plumpudding

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Halpert.

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:37:00 +0000

Alternately: It's too fun not to be a nerd once in a while.

On Thursday nights, I run to my friend Jess's house right after dinner (although on these nights I usually manage not to eat any) in time for The Office, what will be 30 Rock, and Project Runway. TV night. Nothing else on the agenda. It's great.
We decided to really unleash our pop culture-couch potato-osity this week and join in the celebration with the folks on The Office. No, I don't have pictures of Jim on my desk, I don't have any Office flair on my Facebook account and I don't read The Office blogs. We just happen to enjoy watching it together and thought it would be fun to jazz up our evening.
I made this wedding cake and the clothespin doll cake toppers for the occasion. Jess made punch and our friend Penny wore a bridesmaid dress. (Well, for a few minutes, at least). We had fun.
And, really, when you love to bake you'll make any excuse, right?

Craft Social time again

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:04:00 +0000

It's that time again. Another Chicago Craft Social! This time, we'll focus on making gifts and ornaments for the holidays. Head over to the Craft Social blog to get the full scoop and to rsvp. Remember, space is limited!
If you happen to be interested in leading a project at this social, send me an e-mail and we'll talk.

We had some press last time, Beth Engelman from Mommy on a Shoestring, and have an article complete with demonstration videos to prove it. If you'd like to get instructions for a few of our past Craft Social projects or make fun of how I look or act on camera, here's the place. Thanks, Beth, for supporting us!

Reading is good

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:26:00 +0000

In case you've been wondering, I haven't fallen victim to some tragic illness rendering my hands paralyzed and unable to create or write about our creating. Rather, I've fallen victim to reading. Books. I'm an addict. It actually started last winter, but my addiction has become more severe recently causing my interest in using my hands for any purpose other than flipping pages to wane.
I'm not reading every minute of the day. In fact, some books have remained bedside for several weeks as I've found only a few minutes of the evening available for reading (that brief time between crawling into bed and finding the book on your face). Nevertheless, as soon as I find time to finish one, I'm on to the next.
I commented some months ago (here) that I would never post a list of books I'd read during the year on my blog as I'd find it too embarrassing. I'm revising that. I found it so enjoyable getting comments from you on which books you've loved that I'm doing it. I'm posting my list.
Some of the books I've read were at your suggestion. Others happened to find their way from a friend's hand to mine. Some happened to be on a shelf near the bed in which I slept at my parents' house. And some I sought out after enjoying other books by the same author. I'm still planning on following up on some of your previous recommendations, but I'd love to hear an update on what you're reading and loving. And when do you read? During a sneaky trip to the bathroom? While waiting for the oatmeal to finish it's go-round in the microwave? While sitting on the bench during gymnastics class? When you should be doing your own homework or preparing to teach on a topic completely unrelated?

My 2009 reading list
Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir by Marina Nemat
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Cranford Chronicles by Elizabeth Gaskell, which includes Mr. Harrison's Confessions, Cranford, and My Lady Ludlow
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
A Girl From Yamhill: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary (I just realized, after wishing this story would have continued beyond her high school graduation, that she does continue her story in My Own Two Feet: A Memoir. Guess what's going on my To Read list?)
James Herriot's Cat Stories by James Herriot (If you've never read his All Creatures Great and Small series, you should!)
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Currently working on Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith

To Read:
John Adams by David McCullough
Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis
Something by Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food or The Omnivore's Challenge)
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (Somehow I've made it this far without reading Dickens and I feel I should remedy that).
My Own Two Feet: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary

So there you have it. My pleasure reads.

Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:16:00 +0000

We have about 30 books out from the library right now, some for pure fun and some for the betterment of the nine 5 and 6 year old minds I'm teaching in co-op this month. This book, Cook-a-Doodle-Doo! by Janet Stevens and her sister Susan Stevens Crummel, happened to be fun and educational.
I heard Janet Stevens speak many years ago and have since been a fan of her books and illustration. We picked this up not knowing it contained a recipe for strawberry shortcake, but once we read and enjoyed the story of Big Brown Rooster (great-grandson of the bread-baking Little Red Hen) and his friends making a cake, we had to make one to match.
The story takes Rooster through a process of being hungry, finding a recipe, recruiting help, making and eating strawberry shortcake. It's a cute and educational story in itself, but the authors have added side notes on several pages explaining elements of baking like sifting (above) or using measuring cups (In the story, Rooster's friend Iguana attempts measuring a pile of flour with a ruler) which add even more educational value to the book.
The book ends with Little Red Hen's recipe for Magnificent Strawberry Shortcake. The cake is a simple one-bowl recipe made with 7 ingredients plus the cream and strawberries. My kids and I found it very do-able, attractive and good to eat.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:23:00 +0000

My daughter sampled a friend's homegrown heirloom cherry tomatoes recently and was excited to discover tomatoes come in a range of colors. She decided she's quite fond of the orange ones and proved helpful during our trip to the neighborhood farmer's market on Saturday where she picked out a variety of tomatoes to use in a tart. We chose a bulging orange one, a couple perfectly round yellows, and a few of the green zebra-striped variety. We were grateful to receive a few of your basic reds from another gardening friend (although we all know any homegrown tomato could not be considered basic when compared to a store-bought).
I must admit, because you may be able to tell upon closer examination of our picture, that I sliced the tomatoes a couple days before assembling the tart. Or maybe it was 3. You know, things happen. We still found the tomatoes very good (I had 3 slices of the tart for dinner tonight) albeit a bit weary-looking. I'm assuming a qualified cook would never advise going about it that way, but it worked for us.
My daughter helped in laying out the tomatoes on the tart shell and sprinkling the basil. Looks a little crowded with all that basil and you miss a little of the beautiful color, but, really, why skimp on the basil?
This is a great tomato tart from 101 Cookbooks and if you're still picking, you should give it a try.

Keeping the sippies clean

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:34:00 +0000

I'm going with the mommy theme again today. Sometimes I don't know whether to apologize for that or embrace it. It is our life here, after all, and winter is probably better for being crafty, anyway, right?

Once the kids graduate from nursing or bottles, I know most of us move them on to sippy cups of some sort. We have gone through several varieties in the last 5 years, but I have finally decided that I prefer Playtex.
Let it be known, first of all, that, to date, I have only purchased our sippies at Target. I choose from varieties that I feel like won't break the bank, but won't be replaced often. I have never researched all options found online or in specialty retail shops. I have found, however, some great comparison articles at Z Recommends which may introduce you to other sippy styles and brands (see links below).
For me, the Playtex cups stand out for 2 major reasons. They are easy to clean and don't tend to leak. Minor reasons for choosing Playtex would be that the lids and spouts are interchangeable and they are affordable.
It took me awhile to come up with a successful cleaning method for any sippy cup. It may be that I've struggled with it because I simply don't get around to washing our dishes as promptly as I should, but I don't think that's all of it. Some cups have clearly been more prone to grow moldy or have had very awkwardly designed parts making effective cleaning difficult.
I finally settled on pipe cleaners (chenille stems), toothpicks and the bottle brush for sippy cup maintenance. Pipe cleaners work wonders when washing dishes with crevices, spouts, and straws, and I was bowled over at my ignorance when my dad introduced that simple idea to me. Pipe cleaners are now a standard item found in the little vase that holds our dish washing brushes. Why had that never occurred to me?
I found these articles at Z Recommends interesting, but am also interested in other stories of success, or lack-of, in keeping sippy cups clean. Do you have one?

2009 BPA-Free Sippy Cup Showdown: Baby and Toddler Division, Top Picks

2009 BPA-Free Sippy and Straw Cup Showdown, Toddler to Pre-K Division, Top Picks

Social lactivist for a day

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Last Friday I took my kids, met up with a friend and hung around Lincoln Square as part of a "nurse-in," held in reaction to an incident where a woman was publicly hassled for breastfeeding outdoors.
In my years of nursing in public, I was never hassled by a stranger, but I do know the difficulty in wanting to modestly feed your baby while carrying on with your life outside of home. It is not easy. So we donned the International Breastfeeding Symbol stickers and played and visited and watched as nursing moms were interviewed by television reporters.
You can find multiple versions of the story online. Here is the Chicago Sun-Times version.

Choc-o-late Chub-beez

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:39:00 +0000

I don't know why I wrote it like that. Yes, I do. I'm a goof when it comes to saying things in funny voices and then I try to write it the way I say it which doesn't work at all, does it? Probably one of those things that only your sister can get. (Can you back me up on that, Amy?)
For all normal-voiced cookie-holics out there, these are Chocolate Chubbies. My kids and I made these yesterday and yummmm.
Of course, now that I compare recipes, I realize why I like them so much. They're basically this cookie (one of my absolute favorites, but which I altered in that previous post to accommodate a filling) with a different name.
I used Nancy Baggett's recipe from The All-American Cookie Book but found similar examples around the web like this one. Play the recipe comparison game for a minute then make these cookies!

Two tips, though: Be sure you, or someone near you, can eat the majority of these the same day you make them. They get crumbly the next day, but are deliciously soft the day of. (That's IF, of course, you follow the common cookie-baking rule Do Not Overbake).
If you don't LOVE nuts, I advise reducing the amount and substituting with more chocolate chips. I always find these (the Nick Malgieri ones and now these) a little too nutty for me. I don't like swallowing all the yummy chocolatey parts then finding I still have a mouthful of little nuts. That's just me.

Chocolate Chubbies
2 cups (8 oz) coarsely chopped pecans
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, broken up or coarsely chopped
3 T cold, unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 c all-purpose white flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2/3 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/3 c (8 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or silicone mat) or very heavily coat with nonstick spray.

Spread pecans in a medium baking pan and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 7-9 minutes, or until nicely browned; be careful not to burn. Immediately turn out into a medium bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a large, microwave-safe bowl, nuke the bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and butter on 100-percent power for 1 minute. Stir well. Continue microwaving on 50-percent power, stirring at 30-second intervals. Stop microwaving before the chocolate completely melts and let the residual heat finish the job. Alternatively, in a medium, heavy saucepan (or double-boiler), melt the choclate and butter over lowest heat, stirring frequently; be very careful not to burn. Immediately remove from heat. Let cool to warm.

In a small bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended, thickened, and lightened. Beat the melted chocolate mixture, then the flour mixture, into the egg mixture until thoroughly blended. Stir in the pecans and chocolate morsels until evenly incorporated. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 1/2 hours or up to 8 hours, or until it firms up slightly.

Drop the dough onto the baking sheets by heaping measuring tablespoonfuls, spacing about 2 1/2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the middle of the oven for 11-14 minutes, or until just firm at the edges but still slightly soft in the centers; be careful not to overbake. Reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies are firmed up, about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks. Let stand until completely cooled.

These cookies are best when fresh but may be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Labor Day

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Safe travels and a great holiday weekend to you!

Glasses fiasco and online eyewear

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:30:00 +0000

I have been wearing glasses for 11 years. Until last year, I had only worn 3 pairs total, a new set of frames every few years. Due to some annoying and coincidental circumstances, I now have 4 new pairs of glasses: one pair of sunglasses, one pair of ugly glasses (I'll be skipping that part of the story), one pair of attractive but apparently very damageable glasses, and the pair you see above.
I realized early last year that it was time I had my eyes checked and thought it would be nice to have a change of frames (my current ones being older than all my children). I scheduled a check-up to coincide with a visit from my mom who was planning to gift me with new frames. Thanks to the unexplainable complexity of insurance (and lack of information from store/office employees), however, it was months before I had a decent pair of glasses on my face.
(I just attempted writing out this story in more detail and realized it's way too convoluted. This will be the very abridged version).
After becoming adjusted to my long-in-coming new frames and prescription lenses, they began to break. I say began because they didn't break once, they broke 3 separate times. Now, during the previous 10 years, I had never had a lens break. And believe me, my glasses were dropped, pulled, yanked, stepped on, you name it. As far as I know, no one in my glasses-wearing family (and this totals lots of years) has ever had a lens break.
After a bizarre struggle in acquiring my prescription, choosing a lens that didn't cause headaches or visual distortion, and finding sunglasses frames that effectively did their job and also looked halfway decent, I wasn't really in the mood for having my glasses repaired every couple of months. My official opinion of Pearle Vision at this time is not very high. My glasses are, again, in their possession for a lens change.
The coincidence part of this long, bothersome story is that during my Pearle fiasco (going without my glasses periodically while they were undergoing lens surgery and I was undergoing withdrawal from a life before children when I could run errands by myself instead of waiting for the perfect timing when the store happens to be open, the manager and tech personnel happen to be working and my husband happens to be home), I was contacted by a representative from Glasses USA and asked to review their product. Free eyeglasses.
I don't really enjoy writing reviews and don't fancy myself too good at them, but they did catch me at the right time. Sure!
I don't do a lot of shopping online. I certainly don't buy things online that require a lot of personal attention to detail like glasses, fitted clothing, make-up, etc. But since I recently had an eye exam giving me a current prescription and a new pair of frames I could refer to for shape preference, this was perfect. I perused the Glasses USA inventory of frames, comparing the size of all interesting frames with my current and previous frames, and narrowed it down to one lucky pair. Now, looking at their prices, I have to wonder-what in the world is the difference in frame and lens material and labor used by this company versus Pearle, LensCrafters, EyeMasters or any other glasses company that I would describe as low-end but which costs significantly more?
As I've only been wearing these new prescription glasses for a couple weeks, I can't tell you firsthand how the quality outlasts others, but I can tell you, that so far my experience here has been much more positive than the one I've had with Pearle. My glasses arrived secure in a sturdy case with cleaning cloth in a timely manner, and company follow-up has been prompt and answers to questions thorough.
I am having to go through my usual trouble of multiple trips to the store (local LensCrafters) for adjustments (I have a case of one ear higher than the other, I think, and am easily annoyed by a slightly-off fit), but I would be doing that no matter where I purchased frames. I am pleased with the appearance of the frames, the accuracy of the prescription, the apparent quality, and the customer service (although I haven't had to use it, their eyeglass frames return and exchange policies sound very similar to that of other eyewear establishments).
Who would've thought? Prescription glasses online. I don't know what my route will be in the future when it comes time to purchase new frames (oh, please, let it not be soon), but it's nice to know there's an affordable and relatively easy option.
If you're in the market for inexpensive new specs, feel free to use this coupon code at Glasses USA for an additional discount: Mommy5.

Recent happenings

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:16:00 +0000

I'm back! I know, I never said I was going anywhere. It was an unplanned hiatus.
I'm going to do a little catch up here before getting back into some kind of routine.

In the time I've been away from the computer, we've:
Camped near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. (We managed to get a few hours of beautiful clear sky in between all the rain. The kids thoroughly enjoyed it.)
Celebrated my birthday. (Remember last year's?)
Celebrated my baby's birthday with homemade malted milk ice cream from The Perfect Scoop.
Visited the Shedd Aquarium downtown. (Look at that cloudy, cool summer day in Chicago. Good grief!)
Made butterfly contact and witnessed a sheep-shearing at the zoo. (We got lucky and caught one of the 2 yearly shearings.)
Toured Wagner Farm.
Filmed a craft demo for the Pioneer Press Mommy on a Shoestring column. (Should appear in about 3 weeks.)
Enjoyed a week long visit from my mom and started our homeschool History co-op classes.
Whew! And those are just the highlights.

I'll try to be back here soon.

Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt and Eco-friendly school supplies

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

My daughter starts kindergarten this year. We have decided to homeschool. This year. Just meaning I have no earthly idea if either one of us will take to it so I have no expectations whatsoever of what we'll do next year. But since we are doing it this year, I'm needing to get things in order around here.
I've been caught up in researching our teaching/learning materials and haven't thought much about preparing my daughter for the event. She's never been to preschool so the whole concept of school (except, of course, for her experience in our one-morning-a-week co-op last year) is still foreign to her. And homeschool is foreign to me. I think we both need something special to kick off the new year.
I prepared the idea for this back-to-school scavenger hunt for the Celebrations radio show, but didn't have a chance to share it. I've decided to use it with my daughter, whom I expect will be thrilled. Ours will, of course, be the start-of-school version.
Here you go....

Collect some of the items your child will need for school: pencils, crayons, glue, scissors, maps, book (on a topic they've chosen to study or one you know they'd enjoy reading), homemade reusable sandwich/snack bags, lunch bag, thermos or water bottle, interesting ribbon or key chain for house key, favorite snack, bracelet, socks, tiny tissue pack, markers, clay, paint, etc .
Find a school-related image (books, bus, globe, crayons, map, school building, etc.) online or scan one into your computer then print out several small copies onto cardstock. Cut them out and fold like cards or leave them flat like postcards. Use these for your scavenger hunt clues.
Hide the supplies/gifts around your house or outdoors and create clues to lead your child on a hunt for each item. Provide your child with something for collecting her goodies or lead her 1st to a new school bag or box.
Print or write your clues inside or on the back of your clue cards. Be cute and simple.
Example: I'll carry water or milk for you to drink. Look for me under your kitchen sink. (New drinking bottle in the play kitchen).
Monster, bug or bike. Sculpt me how you'd like. Stretch me, roll me, push me, pull me. Find me next to your blanket that's woolly. (New clay hiding on the bed).
After your child has collected all her new items, help her open them and prepare them for school, putting in her bag or arranging in her home study space.

If you're thinking of going green this school year, here's a short list of resources.

Stylish and eco-friendly snack bags, boxes, and bottles
Betz White's sandwich wrap
LunchSkins Reusable Sandwich Bag
Fresh Snack Pack
Stainless steel lunch box
Stainless steel lunch bowl and boxes
Not your plastic Strawberry Shortcake thermos

Eco-art and school supplies
Smencils and more at Stubby Pencil Studio
Recycled newspaper colored pencils and cute stuff
Adhesive paste
Binders, notebooks, and paper

Green Clean Sample Kit

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:21:00 +0000

Green cleaning (using cleaning products and methods that are non-toxic to people, Earth and its environment) has not become habitual in our home yet, but I am taking some steps toward becoming more eco-minded when it comes to what we do and how we clean in our home.
To stock our pantry, and share the fun of playing chemist, I compiled some recipes for simple cleaners, gathered the supplies and led a group in making their own Green Clean Sample Kits at the Craft Social last night. I chose these because they are the most-used cleaners in our home (kitchen, bath, laundry) and because these particular recipes could be quickly and safely made in our venue.
I purchased some small spray and squeeze bottles and raided our recyclables for screw-top glass and plastic jars to share with the group. (Some guests planned ahead and brought their own recyclable containers to fill). Most of us made one spray, one scrub and one batch of detergent.
The ingredient list for these solutions is short: white vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, castile soap, glycerin, essential oil, a few aspirin, and tap water. I found the washing soda at a local Jewel/Albertson's grocery store, the castile, oils and glycerin at Whole Foods.

I considered sewing very simple bags for guests to use in carrying their cleaners, but you know how things go (well, you do if you're a procrastinator like I am), but I did happen to come across directions for this great newspaper cleaner caddy in a book at the library. I couldn't resist trying it out. I love it! It's from The Newspaper Everything Book: How to Make 150 Useful Objects From Old Newspapers by Vivienne Eisner and Adelle Weiss, 1975. I'll have to make some time to practice modifications for other uses and then write up a tutorial for it.
For now, here are the recipes I made available for use in our sample kits. For more green cleaning tips, follow the links below.

Green Clean Sample Kit

Powdered Laundry Detergent
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup baking soda
1 cup washing soda
¼ cup liquid castile soap

Mix well and store in sealed container (glass or plastic jar).
Note from article author: I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stir in the washing soda, baking soda, and add vinegar in small batches. The mixture will foam at first, become a thick paste then break down into a heavy powdered detergent as you stir. Break down any hard clumps while stirring. (It helps to make sure the baking soda isn't clumpy to begin with). I used ½ cup per full with great results.
From Tipnut

Soft Scrub for toilets and tubs (and more)
1 cup baking soda
3-5 drops tea tree oil
¼ cup liquid castile soap
2 aspirins, powdered

Mix all ingredients and add enough water to make a paste. Store in a squeeze bottle. To use, apply with a sponge, scrub and rinse thoroughly.
From Make Your Place by Raleigh Briggs, 2009.

Creamy Soft Scrub
baking soda
liquid castile soap
vegetable glycerin

Pour about ½ cup baking soda into a bowl. Add enough liquid detergent (castile soap) to make a texture like frosting. Add 1 teaspoon of glycerin to the mixture to keep the product moist and store in a sealed glass jar. To use, scoop the mixture onto a sponge and wash surface. Perfect for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.
5-10 drops essential oil can be used to scent the scrub. For a citrus scrub, add 5-10 drops orange or lemon essential oil.
From Care 2 Make a Difference and Best Green Home Tips

All Purpose Spray
½ teaspoon washing soda
A dab of liquid castile soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine ingredients in a jar and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Pour into spray bottle. Spray and wipe with a sponge or rag.
From Care 2 Make a Difference

Disinfectant All Purpose Spray
liquid castile soap
2 cups water
tea tree essential oil
lavender essential oil

Mix a few drops of natural soap (castile), 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender oils. Spray on all surfaces like cutting boards, counters, toilets, and walls, but not glass.
Note from article author: You can use 30 drops of one oil, I just like the mix. You need to keep either the tea tree or lavender essential oil in the mix to make it a disinfectant. Castile (like Bronner's) is great for general cleaning, but real essential oils of tea tree or lavender have antiseptic/antibacterial aspects. I like to mix them, because too much tea tree scent alone makes me loopy.
From Tree Hugging Family

Twitter-dee-dee, blog radio and other random bits

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Well, after much ado around here yesterday (arranging childcare and other household hoopla), I participated in Celebrations.com's premiere radio show with lifestyle party expert Jeanne Benedict and three other crafty bloggers. More info here. Or, listen to the show right here on my blog.

I am busy, busy getting ready for our 2nd Chicago Craft Social. It's going to be fun! This time, Jess and I are arranging a publicity table for local bloggers, artists, business owners and the like to display promotional materials like cards, flyers, free samples, etc. I'm looking forward to getting to know more about our guests and seeing what they're up to when they're not crafting, snacking and socializing with us.
I'll be making some more alphabet block card holders (any thoughts on items to use in place of the blocks?) and here's a peek at Jess's homemade business card stands. We plan to use colorful mixing bowls, canisters, and other kitchen-y things for sample collections.
I will be leading guests in making paper airplanes that actually fly (Hopefully. Do you have any tried and true airplane patterns I could add to our selection?) and a "green clean" sample kit which will include an all-purpose disinfectant spray, a soft scrub, and a powdered laundry detergent. Let me tell you, it can be a chore locating washing soda. Until you find it at the market right next to the Craft Social venue. Argh.

Last week I tried out this recipe for Pasta Primavera and really liked it. Great for those of you who need to use up that fresh summer squash and homegrown herbs. But good for those of us who don't, too. And you don't have to turn on the oven.

Yes, I have set up a Twitter account. No, I don't really know how to use it and am not sure if I want to. My generous and extremely experienced friend Becky is becoming my Twitter mentor, however, so under her guidance perhaps I'll learn to enjoy it. (This is where I would smile at her, but I don't want to make one of those punctuational happy faces). I'll try to put a link on my sidebar soon so you can easily find me.
I'm working on creating a Facebook page for this blog, as well. Not sure when I'll have that ready.

To come: Green Clean sample kits, alphabet block frames, back-to-school fun, product review and give away. But not before the Social!

Blog Talk Radio and me

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:33:00 +0000

I will be a guest on Celebrations.com's internet radio premiere this Tuesday. Their lifestyle party expert will be facilitating a conversation on parties celebrating the end of summer and beginning of the school year. I am one of a few bloggers who will be joining her.
Check out Celebrations for more party ideas and Blog Talk Radio for the show, which will air at 3pm ET and run about 20-30 minutes. If you miss it on Tuesday, though, never fear, they archive the shows and you can listen to the podcasts whenever you have the time.

"Kids are funny, " I said.

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

It is so very true that kids say the funniest things. From the time they start putting words together, they're comedians. Unintentionally, usually. Of course, I have not been very good about recording all the funny things that have been said in this house in the last 4 years, which I do regret, but thank goodness, they're still putting on a show.
I have been entertained most recently by my children narrating the lives and comments of their toys and of themselves. First I started hearing comments followed by a slight pause and a "said So and so" tacked onto the end. Like, "I want to use that coloring book,' said Thomas." I found that hysterical enough. And seemed to be proof they're listening when we read books, which is nice.
Then they made it a little more complex by accompanying each comment with an action, (again, speaking for a toy, as a toy, or as themselves). For example, my son as they were playing with trains yesterday, "'Where's that train turner?' I said, going back in my door." Or as we were on the way to the playground this morning, "Maybe it is,' I said, picking up a stick." Or when served taco salad for dinner, "'I really don't like tomatoes,' I said, taking them out."
These are just samples of the funny and almost constant narration we have going on around here. I'm really enjoying it.

By the way, the picture obviously has nothing to do with this, but I thought it was funny. I said.

Mocha frap ice cream sandwiches. Mmmm.

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Somehow I got myself onto those prepackaged Starbucks fraps and I'm trying to stop. I did find a delicious, though even more unhealthy and definitely less portable, way to get that sweet, cold, chocolate-milky, slightly coffee-ish fix. Little ice cream sandwiches.
I used the coffee variation of Christopher Kimball's Master Ice Cream recipe in The Dessert Bible with tiny chocolate bits and some extra sugar thrown in. (Partly by accident and partly because I don't really like coffee and figure all the sugary milk in the fraps is probably why I like them). The ice cream alone is so good. Homemade always is, right? And this just hit the spot.
I sandwiched some of the ice cream in these cookies, one of my favorites. The ice cream sandwiches were really good, but I think when they're made with regular drop cookies, they are almost too sweet. These cookies taste a lot like brownies. Next time I make sandwiches, I'll use a cookie recipe written specifically for this purpose, I think.
Better stick the bucket back in the freezer and choose my next recipe.

Blueberry eating

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Now what to do with the blueberries once you've picked them? Here are some ideas.

Blueberry Banana Muffins: I happened to have some ripe bananas around so I felt like I was killing two birds with one stone. I used this recipe and liked it very much. In fact, I plan to use it again in the very near future. I did, however, find myself making some changes to it (don't ask me why, I usually follow a recipe as it's written the first time around), like using a yogurt-sour cream mix instead of the buttermilk and wheat flour for part of the white and brown sugar for part of the granulated. It worked. This recipe looks similar.

Blueberry Sorbet: I had sampled the sorbet from Seedling at our farmer's market and was inspired to make my own. I didn't have any mint, which they paired with blueberries, but we did use their basic sorbet recipe. Yum. And so easy.

Blueberry tart (or pie): In the past, I've always used this recipe. I still love it. But after trying out a new strawberry pie this spring, I decided to branch out on the blueberry, too. I wanted to use filling made from fruit vs. jello and deliberated between the one I just mentioned (using blueberries instead of strawberries) and this one. It came down to the first since I liked it before and happened to be out of gelatin and jam. I wasn't in love with the Nilla wafer crust, however, from that recipe, so I used the shortbread tart crust from the second. And freshly whipped cream. The result: I still didn't love the crust, but I am very much in favor of making the filling from fresh fruit. And eating it. Very good.

Blueberry Parfait: I have not made this yet, but figure it would be an easy way to use up some remaining fresh berries. These two recipes are quite different from each other, but sound good-Lemon Blueberry Parfait and Ricotta cheese and Blueberry Parfait.

Blueberry picking

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:38:00 +0000

We made our annual blueberry-picking trip last Saturday. Every year I consider changing it up by choosing a different farm, but every year we decide to go with what works. I suppose there is something to family traditions and it's fun to know the kids are old enough to remember and look forward to it. It is only once a year, after all.
We started out at The Blueberry Patch in Sawyer, Michigan, and picked for about 3 hours (I think that included trips to the restroom, diaper changes, sunscreen application, and some snack eating). After paying for our (approx.) 15 lbs. of berries, we drove a mile over to Warren Dunes State Park for a picnic lunch. My husband and the kids made the trek up the giant sand dune while I hung with the baby and our guest on the beach. We enjoyed the sand and the warmish lake water until the sun set. Almost exactly like we did last year.
People have asked me how we choose farms for picking and I predictably look here every time we pick something (I've used it for picking in IL, WI, MI, and TX). Checking your local paper archives may be good, too.

Zucchini boats, turkey burgers, pickles and more

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:09:00 +0000

We picked up a couple of these huge zucchinis at the farmer's market recently and I've been dying to stuff them. I found this recipe at Simply Recipes, made it last night and loved it. I think I could eat a bowl of the filling without the zucchini, actually, but I guess that kind of defeats the purpose. The recipe title suggests it has sausage in it, but it's really deliciously seasoned ground turkey. I highly recommend it.

I also recently made these turkey burgers I mentioned in a previous post. Very good. I was skeptical at first about spreading a spoonful of chutney on my burger, but it was surprisingly tasty. In the end, I decided I wouldn't want that to be the only turkey burger I ever eat, as I still love the tarragon burger and am game for trying more, but it definitely calls for being made again for myself and for guests.
I did find it strange that a restaurant recipe would include a jar of store bought chutney and wondered if they're really purchasing bulk loads of the stuff. If you think you would use the chutney for dressing up other dishes, I think it would be worth making your own, but I don't think I'd want to go through the trouble just to put it in a burger. Maybe that's why they listed the jarred stuff for us non-chefs. Here is a recipe for Major Grey's chutney.

Pickles! We broke into the pickles yesterday. Wow, were they strong. My daughter ate 4 of them in a row, but I had a serious case of scrunchy face after one. I feel like the flavor was good and the texture was great, but it was just too much. I'm wondering if it's because I used the large jars instead of the pint jars and wasn't able to stuff it full with cucumbers, or because the mix was just too salty, vinegary and oniony, or if it's because I shoved so much of the onions and stuff into the jar with the cucumbers? I have no idea. I want to try again, though. I think I'll use the suggested size jar for starters and consider adjusting the mix recipe a little or something. Do any of you have a recipe for a dependable pickling mix?

Still to come: blueberries, blueberries, blueberries!

Alphabet block magnets

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:39:00 +0000

I know I promised more food posts this week, and I do have some ready, but I got so distracted with this tutorial and then felt I just had to finish it and post it before doing anything else. Anything else. Like washing dishes or preparing for our blueberry-picking trip or doing laundry or eating lunch. Sometimes projects do that to you, you know?
So here is a tutorial for alphabet block fridge magnets or photo holders.

Materials:
alphabet blocks
small hand saw
small piece of sandpaper
3/4" round flat magnets
drill fitted with 3/4" spade bit
craft glue like E6000
table vise, clamp or some way to stabilize your block while drilling (I stood on the side of a 3" C-clamp)

1. I chose 5 blocks with the initials of our family.
2. I used a coping saw to create a slit in the top of the block. I made it almost halfway between the front and back of the block, but a little closer to the front. I sawed down a little more than halfway to the bottom. Make sure your letter is right side up before sawing!
3. I sanded the inside of the slit and curved the paper to sand the side edges at the cut.

4. I tightened a 3" C-clamp around my block with the front of the block facing the floor and the back of it facing up.
4. I fitted our electric drill with a 3/4" spade bit and centered it on the back of the block (while standing with my feet holding the clamp to the floor).
5. I drilled down about 1/8" and dropped a magnet in to make sure the hole was flat on the bottom and as deep as I wanted. (I wanted to mostly hide the magnet).
6. I used a toothpick to spread some glue in the hole and pressed the magnet in.

Once the glue dries, you can stick your block to the fridge and insert a photo or your appointment reminder card or library due date receipt. If your photo is not secure enough in the slit, then wedge a little piece of paper or cardstock behind it.

Now, to use the blocks as tiny standing photo displays, business card or place card holders, simply cut the slit through the top and skip the rest. Unless you want the block weighted, in which case you could drill through the bottom instead of the back and insert a magnet or something to weigh it down.
Try stacking and gluing the blocks for a little photo tower or build pyramids or what have you. These blocks make it easy to change up your display often!

Cherry pound cake

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:34:00 +0000

This is going to be a food week. I hope you're hungry!
I finally got my hands on some fresh sour cherries so baking is in order. I've started with this pound cake. It is very good, but I've remembered that I really prefer showcasing and eating fresh fruit in more fruity dishes. Like pies...mmm. If I can get around to it (before we just eat the rest), I'd like to make some hand pies with our remaining sour cherries.
This weekend, we're making our annual blueberry-picking trip so I'm gearing up for some delicious blueberry dishes. I just found a couple bags of last year's berries in the back of the freezer, though, and felt like we should finish them off before loading it up with new ones. We used most of them this morning, but I'll save that recipe for later.
Still to come: another turkey burger, blueberry sorbet, zucchini boats, and more!

Making pickles

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:15:00 +0000

I have never made pickles before, but have always had a bit of a desire to do so. I think it stems from the memory of my dad making pickles at home. Although, when I've mentioned this memory to my mom she has responded, "He may have made pickles...." Maybe I'm remembering someone else's family.
Anyway, the idea of making pickles intrigued my daughter, as well, when we bought some pickle cucumbers at our neighborhood farmers' market and she learned the option exists. Next time at the market we made a point to buy the cucumbers shaped for better pickle making. We also bought a large bunch of dill.
I decided to use this recipe as it sounded beginner friendly and quick. I'm not so interested in canning for long term use, rather, I wanted to try it out and see if we could make good pickles to eat now.
I didn't see the point in making your own pickles with a store bought pickle seasoning mix as the recipe suggests, so we used the alternate version where you make your own. The recipe does indicate the home mix is prone to problems, but wasn't clear what type of problems. Hmm. Ours did end up sort of cloudy, which may be because the coating in my pot is roughing up at the bottom (vinegar reacts with metal). Also, the pickling mix ends up way more chunky with those home-chopped veggies and herbs. I suppose I won't really know if there's a problem until we break them open at the end of the week.
I'll post our taste test results when we do.

Pictures: Top, most of the ingredients for making your own pickles and pickling mix (garlic and sugar missing). Middle, sliced cukes, bringing the mix to a simmer and sterilizing the jars. Bottom, jar of pickles (we only had enough to fill one large jar) and jar of leftover pickling mix.

A day in Lincoln Park

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Chicago really is wonderful in the summer. We've been enjoying the strangely comfortable, though on the verge of cool, weather with multiple trips to Lincoln Park. My kids are loving it. Admittedly, we're spending so much time there because we happen to have a free parking pass through the end of the month, so I can't say if our visits will be as frequent come August. But I have to put in a little plug for this area in case you live near here or plan to visit.
Here are some excellent things to do in Lincoln Park that all happen to be FREE and within walking distance of each other.

Green City Market-Wonderful farmers' market with a wide variety of delicious foods to sample, purchase raw to carry home or cooked for lunch on the spot; live music; chef demonstrations and more. Open every Wednesday and Saturday year round. Check out the chefs' recipes section on their website. Yum!

Lincoln Park Zoo-Some very nice exhibits (especially the newest African animal habitats), but we tend to be most attracted to the landscape and the children's climbing structure.

Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool-I can't believe we just found this lovely little urban oasis. Where have we been? Prairie-style architecture (nice shaded pavilion for resting, snacking, drawing, etc.) and landscape design, water lily-covered pond, waterfall, and plant and tree lined stone paths with nooks for pond and wildlife gazing. Also seems to be a popular spot for wedding portraits.

Lincoln Park Conservatory-An especially nice escape when the weather turns cool, but beautiful any time of year. Unusual and beautiful varieties of trees, plants, and flowers housed in an 1800s Victorian glass house.

My advice: Head out pretty early in the morning and hit the market first. Snack on some of their offerings (the lamb-mushroom and strawberry-rhubarb hand pies and blueberry mint sorbet were amazing, as were the million varieties of cheese), make your way through the zoo and conservatory, stopping to picnic on the zoo grounds or gardens outside, then take a relaxing stroll through the lily pool, making sure to dip your feet in the cool water at the fall. Be sure to bring your shopping bag and camera!

Sweet and salty peanut chocolate chip cookies

myplumpudding@gmail.com (Megan) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:35:00 +0000

More cookies! I found this recipe last month and have made it a couple times since. The taste and texture of the cookies did vary slightly when I very slightly altered the ingredients, but it was quite good both times.
The second time I made these, the flavor closely resembled peanut brittle or candied peanuts, and I think that's because I only had lightly salted nuts on hand and I may have over-roasted them. The first time I made these, I was surprised by the almost meringue-like texture, they were crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with little pockets throughout.
Either way, these cookies are very good and a nice break from your everyday chocolate chip cookie. I will be making them again.
Here is the recipe from Cooking Light:
Sweet and salty peanut chocolate chunk cookies