Pumpkin #2, Pumpkin Cupcakes

So, my daughter's pumpkin was cut up, and roasted today. It was mashed, and used in a super easy, and yummy recipe for pumpkin cupcakes found on Martha Stewart's website. This recipe is quite kid friendly. They can help you measure out the dried ingredients, crack the eggs, mix the wet ingredients, and combine the dry and wet ingredients. The whole recipe was mixed by hand.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

With the spices, and the pumpkin, these cupcakes are really good. I whipped up a simple cream cheese icing. Cream together one package of cream cheese, and half a cup of butter until smooth. Then, add enough icing sugar to suit your taste. Add a little vanilla extract. Spread on top of the cupcakes. Quick, easy, delicious use of pumpkin.

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Pumpkin Curry. Yummy Vegetarian Dish

A few days before Thanksgiving, we went to Leisure Farms, and my kids each decorated a pumpkin. These were the little, pie or sugar pumpkins you can eat. I am not sure if you can eat the bigger ones most of us use for Jack 'o lanterns, but whenever I look up a recipe with pumpkin, they specify, not use the ones you carve. I asked my kids to choose which of their pumpkins was to be sacrificed. I am not so sure they realized I was going to cook with them. My son ran up first, with his round pumpkin.

I thoroughly washed the outside.

The kids had decorated the pumpkins with pastel crayons, so I washed the outside. Leisure Farms used to provide markers, but I really liked the ease of using the pastels. My daughter seemed to have any easier time, and despite asking me to draw his face, my son was able to scribble a little on his own. Plus, pastel crayons are a lot less messy. I did not have to worry about stained clothes. I also think regular crayons work quite well, if you do not feel like cutting out a traditional Jack 'o lantern.

I cut up the pumpkin into wedges, after I had scrubbed the skin. I removed the seeds, and pulp from inside. I lay the pieces down on a parchment lined baking sheet after rubbing them with olive oil. The oven was at 425F, and roasting the wedges took about 30 minutes, turning them once. I let them cool before removing the skin.

The recipe I picked was from the Bon Appétit website.

Pumpkin and Cashew Curry

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 1/2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about one 1 3/4-pound whole pumpkin)

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds* (regular mustard seeds work)

8 curry leaves** (did not have these, but used some curry powder instead)

2 small red onions, cut into 1/3-inch wedges (one large red onion)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger (frozen ginger grates very well)

3 dried chiles de árbol (cayenne pepper)

3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup coconut cream

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro plus additional for garnish

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Steamed basmati rice

Cashews, spices, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, and creamed coconut

Red onions, pumpkin, cilantro

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add pumpkin and cook until golden, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves; cook until seeds pop and leaves sizzle, 30 seconds. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until onions are golden, 4 minutes. Add chiles, cashews, turmeric, and cumin; stir-fry 1 minute. Add coconut milk and coconut cream. Increase heat to medium-high. Boil until thickened, 2 minutes. Return pumpkin to pan; reduce heat to medium. Simmer until pumpkin is tender, 4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cilantro and lime juice. Spoon over rice; garnish with additional cilantro.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/10/creamy_pumpkin_and_cashew_curry

Finished product, served with rice.

The kids refused to try this, but it was not too spicy. If your kids are adventurous enough, they might like the dish.

The second pumpkin has been promised to pumpkin cupcakes with chocolate frosting, as per my daughter's request.

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How much tv do your kids watch?

Before they were two, my kids did not watch tv. I had the radio on a lot. More often than not, we would spend mornings at playgroup, and afternoons napping. They were not really interested in tv before they were two. It would not hold their interest, and I am not the type of person who has the tv on for the sake of noise.

My daughter developed the bug earlier than my son. She also gave up her naps at a younger age. When my son was still an infant, and I needed rest too, the tv kept her quiet for a bit while we napped. She also started watching DVDs in the van on roadtrips, shortly after her second birthday. I used to think she could watch tv all day, but it depends on her mood, and the programming.

A few shows will keep their attention indefinitely. Dora (or Diego, I assume), Stella and Sam, Cailou, Dino Train and Sam Sam. They do not like Mighty Machines, and most live action shows. My son also really likes Sid the Science Kid, calling him "Sib". We watch all of these shows on TFO, in French. Sometimes, they get sucked into watching some English shows on Treehouse, but I usually won't turn the tv on if I know the French kids shows are not playing. If they don't like what's on tv, they will find something else to entertain themselves.

For the most part, my children's tv watching is restricted to the hour and a half after school, before supper. It gives me a chance to get supper ready without them fighting, usually. Besides, the tv shows often inspire my kids when they are playing together. My son and daughter pretend they are Stella and Sacha (Sam's French "name"), and start to see things outside that remind them of how the characters play with each other. They are learning principles of science from Sid, and about wild animals from Mama Mirabelle.

Often, in the summer, we will go for days without watching any tv. At my parents, the park is much closer, and Grandpa often takes them out. They enjoy playing with the Lego, and Playmobil toys so much, we are rarely asked to turn on the tv. My daughter loves reading the Tintin books my parents have in their basement.

Sometimes, I use the tv as a quick and easy "parenting" tool. There are times when I need some down time, without the kids, and I know the tv will keep them occupied for a few minutes. They are quite particular about what they watch. If I want them engrossed for a longer period of time, I have to find one of the shows they love, or a movie they like.

Depending on what I am doing, I will watch the shows with them occasionally. I like to see what they are talking about, and I think it is important I am aware of they type of shows I am letting them watch. I enjoy the kids programming on TFO. My kids enjoy most of the shows too. I like the little interludes between the shows, and feel my kids are increasing their knowledge of French culture with the songs, and stories.

How much tv is too much? Do you use tv to keep your kids quiet, and give yourself a break? Is this bad?

 

http://www1.tfo.org/mini/

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A new haircut always makes me feel better

It's that time of year again. The days are getting shorter, the weather a little drabber, and I start feeling like I cannot do a thing with my hair. I have a hairdresser I visit a couple of time a year, in Oakville, but my next visit to Oakville is not until Christmas, and I could not wait.

I see you reading, "a couple of times a year". Yes, I am quite neglectful when it comes to cutting my hair. My hairdresser often jokes about it when he sees me. I used to get my hair done more frequently, but then I had children, and essentially became a stay at home mom. I find it expensive to go for a haircut too often. Sometimes, I get a trim a First Choice, but if I want a good haircut, I go down south. He charges me about $40.

Some friends of mine, around here, have been going to a local woman I met through playgroup. Her kids are the same age as mine. She used to work in a huge salon in Toronto, and is a colour specialist. I gave her a call, and she fit me in for the next day. I even brought my son over to play with her son. Playdate, and new hairdo in one!

She did a wonderful job. I also went for a colour treatment. I had been trying to decide, this week, whether or not to use a drugstore colour. I used to colour my hair myself all the time. In the past few years, however, I decided I liked my natural haircolour (dark brown with reddish highlights), and wanted to keep it while I had few grey hairs. I don't have many grey, and they are nicely hidden under the hair people see. I was feeling like I needed a little boost. We opted for something very similar to my natural colour, but with a little bit more red. If I didn't tell people I had a colour they might not realize why my hair looks different, aside from the cut.

The hairstyle I chose is the tapered bob. I used the description of Kiera Knightly in the Chanel Mademoiselle commercial. This has been my go to do for years now. I let my hair grow long sometimes, but then I cut it back to the angled bob, about chin length. I have had shorter hair over the years, but it has been well over ten years since the last time I had short hair.

The last couple of times I cut my hair short, I ended up making rash decisions shortly after. I am apprehensive about cutting my hair shorter. I probably would not do anything silly now, but there is always the thought in the back of my mind. Changing your hair can often be a daring move, and this can be empowering. It can also lead to decisions that might not be the right ones. Again, it has been over ten years, and I was in my 20s, single, not a mom, but I look back in embarrassment at things I did in the days following those haircuts. Plus, when my hair is much shorter, I have to cut it more often, like every month. I don't trust short hair dos to First Choice hairdressers. Sorry if I offended anyone.

I love my new do. The day I get my hair cut, the hairdresser usually straightens it. This is the only time my hair gets straightened. I am lazy. I don't put on makeup, or overly fuss with my hair. After I wash it, I usually spritz it with some curl boosting gel spray, and let my hair dry on its own. When my hair is shorter, the curls bounce up a lot more.

My hubby does not like the straight look. My kids, too, are also thrown off a bit. The thing is, it completely changes my look when my hair is straight. I prefer the curly too, but since my hair is seldom straight, I embrace the change. My husband dislikes to so much he said he preferred my hair when I had it tied back with an elastic for my run. Really? With little spikes sticking up, and out? So much for my glamourous, sleek do!

The price of this haircut was reasonable too. She charged $25 for the cut. At this rate, I might be able to maintain my do, and not get to the point where I hate my look.

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Making lunch is nuts!

I recently found out the PC brand of hummus "may contain tree nuts". I guess this means I have to make sure I do not buy this brand anymore, since my daughter's favourite lunch meal is hummus and grated cheese in a wrap. This got me thinking about the food I prepare in my home. No one in our family is allergic to nuts, or peanuts. I often grab a handful of pecans or walnuts for a snack, and might be making dinner, or my daughter's school lunch at the same time. So, inadvertently, I have created a lunch that "may contain tree nuts".

My best friend is very allergic to peanuts, but her husband loves peanut butter. They have it in their home, which amazes me. I often think, when I am cooking with peanut butter, it's a good thing she is not here. Wouldn't the proteins get on the dishcloth I am using to clean up after my food prep? Have I now contaminated everything in my home with peanut butter? If she were to visit, would I send her into anaphylactic shock? I do not know how easily the allergen can be passed along, and I do not know what removes it from surfaces. I have no idea if it loses its potency if it dries out, or is exposed to air. Does washing my utensils, and dishes in soap, and hot water remove the threat?

If you do not live in a nut free home, odds are your child is bringing some sort of nut contamination to school. My daughter's school has a no food sharing policy. I would hope the parents of children with allergies are also warning their kids not to eat other children's lunches. You can never be too careful, and even if we are ensuring we buy ready-made products from peanut free facilities, our homes are likely the place where most contamination will occur.

I have another friend whose son is allergic to soy. She says she spends so much time reading labels in the grocery store, and sometimes still comes home with something he cannot eat. Soy is in everything. You would think the solution would be to avoid all processed food, but good luck with that. This means making your own bread, your own crackers, your own lunch meat, and your own chocolate. Almost all commercial chocolate contains soy lecithin. Like I said, soy is in everything, and if you have a sensitivity to it, you are in for a challenging life.

She said recipes for products change often. She bought 25 boxes of Ritz Cheddar flavoured crackers because they were soy free. When they went back to buy more crackers, the new ones contained soy. HoneyMaid graham crackers were soy free once, but not anymore. They rarely go out for dinner because many restaurants use margarine made with soybean oil.

Her son does not want to go trick or treating this year because he cannot eat 99% of the candy he receives. His siblings gave him all their soy free candy last year, which consists mainly of Skittles. Even sugary candy has soy. Other nuts sold in the grocery store, are tossed in soybean oil. He has to eat peanuts in the shell to avoid soy.

Food allergies are tough to deal with, but it seems unfair when you are allergic to an ingredient that is not essential to making a whole food product. Often soy is used because it is the inexpensive oil at the time. Would the taste, texture, and structure of these foods change so much if we did not use soy when making them? We are able to make many products in our homes, to avoid allergies, but sometimes even base products, such as margarine, breadcrumbs, and chocolat, (or hummus) contain allergens we do not realize.

Food preparation is becoming more of a challenge these days. And, you have to not only consider your family, but anyone you decide to cook for. How goes your attempts at allergen free cooking?

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Dessert/recipe.html?dishid=12872

I have included a link to Michael Smith's Allergen Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, but he does not consider soy or coconut allergies. I find gluten and lactose free tend to be the buzz words in allergies, after nuts.

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Women in Computer Science

I was listening to a recent episode of Spark, on CBC, and they were talking about a company called Y Combinator. This is a company, founded in 2005, that invests a small amount of money into many startups. The startups move to Silicon Valley for three months to work on ideas, and refine their pitch to investors. This culminates on Demo Day when the startups make a presentation to a large number of investors.

http://ycombinator.com/


What I found particularly interesting about this segment of Spark was Nora Young's observation of how few of the startups had women founders. She was interviewing Randall Stross because he had just written a book on Y Combinator. His conclusion was very few women are programming in high school, and younger, and this leads to the discrepency in the number of women who are capable of entering the startup field later on.

I had heard about the gender issue in technology on previous episodes of Spark, and I often wonder if I should be encouraging my daughter to explore the possibility of Computer Science as a field of study. If not purely Computer Science, should I be encouraging her to go into something that combines computer technology with another field of study? At the very least, I think everyone should learn some basic programming, and we should get a better understanding of how technology works.

In the past ten years, our lives have drastically changed with regards to use of technology. We now have smartphones that do everything for us, but we have no idea how they work, or even how the Internet works. I think we should inform ourselves, and our children about these technologies. We should not leave it to an upper echelon of people who will be responsible for how we live our lives.

I know my father tried to get me to study business prior to starting university. He might have been being facetious. I was going to be a great scientist, like him, and get my Ph.D. He told me to take business because that was where the money was. I did end up with three degrees, just all Bachelors.

I look back now, and wonder why was I not more interested in computers. Of course, had I been, I could have ended up in the whole dotcom boom, and bust. I don't want to force a life on my children they do not want, yet I want them to find something fulfilling they can to with their lives, and make a living doing it. I am certainly not concerned with getting rich. I think if you have enough money to do the things you enjoy, and not worry about living from paycheque to paycheque, you are doing great.

Having enough money to provide a good life for you, and your family is the goal. If you can also save money to help your kids out with a post secondary education, if they choose one, added bonus. Some more money to take a vacation every once in a while, awesome. If your job causes you to be away from your family, and you cannot spend time with them, it has to be something you love doing.

That's the key. Finding something you are good at, something you enjoy doing, and something you can earn money doing. Not all of us are so lucky to find all three. This is what I want for my kids.

By the way, if you are interested in learning how to program, Codecademy is a website where you can learn to program, for free. Just a matter of how much time you have, and how disciplined you are.

http://www.codecademy.com

I say disciplined because I started learning German with Duolingo a few months back, but I have not visited the website in a few months. When I first started, I would use it daily, but I don't need German right now, and we were busy this summer, so I stopped. I assume learning to code would be similar. You might start of all excited, but I wonder how quickly the excitement would wane if you have nothing motivating you to learn how to code.

http://duolingo.com/

For kids, MIT developed an easy programming language called Scratch. The parts of the program fit together like Lego.

http://scratch.mit.edu/

 

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The tantrums of a three year old girl (and boy)

I wrote the following entry a couple of years ago.  I have since realized my son is completely capable of having the same type, and intensity of tantrums as my daughter did when she was three.  It must be the age.  I am not sure what people are talking about in reference to the Terrible Twos.  Both of my children grew into their finest tantrums after they turned three years old.

My daughter can still have fairly intense tantrums, but they are less frequent.  My son, however, has taken over the role she only recently vacated.  I just read through my draft about her from two years ago, and I could have written it the other day about my son.  This too shall pass.  Eventually, my son will out grow this willfulness, and we will move on to dealing with different issues with regards to parenting our children.


Sometime in 2010.
Is there anything worst than hearing a three year old girl having a screaming tantrum? I think not. Those of you who are parents of three year old boys may tell me they are just as capable of screeching at a pitch that affects you physically, but my son isn't at that stage yet. He just learned how to pull off his socks.

My daughter doesn't just cry when she is upset, she emits a high pitch scream as well. Think smoke detector alarm. Really. My dad said it is like a whistle. It is very hard to achieve a state of zen when your daughter is going off in the back seat of the van. She is often able to sustain this frenzied state for 10 minutes or more. You would think she would get tired of it, but she just keeps going.

At home, we will leave her in her room, and hope she will eventually calm down enough to listen to us. Even if she has stopped screaming, she will start up again if the wrong person (Dad) goes to check up on her.

When we are out in public, it is a different story. I try not to take her out in public when she is extremely upset, but sometimes it is unavoidable. We were in the grocery store parking lot the other day, and she refused to walk. She wanted me to carry her. A father gave me that knowing look, and actually said something about them all being the same. It helped me deal with the public spectacle a little better.

However, I don't know what else to do with her. She is extremely stubborn. I suppose she gets this from her father. There are times when I think, maybe this isn't the battle I should be fighting. If I give in, she will stop crying, she will stop screaming. Is the 20 minutes of hysterics worth her putting her toy back in her room on her own, when often, I will do it without asking her?

Timeouts rarely work with her. I have to almost sit on her to stay in her timeout spot. Putting her in her room can often result in toys and puzzles strewn about. One time, she ripped off the decals we used to decorate her room. A friend said she takes things away if they are thrown. Often the objects thrown aren't things she plays with, so this isn't much of a threat.

Last weekend, it came down to me being the last bargaining chip. My daughter wanted me to put her toy away, and she wanted to be with me. I told her I would not spend time with her if she was screaming and crying. I went to my room and closed the door. Even this didn't really work. She still spent 20 minutes outside my door, screaming and crying and yelling that she wanted mommy.

October 19, 2012
I actually used the self imposed timeout on myself today, with my son.  He too spent a significant amount of time outside my room, trying to get in.  He eventually calmed down because he wanted me to open the door. 

Currently, most of our tantrums stem from lack of sleep or hunger.  Unfortunately, he has been fighting his naps lately.  It makes me wonder if my daughter gave up her naps too soon.  My son still needs at least an hour nap in the afternoon, or he will be in a rotten mood in the evening.  My daughter gave up her naps when she was around 2 and a half.  I wonder if we could have staved off so many tantrums with her if she had only had a little nap in the afternoon.

Uruguayan Memories

I lived in Uruguay for six months a few years back. It was a great experience. That is where I learned how to speak Spanish. I even picked up a bit of their accent (which was subsequently replaced by a slightly Mexican accent when I lived in Monterrey, Mexico for a year). I was also exposed to some wonderful food products, which were quite hard to find back in Canada.

Many of these products are now becoming common place here, and I love it. The first one was the immergence of dulce de leche a few years back. I probably could have made some, by boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk for a few hours. But, thankfully, someone thought the North American market would enjoy this product, and you can find it, ready to serve, in most supermarkets. We usually buy the President's Choice brand.

It is almost like caramel Nutella.

In Mexico, I came across a similar product called cajeta. It is usually made with goat's milk, giving it a bit of a tang, but it too has a caramel like texture to it. I prefer dulce de leche. In Uruguay, I used to eat it in alfajores. I likened these cookies to Wagon Wheels, but they aren't really like them. There is no marshmallow in an alfajor. No, they are more like a caramel sandwich cookie, but the cookie is soft. So yummy.

The second product I fell in love with in Uruguay was yerba mate. With teas becoming more, and more popular, I am seeing mate everywhere. In Uruguay, and Argentina, the locals drink their mate in gourds filled with the mate leaves. They drink the tea through a metal straw called a bombilla. Often, I would seeing people walking down the street with a thermos under one arm, and the gourd in their hand. The gourd would be constantly replenished with hot water from the thermos. I remember seeing locals driving, a standard vehicle, with their gourd in hand, a thermos underarm, and a cigarette in mouth. Everyone always had mate close by.

It was also a very social thing. I began to partake in "mate breaks" in the afternoon, with my Uruguayan friends. Everyone would sit in a circle to chat, and pass around the gourd. I think this is how I learned most of my Spanish, by hanging out with the locals, drinking mate.

Here, mate is sold as loose leaf tea, or in bags. I have seen a ceramic "gourd" for sale at David's Tea, but it seems so fragile to me. The gourds are organic, earthy, and sturdy. I regret not buying a gourd, and a bombilla while I was in Uruguay. I remember when I was a child, a colleague of my father's had brought us a bomilla from Argentina. I never knew what it was for, but it was very beautiful. The straw functions as the strainer for the tea, as it has tiny holes at its base.

It feels odd drinking my mate as I would any regular tea, and I think back to my precious time in Rivera, with my friends, passing around the gourd, and talking about our day. I cannot see this happening here at all, and maybe this tradition has stopped, or diminished, in Uruguay. It is kind of unsanitary, sharing drinks, but it is a part of a culture so very different from our own. I was glad to have experienced it.

PS My third favourite food in Uruguay? Chivitos. The best sandwiches ever!

 

 

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Making Pretzels

This is my favourite, and one of the easiest recipes, I have been using the past year or so. I came across a recipe for a Master Sweet Dough while flipping through my cousin's Bon Appétit last spring. There are also six separate recipes which use this dough, but I have only ever made the soft pretzels. It is super easy to do, and quite fast, if you exclude the rising time. I make the dough in my food processor, and there is no kneading involved.

Master Sweet Dough from Bon Appétit http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/master-sweet-dough

Ingredients

2/3 cup whole milk

5 tablespoons sugar, divided. (I often cut down on the sugar)

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus 1/2 tablespoon, melted

Preparation

Stand Mixer Method

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°–115°. Transfer milk to a 2-cup measuring cup; stir in 1 Tbsp. sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs; whisk until smooth.

Combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. (If making Vanilla Cloverleaf Sweet Rolls, scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. If making Apricot-Anise Tarts, add aniseed.) Add milk mixture. With mixer running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Knead on medium-high speed until dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes.

Brush a medium bowl with some melted butter; place dough in bowl. Brush top of dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic wrap. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic; chill.

Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 1–1 1/2 hours (or 2–2 1/2 hours if dough has been refrigerated).

Food Processor Method

No stand mixer? Don't worry. Fit your food processor with the standard chopping or dough blade, then make the milk mixture according to the dough recipe (above), including whisking in the eggs. Combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in food processor. (If making Vanilla Cloverleaf Sweet Rolls, scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. If making Apricot-Anise Tarts, add aniseed.) Pulse to blend. Add milk mixture; process until combined. With processor running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Process until dough is soft and silky, 2–3 minutes longer. Dough will be sticky but should not be greasy. If it is greasy, process for an additional 1–2 minutes. Transfer dough to the buttered bowl and continue with recipe as directed.

Dough, after it has risen for 1.5 hrs

Dough, punched down by my daughter

Sweet Pretzels http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/sweet-pretzels

Ingredients

Master Sweet Dough (see above)

All-purpose flour (for dusting)

1 large egg white

6 tablespoons pearl sugar

Ingredient Info:

Pearl sugar, a coarse sugar used for deco-rating baked goods, is available at specialty foods stores and kingarthurflour.com.

Preparation

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Punch down dough; divide into 12 equal pieces.

Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping remaining dough covered with a kitchen towel, roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a 17-inch- long rope. Form rope into a U shape. Lift top of left end; fold over or under opposite side; press together gently about two-thirds down from the top of right side. Lift right end up, fold over, and press in or tuck under, forming a pretzel shape. Repeat with remaining dough. Divide pretzels between sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until slightly puffed but not doubled in size, 30–45 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Beat egg white and 2 tsp. warm water in a small bowl. Brush each pretzel all over with egg wash, then sprinkle each with 1/2 Tbsp. pearl sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes; rotate baking sheets and continue baking until pretzels are golden, 6–8 minutes longer. Let pretzels cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

My daughter helped me make the dough by measuring the sugar, yeast, and flour. She also tried to crack the eggs, and mixed them nicely. She poured the eggs into the yeast mixture, and blended the two. Once the dough had risen, she punched it down, and helped me make the ropes of dough. She was responsible for forming the pretzel shapes, and was partial to the bow shape, as opposed to the round, or heart shape. From start to finish, the pretzels take less than three hours. I think I would bake them for less than 10 minutes, initially. As you can see below, the top pretzels got much browner than the bottom ones. I usually give them to my daughter as part of her lunch. I also cut down on the sugar in the recipe, and rarely sprinkle them with sugar.

Not as easy as playdough

Twisted with love

After second rise

Can you tell which ones were on the top rack first?

These pretzels are a favourite in our house. I have tried other recipes, but these are the easiest, and fastest, and they get eaten. The Master Sweet Dough can also be used to make cinnamon rolls/sticky buns. Happy baking!

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Demo-itis, for boys underwear.

This summer, I bought some underwear for my son to help motivate him through potty training. I found these cute boxer briefs at Old Navy, sized for toddler boys. I have not been able to find underwear like these anywhere else. I looked at Winners, Joe Fresh, Walmart, and I also went back to Old Navy. I cannot find boxer briefs for a three year old anywhere.

I have repeatedly gone back to Old Navy in hopes of finding more in his size, but apparently they are a fast selling item, and rarely in stock. I had been lucky when I came across them this summer. From the sounds of things, I should not have seen them in the store. Since these were the first underwear I started using with my son, I find I am dissatified with the regular briefs they sell for younger boys.

Another mom said she bought smaller sized boxer briefs from Joe Fresh, but I looked through their stock, and the smallest size in that style was 5. If you want to buy little boys underwear, most are briefs.

My solution? After my third attempt to buy toddler boxer briefs at an Old Navy store, I stuck around, and tried on some clothes for myself. I needed a new pair of jeans, and they were on sale. To get free shipping from Old Navy, you have to buy $50 worth of stuff. I decided to buy the clothes I tried on in the store, online.

Easier said than done. I bought the shirt I liked, but for some reason, the jeans I tried on were $10 more online. If I had chosen the lighter colour, the prices were the same, but the darker jeans were pricer online. I ended up buying a style I had not tried on. They allow you to return the items to the store for free, so, if I do not like my purchases, I can return them. Included in this order was a package of boys boxer briefs, sized 2T/3T. I probably should have bought more, but my son is growing. Also, even though I do not prefer them, we do have a few of the regular brief style underwear at home.

www.oldnavy.ca

Do you find yourself gravitating to a certain style or brand of clothing? We experience this for ourselves too. I find it disappointing when a company discontinues a style of pants, or a shirt I really felt good wearing. I am impossible to shop for, and when I find something I like, I should buy three of it.

Currently, I am on the search for a great pair of jeans. My friends have suggested True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, Fidelity, and 7 for All Mankind. When did jeans' names become so epic? Anyway, like I mentioned, I opted for cheap Old Navy, but they fit nice. Just have to see how long they last. How long are they supposed to last? Since January 2005 I have worn through three pairs of jeans. One from Roots, two from Jacob. I tend to wear them often, but not necessarily wash them often.

 

http://www.7forallmankind.com/


http://www.citizensofhumanity.com


http://www.fidelitydenim.com/

 

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Inevitable repercussions.

I told you if I wrote about our potty training progress, it would bite me in the ass. My son woke up the next morning, having peed in his bed. But, he was wearing his new pirate pjs from Grandma, and walked out, squinting at the light, with his right hand hidden in his sleeve. He is a pirate, you see, and pirates are always missing a hand. If he had something to make a hook, he would have carried that out with him as well. Almost made up for having to change his sheets, and clothes.

We also had a number two accident later that morning. (Told you!) But, to his credit, he went two out of three times on the potty, and we were good for the rest of the day. We were also good for accidents last night, and he woke up, before we went to sleep, to pee. Unfortunately, he seems to be having accuracy issues now, or sitting on the potty without removing clothing. We are currently working toward prize number two, but progress is slower than last week.

I also find, if he is being particularly stubborn, he will say he doesn't want the prize. So, if he has made up his mind he does not want to go pee, he will emphatically state he does not want the present. Not much of an incentive. I guess we have to find something he really wants to earn. Although, I thought these prizes we had picked out together were them. The whims of a three year old.

Another stumbling block? He seems to have developed an affinity for the potty, and a dislike of toilets. He especially does not like public toilets. He also refuses to go with his father, so I often end up with both my children in the washroom stall with me. Lots of fun! No, do not unlock the door while mommy is sitting on the toilet! Please do not flush while your sister is sitting on the toilet. Oh, there goes the automatic flushing system, again.

This too shall pass.

It is a nice looking potty, isn't it?

 

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Potty Training. Diaper free?

Potty training is one of the more frustrating aspects of parenting young children. We cannot wait for the time when we no longer have to change diapers. Many of us start too soon, in the hopes our child will be fully trained before he or she turns two. We often rush them because another child is on the way, or we are worried he or she will still be in diapers when school starts. This is a serious concern in Ontario with Junior Kindergarden, and some children starting school at three years old.

You might be one of those lucky parents who never had to deal with accidents, and kids refusing to poop or pee on the toilet. Some kids are extremely easy to potty train, and ready for underwear much earlier than other children. Sometimes the kids are ready before the parents are.

We have no control over our child's bodily functions, and actions. When your daughter or son decides it is time to be a "big kid" that is when he or she is ready. It is like walking, eating, and sleeping. They don't have control over much in their lives, but what they can control drives us parents nutty.

Not ten days ago I was ready to throw in the towel with regards to my son's progress. I was thinking back two years, to the summer when my daughter stopped wearing diapers. One day, she had three accidents on the floor. I put her back in diapers, and waited a few more weeks. When I tried again, she peed on her potty every time she needed to go, and within a month, we were out of diapers. A couple of weeks later, she was dry through the night as well.

We started training my son in the summer. He was a little slower on the uptake. I also did not pressure him as much as I pressured his sister, initially. I knew he would be ready when he decided he was ready. I had not seated him on the potty regularly prior to this summer. My daughter used to love to read books while sitting there for half an hour. My son would sit for three seconds, then get up, having done nothing.

We eventually got to the point, mid summer, where he was trained if he was naked. This does not work well if you want to leave the house. Outside of the home, he was still wearing diapers, and he would usually pee if he had diapers on. Eventually, we managed to get him to not pee in his underwear, in the house. I started getting braver, and, by the time school started, I would take him to playgroups in underwear (and pants, of course).

For the most part, it would work, but we would have a few accidents, usually at home. He was lasting longer, and longer without peeing, but we were still ending up with wet or dirty clothes. He continued to wear a diaper for his naps. (Another difference between my children. My daughter gave up naps at two and a half, but my son still needs naps at three.)

My frustrations culminated when I tried to go shopping in town, diaperless. The poor guy peed and pooped in his underwear while we were in a store. I should have taken him to the washroom instead of asking if he needed to go, because the answer is always no. I had a change of clothes for him, and put him in a diaper for the rest of the afternoon, while we continued shopping.

Then, he had two more accidents on the couch. The first was because he was watching tv, and didn't want to miss his show. The second one was ten seconds after I told him to go to the washroom, and pee. In my head, I thought, maybe he is not ready. Maybe we should go back to diapers full time, and we can try again in a few weeks, like I did with my daughter.

The next day, though, I tried one more day in underwear. And, we did not have any accidents. I gave him a star for an accident free day. Diapers at night, but another accident free day, another star. Prior to this, he had been getting stars, and tatoos for every potty usage. It was getting ridiculous, with him peeing or sitting on the potty every 30 minutes, and whenever he wanted a prize. This new method seemed to be working.

Eventually, he didn't want to wear diapers at night. I told him, he would have to wake up dry for me to let him sleep in underwear. The first night, he woke us up at 1:40am to pee. I began dreading having to wake up in the middle of the night again, but the next night, when he was in underwear, he slept through. He was dry when he woke, and peed in the morning.

We decided if he could earn seven stars for accident free days, he would get a big prize. We went to the store, and picked out a Lego, and a Winnie the Pooh toy. He made it six days straight without an accident, and even had five dry nights. The accident day was when we travelled to see my parents, and he refused to pee in the public toilets. I didn't want to say anything about our success earlier because there is always the jinx that happens when you talk about good behaviour.

We already have a few mini accidents while at my parents, but all in all we seem to be doing well. I feel I can talk about the progress without fear of regression. So, just when I was ready to give up, my son decided he was ready to give up diapers. I think we might be done with diapers. Know anyone who would like to buy a bunch of cloth diapers? They served us well these past five years.

Bye bye diapers!

 

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Mint Chocolate Thins

My favourite ice cream flavour is mint chocolate. It can be in chip form, or chocolate ice cream with mint flavouring (Marble Slab), or the President's Choice version with actual mint leaves in it. I even found a tea, at David's Tea, that satisfies my mint chocolate sweet tooth. Girl Guides sell mint chocolate cookies. Very yummy. So, when I came across this recipe on the Today's Parent website, I had to try it out. They are a little bit like the Girl Guide cookies, and this recipe made about 7 dozen cookies.

http://recipes.todaysparent.com/Recipes/View/Chocolate_Mint_Thins


The biggest problem? My husband hates mint flavouring in his food. He says it makes him think he is eating toothpaste. My kids like the cookies, so they can help me out in eating them. I am already starting to put back on some of my winter weight. I really need to cut back on the sweets.

My son helped me measure the dry ingredients. The recipe says kids can also help form the cookie dough into logs, but this might work better with children older than three years old. I did let him help me cut the dough into flat discs, after it had chilled in the fridge for a few hours. He was also good at placing the cookies on the baking sheet. I think he was most talented at eating the cookies, though.

Looks like a giant Tootsie Roll

Chillin' in the fridge

Cutting thins

My son helped place these

Just a little over done

Coating the cookies in chocolate is also a kid friendly task. I added a little butter to the chocolate squares when I melted them, to make the chocolate softer when it dried. The chocolate was not as liquid as I thought it would be, so I ended up spreading the coating onto the cookies, instead of dipping them. Maybe next time I will heat the chocolate to a higher temperature.

All in all, the cookies were easy to make, not too expensive with regards to ingredients, and the yield was enormous. These might work well as gifts. The recipe suggests them as a bake sale item, but I am not sure how many schools do bake sales nowadays, with numerous food allergies being identified. My kids both gave them thumbs up. Unlike, the Cranberry Fairy Fingers. My daughter refuses to eat them, but my son will.

http://www.davidstea.com/our-teas/rooibos/mint-chocolate-rooibos

Seriously, these are two very tasty foods.

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A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

Unless you spend $0.50 on penny wrappers.

I realized after I bought the wrappers, I better have a lot of pennies to make them worth buying. I am not sure what the banks' policies are when you bring them change to deposit. Does it have to be nicely wrapped, or do they dump the change into a machine to count them?

As I was going through all the pennies, I started looking at the dates, comparing shineyness, and the aging of the Queen. Then, I started looking for pennies from the year each of us were born. The oldest penny I found was from 1947. It had King George VI on the back. I did find one 2012 penny. We have not really been saving much change lately.

I had no short of pennies from 2007, the year my daughter was born. 2009 seemed to be less frequent in my collection. I only found a couple of those. I found only one from 1975, and two from 1972.

I never kept any of the paper money that was discontinued. What do you think about the loss of the penny? Are you saving any?

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