Tibetan Monks Sacred Art 2015 Tour of the Central Coast

The Sacred Art of the Drepung Gomang Monastery

A group of Tibetan Monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery Art Tour of 2015 is arriving in Central California for a four week stay, April 13 – May 8. They will be exhibiting Tibetan Crafts, creating large beautiful sand paintings and presenting cultural pageant performances that include: dance, song, chant and a fascinating example of the debate monks use to train their thinking. All donations at any event will go toward their monastic work with the poor, hungry and infirmed. There will be many varied appearances in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Oceano and Santa Maria

There will be sand mandalas created at the following locations:

Steynberg Gallery in San Luis Obispo April 13-17 1531 Monterey St.

Earthtones Gallery 1319 Park St. Paso Robles, April 21-24.

Oceano Train Depot 1650 Front Street, Oceano April 29 – May 3rd

 Allan Hancock College Art Gallery, Santa Maria May 4-7.

Green Tara MandalaThey begin their tour of the area with a Green Tara Mandala created at Steynberg Art Gallery,1531 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. Monday through Friday 10:00 AM till – 4:30 PM  April 13th – 17th.  The incredible closing ceremony for the Green Tara Mandala will take place at 2:00 PM on Friday the 17th.

chenresig mandala 2Following the SLO appearance, the Monks travel to north county to Earthtones Gallery 1319 Park St. Paso Robles, April 21st – 24th.  The opening ceremony will begin April 21st at 10AM.  The mandala created at Earthtones will be The Chenrezig, Buddha of Compassion, Mandala.  The amazing closing ceremony will begin at 2PM on Friday April 24th

The 5 Cities area will enjoy a five day Continue reading

Summer Bean Salad

The Summer Bean Salad is very simple, easy to create, and tastes so nice. It has been a favorite for many of our guests and for me it is a good lunch now and then.
Just Chop, gently mix and chill! The number and types of beans can be varied to suit your tastes or what is in the pantry. I love to mix for color and presentation, although I do have my favorites types. The recipe really is this easy.

Ingredients

1 – can – 15 1/2 ozs black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 – can – 16 ozs butter beans beans (rinsed and drained)
1 – can – 16 ozs pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
(red kidney beans would also work well and they add color)
2 jalapenos seeded and minced
1/2 red bell pepper (minced)
1/2 red onion (minced)
2 stalk celery (finely chopped)
1/2 a bunch of cilantro leaves (finely chopped)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin


Recipes and more by Charley CarlinAbout The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style.  All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.

Cinnamon Rice or Plain Rice Too!

Oddly it comes up that people eat rice at my house and then ask for the recipe.

I wondered about this one, however, I want to be of service with my cooking and recipes so I am sharing them all. Of course many things are off the cuff, so be patient, make your requests and I will be blogging the best I can. As always thank you for your interest.

Charley Carlin Cooks and People Love It - Cinnamon Rice

World’s Longest Grain Rice

Now for the Rice

I use a long grain and when I say long grain the stuff I get from a restaurant in Lake Elsinore is the longest grain I have ever seen. It almost looks like noodles it is so long. Any way, saute a brown onion in either butter or olive oil.

After Onion is Sauteed, add 2 cups of rice, and a tablespoon or so of Cinnamon then saute the mixture a bit, then add 3 cups of water and let boil.

When the boiling starts, turn flame to low and cook for 20 minutes or whatever your rices needs as different species of rice have different cooking times.

You will need to make a few batches to calibrate with your stove, pan, altitude, and attitude. When you are calibrated, then repeat as necessary.


Recipes and more by Charley CarlinAbout The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style.  All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.

Triple Olive Tapenade

This one has been a rip roaring raving success at all our dinner parties lately! It is as simple as it sounds and can be whipped up in short order. So give this one a try.

Can of Black Olives
About the same amount of green olives (with pimento is fine)
Almost the same amount of Kalamata olives
Chop All the Olives Coarsely

2 cloves garlic minced finely minced (optional)
4 or more scallions minced
a small pile of minced purple onion – about a half cup
a red bell pepper minced (makes it pretty! and sometimes I get the small multi-colored peppers and use a couple orange, a couple yellow and a couple red for great eye appeal)
mix all with 4 – 6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (I like Kalamata Oil).
add a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar
Gently mix

If you make this dish for later use and refrigerate it, the dish will coagulate.  It is best at room temperature for serving and spreading, so beware. Let it come to room temperature if you have refrigerated the batch.

For most the consumption will begin immediately and continue till it is finished! Eat immediately on your favorite crackers or toasted sourdough or endive or romaine lettuce. If you use the toasted sourdough then brush the pieces lightly with olive oil after toasting. then cut the bread into 1 to 1.5 inch squares and put a pile of tapenade on each piece! Now the trick is to make a platter of these to serve to your guests, without eating so many it becomes your meal! You have been warned! Sometimes I do a big platter, and Sometimes I do individual plates – do what fits your party! Oh yes I think this stuff makes a wonderful sandwich – a thick layer of tapenade between two slices of toasted sourdough! – Yum! – Others have put it as a spread on their hamburger or other sandwiches. Anyway Charley Carlin Cooks and people love it!


Recipes and more by Charley CarlinAbout The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style.  All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.

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Our April 2014 Flowers

The Roses and the Iris hit wonderful notes this April surrounding us with the beauty of mother nature everywhere we look. We are so grateful.

I see little tomato flowers too. Can’t wait for those big vine ripened tomatoes, and we will have four different types!

Enjoy

Charley’s Kitchen – Six Bean Salad

6 Bean Salad by Charley Carlin

The has been a real hit at our table.

Here in Charley’s Kitchen I took my Summer Bean Recipe and modified it for a larger batch and added a few twists. This recipe can be modified at will. For instance Anet does not care for the butter beans, so I simply do not put them in that batch. Each batch is a bit different abd they all are simple, easy, and taste so nice.

A real raving favorite for some of our guests! Just Chop, mix and chill! It really is that easy.

Charley’s Kitchen – Ingredients

Charley's Kitchen - Creating is easy - By Charley Carlin

Simple and Straightforward

Charley's Kitchen - Good Food Starts Here!- By Charley Carlin

Fresh Red Bell Peppers are so sweet!

Charley's Kitchen - Good food and Great Fun By Charley Carlin

Seeded and Minced the jalapeno is a mild addition to the salad (optional)

1 can – 15 oz black beans (rinsed thoroughly and drained)
1 can – 15 oz butter beans beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
1 can – 15 oz pinto beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
1 can – 15 oz red kidney beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
1 can – 15 oz pinquito beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
1 can – 15 oz white kidney beans (cannellini beans) (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
1 can – 15 oz diced tomatoes (juice and all) Continue reading

Moroccan Crockpot Stew

Charley’s Kitchen Version of Moroccan Stew

While at one of our favorite local restaurants, Fig Good Food, I tried a dish of Moroccan Stew. I liked it a lot and found myself ordering it again and again. Well, I went to the internet and looked up at least a half dozen versions of Moroccan Chick Pea Stew. With that input and my alterations for local conditions and local availability, I created Charley’s Kitchen version of Moroccan Stew which has been quite popular! Now you can create that same dish at your place. Enjoy!

Get that Crockpot out and put it on Low.  I like the slow cooking method myself. This filles the house with wonderful smells.

Add these to the Mix:

  • 2 Cans Garbanzo Beans (rinsed well)
  • 2 Cans Red Kidney Beans (rinsed well)
  • 2 Cans Pinto Beans (rinsed well)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less – some like it hot, some do not)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 big cans (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, juice and all!
  • 6 carrots diced small pieces
  • an equal sized pile of yam or sweet potato (Some prefer Potatoes – Your Choice)

Use olive oil to Saute the following:

  • One medium yellow or brown onion – Sauteed
  • One medium purple onion – Sauteed
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced and  Sauteed
  • 2 jalapenos seeded and minced and Sauteed

Saute till tender and add to the Crockpot. Make sure everything is covered in sauce – This usually means adding a few cups of water.

Eat in about 3 hours – when the carrots and Yams are tender.
Add a bunch of chopped cilantro and Lets Eat!
As Always
Charley Carlin


Recipes and more by Charley CarlinAbout The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style.  All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.

Cherry Rice

Charley Carlin Cooks - Cherry Rice

Cherry Rice Ingredients

Charley’s Cherry Rice
Well as luck would have it, I wandered into a Mediterranean restaurant in Lake Elsinore, CA, King Kabob. So I tried the saffron rice and lamb and loved it! Came back and tried the Chicken Kabob and Saffron rice and loved it even more. Came back again and tried the Cherry Rice and Loved it even more! They use a family recipe so I had to research and make up my own, so here it is! I include the link to restaurant for those who may be near or driving by from or to San Diego. (Railroad Canyon Ramp from Highway 15) Click to read Anet or my review on Yelp.
Half cube butter and one chopped onion saute then add half teaspoon for allspice, half teaspoon of cinnamon quarter teaspoon of ground cloves saute more add half teaspoon kosher salt some ground pepper saute and set aside next – Half cube butter and minced onions saute (one brown and one purple) add a teaspoon of salt add two cups Long Grain Basmati Rice – saute more and stir stir stir next – add three and a half cups of water – bring to boil then low heat for 20 minutes (till rice is done) next – a jar of Trader Joe’s Cherries (include about half the juice) add the sauteed spiced onions from step one mix in gently and put lid on rice and let is rest for 10 minutes next – get our clay pot with lid and fill with hot water wait 10 minutes to warm the container so it does not cool the rice! dump water – dry container and fill with rice and serve! Note the salt really wakes up the flavors – salt to taste Yippee – A double big Hit – First served on 4/18/2012.


Recipes and more by Charley CarlinAbout The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style.  All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.

Texas Pecan Pie

This is it the Texas Pecan Pie by Anet Carlin that will knock your socks off. Enjoy!
Make a crust of the following:
2 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp of salt
3/4 C of vegetable oil or corn oil….no canola or olive
1/4 C milk

Simply mix the ingredients until the consistency of Play dough.  If it is too wet, sprinkle flour make it right.  If it is too dry it will not be like clay.
It is not necessary to roll this crust.  Simply take balls of it and form a fluted crust.  You do not have to use all of it.  Don’t make the crust too thick.  This is a delicious crust.  I promise.

Filling
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 Cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup DARK Karo Syrup
1 1/2 Cups of Pecans broken (ours come from Texas)
1 Tsp of Vanilla

Mix the ingredients and pour into pie.  I use a pie collar to make sure the edges don’t get too brown while the pie is cooking.  However, you can make a little wreath with foil around the pie to keep the fluted crust from cooking too quickly. Texas Pecan Pie at its best!   Bake at 350 for about 50-60 minutes.

Apricot Pie by Anet CarlinAnet Carlin – The extraordinary baker, whose pies are definitely renowned and always remembered. Anet Carlin shares her crust recipes, cookie recipes and bread recipes Anet always loves to teach others how to do it! No secrets, only good baking. Just ask.