CityMama™

One Pot Dinner: Arroz Con Pollo

Tonight is "Mexican Monday" in our house and we were going to have tacos, but when I woke up this morning, I was thinking about Arroz Con Pollo. Elise Bauer posted a recipe recently, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head.  I haven't a clue about it's origins (Cuban? Spanish?) and I don't know whether my recipe is at all "authentic," but since my unofficial culinary motto is "variations on a theme," this is what I went with:

ARROZ CON POLLO

I was after a saucy, slightly soupy even, one pot dish. Using brown rice gives the rice a chewy, almost barley-like consistency.  And for those who aren't crazy about brown rice, this is a clever way to disguise it.

• 8 chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• one large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 cans of fire-roasted diced green chilies
• 1 15 oz. can of fire-roasted tomatoes
• a pinch of saffron
• 2 tsps of chicken base (or 2 bouillion cubes)
• 1 1/4 cups of uncooked brown rice
• 6-8 large green pimiento-stuffed olives (whole or sliced in half width-wise)
• 1 1/2 cups of lager or pilsner beer (just not dark beer)
• water or broth (if needed)
• 1/2 can or jar (about a cup) of petite sweet peas, drained (Yes, canned! They are one of my guilty pleasures. Okay, frozen is fine, but canned adds a little sumthin'-sumthin'.)

Add oil to a large (lidded) saute pan and heat to medium-high. Salt and pepper the chicken and saute until nicely browned on both sides.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Add onion, garlic, green chilies to pot and saute until onion is soft. Stir in tomatoes, saffron, and chicken base. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10-15 minutes, flip chicken once during cooking. Add rice, beer, and olives, reduce heat to low, cover and continue cooking until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Check periodically and if rice is looking too dry add a little water or broth if needed. Just before serving, stir in peas and warm through.  Serves 4-6.

Serve with a green salad on the side, or for a heartier meal (to serve more people) serve seasoned black beans as well.

Free Pancakes Tomorrow at IHOP

Tomorrow is free pancake day at IHOP.  A short stack is free (one per person) tomorrow (Tuesday) from 7AM until 10PM.  All they ask is that you consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

My toddler is having some stitches removed tomorrow morning and I think I know what her "treat" will be.

Why was there no "good" babystuff out when I was pregnant?

I wasn't even newly pregnant that long ago (5 years) but ever since then, it seems like the baby products world has exploded with cool new stuff. Stuff that I would have totally bought.

There were no Bugaboos or Xplorys around (at least not in the US) when I was newly pregnant and researching baby gear. The thought of spending $1000 (all told) on a stroller was inconcievable.  All I knew is that I had to have a Peg-Pérego stroller because it's Italian that is what my mom strolled me around in when I was a tot. That was pretty much the extent of my "research." Turns out that stroller sucked serious ass mainly because it was so frickin' heavy. I sold it and bought a lightweight Maclaren Volo the minute my kid could sit up on her own. (Not the Kate Spade one, those didn't exist, and even if they did, um, no. But, I admit, I would have bought one in this style if he made them.)

I didn't really worry about baby furniture because we had a crib and I could see beyond the short-lived "baby years" to a time when the kid would be older and able to negotiate "regular furniture."  But if this line had been around when I was pregnant, I would have lusted after it.  And, shoot, there's even this stuff now.

When Bunny was little there were no frog pods.  We had mesh bags that suctioned to the wall and we liked them. We didn't have this Skip*Hop diaper caddy but if we did, I totally would have bought it.

You wanted to carry your baby?  You had two choices: Bjorn or sling.  And no fancy, retro-fabric-adorned tube slings either.  I don't remember seeing the explosion of those plus mei tais, maya wraps, podegis and the like, until Bunny was older, but maybe I just wasn't paying attention.

There were no baby Crocs and other fun shoes. Every kid in my playgroup wore Robeez (which didn't have the cute selection they have now, let me tell you), and that's how we liked it. Our generation used the cutesy flower-shaped IKEA plates which didn't hold fuck-all, instead of the more modern rounded-edge rectangles out now.

In way, I'm glad to see that the baby gear industry seems to have trended toward improving the already-functional items instead of thinking up more shit you don't need like baby wipes warmers, little boy's toilet targets, and bottle sterilizers. Although I admit I do chuckle to myself whenever I see a kid in a shopping cart with a shopping cart cover on it. I'm completely and irrationally germ-phobic and I wouldn't have used it. Like that thing doesn't get completely germ-ridden when you roll it up and put it in your car?  I was always a fan of changing clothes after trips to the gross grocery store or park, anyway.

I know, I know.  Babies don't need anything except a nipple (whether attached to boobs or bottle) and and to be cuddled, but I like "stuff." So sue me.

Like our parents said before us, say it with me, "How did we ever get along without this stuff?"

Meal Planning Monday

I'm writing this up Sunday night and I wanted to share that in honor of Chinese New Year, we had "Chinese" Chicken Salad and potstickers for dinner.  It's the first Chinese New Year in a long time that we haven't had a Chinese banquet dinner either with family or friends.  I did miss that a little bit, but our not-so-authentic dinner hit the spot. I've had a craving for Chinese Chicken Salad lately.  I like it when the dressing is spicy from the addition of Coleman's powdered mustard and I like lots of fresh cilantro in it, too.  Bunny, my preschooler, got a big kick out of having a celebratory meal that she wasn't expecting.

Here's what's up this week. What are you cooking?:

• Mexican Monday—Tacos, refried pinto beans with shredded cheese on top
• Tuesday—Jambalaya with andouille sausage and peas, sauteed crispy cabbage with bacon
• Wednesday (Sandwich night)—chicken salad sandwiches, homemade cream of broccoli soup
• Thursday—Fish, probably wild-caught cod, haricot verts, something potato-y
• Friday—take out
• Saturday—date night
• Sunday—Kalbi (Korean beef short-ribs) with quick kimchi, rice, lettuce wraps

Also this week Bunny and I are going to bake four loaves of crusty bread (to eat and freeze) and will probably make a batch of chicken matzo soup for Wallie, my toddler, who has a terribly cold.  I'm sure she'd like something warm to drink other than Korean "baby" barley tea (I can't help buying it, I love the box) and yuzu/citron tea.

Happy Year of the Boar!

(I know, it does seem cruel to include this photo, but it is a food blog!)

Friday Link Love (Contest edition)—2/16/07

If you are a sucker for a good sweepstakes or contest, you might want to know about these:

 

• A contest from Ponds in conjuction with The Starter Wife (a USA movie staring Debra Messing) encourages real women to share why they are more beautiful and confident in their 40s than they were in their 30s or 20s. If you are 40+ and fabulous, just visit the official site. Five winners will be featured in their own USA commercial and win an all-expense-paid weekend to live like a celebrity in Hollywood, including a fashion/beauty makeover and tickets to The Starter Wife premiere.
• You can also go to this site and share your “Real Starter Wife Story.”  If you’re one of the first 50 to submit your story, you’ll receive a “Just Because” flower delivery, a Pond’s prize pack (which is cute, I've seen it), and The Starter Wife novel. The next 100 entrants will also get a Pond’s prize pack.
• All detergent (I'm a fan of the "free and clear" flavor) is hosting an online contest for women that love their clothes. Applicants can submit a short video about their favorite article of clothing here . The winner will receive a $5000 shopping spree. ("Ode to yoga pants"...)

Go enter!  I hope you win something!

Blog I am digging so much I cannot stand it: Confessions of a Pioneer Woman (the photos, the recipes, I don't know where to begin.)

 

   

Quick and Dirty Snacks: Roasted Garbanzos

All you need for this tasty snack is a can of garbanzos, some seasoning, a pan, and and oven. Place drained garbanzos in a shallow roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and seasoning of your choice (salt, garlic salt, lemon pepper, or my personal fave: zatar spices mixed with a pinch or two of sugar), shake to coat, roast at 400º for 25 minutes. (I have a convection oven, if you don't check the garbanzos about 10 minutes in to ensure they aren't burning.) Shake pan half way through cooking.  Let cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature. My kids love this, and are eating it right now.

[photo: Stefania Pomponi Butler]

Because I'm thinking about you right this very second

Dear Wallie,

It's a month after our move, and it seems you have finally settled down. Your new bed plus the baby gate across your door have ensured that you aren't up and running around the house until 11 o' clock at night anymore.  Now you giggle as you get tucked into your "snuggly bed" and as I am leaving your room you call, "Mamma, will you please fix the gate?"

We know a crib mattress on the floor made you feel like an after-thought and we apologize.  I know you miss your crib and how much you love the "security" of being  "caged" for the night...except that as soon as you fall asleep I take the gate away. You don't know that, and for now, we're not talking about it except to say that hopefully, in a month or two, we won't need the gate any more.

Wallie, nowadays you are a tough one. Parenting experts like to call this phase, "the terrible twos," but you're not so terrible. You're trying hard to work my last nerve, but I have a lot of nerves left.

RIght now, you're that kid that parents write to parenting boards about asking questions like:

• "How do I stop my toddler from throwing tantrums in public?"
• "How do to encourage my toddler to wear clothes even when it's freezing out"
• "How do you keep your toddler from wiggling long enough to strap her in her carseat?"
• "How do I keep my toddler from bothering her sister?"
• "Why does my toddler eat more than most adults?"
• "Does anyone else have a strong-willed child?"

But Wallie, we love you and we wouldn't have it any other way.  We wouldn't trade your energy and scrapiness and curiosity and silliness for anything in the world. You are perfect.  And perfectly punky.

Wallie, if I were a weaker person, you'd rule the roost around here.  We butt heads a lot because I know that's how you want it, after all, you're two. If I were to just lay down and let you run the show, I know you'd be happy as a clam. But Mamma don't play that.

Your favorite phrases are "I wanna do it." and "I can't do it mySELF."  Your favorite sentence begins with, "I want..." Your Papa and I look at each other every day, shake our heads, and whisper, "Man, that kid...Wallie's tough." And, you don't see it, but we smile.

Wallie, you throw us for a loop sometimes.  When you are old enough to read this, you will probably understand how different you and your sister are. You might sometimes feel frustrated that Bunny is older and gets more freedom (and maybe more attention from others), or that people always point out the ways you two aren't the same.

What I want you to know is this:

Because you were our second child, we were much more confident parents when you were born. Bunny had two brand-new parents who didn't always know what the hell they were doing. We figured it out as we went and we made a lot of mistakes.

With you, Wallie, we still figure it out as we go sometimes, but by the time you were born, we knew how we would do things differently. You had the benefit of having two seasoned parents. You co-slept with us longer and we all slept better because we weren't so worried about you.

You nursed six months longer than Bunny did.  But when you were done you weren't having any more of it, no sir. No gradual weaning for you. A sign of your (ahem) fortitude.

We could sling you expertly from the get-go, and you loved it and still do to this day. I love it when you say, "I want to ride in the snuggly sling" because you are all about snuggles. And so am I, so I plop you in the sling and we're off. (Even though you weigh 36 pounds.)

By the time you were born, your Papa and I were also more patient with each other. We knew when to give each breaks and to take them when offered.  We now try to be more joyful and less frustrated.  And when we are grouchy we've learned to say, "I'm sorry for snapping, it's just that I'm tired, too."

So don't ever think that Bunny got more attention or that we were too distracted by her to focus on you. Wallie, in a lot of ways it's because of Bunny that you get the best of us. Which makes you who you are, and that is: the most charming, beautiful, energetic, savvy, and lovable two-year-old I have ever laid eyes on. You melt me constantly with your adorableness, Miss Personality.

I love you from the sweet, wispy curls on your head to the tips of your chomp-able toes,
Mamma

Lemon Bread for Valentine's Day

This is an adaptation of a recipe that's been floating around my circle of pals for a while now.  It's one of the easiest things you'll ever bake.  (I tell you this because I really don't like baking and I love to make this.)

MEYER LEMON TEA BREAD WITH RUM-LEMON GLAZE

• 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 2 large Eggs
• ½ cup Milk
• ½ cup melted unsalted butter, vegetable oil, or a blend of vegetable and light olive oil (my fave)
• zest of one small Meyer lemon
• Rum-Lemon Glaze (see below)

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk, butter/oil, and lemon peel until blended. Mix liquids into flour mixture until smooth.

Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake in a 350º oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (40-50 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare Lemon Glaze. Leaving loaf in pan, use a long skewer to poke numerous holes (15-20) all the way to the bottom of the loaf. Slowly drizzle hot glaze over the top.  Don't worry if it seems like a lot of glaze, the bread will absorb it, I promise. 

Let bread cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then run a knife carefully around the loaf and turn it out onto a rack to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap if you want to store. Serve at room temperature, preferably the next day.

Rum-Lemon Glaze

• juice of 2 medium Meyer Lemons (approx. 4 tbsps)
• a splash of dark rum (or cognac would work, too)
• a good handful of confectioner's sugar (1/2-1/3 cup)

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and keep warm.  (You can omit booze if you like.)

[photo credit: Stefania Pomponi Butler]

Happy Valentine's Day

I'm home with a sick preschooler who will miss her Valentine's Day school party today. J. drove her cards to school on his way to work. Poor Bun. In a way, I'm glad we get to spend the whole day together.  Now that she goes to school five days a week, I miss our afternoon alone time while Wallie naps. I'm thinking a game of Princess Memory is in order. And maybe a baking project.  Hope your day is beautiful.

[photo: Valentine's Day flowers from Tata]

More fun with the whole "hipster parent" thing

No, really!  Stay with me! (Or just scroll down...)  I've really been digging reading all the blog posts in response to James Poniewozick's recent Time article about "hipster parents." (I swear, this is the last I will speak of this, because this horse can't get any deader.)

I read my blogs through Bloglines and whenever I want to read about a particular topic (or research something) I do a Bloglines (or Technocrappi) search.  Type in "hipster parent" into the Bloglines search bar and so many thoughtful blog posts surface.

Here are a few of my favorite posts on this tired (and soon-to-be-tired-er) subject:

• To know Asha Dornfest is to love Asha Dornfest.  And how can you not love this oldie but goodie?
• Ditto for Pierre Kim (though we've never met).
• Since she was quoted in the article, Rebecca responds, and brilliantly, I might add.

This subject has brought out the best in bloggers, but it's funny how much this issue pisses people off. 

In reading through the posts one theme emerges, and it's true, parents are just trying to do the best they can. It's not about parents putting themselves first, it's about parents trying to retain some sense of self in order to be better parents, because in the end, it's about the children, people.

Finally, I'd like to leave this issue behind with:

10 reasons why I will never be mistaken for a hipster parent.

1. I have no idea who the Misfits are.  I've seen the t-shirts but...yeah. They don't ring a bell.  My children don't really wear rock n roll onesies, but they have been known to show their love for a certain someone who "writes the songs that make the whole world sing." And, no, it's not an ironic t-shirt, because I really do love him and I'm proud to share that love with my children.

2. Okay, my kids have seen Laurie Berkner in concert, but I'm positive that my trip to the American Idols Live! concert cancels out any of that "hipster cred." And I am not ashamed to admit that Ace "I Will be Your Father Figure" Young (far right) was my favorite. (Again, with the killing of the hipster cred.)

3. I know the lyrics to more 38 Special, Journey, Styx, and Tubes songs than anyone has a right to. I can sing Chicago, A Chorus Line, Cabaret, and, um, Les Miserables start to finish. I also know the lyrics to a couple of Chilliwack songs. Uh-huh, that's right. I can sing "My Girl." By heart.

4. I go to karaoke bars... with my mom.

5. I take pictures of kimchi. Because I love it. Mmmmmmmm.

6. One of my favorite movies is Clear and Present Danger. We own it, and literally bust it out 3-4 times a year.  And everytime, I watch it like I've never seen it before. (My all time favorite movie, however, is about the quest for the perfect bowl of ramen.)

7. I dislike most music where acoustic guitar is the focus. And I fucking HATE the Beatles.  (Yeah, I said it.)

8. I have never watched an entire episode of the Daily Show, the Colbert Report, the Simpsons, Star Trek, Battlestar Gallactica, Strangers with Candy, Kids in the Hall, The Office, or South Park. I despise animation geared for adults.

9. I prefer American cheese on my burgers and in my grilled cheese sandwiches.

10. When I was in 8th grade, I used to wear a royal blue, puffy, Eddie Bauer, down vest with a "Why Be Normal," button pinned to it. I paired that with a Mr. Zogs Sex Wax long sleeve t-shirt (with the collar cut out), plaid cropped pants, slouch socks, and checkerboard Vans. My bangs were high and crispy. The moment I put on that outfit (and the Sebastian Styling Spritz hit my bangs), any shred of hipster cred I ever had, shriveled up and died.