herbs and spices

I grow lots of herbs in the gardens chez Pook and Bug. I chose to make the border around our boring patio slab an entirely child-safe and edible border.  I put in rosemary, oregano, chives and garlic chives, parsley, thyme, mints safely sequestered in pots, marjoram, a bay laurel, and the occasional lemony something, plus basil each summer.

There have been several unsuccessful experiments. Rosemary struggles without enough sun. Basil and parsley have off years sometimes. This year I experimented with stevia, a horribly sweet herb I have no particular use for since I don't sweeten my drinks. The plant has grown fine, but if it doesn't come back next year I won't go searching to buy it again.

But today I planted something new. New! NEW!! I've followed The Faire Garden for years and when she discussed planting her own crocus for saffron. I was intrigued. When she talked about harvesting her own saffron, I was hooked. I found a reputable source and I ordered. Herbs AND spices!

No matter that I've never really cooked with saffron. I sometimes buy a yellow rice mix that probably fakes the saffron with artificial flavors and colors.  But, I could cook with saffron. If saffron wasn't so expensive maybe I'd have been cooking with it all along. See? I could be a closet saffron lover and not even know it.

They are a fall blooming crocus, crocus sativus, and fall is planning to be upon us anytime. I planted them today and I will follow up with pictures of the flowers when they come. And if this works out, I'll cook.  Feel free to send me a paella recipe if you have a good one. I am such the optimist today!

soups on

We're pretending it's fall here. And in our defense, I have seen some leaves coloring. We have turned off the A/C and opened windows.  But, we're still in shorts.  Eating soup, wearing shorts.  Fine with me.

When I said I was going to make soup, Bug called from the other room "Make the black bean one!"  I'd already pulled out the ingredients.

This comes, originally, from Fitness magazine, (Feb. 2006). A printable can be found at recipezaar #151772. I got it from my friend Nadya.  The good recipes get around.

It uses chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. Buy it. Feel free to freeze the extra in portion sized amounts, but it isn't hard to find and it isn't expensive.


Black Bean and Coconut Milk Soup
In soup pot, over medium heat, saute
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. chipotles chilies in adobo sauce, minced

Get those onions nice and soft while you enjoy the smell.  A half cup water can be added to push the onions along.  Then add the rest.

2 cans black beans (incl. liquid)
1 can coconut milk
2 1/2 c. broth (veggie or chicken)

Bring your lovely mixture to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Just enough time to warm up some corn tortillas, a baguette, or make some rice to plop in the middle of your bowl.

I use an immersion blender to puree it all a bit. I still like to keep some of the chunks.

If you want to be all pretty, serve it with cilantro, fresh tomato and lime.  We had it plain and still loved it.

things I know

• If you change the sprinkler head on a hose without turning off the water, no matter how sure you are that you can do it this time, you will get wet. 

• If you are craving some comfort foods and are going to the grocery that day, no matter how much restraint you show at the store, you will still end up eating comfort foods later. 

• If you remember being in a situation yourself and now see your child struggling with the same thing, no matter how well intentioned you are, your child will still think you lived with dinosaurs and cannot possibly understand him.

ain't nobody happy

"When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  So they say. But when nobody ain't happy, Mama ain't happy either.  And it seems like my babies are not happy.

School is too long. The bus takes forever. He has no time to play or read. Pook is adjusting to middle school, but grudgingly. He's right; his schedule is much changed from the past years. He isn't getting off the bus until 4:45 (instead of 2:30) and he needs to fit in homework plus saxophone and piano practices. He's used to his homework being done before dinner, but it isn't working that way.  He liked getting some free time.  It may settle out, or he may just get used to it.

Bug's dissatisfaction is more global. "Everything" is wrong. "Everyone" hates his teacher.  It is true that his friends are mostly in other rooms. He has the only teacher in the grade that I didn't want him to get. She taught Pook in 3rd grade too, and I wasn't thrilled with her "old school" style. I think she's probably starting the year very strict (no smiling until Christmas) but I also think she'll mellow out soon. Bug doesn't seem to know what she wants. He thinks this is the directions on the homework but he also thinks he needs to do things like this or he'll "get in trouble." He's intimidated by her and isn't asking for clarification.

Yesterday at the triathlon, the kids were treated as capable, independent beings. No adults were allowed in the transition area before, during or after.  The kids set up their bike, towel, socks shoes and shirt, and a box for goggles and bike helmet. I never even saw how they laid it all out. The kids were lined up by age and number and marched to the aquatics center where we waited to watch. Pook had two hours to wait while Bug ("juniors division") raced. CD and I saw them both swim then we ran outdoors to catch snippets of biking and running. We saw them pass through the finish line. The miles they covered they covered without us.

I liked the independence required of them. When Bug wanted to find the bathrooms and I wanted to see Pook finish, I sent him to the opposite side of the place on his own. If he can race a triathlon, he can find a port-a-potty on his own. And, they handled it-- mostly.  I did step in when Pook came out from the pool without having found the volunteer holding his glasses. He had to bike (6 miles) without them, but I found the woman who had them and was able to return them to him before the run. Sometimes Mama still needs to help.

But with Bug at school, I don't want to step in yet. I want him to figure out how he can work with his teacher. I want him to learn how to ask for help, both from her and from us. I want him to learn to explain his worries more clearly. I want him to feel independent and successful.  Then Mama will be happy.

try tri

I mentioned the triathlon briefly last week without giving any explanation.  Sorry. School has filled my brain and summer activities are getting quickly squeezed out by things like new schedules, homework projects and fall baseball.

The triathlon is an extension of our summer swim team. For a few years I've heard neighbors talk about kid triathlons-- one in particular called the Iron Kids. It sounded like something they could handle, coming right off swim team particularly. But, the Iron Kids was huge and not timed well for our schedule last year and we never got around to looking into it seriously.  Yet as the boys climbed out of the pool, barely winded after swimming for hours, it kept coming back to me.

When a parent mentioned a kids triathlon sponsored by the YMCA, my ears perked up. I picked up the brochure when I was there next. The cost was low, the location convenient, and most of all, the distances were perfect for a first triathlon.

Juniors ages 6-10
swim 100 meters
bike 3 miles
run 1/2 mile

Seniors ages 11-15
swim 200 meters
bike 6 miles
run 1 mile

We have a team of friends who are all participating. The boys have taken some runs with CD, since running is probably their weakest area. We tried putting wet bodies into socks, shoes and shirts.

They're ready for the sport. They're ready for the transitions. The crowds may be intimidating, but assuming we find their buddies, they can stick together. The point isn't to win this, and they know it. Bug put it well:  "When they talk about me on the Olympics they can say that 'He did his first triathlon at age eight.'"

So this Sunday morning at before-the-sun-rises-o'clock we will be heading to the triathlon. I'm pretty excited for them. Me, I'll be doing what I do best. Participating as a member of The Audience.