A few good gems

This was my view on Thursday from a nearly-deserted library at Texas A&M.  I left the kids with lunch money, and no other instructions whatsoever, and headed up to campus for about five hours of quiet and reading. It was lovely. I wish I could do it every day, but the 70 mile commute (one way) eats up too much time. I'm working again today and thinking about the weekend!

But that's enough about me. Here's some cool stuff I found when I should have been doing laundry or making dinner or writing something: 

Most people either love or hate Martha Stewart. I'm a Martha-lover.  It's not that I can't acknowledge her well-publicized downfalls; it's more that I don't think you can expect success on the Martha-level without changing up the game in some fashion. And she's a game-changer baby. Check out NYMag's "Martha Stewart's Best Lesson: Don't Give a Damn": "Martha’s attitude provides a refreshingly clear path to success: work hard, know your value, and have enough confidence in your work and value to keep pressing forward whether or not people seem to like you." 

I love this essay, "The Empty-Nest Yard Sale" -- a reflection on a boy's last years at home from the dad's point of view. I felt he totally got me when he compared an (unsuccessful) conversation with his son to an episode of Parenthood. I used to base my parenting on the Walton Family. But now it's the Bravermans. All the way.

This New York Times article, "Don't Make Your Children the Exception to Every Rule," caught my eye because the author's opening story happened to me. Look! I'm exactly like a New York Times author! Basically, this article looks at process versus outcome: "When we look at the research on the childhood precursors of adult well-being – the traits we see in children who go on to become happy adults – we find that the driving factor is childhood conscientiousness, not childhood happiness." --Which gives me complete license to hold my kids' feet to the fire! (I'm referring to a metaphorical fire. Obviously. Ahem.)

Some of you recommended The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. Wow. Everything was going along just fine, and then I got to the end . . . and I cried like a baby. It's particularly brutal to a mother's heart. But it's good. Read it. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

I made these Pioneer Woman nachos for dinner last night. Two thumbs up. Is it weird that I'm so obsessed with PW? Can anyone get me an invite to her lodge? Anyone? 

Maybe I'm the last person on the Internet to know about this, but have you read Suri's Burn Book? It's kind of hilarious. I may (or may not) have read through the last 100 posts in one sitting.

That's it. Peace out. 

What's for dinner

I'd like to say that I let cooking slip by the way-side in the summer months. The hot days and chaotic lack of schedule certainly call for languishing evenings by the pool (or in front of the television).  In truth, however, to give up dinner means grumpy kids and a skyrocketing rate of snacking. Plus, the kitchen is NEVER clean because people are NEVER finished eating. In short, I cook to defend myself -- and my right to a clean kitchen for at least 27 minutes out of each day. That's all I ask. Here's what's working at our house:

•  Grilled Bruschetta Chicken. One summer, years ago, I got a free Kraft recipe magazine in the mail featuring this recipe. Turned out it's is simple and tastes fresh and summer-y. It also works to use whatever ingredients you have on hand -- the other night I sauteed some yellow squash and zucchini and tossed it with a bit and oil and vinegar in lieu of the tomato and Kraft dressing. FYI: PW also has a bruschetta chicken recipe I can personally vouch for. It's lovely.
• One evening last week I made homemade pizza. I worked up the dough in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator until late afternoon. For some reason, when making my weekly menu, I thought to myself, "Sarah, you have plenty of time to make pizza in the evenings, so let's make things difficult." Seriously. I say this because I planned to make PW's Potato, Leek, and Bacon Pizza AND her Tomato Basil Pizza. Also, because I'm a martyr. Actually, I had myself a fine time constructing those pizzas and they were tasty. Tasty. Especially the potato, bacon, leek. It's Food Network worthy. Note to self: must get a mandolin.
•  Heidi Swanson's Weeknight Curry. I know that cooking over a hot pot isn't quintessentially 'summer,' but it's the seasonal vegetable part of this recipe that makes me like it. You can add anything really -- squash, zucchini, asparagus, peas, leeks . . . whatever is left in the fridge. My kids love it. I have to double the recipe or someone's going hungry.
• PW's Summer Stir Fry. I'm not going to lie. I've long wanted to make this recipe, but Jordan claims she's allergic to shrimp. And, in all fairness, she did once test positive for shellfish. But . . . she's living it up in the south of France, so we had shrimp for dinner. Is that okay? Cuz it was good and relatively easy.
•  Mexican Chef Salad. I got this recipe when I was just a young mom at a church recipe swap (thanks Andrea!). Now I'm old and it's STILL a family favorite. This recipe is before the days of fancy Interwebs and such, so I'm just going to have to type it out for you. Bear with me.

Mexican Chef Salad: 

1 head lettuce, torn (I use romaine, but do as you wish).
2 tomatoes cut up
1/2 cup onion (I like red) 
12 oz cheddar cheese grated (get the good Tillamook cheese and grate it yourself. You won't be sorry!)
2 cans dark red kidney beans, one drained
1.5 lbs hamburger, browned
1 bag tortilla chips, crushed
3/4 c Light Miracle Whip (I know this sounds weird, but stick with me.)
1/8 - 1/4 c sugar (See? Sugar makes everything better.)
1/8 - 1/4 c vinegar

To make the dressing mix Light Miracle Whip, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl. You can adjust the sugar and vinegar to your liking. I use 1/8 c sugar and 1/4 vinegar because I want the dressing to be smooth and attain maximum coverage (as all good dressings should). 

In a skillet, brown the hamburger. Drain excess grease, add both cans of kidney beans and heat thoroughly. 

In a large bowl combine lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and tortilla chips. 

When everything is ready, add the (hot) meat and beans AND the dressing to the lettuce and toss like crazy. Serve it up quickly because it is best eaten warm. (Note: Often, if I have people eating at different times, I leave the three elements separate and let folks toss their own.)

A few good gems

via OLadyCakes

Hi all! We've got a small case of day-after-the-4th lethargy. I'm hoping to shake that off in an hour or so and get my day moving. I'm especially excited because my oldest (the missionary) flies to France today -- and that means she gets to call me from the airport! She has a FIVE HOUR layover in Chicago, so I can chat with her for a good long time. I've sent her a calling card, but I do worry -- this child who's had a cell phone all of her life -- will she know how to use it??

 

While I'm waiting anxiously by the phone, here's some cool links I happened upon this week: 

• Got all the ingredients for this in my pantry. Can't wait. 
• Do you guys know Mara and Danny from A Blog About Love? I'm not-so-secretly hoping to run into them when I'm in Brooklyn in a few weeks (you know, because NYC is so tiny and all). I found this post on mother love fascinating and insightful. And true.
• Baking and mental health -- a connection. I don't know about you, but a chocolate chip cookie helps soothe my inner beast. Check out this Guardian article -- and get baking! 
• Who does the dishes? And why? This article claims that sibling roles influence adult gendered work divisions. I think . . . YES!
• I know the 4th was yesterday, but I'm celebrating America all month. Here's a fine list of American short stories (full text) to mark the occasion. Start with Kate Chopin's "Regret." So good.
• Looking for an innovative summer craft? I'm thinking about gathering my kiddos and trying out these cool bracelets. Surprisingly, the best braid-er/weaver in our family is my husband. He can (from memory) make any boondoggle design you can imagine. I know. Who doesn't love a good boondoggle?
• I tried this grilled salmon recipe this week. Easy and tasty. Two thumbs up. 

A few good gems

This pasta is at the top of my list to try, heartily endorsed by not one but two fantastic foodie bloggers as "the best pasta [they'd] ever had." Count me in! And then I'm going to make this roasted corn salad that's been calling to me from my Pinterest page.

George Washington wrote these 110 rules for civility...when he was 14 years old!? Wow.  (Looking for something for your kids to master over the break? You're welcome.)

Can I please have one of these super-sized, extra long sofas? They look perfect for Sunday napping and newspaper reading and remind me of my grandparents' inviting (and super long) yellow one. I've been trying to recreate that specific sofa my whole life.

I loved Lisa Van Orman Hadley's piece "Lost Things" in the New England Review, a requiem to the multitude of lost things in the course of a family's life. Beautiful.  (Hat tip to Kristine H., via Facebook)

Flower Child by Clare Elsaesser

Likewise, Katrina Kenison's tender post Peonies captures that ache of the bittersweet beginning of summer, knowing that it will fly by soon.  I have felt that ache, almost beginning to mourn the end of something wonderful just as it is beginning to unfold.

"I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point 'if this isn't nice I don't know what is.'" -Kurt Vonnegut. Good one, Kurt.

Happy weekending, friends! See you here Monday. 

A few good gems

It's summer . . . and the living isn't quite as easy as I'd like. Next week I'm promising myself simplicity and rest. This also means I'm promising my kids very little running around or fancy entertainment schemes. Mama needs to recuperate. 

In the meantime, here are a few good gems from around the web. 

• Yep, I'm thinking about peaches. So is my BFF (in my head) Pioneer Woman. Three ways to eat grilled peaches here. 
• Have you made your summer reading list yet? The Guardian has a whole list of recommendations for teens, including this article on Victorian historical fiction (which just might be a little speciality of mine).  
• Have you seen Jen Loves Kev's string art? Becca wants to do it on the big wall above her bed. I'm inclined to agree. But only after my week of simplicity and rest. 
• I have summer veggies on the brain. Check out this new-to-me food blog. It is bee-utiful. 
• Guys! I finished reading The Paris Wife by Paula McClain this week. Actually, I started it on Saturday and finished it on Sunday. I loved it! And really, I don't love too many contemporary novels. It's told from the perspective of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, who is smart and interesting, and who makes me like Ernest just a little more (even though he is a total cad).  

As you read this, I'm probably back in my air conditioned car heading back to my air conditioned house. As much as I wax poetic about the 19th century, I really couldn't have handled the heat. My sweat glands belong squarely in the 21st century. 

Summer eatin'

Looking for things for your teens to do this summer? Have them bake, and you can simultaneously productively employ their time AND enjoy the fruits of their labors. And really, learning to cook is an important step towards launching. At least that's what I tell THEM. Not all of my kids like to cook, but they all like to eat . . . so cooking is an equal opportunity activity round these parts. I often pull out the recipe and help them round up the ingredients. Then I wander off to my study (or secretly watch Netflix in my room), or, let's be real, fold some laundry. The kids need to learn their way around the kitchen without me leaning over their shoulder. (And Momma needs to watch herself some Netflix.) These baking afternoons have netted some amazing results, including this key lime pie.

Another fun foodie endeavor is this Mall Pretzel recipe by Elephantine. The video is exquisite and is perfect for beginning or intermediate bakers. Just pull up the video on the ipad and keep it close in the kitchen. The pretzels themselves are mighty tasty. If you make them, save one for me!

One smart cookie

It's the first day of summer, and I hopped out of bed at 6:30 AM (tragic). It's go time around here. Tonight is Maddie's graduation open house. As I sat icing BYU sugar cookies (for said open house) last night at around 1 AM, I pondered my proclivity to bite off more than I can chew. The rest of the house was sleeping. Not me. I was piping and flooding and thinking existential thoughts about cookies and icing and running away to a deserted isle.

But this morning? Things are looking up. The weather is beautiful. Much of the food prep is done. And we are in the home stretch for ending this school year.  

I'm going to share one of the cookies I made for the party tonight. This is an OLD family favorite. Try not to study the ingredient list too carefully lest your arteries close off completely. Despite the caloric atrocities committed by this cookie, it is hands down one of the tastiest cookies in the history of cookie-dom. (And it makes a ton, so it's perfect for a big gathering.)

Chicago Toll House Cookie

3 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 TBS milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup vegetable or canola oil (gulp)
1 cup corn flakes
1 cup oats
1 cup pecans, chopped
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Once nice and fluffy throw in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Gradually add in the flour mixture. Once everything is combined, close your eyes and pour in the oil. Mix for another minute or two, until everything is well combined. Throw in the corn flakes, oats, pecans, and chocolate chips and mix by hand. Eat a bit of the dough while mixing. Bake at 375 for approximately 10 minutes (watch them because they brown easily -- because of all the, ahem, butter and oil).  

Back tomorrow with more party STUFF.