BOSTON, EVENTS

Wednesday, November 24: Free Community Day at the Museum of Fine Arts

MFA's Art of the Americas Wing

Need a little R&R before the Thanksgiving holiday? If you’re lucky enough to have Wednesday, November 24 off from work, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is opening its doors from 10:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. for a free community day courtesy of State Street.

A must-see at the MFA is the new Art of the Americas Wing, which recently celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, November 20 and has already seen more than 40,000 visitors.  For a very nicely produced video of the opening event, including great music by the Boston’s Hot Tamale Brass Band and the Boston University Pep Band click here.

Can’t make it to the free community day on Wednesday? Kudos to State Street Corporation for sponsoring a Wednesday evening series called Free Nights at the Museum.  Throughout the month of December, entry to the MFA will be free every Wednesday night from 4:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m..  Perfect for busy professionals like moi.

For more information about the Art of the America’s wing at the MFA, click here.

RECIPES

Home Cookin’: Cranberry-Apple Chutney

Cranberries & Sugar by Jessica Gioglio

This Thanksgiving, I’m introducing a delicious new side dish to our menu: homemade cranberry-apple chutney.  Sweet yet tangy with hints of cinnamon and ginger, this chutney is fantastic when paired with turkey.  It’s also a lovely addition to a turkey sandwich – think Iggy’s whole grain bread, dijon mustard, spinach, leftover turkey and chutney.

To make the chutney, you’ll need the following:
– 1 lb cranberries
– 1 cup water
– 1/2 cup sugar
– 2 green apples, peeled, diced in 1/2 inch pieces
– 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
– 1/4 cup lemon juice (e.g. one to two lemons)
– 1/3 cup sugar
– 1 tbsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp ground cloves
-1 tbsp fresh ginger

Start by combining the cranberries, one cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for ten minutes.  After ten minutes, remove from heat, but keep the saucepan on the stove.

While the cranberry and sugar mix is boiling, chop two green apples and toss with red wine vinegar, juice of two lemons, 1/3 cup of sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves and fresh ginger. Pour mix into another medium sauce pan and cook on medium heat until the apples are soft.

Once the apples are soft, combine with cranberry mix and heat until the chutney forms.  You’ll want it to be the texture of a thick cranberry sauce with chunks of apples.  Allow to cool and then pour into three empty jam jars (I hoard jars of Bonne Maman preserves for this very reason).

Buon Appetito!

For more of my recipes, click here.

TRAVEL

Travel: A Blissful Weekend in Healdsburg, California

Scenic Vistas at the Ferrari-Carano Winery by Jessica Gioglio

A charming small town in Northern California wine country, Healdsburg’s gorgeous vineyards, gourmet cuisine and cute boutiques make it an ideal locale for a relaxing weekend away.  During a recent jaunt to the West Coast for a wedding, I was fortunate enough to spend a few days drinking in all that Healdsburg has to offer.  And yes, wine was involved.

Approximately two hours north of San Francisco, Healdsburg is an easy drive from the city.  In my opinion, the place to stay in Healdsburg is at a hotel or inn within walking distance of the town center.  Filled with a variety of tasting rooms, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, it offers a fantastic home base.

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RECIPES

Home Cookin’: Making Your Own Granola

Homemade Sugar-Free Granola, by Jessica Gioglio

Feel free to call me crunchy, but I love making my own granola.  Making it at home is incredibly easy and allows you to tailor the amount of sweetness, crunch and spice to your preference.  Inspired by one of my favorite cookbooks Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery, I customized their famous sugar-free granola recipe to suit my preferences.  Because let’s face it, when you’re cooking, it’s all about you, my friend!  You’ve gotta like the final product before you can possibly fathom serving it up to another person…

With only seven ingredients, this recipe can be whipped up in a flash and makes four cups of granola.  Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. Then, pour two cups of old fashioned oats, one cup of raw sliced almonds, one cup of pepitas and one tablespoon of wheat germ in a medium sized bowl.  Add in two tablespoons of sunflower oil and 1/4 cup of apple juice.  Finish by topping with a hearty amount of spice.  I personally enjoy tons of cinnamon, but combinations of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg are also delicious.

Pour onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every fifteen minutes to enhance the amount of toasty, crunchy-ness.  The result is a hearty, aromatic granola that’s the perfect topping for plain Liberte yogurt, berries and a light drizzle of honey.  Buon Appetito!

For more of my recipes, click here.

BOSTON, EVENTS

Thursday, November 11: eCycle Old Electronics Courtesy of Comcast and NBC Universal

E-Waste by Mosman Council from Flickr

Have an old TV, computer, or printer that’s seen better days?  Join Comcast and NBC Universal on Thursday, November 11 as they host a “Green is Universal” free eCycling event from 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. at the South Bay Shopping Center in Dorchester alongside Best Buy.

Electronics eligible for free eCycling on Thursday include TVs, stereo equipment, video equipment, video game players, MP3 players, cell phones, computers and printers.  Apparently, when old electronics are thrown into the trash, they end up in landfills and release toxic materials into the ecosystem. Known as “e-waste,” throwing away old electronics accounts for 70 percent of the overall toxic waste currently found in landfills.

Kudos to Comcast and NBC Universal for raising awareness about e-waste and providing their customers with an opportunity to give their old electronics a greener future!  The South Bay Shopping Center is located at 8 Allstate Road in Dorchester, MA.  The drop-off located will be alongside the Best Buy store – keep an eye out for NBC Universal’s trailer!