Renaissance life in a post-modern world
Posted in Family and Children on May 30th, 2008
The best laid plans for preparing dinner can be so easily disrupted. It may be that you just forgot to thaw whatever was needed for your meal. One of your children may have needed particular attention during the day. Perhaps an acquaintance unexpectedly dropped by to visit. For me the problem usually occurs when I have not [...]
Posted in Cleaning and Organizing on May 28th, 2008
Wikipedia defines a sous-chef de cuisine as the “direct assistant of the executive chef…”. About.com:Restauranting goes on to explain that a sous-chef is “directly involved with food production…”. As I prepare a meal, I enlist one of my children to be my sous-chef. I have actually taken to using the term incorrectly as a verb [...]
Posted in Recipes on May 26th, 2008
Memorial Day is here, marking the moment we step into summer. Up here in the north, plans for summer outings include biking on terrific trails, boating on crystal clear lakes, canoeing down lazy rivers, and definitely dining al fresco.
Whether you find yourself at a picnic or simply in your backyard, dining in the fresh air should [...]
Posted in Recipes on May 23rd, 2008
My favorite cooking magazines are Gourmet and Bon Appetit. I find them to be quite inspiring. The covers are always beautiful and the pages are filled with ideas for seasonal fare. Unfortunately, I do not routinely have the time needed to prepare the terrific recipes I find in these magazines. Even the “Gourmet in 15 [...]
Posted in Family and Children on May 20th, 2008
As spring evolves into summer thoughts turn towards family vacations. Anticipating and planning the upcoming jaunts can be as enjoyable as the trip itself. However, family vacations can be punctuated with stressful moments if you are not careful. Here are a few tips to help you plan and execute a lovely summer excursion, no matter [...]
Posted in Family and Children on May 15th, 2008
Children’s birthday parties changed forever at our house in about 1994. Once again, I found myself in the midst of 20 - 30 very young children as I attempted to create a lovely memory for my son’s birthday. I was completely caught up in the Southern California children’s birthday hooplah. First, you had to come up with a unique theme. Then [...]
Posted in Cleaning and Organizing on May 13th, 2008
Children are so malleable. In general, they desire to please their parents. However, it is a fallen world and they need constant direction, discipline and training. This is such a deep topic, open to discussion and controversy. Today I am just going to graze the surface and talk about children and chores, particularly in regards [...]
Posted in Recipes on May 10th, 2008
Why bake a cake? The thought of actually baking a cake from scratch can be daunting. Let’s face it: every grocery and package store can fill your cake needs for any and all occasions. So , why bake a cake? It actually can be a delightful experience for you and your family. Children are delighted with cakes you bake [...]
Posted in Recipes on May 6th, 2008
I love cooking with wine. It enhances the flavor of so many dishes: stews, soups, sauces, rice and even breads. It can transform a flat recipe into a fabulous one. I generally substitute some of the liquid in a recipe with wine.
I keep a versatile selection of red and white wines on hand. I am always [...]
Posted in Gardening on May 2nd, 2008
I have historically enjoyed gardening all year long. This is hard to imagine since I live “up north” where it snows for 6 or 7 months every year. Even in the depths of winter the idea of gardening can flourish. I browsed through seed catalogues in January. I planned and re-planned my garden throughout February and March. [...]
