Book Club...for Toddlers

Before I was a mother, I participated in a monthly book club.  As educated, professional women, we read serious works of literature which featured strong female protagonists. We intensely debated feminism and our roles as women.  We cultivated deep friendships.  We drank a lot of wine.  

That was pre-mamahood.  Now, between working full-time and rearing three young girls, my schedule doesn't allow for a regular book club commitment.  But I still love reading books.  I still love talking about books.  And most importantly, I want my children to love reading and talking about books.

So I was ecstatic when I read this blog post on book clubs for kids, and when my youngest's playgroup decided to spin off a "Toddler Book Club."  On a Friday morning once a month, our group of 12-15 toddlers and their mothers gathers to play, read, and participate in a hands-on activity related to the book selection.  We rotate houses to share hosting duties. We've been going for almost a year now, and both my toddler and I eagerly anticipate each meeting.

For example, one month we read Chris Raschka's A Ball for Daisy, and the kiddos made "paint ball" art by coating tennis balls with washable paint and throwing them against white paper canvases (outside of course).

In the fall, we read Joe Troiano's The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin and painted mini-pumpkins.

During the winter holidays, we read Ian Falconer's Olivia Helps with Christmas and constructed Christmas ornaments.

In the early spring, we read Kevin Henkes' My Garden and planted marigolds.  

In other months, we've read Blackout, I Want My Hat Back, and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.

And when I hosted recently, we read Marjorie Priceman's How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World: 

The kids snacked on apple cheerios and Sprout's apple, cinnamon, and oatmeal pouches.  Each child used fabric markers to decorate her own apron and chef's hat (both purchased in bulk from Amazon), and then, after reading the book, we baked miniature apple pies!

We used this Pillsbury recipe, minus the nuts.  

Given that they were made by two-year-olds, the results weren't Martha-Stewart-pretty...

...but they sure were tasty!

The keys to a successful toddler book club: (1) Keep it simple.  Avoid over-planning or over-complicating the activity. For example, I prepared most of the pie filling in advance so that the children could focus on spooning the filling into their crust and then folding it into their pie shapes.  (2) Be patient with short attention spans, and don't expect much "discussion" of the book.  The point at this age is not to teach the art of literary criticism but instead to explore, in hands-on way, the themes of the book.  (3) Provide healthy snacks. (4) Allow for outdoor playtime whenever possible.  Toddlers have lots of energy to burn.  :)

Our toddler book club reflects its members' shared love of reading, culture, and hands-on learning.  I feel so lucky that my daughter and I can participate!

(Sharing with The Jenny Evolution, Sun Scholars, The Educator's Spin On It, and The Real Thing)

Healthy Daisy Scout Snacks

We are loving my oldest's Daisy Girl Scouts experience.  It helps that we have a fabulously organized and thoughtful troop leader and a happy-go-lucky group of girls.  From spending a day at our state flagship university learning about opportunities for women in engineering, to touring the local fire station, to planting flowers and learning how to nurture our environment, to delivering homemade soup to the elderly, to selling those cookies, my daughter and I have enjoyed every minute.

Our troop rotates meeting locations amongst our members' homes.  The troop leader executes the meeting agenda, but the hostess mom has a very important job: Snacks.  This month, it was my turn to host. Because our girls were earning their "Respect for Myself and Others" petal, I wanted to offer healthy choices that were visually appealing and in keeping with the flower theme.

Pinterest to the rescue.  In additon to yogurt, pita chips, cuties, and some Annie's organic pizza snacks, I served a carrot, hummus, and celery flower:

A reduced-fat cheddar, grape, and celery sunflower:

Waffle cones filled with fresh cut melon, as seen on the island:

And fresh lemonade in mason jars with daisy tops and cute paper straws from The TomKat Studio:




Simple, easy, and fun!


(Sharing with Somewhat Simple, Seven Thirty Three, Making the World Cuter, The Real Thing, and Homemaker on a Dime)

Menus of Thanksgivings Past

As I continue to plan for this year's Thanksgiving celebration and reminisce about past years' Thanksgiving dinner tables and recipes, I evaluate the successes and failures of previous Thanksgiving menus:

2005: This was my first year to host Thanksgiving, and I knew I couldn't handle an entire bird.  I settled on an herb-roasted turkey breast.  The popovers were inspired by my favorites in the Neiman Marcus tearoom; you can find the recipe in this cookbook.  The Wild Mushroom Phyllo Triangles, which have become a holiday tradition in our home, were adapted from Michele Anna Jordan's version in The New Cook's Tour of Sonoma.

2006: This was my second year to host but my first to try the now intra-family-famous Turkey Scallopini.  I went a bit overboard with the sides --- we had too many leftovers --- but the menu successfully pulled together modern Italian-inspired versions of American comfort food favorites.  All of the appetizers were especially good.

2007: I scaled it back this year, but tried a butternut squash and maple syrup ravioli from Putney Pasta that was fabulous; try to find it in your local market!

2008: I was pregnant with my second daughter; in survival mode with my oldest's then-terrible twos; and, at work, in the middle of my busiest research publication year to date.  I was also coming off a marathon master bath remodel. In short, I was too tired to execute a complicated Thanksgiving meal.  The result was a simplified version of previous efforts.  The "spicy parmesan green beans and kale" side dish came a Giada de Laurentiis recipe and was very yummy.

2009: I cheated a bit this year and took a little help from the store (Costco's cheese palmiers and pumpkin pastry kisses) and The Cheesecake Factory (the two cheesecakes, obviously), but no one complained.

2010:  Pregnant with my third daughter, exhausted from parenting a toddler and a precocious pre-schooler,  nearing a big deadline at work, and recovering a major home remodeling project, I was determined to restore normalcy with a well-executed Thanksgiving meal.  I gotta admit, this one turned out pretty well!  I especially recommend the recipes for the phyllo-wrapped asparagus and brie and the rosemary and gruyere bread sticks.

What are your Thanksgiving hits and misses?

(Sharing with Savvy Southern Style)

Giving Thanks for Food: Turkey Scallopini

I have a confession: I don't like "traditional" Thanksgiving food.  Roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls...none of it excites me, no matter how expertly it's prepared.  For years, Thanksgiving seemed like an obligation, not a holiday: Spend hours cooking bland food for men watching football, then eat for 20 minutes, then spend hours more handwashing china while said men watched more football and napped.  No fun.  I had a major Turkey Day Attitude Problem.

So when the Thanksgiving dinner torch was officially passed to me six years ago, I decided to go a different route and spin traditional flavors into modern comfort food favorites.  Cranberry relish became cranberry martinis; corn became pan-fried polenta; dense rolls became airy popovers; pumpkin and pecan pies became pumpkin praline cheesecake. Thanksgiving dinner became fun to prepare, and really fun to eat.

The biggest hit of all, however, the dish that is now "tradition" in our house, the one that keeps my husband happy, is Turkey Scallopini.  The turkey is merely a vehicle for all of the goodness that is panko, butter, artichoke hearts, capers, and cream.  Low-fat?  Nope.  But it is the holidays, after all.  Indulgence is permissible.

Here's my Turkey Scallopini recipe to feed 6-8 people (measurements are approximate, as I am not a precise cook; if in doubt, just add more....):

9-12 turkey breast cutlets pounded to 1/4 inch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs + 4 T water (or egg substitute -- I use Eggbeaters)
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup good white wine
1 cup low-sodium turkey or chicken broth
1 small jar of capers, rinsed
1 large can of artichoke hearts, no marinade, quartered
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


In a shallow dish, mix flour with salt and pepper.  In a bowl, beat eggs and water.  On a plate, combine panko and parmesan.  Dredge turkey cutlets in flour mixture; dip in eggwash; coat with mixture of panko and parmesan.  Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.  Cook turkey on both sides until it is cooked through and golden-brown in color, about 4-6 minutes total. Transfer to a warm platter and cover.  Work with the turkey cutlets in batches, if necessary.

Add broth and white wine to skillet and deglaze over moderate-high heat, scraping up brown bits.  Bring to a quick boil and then reduce. Add capers, artichoke hearts, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Add cream and parsley; simmer until heated through.  Pour sauce over turkey on platter and serve immediately.

2009

The best part?  It doesn't take long to make.  No more rising at dawn to put the turkey in the oven!  And it's also inexpensive; I always have most of the staples on hand and the turkey breast cutlets usually cost less than $10 to feed 6-8 adults.  It's seriously yummy, and I promise, no one will miss the stuffed bird!

2010

I'll share examples of my past Thanksgiving menus soon; in the meantime, you can see pictures of my Thanksgiving tablescapes here.  I now look forward to putting a creative spin on this traditional meal!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?

2007

(Sharing with Savvy Southern Style, I Heart Naptime, The Girl Creative, Crumbs and Chaos, and The Frugal Girls)

It's Fall, Y'all: Time for Stew

Here in Austin, it's finally fall, y'all, and that means it's time to dust off the slow-cooker and make hearty autumnal fare.  On the menu today, a tried-and-true family favorite: Beef Stew with Bacon.  You can find the recipe from Williams-Sonoma here.  I feel fortunate to be working from home today, because my entire house smells heavenly (assuming heaven smells like bacon, of course!).

What are your favorite fall recipes?

Cooking with the Kids: Fruit Tarts

My extremely independent five-year-old is a budding chef.  Her skills are more Sandra Lee than Alton Brown, but that's ok.  I encourage her creativity in the kitchen because someone needs to use all of those fancy Williams-Sonoma gadgets I registered for when I got married.  Under my watch, they merely gather dust.

Anyway, we had invited family friends over for dinner on Labor Day, and my daughter wanted to make dessert for the kids. She recalled making fruit tarts at a local kids' cooking class and decided to create her own version:

Pretty cute for a five-year-old's handiwork, yes?  She simply mixed instant pudding and let it chill.  She then poured the pudding into pre-made graham cracker crusts, topped with fresh berries, and garnished with mint (the garnishing is her favorite part).  She noted that next time, she might use chocolate pudding instead of vanilla because "chocolate and strawberries are really yummy together" but otherwise, she seemed satisfied with her efforts.  She ate three of them herself, but they were a hit with the grown-ups, too.  :)

What are your kids' favorite culinary creations?

Tailgate Party Time!

I'm not going to pretend we're really into pre-game tailgate parties.  We're not, at least not now that we're too old so focused on our weekend family time.  But we do like college football, and this weekend, our little alma mater is in town to play Very Big University, so we're going to join in the celebration! And what's a party without a fun cocktail?

Here's the recipe for a refreshing local game-day favorite from El Chile Cafe y Cantina.  Enjoy!

The Michelada
1 lime wedge
Dry blend of chiles, salt, and lime seasoning (like Chilimon)
Ice
2 T fresh lime juice
1 dash Tabasco
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
12-ounces of Dos Equis lager

Run lime wedge around rim of 20-ounce glass to moisten.  Pour seasoning onto small plate; dip glass rim in seasoning.  Fill glass with ice.  Add lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to glass.  Add beer.  Sprinkle with more seasoning and serve.

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New Orleans

I just returned from a work trip to New Orleans.  I've been there many times and never fail to enjoy the architecture, the culture, the people, the jazz, and of course, the food.  I certainly ate more than my share of white chocolate bread pudding, pralines, beignets, gumbo, redfish, crab, and oysters.  From the French Market to the Quarter to the Garden District, I enjoyed every meal. Yum.

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If you haven't visited New Orleans, go.  Take an early morning walk through its streets, and let NOLA infiltrate your senses: The lonely sound of a single trumpet pensively playing "Amazing Grace." The layered smells of sugar and sea salt, bourbon and beer, andouille and oysters, magnolias and mint.  The clanging of the street car bell.  The swishing of brooms sweeping away evidence of last night's debauchery.  The silent performance artists.  The lush flowers in almost-hidden courtyards. The damp air. The unevenness of the sidewalk stones. The pitter patter of horses drawing carriages. The street merchants calling you to buy others' abandoned shoes, clothes, even carseats.  The crunch of a wayward bead under your feet.

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And then, as soon as it's five o'clock somewhere, enjoy one of the city's famous cocktails.  Here are two favorites, from the fabulous Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel.  Laissez les bon temps rouler!

The Sazerac
1 cube sugar
1 1/2 oz rye whiskey
1/4 oz Herbsaint
3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
lemon peel, to garnish

Pack an old-fashioned glass with ice.  In a second glass, place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud's bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube.  Add the rye whiskey. Empty the ice from the first glass and coat that glass with the Herbsaint.  Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first and garnish with lemon peel.

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Ramos Gin Fizz
2 oz gin
1 oz heavy cream
1 egg white
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
3 drops orange flower water
club soda, to top

Shake with cracked ice for at least a minute, and strain into a chilled rocks glass.  Top with a bit of club soda.







P.S. The quote pictured in my last post is from the poem, "Things I Didn't Know I Loved," by Nazim Hikmet.  You can read more about the Audubon Zoo's poetry project here.  It's a beautiful thing.


Shared with Memories by the Mile

Ice Pops!

First, my obsession with grown-up watermelon mojito pops.  Now, this:

My local newspaper recently featured nutritious ice pop recipes from Anni Daulter's cookbook, Ice Pop Joy.  I ordered a copy right away.  Daulter espouses "Conscious Family Living" and developed this collection of healthy and delicious popsicles to help children (and their parents) expand their palates with fresh herbs, vegetables, fruit, and organic proteins.  From quinoa to tofu, from kale to balsamic vinegar, the unusual ingredients in these ice pops pack lots of flavor and vitamins.

all above images courtesy of Sellers Publishing, copyright 2011

So beautiful, so healthy.  I can't wait to try these at home, especially since my oldest is a very picky eater.  What better way to sneak her veggies than through a popsicle on a 105 degree day??!!

Wimbledon: Strawberries and Cream

Some foods taste better because of the accompanying experiences, or like Proust's madeleine, the memories they evoke.  For me, the combination of strawberries and cream recalls a drizzly afternoon at Wimbledon, fifteen years ago today, when I had the privilege of watching Steffi Graf play in a mixed-doubles match.  I was living and working in London at the time, and my friends and I queued for hours in the dampness to procure second-hand tickets for Court Number One.  Once inside the gates, tickets secured, we scurried to take advantage of every Wimbledon tradition, including and especially, strawberries and cream.

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Food in hand, we watched the match.

(That's Steffi with the blond ponytail --- forgive the old 1996 pictures.)

The crowds were quiet and polite; the players, efficient in their business.  At moments, I probably could have heard a pin drop, had I not been so focused on my strawberries.

I still watch "Breakfast at Wimbledon" with nostalgia today.  And I still love strawberries and cream.

For those so inclined, here's Martha Stewart's spin on the classic recipe.

Easy Summer Dinner: Roasted Halibut

I love easy summer dinners that are full of flavor but light on prep work.  Roasted Halibut is my go-to dish for entertaining friends or for quiet dinners with my husband after the kids are in bed.  This recipe is best with fresh, never-frozen halibut, for which I am lucky to have a convenient local source, but almost any halibut is better than none!  You can also substitute Chilean sea bass.  I love that roasting either of these fish doesn't make my kitchen smell bad!

Here's the recipe for two servings:

2 6-ounce skinless halibut fillets
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary*
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme*
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of softened butter
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt
Rosemary sprigs (for optional garnish)

(*In a pinch, when out of fresh herbs, I've substituted herbes de provence with good effect)

Coat a glass baking dish with cooking spray.  Place halibut fillets in dish and season liberally with sea salt and lime juice.

Combine the butter, lime zest, thyme, and chopped rosemary in a small dish, and then spread the mixture onto each fillet.

Roast at 450 for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on each fillet and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

If you aren't afraid of fat and want to add a ton of flavor, consider wrapping the fillets in either a strip of bacon or a thin slice of prosciutto.  Roast as otherwise directed above.

I serve the fish with a simple side of crisp, steamed green beans and accompany the meal with a buttery chardonnay. Yum!

Cool Summer Treats

It's hot here.  Have I mentioned that?  But in keeping with this blog's focus -- finding moments to slow down, appreciate life's work and pleasures, and connect with family and friends -- I'm thinking of ways to savor summer.

Like...Enjoying cold watermelon after a dip in the pool.  Sipping cool mojitos with friends on a humid summer night. Or better yet, doing both at the same time, with Watermelon Mojito Pops, like these concocted by Sugar and Charm, which I discovered via Pizzazzerie:

Aren't they genius?  And gorgeous?  I can't wait to try them soon.  Check out Sugar and Charm for the recipe and much more inspiration; it's a beautiful blog.

Thinking about watermelon also brings to mind my other favorite summer treat: watermelon gazpacho.

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A healthy and delicious menu item at the fabulous Lake Austin Spa Resort, which happens to be one of my very favorite places in the world, watermelon gazpacho is quick and easy to make.  The resort's master chef, Terry Conlan, has generously shared his recipe here.  Note that it makes a big batch, so you may want to invite friends to join you!

Happy Summer!