Monday, September 27, 2010

Train Tracks and Chocolate Chip Cookies

a photo taken from my train ride to Montreal this weekend
-- using my new iPhone 4 --
this photo reminds me that life moves forward,
and it may not be perfect, but there's beauty in it


I got some bad news this week.
I have to repeat my surgery since they didn't get all the thyroid tissue the first time.
For some as yet unknown reason, all the thyroid tissue wasn't removed.
There is still a large enough portion that they need to remove
before proceeding with the radiation treatment.
The good news is I can drive again and eat whatever I want.

After telling my girls about this next step, we all went out to balance on the train tracks.
My oldest said on the way that she's not usually unsure about things, but she was about this
...trespassing on active tracks and all...
but we had lots of laughs.
We did races,
choo choo trains,
tried to see how long we could balance.
It's a good memory.

So are all the warm wishes and inspiring quotes from friends
on Twitter and Facebook.
Thank you.

"The rose is fairest when it is budding new, and hope is brightest when it dawns from fears."
- Walter Scott @hornedfroggy

"Yesterday is History. Tomorrow is Mystery. Today is a Gift. That's why we call it the Present." @AMWATERS

"Life is tenacious; it is endowed with the power to heal. The decision to undertake this battle arises from within."
- Ikeda @michaelsdolce

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"
- Vincent van Gogh @cailinash

"Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it."
- Tori Amos @DragonsKitchen

"Not everything happens for a reason, but there is a reason for everything."
@foodwishes

"One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."
- Nietzsche (Lynda on iPhone)

"Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow."
- Teresa on Facebook

"Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down."
- Charles F. Kettering (Kelly from Facebook)

"If you're going through hell, keep going."
- Winston Churchill (Sandy and Melanie on Facebook)

"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward."
- Soren Kierkegaard (an email from someone last week)


The sterotypical comfort food has always been cookies and milk; cookies fresh from the oven milk straight from the fridge. So goes the myth: you arrive home from school, heavy with the burden of strict teachers and challenging school situations and there is Mom, waiting for you with cookies and milk, and as you eat the cookies, you spill out the problems of the day, and the world begins to look brighter.
Apparently there was a time Before Chocolate Chip Cookies (BCCC), though it’s hard to imagine it.

That BCCC time was prior to 1933, which was the year Ruth Graves Wakefield, who owned the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusettes, was making chocolate cookies when she realized she had run out of regular baker’s chocolate. Not wanting to leave her customers wanting, she substituted broken pieces of semi-sweet chocolate from Nestlé, thinking that this chocolate would simply melt and mix into the batter as the baker’s chocolate had. However, to her surprise, the chocolate did not melt and what came out of the oven were the world’s first ever chocolate chip cookies. Her customers were delighted and asked for more. The love affair with CCC had begun. Wakefield sold the recipe to Nestlé in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate chips.

The cookies gained popularity during World War II when GIs from Massachusettes, who were stationed overseas, received care packages from home which included CC cookies. They shared these cookies with other GIs from various places around the country and before long Wakefield was inundated with letters from around the world asking for her recipe.

Today, 25% of all cookies baked in the United States are chocolate chip cookies. And out of all the CCC recipes I’ve tried, this one is definitely our favorite.

Recipe: Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies (aka Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Makes: 112 cookies (This recipe can be halved.)

Ingredients:

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
24 ounces chocolate chips
1 8 ounce Hershey bar, grated
3 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

  2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract.

  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, blended oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add this dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.

  4. Add the Chocolate and Nuts: Stir in the chocolate chips, grated Hershey bar, and chopped nuts (if using).

  5. Shape the Cookies: Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto a greased baking sheet. 

  6. Bake: Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 8 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Optional Freezing: If you want to freeze the dough for later, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer. When you're ready to bake, thaw the dough and form the dough into rounds. Bake as directed above.


Tasting Notes
The proof of the pudding (or in this case, the cookies) is in the tasting. This is what two-thirds of my daughters have to say (Anna, my 11 year old, declined to comment since she doesn't like chocolate chip cookies!):
“I like chocolate chip cookies because
when mom takes them out of the oven
the chocolate chips are melted
and the cookie is soft and moist.
Also because they're sweet with chocolate
and well, they're cookies!” ~ Sarah (12 years old)

i like the choclity part
and its fun to eat them to
there really really REALLY good! ~ Jennifer (8 years old)

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Monday, September 20, 2010

Fingerpainting and Strawberry Muffins

When was the last time you did fingerpainting?
On a glass table?
I did that this summer
With a friend
We got messy
First one finger
Then another color on another finger
Until finally our hands were covered in fingerpaint
Drawing with our fingers
Making textures with the paint
Talking about life

This weekend
I poured fingerpaint on my table
And watched my girls paint the table
Getting messy immediately
Not taking their time
All the colors smooshed together
In a moment
And overheard them saying
"I can't wait to tell my friends we painted the table!"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event."
No, it's not
We'll definitely do it again

Life can be messy but fun

If you're in the mood for a sweet, fruity treat that combines the freshness of strawberries with a fluffy muffin texture, this strawberry muffin recipe is for you! These muffins are easy to make and perfect for breakfast, snack time, or whenever you want to indulge in a comforting homemade treat. Plus, they're so good that you might have to fight for the last one (as I did with my daughter)!
I'm currently following a strict no-iodine diet as part of the follow-up to my thyroid cancer. In about 10 days, I'll get to take radioactive iodine that should kill off any remaining thyroid cells in my body, and in preparation for that, I'm not allowed to eat certain foods that contain iodine. This includes iodized salt (but kosher salt is fine), cheese, egg yolks, and any pre-packaged foods, among other things.

A friend of my mother's sent me a recipe for banana muffins that she used when her daughter underwent this treatment, and I've modified it slightly. 

Recipe: Strawberry Muffins

Makes: 1 dozen

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup maple sugar and 1/2 cup raw cane sugar)
3 egg whites
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup puréed strawberries
coarse maple sugar (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla extract, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites and mix until well incorporated.

  2. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt to ensure even distribution of the dry ingredients.

  3. Mix the Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the puréed strawberries to the batter.

  4. Fill the Muffin Cups: Spoon the muffin batter into a prepared muffin tin (lined with paper liners or greased) until each cup is about ¾ full.

  5. Optional: Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little coarse maple sugar for a slightly caramelized topping.

  6. Bake the Muffins: Bake at 350˚F (175˚C) for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

  7. Cool and Enjoy: Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tasting Notes:
These strawberry muffins are delicious on their own, but you can also add a bit of butter or jam for extra flavor. They're a hit with kids and adults alike, making them a perfect addition to any breakfast spread or afternoon tea!

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Monday, September 13, 2010

Monopoly and Spaghetti

How many hours of Monopoly did you play as a kid? I played it so much I knew all the rents by heart.
My goal: buy everything, mortgage as necessary, win. I can be very competitive. {But I was the shoe in the game pictured!} There's something so fun about playing games, and I'm all about fun right now.

This week I came across a poem that I find very inspiring and have to share it with everyone.




Spaghetti is a beloved, easy-to-make dish that's a hit with families and kids. Whether it's for a quick weeknight dinner or a casual weekend meal, spaghetti is always a winner. The secret lies in a rich, flavorful sauce, and this spaghetti sauce recipe, perfected over the years, is sure to become a family favorite. Plus, it freezes well for a quick meal later on, and you can even use it while camping!

How many people, when thinking of spaghetti, think of that charming scene in the movie “Lady and the Tramp” where Lady and Tramp are both slurping up the same long spaghetti noodle, ending when their lips meet in a slurpy kiss?

Who says spaghetti can’t be fun?

For most families, spaghetti is a kid pleaser and nothing could be simpler to make for dinner. Once you have spaghetti sauce in the freezer, it’s simply a matter of boiling the spaghetti and heating the sauce. And voilà! Dinner is served!

History
The pasta we call spaghetti originally came from China where it was made from either rice flour or hard wheat flour with water and salt added.

Tomatoes, on the other hand, are known to have their origins in the Americas so the first tomato sauce would have been made by the Aztecs. However, when we talk about spaghetti sauce today we are thinking about it as an Italian recipe. In fact, the earliest recipe for spaghetti sauce has been found in a cookbook printed in 1692 by Antonio Latini. Hmmm – that’s 318 years ago! Any food that survives that long has got to have something going for it!

My go-to Spaghetti Sauce recipe has evolved through the years and I release it to you as a favourite from my family to yours.

Recipe: Spaghetti

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 can of tomato paste
2 fresh tomatoes
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 jar of pasta sauce (my favorite is Original Ragu)
2 tablespoons oregano
¼ cup chopped, fresh basil
½ cup onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Fresh black pepper to taste
5 small cans kidney beans (optional)
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

  1. Brown the Onions and Garlic: In a large pot, sauté the onions and garlic until soft and golden.

  2. Add the Tomatoes and Sauce: Add the tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and pasta sauce to the pot. Stir in oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.

  3. Simmer the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, transfer everything to a crockpot or slow cooker. Let the sauce simmer for two hours. This long simmering time is key to developing deep, rich flavors.

  4. Add Kidney Beans (Optional): If desired, add the kidney beans to the sauce and continue simmering for another hour.

  5. Cook the Spaghetti: While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. 

  6. Serve and Enjoy: Spoon the sauce generously over the cooked spaghetti. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. For an extra indulgent touch, serve with cottage cheese on the side for a "lazy lasagna" feel.

Tips:
  • Simmering is Key: The longer the sauce simmers, the richer and more flavorful it becomes. Make sure to give it the time it needs for the best results.
  • Freezer-Friendly: This sauce freezes well, making it a great meal prep option. Simply store it in containers and pull it out whenever you need a quick, delicious dinner.
And speaking of campfires, how about a song to go with the dinner? This song, sung to the tune of “On Top of Old Smokey” was popularized in 1963 by Tom Glazer and the Do Re Me Children’s Choir.

On Top of Spaghetti

On top of spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.

It rolled off the table,
And on to the floor,
And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.

It rolled in the garden,
And under a bush,
And then my poor meatball,
Was nothing but mush.

The mush was as tasty
As tasty could be,
And then the next summer,
It grew into a tree.

The tree was all covered,
All covered with moss,
And on it grew meatballs,
And tomato sauce.

So if you eat spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
Hold on to your meatball,
Whenever you sneeze.

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Monday, September 6, 2010

Bubble Wrap, Cat's Cradle and Vinaigrette


I came home one day after work last week to a parcel from Oliviers & Co. filled with a bottle of Basil Olive Oil, Ketchup, Balsamic vinegar and bubble wrap. The first thing we did was put the bubble wrap on the floor and stomp. There's something so joyful about jumping and so pleasurable about popping bubbles all at the same time. We do this at New Year's every year, but it was fun to do at the end of summer break.

That same night, we found the Cat's Cradle string and taught each other how to pull the x's to make new and magical shapes with a simple line of string.

bubbles pop
hop and giggle
stomp
i'm alive
i feel
i laugh
i'm airborne
flying
soaring
living
jumping



Making your own vinaigrette is quick and easy, and it’s the perfect way to add fresh, personalized flavor to any salad. Homemade vinaigrette can be tailored to your taste preferences, and with the right oil and vinegar, it can elevate a simple salad to something extraordinary. The basic ratio is 2-3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, and you can customize it with various flavorings.


And always use the best olive oil and the best vinegar. In this case, I was lucky to have a small jug of Basil Olive Oil from Oliviers & Co. that was lightly aromatic and fresh.

Recipe: Vinaigrette

Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

¾ teaspoon sherry vinegar (or half red wine vinegar and half cooking sherry)
⅛ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or Basil Olive Oil from Oliviers & Co.


Instructions:

  1. Whisk the Vinegar and Flavorings: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

  2. Add the Olive Oil: Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is well combined. You can also pop all the ingredients into a Tupperware container and shake well for a quick method.

  3. Taste and Adjust: Taste the vinaigrette and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add more vinegar for tanginess or more oil for a milder flavor.

What's in My Salad*

Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
carrots, chopped
celery, chopped
broccoli, in florets
cauliflower, in florets
cilantro, chopped
old cheddar, cubed
hot Italian sausage, cooked and sliced
papaya, cubed

* Inspired by a friend who is eating a whole-foods-only diet: no preservatives, no sugar (except for the odd temptation of a Theo chocolate bar), and lots of raw food.


Tips:

  • Use Fresh Ingredients: The fresher the vegetables and olive oil, the better the vinaigrette and salad will taste.
  • Flavor Variations: Feel free to experiment with different types of vinegar such as balsamic or red wine vinegar, and add mustard or honey for an extra layer of flavor.
  • Meal Prep: Make extra vinaigrette to store in the fridge for later use—it keeps well for up to a week.

Links
Virtual Bubble Wrap
How To Do Cat's Cradle
HI + LOW: J-U-M-P

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