Foodmomiac

Max's Sixth Birthday Party (or how a backyard party gave me post-traumatic stress disorder)

Yesterday was Max's 6th birthday party. I would share photos, but I did not take any, as I was in defcon 5 defense mode the entire time. I do not know how a simple party went so wrong, but it went so, so wrong, and I felt like such an utter failure.

The theme of the party was "water party," and I really thought I had everything thought out. I used this party plan from the AMAZING ladies at One Charming Party (NONE of the disasters were their fault - I can't recommend their party plans highly enough) but, in hindsight, I think I was smoking crack when I was planning things.

First of all, if you look at the party plan, you will see that the children are in a large yard. My yard is approximately 10x10. You will also see that the children are not all boys. I had almost all boys. The kids in the party plan? Cute little preschoolers. My party? Testosterone-ravaged 1st graders who were hellbent on destruction.

I decided to combat the small yard problem by extending the party under my deck. In theory, this is a brilliant idea, because it almost doubles the available space. What I did NOT realize was that there was a dead, rotting squirrel in our pile of fireplace logs, putting out the stench to end all stenches. By the time we realized that the strange (and by strange I mean putrid) smell was coming from the logs, we had a full yard of people and were stuck. We spotted the dead squirrel's tail almost immediately, and had a brief conversation about the viability of extricating it without causing a commotion, but quickly realized that it would be impossible. And, so, we dealt with the smell and prayed that the tail would not be noticed by one of the manic six-year-olds (it wasn't, and that was one of the only things that went well).

I don't know that I have the fortitude to go over everything that went wrong yesterday (time outs, head locks, punching, kicking, screaming, crying), but it was just mortifying. There are many things that I am good at in this world. The cake, for example, was both attractive and delicious. However, I think I can now safely say that I am a really, really horrendous organizer of children's parties, and will certainly be outsourcing that task in the future.

My Favorite Kale Salad

I just loved this salad. I feel like it is a LITTLE bit of a cheat because the kale isn't raw (it is lightly steamed), but it is just delicious, and I prefer the steamed texture, especially with the crunchy sunflower seeds on top. Once again, I got this recipe from my amazing Harvest Moons Farm CSA.

Kale Salad

1 bunch kale
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic
1 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
 salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup crumbled feta (ricotta salata would work here too)
1/8 cup sunflower seeds 

Mince the garlic finely, and let it sit for five minutes (apparently this enhances its health-promoting properties - who knew??). Fill a steam with about three inches of water and let it come to a boil over medium high heat. While that's happening, chop your (cleaned and stemmed) kale into 1/2 inch wide slices, and then cut it again crosswise, so you have some nice bite-sized pieces. Once the water is boiling, add the kale to the steamer and cover it, steaming for a total of five minutes.

Transfer the kale (while still hot) to a salad bowl and toss it with the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Let come to room temperature and serve topped with the feta and sunflower seeds. 

Note: I ate an entire bowl of this myself one day for lunch, so if you are preparing this for a crowd, you might want to multiply the recipe accordingly.

 

The Foodmomiac Summer Salad Dressing

I adapted this recipe from one that was shared in the Harvest Moon Farms CSA newsletter. They send me the newsletter every week, and for every item that is going to be in my CSA box, they provide a recipe. This one seemed too simple to be a stand-out, but I am in love. It is the perfect light vinaigrette for a hot summer day.

The agave syrup was my addition, as the originally recipe called for sugar. If you don't have agave syrup (available at health food stores like Whole Foods), feel free to go back to sugar or try maple syrup.

Simple Vinaigrette

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tb plus 2 tsp. sherry wine vinegar (you can also use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. agave syrup
2 tsp. sea salt

Combine all of the above ingredients in a salad cruet or a jar with a lid, and shake very well to combine. Store in your refrigerator for up to a month. Remove about 30 minutes before use to give the oil enough time to warm up (the dressing will separate in the fridge since it is homemade and doesn't have any stabilizers). 

An Update on Me (and an introduction to Sway Group!)

My initial thought that working from home would free up oodles of time to get blogging done appears to have been woefully misguided. Alas, I have been moving 100 miles/hour.

For those who didn't hear (though these days with Twitter and Facebook, it's hard not to be apprised of daily happenings), I officially launched my company on June 20! It's called Sway Group, and you can read all about it on the Sway Group site, or in the amazing article that was published in AdAge on the day of our launch. 

I am still trying my hardest to keep my life balanced. I am happy to report that the laundry is still getting done, and my plants are happily watered. My home office is half organized, but I know where it needs to go. So that's something.

Last week, Michael handed me a copy of the 4-Hour Workweek, and I devoured it in just a day or two. While I don't see myself adopting all of Tim Ferriss' ideas (I just don't think I will ever be able to winnow myself down to checking email just once a week. I can barely survive checking just once an hour.), I found it fascinating, and I have been looking at my daily life through an entirely different lens.

For example, what am I doing now that can be outsourced? How can I automate the time-wasting stuff that fills my days to free up more time? What exciting things would I actually DO if I had more time?

Have any of you read his book? What did you think? 

I need your design help!

In early spring, Michael and I made a list of the things we'd like to do around the house. At the top of the list was improving our curb appeal. We got a new retaining wall built on our parkway (the area between the sidewalk and the street) and had it planted with shade-loving perennials:

Then, I used my mad gardening skills to plant a window box:

And a pot for our front porch:

Next up is replacing our ugly door. I had the door guy out yesterday, and the process seems relatively painless, but we need to pick the color.Here is where I need your help. Michael wants a really nice wood door. Most of the really nice houses in our neighborhood have gorgeous wood doors. And I love them. But most of those houses are built of darker brick and don't have green windows. Since we are stuck with our green windows (and our green porch, though that is paint-able), I think we need to embrace the green.

I did my best to mock up the two door options. The green looks slightly off, here, but I saw an actual sample yesterday, and it does match the windows perfectly. So... what say you Internet? Green door or wood door?

A Proud Mom Moment

This post was supposed to feature BOTH kids, but I can't get the video of Dylan's ice skating competition (she was amazing) into the right format for the web. So, while I work on that, please to enjoy this adorable video of Mr. Max, giving a speech at his kindergarten graduation. 

 

Here are the chicks he mentions (he wasn't referring to his female classmates, though it was HYSTERICAL when one of other kids cited "picking up chicks" as a favorite memory).

 

Themed Dinners - Hawaiian Dinner Night

It's super easy to get in a rut with weeknight dinners, and I've often been tempted to institute themed dinners as a way to get past that. There are some themes that are easy and obvious (taco night, spaghetti night, breakfast for dinner night), but I would love to be more creative.

One of the themes I've wanted to try is Hawaiian Dinner night. We went to Hawaii with the kids in April, and I think that a Hawaiian Dinner would be an amazing way to relive the memories.

We could do Hawaiian plate lunches for dinner. I'm thinking... chicken teriyaki (this one looks amazing), sushi rice and macaroni salad. Or maybe we could even go nuts and have Loco Moco (hamburger patties and rice topped with gravy and a fried egg). For dessert, I'm thinking Chocolate Haupia Pie (this one?). 

Do you guys have any creative themed dinner ideas? 

Meet the newest members of our family

This is Ruby:

She is a crawfish (or crayfish). I happen to be a huge fan of EATING crawfish, but Ruby is a pet. Dylan's class had 10 crawfish this year, and they learned all about them, including dietary habits, skeletal structure, what their eggs look like, etc.. We also went crawfish hunting in the Chicago River on a field trip:

Who says the big city doesn't have nature? We've got nature! (with a side of graffiti!)

Ruby isn't from the Chicago River (those guys got put back after they were examined by the 3rd graders). She was ordered by Dylan's teacher from some kind of crawfish catalog, and we were one of the lucky families who got to take one home now that the school year has come to an end.

Michael didn't want Max to feel left out, so when he went to Petco to get Ruby's container and gravel, he bought a betta fish. This is Jack:

Jack is on the left - his friend the pirate skeleton keeps him company. 

Did any of you get custody of the classroom pets? I have to say that I'm glad Ruby is not a hamster. 

Never Say Never

This post has nothing to do with Justin Bieber, but I couldn't resist using this title and showing his cute face. Dylan and I watched Never Say Never this weekend with her Aunt Megen, and we all have been struck down with Bieber fever. I am not ashamed to admit it. 

Anyway, what I REALLY wanted to write about is the fact that we signed up to do a CSA (community supported agriculture) again this summer. We are going with Harvest Moon Farms again, which is the same farm we did last year. I thought the quality was decent, but I'm mostly swayed by the fact that they have pick up just a couple of blocks from my house. You really can't beat that convenience.

I had no plans to do the CSA again, especially now that I am working from home. I really thought I would just jet around to various farmers markets and grab produce that way. However, I am just as busy at home as I was while working out of the house, and it isn't always convenient to get to a market. 

I will still ABSOLUTELY get to farmers markets throughout the summer, but I just don't want to rely on them for fresh, local produce. Anyone else out there planning on joining a CSA?

Remembering Evannah Wiley

Michael's Granny passed away a week ago today, and we are in Toledo this weekend for her funeral. We all miss her very much, but she died at the age of 96 while smiling at a joke. I don't know that anyone could ask for more than that.

Michael and I worked together on Granny's obituary last week, and I thought I'd share some of the highlights (the full obit is located here).

Evannah Elizabeth Wiley died peacefully on Friday, May 27, 2011, at the age of 96. She was surrounded by loved ones. Evannah was born on February 18, 1915, in the town of Bluffton, Ohio. A consummate storyteller, one of Evannah's favorite stories was of her own birth. Born to musician Clarence Bracey and Iva Bracey (nee Nonnemaker), she was premature; weighing under two pounds. Her makeshift cradle was a shoebox, and her name was chosen because such a tiny baby needed a grand name.

Evannah was known for her sassy attitude. She was always well behaved in the company of her husband, but when he died in 1981, all bets were off. Family and friends have scores of stories about Evannah's antics, and she brought smiles to all of those she touched. Evannah was a wonderful cook. In fact, she always cooked enough for a small army, whether she was cooking for just herself, or for family. She lived independently until the time of her death. Evannah was very involved in the American Legion Auxiliary, Pond Post 99 and was an auxiliary staff member at Buckeye Girls State. She also volunteered for the state mental hospital. Evannah also enjoyed working word find puzzles and wanted to always be on the 'go'. She never had a driver's license, though her attempt to get one after the death of her husband was humorous and legendary.