Halloween - from the past

 

Here is our first Halloween as parents.  Mr. M is dressed up as a policeman!  He never made it to trick or treat, but we had fun.

Mr. M's second Halloween - a giraffe!!!

 The next Halloween is Winnie!!!!

 Then we have a fire fighter

 And now we have TWO kids - BUZZ and a Red Sox Player!

 The year of the APPLE and the Lady bug!

 Winnie returns - with a TOOTH!

 Transformer and a ROCKET!!!!

 Mario and Princess Peach

 Strawberry Shortcake and a Scary Dude!

Last year we have Tinkerbell and ANIMAL from the Muppets

Surprise - It is GOOD - Potato and Cheese Croquettes

First, make some mashed potatoes!

Take two large IDAHO BAKING potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks) and cook them in a large pot of boiling water for 20 minutes.  Drain the potatoes.  Put them in the pot (no water) and add 4 T. of butter, 1/2 cup half and half and salt and pepper.  Use a potato masher.

NEXT


While the mashed potatoes are still warm, add 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese into the potatoes.  Beat in one egg yolk.  Shape the mashed potatoes into 16 balls.

Spread out 4 T all purpose flour on a plate.  On another plate put a beaten egg and on another plate combine 2 c breadcrumbs and 1 T parmsean cheese (shredded).  Roll the potato balls in the flour, dip into egg and coat in bread crumbs. 

Arrange on a plate.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a skillet and fry the balls in batches 5-10 minutes - turning so that the balls are brown and crisp.

Remove and place on paper towels.

Serve hot!

Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies

Another great recipe this week!

Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies  - makes 16 yummy bars

The kids can’t take them to school because the brownies are too gooey.  Had to bring them to work.

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup baking cocoa
¼ t. salt
1 stick of butter, cut into pieces
½ c granulated sugar
½ c. brown sugar
3 large eggs, divided
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans
¾ c white morsels (I used cappuccino, since I didn’t have white)
½ c caramel ice cream topping
¾ c semi-sweet chocolate morsels

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 8 inch square baking pan.
 
Combine flour, cocoa and salt in bowl. 
 
Beat butter and both sugars in mixer until creamy.  Add TWO eggs, beating well.  Add vanilla and mix. 
 
Gradually add in flour mixture.  Mix til combined. 
 
Put ¾ c of batter into a measuring cup.
 
Pour the rest of the batter into the pan.  Sprinkle with nuts and cappuccino chips.  Drizzle caramel topping over the top.  Beat remaining egg and batter in mixer until light in color.  Stir in semi-sweet morsels.  Spread over caramel topping.
 
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is set.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Another New Recipe - Pasta with Spiced Butter Sauce

I checked out a new cookbook, called PLENTY, from the library.  So far, I have made two great meals, including this pasta with spiced butter sauce.  Originally the recipe calls for homemade pasta, but I used premade pasta.  The original recipe serves 4, but I got 6 servings out of the recipe.  I also made a few more changes

One pound of pasta

Spiced butter
2 sticks of butter
4 tbsp. olive oil
4 whole shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. salt
black pepper

½ c pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped

4 tbsp. roughly chopped cilantro

 

Cook pasta according to box, and drain.

 

In a large fry pan, melt butter and oil.  Add shallots and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the spices and remove from heat.  Put the drained pasta in a serving bowl.  Add butter sauce, and then add pine nuts and cilantro.  Serve.  I served with a salad, and a side of honey glazed carrots.

Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Boston Globe Magazine – October 6, 2013

4¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda, and set aside. In a stand-mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugars on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs, mixing until homogeneous, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and mix on medium until barely combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter from the bottom to the top several times to ensure the mixture is homogeneous.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop large balls (about 2½ tablespoons of batter) onto the sheet, leaving 1½ inches between the cookies, for about 10 cookies per sheet. Bake 15 minutes, rotating racks halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven when cookies are light golden brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes on the sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat.

Rice with Lentils and Carmelized Onions

I made this one night for dinner, and the kids had friends over, and everyone loved this.  The friends asked for leftovers to bring home!

Adapted from Persian Food from the Non Persian Bride by Reyna Simnegar

SERVES 12

RICE
3 cups basmati rice, rinsed
8 cups water
2 T salt
1/2 t. turmeric
1/2 c canola oil

RICE TOPPING
1/2 brown lentils, rinsed
1 1/2 c water
1 onion, caramelized (roughly chop an onion.   Heat a fry pan with a bit of oil and cook onion over high heat until it turns golden brown, then turn heat down to low and continue to cook onion for 25 minutes until brown.  Stir while on low.  Remove from heat and set aside.

POTATO
canola oil
2 T water
1/2 t saffron powder
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced


Fill a large non stick pot with 8 cups of water, add oil, salt and turmeric.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

Make the rice topping - in a saucepan bring the water and lentils to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

When the water and turmeric boils, add the rice and cook uncovered over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally.  After five minutes, take a grain of rice and see it is al dente.  If it is, turn off heat, and drain rice over strainer.  Set rice aside.  Then stir rice and lentils together.

Place the large non stick pot on the stove top over medium heat with 1/4 inch of canola oil.  Add 2 T of water.  Add saffron powder and stir.  Add sliced potato in a single layer.  Then add rice and shape it into a pyramid.  Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the rice begins to steam.  Uncover and place one cloth towel around the cover and put the cover back on the pan.  Make sure all ends of the towel are ON TOP of the cover, so that the ends aren't near the heat source.  Reduce to low and cook for 45 minutes.

Serve on a platter or in a bowl and put the caramelized onions and potatoes onto the rice.  Serve hot.

Child Care

As a working mom, I have depended on child care providers to help with my children.  We started out in 2002 at Brookline Infant Toddler Center (called BITC), in Auburndale, MA.  Both of our children thrived at this daycare.  The teachers there are wonderful, and many have been there for years, which in the child care world is rare.  The infant room was wonderful, especially when my son had numerous ear infections that resulted in him having tubes, which removed ear infections from his life.  The older infant room and the toddler room were great places for the kids to learn and explore.  The three's room was next, and the teachers there LOVE the threes.  And the last two years are preschool I and preschool II.  The teachers were our partners.  She was concerned with our daughter's health.  When my son was receiving services, the teachers in the toddler room, requested that the Early Intervention therapist come into the classroom and see him in a school setting.When our daughter needed to keep a journal of everything she ate in the toddler room, the teacher assisted us.  The same teachers who taught our son.  After nine years of daycare, I cried that we were leaving their nest for good - after nine wonderful years.  My wallet did not cry, but I cried.  They were my extended family.  We visit every once in awhile to see our family.  We used to stop by more often with donations of outgrown toys, but sadly we are out of those also.

We then found Rec Place as our elementary after school program.  Nance Miller is a wonderful program leader, and has a staff of caring teachers and junior teachers.  Nance introduced the kids to many wonderful things, including pumpkin picking without your parents, having a service dog trainer come into the program, and other wonderful things.  Nance believes in child nutrition and has an array of fresh fruits and vegetables every day at the program that the children can eat.  She cares about the environment and teaches the children that by having re-usable plates and glasses.  She installed an industrial dishwasher so the program could continue using plates and glasses.  She lives by her words.  Last year, our son was a senior in the program - a fifth grader.  He finally got to sit in the senior lounge, and he and the guys hung out there.

We also found Meadowbrook Day Camp in Weston, which has been a wonderful program.  My kids really learned how to swim under Candy's direction.  The kids learned to love archery.  The kids played tennis, soccer, baseball and basketball.  The kids had ropes and dancing and music.  The kids love it there.  Dan, the director, is a wonderful director, and his family is wonderful.

Our son attends The Highlands After School Program, and we are discovering another new family.  This program has two middle schools that use the program, and they are right in the center of the village.  So far our child has enjoyed his time there. 

As a parent it is important for me to find safe and fun places for my child to learn and explore.  And all of these come with a price.  All of these cost money, and I have to say, I feel like these are the best people to watch my children when I am at work.