Life at Home

Terminus

2010-04-17T00:59:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry, everyone, but it is time to end this blog. Over the past few months, I have really enjoyed immersing myself in the blogosphere, reading, writing, and experimening with new things. Unfortunately, it's time for a change.

My son, Alexander, was born eight weeks early this week, and I have to readjust my focus. Instead of blogging, and doing things to blog about, I am going to need to spend time just being--with Alex, with his older siblings, with my husband, and with my God.

Thanks for the fun.

Book Review: Lolita

2010-04-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

"You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style"

Book Details:

School & Library Binding: 336 pages

Publisher: Turtleback; 1st Vintage International Ed edition (April 1, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0613706250

Review:

I have read enough reviews with cautious admissions that the reader enjoyed Nabokov's Lolita. I am not going to be cautious. I loved it! Sure, it was not subject matter that I found particularly appealing, and our society does--and must, I think--hold pederasty in the highest contempt. However, this was a fantastically written novel, and I think everyone should be required to read it.

I won't give away much of the plot through my review because I believe this is the first book on the list that everyone MUST read, and I am fairly certain that many people avoid it. I initially wanted to read it before the arrival of the next baby, simply because I thought people would frown upon a newly delivered mother reading Lolita. Surely, there is some stigma attatched to the book.

On the other hand, most people will gladly watch Law and Order: SVU or other incarnations of the series, all of which are significantly more explicit than Lolita. There were no incredibly explicit scenes, no "pornography" or anything like it. In fact, reducing Lolita to the pederasty is akin to describing a gourmet dinner of filet mignon to "beef and vegetables." Nabokov's masterpiece is far too rich, nuanced, and developed to be painted with such a broad brush.

I could wax on and on about my thoughts on the book: the richly developed characters, the clever plot, the brilliant prose, but, suffice it to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Lolita. It was the first book on the list that I have "loved," and I hope there are more like it.

Summary
Was this a good read?
You bet! Fantastic!

Would I recommend it?
Without reservation.

Would I read it again?
And again, and again, and again.

Book Beginnings Friday: Lolita

2010-04-02T12:39:00.000-05:00

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins."

This is probably one of the cheesiest opening lines, ever! First of all, it doesn't tell me anything I don't already know from pop culture and the cover. Secondly, it's all cliche. There is nothing new or inventive about "...light of my life, fire of my loins." These trite phrases can be found in just about any book, poem, or song lyric picked at random.

I already know that Nabokov is a master of prose, but this opening sentence is not his best...

Friday Fill-in 170

2010-04-01T20:04:00.000-05:00

1. All you need is a hug from your beautiful children.

2. Listening to conversations between the kids fills me with laughter.

3. Each generation, as it grows up, has a chance to change the world.

4. A return to normal spring weather is something I have a hard time dealing with.

5. A trip to North Carolina is what I need.

6. Give generously to others and you get back.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to actually spending time with my husband, tomorrow my plans include baking for Easter and Sunday, I want to play in the sandbox!

Book Review: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

2010-04-01T18:34:00.001-05:00

"--I said that I had lost the faith--Stephen answered--but not that I had lost selfrespect. What kind of liberation would that be to forsake an absurdity which is logical and coherent and to embrace one which is illogical and incoheret?"

Book Details:
Paperback: 192 pages

Publisher: Dover Publications; 2nd THUS edition (May 20, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0486280500

Review:

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is the second Joyce novel I've read in the last month, and I think it suffered for that. The novel is narrated by Stephen Dedalus from infancy to late adolescence, including a memorable series of sermons on the nature of hell. Overall, the plot covers how his deep belief in Catholicism changes to atheism as he nears adulthood.

I remembered reading this book in high school and loving it, so I was excited to return to Joyce so quickly after Ulysses; however, my memories did not live up to the text this time. It may be that Ulysses is such a superior manuscript that Portrait pales in comparison, or it may be that I have changed in the intervening years. Whichever the cause, I was sorely disappointed to find myself slogging through a novel of only 192 pages.

My primary problem with Portrait is the character of Stephen Dedalus. While I found him intruiging in Ulysses, he never ventures beyond adolescent petulance in this novel. He spends hour upon hour imagining his death, first when Parnell dies, then when he thinks he's going to hell, and again when he believes he will be resurrected. While I understand that the novel is about Stephen's "coming of age," the morose thoughts and childish concerns really got to me. I found many parts of the novel unbearably whiny and annoying.

On the other hand, some of the religious discussion in the book was interesting. Again, Joyce links Catholicism to true Irish identity, but ends up rejecting it. The sermons on hell in chapter three are enough to make anyone repent and convert, yet Stephen ultimately becomes, if not atheist, at least agnostic.

Summary
Was this a good read?
Sadly, not this time. I enjoyed it in the past, but I found myself slogging through it.

Would I recommend it?
I don't think so. I used to recommend it for people who wanted to read Joyce, but I don't think I'll do that again.

Would I read it again?
Maybe, but I doubt it.

Favorite Cookies, EVER!

2010-03-28T13:06:00.001-05:00

Sorry all, but there are no pictures of these delicious cookies on this post. By the time I thought of taking pictures, they had all been eaten by a mob of hungry children. (Not to mention ~~the dozen~~ a few that were sneaked by the cook herself!)

Anyway, the credit for the recipe should go to Emily Hendrix, author of Sophie-Safe Cooking whose recipe I stole and modified.

Ginger Apricot Cookies

1/2 cup of butter or shortening
1 cup sucanat or sugar of your choice (I am addicted to the molasses taste of sucanat!)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups oat flour (just grind oatmeal in the blender or food processor for a minute or two)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh ginger (or substitute 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

Beat shortening and sucanat until fluffy. Add lemon juice and mix well. Mix in oat flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Add apricots and mix well. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes.

This recipe made about 3 dozen cookies for me.

Book Beginnings Friday: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

2010-03-26T08:24:00.000-05:00

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

"Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo..."

I really like this opening sentence because it is classic stream of consciousness. It puts me in mind of the opening to The Sound and The Fury which is one of my all-time favorite opening paragraphs of all time. Just the idea of narration from the perspective of an undeveloped mind excites me!

2010-03-25T20:59:00.000-05:00

1. The right word escapes me right now.

2. Please turn out the lights and shut the door quietly, please.

3. Up until today, I wasn't sure I could make the decision before me.

4. In front of my sewing machine is where you'll find me.

5. Ooh! What is that beautiful sugar cane yarn going to knit up like?

6. Making some new placemats is a good idea.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Fine Arts Friday, tomorrow my plans include playing outside with the children and Sunday, I want to go to church!

Book Review: The Great Gatsby

2010-03-25T13:59:00.001-05:00

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning--
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

Book Details:
Paperback: 180 pages
Publisher: Scribner; ZZZ edition (September 30, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0743273567

Review:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the classics of modern American literature for good reason. Narrated by Nick Carraway, it details one summer in the lives of Tom and Daisy Buchannan and Jay Gatsby. This short, quick read whose plot spans just one summer, encapsulates the modern American life.

The plot starts out slowly, detailing life as usual at the Buchannan and Gatsby residences. Tom Buchannan keeps a mistress in the city, and Daisy, and everyone else, are well aware of this fact. He does not seem too embarrassed about it, but Daisy is obviously unhappy with the arrangement. Jay Gatsby, meanwhile, is Nick's wealthy and mysterious neighbor, fond of throwing large, bacchanalian parties every weekend. Rumors as to his origin abound, but nothing is initially explained.

Through the course of the novel, it becomes apparent that Gatsby came from nowhere, acquired at least the appearance of wealth, and had a romance with Daisy prior to her marriage. While he went off to World War I, she stayed home and eventually married Tom. Gatsby has come to Long Island for the purpose of rekindling his relationship with Daisy, a goal which does not take him long to achieve.

Subsequently, Tom confronts Gatsby and Daisy, and the mysterious, possibly criminal, origins of Jay Gatsby are revealed in full. In the aftermath, Daisy accidentally hits Tom's mistress with Gatsby's car, and the mistress' husband avenges his loss by murdering Gatsby. Meanwhile, Tom and Daisy make ammends and leave town for a while. In the end, none of the avid party-goers attends Gatsby's funeral, not even Daisy.

After hundreds of pages of Joyce, The Great Gatsby was a breath of fresh air. The precise language and well-developed plot were such a change that I managed to read Gatsby in one afternoon. The novel was plot driven and thought-provoking, which made it difficult to notice the absence of puns and word play. While Fitzgerald lacked the linguistic genius of Joyce, this was definitely a more enjoyable read.

The primary reason that this text endures, though, seems to be its take on the American Dream. While inately depressing, I am sure that most of us suspect the novel holds a grain of truth. Jay Gatsby worked his whole life to attain wealth so that he could have a relationship with Daisy. He feted large groups of people, was generous to a fault, but he still did not quite fit into the elite social life of the Buchannans. In fact, at his death, not even the woman whom he spent his life wooing came to mourn. After years of hard, and possibly criminal, work, Jay Gatsby was left with nothing, "borne back ceaslessly into the past."

In addition, the following quote about Tom and Daisy seemed very poignant to me in this day and age:

They were careless people, Tom and Daisy--they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other peple clean up the mess tehy had made..."

These are the people that we have slowly morphed into over the past century. Gradually, people have been less and less willing to take responsibility for their actions, and our culture certainly encourages, if not commends, retreating into money and commercialism to avoid dealing with real life. This novel is certainly a critique of modern American life, and a farsighted one at that.

Summary:

Was this a good read?
Absolutely! An easy to follow, entertaining, thought-provoking read. The plot was well developed, and the prose was crisp. I loved it.

Would I recommend it?
Yes. To anyone and everyone.

Would I read it again?
Certainly!

Where did I go?

2010-03-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry for my abrupt disappearance from the blogosphere. I spent the last week celebrating birthdays, spending time with my mother-in-law, and visiting the doctor. Everything, aside from the visits to the doctor, was fantastic.

Now I just have a ton of blogging to do.

Here is a sample of what we did this week:

Book Beginnings Friday: The Great Gatsby

2010-03-12T19:22:00.000-06:00

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.

In my opinion, this is not a particularly good opening sentence. It does make me curious as to what the advice is, and why it is pertinent; however, the rest of the first chapter is much more intruiging to me.

Friday Fill-ins

2010-03-12T08:51:00.000-06:00

This post is part of

1. I am so looking forward to celebrating a third birthday this weekend!

2. I will worry about cleaning the house later.

3. When you get here, let me know.

4. Spending time with my family is a big part of my life.

5. If you need anything you know where to get it.

6. I desperately need to take a trip.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sewing a couple of dresses and a summer scarf, tomorrow my plans include a cooking class for Adrienne and Sunday, I want to have a good time at the lambing barn!

The Yummiest Chocolate Cupcakes, Ever!

2010-03-11T13:32:00.000-06:00

This recipe is part of the whole grains recipe swap at Life as Mom

When I first started gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free baking... phew, that's a mouthful... I never thought I'd make cupcakes that I would actually crave. You know, the spongey, yet fluffy, texture that is near impossible to get in a flour that doesn't have gluten? I have tried all-purpose baking mixes. I have tried making my own mixes. I have tried recipe after recipe. And, still, the choices were between dusty, crumbly cupcakes, and an oily, moist mess.

Well, I finally did it. Thanks to a lot of reading, research, and plain old experimentation, I got it right!

Allergy-Friendly Choclate Cupcakes

2 cups oat flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
dash of vanilla
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup chickpea paste

Mix oat flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix vinegar, vanilla, and water. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture, and stir thoroughly. Then fold in chickpea paste.

Pour into lined muffin tins.

Bake at 350F for 20, and try to let them cool on the rack before devouring!

Chickpea Paste

2010-03-11T13:27:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my review of Bean Appetit, it is apparently an option to use a chickpea paste instead of butter in baking. All you need to do is blend chickpeas into a paste in your blender or food processor. Add some water to help the paste mix if necessary. I have then had success using it in recipes in equal proportion to the butter requirement.

Using the chickpea paste, I find that I do not get the oily texture that results from substituting oil or shortening. Instead, I get a delicious, buttery texture.

Of course, you will want to make sure that the mixture is well-blended so that an errant chickpea doesn't make it into the cake!

Book Review: Ulysses

2010-03-10T22:10:00.002-06:00

"It has been an unusually fatiguing day, a chapter of accidents"

--Leopold Bloom

Book Details:

Paperback: 1040 pages

Publisher: Penguin Classics (March 30, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0141182806

Review:

I have actually been dreading writing this review. Trying to review a book that provokes such extreme and diverse opinions in thousands, if not millions, of people is a daunting task at best. Especially since my opinion is a casual one at best. That said, I'll give it my best shot.

The basic plot of Ulysses is exactly that: basic. It primarily follows Leopold Bloom throughout the course of his waking hours on June 16, 1904. We first see him before breakfast, and we last see him as he crawls into bed in the wee hours of the next morning. While he runs errands, attends a funeral, attempts to work, frequents a few bars and a brothel, and walks home, we are subject to his thoughts, imaginings, and hallucinations. If that seems like a fairly boring plot, I can attest to the fact that it is.

In addition to Bloom's travels, we encounter Stephen Dedalus several times. In fact, Bloom's day is bookended by Stephen's own wandering. I recall him fondly from high school literature class, but I will reserve most of my discussion of Stephen Dedalus for my review of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

To my mind, Bloom is a fairly average man. He spends a lot of time seemingly unaware of what is going on around him, and he is not particularly popular or successful at work. His wife seems unfaithful at best, an unattractive hypochondriac at worst. Bloom also appears to imagine or hallucinate when conversation is lacking or unstimulating. Rather than actually participating in dialogue with friends, he appears to assume their response. He is also lecherous from the first, trying to catch glimpses of stocking in the opening chapters and experiencing a hallucinatory visit to a brothel toward the end.

What really struck me about Ulysses, though, was the sheer wordplay and brilliance of construction. Each chapter, or section, is written in a different style, ranging from newspaper headlines to archaic Anglo-Saxon language to Socratic dialogue. I am simply in awe that one man could execute the diverse structure of the novel so well.

And as I said, the wordplay is phenomenal. True to form, Joyce uses neologisms throughout Ulysses with great success. For instance, in the "Wandering Rocks" section, he mentions a gentleman struggling with a "stickumbrelladustcoat." Reading that word instantly conjured a vivid picture of the man in question and how he was carrying his accessories. There are passages such as the following that I just found amusing:

What suddenly arrested his ingress?
The right temporal lobe of the hollow sphere of his cranium came into contact with a solid timber angle where, an infintesimal but sensible fraction of a second later, a painful sensation was located in consequence of antecendent sensations transmitted and registered.

Obviously, it would be tiring to read hundreds of pages in that raw, scientific style, but I thought it was a fantastic way to say that he bumped his head. There are hundreds of other examples of Joyce's linguistic play, but since that was my primary joy in reading the novel, I won't spoil them all here. (Not to mention the fact that I have better things to do!)

As far as the charges of indecency go, there are certainly sections of the novel that are downright pornographic. In fact, there were parts that were very difficult for me to read, given their graphic nature. The sections, as in "The Oxen and the Sun," where the men are sitting around being lewd did not particularly disturb me. Neither did a lot of the graphic descriptions of bodily functions. However, "Circe" was a tough chapter as I could not discern which sexual acts were actually happening, which were Bloom's fantasies, and which were his nightmares. It was all jumbled together, and, as I say, downright pornographic. Also, there is a section where a young girl exposes herself to Bloom as he masturbates that I found disturbing. I suppose, though, I'll have to get over that issue soon since Nabokov's Lolita is just a few books away.

Summary:
Was this a good read?
That depends on what is important to you. As a novel, it was not particularly great. Average, but not great. As a work of art, as a manuscript, it was phenomenal. While the story was primarily boring, the linguistic talent used to write it is, to me, mindblowing.

Would I recommend it?
Certainly, with reservations. If someone is a lover of literature and wordplay, particularly modernism, this is an amazing must-read. If someone is looking for a quick, entertaining read, look elsewhere. I do think that everyone who considers themselves a language lover should read this one, but I definitely do not think all of those people will love it. There is simply not enough plot.

Would I read it again?
Absolutely! I am going to be working on a side project, researching some of the issues and criticism surrounding Ulysses in the spare time I have between reading, blogging, crafting, and raising children. Well, a girl can dream, right?

Chunkster Challenge 2010

2010-03-09T19:44:00.000-06:00

Since setting my reading goal this year, I have been reading lots of book blogs. It is almost better than a book club because I get tons of recommendations and reviews each day in addition to general book banter. Most of the blogs I've been reading, though, are participating in the Chunkster Challenge this year.

To qualify for the challenge, each book has to be 450 pages, and given my reading list, I'd say I would be stupid not to participate. It is just one month into the time frame, and I have almost completed a 690 page chunkster. On the list are several others that are weighing down my bookshelf as we speak!

In order to participate, I have to choose a participation level for the year. As of today... eek... I am committing to read... wait for it... six large tomes this year. I'm not sure that I'll necessarily complete it, but I'm a fan of setting big goals. At least that way I will be motivated to read through the Modern Library List at a reasonable pace!

Gratituesday: It makes me grateful!

2010-03-09T08:06:00.000-06:00

I love Gratituesday. I love that it happens on Tuesday. Which is usually the day my life starts to spiral out of control.

By which I mean that I spend Monday enjoying the memories of the weekend and slowly starting to stress out about all of the work that needs to be done around the house. Sometime Monday evening, I remember that we have two birthdays this week, and I still need to bake, wrap, and make cards. I remember that I am hosting a playdate on Wednesday and my mother-in-law is arriving on the weekend, and I can't remember the last time the floor was mopped. I remember that we have two outings this weekend due to the birthdays, and I have to prepare a lunch out for Noah so that I don't cause his allergies to flare. I also find out that somehow I forgot to buy new vacuum cleaner bags, and this one refuses to fit any additional dust. Not to mention Ulysses that I said I'd finish by Wednesday. And the review I need to write.

As you can see, the stress starts to spiral faster and faster, and by the time I hit bed on Monday night, I am a wreck.

Then I wake up on Tuesday morning and get to blog about something that inspires gratitude. This simple excercise is enjoyable most weeks. But this week, reflecting on the beautiful time I had with my husband on our date, the warm weather walks I took with my daughter, and the extra cuddle time I had with my son has saved my sanity.

I think I'll take some time this morning to involve the kids in the housework and make it fun. No sense stressing out now, right?

A Date!

2010-03-06T20:21:00.000-06:00

As I wrote in my Friday Fill-in, the hubby and I had planned our first date in approximately three years. We were going to do a lot of walking, window-shopping, and sight-seeing, but, alas, our plans were thwarted by massive contractions and a night without much sleep.

So, it was a cafe breakfast--ham and Swiss market bun and pain au chocolat--and latte, instead. We did a little bit of walking, but the highlight was definitely a lingering breakfast at an upscale Cafe Soleil in downtown Madison. All the ingredients are local, so that was a win, also.

Book Beginnings on Friday

2010-03-05T08:44:00.000-06:00

Because one post a day is apparently not enough, I figured I would contribute to this meme.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

My selection comes from Ulysses by James Joyce, of course!

"Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed."

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-03-05T05:56:00.002-06:00

This post is part of

After reading a few of JDaniel4's Mom's Friday Fill-in's, I thought I'd jump on board. To participate, go here.

1. Why are you making yet another fort in the living room? We have had one every day this week.
2. I want you to take the time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

3. If I wake up and start the morning before the rest of the family, then it will be on my terms.

4. I need to send an email to the English professor and see what happens.

5. I could use a big cup of coffee this morning.

6. I am going to take a nice, long shower and then make some oatmeal pancakes.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finally getting some scrapbooking done, tomorrow my plans include our first date in almost three years and Sunday, I want to finish making Adrienne's dollhouse!

Book Review: Bean Appetit: Hip and Healthy Ways to Have Fun with Food

2010-03-04T14:12:00.000-06:00

There is a cafe in town that caters specifically to children. From the kid-friendly decor to the unique food options and cooking classes, everything about Bean Sprouts Cafe screams children. And the owners of the cafe, Shannon Payette Seip and Kelly Parthen have put together a new book, Bean Appetit, which is my new favorite recipe book. Keep an eye out for it in American Baby and FamilyFun magazines.

The book is full of yummy looking recipes, kitchen activities, and random trivia, and my husband, who loves typography, was enthralled simply by the graphic design. Once you get past the shiny, attractive covers and pictures, there is some helpful information, too. For starters, I picked up a tip for a butter substitute, particularly in baking. Bean Appetit recommends using a chickpea puree, which doesn't sound particularly delicious, but my picky eaters noticed only an improved texture to their cupcakes. For those looking for allergy friendly substitutes, this one is a winner! In fact, I will soon be posting my newly designed cake recipe utilizing this fantastic alternative to butter.

There are also some funky food ideas, my favorite of which is the Very Hungry Catepillar from the Eric Carle book. It looks relatively easy to make, so I am sure we will be eating one of these in the near future!

There is also this yummy looking taco. While the picture looks normal enough, the taco itself is made from pastry, chocolate dough, fruit leather, and strawberries. Sounds like April Fool's Day lunch to me!

Another excellent chapter centers around making music with food. There are directions for making vegetable instruments, alternate uses for kitchen utensils, and silly song ideas. In fact, there is mention of the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra, which is, apparently, a real organization. How fun!

My only criticism of the book is that there is perhaps not enough substance. Unlike Sophie-Safe Cooking, which was jam-packed full of useful, practical information, Bean Appetit is a more whimsical approach to cooking and kitchen fun. It would be perfect for aspiring cooks in the 8-14 age range, but it has enough ideas to bring some fun into the pre-school age kitchen as well. I expect that it will be one of Adrienne's favorite books in the coming years.

Overall Grade: A-

Ulysses: Who is Leopold Bloom?

2010-03-03T12:22:00.000-06:00

At long last I have found a way to make it through Ulysses without feeling too incredibly lost. Also, this method manages to keep me from unintentionally dozing during the slow, dull parts. So what is my new magic trick? Well, I grabbed a pen and a journal, and I have started taking notes as I read. When I have a question, read one of the many good puns, or something just strikes my fancy, I'm jotting it down. Hopefully, this new method (which I should have thought about during my college days) will enable me to finish Ulysses in the next week. I'm ready to move on.

That said, one question that is fascinating me is the identity of Leopold Bloom. He is ridiculed by so many characters. He is always lurking unobtrusively in the background somewhere. Apparently, one of those people you don't really notice, unless they have a moment of epic awkwardness.

There are, however, indications that he might be a little more complex than my initial impression. In the Wandering Rocks several of the characters discuss him, saying that there is "a bit of the artist about old Bloom" and, "I'll say there is much kindness in the Jew."

The last quotation is, in fact, a quote from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice , and I have been wondering about comparing Shylock to Bloom. Seems like that would make for interesting reading, so I suppose I can find an article somewhere online along those lines.

Anyway, my goal is to finish this book up this week so that I can move on to Fitzgerald next week!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

2010-03-02T19:40:00.000-06:00

Today was not a good day for a variety of reasons. I ended up sitting in my room getting angrier and angrier, when I decided to do something about the situation. What we needed, I decided, was a celebration. So kuddos to Dr. Seuss for providing such a timely birthday for us!

After naptime, I had Adrienne help me bake some cupcakes. We decided to do chocolate, as that is her favorite flavor, and, hey, Mom's pregnant and could always use some chocolate. Besides, I do need to be testing allergy friendly cake batter recipes in preparation for our multitude of birthdays this month. Here she is mixing the batter:

While they baked and cooled, we read some Dr. Seuss books for decorating inspiration. Since it was a bad day, I wasn't wanting anything that would be remotely complicated. After tossing around the idea of just frosting half of them red and the other half white, Adrienne and I decided that Green Egg Cupcakes were in order. Easy enough for Mom to frost and exciting enough for the kids to eat. Here's the finished product.

As you can see, they were a major hit!

Gratituesday: The Kids

2010-03-02T09:02:00.000-06:00

These kids of mine. Some days they drive me bonkers, but I have to admit that on my list of blessings, they rate pretty highly.

Lately, they have been playing together a lot. Instead of individual games iwth separate toys, Adrienne is trying to work Noah into her games. They like to draw together, read together, and hide in their tents together. My absolute favorite, though, is when they play "Sleeping Beauty" together.

Adrienne builds a "bed" of couch cushions and pillows in the middle of the living room floor. She then climbs to the top and promptly "falls asleep." It is not long before the call comes, "Noah, come here. You have to be the Handsome Prince and wake me up!" Sometimes he comes of his own volition, other times mother has to intervene and escort the prince to kiss "Sleeping Beauty."

This game, pictured above, has brought me hours of joy in the past few weeks.

Muffin Tin Mondays: Dinner

2010-03-01T18:07:00.000-06:00

This post is part of

I apologize for posting so late today, but we weren't able to do Muffin Tin Mondays for lunch today. I had planned on doing an afternoon snack, but everyone napped for a long time. A snack that late in the afternoon would have spelled disaster for dinner. So, much to Nathan's chagrin, we had our dinner in muffin tins.

It was so easy to size everyone's portions this way, and it made coming up with a variety of vegetable options a snap! We may, in fact, have to have Muffin Tin Monday dinner again when I get bored with traditional serving options.

Cornbread Muffins

Carrot Sticks

Roast Beef and Gravy

Purple-icious Potatoes

Mixed Greens

Saturday Food Forage: A Day Late

2010-02-28T19:24:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, we again set off on a forage, the results of which were served for dinner today. This time, though, we were looking for produce. You may be asking yourself what produce one could possibly find in Wisconsin in February. Obviously, there isn't the late summer/early fall bounty that attracts so many to the Dane County Farmer's Market, but we went to see what we could see.

WOW! The first thing that hit me was the smell of breakfast cooking. Obviously, we passed on the meal made with local eggs, meat, dairy, and produce. But that was a severe test of my determination. The line was long for our entire stay, and the aroma was heavenly. I was seriously jealous of the many folks eating!
There were tons of storage vegetables available. We bought roughly ten pounds of Melrose apples from Pleasant View Orchards. Although they had obviously been in storage, the apples tasted delicious! Very colorful, and a break from what we were expecting. We also bought sweet potatoes, purple and gold potatoes, some garlic, three lettuce plants, and some herbs.

The strangest experience, though, was when a gentleman asked me what I did with purple potatoes. He must have thought I was some kind of moron because my initial response was, "Uh... I just cook them and eat them." Seemed fairly clear to me. Then he inquired as to how I cooked them, and I had to confess that my favorite use for purple potatoes is homemade potato chips. Check them out while they wait to be fried for tonight's dinner!

Overall, it was a great experience, and we'll definitely hit up the Winter Market again in the near future.

Ulysses: The Good and the Bad, so far.

2010-02-26T08:23:00.000-06:00

Well, I am continuing to slog through Ulysses as we speak. I am only a little over a third of the way through, but I am finding certain aspects of the book insanely boring. On the other hand, there are elements that I find brilliant, and poor Nathan has to deal with my random Joyce quotations or theories on a nightly basis.

My primary challenge, it seems, is that I was going to ignore a lot of the scholarship when reading this list. After all, I don't have time to read the entire list and all of the associated criticism. Ulysses alone would consume my life. Already, I am tempted to start research onto some of the multitude of themes, issues, and ideas in the novel.

There is a lot of discussion about Irish Home Rule, with major players appearing, theories espoused, and speeches quoted. Although I know next to nothing about the issue, this is one of the most fascinating aspects of the book, and I am thoroughly tempted to venture beyond Wiki research into detailed, authenticated discussion of Ireland at the turn of the previous century.

The last episode I read, too, was a challenge because it had me reaching for the Shakespeare anthology and absolutely dying for comrades to discuss the mystery surrounding Shakespeare's identity, Anne Hathaway, and such. It is the "Scylla and Charybdis" episode, and it takes place inside the National Library. Stephan Dedalus is expounding upon an essay he has written regarding the Bard, and I was riveted.

Which brings me to my primary issue with Ulysses. As a novel, it is somewhat less than fulfilling. As a work of social commentary and literary criticism, it is invaluable. The puns and allusions are fantastic. The turn of phrase is brilliant. The stream of consciousness is skillfully executed. But the plot is duller than anything I've read in a long time.

Leopold Bloom is, thus far, a boring loser. And that is putting it politely. It appears he is lousy at his job, his boss, co-workers, and supposed friends tend to ignore him, and, from all appearances, his wife is having an affair. Having to read a day's worth of his thoughts is torture. I suppose we're all like this, but, boy, does it make for a lame read. If you're reading a novel primarily for plot, this is not the work for you!

That said, I am planning to finish Ulysses soon. I need to put down some of the crafts and pick up the novel. Hopefully, Bloom will not continue to disappoint.

Gratituesday: Fun with Fabric Dye

2010-02-23T13:42:00.000-06:00

This post is part of Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers

As you can see, the camera is back up and working, which is a joy in itself! However, I am most grateful for the crazy looking pillow pictured above. It is called a Snoogle and manufactured by Leachco, makers of a variety of maternity/baby items.

Nathan and the kids gave me this pillow as part of my birthday gift months ago, and I swear, I don't know how I survived without one for so long! It provides back support, tummy support, and hip alignment. When baby comes, it can double as a comfier version of a Boppy. And at night, I just like to snuggle in it to watch TV and knit. Something about the way it cradles me is so comforting!

In any event, it came with a white cover, which, after a month, became quite dingy. Of course, it was covered in little dirty toddler handprints, cat fur, and assorted other ickiness. So. Off to the store I went to buy a bottle of RIT fabric dye.

After about ten minutes of stirring in a sink full of hot water, my new and improved apple green snoogle appeared! Victory! Not only am I grateful for the snoogle, I am grateful that it is no longer icky, dingy white. :-D

I was so inspired that I decided to transform some old, white towels we got at our wedding. But that is a story for another day.

Muffin Tin Mondays: Orange!

2010-02-22T12:27:00.001-06:00

This post is part of Muffin Tin Mondays at

First off, sorry that there are no pictures with this post. Hopefully, I will find where my darling daughter stashed my USB converter-thing so that I can upload the pictures of this week's Muffin Tin Monday!

I have become addicted, as predicted, to muffin tin shopping. Apparently, they are everywhere! And today, wandering around Target, I found some silicone cups in the dollar bins. They had regular cups and butterfly-shaped cups in beautiful spring colors, so I grabbed a bunch! I know now that there is no such thing as too many muffin tins/cups!

When we got home, I did a quick rinse of the cups and loaded two of them with chickpea curry, which is a rusty kind of orange, thanks to curry powder, ginger, and carrots. I loaded another two with homemade applesauce that I tinted orange with food dye--a pastel orange. Then, the remaining cups were loaded with other colors. We had red grapes in one cup, and a no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookie in the other.

So, picture, if you will, a green plate, six silicone muffin cups in bright pink, yellow, and blue, and an array of orange, red, and brown food.

The victory for the day was that Adrienne told me we couldn't do McDonald's for lunch because it was "MUFFIN TIN MONDAY, MOM!"

***UPDATE***

Here are the pictures of our muffin cups yesterday!

The Applesauce Donuts That Turned into Pancakes

2010-02-18T18:52:00.000-06:00

I started out trying to make some allergy-friendly donuts, as the hubby used to be a donut fiend in a previous, childless life. In the past two years, we have had roughly five donuts each. A catastrophe, given the Krispy Kreme addiction we used to battle.

In any event, I knew these wouldn't work very well as Krispy Kreme substitutes, but, at this stage, we will take what we can get! Nevertheless, once the first batch hit the oil to fry, it was obviously going to end in catastrophe. Since I used a lot of oat flour, I decided to salvage what I could by turning the rest of the batter into pancakes.

The result was a nice change from our regular pancakes and was sweet enough not to require syrup. Next week I will try these as waffles and see what I get!

Applesauce Pancakes

3/4 c brown sugar
2 T vegetable oil
2 1/2 c oat flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
dash cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 c rice milk or water
1 c apple sauce
1 t vanilla extract

Mix the first two ingredients until well blended. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with rice milk. Then, stir in applesauce and vanilla.

I use my electric griddle to make these, but you could make them however you usually prefer to make pancakes.

Sift with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Ulysses: What's the Fuss?

2010-02-17T08:40:00.001-06:00

When I decided to read the 100 Best Novels, I simultaneously decided to start at the top of the list and work my way down. Initially, I was going to read both the Editors' and Readers' lists simultaneously, but I have changed my mind after starting with Ulysses by James Joyce. I am going to focus on the Editors' list and move to the Reader's list upon completion.

Why the shift?

Well, I am really enjoying (yes, you read that correctly) Ulysses.

Throughout high school and college, I had heard many people disparage Ulysses. "Yes," everyone said, "You think you like Joyce, but that is until you read Finnegan's Wake and Ulysses. You'll change your mind after those." As a consequence, I never started reading either one. And, to be completely truthful, the library's copy of Ulysses has been sitting on my bedside table for about two weeks now, and I just got the courage to open it. Talk about an intimidating book.

What a letdown! After all the drama, I expected the book to be incomprehensible, terrible, and way over my head. BAH!

Granted, I have only read Part 1, dealing with Stephen Dedalus. There is a lot of novel left, and it may get increasingly difficult as it progresses. So far, however, it is just the rambling internal monologue of Dedalus as he goes through the day. Yes, there are a lot of allusions, but that is not entirely unexpected in literature. Yes, it is stream of consciousness, but this is a girl that digs it. No, there is not a lot of action, but you don't always need a lot of action.

At this point, it seems as though Dedalus is consumed with guilt over his mother's death, and much of the interior monologue deals with his mommy issues. There is other guilt, as well, however. From my impressions, there is a lot of Catholic guilt--a phenomenon I seem to vaguely recall from Portrait of the Artist and Dubliners.

In any event, I am actually enjoying what many have called the "worst best book" on the list. I can't wait to get further and see if my initial impressions change.

And, I am too excited about other novels on the Editor's list to worry about reading Battlefield Earth and The Fountainhead. Both probably deserve a read, but I am putting them at the bottom of a hundred other books!

Muffin Tin Mondays: Best of Intentions

2010-02-15T13:24:00.000-06:00

This post is part of Muffin Tin Mondays at

When I saw that this week's theme was red, I was extremely excited. Visions of strawberries, beets, and grapes danced in my head. Ah, if only I could have gone beyond the "visions" and actually purchased the produce I planned.

Instead, I wasn't feeling too well this weekend, and neither, for that matter, were the kids. Instead, we pampered ourselves by going on a scenic drive and staying home to eat a lot of good food. Somehow, the grocery store just didn't figure into the end of last week or the weekend. I'm just happy I managed to snag a muffin tin earlier in the week.

Oh, well. Our muffin tins had to be satisfied with blackberry jell-o (which has a reddish tint), brats and ketchup, and some gluten-free, egg-free noodles and marinara sauce.

Despite my lack of follow-through, the kids once again enjoyed their muffin tin lunches, so we'll count it in the win column.

Weekend Creations

2010-02-14T15:54:00.000-06:00

The past weekend, I spent some much needed time with my sewing machine. I stopped sewing last October when I went on bed rest for the first time, and I just didn't bother picking back up again over the holiday season. My mistake!

I had so much fun with my machine! I managed to make two pairs of overalls for Noah, based on an old Simplicity pattern that I picked up for a dollar after Adrienne was born. I omitted the snap tape, though, because I don't like, and don't use, snaps once the kid is old enough to "help" me by getting his legs into the pants. I also sewed both ends of the straps instead of using buttons because Noah tends to try to eat them. I'd rather he not be constantly distracted by trying to eat his clothing!

Here he is modeling a pair that I made out of flannel, and below is a pair made of a thin corduroy with a patch I found on sale at JoAnn's a few days ago.

I also managed to make a skirt for Adrienne out of some fabric I've had lying around for about six months. I didn't have a pattern, so I based it on a tutorial from Two Little Banshees.

What did I learn from this weekend of sewing? Other than that I was foolish to consider taking such a long break from a hobby that I love? Well, I have decided that extra details such as top-stitching and double-stitched hems really do make a difference on the finished product. Instead of looking half finished, these projects look well-sewn and polished.

Gratituesday: My Espresso Machine!

2010-02-14T15:26:00.001-06:00

This post is part of Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers

For the past, oh, ten years, I have been a bonafide caffeine addict. I realize that it is not good for my health, or that of my babies, but I simply cannot, and do not, want to give it up :-D There is something about a big, hot mug of coffee that just eases my mind. I drink it first thing in the morning to prepare for the day and after dinner to unwind and get ready for bed.

With my birthday last month, Nathan and his parents conspired to buy me an espresso machine. It finally arrived a week and a half ago, and BOY am I grateful!

Now, without spending tons of money at the coffee shop, I can have a latte every day. I also don't have to wrestle children in and out of the car, across the snowy street in the early morning rush hour, and into the coffee shop. I can make my own latte, just the way I like it, while everyone is either asleep or in pajamas. HOORAY!

There is also something divine in steaming my own milk. For years, I worked in a variety of coffee shops, and my favorite activity has always been to steam the milk. I love the sound and smell as it heats up and begins to froth. It is a kinesthetic experience that I totally enjoy.

It may be a small thing that shouldn't matter, but having my own espresso machine makes me "super happy."

Our Favorite Valentine Craft

2010-02-14T15:22:00.001-06:00

I know it's late, but I didn't want to post our favorite Valentine's Day activity before it arrived at the homes of grandparents and aunts. This activity took up an entire day, and Adrienne (and Noah) absolutely loved it. For once, both children were more excited about a craft than I was!

We bought some Crayola Model Magic because it air dries and feels really good on little hands. It rolls smoothly, breaks easily, and I love its stretchy quality. Noah can use it easier than Sculpey or salt clay, and after it dries, it has a spongey texture. In any event, I like it, and the children do, too.

We made pendants for each of our grandmothers, aunts, and one for Adrienne and myself. We then had enough clay left over to make approximately 50 beads. Here are some pictures of the kiddos making their beads.

We then waited for the beads to dry, and played several counting games with them. Adrienne enjoyed counting them out into lines of ten, and we also experimented with some patterning. All in all, I think our pre-math bead games lasted 45 minutes.

After that, it was time to string the beads onto the laces, which again took forever. For some reason, Adrienne really loves stringing beads, and it occupies her full attention for a long time.

Here's a picture of the finished product that we promptly mailed off to relatives.

Saturday Food Forage: Picking up our meat

2010-02-13T22:37:00.000-06:00

Today we drove out to Black Earth again to pick up our meat. Hooray!

After loading the kids in the car, we felt like taking a drive, so we drove via Dodgeville, Spring Green, and eventually made it into Black Earth. Adrienne was so excited to see the airplane that sits outside a motel in Dodgeville. We stopped on the side of the road and talked for a long time about the wings, tail, engines, and propellers. At bed time, she listed it as her favorite part of the day! Strange, the little things that matter so much to kids.

Anyway, we finally made it to Black Earth about two hours later. (Yes, we took it very slowly!) Just in time for lunch! Finding a cute little diner, Luckenbooth Restaurant, we stopped in for a bite. The atmosphere was country and cozy, and the food portions were huge. A lot of the menu was egg, though, but we managed to find some sausage and fruit for Noah. Nice and full, we headed for our real destination--Black Earth Meats.

Our entire meat order fit into just two boxes, but we ended up with a ton of food. I am super excited to get cooking. The tally is as follows:

Soup bones -- 3 packages
Stew meat -- 11 packages
Oxtail -- 1 package
Liver -- 3 packages
Ground beef -- 38 packages
Short ribs -- 3 packages
Steaks -- 13 packages
Roasts -- 13

By my calculations, this meat should last us for at least six months, even if we don't buy anything else. Hopefully, though, we will be buying some lamb and pork in the near future. Half a lamb would be delish!

Yet another good Saturday Food Forage was had by all!

I'm Booking It in 2010: To Kill A Mockingbird

2010-02-09T21:54:00.001-06:00

As I stated last week, I'm on a mission to read the 100 Best Novels over the next few... well... years. So when I saw this link-up at Life As Mom, I knew I had to link up. In case you're wondering, I just love linking posts up to something!

Last month, I actually read one of the books on the list: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Somehow, I was the only kid in America who didn't read the book in middle school or high school. In fact, last month was the first time I'd read the book, and, boy, was it good.

Obviously, the racial themes have been well documented, and, in fact, I was expecting a little more about segregation and the racial divide in the South than the book contained. Perhaps my view is skewed, though, because I was on a Toni Morrison-Alice Walker kick a few months ago. Regardless, I didn't think that racism, per se, was the primary point of the novel.

What struck me most was the prevalence of the mockingbird motif throughout the entire novel. From Tom Robinson, the black man Atticus Finch defends, to Boo Radley, the recluse that Scout and Jem torment, the constant theme appears to be that it would be cruel to kill something that is innocent and harmless. For that reason, Atticus defends Tom Robinson, and for that reason, the sherrif chooses to keep the true story of Scout and Jem's rescue by Boo Radley secret. Ruining innocence is the chief crime in Lee's universe.

Anyway, my favorite character was definitely Dill, who inspired Scout and Jem to endless hours of summer fun. A minor character, Dill was nonetheless entertaining, and he provided some comic relief at times when the novel's events got intense. Besides, I later found out that his character was based on Truman Capote, who was a childhood friend of Harper Lee. WOW!

These are just some quick thoughts on the novel. I could continue for hours and paragraphs, but I figure this isn't the forum for that...

Gratituesday: Skype

2010-02-09T18:33:00.000-06:00

This post is part of Gratituesday over at Heavenly Homemakers.

A few weeks ago our family upgraded our computers. We weren't sure whether or not we'd actually use the built-in webcam and microphone, but, hey, we aren't going to turn down free stuff, right?

Over the weekend, we downloaded Skype, an internet phone system that also allows you to video chat. How cool!

As it was my sister's birthday, we called her and let Adrienne sing "Happy Birthday" to her. It was fantastic! Adrienne was much more talkative, seeing the person with whom she was interacting. Of course, it was good to see her apartment, since she moved to D.C. after we moved to Wisconsin. Nice how technology can make these things happen!

Then, this afternoon, we "skyped" with my mom, and she was able to see the little ones playing with their play-dough and singing some songs. Noah was confused about the whole thing, but then, if someone you couldn't remember started talking to you out of a computer, you might be confused, too! Adrienne, on the other hand, was so excited to talk to her "Granny" and be able to see her.

Having family living so far away from us, it sometimes gets lonely, and you don't have a good picture how your loved ones look from day to day. Also, the concept of aunts and grandparents gets abstract for the little ones at times. So, I am grateful for Skype for allowing me to see and interact with family members no matter where they live.

What are you grateful for?

Muffin Tin Mondays: First Attempt

2010-02-08T12:41:00.000-06:00

I have been dying to try this idea since I first stumbled upon Michelle's blog a few months ago. I used to like jazzing up lunch by using cookie cutters on sandwiches, or having Adrienne design something on an open-faced sandwich. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of sandwiches anymore, thanks to the allergy-free foods we are eating. When we do eat sandwiches, it is a novelty unto itself.

So. Enter Muffin Tin Mondays. It struck me as a fantastic way to use up the little bits of food that seem to accumulate in the refrigerator, as well as provide a little smorgasboard for the kids. Each Monday has a different theme, and we are going to try to join in as best we can, given the long list of foods we have to avoid.

I had been holding out until I found some muffin tins that I liked, but alas, I just haven't had the time lately to pick some up. Tired of waiting, I decided that we could eat our lunch on plates this week, eating "muffin tin" portions of a variety of foods.

This week, we had tortilla chips, carrot sticks, apples, dried fruit, and oatmeal scones (recipe to follow!). I just diced Noah's food a little smaller than Adrienne's portions, and he had no problems.

Verdict: Muffin Tin Mondays were a hit around here! I was surprised at the time it took us to eat lunch. Usually, the kids scarf down as much as they can in ten minutes, and then they are bored. Not so today! Lunch lasted a full 40 minutes, with numerous renditions of our dinner table song, "YUM, YUM, YUMMY YUMMY, YUM."

We'll definitely be doing this next week again! Now to find the muffin tins!

Reading Plan:100 Best Novels

2010-02-05T18:34:00.001-06:00

Somehow, even though I belong to two book clubs, I find myself at a loss for something to read. I browse the library and usually end up with some interesting stuff. Unfortunately, though, it feels like I'm "eating" a diet of candy, and not too many vegetables. My mind is craving some sustenance!

After browsing several book lists looking for ideas, I stumbled upon a Random House list of the 100 Best Novels. Overall, it seems like a good list, so I have decided to read both lists in their entirety. There are some repeats from the Board's List and the Reader's List, so I won't end up reading 200 books, but even so, it should take me some time to complete my personal assignment.

To get started, I checked out the first five titles on each list from the local library. Now, I just need to find the time to read them. I plan on reviewing the books, or at least formulating some thoughts about each on the blog as I finish them.

What does anyone else do for book ideas?

Ultimate Recipe Swap: Taco Soup

2010-02-03T23:16:00.003-06:00

Over at LifeasMOM there is a Superbowl recipe swap, and I am so excited! There is nothing I love better than an excuse to make lots of yummy food for the family, set out a "picnic blanket" in the living room, and watch some TV. Yes, there are probably healthier things we could do as a family, but, hey, we like food!

One thing that I usually make for these events, though, is Taco Soup. Adrienne, in particular, loves it and requests it whenever possible. I use my own taco seasoning, free of msg, gluten, and other strange additives.

Taco Soup

1 cup red kidney beans
1 cup pinto beans
2 lbs ground beef
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 lb frozen corn
4 Tbsp taco seasoning mix (recipe follows)

Soak the beans overnight in your crock-pot. In the morning, rinse the beans and cover with clean water. Brown the beef and add to the crock-pot. Add diced tomatoes, corn, and taco seasoning. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, keeping an eye on the moisture content of the soup. As the beans cook, they will soak up the water, but you need enough moisture for a chili-like consistency.

Serve in bowls and top with cheese and sour cream (if you can tolerate dairy) and corn chips.

Taco Seasoning

2 Tbsp cornstarch
6 Tbsp salt
8 Tbsp chili powder
6 tsp cumin
3 tsp oregano
6 tsp dried garlic
6 tsp red pepper flakes

Mix together all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Two tablespoons equals one commercial package.

Barbecue Sauce Redux

2010-02-02T19:05:00.004-06:00

The last time I blogged about barbecue sauce, we were still eating dairy, and I included butter in the ingredient list. When I went to make sauce the other day, I read my recipe, and realized that it was time to start from scratch. I don't like having to cook the sauce, anyway!

My new and improved recipe is as follows:

11/2 cups vinegar (apple cider or white)

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

Combine ingredients and use as a marinade or pour over meat.

I poured mine over a pork roast in the crock-pot, and the results were fantastic. Unfortunately, this recipe is closer to an Eastern North Carolina sauce. While that makes Nathan very happy, those of us who prefer a Lexington-style sauce will have to continue experimentation...

Gratituesday: My Husband

2010-02-02T13:16:00.004-06:00

The last month has been a lesson in trust. And a lesson in teamwork.

While I have been either confined to bed rest on doctor's orders or unable to move due to pain, the daily life of our family has not slowed down too much. The children still need to be fed, washed, and otherwise supervised. Since Noah can't even walk, there is a lot for a parent to do around here. And while I was lying in bed, someone else had to pick up the slack.

Enter Nathan.

He managed to rearrange his work schedule so that he could work from home during the day, and go in to work at nights. He changed diapers, mopped up after accidents, cooked three meals a day, took the children on outings, kept the house from falling apart around us, and somehow managed to work 45 hours per week. Oh, and did I mention the night wakings? The poor man has been working non-stop around the clock.

Somehow, though, he didn't get frustrated or angry. He kept on assuring me that it was his turn to carry the workload of our family until I could get back up to par.

While I am grateful to be up and moving around again this week, I am more grateful for the man who has allowed me the time I need to recover. Without him, I am not sure what I would have done.

Our Saturday Food Forage: Black Earth Meats

2010-01-30T19:01:00.004-06:00

Starting with last summer's farmers market, our family has taken to foraging for food on Saturdays. Some months we forage more than others. For example, when on bed rest, it is all we can do to remain fed, let alone go on foraging excursions. Since my cortisone shots and osteopathic manipulation therapy this week, I have been feeling well and itching to get out of the house. So, being Saturday, we went foraging!

For months, I have heard about Black Earth Meats, but I was initially skeptical to try them. While their prices for grassfed and organic meats are great, they did not reply to several emails I sent inquiring about their buyer's programs. And, being contrary by nature, I wrote them off. Unfortunately, I have found our local farm source drying up, and prices at a nearby store are not nearly as nice as I'd like.

So. Off to Black Earth. If nothing else, it is a pretty drive through the countryside to get there, and Nathan and I have always liked to take the scenic route. We bundled the kids into the car with the promise of a nice drive and a "meat snack" once we reached our destination.

The store had a surprising variety of meat cuts, and it was fairly reasonable if you were buying meat by the cut. With four of us to feed (and a fifth causing me to consume everything in sight!), we need to buy a bit more meat, though, so we inquired about the buyer's programs. AGAIN.

For a hindquarter of beef, their prices are excellent! For grassfed beef, including wrapping , we only paid $2.79/lb, and we are getting a wide variety of roasts, steaks, organ, stew, and ground meat. The staff were very patient with us, and walked us through the entire cutting process, guiding us as to typical portion sizes, cuts, and variety. Definitely an excellent experience!

While we were there, we picked up some "meat snacks" for the kids, including beef sticks, which were some of the tastiest we've tried in a while, and dried beef. The dried beef was absolutely divine, and we're headed back in a few weeks to pick up some more!

Last, but definitely not least, we picked up some pineapple brats for our dinner tonight, and boy, were they something. They were a different flavor to those we get from Ruef's Meat Market in New Glarus, but the casings were soft enough for babies to eat. Another win.

Chalk today's excursion up in the win column! :-D

Book Review: Sophie-Safe Cooking

2010-01-29T13:36:00.002-06:00

For my birthday, my sister gave me a copy of Sophie-Safe Cooking by Emily Hendrix. It is full of recipes free of all of the eight major allergens: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. Needless to say, this book is one of the best additions to my kitchen in the past year.

Unlike most books that cater to the allergy-friendly community, this one uses common household ingredients to make a wide range of baked goods, breakfast foods, dinners, and delicious desserts! (Can you tell which section I've been playing with?!) Each recipe is also easily customizable for a particular set of eating restrictions. For example, if dairy is not an issue, you can use milk and butter. If wheat is not an issue, you can use wheat flour. And so on.

The primary ingredients in a lot of the recipes are oat flour and Spectrum shortening. For some reason, these were major eye-openers to me.

For one thing, oat flour doesn't require xanthan or guar gum to yield respectable looking baked goods. For another, it is easy enough to grind your own in a food processor or blender from oats. Instead of paying $2.39/lb of brown rice flour, I can now pay $0.88/lb for organic oats. It sounded like it might be a lot of work to grind the oats, but it took me less than 15 minutes to grind 10 lbs yesterday.

And the shortening? Amazing! Spectrum uses cold-pressed palm oil for their shortening, so it is dairy, soy, and trans-fat free! Hooray! I now have a way to make pastries, cookies, and frostings that actually taste delicious.

There are many other nuggets of information in the book, and on her website www.sophiesafecooking.com All of the recipes are cheap, easy, and, most importantly, delicious!

Gratituesday: The Co-op

2010-01-26T18:52:00.002-06:00

It's Tuesday. Wait. It's Gratituesday! Time for another post!

I'm dealing with some pretty excruciating pain which has kept me house-bound for weeks now, and I just have not been able to get to the store to buy groceries. Since I usually keep a fairly stocked pantry, I haven't needed to get anything, but we are now down to eating, shall we say, creatively.

We are completely out of oats, flour, olive oil, and sucanat. And, since I haven't been cooking, the disappearance of kitchen staples has escaped my notice. That is, until this morning when my husband asked what to prepare for breakfast since we only had a half-cup of oats... Hmmm... Time to go shopping.

Which is why I am so grateful for the Willy St Co-op here in Madison.

I can sit at home and shop online, picking everything from frozen foods, rice milk, and produce to my staples out of the bulk bins. Then, when I send Nathan out to get the groceries, he just has to drive up, identify himself, and they load all of my items into his car!

After trying this online shopping once, I can't see going back to navigating the co-op with multiple kids ever again!

Thanks for making life so much easier for a mother who is stuck at home :)

Yellow Cake in a Mug!

2010-01-19T20:56:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was my birthday, and I needed to find an easy, vegan cake recipe for Nathan to make for me. After hours of searching recipe blogs and such, I stumbled across this recipe for cake in a mug. Once I made some changes to remove the egg and milk, it was perfect.

For young children (and apparently husbands, too) it is extremely exciting to eat your cake out of a mug! There were smiles all around, and the birthday mom was happy :-D

Yellow Cake in a Mug

6 T flour (you can use whole wheat, all-purpose, or gluten-free)
4 T sugar/sucanat
1/8 tsp baking powder
egg replacer to equal one egg (I use Ener-G brand)
3 T water
3 T oil
dash of vanilla

Mix the egg replacer and set aside while you combine the rest of the ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the mug and mix well. Stir in wet ingredients. Microwave for 3 minutes. The cake should rise. You can frost it in the mug, or tip it out onto a plate and then frost it. We ate ours in the mug!

Simple Vegan Frosting

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1-3 tsp water
dash of vanilla

Mix water and vanilla into sugar, starting with 1 tsp and adding additional water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Gratituesday: My Life

2010-01-19T18:57:00.002-06:00

This post is linked to Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers.

It seems like a bit of a cop-out, but today is my birthday, and I am grateful for my life.

I have not had a particularly long life yet (although that is hopefully going to happen! ) but it has been a very blessed life; my parents and sisters have been a fantastic presence throughout its entirety. My childhood is filled with great memories, from the early years in South Africa with lots of family and friends, to relocating to North Carolina and meeting lots of new friends. In high school I was blessed with relatively good schools, positive role models, and tons of dreams. And in college, I met and married the love of my life. From there, I have received the two most wonderful blessings a woman could hope for: my children. This year, too, should bring its share of joy.

When I consider the stories and pictures I've seen on the news, books I've read, and movies I've watched, I am awed that my life has been free of heavy burdens. The gratitude, today, on my birthday, is overwhelming!

My Philosophy...

2010-01-15T12:09:00.005-06:00

The following is quoted from Steinbeck's East of Eden and seems to sum up my philosophy on life:

I don't know how it will be in the years to come. There are monstrous changes taking place in the world, forces shaping a future whose face we do not know. Some of these forces seem evil to us, perhaps not in themselves but because their tendency is to eliminate other things we hold good. It is true that two men can lift a bigger stone than one man. A group can build automobiles quicker and better than one man, and bread from a huge factory is cheaper and more uniform. When our food and clothing and housing are all born in the complication of mass production, mass method is bound to get into our thinking and to eliminate all other thinking. In our time mass or collective production has entered our economics, our politics, and even our religion, so that some nations have substituted the idea collective for the idea God. This in my time is the danger. There is great tension in the world, tension toward a breaking point, and men are unhappy and confused.

At such a time it seems natural and good to me to ask myself these questions. What do I believe in? What must I fight for and what must I fight against?

Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of a man. Nothing was ever created by two men. There are no good collaborations, whether in music, in art, in poetry, in mathematics, in philosophy. Once the miracle of creation has taken place, the group can build and extend it, but the group never invents anything. The preciousness lies in the lonely mind of a man.

And now the forces marshaled around the concept of the group have declared a war of extermination on that preciousness, the mind of man. By disparagement, by starvation, by repressions, forced direction, and the stunning hammerblows of conditioning, the free, roving mind is being pursued, roped, blunted, drugged. It is a sad suicidal course our species seems to have taken.

And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for that is one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely I can understand this, and I hate it and I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. If the glory can be killed, we are lost.

Haiti Relief

2010-01-15T09:00:00.004-06:00

Sitting here in bed for the week, there has been no way to miss the Haitian crisis. Every time I turn the TV on, there are images of people in need. Starving, homeless, injured people who didn't have much before the earthquake and who are now completely bereft.

When I headed over to Heavenly Homemaker's blog this morning, Laura had a post up about how to save money to donate to Haitian relief. She is also donating $0.50 for every blog linked up to hers that talks about what people are doing to give to Haiti. So this is my meager contribution, since every $0.50 helps.

Nathan and I talked last night for a long time about how we would like to help the Haitians in this time of need. With a new baby on the way, and not too much wiggle room in our budget, we are not going to be able to donate as much as we'd like, but I suppose we all have to live within our means.

Nonetheless, we are going to put off our Azure Standard order (which needs to be a minimum of $550) and get our groceries from the co-op for the next few months. It may be cheaper in the long term to get our groceries from Azure Standard, but this way we will have some cash next month to be able to donate, instead.

Also, we are going to make our donation to Doctors Without Borders, since they are a reputable organization that does good work with people all over the world. Having lived in the third world for a portion of my life, I am hesitant to give money that will enrich corrupt politicians and gangsters. While food, shelter, and clothing can be stolen or bartered, no one can take medical care away from the recipient. Of course, they can do damage, but there is (I hope) no financial advantage to injuring the recipient of free medical care.

I hope lots of people link up to Laura's blog so that as much money as possible can be donated to help the victims of this awful earthquake.

Birthday Present!

2010-01-14T22:02:00.003-06:00

My birthday is on Tuesday, and I can't wait to complete yet another year. Boy, am I getting ancient, or what?! Anyway, my mom and dad gave me a copy of Alison Stewart-Guinee's Fairy Tale Knits, which I have been ogling online and in bookstores since early December. It is a fantastic book, filled with gorgeous patterns that I, and hopefully my kids, will love!

When the book arrived, I gave it to Adrienne so that she could help me choose a project to complete (given that she is the one who has to wear what I'm making!) and she instantly fell in love with the fairy sun dress, pictured here on flickr. I'm not crazy about the length of the "leaves" at the bottom of the skirt, so I may lengthen them, but I am not sure at this point.

In any event, I rushed online to buy my yarn so that I can get started ASAP! I will post pictures of the finished product here when I'm done.

In the mean time, please check out Alison Stewart-Guinee's blog, which I was excited to find this afternoon. She has tons of other craft ideas, both yarn, fabric, and miscellaneous other crafts.

My New Project

2010-01-14T11:45:00.000-06:00

For the last week, I have been stuck in bed doing nothing but growing baby #3. In so doing, my mom forwarded me a blurb about Gourmet Crochet, which is doing a crochet-a-long afghan. It has been a while since I started a new project that was not specifically for a child, so I thought I'd give it a try. Since then, I have found myself addicted--yes, compulsively the blog and twitching when there is no update--to this project.

Each day, Carolyn Christmas posts a new square with a variation on a shell pattern. I am making mine with scraps of yarn I have lying around the house, cluttering up my office. So far, there is no discernible color balance, but my mathematical/pattern conscious self will just have to learn to relax and go with the flow. Thankfully, it means that I can clean out some clutter, all while lying in the comfort of my bed! Hooray!

The best thing I have learned from this crochet-a-long, though, is that it doesn't take too terribly long to complete an afghan. I always put of projects because I'm busy with the children, cleaning, errands, life in general, but doing one square per day takes up no time at all. I have been doing them in the few minutes between when the children go to bed and my TV programs start or right through the programs. If I don't push myself and feel as though I need to complete the whole project in one night, I could easily crochet several afghans without even noticing!

More Allergies--More Eliminations

2010-01-06T13:29:00.003-06:00

Hi all. Been a very long time since I've blogged! Hopefully, I will get into a rhythm one of these months and actually begin blogging in earnest. Yeah, right.

I've been kept busy with Noah, who we just discovered is allergic to dairy and soy. So. That means we are on what is essentially a vegan diet, minus the soy and with the meat! He also seems to be having reactions to several fruits and veggies, so I am not sure where we go from here. Luckily, he has an allergist appointment next week, and that should answer a few questions.

I'll add some of my new recipes later tonight...

Mmm... Gluten-Free Pumpkin Fritters!

2009-10-14T15:10:00.006-05:00

In my effort to keep blogging on a regular basis, I've decided to join in on the Real Food Wednesday blog carnival at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Since I'm on bedrest, I haven't been exploring in the kitchen; however, last week I made some pumpkin fritters that simply disappeared from our table at dinner time. It is adapted from the recipe that my mom used to make growing up. We ate ours with homemade nutella, but topping ideas are endless.

GF Pumpkin Fritters

2 cups pumpkin
4 T brown rice flour
2 t baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup apple sauce

Combine the wet ingredients, and add the dry ones. Mix well. Fry spoonfuls of the mixture until golden. This will be a little bit longer than you usually do for pancakes. Serve with confectioner's sugar, homemade nutella, cream cheese, or any other topping you prefer.

Gratituesday

2009-10-13T19:03:00.003-05:00

I haven't been blogging lately. Somehow I got caught up in a lot of running around, chasing children, and obsessive cooking. Luckily--and I was lucky--I ended up on bedrest for the next two weeks. So I thought I'd use the spare time to start blogging again, and what could be better than a gratituesday post.

This weekend, I nearly lost my pregnancy, but an ultrasound early Monday morning revealed a heartbeat. All of my prayers were answered! I just have to stay in bed for the next two weeks until they can get a better view of Baby #3 to ensure all is well. So, as I said, I am thankful to be on bedrest.

I am also thankful for "the kindness of strangers." Or maybe not such strangers. While I'm waiting for my mom to come up and help me with the kids, cooking, and such, the hubby is spending a lot of time off of work trying to help out. He is getting very stressed, as he is working full time and trying to do the work of a SAHM, too. This is where my friends have stepped in and arranged playdates for the kids and meals for each night.

There is no way I could ever express how thankful I am to all the people who have prayed, entertained the kids, and fed our family. And, of course, countless thanks to GOD who has provided for us.

It's Pie Time

2009-08-31T20:30:00.006-05:00

After our weekly "foraging" trip to the farm, I'm always trying to figure out something new to try. This week, my vegetable of choice was butternut. I usually just cut a butternut open and bake it, serving it in a lump as a side dish. This week, I was going for dessert! After all, if pumpkin can make a pie, it would stand to reason that you could do the same with butternut.

I found this recipe doing a quick google search. Because Noah has an egg allergy, I'm gluten free, and Nathan has to watch his refined sugars, I had to make some significant changes. Here's what I did:

1 butternut squash
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup yogurt
2 T brown rice flour
1/3 cup sucanat
1/2 t salt
1 t allspice
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg

Cut the butternut in half, place facedown in a shallow pan with a cup of water and bake for an hour at 350F. Scoop the flesh of the butternut into a large bowl. Add wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to wet ingredients. Mix well. Place in a pie plate, and bake for 45 minutes at 350F.

I preferred the pie warm, but hubby preferred the pie cold. I also served it to the kids for lunch today, and they loved it. They thought they were getting a treat, when it was a glorified vegetable! As another option, you could serve it with fresh whipped cream.

Book Review!

2009-08-25T20:42:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Mineral this week. It chronicles her family's decision to eat only locally produced food for one year. Instead of heading to the grocery store each week, the family grows their own vegetables, slaughters their own poultry, and frequents the farmer's market. Thanks to freezing, drying and canning produce at harvest time, the family is able to live out the winter on the literal fruits of their labor.

While this isn't the first book I've read along these lines, I did enjoy it. As always, Kingsolver is an excellent writer, and her prose is effortless to read. She includes numerous details about family and farm life that had me rolling on the floor with laughter. For example, her youngest daughter sees the jonquils blooming in the yard and calls them "tranquils."

The passages that kept me glued to this book, though, were the ones about modern farming techniques: the patenting of seeds, the removal of seeds from circulation, the genetic modification of turkeys to prevent breeding, and the poor regulatory controls of commercial beef. If I hadn't already made the choice to eat only grass-fed cattle, pork, and poultry, this book would have caused me to make some major changes. As it is, it was just confirmation that my instincts regarding feeding my family are correct!

As far as detractions go, there were relatively few in this book. I don't think Kingsolver addressed the nutritional aspect of local eating adequately, but her audience may not be aware of (or interested in) the way the USDA has "bought" dietary guidelines in this country. She did get a little preachy on her politics in the book, too, and I thought it would have been better had she left that out. Unfortunately, she is the successful writer, and I am the chick who can't update her blog frequently enough!

Overall score: A

Crackers!

2009-08-17T21:28:00.003-05:00

In the last few weeks, I haven't been blogging as much as I thought I would. On the one hand, my DH has been out of town, and on the other, I have been addicted to reading other blogs and haven't had the time to concentrate on my own. Oh, well. We do what we can, I guess!

In any event, a blog I've been following, http://heavenlyhomemakers.com, has a recipe for cheese crackers using whole wheat flour. Since the family could eat their weight in cheese crackers if I let them, I made it my mission to rework the recipe to make it gluten-free. Here's what I got:

1/4 cup butter
1 T sea salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato flour (not starch)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 T water
2 T olive oil

Beat the butter and salt together until creamy. Add the cheese and mix well. Slowly add the flours and baking powder. Mix in the water and olive oil until the dough begins to form a ball. Since it's gluten-free, the ball may never completely form. Use your hands to gently knead and shape into a ball if needed. Place the ball on a cookie sheet between sheets of wax or parchment paper and roll out to cover the whole cookie sheet. It will be a very thin layer of dough. Score into squares and bake at 350F for approximately 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cookies crisp up.

The recipe baked very well. In retrospect, I suppose I could have just added another two tablespoons of butter instead of the olive oil, but I didn't realize I would need it until I tried to get my dough to form. I may try it that way next time. Also, be sure to roll the dough out very thinly, or you get some "cake-like" cheese crackers. Not quite the right texture for the taste :).

On the whole, though, the DD gave the crackers a "Belicious," the DS ate them like they were going out of style, and the DH gave them an "A".

Barbecue Sauce

2009-08-03T12:53:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite summer activities is grilling out on the deck, and nothing tastes as good on the grill as ribs. Unfortunately, commercial barbecue sauce is full of msg, food starch, and other gluten-containing additives. Instead, I have started making my own sauce, and I've refined my recipe over the last few months. The following recipe makes enough sauce for two racks of ribs. We usually use half the sauce and store the other half.

1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder

Cook the butter and brown sugar over medium heat until bubbly. Add the vinegar, and stir until smooth. Add ketchup, mustard, and garlic and onion powders. Cook over low heat, stirring periodically, until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Baste meat while grilling.

Can Art

2009-07-26T16:05:00.003-05:00

Still on my kick to amuse a toddler while allowing a sick baby to get his rest, I've been exploring ways to reuse items in my recycle box. (I keep a box of clean cans, bottles, yogurt cups, etc. for crafting purposes.) The daughter and I came up with this project to hold her crayons, pencils, and pens.

We took a clean can--bean can, tomato can, whatever--and used a foam brush to paint it with acrylic paints. I just let the daughter paint as much as she wanted, and I didn't remedy any open spots. Once it was all dry, we took some white glue and attached some craft ribbon that I had leftover from another project.

The result: an hour of sleep for a sick baby, an excited and proud toddler, and a container she is happy to use for her crayons. We'll see if this keeps them off of the carpet! :-D

I took some pictures, and I'll post them later.

The BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies EVER!!!

2009-07-24T13:56:00.004-05:00

This morning I was looking for a time killer, as my son is sick and daughter is getting cabin fever. While my back-up activity used to be baking, I haven't done it as much since baby was diagnosed with an egg allergy because finding delicious recipes can be difficult. Today, though, I was desperate and decided to ransack the kitchen to make my own recipe. This is what I concocted:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
dash of ground pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugars and applesauce and stir until moist and sticky. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well blended. Add rolled oats and raisins until the dough is to your consistency. Bake for 13 minutes, or until nicely golden.

These turned out so well for me. They are the gooiest, yummiest oatmeal cookies I've ever eaten, and they were a major hit with everyone!

UPDATE: According to Daddy-O, these cookies are too gooey. He prefers his oatmeal cookies a little crunchier than I do. He did say, though, that the yummy taste of applesauce outweighed the crunchy factor.

Getting Started

2009-07-24T10:04:00.000-05:00

So I thought I would get started with this blogging thing by posting some of the things I'm doing at home with the kids. My son has very sensitive skin and an egg allergy, my husband is pre-diabetic, I'm gluten intolerant, and both kids have asthma. As such, cooking is a very interesting prospect in our house.

I love cooking, baking, sewing, knitting, crochet, and any other craft I can figure out. This blog will hopefully be a record of all that we do, and a resource for others who are dealing with allergies and sensitivities.