special meal, special shopping

It’s been a busy week of party prep … a small gathering with grandparents for the second-grader’s birthday … a little bit of planning for dinner on his aCtUaL birthday (six years out of seven they get to plan two meals :) … and working ahead for the big celebration next weekend, also for the second-grader. We’re billing it “The Week of Boo” (although he almost never lets me call him Boo anymore, but I never use kids’ names or pictures here :)

So with special occasions comes special shopping. Initially I was planning a trip to everyone’s favorite St. Louis neighborhood to pick up that yummy blend of Italian cheeses, sausages and pizza shells for tomorrow’s birthday festivities. (He took orders last month and will be preparing dinner for all of us. :) But Grandma and Grandpa were making the 46-mile trek anyway, and so took my order and picked things up for me. THANKS!

I found a lot of interesting little shops a few years ago doing a story for Sauce Magazine. It was a fun story. I dragged my pre-schoolers to about 30 ethnic specialty shops all over the St. Louis area. These little groceries, bakeries and butcher shops are loads of fun, especially with little kids … free samples are a general rule, as well as language lessons, depending on the establishment. Capt. Kindergarten always asks the woman at DeGreggorio’s: “How do you say __?___ in Italian?” She happily helps his pronunciation as she rings up my order and hands him candy ... talk about multi-tasking!

The French Gourmet Bakery was easily one of our favorite finds on this journey. Since then, they’ve become a bit of a family tradition … a lovely wine themed anniversary cake for Hubby’s parents' 40^th … my daughter’s First Communion cake last year … my oldest son’s First Communion cake this year ... and I’m sure we’ll be back well before the youngest makes his First Communion in two years!

We always order the same cake, different decorations: white cake, raspberry filling, French butter cream icing. “You have to give the people what they want,” I said as I finished my ordering … tacking a tray of mini chocolate eclaires, mini chocolate covered cream puffs and mini chocolate mousse cups on to the cake, as well as a few things we ate yesterday. :)

The husband-and-wife team also makes other fabulous breads and pastries. All the karate classes in the world might not work off a full-scale sampling of the place! LOL. He bakes. She decorates. And the results are some of the most delicious art I’ve ever tasted. The cake is so good my mom has already mentioned her Monday-morning breakfast plans of leftover First Communion cake … and she’s not a big sweets person! We like to balance our no-chocolate cake with chocolatey pastries, all of which were gone in about 30 minutes last year. Here are some shots of the chocolate mousse cake (the hole is where she took two to box for me and Hubby … the kids got fresh cookies … chocolate chewies that are so moist they barely hold their shape when you pick them up.) And then these are the larger sized chocolate mousse cups … how lovely are those tulipy shells?

“Oh, no peach bombs today,” I lamented to Capt. Kindergarten as I took these pictures.

“What’s a peach bomb?” he asked loud enough to be heard over the industrial baking equipment behind the counter. (I’m pretty sure they aren’t actually called peach bombs … but they should be! They are sooooooooooooo good!)

“Well, they are big and orange and shaped like a peach and when you pull the yummy crust apart there is a whole peach inside.”

He thought about this awhile then hollered: “There they are!” Behind the counter, prettily perched on their tray, an uninterrupted procession of peach bombs awaited their final touches before going into the case.

He loves the sneak-peeks into how these little shops work, happily munching his Italian candy or a little fresh cheese or maybe some of the broken cookies that can’t be sold. And so special occasions start well before the big day … not just the cleaning and the prep-work, but the special memories … that saucer-eyed look of wonder a kid gets when discovering something new.

May your weekend be filled with those …

Presidential hopefuls shouldn’t discount this food for thought

I suspected it would get lost in the piles of submissions about "stuff that matters," but I had promised to share it here if it didn't get published elsewhere. I think this matters, that politicians ... all of them, not just Rudy ... are NOT real people and don't understand what it's like to be a real person: outlandish prices for gas and food, skyrocketing property taxes, you know, stuff REAL people worry about. So, here's my letter to Mr. Giuliani.

Dear Mr. Giuliani,

Not to milk the moment, but this middle class, Midwestern girl has waited a long time for solid proof that politicians aren’t real people. And what do you know? It WAS in the pudding.

Not that I want to see the media fillet you. I like you, along with a couple of others, but your Alabama answers to the grocery question could bake your p-o-t-a-t-o-e. They’ve said you’re out of touch. I say here’s your chance. Take my challenge. Come shop with me. Seriously, you know you’ll be in Missouri eventually. You’ll probably be here many times, so let’s go grocery shopping. Let’s shake things up a bit. You have to admit, this early election season has been the same American cheese, just with new bologna.

Some hot dog solidifies his base. He needs to win independents, so he starts talking about how he’ll help average American families. But average American families are too busy making ends meet to notice they are being dangled like carrots only to be dropped Nov. 5, 2008. Soon our guy’s opposition throws in their two cents, but two cents doesn’t get much anymore, does it Mr. Giuliani?

You, sir, are not the only candidate who couldn’t find a cereal aisle in a Super WalMart, so let’s not allow your opponents’ to staff out the daily task of pricing groceries. Let’s cut to the Quick, get to the heart of this chicken-and-the-egg situation. Which came first: politicians who haven’t a clue about real life or political consultants who read them polls about it? And when did families become the weapon you wield at Crunch time?

We are not polling results. We are people. Remember families? The bread and butter of this economy you all flap your lips about? If presidential candidates are so worried about families I’d like just one to spend some time in our comfortable but modest suburban home watching their cable attack dogs yell at each other on our one, average-sized TV. Dress for the season because we keep the thermostat between 67 and 72 when we’re not trying to keep it off all together. We have a mini-van and a motorcycle. No gas guzzling here. And still food is the only place where this stay-at-home mother of three can cut corners. How do you like them apples?

I shop on 10-dollars off day. I clip coupons and buy what’s on sale. Mr. Giuliani, you got lucky when I tallied the list here, finding many items on sale this week. Still, it came to $95.44 (before Missouri sales taxes), but of course I’d never buy fillet or Nestle Quick (or full-price chicken or full-price cereal). And even with the corners cut, I come nowhere close to the prices you sited from your days as the mayor of New York City. (The gallon of milk was $3.38.) It was a different world then, but it wasn’t that long ago. Come shopping with me. See where we are now.

Because, you see, most average American families understand. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. You have to get up early and work late. It’s time to make the donuts. And even if you’re lucky enough to bring home the bacon, when you’re feeding a family these days, it’s gone in a New York minute.

Sincerely,
Laura W.
Average American

many roads, one journey

With the meeting yesterday afternoon and the regular busy week of homework and karate (which was a bit busier than usual) I mustered all my strength and played several strategies yesterday.

I planned ahead … having everything written down beforehand so I could

Make ahead … the cooked meatloaf went into the fridge before I picked the kids up. And, of course, there was

Teamwork … when we got home from karate class I put the Lipton Rice together on the stove, microwaved the vegetables and warmed the meatloaf. Hubby set the table and got everyone something to drink. The kids straightened up the family room, which always makes me less tense :)

And so we were able to eat dinner together, despite an overly busy day. (It started with an unusual 6 a.m. wake-up call for them so they could be at the dentist by 7:30. Yoiks!)

These are the little battle plans that make families function. We all have to do our part, whether we’re 3 and putting your toys away or 13 and doing your own laundry or 33 and keeping track of what’s left to get done. Doling out responsibilities varies from house to house. I’m always amazed at the many different ways people find to get something done, especially when it comes to making time to eat together.

so not my thing

If I don't read Wednesday I am unlikely to make it through. Public speaking is so not my thing. If it were, would I blog? heehee Anyway, here's what I'm working on for the district Wellness Committee. I have no idea what to expect, but I'm going to go for it.

Since leaving my full-time job in 1999 I’ve worked a bit from home as a freelance writer, but an assignment last year fueled a new fire within me. So in September, 2006, I embarked on a quest. It was my hope that, by putting our regular family mealtime habits into words, I might help other parents create a healthier lifestyle for their families. I started my blog, Table Is Set, on Family Day, which is sponsored by CASA as an effort to improve parents’ understanding of the value of family mealtime, especially as it relates to alcohol and substance abuse in young people. Since starting the blog I’ve discovered several agencies promoting a return to family mealtime. I’ve also discovered this: That fewer than one third of American children partake in regular family meals is a symptom of the larger problem.

While many people site a dislike for cooking as the reason they don’t share family meals, many more site a lack of time. Soon I found two communities working to shine a light on the underlying problem of over-scheduling. A trendy media topic five years ago, you hear less about it these days, though the problem still exists. Each March, Ridgewood, N.J., and Hudson, Ohio, celebrate Ready, Set, Relax! … a homework-free, sports-free, activity-free night for families to spend together. I’m hoping today is the first step in scheduling such a night for families in our district. I’m hoping together we can gather support from elected and religious officials as well as local athletic associations and businesses.

Both Ridgewood and Hudson have found a high participation rate; a near unanimous desire among participants to make Ready, Set, Relax! an annual event; a commitment from as many as 38-64 percent of participants to permanently alter their over-scheduled ways; and an ever-broadening support from the community. So I’m asking for your help in helping our kids reap the rewards of just being. So many parents have so many outside distractions that they might not realize its OK to just be together. A night off such as Ready, Set, Relax! might permit parents, might empower parents to say “Sorry. Johnny can’t do that tonight. We’ve got family plans.” It can be a hard thing to do. But sometimes a little nudge is all it takes to start down a new path.

Experts say rituals such as family meals are critical to our children’s emotional health. Traditions such as family trips help them understand that they matter to the people around them. Empty hours encourage imagination and independence, giving kids a chance to create their own happiness and discover who they really are. And, while there are so many amazing opportunities for our children to play sports, perform on stage or do public service projects, relationships are what children need most and what they will remember most as they grow older. So I hope we can look at the 2007-2008 school year and put an X on the first annual night off in our district.

He is not alone

RUDY FAILS $UPERMARKET TEST

New York Post Wire Services

April 11, 2007 -- Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani hasn't done a lot of grocery shopping lately, based on his answers about the cost of milk and bread while stumping in Alabama yesterday.

"A gallon of milk is probably about a dollar fifty, a loaf of bread about a dollar twenty-five, a dollar thirty," he said, missing the mark on both.

According to the Web site for D'Agostino supermarkets, a gallon of milk is priced at $4.19 and a loaf of white bread costs $2.99 to $3.39.

Giuliani, who has become a millionaire through his consulting firm and speaking engagements, did get the price of gas right.

"Gas, I think, is $2.89," he said.

The ex-mayor addressed the state Legislature in Montgomery, focusing on tax-cutting and barely mentioning his stands on social positions.

This was a blurb I caught in the paper yesterday and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it … especially after my Bertoli rant of a few weeks back. So I’ve been writing and today am hoping to submit an op-ed to a few newspapers. Regardless, you’ll see it here once I hear (or don’t :/) back from them. Until then, I’d like your help gathering some info for the presidential hopefuls. Sure, they know the price of gasoline is wearing us down, but what else? For me it’s milk. I paid $2.98 for a gallon of 2 percent, $2.78 for a gallon of skim … it varies from store to store, but this milk was at the middle-of-the-road place. But we don’t have time to run from store to store seeking the best prices … it cuts into the time we don’t have to gather at the table. My point here has nothing to do with any particular candidate. It has to do with the fact that none of them has a clue about real life. It has to do with the fact that, no matter how much they wave the average guy around as a weapon in their rhetoric, the average guy is the one with less to show for his money at the end of longer and longer work days. My dream candidate is a regular person … unbuffered … no advisers … no polling results … nothing between him and us but, well, a grocery cart. Of course this candidate could never get elected. So, as an alternative, I’d be glad to host one of the "electable" for dinner. My $1.25 per-serving chicken dinner probably tastes better than their $1,000 per plate did … and I guarantee the conversation would be lively!

Speaking of my dinner table, here’s something we whipped up yesterday before karate. The kids helped (which is why there are no measurements :). They sampled the prepped ingredients and crushed crackers. As always, we baked it when we got home from class and laughed together as we ate. The kids were brave, jumping right in to something created from what was on hand, then trying to name it.

Chicken-oc-iflower casserole
3 large chicken breasts, boiled and diced
1 lb. cooked elbow macaroni
cauliflower and broccoli flowerettes, steamed
2 14.5-oz. cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
Milk
Grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 stick butter

Put chicken, macaroni, veggies and soup in a large bowl. Mix gently. Fill empty soup can with milk twice and add to bowl. Stir in cheeses. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, crush crackers and melt butter. Toast crackers in melted butter, stirring constantly. Top casserole with toasted cracker crumbs and bake a few minutes more.

Remember to leave a note about what prices get your goat … --L

blah blah life blah blah LIFE

Sometimes it's good to have nothing exciting going on, especially when it happens in the midst of a full calendar. They've been waiting and counting and counting and waiting ... not just for all of these birthdays and other celebrations but for SPRING BREAK! Yes, they are home all week and we are planning on filling the days with nothingness. The only regular schedule will be to get to karate class, which should be a whole lot easier without the bus and homework. They are very good about getting dinner and homework taken care of before we do anything extra, even when they don’t want to take care of it and just skip to something extra.

So I might be hit-and-miss this week as plans are in the offing and appointments have been made for such exciting things as check-ups and haircuts :) I'm old-fashioned this way and don't want them to miss school for such mundane interruptions of life. Friends will be coming and going and we will be in and out, but mostly we’ll just see what the days bring as we wind our way back to the routine on Monday. The weekends are very full until after Mother’s Day, so it’s a deep breath and a sprint to the end of the school year starting next week.

In the midst of the remaining celebrations and other commitments is my visit to the school district’s wellness committee. I really have to think about what I’m going to say and how I’m going to say it. A few rough drafts here would probably help.

Until then it’s laundry and cartoons … the backyard and some art projects … karate class and some reading … spring cleaning and grocery shopping … doctor’s appointments and flashcard reviews … playmates in the afternoon and dinner together … blah blah blah … life. Isn’t it beautiful?

food for the soul

The Lady Third Grade’s celebration was winding down and the second-grader realized it was finally time for him to start counting down to his birthday. And was he ever ready!

“Guess what I’m having for my birthday dinner.” He posed the challenge to the grandparents before we even got to his sister’s cake. “Calzone.”

Well I nearly fell over just thinking of the work of calzone for 9, but I was going to do it until another idea evolved from the conversation … individual pizzas prepared by the birthday boy.

Just that morning, as he came down for cartoons and found his sister and me making the French Toast Bundt, he had asked to help cook.

“On your birthday,” I answered. He accepted this and plopped in front of Jimmy Neutron. When the pizza came up, he was ready, taking orders before everybody left his sister’s celebration “so Mommy can get the right ingredients.” I have instructions to go to The Hill for cheese, etc. These kids really know how to plan a menu … Shopping instructions and all!

We have all been impressed with their planning this year. I have had to do very little coaxing for balance, very few reminders that you have to consider all of your guests, not just yourself, even though you are the birthday kid. So with the winter air back in Missouri I think I’m going to take today to bask in the fact that they really do hear me … then I’ll finalize my menu and shopping strategy for the big get-together we’re hosting the weekend after the pizza birthday.

I have to consider all of the guests. I have to consider how much I’m depending on the help of family … none of whom, thankfully, minds being in the kitchen. I have to consider budget … both money and time … and I have to consider refrigerator space!

I like having a crowd over. I like the way they all land in the kitchen, despite the rest of the house being available to them. I like the memories I have of my brother diving gathering ingredients for the next thing we’ll make while I do the dishes from what we just finished. I like the sound of visiting as it rises to the ceiling and rolls down around me. I like watching families merge at my kitchen table so little ones won’t spill … seeing relatives cluster in conversation, maybe admiring the kids’ artwork or photographs while balancing a plate and a glass. I like the pregnant pause as a single voice gathers the concentration of others. I like the way this pause gives birth to a wave of laughter that washes the concentration away as a punch line’s delivered.

And I like the way we get this with a party of five whenever we have a family meal. Little stories, big laughs, warm fuzzies. Food fuels the body, but a meal … well a meal empowers the spirit.

Celebrations are longer than just one day

So I had a big day last Friday, but was too busy cleaning/shopping/menu planning to have a chance to share here. The Lady Third Grade celebrated a wonderful weekend … more on that in a minute.

I took a shot in the dark late last week and was able to locate the chairperson of my districts wellness committee and he not only returned my calls but understood the dog barking, the kindergarten scooter traffic at the front door and my irrational fear of public speaking. He is very supportive of the idea of instituting Ready Set Relax here and is going to help me speak in a few weeks at the monthly committee meeting. He said from there we’ll go the May school board meeting and he has lots of ideas of local agencies to approach once we have the board on board (heeheehee). I was pretty high the rest of the afternoon, which provided great energy for the chores that had to be done!

When we celebrated Capt. Kindergarten a few weeks ago I shared how proud I was that he had planned an entire meal. Well, traditions being what they are, The Lady Third Grade knows the drill. She planned her entire celebration, from actual birthday food to all of the food for her day with her grandparents ... including the traditional Daddy-crafted birthday cake. (You might recognize Fawkes the Phoenix …. Prof. Dumbledore’s magical creature who rescues Harry Potter in the second story.) All I had to do was the shopping and the cooking ... and she even helped with some of that! We had a lovely spring celebration and all of the new toys have been test driven. We have a very happy girl with plenty of leftovers for her lunchbox this week. Here are her menus … some of the recipes I’ve posted before--just click for the links … or click comments to fill me in on your birthday traditions.

French Toast Bundt
12 Rhodes Texas Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
2 eggs
1/3 cup liquid hazelnut coffee creamer
¼ cup Log Cabin Syrup
3 Tbsps. butter, melted
2 Tbsps. sugar
½ Tbsp. cinnamon
½ Tbsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ginger

Drizzle with syrup and powdered sugar when served

Cut rolls in fourths. Mix other ingredients in a bowl. Dip rolls in mixture and place in bundt pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Pour remainning mixture over rolls. Re-cover with wrap and let rise at room temperature until rolls reach the top of the pan.
Remove wrap and bake at 350 F for 35 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter. Drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and serve with additional syrup as desired.

Snack Bar: veggies and dip, assorted cheeses and crackers, grapes, Cheetoes, pizza rolls

Dinner: Beef Stroganoff, steamed green beans, fresh loaves of bread, white cake, choice of cookies-n-cream or neopolitan ice cream.

Dinner: NY Strip Steaks, fresh steamed asparagus, “favorite carrots for the people who don’t like asparagus,” and biscuits. Leftover cake and ice cream did nicely for dessert.