The Authentic Hippie Resource Since 1987
There's a Little Hippie in All of Us

Author Archives: gypsy

Shakedown Grilled Veggie Burritos and Mexicali Blues Guacamole Dip

syp_apron Memorial Day is right around the corner and we thought we’d share two of our favorite recipes from Dead Tour.  The perfect excuse to break out your New Grateful Dead Steal Your Plate Apron and fire up the grill. The first recipe can be prepared and refrigerated up to a day in advance and benefits from a little marinating time so here we go–>>

Mexicali Blues Guacamole Dip

Chile Paste Ingredients:
1/2 whole finely chopped white onion
2 firmly packed tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
4 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño, or more if you
1 teaspoon salt, or as needed
—————————————–
Remaining Ingredients:
6 medium ripe but firm Hass avocados
3 whole ripe tomato – diced
4 firmly packed tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 whole finely chopped white onion
2 Limes – halved
Salt to taste.
Tortilla chips and/or fresh corn tortillas

Make the chile paste:
Finely dice the onion, cilantro, jalapeño.
veggies_diced

Grind the onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and salt together in a mortar & pestle until all the ingredients are ground into a fine paste. Spend some time on this step – you really want to incorporate all those flavors into a concentrated paste. If you don’t have access to a mortar & pestle, use a fork to mash all the ingredients to a paste in a wide hardwood bowl.
veggies_ground

Cut each avocado in half, working the knife blade around the pit. Twist the halves to separate them and flick out the pit with the tip of the knife. Fold a kitchen towel in quarters and hold it in the palm of your “non-knife” hand. Rest an avocado half cut side up in your palm and make 3 or 4 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts through the avocado flesh down to the skin, without cutting through it. Make 4 crosswise cuts in the same way. Scoop the diced avocado flesh into a mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining avocado halves.  Combine the remaining ingredients with the chili paste and the juice from the two limes and you should end up with the freshest guacamole you’ve ever eaten Enjoy.
fresh_guacamole

 

Shakedown Grilled Veggie Burritos
Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 cups Long Grain Rice
4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 whole Limes, Juiced And Zested
1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro
2 whole Zucchini, Cut Into Slices Lengthwise
1 whole Yellow Squash, Cut Into Slices Lengthwise
1 whole Potabello Mushroom, Cut Into Slices Lengthwise
2 ears Corn shucked
Salt to taste
1 can Black Beans
6 whole Burrito-sized Wheat Tortillas
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Roma Tomatoes, Diced
1 cup Grated Colby Jack Cheese
Toppings:  Mexicali Blues Guacamole Dip, Hot Sauce

Instructions
Combine chicken broth, rice, olive oil and the juice and zest of 1 lime. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the juice and zest from the remaining lime, then stir in the cilantro. Set aside.

Brush zucchini and squash slices, along with the ears of corn, with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Grill them on a grill pan, a charcoal grill, or saute them in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, turning them halfway through. Remove when the veggies have great color on the outside.
sliced_grilled_vegs

Set aside to cool, then dice them.
diced_grill_vegs

Heat the beans in a small saucepan until hot.
Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.

To assemble the burritos, lay out each tortilla on your work surface. Spoon on rice, then beans, then sprinkle on plenty of grilled veggies. Top with chopped onion, tomato, cheese, and any other toppings you’d like. Spoon salsa all across the top. Tuck in the sides, then roll the burrito up as tightly as you can.
twist_it_up

Cut in half and put on some cool tunes and enjoy!
burritos

 

Pete Seeger Remembered

Gypsy Rose was sad to hear of the passing of the great folk singer & protest icon Pete Seeger at the end of 2013.  Pete was born into a musical family in the early 1900s and that exposure no doubt influenced his path in life.  His father Charles Seeger spoke out against World War I causing him to give up an important teaching position shortly before Pete was born.  So you can see that pacifism was present in Pete’s early life in addition to the wonders of music.   Pete’s parents, aunts & uncles were a diverse group of educated & culturally aware individuals.  It’s no wonder that Pete & his half brothers & half sisters ALL became folk singers!   They KNEW that music was such a powerful tool to get their message into the minds of the people.  The folk tradition involves sharing & passing the stories down from generation to generation.   From town to city.  From farm to factory.  From living room to concert hall.  This is FOLK MUSIC!  We’re not talking polite applause and then enforced silence with hands folded while the performer just sings to you.  Pete vigorously encouraged his audiences to SING ALONG with him!  He demanded it!  Pete also published a world famous banjo instruction book (How to Play the Five-String Banjo) that brought the basics of the instrument to the beginner in a style that only he could teach.  He was not some “big star in a glass house.”  He believed that the song was everyone’s to share.  He was most definitely one of the people.  And he not only spoke the language of the people, he SANG the language of ALL people.

At times, Pete’s actions threatened the success of his own career as a musician.  But he stood by his beliefs.  The MESSAGE was more important than success or fear of upsetting the status quo.  Pete kept some beliefs throughout his life.  But Pete was strongly opposed to biographers, interviewers and fellow musicians portraying him to be a “saint”.  He knew that he himself, like all humans, had made mistakes.  Later in life, he expressed regret for his earlier views on communism in Stalinist Russia.  He was not afraid to apologize & this is something from which we can all learn.

Pete sang alongside the other folk greats including Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly in support of labor & civil rights, pacifism & racial equality.  Pete paraphrased his friend Woody’s strong message that appeared on his guitar (“This machine kills fascists”) by putting the words “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender” atop the head of his banjo.  That instantly recognizable banjo traveled the world & helped Pete spread the word to millions for decades & decades.  Woody & Leadbelly’s generation moved on to the generation of Bob Dylan and the “Folk Revival” of the 1960s.  At Pete’s 90th birthday bash held at Madison Square Garden in 2009 he found himself surrounded by the likes of Dave Matthews, Bruce Springsteen , Warren Haynes and dozens of other performers of varying ages & styles.

Pete made his home in the lovely Hudson Valley of New York for many years.  He helped to form the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater in the mid 1960s.  This fine organization helps to clean up the Hudson River & surrounding areas by educating the public & raising awareness to the environmental concerns that affect this beautiful part of the U.S.  They sailed their namesake vessel (the sloop Clearwater) up and down the mighty Hudson to bring their message directly to the people.  Even politicians that may have differed in their views from Pete (such as former NY Governor George Pataki) expressed their support & approval of Clearwater’s endeavors.  Each year the Clearwater Festival (or Great Hudson River Revival) still raises funds for the organization with a HUGE all-star 2 day musical event.  Pete may not be performing on the festival’s stage anymore in the physical sense, but “Clearwater” audiences will no doubt feel his presence for years to come.

Pete Seeger & Gypsy Rose share many core values & beliefs:
The importance of raising awareness of human rights & equality.
Teaching respect for the environment.
And of course…. The POWER of the time honored tradition of song!

In the spirit of Pete and the “folk process” we’d like to share the message & pass it on by inviting you to visit these fine websites:
clearwater.org
clearwaterfestival.org
peteseeger.org
peteseeger.net

Written by Gypsy Roses’ Brian Duckett