October 07, 2009

The Reading Nook and The Book Cave

After 3 days, Porkchop finally pooped, so I can finally put him down long enough to blog.  ;)

The promised post:

I think it is important to create spaces in our home that are specifically designed for the little people that live here.  For example, our sunroom is our main play space, and we keep all the toys here, rather than in the girls' bedrooms.  Eventually, I hope the sunroom/playroom will be a place to create parent-free art projects as well.  I envision a space where they can help themselves to art materials and create at will.  Right now we have this with crayons and pencils, but things like stamps and watercolors remain something that they either have to ask to use, or that I set out for them.  Here is a picture when the room is in action:

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But I digress.  Recently, Sizzles was excitedly telling us that she had decided to save up her dollars (play money used as a reward system at school) to pick a friend for 'reading and relaxing' up in her classroom loft, rather than spend them (on trinkets) in the goodie store.  This gave me an idea.  We needed a cozy little kid space for snuggling up with books.  So I made the 'book nook' in a small space between the couch and a window in our sunroom.  

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It was so popular (read, fighting over it ensued) that I created a second space, the 'reading cave', upstairs in the linen closet.

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To quote the A-team, "I love it when a plan comes together."

Posted at 07:41 AM in Favorite Things | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

February 26, 2009

A few of her favorite things and (FINALLY) we return to recipes of the week

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Activity:  Music Class 
Food:  Macaroni and Cheese
Music:  Taylor Swift's song, "Love Story" & "The Lonely Goat herder" from The Sound of Music
Color:  Purple
Toys:  Her doll Charlie, Linkin' Logs and a bag of several dozen vintage handkerchiefs, hand-embroidered that I found in grandparent's radio room, a small room my grandfather used to listen to police calls and other random things he would find on his ham-radio (I think that is what he called it).

So, the recipes of week on my sidebar?  
I believe I last updated that sidebar last Fall, um, like, 25 weeks ago or something?  So, in honor of Sticky-Butt I am going to share a homemade Macaroni and Cheese dish that I found on allrecipes.com that rocked our world.  
I have never tried "cooking" in the microwave.  I pretty much use the contraption to reheat leftovers and to make instant grits.  (Yes, I know instant grits repulse many of you out there, but I really prefer them to slow cooked grits with the exception of the grits my friend Jen used to make when Brian and I would visit their two bedroom cottage in Cahaba Heights, Alabama circa 1999 or so).

But back to the recipe. 

No one in the house really digs mac and cheese all that much, except Sticky Butt, who LOVES it. I have always felt if I found the right recipe the low status of macaroni and cheese in our home could be turned around.  This may be the recipe folks.

You cook the pasta on the stove, while making the cheese sauce in the microwave with real ingredients, and without the use of any kind of cream soup. 

 It was tasty and everyone ate additional helpings.  Which is pretty much the requirement for me to make something more than once.  Beware, the recipe doesn't make much, so I highly recommend doubling it for a normal family who chows on cheese with pasta.


Posted at 06:47 AM in Favorite Things | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

February 16, 2009

How to play hockey

 The other day,  Brian was asked by the girls if he would play hockey with them.  He was surprised to hear that they knew what hockey was.  This is how the girls play 'hockey.'


RUN, RUN, RUN, 
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JUMP!  JUMP!

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Shake your booty, Shake your booty, Shake your booty.

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Got it?
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Posted at 05:37 AM in Favorite Things | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 23, 2009

I know, I know

It has been forever since I have been on a regular blogging schedule.  It is totally laughable to think that I entered into 2009 thinking I would try to blog EVERY day.  So what have I been doing with all my spare time?  Well:

  • Growing a baby (due in July)
  • Getting my house ready to sell (went on the market one week ago) 
  • Looking at mini-vans (See bullet number one) 
  • Looking at the "national school of excellence" kindergarten at our neighborhood public school (see bullet number one) 
  • Looking into half-day preschools for the other kiddo (see bullet number one)
  • Cramming a full time job, into part-time work (see any national newspaper for a story on MRSA, C.diff, healthcare-associated infections or antibiotic resistance work going on at the CDC)   
So, that is all the grown-up stressful stuff (well, except for the growing a baby part).   

What have I been doing the rest of the time?  

All the good stuff!  :)

Making mini-cheesecake tartlets with my peanuts.
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Welcoming my dear friend Bill, back to Atlanta, as he takes over as the new Food Editor for Atlanta Magazine.  

Ethiopian food for SIX anyone?  (Hint to any restaurant owner out there who may be reading this blog:  when two people pop in for lunch and order half the menu, there is a food critic at the table.  Also, when one of those persons whips out a camera and tries to snap a quick picture of the food, there is a food critic who has a blog at the table.)

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Don't forget, fulfilling a craving for a bagel and cream cheese after a fun hour of music class with Sticky-Butt; who growing up so fast, can now nail her resting tones after the Dump Truck song.

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And last but not least, FINALLY choosing this to knit for the baby and ordering the CRAZY amount of yarn it will entail.  And finishing the "garter stitch hat with pom pom"  for the baby, from this book.

Clearly, I have had PLENTY of time to blog.  :)

PS
Now, I just need to figure out how to take the date stamp off the new camera Bry bought me for X-Mas!

Posted at 09:04 AM in Baking with the girls, Favorite Things | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

January 03, 2009

A few of my favorite *Christmas 2008* things

I have been meaning to sit and write a recap post of Christmas 2008, but it seems when I have a second to write, my thoughts dry up.  We had a super busy week of feasting when Grams and Popop were in town, but in the week that followed we did a whole lot of blissful nothing.  Or more accurately, I worked from home, Brian also worked from home, and the girls played with all their new loot.  In the crooks and crannies of each of those days, we had great moments together as a family, that in my belief, is only able to happen when we have nothing but a sea of time laying before us.  Here are just a few shots of those lovely moments:

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Posted at 08:46 AM in Favorite Things, Holidays | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Recipe of the Week

Archives of Recipe of the Week

  • Cranberry Pumpkin Energy Bites
    * 11.5 oz box Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola * 1 cup of dried craisins * 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon * 1 cup Lundberg Farms Brown Rice syrup * 1/2 cup creamy soynut butter Spray a 11x7 inch pan with nonstick spray. Stir together granola, cranberries and spices into the bowl; set aside. Bring brown rice syrup to a boil over medium high heat in a small saucepan. When bubbles start moving from the outside of the pan to the center, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and quickly stir in soynut butter. Immediately pour over granola mixture and stir well. Press into prepared pan and let cool completely before cutting in squares. Store in airtight container.
  • Watermelon Pie-sicles
    Take a large watermelon and cut it in half. Then cut each half into two pieces.
  • Take one of the smaller pieces and remove the melon from the rind.
  • You can either cut the melon into smaller chunks or simply proceed to the next step using the huge hunk of melon.
  • Place the melon in a fine strainer and place the strainer over a large bowl.
  • Using a potato masher, smoosh the melon until there is only pulp and seeds left in the strainer. The juice will drip into the large bowl under the strainer.
  • Using the back of a wooden spoon, push the remaining pulp against the bottom of the strainer to get the last bits of juice out of the watermelon.
  • Pour the juice in a store-bought popsicle contraption or a do-it-yourself popsicle contraption.
  • This should make about 4-6 small popsicles, depending on the size of your container.
  • Freeze for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight
  • Remove from the container. If the popsicles won't come out, place the holder in a bowl of warm water and try again. 6/10/08 12:58 PM
  • Beach Pasta - Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Brie
    From the cookbook, "Seaside: Pastels & Pickets"
  • 4 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 pound Brie, rind removed, torn into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup firmly packed basil leaves, cut into strips
    • 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
    • 2 zucchini, sliced, broiled
  • 1 eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces, broiled
  • 6 quarts water
  • 1.5 pounds linguine
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Combine tomatoes, Brie, basil, garlic, 1/2 cup olive oil, chicken broth, white wine, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, zucchini and eggplant in large bowl; mix well. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 2 hours. Prepare the pasta as directed. Toss linguine with sauce in bowl. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Serves 6.
  • Popeye Pasta
    1 pound of bow-tie pasta
  • 3-4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch of asparagus chopped into small pieces
  • 1 small bunch of lacinato kale leaves chopped rather small
  • 1 small or medium vidalia onion
  • 8 oz. of whole milk ricotta
  • 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
  • 2/3 cup of toasted pine nuts
  • big pinch of coarse salt
  • lots of fresh ground pepper
  • tiny pinch of thyme

    • Place a little olive oil in a large pan. Once the oil is warm, add chopped onion. Cook for about 4 minutes and then add asparagus. Cook for about 2 minutes and then add salt, pepper, and thyme. Continue saute on medium low heat until your pasta is done, making sure not to burn the vegetables. In the meantime, bring a large pot to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling add 4 large pinches of salt, then add the pasta. Boil the pasta for 10 minutes or according to the package instructions: After 8 minutes of boiling the pasta, throw in the chopped kale. When the pasta is done, drain the whole pot (pasta and kale) in the strainer.

    Toss the pasta into the large pan with the asparagus and onion.

    Add ricotta, parmesan and pine nuts. Toss and serve with more parmesan cheese.

  • Patty-Cake Lemon Bars
    For the crust
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 sticks of unsalted butter, frozen, plus more for the dish
  • 3/4 cup of confectioners' sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
  • For the filling:
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups of sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp coarse salt
  • 3/4 cups fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup whole milk

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish, and line with waxed paper.

    Make crust: Grate butter on a cheese grater with large holes: set aside. Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter; stir with a wooden spoon until combined and mixture looks crumbly.

    Transfer mixture to prepared dish: press evenly onto bottom with your hands. Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Bake until golden, 16-18 minutes.

    Meanwhile make filling. Whisk together eggs, sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and milk. Pour over hot crust.

    Bake at 325 degrees until filling is set and edges are slightly golden brown, about 18 minutes. Let cool slightly on a wire rack. Lift out; let cool completely then cut. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

  • Cast-Iron Cookies
    Cast Iron Cookie Adapted from the blog My Messy Thrilling Life

    • 2 cups of flour
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 3/4 cup butter softened
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • 3/4 cup brown sugarr
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp. whole milk
    • Lots of chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Bake for 35 minutes. p>

  • Cowgirl Cookies
    2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 cups of fresh granola (fruit and nut; Bare Naked or Great Harvest fruit version are good substitutes)
  • 1 cup raisins OR dried cherries
  • 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

    • Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

    Beat on medium-high speed the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

    Reduce to low and add flour.

    Stir in oats, granola, dried fruit and chocolate.

    Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. 4/27/08 6:44 PM

  • Strawberry Bread
    Strawberry Bread

    Adapted from allrecipes.com (Ellen Rainey)

    • 3 cups of fresh strawberries, smashed
    • 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
    • 1/8 cup wheat flour
    • 2 cups white sugar
    • 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • 1tsp salt
    • 1tsp baking soda
    • 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
    • 4 eggs, beaten

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans
    Sprinkle smashed berries with some of the sugar.
    Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl and mix.
    Blend oil and eggs into strawberries.
    Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, until just moistened.
    Divide batter in half into pans.
    Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes on wire rack. Turn loaves out and cool completely.

  • Rainbow Rice
    Open a ziploc bag. Place several drops of food coloring inside the bag. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar to the bag. Place two cups of rice into the bag. Seal the bag and squish the rice around the bag until all the grains are colored. Pour the rice on a cookie sheetl, spreading it out into a single layer of grains. Bake on 200 degrees for 30 minutes.