2013 - Page 2 of 18 - Forever In Mom Genes

Chimichurri Garlic Bread

Nov 20 2013

Hello chimichurri sauce. Where have you been all my life? We first met at a restaurant and you had me at the first savoury mouthful. Then I made you at home and put you on my chicken breasts. (That sounds wrong somehow, but at least I didn’t say pork loins!). Then I spread you on a warm loaf of garlic bread and introduced you to my girlfriends at Games Night. You made us swoon. You’re one little hottie of an appetizer, but it’s also possible that I got slightly carried away with the red chili pepper flakes… Chimichurri Garlic Bread Ingredients: garlic bread loaf, homemade or store bought 2 cups fresh parsley and/or cilantro 6 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on how garlicky you like it) 1/4 of a small red onion 1/2 cup olive oil splash of red wine vinegar (optional) 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice kosher salt red chili pepper flakes, to taste diced fresh tomato 1 ripe avocado, cubed Method: Pulse garlic and onion in food processor until finely chopped. Add parsley and/or cilantro, and pulse briefly. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the olive oil, lime/lemon juice, vinegar and stir. Season[…]

Nov 18 2013

I’m in love with my son’s Skinny Pig Ernie. Ernie may be ugly to some of you. Okay, to any of you who have seen a photo of him or met him in person. I know this because you’ve said things like, “Dear god he’s ugly.” Or “Wow. What the hell IS that?!” And, “You have a walking penis for a pet.” And this. Which made me laugh uproariously. “Why the heck would you get an animal who doesn’t have fur?” somebody else asked. “He’s disgusting.” He may be “hair challenged” but he’s certainly not disgusting. He’s friendly and he loves to snuggle. And even without much hair, he’s baby soft. He’s like holding a warm peach with toenails. Ernie is the perfect fit for our family. We get “different.” And why did we name him Ernie? His namesake is my Grandpa Ernie. Ninety-four years old, he’s a force of nature. He lives on his own and until a recent foot infection, he did his own shopping, cooked his own meals and took care of his house. He’s witty and sharp and completely with it. Ninety-four. A few years ago he decided he’d try growing a gotee, just to switch[…]

Nov 15 2013

Sometimes she’s here — fully present, eyes filled with light. Other times she’s gone — eyes vacant, staring off at some unseen point. Unseen by us, anyway. Where does she go when she disappears? Is she daydreaming or processing something new; filing experiences away for later? Or is her mind quietly resting after performing a taxing challenge? The moments when her eyes lock onto mine and I know she’s completely with me, are happening more and more these days. It’s a beautiful thing. So when she brought home her school photo this year, I had to have it. This is one of the first photos where she truly connects with the camera and she’s smiling with her eyes. And like I said, it’s a beautiful thing. 🙂

Nov 15 2013

The trouble with having a responsible child is that when they negotiate for something they really want and truly deserve, they make it virtually impossible to say no. Our ten year old son is an animal lover. He spends countless hours on the internet or with his nose in a book researching furry, feathered, finned and scaly creatures — their habitats, diets, origins, unique characteristics, whether they’re endangered, etc. The boy is a virtual walking animal almanac. Every day at breakfast I’m bombarded with facts like, “Did you know giraffes have no vocal chords?” or “A Flamingo can only eat when its head is upside down.” shared in between mouthfuls of toast, but not bacon. He researched animal cruelty and is now a vegetarian. He feeds our two dogs every morning and fills their water dishes and walks them whenever I ask. His sister isn’t technically his “pet,” but he cares for and watches over her too. So when he asked (begged) for a guinea pig of his own, how could we say no? Do I want a messy, squeaky rodent living in my house for the net five years? Not particularly. No matter how responsible a child is, we[…]

Nov 11 2013

Imagine your biggest fear up close, right your face. It happened to me and I still have heebies all up in my jeebies. Also my throat is raw from screaming like the victim in a B-rated horror flick. I spent the better half of yesterday in our basement sorting and purging all minimalist-like. My goal was to condense the piles of Rubbermaid storage bins into a less “hoardery” number. I started with my old teacher books and supplies because after ten years in “retirement” it’s time to let it go and free up some storage space in the process. Then moved on to the bins of Halloween decor. Before I could get very far, I called my husband downstairs and asked if he could possibly fix the light hanging in the storage area. I had yanked the string on it a bit too hard and pulled it right out of the socket. I was left in the dark. My spouse stared blankly at the light and said, “I don’t know how to fix that. Use a flashlight, maybe?” He’s tremendously helpful, especially when he’s in the middle of watching a football game. I was making great progress[…]

Archive - 2013

Chimichurri Garlic Bread

Skinny Pig Doppleganger

In Her Eyes

Kids, Pets and Naked Rodents

Sometimes When I Clean… I See Dead Things