Family Bites

DIY: Simple Lego Party Decor

My sweet boy turned 10 yesterday.  

For tenth birthdays we don't do parties, but instead I take the boys on a trip, just the two of us.  When Ben hit his double-digit birthday we went to New York City for four days, and Jackson and I are now making plans to visit Washington, DC, in March when the weather is a little more favourable.

We did have a family dinner though, and while there was no official theme to the party, I incorporated a little Lego love into the decor, to represent Jack and his favourite hobby/toy. There was a large Lego birthday sign and some primary-coloured balloons in a small Lego centerpiece.  The cake was Lego-ish but not quite what I hoped it would be, however I was much happier with the Lego man cupcakes I made yesterday as a treat to mark the day.

To Make a Lego Birthday Sign:

I used coloured cardstock, a large circle punch and glue dots.  I cut out sqaures and rectangles, and affixed the circles with the glue, which raised the dots, giving it a 3D appearance.  I shaped the paper "blocks" into the number 10, and attached it all to a large mirror using double-sided table.

To Make a Balloon Centrerpiece:

I picked up a package of coloured balloons with sticks and blew them up, inserting them into a glass jar that I filled with Lego pieces.  I used these on the mantle and the dining table.

To Make Lego Minifigure Cupcakes:

The cupcakes were a hit, I must admit.  For Christmas, Jackson received a Lego minifigure ice cube tray in his stocking.  I melted some coloured chocolate and filled the tray with it, creating a mold for the edible men. I made a small batch of yellow cupcakes and vanilla buttercream, and added the chocolate Lego figure and a few sprinkles for decoration.

 

 

A Birthday Cheese "Cake"

It's birthday week around these parts.  Rob turned 45 yesterday, and Jackson turns 10 tomorrow.  Forgive me, but I think the next few posts will be mostly birthday inspired.

What you see above is my idea for a birthday cake for the person who doesn't eat cake.  Or any sweet treats for that matter. Rob's sweet tooth is fairly non-existent, which works out well when it comes to birthdays, otherwise we'd have to eat two celebration cakes within three days.  

So, this year I made him a cheese cake.  As you can see, it's a small wheel of cheese placed a top a cupcake stand.  Insert a candle, use crackers instead of a plate, and you have the perfect cake for those who don't want to make their birthday wish over a floury confection.

 

 

 

The Lunchbox: Easy Chopped Salad

I'm not very good at making lunch for myself. In fact, eating a proper mid-day meal is such a challenge for me that I made it one of my food goals for 2012.  

It's not that there is a shortage of food available to me, because I cook something almost every single day. The problem is that I try to cram so many things into the hours I have free when the kids are at school, that I end up picking at whatever I've made as I move through the day, doing the things that I need to get done.

The good news though, is that I'm slowly improving!  A few weeks ago, Simple Bites covered this very same topic and I was so relived to learn that I'm not the only non-lunch eater out there.  I'm trying hard to put a lunch plan for me into my weekly family meal plan, and it started last week with this salad.

It seems simple enough to think about having a salad for lunch, but it's not really prime produce season if you know what I mean.  This one is composed of what is available though, and there is enough healthy fats, protein and bulk to make me feel satiated.

I just need to remember to eat it.

Chopped Salad

• 4 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chopped
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chickpeas
• 1/4 cup chopped pita wedges, croutons etc.
• Lemon-tarragon dressing (recipe below)

Combine all of the ingredients, except the salad dressing, in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

Drizzle the lemon dressing over the salad and eat immediately.

Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Place all of the ingredients in a lidded jam or mason jar, and shake to combine.

Eat Savvy This Month with Kale

We've become quite fond of kale over the past few months. Well, I have anyway, and it's rare that I leave a grocery store these days without a bunch of the large, leafy greens peeking out from my shopping bag.

Did you know that kale is ridiculously good for you? It's chock full of anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories, and loads of vitamins. While slightly bitter in taste if served raw, it pairs well with almost any other food, making it extremely versatile in most cooked dishes. For the sake of the kids, I like to cut my kale into thin ribbons, free of the stems and centre ribs, making it easier to eat. In some cases, like the photo above, I chop it finely into kale "herbs" so not only is it an ingredient, but also a garnish.

This month I put together four recipes for the Eat Savvy edition of the Savvy Mom newsletter.  Happily, in my role as food editor, I get to oversee the recipes in this section, and I think we came up with a nice variety for January. If you're interested in exploring kale a little further, head on over to Savvy Mom and check out the Turkey and Kale Enchiladas and the Kale and Sausage soup.  

I'm curious though, is kale something you're adding to your dinner table more often?  I have to admit it wasn't on my radar until last year, and while I know that the most popular way to serve it is via kale chips, I prefer mine embedded into a regular recipe.

 

An Update via Instagram (January)

These days, it seems to be much easier to keep track of the things going on around me if I use the camera in my iphone.  I still have the 3GS version and am holding out for iphone5, so my portable photos aren't as clear as I would like.  But they do allow me to capture things I don't want to forget, or those that I like to quickly share, and I mostly do that using Instagram.

Here are few things I thought it might be worth mentioning:

      

Smoothies.  These have been keeping us well fueled and fed in the morning.  I like to serve them alongside a plate of baked oatmeal, and have been using bananas, pears, and frozen berries as my fixings.

      

Before Christmas, I looked high and low for a trifle bowl.  I was probably a little too late to properly secure one at a retail outlet, so I took to my local thrift shop and bought a fancy bowl and an equally fancy candlestick holder.  A little glue and voila...a trifle bowl was had.

      

Honey.  A gift from a friend, this local and organic variety is infused with cinnamon, orange peel, and star anise, and has been keeping company with my tea each morning.

      

Lego Mom.  Jackson made me my own Lego mini-figure for my birthday last week.  I'm going to repay him by making a lego birthday cake for him, next week.  She kind of looks like me (definitely the hair), although I'm more jeans and converse, than black pants and patterned cardigans.  But I love her, and now she lives on our mantle.

       

       

Breakfast.  I've been getting my French fix on weekend mornings.  It seems to be a new thing we've started this year, where a late breakfast often includes French morning breads (brioche and croissants) and bowls of hot cocoa (I like mine topped with a cinnamon).

      

       

Soup.  Most days I have a pot of soup simmering on the stove, and sometimes I even have several pots of stock going.  It perfumes the house in a way that's much needed on cold and dreary January days.

      

Pizza.  On Mondays.  Making it on Friday is almost expected, but serving it on a Monday is a surefire way to please the kids in the house.

       

Stratego.  Raucous games have been taking place Chez Scott.  If you have board-game-playing-boys, I highly recommend it.

        

Parties.  As always, they are the delight of my work.  This is a sneak peak of the upcoming party I've put together for Savvy Mom.

Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

This is what you make when you want to bribe entice your boys to come home for lunch. Just kidding. Not really. 

Ben and Jackson go to a school where a majority of the kids traipse home for the lunch hour. We live within a ten-minute walk of the playground so it's an easy trip for them to make. The thing is, my kids have never really liked coming home for lunch, and between you and me I think it's good for them to stay. At school they socialize with their friends, play outside for 30 minutes or so, and return to class refreshed. The energy expenditure that comes from running around like a maniac Jedi, or playing a rousing game of soccer, is a very good thing. Or it was until we reached grade six.  Which is when the kids can leave the supervision of the playground, and play - alone - in the park. 

The school has this idea that once the kids are eleven or twelve, they can spend their lunch hour away from the place of higher learning. Meaning, if they choose to stay for lunch they can play in the nearby park, or wander off to the local convenience store to buy some candy hang out. I was pretty quick to nix the idea of the latter, but the park seemed like a good idea. Or it was, until thirty or so of them - or as Ben tells me "everyone" - decided it would be fun to play UFC-style tackle football sans equipment. That's right. Football. With tackling. And no protection. Or supervision. You can imagine how impressed the moms are.

The good news is I'm smarter than the boys think.  And I know there is only one thing Ben loves more than sports, and that's food.  If I promise a hot meaty lunch, I know it will trump getting beat up by dirty little boys any day of the week. Guess what? I was right. The kids came home twice this week.

 Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Garnish: chopped chives, sesame seeds

1. Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, mustard, oil and ginger in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

2. Place the chicken drumsticks in a zip top bag and pour in half the maple-soy mixture.

3. Remove the air from the bag and seal tightly.  Allow the meat to marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Transfer the drumsticks to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste with the remaining marinade.  Bake for another 20 minutes.  Baste one last time when the drumsticks are finished cooking.

6. Place the chicken on a platter and garnish with chopped chives and sesame seeds.

 

Apple Charlotte

Are you watching Downton Abbey?  Please tell me yes.  

Don't worry, if you aren't we can still be friends. I realize that not everyone is excited by a PBS-broadcasted and British period piece that boasts a sassy storyline involving servants and the socialites they tend to, but if you think it might be your thing, I highly recommend checking it out. And if the clever writing and stellar acting don't draw you in, than I have a feeling the charming Matthew Crawley just might. 

The premier episode of season 2 aired last night, but I still have yet to see it. I was all prepared to watch my recording on the PVR, but then Tim Tebow went and threw an 80-yard touchdown pass causing a commotion with the boys in my house.  It seems as though Sunday sports reign supreme these days, and I'm patiently waiting to see how things pan out for Lady Mary and her man.  Thanks to my new friend Tim, it looks like next week my TV time will likely turn into Tebow Time again, and now I've decided that I will watch my show in peace and quiet when I'm here alone during the day "working".

Besides, I think I could get away with considering my new program as part of my research for my job.  Many of the servants’ scenes are filmed in the dark kitchen of the stately manor, and watching the poor sight-impaired Mrs. Patmore prepare succulent meals for the Earl of Grantham and his family surely qualifies. Especially when foods like roast chicken and apple charlotte are being served.

Apple Charlotte is a classic British dessert. Said to be named after Queen Charlotte because of her staunch support for apple farmers, but in reality the sweet dish was concocted as a way to use up stale and leftover bread. More modern versions of the dish now use ladyfingers as the bread-y base, but I opted to stick to the classic assembly, and used stale cinnamon-raisin bread. The ingredient list isn't too lengthy and the steps are rather easy; think of these as individual apple pies, only quicker. 

So quick in fact, that I might even serve them to my family this weekend when they watch a little football.  

 

Apple Charlotte (adapted from Tyler Florence)

Feel free to replace the raisin bread with regular brown bread, challah, pulla or brioche.  It even works well with stale crusty bread.

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 4 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter (for greasing ramekins)
• 1 tablespoons sugar (for the topping)
• 10 slices raisin bread, crusts removed

1. Begin by making the filling. Set a large saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Once butter has melted and starts to foam, add the apples, scraped vanilla bean, lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss to coat well and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until apples are just tender and liquid has evaporated.  The sauce should turn a nice caramel colour.

2. While the apples are cooking, combine the eggs, milk and sugar in a shallow dish. Stir with a fork until fully combined. Set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and generously butter 4 small ramekins.

4. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out four circles from the bread. These will be the bases of the charlottes. Cut the other slices of bread into rectangles about 1" in width.

5. Working with the circles, lightly coat each piece in the egg mixture and place it in the bottom of each ramekin. Lightly dip the other rectangles of bread in batter as well, then use them to line the walls of each ramekin - standing them upright around the perimeter leaving an overhang that you will later use to fold over and seal the charlotte. It should take about 6-8 strips per ramekin.

6. Fill each bread mold with apples and some of the caramel from the pan. Add a piece or two of bread to the top and fold over the edges to seal it up completely. Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar.

7. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up. Allow to cool slightly, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto individual plates.

8.Serve with powdered sugar or vanilla ice cream.

 

For Your Weekend Reading

I'm slightly saddened that the end of the kid's Christmas vacation is near, and on Monday morning everything will go back to normal. Last night, I filled the calendar with all of our commitments for January, then promptly walked away from it, refusing to let it annoy me that January is looking equally as busy as December was. Instead I'm choosing to embrace the fact the we, especially the kids, are fortunate to do so many fun things. 

To help us out this month, I'm planning on devoting some of my weekend to refiling the freezer with ready-to-bake scones, a few loaves and breads, and a soup or two.  I'm also making jars of pancake mix this morning, and chopping up the ingredients for this salad to help me with my own lunches next week.

This week I was inspired by the some of the many thoughtful and interesting articles I came across while working online. Here are a few that I wanted to share with you for your weekend reading:

How to Make a Better Grilled Cheese

A Quick Way to Caramelize Onions  

Cooking Resolutions: 5 Skills to Master this Year

Spicy Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

Redemption Salad

Also, if you're interested, here are some of the articles I published in other places:

Food Goals for 2012

Easy Toddler Food: Baby Bolognese

Easy Edible Crafts for Kids: Snowman S'mores and More

 

 

 

Birthdays, Books and Lemons

Six years ago, on January 4th, 2006, I turned 30. Rob held a small and intimate birthday party for me, inviting only our closest friends and family. In lieu of gifts he asked that each person bring me a book, and write inside the front cover the reason they chose that book for me. At the end of the night I had amassed a diverse collection of cookbooks, novels and even a few self-help books (ha!) specifically bought for me.

It was probably my favourite birthday gift ever. I would love to receive the same gift each year, but you can't really tell people what to buy you, now can you? Hey, it's my birthday and I would love it if you would buy me a book and write a note inside telling me why you bought this book for me. I do have a few type A tendencies to my personality, but that would be pushing it, I'm sure.

One of the books Rob bought me that year, featured a recipe for preserved lemons. I wasn't too familiar with them at that point, but I was intrigued by the fact that the recipe only had two ingredients: lemons and salt. I also wasn't thinking much about Moroccan cooking back then, but now I love it, and so preserved lemons have found their way into my pantry these days. I like to use Meyer lemons, which happen to be in season right now, along with a nice kosher salt. Something granular and chunky is my preference. I also like to included a bay leaf and cinnamon stick in my preserving pots. It infuses such a lovely flavour, and pairs well with almost anything you would add these puckery rinds to.

I returned home with a case of these little lemons yesterday, and in addition to the preserved ones I also set out to make a healthy, but tart, simple syrup. Inspired by Whole Living magazine, I intend to infuse my beloved Perrier with a little of this honey-lemon-water concoction I made. This will be my wine-free beverage for the coming weeks, as I wean myself off the glorious bottles of rose that have been in mass consumption over the past few weeks.Equally as pretty, but much better for me, I just might trick my mind into thinking I'm still ingesting all that good vino.

At least that's what I'll tell myself. I'm older now, and more likely to convince myself such things could be true.

 

Preserved Lemons

• 6 meyer lemons
• Kosher salt (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks

1. Wash lemons well with soap and water and thoroughly dry them. Place the salt in a shallow bowl.

2. Quarter the lemons lenthwise.  Press each piece of lemon into the salt, covering the cut sides completely.

3. Transfer the lemons to glass jar.  Press each layer of lemon with the back of a wooden spoon, allowing some of the juice to be released.

4. Fill the jar to the top.  Tuck in the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks.

5. Seal the jar tightly.  Leave the lemons at room temperature for four days, shaking the jars each day.

6. Transfer the lemons to the fridge for one more week, or until the rinds are soft.

7. Use them in soups, stews or salads.

 

Meyer Lemon Syrup

• 4 cups cold water
• 2/3 cup honey
• 6 meyer lemons, sliced thinly

1. Place the water and honey in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

2. Remove from the heat, add the lemon sliced and allow them to steep for 15 minutes.

3. Strain the mixture in a fine mesh sieve set over a 1L glass jar.

4. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

5. To make a spritzer, mix equal parts lemon syrup and sparkling water into an ice-filled glass.  Top with pomegranate seeds or raspberries.

 

A Return to Normal (Meal Planning Monday)

Happy New Year, friends!

The holiday decor has been stashed away for another eleven months, and other than a towering stack of board games and books, most of the Christmas gifts are assembled and in their rightful places.  I feel organized and ready to leap into January, eager for the year ahead as I expect to be full of very good things.

I haven't made any resolutions for the coming days, but I have certainly set some goals for myself. I'm hoping that this year my work will continue to be creative and thoughtful, my family will remain happy and healthy and our bellies will be full and satisfied. Beyond that, I'll be content with whatever comes our way.

Last night I sat down to plan this week's meals, and it felt so good to know that we are headed back to a normal routine and eating plan.  The daily consumption of chocolate antioxidants, wine grapes and cheese dairy has been good for the soul, but it's time to switch things up a bit and incorporate a few leafy greens and ancient grains.  

Here is a list of what will be gracing our dinner table this week.  What are you planning on cooking up?

 

Monday:: Curried lentil soup with homemade soda bread and mixed greens salad

Tuesday:: Pasta a la Mama, iceberg lettuce wedges with buttermilk dressing

Wednesday:: My birthday! Dinner plans to be announced....

Thursday:: Lemon and garlic roasted chicken with sweet potato gnocchi and braised greens

Friday:: Homemade pizza night