Ahhh... the dining habits of a two-year-old. One day nothing but wheat bread with peanut butter (crusts off) and the next day three full-course meals with snacks, desserts, appetizers... whatever he can get his hands on.
What is it with toddlers and their ability to fast for days at a time yet put on weight? It sounds like something from my most horrible nightmares about dieting. Jack will begin to cut a tooth (a one-to-two month process) and will immediately begin rejecting food, sometimes just out of habit. I suspect him of really being able to eat but fasting to annoy me when he wakes up in the night reciting the names of various foods: "S'getti, cookie, cackers..." All the starchy, carb-filled foods.
When he does eat, nothing can touch. It's actually okay for carrots and macaroni and cheese to intermingle, but forget casseroles, lasagna, quiche or any other food that is a mixture. After all, Mommy may have put something healthy in there. He wants his food out where he can get a good look at it.
My friend has a little angel who innocently requests a type of food only to reject it when it's served in favor of something else. Tears, tantrums and fasting ensue if she doesn't get her way. Her mother is kept busy running a one-woman diner. "Of course," we all think to ourselves, "she's ridiculous. She should have a little discipline." Oh right. The child wants food! And just maybe this is the day she'll actually eat it.
Another friend has a child who has watched way too many Oreo commercials. One day, while we were on the phone, she kept interrupting our conversation to say over her shoulder, "No, you are not done. Pick them all up. NOW!" Her three-year-old had split apart an entire bag of Oreos licked the cream filling out -- discarding the unwanted cookie part on the kitchen floor. If that were at our house, Jack would be trailing after him eating the cookies right off the flloor. They're convenient, already split apart, and illicit.
A couple of women I know try to avoid the lack of nutrition that comes with selective eating and fasting by subsituting sugarless cookies and healthy snacks. I guess that works out okay for the kids, but what about the poor parents who have to eat up the leftovers when the child is finished? I think we're all in agreement that we'd rather have a leftover bowl of Honeycomb than a slimy cold bowl of oatmeal. Even Goldilocks wouldn't eat it.
That takes us to the logical conclusion of toddler fasting: parental obesity. Well we're not going to just throw all that perfectly good food away, are we? One mother doesn't bother fixing herself lunch anymore; she just eats her child's leftovers. I go the other route: 27 little tiny containers in the refrigerator each containing three beans or a spoonful of mac and cheese. Then every couple of weeks or so I throw it all out because it's green and leafy in a manner more suited for a laboratory than a stomach. But see, it wasn't wasted. I did save it.
I've got a lot longer to go in the fast lane. Ideally Jack will begin to eat regularly in a few years around the time he gives up the pacifier, the bottle, gets potty-trained, and starts school. But those are other stories.
(Editor's Note: This article was written nearly 14 years ago for a mom's club newsletter. Jack is now 15.5 and eating everything in the house. His younger brother still resides in the fast lane on occasion.)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
DIY Liqueur
Who said "home ec" only consisted of sewing potholders or baking cupcakes? You can have fun in the kitchen making an exotic liqueur -- best of all, it's work that is done in stages, so you have plenty of time to relax and build up a big thirst.
This recipe for limoncello comes from the OC Register's November 27, 2008 edition. I found the recipe and immediately saw the possibilities for an excellent and unusual homemade Christmas gift for my husband. I enlisted the help of my 11-year-old son for the zesting of the lemons, which was a huge help. For a modest fee he may consider helping you, too.
Limoncello
Ingredients:
14 lemons
4 cups grain alcohol (I used a modest-priced vodka like Smirnoff's instead)
3 cups simple syrup (recipe following)
Cook's Notes: really cheap alcohol can give this drink a gasoline-like flavor.
Procedure:
- Wash, dry and peel lemons, trimming away any white pith. Put peels in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid (I used a Rubbermaid container, which was fine). You won't use the rest of the lemon in this recipe, so make Chicken Picatta for dinner or some lemonade.
- Add alcohol and seal. (I duct-taped the top just to make sure it didn't pop off.) Place in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight. Let sit for two weeks.
- Add simple syrup; stir and reseal. Return to its spot and let sit two more weeks.
- Strain liqueur through a double layer of cheesecloth into a pitcher or other easy-pouring vessel. Strain again through the cloth into individual jars or bottles. I used a dishcloth and strained it into a bowl. Then I used a measuring cup and poured straight into bottles using a funnel. No problem.
Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
2.5 cups water
3 cups sugar
Procedure:
- Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. Stirring occasionally, bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat a bit and keep mixture at low boil for the next five minutes.
- Set aside to cool in pan. Store in clean glass jar in refrigerator for up to one month if you're not planning to use it right away.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Lemon Tree, Very Pretty...
For Christmas this year, hubby and I decided to give each other homemade presents. He gave me a beautiful picture he created (see his work at www.lightstrokes.org) and I gave him homemade limoncello liqueur.
A friend graciously allowed me to harvest the lemons I needed from her tree -- 14 in all. I thought it was very generous of her, and said so, but she said, "They'd probably just fall to the ground and rot if you hadn't picked them."
Hmmmm... How many other people have full trees that are going to waste?
Enter Tom Sumpter of Sacramento. The entire transcript of his radio interview can be found here: http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2009/03/09/08_urban_fruit_030909.html but in essence he had a similar "aha moment" and decided to do something about it.
Sumpter organized teams of local folks who went picking. They found local homeowners with laden trees who were glad to donate their fruit in return for a clean backyard. The fruit went to an area food bank, hundreds of pounds in all.
It's a win-win situation for everyone. According to an article in a recent OC Register, food banks are giving out leftover holiday food and other mismatched types of items simply to be able to give out a bag of food. Fresh fruit would be a huge blessing for many people -- and yet it sits on trees in the backyards of people who may not have the time or energy to pick it. Having a group of people come to collect the fresh fruit and donate it for you seems like the best of all worlds.
It's food for thought.
A friend graciously allowed me to harvest the lemons I needed from her tree -- 14 in all. I thought it was very generous of her, and said so, but she said, "They'd probably just fall to the ground and rot if you hadn't picked them."
Hmmmm... How many other people have full trees that are going to waste?
Enter Tom Sumpter of Sacramento. The entire transcript of his radio interview can be found here: http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2009/03/09/08_urban_fruit_030909.html but in essence he had a similar "aha moment" and decided to do something about it.
Sumpter organized teams of local folks who went picking. They found local homeowners with laden trees who were glad to donate their fruit in return for a clean backyard. The fruit went to an area food bank, hundreds of pounds in all.
It's a win-win situation for everyone. According to an article in a recent OC Register, food banks are giving out leftover holiday food and other mismatched types of items simply to be able to give out a bag of food. Fresh fruit would be a huge blessing for many people -- and yet it sits on trees in the backyards of people who may not have the time or energy to pick it. Having a group of people come to collect the fresh fruit and donate it for you seems like the best of all worlds.
It's food for thought.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
New-To-Me
One of the favorite pieces of advice I hear from people who are trying to save money is "Buy your clothes at thrift stores." This is excellent advice if you A. Have an easy-to-fit body and B. Live near a thrift store that has quality clothing.
My size 14-"petite" (short and dumpy) body doesn't fit a whole lot at most thrift stores. Even if I'm lucky enough to find a pair of pants that I can button at the waist, they're generally dragging at the feet. Yes, I can take up a hem, but sometimes I'm just lazy.
There are a couple of good thrift stores in my neighborhood and I swing by once in awhile. They were great for the kids when they were young, but used boys' clothes in sizes that fit my pre-teen and teenager are usually pretty thrashed. We don't find much for them.
My usual stores have been pretty picked over lately; I guess everyone is in the same boat of trying to save money where they can. I decided to venture out of area to see what a new venue might provide. While up in Lake Arrowhead last weekend I stopped by a thrift store in Blue Jay and nosed around. I was delighted to find two pairs of jean capris that fit me perfectly. They're good labels, too, something that makes my vain little heart very happy. I don't mind used, but I do mind CHEAP used.
Even better, they had a sale on children's books, and I was able to pick up a huge bagful for only 15 cents each. These are being shipped off to an acquaintance of mine who is on the mission field in Indonesia. A flood came through last month and spoiled all her young son's books.
I love that I was able to get a couple of pairs of pants inexpensively ($5/each!) which will vastly improve my wardrobe. I'm also happy that I can help out someone else -- that my own financial issues aren't preventing me from assisting another family. Sometimes it's hard to remember that other people are hurting far more than I am. We've taken a financial hit this year, but at least we're still in our home, eating at each meal and able to buy a few new-to-us things to keep life going. The people I'm helping don't care what anything costs -- they're delighted to have it. I'm trying to keep that type of positive outlook, too.
My size 14-"petite" (short and dumpy) body doesn't fit a whole lot at most thrift stores. Even if I'm lucky enough to find a pair of pants that I can button at the waist, they're generally dragging at the feet. Yes, I can take up a hem, but sometimes I'm just lazy.
There are a couple of good thrift stores in my neighborhood and I swing by once in awhile. They were great for the kids when they were young, but used boys' clothes in sizes that fit my pre-teen and teenager are usually pretty thrashed. We don't find much for them.
My usual stores have been pretty picked over lately; I guess everyone is in the same boat of trying to save money where they can. I decided to venture out of area to see what a new venue might provide. While up in Lake Arrowhead last weekend I stopped by a thrift store in Blue Jay and nosed around. I was delighted to find two pairs of jean capris that fit me perfectly. They're good labels, too, something that makes my vain little heart very happy. I don't mind used, but I do mind CHEAP used.
Even better, they had a sale on children's books, and I was able to pick up a huge bagful for only 15 cents each. These are being shipped off to an acquaintance of mine who is on the mission field in Indonesia. A flood came through last month and spoiled all her young son's books.
I love that I was able to get a couple of pairs of pants inexpensively ($5/each!) which will vastly improve my wardrobe. I'm also happy that I can help out someone else -- that my own financial issues aren't preventing me from assisting another family. Sometimes it's hard to remember that other people are hurting far more than I am. We've taken a financial hit this year, but at least we're still in our home, eating at each meal and able to buy a few new-to-us things to keep life going. The people I'm helping don't care what anything costs -- they're delighted to have it. I'm trying to keep that type of positive outlook, too.
Friday, March 6, 2009
With Many Thanks :o)
The Part-Time Pioneer gratefully acknowledges The Creative Soul (http://creativesoulbydebmc.blogspot.com/) for the help received in getting pictures on this site. The Part-Time Pioneer is still existing in the 90's when it comes to technology and is delighted to have friends with more advanced knowledge.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Leftovers Are My Favorite Food Group
My husband said the other day, "Boy, even though we're on a tight budget you sure make a lot of different meals." It was said approvingly and I basked in the glow. The truth is that almost everything we eat has something leftover in it. God bless my big freezer in the garage! I've got everything packed in there just waiting to emerge in a new month, in a new meal. Delicious.
Hubby came from a family of seven kids; the term "leftover" wasn't heard in his home. In fact, some of the kids had fork marks on the backs of their hands where other siblings inadvertently stabbed them while they all reached for the last of something. I came from a home where the green part of the cheese was carefully shaved off so we could eat the rest. We ate everything until it was gone, period. Waste nothing!
When Hubby and I were first married I cooked up a lovely casserole one night. He ate it with relish. The next night he eyed it, but ate it without complaint. The third night he rebelled. I honestly had no idea what the problem was -- food was available, so let's eat. We have since learned to compromise... I cook a meal and we eat it that night. Anything leftover goes into the freezer where it will wait, poised for its debut in a subsequent month.
The other night I pulled out some cooked pot roast chunks that had been frozen late last year. Perfect; Hubby would have forgotten all about it.
I chopped them up into small chunks, then fished around in the overflow pantry, also in the garage. I found canned tomato chunks, pinto beans and some jalapeno peppers. Excellent.
I drained and rinsed the beans, then tossed everything else in the pan together. I added in some chopped onion and a little crushed garlic (two of my kitchen staples) and let it all bubble together until some of the water evaporated.
It was really good served in flour tortillas.
I mixed up a little Tapatia sauce with some sour cream to give it a jazzier presentation and taste -- a little squirt of lime would have been good, too, but I didn't have any. Next time!
The pot roast was chewier than I would have liked. I think this would be a great way to prepare leftover chicken or steak, but encourage you to use what you have. Usually I put leftover pot roast into a stew or something with gravy.
Keeping leftovers and re-serving them as a brand-new dish keeps peace in my family as well as $$$ in my pocket. It encourages me to be creative with what I have, which I enjoy. I've discovered that pretty much anything tastes great wrapped in a tortilla topped with some melted shredded cheese.
Here's a great site to help you with some ideas for repurposing your leftovers: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/leftovers/leftovers.html Another suggestion is to create a "freezer soup" bag. I use a Hefty freezer bag (gallons size) and put bits of food in it as I have them, chopping as I go. When the bag is filled with that cup or two of leftover rice, the end of a veggie platter and some bits of chicken, it's time to make soup. I put it all as-is into my crockpot with about 6 cups of homemade chicken stock and let it simmer all day. Instant dinner!
Hubby came from a family of seven kids; the term "leftover" wasn't heard in his home. In fact, some of the kids had fork marks on the backs of their hands where other siblings inadvertently stabbed them while they all reached for the last of something. I came from a home where the green part of the cheese was carefully shaved off so we could eat the rest. We ate everything until it was gone, period. Waste nothing!
When Hubby and I were first married I cooked up a lovely casserole one night. He ate it with relish. The next night he eyed it, but ate it without complaint. The third night he rebelled. I honestly had no idea what the problem was -- food was available, so let's eat. We have since learned to compromise... I cook a meal and we eat it that night. Anything leftover goes into the freezer where it will wait, poised for its debut in a subsequent month.
The other night I pulled out some cooked pot roast chunks that had been frozen late last year. Perfect; Hubby would have forgotten all about it.
I chopped them up into small chunks, then fished around in the overflow pantry, also in the garage. I found canned tomato chunks, pinto beans and some jalapeno peppers. Excellent.
I drained and rinsed the beans, then tossed everything else in the pan together. I added in some chopped onion and a little crushed garlic (two of my kitchen staples) and let it all bubble together until some of the water evaporated.
It was really good served in flour tortillas.
I mixed up a little Tapatia sauce with some sour cream to give it a jazzier presentation and taste -- a little squirt of lime would have been good, too, but I didn't have any. Next time!
The pot roast was chewier than I would have liked. I think this would be a great way to prepare leftover chicken or steak, but encourage you to use what you have. Usually I put leftover pot roast into a stew or something with gravy.
Keeping leftovers and re-serving them as a brand-new dish keeps peace in my family as well as $$$ in my pocket. It encourages me to be creative with what I have, which I enjoy. I've discovered that pretty much anything tastes great wrapped in a tortilla topped with some melted shredded cheese.
Here's a great site to help you with some ideas for repurposing your leftovers: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/leftovers/leftovers.html Another suggestion is to create a "freezer soup" bag. I use a Hefty freezer bag (gallons size) and put bits of food in it as I have them, chopping as I go. When the bag is filled with that cup or two of leftover rice, the end of a veggie platter and some bits of chicken, it's time to make soup. I put it all as-is into my crockpot with about 6 cups of homemade chicken stock and let it simmer all day. Instant dinner!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Pyros R Us
Living in the urban sprawl, there are no convenient ways to acquire the tender and kindling needed to start fires (in the fireplace, of course). The beautifully manicured regional park across the street is so well maintained that there are never any stray twigs. We used to use the pine cones we'd find in the complex until our chimney sweep strongly warned us against this little practice. Apparently we'd made a huge candle of pine resin on the inside of our chimney, just ripe for instant firestorm. I'm sure the fact that the kids had added spray glitter to the pine cones before tossing them in the fire didn't help (though they made such lovely shiny sparks).
Firestarters are easy and fun to make, especially for kids. You need just a few materials: a cardboard egg carton, dryer lint,
broken crayons,
and an old pot you don't ever plan to ever use for food again.
Melt the crayons in the pot.
It will only take a minute or two, so keep the flame low! Stuff the egg carton cups with the dryer lint. Dryer lint is extremely flammable, especially mine, which is full of cat hair. Drizzle the melted crayons over the whole mess using an old spoon. I use plastic spoons, which melt each time. I like to add the crayon paper to the cups too -- waste nothing. Let the firestarters dry, then cut the egg cups apart.
We use one at a time in the fireplace. It's smart to set them in a pie pan or other inflammable dish so that you don't get melted crayon all over the bottom of your fireplace. We've found that the the firestarters burn completely, though, and have never had that problem ourselves. Our chimney sweep approves!
The best part? We're using up some materials that would otherwise have been thrown out. They do a nice sustained burn that ignites the kindling (or crumbled newspaper) and prevents us from having to relight the fire every 10 minutes.
Firestarters are easy and fun to make, especially for kids. You need just a few materials: a cardboard egg carton, dryer lint,
broken crayons,
and an old pot you don't ever plan to ever use for food again.Melt the crayons in the pot.
It will only take a minute or two, so keep the flame low! Stuff the egg carton cups with the dryer lint. Dryer lint is extremely flammable, especially mine, which is full of cat hair. Drizzle the melted crayons over the whole mess using an old spoon. I use plastic spoons, which melt each time. I like to add the crayon paper to the cups too -- waste nothing. Let the firestarters dry, then cut the egg cups apart.
We use one at a time in the fireplace. It's smart to set them in a pie pan or other inflammable dish so that you don't get melted crayon all over the bottom of your fireplace. We've found that the the firestarters burn completely, though, and have never had that problem ourselves. Our chimney sweep approves!
The best part? We're using up some materials that would otherwise have been thrown out. They do a nice sustained burn that ignites the kindling (or crumbled newspaper) and prevents us from having to relight the fire every 10 minutes.
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