My favorite part of going to weddings is the people watching. Not to ridicule, but to capture those snapshot moments between other humans. My favorite moments yesterday:
One child running to a group of other children to share some news, looks of disbelief on little faces and then the wee stampede to the chocolate fountain. The just informed stood in anticipation and watched while the discoverer demonstrates his technique. As the rest step forward to take their turns, a great auntie steps in to show proper technique and then watches to make sure her lesson was absorbed. The mother in charge of all the youngsters enters the scene to admonish them all about eating chocolate before finishing dinner.
The ringbearer (nephew of the groom) patiently following and waiting to be noticed by the bride as she joined the groom in greeting guests table by table and once he caught her attention, said his piece and gave her a high five.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
It's a chore
Chore Pronunciation: \ˈchȯr\ - 1plural : the regular or daily light work of a household or farm2: a routine task or job3: a difficult or disagreeable task
chore>
synonyms see task
When we were first married and the girls were still young, we spent most holidays sleeping (no, NOT all day!) in my brother Chuck and his wife Lynn's basement guestroom in Washington. I don't remember thinking about it much, but chipping in with the labor was important to me. I'm not royalty after all!
One of my favorite ways to lend a hand, was rising early and heading upstairs to empty the dishwasher. One less thing my hosts had to tend to. Did it make our visit any easier? I doubt it. They did have a set of twins, after all.
And I guess this is why I don't understand when people don't do chores or try their best to help out. I believe it's one of those things we do automatically--part of our humanity. That basic understanding that you too know what it takes to run a home--there's no magic, it's not easier for some than others, but it is easier when you pitch in together and oft times a slap in the face when you don't.
So here I am, having nearly completed my 51st year on this planet, still learning and still amazed when I see the ease with which my sisters, sister-in-law and mother, walk into a kitchen and with seeming intuition begin to blend into the process of the task at hand without needing to ask what needs to be done. And I think it's usually during those moments that I yearn to share a back fence with all of them. To always be hip to hip helping out in the kitchen.
When we were first married and the girls were still young, we spent most holidays sleeping (no, NOT all day!) in my brother Chuck and his wife Lynn's basement guestroom in Washington. I don't remember thinking about it much, but chipping in with the labor was important to me. I'm not royalty after all!
One of my favorite ways to lend a hand, was rising early and heading upstairs to empty the dishwasher. One less thing my hosts had to tend to. Did it make our visit any easier? I doubt it. They did have a set of twins, after all.
And I guess this is why I don't understand when people don't do chores or try their best to help out. I believe it's one of those things we do automatically--part of our humanity. That basic understanding that you too know what it takes to run a home--there's no magic, it's not easier for some than others, but it is easier when you pitch in together and oft times a slap in the face when you don't.
So here I am, having nearly completed my 51st year on this planet, still learning and still amazed when I see the ease with which my sisters, sister-in-law and mother, walk into a kitchen and with seeming intuition begin to blend into the process of the task at hand without needing to ask what needs to be done. And I think it's usually during those moments that I yearn to share a back fence with all of them. To always be hip to hip helping out in the kitchen.
Friday, July 24, 2009
A Day in the Kitchen :>)
Actually, I hardly used the kitchen at all for the cooking--just for prep. It's amazing what you can do with a barbecue grill (with a side burner) and a crock pot. I started the baked beans (below) for dinner and then set to work on two salads for friend Shirley. They're hosting a rehearsal dinner at their house this evening and I wanted to help out. I knew she'd have a houseful of helping hands and so I figured this was the best way to give. I made an Herbed Orzo and Summer Squash Salad and a Tomato Herb Salad, two of our favorites.
Here's the Amber Ale Baked Beans recipe from Cooking Light:
Amber Ale Baked Beans
Just a little bacon gives a lot of flavor to this classic barbecue side, especially when you add it to sweet caramelized onions and a bottle of slightly fruity and malty ale.
2 cups water
4 (16-ounce) cans low-sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 bacon slices (uncooked), chopped
2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 cup no salt-added ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale (such as Redhook)
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 300°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Drain over a large bowl; reserve cooking liquid. Discard onion and bay leaves.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add chopped onion to drippings in pan; cook 10 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chili powder to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add ketchup and next 5 ingredients (through ale) and 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid to pan; bring to a boil. Add beans and bacon. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes or until thick.
Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)
Here's the Amber Ale Baked Beans recipe from Cooking Light:
Amber Ale Baked Beans
Just a little bacon gives a lot of flavor to this classic barbecue side, especially when you add it to sweet caramelized onions and a bottle of slightly fruity and malty ale.
2 cups water
4 (16-ounce) cans low-sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 bacon slices (uncooked), chopped
2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 cup no salt-added ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale (such as Redhook)
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 300°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Drain over a large bowl; reserve cooking liquid. Discard onion and bay leaves.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add chopped onion to drippings in pan; cook 10 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chili powder to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add ketchup and next 5 ingredients (through ale) and 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid to pan; bring to a boil. Add beans and bacon. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes or until thick.
Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Blood Date
I was at a total loss as to where to go for our blood date last night. Well, not total, I did suggest India Palace, but N said that the last time he went he was disappointed and wasn't ready to go back just yet. I get that (I've been there), but along with discovering we had showed up on the wrong day at the Red Cross (where they took it in stride and had us in and out in record time) and having my plan nixed, I was having a tough time coming up with another idea.
As we sat in the car and chatted, hoping an idea would surface, I decided I should take N to La Margarita Express. To find out if indeed they do have a second menu for their Salvadoran fare AND to introduce N to his first pupusa.
After parking, we walked by Willamette Noodle Co.. Boy was that place hopping! I was so close to changing my mind! I would have, if I had remembered they were featuring live music in their outdoor dining area.
We walked in the door, where they greeted and sat us at a booth. After checking out the menu and discovering they had an entire page devoted to Salvadoran fare we both ordered one of the dishes.
While my dinner was good, I'm not sure if I'd choose it again. Which might just be me missing a dish with more seasoning. Plus the mood I'm in can be a big part of how my meal goes over.
And I have to admit, I'm still trying to figure out how I entered the wrong day for our blood date . . .
As we sat in the car and chatted, hoping an idea would surface, I decided I should take N to La Margarita Express. To find out if indeed they do have a second menu for their Salvadoran fare AND to introduce N to his first pupusa.
After parking, we walked by Willamette Noodle Co.. Boy was that place hopping! I was so close to changing my mind! I would have, if I had remembered they were featuring live music in their outdoor dining area.
We walked in the door, where they greeted and sat us at a booth. After checking out the menu and discovering they had an entire page devoted to Salvadoran fare we both ordered one of the dishes.
While my dinner was good, I'm not sure if I'd choose it again. Which might just be me missing a dish with more seasoning. Plus the mood I'm in can be a big part of how my meal goes over.
And I have to admit, I'm still trying to figure out how I entered the wrong day for our blood date . . .
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| From LME |
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