Recipe update: I am saving them. I spent a good part of Friday filing, sorting, clipping, and decided I just can't part with them, quite yet. I did get rid of a bunch, that I knew I wouldn't make, due to the likes and dislikes of my guys. But if nothing else, it inspired me to try a bunch of new things this week.
Spring Break at our house this week, it was so nice to sleep in a little today! As many folks are, we decided to forego the warm weather vacation this year and hang out at home. We have things to take care of around the house (basement and attic cleaning, etc) that we need to do now, so that when it finally DOES get nice, we can be outside as much as possible. And there are some great movies showing at the Omni Theater at the Science Museum we want to see, and friends to hang out with, games to play, and puzzles to put together. We are forecasted to get dumped on today, so we may have to make a snowman too.
Mike was at ACES all day yesterday, so Charlie and I decided to tackle his room. (Okay, my idea, Charlie was not an enthusiastic supporter.) We did that big job of going through all of his clothes and shoes to see what no longer fit, checking out what he has for spring ( FOR WHEN IT GETS WARMER), and even completely cleaned out his closet, and went through toys. wow, what a job. We still have about 72 billion Lego pieces to sort, but that will be another day.
As with all of the toys, I would say "Do you want to keep this?" I pulled out the storage tub of matchbox/hot wheels/tonka trucks. It was full of all of the little vehicles he collected. He LOVED them. He had them from the time he was quite little, he respected the truck and never put them in his mouth. He knew what models they were when he could barely talk. Dump trucks, garbage trucks, bulldozers, coupes, all terrain vehicles, convertibles-he had them all. I would draw a big city for him, on a giant piece of paper, and we would play for hours with his little vehicles. Here is the police station, and the school, and the hospital, and the mall, and the construction site.
"You know mom, I don't really play with them anymore. They can go away".
My heart nearly burst. "Hey, I will get you a little box, maybe you want to save just a few of them for when you have kids". (because Mike's mom had saved some of theirs, and Charlie used to love playing with them). So he did, and they are tucked away with his Winnie the Pooh, and his train set, and "Good Night Moon". So while there may be a little more room in his closet, a piece of my little boy is gone forever. He would rather race those cars on his video game!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
too many wonderful things
Ever since I was little, I have always saved magazine clippings. I would tear pages out of the Sears and JCPenney catalogs, and furnish the rooms in my little house that I would draw. I would cut out pictures of things I wanted to make when I was older. I would cut out whole familys and use them for paper dolls. I have always had an obsession with those glossy colored pages.
As a senior in high school, I figured I would be moving away some day, and would need to cook, and I started cutting out recipes. (I had to check with mom first, as she herself is a champion recipe clipper-perhaps it is a genetic thing).
Then college kind of got in the way, what with working all of my jobs, and homework, and such. And since I was moving all of the time, it made no sense to haul all of that paper around. So they were parked in a closet in my room at home.
But I kept clipping, and once Mike and I finally got married and somewhat settled in down in Bloomington, the clipping became even more profuse. Because someday I would have a house, and maybe I would want the bathroom to look just like that picture. Or I would plant those flowers. So the files grew.
Right now there is a small semblance of organization. I have a file cabinet, the top drawer is all recipes, organized by type. The bottom drawer is house stuff, and crafts, and gardening. But I haven't filed anything since I was on bed rest with Charlie, so that would be 10 years ago. And I keep clipping. So I now have several storage boxes full of clippings to go through, and sort, and trim, and file. ummm......is this really the best use of my time? Because I honestly don't remember the last time I actually looked in that file cabinet for something.
So this would be a big deal. Shall I just throw it all away? Recycle it? Without even looking at it? Will I feel a huge sense of release, and relief? Or will a small part of me feel like it is missing?
I wonder if any shrinks read my blog, and if they do, are they shaking their heads in wonder, and thinking perhaps they need me to start some counseling?
As a senior in high school, I figured I would be moving away some day, and would need to cook, and I started cutting out recipes. (I had to check with mom first, as she herself is a champion recipe clipper-perhaps it is a genetic thing).
Then college kind of got in the way, what with working all of my jobs, and homework, and such. And since I was moving all of the time, it made no sense to haul all of that paper around. So they were parked in a closet in my room at home.
But I kept clipping, and once Mike and I finally got married and somewhat settled in down in Bloomington, the clipping became even more profuse. Because someday I would have a house, and maybe I would want the bathroom to look just like that picture. Or I would plant those flowers. So the files grew.
Right now there is a small semblance of organization. I have a file cabinet, the top drawer is all recipes, organized by type. The bottom drawer is house stuff, and crafts, and gardening. But I haven't filed anything since I was on bed rest with Charlie, so that would be 10 years ago. And I keep clipping. So I now have several storage boxes full of clippings to go through, and sort, and trim, and file. ummm......is this really the best use of my time? Because I honestly don't remember the last time I actually looked in that file cabinet for something.
So this would be a big deal. Shall I just throw it all away? Recycle it? Without even looking at it? Will I feel a huge sense of release, and relief? Or will a small part of me feel like it is missing?
I wonder if any shrinks read my blog, and if they do, are they shaking their heads in wonder, and thinking perhaps they need me to start some counseling?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
children's books and girlfriends
Two of my favorite things. I have books that were childhood favorites that I still pick up and read now and then. When Charlie was little, I was in heaven, getting to read Make Way for Ducklings, and Blueberries for Sal, and One Morning in Maine (okay, I have a Robert McCluskey thing) over and over. And buying Henry and Ribsy for Charlie, and The Trumpet of the Swan. Charlie's room is full of books, some he may never read, but ones that I have loved through the years.
Of course the Little House on the Prairie series, I am just sure one day I can get Charlie to read Farmer Boy. And I make it a point in life to read Anne of Green Gables at least once a year. She really centers me, and I love the descriptions of life through a young girls voice. I adored all of the Betsy Tacy books, and The Secret Garden. I have a whole shelf of my favorite childhood books: Little Women, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, The Saturdays, the original Boxcar Children book. I so enjoyed starting the Harry Potter books, and The Series of Unfortunate Events. Wonderful authors, like Road Dahl, and Kate DiCamillo, cause me to pick up anything they have written.
My new favorite "The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls" transports you to Sherbet, and the pesky aftermath of Dorothy landing in Oz. The thing I most enjoyed about the book, was the concept that no matter how different we are, girls need each other. And it doesn't matter if we are 10 years old, or 40 something-women need each other for things that even our sweet husbands can't give us. No matter how strong, confident, smart, funny, or organized we may be every day, there is nothing like a girl friend, when you really need her. Or even when you don't know that you really need her.
So here is a big thank you to all of my girl friends, who always help me find my way home.
Of course the Little House on the Prairie series, I am just sure one day I can get Charlie to read Farmer Boy. And I make it a point in life to read Anne of Green Gables at least once a year. She really centers me, and I love the descriptions of life through a young girls voice. I adored all of the Betsy Tacy books, and The Secret Garden. I have a whole shelf of my favorite childhood books: Little Women, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, The Saturdays, the original Boxcar Children book. I so enjoyed starting the Harry Potter books, and The Series of Unfortunate Events. Wonderful authors, like Road Dahl, and Kate DiCamillo, cause me to pick up anything they have written.
My new favorite "The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls" transports you to Sherbet, and the pesky aftermath of Dorothy landing in Oz. The thing I most enjoyed about the book, was the concept that no matter how different we are, girls need each other. And it doesn't matter if we are 10 years old, or 40 something-women need each other for things that even our sweet husbands can't give us. No matter how strong, confident, smart, funny, or organized we may be every day, there is nothing like a girl friend, when you really need her. Or even when you don't know that you really need her.
So here is a big thank you to all of my girl friends, who always help me find my way home.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
baking day
On those towels that your grandma used to have, was it Wednesday or Thursday that was baking day? I can't recall, so I am going to proclaim today to be baking day.
But unlike the way they used to do it, I won't be kneading bread dough to make enough bread to last a week. Lately I have been craving one of my favorite cakes of all time, and feel compelled to whip it up today. I always asked for this cake for my birthday (since we got to choose). There is just something about the fluffy yellow cake, and the gooey brown sugar topping seeping into the golden rings of pineapple. And of course the dollop of whip cream on top. Always real whip cream. My mom was not a big fan of Cool Whip for cakes. She would have it on hand, to top our jello, or pudding, but you had to whip real cream for a cake. Especially a birthday cake. And Reddi Whip? There was never a can of it in our fridge growing up. Of course, that is something that is ALWAYS in my fridge, as times have changed, and you never know when you need a decorative squirt of whip cream on top of your hot cocoa, or your hot fudge sundae.
I am pretty sure my mom used a cake mix as the base for her cake. I found this version on the internet a few years ago, since I had lost my mom's recipe and couldn't find one in any of my recipe books. The internet is a godsend for finding recipes. There are times when I will literally just type in the main ingredients that I have on hand, and Google will find me any number of things I can make. I am guessing I could just get rid of all of my cookbooks, and just use the internet! (yeah, right, like that would ever happen). Cooking Light has a great site, and also Epicurian, and pretty much any major food magazine or tv show has recipes on their web site, and of course, there is Martha. I won't link them here, as you will just end up down the rabbit hole. But do surf sometime, it is a delightful food journey, and you may find a gem like this along the way:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1 lg can pineapple slices in juice (not syrup)
2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c dried tart cherries
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3 lg egg whites
2 lg egg yolks
1/3 c. milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp. vanilla
REAL whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350. Drain pineapple, reserve 5 Tbsp of juice. Set aside 1 whole pineapple slice, cut 4 slices in half. (use the rest for something else). Melt butter in a 9" cake pan with 2" high sides over low heat. Transfer 1 1/2 Tbsp butter to small bowl and save, leave the rest of the butter in the pan. Add brown sugar and 3 Tbsp of the pineapple juice to the pan, stir over med. heat. Heat until mixture boils and thickens slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from heat. Place whole pineapple slice in center of pan atop sugar mixture. Surround with the halved slices, rounded side toward pan edge. Sprinkle cherries in hollows of pinapple slices.
Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 c. sugar, beat until stiff peaks form-set aside. Using same beaters, beat yolks and 1/4 c. sugar in another large bowl until well blended. Into this mix, add milk, vanilla, and reserved butter, and mix. Beat in flour mixture until just blended, fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions. Spread batter over pineapple in pan. Bake cake until golder and tester inserted in center comes out clean-about 30 min. Cool in pan 5 min. Place platter over cake, then invert onto platter. Remove pan, rearrange any fruit that has become dislodged. Cool on platter 30 min, brush with last 2 Tbsp of pineapple juice. Cool completely-then crown with freshly whipped cream. Makes 8 servings. Or four, if you really like it.
I like this version, even though it seems rather involved, because it is really light, and makes a small pan. For my small family. You can surely use good old fashioned maraschino cherries out of a jar instead of the dried cherries, but I do like this variation. And the leftover pineapple is really good with cottage cheese.
But unlike the way they used to do it, I won't be kneading bread dough to make enough bread to last a week. Lately I have been craving one of my favorite cakes of all time, and feel compelled to whip it up today. I always asked for this cake for my birthday (since we got to choose). There is just something about the fluffy yellow cake, and the gooey brown sugar topping seeping into the golden rings of pineapple. And of course the dollop of whip cream on top. Always real whip cream. My mom was not a big fan of Cool Whip for cakes. She would have it on hand, to top our jello, or pudding, but you had to whip real cream for a cake. Especially a birthday cake. And Reddi Whip? There was never a can of it in our fridge growing up. Of course, that is something that is ALWAYS in my fridge, as times have changed, and you never know when you need a decorative squirt of whip cream on top of your hot cocoa, or your hot fudge sundae.
I am pretty sure my mom used a cake mix as the base for her cake. I found this version on the internet a few years ago, since I had lost my mom's recipe and couldn't find one in any of my recipe books. The internet is a godsend for finding recipes. There are times when I will literally just type in the main ingredients that I have on hand, and Google will find me any number of things I can make. I am guessing I could just get rid of all of my cookbooks, and just use the internet! (yeah, right, like that would ever happen). Cooking Light has a great site, and also Epicurian, and pretty much any major food magazine or tv show has recipes on their web site, and of course, there is Martha. I won't link them here, as you will just end up down the rabbit hole. But do surf sometime, it is a delightful food journey, and you may find a gem like this along the way:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1 lg can pineapple slices in juice (not syrup)
2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c dried tart cherries
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3 lg egg whites
2 lg egg yolks
1/3 c. milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp. vanilla
REAL whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350. Drain pineapple, reserve 5 Tbsp of juice. Set aside 1 whole pineapple slice, cut 4 slices in half. (use the rest for something else). Melt butter in a 9" cake pan with 2" high sides over low heat. Transfer 1 1/2 Tbsp butter to small bowl and save, leave the rest of the butter in the pan. Add brown sugar and 3 Tbsp of the pineapple juice to the pan, stir over med. heat. Heat until mixture boils and thickens slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from heat. Place whole pineapple slice in center of pan atop sugar mixture. Surround with the halved slices, rounded side toward pan edge. Sprinkle cherries in hollows of pinapple slices.
Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 c. sugar, beat until stiff peaks form-set aside. Using same beaters, beat yolks and 1/4 c. sugar in another large bowl until well blended. Into this mix, add milk, vanilla, and reserved butter, and mix. Beat in flour mixture until just blended, fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions. Spread batter over pineapple in pan. Bake cake until golder and tester inserted in center comes out clean-about 30 min. Cool in pan 5 min. Place platter over cake, then invert onto platter. Remove pan, rearrange any fruit that has become dislodged. Cool on platter 30 min, brush with last 2 Tbsp of pineapple juice. Cool completely-then crown with freshly whipped cream. Makes 8 servings. Or four, if you really like it.
I like this version, even though it seems rather involved, because it is really light, and makes a small pan. For my small family. You can surely use good old fashioned maraschino cherries out of a jar instead of the dried cherries, but I do like this variation. And the leftover pineapple is really good with cottage cheese.
Monday, March 24, 2008
random stuff
Dental update: Charlie got a new tooth today! We love Dr. Bob. You honestly cannot tell there was ever a break. It is amazing! He is really happy it is all over, and that novocaine was not involved. He told Dr. Bob "You are a tooth artist!" And he is.
Going to take my 12 pictures for the month-here is a sampling of ones I took for the Jan. and Feb. pages, just to give you an idea of what I am talking about. As you can see, I am still pretty jazzed about doing this scrapbook. And I want the whole world to do it too. But I realize that not everyone is interested, so after today I promise to never bring it up again. 
I am trying to capture the mundane, everyday stuff that is all very important to our lives, the little things I want to remember 20 years from now (when I am taking a shower and can't even remember if I washed my hair or not).
I want to remember that I bring Claude up to Charlie's loft bed every morning, to wake him up for school. And what good buddies they have become in the last year. And that Charlie liked wearing his hair long in 4th grade.
And that Mike likes to eat the same thing for breakfast, every single morning. Which in a way is a good thing, I wouldn't want to have to make him eggs and bacon every day. Because I probably wouldn't, anyway.
I am just trying to get the hang of putting photos in my blog, so bear with the bad graphic design while I work through this.
And really, I promise not to bring up again this whole idea of taking twelve pictures every month and making an amazing scrapbook for your family. Really. Seriously. Cross my heart.
(but it IS a really good idea....)
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