Definition of "METRO MOM"

I am finally blogging again after nearly 6 months of silence to defend my chosen blogging name and to support my dear MCB who, to her merit and somewhat to my surprise, defended dear old Mom about her blog.

To the point:  There is a small debate about why I chose the Blog name of "Diary of  a Metro Mom" in that one of my daughter's friends insisted that I should not have said I was a Metro Mom (MM) because I didn't really live in Metro Atlanta.  My sweet teenage daughter came to my rescue and tried to explain as best she could why our family does, in fact, live in Metro Atlanta.  She smartly pointed out that we live inside the perimeter, namely I-285, as well as the fact that our address actually is in ATLANTA, GA, and not some poser address like "Vinings," or "Duluth," or "Alpharetta," even though those cities might be more desirable areas to some than Atlanta.  Those arguments should have been enough for Miss Teen Girl (TG) who continued in her disbelief that we, being so far removed from THE MOST EXCELLENT PRIVATE SCHOOL IN ATLANTA both in distance and in driving time, a full 13.52 mi. and 25 mins. away, could not possibly live in "Metro Atlanta" but, rather, in the most "GU" area possible (from my older daughters, I quickly found out that this means 'geographically undesirable').  Granted, about 50 years ago, our current abode was just farmland with big black and white dairy cows grazing on it, with one farmhouse (to our right) being the only sign of real civilization.

But today, this is a totally different place.  Only smallish barking white dogs who screechily peel into the street from the nearby cul-de-sac roam the grassy zoysia lawns, or the occasional hungry looking coyotes on the prowl for "we are Saimese-if-you-please" cats, or the fluffly black miniature golden doodle (Mr. Marley) who sneaks down the driveway looking for an injured chipmunk or squirrel to chomp down on characterize the "wild-side" and "country aspect" of this now-developed area.  True, we live only minutes from (and I hate to admit this) Northlake Mall, but it really wasn't what it is today when we first moved here over 20 years ago, and, yes, our public high school doesn't look quite as pretty as TMEPSIA, but it is getting a huge facelift and renovations as we speak, long overdue and definitely deserving.

So let me see if I can put this debate to rest, once and for all, and help Miss TG see the light about metro living. 

From Merriam-Webster Dictionary comes this definition: 

1met·ro·pol·i·tan noun \ˌme-trə-ˈpä-lə-tən\



Definition of METROPOLITAN
1: the primate of an ecclesiastical province


2: one who lives in a metropolis or displays metropolitan manners or customs


Examples of METROPOLITAN





First Known Use of METROPOLITAN


14th century


Related to METROPOLITAN

Synonyms: city slicker, cosmopolite, cosmopolitan, slicker, sophisticate


Antonyms: bumpkin, hick, provincial, rustic, yokel


[+]more
 
 
Let me explain so we need not argue any more, and lets jump to the No. 2 definition pertaining to "metropolis" and "metropolitan customs or manners."  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metropolitan I hereby submit that I do, in fact, live in a metropolis, which is "the chief or capital city or a country, state, or region;" hence, my address is located in Atlanta, GA.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metropolis  Next, though some who know me may disagree, I am not a 'bumpkin', 'hick', or 'yokel' and have, in fact, lived in metropolitan cities all my life, from the time of birth, through my adolescent years, into college, and for the duration of my marriage and child-rearing years.  I would like to think of myself as cosmopolitan as I actually belong to an international women's club, I have many friends from all over the world, I love to eat and know how to cook a multitude of international cuisines, and I have traveled throughout the world (though not as extensively as I would like).  I'm not sure about the 'city slicker' reference, but I can be sophisticated when I want to be (I did, afterall, go to school with B. Obama, for what that's worth).  Additionally, I attribute these same qualities to my whole family who, like me, have traveled to many places near and far, have experienced life in a different country on their own, and who probably fit the "city slicker" description much better than I.  True, my dear husband, verges on the edge of "rustic" after buying land and building a "man-shed" up in Asheville, but I can hardly describe that cabin as one belonging to a "hick" with its cypress wood ceiling and walls along with the 19th century antique beds and dressers; it's a far cry from a genuine aluminum trailer.

In addition, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce website offers this description of Metro Atlanta:  Population for the 28-county metropolitan Atlanta area (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta) rounds to 5.3 million in 2007, growing 24 percent since 2000, according to the U.S. Census.   http://www.metroatlantachamber.com/files/file/about_atlanta/Atlanta%20Overview_2009.pdf
And there are really only 5 counties which fall within the perimeter of I-285 accoring to the Georgia Department of Public Safety:  Cobb, Gwinnett, Fulton, Dekalb, and Clayton.   http://www.georgia.gov/00/channel_modifieddate/0,2096,5635600_8237836,00.html  Since we live in Dekalb County, I insist that we are a part of this wonderful metropolitan area called Atlanta.

I would love to go on and on spending time researching further reasons of why, indeed, I am a metro mom, but I must start on my Indian dinner of Chicken Tikka Masala, Bhindhi Masala, Chole, and Bangan Bhurta... that will come later as I am now fired up about blogging again.  And oh, by the way, please don't mistake the metro mom reference, as did my older daughter at first, with the urban dictionary definition of MM... that's not what I meant, and I'm sticking to it!

Send him off to Russia

As a sequel to my little exchange with my son, SB, about his calling me lazy last week, I thought of something that I should do.  He missed carpool twice last week; once because he decided to go to a friend's house to work on a school project (whereupon Dad picked him up 4 hours after he was supposed to have come home in carpool), and the next day because he decided he wanted to play tennis against the girls on the middle school tennis team.

At that point, I decided what to do, what any smart mom would think of.  I decided to pin a note onto his shirt and send him on his way to Russia... sort of like the mom who returned her adopted son because he was too much trouble for her.  I'm not saying I agree with or condone her actions.  But I am saying that I felt like doing that to my own son last week, after he missed carpool for the second time... just for about, say, the next 6 years or so.  I suppose I could take him back after he turned 21!

Chicken Tonkatsu and Inari Sushi: An Easy Japanese Dinner

Well, truthfully, it's not really that easy.  For me it is... I've made this dinner many times over in the last couple of decades, but it's not that hard, either.

Japanese food is an art form, really, rather than only a means of nutrition or provision of fuel for the body.  The Japanese culture focuses on beauty, simplicity, form, and presentation.  I won't go into my vast knowledge of Asian culture gleaned from the one semester of Asian history in 10th grade at Punahou (ha, ha!), or from my extensive travels to Asia (the two times I went to China, it was still VERY communist and I remember the noodles at a Japanese restaurant better than the Temple in Kyoto).  But I do know that over the years of eating Japanese food, I've learned that it's become a wonderful comfort food to me:  the noodles, the sushi, the simple root vegetables... YUM!

So tonight I decided to make An Easy Japanese Dinner:  Chicken Tonkatsu and Inari Sushi.

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts
Flour
Eggs
Panko Flakes
Salt and Pepper
Vegetable Oil
Tonkatsu Sauce purchased in a bottle
Pre-packaged Aburage shells or canned
Rice, flavored with Japanese Vinegar (Mirin) and Sugar and Salt, or just plain

TONKATSU

Step 1.  Slice the chicken breasts as thinly as possible, or pound flat to desired thickness, the thinner the better.
Step 2.  Dip the chicken breast into flour, salt, and pepper mixture until covered.
Step 3.  Dip the chicken breast into an egg wash until coated.
Step 4.  Coat the chicken with panko flakes.... cover really well.

Step 5.  Fry in electric skillet at 375 degrees until golden brown and crispy; turn once or twice if needed.  Use only 1/4 " of oil or so.

INARI SUSHI

Step 1.  Cook white rice in a rice cooker.
Step 2.  Stuff aburage with rice or, if you would like to season the rice, use Japanese vinegar, sugar, and salt.

Serve above items with salad and soy ginger dressing.  Tonkatsu sauce for the chicken is the best!

My family really likes this dinner, but who wouldn't?  I know, it's not the best to eat anything fried, but it is so delicious.  Please try it for yourself.  I think you'll like it!

Am I Lazy?

Last week my son called me LAZY... to my face!  Now that was a very disrespectful thing for him to say, but he said it because he was mad at me for not driving him to a friend's house so he could hang out.  That friend lives nearly 30 minutes away, and he had already just come back from school.  I almost got mad, but then I thought about how ridiculous his accusation was.  I'm a lot of things, but Lazy is not one of them.  When I consider my day, and all that I do in it, I realize that I'm about the furthest thing from Lazy that there is.  At 6:20 a.m. my alarm goes off, and I bolt straight up, barely having any time to stretch or wipe my eyes.  A few minutes later, I'm getting the coffee ready for the 3 of us in the house who will drink it, and I make a pretty good pot of coffee, even though the coffee maker is broken ( I have to repeatedly switch the "on" button back on, some mechanism is broken, and it only "stays" on after a few switches).  I then ask the youngest daughter, MCB, if she wants a smoothie, which, 4 times out of 5, she does, so I make the smoothie:  one banana, one carton of strawberry or peach yogurt, frozen peaches, strawberries, and pineapples, and about a 1/2 cup of guava juice.  This helps her start her day and provides for some good sources of protein and fruit and dairy.  Some days I'll make cheese omelettes, sometimes I make fried rice, occassionally I'll make oatmeal or grits, and often I'll let them just eat Eggo Waffles.

Next, I ask my other daughter if she wants a sandwich, which, 4 times out of 5, she does, and so I toast the bread, add just enough mustard on both sides of the bread, place a slice of cheese, 4 pieces of turkey breast, and a couple pieces of lettuce, for a wonderful sandwich.  Sometimes I'll put together her lunch, but most days it's just the sandwich. 

By now it's about 6:45a.m., and it's time to let the dog outside, give him a treat, and feed him.  I then search the carpool list to see who's driving, and who's riding home with whom, and sign permission slips, and find out what the weather is like so the kids won't freeze, and make sure all the breakfast items are put away, and put the wet laundry from the night before into the dryer, and find the checkbook for a school service project, and help my husband find his car keys, and get ready for my walk through the neigbhorhood, then drive the kids to the carpool location 4 minutes away, and make sure the dog gets to ride in the car, and back home again; by this time, it's 7:10 a.m., not even a full hour after I've been awake! 

So I decided not to even take my son's comments to heart, because I knew better, that I'm not Lazy, that is.

Nestle's Cookie Dough!

The other day I was alll set to make a nice after-school treat for my kids.  So I went to the refrigerator to get the bucket of Nestle's Cookie Dough, ready with the oven and cookie sheet.  What a good mom am I, thought I!

To my surprise and disappointment, upon opening the lid of the cookie dough, I found 2- 3 spoonfuls of cookie dough at the bottom of the bucket.  That was it!  Not even enough for a dozen cookies.  Now why do kids do that kind of thing?  What a waste for me to get excited about doing a good deed, only to find my efforts foiled by the sweet-searching hoards!

Maybe next time!

Mexican Chicken Cheese Soup

                                                         Mexican Chicken Cheese Soup

Tonight I made Mexican Chicken Cheese Soup, a real crowd pleaser at my house.  I know I can count on the kids and husband pretty much liking this one, and it has the essential ingredients I try to provide in my meals for my family all in one pot:  vegetables, protein, dairy and carbs.           

I'm providing this recipe that I got so many years ago from a friend of mine who brought some to me for...well, I don't remember.  It was probably after having one of my children.  When I had kids, my friends, neighbors and church supported me with nearly a whole month of food so I didn't have to cook AND worry about feeding my baby and family.

I usually serve this soup with bread and a salad.  Most of the family will eat everything; the boy tends to eat a loaf of bread and sop up the soupy part, leaving the chicken and vegetables in the bottom of the bowl.  But, for the most part, the family loves this, and it's basically a one-pot concoction.  I clean up my cooking area as I'm sauteeing the veggies or waiting for the soup to thicken.

Rosa's Mexican Chicken Cheese Soup (I don't know who Rosa is; that's just what my friend called it)

Oven Roasted Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breasts 4 - 6, diced            

Olive Oil

1 onion, diced
4 -6 stalks celery, diced
4 -6 medium- large carrots, diced
4 medium potatoes, large diced
3 -4 c. chicken broth
1 cup flour

3 c. skim milk                                                                                      

3 chicken bouillon cubes
Creole seasoning
2 -3 cups grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

I will confess, my measurements on this are NOT exact because I usually double/triple the recipe to provide leftovers.  But you can do this according to the thickness of soup you'd like.

                            

Roast the chicken breasts by rubbing them in olive oil, kosher salt, and large ground pepper, then put in oven at 350 for about 15 min. or cooked.  Dice and set aside.
Heat EVOO in large pot (preferably All-Clad b/c these won't let the soup burn easily)on medium low heat.  Add onions for 5 min, then celery for another 5 min. then the carrots for another few, then potatoes for another 5 or so.  Add chicken meat.  Put the chicken bouillon cubes into the chicken stock and throw into pot.  Then mix the flour into the milk and add and cook until liquid thickens a bit.  Add creole seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer until  potatoes and carrots are tender but not mushy.  Finally, throw in cheese at the end, stir and serve.  Add more chicken broth or milk (or less) depending on the consistency you prefer.

Hopefully, your family will enjoy this one as much as mine and there will be plenty of leftovers for tomorrow!

Serves 8 - 10 easily                            

Family Satisfaction Rating: 10+

My Weekend in a Gym Watching Very Tall Girls Wearing Very Tight Spandex Playing Volleyball

I just had the pleasure of spending my 3 day MLK weekend in a gymnasium 30 minutes north watching Very Tall Girls Wearing Very Tight Spandex Playing Volleyball (VTGWVTSPV)!!!  What a long weekend. Youngest daughter, MCB is on a 14's team, a new team for her, but her 3rd year playing club VB.  It's my 6th year of participating in Club VB, some with my older daughter, and some with this one.  If there's one thing I've learned, it's that there are a whole lot of girls out there who are REALLY tall, and I and my daughters do not fall in that category.  I'm talking about girls whose hips start and my chest and who wear size 10 - 11 shoes.  Girls who look down at the white roots at the top of my head.  For some reason, I don't remember girls that size when I was growing up.  Could it be the hormones that are put in dairy products these days, or is it just that the tallest of females are brought together in one setting all at once, and, so, their heighth is even more dramatically noticeable?  Or maybe it's just that where I grew up, in Hawaii, most of the people I knew were smaller since they were Asian?  I never felt short; at 5'5", I think I'm a pretty respectable height... for a Chinese woman.  But MCB regularly grumbles that it's "my fault" that she's short... about 5'3.5", hence her position as libero is her fate in VB.

But boy, is she fast and scrappy on court, thanks to my giving her good thighs to transport her here and there.  And she has great square shoulders, again from me, allowing her to have really strong arms.  She made me proud today as she repeatedly hit the ball from behind the 10' line, SLAM!  right down on the other side of the court. 

Another thing that's so noticeable at these long tournament days is how all the girls wear these very tight spandex, truly uncomfortable inventions, meant to allow freedom of movement, but probably really meant to accentuate the very long legs of the owners wearing these "shorts."  The problem, though, is that the girls spend half their time pulling and tugging and stretching these spandex as they try to prevent self-inflicted wedgies.  How unlady-like!  But they all do it, because those spandex are so tight and short!

6.5 hours Saturday, 5.5 hours Sunday, 6.5 hours Monday... let's see... that's 17.5 hours spent at the gym this week, about a full day of my life, and that doesn't include the drive up and back... about 3 additional hours.  My friends probably wonder why I and all the other VB moms and dads do this; why would I ever sacrifice that time and effort for a sport, and not even a sport that I'm playing?  Why would I torture myself sitting in those uncomfortable bleachers hour after hour where the only exercise I get is moving from one side of the court to the other during a match as I follow my daughter's team switching sides?  Why?  Because she likes to play (an acutal quote from MCB); she loves the team cameraderie.  Because she achieves so much satisfaction in making that point by making a great serve, or killing the ball from the back row.  Because she gets to scream "ACE!" when she or one of her teammates crams the ball down the other side of the court.  Because I'm fulfilling my role as parent by encouraging her to become a great VB player and by giving her the best possible opportunity to achieve her goals.  That's it... it's so simple.  That's why!  So I get to have about 4 more years of watching VTGWVTSPVB!  Hooray for me!

FANS GOING WILD!!!  Just like me!       

Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe/ Crock-Pot Chicken Nachos

Here's the recipe for the Eggplant Parmigiana that I made last night.  My neighbors were sweet and said they ate it all up...and per some other requests, here it is:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggplant-parmesan-ii/detail.aspx  (Family Satisfaction Rating:  -10)

I like the "allrecipes.com" website because I read the reviews from people who have made the dish, and it ranks the recipe according to how many stars are given by fellow cooks.  Also, it's usually pretty accurate, but do read the reviews.  I never really follow recipes exactly (except when baking), so I did what others recommended in this recipe:  Add some grated parmesan reggiano (large packs from Sam's/Costco are great values... I freeze anything I don't use immediately) to the Italian Bread Crumbs, and cook for about 20 - 30 min. so there's a bit of "crispiness" to each slice of baked eggplant.  I use a lot more cheese than required on the recipe, and I cheated by using "Ragu Chunky Vegetable" sauce.

I had some leftovers for lunch; if I had more ragu sauce, I would have put an extra spoonful on top to make it pretty and more savory since the battered eggplant absorbs a good bit of liquid.

On another note, my family WILL have dinner tonight that I actually prepared last night:  Crock-Pot Chicken Nachos.  It's something they will actually eat, so for those of you who were worried that they might die of malnutrition from lack of food prepared by mother-dear, don't worry... tonight was a "gimme". 

Here's the picture of what it looks like in the crock-pot, and I'll add the recipe afterwards.

Crock-Pot Chicken Nachos:  Easy-to-make... Family Satisfaction Rating:  10

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts... about 6 large or so

1 -2 cans Rotelle Diced Tomatoes

1 cup salsa of your choice or, if you don't have salsa, chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned or boxed

1/2 onion, chopped

Cilantro, if you'd like

Cumin, Salt, Pepper to taste

As you can see, this is a great recipe for items you have on hand in the pantry or fridge.  Put all ingredients in the crock-pot, turn to high, and cook for about 4 -5 hours.  Shred meat, and simmer on low for another hour or so.

Serve with soft tortillas, baked tortillas, queso cheese dip, jalapenos, salsa... whatever you'd like.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana

Tonight I nearly lost it... my temper, my dedication to my family, my desire to do the things I love... but I didn't lose it all, I just made some resolutions.

You see, I love my family, and I love to cook; I owe it to my mother and father who often cooked together in the kitchen making all sorts of unusual food items: Sushi; Lomi Lomi Salmon; Haupia; Chinese Egg Noodles with Char Siu; Buddhist Monk's Soup (Jai) etc. Even though they didn't always get along in other areas, they did seem to like to cook together, so maybe that's why I love to cook so much myself.

Just tonight, in fact, as I was preparing what I knew was a "risky" dish for my family, I thought how much I love the step-by-step methodology, the putting together of ingredients, to create something unigue and delicious. I was making Eggplant Parmigiana. This was risky because I don't think anyone in my family has ever eaten a piece of eggplant on their own before; perhaps SJ has in a Szechuan Chinese dish, but other than that, they avoid this veggie like the plague.

But I had 3 beautiful purple specimens, deep and rich in color, still firm, ready to be used. I sliced them a 1/4 inch thick as called for in the recipe, then proceeded to hand-dip them in beaten eggs, and finally, tossed them in a mixture of Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Placing them carefully in single layers on top of a baking sheet painted with EVOO, I baked (not fried) them in the oven until toasty brown. After that, I layered them on top of tomato ragu, sprinkled grated Mozzerella cheese on top, and threw on some real parmesan cheese. Four layers later, the dish was ready to be cooked. It looked beautiful!

I then made Tomato, Capers, Artichoke and Mozzerella Bruschetta, one of my favorite dishes that I often use as an appetizer. It's a wonderful dish that's no fail... can't get this one wrong because it's so basic. I used a larger slice of bread tonight because I had it on hand, but the best size is a baguette round, about 2 - 2 1/2 " long, so the bread doesn't absorb too much of the tomato liquid and get soggy.

I served the Eggplant Parmigiana to my family on our new red dishes; it was a very pretty presentation with the fresh garden salad on the side along with the Bruschetta. Middle daughter, EB, asked what it was, and I told her that it was Eggplant Parmesan (accentuating the 'parmesan' part). As everyone was getting settled into their seats, she took a bite and said, "Where's the chicken? All I can see are the tomatoes!" Now where did she get the idea that there were even tomatoes in the dish? I suppose the eggplant looked like fried green tomatoes to her, something we often partake of during the summer months.

After repeated questioning and noticing that the twins had stopped their forks mid-air after hearing her question the ingredients, I explained that the dish was made with eggplants. Well, all moving parts stopped, the forks came to a standstill, and everyone was hushed. EB, who usually is the least picky eater (is that saying very much for my family?), then blurted out, "I took a bite and it made me sick! I"m not going to eat this!" All other siblings, and father dear as well, all took the same stance and refused to bring any more of the "stuff" to their lips. Husband SJ proceeded to return his portion to the casserole dish!!! I couldn't believe my eyes and I couldn't believe what was happening. After spending nearly two and a half hours preparing this dinner, what I thought would be something new and exciting to experience, my family totally refused to even touch their eggplant, could barely tolerate it on their plates. And I thought it was delicious.

I vowed to them outloud, then and there, that I was going to go on strike, and that for a month I wouldn't buy groceries or make any meals for them. I'm going to try to be resolute in my vow; my family has become totally spoiled about what they will and will not eat! So they will go through all the canned goods, all the dried pasta, all the frozen bagels bites, the fruit, the yogurt, and you bet, all the cookies too, and then they'll find nothing new. I know I sound evil, but I've had it (at least for tonight), and I'm not going to tolerate this abuse again any time soon!

What happened to the Eggplant Parmigiana? I took the other half of the casserole to my neighbors next door and my friend down the street... I believe the text I received 15 minutes ago from my neighbor was something like, "We've eaten nearly the whole amount you brought over, and please send the recipe."

Happy Birthday Twins!

It has started, the machine of life, the constant drumming of activity, work and interaction.  This weekend was spent helping my youngest, the twins, celebrate their 14th birthday.  They invited 25 of their school friends to "Sherlock Holmes," the movie, and then to Mellow Mushroom for pizza.  I must admit, though there were a lot of kids, it was one of the easier ones to manage b/c once in the theater, they were seated and pretty quiet.  They sat still for 2 hours, and at the pizza joint, they sat relatively still again for another 45 mins. or so. 

All the birthdays we've had for the twins run together a bit:  Ponies in the front yard (yes REAL ponies); huge inflatables that they would sleep in overnight; roller skating at All-American Skate in Stone Mountain; ice skating at the Ice Forum; laser tag...these are just some that I can remember.  The hardest, of course, were the ones at home, when the kids would run through the house, but those were some of the best. 

This well may be the last "hurrah" for birthday parties; next year might just be a dinner of some sort.  In some ways, I'm saddened by this passage into the next phase of life, one more confirmation that children grow up, very quickly, and things change. 

I think I'll just relish this next year while they still have the last remnants of childhood in them, before they start driving, or before they really start to want to date; I think I'll hold onto them just a little longer, and enjoy them being such a big part of my life.  Next year, it will be totally different, good, I'm sure, but just not the same. 

On True Friendships

Recently I had the chance to have lunch with a friend I've known for the past 23 years.  We got to know each other through a couples' Bible study, back then, before kids (10, to be exact!).  Now that we have kids, we still get together for birthdays and usually once a year trips to Asheville.  But day to day, we don't really talk or see much of the other.

Still, it's the female thing that keeps our friendship alive; it's the fact that we've nurtured an intertwining of our lives together which can keep our friendship vital to the other.  It's a mystical thing, this "friendship," this growing of hearts and minds and memories that takes place over days, months, years, and decades.

What is it that creates this special type of relationship?  It's the sharing of who we truly are, our inner thoughts, our experiences, our deep feelings.  I have a few girlfirends, "gf's" with whom I have the honor of sharing that type of bond; I don't get that with everyone, and it takes time, and effort.  It also takes honesty.  For some, this last ingredient is the thing that's hardest to share.  But this is what I"m talking about when I say that "women want to know and be known"... not all women, for sure, but most.  We don't want to just wear our heart on our sleeves for others to judge or for vanity's sake.  We really want to know each other.  I'm not sure men really have that same desire... it doesn't matter.  I just know that that's what's important to me, and I'm thankful for my friend who likewise shares her "real self" with me, one of my "bgf's" who I can call at a time of need, or in sorrow, or in ecstatic joy.

School has started!

We're back in the grind, and I can't get to sleep.  This is my life... at 3:00 a.m., and I'm blogging, because I have so much on my mind that I just can't stop thinking, or tossing and turning in the bed, so I might as well be here typing away about things that are important to me.

I told a friend that if I could do what I really wanted to do with my life that I'd be in Italy or France, learning how to cook, becoming an expert wine-taster, or creating travel opportunities for myself and others.  She asked me why I wasn't doing that, then, the thing I "really" wanted to do.

There's such a simple answer to that:  I am doing what I want to do, at least, what I have always wanted to do which is to have a family and raise children and, consequently, develop a part of myself I otherwise would never have even experienced.  Trying to raise these four children in this city can be such a tough job; but at the same time, it can be rewarding.  Don't get me wrong, not on a day to day basis.... NO, not a chance!  But every so often, just as it was when I was teaching Jr. High and High School, you find an oyster and open it up and find a pearl inside.  Same as being a mom. You get a gem dropped into your palm every once in a while, like when your daughter writes a sweet note of thanks and gratitude saying she couldn't be who she was without you.  Now that kind of gift goes a LONG way!

I drove nearly two hours today, picking carpool kids up from school, dropping them off at their respective homes, taking kids to volleyball and tennis; that time doesn't include getting groceries, making dinner, cleaning up.... you know, the routine.  So I didn't have too much time today to get to the other stuff that's important:  Work, Paying Bills, Cleaning the House.  Is that what I dreamed of in my younger days?  Well, yes, I guess.  It's the day to day sacrifice of myself that has been the element which has shaped who I am, and it has given me the chance to grow in a way that I otherwise would never have grown.  Do I always love it?  Absolutely not!  There's no tangible compensation for all this work, yet I would always choose this path again if I had to do it over again. 

So we're back in school, in our real world, and I'm sure I'll pull some all nighters again someday soon!

Tyranny of the Family

Tonight was one helluva night... everyone was mad at everyone else, especially me, with the exception of the dog and middle-more-well-adjusted-most-times daughter, EB.  SB, the son who will be 14 in one day, decided to take the "prime" portion of the chicken breast... I guess it's my fault since I've always made chicken breasts (mostly w/out skin and w/out bones) so they're used to every piece looking and tasting the same.  But this time, I had the audacity to make Chicken Marbella ... a delicious combo of one whole chicken cut-up, capers, prunes, olive oil, green olives w/a yummy topping of brown sugar and white wine.  Here's the recipe:  http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_marbella


We were all set to eat, when eldest daughter, the one who loves carbs and usually won't eat much "meat" unless it looks just right, said that the chicken wasn't thoroughly cooked.  Well, it was just a tad pinkish, so I put it back in the oven and "broiled" it to get it cooked a little better.  After a bit, I pulled it out and CMLB, eldest and "most worthy to get the best piece" daughter, happened to go upstairs for something.  So the one to get first choice this go-around, the first to the kitchen, was son, SB, who picked the slice that older sister had already cut for herself.  Upon CMLB's arrival to the kitchen to serve herself, she noticed her plump, white meat chicken breast was gone... taken by the food-stalker brother who, upon hearing that she was looking for that special piece of chicken, decided to claim it for his own and thoroughly licked it all around.  That was it, that was the card that tumbled the stack... mayhem erupted all around and everything went downhill.  SB was mad at me for scolding him for taking his sister's piece of chicken; SJ, dad, was mad at SB for yelling and throwing his adolescent attitude all around the room; CMLB was indignant that everyone had chosen the best parts of the whole chicken before she could get to it; I was mad because youngest daughter, MCB called just then and demanded that I pick her up from the weekend away skiing (I had to leave my plate in the warm oven; I was so ready to eat and get it all over with).  We ended that night with two going to bed without dinner, one not eating any chicken at all, and mostly everyone still mad at me.  All that after spending quite a bit of time making a wonderful meal!

The lesson I learned:  Stick to boneless chicken breasts that all look alike and there won't be any fighting over the parts!

A Happy Birthday!

Since I didn't start this blog until after my birthday, I didn't really get a chance to write about a restaurant that I've been wanting to try for many years: Aria. I read reviews of restaurants in the newspaper, on the internet, and through opentable all the time to get an idea of what's new, what's not, what's hot, etc. And I get to choose the restaurant our family goes to once a year: On my birthday, which, by the way, has to be the worst date of the year to be born.

Being born the day after Christmas has always been the Merry/Happy Christmas/Birthday celebration, when no one in the world really wants to celebrate (including me) b/c everyone's already had their Christmas parties days and weeks in advance and everyone needs a few days before gearing up for the New Year's fesitivities. I've learned to cope and deal with it, and the best way I know how is to treat myself to something very special on that day, which is usually going out to a restaurant that I've chosen.

On other days of the year when our family of six goes out to dinner, it's usually a big argument: Dad wants Indian, the girls opt for Chinese or Mexican, the boy hates Chinese and wants Picadilly for the fried okra. Everyone's upset about that, so we usually meet in the middle and go Mexican (ha, ha)! and pseudo-Mexican at that (Monterrey, a chain near us with low-quality food but with pretty good margaritas).

But on this one day of the year, MOM gets to choose, and this year I wanted to treat myself!

Aria was a terrific choice! It's the kind of restaurant that has a nice selection of items that is interesting enough but still approachable for kids. For starters, some shared the Crispy Crab Cakes ... yummy, is all I can say. I had the lobster cocktail which was good, but pricey for a lot of mashed potatoes on the bottom of some green sauce I couldn't identify. EB had the delicious and light Celery Root soup. For entress, my eldest daughter and I had the George Banks Sea Scallops, perfectly pan sauteed served over al dente seafood risotto; SJ ordered the ribeye, huge, perfectly cooked to order, with a red reduction sauce he wanted to lick off the plate; one daughter had the filet mignon, again, cooked to medium-rare; son had the fall-apart pork shoulder served with blue-cheese mashed potatoes; youngest daughter, the carb-lover, ate a bunch of bread dipped in olive oil and ordered the appetizer mushroom ravioli. It was a wonderful meal, and, surprisingly, everyone ended up happy.

We ended up skipping the movie theater and choosing District 9 to watch at home together. It was a warm and cozy family event, and a nice cost break after our dinner. It really did end up a happy birthday after all for me, and I've found a wonderful new restaurant as well.

Contemplations about SPAM

Thank you to my friend for bringing up the issue of SPAM... yes, S.P.A.M. That's the "potted meat" that Hormel makes that comes in the rectangular tin can that was used as a K-ration during WWII.

I don't think many people here in GA probably have tasted it, but someone other than I must be buying it b/c I can find it at both Kroger and Publix, quite easily, and in different forms: Regular, Low-Fat, Low-Sodium, Chicken...

I grew up in Hawaii, and, yes, I did know "Barry" Obama... he graduated a year after me from the same high school from which I graduated. I first wondered months ago on Facebook if he still ate it in the White House and had his personal chef prepare it (which way, I wondered?). My friend today noted that both he and Rush Limbaugh were in Hawaii (I wonder if they're friends golfing together?); my guess is that Barry is having someone make him some SPAM musubi, or perhaps, SPAM fried rice (my personal favorite). I tend to cook this dish on mornings when I have leftover white rice, an ample number of eggs, and I want to provide a nutritious beginning for my kids (well, it does have eggs and rice in it).

I do try to buy the low-fat type, and it tastes just as good as the regular.

So if you're curious about what to do with SPAM, I'm happy to share my SPAM fried rice recipe to anyone who wants it.

What does SPAM stand for anyway?

I just checked this out on the web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(food)

Please don't judge me... I really do love good food, but when you grow up eating something as a staple, and when you go to Paradise (Hawaii) and they sell the stuff in pre-made foods, even at fast-food restaurants, you can't blame me for loving it as a source of protein and a delicious ham-replacement ingredient.

Oh, and I wouldn't read the information from wikipedia too closely... you may end up never trying this wonderful food source!

Christmas Breakfast: A Lesson Learned

I had planned to bake "make-ahead sticky buns' from the AJC on Christmas morning. Only problem is that I'm a "pantry-cook," meaning that I make meals based on items I have in the refrigerator or the pantry already on hand, and I tend to pick the recipe after I find the ingredients in my pantry.

I was disappointed that I didn't check the ingredients for these "make-ahead" sticky buns sooner than Christmas Eve; alas, I didn't have several key ingredients so I had to search the Internet to find a similar recipe which only required ingredients I had on hand.

I found a sticky-bun recipe from Martha Stewart. It looked easy enough, and I even had yeast.

I made the dough ahead of time as called for by the recipe and stuck it in the fridge to rise overnight. Now I'm a pretty good cook, but I don't bake very much (trying to watch the muffin top tummy that I've developed over time). So even though the dough seemed thick, I thought I was on the right track.

Next morning, Christmas Day, I rolled out the dough, brushed the sour cream over the top (yuck), added the brown sugar etc., put the Karo corn syrup and pecans in the muffin tins, and finished off by rolling, cutting, and stuffing the dough into the baking tins. I wondered why there was SO much dough that I had to stuff it all in, but I guessed that maybe it was to create fluffy, maxi-sized gooey buns. After they were done, I turned them out on the parchment paper as directed, and, voila! They looked perfectly delicious. Youngest daughter, the carb-eating, cinnabon lover, breakfast monger could hardly keep her little hands off the yummy looking buns... I was so proud!

I also cooked an omelette with cheddar cheese, some bacon, and blended up some Orange Julius, that sugary sweet drink with OJ and milk and sugar that I used to love to get at Orange Julius in Ala Moana Center.

The family was hungry, I could sense that, and they could hardly wait for the blessing of thanks before grabbing the buns and bacon.

The bottom line is that the sticky buns, though beautiful on the outside, were dense, tasteless globs of dough on the inside; to my horror, they were the worst item on the table. They weren't even sweet, and as for fluff, forget it! The best thing on the table was the bacon: straightforward, simple to cook, and tasty and salty!

The moral of the story: Next year I'll stick with the "traditional" Sister Shubert Cinnamon Rolls straight from the freezer to the oven, and I'll save myself a lot of time and disappointment!

Yipee! Half the family's gone today!

I am writing and my house is empty. Do you realize how hard it is for me to get half of my family out of my house for any significant period of time and have three days without them here? Don't get me wrong; I love my family, would do anything (and do!) for them, but to be able to have an empty house, to have time to sit, think, read, write, EAT ANYTHING I WANT, do ANYTHING I WANT... well now, that's precious and simply hard to get these days.



Hubbie SJ took son SB with four other 14 year old boys to Asheville on this cold, wintry day to hike, build bonfires, fish, shoot skeet, and stay cold for 3 days! Sounds like what it was like living as a pioneer woman to me... not very much fun. Youngest daughter, MCB, left at 6:30 a.m. with a youth group ski trip to W. VA... again, snowy, windy, freezing, .... on a bus full of teenage kids. Sounds like loads of fun... NOT!



Me? I'm sitting in a warm house, about to make a cappucino with my new Nespresso Citiz, with the blustery cold wind swirling outside, typing away, happy to be sharing my enthusiastic "YIPEE" with other moms who might also have the good fortune to have some respite from the fam... Here's to a New Year, y'all, and here's to Peace in the house, for a while!