Category Archives: Kids

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Cookie Challenge, Day 3

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Today’s cookie is so easy and quick you can whip it up for last minute guests.  I wove in ends and put finishing touches on a knitting project while making them.  The recipe is once again courtesy of Susan Branch, and can be found here.

Paul loves these macaroons.  They’re chewy and chocolatey and just enough decadent for holiday baking.

Since they were so easy and quick I have plenty of time left over to clean up and watch It’s A Wonderful Life (in black and white.  I maintain only heretics watch it colorized)  before we head out for a family tradition: driving around to look at all the Christmas lights.  It helps put us all in that holiday frame of mind.  I like to do it as close to the day as I can, because it gets us all super excited for Santa!

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Surprise! The Amazing Win I Never Saw Coming

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Waaay back in the beginning of November I got hooked on a site / idea called “Wovember”.  The basic idea was to raise “wool awareness”; that real wool comes from sheep.  Behind every wool product you buy is a real animal and the shepherd who raised it.  There’s a whole farm economy and lifestyle in there that many people don’t even think about when picking out their woolens (or worse, their synthetics).

The fun part of “Wovember” for many of us was the challenge to wear  100% wool all month long.  Hand – knit socks from pure fine wool? Check.  Hand knit sweater from Juniper Moon Farm yarn? Check.  A commitment to only buy 100% non – synthetic wool products? Check.  You get the idea.

Then my friend Anna convinced me to enter a photo into the Wovember photo contest.  It was a photo of her holding a JMF sheep she had sheared this fall.  So I thought, why stop there?  I searched out a few other photos I had taken at the farm and submitted a few of my favorites, never dreaming anything would come of it.  I mean, the other entries in the contest were jaw – droppingly stunning, super adorable and very woolly.

So imagine my surprise when I got an email from >Kate Davies.  I won first prize in the Sheep Photos category with this photo of Neve:


I am honored,  excited, and most of all, stunned.  Sheep and wool are near and dear to my heart and I am thrilled to have taken part in this!

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Two (or three) in One Bonus Post!

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For day two of the self imposed cookie – a – day challenge, I made gingerbread cookies.  And sugar cookies.  I was an over – achiever today.

I usually use a Susan Branch recipe for BOTH gingerbread cut -outs and butter cookie cut – outs, but I discovered I was out of corn syrup and had to find another way to go for the gingerbread.  Luckily, I have a wonderful resource (other than the internet!): The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

Also luckily, I found an online source to link to HERE for all of you of said recipe.

The dough is very simple to make, rolls out nicely, and smells divine in the oven.

There’s also no eggs in the dough so it’s even harder not to eat it raw.

Since I pulled out all the cookie cutters and whatnot I figured I’d whip out the butter cookies as well.  This is where Susan Branch comes in again with her Annie Hall’s Butter Cookies recipe.

This recipe makes a ton of cookies and is rich yet not overly so.

I made dozens and dozens of cookie shapes and set them out on the table along with frosting and sprinkles for the kids to decorate.  It kept them good and busy for quite awhile, and I didn’t have to do it.

Soon that tub will be overflowing with a cornucopia of sugar and more sugar.

Now, since I am over-achieving, I decided that in honor of tonight being the first night of Hanukkah we may as well have one of our favorite meals: Blueberry Blintzes.

Oh yeah.

I start out making my tried and true crepe recipe:

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS melted butter.

Whisk  all together and let it rest for 30 minutes.

While that is resting, I made the blintz filling.  I searched around the internet (well, Pinterest anyway) and got an idea for the general “feel” of a cheese filling.  SO I mixed up a cup of small curd cottage cheese, a package of cream cheese, and a quarter cup of sugar.

Once the crepe batter was ready to go I made them the usual way (in a crepe pan or frying pan) by spreading out the batter into a very thin pancake and flipping once it browned.

When all the batter was used up I rolled a good large spoonful of cheese filling into each crepe burrito – style and sauteed it about 2 or 3 minutes on each side until heated through and somewhat browned.

I didn’t have any fresh blueberries on hand, but I did have a can of blueberry pie filling.  I heated that up in the microwave while the blintzes were cooking.

When everything was ready, I placed a blintz on the plate with a dollop of blueberry topping.  If I had been thinking, I could have added a little whipped cream as well.  Next time.

A little bit of heaven on a plate.

 

 

 

 

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Counting Down the Days

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As the days race toward Christmas it is getting more and more difficult to keep the kids focused on schoolwork.  They’ve got the proverbial “visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads”. 

Admittedly, I do as well.  If I weren’t so busy with the business of school, housework, grocery shopping and all the other mundane tasks that take up my time I would be spending my days on holiday crafts and making every corner of the house bright.

Today I relented somewhat, and after some perfunctory math and writing exercises we dove into some paper crafts.  Hand prints on brown paper became reindeer ornaments, colored construction paper became the backdrop for wintery tomten pictures.

I am quite taken with Scandinavian style and folklore, and the tomten is no exception.  I think I like him particularly because of his traditional connection to farmers.  On a lark I traced out a paper cut design to see if I could make a reasonable garland from red paper.

Well, it is reasonable.  I didn’t say I was making a stellar garland.  I wanted this for over the kitchen sink, and that is where these little fellows hang, for now.  The construction paper was a bit too something.  Not quite right for this project.  Tissue paper was too thin.  I am thinking I will re-do this not on paper, but perhaps on felt.  Much sturdier, no need for tape.  That way it can also be reused every year.  Perhaps some single appliques for pillows even?

This holiday season is going to fly by way too quickly for me to accomplish all of the blissfully fun things I want to do.  St. Lucia’s Day is coming up soon and there are buns to bake.  The solstice will be here not long after and there will be celebrating to be done then.  Before we know it SAnta will be making his yearly deliveries and just like that it will be over.

But, then I suppose the season wouldn’t be so special if it weren’t also so very fleeting.

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A New Tree-dition

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For the last thirteen or so years, we have had an artificial tree for Christmas.  This, believe me, was not my idea.  I grew up with real trees every year, and I adore the smell and look that only a real tree can give you (despite the 8 billion Christmas Tree – scented Yankee Candles I’ve used through the years).

Paul has always been pro – artificial.  It’s cheaper in the long – run, they’re supposedly safer, and they are easier to set up and take down.  I countered these points by saying that fake trees are less environmentally friendly – they will rot in a landfill forever, whereas a real tree will biodegrade, and tree farms re – plant new trees constantly.

At any rate, the artificial tree argument won out for the entire time we’ve had children.  Until, inexplicably, this year.  I still don’t know what caused Paul to finally relent and agree to allow me a real tree this year, but whatever it was, I’m glad I did it.

Family tradition calls for the tree to be put up and decorated on Black Friday every year.  It was obvious my kids had never decorated a real tree before; they kept hanging the ornaments on the very ends of the branches, weighing the tree down pretty badly.  But, I managed to fix that small problem, and despite a bit of a “lean” the tree looks quite nice, if I d say so myself.  It’s been a lovely way to ring in the Christmas season and welcome winter.

We went with red and white lights to match the tree skirt I made a few years ago.  I’ve never been one to use multi – colored lights, but I am really liking the red and white together.

And the smell?  Heavenly!!!!

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Turkey Day Recovery Mode

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Have you all recovered from the Thanksgiving debaucheries? We are currently couch – bound, still trying to recover from the delectable over – stuffing we did yesterday.

Thanksgiving has to be my favorite holiday, and that is really saying something.  I am sure my dad can’t quite agree with all of my reasoning (as he had to be in the kitchen all day!) but seriously.  We don’t have to buy anyone any gifts on Turkey Day.  There’s not a ton of decorating to be done (and then to take down afterwards).  We can wake up late and sit in front of our tv watching the parade all morning from the comfort of the couch.  And best of all (sorry Dad): I can sit on my butt and drink and knit all day.  Then, sometime in the mid afternoon, a marvelous feast of my favorite foods magically appears on the dinner table. (Also I do get to sample all day long because he knows just how much I appreciate his cooking).

Every year we enjoy two turkeys: a roast turkey and a fried turkey.  I ate way more than my share of fried turkey skin, I can assure you.

Uncle Daddy playing Vanna.  What, you don’t have any relatives with weird nicknames?

We spend a lot of time in the driveway waiting for the deep fried turkey to be done.  Thankfully it’s almost always nice out.

This is perhaps the most important moment of the day: scraping the roasting pan out so he can make the gravy.  I feel sorry for all of you who have never had my dad’s gravy.

Fried. Turkey. Skin.

Then there’s the uber – juicy roast turkey.

This little stinker took up a spot in front of the fridge where all the drinks were kept.  Whenever someone wanted one, she CHARGED them for it. A buck a drink.  Not only that, but my family are such suckers, they actually PAID her.  She and Oona made like $16 between them.

Then the magic happens. Creamed pearl onions with peas, roasted brussels sprouts. Roasted and fried turkey.  Mashed butternut squash with cranberries. Cranberry chutney. Dad’s incredibly amazing stuffing.  Mashed potatoes.

Oona “liked the Coca Cola best!”

This is the stuff of dreams.  I could eat this every day my whole life.  I’d be big as a house, but still.

Thanks to my still – temporary tooth, I was eating still after everyone else had moved on to unbuttoning their pants and snuggling the cuter participants.

And before I could even take a breath, Uncle Eric pulled out the Pumpkin Creme Brulee.  Let me say that again. PUMPKIN CREME BRULEE.  Oh yeah.  This family knows how to do dessert right.

Of course, don’t for a moment think we had to forgo pie.  Perish the thought.

This is why we are still spread out on the couch the morning after.  We were all so stuffed we felt like we may never eat again and we are still waiting to get over that lovely feeling.

Now excuse me while I go break into the leftovers.

 

 

 

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The Tooth of the Matter

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Have I ever mentioned that all of my front top teeth are fake?  I’m sure I must have.  They are all crowns, put in the year before Oona was born, both to make my smile nicer and also because my real teeth are pathetically soft and prone to problems.

When I was pregnant with Oona I had that awful condition where you want to vomit for nine months straight.  For the first trimester I lived with it, considering that with the first two kids the nausea subsided by about the fourth month.  But, after three months or so of constant sickness I had lost enough weight that my doctor became concerned and had me take a wonderful anti – nausea drug so that I could actually keep down food and water for myself and the baby.  The vomiting stopped, but the acid reflux and the nausea never quite went away.  You can imagine what none full months of stomach acid swimming around your mouth does to your teeth.  Especially when the taste of toothpaste makes you nauseous.

This is all to say that I wound up with cracks all along the back of the newly installed crowns.  They held up admirably the last few years, waiting to be patched and fixed and replaced as can be afforded (and let’s face it: who has enough money in this economy to be constantly dropping thousands of dollars at the dentist?).

This week one of my front crowns decided it had had enough, and while eating a mouthful of spaghetti, it cracked and fell right out.  Crown, tooth and all.  I was horrified.  I’ve had nightmares like this.  And here it was, fully realized.  I refused to let anyone see for more than a quick flash to prove what had happened, and was thrilled when I got an appointment first thing the next morning for a quick fix.  Fortunately there is enough tooth left in the gum that the crown can be saved (he used temporary cement to glue it back on for now)  and I don’t have to go for an implant.  UNfortunately, I have only the temporary save until the new molds and posts and whatnot can be done and so I have to be very, very careful while eating, lest I knock it back out.  Thanksgiving isn’t going to be easy. I have been very paranoid about it falling out again before my next appointment for the permanent replacement.

Teeth and dental issues are one of those things that make me unreasonably angry and fired up.  With all of the talk in the news about health insurance, where’s the push for better dental insurance?  Let’s face it, almost everyone I know has put off dental work because of the expense.  People sacrifice their teeth as long as they can before having them fixed. It’s not like teeth are unimportant to our health, either.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we got 3 sets of teeth?  The baby teeth, the set we grow as children, and another set in our 30’s?

When I haven’t been hiding my hillbilly-esque smile from the world this week I’ve been busy with some super – secret knitting.

Between the holidays coming up and friends with new babies and friends expecting babies I am busier than ever.  I can’t imagine where I’ll find the time to get it all done; and I haven’t been over ambitious this year, either.

We’re also enjoying cozy season by bubbling large pots of chicken carcases to make stock.  I love the way the whole house smells after a day of slow – boiling the chicken with herbs and vegetables, and it’s most enjoyable to sit by the fire and knit all day while it simmers and sizzles on the stove.

Oona likes cozy – season food as much as I do.  Soups, stews, pies.  Tonight I am making a chicken pot pie and she is more thrilled than you could believe a four year old would be for such a thing.

These are definitely the days I live for.   But with better teeth.

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Halloween Hijinks, Part Two

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This year’s Halloween Extravaganza was pirate – themed!  Almost everyone joined in and got piratey, except a few of us who chose to go all non – conformist (READ: Those of us who could not get it together in time).

Can you guess what I was?  A few people couldn’t, though most got it straight away.

Hint: Those are birds stuck to me.

Since you can’t read it, Paul’s label says : “I could not afford a Halloween costume this year.  I am the 99%”

Emily made her own costume this year.  She’s some sort of Japanese fictional character.  I don’t know either.

I think she looks like Esmerelda from Bewitched here, but not everyone agreed.

The kids filled up on sweet party treats, I filled up on too much………fun.  Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?

Elizabeth’s husband led us all in a fun party game of Pirates vs. Villagers that was a lot of fun for adults and kids alike.

I only got lynched twice.

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Halloween Hijinks, Part One

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Happy Belated Halloween!  Did you all have a spooktacular weekend?  We did!

We attended our friend Elizabeth’s annual Halloween party, had a fun pumpkin carving evening with scary movies, spent the school day of Halloween watching Halloween movies, and went out into the night to gather candy with our friends Jessie and Keith and their family. I *may* have had too much Kraken rum that night.  But sea – monster themed rum seemed a perfect fit for a creepy night of fun!

There’s plenty of photographic evidence of the weekend’s festivities, but I am starting out here with the fruits of our pumpkin carving efforts. It took several hours for us all to be done, and thankfully Paul ordered pizza or we wouldn’t have had dinner until well after midnight.

Emily’s owl pumpkin.  She and Maddie decided to try patterns where much of the design is etched, rather than punched out.

Maddie’s “Flying Dutchman” ghost ship took the longest, but is very impressive.  I don’t know how she’ll manage to top it next year!

Oona did not do any carving, but she approved the pattern I used and emptied all the guts out.

Greasy Grimy Pumpkin Guts!

Mine and Oona’s Headless Horseman.  I am really happy with how it turned out.

 

Neve’s Graveyard scene.  She did all of the pattern tracing and all carving but the most delicate areas.

Paul did some of the shaded areas on the ghost ship with Maddie.

Oona and Maddie definitely engaged in some pumpkin – gut hijinks.

We set out our pumpkins Sunday night and lit them, and Monday morning found the chickens on the front porch pecking at them.  We managed to save them and keep the chicks away (mostly) for the day, but by the afternoon following Halloween they had pecked away all of the designs.  Since Halloween had passed we simply threw all of the jack o’lanterns in with all the chickens and let them eat them.  They did a fair job of it, exceeded in their efficiency only by the goats last year.

Next up: the annual Halloween party!