laurushka.org/blog

No, I’m not referring to Peeps, that awful Easter treat that everyone seems to love. I’m just peeping to say Hello, I am still alive on this planet, but I am struggling with balancing schoolwork and mothering and life and maintaining a blog.  Remind me that I have a post in my head about “maternal competence”… someday, maybe after I make some more progress on the schoolwork, this post will come out.

But now, let me talk about food again.  It’s funny how someone who loves food so much is still afraid of the kitchen. But I am working on overcoming my fear! If I could learn how to drive a stick-shift after five years of being a passenger, I can learn how to cook, right?

And I will make mistakes in both cases… for example… I double-parked to unload the car the other week, and turned off the engine and left the gear in neutral. I kept a remarkably level-head when the car started rolling down the hill towards me while I was pulling things out of the trunk, and was able to quickly hop in the driver’s seat and put it in first-gear.

Recent debacles in the kitchen include: burning my arm on the inside of the oven while heating up frozen burritos; slicing my index finger while trying to halve a bagel; and then there was the chicken broth incident. I figured I had broth-making down-pat after making two batches, but oops, I must have had the temperature too high, because the whole pot turned to a congealed fatty mess. Blech. I haven’t made a chicken since!

But let’s talk about kitchen success!  Last week, I was inspired to go through my  two-year’s worth of Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazines. I picked out two recipes: Ginger Carrot Soup and Roast Beef with Peppers, Onions, and Potatoes, and we tackled them this weekend. I handled the Roast Beef myself, but made Joe slice the carrots and puree the soup.  I liked both meals very much. We hardly ever cook red meat, so it was a bit nerve-racking to take the temperature and wait for it to hit the magic safety number. And then the next day, we ate the rest of the roast beef with a mango and black bean sauce, loosely following this recipe for Beef and Mango Wraps (we didn’t have any wraps). I think it was the first time I ever sliced a mango– what an interesting pit!  And today, I am enjoying Ginger Carrot Soup for lunch.  Unfortunately, Lilia doesn’t believe me that this is soup. I think her definition of soup requires NOODLES. Ah, well, she can enjoy a hard-boiled egg instead.

Well, I may disappear back into the ether now, as I have class this weekend, and quite a lot of schoolwork to do in the next few weeks (and into MAY!). But I will leave you with the wise words of Mr. Roger Miller:

Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t take a shower in a parakeet cage
Ya can’t take a shower in a parakeet cage
Ya can’t take a shower in a parakeet cage
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

All ya gotta do is put your mind to it
Knuckle down, buckle down, do it, do it, do it

Well, ya can’t go a-swimmin’ in a baseball pool
Ya can’t go swimmin’ in a baseball pool
Ya can’t go swimmin’ in a baseball pool
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t change film with a kid on your back
Ya can’t change film with a kid on your back
Ya can’t change film with a kid on your back
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t drive around with a tiger in your car
Ya can’t drive around with a tiger in your car
Ya can’t drive around with a tiger in your car
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

All ya gotta do is put your mind to it
Knuckle down, buckle down do it, do it, do it

Well, ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t go fishin’ in a watermelon patch
Ya can’t go fishin’ in a watermelon patch
Ya can’t go fishin’ in a watermelon patch
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to!