About Soup...

So, about soup. As you've probably heard me complain  explain we like to stay on a pretty tight food budget. Part of being held to a super tight food budget is using every damn scrap of vegetable that comes into your house. Now, granted I am not perfect, but I was shocked by a statistic I read recently about how much food we throw away.

Don't throw it away, make soup!

Besides saving money, soup is a great way to get lots of veggies in a small punch. I grew up drinking a lot of soup - especially in the heat of summer. For some reason, hot soup on a hot day just cools you down.

As a busy mom, I try to make on the "weekends" a pot of soup, a quick bread (banana bread, scones, muffins) and one reheat-able dinner (breaded chicken, sweet and sour pork, meatballs) to see us through the busy days. There is also prep for dinners during the week but it is these three things that if I know are sitting in the fridge when I get home I can pull dinner together.

Now, I know what you are thinking that why make soup when you can buy a can of it for 99 cents or less? First, those cans are usually full of crappy nastiness like mega doses of sodium and high fructose corn syrup (and many of its sibling corn products). Second, that doesn't solve the question of what to do with what is in your fridge.

If I've posted about this before in the past, I apologize for the repeat. Also - I'm still working on food photography, so bear with me. :-)

Grab whatever you've got in the fridge, today I had a leek, half an onion and a handful of carrots. I also had a celery stalk not shown.

In a pot with olive oil I defrost and cook up a sofrito cube. I've added chopped bacon here in previous versions, but I didn't have any today.

 You can see an early version of my sofrito project here. It really is helpful to have on hand, for so many types of dishes, though you don't need it.

I would love to make my own stock but in a pinch store bought will have to do. Basically any style tomato product will do here.

Once your chopped base is cooked up go ahead and add your stock and tomatoes, along with one can of water. Bring to a boil then simmer.

While that is simmering I head to the garden and pick whatever I've got. It's still early, so the only things are my bay leaf tree and sage. You can get really fancy here with the herbs. The only think is with basil I would add that in the end not here.

I've added my herbs along with whatever I'm feeling in the pantry. Today I was feeling like a posh Emily, so I added some saffron.

While that simmers I prep my veggies. Today I've only got mushrooms and broccoli, but really sky's limit here. Kale, cabbage, soybeans, zuchs (and how zuchs!) squash you name it, chop it up and throw it in.

Once the veggies are in and have had a good go, I add the final layer, which can range from potatoes cubes to rice to any can of beans in the pantry. Today I decided to finish off some spaghetti I had. At this point, on low on the back of the stove this can simmer for hours. Same goes for crock pot.

Yay! Homemade soup!

Inspiring New England Visit

Ger enjoys his breakfast with a side of cold mountain air.

Ger's birthday present this year was a hike in Franconia Notch, and some of our good friends with way more experience came with us (luckily for me!)


We started the night before here to lay out our gear and get comfortable. It was the off season, so we practically had the hotel to ourselves which was great fun. Our first day of hiking was to Greenleaf Hut and for the rest of the company, to the Lafayette Ridge.

Enjoying a morning tea and the view at Greenleaf, though still skeptical of the wisdom of this endeavor.

A flavor for what the trail to Greenleaf looks like. It was butt busting to the extreme.

Ger checks for cell reception at Lonesome Lake.

The second night had us at lower elevation and at Lonesome Lake Hut. We had the hut to ourselves and the caretaker regaled us with mountain stories and plied us with coffee in the morning.

After loading up with pancakes,  Ger and I started to make our way back to Philly with a few stops along the way. The first was in the Upper Valley to visit some friends and old haunts.

My favorite place at Dartmouth is the Sanborn library. I've spent HOURS here.

We stopped in at Tuck as well.

Our second stop was the The Mount in Lenox, MA. The Mount was Edith Wharton's home in the US, and is actively being restored.

The librarian was working in Ms. Wharton's library and I guess I must have passed some basic test cause she LET ME BEHIND THE ROPE to look around and take pictures.

I almost passed out with glee.

I can hardly contain myself in Edith Wharton's library among approx 1/3 of her known book collection. I love that the curtains lightly brush the floor. If that is okay in the house of the woman who brought modern interior design to America, it's okay for our living room.

I was able to see some of the inscriptions in a handful of her books. She was definitely well read. We also learned more about her life, including her years doing relief work during World War I. After visiting and learning more about her life, I think I'm going to have to elevate Edith Wharton to my mental category of women "who are accomplishing a great deal while keeping it together."

View of The Mountain from the lime walk path.

Overall an inspiring trip!

Streamlining and Timing: Shrimp, Pasta and Arugula Dish

An early spring rotation dish I like to make is this Giada's Shrimp, Pasta and Arugula dish
My parents requested it during their visit, and I had been working on streamlining it anyway. The 40 minute cooking time on the description is pretty accurate - I've gotten it to include some clean-up as well. It can really be made year round, but I think it's really perfect for spring.

We're off! Pasta is boiling, shallots and garlic in olive oil cooking up nicely....

I didn't have fusilli, so here the spaghetti is boiling down. The white wine added to the shallots and garlic and is reducing.

Lost some time with Matt and Vax - added the shrimp to the shallot and white wine mixture. Pasta is already drained.

Mixing in the pasta to the shrimp and white wine sauce...

Tossing in the arugula till just wilted. The last completed picture before eating. It doesn't sit around long!

Thanks Giada!

Spring Science Time!

Hello - Sorry it's been a while since I posted, as always life get's pretty crazy.

I just wanted to jot down a quick note about the scope of this blog. When I started it in 2008, I knew we would be leaving the Upper Valley and our friends would be more dispersed than they already were. I liked that some people had started blogs to keep in contact with friends and family - and so I started this blog. Our generation moves and changes jobs so much more, and so keeping this log seemed like a nice way to keep in touch.

Since then the "mommy blog" field has exploded into some big business (though I often feel that selling to potential mommy bloggers is the bigger business). While I tip my hat to those women, I choose not to throw it into the ring.

This blog will remain, a family log for our friends and family in different time zones. (It's also kind of handy as a "notes to self".) While I have many, many sites and resources for technology, finance, etc. I'll leave it to The Daily Connoisseur (I love her videos) Design Mom (6 kids and she travels with them!) and this Panamanian girl (who is kind of crazy but actually really, really smart. I feel like she could be my manic younger sister. In full disclosure I haven't bought her worksheets, though I love her designs.) - when I'm feeling like some design/living inspiration.

 The past two weeks have been a Science/ Nature exploration experience!

Ger and I took Matt to Naturepalooza at the Philly Science  Festival. See his  "I Love Science" sticker?

Besides the exhibits and concerts they also had live animals!

Matt checks out the Big Bugs! exhibit at the arboretum.

Wow those are giant ants!

Matt's seedling is ready for planting! (I'll try and be a a good mom and do it before I accidentally kill it).

Ger's Birthday and Spring Treats

It was Ger's birthday this week and even though he had to work overnight we had a small celebration with his beloved (and highly toxic) carvel ice cream cake. Ger has a pretty big birthday treat coming up, I'll be telling you about the success of it at the end of May (or you can read about the complete failure of it in the local NH news - but hopefully it won't come to that). ;-)


Also, I wanted to tell you about some new shopping. I don't shop very often so it's worth blogging about- I always like seeing what other people have found so I figured I'd give it a go..

I got a new spring bag- for me a super big deal. 

I had been looking for some time for a new everyday work to mom weekend bag for spring. My current bag is over 4 years old and had a good run. It is ripped on the outside and the lining is destroyed. The requirements: minimum logo (I hate things with logos all over it), had to be kind of spring-y, had to be sharp enough for everyday work yet not overkill on the weekend, had to have one major compartment that zipped shot. Had to be not so expensive that when I spilled Matt's milk or a pen blew up inside it I wouldn't be upset.

The bag below from Macy's is starting the rotation - It has a white leather trim and is beige, so it will go with most outfits and with my trench. It only has small logo -which honestly is the most you can hope for these days it seems.

The lining is kind of fun. You can see it has three compartments. One that zips shut (for wallet, key). I imaging one side will be the "mom" side, and the other side will be the "work" side - moleskin, pens, etc.

I'll let you know how my new bag goes- it starts on the job this week. :-)

Also, I don't normally buy Matt books since we live up the block from the library but this book was so beautiful, illustrations and all, I couldn't resist.

Adapted from a Leo Tolstoy story, It is just a lovely book.

Finally, spring cleaning is underway (sort of) - I recently re-discovered the magic that is washi tape.
If you like your label maker, the next step up is washi tape.

Now we will know who the cell phone charger belongs to!

Into Spring 2013 (and Virginia)

After some pretty serious snows we are starting to feel spring warm us up. The crocus are starting to come up, much later than last year. Here’s what’s on my iphone tap…

It felt good to talk about something tech related, I am a software girl.

 

I totally love this picture of Matt using his tools to try and fix his toy (it was out of batteries).

Matt is so happy on the carousel at the Please Touch Museum.

 

So, in the continual self improvement with cooking files,  I really want to be able to get the slow cooker to work for me. The promise of coming home to hot dinner already made is just to appealing to give up on. So I looked for a recipe to try again and saw this pork chops and rice.

I don’t have a finished picture cause Ger came home and devoured it all, but it was starting to go dry in the slow cooker. This is also a little too heavy on meats for me – but hey.

 

Meanwhile, Ger and I went to Virginia last week to visit an old friend and see Colonial Williamsburg….

Matt loved watching the horses and soldiers….

Some of the interiors of the buildings were just gorgeous…

I was impressed by this little mini piano-forte in the ladies’ drawing room in the governor’s mansion. At the time the governor had 3 daughters and they practiced in their mom’s drawing room on the 2nd floor. That sonata looks complicated. Guess the governor’s wife was a colonial-era tiger mom.

 

Smoothies and other fun...

Every once in a while, I get worried we are all not eating enough vegetables. I came across this smoothie idea for kale and tried to give it a go.

This one was kale, celery, cucumber and apple. It was very refreshing, and it was nice to not need to strain the kale. I normally only drink tea and hot water with lemon but this was fun for the day.

Matt is getting so big! We took him to please touch and he had fun. He definitely knows his way around!