Kids say the Darndest things

If you've met me or my husband, you know that we have slightly different social styles. More often than not, I bound into a crowd and strike up a conversation while Derek hangs back and observes the crowd rather than burst out in speech. And supposedly he was like this as a child as well - apparently Derek wasn't early to talk, but when he did it became apparent that he'd been paying attention. According to his mother, he went from barely speaking to "Can I have some pancakes?" and other full sentences.

Well, it seems that Addison is taking after her dad rather than after me. Ever since she was born, she's been a watcher. Even in the delivery room, she seemed to be watching us just trying to figure things out before she decided what to say. And as she's grown, she still seems to take a few minutes in any situation before she is willing to socialize. And as for talking? She definitely takes after Derek there.

Addison may have been an early walker, but she's been a little slow to pick up speech. Granted she talks up a storm in baby-speak, but when it comes to English she only have a few words. At the moment both Derek and I are still "mommy" as are several other people and most animals. I'm pretty sure Derek will jump for joy the day she says "daddy."

However, despite only saying a few words (mommy, uh-oh, wow, hi, bye-bye), in the last few weeks she's started uttering sentences. One night as I was cooking dinner, she out of the blue pointed at the pan and asked, "what is it?" We were pretty shocked. And then the next day she added, "what is it called?" and "where is it?" to her repertoire.

It's amazing watching her grow up and develop. I'm sure a lot of things miss our attention, but the things that we do notice often blow us away. And she's only just over 18months old! I'm a little nervous to see what she'll surprise us with in the next 18.

As Derek is away on a work trip at the moment, I'm not very inspired to cook. It's always more difficult to cook for 1 (or even 1 and a half) than it is to cook for a crowd. So while he's gone, the only thing I've cooked up so far is pea soup. So, here's the pea soup recipe... I make it in my crock pot, so the kitchen stays relatively cool on these hot August days. Enjoy.

Slow-Cooker Pea Soup
1 bag dried split peas
6 strips bacon, sliced into 1/2" pieces
4 carrots, diced
1/2 onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (I use a garlic press)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chicken bullion
2 bay leaves
6 cups water

1. Cook bacon in skillet as you normally would until almost burned. Transfer to crock pot

2. Add everything else to crock pot. Stir once, then cover. Cook for 4-6hrs on high or 8-10hrs on low.

3. Stir to mush up peas and season with salt/pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Oil and water

Coming from Santa Barbara, you would think that I'd be rather tolerant of tap water. On the contrary, I'm pretty sure it has made me very sensitive to flavors in the water, and therefore I rarely drink water directly from the tap anywhere.

Granted, I did grow up in Portland, OR where I think the water directly from the tap is rather tasty (aka has no taste at all). Unlike Santa Barbara where the water was claimed to kill house plants (either that or my green-gone-black thumb). Then again, I don't much care for the tap water here in Huntsville either. Here it doesn't have that mineral flavor that SB does, but it tastes a bit too much like a swimming pool with all the chlorine.

So, it was a nice surprise that our house already had a reverse osmosis eater purifier built into the kitchen sink. Even though I prefer my water super ice cold, I could tolerate Luke-warm water directly from the tap with this system. Until it sprung a leak....

Yes, Derek and his good hearing detected that there was a constant drip coming from the water filter and it miraculously went away as soon as we turned off the water source headed to that part of the sink. Bummer. Because that means that until we figure out exactly what is leaking and why, I have to make do with regular tap water.

Due to this lovely turn of events, I find that in the past week (while the water filter has been off) I've consumed a lot more milk, soda, tea, apple juice, and beer. All because I'm thirsty and really can't quite convince myself to drink chlorine water. I wonder how long it will take me to get over my aversion.... Probably longer than it will take to run out of juice and beer and milk, or fix the leak.

Now in an attempt to take all our minds off liquids, here is a recipe for homemade French bread. I've only tried it once, and have a few minor adjustments I'll try next time, but overall it was a success. Very crunchy crust with a good flavor and perfect for dipping into your favorite EVOO and balsamic vinegar mixture. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

French Bread

5 1/2 cups flour

2 cups warm water (hot tap water)

2 packets active dry yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp salt

1 egg + 2 Tbsp water (egg wash)

Cornmeal (for dusting)

1. Combine sugar, water, and yeast in a kitchen mixer with a bread hook. Mix on low for 2 minutes to dissolve.

2. Add flour and salt. Mix for 10 minutes on med-high until dough comes away from the sides and starts to inch up the bread hook.

3. Rub olive oil in a mixing bowl. Turn dough into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm dark area for approx 2 hrs (until dough has at least doubled in size).

4. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Separate into equal portions (depending on how large of loaves you want).

5. Take each piece and spread it into a rectangle. Roll the dough, pressing the roll into the flat dough every once in a while to ensure the air is sealed in. Once rolled up, press seams to ensure seal (this makes it extra fluffy).

6. Place finished rolls on a cooking sheet or baking tray that has been dusted with cornmeal. Dust tops of loaves with cornmeal and cover with a dish towel. Let rise for 1 hr.

7. Take a knife and slice diagonal cuts through the top of the loaves approx 1 inch apart.  Brush egg wash over loaves (make sure to get the sides too).

8. Bake at 350 for 30 - 45 minutes until golden brown in color. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and eating. Yum!  

Stripes, Sweat, and Sheers

When it's over 100 degrees outside for several days in a row (going on 10 I think), there is no way that I'm going to get outside to do anything other than water my wilting garden, and maybe splash around in the pool with Addison. As much as I'd like to keep the landscaping and planting going while I have some inspiration, the temperatures are quite forceful in their quest to keep me indoors.

So, back to the house projects I run.

Now I've heard many people say that if you're redecorating or renovating your house, you should do your bedroom first. That way you have a relaxing sanctuary to escape to, whatever renovation projects lay partially done in the rest of the house. Well, we didn't quite follow that mantra. Addison's nursery was my first priority, and that appears to be the only finished (almost) room of the house. But in an attempt to follow the spirit of the saying, I pushed that we tackle our bedroom next.

When we moved in, I thought that I liked the pale green that was on all the walls of every room. Unfortunately I soon discovered how dirty and old the paint was, which turned pale green into beige-meets-avocado; not a very pleasant color after all.

BEFORE

AFTER

And this color was in our bedroom as well as the master bathroom, dining room, living room, foyer, and hallway. Yuck. Oh, and did I mention that the exterior of our house is the same color? At least beige-meets-avocado isn't so terrible looking outdoors.

So bit by bit I plan to rid the entire inside of the house from this awful tired color. And I couldn't wait to paint our bedroom. I only can find one "before" picture, which was taken right after moving in, so please ignore the mess. But you get the idea that the room lacked character and personality, and looked... tired. As our bedroom is a good size and has 3 windows that let in a lot of light, we decided to go with a bold and somewhat darker color. The green that we chose is called Manchester, and is a little more blue than Kelly green, but not by much. It's certainly a statement (and we may have to paint over it before we move), but I love it.

AFTER

To give a little personality to the walls, Derek designed a stripe pattern for one wall that reminds me of a pinstripe jacket, alternating the Manchester green with a darker green as you can see in the photo. Paired with some white and black sheer drapes that I made, the room now has a modern flare and really feels like ours.

Now I just have to find some artwork for the walls...

Since in this hot weather, there's nothing like a cool crisp salad with fresh basil, here is my favorite Caprese salad. The measurements are approximate, so season as you like it. This is a hit at any potluck, picnic, or dinner. And for a twist, dice the cheese & tomatoes instead of cubing them, and serve with toasted french bread pieces as a do-it-yourself Bruschetta. Yum!!

Caprese Salad

1/4 cup fresh Basil (chiffonade)

1 cup fresh mozzarella (cubed)

1 cup tomatoes (cubed)

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic (minced/pressed)

salt & pepper

1. Once you have cubed the cheese and tomatoes, mix in the basil and garlic. Toss to combine

2. Drizzle with EVOO and balsamic vinegar to your taste. For me this is usually 1/4 cup EVOO and 1/8-1/4 cup vinegar. Season with salt & pepper. Enjoy!

Farm fresh beets

Living in Alabama, the produce selection at the grocery stores and farmers markets is a bit different than what we are use to back in California. Santa Barbara is home of the avocados, which aren't as prevalent around here - and when you can find them they are often much smaller and a lot more expensive than they were in SB. But, other things are available around here that we hadn't ever considered eating on the West Coast. Greens, for example, are a staple in most people's diets. Also Fried Green Tomatoes are a tasty appetizer and not just a movie title as I originally thought.

So even though we moved to the Deep South, home of Fried Everything, we are discovering that we can find plentiful nutritious foods to incorporate into our diet. And this summer we're trying out a new way to do that.

In an attempt to eat better, we've decided to do a CSA this summer. CSA stands for Community Support Agriculture, and is essentially where you buy a share of a farmer's produce. Instead of buying veggies at the market, or the farmers market, we go and pick up a box of veggies each week from the local farmer. Our farm is Doe Run Farms, located just north of us in Tennessee. They have an agreement with other area farmers, so they combine their crops and then pass out boxes of mixed veggies (and some fruit) to everyone who has signed up for a share.

We have a mini-share, which is one peck (yes, like Peter Piper and his pickled peppers), although a full share is one bushel. So, each Thursday we pick up a fresh box overflowing with produce from the farm truck. It's very cool, and forces us to be a bit more creative about what we eat while being very fresh at the same time. And it's so many vegetables! Last week we got the following:
cucumbers
carrots
lettuce
eggplant
green beans
zucchini
zephyr squash (similar to zucchini just half yellow and half green)
peaches
beets

The amount is so much that we have to consciously work to eat them all before the next box arrives. And when something is in season, like beets, we eat a lot of them. Since I love beets, and I know some people aren't quite sure how to eat them, I thought I'd share. They're very sweet tasting, extremely good for you, and take almost no effort to make.




Beets

Beets come in red, golden, or even rainbow as these were. To me, they all taste the same, so I prepare them all the same. No seasoning needed - just cook and eat!



1. Take beets and cut the greens off, about 1/4inch from the end. Rinse thoroughly in water, but leave the skin on. Put all beets in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil.




2. After 30 - 45 minutes, check by poking with a fork. If they seem tender (think mashed potatoes), they are done. Remove from heat, drain, and fill with cold water.

3. Once cooled enough to handle, simply rub and the skins will fall off. Rinse to make sure all bits are removed. Slice and enjoy!

Snoozing in the Summer Sun

Unlike several of the other little kids I know, Addison is almost 18 months old and she still takes two naps a day. On one hand I consider myself very lucky, but it does mean that our daily activities are pretty limited. We can really only get out for a few hours in the middle of the day. So that means we either run some quick errands or go to the pool, but rarely do we get to do both.

Don't get me wrong - I love that I have two chunks in the day where I can do things without Addison underfoot. It makes getting dinner ready, or checking email, or just sitting down with a good book possible. I have numerous projects in the works at the moment, and although they are taking forever I know that they wouldn't be getting done at all if she didn't nap so much. I know I will be bummed when she finally gives up that morning nap.

Of course, there are days when I think she may be about done with both naps, but I'm hoping I still have some time. Twice this week she has refused to sleep in the morning, instead playing and then crying in her crib until I finally relent and go get her. At least I still get about 30 minutes before I go in and get her up, but it does screw with my mental schedule. I've come to count on those naps, and even though I'm rather busy while she's asleep, my mental batteries are charging nonetheless. When she doesn't sleep, my batteries run down and it throws everything off for the rest of the day.

And since one of those single nap days was today, I can't wait to go out for a girls night tonight. Hopefully she won't give Derek too much grief while I'm out.

Here's my great gazpacho soup recipe. It's perfect for a hot summer day when you want something cold and refreshing. I usually make some cheesy garlic bread to go with it. And it may seem like a complicated recipe, but really it's just a lot of fresh veggies all diced together.



Gazpacho Soup
1 1/2lbs tomatoes (approx 5)
1 cup Tomato juice (or V8)
1 cup cucumber (peeled, seeded, diced)
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove (mince or use a garlic press)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp  balsamic vinegar
2 tsp  Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp  ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons



1. To prepare the tomatoes - Fill a pot halfway full of water and bring to a boil.  Make an X with a paring knife on the bottom of each tomato.  Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for 15 -30 seconds, remove and transfer to an ice bath and allow to cool for 1 minute. Remove, peel, core and seed the tomatoes.

2. Place the tomatoes and tomato juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, garlic clove, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

3. Use a hand blender (immersion blender) and puree mixture. You can leave some chunks or make it a fine puree depending on your preference.

4. Cover and chill for 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve with chiffonade of basil.  And some cheesy garlic bread, of course!

Great California Adventure

Sorry about the delay in posting - we just spent the last week in California and that meant things were kinda crazy before we left. Given that I spent 10 years in Cali, not to mention that Derek was born there,  we have a lot of friends and family to see when we go. Unfortunately this trip was so crazy that we barely got to see anyone. We did have fun though!

Addison did great on the flights out - even though we had layovers in both Dallas and El Paso on our way to LAX. I think she much prefers morning flights, and despite all the traveling we still got there mid-afternoon. Amidst the wedding planning (Derek's sister Sarah got married on Saturday), we had a chance to visit with the family for a bit before wedding prep took over.

And like all weddings, this one had its fill of crazy stress moments as everything came together. And come together it did - the venue was a park in Carpinteria, which was beautiful and had perfect weather on Saturday. The flowers were gorgeous (as was the bride), the cake (a tower of cake pops) delicious, and Addison charmed everyone with her dancing style even if she didn't quite make it down the aisle as the flower girl.

Then early Sunday morning Derek and I left Addison with Nanna and G-Pops and hopped in the car up to San Francisco. Thankfully we didn't hit any traffic and made it on time to the next wedding of the weekend; this time for his college roommate Simon. They had chosen to get married on a chartered boat in the middle of the San Francisco Bay - and they couldn't have asked for better weather. Sunny, warm, and no fog!

The wedding was fun, being on a boat, and did I mention the fireworks? It happened to be the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend, so Sunday night they closed the bridge and turned it into one of the most spectacular fireworks shows we've ever seen. Fireworks shooting up, sideways, and down from the entire length of the bridge; it was very exciting to be right in front watching.

So after all that, it was kinda tough to drive back down south. At least we got a chance to visit with some friends for breakfast in Berkeley, and then at a couple of stops along the drive back. It was tough though - driving past so many people we know and love, and not having the time to see them. It was  torturous, and I just hope that our next California adventure let's us visit everyone we missed this time.

Now we are back home for a brief time before heading off again. The local schools are out for the summer, and it's been really hot here (my poor plants are mad at me for not watering them much while we were gone). So in honor of the hot weather and the beginning of another hot and sticky summer in the South, I'm sharing my recipe for sweet tea. We tend to drink it year-round, but never seem to have enough in the summertime.

CC's Southern Sweet Tea
5 Lipton tea bags
8 - 12 cups of water (it's not exact, just whatever fits in a pot)
1 cup sugar

1. Place all 5 tea bags in a large pot. Add water to about 1/2 inch from the top

2. Bring to a boil. Turn heat off and add sugar. Stir. Let tea cool, stirring every few minutes to make sure the sugar dissolves completely.

3. Once cool enough to pour into your pitcher, do so. Then add water to fill.

Pretty simple, and oh so satisfying. Enjoy!

We love babies and beer

Although we love spending all our time with Addison, it is tough not having many chances for date-nights or the like. Thankfully, we have started to get to know some neighbors and friends who have children who are babysitting age. So thankfully we found a great babysitter for last Saturday and were able to check out the Rocket City Brewfest.

It's pretty amazing how the craft beer scene is exploding around here. Thanks to major changes in the Alabama liquor laws recently, we've benefitted by getting some great new breweries and a really fun culture all about craft beer. The brewfest was no exception.

Perhaps the most well organized brewfest we've ever been to, we were both very impressed at how smoothly the festival ran. There were over 70 different breweries represented, and over 250 beers, lots of food and tons of people, yet the lines weren't too long. And unlike other festivals we've been to, no one ever ran out of beer; in fact, it was mind-boggling how much beer there really was to choose from. Oh, did I mention that they were smart enough to offer free water and encourage people to stay hydrated? Very impressive.

Happy Mother's Day!

And while we were out having adult fun, Addison had a blast with her babysitter. Yay! Of course, she seems to love an audience these days, so I'm not that surprised. Her new favorite game is to turn on the clock radio in our bedroom, and then crank up the volume as loud as possible. When I try to turn it down to a reasonable level, she quickly turns it up again, then resumes dancing. It's pretty adorable - which almost makes up for the assault on my eardrums. And if she's into loud music now, what are we in for when she's a teenager? I'm scared to even contemplate it.

Overall we had a great weekend, not to mention that Mother's Day was great. Derek cooked up some delicious homemade biscuits and gravy for breakfast, and amazing steaks and greens for dinner. Although he works to his own recipe, I will attempt to recreate it below. It's definitely a southern specialty, adjusted slightly for our west coast taste buds.

Note that this recipe uses turnip greens, although you can use any type of greens you prefer. Just be aware that some greens will take longer to become tender. Beet greens and collard greens will take longer, whereas mustard greens may not take quite as long.

Dancing with Daddy

Southern Style Turnip Greens
1 bunch of fresh or 1 package of pre-washed and chopped turnip greens
4 slices of bacon, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1/2 onion, chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic
2 cups chicken broth

1. If using fresh greens, be sure to rinse at least 3 times. If using packaged, rinse once to be sure silt and sand is removed. Then de-stem and chop.

2. Sauté bacon and onion in a Dutch oven until bacon is cooked. Add garlic and stir in for about a minute.

3. Add greens and chicken stock. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Taste test for desired tenderness.

4. To serve, strain greens through slotted spoon and serve in small bowl (so pot-liquor doesn't run all over plate). Enjoy!

Rooting for the Lakers with a friend

April whirlwind

Last night I saw my first firefly of the summer. Yes, it's only the first of May, but with temperatures in the upper 80s it really feels like summer. I guess it's been warmer for months now, so I shouldn't be that surprised.

And with so much going on, the time has been flying by. Let me try to catch up on the last few weeks... Easter was beautiful and great. Addison went to her first Easter egg hunt, and even managed to find one egg before losing interest. Derek was so proud that the egg was yellow and purple (Laker colors). For dinner we had a ham with mashed potatoes and collard greens. Yum!

The rest of April was busy getting things done around the house and working hard on the yard. Slowly the monkey grass is making way for flowers and more attractive plants. Of course, there's no way I can tackle all the monkey grass this year, but at least there's a bit more to look at when we eat out on the patio.

Enjoying some ice cream at Panoply

Easter started the month, and a vacation closed out April for me. It was my first trip away from Addison, and I spent 3 nights in Mexico at a friends' wedding while Derek and Addison stayed home and played together. I had a blast seeing all sorts of friends and spending a great time with my sister, and came home to find that Derek and Addison had fun too! Of course I'm sure it helped that my in-laws came for a visit at the same time. Addison just loves an audience.

Looking forward, the pace stays pretty fierce as we prepare for a whirlwind trip to California for Memorial Day. Hopefully we'll all be able to find moments of peace and rest before then.

Below you can find a recipe for a delicious broccoli beef stir fry we had recently. It's based off a recipe from the Food Network that we tweaked slightly and really loved the results. Enjoy!

Broccoli Beef Stir-fry

Friends!

1 Lb beef chunks
2 cups broccoli, chopped into medium sized pieces
2 Tbsp cornstarch
5 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
5 Tbsp sesame oil
1.25 cups chicken broth (or 1 cube bullion and warm water)
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced carrots (slice in the shape you prefer for stir fry)
1/2 onion sliced

1.  Whisk 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 Tbsp oil in a large bowl. Toss meat to cover and let sit for at least 20 minutes.

2. Whisk remaining 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and chicken broth in a separate bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Add veggies and cook. Add meat at the end so as not to overcook. 

4. About 1 minute after meat is added, pour in chicken stock mixture. Let cook until meat is done and sauce is thickened.

5. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Night owls and early birds

I love springtime here in the South. The flowers are out, the days are longer, and the weather is warm enough to forgo the jacket yet cool enough to enjoy being outdoors. Well, it's a bit warm this spring, but still better than I'm sure it'll be this summer.

And when the weather is pleasant like it has been, it means we can open our windows at night. In California we used to sleep with the windows open almost every night of the year, but not here. It's usually too warm or too cold for that, so I love these few weeks where I can indulge in fresh air all night long.

Of course, when the window is open, we hear everything going on outside. And I'm not sure if I've mentioned previously, but we have a lot of birds around. Normally I enjoy watching them peck for worms and strawberries early in the morning, and hearing them singing from the trees during the day. But now with the windows open at night, I've discovered that one of our lovely songbirds likes to stay up way past her bedtime (and mine).

Many times this week and last, I've woken up in the middle of the night and can hear a bird singing along in the darkness. So after several nights of this, I finally did some research. Apparently there are 3 birds who sing at night - the whippoorwill, the nightingale, and the mockingbird.

Playing catch in the backyard
with Great Grandma Bernie

So, I believe that we have a mockingbird. I'm not entirely sure, but have ruled out the whippoorwill due to its distinct call. I'd love to think that we have a nightingale - how cool would that be - but it's probably more likely that we have a mockingbird instead. Thankfully I don't find the song annoying like most reports describe it (nor do I find it gorgeous and moving like they describe the nightingale song).

I may never know. But the pleasantly cool nights won't last for long. Pretty soon the weather will be too warm to keep the windows open at night, and then it won't matter who our nighttime feathered friend is. Until then, I will just enjoy the lullaby whenever I am awake to hear it.

And as the weather is really heating up, I've been trying creative dinners that have low oven usage in attempts to keep the house cooler. Last night I made my own recreation of the Santa Barbara Brewing Company blackened salmon salad. It may not have been exactly the same, but I think it came close.



Blackened Salmon Salad
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper

At the Botanical Gardens with Great Grandma Bernie

1 Tbsp paprika pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 melted butter
2 salmon filets
feta cheese
spinach leaves
avocado, sliced and peeled
1 tomato, sliced into wedges
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced

1. Heat a skillet on medium high heat. Mix seasonings in a small bowl. Combine tomato, cucumber, feta and spinach. Add avocado slices to top of each serving.

2. Rinse filets and pat dry. Brush with melted butter and rub with seasoning mix. Lay in skillet. Cook 2 - 5 minutes per side.

3. When done, brush top side of fish with more melted butter and put on top of salad. Dress with balsamic vinegar dressing. Enjoy!

Homebody Creatures

It's amazing that we moved clear across the country in the last 18 months, yet have barely ventured from our doorstep since (I'm not counting visits back home to see friends and family). It's true - we have only gone on 1 real out-of-town adventure, and that was almost a year ago. Of course, in that year and a half we've had a baby, bought a house, and begun tackling the ever-growing list of things to do (ie. I finally finished making curtains for the nursery, and I'm super excited about how they turned out!).

I'd say that our lack of adventure is partly due to being busy with other things, and partly because Huntsville really has so much to offer that we don't need to go anywhere. But we're here in the South, and it's about time to start checking out our surroundings. So last weekend our trip to the Birmingham Zoo was a pretty big deal. Not to mention the fact that Addison seems to have an affinity to Zoo related books at the moment.

As part of our "Parents of Young Children" group at our church, we drove down to Birmingham with another family to check out the Zoo last Saturday. And since we've been having Summer in March this year, it was in the high 80s and very sunny. About as hot as I could stand while walking around on paved trails amidst the animals. And the weather brought out tons of people, of course. They were still streaming in when we were done for the day.

We had a great time - even Addison. It was a lot of fun to see her laugh and cry out each time she spotted an animal. And I learned a lot about perspective; zoo viewing areas seem to be designed for taller children and adults - down at her level (stroller level, that is), you mostly see fence posts. But thankfully the giraffes came pretty close, and some of the inside viewing windows were low enough for her to spot things. We managed to spend about 4 hours at the Zoo, which definitely exceeded my expectations. And we even left a few things for our next visit.

Now what kind of recipe could possibly relate to a post about the Zoo? How about a slightly exotic twist on a classic favorite that's easy to pack up for a picnic lunch?

Ginger Coconut Fried Chicken
3 Chicken breasts, sliced into 4 pieces each (you can also use thigh meat or anything else boneless)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup cream (or substitute another egg for no cream)
Breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated (or use powdered version)
1/2 Cup shredded coconut
Oil for frying

1. Slice your chicken into pieces so they can be eaten with fingers.

2. Mix egg and cream together in pie dish or other somewhat flat container

3. Combine ginger, coconut, and approx 1 cup breadcrumbs. Put in another pie dish or flat container.

4. Dredge chicken pieces in breadcrumbs, then in egg, then again in breadcrumbs until fully coated. Set on plate to fry.

5. When oil is hot (you know it's ready when you stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and it sizzles and bubbles), lay chicken pieces in oil. Make sure pieces are not touching.

6. Fry until golden brown and then turn (only once). Once done, put on roasting pan and store in warm oven (200 degrees) until all are done. Enjoy!

American Pi

An engineer already!

Happy Pi Day! Yes, it's uber geeky, but today's date is 3.14, which is also the value of the variable known as Pi. So in honor of our littlest Spadaro Engineer, happy Pi day! And in appreciation of such a random day, I'm going to share a recipe for homemade pizza (pie) dough. It's actually much easier than I thought it was going to be.

In other news, Alabama just had its primary elections yesterday. It isn't a secret that there are a lot of republicans around, but did you know that when we registered to vote they didn't even ask us what party we wanted to be registered as? I guess they just assume that everyone is republican. Ha!


 Because of this, it means that yesterday was an open primary. And I was excited that although not being a republican, I could still vote and be part of the process. So as soon as Derek got home from work, we jumped in the car and headed to the polls - I don't think that Alabama has absentee ballots, and certainly isn't like Oregon where they've completely done away with polls entirely. And the experience of physically voting at the ballot box really made me reminiscent of my childhood. I remember going into a curtained off stall (in my memory it's like an all-black shower stall complete with curtain) with my mother and watching her vote. Oh how things have changed.

When we got to the polls, I was a bit saddened to find that they asked me if I wanted to vote republican or democrat. I had a momentary identity crisis (do I say republican so I can vote in the republican primary or do I give the honest answer that I'm a democrat?). I ended up deciding that I couldn't say republican without feeling guilty, so I took the democratic ballot and headed to my cubbyhole.

Needless to say, I was one of a very small number of people who voted democrat in this primary (I signed in on line 18 one hour before the polls closed). But, I did get to cast my vote for Obama. Hahaha. Not only was I not able to vote for one of the republican candidates, but all of the local primaries were also republicans and therefore my ballot was about as short as it could be.

Oh well. It was a fun experience nonetheless. Now time to enjoy some pizza pi!

This is a spin-off of a recipe from the Joy of Cooking. Feel free to modify it with your own favorite spices and seasonings.

Homemade Pizza Dough
4 Cups flour
1 Tbsp garlic (fresh or powder)
1 Packet yeast
1 1/3 Cups warm water (approx 85 degrees)
2 Tbsp olive oil (I used Extra Virgin)
1 tsp salt

1. Make sure your water is warm to the touch, but not hot. If it is too hot, the yeast will die. Pour the yeast into the water and allow to dissolve (takes approx 5 minutes). If you don't see foam beginning to form after 5 minutes, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or less. That should do the trick.

2. Mix olive oil with yeast. Combine flour, salt, and garlic powder.

Addison loves Italian food. It's in her blood!

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix. You may want to use your hands and thoroughly knead the mix together. Knead dough for 10 minutes until thoroughly mixed and a bit elastic feeling.

4. Put dough in a bowl and cover with saran wrap or a damp cloth for 3 hours. Dough should appear 2x in size.

5. Punch down dough, divide into 2 parts. Stretch dough into desired shape (feel free to try throwing, but make sure to stay away from the ceiling fan when you do).

6. Put down a sprinkle of corn meal on pizza pan or pizza stone. Lay dough on cooking surface. Brush top with olive oil, then dress with whatever sauce and toppings you want. Bake for approx 25 minutes at 400 degrees.