Smac Story

Smac Story

Smac, that’s what a dear friend calls the adult version of my macaroni and cheese.  Mac and cheese she says is for kids,  Smac is for adults.  Smac is really for anyone, but she says the awesomeness of it is something she both wants and does not want to share with anybody.  I shared some Smac with a mutual friend of ours last night and she told me it was the best mac and cheese ever.

In all honesty, I don’t think it is the way I make it, because I have never seen a professional chef make it my way.  I think it is my secret ingredient, which I add to every dish I make.  It is called LOVE.  Love can make any food taste better. My wife calls it fairy dust. A friend of mine calls it slap powder.  He says it makes any dish I make taste so good you wanna “slap yo momma.” It’s a phrase used sometimes about a dish that tastes so amazing that you would fight someone to get another dish of it. I remember hearing someone explaining it this way. When you thought your mom’s version of something was so good, nothing could top it. Then you eat something that makes you wonder why you never got to eat it this way all your life and puts your mom’s version to shame.

When I am cooking, I am not trying to outdo anyone. I just work to serve up the best version of a dish. I want to create that oh my goodness experience when I cook for people. This week, what bought it about was my smac and cheese. Since Zoe and I started eating vegan, I have been having to work on creating a vegan mac and cheese that scored as high on the taste level for her as my non-vegan one.  I am still working on it and thought I was there, and I might be. However, this morning I may have found a vegan equivalent of one of the staples in my smac and cheese.  If I can find it I may try to make some vegan mac and cheese my non vegan way. 

Why do I think it is not how I make it. While there are a few commonalities anytime I make it, there are some things which vary from batch to batch. So what is common?
elbow macaroni, although you could use another small pasta
butter
heavy cream
eggs
Velveeta
cheddar cheese.

What varies from batch to batch is the following: the cheeses. I try to include some sort of curd because it gives you that ooey gooey stretchiness. I am not sure I can find a vegan version of this, but I am not giving up. I generally include at least 3 other types of cheese, but what kind varies depending on what I have in the frig, what they have at the store and what my budget it.  Every once in a while I used to try to add some tallegio because I love the texture but it is expensive, so I add it on special occasions. Generally, my favorite combo is muenster, Monterey jack and at least 2 kinds of cheddar.

I don’t make a cheese sauce, I just mix everything together in my rectangular baker, top with more cheese and then bake.

When it comes out, the smac makes you want to slap somebody, even if it’s not your mom.  Live near me and want a tray, ask me how you can get one.

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Chicken Soup for the World

Chicken Soup for the World

I was recently thinking about my Buby (Yiddish for Grandmother) and how she taught me about how being present for others could be as healing as serving them a pot of homemade chicken soup. Throughout my life I had chicken soup served so many different ways. My mother would either make it with matzo balls, hers were floaters and not sinkers, or noodles. She normally used wide egg noodles. As I grew up and aged, I began eating chicken soup served so many ways. I have had it with rice, orzo, ramen noodles, wild rice, tortellini, ravioli and with no grain or pasta at all. It was when I was writing a poem about being chicken soup and was looking for an image of a bowl of chicken soup that I saw so many images of chicken soup and realized that the healing power of chicken soup is a universal one, and not just one I grew up eating with my family.

It is not just the chicken soup, it is the love poured into the preparation of it. Growing up my mother taught me how to make chicken soup from scratch. I remember patiently waiting for what she called the scum to float to the top and I would skim it all off. She taught me that the secret ingredient to add to every dish I made was love. She once told me the scum that I was removing was taking away anything which might harm those I loved and that I was to think about how much I loved people with each movement.

It is interesting how chicken soup has become this metaphor for something soothing and comforting. It is supposed to evoke memories of love, family and tradition. That is in party why Jack Canfield called his series Chicken Soup for the Soul.  Those feelings and need to be loved and comforted are a global need, something so universal that just about every culture has their own way or ways of making chicken soup recipes to show comfort and love in their own way.

Below are just a few ways of making this soup that might make you and your family feel loved and comforted.

Matzo Ball Soup

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Hearty Chicken Quesadilla Soup

Slow Cooker Tuscan Tortellini Vegetable  Soup

Chicken Verde Soup

Chicken Ramen Soup

Pressure Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Arroz Caldo

Moroccan Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Korean Chicken and Ginger Soup

Hearty Chicken, Potato and Corn Soup

Let me know which ones makes you feel loved and comforted

To order any equipment to make these soups check out pamperedchef.biz/sharonjacobsonChicken Soup for the World

I was recently thinking about my Buby (Yiddish for Grandmother) and how she taught me about how being present for others could be as healing as serving them a pot of homemade chicken soup. Throughout my life I had chicken soup served so many different ways. My mother would either make it with matzo balls, hers were floaters and not sinkers, or noodles. She normally used wide egg noodles. As I grew up and aged, I began eating chicken soup served so many ways. I have had it with rice, orzo, ramen noodles, wild rice, tortellini, ravioli and with no grain or pasta at all. It was when I was writing a poem about being chicken soup and was looking for an image of a bowl of chicken soup that I saw so many images of chicken soup and realized that the healing power of chicken soup is a universal one, and not just one I grew up eating with my family.

It is not just the chicken soup, it is the love poured into the preparation of it. Growing up my mother taught me how to make chicken soup from scratch. I remember patiently waiting for what she called the scum to float to the top and I would skim it all off. She taught me that the secret ingredient to add to every dish I made was love. She once told me the scum that I was removing was taking away anything which might harm those I loved and that I was to think about how much I loved people with each movement.

It is interesting how chicken soup has become this metaphor for something soothing and comforting. It is supposed to evoke memories of love, family and tradition. That is in party why Jack Canfield called his series Chicken Soup for the Soul.  Those feelings and need to be loved and comforted are a global need, something so universal that just about every culture has their own way or ways of making chicken soup recipes to show comfort and love in their own way.

Below are just a few ways of making this soup that might make you and your family feel loved and comforted.

Matzo Ball Soup

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Hearty Chicken Quesadilla Soup

Slow Cooker Tuscan Tortellini Vegetable  Soup

Chicken Verde Soup

Chicken Ramen Soup

Pressure Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Arroz Caldo

Moroccan Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Korean Chicken and Ginger Soup

Hearty Chicken, Potato and Corn Soup

Let me know which ones makes you feel loved and comforted

To order any equipment to make these soups check out pamperedchef.biz/sharonjacobson

When Sombeody Loves You

When Somebody Loves You

Years ago, I read a quote in Jess S. Scott’s book The Intern, “When somebody loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.” We all know what it feels like to feel loved. For me it is like being wrapped in a blanket where I feel the warmth, safety and comfort of those who love me. I am blessed to have a small circle of people in my life who keep me humble and do things to make me feel loved every day of my life. I would like to believe I say and do things that make them feel my love for them.  I try to radiate love to all, sometimes from a distance, but with others it is as close and often as possible.

I found myself thinking about this quote again when my friend Angel asked me to write about love and cooking. I thought Scott’s words were true for my cooking. To paraphrase him slightly, “When somebody loves you, the way they cook for you is different. You taste the love and the positive energy.” You may be able to think of a meal or a person whose food you can taste the love in. My friend Laura, who is no longer with us, would always request a tray of lasagna and a tray of orange brownies for her birthday. I would think of her and how much I love her as I made it and I would always be rewarded by that look and the smile and the joy that radiated from her as she slowly savored each and every bite. She would then take the leftovers home and savor them and make them last as long as possible.

I was at a vending event once and a woman told me how she hated chocolate chip  cookies and then she tasted mine. She was floored. She asked me what my secret ingredient is and I very humbly told her love. We are not always conscious of how love and the positive energy we carry with us while we are cooking changes the way we cook and the way the food tastes.

A friend of mine shared a story with me about a time he was cooking dinner for his family. It was a dish he had made hundreds of times. However, this time he was not thinking about his family and how much he loved them. Rather he was thinking about all the things on his to do list and the frustrating day he had experienced at work. As he shared nothing came out right. His mother asked him if he had a bad day. She could taste it in the food.

Last year a coworker and his spouse gave birth to their 2nd child. I thought of how much he means to me and how tired they would be when they came home. So I made some uber simple vegan dishes to greet them when they came home from the hospital. They could taste the love in what I made them. 

It is not about the complexity of what you are making, but the love and attention you pour into whatever you are making. So as you prepare to make your next meal for yourself or others, fill yourself with love and then start cooking.

100% our donations go to support our ability to provide low and no cost offerings to those seeking to grow and evolve spiritually.When Somebody Loves You

Years ago, I read a quote in Jess S. Scott’s book The Intern, “When somebody loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.” We all know what it feels like to feel loved. For me it is like being wrapped in a blanket where I feel the warmth, safety and comfort of those who love me. I am blessed to have a small circle of people in my life who keep me humble and do things to make me feel loved every day of my life. I would like to believe I say and do things that make them feel my love for them.  I try to radiate love to all, sometimes from a distance, but with others it is as close and often as possible.

I found myself thinking about this quote again when my friend Angel asked me to write about love and cooking. I thought Scott’s words were true for my cooking. To paraphrase him slightly, “When somebody loves you, the way they cook for you is different. You taste the love and the positive energy.” You may be able to think of a meal or a person whose food you can taste the love in. My friend Laura, who is no longer with us, would always request a tray of lasagna and a tray of orange brownies for her birthday. I would think of her and how much I love her as I made it and I would always be rewarded by that look and the smile and the joy that radiated from her as she slowly savored each and every bite. She would then take the leftovers home and savor them and make them last as long as possible.

I was at a vending event once and a woman told me how she hated chocolate chip  cookies and then she tasted mine. She was floored. She asked me what my secret ingredient is and I very humbly told her love. We are not always conscious of how love and the positive energy we carry with us while we are cooking changes the way we cook and the way the food tastes.

A friend of mine shared a story with me about a time he was cooking dinner for his family. It was a dish he had made hundreds of times. However, this time he was not thinking about his family and how much he loved them. Rather he was thinking about all the things on his to do list and the frustrating day he had experienced at work. As he shared nothing came out right. His mother asked him if he had a bad day. She could taste it in the food.

Last year a coworker and his spouse gave birth to their 2nd child. I thought of how much he means to me and how tired they would be when they came home. So I made some uber simple vegan dishes to greet them when they came home from the hospital. They could taste the love in what I made them. 

It is not about the complexity of what you are making, but the love and attention you pour into whatever you are making. So as you prepare to make your next meal for yourself or others, fill yourself with love and then start cooking.

100% our donations go to support our ability to provide low and no cost offerings to those seeking to grow and evolve spiritually.

Donate

Sandwich theology

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Sandwich Theology

When I was in seminary, I had a professor who spoke about popcorn theology. It was about finding the spiritual in everyday moments like watching popcorn pop.  It is one of those experiences I have had numerous times in my life and have written about them before. I have written about food such as cupcakes, waffles and spaghetti, and kitchen utensils such as Pampered Chef’s silicone basting brush and adjustable measuring spoons. Tonight, as I was preparing my wife’s vegan philly cheesesteak, I had a similar epiphany.

On the one hand, it is just a sandwich filled with vegan steak, vegan provolone, caramelized onions and peppers layered inside a bun.  But tonight, as I put together this sandwich for her, I realized it was more than just a sandwich. It was an offering to her that was nutritious, one I hoped would be pleasurable, and something I had made for her with love.  I not only made it for her with love, I thought loving thoughts about her as I had planned it, shopped for it, served it to her and watched her eat it.

It wasn’t just a sandwich, it was a gift of my love for her. Not only was my love in that sandwich, but the Ultimate’s love for her was in it too.  There were all those gifts that the Ultimate had led to the creation of, guided us to, blessed us with the funds to get, and given me the hands and creativity to bring to fruition.  All of this was wrapped in the bread which held it all together.  Isn’t this how the Ultimate is in our life?

It doesn’t matter what kind of sandwich you are making, even if the bread you are using is lettuce because you are on a low carb diet.  There is still something which wraps around all the fillings and holds things together.  The fillings are what gives us nutrition and pleasure, but it is the bread which holds the sandwich together while we eat it.

Some sandwiches are neater than others to eat, but the same is true of our lives. Some days are neat er then others. Some sandwiches we enjoy more than others. Some seem more nutritious than others. Yet despite the variations, our faith in our Higher Power, however, we define that, is what holds all the ingredients in place and enables us to eat and enjoy the gift we have been given.

Tonight was philly cheesesteak and tomorrow may be a vegan reuben. It is not about the type of sandwich I make, it is about the love that goes into it, through it, and with which it is served.

100% our donations go to support our ability to provide low and no cost offerings to those seeking to grow and evolve spiritually.

Donate

Love

Jess S. Scott, in his book The Intern wrote, “When somebody loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.” I used this quote earlier this week as our thought for the day. We all know what it feels like to feel loved. For me it is like being wrapped in a blanket where I feel the warmth, safety and comfort of those who love me.

I could edit this quote a bit and say “When somebody loves you, the way they cook for you is different. You taste the love and the positive energy.” You may be able to think of a meal or a person whose food you can taste the love in. For my friend Tom, it is my Smac n Cheese. He and his wife drive 90 minutes each way for him to eat this. The look on his face while he is doing so is priceless. He consistently tells me he can taste the love. I am so glad because I do think about how much I love him when I make it for him. My friend Laura, who is no longer with us, would always request a tray of lasagna and a tray of orange brownies for her birthday. I would think of her and how much I love her as I made it and I would always be rewarded by that look and the smile and the joy that radiated from her as she slowly savored each and every bite. She would then take the leftovers home and savor them and make them last as long as possible.

I was at a vending event once and a woman told me how she hated chocolate chip  cookies and then she tasted mine. She was floored. She asked me what my secret ingredient is and I very humbly told her love. We are not always conscious of how love and the positive energy we carry with us while we are cooking changes the way we cook and the way the food tastes.

A friend of mine shared a story with me about a time he was cooking dinner for his family. It was a dish he had made hundreds of times. However, this time he was not thinking about his family and how much he loved them. Rather he was thinking about all the things on his to do list and the frustrating day he had experienced at work. As he shared nothing came out right. His mother asked him if he had a bad day. She could taste it in the food.

It is not about the complexity of what you are making, but the love and attention you pour into whatever you are making. So as you prepare to make your next meal for yourself or others, fill yourself with love and then start cooking.

Donate