Brrrrr...ing on the HEAT!
Oh we prairie dogs who love the hot summer are cowering in our burrows today! Don't be fooled by the celestial blue skies and cotton ball clouds outside your office window, the wind is brisk and smells like harvest time. Where did our summer go?
Bake-A-Thon
Over the weekend I was caught in this crazy pattern of baking to warm the home (emotionally and physically) -- heating my small kitchen and filling the place with aromas of toasty oats, cinnamon and such! On the roster were oat and flax scones (part of my cool-the-hot-flash-dragon nutritional remedy!), flourless peanut butter cookies and (drum roll, the ole family staple) banana nut bread with chocolate chips.
Herbal or Horrible
Given the choice, I chose herbal -- I ventured to my small, rain-sodden herb garden and gathered fistfuls of basil and oregano to fashion an Italian-inspired salad to take to friends on Sunday evening. Mesclan greens, fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, garden market bell peppers, home-made (ultra garlicky) croutons and a vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar and olive oil! All devoured within seconds at the "receiving end" of its short life journey. And then, as we prepared to go home and rest for the next work week, the delinquent sun made a "neener neener" appearance!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
July 2010 Post-Mortem
It seems like July would never come (I was sooooo ready for a break!) and now it's long gone and I am facing the last day of my summer vacation - those lazy days just vanished in time, just like a puff of smoke; shazam!
Camping was highlight, of course, and we lucked out with exceptional weather. But for the second year in a row I found myself saddled with a very picky, conniving kid - my son's buddy! (arg!) Next time we "fly solo"! My little guy makes friends easily at the campground, and I am just not willing to deal with the drama/dynamics of some unbalanced little personalities.
I feel a bit badly as I was raised to be generous and gracious, but I am
NOT a child psychologist and this is my holiday time -- only three weeks off a year to spend with my kids, so they are very precious. So... no whiners, party poopers, thankless, mannerless passengers allowed in my holiday space -- NO MORE!
Treasure Found
Week Two I escaped to Las Vegas with a girlfriend. It was impromptu -- found a great hotel+flight bargain and seized the opportunity to get away. I had never been to Vegas and haven't a hot clue about gambling.
I soon learned why they call slot machines "one-armed bandits" LOL! But we did enjoy walking and seeing the sights and managed to save a bit of $$$ to bring back some fun souvenirs for friends/family :)
The Bellagio is really a wonderful hotel/resort with exceptional staff, service etc. The food was surprisingly affordable and consistently delicious. I was impressed at the consistent delivery of excellent guest services at the Bellagio -- really commendable, given the size of the place and the complexity of the demands placed upon the staff; so "bravo"!
Highlights of Vegas and our Bellagio stay were the fountains, the conservatory and the Cirque du Soleil show, "O".
Weird and random musings... I was gobsmacked by how many families were dragging kids in strollers through the casinos. Vegas is still Vegas, and little kids do not belong anywhere near a casino -- just wrong on so many levels!
Camping was highlight, of course, and we lucked out with exceptional weather. But for the second year in a row I found myself saddled with a very picky, conniving kid - my son's buddy! (arg!) Next time we "fly solo"! My little guy makes friends easily at the campground, and I am just not willing to deal with the drama/dynamics of some unbalanced little personalities.
I feel a bit badly as I was raised to be generous and gracious, but I am
NOT a child psychologist and this is my holiday time -- only three weeks off a year to spend with my kids, so they are very precious. So... no whiners, party poopers, thankless, mannerless passengers allowed in my holiday space -- NO MORE!
Treasure Found
Week Two I escaped to Las Vegas with a girlfriend. It was impromptu -- found a great hotel+flight bargain and seized the opportunity to get away. I had never been to Vegas and haven't a hot clue about gambling.
I soon learned why they call slot machines "one-armed bandits" LOL! But we did enjoy walking and seeing the sights and managed to save a bit of $$$ to bring back some fun souvenirs for friends/family :)
The Bellagio is really a wonderful hotel/resort with exceptional staff, service etc. The food was surprisingly affordable and consistently delicious. I was impressed at the consistent delivery of excellent guest services at the Bellagio -- really commendable, given the size of the place and the complexity of the demands placed upon the staff; so "bravo"!
Highlights of Vegas and our Bellagio stay were the fountains, the conservatory and the Cirque du Soleil show, "O".
Weird and random musings... I was gobsmacked by how many families were dragging kids in strollers through the casinos. Vegas is still Vegas, and little kids do not belong anywhere near a casino -- just wrong on so many levels!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Woodsmoke & Starlight!
Summer Vacation - AT LAST!!!
It couldn't have come too soon for me this year! It has been a challenging time of ungrateful clients, too many people out to take advantage/wanting your heart and soul for nothing (both clients and staff) and a painfully sluggish economy -- just to add to the stress! The past months have not typically brought out the best in people. So... bring on the summer holiday! I am getting ready to go camping with my best friend, my son and my son's buddy. The other day I kicked my pumps off in the car at lunch hour and felt the texture of the rubber car mats -- in my mind I was at the lake shore, feeling the cool lick of the water and rolling the smooth pebbles under my toes! Yes, I am SO ready to get away:)
Food-on-a-Stick and Other Delights
I try to keep camping simple and yet not spartan. We typically allow for a couple of restaurant meals - good old A&W burgers and root beer one night, and Pizza Hut another night. But the rest of the time we are "true campers", cooking over a fire pit and singing songs under the night sky while the fire flies sparkle in the dark trees. Because of our northern latitude, we are often treated to northern lights - usually green and white, and occasionally with a burst of soft pink. Oh, and of course, you have to enjoy "S'mores": the fire-pit toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate bar pieces sandwiched between graham wafers -- ooey gooey delicious!
Keeping Things Interesting...
In the weeks before summer vacation, my radar is always alert and scanning for any new activities or recipes I can use to spice up our time together camping at the lake. This year, I came across a great recipe for baked beans. My plan is to make the beans in advance, freeze it in smaller batches and to take a small container along to reheat over our camp fire. I have adapted the recipe somewhat to suit my tastes -- but the secret weapon remains the same: two bottles of beer! Hope you will try this and add it to your roster of summer meal memories. xo
Campfire Baked Beans
Ingredients:
2 cups canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained*
2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups canned navy beans (in tomato sauce)
1 lb. bacon, cut in large chunks
2 large cooking onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. chipotle paste
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. black strap molasses
2 - 12 ounce bottles of beer
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
*You will require one-14 ounce can to obtain one cup of beans -- a little more or less can be used, and add/substitute your favourite bean varieties as desired.
Method:
Cook bacon in fry pan until crisp - drain and set aside. Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the bacon fat for the recipe. Add the onions to the reserved fat and fry until they are soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic, chipotle paste, cumin, salt and pepper, and cook together five minutes to blend the flavours.
Place the drained beans in a large dutch oven or crock pot. Add to this, the onion mixture, sugar, molasses, water and one of the bottles of beer. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for approximately 45 minutes (4-5 hours on high, if using the crock pot). Add additional beer if needed, along with the bacon. Taste and add more salt and pepper as required. Delicious on their own, or with mild tomato salsa and grated cheddar. Also a great side to hot dogs, burgers or steak. Enjoy!
It couldn't have come too soon for me this year! It has been a challenging time of ungrateful clients, too many people out to take advantage/wanting your heart and soul for nothing (both clients and staff) and a painfully sluggish economy -- just to add to the stress! The past months have not typically brought out the best in people. So... bring on the summer holiday! I am getting ready to go camping with my best friend, my son and my son's buddy. The other day I kicked my pumps off in the car at lunch hour and felt the texture of the rubber car mats -- in my mind I was at the lake shore, feeling the cool lick of the water and rolling the smooth pebbles under my toes! Yes, I am SO ready to get away:)
Food-on-a-Stick and Other Delights
I try to keep camping simple and yet not spartan. We typically allow for a couple of restaurant meals - good old A&W burgers and root beer one night, and Pizza Hut another night. But the rest of the time we are "true campers", cooking over a fire pit and singing songs under the night sky while the fire flies sparkle in the dark trees. Because of our northern latitude, we are often treated to northern lights - usually green and white, and occasionally with a burst of soft pink. Oh, and of course, you have to enjoy "S'mores": the fire-pit toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate bar pieces sandwiched between graham wafers -- ooey gooey delicious!
Keeping Things Interesting...
In the weeks before summer vacation, my radar is always alert and scanning for any new activities or recipes I can use to spice up our time together camping at the lake. This year, I came across a great recipe for baked beans. My plan is to make the beans in advance, freeze it in smaller batches and to take a small container along to reheat over our camp fire. I have adapted the recipe somewhat to suit my tastes -- but the secret weapon remains the same: two bottles of beer! Hope you will try this and add it to your roster of summer meal memories. xo
Campfire Baked Beans
Ingredients:
2 cups canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained*
2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups canned navy beans (in tomato sauce)
1 lb. bacon, cut in large chunks
2 large cooking onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. chipotle paste
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. black strap molasses
2 - 12 ounce bottles of beer
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
*You will require one-14 ounce can to obtain one cup of beans -- a little more or less can be used, and add/substitute your favourite bean varieties as desired.
Method:
Cook bacon in fry pan until crisp - drain and set aside. Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the bacon fat for the recipe. Add the onions to the reserved fat and fry until they are soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic, chipotle paste, cumin, salt and pepper, and cook together five minutes to blend the flavours.
Place the drained beans in a large dutch oven or crock pot. Add to this, the onion mixture, sugar, molasses, water and one of the bottles of beer. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for approximately 45 minutes (4-5 hours on high, if using the crock pot). Add additional beer if needed, along with the bacon. Taste and add more salt and pepper as required. Delicious on their own, or with mild tomato salsa and grated cheddar. Also a great side to hot dogs, burgers or steak. Enjoy!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Steamy Summer Sustainance
A String of Pearls
Of my three sisters, two of them are close to me in birth date - although they are nine and seven years older than me (much, much older, I know... wink!) we are celestially close! My one sister was born June 30 and the other July 8, and as for "yours truly", I am in the middle! This makes for a very festive month little time span for we girls... party, party, party :)
Hot, Hot, Hot!!!
The steamiest time of the year has special food memories for us all. We shared such a dinner (and Boston Cream Pie!) for Sue's B-Day on July 1 -- she had plans for the actual birth date with some gal pals, so we combined forces on Canada Day.
Dinner was prepared by my dear Momma (MMM for Marvelous Mother Martha) and it proved to be a German farm family feast -- what a delight: farmer sausage, roast chicken, new potatoes with dill and sour cream, steamed green beans and Russian Salad.
The Russian Salad recipe comes from my maternal Grandmother, Susanna Kitzmann (Nast) whose family roots were in Russia (authentic, NOT the famous red dressing in the Kraft bottle!). The recipe follows and I hope you will try it. It makes a lovely meal on its own, but is especially wonderful with a bit of roast chicken or lean sausage and new potatoes on the side. We are very lucky in my area to have access to wonderful Mennonite-made farmer sausage - very lean and flavourful; but you could substitute any favourite sausage or barbecued ribs.
Susanna's Russian Salad
Ingredients for the Dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1- 2 tsp. liquid honey, or other sweetener
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (regular or low fat)
Ingredients for the Salad:
10-12 cups fresh mixed garden greens (our typical mix is Romaine, red leaf lettuce and green leaf lettuce)
1/3 cup fresh dill weed greens, finely cut
1/3 cup fresh chives, finely cut
1/2 lb. bacon, fried to crisp and crumbled
Optional: 2 medium tomatoes, chopped and drained
Prepare dressing and bacon in advance and refrigerate until serving time. At serving time, toss greens together with bacon, reserving a bit of the dill, chives and bacon for garnishing. Toss greens/bacon mix with dressing, garnishing with bacon, tomatoes and herbs. Serve immediately - serves 4-6.
Enjoy!
Of my three sisters, two of them are close to me in birth date - although they are nine and seven years older than me (much, much older, I know... wink!) we are celestially close! My one sister was born June 30 and the other July 8, and as for "yours truly", I am in the middle! This makes for a very festive month little time span for we girls... party, party, party :)
Hot, Hot, Hot!!!
The steamiest time of the year has special food memories for us all. We shared such a dinner (and Boston Cream Pie!) for Sue's B-Day on July 1 -- she had plans for the actual birth date with some gal pals, so we combined forces on Canada Day.
Dinner was prepared by my dear Momma (MMM for Marvelous Mother Martha) and it proved to be a German farm family feast -- what a delight: farmer sausage, roast chicken, new potatoes with dill and sour cream, steamed green beans and Russian Salad.
The Russian Salad recipe comes from my maternal Grandmother, Susanna Kitzmann (Nast) whose family roots were in Russia (authentic, NOT the famous red dressing in the Kraft bottle!). The recipe follows and I hope you will try it. It makes a lovely meal on its own, but is especially wonderful with a bit of roast chicken or lean sausage and new potatoes on the side. We are very lucky in my area to have access to wonderful Mennonite-made farmer sausage - very lean and flavourful; but you could substitute any favourite sausage or barbecued ribs.
Susanna's Russian Salad
Ingredients for the Dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1- 2 tsp. liquid honey, or other sweetener
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (regular or low fat)
Ingredients for the Salad:
10-12 cups fresh mixed garden greens (our typical mix is Romaine, red leaf lettuce and green leaf lettuce)
1/3 cup fresh dill weed greens, finely cut
1/3 cup fresh chives, finely cut
1/2 lb. bacon, fried to crisp and crumbled
Optional: 2 medium tomatoes, chopped and drained
Prepare dressing and bacon in advance and refrigerate until serving time. At serving time, toss greens together with bacon, reserving a bit of the dill, chives and bacon for garnishing. Toss greens/bacon mix with dressing, garnishing with bacon, tomatoes and herbs. Serve immediately - serves 4-6.
Enjoy!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Hello Cupcake :)
At long last some blue skies and sunshine have aligned with our weekend hours. I am anxious to get out there and go for walk along the river! However, first I am baking cupcakes for my Mom's birthday -- the house smells amazing! When I get back from my walk I will fill and ice these yummy morsels.
I found this recipe a while back on the Internet, but have adapted it to be lower in sugar, higher in cocoa and with the addition of baking soda -- replacing some of the baking soda. No birthdays in your world for a while? Why not celebrate the summer sun, a random happy moment, or wonderful, delightful, party and pastry-worthy YOU? Hope you will try, enjoy in good health and let me know how you like them.
Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Batter Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup canola oil
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sea salt
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 - 2/3 cups granulated white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
Combine eggs, water, oil, milk, vanilla and salt in a large bowl, beating until well-combined and slightly frothy. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a mid-sized bowl and add the dry mix gradually to the liquid to form a smooth batter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners. Ladle batter into the cups and bake for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool completely and then pipe in creamy filling using a pastry bag (filling recipe follows). To fill, first make a cross cut in the top of each cupcake with a sharp knife, then insert the pastry bag tip and squeeze until the cupcake swells slightly at the crown. Ice with favorite icing or use my Easy Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows filling).
Creamy Cupcake Filling
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup shortening
dash of sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar
3 Tbsp. milk or cream
Beat together butter and shortening, adding in salt and milk (cream). Add in vanilla and gradually mix in the icing sugar to form a creamy filling. Pipe into cooled cupcake centers using a pastry bag with steel tip.
Easy Chocolate Glaze
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Microwave in small glass bowl on High setting for 2-3 minutes, stirring after the first minute and each 30 seconds thereafter. Watch carefully as chocolate can easily scorch and the time needed to melt/combine will vary from one microwave to another. Drizzle or spread while lukewarm over cooled and filled cupcakes. This glaze will harden and be glossy -- also nice to use for dipping fresh fruit or animal crackers for a quick dessert.
Yield: 20 - 24 medium to large sized muffins. Based on 24 muffins, the calories per are 294, 14g fat per, and 24 mg cholesterol per. Enjoy!
At long last some blue skies and sunshine have aligned with our weekend hours. I am anxious to get out there and go for walk along the river! However, first I am baking cupcakes for my Mom's birthday -- the house smells amazing! When I get back from my walk I will fill and ice these yummy morsels.
I found this recipe a while back on the Internet, but have adapted it to be lower in sugar, higher in cocoa and with the addition of baking soda -- replacing some of the baking soda. No birthdays in your world for a while? Why not celebrate the summer sun, a random happy moment, or wonderful, delightful, party and pastry-worthy YOU? Hope you will try, enjoy in good health and let me know how you like them.
Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Batter Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup canola oil
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sea salt
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 - 2/3 cups granulated white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
Combine eggs, water, oil, milk, vanilla and salt in a large bowl, beating until well-combined and slightly frothy. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a mid-sized bowl and add the dry mix gradually to the liquid to form a smooth batter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners. Ladle batter into the cups and bake for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool completely and then pipe in creamy filling using a pastry bag (filling recipe follows). To fill, first make a cross cut in the top of each cupcake with a sharp knife, then insert the pastry bag tip and squeeze until the cupcake swells slightly at the crown. Ice with favorite icing or use my Easy Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows filling).
Creamy Cupcake Filling
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup shortening
dash of sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar
3 Tbsp. milk or cream
Beat together butter and shortening, adding in salt and milk (cream). Add in vanilla and gradually mix in the icing sugar to form a creamy filling. Pipe into cooled cupcake centers using a pastry bag with steel tip.
Easy Chocolate Glaze
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Microwave in small glass bowl on High setting for 2-3 minutes, stirring after the first minute and each 30 seconds thereafter. Watch carefully as chocolate can easily scorch and the time needed to melt/combine will vary from one microwave to another. Drizzle or spread while lukewarm over cooled and filled cupcakes. This glaze will harden and be glossy -- also nice to use for dipping fresh fruit or animal crackers for a quick dessert.
Yield: 20 - 24 medium to large sized muffins. Based on 24 muffins, the calories per are 294, 14g fat per, and 24 mg cholesterol per. Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
June 8, 2010
Soulful vs. Woeful
This was a day of highs and lows, a roller coaster ride for the emotions. On one hand I had the great privilege of attending a creativity workshop this a.m., and on the other I attended a funeral for a friend's Father. My friend is taking this particularly hard, and for those of us who have lost a loved one, it is so difficult to see their pain and suffering and to be unable to carry that burden for them -- we each have to weather that storm of loss within us, and in a way that personally brings some resolution and peace.
The Balancing Act
In retrospect, I am even more grateful for the creative workshop in the morning hours that sparked the deepest part of me, the real me who strives to be heard and express itself among the hustle and bustle and mundane striving without core purpose. In this way I was bolstered against the storm of sorrowful emotion that I was witness to (but not consumed by) in the afternoon hours.
Three Girls with Three Gifts
My dear friend is one of three sisters and they each sweetly told about the loving and generous nature of their dear Dad, and how he gave them so much in his years with them. Of all of the hundreds of things, they each selected one gift to speak about. My friend spoke of how he taught her to love and to be good to others -- she sobbed and sobbed but her words came genuinely and clearly through her grief. In so doing, she added water to the lovely flower that was her Father's gift. Such fine girls; I was so proud of each of them as they shared so freely -- I am certain they were each viewed as a precious treasure by their Dad :)
Feels like a Friday...
So, it's been quite a day -- inspirational, poignant and joy-filled in spite of the tears. I am SO sapped tonight that the thought of even a short evening walk is just impossible; but I will allow myself a bit of additional rest to face the remainder of the week. (It really feels like tomorrow should be Friday, not Wednesday!) I think my heart and soul aged a few extra days today, but that is not a complaint -- but growing can take the rounds out of us :) Share your gifts this week -- I am going to be much more conscious of my own offerings and will be more mindful of the need to be generous will all whom I encounter. We are capable of doing much more than going through the motions -- our actions can create great goodness xo
This was a day of highs and lows, a roller coaster ride for the emotions. On one hand I had the great privilege of attending a creativity workshop this a.m., and on the other I attended a funeral for a friend's Father. My friend is taking this particularly hard, and for those of us who have lost a loved one, it is so difficult to see their pain and suffering and to be unable to carry that burden for them -- we each have to weather that storm of loss within us, and in a way that personally brings some resolution and peace.
The Balancing Act
In retrospect, I am even more grateful for the creative workshop in the morning hours that sparked the deepest part of me, the real me who strives to be heard and express itself among the hustle and bustle and mundane striving without core purpose. In this way I was bolstered against the storm of sorrowful emotion that I was witness to (but not consumed by) in the afternoon hours.
Three Girls with Three Gifts
My dear friend is one of three sisters and they each sweetly told about the loving and generous nature of their dear Dad, and how he gave them so much in his years with them. Of all of the hundreds of things, they each selected one gift to speak about. My friend spoke of how he taught her to love and to be good to others -- she sobbed and sobbed but her words came genuinely and clearly through her grief. In so doing, she added water to the lovely flower that was her Father's gift. Such fine girls; I was so proud of each of them as they shared so freely -- I am certain they were each viewed as a precious treasure by their Dad :)
Feels like a Friday...
So, it's been quite a day -- inspirational, poignant and joy-filled in spite of the tears. I am SO sapped tonight that the thought of even a short evening walk is just impossible; but I will allow myself a bit of additional rest to face the remainder of the week. (It really feels like tomorrow should be Friday, not Wednesday!) I think my heart and soul aged a few extra days today, but that is not a complaint -- but growing can take the rounds out of us :) Share your gifts this week -- I am going to be much more conscious of my own offerings and will be more mindful of the need to be generous will all whom I encounter. We are capable of doing much more than going through the motions -- our actions can create great goodness xo
Sunday, June 6, 2010
June 6, 2010
R & R Crisis!
My Mom, the wise mother of seven kids, once said "Small children, small problems..." As I have raised my own three kids, I realize how true that is. Little ones keep you busy 'round the clock with meals, laundry, supervision and so on, but the adult children occupy you with worry: late nights, dating, driving, working challenges, etc. etc. etc. The bigger they get, the more terror and frustration they can elicit, guaranteed.
Explosion of the Dirt Monster...
Most recently (last night) my two adult daughters were at a wedding social -- we had friends over and were up later than usual; almost to 2 a.m. I went to bed and slept soundly, and did not hear the kids come home. When I woke up I saw what I initially thought were Oreo cookie crumbs on the kitchen floor -- actually first felt the grit under my feet. It was dirt! I looked for broken flower pots, but that was not the case.
What the...?
Next stop the bathroom -- yes, the dirt monster had been here too... There was black mud on the walls, the cabinetry, the tub and tub-surround and even on the toilet bowl and sides. By this point I was beginning to connect the dots as to who the monster was, or as to who may have invited the monster into our home!
Final stop was the back landing and - you guessed it -- more mud, lots of it all over the steps, landing, walls, and area rug. Of course, we just freshly painted those walls a buttery French vanilla colour last weekend... sigh! And I had just swept, wiped the floors and put out a fresh rug yesterday afternoon.
The "Evil Parent"
By this point I was not a happy camper - -I think my older daughter must have heard my swearing! She came stumbling out of her bed, looking pasty and offered to help out. Her story: her friend, "C" fell into a puddle on the way to our house and my daughter had helped her clean up. I countered, "That's what the garden hose is for." My reasoning is, if you act like a pig you don't belong in a human bathroom. My daughter thinks I am terribly harsh-minded -- evil Mommy who doesn't understand her particular brand of drunken altruism. But she has yet to clean Evil Mommy's bathroom, so... I rest my case.
Thank you, Rug Doctor :)
So all of this leads to me spending the first sunny, warm day we have had in about a week indoors, while the carpets are steam cleaned upstairs and down. I decided to bake my nine-year-old son some cookies -- to try and get in touch with my Happy, Nurturing Mommy persona :) Always nice to do something for the little ones who still love you back.
My little dude loves shortbread, which I have only ever made at Christmas, but I decided to break with tradition and made a favourite whipped recipe, with a twist. Here they are, kid-tested and adult-friendly too. Not a diet recipe by any means, but one small cookie is only 60 calories, so hope you will enjoy in moderation; we all need a little food love sometimes and these fruity, buttery delights may be the ticket to accompany your next hot cuppa...
Pam's Cranberry Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 lb. softened butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1-2/3 cups dried cranberries
3 cups sifted all-purpose, unbleached flour
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, beat the butter together with the salt and icing sugar until fluffy. Mix in the cranberries and salt. Combine the flour with the corn starch and beat into the butter mixture gradually. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto aluminum baking sheets (I use the insulated ones - these are never fail and help ensure even baking).
Bake 10 minutes; yield 5-1/2 dozen cookies approx. 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Finished cookies should be slightly golden but not browned -- be sure to watch carefully in the last two-three minutes of baking, depending on you oven; I always bake a test cookie and set my timer accordingly thereafter.
Great with a cold glass of milk, hot coffee or Earl Grey Tea.
My Mom, the wise mother of seven kids, once said "Small children, small problems..." As I have raised my own three kids, I realize how true that is. Little ones keep you busy 'round the clock with meals, laundry, supervision and so on, but the adult children occupy you with worry: late nights, dating, driving, working challenges, etc. etc. etc. The bigger they get, the more terror and frustration they can elicit, guaranteed.
Explosion of the Dirt Monster...
Most recently (last night) my two adult daughters were at a wedding social -- we had friends over and were up later than usual; almost to 2 a.m. I went to bed and slept soundly, and did not hear the kids come home. When I woke up I saw what I initially thought were Oreo cookie crumbs on the kitchen floor -- actually first felt the grit under my feet. It was dirt! I looked for broken flower pots, but that was not the case.
What the...?
Next stop the bathroom -- yes, the dirt monster had been here too... There was black mud on the walls, the cabinetry, the tub and tub-surround and even on the toilet bowl and sides. By this point I was beginning to connect the dots as to who the monster was, or as to who may have invited the monster into our home!
Final stop was the back landing and - you guessed it -- more mud, lots of it all over the steps, landing, walls, and area rug. Of course, we just freshly painted those walls a buttery French vanilla colour last weekend... sigh! And I had just swept, wiped the floors and put out a fresh rug yesterday afternoon.
The "Evil Parent"
By this point I was not a happy camper - -I think my older daughter must have heard my swearing! She came stumbling out of her bed, looking pasty and offered to help out. Her story: her friend, "C" fell into a puddle on the way to our house and my daughter had helped her clean up. I countered, "That's what the garden hose is for." My reasoning is, if you act like a pig you don't belong in a human bathroom. My daughter thinks I am terribly harsh-minded -- evil Mommy who doesn't understand her particular brand of drunken altruism. But she has yet to clean Evil Mommy's bathroom, so... I rest my case.
Thank you, Rug Doctor :)
So all of this leads to me spending the first sunny, warm day we have had in about a week indoors, while the carpets are steam cleaned upstairs and down. I decided to bake my nine-year-old son some cookies -- to try and get in touch with my Happy, Nurturing Mommy persona :) Always nice to do something for the little ones who still love you back.
My little dude loves shortbread, which I have only ever made at Christmas, but I decided to break with tradition and made a favourite whipped recipe, with a twist. Here they are, kid-tested and adult-friendly too. Not a diet recipe by any means, but one small cookie is only 60 calories, so hope you will enjoy in moderation; we all need a little food love sometimes and these fruity, buttery delights may be the ticket to accompany your next hot cuppa...
Pam's Cranberry Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 lb. softened butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1-2/3 cups dried cranberries
3 cups sifted all-purpose, unbleached flour
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, beat the butter together with the salt and icing sugar until fluffy. Mix in the cranberries and salt. Combine the flour with the corn starch and beat into the butter mixture gradually. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto aluminum baking sheets (I use the insulated ones - these are never fail and help ensure even baking).
Bake 10 minutes; yield 5-1/2 dozen cookies approx. 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Finished cookies should be slightly golden but not browned -- be sure to watch carefully in the last two-three minutes of baking, depending on you oven; I always bake a test cookie and set my timer accordingly thereafter.
Great with a cold glass of milk, hot coffee or Earl Grey Tea.
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