Saturday, November 20, 2010

French Onion Soup

This recipe is out of Author: Wayne Gisslen's "Professional Cooking" Book, Seventh Edition. Portion: 24 People. If you would not produce more or less (Welcome to my world) You will have to use your math skills with your Conversion knowledge in order to make a smaller or larger amount. Not as hard as you think! I say make the amounts I'm about to give you and have a French Onion Soup Gathering or freeze the base and pull it out on a rainy or winter day!

INGREDIENTS:
4 oz. butter (1 stick)
5 lb. thinly sliced butter
1 tb. Flour
5 qt. Beef stock or chicken stock or half and half of ea.
Salt and Pepper, TT (to taste)
4-6 oz. Sherry or White wine (Optional)
French Bread
1.5 lb of Gruyere Cheese or swiss or a mixture of both

PROCEDURE:

Melt Butter in to a large Stock pot. Add your onions and allow to carmelize for a good 30 minutes stiring often. Do not burn. Add your flour and continue stiring. If you see that the mixture becomes very dry, add another pad of butter. Keep stiring. The onions will appear dark in color but not black. Once the Onions have cooked down and are very limp, add your stock, bring to a boil and then bring the mixture on a simmer for another 20 minutes. Season TT (to taste) Add your Sherry or white wine (optional). Cut your bread with 3 slices for ea. bowl.The slices should be lightly toasted. Laddle your Onion and broth into your bowl allowing 1/2 inch of space on top for your bread and cheese. Arrange your bread on top of the soup. Then the best part: Lay your cheeese on top of your bread and put your Bowl on a Oven safe Sause pan or skillet and into the the Broiler or a very high oven it goes. Takes a good 5 to 8 minutes for the Cheese to get nice and Bubbly and golden brown.

Thats it! It is really simple! Not many ingredients and what a crowd pleaser!

Enjoy! Until next time....Woodie of Woodie's Kitchen signing out! Yum-Diggity

Saturday, June 5, 2010

End of my Ethiopian Journey

Hello..... Salaam!
My time Ethiopia Trek is over....for now! As my body is no longer physically there, I'm there in mind and spirit forever. I will never erase those beautiful faces I encountered the last 25 days! I'm forever grateful for having had this experience and feel soo enriched in regards to the Ethiopian pride of a country/culture striving to be recognized on a National level.

(In The Beginning)
I remember starting off my days in Ethiopia. I believe it was Day 2. I kept looking at my iphone calender and thinking; "What have I started?" "What am I doing here?" I felt very vulnerable because I was all by my self for the next 3 plus weeks. I didn't know the culture and how I would be received gala-vanting all over the country trying to look into their world, their ophanages, their homes, kitchen's,their nite life, Churches, streets! This idea to do all this seemed wildly adventurous prior to leaving, but now....now that I was actually there....I became a bit vulnerable. I later realized that was just my fears of the unknown taking over! I hadn't dove in like I said I was going to. Barely there a couple days & afraid to get my feet wet...staying close to the hotel in Addis! Then, to my excitement.....I felt like Sally Field! "Salaam Sir", "Hello Sir...What is your name?" Every person & child I came across wanted to give me blessings & greetings of welcome!! "They liked me!" "They really really liked me!!" This experience allowed a great confidence to accomplish my goals I had set. Yum-Diggity!!

(My last Days)
So now weeks have passed and I look down at my iphone and the date reads June 1st! I think..."June 1st???" No way! This is crazy! How can it be?? I have to leave here in a couple days!" Where did the time go? It was a lovely realization that I had become sooo welcomed here, soo comfortable and treated soo delightfully by the people of Ethiopia! As you have read in past post or short tweets or updates on FB; I was invited into private homes for Coffee ceremonies while walking down a street! I was invited into Kitchens for Enjerra! I was welcomed into over 15 Orphanages & allowed to waltz into a classroom and take over an English class for a day or sit in the boys dorm room and go over Math homework. I was Embraced by Hotel owners, merchants, tour guides that have now been made into friends. Every town I visited has left me with such personal & memorable images & stories. I then looked at my videos, pictures and gifts that were given to me by certain new friends & it was then I realized how this country wants to be seen! These people wanted me to be there and reveal themselves to you. I had no idea previously going to this country except that economically they were a poor country. What was revealed to me was all the Riches this country evokes. They are the kindest folk I've truly ever come accross. They all live in harmony. There are no gangs. All religions whether you are Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Prespiterian or Muslim live & greet one another with respect under the same Flag!

I will end by saying what I have said prior about this experience in pasts tweets:
I feel soo blessed, honored & humbled to have been a voice of Ethiopia. This experience has been such a learning experience on soo many levels; one being that when you allow yourself such opportunities in your life, its the people who you meet, who touch you that define your Authentic Purpose here on earth. I feel this change in me.

I hope you enjoyed my stories, pictures & video's! Thanks for following me and reading my posts! I hope they have been enjoyable to read and that something I have written has changed you as well.

Much peace & love,
Woodie of "Woodie's Kitchen"

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Heading south today

Salaam All! Today is May 27th! I'm taking a bus to Awasa & the surrounding areas for the next 6 days so U might not hear from me until June 1!
I gotta roll! Thanks for following me on this amazing trip! Ooxx

Day 14? ( I think)

Salaam!!!! I have been on a 7 day tour of the N. Towns of Ethiopia! I have
had no access to the Internet! Thanks for
all ur emails of concern of my lack of
posting a current blog! I have been on 6 flts in 7 days! I've visited & played with hundreds of Orphane children....most which Im happy to report are soo well cared for. These children are taken in off the streets and loved and given shelter! Many of the contributors
who fund these safe houses are donators
from Europe, Spain & The US! Proudly I report to
U the Ethiopian people who run these Orphanages R my true Heroes! Most of them
have the dream to start the Orphanages & take the children off
the street & they find the person to fund the Orphanage! A lot of the time
a tourist or long term visitor will see the cause & fuel the
dream of a Orhanage Director! It's these two like minded souls coming together
that makes me soo proud to feel like a Citizen of the world
on my mission to spread my message to U! I'm soo proud to be apart of such good Im witnessing! I've been to many places....I want to inform U of
the love, compassion, hospitAlity & joy the magical country invelopes from their heart! Ethiopia has NO crime, No gangs, No drug abbuse! I have been walking back to
my hotel room & invited by the man/woman walking next to me into their private home for lunch or afternoon tea & even dinner! Every time I have excepted the invite! I have never in my 45 years experienced a country that's true authentic hand print is soo giving & Generous
to someone visiting their country! I'm signing off with such appreciation this evening
& joy to have had this encounter in my life! I have 8 days to
go! I leave via bus to the south tomorrow morning! Imconfident I will
have more blessed memories of more people here I now call family! Thanks for listening! love & Peace to U all!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Day 5

Greeting Readers,
I'm sitting in my lobby posting this from my iphone while waiting for a ride to Galaxy Travel Agency! I'm getting a tour package! I came over here pretty free spirited knowing I would be in Addis Ababa for 4 or 5 days & stay at the Dimitri Hotel... But that's all I booked.. Hahaha! I'm a bit of a gypsy & free spirit when it comes my treaks! Of... & Im cheap & I've learned U get better rates when ur actually in a country like Ethiopia & I will end up going to & staying in better rooms with the knowledge of my new friend (hotel owner) Sunait's connection at this travel agency!

So....Yesterday,Sunday there was an utter blast in my heart, soul, spirit for these people! I went to a beautiful catholic church with Sinait at 7:30am! The cathedral was full so we stood outside with hundreds! I stood by what I would call little shrine chapel where people would kneel & worship! There was a priest in side! He tapped me on my shoulder & asked me my Christian name. Sunait later told me he made a special prayer for the rest of my trip! So special! I have to run my ride is here! Ooxx

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Day 3

Good morning, good evening my friends,
today is Sat. I woke up feeling rested & ready to see some needy families, children & get to know some of the locals. I started out on foot walking all morning after breakfast with my bag of donations not knowing where I would end up! The thing about this country is about 80% of the people I came across are in need! Whether it's shoes, clean cloths or just a smile & a pat on the head & a WK goofy face to make the children happy & smile! I felt like a true WK Ambasador today!! I was alittle nervous at first in fear I would not be embrassed! This did not happen,much the opposite, every passer byer I would go out of my way to greet that face! Once they saw my open spirit I got it rt back! So many kids were following my on my stroll as I passed out Orange Bubble gum! I got waves from the opposite side of the street in what was like a suburb of Addis Ababa! I came across a Womans & Children Health crisis center! I was soo happy to stumble across it as if My blind stroll was being guided there! As I approached the building rolling my bag behind me on the dirt road entrance a woman came out & greeted me with a big smile! I opened my bag & asked if any of my provisions were in need? Her eyes got big & she took my arm & led me in! I was introduced to a woman in charge! She spoke quite a bit of English as surprisingly most do. She took me on a tour & I met many sick children & mothes dwelling there with lots of diff Heath issues! After my stay I walked out with many on lookers waving Good bye! Then to my amazement were the four little boys that walked me there!

As we walked back I took the opposite side of the sidewalk so I could say hello to the previous on lookers & wavers! I stuck my head in many shops which basically look like sheads! One is a meat shop, another a barber or grocery shop! I went into one & bought a sm can of pringles & a can of juice! To be honest, I really didn't want to buy anything! Wasn't much for the taking but since I entered the shop I felt it to be rude not buying something! The store owner was quite talkative & asked me many questions about the U.S & Ethiopian politics! He shook my hand 3 times!

I'm now in my room watching a rain storm with No power! It goes off during a good storm but back on very quickly after. Happened yesterday too. Chris, tomorrow is Sunday! I found a church in walking distance to attend! I will make sure to take pics!

Ok, that's it for my 3rd day! Hope this finds U all feeling quite greatful & appreciative of ur health & happiness!

Sending Ethiopia Love to all my readers!
Xo

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Day 1 in Addis Ababa

Good morning all- I'm 10 hours ahead of U! I woke up at 9am! It was really hard getting to sleep! My jaw & head ached! Took two advil & slept 6 hours! Had a fun dream Co staring Debo & Mateo.

I'm sitting in the dining hall off the lobby alone CNN on & some navite music playing! I had tea, toast, juice & black tea! Mateo I almost ordered coffee! He smells really nice! I don't have a big day planned! Need to get my barrings on! Want to hire a car & set my room up from a market! Then go to he American Embassy & say Hello! The trip getting here was not soo bad! Just 4 flts and lots of hours in the air! My donation bag was siting here waiting for me! My hotel is very comfy! Very clean! I got a bigger room& bed than I thought I was receiving. I see a nap in my futre! Please bare with my typing ! I'm n my iPhone ! My taxi just arrived ! Time to see where I am! Ooxx