Miss Jenny's Happy-Time Preschool

Lachlan has been attending the speech preschool at River Heights Elementary for the past year. We have loved Miss Wendy so much. I honestly can't say enough good about the quality of the speech program. Last month, Lachlan had her "final exam" in speech. She passed. She scored average in all areas of ability. We have officially graduated from all state-assisted programs.

I'm just going to go off on a tangent for a moment and tell everyone about how grateful I am for these programs. Lately, there are so many people in this state and nation who literally gripe about social programs--how our tax dollars are wasted, the national debt is out of control, and that immigrants are using these programs...oh, how I could wax on, and on, and on...

I want my children to know that our family believes in social programs. The Up-to-3 program funded by your tax dollars was a Godsend. They swooped in, came to our home and literally taught Lachlan how to use her body, speak, run--she is an amazing child, but I couldn't have done it on my own. I am indebted to these folks. I have such deep and profound respect for the skills and love that they show each child. Until you have a child that is in desperate need of help, I don't think that you really understand what it is like to watch them struggle to live and communicate. EVERY child is entitled to that help. I don't care if you are plucked down from another planet. If you are in this country, I say go ahead, use all the tax dollars you want--get the help that you need. As a parent, to another parent--I get it. I would never ask another mother to watch her child struggle. I'm going on record to say that if you're wealthy enough to have cable television, you're wealthy enough to pay enough taxes for social programs.
And just look at the payoff. Here she is going to her first day of mainstream preschool--funded privately, of course.
She's an immigrant, too. Lest you forget. I've got a green card to prove it.
I hope she always stays this excited for the first day of school.
Even the baby is going to preschool--he's all ready to tell Miss Jenny that "he loves dinosaurs, dragons, monsters, volcanoes, castles, and knights" He was very concerned that she wouldn't understand how important those things are to him.
Waving good-bye and not turning to look back...

Drama Queen

Something happens to a kid when they get to be about three and a half...at least in our house. For Lachlan, she turned on the drama in the form of Kindergarten angst. Basically, at any given hour she can act like she's on her period for several hours or several days. She pouts, cries, gets sullen faced...you really can't tell what's going to bring it on. This morning she laid on her bedroom floor and cried like I'd asked her to leave her true love--why? Cause I told her that she needed to make her bed before she got dressed. Last week, I caught her slamming her baby into her timeout chair and yelling, "you are a stupid dad!" Why? Cause he told her that she couldn't blow a loud whistle in the house.

I used to think that it was a girl-thing...that it would just ratchet up a notch when she turned twelve. Well, I was wrong.

Jack has proved himself to be something of a "lover of the arts" as well. For the past couple of weeks, if he gets so much as a rug burn or a large feather passes over a body part he will scream like he's had an arm cut off in a tractor PTO shaft. The shock of the cry has been so overwhelming that I've been known to come running from the basement (which seriously, I NEVER do)--only to find that he stubbed his toe on an imaginary pebble. It goes without saying that the kid can suddenly give Sally Field a run for her "waterworks" money.

Que Tchaikovsky's theme for "Peter and the Wolf"-- let it be told that I will only run up the stairs from the basement so many times before I just start yelling, "quit yer bawling".

Last week Jack's cries for help went unheeded for hours because I just didn't believe him. When I finally did look him in the face I noticed that he had a goose-egg on his eye. We put some ice on it, but by then, the damage had been done.

What kind of mother says something like, "it's your own fault." ??

This one. That's who.

Thirty and Five

I celebrated my thirty-fifth birthday. Jeff cooked Molten-Lava chocolate cakes. Lachlan gave me a princess tic-tac-toe game and Jack gave me a T-Rex dinosaur. I don't know what Jack was more excited about getting a new dinosaur or eating lava out of a "volcano cake". You can also see in this picture that Lachlan purchased "me" some purple Kool-aid. She's really nice to give me something like that since I would NEVER purchase it for myself. The kids have helped "me" drink it every day.
I've really spent a lot of time thinking about thirty-five. This has been the first birthday when I've felt older. I spend more time trying to cover up my face than show it off--made an official switch to full-coverage foundation. I almost always wear my glasses to read. It used to be only when I remembered, but now just thinking about reading without them gives me a headache. Without getting to "Debbie Downer"--I'll just say that I'm not quite ready to get into my forties.
Jeff and I also celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary this month. We were able to get a bunch of our friends together and go out to dinner. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives. It really made for a fun couple of weeks.
Jeff gave me a 50mm/1.8f Nikon lens for my birthday. They aren't very expensive, but I'm already loving what I can do with it. It is very different from my "every day" lens--so I'm going to have to practice. Don't judge. These are my first-tries...

Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

This dessert was named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The brits call it a "Pav"--and it is amazing! I found this recipe in the June 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine. I love this mag. I probably find 10 recipes per issue that we love. It's generally less health conscious than my Cooking Light, but sometimes I find that I don't want to have to think about it any more. I saw ol' Nigella Lawson stirring the meringue in the bowl and I thought it would just be a crying shame to miss out on something so easily made. The recipe is not available on Food Network, but it is available on Nigella's website (found here: http://www.nigella.com/recipe/recipe_detail.aspx?rid=283)

Her recipes are given in metrics for our overseas friends, but here I've given it in old school.

If I could say which recipe will make you look like a great cook--even if you're not (yet)--this would be the one. It is on the sweet side so you won't want a side of ice cream with this--and fresh, unsweetened fruit is a must--

Here is what hers looked like:

And mine: lopsided sure, but who really gives...

Instructions:

1) Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 9-inch diameter circle on the paper with a pencil, tracing a round cake tin that size. (Flip the paper over so your meringue doesn't touch the pencil marks- you'll still be able to see the circle)

2) Make the meringue. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Don't be in a hurry.

3) Add the chocolate. Sprinkle the cocoa, vinegar and then the chopped chocolate over the egg whites. Gently fold everything with a rubber spatula until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.

4) Shape the meringue. Secure the parchment to the baking sheet with a couple blobs of meringue under each corner. Mound up the meringue onto the parchment within the circle, smoothing the sides and the top with a spatula. Just make a nice smoothed over circle.

5) Bake the meringue. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temp down to 300 degrees and cook for one to one and a quarter hours (I only cooked my for 65 minutes--you're going to have to look at it). When it's ready it should look crisp and dry on top, but when you prod the center you should feel the promise of squishiness beneath your fingers.

6) Let it cool. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly; let the meringue disk cool completely in the oven. Although, I didn't because I wanted to eat it--so I pulled it out and let it cool on top of the stove for maybe 15 minutes. When you're ready to serve, invert onto a big flat plate and peel off the parchment.

7) Decorate. Whisk the cream (I added pwderd sugar and vanilla to my cream) and pile it on top of the meringue...if you don't like so much sugar I would just do the straight cream and it will help to cut the sweetness. Scatter the raspberries on top. You can also grate some chocolate, just a little if you have the patience. The pav should look like a frosted cake.

From Nigella: "Traditional Pavlova is white. The cocoa in this one makes it denser and gooier, and the raspberries add tartness."

Ingredients: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

For the meringue base:

6 large egg whites

2 cups superfine sugar (I just use granulated sugar that I throw in the food processor for 30 seconds)

3 TBLS unsweetened cocoa pwder; sifted

1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar

2 oz. dark chocolate finely chopped

For the toppings:

2 cups heavy cream

4 cups raspberries

1-2 oz. dark chocolate

Letters

Dear Jack,

I love this picture of you. You are always itching your belly. I don't understand it at all. I worry that someday you will be a crazy man who is always itching his gut.

I'm going to overlook it until you are in the second grade and then we are going to revisit this issue.

Love, Mom

Hunger Games

I noticed that seemingly over a short period of time that grasshoppers were begining to destroy my irises. Grrr. I hate grasshoppers. There were a couple of places in the yard where the California poppies had gotten so thick that the chickens couldn't get in there and get to the insects. The grasshoppers were getting down beneath the plants and hiding. I decided to take the time to level the playing field--or in this case, completely tip it in favor of the predators.

My own little version of the Hunger Games...ha.ha.

Oh, how I think you are a twisted genius Suzanne Collins.

Anyway, I started pruning and about 10 hours later I was finished. It's usually what happens when you start doing yard work. I burnt the section of my back so badly (you know the part where your shirt rides up when you bend over on your hands and knees) that I think its going to leave a permanent discoloration of the area.

The grasshoppers didn't know what hit them. It was like a feeding frenzy. Insects were running for their lives, but I'm telling you, chickens are lethal--lethal killers. The insects didn't have a prayer.

It was the whole point. To show them who is in charge.

I'm President Snow. The great and evil manipulator.

Here are my children with the winners: Peeta and Katniss.

Did I mention that I pre-ordered Mockingjay and I'm going to spend my birthday ignoring the real world so that I can find out what happened to District 12....

Chicken Coop is Finished!

It's been painted in our garage for three weeks, but we haven't had a chance to put the shingles and roofing materials on it. Jeff finally finished it on Saturday while I wrote a talk for church--

Have I mentioned how awesome Jeff is? Okay, seriously, he built this amazing chicken coop without a plan. I told him how I wanted it to look and he just made it happen. There really isn't anything that he can't do. I am so happy about my chicken house that I almost cried when all of those guys from our neighborhood showed up to help him move it out back.

Oh, and by the way...the chicken coop is going to double as a bomb shelter. Because Mr. Murray doesn't just build stuff in a half-assed fashion. This think could protect Bruce Willis in an episode of Die Hard 12. I'm actually grateful because in about 2 months it is going to be a frozen wasteland in this corner of winter hell and I don't want to have to worry about my precious babies freezing to death. So thank you, babe, for making it absolutely perfect.

And a special thanks to our wonderful friends and neighbors who I love so much...Brett, Steve, Travis, D.A., Eric, Shane...even to Cory, Wyatt, and Brian...who showed up late and didn't have to move anything--I love you anyway for just being willing to come help move something that weighs 600 pounds!

It's fine with me if you want to lay the praise on a little thick here...

The best news of all is that we got our first egg on Monday afternoon. She even laid it in the nesting box! Isn't it just so wonderful?! Jack danced around in the yard and told all of the birds, "they are getting all growed up so big!" Then he ran into the house to tell his dad, "that my chicky laid me an egg!"

I know that my pioneer ancestors are probably rolling over in their graves over the ridiculous-ness that is the laying of an egg, but hey, it is what it is...

Look at how happy that kid is with that little egg. Yeah, for our first success with "Project Urban Chicken" :)

Setting Precedence

Me: Have you worn those underwear before?

Jack: What?

Me: (voice is high and tight) How many days have you been wearing those red Elmo underwear?

Jack: I weared 'em since thirty-a-clock. And I no poop, no pee, no farts in dem.

Me: (with resignation) Ok, well, at least we've established a solid timeline.

Newbery Medal Books

My BFF is reading all of the Pulitzer Prize winners. Frankly, I don't know how--more than three-quarters of them look so incredibly dull. I may be able to read one a year...maybe.

Nonetheless, BFF has inspired me to accomplish something that I probably wouldn't have bothered to do without a little inspiration. I printed off all of the Newbery Medal and Honor Books from 1922-the present day. I was shocked at how many of them I have never read. Some have been favorites for years and others have been on my "to-read" list since I was a little girl. One of the greatest things is that these books are always readily available at our local library.

This week I pounded out four of them. Did I mention that the thickest one was only 150 pages? You can read one a day! Which is good because I have no less than about 275 books still to read.

This week I read:

The Summer of the Swans: Author: Betsy Byars. Winner 1971. The dad should have hauled his sorry butt home. That's all I'm sayin'.

Sarah, Plain and Tall: Author: Patricia MacLachlan. 65 pages. Winner: 1986. I'd never read it. I know. I've always associated this book with a negative feeling. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about--it's a great story. MacLachlan has an amazing ability to tell the full story without over telling. It leaves a lot to the imagination. It's a talent that other authors should try harder to emulate.

Bridge to Terabithia: Author: Katherine Paterson. Winner 1978. Paterson has won the Newbery at least three times. She definitely has a gift. This is another one that I had never read, but couldn't figure out why--it's obviously a classic. I cried at the end when his teacher tells him that they are going to stick together to get through the tragedy. I have to say that all of the fathers in these books (except for Sarah) were total losers this week. I didn't even know that there was a father in Summer..Swans until the last 15 pages. Ugh. I've always thought that Bridge was a book that I would read to my kids, but I think that I will wait until they are maybe 4-5th grade.

Bud, Not Buddy: Author: Christopher Paul Curtis. Winner 2000. I liked this story, but it hurt my heart to think of a 10-year-old boy traveling all alone to find his dad. I also didn't care for the very negative portrayal of the foster-care system. I know that it may have been different during the Depression, but it still bothered me.

These are the books that I have already read throughout the years. I may read them again, but only when I start to really get through the stack.

Whittington: Author: Alan Armstrong. Honor 2006. It's about a cat. Of course I liked it.

Pictures of Hollis Woods: Author: Patricia Reilly Giff. Honor 2003. Giff also wrote, "Nory Ryan's Song" a story about the Irish Potato Famine. I am a fan of her work. This is a great story.

Hope Was Here: Author: Joan Bauer. Honor 2001. There are parts of this story that are gut-wrenching, but it has a wonderful message.

Because of Winn-Dixie: Author: Kate DiCamillo. Honor 2001. One of the best literature books for youth. Ever. The winner in 2001 was "A Year Down Yonder"--I've got to get it next just because the honor books were so good, this one must be fabulous!

Out of the Dust: Author: Karen Hesse. Winner 1998. A book about the Dustbowl. Very intense.

Lily's Crossing: Author: Patricia Reilly Giff. Honor 1998. Giff. is. good.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Author: Avi. Honor: 1991. Suz's favorite book of all time. I read it because she almost cried telling me about it. It was okay. Oh, Suz, you read some weird stuff.

The Sign of the Beaver: Author: Elizabeth George Speare. Honor 1984. Suz's second favorite book...it was better than Doyle. Much better than Doyle.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8: Author: Beverly Cleary. Honor 1982. I pretty much worshipped the ground that Cleary walked on for a significant portion of my adolescence. I can't wait to read these to Lachlan. In fact, I may start this fall.

Ramona and her Father: Author: B.C. Honor 1978. Every time I see a "No Smoking" sign, I automatically think of this book when she hangs up the sign in the living room and her father thinks that she has written "No Smo King" and he wants to know who that is....loved it!

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Author: Mildred D. Taylor. Winner 1977. This is a great story. Every fifth grade student should be forced to read it...

Frog and Toad Together: Author: Arnold Lobel: Honor 1973. These books are weird, but you read them anyway.

Sounder: Author: William H. Armstrong. Winner 1970. I just read this last year. I hate the man that shot that dog! The books with animals are always the hardest for me to read.

Little House on the Prairie, The Long Winter, By the Shores of Silver Lake, On the Banks of Plum Creek: Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder. Honors 1942, 1941, 1940, 1938. Wilder never won the medal. How is it possible?

Asian Lettuce Wraps

This recipe was from the August Cooking Light Magazine. They take 20 minutes to make--from start to finish. The recipe calls for mushrooms, but I never have those "on hand" so I've never put them in...and ain't nobody complaining.

Want to know how good they are? Just ask Suz to bear her testimony about them. Seriously, she feels religious about them.

The best part is the dipping sauce. So good. I usually make two batches. One with the Sriracha for Jeff and I and one without any heat for the kids. If you are pretty sensitive to the heat I would start with a 1/2 tsp of the chili sauce and then work your way up. We can take all 2 tspoons but we're pretty hard core like that...

Oh, and PS, I use iceberg lettuce because it only costs 89 cents. The end.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 3 cups coarsely chopped shiitake mushroom caps (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 4)
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 12 Boston lettuce leaves
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Place mushrooms in a large bowl. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey, garlic, and ginger to pan; cook 6 minutes or until turkey is browned, stirring to crumble. Add turkey mixture, onions, and water chestnuts to mushrooms in bowl; stir well.

2. Spoon 1/2 cup turkey mixture into each lettuce leaf. Combine hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve sauce with lettuce cups.

Blood Or Milk?

I finally made a decision.

On Saturday, I put all of my baby clothes, bibs, strollers, high chairs, monitors, bottles, changing tables, toddler beds, bedding, burp cloths, and buntings up for sale in my front yard.

Some decisions are not easily made.

I laid in bed for a very long time on Friday morning. Mostly I was contemplating whether or not I was REALLY ready to close the door on a chapter of my life. For as long as I can remember I've always known that eventually I would be a mother--even when I put it in writing about a thousand times that I would not. In some ways, when I finally did decide to become pregnant with Jack, it was literally a concession. I didn't want to do it, but I didn't see any other way.

When we came home from Ukraine without the girls--I've never had such a hole in my heart. It felt like somebody dug a pit and I didn't know how to fill it. Even now, looking back, I know that there are wounds that time will never heal.

But I wanted to fill that hole. I wanted to go back in time and make myself whole again and I knew that the only way to do that was to move forward in the only way possible. And that's why I'll always know that it was a concession.

And my pregnancy was God's way of giving me a good slap in the face for being such a be-yotch about the whole thing.

And the post-partum depression, suicidal thoughts, and Lachlan's severe handicaps were His way of humbling me into absolute submission because I still didn't have it figured out.

And when I pulled all EIGHT of those 50-gallon Rubbermaid tubs off of the storage shelves and started to go through them I just stared at all of it in disbelief--where does the time go?

Another blogger wrote last week about how in the Book of Mormon, Jacob speaks about the experiences of life, "and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us as a dream." I know exactly what he is talking about. It does seem like a dream. The dream of motherhood, where we have the ability to remember only the wonderful moments in the middle of the night when your little baby is sleeping on your chest. It fills all of the empty holes and yet, it threatens to create another one when we try to move on to another phase of life. The one where we trade onesies for training bras and cell phones.

I went piece by piece through every bin. I sorted all the clothing by size. I smelled the special small baby outfits and cried a little when I couldn't detect any of the scent that my subconscious ached to have again, just for a moment.

And then it was okay. Because I know that this hole will be filled with something new. And I will probably love it even more because I will be operating on a full-night's sleep and eventually they will be able to buckle their own seat belts and get their own glass of water--and if it's God's will--even stop peeing the bed.

Even these days will pass by as if in a dream.

I keep coming back to this:

Blood and Milk

By Sharlee Mullins Glenn

I dreamed of Oxford...

(spires, a thousand spires, endless lectures, musty halls

a solitary self in a Bodleian expanse

A good life, my dear Wormood. An orderly life.)

then awakened to laundry

and things to be wiped

(countertops, noses, bottoms)

How did this happen? And when, exactly?

Time flows, it flows, it flows

and there are choices to be made:

left or right?

paper or plastic?

blood or milk?

There's freedom in the bleeding;

bondage in the milk - do not be deceived.

Ah, but it's an empty freedom; a holy bondage,

A sweet and holy bondage.

Five times I chose the chains, those tender chains,

(though once will bind you just as well!)

and checked the crimson flow.

Suckled while dreaming of Trinity Term

but awakened, always awakened, to the laundry

and to that small and cherished captor at my breast.

I love "there are choices to be made". Do you feel it too?

I'm so very, very grateful for the choice I made to yield--to concede. Those were times of bondage that I wouldn't trade, memories to be held in the deepest part of the heart.

And now it it over.

....pause for one more tear.

....then listen for a sigh of relief.

What This Town Really Needs...

Is a Greek restaurant...

There isn't even a bad Greek restaurant in this town. And sometimes a girl just has to get her fix...

So I made my own falafel and pitas. And before my ego just explodes from how good my cooking techniques are becoming...

I'll just let you know that all you need is a food processor--and you too, can be AMAZING!

In all honesty, these are so simple and out of this world good. I mean, your husband will look at you and say, "oh, my hell these are good!" See what I mean about the ego...

They were so good I forgot to take a picture.

Falafel:

1 can chickpeas (drained)
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 Tbs. fresh parsley
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c.+ flour
vegetable oil for frying

1 recipe of Soft Pita Bread (or store bought pitas-- If you're in a pinch, but don't be in a pinch)
English cucumber slices, quartered
tomato, diced
shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin
Tzatziki Sauce

Directions:
Place chickpeas and onions in a food processor. Pulse until almost smooth. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, red pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until well-blended but not pureed.

Remove chickpea mixture and place in a bowl. Sprinkle in the baking powder and flour, and gently mix. Add enough flour so that the dough can form a small ball without being too sticky. Refrigerate, covered, while you heat the oil and chop the veggies. Mixture can easily be made several hours ahead of time.

Using a small cookie dough scoop sprayed with Pam, form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts (you should have about 16-18 balls). Flatten between greased hands, until each ball becomes a 3 inch circle.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees in a deep pan (I always use a candy thermometer to make sure my oil temperature stays consist ant) and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 5 balls at a time for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

Stuff warm pita bread with 2-3 falafel balls and all vegetable toppings. Add a generous amount of ranch dressing and serve hot. (to serve with the falafels I cut each pita in half and opened them up at the seam to stuff them)

Soft Pita Bread

Makes 8 flatbreads
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. boiling water

1/4 c. potato flour OR 1/2 c. potato flakes
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. INSTANT yeast

Directions:
Place 2 cups of the flour into a large mixing bowl (or Kitchen Aid). Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes. This process will cook out some of the starch, making the bread very soft and pliable.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes) and 1 cup of the remaining flour with the salt, oil and yeast. Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several (5-7) minutes to form a soft dough. Add additional flour only if necessary-- The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat soft. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour. (Note: Since this is a flatbread, the dough will not rise very much due to the small amount of yeast-- But it should still rise noticeably.)

Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each around 3-4 oz.-- I use my kitchen scale for this), cover, and let rest on an oiled surface for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece into an 8-inch circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until they’re flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out. Stack the cooked bread in between a soft, clean towel to keep them warm and soft. Serve immediately, or cool before storing in a plastic bag.

Tzatziki Sauce:

You can alter this to your taste (I like a lot more lemon juice in mine).

1 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt (that's 2 6-oz. containers)

1 clove garlic, minced

1-2 tsp. lemon juice

3 green onions, firm ends finely chopped

1 tsp. dry dill weed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Bakery Blueberry Muffins

Jack likes pancakes.

Let me mention that one more time, the kid likes to eat a pancake.

He asks for them several times a week, but I rarely indulge, except for Saturday mornings. I use a great recipe from the Food Network magazine. On occasion though, I just can't stomach another pancake so I decided to try this recipe for blueberry muffins.

I like blueberry muffins. I like lemon blueberry even more, so I tweaked this recipe a bit to indulge my personal palate. These muffins are beautiful and have a great flavor. I made them in my extra large muffin tins and doubled the recipe so that I could have a solid dozen. I cooked them longer because they were in the larger tin, but I don't recall how much longer...just keep checking on them until they are cooked all the way through.

The original recipe is taken from Tasty Kitchen (if you haven't been there yet...come on, really?).

• ½ cups Shortening, Butter Flavored Is Fine Too
• 1 cup Sugar, Make That A Heaping Cup
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 whole Eggs
• ½ cups Buttermilk, Or Vinegar Soured Milk
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 2 cups Flour
• 1-½ cup Blueberries, Frozen (They Keep Their Shape Better If You Add Frozen)

Preparation Instructions

First, preheat your oven to 450F. Completely grease a standard-sized 12 cup muffin tin, including the top edges between the cups.

Cream generously the shortening (butter flavored is fine too) and sugar, then add the vanilla, eggs and buttermilk.

In a separate bowl, mix the salt, baking powder and flour.

Gently fold blueberries into flour mixture as to not break up the berries. Then add this to the creamed shortening/sugar mixture.

Please don’t overmix or you’ll have hockey pucks. Less is more!

Fill your muffin cups all the way to the top. Mound them up good. Don’t worry, it’ll be okay. Your batter should make about 10-11 muffins.

Sprinkle the tops with raw sugar for some sparkle

Bake at 450F for 5 full minutes, then reduce the heat to 375F and bake about another 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overbake. The initial 5-minute baking at a high temperature will help them make a high dome. Shhh! That’s a bakery secret.

I like to cool these off then put them in a large Ziploc bag and let them rest overnight. For some reason they seem even better the next day.