Tomato Basil Pie

TOMATO BASIL PIE from CML's Kitchen

Found this recipe in the Carolina Mountain Life Magazine from CML's Kitchen by Adele Forbes. Really sounded like a good summer dish using fresh tomatoes and basil. I used Roma tomatoes and fresh basil from my planter. Will make this again with fresh tomatoes from the garden. To quote the author, "Male friends have eaten a whole pie at one sitting". I agree with her that should speak for itself.  It was delicious!

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divide
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell

5 Roma tomatoes (out of season) or 4 regular tomatoes

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

4  cloves of garlic

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

chopped fresh basil for garnish

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella on bottom of pie shell. Cut tomatoes in wedges and drain on paper towels. Drain well...turn them over and make sure that you get all of the moisture that you can out of them or your pie will end up soggy...and who wants to eat a soggy pie? If you are using garden fresh tomatoes (in season) peel them and slice about 1/4-inch thick and seed if needed and drain well on paper towels. Arrange the wedges or slices over the cheese in the pie shell.

Process the basil and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Combine remaining 1 cup mozzarella, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Spoon evenly over basil mixture to cover top, making sure to spread all the way to the edge of the crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm garnished with fresh chiffonaded basil. Delicious!

Cooks Note: to chiffonade basil, stack several leaves together and roll up like you would a cigarette and then cut in slices with a sharp knife. A fancy and fun little trick.

Stained Glass Playhouse "The Sound of Music" Cast

Flixster - Share Movies

Stained Glass Playhouse

Director: Alvin Tyndall 

Performance Dates:

July 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 & 31 & August 5, 6 & 7, 2011 Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm Sundays at 3 pm.

     

"The Sound of Music", Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse: The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. When a postulant proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval Captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually captures the heart of the stern Captain, and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon, they discover that Austria has been invaded by the Nazis, who demand the Captain’s immediate service in their navy. The family’s narrow escape over the mountains to Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in the theatre. The motion picture version remains the most popular movie musical of all time.

Maria - Hannah Rivers

Sister Bethea - Kelli Flick

Sister Margaretta - Angela Hodges

Mother Abbess - Steffanie Vaugan

Sister Sophia - Marilyn Bledsoe

Captain Von Trapp - Cameron Williams
Franz - Jere Dailey
Frau Schmidt - Meredith Whitworth

Liesl - Kate Kellum

Friedrich -  Patrick Burke

Louisa - Caroline Hale

Kurt - Elijah Short

Brigitta - Maggie Booz

Marta - Riley Cullen

Gretl - Amanda Burke

Rolf - Matt Smitherman

Elsa Schrader - Mary Lea Williams
Ursula - Heather Osterer

Max Detweiler - Roberts Bass

Herr Zeller - Mark Walek

Baron Elberfeld - Mickey Hyland

Admiral Von Schreiber

Nuns - Gina Belmont, Holly Bostick, Kelli Letner, and Heather Osterer

Postulants - Michaela Cockerham, Rachel Hale, and Symone Thompson

Guards - Matt kellum, Julian Thompson, Guideo Villaba Portel, and Kenny Gaylord

Neighbors - Jolanta & Scott Kellum, Kay Smitherman, and Jennifer Robinson Short

It's Planting Time!

This huge rock pulled from garden before plowing - amazing how it grew over the winter.

Newly plowed garden ready for planting potatoes, tomatoes, peas, green beans, squash, cucumbers, and peppers. Also planning to grow pumpkins, lettuce, beets, carrots and onions.

Another view of the plowed garden

Happy Mother's Day - Hazel Miller Hodges

Hazel Miller - Student Nurse

Hazel Miller Hodges 
September 8, 1922 -January 4, 2011


This picture was taken of my Mother, Hazel Hodges, when she was a student nurse at Grace Hospital School of Nursing in Banner Elk. She graduated from Grace Hospital School of Nursing in 1945 so this picture was probably taken around 1942. Grace Hospital is now a dormitory  for students at Lees McRae College and the Maple Tea Room and Post Office (shown in the picture) have been long gone. My Mother worked as a Registered Nurse at Grace Memorial and then later at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Banner Elk. She was also a Red Cross nurse, honored for her distinguished volunteer service.  After her retirement from nursing she enjoyed working with students at Banner Elk Elementary School.


Thinking of her on this Mother’s Day.

Winston-Salem Journal Review - "Children of Eden"

Twin city Stage

Biblical stories sing in 'Children of Eden'

There are lots of people out there who've either never seen a live performance of musical theater or haven't attended one in years. Which show is best for them?


By KEN KEUFFEL | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: March 28, 2011

Twin City Stage makes a good case for "Children of Eden," which opened Friday at the Arts Council Theatre and will run there through April 10. I attended Sunday's show.

Congregations of churches and synagogues should flock to see "Children of Eden," as should families with young children, especially those who have read or heard the most popular stories in the Bible.

Twin City Stage

Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for "Children of Eden," and John Caird the book. The show dramatizes several familiar parts of the Genesis story, including the Creation; Noah (Art Bloom) and the Flood; and the stories of Adam (Justin Hall) and Eve (Amanda Martin). The tale of Cain and Abel is also retold.

Some liberties are taken in the retelling of these stories, but not enough to alter the most important basics.

We sympathize with Father, aka God (Chuck King), who lays down the law only to find that his children either keep questioning said law or ignore it altogether because, well, that apple is just too tempting.

The first act of "Eden" takes us through Cain's murder of his brother and the hardscrabble wandering in the wilderness that the sins of Adam and Eve have unleashed. Act II is given over to Noah and the Flood. Each character convincingly shows his or her personal growth, and we better understand their difficult choices.

Twin City Stage

I liked the Flood parts of "Eden" the best. Here Bloom adopts the stereotypical mannerisms and accents of the Jewish ghetto to great comic effect. We're also prompted to sympathize with the plight of the passengers and animals of the ark. God, if the rain doesn't stop and dry land doesn't appear, our provisions will run out. Will we be forced to eat the animals on board?

Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for "Godspell" and "Pippin," two Broadway success stories that revealed his mastery of the pop idiom.

In "Children of Eden," by contrast, I sense songwriting and choral music of greater range and ambition. Sure, the peppy sound of Broadway is frequently evident. But so is more potent and challenging ensemble writing that would be appropriate for opera or oratorio. The cast sings it well.

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KKeuffel@wsjournal.com
(336) 727-7337