michellany

'Dumb Things' and Other Delicacies

We had Chinese food delivered tonight for dinner.  You can imagine our surprise when Hugh told us he wanted to eat the 'Stupid Things'. 

We were surprised at first because we discourage the use of the word 'stupid' in our house.  But we were further surprised, or better said, puzzled, when we realized that our four year old wasn't referring to Chinese food in its entirety as 'stupid' - he was looking for a specific item in our delivery bag, and he seemed pretty enthusiastic about it...like he really didn't opine it was something stupid, but rather, something desirable.  So as we tried to tease it out, the conversation went something like this:

Us:  Hugh! What do you mean, the 'stupid things'?  Chinese food isn't stupid.  Mommy and Daddy don't ask you to eat stupid things...

Hugh:  No, no...I mean the dummies...the dumb things...the white things.

Us:  You mean the dumplings?

Hugh:  Yes!  The dumblings!  I love those!

....................

Ahh, Hugh...we love YOU, too!

 
 

Meatless Monday, 03.16.09: Veggie Chili

Although I consider myself a domestic dilettante, the truth is I can cook a decent meal (as in, no one has died - or even sought medical treatment - yet) from time to time (like when the planets are all in alignment).  This is a favorite recipe of mine (because it's simple, quick, and nearly impossible to screw up) that I've been making since college, and it's been popular with friends throughout the years.  I'm posting it in large part because I promised it to someone... several weeks ago.  (Sorry to take so long, Darcy!)

If you decide to give it a try, please stop back by and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out for you!

Veggie Chili*

2-3 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 medium green pepper, seeded & chopped

2 15 oz. cans of chopped tomatoes, drained

4 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained

1 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a 3 or 4-quart pot and saute' onion until softened and translucent.  Add garlic and cook one minute.  Add seasonings and green pepper, cook for a minute or so more.

Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until ingredients blend together and liquid thickens.

*Adapted from Nikki &  David Goldbeck's American Wholefoods Cuisine

A Few Notes:

Serve with cornbread and bowls of fixins (e.g., grated sharp cheddar cheese, fresh chopped onions, sour cream) for garnishing.

Serves 4 generously, or 6 if used in taco shells.

Adjust seasonings to your taste.  (I always use much more chili powder and cumin than the recipe lists.)

Fresh tomatoes can be used instead of canned, if you prefer, but you may want to blanch the tomatoes first to easily remove & discard the tomato skins.

When you first add all of the ingredients, it will look like you don't have enough liquid or tomatoes in the pot.  As the ingredients cook together, though, things will even out and it will look like it should.

ENJOY!

Salad Days

One of the perks of being a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom is schedule flexibility.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet my favorite kindergartner at his school for lunch in the cafeteria. 

As we sat down together, I asked Gil about a cute little girl who passed in front of us.  "Oh, that's Corrina.* She doesn't have lice anymore."  I couldn't help myself - I burst out laughing.  Luckily, there was so much noise and activity in the cafeteria that no one seemed to notice.  Especially cute little Corrina-She-Doesn't-Have-Lice-Anymore. (*Not her real name, just in case you're wondering.)

Once I'd recovered my composure, I noticed that two of Gil's buddies seated next to us - incidentally two boys he considers among the coolest in school - had salad on their lunch trays.  I blinked hard, rubbed my eyes with my fists, and took a second look. I asked both boys if they had asked for the salad in the lunch line, or if the lunch lady had given it to them on her own.  Both enthusiastically confirmed they CHOSE the salad, and to drive home the point, both picked up their forks with gusto and shoveled in a heaping helping of the green stuff.  Then one of them, God Bless Him, chirped, "If you don't eat your salad you won't get big muscles." 

It was the kind of moment a mother - at least this mother - dreams about.  My three kids regard all things salad with the same affection they feel for shots at the pediatrician's office.  Now, here in front of me, were two of my son's most respected peers, bestowing their Cool Dude Stamp of Approval on SALAD!  I took the opportunity to give my son a knowing look and a loving squeeze.  Any words from me at that point would have been overkill.

Of course, naturally the boys then began comparing their biceps to determine who was strongest.  This was followed by a pint-sized, smack-talking debate of who was the fastest.  Seizing (or so I thought) yet another teachable moment, I jumped in to ask them who was the smartest.  "I am!" shouted one, and bursting with a pride bordering on swagger, he explained why:  "This is my SECOND time doing kindergarten!"

Nobody challenged him. My son and his other friends seemed duly impressed, even reverential, of this little boy's obvious seniority and authority.  I mean, seriously, who among us could argue with that refreshing and delightful wisdom?  Certainly not I.

Last night, as I shared the day's events with my husband, our four year old was playing quietly nearby.  Now, Hugh isn't as out-and-out veggie-phobic as Gil; he's always been more of a conscientious objector.  For him, veggies per se are not the central issue - he just doesn't agree with the whole concept of, you know, eating salad.  But last night, apparently Hugh was paying more attention to the salad-and-muscles conversation than I had realized, because this morning as I made his sack lunch for school, he had a special request:  a salad sandwich.

The Little Mermaid, Uncut?

My four-year-old asked me to make tuna fish sandwiches for lunch today.  When I pulled out the can of 'Chicken of the Sea' to oblige his request, he did a double take.  Then he furrowed his brow, lowered his voice to a most serious, concerned tone, and asked,

"Mom, is tuna fish made from Ariel?"

Hmmm...good question...