the great mom pop culture escape

Superbowl Sunday

2012-02-16T10:13:00.000-05:00

Poor Patriots :(
Damn we need a new camera...we're going on 6 months of crappy 2 megapixel iPhone pics. Alas, we are on a spending freeze and I cannot quite yet. Hopefully soon...

Wearing Dad's Patriots t-shirt b/c Kohl's and Target were sold out!

Interested in the Superbowl, but only AFTER the space shuttle was constructed...

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Three Years Old

2012-02-13T10:10:00.002-05:00

It is with great joy and some sadness that I watch Kelly turn 3. She gets funnier and sharper as time moves forward. She has an enormous personality, laughs and sings and dances every day. She is the happiest and most tender child. But, alas, she is not a baby anymore :(

She is registered for preschool in the Fall. She is potty-trained but still in the crib (I'm having a hard time parting with the baby furniture). My own sleep suffers as a result since I need to get her to the bathroom in the AM. She only wants big girl silverware and will do anything to be like Shelagh.

Presenting...Rapunzel with her trusty friend, Pascal!

In lieu of a birthday cake, she wanted a tower of ice cream sandwiches. We added in chocolate covered strawberries.

Happy girl...

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The 3 Kids

2012-02-02T19:03:00.000-05:00

A rare moment of the big kids embracing each other...

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Rory's Lego Party

2012-01-31T14:51:00.000-05:00

Rory had a Lego birthday party Sunday. There is a new place (not really close by) that hosts Lego parties and we jumped on it based on spotting it in the Boston Globe 100 Best New Places in the area. If the guy that ran this place had any charisma whatsoever, this place would be a gold mine. Alas, he does not but will probably make money in spite of himself. I'm hoping this will spark his creativity building things without kits/directions. The kits are a fortune and he rips through them regardless of the age range or # of pieces.

Look how happy he was...

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TV: Winter Shows

2012-01-29T15:18:00.000-05:00

Recently Finished

Boardwalk Empire - Great season finale. Despite the fact that they killed off a MAJOR character, I'm more interested in seeing how Nucky deals with Margaret when he finds out she gave his major money maker to the church. Gave me much more of a gut sink to see that than the murder, which was daring, but not as dramatic.
Dexter - Was JUST starting to get a little bored when BAM, the season finale was great. Didn't love Colin Hanks, but I honestly think topping John Lithgow may not be possible. I'm in again for another year. I must know how they address the cliffhanger of Debra walking in on Dexter.
The League - Fantastically funny and raunchier than usual. I'm now following ALL those guys on Twitter.
Homeland - Really solidly good. Happy that Claire Danes won the Golden Globe for her role. Not happy that it beat out Game of Thrones for Best Drama.

Ongoing

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Love it.
Top Chef: Texas - Not as much talent as usual on this season. Still love it, but not really rooting for anyone. Wish Nyesha hadn't gotten booted so early. Come to Boston!!!
Portlandia - We just started this season and it's extremely witty and sometimes laugh out loud funny. I never loved Fred Armison on SNL, but he's so great on this.
30 Rock, Modern Family, Office, Parks & Rec - of course Is Bob Newport on Parks & Rec an homage to Robert California on Office? Hmmm

Upcoming

Luck (HBO) - Jan 29 - Just heard an interview with David Milch on NPR about this and the clips sufficiently caught my interest. I didn't love Deadwood, but I hold out hope for this new show.
Eastbound & Down (HBO) - Feb - Season 1 was hilarious. Season 2 had it's moments. Will go in again and hope for more April and more laughs.
Game of Thrones (HBO) - April...Big Sigh. My #1 favorite (with Sons of Anarchy a quick 2nd). I might buckle and read Book 5 b/c April seems so far away...

On DVD Now/ Future

Big Bang Theory - We've been watching this on DVD for several months. It's really funny, but it's still a network sitcom so it's tough to power through on DVD. We've had to put it down and pick it back up. We are like 3 seasons behind.
Bored to Death - Love Ted Danson and I've heard great stuff about this.
The Killing - Everyone was talking about it...feeling obligated.
Louis - Saw 1 episode and it was really funny - I didn't like his HBO show, but this one was good. Joe wasn't into it though so it may take awhile for me to get to it.

Rory Lost His 1st Tooth!!

2012-01-27T17:11:00.001-05:00

Yesterday he went from a slight wiggle to dangling thanks to an ornery popsicle. Today, tooth comes right out at school!

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Books: Game of Thrones

2012-01-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

That is seriously all I've read in months. I'm beyond obsessed. If a repeat of the Season 1 episodes pops up on HBO, I'm up all night watching. I read books 1 - 4 in a row without stopping. It's taking all my will power not to jam through Book 5. Because then there will be none left. And, truthfully, I didn't love Book 4. The author has indicated he will take the series through Book 7. HBO is filming Season 2 now and is going to film, I think, Seasons 3 and 4 back to back to save $ (and thereby having the episodes ready to air quicker). Season 2 begins in April and I'm hanging out on the show making of blog just to get glimpses of the show to kill time until it comes back.

Oh, I also read Mindy Kaling's new book and loved it. She's great and the book is as funny as her Kelly Kapoor on The Office.

Spaghetti Squash

2012-01-26T12:18:00.000-05:00

I haven't cooked Spaghetti Squash before...usually I just use Butternut Squash. I thought I could trick the kids to trying it though. No such luck, but I loved it! This was recent Everyday Food recipe for Roasted Squash with Parmesean and Herbs. I roasted the spaghetti squash one day. I made the rest of it another night and ate it that night and for days afterwards. It was better Day 2.

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Movies: Girl with a Dragon Tattoo & DVD Rentals

2012-01-25T13:14:00.000-05:00

I haven't written about movies in awhile, but we've seen some good ones lately...

Girl with a Dragon Tattoo - Joe and I both read the 3 books and we saw the 1st Swedish movie. I think this one was a snazzier, more glossy, intense look at the story. I loved the intro, the music, Rooney Mara's Lizbeth Salander, Daniel Craig and the general visual depiction. I did not think the direction/editing was smooth. If you hadn't read the book or seen the other version, it was choppy and I don't know if I would have followed the details of the story. The Swedish version was less flashy but easier to follow and Noomi Rapace was great. I'll see the others when they come out.
X-Men: First Class - Michael Fassbender and James MacAvoy were great in this prequel. None of the supporting mutants really jazzed me much, but I loved the origin story of these guys and will watch any future installments.
Super8 - Joe and I both really enjoyed this movie. It didn't do that well in the theater, I don't think. Other than the close up of the alien at the end (which was kind of hokey), I thought the kids were awesome, I love me some Coach Taylor and will see him in anything, and it was great J.J.Abrams.
Win-Win - Paul Giamatti is seriously a guarantee (except for that Adams mini series on HBO which was way boring).
Due Date - Joe had heard this was good and we had nothing to watch. This was not good.
Captain America - Slow start, but I like this as far as super hero movies go. I think I liked this and Thor equally. Looking forward to Avengers, I think...it could go either way.
Pearl Jam Twenty - Just watched this last night and it was really awesome. We've recently seen the Foo Fighters documentary Back and Forth. The differences were really interesting. Foo Fighters was a more chronological study of the bands ascent. You got exposure into the band members personal lives, as far as it related to the band. You got some really honest analysis about what they went through. Really great music, obviously. In PJ20 it was clearly more "movie" than documentary, thank you Cameron Crowe. I didn't get the feeling about how the band members really felt about each other or their personal places in the band. Awesome music making me want to listen to PJ again. Eddie Vedder is more weird than I thought. Both were totally worth seeing more than once.

Linguine w Crab

2012-01-21T12:19:00.000-05:00

I had some fresh crab in the freezer and an evening of Mac & Cheese for the kids that Joe and I tend to avoid. From BonAppetit I got this recipe for Linguine with Crab, Lemon, Chile and Mint. I modified removing the Chile and Mint and substituting with some fresh baby spinach. Yum.

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Escarole Soup

2012-01-13T13:46:00.000-05:00

Needed to throw some healthy meals into our mix for the New Year. Every Wednesday is Macaroni & Cheese night (sanity for me, happiness for the kids). This Escarole Soup from Saveur Magazine was simple and came out so deep and flavorful. I love escarole and this could definitely be made with or without the meatballs. I only had 2/3 of a lb of beef so I made less meatballs and it was plenty.

Watching Gymnastics

2012-01-11T12:16:00.000-05:00

Kelly yells out commands to Shelagh's gymnastics class. She thinks she can since she has the same teacher for her class. High volume of somersaulting in our house these days...

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Avocado Citrus Salad

2012-01-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

I used the recipe from the current issue of Everyday food for Avocado Citrus Salad as the idea for the below salad, but I changed some things. I used 2-3 clementines instead of an orange and a grapefruit (Joe doesn't like grapefruit). I used sliced thin red onion instead of radishes and I added in cucumbers. Also, I had some balsamic lime vinagrette from Gwyneth Paltrow's book that I used for dressing. I just love the arugula + avocado + clementine combination. I'm a very lazy salad preparer. I love to eat salad and I hate to make it. This was so good. I'll make it again tonight probably since I have leftover avocado, washed arugula and dressing ready-made.

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Burgundy Mushrooms

2012-01-09T10:59:00.002-05:00

I love the Pioneer Woman website/blog/cooking extravaganza. Now she is on Food Network and so I watched her make Xmas dinner last week and was determined to make Burgundy Mushrooms. Imagine cooking mushrooms for 9 hours!!! Look how dark and rich these look??? They were heavenly and my house smelled so good all day. I think they actually might have been a tad too rich (which takes a lot for me to say). I halved the recipe and probably should have reduced the time - I did cut out the last 2 hours, but I should have cut more or just made the whole recipe. We had these with Roast Beef and garlic-parmesean mashed potatoes last night.

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Winter Veggies

2012-01-07T13:28:00.015-05:00

I tried 2 new veggie recipes to try to plow through my leftover CSA December share vegetables. Both were delicious!
From Everyday Food, this month I think, I started with Roasted Beets with Orange and Thyme. Very simple...I didn't have fresh thyme so I used dried. Beets are definitely one of my favorite vegetables I've only tried recently. Looking forward to more beet experimentation.

Glazing Vegetables - This was on the Saveur Magazine's "100 Favorite Things" this month. It was a loose instruction which included the following steps:

Cut veggies uniformly and make a single layer in a saucepan
Add a few tablespoons of butter, some salt/pepper and a pinch of sugar. Almost cover with water.
Lay a piece of parchment paper on top and simmer until the water cooks off, shaking pan now and then. (Realizing right now that I also covered it with a lid...hmmm...wonder if this changed things).

I combined carrots, parsnips, and turnips and these came out so rich and soft and delicious. Butter is the elixir of life.

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Smugglers Notch

2012-01-06T14:31:00.000-05:00

The weekend after NYC we head up to Vermont for a weekend at Smuggler's Notch with some friends who generously offered us a free condo on their Disney Vacation Club. Not much snow, but we had a fun time regardless. We spent 1 day skiing and 1 day in Burlington at the ECHO Science Center and around town.

Look who got on skii's at 2 1/2 years old!!!!!

Too cool for school...

Shelagh enjoying the science center

Joe and Carda enjoying the Body Grossology exhibit at the Science Center (yes, it's a Fart exhibit). It was very educational.

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Rory Turns 6

2012-01-04T21:10:00.003-05:00

Rory turned 6 yesterday. The night before he was pretty sad and said he'd rather turn back to 4 then up to 6 so that he doesn't grow up and can stay with me forever (so cute, but I had to restrain my heart melt to convince him that growing up is way cool and that he'll get the opportunity to learn and do so many exciting things. He finally bounced back when I reminded him that he couldn't chew gum at 4.)

Nonetheless, he had a great day! He had cupcakes at school with his class. His teacher gave him this lovely hat and certificate to parade around in and despite the extra attention managed a green card for the day (good behavior). He chose Mac & Cheese for dinner, more cupcakes for dessert, and presents. He is counting down to his Lego birthday party scheduled in a few weeks. He cannot do enough Lego's. The kid is obsessed with them - Lego kits, Lego clothing, Lego Wii game(s), etc. I'm going to attempt a Lego cake for his party despite my past failures at cake baking. How hard can primary colors, rectangles and 1/2 marshmellows be??????

Rory with his new Bruins Tim Thomas holding the Stanley Cup picture that Joe picked out for him. Hopefully to go into his new room (more on that when I take the plunge on buying new bedroom furniture and don't completely fall apart at the idea of getting rid of the baby furniture that all 3 kids have used. Sigh).

And yet another Lego kit...I think he was miffed that Santa didn't bring him any Star Wars Lego's (even though he did get a Harry Potter kit and Lego Kingdom Prison Tower as well as a Ninjago for Hannukkah). He does them so fast and then starts thinking of the next one on the horizon. I anticipate that the Lego themed bday party will bring even more and I'll have to siphon them and let him have them slowly...

The girls were proud to pose with the birthday boy.

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Chicago Beef Stew

2012-01-04T13:15:00.002-05:00

Back to food...I've been cooking the bare minimum home cooking to get us by through the holidays. I'm back to meal planning and winter cooking (my favorite). This beef stew was in the last month issue of InStyle. Normally I wouldn't put much stock in a recipe from this magazine but it was from Stephanie Izzard, my favorite Top Chef contestant/winner. I had high hopes but I also had a funny feeling that a beef stew with a set of sweet ingredients (fruit) wouldn't work for me. It didn't. It seemed off to me from the printed recipe through the stages of cooking. Solid effort though.

Look at all the fruit in here - it's a whole pineapple, an apple, and a pear. I thought the apple/pear would be in there for their pectin to thicken things up a bit. It was way too much though...the pineapple flavor overpowered all the other stronger flavors - wine, stock, worcestershire, fish sauce, balsamic, tomatoes, etc. There was also 2 cups of apple cider. Perhaps this set of flavors would have worked better with chicken? I don't know...the proportions seemed off to me.

This is the dish with all ingredients added in prior to the big simmer step. Seems off, but I was hoping a lot of the liquid would cook off and reduce so that it would look more like the picture in the magazine. No online link.

This is the dish almost finished after 4 hours of simmering to break down the beef chuck. Does the liquid/non-beef proportion to beef seem way off? Of course the kids didn't like it either. They are thrilled that Wed is Mac & Cheese night to make up for this debacle.

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Kids Together

2012-01-03T15:05:00.000-05:00

Some pictures from the last month of the kids snuggling together (doesn't happen so often with Shelagh and Rory!!). MUST GET A NEW CAMERA!!!

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NYC

2011-12-31T14:20:00.000-05:00

The weekend after Thanksgiving we head down to NJ for my family Xmas weekend celebration. We decided to stay in NYC on Friday night and spent the day in the city on Saturday before heading west for a Sat night dinner and Sun extended family party. All but Rory enjoyed walking around outside...it was crowded but lovely nonetheless.

We wrapped up the day at the Museum of Natural History. Rory almost imploded when we walked into the Dinosaur rooms there. Wish I had taken some pics, but I didn't. I seriously need a new camera.

Rory admiring some stuff at the Lego store in Rockefeller Center. The kids at the tree in the hotel...

Shelagh and I at Rockefeller Center

Joe & Kelly at Rock Ctr

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Merry Christmas

2011-12-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely and relaxing holiday weekend...Kids were thrilled with Santa's gifts and the Wii that Joe and I decided to throw in to the mix.
New jammies...

Go Bruins!

Happy girl on Xmas morning...

One of my fave Kelly faces...

An entire day of Lego building...Hogwarts by Shelagh and Lego Kingdoms Prison Tower by Rory. It was a quiet and mellow day!

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Rory & Kelly

2011-12-29T20:14:00.000-05:00

I seriously need a new camera and must stop using my crappy iPhone camera, but how cute is this pic????

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Old House Parts

2011-12-28T20:38:00.001-05:00

While in Kennebunkport, ME we also stopped by a store called Old House Parts which is INSANE!! It is a 3-4 story huge barn with old house parts organized by type. I walked around mesmerized for a bit while Joe worked with the guy there to get some door knobs for the doors he's been replacing around the house. Then, I got supremely bored and played games on my phone. Look at these pics, though! If only I was a "renovator". I'm clearly not.

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Stuffed Crepes for Breakfast!

2011-12-28T19:35:00.004-05:00

Joe and I managed to squeeze out an overnight getaway before Thanksgiving up in Kennebunkport, ME. It truely takes me only 24 hours to refresh myself. Look at these beautiful breakfast crepes I ordered at a local diner type place. They were stuffed with eggs, mushrooms and cheese...it was a basic flour sauce that wasn't all that great - thankfully I had it put on the side, but the crepes were heavenly! I might have to make some this weekend...

By the way, I posted this picture in mid-November and never took the post out of draft. I've been a huge blog slacker.

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Happy Halloween

2011-11-14T08:49:00.002-05:00

I'm such a blog-slacker! 2 weeks late...
Here they are...the homemade Tiger, Sleeping Beauty the princess, and Obi Wan Kenobi. Not my best shot, but at least I didn't forget, right?

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FINALLY, tooth #3 Departs

2011-11-08T14:02:00.001-05:00

Due to an accidental pop from Rory...

Waiting for the front tooth next to it to fall next!

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Couldn't It Have Hit Joe's Car?

2011-10-31T08:56:00.001-04:00

Few more feet and the purchase of a new car for Joe might have been a little easier...

This does screw us up for Halloween. If I get stuck with a bucket of candy I'll be pissed.

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Roasted Cauliflower Soup w Chive Oil

2011-10-26T08:59:00.000-04:00

Holy fattening, but quite good I thought! This recipe was from the October 2011 Bon Appetit.

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Apple & Pumpkin Picking

2011-10-17T11:45:00.001-04:00

Our camera got sand in the lens this summer and clearly I need a new one. My crappy iPhone 3G camera is just not cutting it. We did have a wonderful day with cousins at a farm in MA. They had a gazillion pumpkins to choose from. They had a kids hay maze that we spent some time on along with mini-tractor driving. It was a gorgeous day and they still had plenty of apples for it being so late in the season. Also, goats and sheeps, apple cider donuts, apple cider, and hay ride. Great day!

In case you are wondering, Kelly likes to dance with her arms out and eyes closed. This happens daily. This kid is always dancing and/or singing.

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Potato, Kale & Sausage Soup

2011-10-14T13:36:00.000-04:00

Had some Kale and Potatoes from the weekly share and love soup this time of year. Searched real quick online and got a Food & Wine recipe for Potato, Kale, & Turkey Sausage soup. Used chicken sausage and a little more broth than they stated and it came out nice. Need some fresh bread for this to eat instead of the spaghetti at the school spaghetti dinner tonight (ew).

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More Kelly & Shrek Singing

2011-10-07T13:07:00.001-04:00

This is from late summer, but I love it. Kelly singing Shrek (AGAIN!), but in a cute dress and followed by our good night exchange. So sweet...

Shelagh at the Pool

2011-10-01T13:03:00.004-04:00

Some swimming and some silliness from Shelagh...

An impromptu song...

Rory at the Pool

2011-10-01T12:57:00.001-04:00

Rory and Shelagh elude me at the pool. I didn't, unfortunately, get as many videos of them. I did get this brief cannonball.

By the end of the day and the last day of a weekend of last pool days, Rory was SPENT. I got him to sit down with a book and relax for awhile thankfully. And, ended up with this...he's such a love muffin.

Kelly Fun in the Water - Part 3

2011-10-01T12:51:00.000-04:00

For the end of year Labor Day pool party, we had a DJ and Kelly really got into it. No fear, no embarassment. Pure dance joy. And, lots of admirers. Kelly just wants to have fun a la Cyndi Lauper.

Kelly Fun in the Water - Part 2

2011-10-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

More Kelly in the water fun...she LOVES Shrek and sings the song daily. Here she is singing off the board and swimming face down.

Kelly Fun in the Water - Part 1

2011-10-01T12:40:00.000-04:00

I took a million videos to remember how fantastic Kelly was in the pool this summer as a 2 year old. Simply fearless. She inspired a bunch of the little kids to go off of the board. She is face down, blowing bubbles, and kicking. She is jumping off the board and allowing Joe to throw her all around. As soon as she hears music over the speakers she stops everything to dance for whoever is around. She is a force to be reckoned with! Here is the first of many videos...

Good Oral Hygiene

2011-09-30T12:33:00.001-04:00

Kelly believes strongly in good oral hygiene for man and beast alike. Shelagh helps enforce proper spitting.

Kelly Loves WILL.I.AM

2011-09-27T12:31:00.000-04:00

Kelly's moves are becoming legendary. From this morning, a little Drop It Low from the movie Rio, which all my kids love. It is pretty catchy. I must get Rory on video doing this too - he's a ham with the rap-py part.

NH Fall Wknd - cont

2011-09-25T17:46:00.001-04:00

Bubbles, too much candy, too little sleep, enough fun for the kids to forget to fight!

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NH Fall Wknd Away

2011-09-25T17:31:00.001-04:00

Joe's birthday, Santa's Village, Storyland...exhausted!!

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Roast Chicken Diavolo

2011-09-04T10:15:00.000-04:00

Everyday Food came out with a special issue this summer that was very much like the original magazine, but focused on seasonal summer food and cooking. I made the Roast Chicken Diavolo the other night which called to spatchcock the chicken (remove the backbone, spread the chicken out and press down for faster cooking). I had seen my mom do this with a chicken in a class I did with her last year and just hadn't done it myself yet. It was easy to prep and much easier to cut up than a full roasted chicken. The recipe I followed was pretty good, but I over salted the outside and couldn't eat the skin, which while disappointing was not the worst thing for me with my high cholesterol. Recipe is not online yet, but here is what I did:

Roast Chicken Diavolo

1 Tbl finely chopped rosemary
1 Tbl finely chopped oregano
2 whole dried chiles de arbol (I skipped this)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest + 1 Tbl lemon juice
s & p
2 Tbl + 1 tsp olive oil
1 whole chicken
2 red peppers cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 lg yellow onion cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch wedges
1/2 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 425. In small bowl, stir together rosemary, oregano, chiles, lemon zest and juice and pepper.
Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with oil. Place chicken in dish, skin side up. Spread herb mixture over chicken and under skin of breast. Season with salt and drizzle oil over it as well.
Roast chicken on upper rack, 10 minutes. Meanwhile place peppers and onion on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbl oil. Toss to coat and arrange in a single layer. Add s & p and put on middle rack.
Add wine to chicken. Roast 20 minutes.
Remove pans from oven. Transfer veggies to pan with chicken arranging around bird. Roast until skin is golden about 20 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes.

Braised Scallions & Braised Celery

2011-09-02T21:49:00.035-04:00

I had to do something with the CSA celery and scallions I've had for awhile. So, last week on my cooking extravaganza before the "hurricane", I went nuts cooking the veggies out of my frig. Also, I had to clean the frig - it was disgusting in there. The local farm celery was so fragrant and small, I wanted to cook it delicately and get the most flavor out of it. I went to the old school Time/Life cooking series for Vegetables and found a recipe Stewed Celery, Michigan-Style. If I hadn't waited so long to do something with the celery I think it would have been a little less tough. The dish came out good either way.

Stewed Celery, Michigan-Style

2 large bunches celery
salt
3 Tbl butter
6 scallions, trimmed and most of the green parts removed
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock
pepper

Separate the celery ribs, then remove the tops. Wash the ribs and cut into 3 inch lengths. Throw celery into boiling water and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
Bring stock to a boil.
Melt butter in saucepan then add scallions, garlic, and celery.
Pour in the stock and cook, covered, over low heat until veggies are quite tender (about 30 minutes), adding more stock if necessary.
When done, the stock should have cooked away entirely. Season with salt before serving.

And, because the scallions came out so yummy in the celery dish, I did close to the same thing with the remaining, huge bunch of scallions I had as well.

Braised Scallions with Anchovy & Garlic

Large bunch scallions, slice in half lengthwise if not of uniform size to others

salt

3 Tbl butter

1 small garlic clove, sliced thin

3 anchovy filets

1 1/4 cups chicken or beef stock

Melt butter in saucepan then add anchovies. Saute until melted and broken down.
Add garlic and then add scallions after garlic is fragrant.
Pour in the stock and cook, covered, over low heat until veggies are quite tender (about 15 minutes).
Season with salt before serving.

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First Day of 2nd Grade

2011-09-01T13:43:00.000-04:00

Over the last few weeks Shelagh found out that NONE of her good friends would be in her class this year. She kept positive though and, as expected, she has a nice collection of friends from K and other activities that she now has an opportunity to develop friendships with. She likes her teacher and has been up and ready for school before I get out of bed for 3 days in a row. This is unheard of in Shelagh's world...I take this as a really good sign and will choose to forget the world class meltdown that occurred 2 nights before the 1st day. All is good in 2nd grade. I buckled on my no dance and gymnastics at the same time rule and now Shelagh will have Dance all year for the 4th year, gymnastics for a couple of months, soccer for the season, and Brownies twice a month. It's a whirl of activities, but if I don't keep her busy she spends her time annoying Rory and being totally bored. Plus if she ends up switching schools to Rory's school at some point then she'll hate me a little less, right?

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Adventure Girl

2011-08-31T07:47:00.000-04:00

Shelagh went back to school today (pictures coming), so yesterday was the 1st time since before Rory was born that I have had only 1 kid on my non-work days. Kelly and I had a great day. We took a long walk around a lake, played in the tot playground, went to the pool together (see below) and then returned to the pool with the big kids after school pickup. She is an absolute nut and the super star of the pool. Everyone cheers for her when she jumps off the board and is amazed that she is swimming face down and blowing bubbles. Future swim champion? Possibly.

"Whole Buttered" Onion Soup

2011-08-28T10:15:00.000-04:00

From Rozanne Gold's Radically Simple book that I copied while at my mom's about a year ago... Just made it yesterday while trying to cook through the veggies in my frig pre-hurricane. I got a nice few hours in and made several new things. This soup came out delicious! I changed a few things. I had 2 huge fresh white onions to make 1/2 the recipe. I didn't have Madeira, so I used Marsala. Finally, I had more pulp than thin soup, so instead of reserving the pulp to put on top I just mixed it all in. My house smelled wonderful last night.
"Here's a radical new way to make onion soup. There's no slicing, dicing, or stirring. Instead, whole butered onion bake for 4 hours, oozing luscious juices that caramelize like toffee."

3 pounds medium yellow onions, about 10

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced thin
3 tablespoons Madeira
1-1/2 tablespoons wildflower honey or truffle honey
sprigs of fresh chervil for garnish

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Peel the onions. Place in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Top with the butter.
Cover and bake 4 hours, until very soft, turning the onions after 2 hours. Transfer to a large bowl.
Pour 4 cups water into the casserole and scrape up the browned bits. Add to the onions.
In 2 batches if necessary, puree the onion mixture in a food processor until very smooth. Pour through a sieve placed over a medium saucepan. Mash down to extract all the juices. Save the pulp.
Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the Madeira and honey. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of onion pulp and chervil. Serves 4

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Kindergarten 1st Day

2011-08-24T10:52:00.001-04:00

So handsome in his uniform this morning. I managed not to cry at drop off. He did great! Long 1st day with after school in there too. I expect a few days of tantrums...

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My Boys Relaxin

2011-08-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

Week at the Cape

2011-08-21T15:01:00.001-04:00

Much needed, lovely vacation. Some bathroom project situations, lots of big kid fighting, early rising, and a dead bat when we got home. More later...

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Potty Training

2011-08-11T07:56:00.000-04:00

Not quite yet. But, how I love toddlers in new underpants.

By the way, she pooped in these cute Yo Gabba Gabba panties within 5 minutes. She did hide under the table and did not seem upset about sitting in it just like it was a diaper.

Bathroom Project

2011-08-10T07:50:00.000-04:00

It has begun.
Before...

Tub, Toilet, Faucets, lighting, and accessories have all arrived. Tiles and Paint are chosen but not ordered yet. All that is outstanding are the shower door and a possible custom "window" for part of the shower wall and some storage in the corner (I have 3 boxes of stuff that came out of the bath and nowhere currently to put it back).

Demo

Showering at work wasn't so bad for Joe and I. The sitter showered the big kids, but poor Kelly is just getting grimy. I might have to stop at the pool after work just to scrub her down.

Update

2011-08-08T14:32:00.000-04:00

I really haven't been blogging much lately. Don't think I've talked much or emailed anyone either. Everything is good, just swamped. Not even watching much TV - nothing is on. True Blood is getting to be too annoying; Entourage sucks, although I feel obligated to finish it. Curb is pretty good still and Breaking Bad is awesome as usual.

The highlights...

Not cooking much, other than what I have to to keep up with the CSA bag (which means I roast or saute everything in one day and eat it myself cold over the week). As a result, my frig is a disaster. However, I'm on countdown to get my new freezer. Yeah!!
Camping out at the pool
Prepping for vaca and Rory starting school on the 23rd of August! (School supply shopping was fun!)
Demo being done for bathroom renovation project so no shower in my house from now until Labor Day (p.u.)
Basement/Furnace Room completely cleared out for bathroom project access and pile of "yard sale" stuff accumulating nicely on my front porch for a projected September sale. Unless, of course, Shelagh one by one brings everything back in. New freezer has a happily reserved space.
Slammed at work
Having warts removed, fillings filled, haircuts and deep conditioning treatments to remove the massive amounts of chlorine.
Finished swim team; continuing tennis lessons with much improvement.
Kelly is officially swimming face down, blowing bubbles, and jumping off of the diving board.
Prepping for a couple family visits over the next few weeks (w/out a shower and only 1 toilet)

While I do not want the summer to end, I think I'm ready for school to begin. Shelagh & Rory are fighting non-stop and have too much time on their hands. Then, of course, I'll have to get all the activities in order and figure out how we're going to handle my big kids being in different schools.

Did I mention Rory is going to a charter school a town over from us while Shelagh is still in the town public elementary near our house? Very exciting opportunity for him (and possibly for her in the future). He's mostly pumped for his uniform. He's been walking around with his PJ's and his new reversible belt on top and tucking in his shirt to practice.

Back to work...

Heavy Metal Kelly

2011-07-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

Newport

2011-07-23T15:48:00.001-04:00

Quick overnight for us...

Last night

Beach this AM as storm approached...

Beautiful storm clouds passing by

Deeply engrossed in Game of Thrones

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Bread & Butter Pickles

2011-07-13T22:02:00.001-04:00

Got these in my CSA bag today and made them tonight! Didn't have dill to make dill pickles, but did have the ingredients for Bread & Butter Pickles thanks, once again, to Deb at SmittenKitchen. Seem good, although I'll know better tomorrow.

Matching Girls

2011-07-11T08:52:00.000-04:00

Just cute...

Braised Leek, Garlic Scape, and Camembert Pizza

2011-07-10T08:52:00.000-04:00

What to do with Garlic Scapes? Use them like scallions, I've read. I had some leeks and camembert as well so pizza it is. Made this a few nights ago after the kids went to bed before a dough I had went bad. So delicious. First, I sauteed the leeks in olive oil and butter and then braised them in chicken broth for a good 20 minutes. Then, I assembled the pizza with pesto on the bottom, some mozzarella, the leeks, some camembert slices and sprinkled the top with chopped scapes and parmesean. Bake for 10 minutes and TA-DA! Delicious pizza for snacking while setting up my 20+ series passes on my new Verizon Fios system installed that day! Good thing I wrote them down before we unplugged the old DVR. Goodbye, TiVO. I have loved you and will miss you.

Rhubarb Compote

2011-07-09T13:43:00.002-04:00

What to do with 2 lbs of Rhubarb? Well, you could make a pie or some strawberry rhubarb jam. Or, you could chop it all up, throw it in a pot with some water and sugar and cook it down into a sauce. And, then dip everything in it including the below pork chop. Came out yummy and was lovely with the braised baby bok choy I had leftover from last week's CSA bag. Which is good b/c I didn't make it in time to pick up this week's bag. V. Annoying.

More gorgeous Chihuly Pics

2011-07-08T23:33:00.001-04:00

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Museum of Fine Arts

2011-07-08T09:52:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, when my mom was up visiting, we went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to see the Chihuly blown glass exhibit. It was mind-blowingly beautiful. I attempted to use my shitty iPhone camera to capture it.

This statue of a baby with it's eyes closed is called Night. There is another on the other side of the new entrance called Day with eyes opened. Cool and Freaky at the same time.

Serene Japanese Garden outside of the new wing of the MFA.

This Chilhuly piece had something like 2,500 parts that are assembled in a different way every time it is put up. Amazing...

She insisted she didn't like the MFA and was bored, but in reality, we sat down in front of one piece for a good 10-15 minutes discussing what we liked/didn't like, what the parts resembled, etc. She loved it.

Shelagh had me take a picture of her in front of EVERY sculpture. She doesn't ask about them later, but she wants it all documented. There was so much more - a room where the blown glass was in the ceiling above you with backlighting and a clear glass "floor". You could lay down on the floor and just stare at it for hours...there had to be thousands of sculptures in there. There was a whole room of "chandeliers" - each one a different color, shape, drop from the ceiling. Just beautiful...I haven't been to the MFA since before Joe and I were married and it's changed immensely. New wing, new restaurants, new layouts. The exhibit was amazing, but I'm so glad to have been back to the museum itself. I will return again soon, maybe with Rory this time.
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Best Friends

2011-07-07T08:45:00.001-04:00

Kelly and Zachary snuggling this week. They are so cute together and such best buds.

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Miscellaneous Pool Pics

2011-07-05T10:32:00.000-04:00

Some random pool pictures from a few weeks ago...

Queen of the pool...

So happy to be in the pool and hanging on my legs

Kelly loves to swim by herself in her jacket and chases Shelagh around the pool

For the 2 minutes she spent out of the deep end with me and Kelly!
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Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T13:04:00.003-04:00

I know it's supposed to get to 87 degrees today but we have later plans today and Kelly is early napping in prep for fireworks tonight. As a result I've accomplished SO much today in the kitchen - FINALLY!

Black Bean Salad - Soaked the beans, used leftover corn on the cob, and tomatoes with some salt and olive oil. Shelagh has rejected all sandwiches, but she loves bean salad, thankfully.
Cut back lettuce from garden, wash & bag - I only cut back 2 plants out of the 8 or so I have that are totally overgrown. Holy too much lettuce.
Made 4 different Salad Dressings (3 from Gywenth Paltrow's new book: Anchovy Vinaigrette, Standby Vinaigrette, Balsamic Lime Vinaigrette and I used a Martha Stewart recipe for Raspberry Vinaigrette) - If I'm going to drown in lettuce b/w the CSA and all that I planted (TOO MUCH!), I need the dressings and lettuce prepped in advance.
Make reduced Balsamic for Tomato, Mozzarella, & Basil Salad a la Pioneer Woman
Wash & Prep Swiss Chard - Will likely cook with the anchovy vinaigrette
Braised Baby Bok Choy - w/ Chicken broth, butter, and sesame oil
Pit Cherries - These have been sitting around uneaten. So happy for the $12 cherry pitter I got last year!

The strawberry jam I made a couple of weeks ago. It was insanely ripe and delicious. Yum.

City Break at the Carousel

2011-07-02T10:22:00.002-04:00

On the way to pickup Mom in Boston last week, we stopped in the North End to ride the Carousel and visit quickly with Joe. We also saw a street performer juggling knives - Rory's chin was down to the ground he was so shocked. Fun afternoon...

Not so happy on the horse...I should get an award for even getting a pic she was gripping my neck so firmly.
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Movies b/w Shows

2011-07-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

TV is in limbo right now, despite our aggressive year-round Season Passes on a whole slew of networks and cable channels. We have watched a few movies in the last 2 weeks, all of which I enjoyed and would recommend:

Taking Chance (HBO Movie) - Kevin Bacon stars as a Marine who is not in combat and volunteers to accompany a dead Marine home. This was a beautiful, slow-paced, really touching movie. It wasn't sad, per se, but I definitely cried multiple times. Assuming this is really what happens, the process from death to funeral for a fallen service-person is unbelievable. I had no idea how much time, care, attention to detail and honor that is bestowed upon each person. They made a lovely movie out of a several day, not very eventful story.
Too Big To Fail (HBO Movie) - Extremely well cast, simplied explanation about the 2008 financial collapse. This really helped me understand the domino effect that took place in the financial industry and government. It was amazing to see the interplay b/w Lehman, the US Treasury and the other top banks each step along the way. I think this was based on a book written about it, so I would imagine that much of what was portrayed was true, but who knows. The Lehman CEO was made out to be a complete and total jackass moron. What a great cast...William Hurt, James Woods, Topher Grace, Billy Crudup, Cynthia Nixon, Evan Handler, Matthew Modine, etc, etc, etc.
Somewhere - Sofia Coppola's latest. I just love all her movies - Virgin Suicides, Marie Antionette, Lost in Translation, and now this too. Her movies are all focused on cinematic presentation - color, pace, costume, etc. I really enjoyed this despite how slowly the story was told. She's awesome! Stephen Dorff hasn't done much I've seen until this - I enjoyed his performance and noticed he's making 5-6 movies coming out this year and next. Elle Fanning was great. Looking forward to seeing her in Super 8.

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

2011-06-30T20:12:00.000-04:00

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...

Baby Bok Choy
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)
Scapes
Sugar Snap Peas - YEAH!
Swiss Chard - Mom sauteed my last bunch with smashed garlic and melted anchovy - it was heavenly so I'll do that again (hopefully!)
Qt Strawberries
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

2011-06-30T12:30:00.000-04:00

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...

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Bright Morning

2011-06-17T11:08:00.003-04:00

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!

2011-06-16T13:04:00.002-04:00

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

2011-06-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

BRUINS !!

2011-06-15T23:04:00.002-04:00

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

2011-06-15T21:41:00.000-04:00

White Sangria

2011-06-14T14:02:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-13T13:41:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-13T12:19:00.002-04:00

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

2011-06-12T21:19:00.000-04:00

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)

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.
Add green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a processor, combine parsley leaves and 1 tbl oil and process until finely chopped
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

2011-06-06T13:41:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-06-01T14:46:00.002-04:00

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

FUN & FRIENDSHIP (pool is open and hanging with the pool gangs has begun)
COMFORT (thank you, fantastic hot and sunny weather finally)
ADVENTURE (van landing on top of Boulder - see previous muffin post - and extraction damage-free!)
SLEEP (exhausted children who don't get out of pool ALL day sleep well!)
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)
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...

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.
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.
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!
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...

Whole Wheat Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

2011-05-31T08:41:00.000-04:00

What is left of the Rhubarb Streusel Muffins that I made, thanks to SmittenKitchen and the early order from my CSA of fresh rhubarb! Brought them to the pool, but no takers since everyone seems to be not eating carbs anymore. Stick of Butter, Sour Cream, lots of Sugar, why the hell not? Not even the tow truck drivers (yes, there were 2) that pulled my van off of a huge boulder that I drove over (yes, I did) wanted one. Their loss. They were delicious and more for the kids!

PS - For the record, I didn't just drove over and land on a boulder head on. I drove past it, didn't see a parking spot, backed up, and then couldn't see it from my vantage point as it was just to the right of my front passenger door. It happened fast and as soon as I realized I was on it, I was over it and stuck nice and good. Luckily, it landed right in the wheel well and, miraculously, there was almost no damage at all to the car. Astounding. Joe will be so happy to hear when he returns from Ireland. Good thing it was a gorgeous day at the pool to mask the embarrassment of this happening in the parking lot at the pool and the annoucement across the entire pool area that "DMV has arrived for whoever is parked on the rock". Nice. See below for the "after". If you spot the boulder to the right you can imagine the "before".

Farfalle Pasta with Broccoli Pesto

2011-05-27T16:49:00.000-04:00

I grabbed this recipe from Pioneer Woman who got it from Italian Food Forever. I liked the idea of processing the broccoli into a pesto. It came out just okay, but I'm determined to make it work.

Here are my notes:

The ratio of broccoli to parsley was WAY off. I don't love parsley and I should have known that there was too much for my taste. I would do 2 cups broccoli to 1/2 cup parsley.
I didn't toast the pine nuts, but will next time.
I would add another, if not 2 more, anchovies.
I skipped the capers - not crazy about them.
I would use more olive oil...it was dry.

Birthday Girl

2011-05-26T08:34:00.001-04:00

She loved the birthday sombrero and high energy singing! The ice cream wasn't too bad either.

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Screw You Spring, Summer is Here

2011-05-25T11:03:00.000-04:00

Kelly pretending to nap on the swing yesterday at the park. Heavenly weather...sunny, 80 degrees, picnic, park, tennis lessons started. Great day!

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Shelagh is 7

2011-05-21T21:15:00.000-04:00

Just blows me away...We had a packed day today. Rory had Tball at 830. Shelagh had her dance recital at 10 (she did great!) followed by her soccer game at 1245 (she scored, they won!). We ended up at our favorite local Mexican restaurant where Shelagh was serenaded by a gang of waiters while wearing an enormous sombrero. Then home for some red velvet cake with pink frosting and M & M's (by request). We hung around home and then had presents at the end of the day. New pillow pet, microphone, outfit, crafts, and books and her day was happily complete. I think it was a bit overwhelming by the end. Poor thing was so tired and worn down by bedtime that we had a rough time ending things on an up note.

I cannot believe she is 7 years old and finishing 1st grade. Where did the time go?

Russian Egg & Mushroom Salad

2011-05-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

Look how gorgeous this egg salad is? Before and After pics are below... The recipe I used was adapted on Orangette but originally from last months Saveur magazine. I went right by it in the magazine, but made it the other day after Molly adapted it and raved about it. It was delicious. I put it on a piece of toasted rye.

My food co-op/CSA is beginning in a couple of weeks. They usually get some Spring deliveries prior to the season start that you can optionally order. I grabbed a pound of the most gorgeous and enormous asparagus which I promptly roasted. Yes, they are almost the length of the cookie sheet! Unfortunately, I hosed them by about 5-10 minutes. Damn. They were still good.

Dance Practice

2011-05-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

I know I've been posting a lot of videos lately, especially of Kelly, but I just couldn't help it. This one is Shelagh practicing her dance for her recital coming up on Saturday and Kelly trying to keep up. Enjoy...it's too cute!

Sirius & Massive Dunkin Donuts Calories

2011-05-19T12:25:00.000-04:00

I had to replace my Sirius unit I use in my car a few months ago. I grabbed a new one at Radio Shack and set it up. Since then I've had the worst reception - SO frustrating. Why did it work before and not now???? To solve this problem, I went back to Radio Shack and bought an adapter to plug directly into the FM radio instead of allowing the signal to come through an unused channel (like you would do with your iPod and an iTrip). Regular mechanic couldn't do it because apparently you have to take the whole dashboard apart and he didn't have the tools. Went to a specific car radio guy today and it's now working perfectly. Of course, he needed more parts - 2 different adapters b/c Honda needed to change their industry standard radio setup. He told me that the FCC told Sirius that they had to reduce the output in the new line of radios. Nice, huh? I'm convinced they did that b/c they can't get to Howard any other way now. Nice. At least I'm not nuts for being driven insane by this!!

While I was waiting I ran over to Dunkin Donuts across the street so I could get some work done. I don't think I would have been hungry otherwise, but it seemed silly not to get something. I got a multi-grain bagel, small iced tea and butter on the side. My intention was to eat 1/2 the bagel and less than a butter pat. Of course that didn't happen - They toasted the bagel so I wouldn't have been able to save the other half and it seemed like a waste :) I ate the whole thing and 2 butter pats (accomplishment b/c they actually gave me 4 pats). THIS IS WHY I HAVE TO GIVE UP BUTTER ALMOST COMPLETELY!!!! Then I plugged this "snack" into my fitness pal on my phone and good Lord. 570 calories. Seriously. I just ate marinated mushrooms and asparagus for lunch and I will be sipping broth for dinner. Kidding. But, I really have to have a small dinner now. How on Earth is a bagel, butter and iced tea almost 600 calories or 1/2 of daily intake???? Crazy. Bagels are death.

Pasta with Mascarpone, Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Spinach

2011-05-18T13:39:00.000-04:00

While perusing The Pioneer Woman's food blog pointed to this recipe from Italian Food Forever. I've wanted to use Mascarpone cheese for awhile and this seemed like a good place to start. I bought 2 containers b/c I recall a brownie recipe using it as well.

I halved the recipe for Joe and I and it was plenty with leftovers that I sent with him to work for lunch (or I certainly would have inhaled it all). Some notes:

I used 2 chicken thighs instead of 1 1/2 (Joe doesn't like thighs usually, but he didn't notice in this dish)
2 garlic cloves instead of 1
7oz of spinach instead of 4 1/2 - Spinach shrinks so why not make the whole bag, right?
I have split feelings about lemon in savory food. I should always pare it back when there is zest in a recipe. There was a bit too much lemon in this, but I still liked it. I would probably do 1/2 the lemon zest and the same amount of juice.

Author's Punch

2011-05-17T08:58:00.000-04:00

Shelagh's 1st grade class have been working on making their own books. This is one of Shelagh's favorite things to do - she has a huge box full of them at home as well. Her teacher decided to have an Author's Punch where the children could read their book to the class and invite parents in to listen and have a little reception afterwards. Joe and I both went and, despite her being VERY quiet, she was proud and excited to read her story and have us there. I love this activity - anything to encourage her reading and writing on her own is wonderful. Here's Shelagh in front of her class reading.

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Bacon-Simmered Beans & Pickled Onions

2011-05-16T13:36:00.000-04:00

It was less than 2 months ago that I made Beer Braised Beans, but I've been interested in using dried beans more. When a recipe appeared in Bon Appettit this month or last month for Bacon-Simmered Pinto Beans and Pickled Onions I decided to make this one too and compare. The previous recipe was definitely better, but these are pretty good too. The pickled onions are a fantastic topper to the beans and would work with either recipe. Note to self...no need to make the whole pound of beans unless you want to eat them for lunch every day for 2 weeks. For this more recent recipe I used feta instead of Cotija cheese, great northern beans instead of pintos, no jalapenos, and added lots of salt as they were cooking and at the end. I need more uses for the pickled onions - that was my favorite part.

Rainy Day at the Mus of Science

2011-05-16T08:52:00.001-04:00

After quite a while with plans every weekend, we ended up with a day to spare. Off to the Museum of Science we went. 3D Dino movie, space shuttles, butterfly garden, experiments...great time.

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Movie: Black Swan

2011-05-12T11:48:00.000-04:00

Joe and I watched Black Swan last weekend. I thought it was wonderful. Joe said it reminded him of Requiem for a Dream, which is fitting since Darren Aronofsky did both movies (I think he looks like David Arquette, by the way). The movie showed the fine line between reality and a mind spiralling downward. I still don't know what actually happened and what was all in her imagination, but regardless, I thought about various parts of it for days afterwards. Highly recommended!

Rutabaga and Celeriac Puree with Seared Scallops

2011-05-05T20:24:00.001-04:00

Spotted this on the Kitchn the other day and made it tonight. The Rutabaga and Celeriac Puree with Seared Scallops was wonderful!

I have a few notes though...

I used Vegetable broth. I think you could use a little less for a slightly thicker puree...maybe 3-3 1/2 cups instead of 4.
I think the sour cream could be cut in half at least. Also, I used a hand/smoothie blender which worked great.
The scallops took longer than 1 1/2 minutes per side.
There was MUCH more puree than needed, even with a generous portion. I will probably eat it like a soup for leftovers. I would reduce the puree ingredients in 1/2 next time.
I also think this could use a sprinkling of thinly sliced scallions at the end. Or, a little basil oil drizzle maybe?
Didn't serve this with anything. Didn't need to.

Grand Ole Flag Home Concert w/ Shelagh & Kelly

2011-05-04T20:32:00.001-04:00

Kelly has been watching Shelagh practice and decided to join in!

Mushrooms & Asparagus with Sherry Vinaigrette

2011-05-04T20:10:00.000-04:00

Another from this months Everyday Food - why is nothing posted from this month yet????
I swear I clipped most of the issue. I only had 1 package of mushrooms so I probably used 1/2 lb of mushrooms instead of 1 1/2 lbs and I thought it was fine. I will say that this recipe Serves 8, which seemed ridiculous to me. Therefore the calorie/carb/fat count was double unfortunately for a normal side dish portion in my opinion. It was very good though and one I'd do again.

Grand Ole Flag Music Concert

2011-05-04T16:43:00.001-04:00

In preparation for the Spring Music Concert...

Sweet & Sour Green Cabbage with Bacon

2011-05-03T20:32:00.000-04:00

Not exactly health food...But at 260 calories per serving, 11g fat (4g saturated), 31g carbs, it was okay for a day like today when I went to the gym and also walked to pick up Shelagh from school. Or so I tell myself...
This was an Everyday Food recipe from this month (not online yet) and it was delish.

I also made the Eggs with Rice and Soy Dressing from this months issue for lunch tomorrow. 344 calories, 6g fat, 57g carb (not so great on the carbs side). Probably too salty too.

Dad & His Kids

2011-05-03T13:51:00.001-04:00

How cute is this picture?

Dad & Kelly Dancing

2011-05-01T20:40:00.001-04:00

So precious...

From Nutty to Wiped Out

2011-04-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

Before and After of Kelly on Easter day in the dog's cage playing...No nap and a whole day of running around like a nut.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread & Muffins

2011-04-29T19:33:00.000-04:00

Got this fabulous recipe from my friend Phoebe at work...So great. We had 3 rotten bananas so I figured this would be a good idea and made it today with Rory while Kelly napped.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 medium bananas or 1 cup mashed
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (I didn't have a measurement for this but I did have an instruction so I guessed and it seemed to work out okay!)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup hot water
6 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts optional (I didn't include - not crazy about nuts in my baked goods)

Melt butter
In a mixer, blend sugar and butter
Mix in beaten eggs and mashed bananas, blending until smooth
Sift plan flour with salt and baking soda and then stir in whole wheat flour
Add flour mixture into wet ingredients, alternately with hot water
Stir in choc chips/nuts
Scoop into 6 muffins and turn rest into greased 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Bake bread at 325 for 1 hour, 10 minutes (as I type this I realize I did 350 which explains why the bread was toasty on top :) ). Muffins were in for 20 minutes.

Spring Day at Tball

2011-04-29T16:54:00.001-04:00

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