It's a major award!! (Name that movie)

Today shall be short and sweet. I am very excited to inform all of you that my friend Rachel has nominated me with a Stylish Blogger Award! No, it's not a "major award", but it was the first thing that popped into my small head. If I understand this correctly, in order to accept this nomination, I must:

1) List seven factoids about myself.

2) Pass on the award to 15 other bloggers.

3) Link back to Rachel's blog.

So here we go...

1) I am an exotic blend of Russian-Jew and French-Irish, with just a hint of Cherokee Indian. I am quite proud of this random ethnic mixture!

2) I play in the handbell choir at my church. Fun!

3) I make homemade pizza every Friday night.

4) I am a former gymnast.

5) My favorite composers are: Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Chopin, and Beethoven. Debussy sneaks in here and there, too.

6) I love driving.

7) I have lived in Wisconsin for 16 years.

Yippee!!

And now for a rather embarrassing confession...I only have eleven followers, and not all are bloggers, so alas, I cannot nominate fifteen. But how about four??

1) Heather at "She is..."

2) Rachel at "The Life of Riley"

3) Mindy at "In the Loop"

4) Bridgette at "Pregnancy after Weight Loss"

Be sure to check out these ladies' blogs! From scrapbooking to quilting, crocheting to cooking, and just downright inspirational, I guarantee you'll have a lovely time browsing.

Many thanks to Rachel for the nomination! You made me feel cool and stuff. Be sure to check back next week for a blog-iversary post and a...giveaway!!! :)

A Short Essay Extolling The Virtues of Romaine Lettuce

Wow. I feel as though I have not blogged in about 53,467 years. I realize that this is impossible is every way, shape, and form, but hey. It's been quite some time. My reasons for not blogging recently:

January week 1: I am sick.

January week 2: The boys get sick.

January week 3: The boys get worse. David comes down with pneumonia, Daniel with bronchitis and a slight ear infection, and Lucas starts wheezing. All three boys are on a nebulizer. Every 4 hours. 24/7. Help.

January week 3.5: Two visits to the ER within one week.

January week 4: All of us, except for Steve and the baby, get the stomach flu.

February week 1: First normal week for us since the week after Christmas.

Wow. Wow. Wow. And wow.

Any questions?

Very well.

And now...

A Short Essay Extolling the Virtues of Romaine Lettuce

By Mary Johnson, B.A. in Music with a double concentration in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy & Literature, Magna Cum Laude in 3.5 years.

BOO YAH!!!

*ahem*

I have always loved vegetables, thanks to my parents who insisted upon serving them to me night after night after night after night after...well, you get the idea. I despised broccoli until I was about a teenager, and then one night, for no particular reason at all, I fell in love with the funny little "baby tree", and I have been quite passionate about broccoli since that blessed eve. If it's perfectly steamed (read: NOT overcooked), and drizzled with a little bit of olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, it is very difficult NOT to love broccoli. But I digress. This essay is not about broccoli. It is about the more cruciferous cousin of broccoli. Yes; I am a very good girl when it comes to eating my veggies. But salads? Lettuce? Let me just say that I eat it because I know how good it is for me. And that's really about all. Unless it's positively drenched in a vinaigrette of the nose-tingling variety, I tend to be a bit lazy about the consumption of my leafy greens. Until one fateful day, on a complete and utter whim, I purchased a rather large bag of three whole heads of romaine because of a little inner dialogue that went a little something like this:

Me: Man, I really, REALLLLLYYYY need to start eating more leafy greens.

The Other Me: Yeah, yeah. You eat veggies every night. Give yourself a break.

Me: But what about lunch time? I cannot live by hotdogs/egg salad/tuna sandwiches/PB & J/cheese quesadillas alone!!

The Other Me: Sure you can!! And besides, you are soooo sick of your usual spring mix. It's a waste of money. You buy a container of spring mix, and by the end of the week, you cannot stand to even look at it. So it goes bad. Mushy greens. Wilted greens. Nasty, pungent greens. Eew, eew, and more eew.

Me: *lightbulb moment* Maybe...

The Other Me: Maybe??

Me: Maybe it's time to TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!

There are times when I am simply blown away by my own logic. Blown. Away.

And so I did.

I grabbed a rather robust looking bag labeled "Andy Boy Hearts of Romaine". As I stated earlier, it contained three large heads of romaine. I took them home. I lopped off the ends, then kept chopping all the way to the top in 2-3 inch increments. I washed the romaine in my salad spinner thingie ( I LOVE how that things whirrs...it's like it's part animal!). I whisked together a mustard vinaigrette. Drizzle, drizzle. Chopped ham. Hard-boiled eggs. I took a bite.

*CRUNCH*

And then I knew. I knew I had found a lettuce that could work for me. Now let me be perfectly clear: this was NOT my first taste of romaine. But it had been a while. Too long, I tell you; too long! I shall now proceed to sing the praises of romaine lettuce.

It's crunchy. Oh, so crunchy. No soggy greens here!

Look at those greens. You can almost hear the *Crunch*!!

It's so incredibly fresh-tasting. No wilty taste here.

Look at that brilliant shade of green! Isn't it gorgeous?? Sigh.

I realize I may be one of very few people to devote an entire blog post the extoll the virtues of romaine lettuce, but it had to be done. I now happily spend my lunch time eschewing hot dogs and other things that I shouldn't even be feeding my own children and crunching away on my sweet, strong, stalwart, ever-so-crunchy, dependable, and most virtuous leaf of romaine. May this only be the beginning. Here is the recipe for a yummy salad and incredibly nostril-tingling dressing. Embrace the crunch!!

Romaine with Ham, Eggs, and Mustard Vinaigrette

Adapted from "A Homemade Life" by Molly Wizenberg

2 large eggs

1 small head of romaine, chopped into 2-3 inch chunks, rinsed and dried

2/3 c. cubed cooked ham (or cut up 2 slices of your favorite deli ham)

Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (Maille or Roland brand. NO GREY POUPON, YA HEAR??)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Poach the eggs. Yes, I said poach. If you don't know how to poach an egg, just fill a small frying pan about halfway up with water and bring to a gentle boil. Crack the egg into a small ramekin or bowl. Once the water is gently boiling, carefully, oh so carefully pour the egg into the pan, taking care not to break the yolk. Reduce the heat slightly; cook for 4 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, blot on a towel, then you're good to go!

Toss the romaine with the ham. Whisk the dressing together until nice and emulsified. Remember those poached eggs? Lay them gently atop the salad, then drizzle with a good tablespoon or two (I like two!) of the dressing. Taste. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Yield: About 2 large servings, or 4 side-dish servings, although I must confess to eating the entire salad in one sitting and I even lived to tell about it! Hey, it was 2:00 pm, and I hadn't had any lunch yet. The most delightful thing about this salad is how the poached eggs contribute to the amazingness of the dressing. When the yolks break, it's like a small choir in heaven start to sing. Really. I think I heard them the other day. This is also a fantastic dinner when your kids want pancakes and eggs for dinner, your husband is working late because it's audit season, and you can't stand the thought of eating pancakes (again) for dinner.

One last little thingie:

How to store Romaine Lettuce:

*disclaimer* this method is as old as the hills, and you probably know all about it and have been doing it this way since before I was born, but I just thought I'd share anyway.

After chopping the romaine 2-3 inch chunks as prescribed above, wash it thoroughly in a salad spinner. Spread the romaine out into a single layer on a long section of paper towels. Blot them dry with another paper towel. Carefully roll up the romaine with the paper towel, and store in a large plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. The slight dampness of the paper towel helps keep it crisp and fresh. Take a look:

Using this method, the romaine will keep up to two weeks. Seriously! Store it in your crisper, and you'll be ever so much more inclined to pull it out for a quick and easy lunch.

So there you have it. Spring Mix may be the prom queen, but Romaine is the girl next door. Go for dependability. Listen...can you hear the crunch? I can. Go to it...go to it...go to it.

The Cookie You Just Can't Live Without

A couple of posts back, I had promised to post a re-organized version of the Neiman-Marcus cookies, and that is exactly what I am doing right...NOW!!! Here we go.

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

5 c. oatmeal

2 c. butter (4 sticks. Yes. You read that right. 4 STICKS OF BEAUTIFUL, GLORIOUS BUTTER).

2 c. granulated sugar

2 c. brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

One 8-oz Hershey Bar; grated (A word of advice-stick this monstrosity in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you attempt to grate it. You'll thank me later. Oh, and a box grater is fine. There's really no easy way to complete this step. Just...oh, just brace yourself).

3 c. chopped pecans

Take a deep breath...let's do this.

Blend oatmeal to a fine powder. In a mixer, cream butter and both white and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together blended oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly add to mixer (I usually add about one cup at a time). Once your mixer starts smoking and the engine feels hot, dump the cookie dough into the largest bowl you own. I'm talking MAMMOTH sized bowl. Add the chocolate chips, grated Hershey Bar, and chopped pecans, and mix together using your CLEAN BARE HANDS. Once everything is fairly well conglomerated, roll cookie dough into small balls (think ping-pong ball) and place 2" apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Yield: 120 cookies.

Yep. 120 cookies. These could be the only Christmas cookie you'll ever make again. I am that confident in its wonderfulness. One more word of advice: DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER THINKING OF REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF BUTTER. So there. Now it time for me to turn up the heat because it's about -50 outside right now, start the dishwasher, wash up, and tumble into bed. Oh, one more thing: Feel free to halve the recipe. I know it's a wild mustang of a cookie recipe, so don't let the vastness of it all intimidate you. With that, I leave you one of my favorite quotes of all time (this may or may not be a perfect quote):

"Do not let anyone make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt.

And that goes for insanely high-yield cookie recipes!! Tackle it...be fearless.

Panic.

Oh my. Oh me, oh my. Where does one begin? Well, here goes. Warning: the following will most likely not make very much sense. At all. Consider yourself warned.

Last night, our van died. The transmission decided that it had lived a full life, and the seven-degree temperatures only encouraged its decision to give up the mechanical ghost.

We are officially now a one-car family. *Insert massive shrieks and screams and rolling around the floor, convulsing*

We are shopping for a "new" car. I'm hoping for something that will last for about, oh, I don't know. 50 years? There are cars that last 50 years, right? Hmph. I thought so.

My kitchen floor is gross. I didn't say goodbye to Sarah. I've been feeling like a sad excuse for a mother lately. I want to go to North Carolina. I need to go to bed earlier. I need to scrapbook. I wish Spring started tomorrow. Hurray; "Three's Company" is on!!! Speaking of tuna, I will be making the Bouchons Au Thon tomorrow. I want to go to North Carolina. There's nothing like clean kitchen counters. Becoming a coffee drinker has never been more tempting. It's time to buy a navy blue jumpsuit! God Bless my mother-in-law; she comes up on Thursdays and does laundry all day. Steve is being very patient with me right now. I had some Hickory-Smoked Barbecue Sauce the other day, and I nearly cried. I want to go to North Carolina. I've discovered a new tea. I forgot the name. I love my three boys. Speaking of good haircuts, we finally started doing school again, and it's going quite well. I'm going to run tomorrow, dangit! I am grateful for having braces. I'm thirsty. Which reminds me, where is that blasted Kleenex box?? At any rate, I love my mattress, and that is where I'm headed right...about...NOW. Good night. Maybe I'll be more coherent and less random later this week. Which reminds me, I need to balance my checkbook. Good night.

There's a New Kid in Town

There's something new in my kitchen. I'm still pinching myself. Allow me to introduce you to the newest member of my kitchen staff:

Why, hello there.

Can it be?

Why, yes; it can.

Unsure. Pensive. Is this real?

Why yes; it is. Let's get closer. Let us...investigate.

Insert Homer Simpson drooling sound *here*

Happy Mary.

Her name...is Clotilde.

Clotilde...you and I are going places. We'll travel the world in our kitchen!

Thanks to my sister Meg for taking all the pics. I love cooking and baking with you. Heck, I just flat-out love YOU.

Merry Christmas...to me.

And there is nothing more to say.

And now for something completely different...

It is officially three days until Christmas, and while I've been doing some Christmas baking here and there, I have not gone completely Martha Stewart and most likely will not until my wee ones are a bit older. However, I am immensely enjoying the holiday season and being able to move around (read: not painfully pregnant). Thus far, I have made:

1) Neiman-Marcus cookies.

2) Burnt-sugar almonds.

Hmm. I must have a thing for hyphens.

Oh, and:

3) Spritz cookies (little green Christmas trees and purple snowflakes! I am so cool!!)

And that's all, folks!!

Har-dee-har-har. Not really. The Neiman-Marcus are a bit of a tradition for me. My mom received the recipe in a forwarded email from a friend when I was about 14 or so, and they came with such a glowing recommendation from said friend that we decided to try them after our next grocery store run. When you live 20 minutes from any grocery store, you never, EVER, go out on a whim just because you're positively DYING to try out a new recipe. Nope. You compile a massive list. You wait. And sometimes you wait for a long, long, time.

Or so it felt like a long, long time to an anxious 14 year old.

Anyway.

The blessed event finally came, and off we went to our beloved Woodmans (it's a family thing).

Then, we made the Neiman-Marcus cookies.

And we haven't stopped making them since.

At least for Christmas. But seriously, folks. If I had to describe the Neiman-Marcus cookies, I would describe as the ultimate double-chocolate chip & pecan cookie. They are oh-so soft and chewy, and ya'll know how I feel about soft cookies vs. crunchy: http://skarymop.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

Now, after all of this tantalizing teasing, I won't be able to post the recipe today. I really need to re-write and re-organize it before I can share it with you. All of the ingredients are completely out of order; it's mayhem, simply MAYHEM, I TELL YOU!! I really have no idea why I've put up with it for so long. All I know is that this year is the last year I shall ever make the famed Neiman-Marcus cookies following an incredibly disorganized recipe. AND THAT'S A PROMISE.

The Burnt-Sugar Almonds were a triumph from the Tasty Kitchen Blog, via Pioneer Woman:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/holidays/burnt-sugar-almonds-gebrannte-mandeln/

These are just delicious. They smell so incredibly divine whilst cooking that you just might faint from the wonderfulness of it all. These bad boys are also very simple to make, but there's only one little problem with them. I tried to package them for gifts. It just didn't work. The almonds never made it past my living room. I ate them. My sister Megan ate them. I gave two bags away- one to some friends who just had a baby, and one to my brother and his girlfriend. And then...I ate the rest. Like I said...a bit of a problem. SO my unsolicited advice would be this:

TRIPLE the recipe. Really.

And now for something completely different...

One little thing I just love to do throughout the year is make new and exciting culinary discoveries. For example, in August of 2009, I discovered Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Peanut Butter, and my life has never been the same since. And then in October of 2009, I discovered pumpkin donuts at the little bakery a few blocks down from my house. Yes, I live within walking distance (with three kids in tow, no less!) from a great bakery. No, I try not to think about it, if I can help it. I decided it might be fun to share my top three culinary discoveries of 2010 with ya'll. And so, without further ado, here are my TOP THREE CULINARY DISCOVERIES OF 2010!!!!! (insert intro music from 2001 Space Odyssey *here*)

This, my friends, is Lyle's Golden Syrup. I needed to buy this for a flapjack recipe (a British cookie; not to be confused with the American pancake), and I can't sing its praises enough. Think of a burnt-carmel-ly tasting syrup. Think...*gasp* CREME BRULEE...yes. I see you nodding your head. You get it. Think of all the possibilities. I like to stir this in my oatmeal. I like this with peanut butter (Trader Joe's, of course). I like it...on a spoon out of the jar. I...like it. Alot. Try it! You'll find it with the rest of the syrups in your grocery store, provided your grocery store is as cool as mine. And now...

...introducing Maille Dijon Orginale Mustard. Oh. My. Stars. This makes my nostrils tingle in the most astounding manner. I made a dijon-mustard vinaigrette using this gem of a mustard, and I will never use American mustard again. Well, maybe on a burger. MAYBE. BUT...this is truly the finest dijon mustard I have ever laid a taste bud on. TRY IT. And last, but certainly not least...

Lemon Curd and Greek Yogurt! You must be so confused right now. Allow me to elaborate:

1) Grab a bowl.

2) Plop some Greek yogurt in the bowl.

3) Plop a small dollop of Lemon Curd into the yogurt.

4) Stir well.

5) Taste. Scream. Pass out.

Now, I can't take credit for this gorgeous snack. My dear friend Sarah informed me of this glorious happenstance of a culinary triumph. Sarah is ALWAYS reliable for a good old fashioned glorious happenstance of a culinary triumph. And for this, (and many, many other reasons) I do love her. But really; you must try it. It has become a favorite treat of mine. And if you haven't tried greek yogurt yet, then SHAME ON YOU. Just kidding. I'll forgive you if you hightail it to the grocery store RIGHT NOW to buy some greek yogurt. I'll wait.

*whistles*

What; you haven't gone yet? Well, all right, then. AND THERE YOU HAVE IT...a taste of a great cookie recipe to come, and my top three culinary discoveries of 2010. Well, I'm spent. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and may you have a wonderful, peaceful time with loved ones. Eat good food, and treat each other well. :)

On handling Stress

Today's post will be short (everyone, go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief). Today I am quite stressed out for a number of reasons:

1) The church I attend puts on a Ladies' Cup of Christmas Tea every December, and I am hosting a table for 8. This is my 3rd year of hosting, so you'd think I wouldn't be stressed out at all, but nope. Because life is life, there are a few other elements added to the mix that causes my stress level to soar at an alarmingly high rate of speed.

2) Element #1: I played piano for a wedding yesterday. 'Nuff said.

3) Element #2: David woke up at 4:00 am this morning with the stomach flu. Now, stomach flu is never fun, but I had to go to my church this morning BECAUSE I WAS PLAYING THE OFFERTORY. So I went, played, and went home. Don't ask me what I played. I think (hoped) it was something Christmassy. All I remember is sitting down at the piano, watching someone else's hands play, and then thinking,"Whoa. What just happened?" I was not exactly what you'd call "focused" today.

4) Because I've been up so incredibly early today, I feel...sick. And THAT makes me nervous. Now begins the what Steve and I call the "waiting period." Yup. Waiting to see who gets the flu next...*screams*.

I've been slightly stressed out to begin with before the flu hit, but NOW I am definitely stressed out. Yes, yes; I know I'm whining. Just bear with me for a few wee paragraphs, okay?? Sheesh.

Things I tend to do when I'm stressed out:

1) Cry.

2)Wring my hands.

3) Pray.

4) Bake something. Anything.

5) Clean my bathroom. (Hey. Even if everything else gets overlooked, the bathroom needs to be cleaned. Or at least mine does. I live with 4 males, 3 of which are potty-trained)

6) Dance a jig. Or two.

7) Listen to a tremendous amount of "Mary Music".

8) Moan about how I'm never getting involved in anything again.

9) Dream of starting life anew as a farmer.

10) Pray.

11) Dream of being a hermit.

12) Turn a few triple salchows in my living room, just for heck of it.

13) Cook something edible.

14) Cry.

15) Scrapbook.

16) Play piano amidst the soundtrack of my life (wrestling, shouting, roaring boys).

17) Practice a few time steps in my kitchen, just for the heck of it.

18) Read lots of travel guides to anywhere except Wisconsin.

19) Call my sister Meg while I'm driving to Woodmans for the fiftieth time this month (the mecca super-grocery store in my city. I am quite sure I couldn't live without it).

20) Pray.

21) Dance one more jig.

You know...the list could go on and on and on and on and on...whoa, getting a little carried away here. MY POINT:

I will feel much better on Tuesday. :)

P.S. I have no idea how to turn a triple salchow, nor will I ever. I just thought it sounded cool.

P.P.S. I DO know how to dance a time step. A triple one, even!!

P.P.P.S. I...I...what was I going to say? Oh yes; I will takes oodles of pictures at the Christmas Tea and post them as soon I return from Mars. I hear it's lovely this time of year. Happy Sunday to you all, and to all a good afternoon.