Photo: prettywar-stl

The ChowBaby and I were stuck on the train coming back from the American Museum of Natural History the other day. It was naptime and I was hell-bent on keeping him from falling asleep so that I could put him down when we got home—and actually get an hour or two of work in! So I regaled him with some of his favorite stories, including the one of my honeymoon in Tunisia.
Not only did I manage to keep him awake, I was also inspired to make something honeymoon-ish to surprise the ChowPapa when he got home from work. Without much time to spare, I whipped up one of my favorite North African street foods: the omelet sandwich. It reminded me that a simple change of spices can make something old Iike an egg sandwich new again.
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Kinderville containers: BPA & lead free, bacteria resistant, AND dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe! (via Oh Dee Doh)

Food news, things we crave, green your eats, and tips, tools & techniques. Check out this week’s picks. And, don’t forget to tell the USDA to add urban farming to the Ag Census—the deadline is TODAY! (Go here to learn more about why this is important.)
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Photo: shoothead

Perhaps you are expecting a recipe for cold turkey sandwiches with cranberry chutney. While that sounds comforting right now, it’s not what this blog post is about. In fact, by the time you read this I will gone. I won’t be posting tomorrow, either. I know you’ll understand. A family emergency is taking me out of town and I can only hope for the best.

But this “event” (What kind of word is that? I use it only because I just got the news and don’t know what else to call it yet)… this “event” reminds me of how important it is to give thanks for everything I have. Today. So happy thanksgiving to all you beautiful ChowMamas and ChowPapas, and, most especially, to your beautiful ChowBabies. Because that’s what all of this is about. Lift your glasses and be grateful.

The ChowPapa threw out his back on Sunday. He was Completely. Laid. Out. That means I was Completely. In. Charge. Now don’t get me wrong—I like being in charge—but at 8 months pregnant, I’m not physically (or, truth be told, even emotionally) capable of handling the responsibility with my usual enthusiasm and grace. So, needless to say, by dinner time, I was completely wasted. A goner. Useless.
Thankfully, I’d thrown together a simple vegetable stew during the ChowBaby’s nap time. The plan was to make some chicken to accompany the stew, but that wasn’t happening. So vegetable stew for dinner it was. No meat. No rice. Just vegetables and some leftover chickpea curry for the boys.
Now, before you start feeling bad for them, there was a LOT of stew. Plenty of food to fill all of our bellies. But despite their valiant attempts (or, at least the ChowPapa’s attempt) to appear satisfied, I think they felt like something was missing. Maybe it was the fact that Isaac said, “Mmmm. I’m thinking of meatballs,” as he wolfed down string beans.
I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a little while. Didn’t seem summery enough to post yet. But, in honor of my carnivores, today, I give you a stick to your ribs meal of pulled pork over cheese grits.
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Starting off the week sweet and simple. And with a reminder that roasting isn’t just for winter. It’s true that turning on the oven isn’t particularly appealing in August heat, but neither is having to stand by the stove or clean dishes. This quick cooking technique for (even) summer veggies trades in the latter for, yes, turning on your oven.
So preheat that baby to 375 degrees, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up), and sit in the AC while your veggies roast. (Did that make me sounds like a serious eco pirate?!) These string beans are garlicky good, can be fed to even the youngest eaters (6+ mos!), and also serve as a fun finger food for the older kids. Including the kid in you!
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Food news, things we crave, green your eats, and tips, tools & techniques. Check out this week’s picks.

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