Brutally honest.

I was determined to make a proper meal for my tots this evening...that was the plan... I even declared it in my blog. I set an intention.

Why do intentions have a way of getting derailed? Today has been one of those days. Tot A refused to get dressed and that hour long fight cost us a trip to the grocery store to get real ingredients for a real meal. Tot B refused to leave the library (I had to return books before my trip) that cost us a trip to the park. We ended up going out for lunch because as I had planned to run my errands, take them to the park and grocery shop all before noon we had only completed one of the errands before 1pm. So getting home at 2 pm I decided to sew and finish prepping for my big sale at our local Fall Fair, what should have taken a couple hours of uninterrupted work (I know silly me) is still not done. Thanks to the mother of all fights between Tot A and I (Tot B just went along for the ride) we did not eat until 6:30.

This bring to the the bulk of my post. As a mother I am completely saddened by my daughter, I love her, I gave birth to her but (and maybe I am projecting) I can see us in the future. She is so willful, pressing my buttons, pressing her brother's, mostly she is a daddy's girl but he is away often and thus her acting out is directed towards me. I use to think I was a cool parent, pretty lax, communicative, I didn't ask much of them and give them free reign but lately little things are escalating into terse tense situations that I don't know how to control. I am starting to sound like one of those mothers.

I have tried positive re-enforcement and praise, leading by example, empowerment, making light of situations, joking about them but of late I am turning to discipline and anger. I DO NOT LIKE IT. It has always been hard with them but for the most part I had it under control. Even if I was having a tough day (and I had my fair share) I was there for them but now I feel like I am taking it out on them.

I am so sad I am feeling this way. I feel so bad because I am the adult and I know better....

I did pull off dinner, even if it was late... I had some gorgeous free run eggs from a friend and I have been dying to use them. We had scrambled eggs...

eggs by marisa's chickens
photo by me.

Going On Vacation.

What's wrong with me, why the slacking? Other than my apron venture which is consuming way more time than I thought I have also been gearing up for vacation. That's right fam and I are getting on a plane and travelling to Mexico for a wedding. No, before you have visions of margarita's on the beach- we are taking the children.

Speaking of children- I just wanted to share this little tid bit. This is one of the way I get my tots to eat some less than exciting food. It is all about empowering them and one trick is to make it fun.

See you in a couple of weeks.

photos by me, models the tots!

Not leaving the house!

OK, I may have gone to the neighbour's to "borrow" a bottle of wine.

My husband had to go on a work retreat, leaving me home alone with the tots to feed and entertain them. Entertainment was planting stuff in the garden, but feeding them was another issue. I didn't want to get in the car and go to the store just to buy a few missing ingredients for dinner. That would have meant dressing them up (they have taken to wearing their pijamas all day everyday), brushing teeth, hair and washing the morning's peanut butter and jam off their faces. Instead I turned my attention to what I did have. 

In the freezer I had some chopped veg that I had been saving to make stock and in the fridge a bag of organic sweet bell peppers, (just like me) beginning to show their age. So I pulled the veg out of the freezer dumped some water on them, added a couple bay leaves, salt & pepper, fresh celery (it too was showing its age), some fresh parsley and simmered away! With the peppers, I washed them fired up the BBQ. And slowly roasted them! 


hot n'sweaty

 all fired up and ready to go
 basking in the glory
 a party in a bowl

A roasted Red Pepper kinda day Soup

• 6 capsicum peppers, wash and leave whole
• 1 med onion roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, diced and chopped
• 2 medium stalks of celery, sliced an chopped
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid
• 6 cups stock, chicken or vegetable (preferably home made).
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• balsamic vinegar reduction & olive oil to drizzle (optional but really good)
• grated parmesan cheese

First I made my veggie stock and roasted my peppers. 

To roast the the peppers I grilled them on a medium BBQ, turning and rotating until black and brown on all sides. Set them in a bowl, covered with cling wrap and set aside to steam. Meanwhile chop and prepare the remaining ingredients. After 15-30 minutes (or as long as it takes to get other stuff done), slit the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs, peel the skin and roughly sliced. Set aside.

Heat the stock and keep warm.

In a stock pot heat the oil at a medium heat, add the onions and garlic and sweat with the lid on until tender and translucent. Add carrot and celery again sweat with the lid on until just barely soft. The goal is not to brown them, but some of the smaller bits may get some colour. Salt, add roasted peppers, stir and heat through, add red wine and scrape any bits that may have stuck to the bottom. Add tomatoes and liquid stir and bring to a boil. 

Add in warm stock and return to the boil, once at a boil turn down and simmer for 30 mins or until everything is falling apart and the tomatoes are breaking up. Cool down and transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender and combine until smooth. Return to heat. Add in Balsamic vinegar and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.

To serve Drizzle with the fancy shmancy olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar... as I did for the adult version or for the kids version microplane parmesan cheese on top! Or just do it all, slip and slurp crusty bread and have a fresh cucumber salad!

While I was taking my photos my daughter insisted I take on of her fork!

                                     Kid version!








photos by me...