Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry for the no-show last week. I have apparently been having too much fun to fulfill my responsibilities. It all started with the Tuesday trip to both the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium with Auntie A. Then I went out to the theater on comp tickets two nights in a row. Then, well, the weekend. And by Monday, why bother planning when the new week starts on Wednesday?
First, the aquarium and planetarium both had a free day. We decided to hit the aquarium around opening and see how it went. The special exhibits at the Shedd are more than half of the floor plan, so if you're planning an actual paid for trip, spring for a pass that covers at least the wild reef and the polar play zone. However, we spent around two and a half hours on just the general admission stuff.
There are a wide variety of aquariums with a dizzying array of inhabitants, but there aren't a ton of "exhibits." The information on each tank more often than not is limited to a picture of each species with its scientific name and common name. With my littles at age 3.5 and 15 months, that wasn't a big deal. They ran back and forth and back and forth and watched the fish in each aquarium for as long as they were interested. My older child (who will henceforth be known as The Gibbon) played some I-spy type games with me and Auntie A. If you go with kids who are readers, or if you want to plan a longer visit, I'm sure the experience would be enriched by the addition of a smart phone to look up more information on the most interesting species and a drawing pad to sketch habitats or creatures.
I actually hadn't ever been to the Adler Planetarium myself, so when the littles were still coping after the aquarium, it made good sense to me to scope it out, even if just for reconnaissance. We'd already paid for parking, so could be the harm, right?
The majority of the planetarium is really directed towards elementary school kids and older. To really understand any of the exhibits, kids need a bare minimum of reading ability. However, in the Planet Explorers section, The Gibbon enjoyed pressing buttons on the video games he didn't understand. And my younger child (who will henceforth be known as The Sparrow) enjoyed carrying around the painted foam "rocks" and wearing an "astronaut" backpack that set her terribly off balance, as it was basically the same dimensions as her. Actually, The Sparrow LOVED carrying around the rocks and hollered like she was being murdered when we tried to take the backpack off of her. So, success for the day.
As for theater, on Wednesday I went to Sister Act at the Auditorium Theater in the city with a friend whose husband is working the show. The production was fantastic, and the stage musical is quite different from the movie. The underlying message of the showgirl-turned-nun show was made very explicit through dialogue, and it's not one that I particularly agree with. So not only did I have a blast (Yay giant disco Mary!), but I also came away with some interesting food for thought.
Then (well, actually a couple of weeks ago) the male lead in Singing in the Rain at Drury Lane hurt himself. With the understudy playing lead, Thursday's press night was rescheduled, and the press tickets got comped to a friend of a friend of mine. The Hubby was tired, so I brought a girlfriend who hasn't been to see a live musical since high school, and we had a fantastic night of it! I feel so steeped in culture, tell you what.
I promise menus tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Week Plan Wednesday
Wednesday- Aunty A's Homemade-From-Scratch Lasagna and Meatballs. A side of her famous Lettuceless Salad.
Thursday- Roasted green beans with garlic and bacon. Baked potatoes. Acorn squash. Raw green beans for good measure.
Friday- Beef & broccoli stir fry over brown rice. Raw spinach as a side dish for The Munchkin. Yay.
Saturday- Spinach and Mushroom Frittata. Fresh fennel salad.
Sunday- Baked Zucchini (using grandma's master mix). Roasted chicken with potatoes. Mashed rutabaga.
Monday- Juicy Lucy burgers with cheddar cheese (cuz I'm not a fan of American).
Tuesday- Cream of broccoli soup. Bread.
Thursday- Roasted green beans with garlic and bacon. Baked potatoes. Acorn squash. Raw green beans for good measure.
Friday- Beef & broccoli stir fry over brown rice. Raw spinach as a side dish for The Munchkin. Yay.
Saturday- Spinach and Mushroom Frittata. Fresh fennel salad.
Sunday- Baked Zucchini (using grandma's master mix). Roasted chicken with potatoes. Mashed rutabaga.
Monday- Juicy Lucy burgers with cheddar cheese (cuz I'm not a fan of American).
Tuesday- Cream of broccoli soup. Bread.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Week Plan Wednesday
Wow, we've got a lot of candy. Just saying.
On a related note, let me tell you about my silly problem. The Munchkin has been turning up his nose at cooked vegetables for about 3 weeks now. Before that, he was an eager eater. I've been reading a blog called It's Not About Nutrition for a while now, so I've got a bunch of techniques for dealing with this sudden selectiveness. My most important tool has been "taste and describe." He has to put every item served for a meal in his mouth and chew it (although not swallow), and then he has to give me 3-6 words describing it. Taste, texture, similarities to other foods, smell, whatever. Just taste and describe. He doesn't have to eat anything he doesn't want to eat.
The problem, though, is when the main thing for a meal is a cooked vegetable dish, he has been tasting dinner, and then being "done." Now, I don't have a problem with him being hungry before the next meal, but I DO have a problem with him whining all afternoon because he elected not to eat any of the beet soup I served for lunch. Especially when that's happening more days than not.
Ready for my solution? Cut tomorrow's vegetables today or save extra veggies from the main dish and serve them raw as a side dish. Seriously! He still eats raw vegetables, and he goes along with "taste and describe." Why did I think this was such a big problem? Still, hopefully he outgrows this weird phase sooner rather than later.
This week I'm cooking out of "The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors" by Jeff Smith. If you spot a copy in your local secondhand store, pick it up. It's good reading and some lovely recipes.
Wednesday- Hungarian Cabbage Rolls. Bread. Sliced cabbage (see above).
Thursday- Grandma is bringing dinner. It will be a surprise!
Friday- Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas. Sauteed green beans and raw green beans (what a great side dish(es)!)
Saturday- Irish Colcannon. Raw beets (in advance of Monday, so probably I won't prep all of them).
Sunday- Next Phase dinner. Noodle Pudding. The Munchkin keeps asking what noodle pudding is, as it features prominently in one of his books. I have no idea what to serve with this, and as Next Phase is potluck style, that'll be just fine.
Monday- Lithuanian Cold Beet Soup with Hot Potato Garnish.
Tuesday- Youth group. Bread, as that's all they eat anyway. Cambodian Sweet and Sour Soup. Sliced peppers.
On a related note, let me tell you about my silly problem. The Munchkin has been turning up his nose at cooked vegetables for about 3 weeks now. Before that, he was an eager eater. I've been reading a blog called It's Not About Nutrition for a while now, so I've got a bunch of techniques for dealing with this sudden selectiveness. My most important tool has been "taste and describe." He has to put every item served for a meal in his mouth and chew it (although not swallow), and then he has to give me 3-6 words describing it. Taste, texture, similarities to other foods, smell, whatever. Just taste and describe. He doesn't have to eat anything he doesn't want to eat.
The problem, though, is when the main thing for a meal is a cooked vegetable dish, he has been tasting dinner, and then being "done." Now, I don't have a problem with him being hungry before the next meal, but I DO have a problem with him whining all afternoon because he elected not to eat any of the beet soup I served for lunch. Especially when that's happening more days than not.
Ready for my solution? Cut tomorrow's vegetables today or save extra veggies from the main dish and serve them raw as a side dish. Seriously! He still eats raw vegetables, and he goes along with "taste and describe." Why did I think this was such a big problem? Still, hopefully he outgrows this weird phase sooner rather than later.
This week I'm cooking out of "The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors" by Jeff Smith. If you spot a copy in your local secondhand store, pick it up. It's good reading and some lovely recipes.
Wednesday- Hungarian Cabbage Rolls. Bread. Sliced cabbage (see above).
Thursday- Grandma is bringing dinner. It will be a surprise!
Friday- Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas. Sauteed green beans and raw green beans (what a great side dish(es)!)
Saturday- Irish Colcannon. Raw beets (in advance of Monday, so probably I won't prep all of them).
Sunday- Next Phase dinner. Noodle Pudding. The Munchkin keeps asking what noodle pudding is, as it features prominently in one of his books. I have no idea what to serve with this, and as Next Phase is potluck style, that'll be just fine.
Monday- Lithuanian Cold Beet Soup with Hot Potato Garnish.
Tuesday- Youth group. Bread, as that's all they eat anyway. Cambodian Sweet and Sour Soup. Sliced peppers.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Week Plan Wednesday
Wednesday- Roasted potatoes. Spaghetti squash with chopping board cilantro and pepita pesto. We had some friends over for dinner. They're odd to cook for, as Mom doesn't really enjoy any vegetables but she loves meat, and Daughter #1 is a "vegetarian" who tries her best not to eat vegetables. Also, The Munchkin has been refusing all foods "mushy" for about 2 weeks, which means pretty much everything around here except sandwiches and frozen peas (still frozen, because they're mushy when they thaw). Everyone enjoyed the potatoes. I enjoyed the squash.
Thursday- Sauteed Italian vegetables over whole wheat pasta. Pumpkin swirl brownies.
Friday- Crock pot stew with pork and all of the pretty, pretty root veggies I couldn't resist at the grocery store.
Saturday- Caramelized Fennel and Onion Pizza. Roasted cauliflower. Sliced peppers.
Sunday- Going out for dinner.
Monday- Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant & Tomatoes. I may do chick peas instead of chicken, depending how full the freezer is and whatnot. Brown Rice.
Tuesday- Cream of potato soup. Bread. Grated Carrot Salad (you know, the one from every 1970's church potluck with the raisins in it).
Thursday- Sauteed Italian vegetables over whole wheat pasta. Pumpkin swirl brownies.
Friday- Crock pot stew with pork and all of the pretty, pretty root veggies I couldn't resist at the grocery store.
Saturday- Caramelized Fennel and Onion Pizza. Roasted cauliflower. Sliced peppers.
Sunday- Going out for dinner.
Monday- Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant & Tomatoes. I may do chick peas instead of chicken, depending how full the freezer is and whatnot. Brown Rice.
Tuesday- Cream of potato soup. Bread. Grated Carrot Salad (you know, the one from every 1970's church potluck with the raisins in it).
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Week Plan Wednesday (or, you know, whenever)
I realized this morning that I completely neglected to do a meal plan yesterday. And as I missed last week, I knew I had to do one this week or risk a concerned message from one of my loyal readers. My excuse for last week is that I was at the American Music Therapy Association's National conference. It was a fantastic weekend of reconnecting with friends in the field, networking, learning, and secretly taking a mini vacation from my charming family. It was a lot of fun and gave me some great ideas to percolate in my head.
The Baby was awfully confused by my repeated and prolonged absences, resulting in her taking forever to fall asleep every night since the end of the conference. However, after she finally dozes off, she's putting in a 3-4 hour stretch. So I guess that's worth it?
Onward!
Wednesday- Baked potatoes topped with homemade chili and cheese. Cauliflower, raw at the request of The Munchkin and The SIL.
Thursday- Greek Islands Risotto. Because The Hubby has a cold, I went with strong flavors: onion, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, smoked paprika, lemon, olives, and feta. Good, although I used two lemons, and I'd go for just one next time.
Friday- Cream of Broccoli soup. Bread.
Saturday- Eggplant Parmesan, Pasta with red sauce.
Sunday- Roasted beets, roasted potatoes, fried eggs.
Monday- green beans, veggie fried rice, cilantro and green onion salad.
Tuesday- Youth group night! Cauliflower gratin (which the students most likely will not eat). Bread (which they will). Peas (because The Munchkin loves them so). Wine (but only after the students leave).
The Baby was awfully confused by my repeated and prolonged absences, resulting in her taking forever to fall asleep every night since the end of the conference. However, after she finally dozes off, she's putting in a 3-4 hour stretch. So I guess that's worth it?
Onward!
Wednesday- Baked potatoes topped with homemade chili and cheese. Cauliflower, raw at the request of The Munchkin and The SIL.
Thursday- Greek Islands Risotto. Because The Hubby has a cold, I went with strong flavors: onion, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, smoked paprika, lemon, olives, and feta. Good, although I used two lemons, and I'd go for just one next time.
Friday- Cream of Broccoli soup. Bread.
Saturday- Eggplant Parmesan, Pasta with red sauce.
Sunday- Roasted beets, roasted potatoes, fried eggs.
Monday- green beans, veggie fried rice, cilantro and green onion salad.
Tuesday- Youth group night! Cauliflower gratin (which the students most likely will not eat). Bread (which they will). Peas (because The Munchkin loves them so). Wine (but only after the students leave).
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Totally Not Jewish Sukkot
Happy Sukkot! Which you probably don't celebrate, because even most Jews don't make a big deal out of this Jewish holiday. However, Sukkot is definitely my favorite holiday, so I'm going to fill you in on it! As you know, I am totally an expert on things and stuff, so you can totally trust me, despite the fact that I have never actually talked to anyone Jewish about Sukkot. I did read a lot of websites and probably 5 or 6 books, though.
First, the pilgrims probably based the first Thanksgiving on the holiday of Sukkot, so that's historically interesting. A better place to start eh discussion, though, is with Passover. I know a lot of churches are celebrating Passover these days, and the same way that Passover is analogous to Christ's death, Sukkot is analogous to His birth. When Paul talks about Christ coming to "dwell" with us, he uses the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for "dwelling," the noun form of which is the word sukkah. A physical place for dwelling. Christ came, Paul tells us, to sukkah with us.
Why do I think you should get in on the Sukkot celebrating thing? First, you may be well enough aware that Christmas and its various trappings are rooted in paganism, so celebrating a nice traditional Christmas doesn't do much to explain the continuity of God's story over generations of human history. Now, I'm not suggesting that you get rid of all of the fun of Christmas. We love our holidays around here, no matter where they grew from. But if you are interested in the arc of God's story over the course of history, Sukkot helps tell the narrative in a way Christmas doesn't.
Aside from the relevance to everyone interested in Christ as the Messiah, Sukkot is a good time. Imagine all the good parts of Christmas, without the pressure of gifts or expectations. Imagine a holiday that lasts a week, so you can celebrate with your mom's side today, your dad's side tomorrow, his parents the next day, just your kids the day after that, and your friends on the weekend. Nobody's feelings are hurt! Also, remember that nobody expects you to be celebrating anyway, so they won't be offended if you skip them.
So how do you get started? Build a sukkah! Then decorate it! Think of it as your Christmas tree, only you picnic and camp inside of it.
First, the pilgrims probably based the first Thanksgiving on the holiday of Sukkot, so that's historically interesting. A better place to start eh discussion, though, is with Passover. I know a lot of churches are celebrating Passover these days, and the same way that Passover is analogous to Christ's death, Sukkot is analogous to His birth. When Paul talks about Christ coming to "dwell" with us, he uses the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for "dwelling," the noun form of which is the word sukkah. A physical place for dwelling. Christ came, Paul tells us, to sukkah with us.
Why do I think you should get in on the Sukkot celebrating thing? First, you may be well enough aware that Christmas and its various trappings are rooted in paganism, so celebrating a nice traditional Christmas doesn't do much to explain the continuity of God's story over generations of human history. Now, I'm not suggesting that you get rid of all of the fun of Christmas. We love our holidays around here, no matter where they grew from. But if you are interested in the arc of God's story over the course of history, Sukkot helps tell the narrative in a way Christmas doesn't.
Aside from the relevance to everyone interested in Christ as the Messiah, Sukkot is a good time. Imagine all the good parts of Christmas, without the pressure of gifts or expectations. Imagine a holiday that lasts a week, so you can celebrate with your mom's side today, your dad's side tomorrow, his parents the next day, just your kids the day after that, and your friends on the weekend. Nobody's feelings are hurt! Also, remember that nobody expects you to be celebrating anyway, so they won't be offended if you skip them.
So how do you get started? Build a sukkah! Then decorate it! Think of it as your Christmas tree, only you picnic and camp inside of it.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Week Plan Wednesday
Wednesday- Eggplant Parmesan. Rice. I'm not going to lie, the rice is just because I already had the oven on and I wanted it to go with yesterday's amazing (and amazingly spicy) curry. The naan got devoured, though.
Thursday- Green beans and mushrooms sauteed with garlic and white wine. Bread, if I've got enough yeast to manage it. Would you believe neither of the two grocery stores I went to on Wednesday morning had yeast?
Friday- White bean and dark green soup. Sounds snazzy! I'll mashup a few Tuscan white bean soup recipes and use 50-50 kale and spinach. Make ahead corn bread for tomorrow.
Saturday- Our annual Sukkot party! I was going to do turkey, but apparently you can't find them until 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. SO! Tequila-Lime roast chicken, pan gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with chili in adobo, jalapeno cornbread stuffing,
Sunday- Leftovers. In sandwich form. Yum.
Monday- Stir fry with broccoli. Rice.
Tuesday- Youth group night. Chicken noodle soup. And, yes, bread. I never tire of soup and bread.
Thursday- Green beans and mushrooms sauteed with garlic and white wine. Bread, if I've got enough yeast to manage it. Would you believe neither of the two grocery stores I went to on Wednesday morning had yeast?
Friday- White bean and dark green soup. Sounds snazzy! I'll mashup a few Tuscan white bean soup recipes and use 50-50 kale and spinach. Make ahead corn bread for tomorrow.
Saturday- Our annual Sukkot party! I was going to do turkey, but apparently you can't find them until 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. SO! Tequila-Lime roast chicken, pan gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with chili in adobo, jalapeno cornbread stuffing,
Sunday- Leftovers. In sandwich form. Yum.
Monday- Stir fry with broccoli. Rice.
Tuesday- Youth group night. Chicken noodle soup. And, yes, bread. I never tire of soup and bread.
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