The Spices of Ghana

Some of the local spices I brought back
from my recent trip to Ghana

 One of the things I love about traveling is not only sampling the local cuisine but bringing samplings of the local cuisine back home...where do I begin? Do I make the spicy and sassy Kelewele Or a staple - jollof rice, or fire up the food with red red or peppe chicken? Yummm can't wait to get cooking! For more information about my most recent trip to Ghana. West Africa visit: Return to Ghana

These green habaneros add spcie to everything and anything

Mama Caruso learning the art of pounding fufu

On Q Latitudes Celebrates Germany - Friday January 24th

Tim, Alisa and Kathy on the set at On Q Latitudes

On Q Latitudes airs on Friday nights in January at 8:00 pm Central time. Join me, your host as we explore and celebrate cultures, traditions and stories from people who are from other countries and are now living in our communities. Learn about their hope and dreams, their struggles and opportunities, and what brought their families to the United States. Each show is 30 minutes and features my guests, my guest co-hosts along with photos, factoids, music, food and even questions asked by our viewing audience. Come and celebrate the culture and traditions and heritage of our neighbors, friends and families on On Q Latitudes beginning Friday January 3rd at 8:00 pm Central time. For those of you out of our viewing range, the series will be available on-line, for more viewing onformation go to: http://www.ksmq.org/ or join the conversation at:   KSMQ Public TV Facebook

On Q Latitudes airs on KSMQ
on Fridays in January

January 24, 2014 Join me on Friday night January 24th at 8:00 pm Central time on KSMQ Public Television with my guest co-host Tim Ruzek and featured guest Alisa Rudiger as we learn about the culture, heritage and traditions of Germany on On Q Latitudes. Learn about health care, food and family and what it is like to grow up in Germany several generations after World War II - the answers to these questions and more during this week's episode of On Q Latitudes.Tim, Alisa and I share stories and talk about what it is like to be a Rotary Youth Exchange student. Join us on Friday night at 8:00 central time, join the conversation on Facebook, or check back for a link to the show if you are out of the viewing region.

On Q Latitudes Celebrates the Hmong Culture

Yesenia, Laura and Kathy on the set of On Q Latitudes

 On Q Latitudes airs on Friday nights in January at 8:00 pm Central time. Join me, your host as we explore and celebrate cultures, traditions and stories from people who are from other countries and are now living in our communities. Learn about their hope and dreams, their struggles and opportunities, and what brought their families to the United States. Each show is 30 minutes and features my guests, my guest co-hosts along with photos, factoids, music, food and even questions asked by our viewing audience. Come and celebrate the culture and traditions and heritage of our neighbors, friends and families on On Q Latitudes beginning Friday January 3rd at 8:00 pm Central time. For those of you out of our viewing range, the series will be available on-line, for more viewing onformation go to: http://www.ksmq.org/ or join the conversation at:   KSMQ Public TV Facebook

On Q Latitudes airs on KSMQ
on Fridays in January

Many stories are told within the
fabric of the Hmong people

January 17, 2014 features Laura Lee who shares with us the deep and rich traditions of the Hmong Culture. Join me and my guest co-host Yesenia Mendoza as we learn about how the Hmong people relocated to the United States, the importance of stories, family and traditions. How does a first generation Hmong woman honor the culture of her family and find a place for her family? What sacrifices were made by the Hmong people as they sought communities in which to raise their children? Why did the Hmong people relocate to Minnesota? Learn about the answers to these questions and more during this week's episode of On Q Latitudes.Yesenia and Laura share some great stories and connections in this episode of On Q Latitudes. Join us on Friday night at 8:00 central time, join the conversation on Facebook, or check back for a link to the show if you are out of the viewing region.

Yesenia Mendoza and Laura Lee

Visit India - On Q Latitudes

Yesenia, Vandana and Kathy on the set
On Q Latitudes, KSMQ TV

 On Q Latitudes airs on Friday nights in January at 8:00 pm Central time. Join me, your host as we explore and celebrate cultures, traditions and stories from people who are from other countries and are now living in our communities. Learn about their hope and dreams, their struggles and opportunities, and what brought their families to the United States. Each show is 30 minutes and features my guests, my guest co-hosts along with photos, factoids, music, food and even questions asked by our viewing audience. Come and celebrate the culture and traditions and heritage of our neighbors, friends and families on On Q Latitudes beginning Friday January 3rd at 8:00 pm Central time. For those of you out of our viewing range, the series will be available on-line, for more viewing onformation go to: http://www.ksmq.org/ or join the conversation at:   KSMQ Public TV Facebook

January 10, 2014 features the country of India, with my guest Vandana Tripathi. Join me and my guest co-host, Yesenia Mendoza as we learn about the rich and diverse cultures and traditions of India. I first met Vandana at a cooking class that she was teaching and have since enjoyed her cooking several times. She makes her own paneer and I am looking forward to having her as a guest cook on my Mama Caruso Cooks You-tube channel - stay posted for an announcement about that, along with some great Indian recipes and cooking tips for successful spicy meals. Yesenia and Vandana share some great stories and connections in this episode of On Q Latitudes. Join us on Friday night at 8:00 central time, join the conversation on Facebook, or check back for a link to the show if you are out of the viewing region.

On Q Latitudes on KSMQ Public Television - Fridays in January

Join me, Kathy Stutzman your host for On Q Latitudes
as we celebrate traditions and people from other countries
living in our communities

On Q Latitudes airs on Friday nights in January at 8:00 pm Central time. Join me, your host as we explore and celebrate cultures, traditions and stories from people who are from other countries and are now living in our communities. Learn about their hope and dreams, their struggles and opportunities, and what brought their families to the United States. Each show is 30 minutes and features my guests, my guest co-hosts along with photos, factoids, music, food and even questions asked by our viewing audience. Come and celebrate the culture and traditions and heritage of our neighbors, friends and families on On Q Latitudes beginning Friday January 3rd at 8:00 pm Central time. For those of you out of our viewing range, the series will be available on-line, for more viewing onformation go to: http://www.ksmq.org/ or join the conversation at:   KSMQ Public TV Facebook

Yesenia, Vandana and Kathy on the set at KSMQ 

 January 10, 2014 features the country of India, with my guest Vandana Tripathi. Join me and my gest co-host, Yesenia Mendoza as we learn about the rich and diverse cultures and traditions of India. I first met Vandana at a cooking class that she was teaching and have since enjoyed her cooking several times. She makes her own paneer and I am looking forward to having her as a guest cook on my Mama Caruso Cooks You-tube channel - stay posted for an announcement about that, along with some great Indian recipes and cooking tips for successful spicy meals. Yesenia and Vandana share some great stories and connections in this episode of On Q Latitudes. Join us on Friday night at 8:00 central time, join the conversation on Facebook, or check back for a link to the show if you are out of the viewing region.

January 3, 2014 features the country of Togo with my guests Eddie and Sabrina Devine. Join me and my guest co-host, Luke Sperduto as we learn about the cultures and traditions of this exotic West African country. I have been to Togo twice and think fondly of the people and the hospitality. I have enjoyed some of the best food ever in the capital city of Lome and some of the more adventuresome food in Apatakme, located in the central part of the country. I hope you enjoy learning more about this country from our guests and the stories that they share.

Luke, Sabrina, Eddie and Kathy on the set at On Q Latitudes

January 17th features the Hmong culture. Join my guest Laura Lee and guest co-host, Yesenia Medndoza Ramierz as we explore the traditions of this interesting and ancient culture. Coming up will be shows about Germany with Alisa Ruediger and guest co-host Tim Ruzek and Cuba with Ernesto Rodriguez Ruiz and gues co-host Luke Sperduto. More info and photos coming soon.

Check out what this is all about on
On Q Latitudes, January 10

Yesenia and Vandana on the set of On Q Latitudes

Yesenia, Vandana and Kathy

Yesenia and Laura on set
sharing stories about families

Yesenia, Laura, and Kathy
Celebrating the Hmong culture

One of the beautiful fabrics that Laura brought from her heritage

Tim Ruzek, Alisa Ruediger and Kathy
learning about heritage and culture in Germany

Kathy visiting Ernesto Rodriguez Ruiz at work in Austin

Mama Caruso Goes Public...Television, that is...

Bringing food and travel....
from my table to yours...

  Hey Everybody! I am writing today to tell you about my upcoming public television series On Q Latitudes airing on Fridays in January at 8:00 pm Central time. Join me, your host as we explore and celebrate cultures, traditions and stories from people who are from other countries and are now living in our communities. Learn about their hope and dreams, their struggles and opportunities, and what brought their families to the United States. Each show is 30 minutes and features my guests, my guest co-hosts along with photos, factoids, music, food and even questions asked by our viewing audience. Come and celebrate the culture and traditions and heritage of our neighbors, friends and families on On Q Latitudes beginning Friday January 3rd at 8:00 pm Central time. For those of you out of our viewing range, the series will be available on-line, for more viewing onformation go to: http://www.ksmq.org/ or join the conversation at:   KSMQ Public TV Facebook

Guest Co-Host, Luke Sperduto with Sabrina and Eddie Devine
share stories and traditions about the country of Togo with
On Q Latitudes Host, Kathy Stutzman

Cooking Mash-up a Fun Family Cooking Competition

My team selected these letters
for ingredients....hmmm...N?

What happens when a fun-loving, cooking, crazy group of friends and family come together to celebrate birthdays, reunions and just plain and simple time together? Well in our friends and family group it looks a little like a mash up between a Bobby Flay's Throwdown,  Next Food Network Star (Family edition), Chopped, Iron Chef and Supermarket Showdown, then throw in a little bit of Master Chef  Kids, Top Chef and Comeback Kitchen and you have our Saturday afternoon and evening fun.

Today we are undertaking our own version of all of these competitions thrown in together, with the game of Scrabble thrown in. Scrabble?                                                              Really? Yep!

Ohhh, there are some REALLY great
letters in there...I want a G

This weekend our youngest daughter came home from college for the first time in her Freshman year and there were a lot of people who wanted to gather to see her, so I decided to throw her a party. Now it just so happened that this Saturday is also the birthday of one of my friends and her youngest son, and they are good friends with our youngest daughter...the planning begins...and they want to host the party at their house...

My friend's husband loves to cook and really loves to create great food. Last year we began cooking some fun things together check out this link for one of those events: A Fun Prom Dinner, so he started to hatch a really fun plan....and here's where we are today in the middle of competition...

• Seven of us ranging in age from 64-14 met at the grocery store and drew teams of 2-3 people;
• Waiting for their assignments, several other family teams were ready for the texts that would give them their instructions;
• Each team drew 4 Scrabble letters (consonants only);
• Each team has to buy four ingredients beginning with their 4 letters that will be used to create an appetizer, side dish and entree;
• We had 30 minutes to shop;
• Before the cooking begins, all of the purchased ingredients will be divided up among the teams using a lottery system, so we may not end up with the ingredients we purchased;
• We will have 90 minutes to make a delicious meal worthy of all of the guests who be arriving at 6:00;
• When the cooking begins, we will have use of a pantry and can send our sous chefs to the store to add a few supplemental ingredients;
• The family teams that began offsite won't have to trade their ingredients and will bring their dishes prepared and ready to go;
• Did I mention this was a competition? We will have scoring sheets and prizes And we will have a great time cooking in the kitchen and enjoying all of the fun...can't wait to start cooking!

Veal, tomatoes, lentils and noodles, a nice basket
but we may not end up with these ingredients
by the time the cooking begins...

Stay posted for the results of the cooking competition. If you are interested in having some fun at home, e-mail me and I will send you the complete rules and instructions. From my table to yours...enjoy...Mama Caruso