4 not what you think Recipes

old age, i decided , is a gift., i am now , probably for the first time in my life, the person i have always wanted to be., i would never trade my amazing friends , my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. as i ve aged, i ve become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. i ve become my own friend., i don tsp chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that i didn tsp need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. i am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant., whose business is it if i choose to read or play on the computer until 4 am and sleep until noon, i will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50 s, 60 s, & 70 s, and if i, wish i will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if i choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set., will get old ., i know i am sometimes forgetful. but there again , some of life is just as well forgotten. and i eventually remember the important things.., over the years my heart has been broken ..., but broken hearts are what give us strength andunderstanding and compassion. a heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect., i am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. so many have never laughed, and so may have died before their hair could turn silver., as you get older , it is easier to be positive. you care less about what other people think. i don tsp question myself anymore. i ve even earned the right to be wrong., answer your question , i like being old. it has set me free.. i like the person i have become., i am not going to live forever, but while i am still here, i will not waste time lamenting about what could have been, or worrying about what will be. and i shall eat dessert every single day. (if i feel like it), may our friendship never come apart especially when it s straight from the heart, may you always have a rainbow of smiles on your face and in your heart forever and ever

fresh green beans cut into 1 1/2 pieces, frozen baby lima beans thawed, frozen black eye peas thawed, leamon juice, extra virgin olive oil, chopped green scallions, salt and pepper to taste, fresh choppe dill ( optional )

i fell in love with this recipe. i love anything tomato based. this is like tomato sauce and chunks of all your favorite fish. you add whatever fish you like. and get a huge loaf of crusty bread and butter! i basically modify this recipe to my own sauce, so can you add what fish you like. just a great great recipe! you can make this your own! everyone thinks this is italian it is not. chip in . chip in as a call heard on the world famous fisherman s wharf in it s early heyday before world war ii. this was a call for san francisco s mainly italian immigrant fisherman coming home with their catch of pacific seafood to donate a small portion of their catch for a communal fish stew prepared on the docks. anything would do. a few clams, mussels. adding some red snapper, a crab or two, some scallops some halibut or flounder, anything to add to the fragrant stew that would soon be served to the club of san francisco fisherman who would talk about the days catch and dunk san francisco sour dough bread into the rich broth. eventually the broken english cries of chip in turned into chip-in-o . hence the name cioppino . this is a rich seafood stew with not much care as to how it was assembled. this consisted of throwing the days catch into a big pot and pouring sauce into the pot with the shellfish and chunks of what fish was available. let all these flavors enhance each other for awhile and you have the most flavorful and messy to eat stew that ever was., turns around the pan in a slow stream ) extra-virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, flat fillets of anchovies, drained, garlic, crushed, bay leaf, fresh or dried, celery ribs, chopped, onion, chopped, good quality dry white wine ( i am sure even beer works), chicken stock, chunky style crushed tomatoes, fresh thyme, leaves removed (about 1 tbsp), handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped, cod, cut into 2-inch chunks, salt and pepper, shrimp , ask for deveined easy-peel or peel and devein, sea scallops, raw mussels , scrubbed, a loaf of fresh , crusty bread, for mopping up!! or 2 loaves depending on quanity and people eating this.