Unique Like Everyone Else

Proper Roasted Chicken

I had a craving yesterday for proper roasted chicken. 

Not "boneless, skinless", but boneful and s(k)inful!  Yum! 

 

Simple seasonings:  salt, fresh-ground pepper, garlic powder, oregano, olive oil. 
Roast about an hour till brown and juicy.  

 

That, and some turnips and green beans from the Farm Box.
Mmm.  Just what I needed!

Sometimes My Brilliance Astounds Me

We are only two weeks into the school year, and already I am bored with making lunches for the kids.  Especially J-Boy.  In addition to having a narrow palette of foods he finds acceptable or even tolerable, when you add the persnickety/perfectionist aspect of presentation, I am limited even further by what will travel well in his soft-sided lunchbox.  While we've come a LONG way, I can't tell you how many cereal bars I ate when he was under the age of 5 that were "ruined" because they broke in half before he was able to take the first bite.

J-Girl adopted a bento-box style lunch carrier, from Laptop Lunches, a couple years ago.  At first I found the constraints of the hard sided partitions and case to be annoying, but soon I learned to love it.  I can't talk J-Boy into using one, though.  Even with his love of things Japanese.  If they made a digital one, he would probably be into it, for the greatest thing to come out of Japan for him is video games.  If I could download meals to get him some HP ("Health Points" = strength, energy in video games), that would be awesome!

So, back to the boredom...I decided to spread peanut butter between graham cracker squares to change up the ol' PB&J.  When I thought about how they would fare in the lunchbox, though, I pictured a sticky mass of crumbs that would never get eaten.  My problem was that I didn't have an available plastic reusable container that the graham crackers could fit in.

What I DID have, however, was the box that the graham crackers came in! 

 

VICTORY!!

Anti-Social Skills

So, we were having lunch with some friends the other day, and the subject of fluffernutter sandwiches came up.  You know, peanut butter and marshmallow creme on--presumably, a must--white bread? 

 

Well, I was called out for being a horrible mother to have deprived my kids of such deliciousness, and J-Boy was immediately sent to the neighboring supermarket with his friend to go purchase a couple jars of fluff.

While the boys were on their errand the conversation turned to the importance of teaching our A-boys (our boys both have autism) life skills with these sorts of small tasks and doses of independence. It is essential that they be able to communicate their needs and access the community.  The whole process of finding the item in the grocery that they need, standing in line, paying with cash and making change, interacting with the store employees, etc., while second nature to us adults, can be a lot to navigate for a child.

Impressed by their quick return from accomplishing their goal, I chuckled as I asked them for details of their quest. 

"Haha!  What did the lady at the register think of you two boys going to the store just to buy marshmallow fluff?  Did she ask you what kind of mischief you were up to?  Haha!"

"No.  We just used the Self-Checkout."

 

Ah, technology. 
I think these kids are not only going to be just fine,
but may literally rule the world. :)

 

Juice 'Em, Danno

We have been enjoying our subscription to an organic farm box for over a year now.  We've been through all the seasons, and have made friends with some new produce that I would not have ventured to try on my own.  The weekly adventure and challenge to create meals around the bounty of the box has, perhaps ironically, gotten us to think outside the box when it comes to new recipes with new ingredients. 

Sometimes the challenge is more about the amount of a certain item than the possible obscurity of it.  Take oranges.  No, take 'em!!  (I had a friend who lived in a small town in Northern California that was thick with apple orchards.  He said when folks would drive into town, they would be sure to lock their cars, not because of pervasive crime, but becasue if you didn't someone was likely to ditch a crate of apples in it while you were off running errands.) 

 

The problem is I don't really like orange-flavored things.  I love navel oranges, blood oranges, those clemintine cuties, and I especially dig on minneloa tangelos.  My crazy kids only seem to like canned mandarin oranges, and Big Daddy would probably eat them if I peeled them for him, but I'm just not that nice.

I was dropping J-Boy off at a friend's house last Saturday, and saw that they also subscribe to the farm box.  We chit-chatted about how we love it, what we love about it, etc.  Then I mentioned that I was about ready for the citrus season to be over, "I'm running out of ideas!"  "Oh," she casually replied, "I usually just juice 'em."  Duh!!!!  

So that's what I did.

 

 

What a delicious blend!

Now, if anyone has any suggestions for oodles of onions...

 

French Connection

I'll be honest; it's always seemed easier to describe my sister by how we differ than how we are alike.  She's short, I'm tall.  She's got red hair, I've got brown.  She has big eyes, mine are small.  Her hair is long, mine's short. She's petite, I'm fa-...um...voluptuous.  I like sports, she does not.  She was born with a gourmet palate, I would cry and go on a hunger strike if there was not peanut butter and jelly on the menu.  She would tell our parents "stuff", I was tight-lipped.  She would cry if she got in trouble, I would be pissed that I got caught.  I usually sum up the description with, "It's amazing we grew up in the same household!" 

 

   

But, as we've grown older we have the common bond of motherhood and the shared experiences of our childhoods to reflect on, and I realize how alike we really are.  My favorite thing that we share is the same laugh.  When we really get going with a genuine guffaw, it is the same!  And now that she lives so far away, when I hear her in my own laugh it makes me really miss her.

She has been living in France for the past few years and with our busy lives and the 8 hour time difference we don't get to speak to each other as often as we'd like.  We think about each other all the time, and most of the time it seems it is the wrong time of day "over there" to pick up the phone and just say, "hey!"  She took a chance the other day, though, and we were both so happy to be able to chat.  Do you know what is amazing????

That over the miles we both bought fava beans that day! 

And, without any consult whatsoever, we are both presently reading books by the same author!

    
 
Amazing!!!

I love you, sis!  Even though we are physically far apart, we are still connected.  Don't forget that!  You are such a lovely, inspiring, generous, thoughtful, smart, and beautiful woman!  I love you and you teach me so much about sensitivity, joie de vivre, and to laugh at a three-legged carrot!  Thank you!

We Bought the Farm (Box)

Such excitement!  I've been making luscious compost for a while now.  I have to confess, however, that I have never used the finished product!  This is mainly because I encountered a problem  learning opportunity that I have not taken the time to deal with--I never HAVE finished product.  I am continually adding fresh fodder to my compost and mixing it in.  I think I need a second bin, but with my recent self-awareness that I may be a collecter, I'm proceeding with caution.  So, the vegetable garden that I was planning to grow and feed with the compost has never happened. In fact, the area that I had imagined brimming with broccoli, beans, and bell peppers has been reconsidered as a possible habitat for a California Desert Tortoise.   

Then one of my local Facebook friends, Sneaks, made a random comment about having too many figs in her farm box.  I had no idea what she was talking about, but I wanted in on it!  What is a "farm box" and how do I get one???  She directed me to Abundant Harvest Organics.  It is a subscription service to organic produce that you pick up at a local meeting spot each Saturday.   They even put a couple of recipes in the box each week to jumpstart your menus, and have a ton more online.  And as an added bonus, Sneaks blogs her weekly menu and recipes based on the stuff in the farm box. 

Big Daddy was a bit of a skeptic.  He just didn't see me cooking enough to warrant a bounty of vegetables every week.  So I did a test drive.  I checked the website and bought a bunch of the produce featured in the box at the local market.  Then I used them!  And I impressed (pressed?) BD into agreeing to getting a farm box every week.  He loves it!

 

We've been enjoying the challenge of using everything in the box by the time the next week comes around.  So far, so good! 

 

   

 

 
 
 
 

The neat thing about getting a bunch of random fruits and veggies that you didn't choose is that it gives you a creative starting place.  We've been in such a rut cooking the same meals week-in and week-out.  We go to the store and we get lettuce, tomato, carrots, bananas, apples, cilantro, onion, blah, blah, blah.  Now we are eating Tuscan kale, Italian peppers, Fuyu persimmons, bok choy, eggplant, various varieties of potatoes and squash.  It's like opening a present every week!

We Do Things...Too.

Ah, summer.  Now that BOTH kids are finally out of school we can breath a little and have some fun! 

We had a lovely weekend hanging out with the Do-ers...doing things! 

Saturday was a playdate for the grown-ups.  We went out to Frazier Park to the Wine in the Pines festival. 

Not only were we without the kids, but there wasn't even cell service out there for them to be able to bother reach us!  We have entered a new stage of parenting!  Though we still had a sitter come over to keep an eye on J-Boy.  Not that he would really get into any trouble, but he needs someone there to remind him to get off the videogame for a minute and eat.  As much as he tries to convince us, boy cannot live on videogames alone. 

On Sunday Big Daddy had to work, but we were invited to join the Do-ers for their annual cherry-picking out in Leona Valley (see what I mean? They DO stuff!)  I had to call BD out to meet the Do-er's longtime friend, Bronco, because he drives Big Daddy's dream car.  He 'fessed up later that he almost ditched the work just so he could ride in it!

Part of this excursion is for our own cherry loving enjoyment--even J-Boy tried one and agreed that they were delicious. 

 

But the other reason is for the cheap child labor extra manpower friends gladly lend to one another.  Bronco makes fruit wines, and his cherry wine is delicious (as are the pear, strawberry, blackberry, and cranberry).  We are very fortunate to be in the pipeline for testing his wares, and letting out my inner-Chemistry nerd discussing the wine-making process .  Thanks, Do-er Dad!

The girls worked till the end, though they didn't take kindly to comments about lolly-gagging.  You'll notice they did a good job picking this tree bare!

And the boys, one in particular, were done before we were finished.  You can tell because he sat with his seatbelt on and ready to go for about a half an hour.  And his truly kind-hearted buddy, who LOVES his family's cherry-picking tradition, kept his guest company. 

 

Here's the haul, minus what we took home to munch on!  There are TWO of these coolers filled with about 80 pounds of cherries!

 

What a great weekend!  One of the best parts was J-Boy asking me later, "Where can we go tomorrow?"  I guess I better start filling up his calendar!

A Dangerous and Puzzling Anniversary

April 4th marked 17 years of wedded bliss for Big Daddy and I.  My kind friend, M., said, "What?  Did you guys get married when you were twelve??"  No, but I am quickly approaching that milestone when I will have been with Big Daddy for exactly half my life. 

We decided to celebrate our special day by staying home and relishing the lovely life we've created together. 

We intensly worked on a jigsaw puzzle.  We (ok, I) thought the kids would naturally join us and it would instigate some nice family togetherness.  J-Girl came and helped BD and I finish framing it out, but J-Boy was totally uninterested. 

 

He did come around for dessert, however.  Many months ago Big Daddy's mom sent me a recipe.  I thought it sounded fun, but since she hadn't tried it, I just filed it away.  THEN, more recently, my buddy and renowned chef, K-Dog, sent me the same recipe with a personal review. 

"Ok...so I had to try this tonight..the taste was pretty good.  Probably would have been better had I had the chocolate chips and if I had a richer cocoa powder.  The texture is...in a word...odd.   Cakelike, sort of.  Spongey, very firm.  I figured it would be more like a souffle but it wasn't.  I'm sure it would work in a pinch if you're having a cake jonsing.  Makes for an interesting kitchen experiment."

Mmmm!  How could you NOT try it???  It sounded like the perfect family-fun way to celebrate!  It's called "A Dangerous Cake Recipe", and is basically a single-sized cake baked in a cup by the microwave.   

We were each in charge of mixing up our own concoctions. 

 

Our neighbor and friend who is more like family, B.celebrated with us!  Overall, the reaction was positive.

   

 

        5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake:  aka "A Dangerous Cake Recipe"

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional, or so they say...)

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (microwave safe, not optional)

Add the dry ingredients to the mug and mix well.  Add the egg and mix thoroughly.  Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.  Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract and mix again. 

Put the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.  The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!  (We found that if you microwave 2 mugs at a time, the result was not "over the top", and more dense.)

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. 

 

 

We chose to add vanilla ice cream right on top and serve in the mugs.  Why dirty more plates and put aside the novelty of cooking in a cup??  Also, the original recipe says that one mug can serve two people.  We thought we'd test that theory as well.  None of the kids finished theirs, and Big Daddy and I had to moan and groan on the sofa for a bit before we could get back to our puzzle. 

The best part, however, was this:

Yep, he's a keeper alright!

I love you, Big Daddy!  Thank you for a wonderful seventeen years and here's to a hundred and seventeen more!  Mmmmmwwwaaaaahhhh!

Butt of the Joke

I first heard this term from a co-worker almost 15 years ago (gotta love the things you learn in a testosterone-laden work environment).  I still laugh every time I peel a banana.

If you've ever wondered what to call it, official designations aside, why not refer to it as

The 'Ban-anus'

 

ba•na•nus   bă•nā•nus  [buh-ney-nuh s]  \bə-ˈnā -nəs\ 

noun  : the terminal plug found in the base of a peeled banana.

[Origin: unknown; contraction of banana+anus]

 

The Inaugural Meal

They said it would be a day that you will always remember, the day that Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. 

A historical event, to be sure.  It made me take note of other "where were you when..." events I've experienced in my life, wondering when I was old enough, or aware enough, to pay attention to my physical surroundings, to ground and give tangibility to an intense emotion or moment.  I was surprised that I couldn't recall any shocking headlines from my youth off the top of my head.  I could only come up with a few from my twenties:

• President Clinton was elected...I was at the kitchen table in our condo in San Diego watching the TV intently.

• Kurt Cobain  was found dead...I was in the LAPD Toxicology Lab sitting at my desk.

• O.J. Simpson was acquitted of double murder...I was in the lunch room of the LAPD Lab, and I even remember what skirt and blouse I had on that day.  (Weird, I know.  And I don't remember what I was wearing for the Kurt Cobain news, but I know it was covered up by my white lab coat...)

It's funny that some of the core lessons I learned in elementary school 30 years ago are still taught on the same timeline that my kids are on:  the Missions in 4th grade, the State Capitols and a state report in 5th grade, a country report in 6th grade.  One of the greatest and awesomely purposeful things about the technological advances that have taken place since those days is access to live television broadcasts, and, of coarse, the internet, at school.  Both of my kids got to witness President Obama's inauguration as it happened, as history was made.  Maybe they took stock of what they were wearing, who was next to them, the smell of that teacher's perfume, tiny unnecessary details that can anchor the event in their memories.  I want that for them. 

And so it occurred to me, as I do enjoy celebrating with themed meals, that I could find out what was on the menu for the inaugural luncheon and serve some semblence of that for dinner on such a historical day.  Food involves all of the senses, and provides a way of connecting with all people.  Imagine my surprise and feeling of hitting the jackpot when not only did I find what was to be on the menu for the inauguration, but the actual recipes that were to be prepared, courtesy of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.  Pay dirt!  And despite the lengthy lists of ingredients, the dishes did not look overly complicated.  Now, before you say, "OMG!  She is so original!" or "OMG! She is such a dork!" or "OMG!  Does she not have better things to do??"  let me assure you that a) I am not that original--do you know that the recipes were the most searched for thing on the internet on Tuesday? b) I have never denied my dorkiness and c) Yes, I have a ton of better things to do, but none as fun as this! 

Note:  One of those "better things to do" was learn how to use my new camera.  I have since figured out the "image stabilization" button, and now know what that red, hopping camera icon was about, so please excuse the poor quality of the pictures!

And so, Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you

Roasted Duck with Sour-Cherry Chutney

Molasses Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Apple Cinnamon Sponge Cake

 

Everything turned out to be SO delicious!  For the main coarse, I substituted boneless-skinless chicken breasts for the duck.  It was glazed with a sour-cherry compote, extra of which was served along side.  The roasted winter vegetables included asparagus, brussel sprouts, and carrots.  Sweet potatoes were baked, then whipped with molasses, maple syrup, and a dash of cumin. Dessert for this Lincoln-inspired Luncheon was apple sponge cake served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. 

I mentioned to my good friend and neighbor, S.,  what I was up to, and she jokingly asked when she should be over.  We had plenty to share since the kids eat like a "brace of American birds" and I was able to catch her before she started her own meal to come and join us.  It was a lovely way to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in history.  Where were you when President Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States?  (The first time, I mean.)  Technically, I was listening to it unfold on the radio while I was sitting in my car in front of Trader Joe's, poised to go in and shop for the makings of the Inaugural Meal.