Blessings Today: Spiritual and Store-Bought

A quick list.

1. My new Peanuts notebook from the Moleskine store in Moynihan Train Hall, up the escalator on the second floor. I love it. I made a list this morning of tasks for Life and for Work and found it helpful. I was productive. Dan usually doesn't read my blog, so I will say that I got him one, too (he loves Peanuts!!!!) for Father's Day. His set (shown above) includes 4 iconic Blackwing for Moleskine pencils. The following legends loved their Blackwings: John Steinbeck, Truman Capote, E.B. White, Aaron Copeland, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Eugene O'Neill. You had me at Capote and White.
2. Restore & Release Yoga class tonight with Krystal at Yoga Mechanics in Montclair. "People say 'take up space,'" she said near the end. "You don't take up space, you fill the space you're given." I hope I got her wise words right. Also, lovely music and a drop of moon oil at the end, so beautiful.
3. Jones Road The Nail Polish Kit from Montclair resident Bobbi Brown. I brushed on Poppy tonight, her signature red. It feels modern and clean, went on smoothly, dried quickly. The kit includes a bottle that doubles as base and top coat. Yay. 
   
   
   
4. The New York Times cookbook, No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton. I bought the crimson, cloth-covered book at Friends NYC shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn on Saturday on a fun weekend with Kim, Liz and Nan. Already made the savory French toast with torn basil and tomatoes and the pasta with puttanesca sauce. Empowering and stylish book. I take it with me to the supermarket.
5. Wednesday interactions with Figgy. My niece Leah, up in Maine. My sister. My garden.

Good night.

Baker’s Urge/Splurge: $44.53 Spanakopita

The image above is worth a million bucks in my book. That magic happens when you combine phyllo dough, melted butter and toasty oven heat. Photo from the blog Alexandra’s Kitchen.

What’s a lifelong dessert baker to do when she swears off butter/flour/sugar combinations?

I send roses, roses to my long-time writer friend and fellow blogger, Kim, who wrote about the Alexandra’s Kitchen blog, which I love. I’m also holding myself back from ordering Alexandra’s cookbook, called Bread Toast Crumbs. It looks so good. Might succumb one day. (Breads generally don’t contain sugar!)

I made the large spanakopita below, not the individual strudels. (Keep scrolling way down, past the strudels.)

https://alexandracooks.com/2012/03/23/spanakopita-strudels/

I was thinking Punch and I would be in all day and night and I would have her make it. Pandemic cooking lesson #9? (Pot roast twice, chicken pot pies once, skillet chicken ratatouille twice, raspberry buttercream chocolate cake for Christmas, Baker’s Famous One-Bowl Brownies twice.) 

She would be very good at the layering of paper-thin phyllo dough, the spooning of spinach/cheese filling, the brushing of melted butter. I know she would.

BUT: Dan was driving down to South Jersey to get his first vaccine at Rowan University, then driving into NYC to meet his lifelong friend, Dan, for dinner at an outdoor cafe. So he took Punch with him. I got a whole Saturday afternoon and evening off. I plan to take a bath while this baby bakes. It is in the oven now. 

I made two important switches because the recipe was very rich:

1. Reduced melted butter from 3 sticks (!!!!!!) to 1.5 sticks.
2. Reduce feta cheese from 1.5 lbs. to 1 lb. 
3. Reduce number of beaten eggs from 10 (!!!) to 7. After all, I was reducing the cheese, so it made sense to decrease the eggs in the filling.
4. Had to reduce the baby spinach. Recipe called for 20 oz. total (hence, all that filling, I guess) and I asked for two 11-oz. bags, but my shopper brought me two 6-oz bags. Dan has our car, and I didn’t feel like walking to Kings in freezing cold or spending more money. So be it.

Here is the receipt:

• Dozen eggs in cardboard carton (I sidestep single-use plastic when possible), $1.99.
• 2 half-pound feta blocks at $6.99 each (sounds like a lot $), $13.98.
• 2 six-ounce bags baby spinach at $5.99 each, $11.98.
• Friendship Cottage Cheese, 16 oz., $3.79.
• Athens Phyllo Dough, twin pack, 16 oz. total, $6.79.

I already had the butter on hand.

Grocery total: $38.53.

Tip: I had done $3.85 (10 percent), but bc Chaquanda had chatted with me about replacements, etc., I increased it to $5 after giving her a 5-star rating.

Service fee: $1.00.

I got Express Member free delivery but that is because I pay $9.99 per month for my Instacart membership so that I can get groceries and other items delivered from many different stores. Dan and I are looking at our grocery budget with a sharp eye, so I might cancel this membership. I’m not sure what delivery fees would be otherwise. But until now, this monthly investment has been pandemic wise, that’s for sure.

This big 9 by 13 pan is supposed to be 12 servings, so I figure if my family went out to a diner for spanakopita, it might not be as fresh and good as this and also, we would pay close to $10 each with tax and tip, and that’s not counting extras, like beverages. Maybe it would come with a salad, though.

12 diner servings x $10=$120.

Thus, $44.53 for the whole heavy panful is a bargain.

I roasted cauliflower with walnut oil. So I plan to have one serving and round out my plate with vegs.

I plan to watch the 1966 movie "Georgy Girl," set in "Swinging London," which I have never seen.

Good night to you.

Quick & Easy Roasted Chicken Ratatouille

To read about Katie Jacobs, visit THIS LINK.

Now Punch has made six things from the very pretty and reliable pink cookbook by Katie Jacobs called So Much to Celebrate: Entertaining the Ones You Love, copyright 2018.

She whipped up these signature recipes:

1. Honey Mama’s Pot Roast.
2. #1 again.
3. Chocolate Chip Cookies (she accidentally left half the butter out, but people still loved them).
4. Chicken Pot Pies.
5. Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Buttercream (for Christmas Day). It is shown on cookbook cover--Punch chose to make it in three graduated layers, like a tiered wedding cake. Even vegan Figgy said she had to make an exception and have a slice. At least it didn't contain meat, fish or poultry, right? (Dan and I had gotten vegan cupcakes and ice cream for Fig.)
6. Skillet Roasted Chicken Ratatouille.

The ratatouille called for a cast-iron skillet, but we don't have one, so she/we used our cast-iron Dutch oven. She made a separate panful for Dan, without the chicken.

I Instacarted the bone-in chicken, eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and garlic (along with basics we needed including milk, bread and taper candles). These cooking activities are empowering for Punchy and build her skills, confidence and creativity, especially in this isolated time of Covid. 

We all loved this dinner. I was gunning for her to make the pot roast again, since we have a surplus of carrots, potatoes and onions, but she made a great choice.

#futurechef

I told her I have the perfect name for her successful eatery down the road: Alice's Restaurant. LOL.

Good night to you.

Good Night, White December 16

Pretty snow.

It’s the second Wednesday that Punch made dinner. Tonight it was Honey Mama’s Pot Roast, from a pink cookbook we love by Katie Jacobs. Dan went out and got our ingredients, plus a snow shovel and fire wood. I got candles, some Christmas gifts and, at Vesta, a latte with a dollop of Chantilly (whipped) cream. It was delicious on a 27-degree afternoon.

:) 

At Home with Amy Sedaris

I love this Martha Stewart cooking show spoof! I never watched it, and it is hilarious. I've been laughing out loud at my dining room table. I knew I loved the writing of Amy's brother David Sedaris, but now I've flipped for this, too.  

And then--Amy says she was inspired by "At Home with Peggy Mann," which she watched in girlhood. So I watched one of those episodes from August 1979 and again, loved it.  The time capsule of it all. A man in a blue denim, wide-lapel suit (a guest on the show); beautiful young Jane Curtin on a washing machine commercial; a lengthy message from the Broiler Council promoting chicken as a tasty, high-protein food, especially when your family has worked up an appetite outdoors.

I live for this retro stuff.

Almost midnight.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Short walk w Sugar.
2. Long talk w Sis.
3. Kim, I ordered those 3 French memoirs/books by Elizabeth Bard on Amazon. Wanted hard covers, bought 2 used but "like new" condition, and one brand-new. About $38 total with shipping. I previewed and saw some healthful family recipes to try. Thank you!
4. Wholesome foods had: roast turkey, Ezekiel bread, tomato, avocado, scrambled egg with kale and salsa.
5. Asked Dan to unsnag my bike lock, which had coiled around tire spokes...I plan to pedal somewhere tomorrow.
6. Zoom school meeting for parents/caregivers tonite--info received. It was clear to me that we are all doing our best--teachers, parents, kids, administration. We all seemed a tiny bit worse for the wear (many keep their cameras off) but the chat showed hope and trust. It was good to see fellow parents there. Punch back from Mimi's tomorrow. I'm praying for peace, and the wisdom and presence of mind to take things one hour, one day at a time. School starts Thursday morning at 7:50 am.

Better Days Ahead

My friend Nancy's mom, Rita Blake, gave me this book at my
bridal shower. Rita was a close friend of my mother's, too.

Punch gave me the runaround at CCD again, not going into class when I dropped her off. I knew she hadn't because she wasn't in the auditorium where the kids all gather to say the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers together before class starts. She was at the church. I told her she had to go over. She ran off, saying she would. She didn't. I walked up to the third floor to the classroom and she wasn't there.

I was very upset. She joined me much later at Mass, sidling up to me and saying my shirt was beautiful.

Yeah, right.

All social plans were off for today.

But she has been behaving crudely.

It is very hard.

Good night.

TCOY

1. DAY 2, cleaner road without refined sugar. But I've been looking at some Moosewood Cookbook desserts that use a little honey. I'm wondering if that would be ok.
2. Walked Sug around the block.
3. Nap.
4. Did get in some prayers and reflection at Mass.
5. Washed black tights and tops on cold in Woolite--underpinnings for interview outfit.
6. Made the lasagna from Moosewood Cookbook...a friend made it recently, told me it was a long affair, making the sauce, stirring in wine, chopping vegs, etc. But she said it was good. So I took the time to go to ShopRite and get everything to make the sauce. All of these fresh ingredients: onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, tomato, basil, oregano, parsley, garlic. Added lots of baby spinach to the filling. Punch hates mushrooms and of course vegan Figgy doesn't eat cheese, but I saved her a little sauce. Dan and I loved the lasagna, and lots of leftovers. I hope to bring some to Sis tomorrow.
7. Planned my meals, didn't let myself get over hungry, which leads to overeating for me.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Java Love, large dccaf for me and one raw oat bar to bring Figgy plus $1 tip,  $7.93.
• Montclair Stationery, where Figgy works, one pink taper candle, one blue taper candle, pack of vanilla tea lights, valentine doilies, teacher's gift, $32.80.
• ShopRite--I was running around since 9:30 to try and get Punch to CCD, etc. I got to ShopRite and hadn't eaten lunch. Ate moderately at hot bar, $8.99.
• ShopRite groceries, all those fresh vegs listed above plus bunch of fresh beets [I want to make beet brownies again soon], eggs, large ricotta, shredded mozzarella x2, good local Italian bread, Irish butter, hummus, tomato puree, tomato paste, lasagna noodles, cheese tray for Dan, mango sorbet for Punch, Viva paper towels, avocado, cashews on sale, semisweet chocolate chips, yellow tulips for Elaine's bday, $99.93.

total daily spend: $149.65.

ongoing monthly spend as of Jan. 19: $2,398.76.

avg daily spend: $126.25.

COMPARE TO LAST 5 MONTHS:

december 2019 [Christmas and all that entails]

total monthly spend as of Dec. 31: $3,998.16. 

avg daily spend: $128.97. 

Total spend for November (30 days): $2,979.03. 

Average daily spend: $99.30. 

__________________________________________________________________

TOTAL SPEND FOR OCTOBER (31 DAYS): $2,495.36.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $80.49.

_____________________________________________________________________

TOTAL SPEND FOR SEPTEMBER (30 DAYS): $2,214.43.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $73.81.

___________________________________________________________________________

TOTAL SPEND FOR AUGUST (31 DAYS/PLUS VACAY IN HERE): $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️

Bringing Home the Groceries

I went to Whole Foods in West Orange today and got a lot of quality things at good prices. But I was disappointed in the jumbo scallops from the seafood bar--$29.99 per pound. I got just over 1/2 lb., 6 big ones to pan-sear and divide among me, Dan and Punch. [Fig had dinner out with a friend.]

Next time, if I'm spending that many clams on scallops, I'm def going back to Gus & Co. Seafood on Valley Road in Montclair, which offers day-boat catches from the Jersey Shore. Prices are high but not higher than this and I swear, I can taste the sea in them.

High-ticket items in my cart, about $5 or more--but that doesn't mean they weren't a good buy per ounce or serving. Not listing things that didn’t cost $5 or more, such as heads of cauliflower, organic blackberries, garlic, feta, Cheddar, crackers, etc.

1. Dozen large eggs from Snoep Winkel Farm in NJ, $5.39. I'm getting more into slow food and eating local when possible, step by step.
2. Gallon 365 brand organic whole milk, $5.99.
3. Late July brand Cheddar sandwich crackers, 8 little snack bags, $5.99.
4. Vegan mock smoked "Provolone," $4.99.
5. Large jar 356 brand crunchy PB, $4.99.
6. Changing Seas smoked salmon, one full pound, $19.99.
7. Trio very large organic white yams, 4.36 lbs at $1.99/lb., $8.68.
8. Bag vegan Dandies brand mini marshmallows [no fish gelatin in them], $4.69.
9. Valrhona dark chocolate fèves , $8.64.
10. Friendship whipped cottage cheese, $4.99.
11. Quart organic strawberries, $4.99.
12. Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Magazine, a new food mag I haven't read yet...noticed recipe for Naples' Two-Cheese Pasta with Cauliflower and got all ingredients; mag was $6.95. [Recipe calls for 2 lb. cauliflower and 1/2 lb. pasta.]
13. Wedge aged Provolone to grate for #12 recipe, $6.90.
14. Wedge Romano Pecorino to grate for #12 recipe, $5.69.
15. Box fresh vegan ravioli, $6.99.
16. Box fresh cheese ravioli, $9.99.
17. Prosciutto and cheese tray for Punchy's lunch box tomorrow, $4.99.
18. Hot bar, jerk chicken and Mac and cheese, .69 lb., $6.20.
19. Jar Sriracha Vegenaise, $4.99.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND, ALL WHOLE FOODS: $201.34.

MONTHLY SPEND AS OF APRIL 28: $3,526.72.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR THIS MONTH: $125.95.

Big-ticket April spends so far [numbers rounded off], 28 days into the month:

Lamp, $79; luxe hand cream, $55; Giotto dinner to go + jar of imported Italian artichokes, $46; dog groomer/beauty salon, $75; vet for hamster, $157; necklace extension/repair/new clasp, $128; blowout, $55; Over the Moon, bday gifts for Punch friend + book for me, $60; Kings groceries, $132; liquor store, $32; bra/underwear/tights, $126; Joyist, $39 one day while working on assignments there; second blowout w service tips, $52; Punchy, Lululemon, $28; Justice, bday gifts and gift bag/pink tissue for Punch friend + shorts for Punch + $2 donation at register, $58; Kings groceries, $63; Joyist, $25 one day while working on deadlines; bike delivery, $35; Whole Foods, $69; CVS & Kings, Easter gifts/basket treats [counting lemon curd for tarts], $97; zoo day and lunch, spring break, $42; A.C. apps + drinks, treat Mimi & Poppy, $85; A.C. pretty lilac drape-neck top, $49; A.C. breakfast, treat Mimi + Poppy, $55; A.C. Skechers flip-flops, $35; A.C. sushi dinner, split bill, $52; Sis bday cards + gift, $35; Joyist, counting body oil, $71; Williams-Sonoma, gifts plus, $55; and Kings, Sis bday lunch of caviar/blini/lox/small layer cake etc., $113; and Whole Foods, a lot of groceries, including scallops and lox, $201. Steep subtotal of $2,204.

MONEY THOUGHTS: I haven't had enough healthy groceries in the house lately. I got some good ones at Whole Foods. We had baby kale with dinner. My friend Rachael posted an article with a reminder about "eating the rainbow," so I got orange cauliflower, plump blackberries, crimson strawberries. I piled the berries in my mother's crystal bowl and the family loved them. I ate zero. I think I will eat 1 black and 1 red berry before bed now. I have a hard time eating fruit. It's a learning curve.

keeping my eye on

SO FAR: TOTAL APRIL SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,526.72.

MY TOTAL MARCH SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $4,128.41.

TOTAL FEBRUARY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,159.25.

Busy Sunday

Slept later than planned, caught end of Mass with Punch, who was really pushing the envelope behaviorwise [not the collection envelope].

Book group [I'm in two] was at my house and it was fun. Didn't get to make the Yolos because I was still in the store paying for the dinner ingredients one hour before my friends arrived. Our gluten-free member had to cancel, and I was mainly making the GF Yolos so she could enjoy dessert, too.

But since I was on checkout line at 4:15 and friends were arriving 5:30, I bought a nice brand of gluten-filled biscotti instead to put on a pretty cake pedestal.

Good night. I have a big writing deadline tomorrow, want to rise early.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• My free unlimited coffee card at Joyist ends tomorrow! I have one more day; I've loved it. Organic cold brew with coconut milk, free, avocado toast for me and Punch, half-size Luke blend for me, full-size Luke for Punch, 10th punch on card, free. Total, $16.
• Liquor store, 3 pack of cute dry Prosecco bottles and one large bottle sweet Prosecco for book group, $31.97.
• Starbucks, took Punch and friend who came to play. Ham + cheese croissant for Punch, grande vanilla Frappuccino for friend, $8.74.
• Joyist, organic latte made with whole milk, shared w Dan, free.
• Kings, book club dinner* groceries [Bell & Evans air-chilled chicken w garlic, thyme, lemon, made according to Melissa Clark recipe, roasted on top of 1/2-inch thick sourdough slices that absorb juice, taste good, plus petite green beans on the side], extra chicken to make same way Wednesday; 2 oat milks [sale]; peas, leeks and fresh mint to make soup Tuesday; bread, rolls, 4 dog food, sliced cheese, butter [sale], shredded cheese, milk, Stonewall Kitchen black raspberry jam, Friendship Farmer Cheese, half and half, etc. Saved money, at least $10, by not buying flowers for table. Cut some hyacinths and forsythia from garden instead and put in my mother's lovely crystal bowl vase. Looks pretty. $131.83.

*We all bring part of the meal but the hostess makes the main dish, etc. Julie brought baby potatoes; Karen, an ample cheese platter [4 kinds] w crackers; Jeanne, salad and wine.

DAILY SPEND: $188.54.
MONTHLY SPEND AS OF APRIL 7: $1,344.20.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR THIS MONTH: $192.02.
Big April spends so far, 7 days into the month:
Lamp, $79; luxe hand cream, $55; Giotto dinner to go + arthichokes, $46; groomer, $75; vet for hamster, $157; necklace repair, $128;, blowout, $55; Over the Moon, bday gifts for friend + book for me, $60; Kings groceries, $132; liquor store, $32. Steep subtotal of $764.
MONEY THOUGHT: Even though I spent $132 at the grocery store, I like that I thought ahead and bought dinner makings for two nights this week [spring pea soup w mint and Melissa Clark chicken again]. I wasted money on the Prosecco, though; my friends like it, but I guess the red wine Jeanne brought went better with the chicken and potatoes dinner this evening. Will put large, unopened bottle away to save for Easter.

Beauty Sleep

Pretty, sunny day today. I worked in fits and starts; Punch early dismissal schooldays today and tomorrow. Ready for beauty rest now.

TCOY

1. Went to 7 a.m. support group.
2. Nap.
3. Walked Sug around block, and walked loop around Anderson Park when Punch had 5:30 soccer practice there.
4. Made that nice polenta recipe from Melissa Clark, NY Times. Easy and delicious. Even Punch had two helpings. I did make a vegan panful, too, for Figgy.

$ SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Parking meter, 50 cents.
• Joyist, The Greg smoothie with cold brew coffee and healthy stuff, plus 2 packs Java Love Energy Bites, one for Fig and one for Punch, $21. 
• Kings, shelled pistachios, shallots, risotto--and a bottle of organic olive oil from Italy [since half price], $17.59.

DAILY TOTAL: $39.09.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF MARCH 28: $3938.40.

SO FAR, THAT'S AN AVERAGE DAILY SPEND OF: $140.66.
MONEY THOUGHT: That sunny polenta wasn't very expensive to make and was restaurant-quality. I had broth [I use vegan cubes], butter and EVOO on hand; only had to buy fresh leeks, corn grits and Gorgonzola crumbles. 

Under the Sea

This frozen baby octopus is from shop.fultonfishmarket.com.
The children did not buy baby octopus, but
this picture will give you an idea.

Second day off, 4-day MLK weekend. Back to school tomorrow.

Punchy loves her friends, V. and F., very nice twins, and they came over to our house when their mom went to work at 9. They stayed til about 2:45, when their sitter came. My Elaine came at 3. Sis was also in the house, and we enjoyed seeing her. She dropped off her dog, Buttercup, a spunky little pal we will happily watch for 10 days while Sis travels to California. Sis also brought a pizza.

Here is how we spent the day with V., a girl, and F., a boy--both fifth graders, like Punchy.

• Baked a chocolate cake layer from good [Namaste] mix.
• After texting the twins' mom to be sure I could send them all to town without me, they walked in the brisk cold to Kings to get butter and pure vanilla extract, to make snickerdoodles. I gave them $20, because the price of vanilla extract has gone sky-high. I hoped they could get a small McCormick bottle. They planned to go door-to-door selling these treats.
• They came home with pink, frost-nipped cheeks, having spent my $20 plus a few dollars Punch had in her purse--on 1/2 pound butter, a big frozen octopus thingy and 3 mochi [pastel, dough-wrapped Japanese ice cream balls].
• Made a Joy of Cooking silky chocolate sauce to pour over the layer. Nice glaze. I wanted them to do the mocha sauce, but the twins don't drink coffee. 
• Steamed the octopus; it was kind of creepy, with suction cups and all. But all three ate it, I think?, and made some video about it, using my phone.
• Accidentally dropped the tray of chocolate cake slices on the block.
• Came back and ate some cake.
• Made snickerdoodles dough. Then, since they were out ringing doorbells to sell, I rolled the dough into balls, dunked them in cinnamon-sugar, popped on cookie sheets and baked.
• They made $13.25 selling the goodies. I kept $5. Sis had to bring me a brand-new bottle of vanilla from her Connecticut cabinet. Fortunately, she had it, since I could not use the $12.99 octopus in cookies.
• I did a lot of dishes--bowls, measuring cups etc. 

As a mother, I have been at home and in the workplace. I would have to say this 5.5 hours was kind of tiring, though I did listen to some good music in the kitchen. And that tiring was even with the kids out for groceries [15 min. walk each way, plus time in store] and for peddling. But the thing is, when Punch has a schoolday off, we have to have a play date, activity, project or class planned or she will be apt to sit on electronics.

Saying good night to you early. Out working for a while and hope to continue at home.

TCOY

1. Made a meatloaf using half ground beef and half ground turkey. Should be good for sandwiches.
2. Private Benjamin. My therapist helps me.
3. Having mushroom barley soup. Veggies, one point for me.

$MSOOP

• $20 for octopus plus.
• $9.06 plus $1 for tip jar at Marcel, for soup and iced coffee. $10.06.
• 2 mini boureka pastries, one with spinach and one with cheese, and 2 oz. bag salt and vinegar potato chips, $6.16 plus $1 for tip jar.  $7.16.

TOTAL: $37.22

Healthy Cooking

I made Spinach Scramble Egg Muffins from Aspicyperspective.com so we have healthy breakfasts on hand this week. Even Punchy liked them. And they’re supereasy to whisk up in a bowl.

For dinner tonight, I made Vegan Corn Chowder from minimalistbaker.com, using fresh corn from a local farm, veg both, almond milk, Cape Cod sea salt and smoky paprika. All four of us liked it. I sautéed shrimp for Punch, Dan and me--to add to our soup bowls.

And yet--if I do one thing, I forfeit another. Take time to shop for healthy ingredients, cook and clean up, and then run out of time to apply makeup. Take time for makeup and arrive at Mass even later. Can’t win. I am a work in progress.

And this was a day when Dan did dishes and took Punch to Art in the Park w a couple of other dads and their girls.

So I had free time. But instead of carefully wielding a black mascara wand and rolling on my Trish McEvoy creamy eye shadow from the Hamptons, I chose to kick back on the couch and watch "Dial M for Murder," Hitchcock’s 1954 classic starting Grace Kelly, and take a nap to conserve energy for Punchy's return, like a bear filling up on berries for winter.

Good night to you.

Jittery

When I was a young woman, an editorial assistant at a women's magazine, my editor wrote "able to shift gears quickly" in my annual review. That was the first time I had seen the term--a car reference used to describe the ability to multitask. [My Dad taught me to drive on a stick shift, and it was hard--but that's another story.]

I need to multitask today, right now, but am feeling jittery instead. I need to move the gear shift between:

1. Writing pots and pans marketing copy [and gadget copy].
2. Supervising Punchy's homework. Trying to be better about keeping her focused. She is supposed to review both math and vocabulary tonight for quiz/test. She did both already, but I'm not sure it was enough. I have taken too much of a hands-off approach with her in the past, so trying to find a balance. And she is hell-bent on canvassing the neighborhood to get little kids to sign up for a soccer club/lessons she just cooked up today. She has her coat on and is about to go ring bells and hand out flyers.
3. Setting up interviews for the summer [June] issue of ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME MAGAZINE. My editor is eager; deadlines looming.
4. Making dinner. I bought two bunches of crisp romaine, good Caesar dressing, nice Parmigiana shavings. I'm going to heat thawed shrimp in garlic, a little butter, olive oil and wine and also pan-toast croutons with the white bread Dan baked. Vegan Figgy is heading out with a painting to an art show, so I guess I won't worry about another option. I got her some tofu to pan brown.
5. Exercise. Since Friday, I have MOVED my body every day. I want to take a walk, but it will have to be after dinner when Dan can watch Punchy. It will be cold. I think I will drive to the park and do a few loops.

Work. Parenting. Eating right. Grocery shopping, doing dishes. Exercising. Self-care. It all takes time. I am doing my best to move in a healthy direction.

TCOY

1. Took a nice long bath with the heavenly scented Key to My Heart Bath Bomb, a beautiful bright pink heart shape from DollyMoo in Montclair.
2. Did my makeup.
3. Trying hard to walk tonight.
4. Wrote this post to help sort out #goals.

Day 2: [Re]building a Healthy Life Takes Time

So many steps, seems to take almost a Herculean effort to get my life on a healthy track.

Glad I am not working full-time now/yet so I can tweak my life and do all this. Seriously.

Check out these positive steps for today:

1. Walked and talked with Rachael [my friend and nutrition support pixie] for almost 50 minutes in park. Pretty, sunny day.
2. Went to Whole Foods, again, this time for the ingredients to make spaghetti squash with Bolognese sauce [with white wine, ground turkey, etc. etc.] for dinner. I kept half of it meatless. Dan was out working--I saved him a bowl--but Figgy  and her friend loved it. I mean really loved it. Punch a bit pickier.  But even with help, making the dinner and doing the dishes took a couple hours. I do have a nice amount of sauce left over, so just need to roast another big squash.
3. It was 2:30 and all I had eaten so far was a piece of Ezekiel sprouted grain toast w almond butter. So I bought some prepared foods at Whole Foods and sat down at the counter and ate them; 4 oz. Sonoma chicken salad; kale salad; a few brown rice sushi.
4. Rachael is about the French women way of eating--a little real butter, real milk, half and half in coffee, a little heavy cream on berries, all okay. I ran into her at Whole Foods! She was making the Bolognese, too. I got a wedge of excellent Parmigiano-Reggiano to grate on top. Yum.
5. Other healthy things I bought: steel-cut oats; walnuts; Wallaby whole milk Greek yogurt; blueberries; raspberries.

I am grateful. Talk to you tomorrow. [At 9:45 a.m., I'm going to a free indoor cycling class at the Cycle Bar in Montclair with Rachael. See what I mean? I have to carve out time for my work! But I'm trying to get these healthy building blocks in place.]

Tuesday-Afternoon Quarterbacking

Lessons learned this Thanksgiving.  How bout you? Tell me. And Kim and Lin, I'm lookin' at you, with your huge crowds for dinner!

STILL KEEPERS	NEW TWISTS	DITCH IT
Cranberry sauce made from recipe on bag of fresh berries, but cut sugar down to 1 cup.  Anyone can do this with hands tied behind back. Serve in Mom’s pretty round crystal bowl.	None.	That raw relish you make in the food processor with a whole navel orange [pits removed]  and uncooked cranberries. Nope.
Mom and Dad’s gravy boat, from their wedding china—it’s the one time you use it all year, and it’s a comfort.	Dan googled vegetarian gravy and made a potful so delicious, that all of us, even vegan Figgy and picky Punchy, loved it. MJ said it was the best gravy she ever had. [She whisked it over the heat for a while to remove the lumps, so that was a big help.] Dan being Dan, I have pressed him for the recipe but he won't be nailed down. He said it had flour, bouillon from a jar, oil….	The jar of Heinz turkey gravy. In a pinch, if Dan’s not making the magic gravy, get the expensive fresh turkey gravy Kings sells for the holidays.
N/A	ShopRite brand frozen young turkey was excellent, once the 24-pound freebie finally thawed. This year, if you spent $400 between Oct. 15 and the day before Tgiving, your turkey was free. Dan chose a huge one. I was skeptical of ShopRite brand, preferring classic Butterball but it was the best turkey I ever had. Sam Sifton’s orange and fresh sage treatment from nytimes.com surely helped. I coudln’t get into tucking the sage leaves under the skin, but Punch and I brushed the bird with melted butter and I squeezed on the juice of 2 oranges and put 2 squeezed halves inside the cavity., I salted the bird liberally. and stuck the sage leaves on top, pressing onto the butter.	N/A
Pepperidge Farm bag of cornbread stuffing. Have Dan doctor it and keep it vegan, using broth, mushrooms, Craisins, celery, onion.	I think Dan did add some of my fresh cornbread from Kathryn at Home book recipe but  I forgot, or Figgy wouldn’t have partaken, since I’m pretty sure it contained butter, egg and Parmigiano-Reggiano. But fresh cornbread dressing always sounds appealing.	N/A
The 4 small French apple tarts [Tartelettes aux Pommes] you’ve been baking for Dan since you were dating in the late 1980s—a recipe from Lionel Poilâne via the NYT Magazine.	N/A	Next time, do not make the apple tarts and 2 pies; rein it in to the tarts and 1 pie. You had to throw out half of a delicious Melissa Clark peanut butter pie w chocolate crumb crust because you would have eaten the entire thing and no one was helping. You were right to skip the absolutely fabulous Emily Luchetti pecan pie because again, you would eat the lion’s share. Maybe if you are taking it somewhere….

Pie Time

And bread time—Dan made two dill loaves. And cranberry sauce time. And lots of pots and pans to wash—plus mixing bowls, measuring spoons, spatulas  and countertops. So far, so good. Peanut Butter Pie and Sweet Potato Pie ready. Making apple tarts in the morning. Rachael, my nutrition guru, says Thanksgiving is off the table. Right? and it’s ok to indulge. We start the 30-Day Healthy Eating Challenge Monday! Two of my friends joining!’ Good night. 

Eat More Pasta!

I see this rich issue is also sold on Amazon.

I succumbed to a bon appetit special edition at ShopRite the other night. The magazine is called The Ultimate Guide to Pasta and I say succumbed because of the steep cover price: $13.99. But it has sturdy covers that feel sauce-resistant and keepsake-worthy. This cover line grabbed me, and I’m not kidding: Saucy, Glossy Fettuccine Alfredo. What cinched the deal was the recipe on page 46: Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan, Lemon, and Leek./You see, Dan and Punch went to the Montclair Farmers Market last Saturday and got two big stalks of B. sprouts, so this seemed destined to be. I made the dish for dinner tonight, stretching a 1 lb. box of pasta to feed all four of us, with an ample bowl left over. I amped up the greens, adding chopped dinosaur kale, asparagus and twice the leeks and we only dusted it with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano on our plates, so the dish could remain vegan for Figgy. This is truly a keeper and really not too hard. I am recommitting to sidestepping sweets of all kinds except unsweetened pure cocoa powder or cacao nibs in a smoothie or bowl. Eating better is better for all of us under this roof. I’m tired of being tired and I want my eyes to sparkle, my skin to look better. I believe a little pasta and a lot of greens, and cooking healthy meals, can make that possible. Good night. 

Carb-Conscious Pizza--with Cauliflower Crust

L

Um, their cover version looks just A LITTLE BIT different from my homespun one.

Humble but tasty, and baked on parchment paper.

Mine looks more from this angle like a potato latke topped with veggies, but it's actually a thin crust made from "riced" cauliflower. [I bought the caulflower prericed at ShopRite, for $3.99 per pound, rather than ricing a big head myself in batches in my tiny food processor.] HERE IS THE RECIPE FROM COOKING LIGHT. Since their cooks started with a head of cauli that was roughly 3 pounds, I bought 3 one-pound packs of riced cauliflower. But I only used one, because it filled up the whole big baking sheet when I roasted it....not sure if that was a mistake.....still, the pizza was pretty good. And only 2.5 oz.shredded part-skim mozzarella and 1/2 oz. grated Parmesan in terms of cheese total for the two single-serving pies. I also bought two fresh dough balls--Figgy and Punchy went to town, and it was fun to see. Fig used vegan toppings--tofu, mushrooms, garlic, spinach, mock cheese, tomatoes--and Punch proudly went full-tilt dairy, dotting her tomato sauce with many little white mozzarella balls. All three of us used fresh basil from the plant outside that the deer have not eaten yet. Viva la pizza.

Here's the Thing, After a Family Dinner

"Freedom from Want," oil painting by Norman Rockwell from early 1940s.

Bare fact: I can't grocery shop [at ShopRite, where things are cheaper], clean up the dining room, make a pan of vegan baked ziti and a pan of regular, help H. prep strawberry shortcakes with homemade biscuits, drive to Whole Foods for a pint of vegan ice cream [I hoped Fig could just eat sweet strawberries], wait with niece Florida Orange for her bus back to NYC, wash all those dishes and pans while H. reads to Punchy, watch a little of "Vinyl" and a little of the Republican debate and do a nice long blog post, although I would like to. I have to conserve my energy and get my rest. Good night, sweet dreams. At least we shared a happy family meal tonight.

TCOY

1. Got my overgrown hair cut by Danielle at Vamp. She has an exacting eye. Feel younger.
2. Hit a fair amount of steps on my Fitbit.
3. Got my Rxs and a new nail polish; now I just have to find the time to brush it on. It's a fresh, Eastery, melon-pink shade.

Sangria, Paella and Crema Catalana

Made in a special paella pan; hearty and delicious. Check paellapans.com.

Chefs Karan Fischer and Lisa Davies.

I was invited to join the Montclair Culinary Academy for another cooking class tonight, and it was fun. Chefs Karan and Lisa led a group of us in making a huge pan of delicious paella with chorizo, clams, mussels, shrimp and chicken and dainty little cups of crema catalana, a Spanish custard with burnt sugar top, similar to crème brûlée.

Since I was up blogging til 1 a.m., eager to get into bed and read. Love to read! List of sound bites from tonight:

• Go to Amazon to save shopping legwork. Lisa ordered the delicate saffron threads for the paella through a Spanish food supplier online.
• Casserole dishes, and mothers, matter. Lisa had a fish pie cooling in a clear glass Pyrex dish and it exploded; you can't use Pyrex if it has a tiny chip or crack. And: Oldies are goodies. My mother was an amazing cook from Hungary, said Karan, who worked as a sous chef and on the grill at Gramercy Tavern in NYC. I use all my mother's Corning. 
• Use fine wines for cooking. Don't buy junky wine to cook with and good wine to drink, said K. She likes a nice pour to add to bouillabaisse or sip from a glass. And same goes for olive oil; get best, cold-pressed extra-virgin for everything, from dipping bread to cooking. The chefs have heard lately about Italian olive oils getting cut with other oils, to fool us, and suggested buying good Greek or Spanish brands now.
• Remove bay leaves before serving. There were three dried bay leaves in the paella. Take them out before serving, because they can be a choking hazard, especially for children, said L. 
• Make cooking fun. A meal like this is very casual, said K. I don't like a lot of stress. I learned from my mom that you can love a lot of people with your food.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. Had coffee with Pats. It was her idea to choose a time and she'd drink her coffee in Colorado and I'd drink mine in Montclair, and we'd catch up. She is two hours behind us.
2. Walked to and from Java Love [about 50 minutes round trip] with laptop to write. Making good progress.
3. Going to the cooking class was relaxing and it was nice to meet the other women. By the time we sat down to eat, we had gotten to know each other better and were discussing everything from movies to kids, and more personal matters. Bonding over food.

Cooking Class! Girls' Night Out

Chef Lisa Davies of Montclair. We met at Patsy's boot camp years ago!

Chef Karan Fischer, who specializes in weight management cooking,
in the black chef's coat. The class started at 7 p.m. tonight.

Karan & Lisa scooping out the strands
of roasted spaghetti squash.

I don't know about your town, but here in Montclair, a lot of women I know are doing or have done the Whole Life Challenge, an 8-week healthy eating/stretching/etc.  program. The next one starts January 16, and based on tonight, I just might join up. I had shied away from it due to its carb and sugar restrictions.

This evening's event--at Designer Appliances on Bellevue Avenue--was called the Whole Life Challenge Cooking Class & Dinner. Thirteen of us--many pretty young moms with shiny manicures and healthy hair--paid $50 each to attend. It was fun and the food was great. We learned about everything from spice blends for fish to how to cook with garlic. [Don't bother using a garlic press, Chef Karan said. You waste a lot of garlic, it's hard to clean and she only uses one for something like potato pancakes, which she wants to infuse with garlic flavor.] The wine flowed and so did the pitcher of water with plump strawberries and thin orange slices. We left with the recipes!

It's late, and I'm eager to sleep so I can be productive at my desk tomorrow, but here are some tasty morsels from our lessons tonight:

• Alternative hummus. The chefs made a dip with white beans pureed with rosemary and garnished with rosemary sprigs. Good! Will try it.
• Chicken boredom. A lot of people eat a lot of chicken, Chef Karan said. I often stand before the raw chicken case trying to figure out what I can do with it. She and Chef Lisa included a great way to prepare it: Dijon Chicken, made with thin organic chicken cutlets. The platter was emptied pretty fast.
• Oil drill. Olive oil is the healthiest, said Chef Karan. You want the first cut--cold-pressed.
• No ban on butter. Chef Lisa said in her kitchen, butter is welcome. We had Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Butter [just 2 tablespoons, nothing crazy]. Yum. Will plan to make that, too, instead of pasta.
• The ring. Secret from Chef Karan, who worked at Gramercy Tavern in NYC: Vidalias make great onion rings.
• On the wild side. Both chefs said wild-caught fish is much better than farm-raised, which you likely know already. Raising fish in tanks is not clean, Chef Karan noted: It's like being on the subway all day. This led to a discussion among us all about the merits of fish from Whole Foods or from Gus & Co. Seafood on Valley Road. The latter, a new Montclair shop, is a favorite for its fresh catches.
• Spice it up. Chef Karan passed around a jar of her Tuscan spice blend, which we sprinkled on the Dover Sole Florentine tonight. She makes the blend from dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, finely minced dried orange peel and a little paprika. We loved how it smelled, and how it tasted, too.
• Vegan for Figgy. Even a recipe I can make for Figgy! Zucchini & Quinoa Salad. Chef Lisa whipped it up. It was soooo good. With toasted walnuts, lemon zest, torn basil and other treats. But I will have to eliminate the Parmesan, as Fig won't eat cheese.

They have kids' classes, too, and I bet Punchy would love one. The website is: Montclair Culinary Academy. Sweet dreams, good night. Oh that's right! The final kiss was sweet Medjool Date Raw Energy Bars. We got to take a portion home, and H. and Punchy polished it off pretty fast. I plan to make those, too. They contain pitted dates, ground raw almonds, coconut and organic dried apricots. Yummmmm.

A tiny glass mug of sweet potato soup before dinner.

Me and my dear friend Nicky, whom I also met years back
at Patsy's boot camp. Nicky is a chef in her own right.

TCOY

1. Warm bath with nice Neutrogena Rainbath [the green one].
2. Learning to cook that healthy food, and eating it, too, for dinner. Hoping to use the recipes.
3. Hearing more about the Whole Life Challenge.
4. Iced coffee for afternoon snack [TBT, with a lot of milk, a splash of heavy cream from a farm and one packet Equal].