Recipes Using Vinegar

White Distilled Vinegar

Barbecued Beef

4 Lb. Boneless beef chuck
3 to 4 Cups Water
2 Tbsp. Butter or margarine
1/2 Cup Onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Dry mustard
1 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp. Cider or distilled white vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place meat and water in a large heavy saucepot. Simmer, covered, until tender, about 3 hours. Remove meat and reserve 1 cup of the beef broth. Cool and shred meat; set aside. In the same saucepot in which the meat was cooked, melt butter. Add onion; sauté until tender. Stir in brown sugar, salt, mustard, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and the reserved 1 cup beef broth. Add shredded beef; mix gently. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 portions

Sweet-Sour Tuna Casserole

1 7-Oz. Can Solid-pack tuna, drained
2 10-Oz. Pkg. Frozen French-cut green beans, cooked
1 Cup Sliced onions
2 Cans Pimentos, cut into strips
6 Slices Bacon, coarsely diced
1/3 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup White distilled vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Break tuna into pieces with a fork. Arrange tuna, onion and pimentos over cooked green beans in a greased 2-quart casserole. Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove bacon and add to tuna casserole; reserve drippings. Add sugar and vinegar to bacon drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour vinegar dressing over ingredients in casserole. Cover and bake in 350ºF oven for 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Harvard Beets

3/4 Cup Sugar 
2 Tsp. Cornstarch 
1/3 Cup White distilled vinegar 
4 Cups Cooked beets 
3 Tbsp. Butter 
1/4 Tbsp. Salt 
1/8 Tsp. Pepper

Combine sugar and cornstarch. Add vinegar and water and boil for 5 minutes. Add beets and simmer 1/2 hour. Add butter and season with salt and pepper.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

German Cole Slaw

1-1/2 Lb. Green cabbage, finely shredded (5 cups)
1 Medium Onion, chopped fine
1 Medium Green pepper, chopped fine
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 Cup Salad oil
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Ground black pepper
1/2 Tsp. Celery seed

In a large bowl, place cabbage, onion and green pepper. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar and oil; bring to boil. Immediately pour over vegetables. Add salt, black pepper and celery seed; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer.

Yield: 4 cups

Five Bean Salad

1 Can (16 Oz.) Green beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Wax beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Garbanzo or lima beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Kidney beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Peas
1/2 Cup Chopped cauliflower
1/2 Cup Chopped celery
1/2 Cup Chopped onion
1/2 Cup Chopped green pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped pimento
1-1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Paprika
1 Cup Cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 Cup Salad oil

Drain beans and peas; place in a large bowl. Add cauliflower, celery, onion, green pepper and pimento. In a small bowl, combine sugar, paprika, vinegar and oil. Pour over vegetables; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer.

Yield: 2-1/2 quarts

Copper Dollars

2 Lb. Carrots
1 Large Onion
1 Large Green pepper
1 Cup Sugar
1 Can Condensed tomato soup
3/4 Cup Cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 Cup Salad oil
1 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tsp. Prepared mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice carrots 1/4-inch thick. Cook carrots in 1-inch boiling water, covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Slice and separate onion into rings. Slice green pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips. In a large bowl, place carrots, onion and green pepper along with remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer. Keeps for several days in the refrigerator.

Yield: 8 cups

Sour Cream Italian Dressing

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Commercial sour cream
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 Tbsp. White distilled vinegar
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 Tsp. Dried whole oregano
1/2 Tsp. Dried whole basil
1/2 Tsp. Honey
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/8 Tsp. Pepper

Combine all ingredients, stirring well with a wire whisk. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 1 cup

Bread and Butter Pickles

25 Cucumbers, 3-5 inches in length 
12 Onions 
1 Quart White distilled vinegar 
2 Cups Sugar 
2 Tsp. Mustard seed 
2 Tsp. Turmeric 
2 Tsp. Celery seed

Wash and drain vegetables. Slice cucumbers and onions. Soak in salt solution (2 quarts ice water and 1/2 cup salt) for 3 hours. Mix vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil. Add cucumbers and onions just to heat through. Pack hot cucumbers into jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Cover with boiling hot liquid. Adjust lids. Process in boiling-water-bath for 15 minutes.

Old-Fashioned Raisin Pie

2 Cups Raisins 
2 Cups Water 
1/2 Cup Packed brown sugar 
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch 
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon 
1/4 Tsp. Salt 
1 Tbsp. White distilled vinegar 
1 Tbsp. Butter or margarine 
Pastry for double 9-inch crust

Combine raisins and water; boil 5 minutes. Blend sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Add to raisins and cook, stirring until clear. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar and butter. Cool slightly. Turn into pastry-lined pan. Cover with top pastry or lattice strips. Bake at 425ºF about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

Vinegar Pie

4 Eggs
1-1/2 Cups Sugar
1/4 Cup Butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 Tbsp. Cider or white distilled vinegar
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
9-inch Frozen pie shell, defrosted

Preheat over to 350ºF. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, butter, vinegar and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake until firm, about 50 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve garnished with nuts or whipped cream, if desired.

Vinegar Pastry

3 Cups Flour 
1 Cup Shortening 
1/2 Tsp. Salt 
1 Egg 
5 Tbsp. Cold water 
1 Tbsp. White distilled vinegar

Mix flour, shortening and salt with pastry blender until fine crumbs about the size of small peas. Beat egg with fork. Add cold water and vinegar. Combine liquid with flour and shortening mixture until thoroughly mixed. Divide dough into three balls of equal size. Each ball makes one single 9-inch pastry. Roll dough out and bake at 425ºF until lightly browned. (If wrapped well in plastic wrap, dough may be stored in refrigerator for approximately two weeks. Also freezes well. Remove from refrigerator several hours before rolling out.)

Yield: 3 single 9-inch pie shells

Balsamic Vinegar

Bruschetta

1 Crusty loaf of bread
2/3 Cup Olive oil 
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Chopped parsley
8 Oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated
4 Firm tomatoes

Slice bread thickly. Mix garlic with olive oil, keeping 1 oz. aside to brush tomatoes. Grate cheese. Slice tomatoes, brush with the remaining olive oil and grill lightly. Grill bread on both sides and brush with oil/garlic mixture. Roughly chop tomatoes and place on toast. Drizzle with vinegar, sprinkle chopped parsley, then cheese and return to upper racks of grill until cheese melts.

Roast Salmon with Balsamic Glaze

5 Lb. Whole salmon, center bone removed
1 Tbsp. Lemon rind, grated
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh thyme, chopped
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 Cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Tsp. Granulated sugar
1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Red wine

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place salmon in baking dish. Chop together lemon rind, garlic and thyme. Brush oil over salmon and inside cavity. Rub herb mixture over salmon. (Prepare up to 24 hours ahead of time.) Roast 40 minutes or until white juices appear on top. Meanwhile, combine balsamic vinegar, wine and sugar in a skillet. Bring to a boil and reduce until syrupy. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter. Remove skin and slice salmon. Serve with sauce.

Serves 8 to 10

Stawberries Balsamico

Place whole or sectioned large, washed strawberries in a bowl. Season with 2 or 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. Add sugar to taste. Mix well and serve.

Malt Vinegar

Broiled Chicken with Malt Vinegar

4 Chicken legs or thighs
3/4 Cup Malt vinegar
1/2 Cup Dry white wine
2 Large Shallots, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. Fresh basil leaves or 2 Tsp. dried
1/4 Tsp. Salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Marinade: Combine everything but chicken and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the marinade over the chicken; cover with plastic and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange in a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil 3-1/2” below heat source for about 8 minutes or until cooked, brushing with marinade.

Malt Vinegar Pickles

1 Jar (46 Oz.) Dill pickles
2 Cups Sugar
2 Tbsp. Malt vinegar
1/4 Tsp. Garlic powder

Drain liquid from pickles and discard. Cut pickles into chunks and put back into jar. Add sugar, malt vinegar and garlic powder. Put lid on and shake frequently until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate for 3 days before serving.

Cider Vinegar

Sauerbraten with Potato Dumplings

1 4-Lb. Chuck roast
2 Cups Cider or wine vinegar
2 Cups Water
2 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Black pepper
3 Tbsp. Onion powder
3 Bay leaves
6 Whole cloves
2 Tbsp. Celery flakes
1/4 Tsp. Thyme leaves
1 Tsp. Mustard seed
1/2 Cup Sugar
18 Dark old-fashion gingersnaps, crushed
1/4 Cup Seedless raisins

Combine vinegar, water, salt, pepper, onion powder, bay leaves, cloves, celery flakes, thyme leaves and mustard seed to make marinade. Place meat in this mixture, making sure it is covered with liquid. Cover; let stand at least 2 hours. Add sugar. Simmer over low heat 3 hours or until tender. Remove meat to platter. Keep hot. Strain liquid to remove spices. Return liquid to cooking pan; stir in gingersnap crumbs and raisins; cook, stirring until thick. Serve with potato dumplings.

Serves 4 to 6

Potato Dumplings

2 Cups Riced potatoes (3 medium-sized potatoes)
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 Cup Dry breadcrumbs
1/8 Tsp. Onion salt
1/4 Tsp. White pepper
1/2 Tsp. Salt
All purpose flour

After potatoes are boiled, peel and put through potato ricer or coarse strainer. Add egg, breadcrumbs, onion salt, white pepper and salt, mixing well. Add 3 to 4 Tbsp. flour to potato mixture until the consistency is that of dough, but not too sticky. Roll into 1-1/2 inch balls. Gently drop into boiling salted water. Cook 8 minutes or until dumplings change in appearance and begin to look fluffy.

Barbecued Beef

4 Lb. Boneless beef chuck
3 to 4 Cups Water
2 Tbsp. Butter or margarine
1/2 Cup Onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Dry mustard
1 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp. Cider or white distilled vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place meat and water in a large heavy saucepot. Simmer, covered, until tender, about 3 hours. Remove meat and reserve 1 cup of the beef broth. Cool and shred meat; set aside. In the same saucepot in which the meat was cooked, melt butter. Add onion; sauté until tender. Stir in sugar, salt, mustard, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and the reserved 1 cup beef broth. Add shredded beef; mix gently. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 portions

Vinegar Pie

4 Eggs
1-1/2 Cups Sugar
1/4 Cup Butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 Tbsp. Cider or white distilled vinegar
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
9-inch Frozen pie shell, defrosted

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, butter, vinegar and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake until firm, about 50 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve garnished with nuts or whipped cream, if desired.

German Cole Slaw

1-1/2 Lb. Green cabbage, finely shredded (5 cups)
1 Medium Onion, chopped fine
1 Medium Green pepper, chopped fine
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 Cup Salad oil
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Ground black pepper
1/2 Tsp. Celery seed

In a large bowl, place cabbage, onion and green pepper. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar and oil; bring to the boiling point. Immediately pour over vegetables. Add salt, black pepper and celery seed; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer.

Yield: 4 cups

Five Bean Salad

1 Can (16 Oz.) Green beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Wax beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Garbanzo or lima beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Kidney beans
1 Can (16 Oz.) Peas
1/2 Cup Chopped cauliflower
1/2 Cup Chopped celery
1/2 Cup Chopped onion
1/2 Cup Chopped green pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped pimento
1-1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Paprika
1 Cup Cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 Cup Salad oil

Drain beans and peas; place in a large bowl. Add cauliflower, celery, onion, green pepper and pimento. In a small bowl, combine sugar, paprika, vinegar and oil. Pour over vegetables; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer.

Yield: 2-1/2 quarts

Copper Dollars

2 Lb. Carrots
1 Large Onion
1 Large Green pepper
1 Cup Sugar
1 Can Condensed tomato soup
3/4 Cup Cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 Cup Salad oil
1 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tsp. Prepared mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice carrots 1/4-inch thick. Cook carrots in 1-inch boiling water, covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Slice and separate onion into rings. Slice green pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips. In a large bowl, place carrots, onion and green pepper along with remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or longer. Keeps for several days in the refrigerator.

Yield: 8 cups

Overnight Cucumber Pickles

4 Firm medium-sized cucumbers (3 Lb.)
1-3/4 Tsp. Salt
2-1/2 Cups Cider vinegar
2 Cups Sugar
2 Tsp. Mustard seed
1 Tsp. Celery seed
1 Tsp. Ground ginger
1 Tsp. Turmeric

Slice cucumbers 1/2-inch thick (makes about 10 cups); place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and mix well. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain well. In a large saucepot, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, ginger and turmeric; bring to a boil. Add cucumbers; simmer, covered, until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Pour into a container with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Wine Vinegar

Sauerbraten with Potato Dumplings

1 4-Lb. Chuck roast
2 Cups Cider or wine vinegar
2 Cups Water
2 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Black pepper
3 Tbsp. Onion powder
5 Bay leaves
7 Whole cloves
2 Tbsp. Celery flakes
1/4 Tsp. Thyme leaves
1 Tsp. Mustard seed
1/2 Cup Sugar
19 Dark old-fashion gingersnaps, crushed
1/4 Cup Seedless raisins

Combine vinegar, water, salt, pepper, onion powder, bay leaves, cloves, celery flakes, thyme leaves and mustard seed to make marinade. Place meat in this mixture, making sure it is covered with liquid. Cover; let stand at least 2 hours. Add sugar. Simmer over low heat 3 hours or until tender. Remove meat to platter. Keep hot. Strain liquid to remove spices. Return liquid to cooking pan; stir in gingersnap crumbs and raisins; cook, stirring until thick. Serve with potato dumplings.

Serves 4 to 6

Potato Dumplings

2 Cups Riced potatoes (3 medium-sized potatoes)
2 Egg, beaten
1/2 Cup Dry breadcrumbs
1/8 Tsp. Onion salt
1/4 Tsp. White pepper
1/2 Tsp. Salt
All purpose flour

After potatoes are boiled, peel and put through potato ricer or coarse strainer. Add egg, breadcrumbs, onion salt, white pepper and salt, mixing well. Add 3 to 4 Tbsp. flour to potato mixture until the consistency is that of dough, but not too sticky. Roll into 1-1/2 inch balls. Gently drop into boiling salted water. Cook 8 minutes or until dumplings change in appearance and begin to look fluffy.

Basic Vinaigrette

1/4 Cup Wine vinegar 
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 Cup Salad oil (canola, safflower or olive oil)

Using a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until salt is dissolved. Add the oil by droplets, whisking until emulsified. If the emulsion breaks, re-whisk before using. The vinaigrette can be held indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Create your own with fresh/dried herbs, minced fresh garlic, honey, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, crumbled Roquefort cheese, olive oil, horseradish or whole grain mustards. Here are a few suggestions:

• Add 1 Tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or malt vinegar, 1/4 Cup dry vermouth, 1/2 Cup olive oil and few Tsp. of chopped shallots. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. crumbled Roquefort cheese to 1/2 to 1 Cup vinaigrette.
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 2 to 3 Tsp. Dijon mustard and 7 Tbsp. olive, safflower or canola oil.

Dutch Spinach Salad

6 Cups Fresh spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 Cup Chopped onion
4 Slices Bacon, diced
1/4 Cup Wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Ground black pepper

Place spinach and onion in a large serving bowl; set aside. In a skillet, sauté bacon until crisp; remove from heat. Stir in vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Slowly pour hot dressing over spinach and onion; toss and serve at once.

Yield: 4 to 6 portions

Sour Cream Italian Dressing

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Commercial sour cream
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 Tbsp. Wine Vinegar
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 Tsp. Dried whole oregano
1/2 Tsp. Dried whole basil
1/2 Tsp. Honey
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/8 Tsp. Pepper

Combine all ingredients, stirring well with a wire whisk. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 1 cup

Chiffonade Salad Dressing

1/3 to 1/2 Cup Wine vinegar
1 Cup Salad oil
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Ground black pepper
1 Finely chopped hard-cooked egg
1 Tsp. Minced onion
1 Tsp. Chopped green pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl or covered container; mix until well blended. Set aside to blend seasonings. Shake each time before using. Refrigerate unused portion.

Yield: About 1-1/3 cups

Ginger-Wine Baste

1 Cup California Rosé
1/4 Cup Honey
3 Tbsp. Wine vinegar
1/4 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Oil
1/2 Tsp. Powdered ginger
1/2 Tsp. Garlic salt
1/8 Tsp. Pepper

Measure all ingredients into a pint jar. Cover tightly and shake until thoroughly blended. Use to baste lamb, chicken or other meat or poultry during grilling or roasting.

Yield: 1-2/3 cups

Teriyaki Marinade and Baste

1/2 Cup California Sauterne or other white dinner wine
1/2 Cup Chicken broth
1/3 Cup Soy sauce
1/8 Tsp. Garlic powder
3 Tbsp. Wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Honey

Add all ingredients together in a covered jar and shake. Reserve some of the sauce for basting. Marinate steak strips in remaining sauce for several hours. Baste meat with reserved sauce while cooking. This makes enough marinade for about 2 Lb. of steak strips.

Yield: 1-1/2 cups

White Wine Vinegar

The Ultimate Asparagus

Trim 2 Lb. asparagus by bending tough ends until they snap off. Rinse well to remove any dirt. Cook asparagus in a large wide saucepan in gently boiling water for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender, but not limp. Or tie bundles of about 8 spears together and stand, tips up, in a tall pot with an inch or so of boiling water; steam, covered, for about 10 minutes. Serve hot with Light White Butter Sauce or rinse under cold water and serve cold with a vinaigrette.

Serves 4 to 6

Light White Butter Sauce

1 Tsp. Shallots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. White wine vinegar
1/3 Cup Light sour cream
2 Tbsp. Butter

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook shallots and wine vinegar until vinegar has evaporated. Reduce heat to low; stir in sour cream until blended. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in small pieces of butter. Serve warm. Can be refrigerated up to 1 day. Reheat gently.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Melon Sorbet

3 Ripe sweet melons, halved and de-seeded
4 Oz. Icing sugar, sifted
6 Tbsp. White wine vinegar
2 Large Egg whites

Scoop flesh from melons and place in a food processor with sugar and vinegar. Blend to a purée. Place in a freezer-proof container, cover and freeze for 4-5 hours. Whisk egg whites until stiff, then blend with mushy sorbet. Freeze until solid. Let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Dill Mustard Dressing

5-1/2 Cups White wine vinegar
2-1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Cup Olive oil
1/2 Cup Dijon mustard
1/3 Cup Fresh dill

Mix the vinegar and sugar in a food processor until the sugar has dissolved. Gradually add the olive oil until well incorporated, then add the mustard and dill (the quantity of dill does not have to be exact, so you can simply chop off the coarse stems and put the whole sprays into the processor). Pour into a jar, cover and store in the refrigerator. This dressing, which has the consistency of mayonnaise, is the perfect accompaniment to char-grilled tuna or smoked salmon.

Dieter’s Salad Dressing

1/2 Cup California Sauterne or other white dinner wine
1 Tsp. Cornstarch
1-1/2 Tsp. White wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. Chopped parsley
¾ Tsp. Seasoned salt
1 Tsp. Poppy seed

Combine wine and cornstarch in small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until mixture boils and clears. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Cool before using. Celery hearts, sliced mushrooms and raw zucchini slices are especially good with this dressing.

Basil Vinaigrette

1-1/3 Cups Olive oil
2/3 Cup White wine vinegar
1/4 Cup Fresh basil, finely chopped
2 Green onions, finely chopped
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously; chill. Just before serving, shake well and toss dressing with torn romaine, Bibb and red leaf lettuces.

Yield: 1-1/2 cups

Sesame Seed Dressing

1 Tbsp. Butter
3 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
1/4 Cup Sunflower oil
1/3 Cup White wine vinegar
1 Tsp. Sugar
Salt and pepper

In a skillet, melt butter and sauté sesame seeds until golden. Let stand to cool. Add other ingredients and mix well.

Yield: 1/4 cup

Red Wine Vinegar

Chicken Fricassee with Garlic and Red Wine Vinegar

1 (4- to 5-Lb.) Chicken, cut into 8 pieces 
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. Canola oil 
4 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Cup Red wine vinegar
1 (15-oz.) Can whole tomatoes, crushed, with liquid
1 Cup Chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 Bay leaf, preferably fresh
2 Sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
2 Sprigs of thyme

To cook the chicken, season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil over medium heat in a large, straight-sided skillet or saucepan (not cast iron, as it will interact with the acidic tomatoes and vinegar). Add the chicken, skin side down, without crowding the pan. Cook without crowding until a rich, golden brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate. 

Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. of fat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the vinegar and scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stand back when adding the vinegar, because when it hits the hot pan it will produce strong vinegar fumes. Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, chicken stock, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and the juices ru

Posted via email from WellCare

Many Uses for Vinegar

http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html

Posted via email from WellCare

Healthy Quick Broil Cooking Method

Healthy cooking methods are essential to minimizing nutrient loss and maximizing the nutrients retained in the food we eat. Not only does my Quick Broil method result in the juiciest, most flavorful fish and meats, but it's especially quick-a real bonus in the summer months when we want to avoid overheating the kitchen!

How To Quick Broil

When quick broiling fish, I put the oven rack right beneath the broiler.

For chicken, I put the rack down closer to the middle of the oven, so the top of the meat doesn't burn before the meat is cooked all the way through. When cooking chicken or other meats, I also turn the broiler down to low after it has preheated.

Place an oven safe, shallow metal pan under the broiler and preheat on high for 5 to 10 minutes. It is important that the pan is metal, preferably stainless steel. The broiler will heat up so quickly, you won't need to have it on for very long.

Let the pan get very hot under the heat. The time of preheating the broiler and pan can easily be used to prepare your ingredients. Many of our recipes are simple enough to complete this in the time it takes for the pan to get hot.

Once the pan is very hot, pull out the oven rack sufficiently to place your seasoned meat or fish on the hot pan. You do not need any oil in the pan for this cooking method. Because the pan surface is so hot, it immediately seals the bottom of the fish or meat, which retains the juices and keeps the it from sticking. Slide the oven rack back in, so the pan with the meat or fish on it is again directly under the broiler.

The meat or fish is now cooking rapidly from both sides, so it does not need to be turned, and it will be done very quickly. For fish, the cooking time can be as quick as 1-2 minutes, depending on the thickness. Chicken can be cooked in as little as 15 minutes. Leaving the skin on the breast helps to keep it nice and juicy while cooking; simply remove the skin before eating.

Note: The Quick Broil Method was developed by Whole Foods

Posted via email from WellCare

Supreme Court and ObamaCare

If I were on the Supreme Court...the first thing I would demand is that Nancy Pelosi come before all the justices and explain to us what she meant by this statement: "We have to pass this bill to find out what's in it".  OK, Representative Pelosi, it's was passed, now tell us what's in it...OH, you still don't know??

The next thing I would ask for is that all that voted for ObamaCare, come before this court and answer 'yes' or 'no' to one question.   Have you read every page of this law, not your clerks, but have you read every page?  

Then, I would have Obama appear before the SC and asked him the same question. 

My conclusion: So, now each of you passed a massive bill that will affect the lives and freedom of all Americans and most of you have not read your own bill/law? And parts of this massive law you want to MANDATE?

Supreme Court to Congress people AND Obama: We live in a Republic, therefore we, a majority, of the justices of the Supreme Court declare this bill unconstitutional because most all of you have no idea of what all you are imposing on the citizens of America ..... court adjourned.

Posted via email from Global Politics

What Makes a President Great?

Academics, journalists, and popular historians agree. Our greatest presidents are the ones who confronted a national crisis and mobilized the entire nation to face it. That’s the conventional wisdom. The chief executives who are celebrated in textbooks and placed in the top echelon of presidents in surveys of experts are the “bold” leaders— the Woodrow Wilsons and Franklin Roosevelts— who reshaped the United States in line with their grand “vision” for America.

Unfortunately, along the way, these “great” presidents inevitably expanded government— and shrunk our liberties.

As the twentieth-century presidency has grown far beyond the bounds the Founders established for the office, the idea that our chief executive is responsible to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States” has become a distant memory.

Historian and celebrated Reagan biographer Steven F. Hayward reminds us that the Founders had an entirely different idea of greatness in the presidential office. The personal ambitions, populist appeals, and bribes paid to the voters with their own money that most modern presidents engage in would strike them as instances of the demagoguery they most feared— one of the great dangers to the people’s liberty that they wrote the Constitution explicitly to guard against. The Founders, in contrast to today’s historians, expected great presidents to be champions of the limited government established by the Constitution.

Working from that almost forgotten standard of presidential greatness, Steven Hayward offers a fascinating off–the–beaten–track tour through the modern presidency, from the Progressive Era’s Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama. Along the way, he serves up fresh historical insights, recalls forgotten anecdotes, celebrates undervalued presidents who took important stands in defense of the Constitution— and points the way to a revival of truly constitutional government in America.

What you didn’t learn from your history teacher, but will find in The Politically Incorrect Guide™ to the Presidents:

Progressive hero Woodrow Wilson aired a pro–Ku Klux Klan movie at the White House

Calvin Coolidge, much mocked by liberal historians as a bland Babbitt, was the last president to write his own speeches, guided the country through years of prosperity and limited government, and was one of the most cultured men ever to live in the White House

Why Eisenhower’s two biggest mistakes as president were, in his own words “both sitting on the Supreme Court”

How as president JFK took mind–altering drugs, many of them prescribed by a physician he called “Dr. Feelgood,” who later lost his medical license for malpractice

Nixon’s hysterically vilified Christmas bombing of North Vietnam in 1972 caused very few civilian casualties and compelled North Vietnam to negotiate an end to the Vietnam War

The misunderestimated George W. Bush read 186 books during his presidency, mostly non–fiction, biography, and history

Posted via email from Global Politics

HG's Not-So-Secret BBQ Sauce

Simple and tastes great!

PER SERVING (half of recipe, about 3 tbsp.): 37 calories, 0g fat, 347mg sodium, 9g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 8g sugars, <1g protein -- PointsPlus® value 1*

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canned tomato sauce 
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Of course you can add some 'heat' if you like.  My new favorite 'heat' adder is Tabasco's New Buffalo Wing Sauce! 

Directions: 
Mix well. (That's it!)

MAKES 2 SERVINGS 

Posted via email from WellCare

Where Are You On The Conservative Political Spectrum??/

Take the Conservative Identity Quiz, this list of Conservative Breeds will help you see how you compare to other conservatives.

• Flag-Waving Everymen, also known as patriots— believe in championing liberty over tyranny, apple pie over sushi, and that God gave us a two-day weekend so we could enjoy football and NASCAR.

• Free Marketeers, also known as a fiscal conservative—believe in free-market capitalism, tax cuts, and protecting your hard-earned cash from pick-pocketing liberal socialists.

• Faith-Based Fighters, also known as religious conservatives— believe in Judeo-Christian values, restoring God's rightful place in the public square, and in showing all the unwashed and unsaved liberal sinners the path to salvation, or at least to the GOP.

• Values Guardians, also known as cultural conservatives—believe in protecting the American way of life and fighting a culture war against liberal moonbats and the lapdogs in the lamestream media who are out to destroy decent, moral Americans like Sarah Palin for daring to defend traditional values.

• Anti-government Gunslingers, also known as libertarian conservatives or Tea Partiers—believe in smaller government, states' rights, gun rights, and that, as Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

• Freedom Crusaders, also known as neoconservatives—believe in taking the fight directly to the enemy, whether it's terrorists abroad or the liberal terrorist appeasers at home who give them aid and comfort.

Posted via email from Global Politics

How Pinterest Can Turn Your Brand Red-Hot

http://mashable.com/2012/03/18/pinterest-brand-attention/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

Healthy Foods We All Should Be Eating

Some foods just aren't taken seriously. 

Consider celery, for example—forever the garnish, never the main meal. You might even downgrade it to bar fare, since the only stalks most guys eat are served alongside hot wings or immersed in Bloody Marys.

All of which is a shame, really. Besides being a perfect vehicle for peanut butter, this vegetable contains bone-beneficial silicon and cancer-fighting phenolic acids. And those aren't even what makes celery so good for you. 

You see, celery is just one of six underappreciated and undereaten foods that can instantly improve your diet. Make a place for them on your plate, and you'll gain a new respect for the health benefits they bestow—from lowering blood pressure to fighting belly fat. And the best part? You'll discover just how delicious health food can be. 

Celery

This water-loaded vegetable has a rep for being all crunch and no nutrition. But ditch that mindset: Celery contains stealth nutrients that heal. 

Why it's healthy: "My patients who eat four sticks of celery a day have seen modest reductions in their blood pressure—about 6 points systolic and 3 points diastolic," says Mark Houston, M. D., director of the Hypertension Institute at St. Thomas Hospital, in Nashville. It's possible that phytochemicals in celery, called phthalides, are responsible for this health boon. These compounds relax muscle tissue in artery walls and increase bloodflow, according to nutritionist Jonny Bowden, Ph. D., author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. And beyond the benefits to your BP, celery also fills you up—with hardly any calories. 

How to eat it: Try this low-carbohydrate, protein-packed recipe for a perfect snack any time of day. 

In a bowl, mix a 4.5-ounce can of low-sodium tuna (rinsed and drained), 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup of finely chopped apple, 2 tablespoons of fat-free mayonnaise, and some fresh ground pepper. Then spoon the mixture into celery stalks. (Think tuna salad on a log.) Makes 2 servings 

Per serving: 114 calories, 15 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates (3 grams fiber), 1 gram fat 

Seaweed

While this algae is a popular health food in Japan, it rarely makes it into U. S. homes. 

Why it's healthy: There are four classes of seaweeds—green, brown, red, and blue-green—and they're all packed with healthful nutrients. "Seaweeds are a great plant source of calcium," says nutritionist Alan Aragon, M.S. They're also loaded with potassium, which is essential for maintaining healthy blood-pressure levels. "Low potassium and high sodium intake can cause high blood pressure," Bowden says. "Most people know to limit sodium, but another way to combat the problem is to take in more potassium." 

How to eat it: In sushi, of course. You can also buy sheets of dried seaweed at Asian groceries, specialty health stores, or online at edenfoods.com. Use a coffee grinder to grind the sheets into a powder. Then use the powder as a healthy salt substitute that's great for seasoning salads and soups. 

Hemp Seeds

Despite the Cannabis classification, these seeds aren't for smoking. But they may provide medicinal benefits. 

Why they're healthy: "Hemp seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke," says Cassandra Forsythe, Ph. D., a nutrition researcher at the University of Connecticut. What's more, a 1-ounce serving of the seeds provides 11 grams of protein—but not the kind of incomplete protein found in most plant sources. Hemp seeds provide all the essential amino acids, meaning the protein they contain is comparable to that found in meat, eggs, and dairy. 

How to eat them: Toss 2 tablespoons of the seeds into your oatmeal or stir-fry. Or add them to your postworkout shake for an extra dose of muscle-building protein. 

Scallops

Perhaps these mollusks are considered guilty by association, since they often appear in decadent restaurant meals that are overloaded with calories. (But then again, so does asparagus.) 

Why they're healthy: Scallops are more than 80 percent protein. "One 3-ounce serving provides 20 grams of protein and just 95 calories," says Bowden. They're also a good source of both magnesium and potassium. (Clams and oysters provide similar benefits.) 

How to eat them: Sear the scallops: It's a fast and easy way to prepare this seafood. 

Purchase fresh, dry-packed scallops (not the "wet-packed" kind) and place them on a large plate or cookie sheet. While you preheat a skillet on medium high, pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season the exposed sides with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. When the skillet is hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil to it. Being careful not to overcrowd, lay the scallops in the skillet, seasoned-side down, and then season the top sides. 

Sear the scallops until the bottoms are caramelized (about 2 minutes), and then flip them to sear for another 1 to 2 minutes, depending on size and thickness. Now they're ready to eat. Pair the scallops with sauteed vegetables, or place them on a bed of brown rice. 

Dark Meat

Sure, dark meat has more fat than white meat does, but have you ever considered what the actual difference is? Once you do, Thanksgiving won't be the only time you "call the drumstick." 

Why it's healthy: "The extra fat in dark turkey or chicken meat raises your levels of cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone that makes you feel fuller, longer," says Aragon. The benefit: You'll be less likely to overeat in the hours that follow your meal. What about your cholesterol? Only a third of the fat in a turkey drumstick is the saturated kind, according to the USDA food database. (The other two-thirds are heart-healthy unsaturated fats.) What's more, 86 percent of that saturated fat either has no impact on cholesterol, or raises HDL (good) cholesterol more than LDL (bad) cholesterol—a result that actually lowers your heart-disease risk. 

As for calories, an ounce of dark turkey meat contains just 8 more calories than an ounce of white meat. 

How to eat it: Just enjoy, but be conscious of your total portion sizes. A good rule of thumb: Limit yourself to 8 ounces or less at any one sitting, which provides up to 423 calories. Eat that with a big serving of vegetables, and you'll have a flavorful fat-loss meal. 

Lentils

It's no surprise that these hearty legumes are good for you. But when was the last time you ate any? 

Why they're healthy: Boiled lentils have about 16 grams of belly-filling fiber in every cup. Cooked lentils also contain 27 percent more folate per cup than cooked spinach does. And if you eat colored lentils—black, orange, red—there are compounds in the seed hulls that contain disease-fighting antioxidants, says Raymond Glahn, Ph. D., a research physiologist with Cornell University. 

How to eat them: Use lentils as a bed for chicken, fish, or beef—they make a great substitute for rice or pasta. 

Pour 4 cups of chicken stock into a large pot. Add 1 cup of red or brown lentils and a half cup each of onion and carrot chunks, along with 3 teaspoons of minced garlic. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the lentils until they're tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the lentils from the heat, add a splash of red-wine vinegar, and serve.

Posted via email from WellCare

Each Minute of Your Precious Life!

Your purpose, that thing that among the many to-dos of your days, is what you must do. Embrace the truth of your purpose each minute of your precious life...for how very true it is that life begins when you do.

If you would dream it

BEGIN it.

If you have an idea

OPEN it.

If there is longing

ACKNOWLEDGE it.

If there is mission

COMMIT it.

If there is daring

DO it.

If there is love

SPEAK it.

If there is resource

USE it.

If there is abundance

SHARE it. 

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

THE PICKLE JAR

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty pickle jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. The Moral of the Story - The professor waited for the laughter to subside.... "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things...your family, your children, your health, yourfriends, your favorite passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full." "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your home, your car." "The sand is everything else...The small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are critical to your happiness." "Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house or fix the disposal." "Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities, the rest is just sand."

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

"America as the Last Man Standing"

---by a Dutch Member of Parliament named Geert Wilders.  It tells of what he calls the "Islamization of Europe" and warns that the United States is "the last bastion of Western civilization, facing an Islamic Europe." 

Geert Wilders, chairman Party for Freedom, the Netherlands

Speech at the Four Seasons, New York

September 25, 2008

Dear friends,

Thank you very much for inviting me. Great to be at the Four Seasons. I come from a country that has one season only: a rainy season that starts January 1st and ends December 31st. When we have three sunny days in a row, the government declares a national emergency. So Four Seasons, that’s new to me.

It’s great to be in New York. When I see the skyscrapers and office buildings, I think of what Ayn Rand said: “The sky over New York and the will of man made visible.” Of course. Without the Dutch you would have been nowhere, still figuring out how to buy this island from the Indians. But we are glad we did it for you. And, frankly, you did a far better job than we possibly could have done.

I come to America with a mission. All is not well in the old world. There is a tremendous danger looming, and it is very difficult to be optimistic. We might be in the final stages of the Islamization of Europe. This not only is a clear and present danger to the future of Europe itself, it is a threat to America and the sheer survival of the West. The danger I see looming is the scenario of America as the last man standing. The United States as the last bastion of Western civilization, facing an Islamic Europe. In a generation or two, the US will ask itself: who lost Europe? Patriots from around Europe risk their lives every day to prevent precisely this scenario form becoming a reality.

My short lecture consists of 4 parts.

First I will describe the situation on the ground in Europe. Then, I will say a few things about Islam. Thirdly, if you are still here, I will talk a little bit about the movie you just saw. To close I will tell you about a meeting in Jerusalem.

The Europe you know is changing. You have probably seen the landmarks. The Eiffel Tower and Trafalgar Square and Rome’s ancient buildings and maybe the canals of Amsterdam. They are still there. And they still look very much the same as they did a hundred years ago.

But in all of these cities, sometimes a few blocks away from your tourist destination, there is another world, a world very few visitors see – and one that does not appear in your tourist guidebook. It is the world of the parallel society created by Muslim mass-migration. All throughout Europe a new reality is rising: entire Muslim neighbourhoods where very few indigenous people reside or are even seen. And if they are, they might regret it. This goes for the police as well. It’s the world of head scarves, where women walk around in figureless tents, with baby strollers and a group of children. Their husbands, or slaveholders if you prefer, walk three steps ahead. With mosques on many street corner. The shops have signs you and I cannot read. You will be hard-pressed to find any economic activity. These are Muslim ghettos controlled by religious fanatics. These are Muslim neighbourhoods, and they are mushrooming in every city across Europe. These are the building-blocks for territorial control of increasingly larger portions of Europe, street by street, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, city by city.

There are now thousands of mosques throughout Europe. With larger congregations than there are in churches. And in every European city there are plans to build super-mosques that will dwarf every church in the region. Clearly, the signal is: we rule.

Many European cities are already one-quarter Muslim: just take Amsterdam, Marseille and Malmo in Sweden. In many cities the majority of the under-18 population is Muslim. Paris is now surrounded by a ring of Muslim neighbourhoods. Mohammed is the most popular name among boys in many cities. In some elementary schools in Amsterdam the farm can no longer be mentioned, because that would also mean mentioning the pig, and that would be an insult to Muslims. Many state schools in Belgium and Denmark only serve halal food to all pupils. In once-tolerant Amsterdam gays are beaten up almost exclusively by Muslims. Non-Muslim women routinely hear “whore, whore”. Satellite dishes are not pointed to local TV stations, but to stations in the country of origin. In France school teachers are advised to avoid authors deemed offensive to Muslims, including Voltaire and Diderot; the same is increasingly true of Darwin. The history of the Holocaust can in many cases no longer be taught because of Muslim sensitivity. In England sharia courts are now officially part of the British legal system. Many neighbourhoods in France are no-go areas for women without head scarves. Last week a man almost died after being beaten up by Muslims in Brussels, because he was drinking during the Ramadan. Jews are fleeing France in record numbers, on the run for the worst wave of anti-Semitism since World War II. French is now commonly spoken on the streets of Tel Aviv and Netanya, Israel. I could go on forever with stories like this. Stories about Islamization.

A total of fifty-four million Muslims now live in Europe. San Diego University recently calculated that a staggering 25 percent of the population in Europe will be Muslim just 12 years from now. Bernhard Lewis has predicted a Muslim majority by the end of this century.

Now these are just numbers. And the numbers would not be threatening if the Muslim-immigrants had a strong desire to assimilate. But there are few signs of that. The Pew Research Center reported that half of French Muslims see their loyalty to Islam as greater than their loyalty to France. One-third of French Muslims do not object to suicide attacks. The British Centre for Social Cohesion reported that one-third of British Muslim students are in favour of a worldwide caliphate. A Dutch study reported that half of Dutch Muslims admit they “understand” the 9/11 attacks.

Muslims demand what they call ‘respect’. And this is how we give them respect. Our elites are willing to give in. To give up. In my own country we have gone from calls by one cabinet member to turn Muslim holidays into official state holidays, to statements by another cabinet member, that Islam is part of Dutch culture, to an affirmation by the Christian-Democratic attorney general that he is willing to accept sharia in the Netherlands if there is a Muslim majority. We have cabinet members with passports from Morocco and Turkey.

Muslim demands are supported by unlawful behaviour, ranging from petty crimes and random violence, for example against ambulance workers and bus drivers, to small-scale riots. Paris has seen its uprising in the low-income suburbs, the banlieus. Some prefer to see these as isolated incidents, but I call it a Muslim intifada. I call the perpetrators “settlers”. Because that is what they are. They do not come to integrate into our societies, they come to integrate our society into their Dar-al-Islam. Therefore, they are settlers.

Much of this street violence I mentioned is directed exclusively against non-Muslims, forcing many native people to leave their neighbourhoods, their cities, their countries.

Politicians shy away from taking a stand against this creeping sharia. They believe in the equality of all cultures. Moreover, on a mundane level, Muslims are now a swing vote not to be ignored.

Our many problems with Islam cannot be explained by poverty, repression or the European colonial past, as the Left claims. Nor does it have anything to do with Palestinians or American troops in Iraq. The problem is Islam itself.

Allow me to give you a brief Islam 101. The first thing you need to know about Islam is the importance of the book of the Quran. The Quran is Allah’s personal word, revealed by an angel to Mohammed, the prophet. This is where the trouble starts. Every word in the Quran is Allah’s word and therefore not open to discussion or interpretation. It is valid for every Muslim and for all times. Therefore, there is no such a thing as moderate Islam. Sure, there are a lot of moderate Muslims. But a moderate Islam is non-existent.

The Quran calls for hatred, violence, submission, murder, and terrorism. The Quran calls for Muslims to kill non-Muslims, to terrorize non-Muslims and to fulfil their duty to wage war: violent jihad. Jihad is a duty for every Muslim, Islam is to rule the world – by the sword. The Quran is clearly anti-Semitic, describing Jews as monkeys and pigs.

The second thing you need to know is the importance of Mohammed the prophet. His behaviour is an example to all Muslims and cannot be criticized. Now, if Mohammed had been a man of peace, let us say like Ghandi and Mother Theresa wrapped in one, there would be no problem. But Mohammed was a warlord, a mass murderer, a pedophile, and had several marriages – at the same time. Islamic tradition tells us how he fought in battles, how he had his enemies murdered and even had prisoners of war executed. Mohammed himself slaughtered the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza. He advised on matters of slavery, but never advised to liberate slaves. Islam has no other morality than the advancement of Islam. If it is good for Islam, it is good. If it is bad for Islam, it is bad. There is no gray area or other side.

Quran as Allah’s own word and Mohammed as the perfect man are the two most important facets of Islam. Let no one fool you about Islam being a religion. Sure, it has a god, and a here-after, and 72 virgins. But in its essence Islam is a political ideology. It is a system that lays down detailed rules for society and the life of every person. Islam wants to dictate every aspect of life. Islam means ‘submission’. Islam is not compatible with freedom and democracy, because what it strives for is sharia. If you want to compare Islam to anything, compare it to communism or national-socialism, these are all totalitarian ideologies.

This is what you need to know about Islam, in order to understand what is going on in Europe. For millions of Muslims the Quran and the live of Mohammed are not 14 centuries old, but are an everyday reality, an ideal, that guide every aspect of their lives. Now you know why Winston Churchill called Islam “the most retrograde force in the world”, and why he compared Mein Kampf to the Quran.

Which brings me to my movie, Fitna.

I am a lawmaker, and not a movie maker. But I felt I had the moral duty to educate about Islam. The duty to make clear that the Quran stands at the heart of what some people call terrorism but is in reality jihad. I wanted to show that the problems of Islam are at the core of Islam, and do not belong to its fringes.

Now, from the day the plan for my movie was made public, it caused quite a stir, in the Netherlands and throughout Europe. First, there was a political storm, with government leaders, across the continent in sheer panic. The Netherlands was put under a heightened terror alert, because of possible attacks or a revolt by our Muslim population. The Dutch branch of the Islamic organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir declared that the Netherlands was due for an attack. Internationally, there was a series of incidents. The Taliban threatened to organize additional attacks against Dutch troops in Afghanistan, and a website linked to Al Qaeda published the message that I ought to be killed, while various muftis in the Middle East stated that I would be responsible for all the bloodshed after the screening of the movie. In Afghanistan and Pakistan the Dutch flag was burned on several occasions. Dolls representing me were also burned. The Indonesian President announced that I will never be admitted into Indonesia again, while the UN Secretary General and the European Union issued cowardly statements in the same vein as those made by the Dutch Government. I could go on and on. It was an absolute disgrace, a sell-out.

A plethora of legal troubles also followed, and have not ended yet. Currently the state of Jordan is litigating against me. Only last week there were renewed security agency reports about a heightened terror alert for the Netherlands because of Fitna.

Now, I would like to say a few things about Israel. Because, very soon, we will get together in its capitol. The best way for a politician in Europe to loose votes is to say something positive about Israel. The public has wholeheartedly accepted the Palestinian narrative, and sees Israel as the aggressor. I, however, will continue to speak up for Israel. I see defending Israel as a matter of principle. I have lived in this country and visited it dozens of times. I support Israel. First, because it is the Jewish homeland after two thousand years of exile up to and including Auschwitz, second because it is a democracy, and third because Israel is our first line of defense.

Samuel Huntington writes it so aptly: “Islam has bloody borders”. Israel is located precisely on that border. This tiny country is situated on the fault line of jihad, frustrating Islam’s territorial advance. Israel is facing the front lines of jihad, like Kashmir, Kosovo, the Philippines, Southern Thailand, Darfur in Sudan, Lebanon, and Aceh in Indonesia. Israel is simply in the way. The same way West-Berlin was during the Cold War.

The war against Israel is not a war against Israel. It is a war against the West. It is jihad. Israel is simply receiving the blows that are meant for all of us. If there would have been no Israel, Islamic imperialism would have found other venues to release its energy and its desire for conquest. Thanks to Israeli parents who send their children to the army and lay awake at night, parents in Europe and America can sleep well and dream, unaware of the dangers looming.

Many in Europe argue in favor of abandoning Israel in order to address the grievances of our Muslim minorities. But if Israel were, God forbid, to go down, it would not bring any solace to the West. It would not mean our Muslim minorities would all of a sudden change their behavior, and accept our values. On the contrary, the end of Israel would give enormous encouragement to the forces of Islam. They would, and rightly so, see the demise of Israel as proof that the West is weak, and doomed. The end of Israel would not mean the end of our problems with Islam, but only the beginning. It would mean the start of the final battle for world domination. If they can get Israel, they can get everything. Therefore, it is not that the West has a stake in Israel. It is Israel.

It is very difficult to be an optimist in the face of the growing Islamization of Europe. All the tides are against us. On all fronts we are losing. Demographically the momentum is with Islam. Muslim immigration is even a source of pride within ruling liberal parties. Academia, the arts, the media, trade unions, the churches, the business world, the entire political establishment have all converted to the suicidal theory of multiculturalism. So-called journalists volunteer to label any and all critics of Islamization as a ‘right-wing extremists’ or ‘racists’. The entire establishment has sided with our enemy. Leftists, liberals and Christian-Democrats are now all in bed with Islam.

This is the most painful thing to see: the betrayal by our elites. At this moment in Europe’s history, our elites are supposed to lead us. To stand up for centuries of civilization. To defend our heritage. To honour our eternal Judeo-Christian values that made Europe what it is today. But there are very few signs of hope to be seen at the governmental level. Sarkozy, Merkel, Brown, Berlusconi; in private, they probably know how grave the situation is. But when the little red light goes on, they stare into the camera and tell us that Islam is a religion of peace, and we should all try to get along nicely and sing Kumbaya. They willingly participate in, what President Reagan so aptly called: “the betrayal of our past, the squandering of our freedom.”

If there is hope in Europe, it comes from the people, not from the elites. Change can only come from a grass-roots level. It has to come from the citizens themselves. Yet these patriots will have to take on the entire political, legal and media establishment.

Over the past years there have been some small, but encouraging, signs of a rebirth of the original European spirit. Maybe the elites turn their backs on freedom, the public does not. In my country, the Netherlands, 60 percent of the population now sees the mass immigration of Muslims as the number one policy mistake since World War II. And another 60 percent sees Islam as the biggest threat to our national identity. I don’t think the public opinion in Holland is very different from other European countries.

Patriotic parties that oppose jihad are growing, against all odds. My own party debuted two years ago, with five percent of the vote. Now it stands at ten percent in the polls. The same is true of all smililary-minded parties in Europe. They are fighting the liberal establishment, and are gaining footholds on the political arena, one voter at the time.

Now, for the first time, these patriotic parties will come together and exchange experiences. It may be the start of something big. Something that might change the map of Europe for decades to come. It might also be Europe’s last chance.

This December a conference will take place in Jerusalem. Thanks to Professor Aryeh Eldad, a member of Knesset, we will be able to watch Fitna in the Knesset building and discuss the jihad. We are organizing this event in Israel to emphasize the fact that we are all in the same boat together, and that Israel is part of our common heritage. Those attending will be a select audience. No racist organizations will be allowed. And we will only admit parties that are solidly democratic.

This conference will be the start of an Alliance of European patriots. This Alliance will serve as the backbone for all organizations and political parties that oppose jihad and Islamization. For this Alliance I seek your support.

This endeavor may be crucial to America and to the West. America may hold fast to the dream that, thanks tot its location, it is safe from jihad and shaira. But seven years ago to the day, there was still smoke rising from ground zero, following the attacks that forever shattered that dream. Yet there is a danger even greater danger than terrorist attacks, the scenario of America as the last man standing. The lights may go out in Europe faster than you can imagine. An Islamic Europe means a Europe without freedom and democracy, an economic wasteland, an intellectual nightmare, and a loss of military might for America - as its allies will turn into enemies, enemies with atomic bombs. With an Islamic Europe, it would be up to America alone to preserve the heritage of Rome, Athens and Jerusalem.

Dear friends, liberty is the most precious of gifts. My generation never had to fight for this freedom, it was offered to us on a silver platter, by people who fought for it with their lives. All throughout Europe American cemeteries remind us of the young boys who never made it home, and whose memory we cherish. My generation does not own this freedom; we are merely its custodians. We can only hand over this hard won liberty to Europe’s children in the same state in which it was offered to us. We cannot strike a deal with mullahs and imams. Future generations would never forgive us. We cannot squander our liberties. We simply do not have the right to do so.

This is not the first time our civilization is under threat. We have seen dangers before. We have been betrayed by our elites before. They have sided with our enemies before. And yet, then, freedom prevailed.

These are not times in which to take lessons from appeasement, capitulation, giving away, giving up or giving in. These are not times in which to draw lessons from Mr. Chamberlain. These are times calling us to draw lessons from Mr. Churchill and the words he spoke in 1942:

“Never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy”.

Posted via email from Global Politics