in the microwave and filled a thermos with coffee. She spent that night on the Internet reading articles and theses on the psychopathy of sadism (253).

They ate breakfast in the garden in silence and without milk in their coffee (399).

I could go on and on. As I read the book, I couldn’t help but notice the mundane details that Larsson explains in the narrative, which include many of the coffee references. I suppose coffee must be a symbol, but I’ve yet to determine it. To me, it just seemed like the descriptions were those extra details editors recommend that writers “trim” to “speed the flow of the plot.”  —At least that’s what Melanie and I have deliberated over and over and over again, as we’ve worked to “speed the flow” of the narration in our manuscript.

Ah well. Here’s proof that you can reach the Best seller’s List and still take time telling your tale over a steaming cup of joe.

Since we’re in that holiday party time of year, I thought I’d share one of my twin sister’s favorite entertaining treats, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Drowned in Espresso. The presentation is elegant, yet simple making for an easy-to-do, unique holiday treat.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Drowned in Espresso

Ingredients:

½ gallon of vanilla bean ice cream ( serves 8 )

1 cup strong brewed espresso (can be at room temperature or hot)

*chocolate shavings or coffee beans for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Scoop ice cream evenly into 8 bowls. (I also like to use glass cafe mugs).
2. Place the bowls over a dinner plate.
3. Pour espresso into 8 shot glasses, and set the shot glasses beside each bowl.
4. Ask your guests to pour the espresso over the ice cream.
5. Indulge immediately.

*No, you probably did not get the reference. I know lame. But someone did drown at Hedeby in the text!

Thanksgiving Dinner with a Twist: How to make pumpkin ravioli with pumpkin seed pesto

By: Melanie

Is it me, or has this year flown by? It was just Valentine’s Day (wasn’t it?!), and yet somehow, Thanksgiving is nearly upon us.  Thanksgiving has never been one of my favorite holidays. As a vegetarian, a day centered on eating turkey isn’t really my style. Secondly, while I love (LOVE) pumpkin pie (or anything pumpkin, for that matter!), I can easily forego most other traditional Thanksgiving foods.

Despite this, Thanksgiving holds a special place in my heart (and not just because it marks the official start of the Christmas season in my house!). Those who know me well are very aware that I’m a descendent of John Howland, a pilgrim who voyaged to America aboard the Mayflower. He was one of the early signers of the Mayflower Compact and was a founding member of Plymouth Colony.  

The John Howland House, Plymouth, MA

When I taught high school English, I would always find a way to slip in a reading of William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation around this time of year.  My favorite passage? Of course it’s Bradford’s account of “a lusty young man called John Howland.” He writes that during a great storm, Howland was “thrown into sea; but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail halyards which hung overboard and ran out at length. Yet he held his hold (though he was sundry fathoms under water) till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boat hook and other means got into the ship again and his life saved. And though he was something ill with it, yet he lived many years after and became a profitable member both in church and commonwealth.”

Not only is this story miraculous, but it reminds me of the determination, resolve, and tenacity that was instrumental in shaping our country.

So, in honor of the first Thanksgiving, I’ve opted to share a meal inspired by one of the crops gifted to Pilgrims by Native Americans: the pumpkin. And in honor of…well…me, I’ve decided to provide a twist on the classic Thanksgiving entre. This year, forego the turkey (I think I can hear my husband scoffing!) and try scratch made pumpkin ravioli instead!

Pumpkin Ravioli with pumpkin seed pesto

Step 1: How to make pureed pumpkin

Step 2: How to make pumpkin seed pesto

Step 3: How to make pumpkin ravioli filling

Step 4: How to make ravioli dough and assemble pumpkin ravioli

 Step 1: How to make pumpkin Puree:

Ingredients:

1 small (pie or sweet) pumpkin—4 lbs is sufficient

Directions:

-       Split pumpkin in half widthwise

-       Remove the seeds, rinse, and set aside to dry

-       Remove the stringy fibers by scraping the inside of the pumpkin

-       Wrap each half in tin foil and bake at 325 for an hour and half or until tender

-       Spoon out the flesh and puree in a food processor.

-       Set aside or refrigerate

 

Step 2: How to make Pumpkin Seed Pesto

  Ingredients

-       1/2  cup  hulled pumpkin seeds

-       1 1/2  cups  packed fresh parsley

-       1  small clove garlic

-       1/2  cup  extra-virgin olive oil

-       1/2  cup  freshly grated Parmesan

-       1/4  teaspoon  cayenne pepper

-       1/8  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

-       Salt

Directions:

-       Toast pumpkin seeds in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

-       Combine seeds, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely chopped.

-        With motor running, add oil in a steady stream and process until smooth

-       Scrape mixture into a bowl and stir in Parmesan, cayenne and cinnamon

-       Set aside or refrigerate

 

Step 3: How to make pumpkin ravioli filling:

Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

-       1 cup pumpkin puree

-       ½ cup ricotta cheese

-       1 tsp cinnamon

-       a pinch of nutmeg

-       a pinch of salt

Directions:

-       Mix all ingredients together and either set aside or refrigerate

Need dough for about 8 minutes (or until arms hurt!)

 

Step 4: How to make ravioli dough and assemble pumpkin ravioli

Ingredients:

-       3 cups all-purpose flour

-       1 teaspoon salt

-       4 eggs

-       2 tablespoons olive oil

-       1 egg yolk, for egg wash

Directions:

-       In an electric mixer (fitted with a dough hook) mix flour and salt.

-       Add eggs 1 at a time and continue to mix.

-       Drizzle in oil and continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. The dough should be soft and pull away from the sides of the bowl.

-        On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until elastic and smooth or about 8 minutes.

-        Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

-       Cut the ball of dough in half and on a lightly floured work surface (or in a pasta machine) roll each half into a long, thin rectangle. (You might find it more managable to cut each rectangle in half, so you will have a total of four strips) Your dough should be no more than 1/8^th of an inch thick.

-       Brush the surface of the dough with egg yolk.

-        Drop about 1 tablespoon of pumpkin filing about 2-inches apart on one of the rectangles.

-       Place the other rectangle over the first rectangle and gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling. This should form a seal.

-        Use a pizza cutter (or a ravioli crimper, if you have it) to cut each pillow into squares.

Enjoy!

 If using a pizza cutter, use a fork to fully seal all edges.

-       Cook the ravioli in plenty of salted, boiling salted water for about 5 minutes or until the ravioli will floats to the top.

-       Do not rinse the pasta, put place it immediately on the plate after straining.

-       Top with pumpkin seed pesto

Enjoy…you’ve worked hard!

Lamb Stew and Dried Plums from The Hunger Games

By: Christy

Katniss Everdeen is a teenage girl, drafted to compete in The Hunger Games, a televised, fight-to-the-death bloodbath in the country of Panem. The Hunger Games are the epitome of reality television in this world where the oppressed are many and the privileged are few. In case you haven’t caught on yet, I’m referring to The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, possibly the hottest and most controversial young adult series being read today.

The story features real teens living in a dystopian United States of America who don’t have supernatural powers, but who do rely on exceptional skills to help them survive the arena. The winner of the Hunger Games gets to live a life of ease. And the losers?…Well, they die. The tributes kill each other off until the last man or woman is standing.

How does this relate to food? Actually, the food references are one of the strongest motifs in the text. When Katniss first visits the Capital (where they prepare tributes for battle), she is astounded by the exquisite flavors and un-ending quantities of food. In her district, she’s lucky if she gets squirrel meat with burnt bread, so she takes advantage of gorging herself on the elaborate meals every chance she gets. When she’s interviewed by Caesar Flickerman, the Ryan Seacrest of the games, she tells him her favorite thing about the Capital is the lamb stew. She’s embarrassed by her quick response, but her response is believable because we know she’s never had much to eat.

This recipe for Lamb Stew with Dried Plums is directly inspired by Katniss’ favorite dish. Her stew also featured dried plums (prunes).

Lamb Stew with Dried Plums

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 lbs lamb stew meat or lamb shoulder on the bone

1 onion, sliced

1 can, 14 oz, chopped or diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

1 cup stock

1 1/2 cups pitted prunes

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 strip of orange zest (optional)

1 third cup of toasted almond slivers (optional)

How to Prepare:

Heat the olive oil on high in a dutch oven or non-stick saucepan with a lid. When it’s heated (after a minute or two), add the meat and sizzle until it’s browned all over.

Remove the meat and set aside.

Add the onions to the pot and cook them until they are soft (3-5 minutes).

Return the meat to the pot, and add the wine, stock and diced tomatoes.

Bring everything to a boil

After it begins to boil, reduce the heat (low), and cover the pot. Let simmer for 45 minutes.

Add the prunes and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender and prunes are soft.  When ready to serve, stir in the vinegar, and heat through 15-20 minutes.

Serve over wild rice.

How to make Deviled Eggs: A favorite of Abigail Williams

By: Melanie

Well, it’s mid October and fall has yet to arrive to the South Carolina low country, and I’m just a little bitter about it. Autumn is, without a doubt, my favorite season; it’s a time for pumpkin pie, college football, crisp temperatures, and of course, the start of a new school year! Whenever I see the leaves start to change, I can almost smell the freshly sharpened pencils. While there are a number of “fall” books and short stories that I love, perhaps one of my favorites is Miller’s immortal drama, The Crucible. Its witchy themes are perfect for this time of year.

Brian and I just returned from a trip to New England where fall was in full swing! There were few places I was more excited to visit than Danvers and Salem, Massachusetts.  We all recognize Salem as the setting of The Crucible and the site of the notorious witch trials. It boasts an array of witchcraft paraphernalia and tourist attractions showcasing its famous history. It was a blast to check out, even if it is a bit commercial

Salem is very proud of its "witchy" history

and gimmicky.

However, if you’re really interested in exploring historical sites associated with the witchcraft trials, Danvers is the place to go.  Danvers is actually the site of the former “Salem Village.” There you’ll find a number of familiar grave stones, including those belonging to Rebecca Nurse, John Proctor, and Elizabeth Parris. (Most of those convicted of witchcraft were, of course, not given a gravestone but rather buried in an unmarked area close to the site of hanging.) You can also tour the Putnam House and Nurse Homestead (where Rebecca lived at the time she was accused). Also worth checking out is the Salem Village Parsonage (the focal point of the witchcraft hysteria) and the Witchcraft Victims Memorial which was erected in 1992.

While there are a number of fall-inspired recipes I could share, I’ve decided to save that for my next post. Instead, I’ve opted to include a food that, by name alone, would have been dangerous to prepare in 1692 Salem, Mass: Deviled Eggs.

Deviled Eggs:

Ingredients

6 hard-boiled eggs

3 TBSP mayonnaise

½ tsp ground mustard

Two pinches of salt and pepper

Directions

Peel eggs and cut lengthwise. Scoop the yolks into a small bowl.

  Mash up the yolks with a fork and add remaining ingredients.

Spoon the yolk mixture back into the whites.

If desired, sprinkle with Paprika. You can also top with finely chopped green olives or pimientos.