It's a Wonderful Life, Natch

Merry Christmas from My Family 2009

It’s the end of the aughts and another amazing year watching our daughters grow has come to a close. Laura celebrated her 11th birthday this summer and soon after started middle school. In November, she went to space camp, took a turn in the G-force accelerator and emerged like a butterfly from a chrysalis. She can now sing on-key and make up her bed. Will wonders never cease.

Do you know about friendship bracelets? Laura is a champion friendship bracelet knotter. She represented Team USA at the Senior International Knot-offs in the Double Chain Knot (a.k.a. Twin Ties) category. She won a blue ribbon by making a bracelet in five minutes, not counting the overhand knot and measuring the threads. She is also in great demand on the rubber chicken circuit. She recently delivered a speech to a prominent group of bankers regarding the allocation of TARP funds, “The Green Blankie Financial Plan: Maximizing Parental Output for Personal Gain.“

Lindsey is four fingers and has been tapped for the Iron Chef Pipsqueak edition. We’re looking for child size 10 ½ orange clogs as she’s slated for Team Batali. Lindsey plans to bring her best game to the competition and considers her secret weapons her “special” sculptural biscuits and “anything sous vide.” She’s practicing in the bathtub as I write.

Not long after her birthday, Lindsey took a spill by driving her bike over a wall and tumbling a few feet into a briar patch, just like Brer Rabbit. She didn’t cry, and despite having the bike land on her, she was ok. When asked why she drove over the wall, she said, “Because I wanted to fly like a butterfly.” I see the Bonneville salt flats in her future. And blood pressure medicine for both of her parents.

Lindsey is in preschool and on the edge of reading all by herself. Her breakthrough moment was standing in front of the microwave. “Mom, O-N is on. O-f-f is off.” Not exactly Helen Keller at the pump, but a red letter day in our household nevertheless.

Scott & I just celebrated 19 years of marriage, so I guess we’re teenagers for another year. We’re busy with work and the girls, but Scott finds time for fishing and I try to cook and write when I can. This time of year, I thank God for my family and friends and hold hope in my heart for peace and goodwill. It’s my wish that in 2010, we‘ll have more to go around. May God bless each and every one of you.

Love,

Lucy & Scott & Laura & Lindsey

CSA Season Finale

Farmers Fresh Food will continue to deliver boxes for another couple weeks, but today marks my last box for the season. I started in May and for nearly seven months have received fresh local produce each Wednesday.

The fall vegetables have been outstanding, especially the greens. I'm crazy for the lettuces -- I will miss those the most these dark CSA-less months ahead. I've got quite a stash of sweet potatoes and apples to see me through 'til February.

The contents of this week's box:

Broccoli, a big ol' spaghetti squash, collards (yum!), herbs, lettuces and Asian turnips.

Plus, four gorgeous fresh apples. This time of year, I end up with a glut of apples, from friends, grocery store sales and trips to North Georgia apple barns. Homemade applesauce is an easy and kid-friendly recipe.

Homemade Applesauce

1. Peel, core and coarsely chunk six or eight or more apples. A mix of varieties works best. My last batch included Galas and Red Romes. I use apples that are a bit past their prime, including the iffy bruised apples in the bottom of the apple bag.

2. Place apples in large, tall container suitable for the microwave. I use a tall gallon container. Pour apple juice (if you have it, water if you don't) to cover apples by about a third.

3. Place container in microwave and zap at full power for five minutes. Stir and zap for five minutes more. This may require more zapping, just check to make sure the apples are cooked through. Stir in a few tablespoons of butter and sugar, if needed. Let cool and puree in food processor.

4. If you simply must have cinnamon, then spice it up by all means. I like it straight, no sugar added. Warm applesauce makes a first-rate side dish for most kid dinners. It's delish also with a pancake and bacon supper.

Fresh Pinto Beans in CSA Box

The last box in November includes apples, herbs, komatsuna (which I think of as Japanese collards), sweet potatoes, Asian turnips, snow peas and hulless popping corn. The snow peas will go in a stir-fry, probably with some shiitakes I picked up at the grocery store. The shelling beans will be cooked in a pork stock; I'm pretty sure they're pinto beans. May have to go Mexicana there. I remember a recipe for a chicken stew with collards and sweet potatoes; that will use up the komatsuna and potatoes.

I Won! That's Right, Little Ol' Me

I'm just about giddy over this...

Last week, I entered a contest at Pam Anderson's blog that she writes with her daughters, and just found out today that I won! Under the category of Really Cool Things in My Life, this is right up there with shaking hands with Sam Walton, and sitting in the Kroger hot seat at a Braves game. It edges out riding in a DeLorean.

I answered a question about whether I adored or abhorred Thanksgiving. Of course, I adore it, despite the work. I adore it for the best reasons - family, food, and God, but chose to write about the sense of accomplishment I feel when the meal is on the table.

Check out threemanycooks here.

And above is my Lindsey with the Lindsay olives olive leaf wreath (easy for me to say).

Baby Butternuts

This week's box included two of the cutest baby butternut squash ever. I'll probably make butternut squash soup from them, just chunk them and cooked in chicken broth before pureeing.

Also in the box: apples, collards, Italian parsley, lettuce and sorrel, sweet peppers, Asian turnips and radishes. The radishes will go in salads and I'll save the turnips for the Thanksgiving turkey soup. If you asked me why we put turnips in the turkey soup, my only response would be because they're usually in the vegetable drawer.

An Assembly of Greens in the CSA box

This week's box featured apples, arugula, kale, a 1/2 dozen eggs, hot peppers (including two poblanos), lots of sweet potatoes and sprouts.

The potato drawer is now the sweet potato drawer. I have plans to make sweet potato pies (plural on purpose) for Thanksgiving. Maybe sweet potato souffle from CI, always reliable. And maybe that veggie sandwich again.

This afternoon, cooked the greens in the fridge (collards, mustard and kale) in a pork stock and then made cornmeal dumplings, for a bowl full of goodness, kind of pot likker soup. Edna Lewis refers to this kind of dish as an "Assembly of Greens." All the squash taking residence on the counter were peeled, sliced and roasted for an hour at 400. I will make a salad with brown rice and vinaigrette with some of the squash and perhaps puree the remainder for a souffle or maybe to use in a cake recipe.

Mini Breads in CSA Box

No pictures today, although the mini breads are certainly picture-worthy. Cute Ezekiel and pumpkin-cranberry breads. We sliced the fruit bread and spread each slice with cream cheese. Very nice snack. The Ezekiel bread is made with grains from Ezekiel 4:9: "Take also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt..." It's very healthy tasting.

Also in the box: lettuce, sweet peppers and oyster mushrooms. The mushrooms are slated for a stir fry with shrimp and edamame.