the cutest thing this week

It's got to be little I. putting his little index finger down on his paper to form a space for the next word that he's about to write. Does that make sense? Maybe you had to see it to believe it or even know what I'm talking about, but watching him practice his spelling words brought a tear to my eye.  And he has strep throat. And his hair is completely crazy. Gosh, I love that kid.

a fresh start

So it seems like a good a day as any to start writing again.  Our cosmos are starting to bloom again...

so maybe I should too.  School started last week, and this week all the kids' activities start again.  Middle school is going well, 3rd and 1st grades are bringing new and exciting things each day for the kids.  I'm so glad they're adjusting nicely and so far it's going very smoothly.

It's been a terribly crazy summer, with the emphasis on terrible, I have to say.  My beloved father in law passed away on July 20.  After a fragile beginning to the summer, his last few weeks were just hell.  For everyone.  Each day now brings something new --- a new emotion, a new memory, a new problem, a new something to take care of and try and deal with.

One of my saving graces has been the vegetable garden.  It's a place for me to relax, be outside, connect, do some thinking.  Even though the Japanese beetles are eating the green bean leaves and cucumber leaves, the vegetables have been really outstanding.  There's another bug that I can't identify, but it's not doing anything to the veg so I figure just let it be.  And I'm pretty sure it's deer that are eating the carrot tops and pepper plant tops, but who cares?  Let them enjoy.  I pulled out all the arugula (awesome, huge harvest) and Japanese eggplant (2 little ones that were great on the grill) and put in cabbage, red kale, and swiss chard.  The cucumbers are growing like they're on steroids.  So far we've put up 2 gallons of pickles and eaten who knows how many fresh out of hand in slices. Pepperoncini and banana peppers are pickled and jalapenos turned into schug (see below).  Picked the first white eggplant today and purple sweet pepper.  Lots of baby yellow and red peppers starting and the green beans are finally coming in to their own.  Oh, and the corn.  We got about 6 or 8 ears in all,it was really fun to watch them grow to over 6 feet tall.  The tomatoes are very sad this year, but hopefully a last ditch effort with Miracle Grow will boost them into place.

So I guess the old saying is true.  With every death, there is a birth.  A renewal, a growth, a happiness that can come out from the dark.

Schug (Spicy Israeli condiment)

Take as many jalapenos as you can handle.  The last batch I used about 20.  Wash, stem and seed them to your liking.  Throw into a food processor with bunches of mint, basil, cilantro, or any combination thereof.  A clove of garlic, a little salt, and olive oil to make it smooth.  Delicious, completely addicting, and can be frozen.  Use it on anything -- scrambled eggs, yogurt, bread with cheese, grilled chicken or meats.  Thank goodness my jalapeno harvest is still going strong.

new beginnings

I just have to tell it like it is.  Our neighbors moved on Sunday.  Not just any neighbors.  These are the kind who carpool your kids when another's sick at home, who hug them when they scrape their knee, and who make an extra batch of cookies just for us, just because.  I know of no other family like this one.  None as sweet, as real, as kind, as truthful, as loving, as giving, as yummy.  For the last 2 years, we have been privileged and honored to know this family.

One of my first memories is of standing in their kitchen, watching as Mom (of  5) so calmly dealt with a bumped head, spelling homework, and a crying baby, all the while rolling out handmade noodles for absolutely from scratch chicken noodle soup. I was amazed at the time and you continued to amaze me each and every day. Mom, you have been my confidante, my adviser, my friend.  Like the older sister I've never had, even though you're at least 5+ years younger than me.  I will cherish our time that we had together.  We've learned so much from your family, not only about your faith and customs, but about patience, virtue, truth, strength and even how to organize our daughter's closet to help hurry along the little slow-poke.  And don't even get me started on the recipes. You've moved for the summer and most likely won't be back.  The night before you left, my kids were sobbing themselves to sleep.  Then I started sobbing.  I truly believe I am a better person for having known you all. 


We wish you only the best in your new adventures.  Being here without you, I think, will be an adventure too.

So for you, cooked spinach hater, here's one you'll love.

Spinach Pie
2 lbs. fresh spinach, cooked until just wilted, squeezed dry, and chopped
3-4 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup (at least) grated parmesan
lots of black pepper
2-3 t dried dill
3 cloves garlic, sauteed until soft in 1-2 T butter
1/4 cup chopped chives, optional
2 eggs
1 T cubed butter to dot the top

Mix together the cheeses, pepper, dill, and garlic (and optional chives).  Taste for seasoning and most likely add more dill.  Stir in the eggs and spinach.  Pour into a well sprayed pie plate, dot with butter, and bake at 350 until well set and golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Then quickly get ingredients ready to make a second one, since your kids have gobbled up the first.

what'd you do yesterday?

Oh, nothing much...between 6:30 and 9, all the usual get up and get everyone up and get the kids to school...then the fun really started.
9 am - get to garden shop to buy extra marigolds to keep the bunnies from eating the tomato plants I just planted over the weekend.
9:15 - get call from school nurse saying that A. is coughing up a storm, and there have been 2 more cases of pertussis (yes that's whooping cough) in his class, not to mention the 6 or 7 in his grade. Pay for marigolds, ditch looking for a new shrub for an empty patch of dirt in the backyard.
9:30 - get to school to find A. feeling a little better, leave him in class. Call the pediatrician to leave message, asking if he should just come in to get tested anyway due to direct exposures.
9:35 - get to Trader Joe's to load up on goodies since the cupboards are bare.
10 - get second call from nurse saying that A. is hacking away and needs to get picked up. Pay for groceries. Get to school and pick him up, go home to unload the frozen stuff, and drive to pediatrician's office. All the while, calling the office to say we're on our way but only get the answering machine, about 6 times.
10:30  - get to pediatrician's office and secure appointment for 11:15. Really?  Can't someone just see him now since we're here and the walk-in hours just ended? Walk to a nearby Starbucks and resist the temptation of a cinnamon scone. Watch A. eat his apple fritter.
11:10 - get call from pediatrician's office saying that they're all out of the swabs for the test, but I can go to the hospital if I want and they'll do it there.  When I ask for more details, the receptionist comes back to say that actually they'll have some in later, I can have a 12:45. Go to Costco with A. for berries and fish. Eat half of a delicious palmier.
12 - get home, unload groceries
12:15 - make A.'s lunch
12:20 - scarf down mine
12:30 - leave for pediatrician's office
12:45 - strep test (after which he throws up) negative, pertussis test (which is an icky nasal swab) back in 24-48 hours, should go on antibiotics just in case.
1:20 - drive to pharmacy to pick up medicine.
2:10 - get back home, spend 20 minutes on phone with manufacturer of antibiotic trying to get carb count.
2:45 - get to school to pick up A.'s homework, get little I. from chess, he's crying for having the fewest points in class.  When I ask him how he knows this, he says that the teacher read everyone's points out loud. Make mental note to ask teacher why on earth he would do that to a class of 6 year-olds? Pick up C.
3:00 - 4:00 - try to put the rest of the groceries away. Get kids their snack.  Give A. the antibiotic. Pray he doesn't throw it up. Slice cucumbers. Make mistake of throwing one away that I sliced and pushed to the side of the cutting board with the ends. Sweep up box of crackers that spilled onto the floor when I didn't notice that the bag was torn down it's front. Wonder why I didn't have any caffeine today.
4:00 - take C. to Hebrew school.  Water plants outside. Cook pot of beans.
5:00 - take little I. to karate.
6:00 - bring I. home, check on A., go pick up C.
6:20 - whip up a pot of the kids' favorite egg drop soup.
The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful, normal homework, reading, playing, etc etc. We grownups had a nice, relaxing dinner together after all was said and done.

11:45 am (today) - pertussis test came back negative. Hooray!

Egg drop soup

Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil.  Add 2 T chicken bouillon powder, a few glugs each of soy sauce and sesame oil.  Bring all that to a rolling boil.  Add 1 block of extra firm tofu that's cut into small cubes.  Bring that to a boil and let go for about 5 minutes.  Add 4 beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring them into ribbons.  Turn off the heat.  Serve with crispy chow mein noodles and coconut rice, if you like, and have time to make, which I didn't.  The kids loved it anyway.

invasion of the body snatchers

Well, not really.  But this was the first thing I thought of yesterday as I was gardening.  More specifically, pulling up roots to make way for our brand new vegetable box, which matches the other one we had installed last summer.  So now we've got plenty of room to grow all the lovely summer tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, radishes, eggplants, and whatever vegetables that we'd like.  Tons of fun for me and I love doing it.

But let me get back to the root pulling.  We have had an invasion of Chinese lantern plants since we've lived in this house, almost 10 years now, that's been getting worse and worse.  They take over everything.  The lawn, the flower beds, the edging.  They are relentless.  And deep.  And beautiful to look at, starting with the white blossoms to the bright orange lanterns to the deep orange papery shells that they become.  But oh, those roots. So there I am, about an hour into pulling, and pulling, and pulling, and pulling some more, when I think Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  I've never seen that movie, but I'm only thinking that somehow, from somewhere deep below the surface, one of these *&^%$#! roots is going to jump right out and swallow me whole.  They seem to be never ending.  They're under the foundation of the house, in the grass, everywhere.  I just read online that they grow extremely well in large containers.  Well, yeah, but not if that container is your whole back yard!  I have very strong feelings about these plants.

So when I asked the landscapers to pull some of the other weeds, I wasn't home and they pulled ALL of the Chinese lanterns out, but of course only from the surface.  That's why I'm going down and trying to get all of the roots that I can -- and I'm sure what I can't get will grow back over the summer.  I'm ok with some of them, just not everywhere.  And still undecided about what to put in their place.  But that's for later.

Chinese lanterns, Chinese food...see how they're related?  The best Chinese chicken I've ever made has got to be this soy sauce poached chicken.  It comes out extremely moist and packed with flavor, and I keep using the broth over and over, freezing it in between, skimming off any fat, and then adding to it.  Here it is.

soy sauce poached chicken

(adapted from 3 Hungry Tummies)

1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds

1 1/2 cups soy sauce
6 cups of water
1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of chinese cooking wine
2-3 inch knob of ginger, sliced
3 garlic cloves
1 scallion
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 tsp of Sichuan peppercorns

Marinate chicken with soy and aromatics for 20 minutes, if you've got time.  I've done it without marinating first and it's just as good, and fewer dishes to wash.

Prepare the poaching broth by boiling everything in a pot for 30 minutes.

Then, put chicken in breast side down and bring it back to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and let the chicken steep until the broth has cooled down.  Once it's cool, lift it out carefully (it's super juicy) and cut it up as you'd like.  Strain and keep the broth to use again, or make rice with it instead of water.  Just delicious.

comfort

Today is the one year anniversary of Aaron's Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.  To say that I'm in need of a little comfort is an understatement.  I'm trying not to think about it too much, but it's there, in the foreground, in the background, in the middle ground, and the harder I try not to think about it the more I seem to.  To think about how far we've all come this year, how our lives were turned upside down, and how I feel like just in the past few weeks we're starting to turn right side up again.  This has all to do with Aaron.  He is so strong, so willing, so brave, and shows such maturity for this beyond his years, sometimes I can hardly believe it.  People say to me, "Oh, it must not be so bad because he has you as an example" but that's not nearly true.  It's the opposite.  Sure, the knowledge is there, but for me it's just that much harder because he has me as an example.  With all of my highs and lows, good days and bad days, moodiness, crabbiness...I should try to set that aside, farther to the side than I do.  I feel like I need to do a better job of just being the mom, not the mom who also has diabetes.  I need to support him better in the ways that he needs me to, as a growing 11 year old boy.  In the ways that I should know how to.  And while I still feel a lot of guilt (I know I shouldn't, but I do), mostly what I feel today is pride because he is so healthy, so active, so courageous.  He continues to take this all in such stride and hasn't let it stop him for anything, or slow him down in any way.

So here's to the kid who can do it all.  Just a few days ago he had the hockey game to beat all hockey games, with a hat trick and a Gordie Howe hat trick.  3 goals, 1 assist, and a fight that an opposing kid started by knocking down our goalie after the whistle.  Aaron as the great protector, got hit in the head and a 2 minute roughing penalty (so did the other kid), but fought back because he is such a good teammate and sportsman.   I'm really proud of him for that.  (And glad he didn't get hurt.) And looking ahead to tonight's science fair.  He is so proud of all the hard work that he did on it, really taking initiative and true interest in his project.  Having C. and I. help him along the way.

Aaron's strength, bravery, and diligence are providing me with comfort today.  But still, I thought I would include this recipe, which comes from our friend Gina, who has provided me with so much comfort during this past year.


Miss Gina's Taco Soup

Saute 2 small onions with 2-3 cloves of garlic in a bit of canola oil.  Today I added 1/2 a zucchini and 2 carrots, since I didn't have any red peppers as Gina's original recipe calls for.  Cook that down and add 2 cans of beans (1 red and 1 black, or whatever you've got, today it was some leftover black eyed peas and 1 can of red), 2 cans of diced tomatoes and a good heaping tablespoon of taco seasoning.  Next add water or bean broth, if you've got it, cook it down awhile, then let it cool and puree it.  Serve with taco chips, shredded cheese and lettuce, dolloped with sour cream.  Pure comfort.

laundry day, and bread

Today was laundry day.  Well, actually, everyday is laundry day, with 5 very busy people under 1 roof and warmer weather upon us.  Some things I was wondering about, as I gathered the laundry...why do Kleenexes get put into the pockets that I don't check?  When do the kids start putting their socks in the hamper not in a ball? At what age do they start taking their pants and underwear off separately, instead of together in one fell swoop?  Does A. really think I won't notice the dirty clothes shoved behind his door, under his bed, behind his bed, and at the foot of the bed?  Ahh, what a great day-after-Mother's Day laundry day.

Moving on to bread.  Thinking about zucchini bread today, not the cinnamon-y kind, but a savory one is what I was after.  So I found this gem, and it's definitely a keeper.  I called it "cheesy basil" bread, thinking that I could get the kids to accept it a little better, since A. and I are the only zucchini eaters around here. Of course he loved it.  C. says "Oh, that's why I didn't like it, because of the basil."  And if I had called it cheesy bread?  Would she have eaten a whole slice?  Probably.  I. ate a huge piece slathered in butter, God love him.  Here it is:

Savory Zucchini Bread ( aka cheesy basil bread)

Preheat oven to 350.  Generously spray a loaf pan.  This makes one huge loaf of bread.  Next time I might split it into two or make muffins out of it.

3 cups AP flour
4 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
2 c coarsely shredded zucchini (about 1 1/2 medium zucchini)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella (could absolutely use more, this was all I had)
2 T chopped basil
2 eggs
1 1/4 c milk
3 T melted butter

Mix dry ingredients, then add zucchini, cheese and basil, then add the wet ingredients, don't overmix, blah blah blah, bake about an hour until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan a bit before unmolding to cool completely on a rack.  Slice thickly, and don't stop yourself from slathering it in room temperature butter.