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Hello Spices of Life viewers!
 
Have you looked at the moon lately? It is FULL, and tonight Chinese all over the world celebrate the Harvest Moon

Festival and eat moon cakes!! We’re celebrating, too. Watch me and the Moon Cake girls make these delectable cakes

and drink tea at http://www.spicesoflife.com.
 
Join the Moon Cake team — my best friend, Debby, her daughter, Lydia, and MY VERY SPECIAL GUEST, Carol Garfield,

Steve’s BRILLIANT wife!!! — as we make moon cakes, drink tea, and celebrate this wonderful Chinese holidayl!!

Nina   

Best Recipe Ever: Moon Cakes
When the days grow shorter and the balmy breezes of summer are replaced by the brisk chill of fall, it is time to

prepare for the Harvest Moon festival. On the evening of the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the moon is at its

brightest, and for one night only, it is said to be perfectly round. Meet the Moon Cake girls and see how Nina and

“the girls” demonstrate how to prepare this DELICIOUSLY sumptuous cookie in your own kitchen.
Watch video

 Recipe: Moon Cakes

During the Harvest Moon festival, Chinese bakery shelves are loaded with many different varieties of  moon cakes,

savory and sweet. Nina’s easy filling includes apricot jam, raisins, dates, and coconut.
  
Go to spicesoflife.com for recipe

Having dinner issues?  Check out “Dinner Doctor Quick Meals”
 
Fall Tune-up
If you are comfortable with acupuncture, it’s a good time for a for a tune-up to coincide with the autumnal equinox.    

“Invite your friends, make batches of moon cakes, freeze them, then bake the day you serve them!”  
Carol’s tip
“Everybody loves moon cakes, but did you know it’s traditionally a woman’s holiday?”

 Hugo’s Tip

“It’s cool that messages hidden in moon cakes helped the Chinese win a war.”
 
 

Nothing prepared me for the warm, lovely Nell Newman. And she’s not only a great cook, but she surfs too!
- Nina

Nina Simonds
“Nell’s charming and unpretentious manner (and her dedication to making the world a better place) is a testament to the ideals her parents seem to have instilled in her.”

Nell Newman’s Tip
“I love eating stuff out of my garden. When it’s tomato season, I love fresh tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and basil and pine nuts.”
Hugo the Cat!

Hugo’s Tip
“Smitten”

NEW EPISODE: Eating Salt and Pepper Pretzels with Nell Newman

Nell Newman became one of the first pioneers to introduce the country to mainstream organic products that actually taste good. The daughter of renowned actors Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, of “Newman’s Own,” Nell talks about how she convinced her Dad to let her start a branch of the company and help to create the product that became the number one organic snack food in America.

Watch Nell Newman

Who needs nut-loaf with yeast-gravy when you can have:
(Nell Newman’s) DAD’S FAVORITE CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

“I always use organic ingredients whenever possible, but this cake is great with regular ingredients. It is light as air, low in fat, and very easy to make.”

More Episodes

Having dinner issues? Check out “Dinner Doctor Quick Meals”

Gossipy bit!

“Next month we SPOTLIGHT HEALTHY FOOD AND KIDS!”

Check out Nell Newman’s Website!

Nina Simonds
“Wine is a great partner to food - they complement and enhance one another. But beer works too!.”

Sandy BlockSandy Block’s Tip
“When it comes to enjoying wine there are no rules - it’s all about pleasure.”

Hugo’s Tip
“Nina’s tried to teach me about wines, but I prefer toilet water. (When Nina’s not looking, of course!)”

Nina Says:
Sandy Block, who is a Master of Wine (a credential NOT MANY people in this country can boast), is not only INCREDIBLY knowledgeable about wine but is down- to- earth and FUN!! What better recipe for a Spices of Life program?? Especially since we feel that a knowledge and appreciation of wine is part of the “enjoyment of life” experience. Sandy not only provides some great tips about some of his favorite summer wines but he helps us debunk some myths about the “rules” that we have come to associate with wine. Sandy, in his articulate but diplomatic manner TRASHES them all. It’s a blast and what better fun than to sip and enjoy some great wines on a summer, fall, or winter’s day???

A Votre Sante or Gan Bei, as they say in Chinese which means “Bottoms Up”!!

Nina

NEW EPISODE: Wine Tasting Myths Exposed!

Sandy Block is one of only 22 people in the USA to be a Master of Wine. With a title like that we expected him to be wearing a black belt with a wine taster attached. Instead he arrived in a business suit. Of course since we are ALL about FUN at Spices of Life, the VERY FIRST thing I did was to ask him to take off his jacket and tie (and leave his pants on!)

This episode is all about summer wines and pairings. Sound snobby? NO WAY!! We not only taste some great wine, but Sandy debunks several wine myths and provides drinking tips for those lazy summer days when all you want to do is, well, DRINK AND EAT (without the pretension).

Watch Nina drink: Wine Tasting Myths Exposed!

Remember, don’t drink and drive and make sure you try these wines with your favorite summer dishes. I’ve included one of mine:

Nina’s Healthy and Delicious Recipes

TANDOORI CHICKEN ROLL-UPS
six servings

Indian cooks bake meats in a clay oven, called a tandoor but I find that a grill works beautifully. The yogurt-based marinade tenderizes and flavors the chicken and provides a cooling (albiet spicy) contrast to the cooked meat. This dish is also delicious with turkey and seafood. AND WINE!
*Sandy and Nina recommend a full-bodied white or a delicate red, but remember - there are no rules!

More Episodes

Having dinner issues? Check out “Dinner Doctor Quick Meals”

Gossipy bit!
“Stay tuned for an intimate interview with Nell Newman of “Newman’s Own.” Nell talks about her commitment to organics and discloses how she came to start the organics division of the company and turn down the job at “Chez Panisse.”

Who doesn’t hate to plan dinner every night??? ME included. And I know a lot of other people in the same boat. Meet Thoroughly Modern Millie, veteran blogger and a great cook who needed a little help with planning some new dinner ideas. Enjoy and let us know if you have any of your own “Dinner Doctor” ideas.
Nina

Dinner Doctor: Fast and Easy!

Thoroughly Modern Millie, one of the oldest online bloggers has dinner issues, but they are similar to SO many other people. She wants EASY, DELICIOUS, CONVENIENT and HEALTHY food. Millie admitted that she would love to walk into her house at night and have a magical chef appear and prepare the meal. Dinner Doctor to the rescue!!!

Nina’s Tip

“Don’t be a food snob: use the shortcuts that are available to you to make a great, easy meal.’’

Millie’s Tip

“I’m very health conscious, but I want to make something quick, easy, and that tastes good.”

Hugo’s Tip

“I don’t like to waste anything! So save your leftovers for lunch, breakfast, or dinner the next day. Barbecued chicken is okay but, when, oh when is she going to make TUNA?”

Nina’s Healthy and Delicious Recipes

Don’t have time to labor over a demanding recipe tonight? Don’t want to spend hours in the grocery store collecting 18 different ingredients?

Recipes:
Mom’s Barbecue Chicken
Assorted Vegetables with Lemon Soy Dressing

More Episodes Having dinner issues? Check out “Dinner Doctor Quick Meals”