Do You Know the Muffin Mom?

The kiddos waited all week to watch the "Muffin Man" episode on "Imagination Movers." They loved Baker Ben and his forgotten secret ingredient. Today, they woke us up early and insisted on watching it again. And I grew hungrier by the minute as the Movers and guest Duff Goldman, a la "Ace of Cakes," baked pan after pan of muffins.

And so we decided to make some ourselves: strawberry for Bud, like in the show (which doesn't feature a recipe on its website), and chocolate chip for Sis. I don't really have a standard muffin base so looked to Martha Stewart's Baking Handout, where I found this gem, originally the blueberry muffin recipe (because I didn't have the sour cream used to make the basic mix)--"who is Martha?" Sis asked. She'll learn. It made excellent muffins, with a nice crumb and flavor. Sis is already imagining all the different kinds of muffins we can make!

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Sis and Bud's Muffins, a la Martha Stewart

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blueberries (we used 1 cup frozen strawberries, defrosted, for Bud; 1/2 cup chocolate chips for Sis)

1 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1 1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and the blueberries. (Or skip this part.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Mix in vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries.

Or, for our muffins, divide batter into two separate bowls. In one, stir in the strawberries; in the other, the chocolate. Continue . . .

Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake, rotating pan halfway though, until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn muffins on their sides in their cups, and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

adapted from blueberry muffins in Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook (except, online, she adds 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg for crunchy topping; commentors suggest adding a bit of lemon zest to batter)

Holiday Hat Trick.

(Okay, so you can tell I don't read the sports pages--I don't know if "hat trick" is one word or two.)

Communicating with Compassion

My weekend started off with a workshop on nonviolent communication (NVC) that I helped to organize (a shout-out to the other organizers--job well done! And to the two participants whom I know read this blog--thanks for coming and making it a great experience. And, Miss D-with-a-Y, I'll put your cookie recipe here too, if you send it along. And I promise a twins post soon). The organization part was stressful for me because it took me out of my mommy element and put me back, in a way, in my professional element. And I don't feel like I did either one well over the last few weeks. I am again impressed by working moms, even part-timers, and express my admiration for them.

The workshop itself was introductory, rather like the early workshop I went to a year or so. But even though I knew the information theoretically, it is always good to explore it experientially. Especially because with 2 sick kids for 10 days, I had not really been communicating nonviolently. In fact, Sis had said to me, after I erupted about the dripping watercolored paper towel experiment in the basement, that I was not a good mom when I yelled. Ouch. But true enough. And I knew it. Double ouch. So in that way, the workshop was the life ring in the water for me; even before I grabbed it on Saturday, I knew it was floating out there.

And it has helped. For instance, last night coming home from the city, Sis was getting increasingly upset and agitated about everything in her exhausted state--it was dark and she couldn't see and she didn't like the rain and she couldn't hear the radio and she didn't want to be in the city and she didn't want to go back and stay that late again and she wanted happy meals and didn't want happy meals and wanted to eat at home. Mama and I were then frustrated at all her noise but managed to ask her what she needed. Turns out, she was scared. She apparently doesn't like being out in the car at night. It didn't change anything but our attitudes towards her but sometimes that's all you need. We adjusted our dinner plans accordingly and picked up Chinese on the way home so that she didn't have to be out any longer than necessary.

After the workshop concluded, the participants and some other people at church shared a potluck meal, complete with vegetarian soups--a yummy roasted cauliflower by Rev M and my black bean--plus breads (oatmeal molasses, sourdough with seeds, and my cornbread) and desserts (Mama Teacher's homemade brownies, Rev M's cookies, and a new one I made up, Nutella Bars). It was a wonderful communal way to digest, so to speak, our experiences in the workshop, and to connect with the other participants.

Preaching to the Choir

"Has anybody seen the choir?

I want to preach to the converted

I want to see them rising up

Don't wanna see one gaze averted

Don't wanna have to prove a point

Just wanna know they're on my side

Just wanna smile and inspire

Has anybody seen the choir?"

After the workshop was a concert featuring emma's revolution. Two women with guitars. Folk duo. I was instantly transported back 10 years or so to Chicago, to Mountain Moving Coffee House, which we attended monthly to hear, along with Chicago's diehard lesbian-feminist (often separatist) community, the likes of (in no particular order) Alix Dobkin, Diedre McCalla, Nedra Johnson, Jamie Anderson, cc carter, Ferron (maybe), Barbara Higby and Teresa Trull, Lucie Blue Tremblay, Justina and Joyce, Cris Williamson, Tret Fure (but those last two not together, of course, having separated), Ubaka Hill, Zrazy, and others (Mama, who did sound for the coffeehouse with her friend L, would remember better than I do--did we see Zoe Lewis there? or Dar Williams? or Kristen Hall?). That too was held in a church, with homemade snacks available, and everyone pitching in to set up chairs, take tickets, etc. It was such a positive atmosphere, a place we saw the same friends each month, a place to be enjoy the power of the lesbian community. And most of the music was good. And we haven't found that since we left Chicago in 2001, never connecting with a lesbian community in NYC (not being bar dykes ourselves; sure, there are others, but where?) nor finding much of one here in Connecticut (where lesbians are so accepted and legal, it seems, we don't need a separate community. Which is good. And bad. There's Bloodroot, of course, where we always see "family," but you can't very well go up to strangers to talk to them just because. Can you???). Mama wasn't even sure she had wanted to go to the concert for fear of missing Chicago and our life there too much. But with sick kids, only one of us could go. And so I did. And I shed a few tears, sitting there in the back row, for Chicago and that part of our lives, not only coffee house but the big LCCP dance and Pride and Artemis Singers and Autumnfest (women's music fest in De Kalb) and Andersonville. We love our lives, our church community, my mommy friends, but we miss those politically-involved, outspoken, anti-establishment, Michigan-attending, "y"-spelling, old school separatist womyn (mind you, I was thrilled two weeks ago, when one of the Bloodroot owners, in talking to me about Mary Daly and Z Budapest, identified me as one of the old school! Sure, I'm not a separatist, but some of my good friends were. Rest in peace, Miss M. You would've loved emma's revolution).

And the concert was fantastic. Think revival. Think anthem. It was politics, spirituality, community, harmony, rhythm. I hadn't known them at all but was repeatedly touched by both their music and their performance (and a feeling of deja vu and nostalgia for all the other lesbian musicians, with short hair and political banter, I'd ever seen play). The only thing different than coffee house was the relative dearth of lesbians in the audience. Sure, these were all good liberals, many of them our friends, but very few "family." And so when the musicians joked about "converting" people and membership cards (I immediately thought of toasters!), I don't think most of the crowd really got it. Still, it's always good to sit in that kind of choir. And I've been listening to the music ever since.

"Yook, Mommy, a yoom!"

Completing our weekend trifecta (look, more sports, probably misspelled again), we headed into NYC to the "dinosaur museum" to see the Silk Road exhibition with Ma, Gong, and Goo (and thanks to Gommie for buying us that membership for Christmas--can't wait to take you to this show!). And what an exhibition! Not particularly focused on the artifacts but definitely heavy on atmosphere, the exhibition was great for Bud and Sis, who loved the numerous life-sized camels complete with caravan packs, the live silkworms (really caterpillars) munching on mulberry leaves in a basket in a vitrine, the large loom set up to weave silk brocade, the market stall display with foods ("yook, Mommy, y-ychees!) and medicinal herbs and minerals and oils which they could smell (Sis liked rose, Bud chose patchouli, and I liked the jasmine. Others: musk and patchuk), an astrolabe with stars to read, a water clock, videos with familiar Silk Road fables, and so much else. The kids LOVED IT. And so did I. We'll definitely go back, as it doesn't close for 8 months.

We went this weekend, though, to attend a performance of Chinese Theater Works, which definitely made the haul into the city on a very wet day at the tail end of illness worth it. Bud knew from the cover of the program that he wanted to see the ribbon dance, but before that he liked the double sword dancer from the Peking Opera and the musicians playing the pi'pa, er-hu, and zither-like instrument. Just when he was too tired and stuffy to sit still much longer (there was probably one too many instrumentals in the middle. Sis was apparently bored silly--she was with Mama while Bud sat on me), the ribbon dancer (same as the sword dancer) came on with her very long rainbow silk that she could manipulate into circles and spirals and waves and figure-8s. Bud was entranced and now wants to be a ribbon dancer, plotting even then which scarves at home would make the best props. Then, the face-changing dancer (who has a top secret configuration of masks that change colors at dramatic moments while he dances. See the movie King of Masks) scared the bejeezus out of Bud, who had us take him out of the hall but stopped us short before we actually exited so he could keep watching until the dancer revealed his own face--he was one of the funny hat-juggling acrobats that had started the whole thing! And Bud was so relieved. And talked about both the masked man and the ribbon dancer the rest of the day.

That is, when we weren't enjoying all the other usual sights at the museum, like Sis's beloved animal dioramas (in that vast cavern of galleries that still befuddle museum pros like Mama and me, she can find the small display of the jack rabbit and of the cotton tail immediately), Bud's dino fossils, halls of the various peoples (we specifically did China with Ma and Gong, who explained several of the displays to us). And, as always, that old, old, old and dark gallery of the Pacific Northwest with the totem poles, unlit vitrines, and dramatic wall text right out of the early part of the 20th century. It's like Egypt at the Met--you always have to walk through it a few times during your visit!

Of course, we also did lunch--dino nuggets--and the shops (various t-shirts, mugs, books, and such. Mama and I are suckers for souvenirs. But you can't have too many books, right? And I got good ones, two children's books, one on the Silk Road and one on silk, and a cookbook on medieval cuisine of the Muslim world), literally closing the museum at the end of the day, having opened it some 7+ hours earlier! And believe it or not, they left yesterday and woke up this morning asking when we can go back.

Indeed, it was a weekend, I would gladly repeat in its entirety.

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And the rest soon . . .

Nutella Bars

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter

10 oz or so of Nutella, microwaved briefly (15-30 seconds) to soften for spreading

chopped toasted hazelnuts, optional

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Cut in butter til mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve ½ cup of the flour mixture. Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Spread with Nutella. Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture and top with toasted hazelnuts.

Bake in 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or til the top is golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Do not overbake or Nutella will dry out.

Mommy Hungry via Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

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Oatmeal and Molasses Bread

6 cups all-purpose or bread flour

2 ½ teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons butter

½ cup molasses (or honey or combo)

1 cup rolled oats (not “quick”)

2 cups boiling water

2 pkgs active dry yeast (= 2 scant Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup lukewarm water

Pour the boiling water over the oats in a large bowl and let sit until cooler, but still warm enough to soften butter. Add the butter to soften or melt. Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast into the warm water and sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over it. Stir to dissolve and let sit to proof.

To the lukewarm soaked oats and butter add liquid sweetener(s), salt and softened yeast. Beat well. Add flour a cup at a time to make a soft dough. The last two cups may need to be kneaded in. Knead until smooth and elastic. Could take 15-20 minutes for the whole process.

Shape into a large ball and place back in the bowl which you have washed dried and greased with butter or Crisco. Turn the dough ball in the bowl to grease the top. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled.

Grease two 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pans. Punch dough down and knead lightly to deflate. Divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf shape and fit into pans. Cover with tea towel and let rise until top of the dough is an inch or so above the sides of the pan. The loaves will rise another inch or so in the oven. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

NOTE: This is the first loaf I ever baked—my learning loaf—easy, fragrant and delicious.

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CAULIFLOWER-CHEESE SOUP

2 cups potato chunks

2 cups cauliflowerets

1 cup chopped carrot

3 medium cloves garlic

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 cups water or stock

Place the above ingredients together in a pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Puree the entire mixture n the blender until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a kettle (double boiler if available) and whisk in:

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp dill weed

1/4 tsp ground dill or caraway seed

1/4 tsp dry mustard

black pepper

Steam or saute in butter 1 1/2 more cups cauliflowerets. Add these to the soup.

Just before serving whisk in 3/4 cup buttermilk.

Serve topped with chopped scallions and extra cheese.

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Memory Book Cookies

(refrigerator cookies) Makes 8 dozen.

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, chopped

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in pecans. Shape dougn into two 16” rolls. Wrap in waxed paper and chill at least four hours.

Unwrap and slice into 1/3” slices. Lay on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

NOTE: Dough may be frozen for up to three months. Slice while frozen and bake as directed.

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Bread, Sourdough with Many Seeds

This sourdough bread is an adaptation from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s wholesome book “The Bread Bible” [The Culinary Review].

(Makes 2 loaves)

INGREDIENTS

For the sponge:

[½ cup warm water + 1 teaspoon honey for proofing yeast

1 package dry yeast]--optional

4 cups whole wheat flour

3tablespoons wheat germ

1 cup sourdough starter

2 (+ ½ if not using the proofed yeast) cups warm water

3 teaspoons honey

For the dough:

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons chopped nuts

3 tablespoons flaxseed

+/ - 3 cups bread flour

Method:

1.Roast the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds on a sheet pan in the oven for about 7 minutes on 325 degrees until slightly browned, stirring the seeds halfway through roasting. Let them cool in a bowl and add the flaxseeds to the mixture.

2.Proof the yeast in ½ cup warm water and teaspoon of honey.

3.Combine the yeast mixture, 4 cups whole wheat flour, wheat germ, sourdough starter, water and honey and beat well. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes.

4.Add the salt and seed mixture and gradually mix in the bread flour. When the dough is manageable, turning it out onto the counter to knead in the remaining 3 cups bread flour.

5.Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise until for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.

6.Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press it down slightly. Roll it down will a rolling pin, and fold it on top of it a couple of times. Roll out again and repeat a couple of time to make the dough more elastic. Place the dough back in the oiled bowl and let it rise for about another 1- 2 hours.

7. Turn the dough out again on a floured surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into roll, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Shape each piece into torpedo-shaped loaf and now set the pieces on a greased baking sheet, and leave plenty of room between the loaves. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 to 2 ½ hours.

8.Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

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Catch Up

We had so much fun in the city yesterday at the "dinosaur museum" to see the Silk Road exhibition with Ma, Gong, and Goo that we didn't get home until almost 7, making bedtime for the kiddos after 8.

Bud is still sick and so starts more meds today. And now Mama has it too. Sis is still coughing but definitely better.

And so, I'm heading out to my workout and to fetch meds, both quickly.

I'm not foreseeing much time to blog today or tomorrow, especially as babysitter is out part of this week for midterms. And I won't say the kids are going to school until they are actually there . . . . but, all told, we had a great weekend.

What a Great Day!

No, this isn't the ending of an episode of the "Fresh Beat Band," but a quick note that I had a marvelous time yesterday at an NVC workshop and then later a concert.

But we're off for more excitement today, in the city, and so we are "herding cats" to leave soon.

Sending Love

A hope-you're-doing-better shout-out to Uncle Soccer's mom, Miss J. We're sending hugs and prayers your way.

It's Official

Yes, it's an allergic reaction to amoxicilin. So, we're done with that.

But he's so congested, the doctor said "drowning in it," that his ears may "blow" from the pressure if we don't keep him on something. So, we have dimetapp (ah, that grape flavor on a metal spoon from my childhood) and a Z-pack in case the dimetapp doesn't work. And, as always, saline.

Plus of course his continued eye drop regimen.

So, send love and email, the long week didn't end on Friday. And while, I realize that it's not major in the continuum of problems, I am overwhelmed with day number 8 of two sick kids. This virus is kicking our butts.

It's the Drugs

You should see poor Bud's face. Just 1 1/2 hours after this morning's dose.

We'll be at the doctor's in less than an hour.

No more amoxycillin here.

Something Old, Something New

Bud has bumps.

Is it part of the virus? Or an allergic reaction to his antibiotics?

There aren't a ton of them and they aren't everywhere. But he has some.

And so he will be home from school tomorrow so I can watch him, doctor's orders.

So ends the week.

Does that make it TGIF?

An Ode to Mme. M

Mademoiselle,

kind "family,"

working, sharing, leaving--

your pain au chocolat makes our hearts sing,

friend.

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Pain au chocolat

brioche

dark chocolate, such as Trader Joe's

Break 2 squares off big bar of dark chocolate and place inside halved brioche. Microwave until chocolate just begins to soften. Eat and enjoy!

Mme M, who ate these after school as a child in France--Sis worships her!

Blessings on the House of Goose

And not just because of the almost imminent arrival of the Little Goose Girl in late February (maybe we shouldn't call her that--I think it wasn't a happy story).

But because this morning, a full nine months pregnant, she came to my house bearing coffee and an arts and crafts project to entertain the kids. Hallelujah!

See, it was her son's birthday party we missed on Saturday. She hosted this great arts and crafts party because Goose is such a little artist. 18 kids (well, 16, minus my two) converged on her house to paint pillowcases!! What fun they must have had! And so, this morning, she brought by the pillowcases intended for Bud and Sis, complete with their names already painted on, plus 4 bottles of gender-appropriate glitter paint (Sis appreciated the pink/red; Bud the blue/green. And then they switched!).

And so we've just spent the morning on the floor of my kitchen making a gigantic painting mess. I can only imagine what her house looked liked after 16 kids painted--my two managed quite the chaos by themselves! And were so happy doing it. Which hopefully makes up for the fit I had when I discovered them tie-dying paper towels with watercolor water, getting it all over their two new art books (which Bud had told me he had moved, when it was just painting on construction paper), and then hanging the towels up to dry all over the basement while I was cooking lunch (no more cooking lunch--it's sandwiches from now on!). Anyway, I can only imagine how happy all the kids at the party were. So, thanks Mommy Goose, for sharing it with Sis and Bud.

Also, I realized as I crawled around on my floor scraping dried glitter paint off the linoleum after the pillowcases were done that I'm so glad that my house is old and we didn't bother fixing it up too much. Before kids, we had every intention of redoing the kitchen, also eventually removing the carpet on the first floor and redoing the wood floors underneath, replacing most of the downstairs living room and dining room furniture, all manner of things. But then we had kids and money went elsewhere and those projects are now on hold indefinitely. Which is good because we're totally trashing the old stuff we do have, making it all perfect candidates for replacement once they've passed the major destructive and messy phase (when is that, exactly?). And I don't have to fret about keeping it pristine, as I do in the basement with the new walls and floor (part of the reason I freaked yesterday: a ton of splattered paint all over my cream-colored walls. And it's not really coming off. It's a basement, though, right? And our art space to boot. So it doesn't really matter . . . but . . . it's like the first spill or ding on a new car). Which takes all of the stress out of glittering painting pillowcases in the middle of the kitchen.

Because I really needed that craft project today, and the coffee, and no stress to go along with it. Thank you, Mommy Goose!

A Little Light

At least a bit, coming from Haiti, that most of our friend's extended family has been located and are okay.

Our thoughts and prayers are with a colleague of Mama's whose whole family is there, as well as a congregant at our church with family there. My minister has offered up this prayer (in this modern age, like my blog, via email):

Holy and gracious spirit of light and love surround us as we struggle with fear and uncertainty, as the layers of rubble are lifted and sorted through in Haiti and in our own souls. Give us the strength to keep moving forward as we wonder at the horrors that are being witnessed by all those in Port-au-Prince, and around the world as video circulates, help us all to be strong enough to reach out with tender loving kindness to the witnesses of this devastation, that they may see a vision of hope in the loving hands of strangers as they move forward into what must seem the most unreal and uncertain future that stands before them. Let this crisis remind us that everyday there are people in need both near and far and when we are able we must offer a loving hand of support and encouragement...Amen and Blessed Be.

.

Sending Prayers

. . . to Port-au-Prince and all of Haiti. And hope that our friend's extended family has survived.

Thanks!

Just a quick post to thank all of you for emailing (and calling internationally!). Today has been good, but involved. Healing and getting well present different challenges than actually being sick. Thank heavens it's a new week of "Fresh Beat Band" episodes! But Bud is taking his eyedrops 4x a day well (and his antibiotics, too) and Sis is finally tolerating her medicine. And they've both been inspired by the new basement arrangement and have been playing a lot down there with blocks and figurines.

Thanks again! And more later . . .

Better Now

I had written a long post, entitled "Feelin' Wimpy," which appeared on this blog for about half an hour and outlined my feelings of being overwhelmed with sick kids and side projects. And then I decided that instead of blogging, I should go meditate. I'm still at counting breaths, for about 5 minutes or so at a time. And it really is amazing how much it calms me down, centers me, so to speak. So that even after just a handful of minutes, I saw how much I was attached to and indulging in (even enjoying?) those negative feelings--for attention? dramatic effect? catharsis? Whatever, it isn't always healthy to dwell, become hyperbolic, and ride the time of high emotion. What did that article about teenage girls who dwell on their problems call it? Ah, "co-rumination." In this instance, and probably all similar ones, meditating is better than blogging (though blogging is obviously good for something, like keeping track of articles and ideas!). And so I won't be re-publishing that post.

Just Call Me Dr. Mommy Hungry

Oh, you could already.

:)

But I mean M.D. not Ph.D.

Because I properly diagnosed Bud: ear infection AND pink eye. That's right, it doesn't need to be itchy to qualify--redness and green discharge suffice. And the doctor thinks we'll all get it. Of course, we're washing hands, etc. But, well, it's highly contagious. I just don't know how fast the turnaround is.

Stay tuned . . . .

Request

On these days when I am home alone with sick kids, it helps to get email and/or comments. (Almost) Any kind of adult communication is appreciated. So, please, I'm home today and tomorrow, at the least.

Thanks!

In The Paper

Don't these sound good:

• Vegetarian popovers
• Times Topics: Christmas Recipes
• Farro soup
• Salads for supper
• Cooking with chickpeas
• Non-beef burgers
• and an article on getting Southern food in the city
• finally, Michael Pollan's forthcoming book on cultural rules for eating, like "the whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead."

And to get you thinking:

• Life after Cancer--an inspiring post by Dana Jennings about feeling like himself again
• Study on women gaining weight: single vs. married, child-free vs. moms.
• Women: Quit worrying about your health!
• Charity, empathy, and kids
• The Life of Mary Daly--in the NYTimes and on YouTube
• Doctors' guidelines on end-of-life discussions
• What if you lost all your computer data?

Finally, for your soul:

• On faith

Spoke Too Soon

Bud's ear hurts. And he has grown listless. He's now upstairs watching tv and drinking apple juice. Sis, who finally feels more like herself, is making mail in the basement. (Should I just stay on the first floor by myself in between the two??)

We're heading to the doctor this afternoon.

Which is good because I've been watching his eye turn red and produce lots of discharge and am wondering if you can have pink eye without all that itchiness. Or it could just be this darned cold.

Tidbits

Holiday Burn

The first morning of school last week, the official end of the holidays, Sis looked up from her breakfast and declared, "I want another holiday."

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Homework

We were talking about our babysitter the other day, and what she was probably doing while we were eating dinner. They both, probably rightly, guessed homework. "It should be do-at-your-favorite-person's-house work," Sis said, so that our babysitter could come over all the time.

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The 'L' Word

And they just keep coming. The kids had us in fits of suppressed giggles the other night at bedtime as we tried to read "Steya-yuna" (Stellaluna) to them! And there have been several, more than I can think to write here. The letter "l" starts a whole bunch of words. Mama says she can't listen to the news with a straight face these days because of all the references to Yemen, which, considering the news, you just shouldn't laugh at, but in our house that's a yellow fruit that is used for making "yemonade."

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Igloos

After being down for the holidays, with a promise of a January return, the igloo tents are back. With a caveat: the kids must clear the floors (on all three floors, including the basement) of toys and put everything back (nothing can stay in the tents) every night or else the igloos go away (special permission can be begged for projects like a big train track layout). In fact, they had to prove they understood the clean-up policy by doing it all week before we put the igloos, which were magnets for mess, back in the playroom on the main floor. But the kids have done beautifully, no, more than beautifully, almost perfectly. The house is cleaner every night, I get upset less, and they have their own spaces to play in. Clean-up is on its way to being an actual habit! I couldn't be happier. Them, too, I think.

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Piano Serenades

Bud has taken to playing the piano, fast or slow, loud or soft, high notes or low, and then asking me what it makes me think of. And then he plays another one, usually different in tone and tempo. Sometimes, he'll just tell me right off, "I played that like a rainbow." I've asked Mama to find us some Chopin or Liszt or some other piano concertos. (I just read up on Liszt--did you know he was Richard Wagner's father-in-law? And that he took Holy Orders in the Catholic Church and made abbot?)

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Light Brites

The kids got a cubical Light Brite for Christmas from Babysitter--not one but FOUR sides! They have had a great time creating pictures by punching holes through patterned black paper, though it took awhile to remember that v=violent and p=pink. Because, otherwise, p=purple, right? Of course, they are also highly tempted to use the little pegs for everything else, from food to money to treasure in all their games. Anyway, it hasn't changed much since I was a kid, making me wax nostalgic for my own Light Brite. I specifically remember making a clown face one dark evening on the floor in the living room. Aunt Banana was quite an aficionado, if I remember correctly. Every adult who has walked in the house this last week has gotten excited, "I had one of those!" being the first response.

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Emberly Inspirations

The kids, specifically Bud, have gone crazy about drawing. Bud and I (but even more so Mama) have spent lots of time and dozens of sheets of paper making "worlds." We made a forest world, a buildings world, a Native American world, a space world, an ocean world, all complete with appropriate animals, buildings, landscapes. He loves following the directions in the Ed Emberly book, Make a World, which we checked out from the library. Best of all, perhaps, is how its spurred on Mama's creativity as well, for not only does she draw worlds with Bud but has been drawing her own works, too.

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Castles

We are living and breathing castles right now. And not just medieval or typical European castles, but fortresses from all over the world, including various palatial Chinese buildings and temples (the line gets blurry for them; the building need only be impressive). Bud first designed his own from the aforementioned Emberly world book and then started pulling books off our shelves--the Magic School Bus/Miss Frizzle book on castles, my world architecture book, the Magic Tree House books on knights and on China. We've filled the backs and fronts of even more paper with castle after castle. But it doesn't stop there. Now he's building castles out of wooden blocks, first a medieval castle with drawbridge and now a Chinese tower/temple complex with simulated curved roof and front gate, all peopled with his toy knights (3 Europeans, 1 Samurai. He doesn't care) and their armored horses. Lo to Sis if any of her toys cross the blue border of his box (okay, as proud as I am of the igloo success, I am more proud of the genius of the "box": each child has his/her own space in the basement--Sis's is a big carpet and Bud's is a similarly-sized space demarcated by blue tape, hence his blue box--in which they can pile up all the toys they want without having to put them away at night. They know where their spaces are; they don't fight or get in each other's way; and they fill the whole space with their own creativity.) for then Bud's knights attack, which is, of course, exactly what Sis intended in the first place. She has built her own towers now, but prefers to "people" them with panda bears. Which in turn encouraged Bud to pull out the Happy Meal Kung Fu Panda figures (all four of them, embarrassingly) and choreograph a panda dance on the front stage of his block temple complex! He would move them in lines and then in rows, dancing the knights around them. And, Mama, you were going to throw those out! Not anymore.

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Mega Memory

Did I mention that I pulled out the MegaBlocks for the kids again? They basically ran out of wooden blocks in building so many towers and temples and castles and the like and so I found their old plastic blocks. Bud jumped up and down, hugging me and declaring, "thank you so much, Mommy! I love you!" He didn't remember ever seeing them before. But Sis, who has a memory like a steel trap, Mama says, commented, "I used to play ice cream with these." And she did. Two years ago. And I'd totally forgotten.

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Chinese Dragons

When we were at Ma and Gong's this weekend, the kids watched the Chinese New Year's Gala video, specifically focusing on a dance where 9 sword-wielding warriors attack a mean dragon and kill it. Bud has really latched onto this story, first because we had been telling him that Chinese dragons are usually good and this one wasn't. But also because of the dramatic nature of the sword dance (the actual killing was not too gruesome but still highly . . . affecting/effecting??), the artistry of the dragon puppet, the vivid narrative. He drew swordsmen killing the dragon at school, prompting the teacher to check with me about it (like, um, what is your son watching that they are killing dragons with big swords? Really, it was very artsy, I promise). And then, without actually any interference from me, he just decided to draw happy, friendly dragons. Everywhere. On banners, near the castles and temples in his drawings, etc etc etc.

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Valentines

While Bud is obsessed with dragons and castles, Sis has been making Valentines. She woke up one day last week and announced it was time to make cards (no doubt she'd seen displays in the store, which were out even before Christmas!). So she has been decorating cut-out hearts with stickers, foamies, and crayon drawings. She's made a few dozen, mostly for her bunny Amy, but some for Bud's penguin Tango, and even a few for real people! Bud copied her, almost immediately . . . . drawing happy dragons on his!

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Magic Again

We're back to reading the magic again, both Magic Tree House (we've read the Chinese one, Revolutionary War one, and re-read the Sabertooth Tiger one in the last three days) and Magic School Bus (mainly space and castles). They just can't get enough. And, because of the diversity of topics in each series, I haven't either. (Which reminds me to mention an article on the new ambassador for children's literacy, Katherine Paterson, of Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved. Great write-up on her memories and passion for reading here. Also, there was a great article in Mothering this month about a father's techniques for reading to his children, including guest readers like critters, books on tape once in awhile, special lighting, etc.)

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Medicine Troubles

Sis is having trouble taking her antibiotics this go-round. She's scared they're going to make her throw up, though no medicine ever has. I think the first dose with the syringe surprised her, though she's done it enough times, that she spit it out, hence the growing fear. She was downright terrified last night and got all worked up. The most amazing part, though, was how she talked herself down, "I just have to breathe. Breathe. I'm going to calm down. Oh, Mommy, I think I need to cry again." Just about broke my heart. And it took forever. But she got the medicine down and has been doing better each time.

The Death of a Heroine

Miep Gies, protector of Anne Frank, has died at age 100.

While I admired and respected Anne, it was Miep Gies who was my hero. She knowingly and thus bravely risked everything when she didn't have to, generously, selflessly. I wasn't sure I could ever do that. Of course, it was Anne who suffered the most tragic of fates, all the while asserting the good of humanity. Without Miep to save her diaries, we wouldn't have ever known Anne, though as Miep noted in her memoir, “But always, every day of my life, I’ve wished that things had been different. That even had Anne’s diary been lost to the world, Anne and the others might somehow have been saved."

May they both rest in peace.

Warp Speed: Weaving Meeting

Yesterday, I attended a meeting of the local weaver's guild, where I had lunch with the woman who had sold me her loom, met up with a fellow museum educator and local weaver, and reconnected with a few of my weaving classmates. Best of all, not only did I pick up my warping board, which allows me to begin my next, and first solo, weaving project, I was inspired by the guild's friendship exchange. Apparently, way back when, they decided to exchange kitchen towels and devised a system to determine what they would look like: several patterns, colors, techniques, textures, etc. were written on pieces of paper and placed in a hat and each weaver picked out a few which they had to include, excepting one, in a kitchen towel (apparently, they've done scarves, handbags, and a "monster in the bag" where they exchanged scraps and had to make something). Yesterday, they all came together, showed off their towels, and exchanged the finished products by flipping a coin and passing them to the left. There were several lovely towels--something called a waffle weave that they all labeled a "thirsty towel" because it would absorb a lot, another towel with a lovely sunrise palette of orange, yellow, and red that somehow resulted in a light grapefruit pink too, (I think it was) Bronson lace inlaid on a plaid pattern, a pretty cream towel with embroidered pansies. Just so many different combinations, so many individual ideas. Made me want to make a bunch of hand towels! Excepting I have Jaggerspun cotton/silk not the kind of cotton/linen they mostly used, and mine wouldn't make a good towel. Next time . . . . adding to my list of placemats and tablerunners and scarves that I want to make!

Cookie Monsters

My hands are still red from all the food coloring, but who cares because the cookies were a huge success.

See, we've been watching our "cookie tv" show over and over again, especially with Sis and now Bud under the weather. Sis loves the candy canes by Sandra Lee and Bud loves Emeril's raspberry lemon thumbprints. And so, we decided to make them yesterday. But instead of following two separate recipes (especially because I will not use store-bought dough a la Sandra Lee) and having a huge amount of cookies, I whipped up a batch of Alton Brown's sugar cookie dough, yet another one on our cookie tv show, in just under 10 minutes (I know, that means I softened the butter in the microwave, a big no-no, but time was definitely of the essence) before I ran out the door to church.

When I got home late in the afternoon, after a weaver's guild meeting (more on that, maybe), the first thing Sis said to me was, "let's make the cookies!" Hers called for a ton of red food coloring, which of course she wouldn't touch. And then I got covered in lemon juice and orange zest mixing the dough for Bud's cookies. But they made the shapes of each and helped me get them into the oven. Then we all had a cookie tasting. It's a good solid sugar cookie dough, easily adaptable.

Which is great because I saved half of it in the freezer for another day!

Except, apparently, they want to make Giada de Laurentiis's biscotti next, and that's just a different dough.

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Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes.

For Sis's Candy Cane Cookies: split (half of) dough in half, adding red food coloring to one half until it is the desired red color. Roll "worms" of each dough and then twist together, placing them on the cookie sheet with a "bend" for the crook of the candy cane. Bake as directed.

For Bud's Lemon-Raspberry Thumbprints: add orange zest (about a teaspoon) and lemon juice (1-2 teaspoons) to his half of the dough. Pinch off ball of dough, roll into ball, place on cookie sheet, press with thumb or little measuring spoon, and fill indentation with raspberry jam (alas, no Chambord). Bake as directed.

No School For Us

We're home today. Sis's ear infection became a nasty cold and Bud now has signs of it.

So, right now, we're in bed, watching the national gingerbread house championships on tv, again. It's 14F outside and Mama is layering on the clothes to head to work.

More on the weekend, though there isn't much, soon. And lots of other thoughts brewing, even a post on my gingerbread house tips. Others include: sugar cookie dough, weaving revisited, kindergarten transitions, piano serenades, light brites, new health research findings, food culture a la Michael Pollan, igloos, etc.

Officially Sick

It's a raging ear infection.

So Sis is on antibiotics.

And Mama and the doc had yet another discussion about "what next" regarding Sis's ears and tonsils, the answer to which is nothing now. Just keep watching and waiting. We'd already seen the ENT awhile back, who said pretty much the same thing.

We're in for the weekend, no parties, probably not church school for the kids (I have to teach, after missing several days, with several more to come. It hasn't been a good year for Sundays). We'll see about school and playgroup on Monday.

But there's more snow on the way.

At least it's pretty . . . .

Go, Texas!

Okay, I know, they lost. But it could've been worse and they did well (it got as close as 24-21) considering they lost their quarterback almost right away and were in the hands of an untested freshman.

Anyway, we're watching the game, for something different. Bud is becoming quite a football fan. Yes, I know, a little late in the year, but the Super Bowl is coming up, right?

Sis is in the tub, trying hard to feel better. She just doesn't. Mama is taking her to the doctor's office in about 1 1/2 hours.

Wait, Bud just asked for the "cookie show." I guess Bud is a fickle fan. That's okay, though, I'm not sure I could've watched the Longhorns lose.

Downhill

Since talking to my sister this morning (and not because of it, mind you), things have gone downhill. Sis has developed a painful earache and has grown increasingly listless, refusing food, not doing much else but sitting around. Yep, she's sick. We have an appointment this afternoon with the pediatrician. And yes, she stayed home from school today. They both did. (And will both no doubt miss the birthday party we were so looking forward to attending tomorrow). I won't be surprised if the whole family comes down with whatever it is.

And now one of the cats has thrown up an odd assortment of non-cat food things: a bit of a plastic bag, a piece of string, and a small green felt dot. A). What compels a cat to eat this stuff? B). Which cat is it? They both seem fine now but we're on cat watch for symptoms of distress.

You won't be surprised to hear that Mama will be heading home early. Sis asked for her to take her to the doctor and we don't really want to expose Bud needlessly to the doctor's office.

At least the snow is pretty?

Aunt Banana, that vacation you mentioned--even to a beach, which wouldn't be my first choice--is sure looking good right now!

Delayed, Delayed, and Once Again Delayed

Yep, school's late today because it is still snowing.

Not a huge accumulation, just constant.

I've realized there will probably be a delay every time it snows so that the school custodians have time to clear all the walks and parking before the students and staff arrive (or because people in Connecticut are just extremely wimpy, er, cautious, compared to Chicagoans, where school never seemed to be cancelled). I don't mind much today because I didn't have anything planned, really (I can go to my WW meeting tomorrow morning). In fact, sometimes it hardly seems worth dragging everyone outside for the 1.5 hours they'll be in school on delay days.

Though I didn't put out bowls for snow ice cream (there probably wouldn't have been enough anyway).

At least it's pretty.

Have a Great Weekend!

Wishing an especially good weekend to my friend Rev. M, who is getting a mini-vacation with her fiancee. Have a wonderful time!

Hook 'Em, Horns!

Perhaps the best part of the game (which I'm not watching, though I saw the current score online) was calling my parents before it even started and having the kids shout "Go Texas! Go Longhorns! Hook 'em, Horns!" complete with handsigns.

Sure, no one seems to think they could win, but, hey, at least they made it there, right?

(Oh, whoops, sorry, Uncle Soccer.)

Breakfast Bounty

Just as I'm starting to consider the menu for my Groundhog Day brunch, Mark Bittman writes about brioche for french toast and bread pudding instead of challah. I am considering making a marmalade french toast casserole and so will look for brioche when I go bread shopping, even though it calls for sourdough which I don't really like (my bread machine book has a recipe for brioche but I think that's overdoing it for me). Yum!

Otherwise, I'm thinking sherried eggs, hashbrown casserole, and fruit salad, pretty much like last year, and maybe an oatmeal bar! (And yes, Miss J, we'd love it if you make the blueberry crumble. I'll call you about coffee soon!) Brunch is fun because no one else around here has a morning party, so it's not like we see the same dish (read: that admittedly tasty cream cheese-salsa dip) all the time.

Recipe Needed

I've been contemplating recipes and my devotion to them a lot recently. While I received several wonderful cookbooks for Christmas (and mind you, they were on my list), I have also gotten much better at improvising in the kitchen, in other words, not using the recipes that I so assiduously collect. I even enjoy altering and adapting recipes that I have mastered to create something new and different.

But it has also come to my attention why I rely on recipes so heavily. I had a bag of carrots that needed to be eaten. But I wasn't ready to wait 30+ minutes and heat up the kitchen by turning on the oven. And then I remembered a recipe for glazed carrots that Cousin S had passed on to me a long while back. I easily found it in my giant cookbook, where I compile ever recipe I make for easy reference. And it was a great success!!! The kids loved it. Thank heavens I had the recipe because I wouldn't have remembered it or thought up how to make it on my own. Thus, the importance of my recipe collection.

And then, this week, I made chicken pot pie. But I couldn't remember how I started it and what the ratios were. So I found my "perfect pot pie" recipe on my blog and followed it. Again, thank heavens for recipes. Then I used the leftover glazed carrots. And some soy sauce chicken from earlier in the week. It occurred to me that this was why pot pies were invented in the first place: to clean out the fridge! Anyway, the new sweet and savory pot pie was amazing. We ate almost the whole thing the first night.

Of course, sometimes the experimentation goes awry, like it did with a white bean and kale with rice soup that is currently in my freezer because I'm not sure I can bear to eat anymore of it right now (and so I'm really not going to bother writing down any kind of recipe for it, even if I put a warning on it telling me not to make it!). It wasn't awful, just not as good as all of those ingredients should've made it. On top of it, my friend Mama Teacher reminded me yesterday of a recipe for winter vegetable soup she had shared with me that would've been perfect for those white beans, had I remembered it. There's a disadvantage of relying on recipes: having too many and not remembering the really good ones.

Of course, while I don't want to make the bean-kale-rice thing again, I do want to make the new pot pie again. And that's a problem with experimentation: unlike a dish made from a recipe, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to make it again. And therein lies my devotion to recipes: I like repetition and reliability. As much as I enjoyed the experimentation of my new pot pie, I would like it even more if I could be sure I could make it again. I can try to write it all down, but it really was serendipity that it all came together.

Which means, I guess, that I just need to get better, not at cooking from recipes or not, but in enjoying the food I'm eating in the moment and not worrying so much about recreating that moment.

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Glazed Carrots

several carrots, cut into “fingers”

cinnamon

brown sugar

lemon or orange juice

water

Peel and cut carrots into strips. Place in saucepan with cinnamon and brown sugar. Add a little water or lemon or orange juice. Steam carrots on low/medium until cooked to desired consistency.

Cousin S

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New Sweet and Savory Pot Pie

2 refrigerated pie crusts, at room temperature

approximately 1 - 1 1/2 cups of leftover glazed carrots (I didn't even bother to cut them up)

3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups cooked chicken thigh meat seasoned with soy sauce and Maggi (approx.)

1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups stock (I used vegetable)
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Then add flour. Cook until brown (i.e. brown but not burnt--if it burns, toss it out and start roux again. You can't get rid of that bitter burnt roux taste). Allow to boil so "gravy" will thicken. Add vegetables and cooked chicken to heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spray inside of 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Roll out and lay down bottom pie crust. Fill with vegetables, chicken, and "gravy." Top with remaining pie crust. Vent. Put pie plate on cookie sheet to prevent spillover. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until crust is brown and filling is bubbly.

Mommy Hungry, via Miss L and Martha Stewart's Everyday Living and Cousin S

FYI

For those of you who read the rare comments on my blog, the one that was posted in Chinese the other day, when translated, was purely an ad for a pornographic website. Even if it sure looked so pretty in all those characters, it wasn't.

Needless to say, it has been deleted. No sense encouraging the horny Mandarin-reading population to come here.

Roughhousing

I had an epiphany this morning when my friend "church Miss L" came over with her two girls and boy: I'm not at all comfortable with roughhousing, or really any rambunctious play. See, all her two girls and my kiddos decided to dance and ice skate on our currently slippery kitchen floor (we thought it was slippery because it was dirty; Miss L contends it might just be too clean because of the steam mop. Who would have figured?). Then they began sliding the length of the kitchen on their knees, sometimes in a row, like a toboggan, so I termed it "tobogganing."

And it made me exceedingly nervous. But Miss L was okay. And the kids were having a great time. No injuries. No real danger. See, Miss L's kids are more active than ours and so she has a higher tolerance for more physical play. And so I drew from her confidence and let them play, instead of interceding, as an experiment. She had told me there was a study that children who receive such sensory input are actually less likely to roughhouse with other kids. And tussling and such has been on the rise here, with Sis and Bud overdoing it and hurting each other and Mama and I refereeing too much, when we know the kids need to learn to police themselves. But we're both uncomfortable with the tussling, the possibility of their getting hurt, but really, I think, with the naked physical aggression of it all. And the danger. Did I mention the danger? I am extremely physically cautious, as is Mama, though not as much. We have a safe word, "calf rope," which means let go and stop right now, but the kids forget to use it, even if it is respected when they remember to call it out. Usually the kid on the bottom just starts screaming. Not a good use of "your words." Obviously, it's something we need to work on (along with all the tattling to mommies instead of working it out on your own, for which I've gotten a lot of good advice, basically telling the kids to talk to each other and express their feelings and ask for what they need; I get involved if someone is or can be hurt physically or emotionally. Otherwise, DIY. Of course, at this age, I still have to facilitate their talking to each other, but that's okay.)

So I stood back and watched, well, maybe not so far "back." And I started wondering if this might not be the main arena where our kids are at a disadvantage at having two rather sedate and cerebral mommies instead of either a more active mommy or an active daddy. The stereotype is, of course, that men roughhouse more, play more actively and aggressively, are just more physical (is it nature? nurture? Who knows, who cares--it's a difference. I noticed it with Uncle Soccer in October, just a more physical interaction. But, then, I don't see it much with Goo, who is more like Mama and me, I suspect.). Anyway, does that mean we need to be more lenient about the physical play, letting them do things like toboganning more? (and you should have heard the sound of unhappiness when I told Mama about our morning activity.) Do I need to become more adept at roughhousing? How do I just stand back and watch, even allow the minor scrape and bruise and tears, in an attempt to let them explore this side of themselves? When do you get involved? When they're bleeding? Just before? What is too dangerous? Can they run in the house? Should they be able to toboggan? (this is mainly of import during the winter when it is often too messy to play outside at length.) How much sensory input is enough? For this morning, I took my cues from Miss L, who is much more used to this, but now what?

Ooooh, I can feel my rules bending and my mind stretching. And I'm not comfortable at all.

But I am very glad you and your kids came over to play this morning, Miss L!

Just Busy

So, please don't read my lack of posting as some kind of deeper emotional upset continuing from the other day. I was just a bit overwhelmed them. Now I'm busy but without all the baggage. Call it catch up from the holidays. I've been spending my child-free time running errands and doing chores, as well as catching up with local friends whom I didn't see over the last few weeks, instead of blogging. Which means I have a backload of posts I'm trying not to forget before I write them. And that isn't now because we're getting everybody dressed and Mama off to work on yet another very cold morning.

But one tidbit before I go: the other day, we were talking and Bud announced joyfully, "I love everybody!" Sis cocked her head to one side and eventually said, cautiously, "Well, I love my family."

Mommy on the Emotional Edge

I've been simultaneously counting my blessings and worrying about all manner of things today, much more than usual. I even got teary thinking about my Richard, whom a few of my readers may remember as the student I worked with who died of Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. And while the trigger for my emotional state might be a stereotypical one, it doesn't make the gratitude for health, family, security, and love or the worry about children, upcoming projects, housework, "the future," and the like any less powerful or real. Just very much an unexpected roller-coaster ride.

I like carousels.

So thanks to those of you who listened and reached out to me today, in person and via email. I really appreciate it.

Hugs to Miss B

My thoughts and prayers go out to Miss B's daughter K, who was diagnosed this weekend with Kawasaki Disease and spent several days in the hospital being treated. She is home now and doing much better, but, of course, worries will persist, especially about longterm cardiac problems. K is not yet 2 years old. Miss B has had a tough few weeks, year even, having had surgery herself not quite a month ago, after more than a year of treatment for kidney and parathyroid issues.

Long Live the Lentil!

I'm so excited: Mark Bittman, aka The Minimalist, has just written an article about dal, or cooked beans. As you know, I love beans, especially lentils (even if I've given up my blog devoted to legumes)--in fact I have a pot of white beans with kale and rice, and some various spices including garam masala (it was clean out the fridge night) on the stove right now--and I can't wait to try his recipes, one with apples and coconut, the other with cashews (okay, Mama won't like these last two so I'll have to do it on a day she's working, which gives me several dates to choose from in the coming three months).

New Year's Goals and Resolutions

As usual, I have been considering the new year and resolutions and thus reading up on them in the papers.

• Resolutions from Dr Oz--9 suggested ones, including flossing, 7 minutes of yoga, having a resolution buddy, etc.
• How little exercise can you get away with? For mental health benefits, even 20 minutes a week can make you cheerier.
• Carpe Diem--don't wait, do it! Mama and I are getting much better about this, eating the special foods we buy, using the special soaps, whatever we're saving.
• Bono writes humorously and inspiringly on Ten Top Ten things we should do in the teens/tweens.

And so, I'm thinking of things I'm planning on focusing on this year. First, the big resolution, which is in my mind the lofty "big picture," and then the small actionable goals, or how I achieve the resolution (which is probably just befuddled semantics, but it's how I like to think of it. I'm a "big picture" girl).

Resolution: Continue my quest for a healthier lifestyle for me and my family, which has recently included getting cans and plastic containers out of the house (because of BPA), continuing our CSA subscription to encourage better seasonal and local eating, getting outside with the kids some everyday, and focusing on my PT workouts and WW program after the holiday hiatus (I gained about 3 lbs, which isn't bad, all things considered, and should hopefully go away fairly quickly).

Goal: Do not drive while talking on the cell phone. Even hands-free.

Goal: Set alarm clock for 6:30 a.m. so I can do my stretches and check email (maybe even blog) before the kids are up around 7:00 ish.

Goal: Make two new recipes a week (either for me or the kids), focusing on my new cookbooks.

That's it for now. And it's enough really.

Our Holiday Express

We had a great Christmas at Ma and Gong's house, along with Goo. We spent Saturday morning atthe New York Botanical Garden, where we saw the Holiday Express Train Show. 140 famous New York landmarks (thanks for finding the list, Mama!) constructed of natural materials such as bark, leaves, seeds, and flowers, were surrounded by living plants and, best of all, several running train lines. Bud and Sis were fascinated, mostly with the trains and bridges overhead, while we adults admired the craftsmanship of the various and sundry buildings. Bud and Sis did like Yankee Stadium, about the only NY building they vividly remember. My favorites included the Van Cortlandt Manor, with its little twiggy porch, and Olana, with its amazing architectural detail. There were also several houses I'd never heard of--the Old Stone House, Kings Manor, and several 17th- and 18th-century NY structures. The newest building was a replica of the old Penn Station, a gigantic reproduction of the Beaux-Art building.

Once we'd walked around the train show twice, we headed over to the special Thomas the Tank Engine show, which turned out to be not so special. They were obviously set up for crowds, with lots of space for lines, and not much else. First stop, they write your name on a certificate. Second stop, pictures with Sir Topham Hatt (or not. Kids don't like characters. We won't be going to DisneyWorld anytime soon). Lastly, you got to see Thomas. Thomas himself was a small--half-life sized version, not nearly as impressive as the real working steam engine Thomas that we'd seen at Day Out with Thomas. Even the kids noticed and were underwhelmed. So we took a photo or two and headed to the holiday-themed Gingerbread Adventures, which was fantastic. There were several stations, including a places to grind and experiment with the different ingredients of gingerbread, mainly cloves, cinnamon, wheat, and of course ginger. They even got to plant their own wheat grass. And then we went to a special cookie demo, including another discussion of gingerbread ingredients (during which Sis volunteered several of the answers!) which ended with the kids decorating their own gingersnaps (which then Sis undecorated to eat plain). We made a quick stop at the shop, for postcards and books about the trains, plus some Chocopologie chocolate with rose and also with salted caramel, we snagged at the register.

Off to dim sum we went, Sis's personal (and repeated) request. And boy did she eat! Numerous custard buns and don tot. And she watched: everytime a woman with a pushcart went by, Sis's head would turn almost all the way around as she evaluated the offerings. More than once she asked Gong to find one of her favorites at the stations along one wall. She's got dim sum down. Bud loved the shumai. We think he had 8 of them, which he impaled on a chopstick and ate in the round, as did Sis. Mama was incredulous until Ma said that she head eaten them the exact same way as a child. We ate and ate and ate. Sauteed greens, bacon-wrapped shrimp, tripe with turnips, scallion pancakes, bbq pork buns, noodles with chicken, ha chung or shrimp crepe things (Mama's favorite!), waterchestnut cakes. Then desserts, always my favorite: coconut custard cubes, almond dofu with fruit, green sesame seed paste buns, custard buns, lotus seed paste buns, brown sugar cakes, mango dofu. And I had a pearl tapioca coconut bubble tea! Can you say stuffed to the gills? The kids even fell asleep on the way home, which is unheard of these days.

But not for long because second Christmas beckoned. We had to do a few things before we could open presents, including decorating Ma's tree with piles of Hallmark ornaments, a collection she's been growing for years, and the candy canes we'd brought specifically for that purpose. In Mama's family, all gifts are distributed to the recipients, with a pile growing by each person; then everyone opens kind of simultaneously (well, for the kids anyway). In fact, they usually exchanged all the presents Christmas Eve, staying up until the wee hours of the morning playing with the new toys. Mama remembers just falling asleep amid her loot as she played! Sis received two Barbie dolls and Bud got a humongous remote-controlled car (yes, gender stereotypes are alive and well with the grandparents, but protesting has no effect and so is no longer even attempted. Besides the kids were thrilled. And both Mama and I had Barbies. And nothing as cool as Vet Barbie. And we survived. Neither one of us had such a car and the only downside there is that it will be an outdoor only toy. It's that big). The kids played and played and played ("Yook, Mommy, I got a Swyinky!").

And played and played and played. Then it was dinner (with the Bread Pudding I brought) and Bud was so wiped that he excused himself . . . to go to bed! Sis followed about 15 minutes later. We were shocked. But then they didn't sleep. And played and played and played. At one point, I popped my head in their space (in the living room, which is pretty much its own contained room) and they were both standing up sprinkling torn of tissue "snow" on their critters singing, "Oh, I wish it would snow!" (from the storytelling we heard at the Pequot last week, from Rabbit's Wish for Snow). I thought it was funny and endearing so instead of chastising them, I beckoned everyone else to watch! And they played and played and played. We finally had to insist on their trying to sleep as it got closer to 11:30. It's the latest they've ever stayed up.

And they still woke up at 6:30 a.m. The least amount of sleep they've ever gotten. But then, I guess, that's partly what the holidays are for. Sunday found the adults conferring about our planned trip into midtown to see the Rockefeller Tree and other traditional stops on our holiday tour: Teuscher's Chocolates, the Sak windows, the Cathedral with its creche, and, of course, FAO Schwarz. But the windchill was below zero, with some snow showers expected. That's not just uncomfortable weather; that can be dangerous. So we opted to cancel the field trip and stay home, much to the kids' delight. They played more and then decided they wanted to go outside. They ran Bud's car in the driveway, not noticing the cold that was driving the adults to distraction. Then Sis wanted to walk to the beach. The beach! (Ma and Gong live 9 houses from the Atlantic). And we said yes. So we quickly hauled down the street and walked on the frozen sand--frozen sand!--and looked at all the seashells no one has been picking up (there were lots that had washed onshore, including two huge complete horseshoe crabs). There was neither snow on the sand nor ice in the water, but the wind was bitter. We rushed back home.

And decorated a gingerbread house, complete with tree and people (from another kind of kit, which comes with a special base that the gingerbread fits in--neat idea, really mediocre pre-mixed icing). And then we made the Christmas tree kit that we'd brought, along with lots of extra candy. Everyone had fun decorating what I think was our fourth or fifth set of gingerbread this year (we now have a village, complete with lighthouse, on our front porch! Not including these new ones which we left in NY).

Lunch, more playing, and then exhaustion and more snow arrived. It was time to go home. The kids were bereft and hard to wrangle in the car, even more upset when we dropped Goo off at his house, which sadness made for a long drive home--because Sis didn't sleep (Bud did but woke up crying). No sense dwelling on the goodbyes. There was so much fun--and that's all we're remembering today.

Except when the kids were talking about having been to the beach to their school teachers today, no one believed them!

-=-=-=-=-

Bread Pudding and Rum Sauce

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup butter, melted

2 ¾ cup whipping cream

4 cups cubed French bread

¾ cups raisins (or less)

Combine first 4 ingredients. Stir in butter and cream. Gently stir in bread and raisins. Pour in lightly greased 2-quart deep dish. Bake 375°F for 50-55 minutes, shielding with foil after 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Southern Living magazine

Bourbon Sauce (we used rum)

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour

½ cup sugar

1 cup cream (whipping, heavy, half-and-half)

2 (or 1) tablespoons bourbon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Melt butter in a small saucepan; whisk in flour and cook 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and cream; cook 3 minutes. Stir in bourbon, vanilla, and nutmeg, and simmer 5 minutes.

Family Circle

Slow Start

We have a school delay because of several hours of snow yesterday and last night (though our total was probably only about 3"). I'm working on a long post about our great weekend--Holiday train show at the New York Botanical Garden plus a visit with Thomas the Tank Engine and a gingerbread program, dim sum in Flushing, Christmas with Ma, Gong and Goo, playing with all the new toys, staying up way too late, waking up way too early, decorating yet more gingerbread houses and trees, and finally heading home in front of a snow storm which only caught us the last 5 miles. You'll note that we didn't do midtown with the Rockefeller tree, etc. We just couldn't brave a negative wind chill factor with snow showers. So instead, we went to the beach! But, that's all going to have to wait until I grab some time first to finish some chores and errands and then blog.

Welcome back to school!

Post Hiatus

I probably won't be posting until Sunday evening, busy with grandparents.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful 2010 and the decade beyond!