family meals are priority one: what I'm letting slide to get it done...

With school and work ramping up these days (a nice problem to have, but I have to admit to being a little overwhelmed as most parents may be these days...) I've had to let a few things slide to keep up the really important stuff-like family meals...

• combing my daughter's hair (there, I said it... occasioanally we do a surface-comb, but ponytails hide many sins...)

• vacuuming

• mowing the lawn (since the kid who was doing it went back to school we are living in a jungle...)

• bi-weekly grocery runs (we're down to one for fresh and one for non-perishables. I dislike having to shop at two places, but do...)

• daily blogging

• unpacking (why bother, I'll just need to pack in a few weeks again)

• ambition with cooking- remember that doing family meals is a marathon, not a sprint. When things get crazy, I rely on easy, quick standards, quick pan-cooked meats with glazes, mac-n-cheese, couscous, more cut-up raw veggies, I buy pre-washed salads, we might eat out more, eat more left-overs, do the giant crock-pot meal and eat it for 3 days. I tend not to try new recipes...

• tidying up- inside and out-my yard looks like a plastic obstacle course. Orange cones, hula-hoop, bike, helmet... tumble-weeds of cat-hair.

• laundry. the mega-loads that take 30 minutes to fold...

• exercise (I need to get the walking routine going again. Will walk tomorrow after a meeting.)

What do you prioritize and let slide?

Readers let me know, what are your useless kitchen gadgets? Are "produce bags" one of them?

I'm as much of a sucker as the next gal. I watch the Slap n Chop infomercials and think, "I could make salsa, lots of it! I use onions all the time, this will make it so much easier!" Ditto the Vidalia chop thingy above. I watch the Food Network occasionally and saw Sandra Lee during Money Saving Meals use it all the time. I forget that the thing is always on the counter, and someone else is there to clean it up. By the time I have gotten up on a chair to get *Gadget down, put it together, wash it, put it back away, it is definitely NOT a time-saver. Maybe if I had a massive kitchen with unlimited storage...

A few batches of salsa later, and a few onions down and the thing is just collecting dust now. My Target Santoku knife does the job pretty well.

Gadgets/extras I have that I don't use:

Slap n' Chop

Vidalia Onion Chopper

lemon juicer (handle thingy)

food processor

bread machine

compost bin (I've taken to just using a big bowl that is easier to wash...)

Gadgets I love:

rice cooker

rotating cheese grater thing (like at Olive Garden)

chip clips

salad spinner

waffle iron

griddle (not a gadget, but a special pan...)

fondu pot (annual cheese blowout, broth and veggies, chocolate dessert)

cheese slicer (handle with a wire)

water bubbler

mortar and pestle (herbs and Chai tea time...)

immersion blender (with little container to "process" food)

Gimmicky thing I really want to buy, but want to hear from you all. Do any of you use those Produce Bags (As Seen on TV!) that are supposed to make your lettuce etc last 5 times longer? Do they work? Are they a gimmick?

Sneaky chef or using leftovers?

I love carrots and peas, but not the leftovers so much. I had not meal planned and was scrounging around for dinner. The last two times we ate out were such a pain in the butt that I am on a break for awhile– long waits, mixed up orders, too much money for the value (Bucca di Beppos.)

Anyway, so I found a pound of grass-fed ground beef (was $4 a pound, so is a cheaper way to do grass fed...) in the freezer, an onion and tomato sauce.

I thawed the beef, chopped and sauteed the onion, added the tomato sauce, a teaspoon of Italian herbs, a little salt, sugar and pepper and simmered away stirring occasionally.

What to serve for side? The leftover carrots were staring at me in the fridge and making me feel guilty. I dislike throwing out food, but I really dislike eating unappealing food just because "I should"- for any reason (nutritional or otherwise.)

So, I tried mashing up the carrots and peas and stirred them into the sauce. (I have a crappy food processor and it's hard to get out of the cupboard, so I just hand mashed it.)

Verdict?

The sauce was awesome! M ate it, even D ate it and he's not a fan of ground beef. M noticed some chunks of carrots in there. She asked, "Why are there carrots in here?"

I said, "That's how I made them tonight. Tell Daddy about your playdate!" She went right on eating.

Feeding tip:

I get the question about "sneaking" foods into mac n cheese or brownies a lot. In general, I don't think it's a great idea. If you are "sneaking" or "tricking" then there isn't the expectation of mastery. Woe is the mom whose kid finds out about the spinach in the brownies! It can REALLY backfire and slow down the process of learning to like new foods. (Plus, what a hassle! Moms describe having to grind up foods at night, or secretly, and be sure to hide any evidence of the offending agent.)

My concession would be if you are dealing with serious sensory integration or texture acceptance or medical/oral motor issues, or if your child is nutritionally not cutting it, then supporting good feeding practices with purees or smoothies is an option during the transition.

For most typically developing kids going through a picky stage or reacting negatively to feeding pressure, sneaking hurts more than it helps. I would also be very careful not to lie, remember the feeding model I work and live in isn't called the Trust Model for nothing!

Purees can boost the nutritional value and flavor, so feel free to use them, but remember to check in with your motives and if you are sneaking to add flavor and variety and boost nutrition, or to get around working on feeding issues or taking the easy road (for now.)

If you sneak, be sure to keep offering the real thing over and over, without pressure in a pleasant and structured setting (preferably family meals) so your kids can learn to like new foods.

Do you have sneaky confessions? Do you "sneak" and will you keep doing it? Did it help in a transition period?

things I used to peel but don't anymore and things I can't believe people don't peel

Things I used to peel but don't anymore:

• carrots- Thanks to chef and cook-book author-extraordinaire, Brenda Langton of Spoonriver who looked at me funny when I mentioned , "I taught a cooking class for my diabetic patients, and most had never chopped an onion or peeled a carrot."

"You don't have to peel carrots, especially if they are organic," she said. Liberated!

I was googling a picture of "carrots" to go with this post, and "Carrot-top" (for my overseas friends, a not very funny comedian from the 1980's) popped up. Enjoy the flashback!

• mushrooms: don't ask me why, my mom did it when I was growing up, so I thought that's what you did...

• asparagus: again, thanks mom...

Things I can't believe people don't peel (OK, I could only come up with one, it's Friday, folks!)

• kiwis

What do you peel or don't peel?

pan pork chops and convenience foods

These are soooo good and pretty easy. I buy about 1 inch thick, bone-in pork chops.

Easy Peasy Pan Pork Chops: total time 20 minutes

pork chops-1 inch thick
garlic paste
olive oil
salt and pepper
chicken broth

Heat the pan with about 2 Tbspns olive oil to medium/high. Add chops. They should sizzle, but not pop and sputter or smoke. Might need to turn the heat down if it starts to smoke or burn. Cook about 6-8 minutes. put small amount of garlic paste on each chop (1/4 tspn) and smear it on with a butter knife. Flip, sear about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't burn. Add about 1/4 cup chicken broth. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Can take off top to evaporate some of the broth. Remove chops onto plate and cover with foil. Scrape any brown bits off with a wooden spatula, add more broth if you want. Can add any juices from the pork back into the pan.Usually this is the right amount of time to cook the pork. A tiny bit pinkish is OK. If you're new to cooking, you might consider buying an instant read meat thermometer. It can take out the guess-work. Or, you can just cut one open and see if it's done- old school!

Also, use a non-stick pan, and tongs with silicone so they don't scratch the pan.

Yummy with veggie, mashed potatoes. (squash, green beans,brocolli) you can make plain sides and make a little extra sauce if you want!

We had them with Alexia frozen crinkle cut fries, sugar snap peas and salad last night. We were out late playing at the park and I needed to get dinner on the table. It's nice to have a quick protein like this pork dish and have one side in the oven while you put together a salad. I also just served cold, fresh sugar snap peas that we ate plain. It was liberating not to feel like I had to cook a veggie every night (like I had growing up.)

How do you do things differently than you had growing up? Are you simplifying or doing more?

simmer sauces make dinner quick

This is a really nice simmer sauce that is mild, but flavorful (meaning my 4 year old will eat it, and she has a pretty low spice threshold.)

Quick Tikka Masala dinner

one med onion

chicken breasts (or thigh) or left-over pulled chicken (cut up)

one jar simmer sauce

peas optional

olive oil

1 can 14 ounce tomato sauce

Sautee one chopped onion (usually over medium heat) and chicken breast (or thigh) until onions are soft and glistening and chicken is cooked almost through. Stir in the tomato sauce and Tikka simmer sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes, can stir in frozen peas and bring back to a simmer and serve.

sides:

brown or white rice (use a rice cooker if you have it) brown rice takes almost 2 hours in my rice cooker.

broccoli (microwave or steam in sauce pan)

We like lots of sauce which is why I stretch this dish with tomato sauce. You can also serve it with leftover pork or steak. Do you have a favorite simmer sauce?

hot dogs and corn-keepin' it real

I slacked off on my meal-planning this week and found myself at four o'clock after a busy day at work wondering what was for dinner.
Ellyn Satter says in order to be a home cook for the long-haul, you have to let go of the "food snob" mentality. I grew up in a home with a meat, starch, salad, veggie EVERY night. (Mom, I don't know how you did it...) Consequently, I feel like a bit of a failure if I don't do the same. A strange thing then happens. I don't feel like I can put together a balanced, "complete" meal, so we go out, or get take-out, which is likely to be way more expensive and also not likely to be balanced. I saw a similar dynamic when I taught cooking classes for my diabetic patients. They were so wary of adding any fat to their cooking-even a few tablespoons of olive oil to cook some veggies- that they gave up, didn't know what to do and ended up eating out and choosing meals with far higher fat content and less balance.
So, I went to the freezer and pulled out our favorite all-natural beef uncured hot-dogs with whole wheat sandwich buns that we rolled around the dogs. We ate corn and peas (M's favorite) and had some fruit with it all. We do the best we can. We all really like this meal and it was way better than what we would have ordered from the corner diner or take-out.
What are your favorite freezer or pantry meals? Are you a food snob? How do you cook and work or take care of kids every night?

home-made salad dressing

See Martha Stewart's idea for using up that last bit of dijon...

I would just add some white wine vinegar or white balsamic with some olive oil and a blob of honey and shake. (About 3 to 1 oil to vinegar...) I prefer a little extra vinegar, but 3:1 is the classic. Thanks for sending this my way Tilney!

food-the best gift ever

My Mom was in town close to my birthday recently. The dreaded "What do you want for your birthday?" came up. Our home is small, so I insisted nothing I had to find a place for. Nothing I can't consume or throw away. Then I said it, "Can you cook for me and freeze a couple meals?" I was going to be away working during parts of the visit and Mom put on the apron and filled my freezer with pouches of hearty beef stew, silky vegetable soups, spaghetti sauces and more. It was the BEST GIFT EVER!!!

Families are busy, and anything that can help get a home-made, delicious meal on the table quickly is amazing. Can't tell you how great it was on a busy day to pull out a soup, bake a loaf of bread and make a salad. Thanks Mom! It wasn't just food, it was a gift of sanity and more time to enjoy with my family.

Would you feel comfortable asking your family and friends to help out with a few meals? What about a meal circle? A gift for a new mom, or a mom in transition with work, marriage, housing?

what we've eaten this week so far...

I just met with a great group of mom friends. One mom said she is just not creative in the kitchen. Here are a few thoughts. (A great book is Secrets to Feeding a Healthy Family-Satter, or Quick Fix Meals- Robin Miller.)

Sometimes I meal plan around grocery items that are on sale. Sometimes I don't meal plan and rely on my freezer. (Tuesday night) This can be dangerous if you don't have a well stocked freezer. See post earlier in the week with frozen pizza, frozen soup and veggies...)
bulk buys I needed to use up: green beans, cucumbers, mushrooms

Sunday:

lunch: rotisserie chicken (sometimes you just can't face another sandwich,) home-made bread, cheese, ham, carrots, cucumbers and ranch

dinner: veggie stir-fry with shrimp (mushrooms, bean sprouts, broccoli) and rice

Monday:

rotisserie chicken leftovers with mushrooms and tomato sauce on tortellini (store-bought) and oven-roasted green beans, home-made bread

Tuesday:

(see photo) leftover frozen pulled pork (from a crock pot meal) heated with chicken broth served on whole wheat rolls with BBQ sauce or ketchup, cooked green beans, tomatoes and cucumbers with home-made ginger dressing

Wednesday:

tuna noodle casserole (using the mushrooms)

I used something from each dinner in M's lunch box. Stir fry one day, tomato sauce and rice in a thermos, green beans in a thermos...

How to make a red sauce using left-over meat.

sautee in oil one chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic

add meat (chopped small chicken, beef, pulled pork)

add one large can of crushed tomatoes

add 1/2 tspn Italian herbs and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve on pasta and can use parmesan cheese...

prep when you can

Anything you can get done before the "witching hour" as my neighbor and mom-of-three calls 4-6 pm roughly, is a big help.

I work a lot from home, so I can chop potatoes while I'm waiting for my afternoon coffee to brew (cut the potatoes up small so they cook more quickly, buy organic with thin skin so you don't even have to peel them to make mashed potatoes...) or I can wash lettuce while I'm making lunch.

I put the chopped potatoes, or washed and chopped asparagus, broccoli etc into the pan with water and lid into the fridge, and then take the whole thing out and put it straight onto the stove when its time to cook. When my daughter was at home full-time, I also prepped food at the kitchen table while she sat and ate her snack. We chatted happily while I peeled and chopped carrots etc. Can you take the fish out of the freezer to thaw for dinner before work? Can you pop some ingredients into a crock pot? (Maybe make a roast with a 2 or 3 ingredient sauce and have some quick microwavable sides for when you get home?) 

In other words, if you can break meal prep down into tasks and get some of them out of the way in advance, you can stay at the park that extra five minutes on the way home from daycare or summer camp...

What tricks do you use? Remember my frozen onion trick?

pantry-creep

Our pantry has spread from a few cupboards to every spare surface in our rather small kitchen. Those lovely built-ins that had fancy cooking magazines and tasteful pottery when we toured our house-to-be have been taken over by oats, crackers, beans, salsa, refried beans, pickles, condiments, malt-o-meal, rice, pasta, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, basket of crafty things for M, broth, jams, mango nectar...

With the added space, I can buy several of any item and be less likely to run out. I was even ambitious with my label-maker and made signs like "beans," "tomato," "rice" but I admit that organization didn't last long, and have resorted to shoving that packet of rice-mix behind the extra ketchup. It seems to work. A well-stocked pantry makes meal prep, meal planning, and meal rescue (last-minute scurrying) easier. 

One tip with packaged rice-mixes (like Spanish rice, or Knorr, rice-a-roni etc...) I like the ease, but often find them a little too salty. Try to only put in half the flavor package. It still adds a nice flavor, but you have a quick side-dish that isn't too salty or overpowering when you're in a hurry. (For another quick, tasty side-dish, try couscous made with broth...) 

evenings at the park and meal planning

These lovely days make getting dinner on the table even harder. I pick M up from daycare/preschool at 4, and its so nice outside we often head to the park to play. 

Problem is trying to get home in time so I can work on dinner. Sometimes its 5:45 and we're still having a blast at the park. 

Last night it happened, but I had an easy dinner planned.

Whole Foods does these great little meatloafs for 6.99 a pound. (Usually ends up being about $9.) I baked it a few nights ago and we had Italian meatloaf with beans and mashed potatoes. (Initial bake takes 50-55 minutes, so not a last-minute meal.)

We eat less than half the first time around, so last night when we got home at 6, I put on a pot to boil for pasta and crumbled the left-over meatloaf, added some tomato sauce and served it with spaghetti and parmesan. I had enough leftover today for 2 lunches. 8 portions of protein from a $9 meatloaf, not bad!

Whole Foods Meatloaf sauce

time 15 minutes

Heat 12 inch skillet over med-high heat. Dice 1 medium onion and fry in 1 Tbsn olive oil until limp and soft. Add crumbled left-over meatloaf, 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce and 1 can of diced tomatoes. Stir and simmer (turn down heat) until pasta is done. No need to season as the meat has plenty of herbs etc. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired! 

Yummy and fast for those nights you can't drag them away from the park!

Kids say the darndest things (bonus joke!)

Swinging M at the park yesterday, I breathed in the heady aroma of Spring and exclaimed, "Doesn't it smell great! Smell the blossoms!"

The kid next to M, maybe age 4 deadpans:

"No, that was me, I just farted."

Thanks for indulging the potty humor!

apricot ginger glazed pork (day #2 ginger)

Apricot Ginger Glazed Pork 

adapted from Cooking Light magazine

time 20 minutes

4 boneless pork, center cut or chops (can do chicken or beef)

1/4 cup  chopped onion (see link for time-saving tip)

1/4 cup apricot preserves

2 tspn minced (tube) ginger (or garlic)

2 Tbspn soy sauce

splash of chicken or beef broth (see post about broth uses)

Heat a large, non-stick skillet over med-high heat.  Add cooking spray or a Tbspn of olive or canola oil. Add pork to pan, cook about 6 min on each side (longer if really thick, or shorter if thin to save time.) Remove from pan and cover. (Can cut one open to be sure its cooked. It should not be pink in the middle.) If this is all new to you, you might have to put the pork back in the pan, or it might be over-cooked on occasion. Learning to cook takes practice, don't give up!

Add pre-chopped onion to pan, saute 4 min or until lightly browned and soft. Using a wooden or other non-scratch spoon, stir in jam, soy sauce, ginger (add broth if you want a little more sauce.) Add pork back to the pan and heat through. Serve and enjoy.

This was SO good. We all enjoyed this with rice and broccoli. M liked the sauce over her rice and veggies. So far 2 for 2 on the ginger paste recipes...

GINGER SESAME SALAD DRESSING: Day 1 of ginger week (or how to justify spending $4.99 on a convenience product...)

I try to find convenience items that save time and taste good but I've had a hard time. For example,  I haven't been a huge fan of bottled garlic. I just don't think it tastes like what I want. It only takes about 3 minutes to peel a clove and grate it into a recipe, so I take the time.

This Gourmet Garden ginger paste is another try. It was expensive at $4.99 and did have some ingredients other than ginger, but I justified it by convincing myself its for "work." So, I'm going to try to use up the whole tube in the next 2 weeks so I don't waste it. Here is recipe #1. 

Ginger-sesame dressing (adapted from Vegetarian Planet)

prep time 5-10 minutes

1 1/2 Tbspn fresh ginger, minced or from the tube...

1 small garlic clove, crushed or grated (yes, they mean SMALL clove!)

1 Tbspn smooth dijon mustard

3 Tbspn apple cider vinegar

1/4 tspn ground pepper (or to taste... I do a little less)

1/2 tspn salt (I did a little less)

2 Tbspn sugar

1 1/2  Tbspn sesame oil

1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)

I started this in a bowl, but changed to just dump all the ingredients in a jar with a top and then put the top on and shook it well. Then I stored the dressing in the fridge to use again.

This was a huge hit. M enjoyed dipping raw veggies into this one. Its always good to have different dips for kids with veggies. The right dip can be the bridge to expanding accepted veggies for picky eaters. 

I thought the dressing would be a little zingy for M, but she loved it. I also made a salad and will have another one tomorrow (already have the lettuce washed.) One tip if you're having salad and you need to make it more filling/add protein is to add boiled eggs. Tomorrow we're having vegetarian pizza and I'll make a salad with some boiled eggs. The ginger paste was a hit for this recipe. Tasted fresh, right consistency and a time-saver.

Do you have any favorite convenience foods that taste great?

What if my kid is skipping breakfast?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Kids who skip breakfast are not only hungry, but have difficulty concentrating, have more behavioral problems, have lower energy and are heavier in the long term. I remember as a physician seeing teenage girls who would pass out at school. We ended up doing EKGs (heart rhythm tracings to rule out heart problems), full neurological exams, possibly even neurology referrals, and most of the time the verdict was that the girls were skipping meals to try to lose weight.

 What happened to breakfast?

Since the 70's, as the percentage of Americans qualifying as overweight and obese have increased, breakfast consumption has dropped considerably. 

First, look at why breakfast is not happening in your home. Is your child sleeping late? Is no one else having breakfast at home? Are there breakfast foods available? Is your child on a swim or hockey team with early morning practices? (I used to swim early mornings and couldn't eat breakfast, but made sure I had something for right after.) 

Then, problem-solve. If your child has to make a 7 am bus, time might be tight in the morning. Think about moving bed-time up by 20 -30 minutes to start (you can do this gradually.) You might pack back-packs and pre-pack lunches the night before. It takes some work and planning, but it really is THAT important to have breakfast. 

Next job is to get back into the habit of eating breakfast. Depending on your child's age and resistance, this might mean starting with something appealing to the child, or something that can be eaten in the car on the way to school. Maybe take your older child with you shopping and brainstorm a few options that you can have on hand. (Remember, a very young child should not be making decisions about what to eat, but an older child might appreciate some input.) 

How about a breakfast bar and milk in a thermos or a milk-box? A protein/granola bar? A bagel with cream cheese and a bottle of juice smoothie? A pop-tart and milk? PB &J?  A baggie of dry cereal and milk? Trail-mix and juice? A banana and a protein bar? If you swing by for fast-food, can you find something with protein, fat and carbs? A breakfast egg burrito with milk? An egg-McMuffin with ham and milk? (A sugar load like maple syrup, pancakes and juice will leave your kids hungry sooner and with an energy low, add some milk and its getting better, and way better than nothing.)

Once you have your child back into the habit of eating something, you can branch out and increase variety and maybe have better luck getting her to sit at the table. Can you sit with your child 3 mornings a week? Can you start brewing coffee at home to save 10 minutes on the Starbucks run to save money and maybe toast a frozen waffle and serve it with some banana slices and milk? My kid loved cinnamon raisin toast for awhile with butter and a glass of milk.

Remember, if you're facing feeding challenges, think first of adding, rather than taking away. Be positive, start from where you are, whether its pop-tarts and you add milk and a banana, or if you're making home-made flax pancakes. 

quick dinner ideas

One thing I hear from clients is that pasta is almost always a favorite food for even picky eaters. You might consider introducing new flavors through familiar routes, like these ravioli or tortellini. Serve a favorite sauce with new pasta, or find a favorite pasta and try different sauces like pesto or marinara. Consider warming up a few small portions and letting your child dip penne or other pasta into different sauces. Make a pasta buffet one night so everyone can chose from two pastas, and two or three sauces and cheeses. (You can buy small amounts of grated cheeses...) Don't forget to back off the pressure and have fun! Maybe make it a traditional Thursday night event.

We serve this ravioli (Sunrise-available at our local Mississippi Market) a few ways. For a quick dinner- with jarred marinara or left-over home-made sauce. Can also serve with olive oil and grated parmesan or toss some into chicken soup.

 We may not eat them all at one dinner, so we often pack some away still frozen in a plastic bag, lable with contents and cooking directions or rip off the pertinent info form the packaging and include in the bag. These are frozen which makes them even more convenient to stock up on for last-minute dinners. 

budget friendly family cooking ideas

I really like this post with great specifics and examples of cooking for a family on a budget. Check it out. Inspiring! 

Quick Honey-dijon dressing. VIDEO!! woo-hoo

Its video time! No rehearsal, no tripod, no lighting... but here it is, my first video-recipe. This is a great first home-made salad dressing if you're new to it.

I learned to cook largely from watching my mom so I thought this casual, real-time video would be helpful. One of my complaints about most recipes is they're too complicated for new cooks, have too many implements to clean or too many ingredients for a weeknight. This FFD Quick Honey-Mustard salad dressing has only 4 ingredients and is done in less than 1 minute. (The video is over two minutes because I like to ramble.) Mix the dressing in the bowl you plan to serve your salad. In a hurry? Add a bag of pre-washed lettuce, throw in a couple cherry tomatoes, some Craisins and toss. You can get as simple or fancy as you want. Stop by the salad bar on the way home for shredded carrots or pre-sliced veggies with your rotisserie chicken. Still way cheaper than buying a complete salad for one for $8... Snip in a little fresh dill if you have the time and inclination. Once summer comes, farmers' markets have lots of fresh, cheap lettuce that is locally grown.

Ingredients: dijon mustard, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey

My husband grew up eating bottled dressings,  while I grew up in a house that never had bottled dressings. Consequently, Hidden Valley ranch is a huge treat for me, and home-made is a treat for my husband. With a 'best of both worlds attitude,' we make home-made but also have some ranch on hand for quick dipping.

 M loves this dressing, and is now starting to eat salads. (Lettuce can be tricky for some kids in terms of texture.) She accepted other raw veggies long before lettuce. She's a little funny about only wanting the "light green" parts, but she enjoys salads with us. This is a nice sauce for dipping veggies too. 

M often helps squeeze the honey in, or stir the sauce, but I wasn't sure how that would work on video (and I don't want to use her when at 3 its not really her choice...)

 White balsamic is my new go-to vinegar. Sweet and acidic, and its not brown which can be a little unappealing with some foods with straight Balsamic.

magic eraser, I LOVE IT

I should get stock. I love these magic erasers. I felt a little like a cleaning commercial the first time I used these and took fingerprints/smudges off the walls and trim. I was "Oo-ing and Ah-ing" and wearing a smile as I flitted about looking for things to clean.

It also cleans some of the really hard caked on stuff from my Pyrex roaster pan and my ceramic crock pot insert. (I don't think its safe on Teflon or no-stick finishes...) It gets bath tubs really clean, and my in-laws swear by it in their RV. (I spent half an hour scrubbing our OLD and refinished tub with sponge and cleaner. I took this guy to the stains and they were gone in ten seconds without any toxic cleaner smell.) It has cleaned pretty much everything I've tried it on. I use one for kitchen that I can reuse a few times, and another for bathrooms etc.  Do be careful as they are abrasive, but they truly are magic!