Wordless Wednesday ~ Decorating Fall Cookies

The Helper

The Watcher

The Result

The Thing About the Second Child

Some people say it's because you're busier.

Some people say it's because you have another child distracting you.

Some people even say it's because things just aren't as new and exciting the second time around.

But why do I think parents spend less time documenting their second child's every milestone?

I think it's because they spend more time simply enjoying them. (Or at least that's what I tell myself when I fall so darn behind in my blogging.)

When Rowan was a baby, I was obsessed with milestones. I had a stack of parenting books on my bedside table. I received daily email alerts from baby websites. I even frequented online parenting groups where women obsessed about their babies' sleeping, eating and pooping habits.

This time around, we're taking it easy.

So maybe I "forgot" that you're supposed to wait three days between introducing each new food to a baby... and instead I gave him ground up (homemade!) beef stew for his first meal, because that's what I was eating for dinner.

And maybe I wanted to see how he would react to a little taste of my ice cream, even though babies aren't supposed to have dairy (or sugar) quite this early.

And maybe when he liked the ice cream, I gave him a little more... because he squealed with each tiny bite.

Is that so wrong?

I think not.

After all, rules and milestones are great, but sometimes a little fun and flexibility is even better.

Postpartum Shape-Up Week 1: I Guess I Am Following a Real Diet

Last week, I set some basic goals to help me on my way to a healthier and less smooshy post-baby body. I cut out the snacking and sweets and focused instead on eating three square meals of healthy food.

Sounds pretty pretty simple, right? Almost like common sense, right?

Well, I've recently discovered that some clever person has actually trademarked a diet program that advocates almost exactly what I'm doing. It's called the "No S Diet." There are just three simple rules, and one exception:

• No Snacks
• No Sweets
• No Seconds
• EXCEPT (Sometimes) on days that start with S (Saturday, Sunday and Special days)

I've basically been following this exact diet for the past week. My plan has a couple of extra S's, though (chalk it up to newbie eagerness):

• No Simple Starches (white potatoes, white rice, white flour, etc.)
• No Sh%$ (crappy, processed foods)

I also didn't break from the plan on the weekend, even though that's allowed on the official No S Diet. For now, I'm trying to save the sugar, seconds and snacks for special treats and occasions when I'll really enjoy them. I can't say that I'll continue to be as disciplined as I've been so far, but I really needed a good first week to keep me motivated. Here's an example of what I've been eating (Sunday's log):

• Breakfast: Two eggs scrambled with goat cheese, lettuce salad with olive oil and vinegar, plain whole milk yogurt mixed with diced grapefruit and apples, coffee with cream
• Lunch: Bowl of homemade beef stew, lettuce salad with olive oil and vinegar, Wasa crispbread topped with butter, whole milk yogurt mixed with blueberries and dried mango
• Dinner: Marinated chicken breast, half a cooked sweet potato topped with butter, lettuce salad with oil and vinegar dressing, whole milk yogurt mixed with diced grapefruit and apples

Most days were a variation on this theme. Sometimes the salad had some cheese on it. Sometimes I crumbled up some Wasa crispbread "croutons" on top. You get the idea.

So far, so good. I feel motivated and, surprisingly, I'm not starving between meals. I think I had conditioned myself to think that snacks (and several spoonfulls of peanutbutter with chocolate chips) were a necessary part of my day. But I'm finding that if I eat a balanced meal with foods that have staying power (i.e., not low fat or high sugar foods), I can hold off until my next meal without a problem.

This week, my goal is simply to stay on track with my new eating habits despite the fact that I'm starting back at work part-time. (I'll let you know how it goes...) If I can make it successfully through the emotional week ahead, then I'll think about adding in some exercise. Maybe. ;)

Current Weight (taken morning of 1/24/11):

149.2!

It's hard for me to believe that I actually lost more than six pounds this week... Is that really possible?!

Thanksgiving Plan B

Our Thanksgiving plans were derailed this year when six members of Kyle's side of the family came down with the stomach flu. Yikes!

So we spent our first ever Thankgiving at home...just us. No rushing around to get ready. No packing the diaper bag. No driving for an hour. Just a low-key day hanging out as a family.

Well...I guess it wasn't totally low-key. I still wanted my Thanksgiving dinner! I cooked all of our traditional favorites, substituting a chicken for the turkey. We feasted on roast chicken, cranberries, vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy (my first time making gravy!), sweet potato casserole, dinner rolls and lefse.

In what I am still thinking was a Thanksgiving miracle, Rowan even ate the chicken!

Yummy... yummy... yummy!

Miles nursed through part of dinner, threw up on me and then promptly fell asleep, leaving me to enjoy my meal. (I only dribbled a few drops of gravy on his sleeper.)

After dinner, I snuggled with the boys while Kyle cleaned up.

Then we had some apple crisp with whipped cream for dessert.

And finally, Kyle got some time to watch football, snuggle with Miles and rest.

It certainly wasn't what we had planned, but it was a lovely Thanksgiving! I couldn't ask for three sweeter guys to spend my day with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eating Our Way Through Our CSA

When you sign up for a community supported agriculture share in Minnesota, expect a lot of greens early in the season. A lot of greens.

On the first day, make yourself a HUGE salad using your mixed greens. Throw some of your green garlic and herbs into a homemade balsamic dressing. Top it with some local goat cheese and some berries from a place far sunnier than here.

Then, because you've barely made a dent in your mixed greens, have another salad with breakfast.

And how about other salad with dinner? After all, maybe you didn't get enough salad for lunch!

The next night, you could mix it up by sautéing your rainbow chard and topping it with some local parmesan. But don't forget to eat another HUGE salad along with it! Use some of your herbs and green garlic in a pan sauce for your steak. Mmmm.

How about some little radish toasts to go along with your next night's salad?

Or some chicken for a main course? Once again, green garlic and herbs can flavor a nice little pan sauce.

Feel free to round out a meal with some yummy cheesy broccoli!

Then, when a week has passed and you're stuffed to the brim with vegetables, head to your drop site to pick up yet another box full of green goodies.

(And try not to feel overwhelmed!)

My Earth Day Accomplishments and Goals

Happy Earth Day!

I really don’t have anything revolutionary to say on this important day, so I thought I’d make a list of accomplishments and a list of goals instead. Maybe you’ll get some new ideas or be inspired to share some of own with me!

Things our family already does for a cleaner earth:

• Live Close to Work/Amenities. Someday, I’ll share the story about how we started building a house in the exurbs, experienced family identity crisis, and then backed out and moved to the city. But I really don’t have time for that today. Let’s just say it was the best decision we ever made! Instead experiencing an hour-plus-long commute, hubby now bikes to and from work when the weather permits. We live on the bus line and close to food co-ops, farmers markets, parks and bike trails. The only drawback is that we’re becoming somewhat inexperienced at freeway driving!
• Drive only one car. This, of course, would have been impossible if we hadn’t moved to the city. Kyle bikes/buses to work, while I drive kiddo to a nearby preschool before going to work myself. It’s been working for us for more than two years! And our gas fill-ups are few and far between.
• Support Local Farms. We’re regular co-op shoppers and consistently choose local meats, milk and cheeses. Local veggies and fruits are less available in the cold months, but summer brings a decent variety. And this summer, we’ve signed up for a community supported agriculture share. Each week beginning in June, we’ll receive a box of fresh vegetables (and sometimes fruit) grown by a local farmer.
• Avoid Using Air Conditioning. Old houses are drafty, have lots of windows and are typically surrounded by big old trees. This combination works quite well in the summer. Although we have central air, we almost never use it.

Things I plan to start doing:

• Composting. My friend Molly at The Snyder 5 recently started composting on a small scale. Seems to be just our speed!
• Line Drying Some Laundry. Although I don’t think I’ll be hanging up my intimates for the neighborhood to see, we could definitely line dry our sheets, towels and T-shirts. We have posts up in the back yard. We just need to string the line and get some good clothes pins.
• Avoiding Excess Packaging. We’re already fairly good at this, but I tend to use too many paper bowls, plastic cups, disposable forks and spoons, and napkins at work. I’ve also been eating out far too often lately, which always means more garbage. I’m planning to gather a small collection of silverware, and containers that I can keep at my desk. I’ll also bring my lunch more often (in a reusable bag and with reusable containers, of course). I’ll have lots o’ veggies to eat, after all!

Any other ideas? We have a tiny yard, so I’m thinking a rain barrel might offer a good way to water our plants and grass form time to time. I’ll have to do some research!

Farmers Markets Stress Me Out

As a self-proclaimed “natural foodie,” I should love farmers markets. And for the first 15 minutes upon arrival, I really do like them. Latte-fueled and brimming with anticipation, I arrive eager to fill my reusable tote with area’s best produce.

But by the time I pass by the sixth stall selling rainbow chard, I start to feel lost.

“Hmmm…,” I wonder. “Should I buy from the guy in the red hat or the lady with the long braid? What about that father and son duo? They seem nice. Ooooh, samples! Wait, did that customer seriously just try to haggle? Am I supposed to be doing that? I’m Scandinavian, for goodness sake! I’m not built for haggling. Hey, I haven’t been down that aisle yet! Oh, yep, more vegetables. No surprises there, huh? Will I look silly if I go back to buy something from the lady with the braid now? I mean, I walked by her stall like four times, looking lost. Wait, where was she even located again? Oh, forget it. Look! Another aisle!”

This year, I’m eliminating the choices and stress by purchasing a community supported agriculture share. Each week, we’ll receive a box full of veggies (and sometimes fruit) grown by a local farmer.

And the best part is that the farm we chose specializes in “normal veggies.” From the farm’s Web site (they also have a cool blog):

"As much as we like the ‘exotic’ vegetables like kohlrabi, pak choi, and arugula, we will not be growing them for the CSA. Instead we focus on heavy amounts of the staples you know and love. You can look forward to broccoli, kale, lettuce, carrots, and peas in the Spring. Summertime brings tomatoes, sweet corn, green beans, melons, and more. Onions, potatoes, squash, carrots, cabbage, and other favorites come in the Fall."

I’m excited! And if we get overwhelmed by our weekly box of veggies, I have plenty of neighbors who I’m sure would take some off our hands.

Happy spring!

Ice Cream Weather

What do Minnesotans do when the weather rises above 50 degrees?

We toss off our coats.

We abandon our boots.

And — best of all — we indulge in...


ICE CREAM!

Yesterday, our local (OUTDOOR) ice cream stand opened for the first time since last fall. By the time we made it through the line, the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping. Still, we enjoyed every minute as we slurped and shivered away at our picnic table.

Spring is coming! It's really coming!

Menu Plan Monday ~ Feb. 15

I'm on strike, people! Yep.

But don't worry. It's not a melodramatic, "mom's on the edge" kind of strike. I'm just feeling a bit weary of accommodating picky eaters and responding to less-than-stellar attitudes.

So on the days when we're home this week (of which there are relatively few), I'm planning to cook for myself and let the hubby and the kiddo fend for themselves.

While my guys dine on frozen pizza and other commercially prepared cheese-and-carb concoctions, I will be enjoying some of my favorite meals (and non-chicken proteins) — lovingly prepared for one.

The list below only includes my dinner plans. My breakfasts and lunches remain pretty static from week to week. And no links this time. I don't tend to follow recipes for basic pan-fried/braised/sautéed protein meals.

Hope you have a great week in food! I know I will!

Sunday: Kid-friendly taco night with hubby's family for Valentine's Day

Monday: Creamy chicken* and potato soup (left over from making a batch for hubby's aunt, who recently had surgery); French bread

Tuesday: Eating out

Wednesday: Sautéed shrimp with angel hair pasta and vegetables

Thursday: Braised pork chop with apples

Friday: Pan-fried steak with a simple red wine/mushroom/shallot sauce

Saturday: Dinner out and bowling for my dad's birthday

*Note that this is the only chicken dish on the menu for this week. I grow so tired of chicken!

Menu Plan Monday ~ Feb. 8

Another Monday*, another menu plan! Last week went really well. I only had to make one mid-week stop at the grocery store for milk and yogurt. Not bad! And the leftovers fed us for even longer than I anticipated. As a result, we didn't make the curry or picatta last week.

Our only food-related frustration was Kiddo's picky eating. Remember the night he ate popcorn for dinner? So before I get into this week's menu plan, here is an excerpt of our new picky eater plan (courtesy of Ellyn Satter). I guess it's not a plan as much as a reminder of what I am and — perhaps more importantly — am not responsible for when it comes to my child's eating.

****

Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility For Toddlers Through Adolescents:

• The parent is responsible for what, when, where
• The child is responsible for how much and whether

Parents' Feeding Jobs:

• Choose and prepare the food
• Provide regular meals and snacks
• Make eating times pleasant
• Show children what they have to learn about food and mealtime behavior
• Not let children graze for food or beverages between meal and snack times
• Let children grow up to get bodies that are right for them

Fundamental to parents’ jobs is trusting children to decide how much and whether to eat.

****

The bottom line: it's time to lay off! I will provide a variety of healthy foods at every meal. Dessert, which is usually fruit anyway, will not be a secret temptation reserved for those who clean their plates. All of our mealtime options will be presented at once. And kiddo can choose whether to eat and how much.

Will it work? Stay tuned...

Sunday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from dinner on Saturday
• Dinner: Turkey tacos with beans, cheese and lettuce; guacamole; salsa; chips

Monday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Sunday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Natural frozen pizza and fruit for the boys; dinner out with friends for me

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt with apples and dried mango; whole grain crackers with smoked salmon and cheese
• Dinner: Pasta with homemade chicken meatballs and simple tomato sauce**; vegetable

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Tuesday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Chipotle day!
  

Thursday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt with apples and dried mango; whole grain crackers with smoked salmon and cheese
• Dinner: Chicken picatta (from Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken); pasta; vegetable

Friday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; yogurt with apples and dried mango; Ezekiel 4:9 toast
• Lunch: Leftovers from Thursday dinner
• Dinner: Kyle's homemade waffles with fruit and family movie night
  

Saturday

• TBD: Not sure whether we'll be away from home, or having company over, or what.

*Notice that my menu plan doesn't actually begin on Monday? That's because I work all day on Mondays! A Sunday grocery shopping/planning session works much better for my schedule.

**My family LOVED this tomato sauce last week!

Chipotle Is Not the Plan

Um...yeah. When I said that I had a plan to tackle my kid's picky eating and reduce dinnertime stres, I had forgotten that Chipotle was on tonight's menu.

The good news? Dinner went just fine. No complaints. Clean plates.

The bad news? I can't feed my kid bean and cheese quesadillas every night for the rest of his life. (Can I?)

More on our real picky eater plan coming soon...

I Gave Up, But I Have a Plan

Kiddo: "Mama, how many bites of dinner do I have to eat to have popcorn for a snack tonight?"

Me: "What? That's not why you eat dinner. You eat dinner so that you fill your belly with good food that helps you grow up big and strong."

Kiddo: "How about five bites?"

Me: "Whatever."

Kiddo: "How about no bites?"

Me: "Whatever."

Yep, I gave up. There's just something wrong about a kid negotiating the number of bites he must eat to get a snack or dessert. So I gave him popcorn and milk for dinner.

But tonight, I'm trying some new strategies to end our food battles and restore peace to the dinner table.

Stay tuned...

Menu Plan Monday - Feb. 1

Gosh, I'm just an organizing fool lately! First, I totally decluttered my spare bedroom. And now, I'm writing menu plans! Well...I've written just this one menu plan, but it's a start, right?

I've been struggling to get better about meal planning and grocery lists for some time now. I'm a girl who likes options, so nailing down exactly what I plan to eat on Thursday runs counter to my nature. But I've found that "options" really means multiple grocery store trips and too much eating out. So I'm giving Menu Plan Monday a try.

Each Monday, I'll report on how the previous week went and post a new plan for the week.* I can't promise that every list will be this detailed, but we'll see...

Wish me luck!

Sunday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; nitrate-free bacon; slice of homemade apple tart
• Lunch: Lunch out with the fam while running errands/grocery shopping
• Dinner: Chicken in milk; mashed potatoes; vegetable

Monday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s), Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Sunday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Chicken curry with potatoes and vegetables (adapted from recipe on Thai Kitchen red curry paste jar); brown rice

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Monday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Pasta with homemade chicken meatballs and simple tomato sauce; vegetable

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Tuesday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Chipotle day!

Thursday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt with apples and dried mango; whole grain crackers with smoked salmon and cheese
• Dinner: Chicken piccata (from Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken); pasta; vegetable

Friday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; yogurt with apples and dried mango; Ezekiel 4:9 toast
• Lunch: Leftovers from Thursday dinner
• Dinner: Natural frozen pizza and family movie night

Saturday

• TBD: Possible date day with the hubby!

*Notice that my menu plan doesn't actually begin on Monday? That's because I work all day on Mondays! A Sunday grocery shopping/planning session works much better for my schedule.

Sometimes you'll do whatever it takes...

...to get your kid to eat healthy foods.

If that means spreading dark chocolate over clementine wedges, then that's exactly what you'll do.

Just don't forget to make extra for yourself. These juicy little treats are impossible to resist!

A Simple Tart for Breakfast

We were craving something sweet for breakfast today. So in a departure from our usual morning fare, I made an adaptation of Marcella Hazan's recipe for A Farm Wife's Fresh Pear Tart.

Not too sweet and full of fruit, this recipe works for breakfast, snacks or dessert. The only drawback is that you must wait 50 minutes before pulling it out of the oven. ("Is the pear tart done, mom?" "Is it done now?" "I'm hungry! When will it be done?")

I usually buy Bosc pears for this recipe, but today I used some Pink Lady apples that we had on hand. As long as you use a firm-fleshed apple or pear, I think you'll be fine. Hazan apparently said of this recipe: “Only an active campaign of sabotage could ruin it.”

A nice confidence booster, don't you think?

Pretty Breakfast, Messy Breakfast

People always seem surprised when I say that I cook a hot breakfast for my family most mornings each week. Honestly, it's not that much trouble. I'd choose eggs and toast (and sometimes bacon!) over cold cereal any day. And if I'm already cooking for myself, how hard is it to crack another egg or butter another piece of bread?

Although we eat basically the same breakfast every morning, my hubby and I have vastly different approaches when it comes to presentation and eating technique.

I prefer to appreciate the beauty and flavor of each food. I might dip my toast into the runny yolk or mix some diced apple or dried fruit into my yogurt. But for the most part, I like to maintain a clear visual distinction between the various items on my placemat.

He, on the other hand, prefers to smash all of his food into one messy pile. He then scoops globs of the yellowish-green concoction* onto slices of buttered toast. Oh, and in his view, a placemat is just another thing to clean up after a meal.

Although we clearly enjoy our food in different ways, what we appreciate most about breakfast is the same: COFFEE!

Just kidding! (Kind of.) The thing we appreciate most is the time we spend together, of course.

Sharing a nice morning meal offers a chance to connect before we dash off in separate directions. In fact, provided that I don't look directly at the food spew sitting on the plate across from me, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

*Perhaps it's worth noting that my hubby doesn't like yogurt because of its "weird texture." HA! ;)

Can Your Kitchen Make You Fat?

I just read an interesting little article about the connection between your kitchen and your weight. The conclusion: modern-day kitchens are making us fat.

I say "modern-day" kitchens, because most of the problematic features listed are relative newbies in American homes. They include:

• Platter-sized plates and wide glasses
• Super-bright lighting (recessed lighting, under-cabinet lighting, etc.)
• Expansive, clutter-collecting surfaces
• Spacious pantries
• Food as decor (clear jars, etc., to store and display food)
• Centralized, open designs (i.e., your kitchen is the hub of your home)

As a city-dweller, I live in a older home whose kitchen has none of these features (much to our dismay, at times). We have no room for a kitchen table. Our pantry is tiny. Our counter space is minimal. Basically, our 1936 kitchen is designed to do one thing: serve as a space for storing and preparing food. For it serve this purpose well, our kitchen must contain only the most essential foods, tools and equipment.

Hmmm. Could our tiny, featureless kitchen help us stay thin?

Probably not.

Still, it's an interesting connection to consider. As families have shrunk significantly in recent generations (numbers-wise, if not weight-wise), our kitchens have grown magnificently. Why?

What is it that we're stuffing into our huge, French-door refrigerators and walk-in pantries?

After all, fruits, vegetables and meats spoil within just a few days...

Why I don’t Use Coupons (Am I Missing Something?)

It’s Sunday. Coupon day.

Despite many (admittedly feeble) attempts to “score big” using coupons, I must confess that I simply don’t get it. It’s not that I lack resources, of course. The blogosphere is filled with moms who would be delighted to show me the way.

Still, I can’t shake the feeling that using coupons simply isn’t worth the time and effort involved — at least not for me. I just don’t think I have the personality for it.

That’s not to say I’m a spendthrift. On the contrary, our family can be quite miserly. We have one reliable car, we don’t have cable, we have a super-cheap cell phone plan, I probably own (I am not joking, ladies) maybe four or five pairs of dress shoes, and we still use the same television that my hubby bought more than 10 years ago.

The only area where I’m guessing we spend a LOT more than the average family is on food. We like to eat at nice restaurants, and our grocery budget is rather large for a family of three.

But I don’t think that coupons would improve our lives for three reasons:

1. I buy minimally processed foods whenever possible. Our usual grocery haul includes fresh produce, meat, bulk grains/dried fruits, milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, eggs and bread. From time to time, we’ll also stock up on olive oil, spices, jarred tomatoes and other basic pantry items. What I find is that coupons rarely apply to these staples. So unless you buy commercially prepared processed foods, do coupons really pay off?
   
   
2. I hate shopping. Well, I don’t mind grocery shopping a couple of times a week, but I certainly wouldn’t want to spend a great deal of energy doing it. Making a list and going to one store (sometimes two) is really about all I can handle. So you can imagine that comparing circulars, assembling binders and darting all across the city might be a bit much for me. So for people who don’t love playing "the game," are coupons worth the time and energy involved?
   
   
3. I don’t have the room (or desire) to stockpile. Couponing seems to be predicated on the idea that you seize opportunities when they arise — even if you don’t need an item at that moment. This might mean that you buy 10 boxes of crackers because they’re almost free (or because you earn points/store credit for future purchases of things that you do need). My tiny pantry simply can’t handle that degree of stockpiling. And my brain can’t cope with that many “what if” scenarios. So if you only want to buy what you actually need on a weekly/biweekly basis, does couponing even work?

Am I missing something? Sure, I’m fascinated by moms who claim to feed their large families on $10 a week (or some other amazingly small amount). But for people seeking simplicity and minimalism in their lives, is couponing a boon or bane?

I Am Thankful for Butter

Goodness gracious, we consumed an unholy amount of butter tonight!

I realize that my timing is lousy. Thanksgiving — that yearly celebration of gluttony — is just two days away! I should be cooking broth soups or preparing fresh salads to atone for what's coming. Instead, we’re feasting on comfort foods!

I blame the sales. Because Thanksgiving is just two days away, everything rich and decadent has been marked down. Butter: on sale. Cream: on sale. Puff pastry: on sale!

Today, I discovered that you can buy all natural (ALL BUTTER) Dufour puff pastry at Whole Foods Market. I bought a package and decided to make chicken pot pie for dinner and raspberry napoleons for dessert. (Organic raspberries were also on sale!)



For the pot pie, I loosely followed this filling recipe (halved). I poured the warm filling into a pie dish and covered it with rounds of puff pastry, which I had brushed with an egg wash. After thirty minutes at 400 degrees, the filling was bubbling and the puff pastry “biscuits” were golden brown. Yum!

For the napoleons, I made another batch of homemade vanilla pudding and put it in the refrigerator to chill. While the pot pie was in the oven, I baked the remaining puff pastry on a cookie sheet. By the time we were ready for dessert, the pastry was cool, and the pudding was chilled. These pretty desserts were fun to assemble and even more fun to eat!

And now, please excuse me while I go in search of next week’s YMCA group fitness schedule.

Pudding and Patience

Rowan and I made homemade vanilla pudding today. As we slowly stirred the sweetened custard, I was flooded with childhood memories of making tapioca pudding with my dad. I’ll never forget the agony of staring at the saucepan, willing the swirling golden mixture to thicken. The transformation seemed to take forever.

And even when the liquid finally became thick and silky, the waiting had only just begun. Dad would pour the contents of the saucepan into several green-rimmed Corelle bowls and pop them into the refrigerator to set.

“Are they done yet?” we would ask…repeatedly.

He never told us that we couldn’t eat the pudding early, but he made it clear that patience would be rewarded. Eat it too soon, he warned, and it would be tepid and runny. Plus, once you consumed your so-so pudding, you’d be forced to watch everyone else enjoy a perfectly chilled treat!

So we waited…and peeked…and waited…and peeked.

Making pudding was — and is — a lesson in patience.

Today, I smiled when Rowan asked, “Are they done yet?” for the fourth time. I’ve been there. To ease the waiting, I let him lick the spatula, just like I did when I was a kid.

After a little more than an hour in the refrigerator, the pudding was set.

“Waiting for a treat makes it taste extra good!” Rowan declared between slurps.

So true.