tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51430888767490094072024-03-19T08:25:39.789-04:00Playful PlatypusAn exploration and examination of life as an out-of-the-ordinary, road-less-travelled, global family of three with roots in China, Ethiopia, Oromiya, Holland, Poland and Ukraine.Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.comBlogger347125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-45713219112348259002011-04-11T05:47:00.002-04:002011-04-11T05:47:00.366-04:00Magical Monday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoamwrwxVOQ9xIObdDjEweA9buFnI4M1SjX-KpaTAzOPMiOcV4iaXlw3paTZqrUzYvnyNCBqe2cbk79qpWc_GLnKk3ArSdnfmWPd-fjIBk87WbabdmcpinLCPazmKDjGsfBcxPsnEf8xSD/s1600/IMG_2002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460832790896906594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoamwrwxVOQ9xIObdDjEweA9buFnI4M1SjX-KpaTAzOPMiOcV4iaXlw3paTZqrUzYvnyNCBqe2cbk79qpWc_GLnKk3ArSdnfmWPd-fjIBk87WbabdmcpinLCPazmKDjGsfBcxPsnEf8xSD/s320/IMG_2002.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh274tEIfThfxIffGuCD8zS3gn1yf2PWGiuYWI8_ZwFyWwXJmQC0xksk_PVb9sTCkcTVpqvhHOvkOSp1L6u7K4DnELt5G_hKkSrdpKut1Rgm7N-RULqcKEvxK10ij8uF5B_xieuU1V1bAD2/s1600/IMG_1997.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460832786835060370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh274tEIfThfxIffGuCD8zS3gn1yf2PWGiuYWI8_ZwFyWwXJmQC0xksk_PVb9sTCkcTVpqvhHOvkOSp1L6u7K4DnELt5G_hKkSrdpKut1Rgm7N-RULqcKEvxK10ij8uF5B_xieuU1V1bAD2/s320/IMG_1997.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZYj0KTsC-BO5ZdoG9DtoFia5nVf1Z4g_ZZ-EdANPZLxAECvWuGOfZ_EHpaIwj1ATmUoO8t3GIjNLNpzivgEQYFkAMye4rMCH1zcUwEnAJQarP5FljmGIJm6HjHbgEY5JCt-oYbgXNJT3/s1600/IMG_1986.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460832174771475554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZYj0KTsC-BO5ZdoG9DtoFia5nVf1Z4g_ZZ-EdANPZLxAECvWuGOfZ_EHpaIwj1ATmUoO8t3GIjNLNpzivgEQYFkAMye4rMCH1zcUwEnAJQarP5FljmGIJm6HjHbgEY5JCt-oYbgXNJT3/s320/IMG_1986.JPG" border="0" /></a>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-51311536725000755012011-01-28T06:04:00.000-05:002011-01-28T06:04:00.383-05:00Food Friday: Asian Chicken Salad<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#666600;"><strong>Asian Chicken Salad</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;color:#666600;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1cm fresh ginger, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tsp sugar</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">⅔ c canola oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 T miso</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ c rice vinegar</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">150g cooked chicken, shredded</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ head romaine lettuce, shredded</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ carrot, shredded</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ c Chinese cabbage, shredded</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ c cucumber, halved lengthwise and cut in thin slices</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Instructions</strong></span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a food processor or blender, puree the garlic, ginger, sugar, oil, miso and vinegar until smooth. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Combine remaining ingredients. Toss with miso dressing. </span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-16588234099135816342011-01-21T06:01:00.000-05:002011-01-21T06:01:00.703-05:00Food Friday: Fish Rolls<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#996633;">Fish Rolls</span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#996633;"><br /></span><strong>Ingredients</strong><br /></span><ul><li>250g fish fillets (trout, perch, bluegill, etc.)</li><li>250g farmers sausage</li><li>1 large can tomatoes</li><li>4 potatoes, peeled and sliced</li><li>1 onion, sliced</li><li>1 sweet red or yellow pepper</li><li>1 tsp basil </li><li>1 tsp parsley flakes</li><li>1 tsp paprika</li><li>½ tsp garlic powder</li><li>½ tsp nutmeg</li></ul><strong>Instructions</strong><br /><ol><li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. </li><li>Cut fillets into strips 2 – 5 cm wide. Cut sausage into 2cm chunks. Wrap fillets around sausage chunks and secure with toothpicks. Place in a baking dish. </li><li>Drain juice from tomatoes and set aside. Pour tomatoes over the fish-sausage rolls. </li><li>Add the potatoes, onions and peppers. </li><li>Sprinkle seasonings over vegetables. Pour in ½ cup of the reserved tomato juice. </li><li>Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.</li></ol><p><strong>Variations</strong> </p><ul><li>omit sausage and wrap fish with bacon</li><li>sprinkle grated cheese on top</li><li>add wild rice and enough water to cover</span> </li></ul>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-37971652521258050832011-01-14T06:07:00.000-05:002011-01-14T06:07:00.220-05:00Food Friday: Easy Skillet Noodles<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#993300;">Skillet Noodles</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">200g medium egg noodles</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">6 slices bacon </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup chopped green bell pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp each basil, oregano, marjoram, garlic powder<br />½ tsp nutmeg</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 can tomato paste</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1⅔ cup water</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Parmesan cheese</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Cook noodles in boiling, salted water. Drain. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Cook bacon in cast-iron frying pan. Drain off all but 2 tsp of drippings. Remove bacon and crumble. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add green pepper to drippings and cook until it has just lost its crunch. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add seasonings, tomato paste, and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Serve over cooked noodles. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon. </span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-66691974565174655312011-01-07T06:02:00.001-05:002011-01-07T06:02:00.190-05:00Food Friday: Chile Cornbread<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#666600;"><strong>Chile Cornbread</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¾ cup yellow cornmeal (or a mix of yellow and white)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup flour</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons sugar</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp baking powder</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ tsp salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup milk (or a mix of milk and buttermilk)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 egg, beaten</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup corn kernels, fresh or canned</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2½ tablespoons green chile (like a jalapeno), roasted and roughly chopped</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf or small cake pan.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Melt butter and cool. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, in a medium mixing bowl. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In another bowl, combine milk, buttermilk, melted butter and egg. Blend thoroughly. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Blend in the corn kernels and green chile. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Pour batter into the greased pan and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve. </span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-5822243606076626372010-12-31T07:47:00.002-05:002010-12-31T07:47:00.223-05:00Food Friday: Almendrado<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;">Almendrado</span></strong><br /></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 envelope unflavored gelatin </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup cold water</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">5 egg whites </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1/8 tsp salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2/3 cup sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1¼ tsp almond extract </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">zest from one lime </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">green and red food coloring</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">for Custard Sauce</span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1½ cups half and half cream, scalded </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">5 egg yolks</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1/2 cup cold half and half cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1/2 tsp vanilla extract</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¾ tsp almond extract</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1/2 cup sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ tsp lemon zest </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup toasted almonds</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Instructions</strong></span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add the gelatine to the cold water and stir. Place this mixture in a double boiler and heat until the gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and let it cool on the counter (or in the refrigerator for 5 or 10 minutes – make sure it doesn't harden too much). </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Beat the egg whites until they start to get stiff. Gradually add the sugar (one tablespoon at a time), salt, almond extract and lime zest while mixing. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Fold in the cooled gelatine. Mix until well combined.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Divide into three separate bowls. Tint one bowl green and one red. Fold the food coloring in well to distribute the color evenly. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Layer the green egg whites in the bottom of a glass dish. Then add the white layer and last the red layer. Cover the dish and chill in the refrigerator. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Scald the 1 1/2 cups half and half in a double boiler. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add the remaining ingredients to a medium sized bowl and whisk until well blended.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the scalded cream, stirring the whole time. Cook until the mixture coats the back of a metal spoon.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Pour immediately into a bowl or glass measuring cup and place in a bowl of ice to cool. Once it's cool enough, cover and place in the refrigerator. Chill for two to three hours. </span></li><span style="font-family:arial;"><li><span style="font-family:arial;">To toast the almonds, spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 3 – 5 minutes at 325 degrees until a nice golden brown. Watch closely as they burn easily! </span></li><li>To serve, slice the egg white-gelatin mixture and place portions on a plate. Pour or spoon custard sauce over the top. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Garnish with toasted sliced almonds. </span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-30883766286609318712010-12-24T07:15:00.002-05:002010-12-24T07:15:00.745-05:00Food Friday: Mexican Christmas Cookies<span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;"><strong>Mexican Christmas Cookies (Galletas de Navidad)</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1½ cups butter, at room temperature </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">⅓ cup sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">3 cups flour </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1½ tsp vanilla extract </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">4 eggs, separated </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¾ cup sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 lime, juiced </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2½ cups fruit preserves </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup Gran Marnier </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup icing sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¾ cup chopped walnuts </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Instructions</strong></span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Mix the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour and mix to form a large ball.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Knead the dough 4 to 5 minutes. Dust with flour, cover with plastic and refrigerate between 30 minutes and 1 hour.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease two cookie sheets.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Beat the egg whites until stiff. Lower mixer speed and gradually add ¾ cup sugar and the lime juice. Beat for 1 minute, until the mixture is shiny.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">On a large, floured surface roll out the dough. Transfer it to the greased cookie sheets and continue to roll out until very thin.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Combine the preserves and the Grand Marnier and spread over the dough. Cover this with the beaten egg white mixture and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and chopped walnuts.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Bake for 45-60 minutes or until egg whites are golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut into squares to serve. Makes about 2½ dozen.</span> </li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-72955150139209924482010-12-17T06:09:00.000-05:002010-12-17T06:09:00.356-05:00Food Friday: Noodles with Peanut Sauce<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;">Noodles with Peanut Sauce<br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 carrot, peeled </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">3 tsp vegetable oil, divided</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2cm fresh ginger, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 cloves garlic, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup chicken broth</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup natural-style peanut butter </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons soy sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1½ tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ teaspoon salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 red bell pepper, cut into strips</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">250g snow peas, trimmed</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">500g cooked linguine </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro </span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Shave the carrots lengthwise into very thin strips using a vegetable peeler; set aside. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Heat 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, and salt; stir until well-blended. Reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; keep warm. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and snow peas and saute until tender. Remove from heat. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Combine carrot, peanut butter mixture, bell pepper mixture, and linguine in a large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cilantro. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Serve warm or at room temperature.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-30768192125838233492010-12-06T05:21:00.001-05:002010-12-06T05:21:00.530-05:00Food Friday: Awesome Fish Bake<p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Awesome Fish Bake</span></span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Ingredients</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1¼ cups ranch dressing</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">750g fish fillets</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">potato chips or soda crackers, crushed</span></li></ul><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Instructions</span></strong></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Preheat oven to 375°.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Pour ranch dressing in a 9” x 13” pan. Roll fillets in dressing and lay them in a single layer in the pan. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Cover with shredded cheese and top with crushed potato chips or crackers. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Bake for about 25 minutes or until fish is flaky. Then broil 2 to 3 minutes until topping is crisp.</span></li></ol><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and a salad. </span></p>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-10600586480657717962010-12-03T05:59:00.001-05:002010-12-03T05:59:00.568-05:00Food Friday: Mahogany Chicken Wings<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330000;">Mahogany Chicken Wings</span></strong><br /></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1.4kg chicken wings, split and tips discarded </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup soy sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup honey </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup molasses </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons chile sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp ground ginger </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 cloves garlic, minced</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, molasses, chile sauce, ginger and garlic. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Place chicken in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over the chicken wings and let sit in the fridge for 1 hour, turning occasionally. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 375°. Arrange chicken in a 9x13 baking dish in a single layer. Bake for about 50 minutes or until meat comes easily off the bones, brushing with often with marinade and turning once.<br /></span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-85546461735321234062010-11-26T05:05:00.000-05:002010-11-26T05:05:00.272-05:00Food Friday: Tangy Fruit Salad<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;">Tangy Fruit Salad</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup vanilla yogurt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 can pineapple chunks in juice, drained</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 can mandarin oranges in juice, drained</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup grapes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 medium bananas, sliced</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Combine pudding mix and yogurt. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Mix fruit in medium bowl. Stir fruit into yogurt mixture.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Refrigerate. Serve when chilled.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-5376013447464903242010-11-22T05:59:00.000-05:002010-11-22T05:59:00.516-05:00Magical Monday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3UHkZ3REmUy4CYqYN6FEsPvz-NFHnIjC79zLNsWO6qEuROSI3rgyWBguesifZ7-OboaV1DUCoXjoKKbntJzPOtvmX6np5pPI5nZXEjNkJvShSLJaTWAWHRz7FGW-e0NyEHjZKuM6fB2y/s1600/2010-01-10_comp+Weekend+at+Ed%27s_001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460742970885297058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3UHkZ3REmUy4CYqYN6FEsPvz-NFHnIjC79zLNsWO6qEuROSI3rgyWBguesifZ7-OboaV1DUCoXjoKKbntJzPOtvmX6np5pPI5nZXEjNkJvShSLJaTWAWHRz7FGW-e0NyEHjZKuM6fB2y/s320/2010-01-10_comp+Weekend+at+Ed%27s_001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfW1ld7hDyJv59A74KuFMAcs1HFy1KB0QpRZQu19uDYFHcQtZ0YHpndZpvjjg44InDdlK6QBiYc7SYWJCU0ptVY1JTuYckyuAQ8eM5ZGdGV6LpeGK1m4dJf6xLObSGkoFSaGXmTVKLbIzn/s1600/2010-01-10_comp+Weekend+at+Ed%27s+grass-n-snow_010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460742967416323314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfW1ld7hDyJv59A74KuFMAcs1HFy1KB0QpRZQu19uDYFHcQtZ0YHpndZpvjjg44InDdlK6QBiYc7SYWJCU0ptVY1JTuYckyuAQ8eM5ZGdGV6LpeGK1m4dJf6xLObSGkoFSaGXmTVKLbIzn/s320/2010-01-10_comp+Weekend+at+Ed%27s+grass-n-snow_010.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-7298791302640627872010-11-19T05:05:00.001-05:002010-11-19T05:05:00.694-05:00Food Friday: Fried Noodles with Egg<p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">Fried Noodles with Egg</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">4 cups flour</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">⅓ teaspoon salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">water</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">3 eggs</span></li></ul><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Make a dough of flour, salt and just enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll out and cut into thin strips. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Bring water to a boil with a bit of salt. Add noodles and cook about 10 minutes. Drain. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Heat butter or oil in a cast-iron frying pan. Add cooked noodles and fry until light brown. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Beat eggs. Pour over noodles and cook until eggs have set.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-64036642398767741552010-11-12T05:58:00.001-05:002010-11-12T05:58:00.145-05:00Food Friday: Bluegill with Pasta and Cream Cheese Casserole<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000099;">Bluegill with Pasta and Cream Cheese Casserole</span></strong><br /></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">75g cream cheese (at room temperatute)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup dry pasta (macaroni or other shape)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">375ml bluegill, cooked and flaked</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup onion</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup green pepper, chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 T mustard </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ tsp salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">60ml milk </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup cornflakes crumbs</span></li></ul><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 375°. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Cook macaroni in boiling salted water. Drain. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Blend soup and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Stir in macaroni and remaining ingredients, except cornflake crumbs. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with cornflakes crumbs and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-74301662884855057422010-11-05T05:55:00.001-04:002010-11-05T05:55:00.563-04:00Food Friday: Caramelized Chicken Wings<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#990000;">Caramelized Chicken Wings</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons olive oil </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup soy sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons ketchup </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup honey </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 clove garlic, minced </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">salt and pepper to taste </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1.4kg chicken wings </span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 375°.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Mix together the first six ingredients. Pour over the chicken wings. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Bake for an hour, or until sauce is caramelized.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-30679518438943898482010-10-29T06:03:00.002-04:002010-10-29T06:03:00.449-04:00Food Friday: Witches' Fingers<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;">Witches’ Fingers</span></strong><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">40 (40) whole, blanched almond </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Red icing gel, optional </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup (250 mL) CRISCO® Golden Shortening </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 (1) egg </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2¾ cups flour </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp baking powder </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">15-20 drops green food colouring </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">50 ml strawberry jam </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Instructions</strong> </span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Using a small paint brush, paint each almond with red icing gel. Set aside to dry..</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a bowl, beat butter, icing sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla until smooth. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add flour, baking powder and salt and combine. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Mix in green food coloring, a few drops at a time, until color is as desired. Divide dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 325º. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Shape 1 heaping tablespoon dough into finger shape. Make slashes in several places with a sharp knife to form knuckles. Place on baking sheet and press painted “nail” in one end of finger. Continue until dough is used up.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Bake for 20 -25 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">When cooled, remove nail from finger, place dab of strawberry jam on nail bed, and replace nail, pressing down lightly so that jam oozes out from beneath.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-3684837588641178132010-10-22T06:02:00.002-04:002010-10-22T06:02:00.518-04:00Food Friday: Beef Stroganoff with Dill<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#996633;">Beef Stroganoff with Dill<br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">200g crinkly noodles</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">600g lean stewing beef, cut into very thin strips (or use hamburger) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">4 tablespoons butter </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup chopped onion</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">150g mushrooms, sliced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">3 tablespoons flour</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">500ml water</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">4 teaspoons beef bouillon</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ teaspoon salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">⅛ teaspoon pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">250ml sour cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 teaspoon dried dill</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Cook noodles according to package directions.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">While noodles are cooking, heat butter in a cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Sear meat (do it in about 3 batches, for easier stirring). Make sure it is cooked through. Set aside and keep warm. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add onion and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes, until golden brown. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Whisk in flour. Gradually add water and beef bouillon. Heat for 3 minutes, until sauce is thick and bubbly. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Stir in beef and dill. Add salt, pepper and sour cream. Heat through but do not boil. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Serve over noodles.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-24749442151750658902010-10-15T05:59:00.000-04:002010-10-15T05:59:00.275-04:00Food Friday: Fish Stir-fry<p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#996633;">Fish Stir-Fry</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1½ T canola oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">5 green onions, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ inch fresh ginger, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 garlic clove, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1kg fish fillets, chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup fresh mushrooms, sliced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup fresh asparagus, diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup green pepper, diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ tsp fish sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 T teriyaki sauce</span></li></ul><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Heat canola oil in a wok or frying pan until lightly smoking. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add green onion, ginger and garlic and fry for about 1 minute. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add fish and fry until it flakes easily. Remove from pan and set aside. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add remaining ingredients and cook until just tender but not soft. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Return fish to pan and heat through. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Serve on steamed rice. </span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-34606346701152754152010-10-08T06:02:00.001-04:002010-10-08T06:02:00.144-04:00Food Friday: Crunchy Honey Chicken Wings<strong><span style="color:#993399;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Crunchy Honey Chicken Wings</span><br /></span></span></strong><br /><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 cups buttermilk </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoon hot pepper sauce </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp ground black pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp onion powder </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp garlic powder </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1kg chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">3 cups cornflakes, crushed </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup all-purpose flour </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup cornmeal </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">salt and pepper to taste </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup honey </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes </span></li></ul><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Directions</span></strong></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a bowl, mix together the buttermilk, hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Pour into a large Ziploc bag. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add the chicken wings to the bag, seal and shake to coat. Let sit overnight in the fridge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 400°. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes, flour, cornmeal, and salt and pepper. Remove the chicken wings from the marinade, and squeeze off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Coat the wings with the cornflake mixture and place on the baking sheets. Spray the top of the wings with nonstick cooking spray. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Bake about 30 minutes or until the meat comes easily off the bone,. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">While the chicken is baking, stir together the honey and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat until the honey thins. Keep warm until the wings are ready. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Once the wings are done, place them in a large serving bowl and drizzle with the honey sauce. Toss until evenly coated.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-77033916311367748902010-10-01T05:39:00.001-04:002010-10-01T05:39:00.732-04:00Food Friday: Peach Cobbler<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#999900;">1-2-3 Peach Cobbler</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#330033;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#330033;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ teaspoon ground cinnamon </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tablespoon vanilla </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons cornstarch </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup peach nectar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup juice reserved from canned peaches (or more nectar)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 16-ounce cans of peaches, packed in juice, drained, (or 1¾ pounds, fresh, sliced)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tablespoon tub margarine </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 cup pancake mix </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">⅔ cup flour </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">160ml evaporated milk </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tablespoon brown sugar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ teaspoon nutmeg </span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Preheat oven to 400°. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a saucepan, combine cinnamon, vanilla, cornstarch, peach nectar, and peach juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add sliced peaches. Reduce heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">While peaches are simmering, melt margarine in the microwave. In a bowl, combine pancake mix, flour, sugar, and melted margarine. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar and nutmeg. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Lightly spray 8-inch-square cake pan with cooking spray. Pour hot peach mixture into pan.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Add milk to flour mixture and stir. Quickly spoon over the peach mixture and sprinkle the brown sugar-nutmeg over the top. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-50380806861659434422010-09-28T00:30:00.002-04:002010-09-28T00:32:42.268-04:00Magical Monday (plus a bit)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ9As-ZDKLbluG3ElDnGmS5FyL6N9m5fRMaSA6AvyHPYmVN2lwDWqrxI4mg8NfZDvaZY59fZUUUGVi9Zyhl4ZzT4TQlVKpcUI0XDsbXdIQU1UnyDx47uD4agf-so5zZPru4eEI4eiiFj0/s1600/2010-09-27-Girl-on-the-run.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ9As-ZDKLbluG3ElDnGmS5FyL6N9m5fRMaSA6AvyHPYmVN2lwDWqrxI4mg8NfZDvaZY59fZUUUGVi9Zyhl4ZzT4TQlVKpcUI0XDsbXdIQU1UnyDx47uD4agf-so5zZPru4eEI4eiiFj0/s320/2010-09-27-Girl-on-the-run.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521817598967149810" border="0" /></a>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-69570953001593432892010-09-24T06:01:00.000-04:002010-09-24T06:01:00.363-04:00Food Friday: Beef and Noodle Casserole<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;">Beef and Noodle Casserole</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">600g lean round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons vegetable oil </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ cup water </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 beef bouillon cubes (or equivalent powder)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 teaspoon salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ teaspoon pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">½ teaspoon ground cardamom </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tablespoon lemon juice </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">200g medium noodles</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1½ cups cooked green beans (or frozen beans, thawed and drained)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">3 tomatoes, cut in wedges</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">dash sugar, if desired </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">salt and pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Heat oil in a large frying pan, over medium-high heat. Add beef and sear. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Stir in water, bouillon, salt, pepper, cardamom, and lemon juice. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until beef is tender.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">While beef is simmering, cook noodles and drain. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Place noodles in a greased 2.5L baking dish. Spoon green beans around the edge of baking dish over the noodles. Put beef mixture in the middle, then pour the juices over everything. Arrange tomato wedges over the green beans, then sprinkle with a little sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Garnish with parsley before serving.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-60920801647420623692010-09-21T06:00:00.000-04:002010-09-21T06:00:01.340-04:0020 hours with ButtonBoy<span style="font-family:arial;"> This past weekend, the kids cashed in their birthday present coupons from friend Giggles: a sleepover for Mustang, and an afternoon at the movies for ButtonBoy.<br /><br />So there I was, back down to one kid at a time for a whole 20 hours!<br /><br />It was a calm and quiet evening, just me and ButtonBoy, while Mustang enjoyed her sleepover. We watched a movie - with a bit of puppy-snuggling beforehand. We read some stories, then went to bed and fell asleep in short order. The next morning also passed in relative tranquility, with an orderly visit to the grocery store and library. Nothing out of the ordinary, right?<br /><br />Well, except that it was calm and quiet and orderly.<br /><br /><strong>The usual grocery store trip with both kids goes like this:</strong><br />They take one cart, I take another. At the beginning of the rounds, I tell them they can each pick one treat and it has to be a healthy treat – no candy or junk food. I then send them off to fetch 3 jugs of Mustang’s milk and 1 bag of ButtonBoy’s. They come back with 1 jug of Mustang’s milk, 1 bag of Buttonboy’s, and 3 kinds of chips they love and absolutely must have and after all, Mommy, they’re off price and we need chips, don’t we?<br /><br />I send the chips back (unless I want them and they’re on the list), then send the kids off to get the two missing cartons of Mustang’s milk and also some eggs and butter. They come back with a dozen eggs, margarine, and 4 cartons of juice that they absolutely must have because they want juice in their lunches and juice is good for you and this is off price, too, Mommy, and can’t we have some please?<br /><br />I likely accept the juice because by now I’ve trained them in which varieties I will accept, and then send them off to replace the margarine with butter, find a bag of sugar, and don’t forget the two missing cartons of Mustang’s milk! They come back with butter and four boxes of cookies that are the best kind in the world and so yummy and Mommy we don’t have any cookies at home and please Mommy just this one thing?!<br /><br />I tell Mustang we can keep one of the boxes of cookies as it’s relatively healthy and that will be her treat, right? She looks at the boxes, changes her mind – not quite the treat she was thinking of – and takes the cookies back, along with instructions not to forget the sugar and Mustang’s milk!!!<br /><br />They come back with sugar, three boxes of crackers that are off price, and a ring of shrimp which is the best thing in the world Mommy and we can have it for movie tonight and we all love shrimp don’t we?<br /><br />I tell Mustang we can keep the shrimp as her treat (and because it’s the small ring that’s not too expensive and yes, we do all like shrimp and it’s healthy) and she figures that’s an okay treat so we keep it. I tell her to return the crackers as we have lots of crackers at home, but she says nope, we’re keeping them and pops them into the cart. By then I’m at the milk counter so I pick up Mustang’s missing milk myself, and send the kids off to fetch a cucumber that I forgot back in the veggie section. While they’re fetching, I return the crackers to the shelf. Kids come back with a cucumber, a quarter watermelon, and a package of cow cheese because it’s very yummy, and watermelon is healthy, right Mommy and we love watermelon don’t we? I ask Button which he prefers to be his treat – the watermelon or the cow cheese? He rejects both as he wants a more treaty treat, but then he can’t think of what to pick so I suggest the watermelon as it will go well with the shrimp for movie snack. He ends up agreeing as he can’t think of anything else.<br /><br /><strong>Compare that to this grocery store visit with just Button:</strong><br />He takes one cart, I take another. I send him to pick three of his favourite kinds of fruit. He loads up with apples, oranges, and grapes. I then send him off to find 2 cartons of Mustang’s milk and one bag of his, as well as a dozen eggs. He comes back with 2 cartons of Mustang’s milk, one bag of his, and a dozen eggs. I ask him to go find 2 cartons of zoo juice and he comes back with two cartons of zoo juice. I take him to the fish counter and ask which kind of fish we should get and he suggests one that at first seems a bit expensive, but when I do the calculations to convert the price I’m given (per kg) to price per pound (the way everything else is posted) it’s not that much more than the other fish on offer, so I agree and we get one big fillet (I mean big – almost a kg!). He needs to go pee but the bathroom is out of order so I take him outside and we find some bushes with a bit of privacy and he does his business there (the advantage of being a boy!). The last thing on the list is some tea, so we head to the tea aisle together and as we go he notices that the cookies are on sale and asks if we can have some, but I say we still have lots of home-baked cookies at home, so he accepts that and doesn’t push back. We head to the check-out and are done – he’s never asked if he could pick a treat, and I never mentioned it.<br /><br />If I had two kids like ButtonBoy, life would be easy.<br /><br />Not nearly as interesting or exciting... <br /><br />Mind you, there are days I’d pass on exciting for a little bit more easy. </span>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-39153611660378647412010-09-20T14:12:00.004-04:002010-09-20T14:14:44.920-04:00Magical Monday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOx-9d6Al3QqzIaydijbXBQHGY6_5FXGU7cziJfJS7DA3NwmASMoCuOv-3n5Q5VRRKYcOXD71LW8WItjltSAl5DDZ7dfgYQGT1t73TpA3mGi3Ms4-NzJFXdzLxThzfYCoOoaAdJP1xHaQ/s1600/2010-09-03-in_one_end_&_out_the_other.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519060548863908658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOx-9d6Al3QqzIaydijbXBQHGY6_5FXGU7cziJfJS7DA3NwmASMoCuOv-3n5Q5VRRKYcOXD71LW8WItjltSAl5DDZ7dfgYQGT1t73TpA3mGi3Ms4-NzJFXdzLxThzfYCoOoaAdJP1xHaQ/s320/2010-09-03-in_one_end_&_out_the_other.jpg" border="0" /></a>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143088876749009407.post-179465775744687182010-09-17T05:47:00.000-04:002010-09-17T05:47:00.356-04:00Food Friday: Grilled Lime & Ginger Rainbow Trout<strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#999900;">Grilled Lime & Ginger Rainbow Trout</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">600g rainbow trout (4 fillets)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">¼ cup vegetable oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2 tablespoons fresh lime juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">2cm ginger root, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp grated lime peel</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 tsp crushed red pepper</span></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Instructions</span></strong><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Sauté the minced ginger and grated lime peel in the oil over medium heat, until lightly browned and aromatic.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Remove from the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper. Once cooled, whisk in the lime juice. Set aside.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Heat the grill to a moderate temperature. Brush the grill with some oil to reduce sticking, and grill the trout fillets with the skin side down for about 2 minutes (or use a fish basket). Gently turn the fillets and grill for another 2 minutes or until flesh turns opaque. (Alternatively, grill under the broiler in the oven.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Serve immediately with a dash of the ginger-lime mixture.</span></li></ol>Playful Platypushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125358864136265629noreply@blogger.com0