Mark’s writing group had their Christmas Party at a local restaurant that we had not yet visited. I am usually hesitant to commit to an event on a school evening but this was just what we needed. The food was delicious and we spent the best part of the evening getting to know some really awesome people. I was so happy we decided to hang out and celebrate the holidays with friends. With managing the shop and still teaching, it would be very easy to just limit social activities, but I find that taking the time for these types of evenings really keeps me grounded. It is so important to delight in the gifts of the season, one of those gifts being the company of friends!
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December 20, 2016
December Daily: Day 8
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January 02, 2016
Sous Vide Cooking
Sous vide, French for “under vacuum”, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food and cooking it in a temperature controlled water bath. The truth is, the food really does not need to be vacuum sealed in order for it to be successfully cooked sous vide. Which is why it is possible to cook sous vide at home.
Now, I did not know about sous vide cooking and I certainly was not entertaining the thought of learning about it, just yet. But, this year for Christmas, Jason and Jessica presented Mark and I with our very own Anova Precision Cooker. Yes, that thing in the photo above that looks like something out of Star Wars. It was overwhelming me so Jason and Mark decided they would cook Christmas dinner using their smart phones and the Anova. It did not work as well as we had hoped. Dinner was delicious but the timing seemed a bit off.
New Years Day we decided to try again. Unfortunately, Mark could not figure out the app and I offered no help in that regard. After Mark left for work I decided to see if I could get it to work manually. Woohoo! I did. So today I have been cooking up a storm, sous vide. First pork tenderloin encrusted in herbs. The meat is cooked in the bag while it is immersed in water and then to finish it off, it is seared in a pan.
Dinner was delicious so I just kept on cooking. Next it was pork and sauerkraut which was supposed to be last night’s dinner and now I am cookng Tuscan Chicken. The process is simple and the meat is tender and delicious!
As we enter the new year we are trying to be more mindful of what we are eating since my confirmed diagnosis of diabetes. Using the Anova will help us to better plan our meals and help me to accomplish more cooking on Sundays while Mark is at work. Using a crock pot along with the Anova should allow for several meals being prepared so that I do not become too overwhelmed with cooking during the week that I skip meals altogether or just eat junk food to fill my belly!
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December 25, 2015
Christmas Day, 2015
Christmas was a little different at our house today. Last night was the first Christmas Eve in 30 years that I did not have a child sleeping under my roof. I thought I would be devastated at this latest revelation that my children are now fully grown, but I think I have been secretly preparing myself for this event for years. You see, we had all met at my mom’s for our traditional Christmas Eve celebration. Since Jason had driven, he and Jessie went back into Philly after leaving my mom’s house. It was probably a good thing. I still had so much wrapping to do, both Mark and I were up to nearly 2am by the time we finished the wrapping and everything else.
This morning - I slept really late - 11:15. The children showed up around 2 and we had a wonderful celebration. There were gifts to open and lots of food to eat. I felt like we were cooking and eating until about 9pm. There was lots of relaxing and lots of time spent with gifts that we really loved. Coloring, reading, figuring out directions and cooking - it was all beyond good.
Tonight we are blessed to go to bed with full tummys and memories of a wonderful day. Jessica is spending the night. There will be a bit of shopping and a bit of cooking. I will drive Jessica back into Philly before she has to be at work tomorrow afternoon. Most of the day will be spent relaxing and just soaking it all in!
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December 13, 2015
December Daily: Day 10
Friday, my mother turned 80. Thursday, we celebrated. The story of December 10th is the whole charade I pulled to surprise her. I had actually called her over the previous weekend and asked if she would be up for an adventure. There was no clue as to what the adventure might be, but she was told no jeans and no sneakers. Thursday, mom showed up in jeans and sneakers because that is what you wear on an adventure! I presented her with a red rose corsage adorned with her favorite holiday ribbon, tartan plaid. She was very surprised but didn’t ask any questions. We hopped into the car and I drove up and over the bridge to Philadelphia. We pulled into the first parking garage I saw that was near our destination. We walked into Rittenhouse Square and took a seat on one of the benches. It was a gorgeous day, more like spring than December. When the time got close to 2:00 I walked her across the street and into the Rittenhouse Hotel. We walked through the lobby and stopped right outside the tea room. We were a little early so I just held out my hand and pointed at the sign. She put her hand over her mouth and gave me a big hug. You see, my mom has always wanted to go to tea. So we did it up right. Within minutes Jessica joined us and the surprise was complete. I could not have asked for a better gift to my mom. She was delighted and enjoyed every minute of our special date. I was so happy that I think I am going to have to find more ways to surprise her - it was too much fun!
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September 27, 2015
Sunday Breakfast
Sunday morning is for carbs. There, I said it! I think I may be a carb addict. Especially when it comes to waffles and pancakes. I love them. I could eat them not only for breakfast, but also for breakfast lunch and dinner. Maybe that’s why I have developed diabetes. This didn’t just start - Sunday breakfasts have meant carbs for as long as I can remember.
When I was young, my mom would go out to the Village Bakery on Sunday mornings to pick up donuts. She would buy enough for each person in our family to have one. She knew what each of us would prefer. For my brother Tony, a jelly donut and for my dad, a French cruller. I always got a crumb bun or an apple danish. I think Suzy liked the jelly donuts also, but I don’t remember. I do remember how much I looked forward to Sunday morning and those special sugary treats.
As I grew up, my Sunday breakfasts changed based on where I was and who I was living with. My children loved chocolate pancakes and then went through a stage of bagel and egg sandwiches. Then we got a waffle iron and, as far as I’m concerned, waffles were high on the request list.
There were the years that I babysat my nieces. It wasn’t just Sunday, both weekend days would call for waffles. I’m still hooked, although I am trying to be better. Today’s pancakes had added chia and flax and were served with turkey sausage for the protein. A quick check of my sugar afterwards indicated that I might be on the right track! I think I might just be able to do this diabetes thing!
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July 21, 2015
Summer’s Bounty
Yum! This is an Asian Cucumber Salad made with a dash of sesame oil and rice vinegar. Delicious. I love a good cucumber salad and since my cucumbers have not come in yet, I am feeling particularly blessed that I received a bunch from my tri-buddy Jackie. I still have 2 left plus a yellow squash, but before tonight is over I will have a couple more cucumber salads in my fridge!
I love being able to head outside to grab a vegetable for dinner. This has been a busy week here in terms of cooking with our own produce. I think my favorite so far is the lemon zucchini bread. Tomorrow I make chocolate chip zucchini bread so I will have to let you know if it becomes my new favorite.Here’s to summer gardening and the delicious food made from its bounty!
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May 10, 2015
Feeling Blessed
Today I spent the most wonderful day surrounded by two of my favorite people in the world. They treated me like a queen. The day started with brunch at Townsend. Wonderful. I would recommend Townsend to anyone. They are located on Passyunk, right where Salt and Pepper used to be. If you remember, I raved about them also. I especially love the architecture of their building, it is classic.
There was champagne and beignets, as well as croissants and fruit.
Each of us ordered something different so that we could share. Jason and Jess, of course, ordered oysters. I wasn’t sharing them! As my main course I settled for a morel mushroom omelette with brie.
Even Jessica felt compelled to take a picture of her meal, which also looked delicious.
Brunch was more than I could have asked for, but our day did not end there. Before heading out, Jason and Jessica endured a selfie in the mirror.
Next stop, The Curtis Institute for a graduation recital. The first time I ever attended a recital was on a Mother’s Day, probably about 6 years ago. It has been a tradition for Jason and I to attend a recital whenever they offer one on Mother’s Day.
Today was a guitar recital and it was wonderful. The guitarist was from Seoul, Korea and she will be continuing her studies at Yale next year. Such a beautiful guitarist, we were in awe of her talent. Our day was coming to an end. As we walked back to Jason’s, I had the good fortune of trailing behind these two blessings of mine. They have grown into warm and caring adults. To see how well they get along just warms my heart. I am so glad that they have each other.
Just the way it’s always been, the three of us, together.
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April 16, 2015
Celebrating Jessica
Jessica turned 28 yesterday. Her only request, seafood for dinner. Jason made arrangements for all of us to meet at the original Bookbinders on Walnut Street, for dinner at The Olde Bar.
Definitely a seafood lovers paradise. We started with drinks and they, my companions, started with some treats from the raw bar. I am not a seafood lover so I opted for the only non-food options that were available.
Jessica’s drink looked like dessert with fresh blackberries and a few mint leaves, delicious.
Dinner was a seafood festival. They saw food and they ate it! Jess ordered steamed lobster, Mark ordered the catch of the day, cod, and Jason ordered a steak with a crab hollandaise. These seafood lovers were in heaven!
One of my favorite parts of celebrating birthdays is the opportunity I get to have a picture taken with both my children by my side. I love these guys to pieces. Here’s to a year filled with love and blessings for two of my favorite people in the world!
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March 25, 2015
All in the Name of Science
There was a problem. Mark bought 3 different kinds of root beer and 2 different kinds of vanilla ice cream. I needed to know, which combination made the better root beer float. So I decided on “the experiment.” I would drink, 3 root beer floats at the same time with the same percentage of ice cream in each one. Then we would know.
Mark had purchased, A&W, Mug and Barq’s root beer along with Breyers homestyle vanilla and Friendly’s French Vanilla.
After consuming an inordinate amount of root beer and vanilla ice cream I made my decision. I believe that the best root beer float is made with A&W Root Beer and Breyer’s Homestyle Vanilla ice cream. Not so much better that I wouldn’t drink the others, but enough of a difference that I was able to notice. I must admit, however relunctantly, that I think I have had my fill of root beer floats for a while. Three full sized floats in one sitting is just too much for any one person to endure!
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March 18, 2015
My New Addiction
Root beer floats, right after work. Bunkey suggested that I not drink my current addiction, Diet Pepsi, after 4pm. So, I have decided to switch to root beer floats. I blame this on Mark. Of course. He purchased 2 half gallons of vanilla ice cream and three two liters of root beer. Some one has to finish them! Don’t worry, your Pepsi stock is safe, I am using the Diet Pepsi as a chaser!
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