Homemade Maple Syrup

I don't eat a lot of syrup these days. Okay, I don't eat any syrup these days.
I tried sugar free but it doesn't taste good and quite frankly those labels scare me.

For my kids (John included) I make syrup. It's easy and I think it's more delicious then anything you'll find in the store. But then, I've been eating it since I was little. Just like my mom has been eating it since she was little. So, it sort of tastes like home.

And it's very very simple.

Maple Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
Maple extract
Vanilla extract

Add the sugar and water to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil stirring gently allowing all the sugar to dissolve.
Turn off the flame and allow the simple syrup to begin to cool.
Add in 2 tsp (more if you'd like it darker) each of maple and vanilla and stir to combine.
That's it. And you can easily make smaller batches.

But you won't want to because this will keep wonderfully well in your fridge.

I had a pretty little maple leaf bottle from a dear Aunt in Michigan (not Aunt-i) that looks lovely filled with homemade syrup.

Perfect for a Saturday morning filled with pancakes and sausage!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Alright.  I made these because the people pinning this recipe were all:

"I LOVE brussel sprouts. 

Roasted brussel sprouts are DELICIOUS! 

Roasted brussel sprouts are going to save the world!"

Actually, no.  That's not true.  I made them because the recipe mentioned serving them with garlic aioli.  And that, my friends, is the only reason I made brussel sprouts.

And truthfully, that is the only reason I ate these brussel sprouts.

Because I discovered what I knew all along: 

Brussel sprouts will not save the world.  They aren't that good.

They do, however, serve as a good delivery vehicle for garlic aioli.

They also photograph really well.



Recipe adapted from Savoring Life with Anna Costa
Brussel Sprouts:
20 Brussel Sprouts, quartered
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400
Line a baking sheet with parchment and toss the quartered brussel sprouts with the olive oil, salt and pepper until coated.
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned

Garlic Aioli:
6 Tbs mayo
1/4 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbs flat leaf parsley finely chopped (I used dried, it was fine)

Mix all your ingredients together and serve alongside your sprouts.

Happy aioli shoveling!

What is That?

Ever get that unsettled feeling? 

You start scanning.

Racing back through your mind...

"Okay.  Okay.  No.  Not that.  Okay.  Yup, I'm good there.  Huh.  What IS it?"

Sometimes I just feel so... so... submerged.

Yes.  That's it. 

Submerged.

I'm underneath all this stuff that keeps perpetually moving me forward.  And it leaves me so unsettled.  Almost with this mid-life crisis-y feel. 

Maybe it's the mundane.

Mundane.

The 'setting up the pins' to just knock them down again.  Sometimes as I stand there washing the millionth dish I'm like "Really?  Really?  They couldn't have put this in the dishwasher before I ran it?"  And then I tell myself "In the grand scheme of things this doesn't matter"  And then myself tells myself "Well, yeah, it kinda does because you could be sitting down at 9:30 at night instead of washing dish number 1 million and one."  And that's when the mundane strikes.  The "Ugh, I'm going to do this all again tomorrow."

And then I day dream. 

About opening an amazing little restaurant in Hawaii. 

Because really.  Shouldn't life be really LIVED.

(And shouldn't you be really tan while doing it?)

And sometimes that is the feeling.  The desire to do something radical.  To live life wide open.

Wide Open.

Unbridled, free, full throttle, passionate.


Who wants to live in Hawaii with me?

Spring Chicken

I have a gray hair.  I had no idea gray hairs were so wiry.  And they also really stand out against Not Gray Hair.

Actually... I did have a gray hair.  I pulled it instantly.  And if two grow back I will pull them both, instantly.  And if I find three.  I will color my hair.  Instantly.

This getting older thing is a bummer.

When Holland hopped out of the car, after her kiss and 'I love you Mom', I watched her walk away with her seventh grade sister (who did not kiss me goodbye) and I teared up a little.  Sometimes it just becomes very real watching them get older.

When looking in the mirror these days it's becoming very real watching me get older too.

And for the record, I may have been against plastic surgery of all types in my 20's, but in my 30's? 

I'm really warming up to the idea.

Tip Tuesday

So many of our weeknights are filled with running here and running there right now.  Much like most other people I know.

Monday night's are open currently, except for story hour, so we've been choosing to make them something special.

And of course, since this is me you're reading, special = food.

Last week we had a full Thanksgiving meal on Monday night.  Turkey, stuffing I made from 100% whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, seven layer salad and green beans.  I informed everyone in the morning that we would be having a Thanksgiving meal, and while I was at home enjoying the smell of turkey filling my house, they were all out and about looking forward to their big meal at the end of the day.

After dinner and devotions everyone quickly pitches in to clean up and John puts on a small pot of coffee.  The kids scurry off in all directions and he and I sit down and enjoy the candlelight, sip our coffee, and discuss the day. 

It is really what I wish every night could be.  But because it isn't, it just makes it that much more special.

And that's my tip today:  make a weeknight something extra-ordinary.

The Red Plate Tradition

I love traditions.  Yes, it's true they allow me to plan parties, entertain, decorate, and cook which are all some of my favorite things to do.  But they also invoke this whole Family, Cozy, Fun, Familiar feeling for me.  They do seem to mesh well with my love of making people comfortable as well. 

John tells me that it is no wonder our children have blankies, bottles, binkys, loveys etc for so long- I have made them all comfort addicts. 


I'm okay with that. 

They like it.


One of our year round traditions is The Red Plate.

Our plate came with a pen to record the special events we use it for on the back.  I'm not gonna lie to you, the pen kind of stinks.  It doesn't stay on real well which requires that I fill in a few letters here and there every time I wash it.  It's a small price to pay, however, for this wonderful time line...

John grew up using The Red Plate and early on in our marriage we were given one by my sister-in-luv. We bring it out for all sorts of occasions.

Straight A's

Bonuses

Birthdays

Promotions

And sometimes, just because, as evidenced here

"Feb.13, 2012 Daddy is special to us on Valentine's Day."

Our girls have many (and varied) suggestions for when to use the plate.  Holland feels that if she finishes her breakfast and eats all her lunch it is certainly a red plate evening.  Alyssa's idea is much more restrained: straight A's, Birthdays, a special award.  We'll see what Anna thinks of it as she gets older.  For now she just loves any excuse to bring out a fancy plate and light some candles (because lit candles mean blowing out lit candles for a three year old). 

On a sad note.  I have yet to recieve the Red Plate.  And frankly, I am terrified of what the requirement will be for me.  I've had three children.  I've been baptized by immersion. I've completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training program.  Not to mention, I've had several Birthdays. 

Still no Red Plate.

What's a wife and Mom got to do around here? 

Maybe you'd like a Red Plate of your own?  You can find them online at The Red Plate Store.

And if you do begin this fun tradtion, please let me know what it is you do to receive it, won't you?

Tip Tuesday

Bet your never expected to open up my blog and see a roll of toilet paper, did you?  It's your lucky day.
For today's tip all you will be needing is:
toilet paper
essential oil

I saw this on Pinterest and it is SO easy, seriously works great, and really?  Who doesn't want more good smells in their bathroom?

Lemongrass is my scent of choice today.

Just drip two to three drops on the inside of the roll and it will safely scent your whole roll of tp.  Lovely and simple.