Monthly Archives: March 2012

The Spring Fling: in the closet & under the bed

Posted by Melissa in Uncategorized

A little more spring cleaning around our house this weekend, mostly prompted by my husband cleaning out his closet.  I got on board today, finally, and organized my stuff–the toppling stacks of sweaters, the dangling straps of extra purses and the stuff that doesn’t even belong in that closet have all been sorted, tidied and put away.

BEFORE

AFTER

I bought a new bedskirt, so we used that as an excuse to rotate the mattress, wash the mattress pad and vacuum under the bed. The kids’ rooms got a quick vacuum, too. (Does anyone else in a multi-story house wish they had a vacuum for each floor? I dread dragging that heavy thing upstairs. If we had the storage space, I might consider it.)

I find that a little organizing begets a little more…so I found myself sorting through the shoes that had multiplied in the hall closet (people have been wearing boots one day and sandals the next). I put away the winter boots and all the slippers that the kids aren’t wearing anymore. I even recycled a bunch of magazines from the basket in our bedroom.

We have a new pile of things to donate, but it’s all bagged up and waiting for the next Amvets pick up. In the meantime, I just might find a few more things to add to it.

Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu

It’s Spring Break here at the Home Baked house, and we’re staying home. We have scheduled a couple of playdates, a visit to the Field Museum, and a whole lot of lounging about in our pajamas. The fridge is stocked with all sorts of goodies from a weekend shopping spree, so we are well prepared for relaxing and eating at home.

This morning, Miss Six is helping me choose a menu. We have two children’s cookbooks that I would recommend for kids aged six and up: DK Children’s Cookbook and Honest Pretzels. They have real recipes for foods I would actually eat–and often make myself–and are filled with engaging step-by-step photos or illustrations. With no homework to supervise and few activities, I’m feeling more adventurous and willing to put some effort into cooking this week, including cooking with the kids. I promised Miss Six we’d make some cinnamon sticky buns this afternoon, and maybe some fruity popsicles (or ice cream) and cookies later in the week. We finished off the frozen chocolate chip waffles this morning, and making something from scratch (probably while still in our pajamas) sounds infinitely more appealing that taking three kids to the grocery store.

Monday:  Artichokes with garlic mayonnaise, crostini with various toppings, orange & grapefruit salad

Tuesday: Cheese & potato pockets and tomato soup*

Wednesday: Penne with Asparagus, Peas, Mushrooms and Cream

Thursday: Braised pork ribs, smashed potatoes, kale with anchovies, garlic and pecorino (from Cook This Now)

Friday: Falafel and tzatziki*

*Meals selected by Miss Six

And now it’s time for me to get dressed, forage for lunch, and make sure that Little Four–recently introduced to the wonders of the computer–still has his mouse pointed to PBS Kids.

Do you like to get away for Spring Break, or stay home?

Swiss muesli–make it ahead, take it to go

Posted by Melissa in Food, Recipe

For anyone dashing out the door in the morning, too busy to eat breakfast first, this one’s for you. Going to the gym (nobody in my house, but I’ve heard of people who do) and then on to work, and need a quick breakfast in between? This is it. Like so many of my favorite recipes, it’s just a loose formula that you can adjust to your taste and what you happen to have in your pantry. Corner Bakery Café sells cups of Swiss oatmeal for over $4 to tempt rushed and hungry commuters. Obviously, it’s cheaper (and faster) to make it yourself at home the night before. Five minutes is all you need.

Swiss Muesli

serves 2-4

1 cup rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)

1 cup yogurt

1 cup fruit juice or milk

1/4 tsp. salt

fresh fruit, washed and sliced if necessary

Optional: wheat germ, bran, flax seed, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, dried fruit

In a bowl, stir together the oats, yogurt and juice or milk. Add whatever optional ingredients you like. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. If you’re short on time in the morning, go ahead and divide the mixture into individual containers and top with fresh fruit. On your way out the door, pop the container and an ice pack into your lunch bag. Eat your healthy breakfast when you get around to it and feel virtuous all day.

Extra tips:  If you use plain yogurt, you may want to add a little honey to the mixture. Flavored yogurt works just fine, too. Some people like to add the nuts at the last minute (presumably so they don’t get soggy), but I’m not that picky about it. This is also easy to make gluten-free, if you read the labels on your ingredients carefully.

Choose a chore, kids

Posted by Melissa in Cleaning, Kids

I’m still waiting for the magic moment of parenting when I can delegate a bunch of the routine housekeeping chores to my children. I want them to learn to be competent, self-sufficient adults who can care for themselves, and naturally, it would make my life a little easier. We’re still in the stage where they have to be reminded 17 times to brush their teeth, put their clothes down the laundry chute, and clear their plates. They can perform all those tasks acceptably, but the effort on my part to remind them repeatedly wears me down. And of course, teaching them each new task involves time and effort, too.

Clearly, I’m not the only parent who struggles with this. Did you see this blog post in the New York Times? All I can say is, I’m happy to report that my six- and nine-year-old can tie their own shoes (though my first grader tells me that not everyone in her class can do so).

We’ve flirted with chore charts before, but they’ve always been paper charts, so that I needed to print new ones every week. I liked the customizable charts at Goalforit, but was forever running out of printer ink or forgetting whether I’d paid the agreed allowance. If your child is old enough to fill in the chart online, it could be a great tool. It just didn’t work for us. The other down side was that I had to assign sets of chores to specific kids, and then they would get tired of doing those chores or argue that someone else had a better slate.

So I’ve been thinking about making some sort of reusable chore chart or system. Pinterest was a great resource for ideas. Most of the ones I found are a lot prettier than ours, but I don’t spend that much time crafting and I don’t have a ton of supplies. No stash of scrapbook paper, no Cricut machine, no assortment of craft sticks, magnets or chalkboard paint. I did not want to spend more at Hobby Lobby to make a homemade chart than it would cost to buy a cute finished one on Etsy.

I finally settled on a magnetic memo board from Ikea. I also bought the coordinating magnets, which are conveniently large enough to write on. I didn’t have much of a plan before I started, but I pulled out my set of Sharpies and a ruler and jumped in. I drew lines to mark off a section for each child, and left a section for the unused magnets. I wrote a chore and its value on each magnet (there are multiples of some chores, like cleaning up the kitchen and tidying a room). Whenever they like, the kids can choose a chore to do and then put the magnet on their section. When I get around to paying them what they’re owed, I move the magnet back down. And from now on, they will use their earnings for school book orders and other small treats, or they can save for something larger.

One week in to the system, it seems to be working. They like the element of choice (what to do and when to do it) and the ability to earn more for doing more. I like that I don’t have to calculate anything or remind, nag or bribe anyone. I have had to supervise and give some direction for some chores, but the older two have surprised me with their skills. I’m really optimistic that this system might last. I can add and subtract chores from the chart as the kids grow. And just days after I hung the chart, all three kids had tidied their rooms, loaded the dishwasher and begged for a turn to clean the bathroom sink. It’s progress.

A safe haven from pollen

Posted by Melissa in Cleaning, Health, Kids, Laundry

The air outside smells so good. The trees are greening up, daffodils are bobbing in the breeze, and we can hear a woodpecker hammering away. The temperature is a perfect 73 degrees. But today I closed up all the windows, turned on the air conditioner, and dragged the vacuum cleaner upstairs, because my poor kid suffers from allergies to tree pollen.

This week his eyes have been red and watery, he’s had long stretches of serial sneezing, and last night, just after midnight, he had his first big nosebleed of the season. Our pediatrician recommended Claritin (we buy the generic loratadine), which definitely helps manage his symptoms. We have also started giving him a dose of Benadryl at bedtime to manage the watery eyes and sneezing, which often triggers his nosebleeds. (The drowsiness side effect is just a bonus.) I am grateful that he doesn’t have asthma or any other condition that can be exacerbated by allergies, but the symptoms he does have can be miserable, distracting him at school and disturbing his nighttime sleep. I can’t put him in a plastic bubble. He has to go to school and I’m not going to discourage his active playtime outdoors. But here are a few ways we help him stay comfortable at home during the spring allergy season.

6 ways to alleviate pollen allergy symptoms:

  1. Close the windows. I hate to do it, but if the pollen isn’t blowing in, he isn’t breathing it.
  2. Especially in the bedroom, vacuum (with a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, if possible), dust with a damp cloth, and wash all the bedding in hot water.
  3. Change the furnace filter regularly.
  4. Have your child wear a hat outside and change clothes after playing outdoors for any length of time.
  5. Encourage kids to shower before bed. It rinses off the pollen (especially in their hair) that they’ve accumulated while playing outside, and the steam helps clear the nasal passages.
  6. To keep nasal passages moist and prevent nosebleeds, use a saline mist or ointment in the nose morning and night.

   

Now, if anyone can suggest six ways to convince a nine-year-old boy that taking a shower every day is a good idea, I’m all ears.

Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu

Here it is Monday again, and I don’t know what’s for dinner yet! What about you? Get out your pencils and let’s do it together!

Looking in my fridge, I see we have a bunch of leftovers. My first task is going to be transferring all the leftovers in large containers and pots and pans into smaller containers, perfect for popping into a lunch box. That will also give me a chance to assess what we have already that could inspire another meal this week.

A little messy!

(By the way, I love this set of food storage containers from Ikea. I have a set that I bought about four years ago, and though we’ve lost several containers, the ones we have left are in good shape. I like the clear plastic–BPA free!–and rectangular shapes for stacking in the fridge, and the lids seal well but aren’t too hard for a kid to open by herself. They wash up nicely in the top rack of the dishwasher. I just bought a new set and recycled a bunch of mismatched yogurt containers that were stuffed in the drawer. They are also so cheap that I don’t get upset if the kids lose some taking them back and forth to school–they’re awfully good about bringing them home, though.)

***

Hey, look how much space there is in the fridge now! I found several things, shall we say…past their prime? A couple completely empty containers, too! While I was at it, I wiped off the empty shelves and took out the garbage.

Much better.

But back to the menu….We have lots of potatoes and a little bit of corned beef, and a decent amount of meatballs and marinara from Sunday’s spaghetti dinner. A tomatillo, one big sweet potato, half a cabbage, celery, carrots, red pepper, lettuce, cilantro, apples, oranges, strawberries, limes, and tofu. I think my grocery list is going to be pretty short this week.

Monday: Chicken sausages, corned beef hash, salad

Tuesday: Meatball subs, Soybean and Cherry Tomato Salad

Wednesday: Crunchy Vietnamese Cabbage Salad with Tofu, potstickers

Thursday: Roast chicken, baked sweet potato fries, salad

Friday: Fish tacos, Black Bean Confetti Salad (with corn)

How do you manage your leftovers? Do you toss them, eat them, or transform them?


Corned beef and cabbage

Posted by Melissa in Food, Recipe, Reviews

Until a couple of years ago, I had never tried corned beef, and sort of assumed I wouldn’t like it. But one St. Patrick’s Day, my husband requested it, so I gave it a try. Turns out, I do like it, and it’s not difficult to make. The kids aren’t really fans (they’ll eat three bites and then fill up on soda bread), so this year I bought a very small piece of corned beef. There should still be enough leftovers for a couple sandwiches or maybe some corned beef hash for Sunday brunch.

I didn’t reinvent anything here, but this is the recipe I’ve used and and enjoyed. I always use the slow cooker, though, for eight hours on low. And this year we’re going to roast the cabbage to go alongside. We like roasted anything better than the steamed version.

What to do with all that extra cabbage? If I cooked the whole head, we’d run out of corned beef long before we finish the cabbage. Melissa Clark gave three great recipe suggestions in her latest New York Times column. I may try all three (I bet the kids will even eat the pasta), and save a little cabbage to go with fish tacos next week. We love our fish tacos!

By the way, I thought I’d share my favorite cookbook of the moment: Melissa Clark’s Cook This Now:120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can’t Wait to Make. Almost every recipe is simple enough for a busy weeknight, but both comforting and full of interesting flavors at the same time. Between our collection of 20-some years’ worth of cooking magazines, several shelves groaning under the weight of cookbooks, and millions of recipes on the Internet, I’m now very selective before buying a new cookbook. I like to try before I buy, so I checked this one out of the library. After making half a dozen dishes (carefully avoiding splatters on the library book), and many more I wanted to try, I plunked down the Amazon gift card I’d been hoarding and bought my own copy. This book would also make a wonderful wedding or housewarming gift for any cook, novice or experienced.

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Green beer, anyone? 

A little spring cleaning

Posted by Melissa in Cleaning, Kids, Organizing

Feels like spring! With temperatures in the 70s this week, I was propelled to do a little work in the garage. Nothing major, but I finally gathered all the boxes we flung into the garage on Christmas Day, plus all the ones we tossed on top of the pile in the months since. I even got them all out to the curb in time for the recycling truck. Okay, there’s still one giant box from the new desk in our bedroom and a stack of styrofoam, but I plan to break that down and get it into next week’s garbage (unfortunately, it seems there is only one recycler of styrofoam in Illinois, and it’s not that close). Now the kids can find their scooters and there’s an actual path from the door to the van that isn’t strewn with crumpled wrapping paper and plastic grocery bags.

The next day I took the string of snowflake lights down from the porch and put away the basket of snow toys. I wiped down the tables and chairs and dragged the porch rug out of the basement. I even cleaned the light fixtures. A couple hours after I set the chairs at precise angles and swept all the pine needles from the concrete, half a dozen kids gathered, lounged on the porch swing, scattered pine cones, doodled with sidewalk chalk, and tossed each other’s shoes into the hedge.

    

I love having a front porch.

Pasta with pesto

Posted by Melissa in Food, Kids, Recipe

No doubt the internet is awash with pesto recipes, but just in case you haven’t been inspired to make your own, I’m sharing ours. If you have small children who have not yet declared their undying hatred for green food, then I would advise putting “Green Noodles” into your meal rotation as soon as possible. My kids regularly snub green vegetables, but when a bowl of green noodles appears in front of them, they magically shut up and eat. Whew!

Once you’ve made it a few times, you’ll be able to get dinner on the table in about 20 minutes, or however long it takes to boil a pot of pasta. (I like to keep angel hair pasta or capellini on hand because it cooks in just 4-6 minutes.) Add a salad (sometimes just sliced tomatoes with a drizzle of vinegar and oil) and some crusty bread if you have it.

Pasta with pesto

1 lb. pasta (whole wheat, if you like)

a bunch of greens: basil, spinach or arugula, or a mixture; washed and dried

about 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, smashed

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)–omit if you have nut allergies

salt and pepper to taste

juice of half a lemon, optional

freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a couple teaspoons of salt to the water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before draining, scoop out about a cup of the pasta water and set it aside.

While the water is boiling, put the olive oil and garlic into a small microwaveable bowl. Warm the oil and garlic in the microwave for about a minute on half power. (You can do this on the stove top, too, in a small saucepan or metal measuring cup. And if you don’t mind the bite of raw garlic, you can skip this step entirely.) Fill the bowl of the food processor with your greens of choice, add the warm oil and garlic, salt and pepper. Purée the mixture until it is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and adding a little more olive oil when necessary. Taste the pesto, and add salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste.

Mix the drained pasta with the pesto, adding the reserved pasta water as needed by the 1/4 cup, until the pesto has coated all the pasta. Serve with grated parmesan.

Artichoke Heart Variation: Substitute the greens for one 14-ounce can of drained artichoke hearts. Add a small handful of parsley or spinach if you have it. Don’t leave out the lemon. We call this one “Yellow Noodles.”

Monday Menu

Posted by Melissa in Food, Monday Menu, Organizing

Once again, I went grocery shopping without making a menu plan first. Now I just have to get creative–sometimes easier said than done. I hit a good sale on chicken and Italian sausage and there are enough leftovers from tonight’s dinner for another meal, so I have someplace to start. And just because I write down a plan, doesn’t always mean I follow it. Last Wednesday I planned to try that new spinach pesto lasagna recipe, but the day got away from me. Instead I made a simple pesto on spaghetti, which is one of our very favorite easy and fast comfort meals. (If you haven’t made your own pesto before, you’re missing out. I’ll share my version with you tomorrow.) Of course, that meant that Friday we had pasta again–this time tuna pesto on linguine. I usually try to plan more variety, but sometimes you just need to get dinner on the table. Nobody seemed to mind.

Monday: Carroty Mac and Cheese

Tuesday: Leftover Night

Wednesday: Pasta with cheese and Italian sausage (something along these lines)

Thursday: Pan-roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts and Bacon

Friday: Hummus, pita, Greek salad

Saturday: Corned beef and cabbage