2011 CSA - Week 4 - Scapes, Bok Choy, Raspberries!

I traded pick up days with a friend last week and forgot to pick up - Newman.  It gets donated to the food pantry at least.  No picture from this week...

1. Baby Bok Choy
2. Head of Red Leaf Lettuce (I'm not a fan of June lettuce bombardment.  I love salad, but hate making it, plus making dressing, plus cutting a million veggies)
3. Scapes
4. Sugar Snap Peas - YEAH!
5. Swiss Chard - Mom sauteed my last bunch with smashed garlic and melted anchovy - it was heavenly so I'll do that again (hopefully!)
6. Qt Strawberries
7. Pt Raspberries

Got a case of the most beautiful strawberries for jam-making last week.  They were so ripe, I had to stay up that night and hull 6 Qts of the 8 I got.  It took a while and stained my hands, but then I froze the chopped berries for a couple of days and jammed at night after the kids went to bed.  I got 18 jars I think. 

Ordering Raspberries and Blueberries for a batch of Mixed Berry jam.  At least you don't have to prep those berries...

Last Day of School

Shelagh and I celebrated her last day of 1st grade at our favorite local Mexican restaurant, where she promptly sat next to me rather than across.  She had her 1st Shirley Temple (1st soda!) and nursed it for HOURS in the to-go cup we had to get.  Then, we got mani-pedi's together before picking up Rory.  I cannot believe she is going into 2nd grade and he is starting Kindergarten.  Just amazing...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bright Morning

I can't believe how conversational Kelly has become.  She has just exploded in so many areas.  The other morning I buckled her into the car and she grabbed me for a hug.  While hugging me fiercely, she said "You're my best friend."  She's said it before, but I swear it gets me every time.  HUGE lump in my throat.

While asking Rory about his behavior after picking him up from a party, he replied "Mom, the other kids were yelling and screaming like dinosaurs, and I just couldn't handle it.  I had to join in.".  So funny...I almost lost it.

2011 CSA - Week 2 - Strawberries!

The strawberries were heavenly!  Sweet and delicious.  Miraculously, the 3 QTs are not gone yet.  2 down, 1 to go.  I'm mad I didn't pull the trigger on the case I needed to order for jam making this year.  I ordered one for next week but it might be too late.  Hope they are this good next week!

What will I do with that MASSIVE head of napa cabbage?  Wish I could make the cabbage recipe from Myers + Chang I had a few weeks ago.  Hmmmm.

Loving my Begonias

BRUINS !!

Joe decided the kids should stay up and watch the Bruins win the Stanley Cup.  Which they just did.  Despite my dread for tomorrow AM's disaster of crankiness (of course Joe has court so he won't be able to experience the inevitable nightmare that will be my morning), a couple of classic lines from Rory:

When Bruins scored their 3rd goal, he replied with "Wow, the Canucks must really be impressed with the Bruins".

When they won he was out cold on my lap.  Joe picked him up and tried desperately to wake him up to which he replied "I have a square".  Random.  Shelagh, surprisingly awake by this point and cheery, laughed heartily at that one.

Kids Pics

White Sangria

We had a family party for Shelagh and her 3 cousins that have birthdays around the same time at our place yesterday.  I opted to order in for the food (with mediocre results) and only made the White Sangria.  I got a new beverage dispenser at Costco and wanted to put something in it for the party.  It was simple recipe from Martha Stewart online that I modified and was GREAT.  I seriously drank it all day, but never caught even a little buzz!  I'd add some vanilla vodka next time.

I also:

• Used plums in place of apricots
• Used Pinot Grigio to make this a white sangria
• Used Grand Marnier for the liquor with the fruit
• Used white grape juice instead of orange juice - 1/3 of it I froze in a bundt pan to use as the ice and the rest I just poured in.
• Added in a can of Sprite

Plaster Fun Time & Butterfly Cake

Shelagh's "friend" birthday party was held at Plaster Fun Time yesterday and was a big success.  She has 15 girls in her class and we have some family friends that include younger/older siblings.  Without inviting all the girls in her class and also having some declines we still had 19 kids there.  It was a zoo but all the kids had a good time making their clay crafts. 

Shelaghs creation:

Rory was not into going at all until he spotted a Triceratops and saw his pool gang friends picking the same thing.  He got completely into it as you can see.

Shelagh and Joe after the fun:

The cake I made.  Found it online and it seemed easy enough.  Took about 4 hours total for this and some extra cupcakes to go with it.  I did run out of icing (if you look close to the area between the wings you'll see naked cake) and it took FOREVER to get the vanilla icing on there smoothly since the cakes both broke before I aligned them properly).  I think I might be back to buying cakes.  I don't even like cake.

 Cute shot of Shelagh and Kelly after the party.  Note Shelagh's get-up and Kelly's cape and princess shoes.

2011 CSA - Preseason & Week 1 - Spring Veggies, Greens & Strawberries

Last year I split a CSA share from a farm about 20 mins away with a friend.  I loved this farm and the share, but was tired of driving up to get it when there is a great share program in my town.  Now, I'm doing a single vegetable and family fruit share and I'm so excited.  I got a family fruit share from these guys last year in addition to the CSA and we ripped through the fruit and I was SO jealous of the veggies when I picked up.  Glad to get it all from one place.

So far I've had a PreSeason special order and Week 1:

Pre-Season

• 1 lb asparagus- roasted
• 1 lb rhubarb - muffins
• 1 lb fiddlehead ferns (I love these) - sauteed & made soup
• dozen eggs

Week 1

• Broccoli
• Lettuce - salad
• Collards
• 2 lbs Rhubarb - what the hell will i do with 2 lbs???
• Quart Strawberries - ate them in the car on the way home
• dozen eggs

Plus, I planted a TON of lettuce in my garden.  Thanks to the rain we've had, it's more than flourishing.  Hello, daily salads.

Spring Vegetable Soup

I'm in serious veggie overload right now.  Don't get me wrong...I want them and love them but haven't been able to keep up with cooking them.  Between the end of year parties, activities, and events I've been swamped.  In between birthday parties and cake making today I whipped up this Spring Vegetable Soup from Everyday Food, last month I think.  For some reason, it's not online.  What is the rhyme or reason for what goes online and what doesn't????  Who knows.  It's simple though...

• olive oil
• 2 medium leeks (white, light green parts), halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4 inch slices, rinsed and drained
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and halved
• 4 cups parsely leaves (from 1 bunch)

1. In medium pot, heat oil over med-high heat.  Add leeks and season with S & P. Cook, stirring, until leeks are soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.  Add broth and potatoes and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes. 
2. Add green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a processor, combine parsley leaves and 1 tbl oil and process until finely chopped
4. Remove soup from heat and stir in parsley puree.

Notes: I accidently poured in a 4 cup container of beef broth instead of chicken.  Ooops.  I used the last cup from chicken.  Also, I don't love parsley so I used a mix of mostly basil and some parsley.  This helped me get rid of both green beans and leeks.  Bringing for lunch tomorrow...

Movies: Waiting for Superman & High Cost of Living

While Joe was away I watched 2 movies that I thought he wouldn't care too much about missing.  Both were quite good. 

Waiting for Superman - Documentary about the state of (mostly) urban public schools was poignant and so upsetting/inspiring.  After participating in a charter school lottery twice now, I had an appreciation (albeit without the desperation/last chance type of situation) for the apprehension and emotions that go along with starting your child off well in school.  The students they followed each needed to place so badly.  It was inspirational to see how dedicated and with how much focus these kids and their families were to propel themselves forward in life.  It was so very upsetting to see and hear the outcomes in so many cases for kids that don't place and have limited/no choices in education.  Great doc.

High Cost of Living - This is Zach Braff's new indie movie on On Demand right now about a drug dealer who hits and runs a pregnant woman.  Her baby dies and he befriends her out of guilt resulting in a strong friendship.  He is pretty likable all around so you find yourself empathizing with his situation.  Solid, heavy, moving, difficult to watch. 

Finally, SUN!

The only thing missing from our weekend was Joe (who has been happily golfing in Ireland with his buddies).  Also, if I had had even 30 seconds of free time I might have picked up my camera and gotten pictures, but alas I did not.

We've had

1. FUN & FRIENDSHIP (pool is open and hanging with the pool gangs has begun)
2. COMFORT (thank you, fantastic hot and sunny weather finally)
3. ADVENTURE (van landing on top of Boulder - see previous muffin post - and extraction damage-free!)
4. SLEEP (exhausted children who don't get out of pool ALL day sleep well!)
5. ENTERTAINMENT (go Kung Fu Panda 2 to break the pool time up and give us a quiet and dark reprieve from the intense excitement of the summer beginning)
6. MOMMY-TIME (well planned babysitter during Joe's time away to give me a little Ladies Night at a lovely restaurant in Boston)

Have also discovered...

1. Kelly has 2 top molars that are already poking out on top that I had no idea about.  PRAYING that this explains her newly displayed strong will that is driving me up a wall.  Also, her 5am waking.
2. That not sitting down for 3 days straight b/c I'm chasing Kelly around the pool and trying to get her not to escape and jump in the big pool without me is not good for my feet.
3. That Shelagh is bored of me and after 4 days in the pool, I've only swam with her for 2 minutes one of those days.  BOOOOOO.  We spent a half hour last night snuggled in bed giggling together b/c I feel like I haven't even seen this kid!
4. That Rory, although swimming most capably without his bubble this year, exhausts himself in the water until his behavior has gotten truely rotten.  I was hoping to be able to exert most of my energy with Kelly and not also manning Rory-ville for "bad kid at the pool" crap.  We have instituted a required hourly break time out of the pool for him.  Also, he lost his Leapster for 2 weeks for a) walking out of the bathroom naked, b) yelling at another kid for playing with his torpedos, c) squirting adults in the face with his water gun, and d) screaming in my face for trying to get him to fix items a), b), and c).

Thank God Joe's trip is coming to an end!!  Also, I miss  him.  Next time, he better get International service on his phone so I can complain to him directly and send him pictures of the van on top of a rock.  I guess that's why he didn't get International service on his phone.  Hmmmm...