A Baby Shower

I meant to post this blog back in September, but until a friend inquired about a recipe, I realized I never did.  As it turns out the Baby celebrated at this shower was born just this week.  Little Dylan joined the party  on November 2^nd.  Mommy and baby doing fine!

Early October….

Last weekend, my friends and I threw our dear friend a baby shower.  This opportunity comes around less than it used to, so the thought of welcoming a new little being into our lives just fills me with delight.  The mom-to-be and I have known each other for nearly 25 years and in the last 10 we have spent many holidays and special times together with our mutual friends.  Most of these events included time spent in the kitchen together with bottles of wine or champagne whilst we created some of the most wonderful meals in my life.

The Décor – Catherine is not an elaborate person, but opts for the simple and beautiful things in life. She enjoys time in her garden and always has funny stories about a hummingbird or a dragonfly.  In fact they are creating some dragonfly artwork in the nursery, so we went with that kind of motif.  Just using simple clear jars and vases and filling them with simple white flowers.  Rachel (our host), has a lovely spanish style home, so not much décor was really needed. We were having an evening shower, so outside Rachel strung a lot of garden lanterns and twinkly lights.  We also put out a lot of tealights which I decorated in the garden motif.  The tealights, also served as the favors for the shower.

The Activities -  Catherine specified that no games were to be played (so happy about that!) so instead we had activities that guests could partake in, if they found themselves in a lull. Frankly, I felt I had to crack the whip a few times to get people to participate….we’re that kind of crowd.  So I’m not sure it was really necessary.  But these are the activities we provided. 

•   Onesie decorating.  We purchased plain white onesies and provided fabric markers.

• Wishes for Baby.  We asked guests to complete a form which had a “fill in the blank” list of things (see photo).   I’ll be taking these and making a book for the baby.  I’ll include a few extra pages for mom, dad and others to chime in.  As well as providing wish pages through the years for Mom to fill in, if she wants…or can also be used by the baby as a journal as he grows. 

• Lullabyes.  Catherine is a music lover, so I requested guests to write down their favorite songs as children or the ones they sang to their own children.  I thought this would be the most popular, but sadly, we got no takers. 

We also made a video to play through out the evening with all sorts of photos of Catherine as well as quotes on parenting and advice and best wishes from us all.

The Menu (recipes to follow)

When I sat down to create the menu for the shower, I did so with the purpose of providing her with a walk down memory lane.  Thankfully my friends reined me in and convinced me that not EVERYONE at the shower would appreciate a pate de foie gras, or duck leg lollipops …never the less we came up with a really scrumptious menu.  We were feeding 30 people and Catherine asked for finger foods, rather than a sit down meal.  However the timing of the shower was in the early evening, so we wanted to provide food with some substance.

Honey Butterflies -  Catherine once told me that one of her favorite childhood kitchen memories is of her mother fixing her bread spread with butter and honey.  I wanted to bring her back to that time, now that she’ll soon be making the same snack for her own child.   In this case it took the form of a very simple amuse bouche which I carried around on a tray and offered to our guests to get their mouths watering.  Who knew a little soft white bread with a rose of whipped honey and butter could illicit such praise.

Olives Assortment - Catherine and Cheri often have evenings of sharing olives and wine.  So Cheri provided a lovely assortment of olives for the evening.  She really is the olive aficionado, so I couldn’t begin to tell you what kind we ate – only that they were really delicious. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a really good olive!  HINT:  Be sure to have pails set near the table so people can easily dispose of their pits.

Crudite with Ina’s Herb Dip - Catherine always serves this dip at her parties, so we couldn’t possibly do without it at her most important party to date.  It is a very easy and simple recipe, but always brings rave reviews.  Seasonal raw vegetables are perfect accompaniment as are torn pieces of fresh baked bread.

Trader Joe’s Guilty Pleasures - We have spent more than a couple lazy Sunday afternoon’s in Catherine’s lovely backyard noshing on delectables from Trader Joe’s Frozen Food section along with some wine.  It seemed only right that we include these in the menu.   The Feta Cheese and Carmelized Onion in Puffed Pastry, Macaroni and Cheese bites, and Parmesan and Garlic Puffed Pastry.

Caesar Bites - Catherine and I had a very non-confrontational discussion about whether or not Caesar salad dressing should have anchovies in it.  She believes it should (she loves salt), I believe it shouldn’t (can’t stand a fishy taste).  In any case, we both love a good Caesar, so I made Caesar bites for our guests to enjoy – using Alice Water’s recipe for the dressing, which of course for this event, does include anchovies...and not one person complained of fishiness.

Tomato Basil Soup Shots - Catherine is an expert at sauces, gravies and soups.  Before we cooked together I never could get my soups or sauces to turn out right.  So this soup was an ode to the gifts she’s given me in the kitchen.  I was most nervous about serving it…so was relieved to get a thumbs up from the Queen of Soups herself.

BBQ Beef and Coleslaw Sandwiches - Before Catherine and I went to Babies R Us to register, we had lunch at my favorite restaurant in town, The Junkyard.  Traditionally, most restaurants I recommend really suck when other people go.  Happily, this was not the case.  She was in love with the BBQ Tri-tip and Coleslaw Sandwich that she had.  The way she described the heat of the sauce, the cream of the coleslaw and the garlic in the role – really stuck with me.   (And made me wish I had the same sandwich)  I knew I had to recreate a smaller version for her shower.

The Bar -  we served wine and sparkling clear sodas and water.  I pureed some watermelons and honey dew melons and froze the strained juice in ice cube trays.  These made a really pretty display and tasted delicious in the sparkling water as well.  We also provided a wonderful assortment of berries for people to eat or drop in their water or champagne.

Dessert -  I took the opportunity to support a friend who recently began her own bakery business…Sheryl Lynne’s Sweets.  She provided us with key lime pie bites with fondant daisies and dragonflies.  The pies were delicious and I wish her much luck in her new business.  Please keep her in mind if you are in LA or Ventura County. 

Cheri also selected a very delectable chocolate cake – perfect for Catherine who has been on a choco kick lately.  I can’t remember which bakery she purchased it from though. 

In the end, we were most exhausted – but it all went really well and Catherine took home a lot of loot.

There are very few people I would have gone to this much trouble for, but did it with much joy and anticipation of meeting our new party-goer.  I hope this baby boy LOVES to eat, because he will seriously be surrounded by a lot of women who are ready to feed him. (and I mean that in a non-breast sort of way.)

Recipes:

Honey Butterflies

·         4 oz honey

·         1 cup butter

·         1 loaf of soft white fresh bread.

Using a mixer, whip honey and butter together until smooth.  Do not over mix or the butter will begin to melt.  Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with the medium rosette nozzle.

Using a 2” circle cookie cutter, cut out 48 circles in the bread

Pipe a rosette onto each piece of bread.

Serve within 30 minutes or chill with a wet paper towel draped loosely over the pan to keep the bread from drying out.

Caesar Bite

•  6 bunches of romaine lettuce, pulled apart, reserving the pieces which have a natural “well” and are not to wide to put in your mouth easily. 
•  2 roast chicken breasts  - ½ “ dice (you can roast them yourself, or just pick them up at the grocery to save time)
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1 loaf french bread – cut bread into ½” cubes  
  ¼ cup olive oil
  Salt
  Pepper
  Plus Ingredients for the Salad Dressing from The Art of Simple Living

Make the croutons by tossing with olive oil and salt and place on pan.  Put in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until crunchy and golden brown.  Making fresh croutons makes a huge difference in this salad, so take the time to make them yourself.

Make the Dressing Recipe from The Art of Simple Food   - make the portion according to the book – a little goes a long way. (Every kitchen should have this cookbook, so if you don't have it, order it!)

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a couple of trays.  Top each leave with a little chicken, crouton, and parmesan.  Keep cool until service.  Just before service, drizzle a little dressing over the top.

Tomato Basil Soup Shots

I used Ina’s recipe, but recommend that you remove about half of the basil before pureeing the soup – otherwise it may take on a “pukey” color (according to my 8 year old).  I also recommend making it the day before so that the flavors can meld and take on a better depth.

I chose to serve the soup in shot glasses, for ease and appearance.  In retrospect I should have added basil ribbons or basil oil in each glass…for both appearance and to replace the basil I removed.  But I was quite impressed with my little mozzarella balls on the toothpicks – very cocktail-esque.  The mozzarella was purchased at Whole Foods

This soup can be served hot or cold, so it made for a good soup to sit at a party.

BBQ Beef and Coleslaw Sandwiches

This recipe is the only one I can really call all my own.  (well, I did get some tips on Ina on the coleslaw)

BBQ Beef

-          3 lbs – chuck roast, rump roast or any other kind of beef you have.  I used grass fed beef from my local farm, b/c that’s how I roll.

-          1 quart – Beef stock – also my own. I always roast the bones , meat and veggies that go in my stock, so I believe this adds a really great flavor to any dish.

-          1 quart – Memphis style BBQ sauce.  I recommend an acidic sauce rather than a sweet one for this recipe.

-          ½ cup of your favorite BBQ Rub – again, I have my own.  But any will do.

Heat your crock pot to high and add 1 T olive oil.

Apply rub to the roasts and brown them all over in the crock pot.

Turn heat to low, add BBQ sauce and Stock.  Let cook slow and low all day until the meat can be pulled apart easily. Store meat and sauce overnight in a rectangle ovenproof pan.

Coleslaw

-          1 lb green cabbage- shredded

-          ½ lb carrots – shredded

-          1 ½ cups – mayonnaise

-          ¼ cup – stone ground Dijon mustard

-          1 T - honey

-          3 T – Apple cider vinegar

-          2 t – celery seeds

-          1 t – celery salt

-          Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  Recommend making this the day of so the coleslaw is cool and crunchy

Garlic Rolls

-          3 tubes of Pillbury Ready Bake French Rolls

-          4 oz garlic and herb butter spread (you can make your own by mixing stick of butter with herbs de provence and 2 t minced garlic)

Cut each French Bread “loaf” into 12 1” pieces.

Using a cupcake pan, put one segment in each cupcake hole and brush with herb butter.

Bake approx. 15 minutes at 375.  Keep an eye on them and take them out when they are golden brown.

Can be made ahead.

Before service….

-          Reheat meat in oven at 350 for about 12 – 20 minutes.  Then turn to broil for 5 minutes until tips of meat are crispy.

-          Cut rolls in half (sandwich style)

-          Top with about 1 T of meat and 1 T of coleslaw.  Place top bun on top.  If necessary, use a toothpick to hold them together. 

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomato Salsa

Don't let anyone tell you that Spaghetti Squash is a good substitute for pasta.  My pasta-loving self rejects that claim entirely.  But once you stop thinking of spaghetti squash as a poor pasta subsitute, you might just find that it does have some redeeming qualities.

It is very easy to cook, it has a delightful crunch, it doesn't have a "squashy" taste, and it is guilt-free at only 42 calories per cup with 10 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber and even a gram of protein.

I know fall is rolling around when the spaghetti squash start arriving in my box.  I also had some tomatoes on the verge of going bad, so I was planning to make salsa...why not combine them?

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
good olive oil
salt and pepper
4 ripe tomatoes - whole
2 - 4 hot chili peppers (your choice)
1 small garlic bulb  - washed but not peeled
1 medium onion (any kind is fine) - washed but not peeled, cut in half.
1 t of sugar

Directions

Set oven to 450 degrees. 
Wash and split a Spaghetti Squash.  Scoop out the seeds (reserve and soak if you want some squash seed snacks for later).  Place the squash halves on a pan (meat side up) and drizzle olive oil over the top, salt and pepper.  Put in the oven.

On another roasting pan, place tomatoes, onion, peppers and garlic.  Drizzle these with olive oil also and place in the oven beside the squash.

After 30 minutes your tomatoes should have collapsed and your garlic should be tender. (if not, let it roast a little longer).  Remove the sheet with the tomatoes and cover with tin foil for 10 minutes or so.  (This steams the veggies, so they are easy to peel.)

At 45 minutes, remove the squash -- it should be tender and able to be shredded with a fork. 

Shred the squash with a fork into a bowl and set aside.  You should have "pasta-like" ribbons.

Remove the skin from the tomatoes, onion and peppers.  Put them in a food processor or blender.  Squeeze the garlic from the bulb (you'll want about 1 teaspoon).  Add salt and a teaspoon of sugar to cut the acidity.  Process until smooth.

You can serve this dish hot or cold...but the salsa will always be better in the days that follow.  I like to reheat the squash with a little extra olive oil, salt and pepper and then add a dallop of cold salsa.  Mixed together it has vibrant flavors that meld the tang of the tomato, sweet of the squash and heat of the peppers.  It's a really satisfying, yet light meal.  For a heartier meal, add a roasted chicken breast or white fish filet.

What other sauces are good on Spaghetti Sauce? I saw this recipe for Mint Salmoriglio Sauce on Giada this week -- I bet this would be GREAT on spaghetti squash: 

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
• 2 lemons, zested
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed or finely minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint and parsley.
Pour the sauce over the cooked orzo, toss until coated, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Gumbo is Yumbo

OK, that was really corny...but it's 110 degrees today and I've been in the kitchen all morning, so you'll have to cut me a break.  I was most excited to get the okra in my box today.  While I don't like slimy fried okra, I ADORE pickled okra and love a good gumbo even more.


There are a few things that I in the prep of my gumbo that are important to me.
1.  The roux -- don't rush the roux.  I cook it super slow and low.  Because it is a fine line between a good and bad roux if you cook it to fast.  And anyone that knows me, knows that I don't deal well with fine lines.  So if I cook it over the lowest possible temp, then it's harder to ruin it.

2.  I don't add meat.  I cook my gumbo in advance and let the flavors marry over time in the fridge or freezer.  When I'm ready to eat it, I add my meat of choice and cook it another 1/2 hour  (or simmer for several).  This way my gumbo is flexible and will last longer.

3.  I'm not a big fancy of giant pieces of vegetable in my soups.  So I cut everything to about a 1/4" dice.  I trick for doing this quickly with longish vegetables.  Is to slice them length wise into quarters (but not ALL the way from end to end).  Then chop -- this is a quick and easy dice method for lazy self-trained cooks like myself.

4.  I ALWAYS use fresh tomatoes instead of canned.  I can't stand the taste of canned tomatoes.  If you don't mind it, then by all means, substitute with canned.  But I highly recommend using fresh -- just to taste the difference.  I also try to use homemade tomatoe sauce, but I don't always have it on hand.  My second option is jarred tomatoe sauce...again -- it's a metallic can issue for me.

5. OH AND If you have a really good 1/2 cup of lard -- then use it as the fat in the Roux.  You will not be disappointed.  My second choice is butter.  I don't ever use oil.

So there you have it -- my gumbo do's and don't.  Now for the recipe...this serves about 8 - 10 people.

1/2 cup  butter
1/2 cup flour (I use quinoa or rice flour in honor of escaping gluten...it works fine.  I wouldn't use almond or coconut)
1large onion diced
3 stalks celery diced
1 red bell pepper diced (you can use green, but I like the sweet flavor of red)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 lb of tomatoes diced with skins on (reserve as much juice as possible)  This is about 8 - 10 medium tomatoes)
2 cups of chicken stock
4 cups water
1 1/4 lbs okra (fresh or frozen) diced.  This is about 20 - 25 okras
1 t salt (you'll prob want to add more before you eat it unless you add seafood)
2 t fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
a few shakes of tobasco

Make a roux -- that is, use a heavy cast iron pot or skillet and melt butter/lard over very low heat.  Add the flour a little at a time and whisk into the butter.  Once it's all whisked in, continue to stir occasionally until the roux is dark (like a dark copper penny).  If you burn it, start over b/c you can't use it in the gumbo.

Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and saute until soft.  If you are using a cast iron skillet, then transfer to a warmed heavy pot.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to the boil and then cut back to a simmer for an hour.

Refrigerate at least 24 hours (or freeze).  When you are ready to eat it, add chicken, sauce, your choice of seafood or all  three and simmer for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve over rice.

(PS - if you're freezing, don't fill the jar too much.  It'll expand and crack your jar.)

Feeling Peachy

Last summer I remember making oodles of drunken herb peaches and feeding them to friends in cocktails.  Right now, I am declining alcohol (mostly), so was trying to decide what to do with my surplus peaches without heating up my kitchen. (It's over 100 degrees right now)

No-bake pie?  Nah -- also trying to cut down on sweets.

Just cut and freeze?  Nah -- I still haven't used up the last batch I froze...I can only drink so many smoothies.

I had read something in Martha Stewart's Whole Living about blending raw fruit and then straining the juice into ice cube trays to make pretty and flavorful icecubes.  Well, I have no ice cube trays, but I thought if I did this and poured it into a round tupperware container, I could freeze it and throw it into a pretty party punch later on. Cool idea -- so I proceeded.

Blend blend blend.   I ended up with about 16 cups of blended white peaches. It made a  pretty white sauce with pink dots in it.  But as I began to separate the juice from pulp/skin (using a strainer), it began to turn dark like apple sauce.  Well -- it might taste good, but it sure wasn't going to make a pretty party punch.

Giant ice cube idea abandoned, I now had about 8 cups of very smooth "pulp" and 8 cups of very thick juice.

The pulp was mixed with some stevia and cinnamon and became raw peach sauce -- v. tasty -- the kids gobbled it up.

The juice was mixed with gelatin and poured into a saran wrap lined jelly roll pan.  Put into the freezer 5 minutes ago, I'm hoping to find some cinnamon-peach jello in about an hour.   I'll keep you posted...


UPDATE:  I thought it tasted good, but the kids rejected it b/c it wasn't a smooth enough jello.  Having pulp in the juice ruined it for them.

Farewell to AKM, Panic Sets In

Every once in a while, I revisit my old blogs and kind of do a check-in to see where I’m at. What have I realized? How have I changed? I read this one and it gave me a good boost. While the diet is always improving and changing, overall the idea is right.

Having just come back from a vacation and food-feast, it is a good time to get back in tune with my program and stay aligned as I move forward. I went through quite a bout of depression with my shoulder injury (you’ll note I don’t blog much when I’m sad…those writings are reserved for my own private crazy girl journal…and anyone reading this, should be glad of that!)

Depression is interesting though, because often times it is accompanied by denial. I view that as a self preservation technique to keep myself from sinking too low. A way of forcing myself through the day when I’d actually rather be curled up in a deep hole of self pity. I find that I seek out the company of friends a lot more and enjoy more alcohol-induced laughter. Laughter, in any form, is healing and keeps me moving. I also refer to Amanda Rose and her blog: Rebuild from Depression. 

The last 6 mos, I have jumped on and off the healthy band wagon (several times) and have been doing mini yo-yo dieting much to the eye-rolling chagrin of my AKM. Up 5 lbs, down 10. Up 6, down 5…etc. But it’s no wonder. In addition to having a broken shoulder, WAY too many traveling vacations, anniversaries and milestone birthdays (I am indeed a Fabulous 40 year old now) I’m also going through a BIG change in my life. After 4 years, AKM is moving away in 2 weeks and won’t be training me anymore. I’m seized with panic. It brings tears to my eyes if I dwell on it for long. This young man, who could ALMOST be my son, as he sometimes sassily reminds me…has been the strong point of my healthy journey. He took me, a fat and fading fast 36 year old and helped me find the courage and will power to change my outlook. He knew how to deal with my moods, my boredom and my excuses. I cursed him before every visit, sometimes during, but never after. We talked about every range of subjects…over time, nothing seems to be off limits. He is probably just as familiar with my body as my husband is, but in a totally unsexual way. I mean, there is to no one else I can say, “Have you noticed that my butt is looking rounder?” or “Do you see that I’m getting under-arm flab?” I know I’m only his client, but he’s also been my friend…honest and encouraging. Everyone needs a friend like that. I’m going to miss my friend. And I’m seriously worried about what will happen once he’s gone. I’ve taken measures to prevent myself from sinking back to inactivity. But will a bootcamp send me a txt reminding me not to over-eat or asking me if I’m REALLY too sick to train? Will a tennis coach want to hear about the funny things my chickens do? Or be interested in what I’m growing in my garden? I’m skeptical. I’m worried. This was totally NOT the original point of this blog, but I can’t remember WHAT my point was going to be.

Great, now I’m depressed again. I need to go find my crazy girl journal.

The Milk

Last week my family took off on a journey up the California coast to spend some time in Oregon with my side of the family.  Just north of San Francisco is Alice Waters country.  Restaurants boast their organic/pastured cuisine.  Farms proudly hang out signs announcing their organic bounty (as well as some life-size one-dimensional mannequins of the farmers, which we found amusing.)  I was pleased to drive by farms with beautiful "happy cows" roaming grass lands, even if most of their milk is pasteurized.  At least I know now that Clover Farms has grass-fed milk.  It left me feeling healthy and bright and wished I lived in the bay area again.

Some days later we were enjoying a glorious private beach in Bandon, when a friend in Texas posted a link which read "Raid of Rawesome, 3 Arrested".  I clicked on the link.  Well, what do you know -- they had Sharon (my farmer) and Victoria (an employee) in jail.  As my son would say, "What the-!"

I immediately started researching, clicking away to find out what all the fuss was about.   The Health Department and LAPD had swarmed a buyers club in Venice with guns drawn as if it were a crack den.  But no…it was about milk.  Really? Over the course of the last year, our very cash-strapped law enforcement agencies have been operating a sting to catch the owners of Healthy Family Farms and Rawesome.  Catch them doing what? Oh my goodness -- milking goats and distributing the milk to the owners of the goats.  To over-simplify, the Health Department won’t acknowledge the goat owners as the legal owners, so they are saying Rawesome and Healthy Family Farms are CONSPIRING to  operate without a license.  Well, that will be disputed in court, I’m sure.  But what I find amazing is that “milk conspiracy” draws a FELONY charge and a bail higher than violent offenders.  I think my jaw may need to be wired shut from the considerable dropping it has been doing in the past 5 days.  These are the official charges.
 
Needless (and annoying) to say, there are some very gray areas here.  It will be very interesting to watch it unfold…and I know that support from people like me are critical to a favorable outcome. I was hoping to be at Sharon's arraignment, but learned too late of the time.  So instead I feel obligated to blog and email everyone I can think of who might have an impact on this.   I hope this event stirs other people to action as well.  Too many of us have been standing by for too long.

I take this VERY personally.  I get really fired up when someone starts wasting hard earned tax money to mess with my food supply that has taken years to research and discover.  A food supply that has enabled me to not just feed my family economically, but also watch them thrive and overcome health issues.

I have a RIGHT to buy milk from the source that I trust and can visit whenever I want.
I have a RIGHT to see how my meat lives before it is sacrificed for my family’s benefit.
I have a RIGHT to take responsibility for my health and not have the government interfere.

What scares me most, is that if Sharon and James are willing to practice their rights in the open with this result, then so many other herd share partners are going to dive deep under ground.  They WON’T open their farms to the public.  I WON’T be able to see how my meat is raised or my dairy milked.  It will be harder to find healthy trust-worthy resources.

As we drove home from Oregon on I-5, I heard about the massive Cargill ground turkey recall, illnesses and death.  There was no mention of accountability or arrests.  Soon after, we passed by the Harris Ranch feedlots.  Massive quantities of over-heated hormone and anti-biotic injected cattle standing on manure piles being fed wads of genetically modified corn and soy.  The stink so bad, I swear I could see a hole in the ozone layer.  But that…that is legal. 



How to Take Action
Educate Yourself:
There are a lot of good documentaries, and websites which provide educational information.  But mostly, you should see for yourself.  There is a reason why people who eat real food feel so adamant about it…because we reap the benefits!
http://farmageddonmovie.com
http://www.foodincmovie.com/
http://www.ingredientsfilm.com/
http://www.realmilk.com/

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-natural-beef.asp

http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/

http://www.westonaprice.org/

Donate:
This organization takes donations to help defend small farms against big government.
http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/

Support:
Websites which help you find local farms in your area.  The best way to create change is by making change.  Eating organic whole foods does NOT mean you have to spend more money on groceries.
http://www.eatwild.com/
http://www.abundantharvestorganics.com/
http://www.localharvest.org/

Speak Up: 
We are only a democracy if we participate.
In addition to blogging, facebooking and twittering…you also should feel free to write to your local representatives to voice your opinion and your rights.  It’s also good to check with organizations like Real Milk and Farm to Consumer Defense for bills in the works regarding our food and the impact to small farms.  Take note of how your representatives vote and let them know what you think of them – both good and bad. 
FDA:  http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm
California Food and Agriculture: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Contact_Us.html
Congress/Senate: 
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

April Anxiety

Well here we are already in April --- I have both been looking forward to and dreading this month.  Mike and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary last month (in one of our favorite places on earth -- Austria, with the kids and dear friends.)  But our real anniversary celebration will take place this month when we head back to Boston, scene of our chaotic honeymoon.  We thought we'd go back and do things right -- lots of rest and relaxation.  I love Boston and I'm excited to be going.  I'm looking forward to traipsing along the Paul Revere trail, spending time with friends and eating ridiculous amounts of seafood. 

Why go in April?  Because we own a timeshare.  For those that don't own a timeshare -- let me explain...sometimes you just get what you get.   Well, then OF COURSE, it just happened to line up with our annual pilgrimage to Coachella for the music festival.

So what exactly is bad about this situation?    It means leaving my children and home for 10 days.  This will be the longest I've ever been away from them all. And while I have a network of supportive and capable people to care for them, let's face it -- we have quite a show going on here at Hunter's Point.  I can't help but let my Grandfather's worry gene kick in, and my mother's anxiety gnaw on me a bit.  I keep checking an re-checking the list of things everyone will need to know.  My old friend, insomnia, has stopped by to visit for a few nights.  Even my daily meditation time is plagued by "what have I forgotten's?" 

It doesn't help that my very sarcastic son has an ongoing conflict with his grandmother who will be coming to stay during the school week.  I can't help but imagine all the mean things that will fly out of his mouth when I'm not around to tell him to "shut it".  True, words are his only defense mechanism at this point, but still one does not wish for this type of scenario.

Last time I left the kids for a week,  my mom took care of them and gave me daily reports of her exhaustion level.  The stress of not being able to control a less than ideal situation culminated with a panic attack on the side of an icy ski slope and ended with me barfing in the toilet at the apres ski bar.  What will happen this time?  I do not know.  And for a control freak like me, that's a problem.  I've completely neglected to remember that this is an excellent chance for some much needed bonding with my husband. Not to mention that Coachella represents my annual opportunity to feel completely irresponsible.  I will, no doubt, come home feeling cleansed of feeling burdened by parenthood and amp up the delight I feel in spending time with my little bundles of joy.