Wow

Regardless of your political affiliation, November 4, 2008 will be* a very monumental day. We will elect either an African American man as President or woman as Vice President** of the United States. This is an election that will go down in the history books, no hanging chads necessary.


Note: You will not find political opinions anywhere within this blog. If that's what you are looking for, you've come to the wrong place.

*Of course other minor parties could win, but until people can get past the "D" or the "R" after a candidates name it will be unlikely.
**The only way this could be better is if the woman was running against the African-American man for President.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

What could be better than homemade tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich? I can't think of anything either.

With the little tomato eater's digestive track keeping her out of the great cherry tomato eating race, my cherry tomatoes were starting to accumulate. What to do with over 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes, what to do???

Make soup! I love the recipe that has been passed down from Grams to G-Mama, but that used large tomatoes...so I had to punt on this one and mix it up a little.

Cream of Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup

2 lbs (or 3 pints) cherry tomatoes

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

milk (equal to processed tomatoes)

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp italian seasoning blend

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 500F. Place tomatoes in a large baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the tomatoes for 20 minutes in the oven, they will burst open. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer tomatoes to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Place into a large measuring cup, it should yield about 4 cups.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter. Add tomatoes and heat until simmering. Remove from heat, add baking soda and stir, it will foam.

In large measuring cup measure out an equal amount of milk to processed tomatoes. Slowly stir in, spoonful by spoonful, the tomatoes as not to curdle the milk. Once most of the tomatoes have been mixed with the milk add back into saucepan, add italian seasoning and salt; heat gently and serve.

The Great MN Get Together

Today T-Daddy and I took CiBaby to her first MN State Fair! T-Daddy's group from work was there for "team building" so we tagged along.

Mama won her baby a honey stick with her vast knowledge of gardening...

less than 30 minutes after entering the gate CiBaby crashed in her stroller...

there was waving at animals and mascots...

a ride down the giant slide...

CzaMama found the ever elusive MN Grey duck*...


eating the 2 "Cs," cookies and corn...


new friends...


odd food...

groovin' to the tunes...

AND baby animals!!!

It was a great day in the life at the fair!

*Here in MN we grew up playing Duck, Duck, Grey Duck...which most people call Duck, Duck Goose...maybe that's because they don't have grey ducks! Who knew?!?

Crazy fun weekend

This past weekend was just that, crazy fun.

Saturday morning T-Daddy drove Big Sister Northwest to start a new chapter in her in her life. G-Mama whisked CiBaby off for a day of fun and frolic and T-Daddy and I partied.

The afternoon began with one of the most beautiful and touching ceremonies where two people committed to a life together.

Then came the after party. What a rockin' fun night. Not only was the location great, the band was awesome and it ended up being a mini class reunion (there was about 10 of us in all). We had blast.

Then came Sunday. I had decided awhile back that I was going to host a mojito party on our back patio as part of a Mom's Night Out event with our Moms group. I studied up on mojitos as I'd never made them myself and found the perfect recipe. Of course I had to try them out pre-party...I wouldn't want to serve a bad drink!

Sunday morning started with finding a couple recipes for that evening's appetizers that were compatible with what is growing in the garden.

Eggplant Hummus
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup drained canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons (generous) tahini
2 roasted garlic cloves*
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, then score flesh in crisscross pattern at 1-inch intervals, 1/2 inch deep. Rub cut sides with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt. Place eggplant on rimmed baking sheet, cut side down; bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly, then scoop flesh into processor (discard skins). Add garbanzo beans, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic; puree until mixture is almost smooth. Transfer to bowl; stir in parsley. Season hummus to taste with salt and pepper.

*The recipe calls for 1 garlic clove, minced, but since the oven was hot I roasted a bulb of garlic. If you don't know how, let me know and I'll give you the 411.


Tomato, Red Onion, and Basil Bruschetta
2 cups assorted heirloom tomatoes, seeded, chopped and squeezed of excess liquid
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
2 roasted garlic cloves, mashed
salt and pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes, finely chopped onion, olive oil, chopped fresh basil, garlic and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl; season tomato topping with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Topping can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.


I also served Slightly Sweet Dill Refrigerator Pickles and Dukkah, which I made a few days before. These five things were mixed in with all of the other wonderful treats the other ladies brought.

And last, but definitely not least, the mojitos.

Ultimate Mojitos from Ryan McGale at No. 9 Park in Boston
15 mint leaves, plus 1 mint sprig for garnish
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounch Mint Syrup (see below)
Ice
2 1/2 ounces light rum
1 ounce chilled club soda (although we topped off the glasses with the soda, so there was probably more than 1 oz)

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the min leaves with the lime juice and Mint Syrup. Add ice and the rum, shake well and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. top with the club soda and garnish with the mint sprig. Add more syrup to taste.

Mint Syrup
In a heatproof bowl, pour 1/2 cup hot Simple Syrup (see below, again) over 1 packed cup of mint leaves. Cover and let the syrup steep overnight in the refrigerator. Strain and refrigerate covered, for up to 1 week. Makes 4 ounces of syrup.

Simple Syrup
Combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool and refrigerate in a tightly covered glass jar until ready to use. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of syrup.

The gin option. To make a very delicious gin mojito you replace the rum with gin and the mint syrup with regular simple syrup, add a sprig or two of cilantro to the mint for muddling, and if you're daring, add a slice of habanero chili pepper right before shaking or a Thai chili pepper to the glass.

And they're off!

Her bags/boxes are packed and she's on her way.

T-Daddy and Big Sister just left the driveway after many hugs and kisses from myself and CiBaby, and a few tears from T-Daddy, they're headed 70ish miles Northwest to start a new chapter in Big Sister's life...living away from home.

It's going to be weird around the house. She moved in with us 6 months after we bought our house, so she's basically always been here. Sure there was the ups and downs of teenage turmoil but it won't be the same around here now that she's gone.

I believe with all my heart that she will soar with these newly unfurled wings of hers.

N, I love you and believe you have great things in store. Dazzle them. You can do it.

Give us this day our daily...

Bread? Who needs bread when you can have VEGGIES!

I'll forgive your trespasses, just don't trespass in my garden.

*All veggies shown were harvested from our garden this morning.

Are you a slacker mom?

I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to know the answer to this quiz.

Your quiz score makes you: Zen Mom (ha!)

How do you do it? Even when explosions are all around, you are able to take a deep cleansing breath and chant your mantra "this too shall pass." You are a calming influence on your kids in a hectic world.

Well, what do you know, I'm not a slacker! What kind of mom* are you?

*Dads can also take this quiz.

Meal from the garden

Call me cheap, thrifty, what-have-you, but there's nothing better than walking out to your garden and finding a meal at hand...that is unless you're going to take me out for a nice dinner.

Tonight we had just that. First, CiBaby and I gathered up 11 large slicing cucumbers (shared 2 with our neighbor CeCe) and a few Egyptian Walking Onions, we added that to a bunch of heirloom tomatoes and a couple of French round zucchini harvested during the past couple of days and voila...dinner!

The zucchini and onions were turned into Too-Cheap-to-buy-Crab Cakes (a.k.a. Mock Crab Cakes*). If you have not tried these yet, I encourage you to do so with the ever plentiful zucchini your neighbors pawn off on you. They're awesome, you'll even fool your friends and family...that is unless they see the green, but whatever.

Too-Cheap-to-buy-Crab Cakes

2 cups coarsely grated zucchini, unpeeled
(squeeze out as much liquid as you can)

1 onion, finely chopped or grated

1 cup Italian bread crumbs
(or 1/2 Italian, 1/2 plain or Panko - which I love)

1 tablespoon mayo

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

1 egg, beaten

Combine all ingredients. Adjust texture if necessary;
too dry, add more egg; too wet, add more bread crumbs.

Heat oil (I like Extra Virgin olive oil for these) in a skillet.
Form mixture into thin patties and fry over medium heat for
2-4 minutes per side, you want a little browning going on,
so it might take longer.

The cakes were served with fresh cucumber slices and tomatoes sprinkled with natural smoked sea salt**.

DELISH I tell you. CiBaby and Big Sister even gave the 2-thumbs-up, pass-more-this-way-please approval!

*I by no means made up this recipe myselves, I just have a need to share it with the masses!
**Obtained at the Golden Fig. They have a wonderful selection of locally made, interesting food products.

Decisions, decisions

I need your help. T-Daddy and I are attending a Commitment Ceremony on Saturday and I need to look good. Really good. So I pose the question to you, my readers, What should I wear?

The ceremony is at 3:00 PM in a beautiful rose garden, the second oldest public rose garden in the United States. The reception begins at 6:00 PM and is being held at a very cool and funky art gallery. Neither venue will have air conditioning.

The attire for the day is from "summer chic" to "garden glamour." Decisions, decisions.

Ensemble A

Ensemble B

Or Both*

Both ensembles are equal in comfort and personal confidences. Please vote up on the left hand side. Comments are also welcome.

*Many of the event attendees are from out of town and will be "freshening up" (i.e. changing clothes) between the events, as will the couple. Also, I will be going home between the two events.

As of 8/22/08
Dress A: 8
Dress B: 2
Both: 9

I went with both and it was probably a good thing. Standing in the sun at the wedding made me a tad sweaty.

To the Zoo!

Today CiBaby and I ventured out to the zoo. I'm a bit embarrased to say that this was the first time I've taken her, but she's been there with G-Mama and Bopa before, and it's been ages since I'd been there (minus the wedding on the coldest day this past winter)...it's BEAUTIFUL! According to G-Mama, we went there all the time when I was a tike, and I LOVED the conservatory...I still do.

So, off we went...

this is fish watching position...

had to take in the "mingos"...

rode the carousel with friends...

tell me, who could deny this face???

and we saw gorgeous butterflies!!! (These butterflies were
eating some of CiBaby's favorite fruits. Maybe she's not
part fruit bat, she's part butterfly!)

it was a full couple of hours, so home we went.

It was a wonderful day at the zoo.

The Princess and the Pee

You read that correctly...pee. CiBaby has her very own throne.

CiBaby's been showing the signs that it's time to start thinking about potty training. We didn't want to do it too soon or force it upon her, as she was forced to go in a potty chair when she was in China...and she hated it. Cried like you wouldn't believe. So, we've been waiting for her to give the "thumbs up" that she was ready.

So while shopping for college dorm room essentials for Big Sister, CiBaby picked out her very own potty...and Dora was it. Talk about starting over!

Of course our current throne room is a wee bit on the tight side, so CiBaby must duck her head when she feels the urge to reign.

Whew!

20 kids + 14 moms = organized chaos

That's how many people were at our house this fine morning for my first official, on the calendar, large group playdate! Thankfully some handy helpers (thanks ladies!!!) were right on time to get the place ready for the playdate...because of course it had to rain last night, and thankfully held off raining again until after everyone had left.

There was food and bevvie (of course, what's a playdate with out those things?!), lots of great conversations between moms and kids, flirting (amongst the kids), ball throwing, car driving, hand holding, sand digging, outdoor cooking, tomato picking, snack eating...really, all of the good things life has to offer.

Organized chaos is da'bomb. I'm so honored we are able to be in the thick of it.

*I'd post the pics I took, but to tell you the truth, they pretty much blow chunks.