What makes a home a home?

A home is a place where you are supposed to feel loved and safe. A lot of factors contribute to that. I believe that food and family meals play a big big role in it too. This is why I cannot understand how people can give up on family meals, no matter what the reasons are. I know it’s not easy, your kids might be picky and give you a hard time, like mine sometimes do, and dinner might be a pretty messy event . But It’s worth it.

Yeah, sure, we’re all busy. But dinner need not be a big deal. There are plenty of solutions out there, and tricks, and shortcuts to get the food. However, there are no substitutes to the actual act of being present and sitting together around a table at the end of the day with your most loved ones to share whatever food you have. It doesn’t matter if you put in a lot of money and time to create a heavenly feast, or you are quickly reheating a frozen dinner or a delivered pizza if you are really pressed with time or budget. What you eat is important, sure, but more then that is with whom you eat it.

Believe me, your children will remember forever their childhood family dinners and if they have good memories they will want to come back to you. Well, assuming this is what you want… Like me. I never really had that, so this is (almost?) #1 on my priority list of each day.

There are some meals that are particularly special. Those with dishes that all the family members love, those that are connected to happy times and events, those that bring emotions and feelings of togetherness and make you feel safe and at home. Or what is simply referred to as comfort food that you keep making over and over and over again. Family favorites.

I remember breaded chicken cutlets as a childhood favorite. It is now my knight in shining armor, coming to my rescue whenever I feel stuck and don’t know what to cook. My grandma Tovah used to make them when she visited us, and I especially remember eating them when we went on long trips, like visiting my aunt who lived 4 hours drive up North. My grandma used to put these in sandwiches to eat on the road (as well as plenty of other dishes stored in pots and placed on the floor in the back of the car. Forget about food safety…)

Today’s breaded and baked chicken legs are going to be my #2 but they might just be #1 for my kids who prefer the dark meat (actually, we all prefer the dark meat). I hope they will love them still when they grow up and have their own family. I hope I will have a chance to make these for my future grandchildren. They are so delicious. What’s not to like? Crispy brown crust of breadcrumbs flavored with fresh herbs, and underneath a coat of juicy meat that was marinated for a few hours. Look at the color of them!

What family favorite foods do you remember from your childhood?

*** This is the last reminder of the book giveaway. Click for details. It ends this week!   ***

For the best flavor and easiest make ahead, marinate the chickens hours before you bake them, and up to overnight. They might looks soggy before baking but don’t worry, they will crisp up.

Crispy chicken legs

Makes 6-8 servings

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or use 1-2 fresh minced garlic cloves)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 handful fresh herbs*, chopped fine
5 whole organic/free-range (it taste a whole lot better) chicken legs, with skin, split to thighs and drums
canola oil for greasing the pan

In a shallow bowl mix together the mayonnaise, Dijon, and all the spices (omit any spice that you don’t have. It’s Ok) and season with a little salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the herbs, add 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.

One at a time, coat each chicken part in the mayonnaise mixture, then dip it in the breadcrumbs mixture, turning to coat. (With the thighs, I only coat the skin side with breadcrumbs since the bottom will get wet from the juices). Place in a container, cover, and store in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with a little oil and place the chicken parts in the pan, skin side up. Roast for 30 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 F and continue to roast another 20-30 minutes.

If you have time and you like your chicken falling off the bone, lower the heat more (250-300 F) and keep in the oven another 20-30 minutes.

* Use  whatever you have and any combination of  parsley, cilantro, oregano, basil, chives, thyme, sage, rosemary, etc.

Categories : Chicken, Recipes

Walking by this plant that I have put in the ground only a few weeks ago I noticed that although I provided him with the best care I could, looked all dry and dying. Then, a few days later, surprise… new flowers.

It made me think about my father. Still fighting for his life after a bone marrow transplant. He has cancer. No one can tell at this point if he will live, and if he will, what his life are going to be like after all the medical procedures he is going through.

I am thinking a lot about my relationships with him, the past, the present, the future. Our family histories and mysteries. I try to write about it but it feels more like a stutter. A friend told me that my recent posts give an impression that I am only sharing tidbits. Readers posted comments with questions, wanting to know more. I am not trying to tease. I will tell you, I promise. It’s just not so easy to write about. Food is a much safer topic to discuss.

I once attended a food event where people sat around a big communal table and shared a meal and talked about food for 3 hours! Gosh. Every time I asked a personal question trying to get to know the person, they have quickly escaped back to talk food. That was sort of crazy and weird and too much. How scared people get when faced with a chance to really get to know other people. Yes, food is much safer.

Back to the topic, because I have something to share.

I have recently had a conversation with my aunt, my father’s sister, about him. I told her about the mixed feelings I have in the current situation, my dilemmas and conflicts about what I want or supposed to do for him, while my mind is occupied with trying to understand how I feel about him now after getting letters from the past that brought up things I forgot or tried to put behind and move on (more about those later sometime) in addition to more recent disappointments. She tried to defend him. Talking to me about his childhood. Trying to make me understand his side. She’s a very loyal sister.

But it made me angry.

And then I thought, and I told her, that if I would follow the same train of thought, this means that I have gained the “right” to screw up my kids childhood!

I asked her “according to what you say, do you think that I can hurt my children and then ask them, when they grow up, to understand me, forgive me, love me unconditionally, take care of me when I’m old? I’ll say I’m sorry and will move on from there like nothing ever happened?”

And so, after thinking about it more, I’ve decided that I’m interested to know more about my family’s history, BUT I don’t care about his childhood, and I don’t care about my mother’s childhood… I don’t care about anyone’s unhappy childhood! Not when it means that these adults are going to do the same to their own kids. Hiding behind the “my mom did this to me” or “my father was like that” doesn’t really help anyone live happily ever after, does it?!

And then I had an understanding of something very meaningful.

If I chose to take the path of the “I had a bad childhood” excuse/ reason/ circumstances/ whatever to justify not being a good parent for my children when they need me, not giving them what they need to grow and be happy people, then I lose twice! I miss the opportunity to give my own flesh and blood a meaningful family connection and I hurt not only them, I also get hurt myself once again.

Being a parent, a good parent, is a second chance to have a wonderful childhood and to have a strong healthy family. And to heal one’s wounds.

I see being a mom as my opportunity to heal through becoming the mother-father I always wanted, to give my children the things I always longed for – lots of hugs, time spent together, family dinners, cooking together, playing, trips, birthday parties, going to the park, reading, helping with homework… But most of all, endless limitless love and being there for them. We’re not a perfect family, but we try to make each other happy.

Through giving my little people love, a home, safety, fun, I am compensating for what I’ve missed and I get stronger. I can’t change the past, but I can make a future.

Now go and give someone a hug because I don’t know how I can talk about food right now. It fascinated me how Donna from My tasty Treasures blog usually opens up her posts discussing sex and then swiftly changing to food and sharing recipes. She does it so elegantly. How do you do that Donna?

But I will remind you that the book giveaway ends THIS WEEEKND. 5 copies!!! of “Not Becoming My Mother”, 1 of then signed by Ruth Reichl, the author!!!! Details here.

And then I’ll go and find you a keeper recipe that we all love and share it with you later on because another thing that I didn’t have frequently in my childhood is homemade food. This is why I want everyyyyyyyyone to have good homemade food. I’m on a mission.

Categories : Family

“Where is the photo of the banana bread?”, you might ask. And who is this person in the photo? Continue reading… »»

Categories : Breads, Family

Comfort food. That is what I need right now. Food that I don’t need to plan or think about too much. Food that doesn’t require instructions or a recipe. Food that everyone in the family loves.

My favorite foods, since childhood, are breaded and fried chicken cutlets or  breaded and baked chicken drumsticks with mashed potatoes or home-made fries, and a small salad of fresh veggies. For dessert, any cake really, but lately it’s been chocolate.

Continue reading… »»

Categories : A cake for the weekend, Cakes, Dessert, Recipes

I want to write about my father. Posting recipes and acting as if nothing is happening is just unperceivable.

But it is so hard.

I think it might be easier to write about one’s father when the relationships are/were close and loving than when it was mostly full of disappointments.

Continue reading… »»

Categories : Family, Uncategorized

“Eating greens is a special treat. It makes looong ears and great big feet”.

Oh, I have waited such a long time to post that! D’you know who said that? (The answer at bottom of the post).

When you grow your own lettuce you have no choice but eat your greens. And fast.

Only 1 weeks ago the lettuces looked like this:

And now, this (and I have already harvested them once):

This is what sun, fresh air, water, and good food full of nutrients (in the lettuce’s case, good soil) do to you. So take good care of yourself, OK?

And in case you were curious, the salad in the top photo is a simple one: a mix of lettuces, including arugula (my favorite), fresh herbs (cilantro, basil parsley, or whatever you have), hard-boiled egg, avocado, olive oil, splash of lemon, salt, pepper. Serve with a thick piece of bread slathered with creamy butter.

Now, to other things.

First, the autographed* copy of Ruth Reichl’s new book “Not Becoming My Mother” GIVEAWAY! Details here. Go and post a comment. I’m sure you have something to say ‘bout it. And if there are many comments=big interest in the book, I might be able to find a few extra copies to give.

Second, let’s talk about personal food blogs that inspire you and give them some link love.

I’d like you to recommend food blogs that combine life and food stories. Real life of real people that has touched your soul – made you laugh/cry/get mad/have sex/do something – and cook.

Add your recommendations in the comment section, up to 3 blogs, and explain in a few sentences why you like them.

I will link to your blog, and will bring up your comment and the blogs links to the post section.

I’m so curious to see which blogs you will introduce.

 * * * * * *

Here’s what readers recommend (add yours too!):

Phoo-D blog, food for anyone with an address, recommends: Joy the baker, The Paupered chef, Evil chef mom. They share the ups and downs of taking on personal challenges in the kitchen and share touching stories about life outside of cooking. I always leave with a smile, a laugh, or inspired to go tackle a new project.

Julie, culinary and nutrition educator, recommends: I recently discovered Lettuce Eat Kale, (which, in light of your recent post, I imagine you’ll love the name) - great blog, interesting posts.

Marsha recommends: The pioneer woman, Smitten kitchen, Get off your butt and bake. All of these sites have encouraged me to try new ingredients, produce my own recipes, and make my love of cooking and baking even stronger.

Panda Foodie recommends The frantic foodie. To me, this is a very caring blog because she informs food bloggers around Seattle about various events and she organizes them, too!

Katrina from Eating on Tulsa time recommends: Omnomicon She’s smart and witty with an acidic tongue! I love her!
Tartelette This one has such beautiful pictures. I wish I could do that!, Steph chows Healthy food that actually tastes good! You can’t beat that!

Aimee from Under the highchair recommends: I’ve been hooked on Dinner with Julie for a while now. Guess I really connect with her as she is a mom to a 3yo boy as well. Plus these is no pretense, she blogs the good and the bad–and often! I’m always moved by her writing.

Kate from Kate’s Musings recommends: Under the highchair Aimee has inspired me many times when I have been worn out from a long day with two little ones. I also love Foodgawker -the visual porthole to a huge variety of foodie blogs/sites. One visit to this site and you’ll know why it is called food gawker! The photos make my mouth water!

Matt of No Meat Athlete recommends: Eat live run (lots of good looking snacks), Fertile healthy (very inspiring), Healthy tipping point (a fellow vegetarian athlete who eats great food).

Diana from Dianasaur dishes, here’s my blogs that have touched me: I love Steamy Kitchen because Jaden is so real and passionate and lets you know exactly what she’s thinking. Her blog is what inspired me to put recipes on my blog and she really seeks to build community with her readers. I also enjoy Dine and Dish because her posts always feel like she’s telling you about her day over a cup of steaming hot coffee.

Krisit from Sprouts in the kitchen says: My absolute favorit these days is Food on the food, Smitten kitchen is great.
I LOVE most anything from Mark Bittman, and I’m loving blogging on my own food/kid blog, too!

* * * * * 
Answer: Thumper, the bunny in the movie Bambi

Categories : Recipes, Salads, Spring and Summer, Stuff, Urban garden

This blog will soon turn 1 years old! I always tried to keep it a happy place. Write only about cooking, baking, kids, parties, birthdays, farms, vacations… the good stuff, you know… Well, this might change and I’d like to know what you think about it.

You see, sometimes I visit blogs where everything looks so beautiful and life seems so perfect, and the stories are of happy lives full of joy, love, and all those good things. As much as I am truly happy for these people I, 1) don’t completely buy it because every person has problems, challenges, difficulties, and ups and downs from time to time, right?! and 2) it makes me feel a bit gloomy when I’m having rough times myself and I’m thinking about my difficulties versus these other happy places portrayed on these blogs.

Well, my blog is, after all, about family first, and food is only third place after friends. And family means, like food in a way, that sometimes the recipe turns out great and sometimes it sucks.

The side of my family I have showed you so far is my husband and my kids who have turned me upside down and inside out. I have changed so much in the past 8 years since I got married and became a mom. I had no choice. I love them so much and I want to be a much better person for them. It’s a constant challenge and a life long process. It’s a never ending journey. Or, a lot of introspection, in short.

I did not choose *** “Not Becoming My Mother” (an autographed!) book giveaway *** by chance (click the link for details on how to win this book here). After reading this book I had many many thoughts. I struggle with this on both ends, one as a parent working hard for winning my children’s love and respect. I don’t take it for granted that my kids should feel that way towards me because I gave them life. That was the easy part. I think parents need to gain their children respect through showing them respect and A LOT of love and care. And second, I think about my relationships with my own parents.

Especially now that my father is sick. Very sick. And I don’t know how long he will live, and if he will live what quality of life he is going to have after going through a bone marrow transplant that his brother donated to save him. We’re still waiting to see what happens.

Ruth Reichl had a box full of letters and it helped her rediscover her mother and understand her mother’s life better and in a more forgiving way. My dad, after his first cancer treatment, went back home and gave me an envelope with letters from my childhood. It had quite the opposite effect on me. The things I managed to put behind, some I forgave, some I forgot, have surfaced back.

I’m feeling that continuing to post recipes here and talk about the good life as if nothing else is happening in the background is like pretending that everything is cool when it’s not. I know that many people go through rough times with family matters and some of them still need to eat, right?! What I don’t know is… what do you think?

Do you think that food blogs should only be humorous, entertaining, and about the fun things in life, or is there a place for blogs that discuss heavier stuff now and then with a recipe for dinner or a cake?

Does food go only with a smile or can a tear appear as well every now and then?

Categories : Family, Stuff

I’ve got two signed copies of this book and am giving one away, hurray!

In case you don’t know who she is, Ruth Reichl is a culinary authority as the editor of Gourmet magazine, author of plenty of cookbooks and food books (see her web site), and a former restaurant critic of the New York Times.

In her latest “Not Becoming My Mother” book, Reichl reveals another side of her mother with whom she had complicated relationship throughout her life. After her mother’s death, Reichl finds a box full of diaries, letters and notes written by and to her mother. She puts the pieces together, investigating her mother’s life, and discovers a new and more understanding way to relate to her mother.

But, you see, Ruth Reichl is about 60 years old and her mother would have been 100 years old if she was still alive, and I’m wondering– is it really possible to change one’s complex relationships with one’s parents while the parents are alive, or is it more of an after death experience?

In her previous books Ruth Reichl writes about trying to be as far from her mother as she could because her mom drove her crazy. Unlike another famous blogger and new book writer Molly Wizenberg who says that her parents “are easy people to love”, Reichl had a hard time with this one.

A few weeks ago, during an event that Keren, the Frantic Foodie, has organized with Reichl at Olivar restaurant in Seattle, I had  a chance to ask her about it. I asked if she thought her relationship with her mother could have been a better one had she discovered all those things while she was still alive. Reichl said she thinks their relationships could have been a better and closer one.

What do you think?

 
The giveaway:

I am giving away an autographed copy of this book! One of you can win the book by commenting on any post, starting now and ending 4th of July, 2009.

Double your chances to win by linking to one of my posts on your blog, or help me promote it on social media (Digg, StumbleUpon, Twitter, etc). Let me know you did so in a comment below.
 
6/23/09 UPDATE:

Ruth Reichl’s publicist has generously given me 4 additional copies of the book to give away.
You can win one of them by doing at least one of the following:

1. Mention and link to my blog or any of its posts on your blog. Leave me a comment with a link to your post to let me know.
2. Subscribe to my blog via e-mail or RSS feed. (If you don’t know how to do it, click here for details).
3. Stumble the blog (or any of its posts that you like), digg it, or technorati fave it, or Twitter. Leave a comment to let me know.

There are a 3 ways you can enter to win a copy of the book but you need to leave me a comment and let me know, OK?

Limited to U.S. and Canada. The deadline is July 4^th, 2009.
Thank you and good luck!

Categories : Giveaway

At first, I didn’t want to title the post“Salmon in Seattle”… but then I just couldn’t resist.

Salmon is a big deal in Seattle and there’s a lot of anticipation before the beginning of Copper River salmon season. But I have already mentioned that before so no need to go into it again, right? (If you’re really curious, check out this post, there’s another recipe there too).

So, anyway, this year Copper River Sockeye* salmon was sold for about $37 per pound for fillet (whole fish costs less), and then the price went down to $17/lb. when Copper River King* salmon showed up. I did feel somewhat uncomfortable this year buying it (with Hunger Action Week flickering in my mind), but then, I just had to. Luckily, we have reduced our protein from animal portion size to 1 pound for the four of us. “Yeah, yeah”, you might say, “one of you is a baby”. Well, never underestimate a baby’s appetite. She can eat a whole chicken thigh plus the side dishes and 2 slices of fluffy coconut cake!

I made two recipes, the first one was Crème Fraîche-Roasted Salmon, a recipe by Molly Wizenberg for Bon Appétit magazine, June 2009. (Click the links for recipe). The second one, a quick grilled salmon with herbs and zests.

Continue reading… »»

Categories : Fish and Seafood, Main dishes/entrées, Recipes, Seattle/Pacific NW, Spring and Summer

I had my eye on this cake for a few weeks now. I first saw it when Diana posted it on her blog in April. I knew then that I was going to make it as a surprise for my son on his birthday. I still looked around for other ideas and asked my Twitter followers for suggestions.

The KitchenMaus from Al Dente blog suggested a Holy Giant Cupcake cake she made for her son’s first birthday. Foodista suggested a scrumptious apple cake. But I think my mind was already set up on the dirt cake.

Continue reading… »»

Categories : A cake for the weekend, Cakes, Dessert, Family, Recipes