Heritage Winter 2019

Winter 2019

A Greater Purpose Page 3

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Page 7

Azle Grad ‘focuses’ on photography Page 13

Table of Contents

3 7 13 17 21

Andrew Greer: A Greater Purpose by vanessa pham

Although Greer is achieving his dreams around the globe with big names like Mark Lowry, Michael W. Smith, and Amy Grant, he claims his dreams have just evolved and fallen into place—and it all began with his Azle roots.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! by vanessa pham

The International Exotic Animal Sanctuary (IEAS) in Boyd helps to rehabilitate exotic animals and provide them a permanent sanctuary. The animals come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share the need for a permanent home.

Azle grad ‘focuses’ on photography by michael acosta

For Azle High School (AHS) graduate Richard Spraggens, what started out as a hobby has turned into a successful side business.

Recipes by nicole hart and jennifer harrison

Featuring warming winter recipes like Weeknight Taco Soup and Cold Day Chicken Noodle Soup, Texas Beef Stew, Butternut Squash Soup, and Pasta e Fagoli. Check out our recipes for football watching parties: Game Day Wings, Super Bowl of Strawberries, Touchdown Sliders, and Salami Paninis.

Can Oscillococcinum Treat The Flu?

by Jessica Brace, D.C., C.C.S.P.

During the cold and flu season, people are doing whatever they can to avoid these two main viruses. For the last two years, I have added one ingredient….OSCILLOCOCCINUM.

Heritage Magazine is published quarterly as a supplement to the Azle News and Springtown Epigraph.

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Heritage Winter 2019

Andrew Greer on a TV special with Point of Grace.

A Greater Purpose Greer uses music and show to bring healing by vanessa pham

Azle native Andrew Greer has made his home in Nashville and traveled the world performing his music and interviewing celebrity musicians for his show.

Although Greer is achieving his dreams around the globe with big names like Mark Lowry, Michael W. Smith, and Amy Grant, he claims his dreams have just evolved and fallen into place—and it all began with his Azle roots.

Greer’s mother, Jane, taught him to play piano starting at the age of seven and taught him to sing harmony “as my voice started changing,” he said.

His love for piano and music has been there as long as he can remember, and he thanks his mother as well as his mentors from Azle—Connie Deweese, Debbie Barkey, and former AHS Choir Director Carol Pyle—for inspiring him and coaching him in music.

“Their tutelage went beyond the technicalities of music and went into ‘Why do we sing? Why do we play?’” he said. “I never was going to be a great classical pianist or singer.

I didn’t have that kind of technical ability. I’m a felt musician. These ladies and my mother are too—they feel music and understand it at a very basic level.”

Greer was in the Azle High School Choir and musicals and also formed his own singing groups. His group of three singers that was formed right after his graduation from high school in 2000, Sold Out, toured all over the country.

“That was my first experience touring,” he said.

But his musical journey was just beginning. He went on to major in music at Belmont University in Nashville when he worked with Mi-

Photos courtesy of Andrew Greer

Winter 2019 Heritage 3

Great Smiles Start Here Andrew Greer with Amy Grant.

chael W. Smith at Rocketown Records.

“That was learning the ropes of everything,” Greer recalls. “I was able to learn about song writing, met a lot of artists, and learned about marketing music.”

After graduating from Belmont, things slowed down for a while. He had what he calls a ‘wilderness experience’ for a couple of years when he literally spent time in the wilderness of Wyo-

ming after the end of a close relationship. Being in nature allowed him to grieve, question himself, and reflect on his life.

“That’s what inspired my own voice, as in Andrew Greer as an artist or his own entity,” he said. “I had never really thought about it before that time. I’d always thought I’d be in a more collaborative setting.”

That experience inspired him to write songs for his debut album, “Open Book”, released in 2009. He wrote many of those songs on an old piano in Buffalo Bill Cody’s old hunting lodge just outside of the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

He said one of the songs, “You Came Pulling Through,” was probably most inspired by the experience. A portion of the song states:

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Heritage Winter 2019

You star ted in the very darkest part What I had buried deep inside You said whatever’s gone below Is bound to up and rise So I laid down and let you work awhile ‘Til you dug up all my stuff Held it in those precious hands Kissed my head and said there’s too much love In my hour of desperation You brought me pure inspiration In the middle of the night You said it’d be alright When my strength was nearly gone You said child keep moving on.

- You Came Pulling Through

Following "Open Book" was his album “All Things Bright and Beautiful” in 2013 which held the #1 spot on Nielsen Christian SoundScan’s Instrumental chart for 25 consecutive weeks. Next, he recorded his Angel Band hymn series, which reached No. 2 on Amazon and Top 10 on iTunes’ mainstream charts upon release.

That same year, Greer was the co-creator of the Hymns for Hunger Tour along with singer/songwriter Cindy Morgan. The tour helped raise awareness and resources for hunger relief organizations in hundreds of cities across the country.

Since then, Greer has traveled all over the world with his music and has fond memories of when he was in Bulgaria. He recalled how every night there, he ended his performance with “It is Well with My Soul” and received standing ovations—such a big reaction for such a simple song that Americans often take for granted.

“In America there’s always background noise, but you could have heard a pin drop in that place,” he said. “I received a standing ovation in a bar for that song, and I think it’s because the lyrics of that song are so universally relatable because the desire for peace is so universal…What a medium! I mean, what a way to communicate that is safe.

I could never go in and just talk about peace or my relationship with God in some of these places—there may not be an invitation to speak about it, but I can sing it.”

Fast forward to his most recent project last fall, when he was in Guatemala filming his show Dinner Conversations with songwriter/comedian and co-host Mark Lowry.

The show, which was Greer’s and Lowry’s idea, debuted on Amazon Prime in 2017. It is in its third season and is currently sponsored by ChildFund, a non-profit that sponsors needy children in developing countries.

Greer and Lowry went to Guatemala to tell stories on camera about ChildFund and what they’re doing—which is helping Guatemalans realize and learn to provide a life for themselves so they aren’t at the mercy of charities— helping them to become self-sufficient.

“We went to tell stories…to start conversations around tables all around the world, because we believe conversation is a form of communion,” Greer said. “If we’re able to talk about things, we’re able to understand things better, and we’re able to understand each

“I suppose music really is a conversation, and so it also feels natural that my platform would now include hosting conversations that hopefully feel invitational and help others heal,” Greer said. other and love each other better.”

Dinner Conversations began as a show where Greer and Lowry interviewed recording artists in a casual setting—at home around the dinner table. Just a few who have been interviewed include Michael W. Smith, Kathie Lee Gifford, and Wynonna Judd.

The goal of the show’s conversation isn’t to ask an artist about their latest record or single, but is about getting them to share their personal story.

One of Greer’s favorite conversations on the show was with American Idol finalist and singer Danny Gokey.

Gokey told how he lost his first wife in his 20s to a heart condition. Although Gokey re-married a few years later and had children, depression has long since been a struggle for him.

“He will always have to be aware of how his feelings line up with the

truth,” Greer said. “I have a good friend—(author) Patsy Clairmont— and she said, ‘Our feelings are always real, but they don’t always tell the truth.’ Meaning, what you’re feeling is real and legitimate, but it’s not always telling the truth. So when we talked to Danny who has a really large platform right now, and he was able to open up his mind and heart, I think that allows other people to enter into the conversation and say, ‘me too.’ Danny has a big, motivating personality and had some practical tips on how to get professional help. What is helpful is to sit with someone like Danny who has experienced things and say, ‘You know I’ve experienced that too.’ It probably won’t go away tomorrow, but tomorrow can probably look a little different than today, and the next day can look different than the day before so that we can ask, ‘What can I do today to not go back to that dark place I was before?’ That’s what these conversations are for.”

Greer believes conversation isn’t much different than music and singing—they accomplish the same purpose—and that’s to help bring about healing.

“I suppose music really is a conversation, and so it also feels natural that my platform would now include hosting conversations that hopefully feel invitational and help others heal,” he said.

Using music as an expression of feeling, as well as an outlet, has personally helped Greer to heal and feel safe, whole, and connected.

This can been seen (or heard) in a song he co-wrote with Christian artist John Tibbs called “Shots Were Fired,” which states: Verse: Between two hills/Where I first saw the light/Heard the story of angels won this fight/Walls were raised/My heart split in two/So I’ll burn a candle ‘cause I don’t know what to do.

Chorus: Do I run?/Do I hide?/I’m dying inside/So raise the cup/Here’s to life.

“Music is the seat and foundation of any place I find myself in,” he said.

“Music is such a powerful medium.

It tenderizes our hearts and softens our spirits so we can humble ourselves enough to listen, and often, to let go of pride, the need to be right, the need to always be acknowledged, and gives us the desire and courage to serve, to value others as we value ourselves, and Winter 2019 Heritage 5

to love.”

Yet despite his proclaimed deep love for music, he says what he enjoys most about his profession is people.

“One hundred percent— people,” he said. “Just the ability to learn about and be in relationship and love people…

If our interactions can help people understand or feel that they are okay and belong and are loved, that’s the greatest opportunity for all of these artistic mediums.”

Whether it’s reaching people through song in a bar in Bulgaria or conversations around a dinner table, the motive for Greer is healing.

“Because of the magic it possesses, I believe, and have seen, and have experienced, music as healing in many areas of life,” he said. “Music is the heart.”

Just last October, Andrew Greer and Mark Lowry filmed on the Today Show with Kathie Lee Gifford.

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Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Boyd sanctuary saves exotic animals by vanessa pham

They say most cats have nine lives— but people shouldn’t take advantage of that.

The goal of the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary (IEAS) in Boyd is to preserve the nine lives of cats—big cats—and to help other exotic animals live longer too.

The non-profit rescue, which opened in 1996, shifted from mainly having large felines to also adopting bears after 2007.

As time progressed, there was a growing need to place bears. Not long after the sanctuary got their first bears, they built the Dorfman Bear Orphanage to accommodate the growing need and eventually took in other exotic animals as well.

To date, the 42-acre sanctuary provides habitats for slightly more bears than felines, as well as other animals.

It shelters 31 bears (eight brown, two black, and one Asiatic black), 27 felines (17 tigers, one jaguar, two cougars, three bobcats, two servals, one ocelot, and one lion), seven wolves, two lemurs, and two coatimundi.

The animals come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share the need for a permanent home. Many of the animals have been abused, abandoned, neglected, confiscated, or previously owned by individuals unwilling or unable to provide for them. Many of the bears are placements to prevent them from being euthanized.

“We operate as a sanctuary and rescue them to provide them a permanent stress-free environment to live out their lives regardless of the background they come from,” IEAS director Jeremy Vargo said.

IEAS was actually the first sanctuary in North America to be granted accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is

Paddington the grizzly cub enjoys playing with his ball.

Photo by Vanessa Pham

AZA certified.

“My goal is to manage the operations of the facility to facilitate the best possible care, environment, and comfort for our animal residents,” Vargo said.

Winding through the sanctuary’s large habitats, lush vegetation, and seeing its exotic animals, it’s hard to determine if you’re in an exceptional zoo or in the jungle.

Yet out of all of those animals, Vargo knows each one’s name and story. photos courtesy of ieas

Winter 2019 Heritage 7

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Heritage Winter 2019

Saber is one of a few white tigers at the sanctuary and isn’t shy around visitors.

He tells the story of Paddington, a Yellowstone Grizzly Bear cub they saved from being euthanized at the end of 2018.

“He was found raiding trash cans in an Idaho town,” he said.

“Sadly, he was too young to be on his own, and his mother was not around and nowhere to be found.”

The state department collared and relocated him away from town, but Paddington was found raiding trash cans again. They labeled him as a “nuisance bear” and were going to euthanize him, but the people who were tracking him petitioned to try and make some calls and place him somewhere.

“Unfortunately there aren’t many places in the U.S. that can take in bears, and we were thankfully in the position where we could save his life,” Vargo said. “Saving his life was a true group effort with many people involved.”

Today, Vargo enjoys throwing apples into Paddington’s water trough, and Paddington enjoys bobbing for them and munching on them—it’s his favorite snack and pastime. He also likes to play with his ball.

Besides providing animals with food, shelter, and sometimes toys, IEAS’s goal is also to nurture any emotional disorders the animals have.

“Our major goal is to give them the best quality of life we can give them in captivity through our Emotional Enrichment Program, which deals with the emotional well-being of each animal and its individual emotional needs,” Vargo said.

Animal Behaviorist Louis Dorfman has a gift for helping rehabilitate the animals’ emotional needs and has been doing

Asia the Asiatic black bear is the only one of her kind at the sanctuary and is friendly to visitors.

Winter 2019 Heritage 9

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10 Heritage Winter 2019

just that for 58 years, 25 of those years at IEAS. The animals trust Dorfman to the extent that they allow him to enter their domain and cuddle with them.

“They have the need for nurturing and comfort,” Dorfman said. “You don’t think that with a 500-pound tiger.”

The animals don’t allow just anyone to do that—Dorfman is special that way. He said it’s all about respect.

“They’re deserving of respect any being is entitled to,” he said.

Besides caring for the animals’ emotional needs, tending to their physical needs is vital and doesn’t come without a high cost.

Vargo said it costs $500 per month to maintain a tiger or lion and $250 per month for the smaller felines. This involves paying employees to clean their habitats, providing fresh water and food, putting hay in their houses, maintaining the grounds; along with paying utility bills, providing medical assistance, and bookwork. It costs approximately $800 a month to support a bear.

For this reason, the non-profit corporation relies on adopters and donations.

“We really want as many people as we can get to adopt a number of animals and encourage you to come out and spend time with your adoptees,” Vargo said. “Both you and the animals will benefit from the experience.” The sanctuary's operating hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chldren ages 7 and under are not allowed to tour for safety reasons.

For more information on adoption or to schedule a free tour, call 940-433-5091 or visit the website at www.bigcat.org.

Bears at IEAS are given plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables daily, in addition to several pounds of meat.

Photo by Vanessa Pham

Odin is a young male lion that came to the sanctuary in 2013. Both Odin and Saber came to IEAS after spending the first few months of their lives being used for profit in photo opportunities.

Winter 2019 Heritage 11

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12 Heritage Winter 2019

Azle grad ‘focuses’ on sports photography by michael acosta

For Azle High School (AHS) 2013 graduate Richard Spraggens, what started out as a hobby has turned into a successful side business.

Spraggens first started taking photos back approximately 11-12 years ago when he was in eighth grade and around the time that YouTube was getting popular.

“My mom had this little point and shoot camera that had a video feature on it,” Spraggens said. “My best friend Levi Burcham and I would shoot videos and since he only lived here during the summer, after he would go home I was left with the camera. Since it was really hard to video yourself with the camera, I started taking photos.”

Photography runs in the family as his father Gary did some photography, but while Richard knew how photography worked and he liked it, he never considered it a big deal until he got to high school.

“Going into my freshman year at Azle, I was all about doing the agriculture classes, and I had one class left to pick and it was between photojournalism/journalism and home economics,” Spraggens said. “I chose photojournalism because my friend and I had been making those videos, and I thought I would be good at it.”

Beginning the class, he found out quickly just how much the photography aspect made sense to him and joked that while not a lot about school made sense to him at that point, he really began to see that he was good at photography.

Spraggens took photos at a couple of football games as a freshman, and for his projects and things he would take photos of his friend Taylor Dean because he was an athlete.

As he continued through high school, Spraggens joined the yearbook and the newspaper staff, where he was assigned sporting events, and he began taking photos at each sporting event.

J.D. Miller scores high for the dunk against West Virginia in 2018. provided by AZLE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Winter 2019 Heritage 13

His first camera was a Canon Rebel, and he eventually upgraded to a Nikon, buying various lenses and equipment for the camera, after convincing his mom to let him use the money from his college fund to upgrade the equipment.

“It wasn’t easy convincing my mom to let me use that college fund money,” Spraggens said with a laugh. “After about a week of me trying to convince her, she gave in and gave me the money for the equipment.”

After graduation he spent one semester in college at Lubbock Christian University, where he took photos as a member of the media department.

Upon returning home to Azle, Spraggens would still attend Azle football games when he had time, and one day a parent came to him with a photography request.

“She told me that she would give me $20 if I would show up to the games, take photos of her son and post them to Facebook,” recalled Spraggens. “After posting those to Facebook, I began to receive messages from other parents, and it just took off from there.”

For the first several years, Spraggens really didn’t see this as a business ven-

TCU's Taye Barber (4) goes for the catch against Adrian Fry (7)

provided by AZLE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY ture; he would show up to the games, post to social media, and if the parents liked the photos, they could download the pictures for free.

In 2015, Spraggens got a professional photo printer made by Canon for Christmas, and he began to do prints for various things, but he wasn’t selling a whole lot and began making around $20 a month.

“I never watermarked my stuff be-

cause I still really never looked at it as a business and am not in it for the money,” he said. “Growing up in Azle and spending my entire life here in a small town, there’s certain values, and one of those core values that was instilled in me was making an impact in my community, and I didn’t want to exclude anyone from having the opportunity to use my photos.”

Over the last few years, parents,

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14 Heritage Winter 2019

Jacob Edwards (45) makes the tackle against Grapevine. students and community members told him to start watermarking his photos, and that wasn’t an easy decision.

“Believe me when I say that it wasn’t an easy decision at all to watermark those photos,” Spraggens said. “I didn’t want people to feel left out. So I came up with this policy, that if people wanted my photos and they couldn’t afford it, then to just let me know and I would take care of them, no questions asked.”

After he watermarked his photos, his sales began to increase, and he would start making $100 a month .

Sales have steadily increased since.

Azle High School is the only school he does photography for, but in 2016 Spraggens began shooting photos at the collegiate level.

“Trey Ramos was a safety for Azle, and he went on to play collegiately for Stephen F. Austin (SFA),” he said. “His family was one of my better customers, and they asked me if I would be willing to take pictures of him at his games.”

Not knowing anything at the time about Nacogdoches (the location of Stephen F. Austin), he tweeted the media department at SFA with his best photo of Ramos and asked if he could take photos. After taking a look at his work, Spraggens received a press pass for the remainder of the season.

The next year, Azle had a quarterback, Ken Seals, that was being watched by TCU at the time, and one of the contributors from 247 sports, Jeremy Clark, had a student at AHS. He and Spraggens got to talking, and Clark told Spraggens if he supplied them with photos, then Spraggens could take photos at

provided by AZLE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Austin Hubbard delivers a pitch against Colleyville Heritage in 2018. provided by AZLE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY Winter 2019 Heritage 15

TCU games.

“This is my third season taking photos for TCU,” Spraggens said. “I take photos for their basketball games and football games. I do that for the opportunity to meet people and make connections through that. If I ever decide to pursue this professionally, I’ll have those connections I made.”

Spraggens’ favorite sport to take photos for is football, and he really enjoys taking photos at the high school level because the environment is better and the sideline is typically more exciting for a high school game.

“The level of fun you have at the high school games is incredible,” he said.

“The Azle games are just so electric, and I can engage with the student body and the players more than I can anywhere else.”

When he’s not taking sports photos, Spraggens works as an Electric Motor Mechanic at MMI Electric in Lakeside.

At the end of the season, he hopes to apply to be a contributor for Getty Images, the premiere photography site in the world, and supply local photos for

them.

“It’s really tough to get into,” Spraggens said of Getty Images. “Having some collegiate things to add to my portfolio will hopefully help me out a lot.”

Through it all, Spraggens credits his mom Charla for keeping him humble.

“I’m not an arrogant person by any means, but there are definitely times where I think to myself how good I’m getting, and it’s good to be proud of your accomplishments and of a particular photo you took,” Spraggens said with a laugh. “My mom is always right there to tell me to not get a big head and become arrogant.”

Most of all, he’s thankful to be able to provide this service to the Azle Community as a way to give back to the town that raised him and the school system that gave him his education.

He’s been working with a few of the students, showing them the ropes of photography, and they contribute photos if there is ever a game that he cannot make it to.

“I carry a lot of those same values

Paige Anderson delivers a pitch against Grapevine last season. provided by AZLE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

with me to this day,” he said. “Being able to give back to the community in this way is special to me, and I’m thankful to be able to do it.”

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Beat the chill this winter with cozy soup recipes Weeknight Taco Soup, Cold Day Chicken Noodle Soup,Texas Beef Stew, Butternut Squash Soup, and Pasta e Fagoli by nicole hart and jennifer harrison

Weeknight Taco Soup Ingredients:

Directions:

• 2 pounds of ground beef • 1 avocado • 1 can black beans • 1 bunch of cilantro • 1 can of whole kernel corn • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 yellow onion, chopped • ½ teaspoon onion powder • 2 cans of diced tomatoes • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper • ½ teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon cumin • 2 cups of shredded cheese • 1 can of sliced jalapenos

Brown ground beef and drain, reserving 2 tbsps.

Cook onion in remaining oil.

Add in all spices. Pour in can of tomatoes (with liquid), corn (drained), beans (drained), a few slices of jalapenos, and four cups of water. Simmer on low to medium heat for approximately 30 minutes.

Garnish with cheese, avocado, cilantro (and more jalapenos for a little more spice), as desired.

Cold-Day Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients:

Directions:

• 1 lb. boneless chicken thighs • 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper, divided • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon canola oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 1 garlic clove, minced • 10 cups chicken broth • 4 celery ribs, chopped • 4 medium carrots, chopped • 2 bay leaves • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme • 3 cups uncooked egg noodles • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt. In a 6 quart stockpot, heat oil over medium/ high heat. Add chicken in batches, skin side down; cook until dark golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and discard skin. Discard drippings but put 2 tablespoons aside.

Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute longer.

Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan.

Add celery, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat; simmer and cover until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Add noodles; cook for about 10 minutes then let stand for about 10-15 minutes.

Shred meat into bite-sized pieces and return to stockpot.

Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Add in a pinch of salt and remaining pepper, discard bay leaves. Enjoy!

Winter 2019 Heritage 17

Texas Beef Stew Ingredients:

Directions:

• 1½ pound beef stew meat • 1/4 cup flour • Salt and Pepper • 1 large onion, chopped • 4 celery ribs, chopped • 1 large potato, chopped • 2 medium carrots, chopped • 2 28 oz. can whole tomatoes • Beef broth • 2 bay leaves

Chop the beef stew meat into ½" pieces, then dunk in the seasoned flour.

Fry the meat in a dutch oven until browned on the outside. Remove the meat, season it with salt and pepper, and let it cool. Meanwhile, brown the carrots, onion and celery in the same skillet, scraping to remove the browned bits from the pan. Break up the whole tomatoes in a separate bowl - I prefer to crush them with my hands, but that can get messy. (I do not recommend crushed or diced tomatoes in this recipe, as it makes it too sweet.) When the vegetables become transparent, add the potatoes, bay leaves, whole tomatoes, and enough beef broth to make it a stew-like consistency. Add the meat back to the stew and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Season to your taste and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients:

Directions:

• 1 butternut squash • 3 garlic cloves • 1 large onion, chopped • 1 carrot, chopped • 3 cups chicken broth • Salt and Pepper • 2 bay leaves

Cut the butternut squash into pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more brown roasted surfaces you'll get.

Toss in vegetable oil, salt and pepper, and roast the butternut squash and the whole garlic cloves in the oven until soft at 400°F, about 45 minutes. Don't let the garlic burn. While the squash is roasting, cook the onions and carrots in a pan with oil until browned.

Remove the roasted squash and garlic from the oven, and using a hand mixer or potato masher, blend in the pan until smooth. Add chicken broth until it reaches the desired consistency. Add the bay leaves and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste and serve.

Pasta e Fagoli

18 Heritage Winter 2019

Ingredients:

Directions:

• 1 lb. ground beef, 1 lb. Italian sausage • 1 onion chopped • 3 carrots, chopped • 4 stalks celery, chopped • 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes • 1 16 oz can red kidney beans, drained • 1 16 oz can canneloni beans, drained • 30 oz beef stock • 3 teaspoons dried oregano • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper • 8 ounces uncooked pasta, Ditalini, elbows, or mini shells work best

Brown meat in a large soup pot.

Remove the meat, and cook the vegetables in the oil from the meat until translucent. Bloom your dried spices in the pan with the cooked vegetables. Add tomatoes, beans, and beef stock and bring to a boil. Turn down to medium low and cook for 30 minutes.

Turn back to boiling, add pasta to the boiling liquid, and cook according to directions on the package. Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Are you ready for some football…food?

Featuring Game Day Wings, Super Bowl Strawberries, Touchdown Sliders, and Salami Paninis by nicole hart

Game Day Wings Ingredients • 2 pounds of chicken wings • 1 ½ tablespoons flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt • ½ teaspoon black pepper • 1 ½ cups buffalo sauce (I prefer Frank’s) directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Pat wings dry with a paper towel. Toss with flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.

Line a pan with foil, place a piece of parchment paper

on the foil. Place wings in a single layer on baking pan.

Bake wings for 20 minutes, flip and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove wings from oven and pour sauce over top.

Mix on parchment paper (just grab the corners of the paper and toss around) until coated, then slide parchment out from under wings.

Turn oven to broil and broil wings for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Super Bowl of Strawberries Ingredients • 6 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate for baking, coarsely chopped • 20 large strawberries with stems, washed and patted dry • 2 squares (1 ounce each) white chocolate for baking, coarsely chopped

directions: Melt semisweet chocolate in double broiler; remove from heat. You can also melt in the microwave but heat in 10 second increments and stir each time, careful not to burn.

Line a medium sheet pan with parchment paper. Holding the leaves up, dip strawberries in melted chocolate until most of berry is coated, allow excess to drip off. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until coating sets (about 10-15 minutes) Melt white chocolate in double broiler (can use same microwave technique if preferred).

Pour melted white chocolate into a small Ziploc bag and trim the corner (just a tiny snip). Pipe lines on strawberries to resemble “stitching”. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until set (about five minutes).

Winter 2019 Heritage 19

Touchdown Sliders Ingredients • 1 package sweet Hawaiian rolls (12 rolls) • 1 pound of thinly sliced deli chicken • 10 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled • 12 slices of colby jack or sharp cheddar cheese, cut into fourths • 1/3 cup prepared ranch salad dressing • 1/2 cup butter • 1 teaspoon dried parsley • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese directions: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Separate the rolls and slice open. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter, parsley, garlic powder and onion powder, mix well. Place the bottoms of the sliced rolls in the prepared pan and brush the bottoms with some of the melted butter mixture. Layer two squares of cheese on bottoms of each roll (over the butter mixture), then pile some slices of chicken on top and then bacon crumbles. Drizzle with ranch dressing, then place two more squares of cheese of top. Place slider tops on and brush liberally with the remaining butter mixture.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with foil. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes (or until the tops are lightly golden brown). Serve immediately.

Salami Panini

with Tomato-Chili Jam

metro creative connection

Ingredients

directions:

• 3 Italian crusty buns • 1 package Black Kassel Old Forest, Picante, or Mustard Seed salami • 1½ cups baby arugula • 4 ounces semi-soft cheese, such as gouda or Havarti, sliced • 1 ½ cup tomato-chili jam (purchased, or recipe follows) • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Cut buns in half lengthwise. Layer salami slices on each bun; top with arugula and cheese slices. Spread tomato-chili jam generously on the inside of the top of each bun.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place sandwiches in pan and place another large heavy pan on top of them. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until bread is golden and cheese melted, turning sandwiches halfway through. Cut in half to serve.

Tomato-Chili Jam Recipe Ingredients: • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes • 1 jalapeno pepper • 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped • 2 tablespoons ginger, chopped • 2 tablespoons fish sauce • 1 cup brown sugar • 3/4 cup red wine vinegar 20 Heritage Winter 2019

Directions: 1. In a food processor, puree half the tomatoes and their juices with jalapeno, garlic and ginger. Place in a deep pot with fish sauce, sugar and vinegar and boil slowly, stirring constantly.

2. When it reaches a boil, lower heat to simmer and add remaining tomatoes. Simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes until dark red and jam-like. Pour into a bowl, cool and refrigerate until needed.

Find more recipes at www.blackkassel.com

Can Oscillococcinum Treat The Flu?

Jes

. S.

P

.

By

sic

a Brace, D.C .,

C .C

Oscillococcinum is a homeopathic product. Homeopathy is a system of medicine established in the 19th century by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann. Its basic principles are that “like treats like” and “potentiation through dilution.” For example, in homeopathy, influenza would be treated with an extreme dilution of a substance that normally causes influenza when taken in high doses. A French physician discovered oscillococcinum while investigating the Spanish flu in 1917. But he was mistaken that his “oscillococci” were the cause of the flu.

Oscillococcinum is a product produced by Boiron, a well-known company for their role in homeopathic medicine. I have often used their Pulsatilla beadlets in the past when the twins would get the common cold.

Clinical studies show that it reduces the duration and severity of flu-like symptoms such as body aches, headache, fever, chills, and fatigue. Oscillococcinum is easy to take. Pellets quickly dissolve under the tongue, so no water, chewing, or swallowing is required, although my children love to chew them.

Oscillococcinum is non-drowsy and has no known interactions with other medications or supplements. It won’t mask symptoms that may develop or indicate a more serious condition, which is especially important due to complications that may be brought on by flu. Children 2 and older can take

During the cold and flu season, people are doing whatever they can to avoid these two main viruses. There are many people that simply stay indoors, some bathe in hand sanitizer, while some ingest massive quantities of Vitamin D and Colloidal Silver. I simply do the latter. But for the last two years, I have added one ingredient….Oscillococcinum.

Oscillococcinum.

Used for more than 70 years and available in 50 countries, Oscillococcinum remains the overall best-selling flu medicine in France. Consecutively since 2009, Oscillococcinum has been named by Pharmacy Times magazine as the #1 homeopathic flu medicine in the U.S. I have been giving my children one dose of Oscillococcinum daily since the start of November. Olivia was diagnosed with Flu B on November 21st.

My doctor friend talked me into getting her swabbed when I was convinced it was a sinus infection. It was Flu B positive, I was shocked! Her only symptoms were headache, a runny nose and a slight cough. She hadn’t

even run a fever! I continued with Oscillococcinum and she played in a volleyball game two days later, with no symptoms and still no fever. Was it her strong immune system from all the Vitamin D and Colloidal Silver, or the addition of the Oscillococcinum?

Guess we will never know…

Additional reading suggested: “Oscillococcinum® in Patients with Influenza-Like Syndromes: A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Evaluation.” British Homoeopathic Journal 87, no. 2 (1998) “A Controlled Evaluation of a Homoeopathic Preparation in the Treatment of Influenza-Like Syndromes.” British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 27, no. 3 (1989)

I have been giving my children one dose of Oscillococcinum daily since the start of November.

Olivia was diagnosed with Flu B on November 21st.

Winter 2019 Heritage 21

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Parting Shot | heritage

Photo by Vanessa Pham

A closeup of Saber the white tiger. Saber was born in 2013 and spent the first few months of his life being used for profit in photo opportunities. He is now a healthy tiger and loves to play with his toys.

Winter 2019 Heritage 23

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