going granola

I think I've successfully proven that my house is not always full of fun.  However, some moments make me smile - like making homemade granola this morning.  

The word "granola" seems hard to wrap a 3-year-old mouth around; Obi-2 (who just turned three) says, "Yay!  We're making gorilla!"  His 4-year old brother responds with a little monkey dance in the kitchen, and I join in.

In case that sounds like fun to you, I'm sharing the recipe... for the granola.  The monkey dance is strictly make-up-your-own.

Left Coast Granola

(Makes about a gallon-sized container full.)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large baking dish (like a sheet-cake pan), combine:

3 C oatmeal

1/2 C oat bran

1/2 C almond meal (or substitute more oat bran)

3/4 C sliced almonds

Bake 15 minutes.

Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Stir into the mixture:

3/4 C apple juice concentrate

1/4 C packed brown sugar (yes, this is optional, if you prefer less sweetener in your life)

3 T cooking oil

Bake 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir, then cool a bit.   Stir in 8 oz dried cherries or cranberries.

Store cooled granola in a zip-top bag or airtight container.  

Enjoy!

composting

Have you checked your trash recently?  We started noticing how much ours grew when Obi-1 was born.  We already recycled nearly everything we could, which is really normal for households in northwest cities.  Thus, cloth diapers became a normal part of raising Kenobi babies.  :)  We also began separating “compost-able” items from the trash, and it’s pretty amazing how much we saved by cutting these scraps out.  We ended up putting most compost-able things with our yard waste (which is allowed here).

Last year, we started a compost bin.  Composting basically combines food scraps together (like veggie trimmings, fruit peels, egg shells, etc. with yard debris) in a sheltered, decomposing pile. The result is rich mulch. Composting is easy to start and maintain, and a surprisingly clean process. As with recycling, it’s surprising how much you save when your weekly trash collection is reduced! In a typical week, we fill our 2-gallon kitchen bin a couple times. As we get better and our summer gardens and yard need attention, that pace will increase.

Determined to get back into good habits and stop paying for bags of mulch, I found the city-promoted composting program. It was fairly inexpensive to purchase a large, locking bin for composting. We also got a smaller container that easily accommodates plate- and cutting-board scraping in the kitchen. Kept in proper containers, the compost process is free of the pests or smells. With a few minutes a week, you can manage it well and produce great organic compost to use or share!

Here, for our mutual reference (as I’m sure to lose our handy brochure!), are general things to know about composting.

1. GREEN = fruit & veggie scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, fresh grass clippings, and fresh plant & flower clippings (items rich in nitrogen)

2. BROWN = dried grass or plant clippings, fallen leaves, drier lint, straw, old potting soil, used paper towels, and shredded newspaper (carbon-rich items)

3. Combine items in a 1:1 to 1:2 ratio of Green : Brown items. Every time you add something, mix thoroughly with a spade, garden claw, or the little “mixing” gadget designed for your bin. It doesn’t take a lot of effort; just turn it over so the mixture stays combined.

4. The mixture should be damp throughout (like a “wrung out sponge”). If it seems too wet, add some brown items. If it seems too dry, add green items and/or wet it down with some water (rain water is great for this task). If you maintain a good ratio and moisture level, it will not get stinky.

5. Don’t use meat or dairy scraps in your bin, as they can attract rodents. (yuck)

6. Don’t put weeds or diseased plants in, as they could spread problems later.

7. Contact the department or company that handles your trash and recycling to see if they sell compost bins. Or, check craigslist.com for your area. Home stores & garden centers carry bins, too.

8. If you have a floor/bottom on your bin, it should be porous so worms can get in. Worms help compost; you can even purchase them if you want their aid. A lid that locks in place will keep unwanted pests out.

9. Keep a container for easily clearing cutting boards, plates, and leftovers. We got a specific kitchen bin because it seals (to keep out fruit flies) and stores easily. We’ve used old milk cartons or coffee cans in the past. Line your bin with a piece of newspaper or used paper towel to soak up liquids. Empty and rinse it out frequently.

10. It will take a few months to get rich, usable compost. If you keep adding and mixing, you’ll have a constant supply whenever you need it. The process will slow down in winter, and pick back up when temperatures rise. Continue to add compost materials and mix throughout all seasons.  I recently mixed a wheelbarrow full into a flower garden space.

11. Have a ready supply of brown items when you add your kitchen scraps. A bucket of leaves or dry grass clippings is easy to keep nearby as you toss out your kitchen pail.

12. Chop up items into small pieces, so they’ll decompose quicker.

13. Make a safe liquid fertilizer with finished compost: mix several handfuls of compost with a gallon of water. Let it sit a few hours, and then stir it well. The result is an organic “compost tea” that can be applied to the soil to add nutrients.

I know my grandparents used to do this, and they didn't call it "environmentalism."  They called it part of "patriotism" - to avoid waste and plant gardens - or "wisdom" - to not waste what you have.  Whatever your (or my) motivation, it's easy to enjoy the results!

Oh - and of course, check out the other fun & sometimes useful lists this Thursday!

no having fun

What can you accomplish, in your home, in 15 minutes?

Throw some laundry in the washer or fold a load from the dryer?  Prep a meal?  Write a quick account of your family's antics?

If you're like me, you can accomplish a little, but not nearly as much as your children can undo in the same amount of time.

I had planned a fantastic meal today.  Mediterranean-style Tilapia, with tabbouleh from Brother Juniper's Sacramental Magic book.  I was excited to try the recipes, which seemed relatively quick and simple (not to mention tasty & nutritious).  The prep time called for about 15 minutes for each piece - so I counted on a "30 minute meal."

While you laugh at that, I should also disclose that we have some seriously high piles of laundry.  Obi-2, now fully three years old, has decided he does not want to wear diapers or pull-ups to bed.  I'm happy to encourage my big kid, but not so happy at the heaps of extra sheets, mattress covers, pajamas, etc. that are added to our already overflowing hamper.  If one can drown in laundry, I'm barely staying afloat.  I determined to wrangle control back from the laundry beast today, so I spent time sorting & washing, hanging and drying, folding and stacking.  If nothing else got done today, at least I could look at the laundry and know I finished a project.

I was making good headway before I began dinner prep.  Two loads were finished and folded (a major accomplishment), another was nearly done spinning in the wash, and towels were in the dryer.  After accepting defeat in my quest for nap time, I instructed the boys to play together in their playroom for a few minutes while I got dinner going.  Fifteen minutes - that's all I needed.

That's all it takes, my friends, for things to go from normal, albeit a little tired, life to Mama's-posting-her-resume-and-looking-for-boarding-schools life around the Kenobi homestead.

I smiled as I chopped garlic toasted bulgar wheat.  My boys, sweet guys, were giggling with each other and playing happily.  Then it hit me.  "That giggling sounds like it's not in the play room.  No, it is definitely coming from the laundry room.  There is nothing fun about the laundry room!"

I raced down to find this:

Two boys.

One spray bottle, filled, but with a lid only partially on.

One giant pile of laundry, wet and dry, dirty and clean, where three dirty piles had once stood.

Two open doors on the now-empty washing machine and dryer (we have front-loaders).

A clean, fresh scent of hand soap in the air.

Giggles fading from two young faces.

Turns out they had found my new spray bottle and filled it with foaming hand soap from the downstairs bathroom. This required removing the lid from that soap dispenser, pouring from one bottle into another, and of course, refilling both bottles in the sink.

They took the soapy concoction into the laundry room, and began to do some "cleaning."  Sweet dears.  They want to clean, and needed some towels for the task.

Their search evidently took them to the washing machine, but upon emptying it they found only wet, soppy sheets just out of the spin cycle.  These would not do, so they emptied the dryer to find fluffy towels, which could easily mop up the spilled soapy water in the bathroom, as well as help "clean" the laundry room floor.

But one can't clean the laundry room floor with three piles of laundry (sorted by color & wash temp).  No - they figured the best solution was to combine all of the laundry.  While they were at it, why not just throw it together with the wet sheets from the washer?  Oh, and once the towels are thoroughly soaked from "cleaning," toss them in there, too.  Somewhere along the way, they realized that making a clothes pile is fun - so they took everything off the drying racks and added Daddy's dress shirts and Mama's delicates to the mix, too.  Then, just for good measure, they jumped in it.

The jumping was where the giggles began, and the giggles led MamaToo to investigate.  My investigation ended the fun.

They saw a cleaning project turned into a soft landing pad for flying superhero leaps.  I saw a truckload of laundry, decipherable as clean or dirty only by the sniff-test (eew!) and dampness (again, eew!).

I wish I could tell you how I smiled sweetly and said, "Oh, dear.  Thank you so much for wanting to clean.  That's really sweet."  It didn't even cross my mind to say, "Wow - fun!  A jumping pile!"  I wish I had the grace of some of my friends, who always seem to immediately see the gentle spirit of helpfulness in the midst of mischief.

I didn't.  I started to yell, and then with every last ounce of energy I started repeating to myself, "the fruit of the spirit is...."  This exercise is all that keeps me from yelling, basically because when I finally speak, I'm holding my breath and saying in a very stern, growly voice, "Get. Upstairs. Now!!"  

They whined, "but we don't waaaaant to go upstairs!" I was not in the mood to discuss it further.  I picked up Obi-1 and carried him, flour-sack style, up to his room.  Then I went back downstairs and got his brother.  Setting both together on their launching pads (a.k.a. bunk beds), I sternly advised: "Do. Not. Move. until I come back here to talk with you.  Do not giggle.  Do not play.  Do not get down and get toys or books.  NO HAVING FUN!"

Fifteen minutes passed.  I was not cool, I was not calm, and I was not collected.  My dearest Mr. Kenobi walked in the door and knew something was amiss.  He barely uttered, "What happened?" before I burst into tears and mumbled the story of "pounds of laundry" and "nothing else done" and "spray bottles all over"  and "can't even turn away for 15 minutes!" I also changed the meal plan on the spot - we would have leftover, cold chicken with our tabbouleh, the only piece that was complete.  I then repeated my dramatic announcement: "There will be No More Fun in this house!"

Fortunately, our family believes in forgiveness.  We get a chance to apologize.  We get to work together to sort things (even wet, stinky laundry) out and start over.  We get perspective, even if it takes more than 15 minutes.  And, in spite of ourselves, sometimes we get to have fun.

We also believe in Daddy doing bedtime, which is what he took care of immediately after dinner.  Now that the boys have been asleep for a while, I finally have 15 minutes to reflect.  It turns out that is about what I need to get the story told and begin to smile at the memory.

amazing cake

Just like his very specific ideas about fashion, Obi-2 has distinct culinary tastes.  How he comes up with these ideas is really beyond me, but his creativity makes me eager to watch him grow old enough to experiment in the kitchen.  I think we'll be in for a treat.

With his birthday approaching, I asked Obi-2 what kind of cake he'd like.  He's seen his brother's "dinosaur" cake and "drum" cake, so I expected to hear some sort of theme.  Not this boy.  He thought a moment, and then said, "Chocolate cake.  With peanut butter inside and outside."  Really?  Chocolate and peanut butter?  YUM!  

So, I set out to make his cake, which ended up requiring 3 different recipes and various alterations to each.  One of the interesting parts was choosing ingredients; the frosting specifically says "don't use natural or old fashioned peanut butter."  However, we live in a hydrogenated-free zone here.  So, what's a girl to do? A few brands of organic creamy PB do not use hydrogenated oil, so at $4 a jar, that's what we used.  The PB chips faced a similar quandary with sweetener - I looked in our natural foods store for chips that use cane juice (sugar) rather than high-fructose corn syrup.

The other challenge was proper timing.  Don't rush things with this - it needs a really solid nap-time or other block of uninterrupted time to accomplish everything.  The key is to cool everything before proceeding.  A warm cake melts mousse, as I found when I was taking it apart to re-mousse. (Remousse?  I'm inventing words to describe this process!)

Cheap, this cake is not.  Low-fat, no way. Quick & easy?  Ha ha ha... It tasted yummy and brought a smile to the birthday boy, though.

Anyway, I just had to share the process & recipe.  Find a reason (and large group - it easily will feed 15 people) to try this one at home.  Perhaps you'd like a celebration of crashing off your diet?

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Inside & Out

by Obi-2, with help from MamaToo, myrecipes.com, Joy of Cooking, and America's Test Kitchen

Chocolate Cake part:

2 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C cocoa powder

1/2 C dark cocoa powder (or use all regular - don't use all dark chocolate, as it's truly too rich)

2 tsp instant espresso or instant coffee

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tblsp unsalted butter, softened (room temp)

1 3/4 C sugar

4 large eggs, at room temp 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 C whole milk, at room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, then line the bottom(s)  with parchment paper.  Whisk flour, cocoa, espresso, soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.  Beat in vanilla.

3. Reduce to low speed and mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Then, mix in 1/2 the milk (3/4 C).  Repeat with half of the remaining flour, then the rest of the milk, then finish with the flour.  Make sure it's well mixed.

4. Pour the batter into prepared pans (it's key to have even amounts; I use a soup ladel to get them equal).  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached.   While they bake, make the frosting...

5.  Cool the cakes in the pans on racks for 10 minutes, then carefully flip them out on the racks to cool thoroughly.   While they cool, make the mousse.

Frosting "Outsides": (this will make plenty for the cake + tasting)

4 sticks unsalted butter, softened (room temp)

3 C powdered sugar

2 C (small jar) creamy peanut butter * (see notes above)

1/4 C heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

Stir cream, vanilla, and salt together to dissolve salt.  Beat the butter until smooth, then reduce speed to med-low and add the powdered sugar (slowly, unless you want a cloud), and beat until smooth (about 5 minutes).  Beat in the peanut butter until smooth.  Beat in the cream mixture, then increase speed to med-high and beat until light and fluffy (nearly 10 minutes).  The frosting can keep several days (who are we kidding - like you won't eat it by then) in the refrigerator.

Mousse "Insides" (this will make plenty, but I if you have to re-do things like I did, you'll be grateful for the extras.)

2 Cups heavy cream, divided

1 10-oz package peanut butter morsels * (see notes above)

1. In a small saucepan on low heat, combine 2/3 C cream and PB chips.  Stir constantly until completely smooth, then remove from heat and cool 20-30 minutes in a bowl.

2. Whip 1 1/3 C cream until soft peaks form.  Carefully stir a third of the whipped cream into the cooled peanut butter morsel mixture until well combined.  Gently fold in the remaining portion of the whipped cream.  Cool it well (I learned - the first time the cake wasn't totally cooled, so I had quite the mess when I assembled.  After cleaning it up, I popped the mousse in the freezer for a few minutes, and that did the trick.)

Assembling the Beast:

1. Brush crumbs from the surface of the cake, and flip 1 cake onto your plate.  Generously spoon the mousse over the top - all the way to the edges.  Carefully flip the second cake on top.  Refrigerate before proceeding.

2. Frost the cake by generously scooping 1-2 Cups of frosting on the middle of the top.  Spread it out from the center, and continue to add more.  Use a cup of warmish water to dip your spatula or knife in between sections, which will keep the frosting from moving around.  This cake is best frosted with big "fluffs," rather than a smooth finish, but do what you like.

3. ENJOY.  This is a good one to keep in a cool spot until nearly ready to serve, but room temperature is fine.  Don't let it get warmed again, or you'll have a mess. :)

Honestly, it's a process and enough fat & sugar to last a year (good).  I'm not sure I'd ever make it again, but I'm glad I tried it, because I like being that "impressive" mama once in a while.  Hee hee.   

The one thing I can predict about my kids is their unpredictability.  Next year, I'm sure he'll want something new and interesting, and I'll get to head into another adventure in baking to make his birthday wishes come true. :) 

happy birthday two you

Today is Obi-2's third birthday.  He has been looking forward to this day for weeks, maybe months, because he will (for a short few weeks) no longer be the youngest kid on the block.  He doesn't know it yet, but he's getting a scooter so he can zip around with the bigger guys on our sidewalk.   (My present was a reminder that we have good insurance and helmets.)

My baby is growing up, and clearly he's a second child.  One of our family traditions is letting the birthday kid pick dinner for his special day.  Generally, I fix their request to exact specifications.  Keep in mind that Obi-1 didn't taste fast-food until he was over three years old.  Obi-2, on the other hand, could not be persuaded out of a "Burg-a-ville cheeeeeeze burger with apples & oranges on the side!" (Last year, he wanted salmon and green beans, so I suppose I'm due for a cheeseburger with a kids' toy.)

Speaking of eating, he's clearly a boy after my heart.  When asked what sort of birthday cake he'd like, he didn't come up with with themes like I've seen from his big brother.  No, no... he wants a CHOCOLATE cake with PEANUT BUTTER in the frosting.  Just like his famous bumpy hat, I'm not sure where he got this idea, but I'm doing my best to make it for him.

Big brother Obi-1, who's also celebrating the day he received a sibling, is hardly able to contain the gifts.  He got to help me pick up the presents, and he has whispered about it to everyone he's seen.  Fortunately, he doesn't have to hold it in much longer, as we'll open them at dinner.  Note to self: 24 hours is too long to expect a boy to keep a "secret" surprise about presents.

To say it accurately, the day is off with a bang. We filled several dozen balloons last night and covered the Obi's bedroom floor, so he'd wake up to a wonderland of birthday decor. He jumped into our room, and we shared the story of his birth & how we sang "Praise God" when he was born (the Doxology).  Then, the boys were all over the house, chasing and hiding and popping balloons before "wake up time" ever hit the clock.

Breakfast will be shared with Grandma, who stayed the night but mysteriously went to work for a while this morning.  We'll head to indoor park and a couple other adventures, and then (hopefully) the boys will nap while I finish that cake.  This evening, his brother and parents will give him his presents, sing, and pray with smiles of thanksgiving for our Obi-2.  Then, we're hoping a couple friends swing by to join in the Eating of the Cake.  With any luck, we'll all fall exhaustedly into our beds at a decent time, reminding us of this night, three years ago.

Happy birthday, big guy.  I love you.

vacated

Did you wonder if I made a sand castle on that beach and decided to live there forever?  

Well, sort of.   I've been busy enough with my real life that blogging about it hasn't fit in.  Also, I've been writing more than ever - but mostly stuff I'm not ready to publish.  So, if you've missed me, I'm sorry.  There are new bikes and new adventures and new funnies and even a few new rabbit trails in faith to share with you.

Welcome back.

spring break

The boys bounced into my bed.  "It's snowing!!" they squealed.  As we all ran to the windows, I thought, "But I thought it was springtime!"  It's unusual for our city to get snow in general, and all the more unusual after daylight savings time changes.  But as we flung open the curtains, we saw wet, large flakes of snow.  This photo shows you the irony of blooms and blossoms shivering under a blanket of cold.

The snow of Friday gave us much to enjoy while we looked forward to guests. Good friends visited us this weekend, and together we celebrated spring break with hope and relief.  I appreciate having space and heart to accommodate sleepovers and much-loved friends and family.  As I folded out the futon downstairs and made the guest bed, I felt thankful.

We've nearly survived yet another wet, cloudy winter here in the northwest rainforest.  It's time to enroll in summer camps and consider vacation plans.  In only a couple months, we can start packing for camping trips, comparing s'more recipes, and grilling dinners.  The flowers are peeking up from the mulch, and rose bushes are budding with life.  I survey the work ahead, and feel thankful.

What spring break would be complete without a trip to the beach?  Kids (not the Kenobis, thankfully) even ran into the surf barefoot.  A big hole in the sand provided hours of fun.  A peanut-butter and sandy-jelly sandwich provided a great lunch, topped off with hot chocolate and cookies.  As the kids ran down the dunes, I smiled at the sunny, blue skies and took a deep breath.  Life, with all its ups and downs, twists and turns, uncertainties and work... it is good.

There's much to enjoy in this season.  Kick off your shoes and soak it in.

love,

mamatoo