Have I Got A Deal For You...

Who doesn't love a good deal?  Who doesn't love a vacation?  Who doesn't love cute kids shoes?  If you raised your hand and answered, "Me!" to any of those questions... well, then you should just leave now.

Good, now that we've cleared out the riff raff, let's get on to the deals.   The first is a great deal for See Kai Run shoes.  These shoes are great- developmentally friendly and podiatrist approved, cute, and well made. Follow this link to sign up for Daily Candy Deals, then take advantage of this awesome deal on kids footwear.  For $55 you get a $110 gift certificate to be used online.  Bonus- almost all shoes are currently 20% off, plus free shipping.  For $55, I bought three pairs of shoes and two pairs of organic socks (argyle!), with $1.70 left on the gift certificate.  Score!

Hadley at the Sky Lodge, October 2010

If you thought that was good, wait until you see this one.  We've lucked out with some past deals that have allowed us to stay at some very nice hotels, but the Sky Lodge in Park City, Utah takes the cake.  This place is perfect for a family, with suites as large as 3 beds/3 baths.  Plus a pool table... and a full gourmet kitchen... a washer and dryer...fireplace......and private balcony...with a hot tub...  As you'd expect, the rack rate is pretty high.  The 3/3 runs up to $1400/night this fall, but at summer rates, plus the current super sale of buy one night, get one free, it comes down to $150/night.  This deal has to be booked by June 30th, and it appears that the summer rates run through September.  These deals have to be booked directly through the hotel website (or give them a call).  The rates on hotels.com were significantly higher.  If you don't need the full kitchen, there is a 2 bedroom sky suite for as low as $75/night.  There are three units like this, one being on the first floor, which is essentially like a walk out basement (the lobby/street level is on the second floor), so you wouldn't have a view.  However, there are two of these units on the 3rd floor, so be sure to request one of those.  If you are considering a trip to Park City, you can't beat these deals!

My Thai

image via epicurious.com

We had a play date at our house yesterday; 3 moms, 6 kids, and about 200 toys.  Come lunch time, the kids munched on chicken nuggets and watermelon.  But us moms, we deserve something better.  I tried out two new recipes that I chose because: 1. They sounded good, 2. They could be made ahead of time, and 3. They were both served cold- perfect for a hot summer day. 

I made vegetable summer rolls the night before the play date.  I was worried that they would dry out overnight, when in fact they actually ended up with a little too much liquid.   The were flavorful and filling, without being heavy.  They did take some time, mostly in chopping the vegetables and making the sauce, but none of it was hard to do.  Dealing with the rice paper was easier than I expected, and I only tore the first one.  I made the recipe as written, but I think you could substitute different vegetables, or add some tofu or shrimp.  The star of the recipe was the peanut sauce- yum!

The second half of lunch was even quicker and easier.  Mango-Ginger-Curry Soup is made in a food processor and doesn't need to be cooked.  It took about 10 minutes to throw together, with the bulk of the time spent cutting the mangoes.  I left out the shallots per reviews, and I think this was a good choice.  The soup looked pretty and had an interesting flavor, but was not my favorite part of the meal.  However, I don't know if I'm a fan of cold soups, and I do know that I'm not a fan of cold shrimp.  Still, it was easy enough and fun to try something new.  My guests said they liked it, but they have to say that, right?

Enjoy!

Sand Sculptures

Images via Boston Globe

I happened upon these pictures of a sand sculpture contest.  I think they're amazing, and initially they made me wish that we were there on the beach.  Then I realized that if were we there, at least one of my kids would be diligently working on knocking the sculptures over.  Yep, maybe it's more relaxing right where I am. 

Summer Recipe Roundup

I don't have a lot of time to post tonight, but I have some great recipes to share:

Asian Noodle Salad:
I've shared this one before, but it's so good that I need to tell you about it again.  This is a really versatile dish, as you can add whatever vegetables you like or have on hand.  My kids are fairly good about eating their veggies, but it still surprised me how quickly they both devoured this salad.

Chicken Pitas:
We made these last night for the first time in over a year, and I'm not sure why we don't eat them more often.  I only had time to marinate the meat for about an hour, but they were still super flavorful.  We like the thicker, softer pita bread more than the pocket variety.  Oh, and don't forget to add feta!

Popsicles!:
Hadley and I decided to make popsicles the other day, and I'll admit we got a little carried away.  We made three flavors, each was different but delicious.  

The first was strawberry yogurt, made by blending a bag of frozen strawberries and about 3 cups of strawberry greek yogurt.  I didn't add any sweetener because the yogurt had plenty of sugar.  Being just yogurt and fruit, I'd feel okay about letting the kids eat these for breakfast or a healthy snack.  I'm sure fresh berries would be even better, but I just used what we had on hand.

The second flavor was Watermelon Raspberry.  I cut the sugar down to 3 TBSPs and didn't add the corn syrup.  These were really delicious, but I wish I had strained the mixture to get the raspberry seeds out.  Once again, I used frozen berries.

The third and final flavor was the easiest, but it was also my favorite.  Vietnamese Coffee popsicles have a wonderful coffee flavor and they are just sweet enough.  I thought the flavor was a bit reminiscent of a frappucino.

A tips:
  -Use small dixie cups for make shift popsicle molds.
  -To get the sticks to stand upright, cover the cup with tin foil before freezing and poke the stick
    through.  The foil will hold it in place.
  -I just learned how to pick out a watermelon, after years of playing the guessing game.  Do you know
   how?  Look for a dull, not shiny, watermelon.  The watermelon should feel heavy for it's size and be a    
   symmetrical shape.  Look for a large "field spot" which is the white to yellow patch on the melon;
   the more yellow, the better.  Knock on the watermelon and listen for a hollow sound.   Cross your
   fingers and hope for the best!

Balloons!

After dinner tonight, Hadley and I left the boys at home and went out to run some errands.  We were buying ingredients to make popsicles.  I currently have 48 of them chilling in my freezer, so I'll be sure to share the recipes if they are a success.  Anyway, we made a few other stops, one being a car dealership.  Specifically, the dealership where I bought my van.  When you buy a vehicle from them, you can go in once a week for a free voucher for a car wash down the street.  Cool, huh?  It could totally save a lot of money for the type of person who washes their car frequently.  I most definitely am not.

When we walked inside, Hadley asked a salesman for a balloon.  Before I could say, "thanks, but no thanks," the man was removing the balloons from a car in the showroom and tying them to Hadley's wrist. Oh man, we laughed trying to get them in the car.  

Dutch Oven Bread

About two weeks ago I had to stop running for awhile, which led to the decision that I should stop baking for awhile.  When I bake, I eat.  A lot.

Fast forward two weeks and I am going through major baking withdrawal.  Like, I have clicked on this webpage about 30 times.  Mmm... doesn't that look good?  Each time, I go through my mental checklist: eggs- check, whipping cream- check, chocolate stout- no, but the co-op is open until 9:00...  Rewind and repeat, night after night.  Oh, then there's this lemon layer cake.  Also, my mom made me a carrot cake for my birthday.  It was good, but there's a major problem.  I didn't get to eat seconds, or thirds, or fourths.  Not even for breakfast (yes, carrot cake totally counts as proper breakfast food).  So, now I'm back in Boise and I need to make carrot cake, but I can't.  Oh, woe is me.

A few years ago, I heard that you can bake "artisan" bread in a dutch oven.  I was intrigued, but I never tried because: 1. Baking bread scares me, and 2. Why bake bread when you can bake a cake?  So, now's the time.  I said I'd stop baking, but what I think I meant was that I'd stop baking sweets.  So, I decided to become a bread baker.  Who cares that today was the hottest day of the year, I needed to bake, darn it!

So, dutch oven bread attempt number one was using this recipe from The Pioneer Woman.  I made it because it didn't require a several hour rest/rise time.  The bread was easy and the results were good.  The crust was almost flaky, I suppose due to the amount of butter in the bread.  My bread didn't look nearly as nice as the pictures posted with the recipe, but I was still proud of the results.

Well, it's another night and another loaf of bread.  The second recipe I used was a bit more traditional.  I found it here.   When you are done reading the recipe, take a minute to peruse her site, her home is beautiful and creative.  So, with the second recipe, I mixed the dough last night, then pulled it out of the fridge when I got home.  The baking method was similar, starting with a pre heated dutch oven, baking for 15 minutes with the lid on, then removing the lid for the remainder of baking.  This bread had a more traditional taste and texture, and was delicious while still warm.   I did think it was pretty similar to french bread made in the bread maker, but it may be because it was the first time I made it.  The recipe made enough dough for two loaves, so I'll bake the second half in a few days.   I'm expecting that to be even better.  

Neither recipe took more than a few minutes of hands on time, and there's nothing like fresh, homemade bread, so I'm sure I'll make them again, as well as trying a few different recipes.  And if the leftovers somehow magically transform into chocolate bread pudding, it'll be solely to avoid wasting food.  How admirable is that?  

Avocado Pasta

  Ever since her cousin visited at Easter time and declared she didn't like marinara sauce, Hadley has decided she feels the same way.   Hadley asked for "plain pasta, no sauce, and an avocado" for lunch today.  I began to wonder if avocados could be combined with pasta, but the idea sounded so gross that I almost didn't google it.  I have a strange aversion to the taste of warm avocado.  Anyway, I did a search, and I'm glad I did.  

I went off this recipe from Oh She Glows.  I didn't have basil, so I left that out.  I had a lemon, but it's for a dish I'm making on Thursday, so I just used bottled lemon juice and skipped the zest.  Also, I added some parmesan cheese.  Oh, and I didn't measure anything.  So, here's the basic recipe.  

1.  Boil some pasta.  I used whole wheat rotini.  It's easier for the kids to eat and the spirals hold the sauce better.  

2.  While the pasta is cooking, in the bowl of a food processor, combine an avocado, a dash of lemon juice, a sprinkle of sea salt, a spoonful of chopped garlic (I use the pre-chopped garlic in the jar for recipes where it isn't the main flavor- easier and faster than chopping the cloves), and a bit of olive oil. Blend until well mixed.  Add some parmesan cheese and mix some more.

3.  Drain the pasta and toss with sauce.  Enjoy!

Blake liked it, I liked it (despite the warm avocado taste), and Hadley refused to try it.  But I know she would have liked it, had she tried it.  Kids, I tell you.  This recipe is a great way to get healthy fats into kids.  My kids have both been eating avocados several times a week since they were about 6 months old and I can't tell you how many outfits have been stained by avocados.  Consider that your warning.  Break out the bibs!

Happy Birthday To Me

Traveling with two very tired, crabby kids was not my idea of a fun birthday.  That is, until a woman asked my husband about the strange thing on his back:

We explained that is is a carseat carrier...I told her where to purchase it...She told us about her grandkids.  She asked if we had a layover.   Then, all of the sudden, she was escorting us into the Delta Sky Club as her guests.  Free food!  Free alcohol!  Free WiFi!  Clean bathrooms!

I think we may have just met our guardian angel.  

(Yep, it's poor quality; I tried to be inconspicuous.  Cool people that are supposed to be in the Sky Club don't take pictures of little packets of Nutella.)

Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough and Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes last week.  They were messy, time consuming (but not hard), and a little bit weird, but I liked them.  The chocolate cupcake was not my favorite part; it was a little gummy and didn't have a real strong chocolate flavor.  I think I'd substitute a different recipe for that part next time.  Also, I found that I needed more peanut butter (darn!) in the cookie dough to make it stick together.  

Find the recipe HERE.

A few other things:

I'd love to say that I read about Inner-City Arts in Philanthropy Weekly, or perhaps The Journal of Fine Art.  The truth is, I read on People.com that Prince William and Kate will be stopping there on their American tour.  Don't judge me.  The point is, this seems to be a wonderful program with a hugely positive impact on the lives of many young kids. 

Speaking of philanthropy, several of my friends went to college with a young woman named Renata.  She was recently diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer.  Here's the positive part: somebody set up a website to take donations for Renata and her two year old daughter.  The original goal was to raise $5,000, but that was surpassed in a just a couple of days.  People are good.  If you'd like to help, click here. 

This is cool.

Triple Threat

A positive story in the news.

An employer that focusses on employee wellness.

A company that supports and participated in the MS 150 ride.

This is good news.

When City Slickers Enter The Northwoods

All of this space to run, and where do my kids play?

In the driveway, of course.  

They aren't so sure about the local wildlife.

But Hadley gathered up the courage to venture out onto the grass.

And even go searching for "baby deers."   

This is what I call a "Simpsons sky."

How often are you inspired by a public bathroom?

I love the one on the bottom that says, "Half fun."

We'd been here less than 24 hours and the kids were already fishing.

(I love the concentration!)

And playing hockey!

And swimming with dolphins?

Tyler doesn't know it yet, but my mom totally gave Blake a coat that matches Paul Bunyan's.  Now I just have to teach him how to say "ya sure, you betcha!"  

Oh yeah, Minnesota is in their blood.

Roy G. Biv

 Tres.  Drei.  Trois. Three years.

  It's already been 36 months?  It's only been 36 months?

 Birthdays are a little bittersweet for me; I have trouble letting my kids grow up.  However, come party time, it's all happiness and light.  Or in this case, bright, bright colors.  

And balloon garlands

Late night garage transformations

Fringey Streamers

Shaving Cream Paintings

Rainbow Cake

Stained glass jello

Painted sidewalks newsprint and pet rocks

Ribbon maze gift exchange.

Post-party watermelon feed

Dollar store aprons as party favors

Happy Birthday, Hadley!

Behind the scenes:

- This was a party for two.  Hadley's friend has the exact same birthday and they share many of the same friends.  Doing the party together made things so much more fun, as well as so much easier.

- I got the cake and frosting recipes from Whisk Kid.  Sure, it takes some time, but it's really not hard.  The wow factor is totally worth it.  Use gel food coloring for the most vibrant colors.

- I made a mocha fudge truffle cake for the parents.  Yum.  Still, some adults ate the rainbow cake.  It was actually quite good.

- We used white plastic tablecloths from the dollar store to hang on the garage walls.  They covered up our junk while keeping the room bright.  A blue tarp made a great area rug.  Chest freezer + tablecloth = Serving table.

- Fringey streamers are pretty.  You should make them.  You can buy crepe paper sheets at Zurcher's party store.  Or borrow my streamers; I can't bring myself to throw them away.

- Balloon garlands are also pretty.  This one made me happy.  I couldn't stand the thought of popping the balloons (do you think I have issues letting go of things?), so I dropped it off on a little girl's door step late that night.  Word is, she was pretty happy when she found it the next morning.  Hint: use an air compressor to blow up the balloons.

- The stained glass jello was a hit.  I didn't make it, so I can't speak to the difficulty, but I know that it tasted good and the kids loved it.  Oh, and it was pretty.  This seems to be a theme of the party.

- Shaving cream painting is a fun, messy project with beautiful results. We used tempera paint instead of food coloring.

-Instead of bringing gifts for the girls, we asked each guest to bring a $5 art/craft themed gift.  While the kids were creating their art, the dads attached each gift to the end of a different color of curling ribbon ($0.33 at Zurchers) and wove them into a maze in the yard.  The kids had fun searching and they each got to go home with a gift. 

Food With Integrity

Have I mentioned that I'm excited for Boise to get a Chipotle?  Aside from the fact that the food tastes awesome, I really appreciate the idea of "Food with Integrity."  

  

        "Food with integrity is our commitment to finding the very best ingredients raised with respect for    

          the animals, the environment and the farmers."

Read more here.

This Is Hilarious...

...But how embarrassing for his kid!

See more here.

Rainbow Connection

If you read that gel food coloring is much more vibrant than liquid food coloring, for the love of Martha, believe it. 

But, oh boy, aren't they beautiful?  

And, aren't you curious?  

What do you think is in the bowls?  

These yummy shortbread cookies were supposed to be very, very pale colors.  I used the tip of a toothpick to add food coloring to the frosting.  What's smaller than the tip of a toothpick?  Maybe next time I'll use a needle. 

This rainbow is courtesy of Mother Nature.  These are radishes from our CSA, ready to go into the oven and become radish chips.  Surprisingly delicious!