Lentils w/ Rice inspired by Delicatessen {food 'n flix}

I knew what Delicatessen was about before I started watching, so it wasn't a shock.  This film is set in a small apartment building atop a butcher shop in post-apocalyptic France, in which the owner of the apartment building and the butcher are one in the same. In this shattered version of the world, meat is incredibly scarce.  Not even any rats remain.  This means that although the butcher shop is open daily, meat is only sold from time to time.  Usually following the disappearance of the latest handyman.

But people look forward to these disappearances.  They anticipate them.  They prepare their goods for trade.  Goods like grain, corn, lentils, and whatever else the butcher may accept as payment.  It's dark, and a bit crazy.  But it also has its funny moments and a quirky cast of characters.

The characters make this film.  The humanness of the daily antics, from boys pulling pranks to forbidden love, from jealousy to mother-in-laws, from trysts to bumbling first dates.  The hilariousness of filling a room with water in order to break through the floor and escape your pursuers.  And perhaps my favorite part, bouncing in time on a bed in order to find that one squeaky spring.

Food references abound, as you would imagine since it is the primary thing on your mind when you are always hungry.  But it does take a little bit of imagination to pull the bits and bobs together that are NOT mystery meat.  Okay, not a mystery - everybody knows what it is, and they ask for it by name (brain, shoulder, leg).

At first, I was going to make an Artichoke Heart Souffle in honor of the code words that Julie uses in her attempt to save Louison from her father's cleaver, with the help of the underground group, the Troglodytes.  And then I entertained the idea of a "mock apple pie", as a nod to the "mock animal meat" that drives these people mad with anticipation.  The large sacks of corn in Clapet's basement brought visions of stone soup, or perhaps cornmeal mush to my head.

But in the end, it was Louison, the lovable vegetarian clown turned handyman who inspired me.  When his taxi first arrives on the cobblestones outside of the butcher shop to find a job, he turns out his pockets looking for money, and all he comes up with is a palmful of lentils.  Vegetarianism appeals to me much more than cannibalism.  Yes, lentils and other legumes would be where I turned to give my body protein.  And since there is still grain floating around, why not combine it with those lentils - to fill you up for a longer period of time.  I like to think I'd pull out my stash of spices in order to add a bit of depth and a reminder of the "good old days".

Lentils with Rice

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: boil vegetarian nut-free soy-free sugar-free lentils rice

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/3 cups French green lentils, rinsed
• 5 cups water, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 fat cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon roasted, ground coriander
• sea salt
• 1 cup white basmati rice (or long grain white), rinsed well
• 2 tablespoons butter
• big handful chopped parsley, divided

Instructions

Put the lentils and 4 cups of the water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until just tender, adding a few pinches of salt towards the end of the cooking time.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a small-medium pan over medium-low heat and add the onion, stirring often, until it is golden and "sticky-looking". Add garlic, cinnamon, paprika, and coriander, and stir, cooking for a couple minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Add the reserved onion mixture. rice, butter, half of the parsley, the last cup of water, and another pinch or two of salt to the pot with the lentils. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a very gentle simmer.

Cook for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover with a clean dish towel and cover again for 10 minutes. Fluff again, check seasoning, and and stir in remaining parsley.  Enjoy.

inspired by and adapted from Apples for Jam

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This month's edition of Food 'n Flix is hosted by Elizabeth at The Law Student's Cookbook, with her pick: Delicatessen. Submissions are due 5/29, so there's still time to join in this month. If you haven't seen Delicatessen, you're in for a surprise!

Next month's pick, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, will be hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla - it's never too early to start watching (and cooking... or making sushi).

Slow-Cooker Mole Rojo {#SundaySupper: Cooking Low & Slow}

I have certain dishes that I am very picky about.  Some may call it biased.  Some may call it snobbery.  I just call it taste.  Mole is one of those dishes.

Now, I almost hate to admit that the mole I like more than any other is my own.  Ha!  But in all fairness, the recipe originally came from Rick Bayless.  I've only adapted it slightly here and there over the years.  Maybe it's because it was "my first".  I mean, first love sets the bar, right?

Okay, that's not to say that I haven't enjoyed many other varieties of mole.  Made by an equal variety of people.  There's just something about that version that keeps me dreaming...remembering...craving.  I'm not alone, either.  My family feels the same way.  Immediate and extended.  I get requests every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas for a jar.  That's just usually the time that I make it.

You see, a really good mole takes time to develop those complex layers of flavor.  Chiles, nuts and seeds, tomatoes or tomatillos, dried fruit, spices, flavorful broth, (pleasantly) gritty Mexican chocolate, bread or tortillas - they all play their part in that medley.  But time plays an equally important role.  And, if you judge by the look of my kitchen on mole-making-day, so does a big, fat mess!  Let's not forget the (ahem) warmth that fills the kitchen...and eventually the whole house...when a pot is simmering for the better part of a day over an open fire.

So worth it, but precisely the reason that it normally gets made in the wintertime around here.

So, this mole is not the one I've been yammering on about.  HOWEVER, it is extremely close.  And I made it on a day where the thermometer outside my kitchen window registered 80+ degrees.  Without breaking a sweat.   Believe that.

You know why?  (Of course you do, it's in the title of this post.  Humor me.)  Because it's made IN A SLOW-COOKER!   So now I can comfortably make mole in the heat of the summer.  I'll admit it's not quite as good as my first love, but it's really close.  And the fact that the mess is basically non-existent compared to my dream-mole, I'm almost willing to overlook that.  Plus, with a few tweaks, I believe I can come even closer.

Slow-Cooker Mole Rojo

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours+

Keywords: slow-cooker sauce entree soy-free almonds chiles Christmas Cinco de Mayo Dia de los Muertos Day of the Dead Mexican

Ingredients (2 quarts (12 servings))

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or good pork lard)
• 3 ounces mulato chiles, stemmed, seeded, & cut into 1" pieces
• 1.5 ounces ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, & cut into 1" pieces
• 1.5 ounces pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, & cut into 1" pieces
• 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 ounces whole almonds
• 2 ounces raisins
• 1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted, diced tomatoes w/ their juices
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Mexican canela (or regular cinnamon)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground anise seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
• 1 ounce Mexican chocolate, roughl chopped
• 1 thick slice firm white bread, toasted darkly & broken into pieces
• 1/4 cup brown sugar + more as needed
• sea salt
• 2 quarts chicken stock/broth (or rich vegetable stock), approximately

Instructions

You have two options to start this mole on its journey - if you have a slow-cooker with a removable, fire-safe crock, great. If you don't, do this first part in a large pot and transfer to the slow-cooker.

Heat the oil in the bottom of the pot over high heat. Once hot, add the chiles, garlic, almonds, and raisins, stirring slowly and constantly for about 5 minutes or so. Th inside of the chile pieces should turn lighter, the garlic will be a light golden, the raisins will be puffed, and the almonds will be well toasted. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the ground spices, the bread, and the chocolate, and continue to stir for another 2 minutes or so. Add 2 cups of water, the brown sugar, and about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Transfer the pot to the slow-cooker base (or pour into the slow-cooker), cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.

Scrape all of the mole base out of the slow-cooker and into a bowl. Add half of the mixture, along with 2 cups of the chicken stock the jar of a blender and blend until completely smooth. This could take a few minutes depending on your blender. Set a fine-mesh strainer over your slow-cooker crock and pour the mixture in the blender through, pressing to release all of the base, leaving the chile skins behind. Repeat with second half and 2 more cups of chicken stock. Stir 3 more cups of the chicken stock into the pot, cover, and cook on high for 2 hours longer. At this point, the mole should be the consistency of a cream soup. If it seems too thick, add in some of the remaining cup of chicken stock to thin it out. Taste, and adjust seasoning with about another 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and a teaspoon or so of salt.

Serve hot over chicken, turkey, pork, or eggs. We love it with carnitas and grilled chicken leg portions, as well. I also love it with just queso fresco and hot corn tortillas. If serving with chicken or turkey, sprinkle with a smattering of toasted sesame seeds. One serving is approximately 1/2 cup.

Store in a jar or container with a lid in the fridge for 5 days or so.

notes:

I think I'm going to add 2-4 ounces of toasted sesame seeds and some roasted tomatillos with their juices to my next batch, so that it comes closer to the flavor profile of the "regular" (non-slow-cooker) version of mole that I love so dearly.

Though this may not have quite the depth of flavor that a mole whose ingredients have been toasted and ground individually, and simmered over a slow fire has - the lack of mess it makes in the kitchen may be enough for me to make this version quite often. Plus, it doesn't heat up the kitchen.

adapted from Fiesta at Rick's

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Want more MOLE?  Here's a few more varieties you can find here:
Mole Rojo
Mole Verde Queretano
"On Mole" + Mole Amarillo
Mole de Olla

This week's edition of #SundaySupper is hosted by Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen, and our theme is Cooking Low & Slow.  Check out these dishes that bask in the the leisure of time.

Low & Slow Breads & Starters:

• Asiago Meatballs from Daily Dish Recipes
• Slow Cooker Bread: Easy Dinner Rolls from Growing Up Gabel

Low & Slow Mains:

• Apricot-Mustard Baked Ham from Healthy.Delicious.
• Braniya {Lamb and Eggplant Tajine} from MarocMama
• Brisket from Sustainable Dad
• Brisket with Ale BBQ Sauce from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Carnitas from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Dairyfree Chicken and Mushroom Ragout from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Dry Rubbed Smoked Back Ribs from Noshing With The Nolands
• French Dip Sandwiches from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Fried Beef Ribs from The Urban Mrs
• Italian Beef from Curious Cuisiniere
• Italian Sunday Gravy from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Jambalaya from Gourmet Drizzles
• Minestrone Soup from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Osso Buco from Webicurean
• Pork and Sauerkraut Sandwiches from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Rice, Bean and Vegetable Casserole from Happy Baking Days
• Salsa Chicken from Momma’s Meals
• Sauerbraten from Magnolia Days
• Slow Cooker Chana Masala from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Slow-Cooker Mole from girlichef
• Slow Cooked Pork Sausage and Onions from Family Foodie
• Sweet Pork from Table for Seven

Low & Slow Sides:

• Caramelized Garlic in the Crock-Pot from Shockingly Delicious
• Slow Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Low & Slow Desserts:

• 8-hour Cheesecake with Roasted Grapes (gluten free) from Vintage Kitchen
• Gluten Free Slow Cooker Glazed Cinnamon Coffee Cake from Blueberries and Blessings
• Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake from Juanita’s Cocina
• Slow Cooker Pineapple Coconut Rice Pudding from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Low & Slow Food from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

What are your favorite dishes that are cooked Low & Slow?  Feel free to leave links and/or recipes in the comments.  Also, please join us for our live twitter chat tonight at 7pm (Eastern) using the#SundaySupper hashtag, and check out the Sunday Supper board on Pinterest. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming to Orlando July 19-21, the first annual Food and Wine Conference sponsored by #SundaySupper. Visit the website to learn more and join in on the fun. 

Whipped Spelt Bread {Bread Baking Babes}

I've had a really rough couple of weeks.  Heck, it may even have been a month of rough by now.  And although today has been in my sights for quite some time (as reveal day for Bread Baking Babes), I am running extremely late.  I kept putting the bread baking on the back-burner.  Tomorrow.  Tomorrow.

This dough requires overnight refrigeration, so I would tell myself that I would make it "tonight", so that I could have bread tomorrow.  I forgot every day straight for a solid week.  Until it was morning and I saw my note-to-self sitting on the table as I shuffled in to the kitchen to get my coffee.  Sigh.

I almost made it two nights ago, but fortunately it once again slipped my mind, because the we lost electricity that night.  I guess big parts of the city and its surrounding did.  I didn't go to bed until just after midnight that night (the power was still on at that point), and then my hubby was whispering to me at about 4 am telling me that the power was out.  It didn't come back on until 10 that morning.  So, the refrigerating of the dough would have been iffy anyway.

I finally whipped up the dough last night.  It took all of 5 minutes.  Literally.  I just dumped everything into the bowl and turned on the the beaters.  If you'll remember, I mentioned the rough-state of "me" lately...this meant that heading to the basement and lugging my big mixer upstairs was far too cumbersome for me to do.  So I went the route of the hand-mixer, though deep down I knew I was probably asking for a blown motor.

I didn't blow my motor, but those beaters didn't want to turn, either.  So my dough didn't necessarily pull away from the edges.  I mixed it 'til it was combined and then I slapped some plastic wrap over the bowl and put it in the fridge on a wing and a prayer.

Fortunately, it worked - and I had a beautiful, tasty loaf of bread today.  That made today just a little bit better.  I know, I know...I'm not usually all doom and gloom.  I'm sorry.  When I started writing this post, I fully intended to tell you why I'm such a downer lately.  But I'm not ready.  One day soon...

Whipped Spelt Bread

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: overnight

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: bake bread spelt

Ingredients (1 loaf)

• 420 grams Spelt Flour (whole grain, stone ground)
• 80 grams bread flour + more as needed
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 10 g kosher salt
• 800 gram lukewarm water (yes, I measured the water by weight)

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and whip, using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, at high speed until the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours).

Remove the bowl from the fridge and allow to sit on the counter, at room temperature, for 3-4 hours, or until the dough has warmed up and little bubbles are appearing here and there on the surface.

Generously flour a work surface, and scoop the dough out onto it gently. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour, and then cut into 2 (basically) equal portions. 

 Gingerly roll the portions into fat ropes, taking care not to work too much and release the built up gases. Twist the pieces together, and place on a piece of parchment paper. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and set a piece of plastic wrap or a clean tea towel over the dough. Let rise at room temperature until it's about doubled in size, 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 480° F (just a scooch above the 475 mark), with a baking stone on the center rack. If you don't have a stone, just set the dough with parchment on a baking sheet.

When the oven is preheated, generously mist the inside with water. Slide the dough, parchment and all on to the stone and spray some more water into the oven. Open the oven again after 1 minute, and spray again.

After 5 minutes longer, lower the oven temperature to 410° F (a scooch above 400), and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

Slide loaf (on parchment still, or not) onto a wire rack to cool completely.

inspired by and adapted from Home Baked: Nordic Recipes and Techniques for Organic Bread and Pastry by Hanne Risgaard

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The Bread Baking Babes are:   Bake My Day - Karen | blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth | Feeding my Enthusiasms - Pat/Elle | girlichef  - Heather | Life's a Feast - Jamie | Living in the Kitchen with Puppies - Natashya | Lucullian Delights - Ilva | My Kitchen In Half Cups - Tanna | Notitie Van Lien - Lien | Paulchen's Foodblog - Astrid | Provecho Peru - Gretchen | Thyme for Cooking - Katie 

The Bread Baking Buddies are: YOU!  

If you'd like to bake along as a buddy this month, head on over to the hosting Babe's kitchen for this month (Ilva at Lucullian Delights) for the base recipe (you're welcome to adapt) and any special instructions.  Then send her your post by the 26th to receive your buddy badge and be included in the Bread Baking Buddy roundup.  I hope you join us!

I am also sharing this post with Yeastspotting

King's Hawaiian Roast Beef Sandwich @Arbys #RoastBeefatopia - a new twist on an old favorite!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Arby's. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm one of those people that goes to a restaurant and orders the same thing every time.  Not every restaurant, but some restaurants.  Take for example my family's favorite local diner.  I order the exact same thing for breakfast every single time we go.  I mean sure, it wasn't always that way.  Way-back-when, I tried a few other options.  And then one day I tried "the one".  And now, even if I firmly declare that I am going to "order something else today", I don't.  I mean to with 99.1% of my being, but I open up my mouth and what comes out is "the usual".

I have the same sort of deal at a local Mexican joint.  Actually, here - the whole family does.  The guy in the kitchen sees us coming in, gives a nod and a wave, and starts our order.  Five to ten minutes before the waitress even brings it to him.  I swear we're not boring.  We (especially me) love trying new foods.  Even new restaurants.  But there are those few restaurants where one dish prevails.

I'm not gonna lie.  I'm the same way at Arby's.  I've loved the same thing since high school (and let's just say that this year marks 20 years since I graduated...ssshhhh).  I think high school lunch period was, like, 55 minutes long.  Once the bell rang you darted for the door and whichever friend had a car.  You make a beeline for the restaurant of the day.  You ate as fast as you possibly could (to this day, I still call fast-eating "high school lunch syndrome").  Then you'd get back to school in time for the second half of your day.

Back then the main concern was budget (or lack of it).  I would always order a regular roast beef sandwich, curly fries, and a Jamocha shake.  The bun would come off, and since I couldn't decide which one I liked better, half of the sandwich would get Horsey sauce, and the other half would get Arby's sauce.  My fries would get the same treatment.  And don't even get me started on those Jamocha shakes (YUM).

Now, I have tried some other sammies from Arby's.  And enjoyed them.  But I just don't think you can beat their plain roast beef!

Fast forward to 2013.  As in, right now.  Arby's has two new King's Hawaiian Sandwiches to choose from:

1. Arby’s KING’S HAWAIIAN roast beef sandwich: a soft and slightly sweet King's Hawaiian Bun that is piled high with an extra helping of that perfectly slices roast beef that Arby's is known for.
2. Arby's KING'S HAWAIIAN roast beef & swiss sandwich: same as above, but with the addition of Swiss cheese, crisp pickles, and a creamy Dijon spread.

Hmmmm.  I DO love me some King's Hawaiian Bread.  I'll admit, I had a bit of a wrestling match in my head over which of these two sandwiches to choose.  On the one hand, I love cheese.  Any cheese.  And mustard is a good friend of mine.  Pickles?  Sure, we get along.  But in the end, I went with my old favorite, a big ol' stack of mouthwatering roast beef - all alone and in its glory!

I couldn't NOT "do my thang".  I crave that roast beef with a strip of Arby's sauce...a strip of Horsey sauce...and a strip of Three Pepper Sauce (which since it's introduction has earned its place right alongside those other two sauces I can't choose between)!  All I can say is that the addition of the King's Hawaiian bun was the icing on the cake.  I'm glad I went early in the lunch hour, because I think I was making loud happy noises with each bite.  I just kinda needed to be alone with my King's Hawaiian Roast Beef Sandwich.

Speaking of Hawaii... Do you want to surf in paradise? (Yes, that is a totally rhetorical question.)  Arby's is hosting a Hawaiian Getaway sweepstakes, and you could win a royally delicious trip for two to Hawaii!

• Round-trip air transportation for winner and guest
• Four nights hotel accommodations at The Hilton Hawaiian Village
• Fresh Flower Lei greeting upon arrival to Honolulu Airport
• Premium group lesson for winner and guest at Hawaiian Fire Surf School
• Choice of either a Luau for two at the Hilton Hawaiian Village or a Catamaran Cruise
• Car rental for your entire stay
• $500.00 American Express Gift Card

To enter, simply go to the Arby’s Hawaiian Getaway Sweepstakes page and fill out the short form anytime from April 29 - May 26. Good Luck! (But not too good...because, you know...I want to win.)

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies #glutenfree + @Cookies4Kids

All the Good Cookies
author: Gretchen Holt-Witt
publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
photos: yes
hardcover | 185 pages

chapters/sections: the classic gotta-haves for a bake sale / seriously chocolate / everyone can have a cookie (allergy specific) / celebrate / make it fast / sensational cookies

fun features:  100% of author proceeds from the purchase of this book go directly back to the organization and pediatric cancer research.

I also love the fun, colorful boxes located at the end of many of the recipes in the book.  They are full of tips and hints for making your cookie fundraising event a success, from "be prepared" to "what to offer" to "cute counts" to "pricing" to "community involvement" and more!  Also, there are heartwarming, personal Cookies for Kids' Cancer stories interspersed throughout the book.

(a few of the many) recipes destined for my kitchen: speculaas / sally's potato chip sandies / chocolate pillows / everyday skinny mints / deep chocolate cherry cashew cookies / doggie cookies / poppy seed cookies / toffee-almond meringues

my thoughts/review:  There is heart, soul, love, and sunshine pouring out of every page of this beautiful little cookbook.  I cried my way through the foreword, the preface, and the introduction and smiled my way through each recipe.  I'm inspired by the whole Cookies for Kids' Cancer organization and I have plans of bake sales and fundraisers and time in the kitchen with my own kids running through my head.

This is a book that I think everybody should run out and buy immediately.  And buy a few extra to give away while you're at it.  This book is truly inspirational.

what I've tried so far:  Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies - Peanut Butter cookies have been one of my favorites since I was a kid.  I love the good, old-fashioned ones made with smooth peanut butter and given cross-hatches with a fork.  I think they were one of the first things I baked all by myself.  I wasn't sure what I was going to think about a gluten-free (flourless) version, but the photos in the book were just so enticing with peanuts peeking out and chocolate sprinkles spotting them...I just couldn't resist.  And I am SO happy that I didn't, because I LOVED them.  The kids loved them.  They are chewy just like my favorite peanut butter cookies.  And I love that I now have a fabulous gluten-free cookie in my arsenal.  I think I'd love to bring a double batch (one of my classic beloved pb cookies and one of these) to any cookie-sharing opportunity!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert gluten-free vegetarian soy-free peanut butter peanuts eggs cookie American

Ingredients (about 4 dozen)

• 1 3/4 cups natural creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped cocktail peanuts
• chocolate sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat together all of the ingredients (except cocktail peanuts) in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, 3 minutes or so. Stir in the chopped peanuts.

Drop by heaping 2 teaspoon (or scant tablespoon) scoops onto prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch or so between each cookie. If you want to use the chocolate sprinkles, scatter some over the top of each scoop of dough.

Slide into preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden, rotating pan(s) halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

from Cookies for Kids' Cancer: All the Good Cookies

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about the author: When Gretchen Holt-Witt found out that her 2 ½ year-old son Liam had pediatric cancer, she was shocked to find out that the disease - which claims the lives of more children in the US than asthma, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis and Muscular Dystrophy ...combined - had received an appallingly low amount of attention and funds for research. All types of pediatric cancers collectively receive less than 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s multi-billion dollar budget and an equally small amount of research dollars from pharmaceutical companies. It’s simply not on the radar of our government, private industry or the general public.

So Gretchen decided to take action and instigate hope with something simple and sweet.... one of Liam’s favorite activities, baking cookies, became Gretchen’s solution. She started with rounding up friends and family to bake and sell 96,000 cookies during the holidays in 2007 - which with 250+ volunteers, she accomplished, raising $420,000 which was granted to a new therapy for pediatric cancer.

Fast-forward to today, what began as an idea to help fund one promising new research project in 2007 has grown into a movement to change the face of pediatric cancer. In just over 4 years Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has funded DOZENS of pediatric cancer research projects by raising more than 6 million dollars from thousands of grassroots events held all over the country – all 50 states plus Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada, the UK and Germany.

Sadly, Gretchen’s son Liam passed away at age 6½ in January of 2011. The funds raised from that first bake sale in 2007 were funneled to developing a treatment that would have helped her son. But the treatment only became available late 2011, months after Liam died. Which just goes to show how real this is - how CFKC is funding real treatments that have the potential to save real lives. And that is what keeps the CFKC team and Gretchen going. After all, it only takes $100,000 to get something going.

further info: website | twitter | facebook | instagram | pinterest | blog | purchase



I received a free copy of this cookbook from the publisher.  All thoughts stated in this post are 100% my own.  This post contains Amazon affiliate links.