Here is a great dish that you should try. I made this for dinner and it was a hit with the whole family. Enjoy.
PASTA PRIMAVERA
1/2 lb. thin spaghetti
3/4 c. broccoli, chopped
3/4 c. carrots, sliced thin
1/4 c. peas
1/2 c. green beans
2 c. ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
To prepare the Primavera sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet and add the minced garlic and cook. Add the beans, carrots, peas, and broccoli and stir until crispy tender for at least 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, pepper and thyme) and salt. Simmer for a minute or two until the tomatoes are tender, but remain somewhat firm.
Meanwhile, add about 1 quart of water to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti; stir around so the pasta does not stick together. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until al dente (somewhat firm). Drain well in a colander and put into a large pasta serving bowl.
Add the Primavera sauce to the spaghetti and add the grated Parmesan cheese. Toss and serve immediately. Serve with toast sticks.
VARIATION: Use any vegetables available, fresh or frozen. Zucchini and cauliflower are good choices.
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Submitted by bencross on Fri, 2007-03-16 09:38.
Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn't know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.
After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. "Daughter, what do you see?" Potatoes, eggs, and coffee," she hastily replied. "Look closer", he said, "and touch the potatoes." She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face. "Father, what does this mean?" she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity - the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new. "Which are you," he asked his daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
Which one are you?
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Submitted by bencross on Tue, 2007-02-20 09:07.
This would be my first time experiencing a vocal contest of this magnitude. There 
were about 175 - 200 contestants with only two slots left to fill. One of the judges for the even was Ron Grant - Senior A&R Executive for Sony Music.
Jonathan Slocumb was there making his guest appearance. He had jokes, and some new ones at that. He had us singing various songs, and some of the people didn't know the lyrics and that is when the fun started.
One song was "America (My Country Tis of Thee)". The lyrics are:
My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring!
One contestant got caught!!!!! This is what she sung and tried to get away with it:
My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the Crimson Tide, from every mountainside let freedom ring!
Jonathan was all over that like white on rice!!!! A prime example of us not learning the proper words to a song. We had a blast.
The talent in the room was excellent. Yes, there were a few William Hung's there, and we got the laughs. However, it was an adventure to experience.
Neither I or Tiffany Edmonds were selected as the finalist or alternates. It's all good. We did have the pleasure of meeting Britney (from Atlanta). She was there auditioning as well. I'm sure that her mother was glad to see her baby return home safely.
You can read more about the event right here.
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Submitted by bencross on Sun, 2006-07-30 06:42.
