As the days grow shorter and the nights cooler, enjoying outdoor summer meals with friends and family become even more precious than usual. Specializing in Indian cuisine, I wanted to stuff my picnic basket with some spicy ethnic flare. Not everything in my basket was authentically Indian, but prepared with love and care, my companions were more than delighted with the healthy and delicious offerings from my magic basket of goodness.
The starring feature of the basket was three variations on hummus. Hummus with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives and Spicy Red Pepper Hummus and Indian-Style Spicy Hummus. Chopped fresh vegetables and toasted pita triangles are the perfect accompaniment to these dips. Also featured in the basket are some Curried Deviled Eggs, my famous Vegetarian Caesar Salad, potato salad and Paneer Tikka Pizza on Naan Bread. Be sure to pack some muffins or biscuits to please those that wish to satisfy their sweet teeth.
Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water to cover. Drain, transfer to a medium saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook until the beans are soft – roughly 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
In a food processor, combine the cooked chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, salt, lime juice, tahini, goat cheese, cumin, cayenne, sugar, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid from the sun-dried tomatoes and a bit of parsley or cilantro. Puree until you have a thick paste.
Garnish with the remaining parsley or cilantro.
Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan. Cover with several inches of fresh water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are buttery soft. Drain.
In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and process until you have a thick, smooth paste. You may need to add extra olive oil or a bit of water if you want a thinner paste.


GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Come learn about the science behind flavor. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the UF Center for Smell and Taste will co-host the 1st Flavor Summit Industry Perspectives.
Scientists from around the world will come to Orlando, Florida, Feb. 5-6, for the flavor summit. Meetings will offer insights into the cutting-edge science and current industry trends relevant to flavor.
Yu Wang, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, said UF is bringing together global leaders in industry and science to teach and learn the latest about what makes food and drink taste great.
"We will pass this new knowledge along to our stakeholders, who include food and beverage companies, growers and other scientists so we can give consumers the tastiest and most aromatic foods and drinks on the market," said Wang, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida, and a member at the Center for Smell and Taste.
How to make flavor through processing, such as fermentation or heating.
Natural products as sources of novel flavor compounds.
In addition to experts from industry, government and academic institutions speak on the topics, the workshop also will include posters and tabletop demonstrations.
The summit will be held at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando. Early registration ends Dec. 15. Late registration ends Jan. 31. Those interested in attending should click here.


Today I said goodbye to the girl who has known me since I was three. We've always been best friends. We always will be best friends. I will miss her terribly. With that final farwell my goodbyes have ended pretty much ended, leaving only my immediate family. My church, my friends, my family, it's all done. Part of me is so glad that it's over and that this chapter of my life is officially closing. Another part finds it painfully bittersweet as I prepare for the crazy whirlwind adventure awaiting me in Washinton. I am ready, but I am also scared. Things are looking good, including the fact that I got a job interview. God is continuing to open doors for me; continuing to show me that this is indeed His will for my life. I'm excited to see Amy again, to meet new people, to jump into new ministry opportunities. Most of all right now I am just excited to be there. I do not look forward to the next 5 days I will spend in the car, though it is a bit of a necessary part of my journey...lol :) I suppose I'm rambling a bit but it's my journal and therefore my right to do so. Ah well...I shall close now anyway and continue to prepare for my journey-mostly by going to bed. 1o hours in the car tomorow...I definitely need my rest.


Welcome! Hollister Montessori School offers a Primary Program for children between the ages of 3 – 6 years and an Elementary Program for children 1st – 6th grade. We invite you to discover our unique approach to education and encourage you to visit our school to learn more about the Montessori Method. Spend some time visiting our website, our school and our classrooms. We look forward to hearing from you and meeting you soon.
Please view our short video below and view our additional parking diagram here.
One evening each month an orientation meeting is held for parents who are interested in learning more about Hollister Montessori School. This meeting is for new families seeking information about the school. It is open to parents only, as no childcare is provided. Orientation meetings are held at the school on the first Thursday of each month from 7 – 8 PM. Interested parents please call 831-630-3038 to reserve a spot at the Orientation meeting.
To learn a more about how Montessori encourages independence among children, please read this article by Maren Schmidt.


text:
State Ed Board adopts new vocational admissions rules
Katie Lannan
State House News Service
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted regulations around vocational school admissions on Tuesday, approving changes that Education Commissioner Jeff Riley said will bring Massachusetts more in line with other states, give state officials authority to intervene in cases of non-compliance and update a process that "has not been touched" for 20 years.
Riley said the regulations will affect students applying to career and vocational-technical programs for the 2022-2023 school year. He said they direct vocational schools and districts with vocational programs to "develop data-informed admissions policies to promote equitable access, comply with state and federal laws and regulations and receive annual approval from the district school committee or board of trustees."
No board member voted against the regulations, and the parent representative, Mary Ann Stewart, voted present. Stewart said she wanted to see more clarity in the regulations.
A group called the Vocational Education Justice Coalition has been pushing for changes to admissions policies they say disproportionately exclude students of color and those who are learning English, have disabilities or come from low-income families.
The coalition had sought changes to the regulations prior to the vote, identifying areas where its members felt the new approach fell short.
Lunenburg Sen. John Cronin also asked for changes, using the public comment period at Tuesday's meeting to flag three questions he wanted answered: what admissions outcomes need to be fixed, which are equitable and fair, and which necessitate an admissions lottery.
"I fear that those answers to those questions vary district to district, board member to board member, commissioner to commissioner, school administrator to school administrator," he said. "Until we have clear regulations and standards that provide clear answers to those questions, we're just punting on the hardest questions that surround this issue."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I have not-one-but-two articles on my Kitchen Mysteries with The Food Geek at Fine Cooking (dot) Com. Woo!
The first is my print article from issue 100, in which I discuss the the proper storage and treatment of leafy greens. The illustration by Aude Van Ryn are fantastic, incidentally.
The second is my usual weekly column discussing using basil in cooked food, from a technique standpoint as well as a pointer (familiar to longtime readers) for finding out what foods pair well with others.