I thought it would be a fun idea to take a break from recipes today and do a little “check-in.” That is the term I use at home when I want to step back and assess a situation that seems to the focus of my days at that particular moment. Here is my check-in for today: how is your holiday cooking going? Is all your shopping done? What are your travel plans this season? Here are the answers to those questions on my end and a few last minute gifts and tips for holiday travel with kids.
A Winter Village as decorated by a little kid (ps – my fancy camera is in the shop!)
It’s that time of year again – time to plan holiday gifts for family and friends! I am a huge advocate of giving homemade gifts for Christmas. Giving a simple bag of homemade candy bark or jar of hot fudge sauce is a heartfelt way to show friendship and happiness and is much less expensive than buying bags of gifties at hefty retail prices. I am planning an entire week dedicated to homemade kitchen gifts that are naptime cooking-friendly in early December, so stay tuned. Today we are going to talk about planning for these gifts and things to consider in your gift giving this year, including some great ideas for reasonable gifts from Red Envelope to pair with your homemade delicacies.
This is the latest installment of my Tales from the Trenches Series. An ongoing series where friends and readers share their stories and recipes about the great food they fit into family life. We all have tips and tricks to share with each other: when we cook, what we cook and how we cook the delicious food we love to eat.
GIVEAWAY: {If you are interested in a winning a copy of Laurie’s book please see entry rules below the interview}
Today I am chatting with Laurie David, the author of The Family Dinner Cookbook: Great Ways to Connect With Your Kids, One Meal at a Time and well-known environmental advocate. I had the great fortune of meeting Laurie at the BlogHer Food Conference in Atlanta last May where we made an instant connection. Both of us strongly believe in the power of families eating together as a way of connecting with our children and strengthening family bonds. As you know, I often cook during naptime or when my daughter is at school so that I can enjoy cooking and our dinner is ready with minimal fuss in the evening. This is my way of getting a joyful dinner on the table for us to converse over. Sure, there are nights when my husband travels or I am out for work, but, like Laurie, I strive to make our meals meaningful and memorable as often as possible.
I encourage you to pick up a copy of Laurie’s wonderful book and enjoy it. Better yet, pick up two copies, one for you and one for a friend. The volume contains gorgeous recipes and anecdotes relating to all kinds of family gatherings and ways to connect with your family over meals. It stresses the importance of low-stress food and easygoing fun. A notion I think all parents, especially me, can stand solidly behind.
1. It can be hard to have lengthy sit down dinners with young children. Do you have any tips for parents looking for ways to get their toddlers to stay engaged at the table for more than just the time they are eating?
Kids stay at the table when they’re having fun. And one way to accomplish that is by playing verbal games. My book is full of suggestions for games we played in my house to take the conversation away from the ordinary and get everyone laughing. Kids love to answer questions, they love to respond and they even love to wait their turn to participate. Tonight, try playing “What I Like about Me”. Go around the table and have everyone say one thing that they like about themselves. And then for the second and third rounds, have everyone go around and say what they like about the person on either side of them.
2. Since time can be the enemy of parents with young kids, what kind of meal prep tips do you recommend for people trying to sit down for at least 10 minutes with their families for dinner?
First of all, take the pressure off yourself about what constitutes “dinner”. It can be soup and a salad or healthy sandwich and cut up fruit. On days when you’re super busy, remember that the really important thing is sitting down together and talking. Also, I’m a fan of time savers, such as doubling up recipes and freezing one, sharing meals with friends and simplifying, simplifying, simplifying!
Two years ago I wrote about summer 1997 and my first internship ever working at Vanberg & DeWulf, the Belgian beer importing business in Cooperstown, NY. During that summer I worked closely with Wendy Littlefield and Don Feinberg learning about all aspects of the beverage business. Amidst the flurry of office activity I also learned a lot about their beers. I was barely legal to drink at that point, and had not yet developed any sort of palate for beer or wine, but was intrigued by this new world that extended far beyond the dorm mainstay: Natty Light. In Belgium brewing beer is an art form; the Belgian take their beer as seriously as the French do their wine. To drink a Belgian beer is to enjoy it sip by sip with delicious rustic farmstead foods — it is not the kind of beer that is used for boat races or beer pong.
This week I am working with Wendy, who has since become a friend and mentor to me, on a special Belgian Beer-themed week on The Naptime Chef. Belgian beer can be paired with foods just like wine, and it is also wonderful to cook with. I don’t think it is a stretch to assume most home cooks drink wine or beer with dinner which is why I thought you all might enjoy learning about the beauty of Belgian ales. While Wendy and I were on the phone last week we dreamt up a gorgeous virtual Belgian picnic full of classic flemish flavors. The food is perfect for a picnic on the lake, at the beach, or at your own family table. I’ll share the menu, and recipes, with you tomorrow.
To kick things off Wendy and I compiled a recommend list of Belgian beers that are perfect for summer sipping. These are known at Biere de Tables in Belgium, this translates to Table Beers, and are typically enjoyed during family meals. They have a low-alcohol content, come in a variety of flavors and have a fine bubbly mouth feel akin to champagne. Younger children are often allowed to have small sips of Table Beers with their meals. It is the way Belgians teach their children to appreciate fine beers and food. Others are Saisons (beers brewed on the farm in the winter to quench the thirsts of farm hands in the growing season); lemony light “Abbey Ales” (great accompaniment to mussels): or “Wheat Beers” great with spicy foods: or Strong Golden Ales” so suited to grilled chops or burgers. There is even a “Wild” beer in the mix as a surprise.
The beers we are highlighting today are all on the lighter side and pair well with flavorful summer meals. Stay tuned for our next installment tomorrow when we start cooking with beer and indulging in our virtual picnic!
1) Lambrucha:This unique beer, the marriage of two fermented drinks, Kombucha and Lambic, was developed by Wendy and Don. Tasting Table Chicago recently stated, “Move over, Miller High Life: We’re declaring Lambrucha the new Champagne of Beers.” Strong words for such a new beverage! This tart bubbly drink is rose-colored with light, refreshing citrus notes which make it ideal for summer sipping, especially with summer vegetables and seafood. It is the mimosa of the beer world. Ultimate picnic brunch beer.
Every so often I like to take a break from recipes to share some of the things I’ve been enjoying on the web recently. These are sites and products, both food related and otherwise, that have been catching my eye and I think you might enjoy as well. Have a great weekend, I’ll be back next week with some great recipes and a fun food theme!
Gilt Taste, the newest addition to Gilt Group, features fabulous food related articles and is being edited by Ruth Reichl. It is also home to a beautifully cultivated fine foods market. Wagyu Beef shipped straight to my door for Father’s Day? Yes, please!
Being a devoted naptime canner, I love Aimee’s article on Simple Bites about preparing for canning season. She has assembled the perfect checklist for canners this year. It is a must-read for anyone — experienced or not — ready to preserve summers gorgeous produce.
I’ve often dreamed of living like India Hicks, barefoot in the sand, letting my daughter run free on the beach after school each day. India’s blog is pure escape at it’s best. She documents her island life and globetrotting adventures with fun pictures and hilarious stories to boot. I am very much looking forward to the launch of her jewelry line.
By the time you read this we will be halfway through our vacation in Charleston. (Burglars take note, our house is still occupied so don’t even think about it!) When I travel with my daughter I always pack a bagful of snacks for the road and grocery shop wherever we land. Not only does this save money, it also helps us steer clear of the junk food/fast food traps that prey on desperate parents with hungry children. Here are some of my favorite eats and tips and I encourage you to share yours. We all can learn from each other when it comes to traveling with kids!
Airplane Food
Beverages: Since water is not allowed pre-security I simply pack my daughter’s stainless steel water bottle and fill it with fresh water once we get to the gate. It is important to stay hydrated during long flights and she does not understand the phrase “wait for the flight attendant.” I save the rest of the water bottle for myself.
Two weeks ago I participated in a fabulous trip to Portland Oregon to tour the Willamette Egg Farms. My Farm to Table Tour was sponsored by The Good Egg Project. This is an effort by America’s egg farmers to educate people about where eggs come from and encourage them to join America’s egg farmers in the fight against hunger by pledging to “Eat good. Do good every day.” For each pledge made on GoodEggProject.org, America’s egg farmers will donate one egg to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief charity, up to one million eggs. Since 2009, America’s egg farmers have donated more than 28 million eggs to food banks and charities across the nation.
