I am glad you enjoyed the reading. It sure was a wonderful trip. I am now trying to get all the pics offf my cell phone...sigh ...no memory card...and then I will get the whole thing put together. Will keep me busy for weeks ! c

I'm glad I read through the whole string first -- mine is the same as fearlessm's! We loved it, too. I'm going to post it here for everyone's convenience, and also to note that Bittman said (not that anyone here needs permission!) to vary it as desired: rice, couscous, quinoa instead of bulgar; cilantro (ick) instead of parsley; other dried fruits instead of apricots, etc. I'll also submit another really good new one we loved this month. Both of these will be on the menu often. I used figs because I was low on apricots, and I increased the amount of tomatoes. I used six or more thighs, but only used about 1 1/2 times the other ingredients, which was PLENTY. Chickpea Tagine With Chicken and Apricots The Minimalist: An Expedited Tagine (NYT April 14, 2010) Time: About 45 minutes Yield: 4 servings. 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 skinless chicken thighs 1 large onion, chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (or figs, or any dried fruit) 1 cup (I like more) chopped tomato (fresh or canned or boxed, with juice) 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, with the liquid reserved 1 to 2 cups chicken or other stock, bean liquid, or water, or more as needed 1/2 cup bulgur (or couscous, rice, etc.) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish. 1. Put oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add chicken and brown well on both sides; remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes; add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, dried apricots and tomato. Cook and stir just long enough to loosen any brown bits from bottom of pan. 2. Add chickpeas and 1 cup of stock or bean liquid to the pan and turn heat back to medium-high. When mixture reaches a gentle bubble, return chicken to the pan. Cover pot, turn heat to low and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, for about 15 minutes or until tomatoes break down and flavors begin to meld. Stir in bulgur, adding more stock if necessary so that the mixture is covered with about an inch of liquid. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Cover and cook until the chicken and bulgur are both done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve in bowls (I didn't; just all in one big bowl. It's not too runny to eat on plates) garnished with parsley. *** This salad tastes fantastic, looks very colorful, and keeps really well. It would be great for a potluck. Recipe said it's best room temperature, but I loved the leftovers cold at least as much. It was reprinted in the Columbus Dispatch in January, I think, from Mustard Seed Market &Cafe Natural Foods Cookbook by Bev Shaffer. Wheat berry salad with curry vinaigrette Ingredients for the Curry Vinaigrette: 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 tablespoon. packed freshly grated ginger (about a 1-inch piece grated) 1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed 1 teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Ingredients for the Wheat Berry Salad: 8 cups water 1 1/2 cups whole-grain wheat berries 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 lb. red beets, washed, stems and roots cut off 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup finely diced red onion 4 celery stalks, cut in 1/4-inch thick slices 1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries 1/2 teaspoon. ground cinnamon 1/2 cup toasted, coarsely chopped pecans Directions for the Curry Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, curry powder, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking to blend and form an emulsion. Set aside until ready to use. Makes about 1 cup. Directions for the wheat berry salad: In a large saucepan, combine the 8 cups of water with the wheat berries and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 35 minutes, until the wheat berries are tender but still chewy. Drain the wheat berries in a colander, then place them into a large bowl. Pour the vinegar over the hot wheat berries and toss, coating evenly. Seat aside to cool to room temperature. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Halve the beets, cutting them into roughly the same size. Toss with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on a baking pan lined with foil. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until soft when pierced with a fork. When the beets are roasted, remove the pan from the oven and set aside just until the beets are cool enough to handle. Using a small paring knife or your fingers, peel the skin off the beets, and then cube the beets into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside in a glass bowl until ready to use. Toss the onion, celery, dried cranberries or cherries, and cinnamon into the bowl with the wheat berries. Pour the Curry Vinaigrette over the salad, tossing gently to combine. Just before serving, add the pecans and the beets. For best flavor, serve at room temperature. Makes 6 or more servings (It made a LOT more than that).

Would love to try this recipe. Had great reviews! Watermelon salad 3/4 cup halved, thinly sliced red onion 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 1/2 quarts seeded, cubed watermelon 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup pitted black olive halves 1 cup chopped fresh mint 2 tablespoons olive oil DIRECTIONS Place the onion slices in a small bowl with the lime juice. The acid of the lime will mellow the flavor of the raw onion. Let stand for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the watermelon cubes, feta cheese, black olives, onions with the lime juice, and mint. Drizzle olive oil over it all, and toss to blend. Dig in and be prepared for a pleasant surprise

Yummm! All the recipes sound good this week! For what it's worth..my vote for another course would be for the breadstuffs. Seeing as how this menu is leaning towards the cooler climate, I will post one of our favorite salads. Fall Salad with Peppered Pears and Goat Cheese with a Spring Vanilla Vinaigrette - serves 4 4 pears, halved lengthwise, cored and sliced (ripe but firm) 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp cracked black pepper 6-8 oz mixed salad greens 4 oz peppered chevre sea salt Spring Vanilla Vinaigrette (also good on strawberry, spinach salad) 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2-3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (start with two, add extra if needed to taste). 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp dried tarragon leaves 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1/2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt Note: I also added 2 tsp dijon tarragon seadoning mix, but if you don't have it, omit or try 1 tsp dijon mustard. Mix well and chill before serving over salad. Salad: Melt butter in a skillet large enough to hold the pears in a single layer. Add the pears and brown sugar. Allow the brown sugar to melt, cover each side of the pear. When pears are tender and a deep caramel colour: add the pepper,stir to coat, season with sea salt. Lift pears and caramel from skillet and keep warm.(I have made this ahead of time and just reheated til warmed through in the microwave. If mixture gets to thick reheat with a bit of water ). Put greens on individual plates, garnish with the pears. Drizzle the dressing over the top and top with pieces of the crumbled peppered goat cheese. Serve immediately. Shelley