BirthDay Musings

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, 

but rarely admit the changes it has gone through 

to achieve that beauty." ~ Maya Angelou 

Saturday was my birthday, my 58th. I have lots of thoughts swirling around my head, about the day itself and also about the bigger meaning, the significance of the date, the passing of time, aging.  

I've never been one to dwell on the number, haven't given much thought to growing older and what that entails, but this year is different. This year, I've decided to somewhat embrace the inevitable. I've stopped coloring my hair, letting the grays show. I'll admit, as much as the "Silver Sisters" movement encourages us to enjoy the "silver crown," I don't like how this looks. I don't care for the way the front of my head is different than the rest. I know it's a transition, it will take time (at least 2 years!), and I "should" be patient and enjoy the experience. Right now, though, I miss my brown with blonde highlights. I don't care for the way my skin looks against the gray hairline. (I'm also not happy with my weight, and that's probably part of my frustration, but that's another subject.) This sudden change, not the "natural" way as it would have been if I'd allowed the strands to come through over time, is hard. It's jarring. Along with some other changes to my body, aches & pains and weird things that are happening, I'm just feeling out of sorts. Not comfortable in my skin. I'm sure it's temporary and I'll adjust, but for now..I'm just a little sad. 

I'm still processing, will likely have more to say once I get my head around it, but for now, I want to write, to share, to get these memories down somewhere that I can reflect on them at my leisure. Yes, I posted on Instagram and Facebook, but, to be honest, I'm growing weary (again) of social media and find myself turning back to blogging where I feel comfortable and safe. 

Maybe, like the metaphorical caterpillar, I'm cocooning at the moment. I'm hunkering down and having some deep thoughts which may lead to big changes..or not. Perhaps I just need to take a breath, give myself a little time to regroup and settle into the changes that have happened already. Maybe nothing else is needed this year. 

I'm not sure, but for now, I'm going to relish in the memories of the gorgeous celebration with my family. I'm going to appreciate the sweet gifts and the heartfelt greetings from friends. I'm just going to sit right here and count my blessings.

Michele~

This past Friday, my Lily graduated with her Masters in Social Work! Thanks to the Coronavirus, we had to cancel our family trip to be there with her which the most disappointing, heartbreaking part of this experience thus far. We all so wanted to watch her walk across the stage, receive that hard-earned diploma, cheer and weep with  pride. Take her to lunch after, raise a glass of sparkling cider in her honor. Instead, we had to do that through a virtual commencement and a Zoom meeting. 

It certainly wasn't the same, and not nearly good enough for her, for us, but we made the best of it and look forward to a real celebration once we're together again. (soon, goddess willing). 

Today is Mother's Day, and I'm filled with mixed emotions. Excited to drive to be with Kali &  Bambi & babies, but am missing Lily so much, nothing feels complete without her. I'm also missing my own mom, and am thinking how proud she would be of Lily, and how happy she was on her own graduation day. It was "only" an Associates Degree, but she was the first in her family to have any type of formal education, and she was very proud of that fact, as well she should be. I vaguely remember her own graduation day, but can't recall the date. I'm guessing 1986 or early 1987..

Congratulations, Mom. Your namesake accomplished something amazing! I wish you were here to see her. 

Rapunzel~

GUEST BLOG: Mexican Street-Style Roasted Corn by Kali Bat

I have an extra-special treat for you today, dear readers! Below is a blog post from one of the best writers, and one of my most favorite people in the world: my daughter, Kali. Enjoy!

I'm always looking for new cuisines to try, and living in South Florida definitely allows a lot of experimentation on this front. So for this 4th of July post, I'm highlighting two things I take shameless pleasure in: Jack Black and Mexican food.



One of my favorite things about the film Nacho Libre is the food-related theme. As our protagonist Nacho becomes a successful luchador by night, he begins to take more and more pleasure in his day job - cooking at the orphanage where he grew up. Salad has never been so dazzling. But for me, the scene that induced the most serious cravings was when "Esqueleto" purchases elotes for Nacho and himself. Elote is roasted corn, a popular street food in Mexico. The corn is roasted on the cob, and served with the husk folded back to form a handle, then topped with condiments including butter, cheese, sour cream, chili powder, mayonnaise, lime or lemon juice.

After seeing elote in Nacho Libre, I could not get it out of my mind. I first found Mexican street-style roasted corn locally at the Swap Shop, our local flea market/former circus/farmer's market. Recently, I've discovered *the* venue for elote and all other tasty varieties of Mexican street food - El Jefe Luchador in Deerfield Beach. When I heard Lynn Rossetto Kasper describe her version on The Splendid Table, I had to try my hand at making it myself. This is one of my contributions to our 4th of July celebration at Rapunzel's (Real Life) castle tomorrow. It is an easy and different way to dress up your BBQ - you'll never go back to plain old corn on the cob!


"Drippy" Mexican Sweet Corn


Copyright 2003 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

El Burrito Market in St. Paul supplied the inspiration for this recipe. Your grill is ready for the corn when the coals are covered with gray ash.

Serves 6

- 6 ears fresh sweet corn, husks peeled back but still attached to the ears
- 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, melted*
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups Mexican Crema, or sour cream
- About 3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese**
- 1/2 cup hot chili powder

1. Grill corn about 4 inches from coals for 8 to 10 minutes, turning with tongs and brushing with butter. Remove to a platter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Have the sour cream in one shallow bowl, the cheese on a large plate and the chili powder is a salt shaker.

3. Let corn cool until easy to handle but still warm. Remove husks then roll corn in sour cream, draining off excess. Then lightly roll in the cheese. Sprinkle with the optional chili powder to taste.

Variation: Some people like to temper the heat of the chili with a squeeze of fresh lime juice over the ear of corn.

* We are using Smart Balance instead - it's easier to spread and way healthier!

** The more authentic cheese to use, if you can find it, is cotija. It comes in a block or also grated. If you can't find it, of course, parmigiano-reggiano works fine!

A Berry Special 4th!

Here are two more berry recipes for you, one healthy salad and one not-so-healthy-but-oh-so-good dessert!









Enjoy!

Rapunzel~

Countdown to the 4th

Today's recipe is not quite as low-calorie as the previous I've posted but I can't imagine a cook-out without my mother's potato salad! Since I haven't been able to dig up her exact recipe, I did a Google search in hopes of finding something similar. This one from Betty Crocker looks just about right.





Favorite Potato Salad

A must for picnics! This classic potato salad takes only 10 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Prep Time
10 Minutes

Total Time 4:50 Hrs:Mins

Makes 10 servings

6 medium boiling potatoes (2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Scrub potatoes. Leaves skins on if desired, or peel thinly and remove eyes.
Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling; add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Cool slightly; cut into cubes (about 6 cups).
Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in 4-quart glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. Stir in eggs. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Makes 10 servings (about 3/4 cup each)

To keep this and other mayonnaise-based salads cold while at a picnic, place the serving container in a bowl filled with ice.

Time Saver:
You can buy hard-cooked eggs in the deli section or next to the meat case of most grocery stores.

Nutrition Information:

Calories 340
(Calories from Fat 260 ),
Total Fat 29 g
(Saturated Fat 5 g,
Cholesterol 105 mg;
Sodium 480 mg;
Total Carbohydrate 17 g
(Dietary Fiber 2 g,
Protein 4 g;

Enjoy!

Rapunzel~

Fresh Fruits for the Fourth

So many of the traditional BBQ recipes are so heavy and filling, I try to serve some light & fresh side dishes to balance out the menu. This fruit salad from EatBetterAmerica will be just perfect!




Pineapple-Berry Salad with Honey-Mint Dressing

Honey and mint jazz up this quick-to-make berry and pineapple fruit salad with fresh tropical flavors!

Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:15 min
makes:4 servings (3/4 cup each)

3 tablespoons frozen (thawed) lemonade concentrate
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1. In 1-cup measuring cup, mix lemonade concentrate, honey and mint.

2. In large bowl, gently stir together remaining ingredients. Stir in lemonade mixture until fruits are coated. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving: Calories 110 (Calories from Fat 15); Total Fat 17g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 21g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 8g); Protein 14g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 70%; Calcium 0%; Iron 20% Exchanges: 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 2


And while you have the fruit & mint out, how about a lightened up Mojito?



Blueberry Mojito

4 lemon wedges
4 lime wedges
16 blueberries
20 mint leaves
Crushed ice
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces fresh lemon juice
8 ounces of your favorite rum (aged)
4 ounces cold water
1/4 Cup + 2 tsp of Truvia® natural sweetener spoonable*

* or 16 packets of Truvia® natural sweetener

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker muddle the blueberries, mint leaves and lemon- lime wedges. Add the crushed ice, lemon and lime juice and Truvia® natural sweetener and shake well. Stain over cubed or crushed ice and garnish with lemon wedge and mint sprig.

Serves 4, 6 oz serving

Nutrition Facts per serving:

Calories 150; Total Fat, 0g; Saturated Fat, 0g; Trans Fat, 0g; Cholesterol, 0mg; Sodium, 0mg; Total Carbohydrate, 17g; Dietary Fiber, 0g; Sugars, 1g; Erythritol, 14g: Protein, 0g; Vitamin A, 0% DV; Vitamin C, 20% DV; Calcium, 0% DV; Iron, 0% DV.

Rapunzel~

Countdown to the 4th

Do you all have any Independence Day plans yet? We intend to celebrate the 4th of July as we always do: at home, poolside, with family and friends. I've already begun planning and shopping for the menu so thought I'd share recipes with you as we go along.

I've been making this bean salad recipe since I first discovered it in a Vegetarian Times magazine, circa August 1996. It's been toted along to more potlucks and family gatherings than any other dish, is popular with meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.





Stay tuned, I'll be posting at least one holiday recipe per day as I firm up my Independence Day menu!

Enjoy!

Rapunzel~

Memorial Day Greetings

Is there anything better than waking up on a Monday morning and realizing that you don't have to go to work?! Ahh...so wonderful to sit here sipping coffee with nowhere to be, just catching up on my favorite blogs and planning the week ahead.

Beren and I are still in Ormond, plan to spend the day doing laundry, packing, and dog-sitting Lucy while Kali and J are in Disney World. I'm hoping to get in some exercise this evening, would love to take both doggies to the park if Beren will tag along 'cause I can't handle both of these monsters on my own!

In the meantime, here's my menu for the upcoming week:

Meatless (Memorial Day) Monday: Boca Burgers on light hamburger bun, Vegetarian Baked Beans, Steamed Veggies
Taco Tuesday: Cheesy Taco Supreme (recipe to come!)
Wok-y Wednesday: Thai-Style Shrimp (recipe to come!)
Thrifty Thursday: Sausage & Peppers Pizza (recipe to come!)
TGI Friday: Last Minute Chicken Fajitas (recipe to come!)
Social Saturday: Leftovers or out to eat
Slow Mo Sunday: Chili sin Carne with Cheesy Chili Breadsticks (recipes to come!)

Hope you're all having a lovely long weekend so far, Happy Memorial Day.

xoxoxoox
Rapunzel~

Happy Mothers Day

We miss you, Mom...Much Love,

Your Girls

Hoppy Easter!

Bittersweet

bit·ter·sweet (btr-swt)
n.

1. Bitter and sweet at the same time: bittersweet chocolate.
2. Producing or expressing a mixture of pain and pleasure: a movie with a bittersweet ending.

It's a bittersweet time here at the Castle, emotions are all over the map. You see, my littlest bird, my Bambi, has decided to go away for college. A natural, normal event, of course, but one I'm not quite ready for. (Is any mother ever ready for her babies to leave the nest?) She made the decision a few months ago and though I am so proud of her courage and independence, I admit there was a part of me who held onto the hope that she would change her mind. No, not my Bambi, once she makes a decision she sticks with it. She has a goal and she's going to meet it, come hell or high water.

So yesterday our family made the trip to the big ol' college town of her choice, unloaded B's possessions and proceeded to set her up in a little apartment.





Beren and I got her all settled in and then took she and her friends out to lunch...




made a run to the grocery store because there's no way I could leave her with an empty fridge! Then I reluctantly said goodbye, doing my best not to break down sobbing, and made the 2 hour drive back to our Ormond house. Kali & Lindsey stayed with her overnight, as did her boyfriend, so she won't be really alone until tonight.
I know there will be some homesick moments, days when she's tempted to pack up her kitten and head south, but I think she'll resist. She'll be ok..she really will..me? Well, that might be another story. I am dreading returning home to find her empty room, devoid of her pictures, momentos..the very essence of Bambi. I hope I can be as strong as she is.

In the meantime, my other kids will be stopping here for dinner before heading home, so I'll put my energies into the kitchen as I always due when feeling blue. A simply pasta dinner is in order, my Mom's Brownie Chip Cookies for dessert. These are the cookies mom has made over the years for every family occasion, happy and sad, we could always count on these delicious goodies being part of it. I'd like to think Mom's with me today, nodding with understanding and surrounding me with warm comforting hugs.



SAM'S BROWNIE CHIP COOKIES

1 box brownie mix
1 c. chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/4 c. oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Combine mix, eggs,, and oil in large bowl. Beat about 50 strokes by hand. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded teaspoon on baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies are soft to touch. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.

Note: these are not the prettiest cookies in the world..grin..but I promise you after one bite you won't care!

Blessings,

Happy Valentines Day, Beren!

With All My Love,

Happy New Year!

New Years Eve, originally uploaded by Rapunzel*.

Happy New Year to all of my blogging friends!
Here's wishing that 2010 brings peace, joy and magickal moments to us all!

Brightest New Year Blessings,



P.S. Because a couple people on both of my blogs have mentioned the dress I'm wearing in this pic, I figured I should spill the beans. It's 100% silk, INC brand, and I paid a whopping $2.50 for it at a thrift store in Daytona. LOL! Better yet, the proceeds went to an organization for abused women. Good deal all around, right?