Category Archives: EAT – recipes, restaurants and reviews

May 22, 2013

WOW

By Wind Inspired

Here’s a funny little story.

I was having one of those “I have got it together, superwoman” kind of mornings.

I met girlfriends in the wee hours of the morning and cranked out a strong 4.5 miles.

Back at home, the kids and I did a 3 mile walk / beach clean-up. Some sea turtles are almost ready to hatch on our beach and we wanted to make sure there weren’t any tempting pieces of plastic for them to gobble up.

Showered, dressed and ready to take on the word, I went to fight the crowds at the local Marshalls. I needed to pick up a few gifts and frames and some of the kids’ favorite cookies.

With a full cart, and a very long check-out line, hunger hit. Not just hmmmm, I wonder what I should make for lunch? kind of hunger, but the I am tempted to gnaw on my own arm kind of hunger.

The check out lines in the TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Homegoods shops are well stocked with tempting must haves. Cute note cards, wrapping paper, socks, sunglasses…. items that if you stand there long enough and look at them, you will justify a need for them.

My eyes landed upon a brightly colored package. Big letters claimed that these chippy-cracker looking snacks were gluten-free. Perfect. I grabbed them.

As I unloaded my goods at the register, I realized that the wonderful, gluten-free snacks, the ones that I used every ounce of willpower I possessed to refrain from breaking into while waiting in line, were actually DOG TREATS. Seriously? How embarrassed would I have been paying for an opened, partially eaten bag of pet food without a poodle in my purse?

Mortified, I just placed the pet treats back on the rack, paid and high-tailed it out of there.

Hunger and embarrassment led me to delve into the human cookies that I’d purchased for the kids. Aside from home-baked, these are my kids’ absolute favorite gluten-free cookies. They are aptly named. No joke, the first time I bit into one of the chocolate chips cookies, mouth-full, I exclaimed “WOW.” They are that good. Soft, chewy, delicious.

The WOW company (With Out Wheat) makes a variety of cookies.

We are especially in love with the chocolate chip and snickerdoodle varieties. (They also come in peanut butter, lemon burst and ginger molasses)

wow cookie 1 wow cookie 2

In addition to the bagged cookies, the company also offers cookie dough, individually wrapped cookies, bakery tubs of fresh cookies and baking mixes. We can’t wait to try all of their products once we are back in the United States.

Check out their website to find WOW products in your area: http://www.wowbaking.com/

In Puerto Rico they are available in Marshalls stores in the cookware and snack area

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

March 4, 2013

Groovy Frosting

By Wind Inspired

We are back from our whirlwind trip to FL and SC, landing ourselves in March Madness – upcoming birthdays, spring break visitors, some racing, state math competitions and Easter. This will be one of those one-day-at-a-time months, not just for survival, but to truly enjoy the moments.

The best way to set that laid back tone? Stepping back into the seventies…..

70s photo

Fondue made for a really fun dinner party.

We enjoyed the sing-along to favorites…. Bye, bye Miss American Pie…..Let it be, let it be….. remember life before karaoke machines? Like when people played guitars and tambourines? (I know – the cell phone in the photo and the fact that they are reading music off of their ipad, kind of kills the ambiance – but otherwise, awesomely authentic.)

70s singing

The whole experience was not only a great date-night out, but my kids got into costuming us by researching clothes and hairstyles. We talked about tv shows from the seventies and the music. Once we move and are reunited with our costume box and CDs and photos and everything else we own, I will be instituting family decade nights. We will live and learn history with awesome attire, music and food – watch some classic television and movies – and learn about the events and inventions of the decade. I am already excited about the possibilities.

Back to the party….

We were celebrating a friend’s birthday who was born in the seventies and since it was a birthday, we ate cake.

I had great luck with a new and incredibly simple frosting recipe. (Thank you Pinterest.)

It covered a yellow cake and was dyed and frosted to create a tie-dyed peace sign.

And since they didn’t have Digital SLR cameras in the 70s, there are no photos.

Or maybe because I was so busy applying massive amounts of eye shadow and mascara, I forgot.

So here’s a cupcake wearing what was left over.

cupcake with white frosting

I am not usually a vanilla frosting kind of gal, most are too sugary for my liking, but this one had a sneaky ingredient and just when you taste the rich buttery sweetness you taste the hint of sea salt. Sweet, sweet, sweet and then just the tiniest bit salty.

___________________________________________________

VANILLA FROSTING

4 sticks butter (1 lb or 2 cups)

1 lb confectioners sugar (1 box)

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt (seriously – a tiny bit goes a long way)

  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes
  • Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the sugar (about 1/4 cup at a time)
  • Continue mixing and add the vanilla and salt.
  • Keep beating for another minute or two until smooth.
  • You will have a beautifully white frosting ready to spread on a cool cake.

Enjoy!

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in CELEBRATE - life's special moments, EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

February 8, 2013

Baked Potato Salad

By Wind Inspired

On this Friday afternoon I am listening to our Puerto Rico television stations broadcast New York blizzard warnings.

I am also finalizing my to-do list for our beach barbecue tomorrow.

While my children sleigh ride vicariously through their cousins, in reality we will be slapping on some sunscreen and boogie boarding.

So, what’s on the menu? Burgers, hot dogs, a variety of salads, fruit and lots of homemade desserts.

Today I share with you my family’s favorite potato salad recipe. Since none of us are fans of mayonnaise, I made some changes based on something we love – baked potatoes.

Baked potato salad

BAKED POTATO SALAD

1 bag of red potatoes (2.5 lbs)

1 lb thick cut bacon.

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt

salt, pepper and garlic powder

optional: spicy mustard

  • Wash and chunk red potatoes

Red Potatoes

  • Boil potatoes until soft, but still firm
  • Drain potatoes and allow to cool completely

Potato Salad

  • Fry bacon to very crisp
  • Cut bacon into small pieces

Bacon Bits

  • Grate 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese

grated cheddar cheese

  • When potatoes and bacon are cooled, gently fold together potatoes, sour cream, cheese and bacon. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
  • If you like a little extra zip, stir in some spicy mustard

Baked potato salad

Enjoy this as a side with any meal that you would normally serve potatoes (steaks, burgers, barbecue chicken, pulled pork, meatloaf)

2 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

January 31, 2013

The Best Bread Yet

By Wind Inspired

As I have posted many times before, we have a gluten-free home.

4/6 of our family members have Celiac Disease, so to keep a contamination-free kitchen, I only cook and bake with gluten-free ingredients. The glutenous among us enjoy their fill of breads and doughnuts and pizzas when we are out and about.

“Don’t you miss bread?” Is one of the most common questions I am asked.  The answer is yes and no. Take a look at my post Our Daily Bread, where I explore various brands and our failures, successes and favorites.

Even though we had found a multitude of tasty substitutes, one thing I really, really missed was a soft bread. One that doesn’t need toasting. One that doesn’t crumble. One that doesn’t get stale and dry within the hour. One that makes a perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And last week I discovered a recipe. It was so delicious, that even the few pieces I set aside to photograph were discovered and devoured by my children. Last night I made it again and had enough left over to photograph (and eat) a pb&j for breakfast today.

It is moist and springy and resembles the slight sweetness of Hawaiian Bread.

gluten free peanut butter and jelly sandwich

I found this recipe thanks to Pamela and her products.

Read about Pamela herself and check out her wide variety of products HERE. (We endorse the pancake mix as well!)

Pamela's products

I followed the recipe for sweet bread on the back of her 4lb bag of Bread Mix and Flour Blend.

I made the dough in my bread machine and then baked the dough in my oven. I did have to adapt the baking time. I also plan to try this recipe using other gluten-free flour brands – I will let you know how it goes.

Here is the recipe.

PAMELA’S SWEET BREAD

3 1/2 cups Pamela’s Bread/Flour Mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 packet 7g)

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup warm water

Please note: according to my bread machine directions, I place the wet ingredients first, then the flour, then the yeast.

  • Mix all the wet ingredients,  plus the sugar.
  • Pour into bread machine.
  • Add the flour to the bread machine.
  • Add the yeast to the bread machine.
  • Set the machine to the dough setting.
  • Occasionally peek at the progress, scraping down the sides if need be.
  • Remove the completed dough and place in a greased bread pan
  • Bake at 350 for 70 minutes. NOTE – Mine was done in 40ish minutes. Watch carefully.

bread

Where to find Pamela’s products?

In Puerto Rico: FRESHMART grocery stores.

In the United States: WHOLE FOODS, or find other RETAILERS near you.

Or, place an order ONLINE.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews, HEAL - living with chronic illness

January 22, 2013

Feeling chili?

By Wind Inspired

Have I ever mentioned that here in Puerto Rico our local news is from NY?

Every morning I know the traffic situations for the George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln Tunnel. I know which schools will be closed, if there’s a fire, or a break-in…. and before I even look out my own window, I know the temperature in my hometown on Long Island. Let’s just say that today’s report made me want to pull on another blanket and go back to sleep.

Brrrr!

But then I remember that I have 4 children and that I have to make lunches, and drive to school, and in reality, it looks like this outside:

beach

Okay, now before you hate me, let me counter that the weather isn’t always perfect. If we don’t use air conditioning everything gets damp and moldy.  Our electricity bill was once again over $700 last month. (For a very small 3 bedroom apartment.) We did win our fight with the electricity company, as they had been charging us for too many watts per month. This month the watts were back to normal and instead, the price per watt went up. Ugh.

In timing with cold weather, or warm weather, or just a busy schedule, I share a recipe that was requested by my kids.

(Note: I am striving to write and record at least 1 recipe a week in an effort to create and print a recipe book for my children. They have created a lengthy list of favorite foods for me to “teach” them how to cook. I keep threatening to leave my “at home” status and seek out a job at our next location. I think they are nervous that I might allow them to starve. In reality, I could just use a few extra bucks to keep my piranhas fed.)

I know that Chili means many things to many people. Beans. No Beans. Spicy. Really Spicy. White. Chicken. Vegetarian……

This is the chili that I cooked up years ago in an effort to create a hearty meal that young kids would be willing to eat (not too hot) and a Texan husband wouldn’t turn his nose up at (hot enough.) I suppose you can think of it as the Goldilocks and the Three Bears version of chili. I will say that I made 25 pounds of this for a luncheon in my husband’s squadron recently and there wasn’t a spoonful left.

chili

CHILI

2-3 lbs. Ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, pork…)

4  16oz. cans of beans drained (I use a variety as different beans contain different nutrients – I like to get them all – kidney, navy, pinto, black….)

1  28oz can of crushed tomatoes (more if you like it extra tomao-ey, or diced if you like tomato chunks)

1/3 – 1/2 cup chili powder (I don’t use pre-made seasoning packets as they usually contain gluten)

1/4 cup garlic powder or a few cloves of crushed garlic

1-2 tsp of pepper

**Secret ingredient: 1 28oz can of Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans

  • Brown the ground meat in a frying pan.
  • From this point on you can continue in a pot on the stove, or put ingredients in a crock pot.
  • Add the drained beans.
  • Add the tomatoes.
  • Add the seasonings.
  • Cook together for at least 30 minutes, or up to all day in a crock pot. Allow the beans and sauce to really soak up the seasonings.
  • 30 minutes before serving add the can of baked beans. Stir through and allow to warm.

The baked beans will offer just a bit of sweetness to counter the spiciness of the rest of the chili.

One of my favorite aspects of moving around the world is learning about the local foods. Chili and the way in which it is consumed varies all over the United States. I make a variety of serving suggestions – we have tried them all with equal pleasure.

Serve:

  • Over/with white rice
  • Over / with macaroni and cheese
  • With cornbread
  • With Fritos (really fun for the kids – buy individual Fritos bags, open them up and spoon the chili right into the bag! No bowl needed.)
  • As a filling for Baked Potatoes
  • On hot dogs

Accompaniments:

  • Sour Cream
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Jalapeños
  • Diced onions

Enjoy! And keep warm.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

January 10, 2013

LASITI – a supper snafu

By Wind Inspired

lasiti

Lasagna was on the menu.

The meat was browned.

The cheese mixture was prepared.

A large pot of water was boiling.

As I reached in the pantry for the lasagna noodles, I discovered that the box in my pasta drawer was mostly empty – used up in a previous lasagna endeavor. Only a few broken noodles remained. Not wanting the waste the ingredients or start dinner preparations over again, I boiled some pasta, mixed it all together, threw some cheese on top and baked it.

I apologized to my family as I served it up.

No need – it was a hit. A HUGE hit.

Lasiti was born.

If you would like to serve up this delicious, creamy, cheesy lasagna/baked-ziti-like dish, here are the basic directions.

___________________________________________________

LASITI

1 lb ground beef (or turkey, chicken or pork)

1 lb Italian sausage

Pasta sauce (your favorite jarred or homemade)

16 oz ricotta

8 oz cottage cheese

1 egg lightly beaten

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

garlic powder

fresh basil finely chopped

1-2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

16-20 oz dry pasta

  • pre heat oven to 350 degrees
  • grease a baking dish (9×12 or a deeper corningware)
  • brown the meats
  • combine the ricotta, cottage and parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, and basil
  • boil and drain the pasta according to package direction
  • mix together the pasta, cheeses, meat and sauce
  • place in the baking dish and top with grated parmesan cheese
  • bake at 350 for 30 minutes
  • serve hot

Enjoy!

PS – This wasn’t my only kitchen mistake of the week. Unfortunately, not all of them turned out so well. Look for some coconut tales in the near future.

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January 4, 2013

Eat, Heal, Run

By Wind Inspired

This morning I had a great workout. Let’s call it a Me-Myself-and-I Tri. 1/2 mile swim, 10 mile bike, 2 mile run. No clocks, no competition, just the enjoyment of the process. With holiday baking and 8 days of cruising behind me it feels great to get back into eating simple, fresh meals. (Okay – I DO miss the abundance of fresh strawberries, and the linen napkin in my lap, and a full week of no dishes, oh maybe I am supposed to just live my life plump and happy sailing the seven seas.)

With a break from homeschool and the Thanksgiving/Christmas festivities passed, I have some open hours of time and I am delighted to fill them with physical activity. Good. Clean. Sweat. My recent workouts have been a great time to clear my head, mentally prepare for the year ahead and set some very specific goals.

While EAT, RUN and HEAL are three different topics on my blog, they are so intertwined for me that when setting fitness goals for 2013, I couldn’t separate them.

While I certainly can’t control the impacts of autoimmune disease on my body, I can make positive choices, that I believe help with the daily frustrations and implications. These choices are simply: good rest, good exercise and good food. It is a direct cycle: when I don’t exercise, I carry extra weight (hard on my joints), I feel sluggish and I don’t sleep well. When I don’t sleep well, I am unmotivated to exercise or eat well. When I don’t eat well, I gain weight (making exercise frustrating) and I have a hard time sleeping with too much caffeine / sugar / carbs in my system.

Instead of making severe mandates, or creating huge year-long-goals, I decided to take it month by month. With very specific, measurable goals, I believe that I will stay motivated, see results and can adapt based on races, illness and what ever the US Air Force throws our way. Putting these goals in writing for all the world to see keeps me accountable – AND, might garner some support, ideas, recipes, etc. from you.

I kind of feel like I should insert a hideous before photo here, and then later update with a lovely, tanned, made-over me. Since this isn’t really an exercise of self loathing, I won’t subject any of us to a pathetic mug shot. Instead, here’s a current shot, make-up-less and hair soaked in sea water and wind-blown. Placed beside my young, fit daughter just accentuates my age and sagginess.

self portrait

Note: a need for better defined arms, no acknowledgement of shoulder blades, complete absence of abs, and a face and neck that are fuller than I like. I will try to capture some kind of visible progress in photos – don’t expect a bikini shot any time soon.

January fitness goals:

1) At least 30 minutes of exercise EVERY day.

2) Run/Walk total: 60 miles

3) Bike total: 50 miles

4) Swim total: 3 miles

5) Aim for 8+ hours of sleep a night.

6) Focus on real food – items that don’t need ingredient labels (fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds)

I have 2 races that I have registered and paid for. I know, from experience, that a race on the calendar has a direct impact on my fitness.

February 24, 2013: Disney Princess 1/2 marathon, Orlando, FL

March 17, 2013: VA Beach 1/2 marathon, Virginia Beach, VA

PLUS – my dear husband has a 1/2 Ironman scheduled for March 17th – so I will have a supportive partner in my aching muscles and need for early bed times.

Look for writing in all areas of health and fitness as the weeks progress – frustrations and accomplishments, as well as some healthy recipes that are fun for the whole family as well a few treats that reward all the hard work. (Seriously – if the promise of a chocolate cupcake gets me out of bed and through a ten-mile run, well – I will be making cupcakes.)

What are your fitness goals? Upcoming races? Successful recipes made from real food?

Here’s to good health in 2013!

4 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in ABOUT - life, motherhood, marriage, EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews, HEAL - living with chronic illness, RUN - training and racing

December 10, 2012

Only one of me…

By Wind Inspired

“There’s only one of me,” sighed the mother

…who woke up at 2:30 am to the calls “Mommy I think I might throw up.”

…who woke up again at 6:30 am to find that the refrigerator stopped working, the ice cream was mush and the meat defrosted. Oh, and water puddled on the floor.

…who cleaned the entire kitchen from top to bottom including doing laundry and a load of dishes so that all would be spic-and-span for the refrigerator repairman arriving at 9:oo am.

…who got the news that the refrigerator repairman couldn’t make it at 9:00 am, but a temporary fridge was on the way.

…who moved the dining room furniture to squeeze another refrigerator into an already snug apartment.

…who made and delivered breakfast and a smoothie to a 14-year-old daughter who is stuck in her bed.

…who  tried to work her magic and make the food in a large fridge fit inside a small one, to include the excessive amounts of butter purchased for holiday baking and the milk that may or may not have gone sour overnight, but no one will volunteer to smell or sample it.

…who needs to administer antibiotics at 8:00 am and alternating pain killers every three hours and antibiotics again at 8:00 pm.

…who just sat down to convince a small boy that “Yes, we will do our school work even though life is a little hectic today” at the EXACT moment when the repairman showed up.

…who tried to explain to the repairman, en Espanol, what is wrong with the fridge whilst the small boy conveniently disappeared.

…who ran to a squealing daughter with visions of further injury in her mind, only to find that a bird almost flew in her open window, but didn’t.

…who tried to get the little boy to focus on spelling and math and reading amid the excitement of a repairman, melting ice cream and birds almost flying into the apartment.

…who played nurse while opening bandages and cleaning wounds.

…who decided that it is better to finish making the cake balls in the fridge rather than throw it all away due to the refrigerator fiasco.

…who concluded that chocolate cake balls taste unbelievably similar to Dunkin Donuts’ Munchkins. And they are Gluten Free. This is wonderful news if you are taste buds. Not if you are hips.

…who tried to convince the aforementioned small boy that while it is certainly possible that he will get to be a full-time, professional Lego builder or cartoon watcher someday, today he is going to do word problems and show his work.

…who went to her immobilized daughter’s calls 27 times to move a pillow, bring a beverage, bring a snack, take away a plate, help to the bathroom, reposition leg, answer the phone, watch something funny on tv… and this doesn’t include the time there was a bird that wasn’t really there.

…who realized that it was time to pick up two more daughters from the bus, and think about dinner preparations and homework and when she will squeeze in some Christmas wrapping and photo editing and painting…

…who almost missed the bus pick up because for the first time in 5 months the bus was early. Really early.

…who noticed that the front left tire on the minivan is low.

…who anxiously awaits her pilot to return home, so that instead of only one of me there will be two of us.

_____________________________________________________

Cake Balls That Taste Remarkably Like Munchkins

_____________________________________________________

cake balls

Don’t ever say that I didn’t warn you.

1. Betty Crocker (gluten-free or regular) chocolate cake mix (baked according to direction in a 9×12 in pan)

2. Betty Crocker chocolate frosting in a can (you will need 1/2 – full can)

3. Powdered sugar

_________________________________________________

- Bake the cake.

- Allow the cake to fully cool

- Break apart the cake in a bowl with a fork. This is fun for kids. You basically want tiny cake crumbs.

- Add frosting a big spoonful at a time and stir.

- Stop adding frosting when everything is well combined and a very thick consistency and more cake than frosting. (You don’t want any big lumps of cake or frosting.)

- Refrigerate, covered, for one hour or up to 2 days.

- Roll cake/frosting mixture into bite-sized balls

- Roll in powdered sugar when you are ready to serve

1 comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in ABOUT - life, motherhood, marriage, EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

November 21, 2012

CRANBERRIES …from a Can

By Wind Inspired

Cranberries from a can.

This should be read with an accompanying wince, or moan, or sigh.

It is Thanksgiving week and here in Puerto Rico I have searched far and wide for a few bags of fresh cranberries. The commissary on the Army post, the store that is known for bringing American favorites to families all over the world, doesn’t have one single berry. Today at a local grocery store I found two bags. TWO. There wasn’t even a display – they were just tossed next to the sweet potatoes, on top of a few hundred bags of marshmallows. Based on the mushy, moldy contents, I’d wager that they’ve been in a store-room since last year.

And so, this will be forever known as the year without the cranberries.

Don’t get me wrong, I grabbed a few cans. And I am sure that on my forkful of turkey and gravy and stuffing, the bit of berries will offer their usual sweet tang.

But it won’t be the same.

I love food. All food. And I am not particular about when or where or what day I eat it. Breakfast for dinner? Yum! Pizza for Christmas – sounds great! Leftover spaghetti for breakfast? No problem.

But on the fourth Thursday of November I am pretty adamant about what should be on the table.

I was spoiled at an early age.

My Aunt MaryAnn is an outstanding hostess.

She would start cooking days ahead of time. Every morsel on her beautifully set table was made from scratch.

While I have never had any of her recipes written down from me, I cook them from memory; the rich flavors ingrained on my taste buds.

For weeks I have been designing my Thanksgiving menu with as much anticipation as my children making their Christmas lists.

I invite friends, the more the merrier.

To be honest, the more people, the more side dishes and desserts I can justify.

Oh, I long for the days of Thanksgiving past…. some years we fed up to 80 guests. I was in my glory.

Tomorrow we will be a jolly 10 – with 4 more for dessert, and maybe a few strangers that I invite in off the beach.

I can’t help myself.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year.

There are no gifts. No expectations or disappointments (except maybe the cranberries.)

It’s about friends and family and food – and being thankful for such blessings.

Here is our menu for 2012.

Beverages

Warm Apple Cider (rum optional)

Cranberry Cocktails

Soda, Wine, Beer, Water

Dinner

Roasted Turkey & Gravy

Coca Cola Ham

Mashed Golden Potatoes

Sausage Stuffing

Roasted Yams and Carrots with Honey Glaze

 Cauliflower

Green Bean Casserole

Baked Corn

Ambrosia

Cornbread

 Cranberries from a can

Dessert

Peanut Butter Balls

Tri-Colored Cookies

Pecan Pie Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Gingerbread Crust

Apple Crisp

Brownies & Blondies

Fruit

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Whipped Cream

______________________________________________________

Tonight it’s pizza for dinner while I try to keep the kids (and the husband) out of the kitchen.

I promise they aren’t in there to help – just to steal samples.

May you be blessed this Thanksgiving!

5 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in CELEBRATE - life's special moments, EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

September 29, 2012

Self Portraits and Strawberry Frosting

By Wind Inspired

We are experiencing technical difficulties, please stand by. ALL WEEK LONG! I don’t have that kind of patience.

One of the reasons I started writing a blog was to force me to learn the technical aspect of web function and design. I have been really pleased with my steep learning curve – until this week. Even with the help of WordPress technical support, I was completely locked up. Thankfully, I am married to computer geek genius. Systems are up and running and I am making up for lost time.

Sit down and be forewarned that I have a “to post” list a mile long – and a quiet weekend planned.

Now that my girls are out of elementary school, the days of Art Class are over. As a mother with an art degree, this causes me great pain. I think back to my extremely lucky days of middle school when I had constant exposure to multiple forms of the arts: theater, graphic design, wood working, chorus, band, music theory….

So, what is a mother to do? Well, invite over friends and turn the dining table into an art studio.

This week: Self Portraits.

The art teacher in me has few simple theories.

My #1 is: I believe that the words “That doesn’t look like a (fill in noun here)” is exactly what turns a child off art. The obsession with making a drawing look like something is killing creative spirits everywhere. Cameras are for photo realism. Pencils and paintbrushes and clay and collage and fabric and paper mache are for releasing ideas and images that only exist in our heads.

The purpose of the assignment was to create a portrait that didn’t look like them, but represented them. I wanted them to let go of the anxiety over recreating their own eyes and noses and mouths exactly – and instead tell me who they were, on the inside. The materials included an 11×14 canvas board, acrylic paints, permanent markers, magazines, and decoupage medium. They were free to use them as they saw fit.

Technically, we focussed on basic use of the materials, thinking about layers and texture, and proper cleaning and care of equipment.

My goal was to instill confidence in creative expression and think about what unique things make up their identity.

The girls sketched and painted.

While they paged through magazine, they talked about what represents them. Words, objects, ideas….

I am in love with their final results!

Caitlyn

Gabbie

Grace

Victoria

And how do we reward hours of creativity?

Cupcakes with homemade strawberry frosting!

STRAWBERRY FROSTING

1 cup fresh strawberries (or frozen, thawed)

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

  • Place strawberries in a blender; puree until smooth.
  • Transfer strawberry puree to a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar; stir often for about 20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • In a bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Beat 1 cup confectioners’ sugar into butter until blended.
  • Add 2 tablespoons strawberry puree and vanilla extract into butter mixture and continue to beat until blended.
  • Repeat steps with powdered sugar and strawberry puree.
  • Mix until blended.
  • Pipe or spread onto your favorite cake or cupcake.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in CAPTURE - photography, EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

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