cooking school :: a book review
| November 30, 2011 | Posted by nancy under FOOD |
I’ve been reading this book by Kathleen Flinn. It was on the new book shelf at my library. I always scan it by the checkout when I have the kids with me. It’s really my only chance sometimes to find an adult book. Most of the time, the books I pick up there are duds, but this one was a hit for me. It has inspired me really. The author earned a degree at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and writes about food. She did a little project where she selected 9 volunteers and taught them how to cook.
In the first part of the book, she meets with each volunteer in their kitchens and takes an inventory of their pantries and refrigerators. She learns about their cooking background, habits and experience in the kitchen. It is very interesting to learn about the home cooks. She also covers knife selection and skills (click here for a free lesson), tasting and cutting a whole chicken in part I.
Part II covers meats, bread, pasta, salads and making your own vinaigrettes. There are practical tips and recipes after each chapter.
In the last section of the book, the volunteers learn how to buy seafood, prepare fish, what really is in the box (prepackaged foods) and the power of soup. Finally, Kathleen Flinn revisits the volunteer kitchens. Overall, they are more confident and have changed, but I’ll leave the details for you to read yourself.
As a cook, I did’t feel like I was in the same category as these home cooks were at the beginning. I create a meal plan most of the time and enjoy cooking. I’m not afraid to use a big knife and enjoy trying new recipes. I do however neglect vegetables and when I do cook them, it’s usually just green beans, carrots or asparagus. Most recipes I try are complicated and involve many ingredients. I also waste a lot of food because of that. I shop with good intentions and then when it’s time to cook I don’t use the fresh vegetables I bought and then end up going bad. That was a common them among the volunteers.
After reading this book, I realized it’s not hard to look into the fridge and create a simple soup from the vegetables that are in the crisper. Using what you have is easy and recipes don’t have to be complicated to be good. I am excited to take the knowledge I gained from this book and use it in my kitchen. Food is such an important part of our lives, yet most of the time we eat junk. I am guilty of that. Instead of running to the fast food lane when I don’t feel like cooking, my goal is to cook something simple. Use it as a challenge to create something from what I have on hand.
What intimidates you in the kitchen? Are there areas you wish you could improve when cooking? Do you enjoy cooking or is it a chore?
I am going to try and share some of the recipes I try from this book here. If you want to join me, check this book out from the library or buy it, read it and try out some of the recipes and ideas. Let me know what you think.
art therapy
| November 17, 2011 | Posted by nancy under LEARN |
We have been changing things up around here again. If you have read this blog a while you will remember a few posts on changing the furniture arrangement here, here and here. I will fill you in on it very soon. I want to have more to show you and we are not done yet. A little hint, the lease on the studio is up at the end of the year.
The children always have a hard time with change. They get used to things the way they are. I figured by now they would be used to all the rearranging, but alas they are protesting. We were in the middle of such a protest while I was cleaning up a little project. I had two long cardboard tubes to get rid of and thought of a better use for them than landfill for the time being.
Lightsabers!
That idea got one child out of their room and into the paint. This is something this child has not done for a while. Soon, all three were gathered around the table painting away to Star Wars music on Pandora. It was truly magical. I was in my element. I have to say the pictures do not lie this time. We were all happy working away and no throwing of paint, fighting with a sibling or being mad at me because I moved furniture around. That my friends is why I titled this post art therapy.
What works for you during the heat of the moment? What are your techniques for getting your children through change?
Note: Try Sean’s new painting technique pictured above.
Take a large flat brush, dip one side in one color of paint then dip the other side in another color of paint. Brush onto cardstock, alternating sides of the brush to combine the colors. What the colors change! While the paint is wet, take the end of a small paint brush and draw a design. You can paint over it a few times and draw again for fun or let is dry. Make sure you sign your name on your art and display. You are an artist.
diy :: before and after
| November 16, 2011 | Posted by nancy under CREATE |
We were given 4 of these chairs along with a fantastic wooden preschool table a while back. They are the perfect size for little kid’s butts and have that cool “school” look to them. The chairs needed a little makeover due to years of use so I decided to go out and find some paint that would work to make them like new.
I used spray paint by Valspar, color: satin apple which is made for plastic on the seats and a metallic spray paint by Rustoleum for the legs. I did no special preparation for painting, just made sure there was no hair or fuzz on the feet and sprayed away. One can was enough for the legs with lots leftover. In the before pictures I had already painted the legs, they were the same kelly green with rust on the feet. The metallic paint covered it quickly. The seats need 2 cans of the spray paint.
This project was cheap, quick and easy. Kind of a prerequisite for my projects. I’m loving the color, a bright cheery yellow green and I can’t get over how “new” they look. They make me happy!
paintings :: phase 2
| November 15, 2011 | Posted by nancy under CREATE |
Here are my first two paintings that I shared last week. I’ve added a bit more color to the first and love the way it is turning out. I sanded the second canvas to keep the paint layer thin. I like the way the sanding makes it look aged.
I started a third canvas, using the same color palette. I’m not sure where it is going in the end. For now I am painting leaves.
living social
| November 14, 2011 | Posted by nancy under LIFE |
Interact socially. Tempting as it is to spend time online and consider that “social” time, remember that it’s crucial that you interact with others in person. Humans, like most animals, are wired to need social interaction and it’s crucial to make interacting with others a priority for your happiness.
