For many of us, the dishes we hold most dear and remember most fondly are not from the menu of a Michelin starred restaurant or cooked up by a world-class chef. The foods we remember, the flavors that haunt us, are the dishes cooked for us by someone we love. And these are the recipes that are impossible to replicate. The marinara sauce we carefully simmer for hours is never as perfect as the one that lives on in our memory.

It was with this in mind that Barbara Magro set out to document her mother’s recipes that were the heart of the family growing up and put them into Recipes to Remember: My Epicurean Journey to Preserve My Mother’s Italian Cooking from Memory Loss
(December 2011), one woman’s journey through life and her quest to preserve the memory of her mother’s cooking from the devastating effects of memory loss.

In Recipes to Remember, which is part epicurean journey and part cookbook, Barbara writes about her traditional Italian upbringing and the choices she made for her life after witnessing the roles of the women in her family. As she searched for adventures to feed her soul, beyond the tasks of wife, mother and cook, her advertising sales career took her around the globe where she experienced cultural diversity, world-class food and became an adventurous epicure. It wasn’t until her mother was diagnosed with dementia and the early stages of Alzheimer’s in 2006 and her father began courageously transitioning into the primary caretaker, that the author realized she’d never learned to cook the homemade Italian food that her mother lovingly prepared for her family for over fifty years. Although her mother, the family chef for decades, had been cooking up everything from elaborate seven course Christmas Eve fish dinners to simple bowls of spaghetti and meatballs, Barbara had always avoided the kitchen.

“When my mom was diagnosed with dementia and the early stages of Alzheimer’s, I realized something about the many family meals my mother had prepared over the years; they symbolize the love our family has shared for generations. Before it was too late, I wanted to gather these recipes and create this book, which includes the authentic meals that my family’s life has evolved around for the past one hundred years or so.”

Recipes to Remember preserves the soul-satisfying food of an Italian-American family through recipes and stories around them. The recipe portion of the book is divided into two sections; the first includes the appetizers, soups, sauces and pastas, meat dishes, and vegetables and salads that her mother prepared through the year. The second part of the recipe section includes Holiday specialties including the traditional seven course fish dinner that her mother prepared every Christmas Eve and Easter favorites. Some of her mother’s cherished recipes featured in the book include:

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)

Zuppa di Lenticchie e Spinaci (Lentil and Spinach Soup)

Fegatini di Pollo (Chicken Livers)

Minestrone con Polpette (Minestrone Soup with Meatballs)

Salsiccia e Uova con Zeppole (Sausage and Eggs with Italian Doughnuts)

Linguini alle Vongole (Linguini with Clams)

Spaghetti e Polpette (Spaghetti and Meatballs)

Ziti al Forno (Baked Ziti)

Braciola di Manzo (Rolled Stuffed Beef)

Pizza Rustica (Rustic Pie)

Coscia di Angello (Leg of Lamb)

Scallopine di Vitello al Marsala (Veal Marsala)

Pollo alla Cacciatore (Chicken Cacciatore)

Pollo all’Agro Dolce (Chicken Sweet & Sour)

Torta di Formaggio (Italian Cheesecake)

For Mother’s Day, here is a simple recipe from Barbara’s mother that is as easy to prepare as it is delicious to eat:

Pasta with Peas

• Salt
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 1 pound small shell pasta
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 pearl onions sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) can peas
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley

Bring lightly salted water to a boil and add a tables spoon of olive oil.  Stir in the shells and cook until they are al dente.  In a separate saucepan, saute the garlic and pearl onions in a tablespoon of olive oil.  When the onions are translucent, add the can of peas.  When the pasta is cooked, combine with peas and serve.  Season with oregano and parsley to taste.

Serves 4

Happy Mother’s Day!

All week long we’ve been talking about chimps as part of the blogger challenge for Disneynature’s new film Chimpanzee, which hits theaters today.  Today, I have a special challenge for you.  Send me your best caption for the image above and you could win a Chimpanzee Prize Pack that includes one Oscar stuffed animal, one reusable Disneynature Chimpanzee Tote, and one Disneynature Chimpanzee, The Making of the Film Book.

To enter, just head over to the The Green Parent’s Facebook site and leave a comment with your favorite caption.  Keep it clean — we’re a family friendly site!  The winner will be chosen on Earth Day (this Sunday) at 5pm.  Good luck and hit me with your best shot!

The many faces of a chimp

Ok, by now if you’ve been following along, you know that I’ve been talking about chimpanzees all week long.  And no, I have not gone bananas.  These posts are part of a blogger challenge to promote the new Disneynature film Chimpanzees which hits theaters this weekend.

If you haven’t already checked it out, be sure to look at the Educator’s Guide that Disneynature put together to accompany this film.  I have learned so much about chimps in the last few days just looking over this thing!  It will make it that much cooler to see the film when it comes out.

The guide is geared toward teachers but it’s awesome for parents, too.  It includes lesson plans, games, skit ideas, and everything you need to know to help kids learn about (and fall in love with) chimpanzees.

This image is from the Educator’s Guide and it’s actually part of a game kids can play to guess a chimp’s mood depending upon her facial expressions.  So funny!

Planning to see the film this weekend?  It’s a good time to do it.  Disneynature will contribute $.20 per ticket to the Jane Goodall Institute for the Disneynature Tchimpounga Nature Reserve Project with a minimum of $100,000 pledged to this program.  That’s sure to put a sweet smile on these chimps faces!

Let me know on Facebook if you’re planning to go as I might have some tickets to give away by the end of the week!

Chimapanzee. One of the Great Apes

Howler Monkey

Do you know the difference between a monkey and an ape?  Do you know which category a chimpanzee falls into?  Here’s the scoop from the Educator’s Guide to Disneynature’s Chimpanzees:

Apes differ from monkeys in several ways. Monkeys have tails. Apes do not. Monkeys are usually smaller than apes, walk on all fours with palms down and have relatively smaller brains. Due to their different skeletal structure, apes have a more upright posture. Since their arms are longer than their legs, apes walk on the knuckles of their hands. Apes also have larger and more developed brains than monkeys.

Chimpanzees are classified as great apes in the family Homindae along with gorillas, bonobos and orangutans.

There, now you can totally impress your friends when you go to see the flick this weekend.  Want another tidbit?

CHIMPANZEE Challenge Fact #3: Female chimpanzees give birth to a single infant (twins are rare) every 5 to 6 years. A newborn chimpanzee weighs 3–4 pounds and is born helpless. Within a few days it is able to travel by clinging to its mother’s stomach and by 5 to 7 months old it is strong enough to ride on her back.

Are you planning on seeing Disneynature’s Chimpanzees this weekend?  I have some great stuff to give away, including tickets to the show, but alas, my commenting form is on the fritz.  Figures!  I’m working overtime on getting it fixed, but in the meantime, you can still enter to win but commenting on the Facebook link to this post, here.

Chimpanzees are amazing: They use simple tools and display distinct cultural differences – characteristics that were once thought to be limited to humans. They use medicinal plants to treat illness and injuries. And despite their taller stature, a full grown chimpanzee is six times stronger than a human!

Chimpanzees are endangered: Just 100 years ago, roughly 1 million chimpanzees lived in the lush rainforests of equatorial Africa. Today, only 110 remain, primarily due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. Current trends indicate that African ape populations will decline by an additional 80% in the next 30 to 40 years.

You can help: Simple activities like recycling cell phones and purchasing sustainable products can help create a more positive future for chimpanazees.

The info in this post is part of the Educator’s Guide to Disneynature’s Chimpanzee the new film coming out this weekend.  This post is part of the See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees blogger challenge.  For those of you planning to see Chimpanzees this weekend, here is another chimpanzee fun fact you can use to impress your friends:

CHIMPANZEE Challenge Fact #2: Chimpanzee populations live in communities of 15 to 120 individuals. Each community consists of males and females of varying ages that share a territory. Male chimpanzees stay in one community their entire lives. However, females will sometimes leave their mothers and join new communities when they reach adulthood.

Going to see the movie this weekend?  Let me know in the comments below and hopefully I’ll have some tickets to give you by the end of the week!

Disneynature's CHIMPANZEE debuts this weekend!

Is there anyone who doesn’t just LOVE chimpanzees?  They are sweet, social, curious, tender, caring, playful, and so much like humans it’s beyond amazing.  I have always loved to watch them interact, but until now, my chimpanzee admiration was limited to zoo cages.  So I’m incredibly excited about the new Disneynature film coming out this weekend.  The star of the show?  You guessed it: Chimpanzees.

Check out the trailer:

As part of the movie’s promotion, I am participating in a blogger challenge where I’ve agreed to write about this film every day this week.  But as with any other product, service, or film I write about, you know I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think it was info worth sharing.  And I will readily admit that I am participating in this challenge for the free tickets to see Chimpanzee — because I really can’t wait to see it and I know my girls will love it too!

The best part about seeing Chimpanzee this weekend?  Disneynature will contribute $.20 per ticket to the Jane Goodall Institute for the Disneynature Tchimpounga Nature Reserve Project with a minimum of $100,000 pledged to this program.  That’s sure to save a lot of those sweet little chimps.

To get you in the mood (and so that you can impress your friends on opening day,) here’s your chimpanzee fact of the day:

Chimpanzees are endangered: Just 100 years ago, roughly 1 million chimpanzees lived in the lush rainforests of equatorial Africa. Today, only 1/10 remain, primarily due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. Current trends indicate that African ape population will decline by an additional 80% in the next 30 to 40 years.

Photo: Sarah McManiman/Flickr

by Andrea Woroch

The official start of spring is just around the corner and though the end of the school season seems far away, prom is on the forefront of every one’s mind. As guys schedule their tux fittings and plan out the stretch limo ride, girls ask themselves that eternal question: what should I wear?

Modern teenagers have a strong grasp of the latest fashion trends thanks to the popularity of television shows like “Gossip Girl.” However,Blair Waldorf is no average teen and living up to her fashion standards would be financially devastating. Thankfully, there are many ways to offset the cost of prom night fashion without sacrificing style. So read on for eight dress-shopping tips to help you start saving.

1. Think Classic
The first lesson in frugality is versatility, meaning the more often you can wear something, the better value you receive in purchasing it. Look for a basic gown in classic colors like black, navy or grey that could be worn to other occasions. Tailor it to prom night with statement jewelery and killer heels in bold hues.

2. Go Consignment Shopping
Lots of young ladies sell their prom dresses through local consignment shops so you have a really good chance at finding a fabulous frock at the fraction of it’s original price. Cut your cost even further by selling clothes you no longer wear to the same second-hand reseller for credit toward a future dress purchase. Chain consignment shops like Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet are tailored to the teenage crowd, so scope out a nearby location.

3. Get Creative
By now, you know it’s a good idea to shop sale racks at department stores. But have you heard of discount gift cards? Sites like GiftCardGranny let you buy store gift cards to places like Macy’s, Dillard’s and Maurices at less than face value – meaning you can get a $50 card for $45 – yielding 10-percent savings before you even enter the store.

4. Save at Bridal Shops
Though you may want to avoid an all-out wedding dress on prom night, bridal shops carry a variety of colorful bridesmaid dresses perfect for prom. Shop the sale rack and don’t discount floor-length gowns at first glance. You can always get it altered for a shorter look and still come out ahead, budget-wise.

5. Rent Designer Duds
If the realities of designer prices are crushing your dress dreams, consider renting. RenttheRunway.com offers designer dress and accessory rentals for savings of up to 90-percent off retail prices. Each rental includes two sizes to ensure the right fit for no added cost and the site features a wide selection of cocktail styles and floor-length gowns like this stunning Badgley Mischka Faye Chiffon Gown for $125, or this flirty Nicole Miller Kate Lave V Dress for just $75.

6. Get Employee Discounts
If you’re in the market for a job in beijing, consider applying at department stores that carry formal attire since employees usually receive significant discounts off merchandise. Some speciality shops may be willing to provide a free prom dress in return for your part-time assistance, so ask around.

7. Swap at School
Most high schools organize dress swaps to help students cut the cost of formal attire. This is a great opportunity to trade your gently warn dresses for something new at a fraction of the cost for a new dress. Plus, you will be happy knowing someone else feels beautiful in a dress you no longer need.

8. DIY with Duct Tape
When all else fails, where duct tape to the dance. Seriously. Duck Brand’s annual “Stuck at Prom” competition offers eligible couples a chance to win cash scholarships. First place winners receive $5,000, and second and third place winners receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. Read the official rules for details (prom-goers in Colo., Md., Vt., Puerto Rico and the Provence of Quebec need not apply), get inspired by last year’s winners and then get quackin’ (sorry).

###

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. She is available for in-studio, satellite or skype interviews and to write guest posts or articles. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more.

It probably goes without saying that I’m a huge fan of Dr. Suess’ uber-eco book, The Lorax.  I’ve been reading it to my girls pretty much since the first day they opened their eyes, and as many days after that as possible.  So I’m incredibly psyched about the new movie: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax coming to theaters on March 2nd.  And I’m even more psyched that I was asked by the good folks at Universal Studios to participate in a blog tour about the movie’s upcoming release.

If you haven’t already seen it, here is a trailer for the flick:

It looks great!  And along with reading the hard copy of The Lorax, what better way is there to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday than to watch his words and vision come to life?

This is also a great time to talk to your kids about the things that they can do to protect the trees.

1. Plant a tree. Whether it’s one tree in your own backyard, or a forest of trees at your local park, every tree makes a difference.
2. Go paperless. Computers, eReaders, and smartphones have all but made paper obsolete.  Encourage your kids to doodle on your iPad or on paper from the recycling box, rather than a fresh piece.  Exchange family notes via text or on a dry erase board on the fridge, and have your kids ask their teachers if they can turn in homework on a flash drive or by email rather than on paper.
3. Recycle and buy recycled products. When you do use paper, be sure to recycle it rather than toss it in the landfill.  And complete the recycling loop by purchasing products made from recycled paper too.
4. Look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification on wood and wood products. An FSC rating indicates that a wood product was made using sustainably sourced materials (so no truffula trees were harmed in its making!)
5. Eat vegetarian meals as often as possible. All around the world, huge swaths of forests are cleared each year for the production of beef.  Hold the beef, and you can save the trees.

For more tips on helping find their own inner Lorax, check out The Lorax Project, where kids can sign a pledge and send an email to the Lorax letting him know what they’re doing to go green.

Want to win movie tickets to see Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax?  I’ll send $25 in Fandango Bucks to one lucky winner.  Just head over to The Green Parent‘s Facebook page and leave me a comment about your favorite Lorax memory.  I’ll pick a winner this Friday (Feb 24th) at 5pm.

Oh, and be sure to check out the other participants on the Lessons From The Lorax Blog Tour.  Yesterday, New Green Mama showed us how to make planter pots for our truffula trees using toilet paper rolls.  Here is the rest of the lineup:
Feb. 22   Eco Child’s Play
Feb. 23   The Smart Mama
Feb. 24   My Plastic Free Life
Feb. 27   Retro Housewife Goes Green
Feb. 28   Groovy Green Livin
Feb. 29   Mindful Momma
Mar. 1    Grean and Clean Mom
Mar. 2    Moms Going Green Blog
Mar. 3    Kitchen Stewardship
Mar. 4    Nature Moms

Enter your email address here…

by Andrea Woroch

If you ran an actual count, you’d find a lot of singlet people who don’t plan on spending Valentine’s Day with a partner. In fact, a 2010 studyby the U.S. Census Bureau found there were nearly one-million unmarried people over age 18 in America, which represents nearly 44 percent of the adult population.

That’s a lot of people who won’t be dining over candlelight next Tuesday.

But wait a minute; with so many people unmatched on February 14, surely they’ve come up with some great ways to spend Valentine’s Day that don’t involve wallowing in depression. After all, being single is pretty cool. At least the Census Bureau makes it clear you’re not alone.

To make your day more enjoyable, here are a few ways to enjoy this romantic holiday without a committed partner.

1. Gang Up
If 44 percent of Americans log in as singletons, you must have a few other friends who also fly solo. Call ‘em up and make some plans. To cut costs, purchase gift cards at such sites as GiftCardGranny for savings on dining out, seeing a movie, party supplies, or simply for gas that’ll get you where you’re going.

2. Namaste
Treat yourself to a yoga class and end the day all loosey-goosey and centered. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a club membership to namaste your way to serenity, either. Many health clubs offer a couple free weeks or, at least, several gratis passes, that allow you to check them out. Some yoga studios also allow you to either sample their wares for free or pay for just one class. Find a yoga studio in your city with YogaFinder.com.

3. Go Country
You don’t have to have a partner to line dance, so find the closest country bar and shake your booty. Even if you’re not a country-music fan, you may find the dancing is a real kick.

4. Serve Dinner
Invite a friend or two over for dinner. You don’t need candles, flowers and a fancy meal to have a fun evening. Pizza will do just fine, if you don’t feel like cooking.

5. Watch a Movie
Sometimes it helps to wallow a bit, but you’ll want to avoid romantic films like “When Harry Met Sally.” Go for something that’ll get the tears rolling without making you feel lonely. “Steel Magnolias” is always a good one for gals and “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” is a great guy’s flick. Don’t forget the pint of ice cream.

6. Celebrate
February 14 is also “Singles Appreciation Day” in the United States. It’s an entire holiday dedicated to reminding romantic couples you don’t have to be in a relationship to celebrate life. Get your single friends together — both males and females — to enumerate all the ways you each love your lifestyle.

7. Ignore the Hype
This day doesn’t have to be any different than the rest of the year. Just ignore all the media hype and focus on “me time.” Read a book, take a walk, cook up a storm…whatever makes you happy. Just don’t read the newspaper or watch television.

Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc.

Photo: vikush

What’s better than a box full of eco friendly products for you and your baby?

Our friends at EcoSalon, the web’s go-to place for eco-savvy culture and fashion publication, have handpicked the best of the best in eco and sustainable Mom and Baby products that are good for the little ones and the environment, and we’re lucky enough to be giving one away! 

It’s time to think about the non-toxic building blocks of not just ours but our children’s lives in the New Year with some recycled Green Toys Stacking Cups, some Zoe Organics: Baby Massage Oil(See more on China Massage Blog) to keep the wee one’s skin hydrated and to keep organic clothes coming, a copy of Oliver + S Little Things to Sew. There’s all that and more; this box is filled to the max with sustainable flare to get 2012 off to a good start.

How do you win?  Enter your email below.  You’ll get the The Green Parent and EcoSalon’s newsletter (go ahead and enter your email even if you’re already a subscriber -I promise we won’t duplicate!) Contest starts today and ends Wednesday, Feb 15th!  

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