For some people there is no question. They must think us crazy for not having air conditioning in the summer. Generally, though, we rarely have heat waves that last longer than a few days, and usually the humidity is not too bad. We are normally able to cool our house down in the evenings by opening up all the windows. The basement stays cooler than the rest of the house as well. As a last resort, we could just lie down on the tiled floor.
This morning, however, I was wishing for AC in our home, if only to decrease the humidity. Currently, it is 32C outside and with the humidity it feels like 42C. Our house had heated up to 28C last night, and only cooled down to 26C this morning. Most of the people I met along my morning run at 7am said, "It is too hot to be running!" "Better now than in the afternoon." said I.
We are supposed to have cooler temperatures come Saturday, and if we open up the whole house, basement included, we should be able to get back to a reasonable temperature in our home. That will be up to my husband this week, as I am going away. Once we get back to having cooler evenings, we should be fine.
Our biggest problem with heating up our home is the westward facing patio doors in our bedroom. We have no trees blocking these doors, so in the summer we have light coming into the house from 3pm until 9pm. In the seven years we have lived in the house I have tried several types of black out curtains with varying success. Last year we put UV blocking film on the glass. It cut down on the heat, but we still have light getting in and that is what warms up the room, and then the house. I wanted to get an automatic blind on the outside which would prevent light from entering through the window. I suppose another option would be a gazebo on the deck.
In Europe, houses have shutters on the outside of the house which stop light, and heat from getting in. I am not sure why we have not adopted this practice in North America. Maybe it is aesthetics. Our friends had hidden shutters that would automatically roll down and block all light from entering. Seals the house up like a vault.
I often think about how my next house should be oriented with respect to home energy efficiencies. Which side of the house should have all the windows to maximize heat gain in the winter, but not in the summer? If we had a deciduous tree in front of our patio doors, it too would greatly reduce how hot our home would be. Alas, these are all things I know for my next home, whenever that happens.
For now, we are hiding in the basement, playing at the splash pad, taking advantage of friends with pools, or going to the lake. In a few days, a cold front will be coming through, and we will no longer be jonesing for air conditioning. Maybe we'll hang out at the mall tomorrow.
This is what we need. Northern Solar Screen. Now, are these available for Canadians?
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Posted with Blogsy
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Jerk Pork Tenderloin, Pineapple Avocado Salsa and Barbecued Potatoes
I am working my way through the summer edition of Food and Drink. Yesterday, I decided to make Jamaican Jerk pork tenderloin, along with some pineapple avocado salsa. My kids ate the potatoes, which is a start. I even omitted the pepper from the jerk spice marinade so they could try the meat, but they decided to be vegetarian last night. Now, we have enough leftovers for the rest of the week. I need to start freezing stuff.
I had all the ingredients on hand for the jerk marinade except for the pepper, so it worked out well. Everything was chopped up in my mini food processor, starting with the onion, then the garlic, liquids and spices. The weird thing was, after the meat was cooked, the marinade did not taste like much. It has lots of ingredients, and many of them are quite strong, aromatically (garlic, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and ginger). Most of the flavour comes from smelling the spices prior to eating. Our brain works very hard during the act of tasting. To find out more, check out the CBC Radio One program called Think About It, the Neurogastronomy episode.
Anyway, the supper was fairly easy to make once the meat was marinading. The pineapple salsa called for chopping up a full pineapple, but you could reduce your work by using a peeled and cored pineapple if you choose. The salsa is supposed to sit for at least an hour prior to eating, and the meat should marinate at least four hours ahead. Both can be prepared the day ahead for even better flavour, so not a spur of the moment recipe.
Jerk Pork
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 large garlic cloves
Scant 1/4 cup each of vegetable oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar
2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced with seeds
1 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp each ground cinnamon and allspice
1 tsp each ground nutmeg, craked black pepper and salt.
After trimming the fat and silver skins from the tenderloins, place the meat on a cutting board. Use a large fork to poke through the tenderloins. Make about 20 inserts throughout each tenderloin, ensuring that the fork goes through to the cutting board. Place the tenderloins in a large freezer bag or a shallow dish.
Put all the other ingredients in a food processor to make the marinade. Since I had a small chopper, I started with the onion, then garlic. I waited until the onion was chopped enough so there was room to add the remaining ingredients. Mix until everything is evenly ground.
Pour the marinade over the meat in the bag. Massage the marinade all over the meat. Remove as much of the air from the bag before sealing. Place the bag in a dish and let sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours, preferably 24 hours. If the meat is in a dish, cover the meat before putting it in the refrigerator. Turn the meat occasionally to distribute the marinade.
You can roast the pork on a foil lined baking sheet at 350F for 40 to 55 minutes. Alternately, you can wrap the tenderloins in foil and cook on the barbecue for 40 minutes. The internal temperature at the thickest part should read 155F. Remove the pork from heat and let sit for five minutes before cutting. You can serve it the next day, just wrap the whole tenderloin and refrigerate for up to one day.
Serve with Pineapple Avocado salsa.
Pineapple Avocado Salsa
1 fresh pineapple, peeled cored and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 large red or orange pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
Juice of two large limes
2 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp dried chili flakes or 1 to 2 tbsp finley chopped and seeded jalapeño pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 ripe, but firm Haas avocados
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Mix together the diced pineapple, red pepper and red onion. In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients (everything but the avocados and cilantro). Pour over the pineapple mixture and set aside for at least one hour before serving, stirring occasionally.
Just before serving, drain off the liquid. Dice the avocado and stir into salsa along with the chopped ciltantro.
Barbecued Potatoes
It is up to you to determine how many potatoes you want to bake. You can use mini or regular sized potatoes. Slice them, but not all the way through, so they kind of look like an accordion. Top them with butter (or some oil/fat), spices (I used no salted added Montreal Steak Spice), and salt if needed. Wrap in foil, and cook on the barbecue.
Like I said, this meal requires marinating time, but once everything is "stewing" it comes together quickly. It is a very tasty meal, and the combination of spices is perfect for hot summer dining.
I had all the ingredients on hand for the jerk marinade except for the pepper, so it worked out well. Everything was chopped up in my mini food processor, starting with the onion, then the garlic, liquids and spices. The weird thing was, after the meat was cooked, the marinade did not taste like much. It has lots of ingredients, and many of them are quite strong, aromatically (garlic, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and ginger). Most of the flavour comes from smelling the spices prior to eating. Our brain works very hard during the act of tasting. To find out more, check out the CBC Radio One program called Think About It, the Neurogastronomy episode.
Anyway, the supper was fairly easy to make once the meat was marinading. The pineapple salsa called for chopping up a full pineapple, but you could reduce your work by using a peeled and cored pineapple if you choose. The salsa is supposed to sit for at least an hour prior to eating, and the meat should marinate at least four hours ahead. Both can be prepared the day ahead for even better flavour, so not a spur of the moment recipe.
Jerk Pork
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 large garlic cloves
Scant 1/4 cup each of vegetable oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar
2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced with seeds
1 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp each ground cinnamon and allspice
1 tsp each ground nutmeg, craked black pepper and salt.
After trimming the fat and silver skins from the tenderloins, place the meat on a cutting board. Use a large fork to poke through the tenderloins. Make about 20 inserts throughout each tenderloin, ensuring that the fork goes through to the cutting board. Place the tenderloins in a large freezer bag or a shallow dish.
Put all the other ingredients in a food processor to make the marinade. Since I had a small chopper, I started with the onion, then garlic. I waited until the onion was chopped enough so there was room to add the remaining ingredients. Mix until everything is evenly ground.
Pineapple Avocado Salsa
1 fresh pineapple, peeled cored and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 large red or orange pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
Juice of two large limes
2 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp dried chili flakes or 1 to 2 tbsp finley chopped and seeded jalapeño pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 ripe, but firm Haas avocados
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Mix together the diced pineapple, red pepper and red onion. In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients (everything but the avocados and cilantro). Pour over the pineapple mixture and set aside for at least one hour before serving, stirring occasionally.
It is up to you to determine how many potatoes you want to bake. You can use mini or regular sized potatoes. Slice them, but not all the way through, so they kind of look like an accordion. Top them with butter (or some oil/fat), spices (I used no salted added Montreal Steak Spice), and salt if needed. Wrap in foil, and cook on the barbecue.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Mint. My Favourite Summer Herb.
Yes, I know, it grows like a weed. It will take over your entire garden if you are not careful, but I love the stuff. I have been taking advantage of all the chocolate mint I have growing in the yard. It has found its way into most of my recipes of late. The turkey mango salad and the wheatberry apple salad from my previous post, both called for mint. Today, I made another meal full of mint. Plus, there are the mojitos.
Dinner tonight had a bit of a Middle Eastern flair. Chicken kebabs, Persian rice, grilled zucchini and easy tzatziki. The recipes come from the Summer 2013 Food and Drink magazine, but I will give you the quick and easy versions.
CHICKEN KEBABS
1 package chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs per pack)
1 lime
1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup chopped mint
1/3 cup chopped coriander
Couple grinder twists of salt
Chop the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces, and put into a glass dish for marinading. Zest the lime, and sprinkle over the chicken. Squeeze the lime and the lemon juice onto the chicken. Mince or grate the garlic cloves, and add them, the chopped herbs, and the salt to the chicken. Marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature or leave in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Thread the chicken onto presoaked bamboo skewers. The kebabs can be grilled on a hot barbecue for 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently.
Serve with tzatziki. I did not have time to make the full out version of homemade tzatziki, so I improvised. I mixed a couple tablespoons of greek yoghurt with garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning, a squirt of lime juice and some chopped up cucumber. You could add some fresh mint and dill if you have it on hand. It tasted like the premade dip.
PERSIAN RICE (The recipe calls for basmati rice, but we did not have any at home, so I substituted brown rice instead. It worked out well.)
1 cup Uncle Ben's brown rice
Pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped coriander and/or mint
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried sultana raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 clementine
1/2 a lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt
The original recipe calls for currants and pistachio nuts, but I had raisins and almonds in the house.
Cook the rice in two cups of water, with the pinch of saffron, until the rice is done and there is no more water in the pot. It should take about 20 minutes. Put the cooked rice into a serving dish and mix in the cinnamon, herbs, fruit and nuts.
In a separate bowl, zest the clementine, and squeeze in the juice. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime, the olive oil and the salt. Mix the dressing, and stir it into the rice.
You can serve the chicken kebabs on top the persian rice for a fancy presentation. The dishes are portable, and can be enjoyed at room temperature. Therefore, they are great for a picnic or to bring over to someone's house.
Dinner tonight had a bit of a Middle Eastern flair. Chicken kebabs, Persian rice, grilled zucchini and easy tzatziki. The recipes come from the Summer 2013 Food and Drink magazine, but I will give you the quick and easy versions.
CHICKEN KEBABS
1 package chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs per pack)
1 lime
1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup chopped mint
1/3 cup chopped coriander
Couple grinder twists of salt
Chop the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces, and put into a glass dish for marinading. Zest the lime, and sprinkle over the chicken. Squeeze the lime and the lemon juice onto the chicken. Mince or grate the garlic cloves, and add them, the chopped herbs, and the salt to the chicken. Marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature or leave in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Thread the chicken onto presoaked bamboo skewers. The kebabs can be grilled on a hot barbecue for 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently.
Serve with tzatziki. I did not have time to make the full out version of homemade tzatziki, so I improvised. I mixed a couple tablespoons of greek yoghurt with garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning, a squirt of lime juice and some chopped up cucumber. You could add some fresh mint and dill if you have it on hand. It tasted like the premade dip.
PERSIAN RICE (The recipe calls for basmati rice, but we did not have any at home, so I substituted brown rice instead. It worked out well.)
1 cup Uncle Ben's brown rice
Pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped coriander and/or mint
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried sultana raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 clementine
1/2 a lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt
The original recipe calls for currants and pistachio nuts, but I had raisins and almonds in the house.
Cook the rice in two cups of water, with the pinch of saffron, until the rice is done and there is no more water in the pot. It should take about 20 minutes. Put the cooked rice into a serving dish and mix in the cinnamon, herbs, fruit and nuts.
In a separate bowl, zest the clementine, and squeeze in the juice. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime, the olive oil and the salt. Mix the dressing, and stir it into the rice.
You can serve the chicken kebabs on top the persian rice for a fancy presentation. The dishes are portable, and can be enjoyed at room temperature. Therefore, they are great for a picnic or to bring over to someone's house.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Summer Lunch Menu
Since both my husband and I are teachers, we have the flexibility of entertaining other teacher families during the week. No need to wait for the weekend to make a lunch date. It also becomes easier to plan get togethers as the kids have soccer three times a week in the evenings. A lunch date will be over by the time we need to be heading out to the soccer fields.
I am always raving about the recipes from my favourite (free) magazine, Food and Drink, from the LCBO. This time, I found a couple sweet and savory salads from the turkey cookbook insert that came along with the magazine. Really, get togethers are an excuse for me to try new foods, and not worry about having leftovers for over a week. I am hoping we will be able to entertain a few more times this summer, but I could always try out new recipes when we are visiting my parents or my friends in Edmonton.
Both recipes have meat (turkey or chicken) in them, but could easily be made vegetarian. Both recipes also have similar ingredients (mint, coriander, citrus), so they complement each other. I served them deconstructed because my husband does not like cold meat, but our guests enjoyed the meal. Of course, my children did not try either salad, and opted for bread, cheese and hummus. I had a fruit and veggie tray on the side as well.
TURKEY MANGO SALAD
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
1 tsp (5mL) sesame oil
1 8-oz (227g) extra lean ground Ontario turkey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (25mL) fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp (15mL) fish sauce (or sodium reduced soy sauce)
2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp (25mL) fresh cilantro (or basil) chopped
2 tbsp (25mL) fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp (25mL) lime juice
Pinch granulated sugar
Dash hot pepper sauce
In large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat and cook, turkey, garlic, ginger and fish sauce, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove from heat.
In large bowl, blend mango, pepper, cilantro and mint. Add turkey mixture to bowl and stir. Drizzle with lime juice, sugar and hot sauce; stir to combine.
Makes 4-1 cup (250mL) servings.
I left the hot sauce on the side, not knowing how spicy our guests like their food. Plus, if it is not spicy enough, they can add more.
Unfortunately, I did not take a picture the day of the meal, so this does not do it justice. One of the mangoes was ripe, the other was green, but it was nice to have to contrast of the sweeter mango with the more tart, green one. Trinidadians make a dish called mango chow, that uses green mangoes, peppers and lemon juice, so I am partial to the flavour of green mangoes.
APPLE WHEATBERRY TURKEY SALAD
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
Makes: 7 cups (1.75 L) or 7-1 cup (250 mL) servings
1 cup (250 mL) wheat berries (hard or soft wheat kernels)
1 apple, cored and diced
1 orange, peeled and diced
2 green onions, chopped
5 tbsp (75 mL) each chopped cilantro
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh mint
1 cup (250 mL) orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg (about 400 g) Ontario turkey breast slices or tenders
2 tbsp (25 mL) canola oil
2 tbsp (25 mL) cider vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
Pinch each salt and pepper
In large pot of boiling water, cook wheat berries partially covered for about 1 hour or until tender but still slightly chewy. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well and place in large bowl. Add apple, orange, green onion, mint and 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the cilantro; set aside.
Bring the orange juice, garlic and remaining cilantro to boil in a skillet. Add turkey, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, turning once or until no longer pink inside. Remove turkey from orange mixture and chop into bite size pieces. Add to wheatberries.
Bring remaining orange juice mixture to boil for about 2 minutes or until almost all the juice is evaporated. Whisk in oil, vinegar and mustard and pour over turkey and wheatberry mixture. Toss to coat evenly and stir in salt and pepper.
Tip: This salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Cook wheatberries ahead and drain and let cool completely. Place in resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw before using in the recipe.
I used chicken breast instead of turkey, and served the chicken cut up on the side. This gave my husband the option to heat up his meat, and the guests could select as much meat to put on their salad as they would like. I did not have access to wheatberries, so I used barley instead. It did not require a full hour to cook. If you let it simmer in a broth for 45 minutes, you should be fine. I also served the dressing on the side.
When entertaining, make sure you are careful about serving drinks. Our guests brought their own beer, as we do not have a lot of alcohol in our home. They only had one each, and left a few hours after finishing them. I made some homemade watermelon iced tea (from David'sTea) which went along nicely with the mint and citrus flavours of the meal.
Looking forward to some more summer get togethers to try out new recipes!
I am always raving about the recipes from my favourite (free) magazine, Food and Drink, from the LCBO. This time, I found a couple sweet and savory salads from the turkey cookbook insert that came along with the magazine. Really, get togethers are an excuse for me to try new foods, and not worry about having leftovers for over a week. I am hoping we will be able to entertain a few more times this summer, but I could always try out new recipes when we are visiting my parents or my friends in Edmonton.
Both recipes have meat (turkey or chicken) in them, but could easily be made vegetarian. Both recipes also have similar ingredients (mint, coriander, citrus), so they complement each other. I served them deconstructed because my husband does not like cold meat, but our guests enjoyed the meal. Of course, my children did not try either salad, and opted for bread, cheese and hummus. I had a fruit and veggie tray on the side as well.
TURKEY MANGO SALAD
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
1 tsp (5mL) sesame oil
1 8-oz (227g) extra lean ground Ontario turkey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (25mL) fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp (15mL) fish sauce (or sodium reduced soy sauce)
2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp (25mL) fresh cilantro (or basil) chopped
2 tbsp (25mL) fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp (25mL) lime juice
Pinch granulated sugar
Dash hot pepper sauce
In large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat and cook, turkey, garlic, ginger and fish sauce, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove from heat.
In large bowl, blend mango, pepper, cilantro and mint. Add turkey mixture to bowl and stir. Drizzle with lime juice, sugar and hot sauce; stir to combine.
Makes 4-1 cup (250mL) servings.
I left the hot sauce on the side, not knowing how spicy our guests like their food. Plus, if it is not spicy enough, they can add more.
APPLE WHEATBERRY TURKEY SALAD
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
Makes: 7 cups (1.75 L) or 7-1 cup (250 mL) servings
1 cup (250 mL) wheat berries (hard or soft wheat kernels)
1 apple, cored and diced
1 orange, peeled and diced
2 green onions, chopped
5 tbsp (75 mL) each chopped cilantro
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh mint
1 cup (250 mL) orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg (about 400 g) Ontario turkey breast slices or tenders
2 tbsp (25 mL) canola oil
2 tbsp (25 mL) cider vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
Pinch each salt and pepper
In large pot of boiling water, cook wheat berries partially covered for about 1 hour or until tender but still slightly chewy. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well and place in large bowl. Add apple, orange, green onion, mint and 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the cilantro; set aside.
Bring the orange juice, garlic and remaining cilantro to boil in a skillet. Add turkey, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, turning once or until no longer pink inside. Remove turkey from orange mixture and chop into bite size pieces. Add to wheatberries.
Bring remaining orange juice mixture to boil for about 2 minutes or until almost all the juice is evaporated. Whisk in oil, vinegar and mustard and pour over turkey and wheatberry mixture. Toss to coat evenly and stir in salt and pepper.
Tip: This salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Cook wheatberries ahead and drain and let cool completely. Place in resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw before using in the recipe.
When entertaining, make sure you are careful about serving drinks. Our guests brought their own beer, as we do not have a lot of alcohol in our home. They only had one each, and left a few hours after finishing them. I made some homemade watermelon iced tea (from David'sTea) which went along nicely with the mint and citrus flavours of the meal.
Looking forward to some more summer get togethers to try out new recipes!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Homemade Ice Cream in 30 Minutes
Well, if you remember to freeze the container 16 to 24 hours in advance, and make your ice cream mixture at least 4 hours ahead of time. I got an ice cream maker for Christmas from my mother in law. It is not something I would have bought myself.
I have found enough recipes for homemade ice cream that do not specifically require an ice cream maker. You freeze the mixture, then whiz it in a food processor. I already have a food processor. Plus, my ice cream maker does not make a large quantity. It will produce a maximum of 2 and a half cups. I can finish that in two sittings. It is barely enough to feed my family of four. Lots of work for very litle return.
I suppose the appeal would be the ability to customize the flavour to your preference. You could also be sure to have wholesome ingredients, or make it dairy, gluten, soy...insert allergen... free. Plus, it is fun to make your own ice cream, sometimes. I actually prefer the quick and easy double ziplock method with ice and salt, or the double can method. Shake up the mixture for a few minutes. It is a much more interactive process than watching the plastic paddle circulate in the freezer bowl.
Speaking if which, the paddle started sticking quite early on when the ice cream mixture froze on the side of the bowl. There were a few splashes when the paddle unstuck itself. The ice cream mixture was leaking out down the side. At the end of 25 minutes of churming, as I was about to click the machine off, the paddle stuck for so long that the lid popped off. There is a reason they tell you to not leave the machine unattended. Luckily, I was able to shut it off before there was a huge mess.
I will be trying a frozen yoghurt recipe next, to use up the egg whites that did not end up in ice cream mixture. I mixed some lime, honey and margarita mix with some yoghurt, and you add some beaten egg whites after you have chilled the yoghurt mixture. Again, I think I would be more likely to make frozen yoghurt pops next time, instead of churning frozen yoghurt, but I had the egg whites, and the other ingredients. Plus, the freezer bowl is already frozen.
I have found enough recipes for homemade ice cream that do not specifically require an ice cream maker. You freeze the mixture, then whiz it in a food processor. I already have a food processor. Plus, my ice cream maker does not make a large quantity. It will produce a maximum of 2 and a half cups. I can finish that in two sittings. It is barely enough to feed my family of four. Lots of work for very litle return.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
So Little Patience
I try to be patient with my children. I try to give them plenty of warning and time to get ready in order not to be short with them. But, it routinely backfires. I try to talk to them calmly, but I often end up repeating myself so many times it just becomes noise. I have taken a multitude of parenting classes. I have tried many different discipline techniques. I find myself at my wits' end almost every day.
I love my children, and would not trade them for anything in the world...most of the time, but they are giving me a run for the money. My son hits my husband and me when he is frustrated. You would think, it is no big deal to be hit by a three year old, but he is strong, and somehow, he find the sweet spot when he takes a swing. I have almost dropped him. My husband has dropped him. He screams and kicks. He will never do what we want. He won't do the opposite either if we try it that way. With both of my children, the threes have been the worst.
I figure, they know how to express themselves, so it is not a matter of not being able to communicate their wants. They just do not want to do what we want them to do. Tantrums are their power. This is the only way they have to fight back. At three, they have not quite figured out if they listen and are well behaved, they will be rewarded. This is probably why my reward chart is not working. Actually, my almost six year old daughter has not really figured this out either.
My son refuses to sleep in his room. He also refuses to go to bed when he should. (He refuses to eat supper, get dressed, brush his teeth...you get the picture). I keep telling him if he sleeps in his own bed the whole night he will earn stars towards a reward, but he weighs the options, and decides that he would rather forgo a future toy for the immediate "pleasure" of sleeping anywhere other than in his bed. I have actually taken away one of the prizes he earned for a brief period of sleeping in his bed because he has stopped sleeping in his bed.
There is no reasoning with him either. Often, our last resort is to let him cry it out in his room until he falls asleep. Somehow, he has not figured out the child proof door knob. I try very, very hard not to get into a shouting match with him. He is a screamer and a yeller. I try to remain calm and quiet as much as possible, but he often outlasts me. I swear, we could use my children to get people to divulge their secrets. Torture by preschooler.
I know, this too shall pass. Every stage has its pleasures and its displeasures. It is tough being a parent. If I wanted an easy life, I would not have chosen to have children. The challenges usually lead to rewards, and there are moments when my children are laughing, smiling and singing that I truly do treasure. I just have to keep that in mind during the times when my kids are screaming and banging against their doors.
I love my children, and would not trade them for anything in the world...most of the time, but they are giving me a run for the money. My son hits my husband and me when he is frustrated. You would think, it is no big deal to be hit by a three year old, but he is strong, and somehow, he find the sweet spot when he takes a swing. I have almost dropped him. My husband has dropped him. He screams and kicks. He will never do what we want. He won't do the opposite either if we try it that way. With both of my children, the threes have been the worst.
I figure, they know how to express themselves, so it is not a matter of not being able to communicate their wants. They just do not want to do what we want them to do. Tantrums are their power. This is the only way they have to fight back. At three, they have not quite figured out if they listen and are well behaved, they will be rewarded. This is probably why my reward chart is not working. Actually, my almost six year old daughter has not really figured this out either.
My son refuses to sleep in his room. He also refuses to go to bed when he should. (He refuses to eat supper, get dressed, brush his teeth...you get the picture). I keep telling him if he sleeps in his own bed the whole night he will earn stars towards a reward, but he weighs the options, and decides that he would rather forgo a future toy for the immediate "pleasure" of sleeping anywhere other than in his bed. I have actually taken away one of the prizes he earned for a brief period of sleeping in his bed because he has stopped sleeping in his bed.
There is no reasoning with him either. Often, our last resort is to let him cry it out in his room until he falls asleep. Somehow, he has not figured out the child proof door knob. I try very, very hard not to get into a shouting match with him. He is a screamer and a yeller. I try to remain calm and quiet as much as possible, but he often outlasts me. I swear, we could use my children to get people to divulge their secrets. Torture by preschooler.
I know, this too shall pass. Every stage has its pleasures and its displeasures. It is tough being a parent. If I wanted an easy life, I would not have chosen to have children. The challenges usually lead to rewards, and there are moments when my children are laughing, smiling and singing that I truly do treasure. I just have to keep that in mind during the times when my kids are screaming and banging against their doors.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Paying For Goals
This weekend is our children's soccer tournament. My son is in the U4 development program, so they just had a "festival". He was all suited up, but decided at the field he did not want to leave his sister's game. He did eventually go to his field, but sat and watched for half an hour before my husband decided to take him shopping.
My son loves kicking the ball around in the gym, or at home, but for some reason he is not into the organized soccer program. Last week, he got offended when his father chastised him for something, and I spent the whole hour following him around the field, trying to get him to do the skills. At least I am learning some soccer moves! He seems to show some natural ability, so it would be nice if he perks up later in the season.
My daughter is in her second season of soccer, in the U6 girls division. She has never had development, unfortunately, and has been relying on observation. Considering she is the youngest and least experienced player on her team, I think she is doing really well. Last year, the season was spent picking dandelions. This year, she is running all over the field, and keeping up with the front runners. I should say catching up. She is a little speed demon. However, she has no idea what to do with the ball when she gets it.
So far, her team has won every game in the tournament, but she is one of two girls who has yet to score. You should hear the parents (moms) encouraging her and the other girl whenever they get the ball. If the team is leading far enough ahead, the other parents will tell their girls to pass the ball to my daughter or the other scoreless player. She has tried, and had a few kicks on net, but her kicks are weak. She did awesome in goal yesterday, and I am proud she is showing an interest in the sport.
She has not been too thrilled about the constant game aspect of the tournament. The girls have played four games in two days. I took her to a birthday party in between two games yesterday, and she did not want to leave for a soccer game. It took a lot of convincing and a few tears to get her to the field on time. She did step up, and play well. Also, despite not wanting to play yet another game yesterday evening, she was an excellent goaltender.
I have not offered a bribe for her to get a goal. Other parents have done this for their children, and it just feels wrong to me. I might have to bribe my son to participate in the regular soccer program, but we seem to have to use incentives for him to do a lot of things. He still refuses to sleep in his own bed, let alone his own room. I do not think my daughter would be more likely to score even if I did bribe her. She is participating fairly well in the tournament.
It is raining this morning. My daughter is in a bit of denial that she has her final soccer match this morning. It will be interesting to see how much she enjoys playing in the rain. She was already growing weary of playing soccer after her second tournament game. We are now on game five. If she scores, we will all be happy and proud of her, but I am already impressed by how much she has improved over last year. Another bonus of this year's season is the addition of development classes on the weekend, so she can learn some soccer skills, like her brother, if we ever have time on the weekends!
My son loves kicking the ball around in the gym, or at home, but for some reason he is not into the organized soccer program. Last week, he got offended when his father chastised him for something, and I spent the whole hour following him around the field, trying to get him to do the skills. At least I am learning some soccer moves! He seems to show some natural ability, so it would be nice if he perks up later in the season.
My daughter is in her second season of soccer, in the U6 girls division. She has never had development, unfortunately, and has been relying on observation. Considering she is the youngest and least experienced player on her team, I think she is doing really well. Last year, the season was spent picking dandelions. This year, she is running all over the field, and keeping up with the front runners. I should say catching up. She is a little speed demon. However, she has no idea what to do with the ball when she gets it.
So far, her team has won every game in the tournament, but she is one of two girls who has yet to score. You should hear the parents (moms) encouraging her and the other girl whenever they get the ball. If the team is leading far enough ahead, the other parents will tell their girls to pass the ball to my daughter or the other scoreless player. She has tried, and had a few kicks on net, but her kicks are weak. She did awesome in goal yesterday, and I am proud she is showing an interest in the sport.
She has not been too thrilled about the constant game aspect of the tournament. The girls have played four games in two days. I took her to a birthday party in between two games yesterday, and she did not want to leave for a soccer game. It took a lot of convincing and a few tears to get her to the field on time. She did step up, and play well. Also, despite not wanting to play yet another game yesterday evening, she was an excellent goaltender.
I have not offered a bribe for her to get a goal. Other parents have done this for their children, and it just feels wrong to me. I might have to bribe my son to participate in the regular soccer program, but we seem to have to use incentives for him to do a lot of things. He still refuses to sleep in his own bed, let alone his own room. I do not think my daughter would be more likely to score even if I did bribe her. She is participating fairly well in the tournament.
It is raining this morning. My daughter is in a bit of denial that she has her final soccer match this morning. It will be interesting to see how much she enjoys playing in the rain. She was already growing weary of playing soccer after her second tournament game. We are now on game five. If she scores, we will all be happy and proud of her, but I am already impressed by how much she has improved over last year. Another bonus of this year's season is the addition of development classes on the weekend, so she can learn some soccer skills, like her brother, if we ever have time on the weekends!
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