We Did It!

We actually did it--we hosted a Wednesday Spaghetti!


We took the leap because: 1) it was the day after our traditional January 1 party, so the party gear (tables, chairs, bar setup) was out and cleaned; 2) we both had the day off; 3) we'd been talking about it for years; 4) the type-A side of us loved the idea of knocking out a resolution on Day 2 of the year; and 5) we went to three funerals that week and were in a bit more of a carpe diem mindset than usual.


And it was awesome, except for my own flipping kids who took advantage of the chaos to (are you ready?) get a concussion. (Ok, to be fair--it wasn't really a concussion--it missed one benchmark for concussion classification--but was a serious enough bonk on the head to earn concussion treatment, though thankfully only for a week. And I'm totally ok with outside support for limiting screen time.)

So, head injuries aside--it was great. I was not brave enough to invite the world. We invited our street +1, for a total of 20 houses, plus our backyard neighbors whose street has zero kids besides theirs. And of the 20 houses--14 had at least one member come! At peak, we had about 40 people here, 12 of whom were kids, which is about capacity for our house. (Really--it's a bit over capacity but it was fun.) On New Year's Eve, I had my kids run up and down the street, ringing doorbells to deliver the invitations since I was so late getting them out. Text below:

You are cordially invited

To Wednesday Spaghetti

With (our family)

Wednesday, January 2

6pm-7:30pm

We will provide:

spaghetti, sauce, and this time, meatballs

If you want to bring something, consider: drinks (for kids or grownups), salad, dessert, snacks, bread. If you are fresh out—just come anyway!

All (our street) is invited. It is a work and school night, so this is not a party; it’s dinner, together.

Please RSVP to (my email and phone number) to let me know how many are coming so I know how much spaghetti to make.

What is Wednesday Spaghetti?

Wednesday Spaghetti was formed to increase awareness of the need for families, caregivers and peer groups to spend quality time together. See more at: (this website)

I was delighted that one of the elderly couples on our street called to decline, but complimented the kids ("they were so cute and so well behaved") that it was worth it already. People came right after work, still in suits or work clothes; others changed in to more casual clothes; but people came and settled right in and enjoyed.

About 15 of the 20 houses have the same blueprints, so it's fun to go see what other people have done (or what former owners have done), and gave us something immediate to share. About 4 of the families agreed that by putting "It's not a party" line in the invitation, attendance was definitely increased. The novelty factor definitely played in to it too. Our oldest guests were in their 70s; youngest were first graders (and four of them!).

Next time, I would use spaghetti instead of angel hair (too sticky; shells or rotini would be even better). We ran out of meatballs (and we had a lot of meatballs!) early, but awesomely, our neighbors had some in the fridge, ran home to get them, and saved the day. We had a ton of bread (breadsticks, garlic bread, homemade bread...), three salads, and some dessert. Someone brought a huge chunk of gourmet cheese. Someone else baked cookies and brought them over warm. Someone else didn't see the invitation until that day and offered to boil the pasta for me. Everyone contributed; everyone stayed longer than they meant to; and everyone was gone by 8:10, and most were gone before that.

Before they left, three neighbors cornered me to ask how WedSpag is "done." I explained that it is up to the hosts. Some do weekly; some monthly; some quarterly; some do neighborhoods; some invite everyone. They asked if I would be insulted if they did it next time and I said of course not! And so my hope is that sometime in the next few months, the idea will spread yet again.

If you are on the fence, I say: do it. The irony of doing it on a day off was that by starting it at 6, I started getting ready at 4:30...and then had to wait almost an hour after setting up to start the actual spaghetti, so it really wasn't hard. (And again: we had just hosted a party so your milage may vary.) But it was really easy, compared to "parties," that have menus and expectations and baggage that this night doesn't. Try it. You'll like it. Just keep the concrete blocks (or the kids) out of your basement and all should be well.

Thanks to all who have hosted me before; someday I'll do it for you! But I am grateful for the inspiration, and hope that more take it on in the new year!

Spaghetti Friends

Our dear friends - who never missed ONE single Wednesday (or Tuesday, or Thursday) Spaghetti at our house - moved to Connecticut. They totally got it. They fully understood the whole Wednesday Spaghetti thing: the showing up whenever they could get here, the bring something if it wasn't a stressful notion, the sit down and eat where space allowed, the kids running and playing and eating at their own paces, the casual and communal feel of it all. The husband staked out emptying the trash and recycling as his regular job; I could always count on finding him in the kitchen at some point in the evening taking care of that. He probably took our recycling out more times than I ever have. In the few Wednesday Spaghetti dinners we've had since they moved, there's a definite space at our table.

I don't know how I can adequately capture in words how...happy? proud? joyful? nope...those don't quite do it I felt when I got the evite last month from them. Their first Wednesday Spaghetti in their new neighborhood. They didn't know many of their neighbors yet, and they did it anyway. They weren't sure people quite got the concept, but they were sticking to it. And this month, they did it again.

One month, I'm just going to show up for one of their Wednesday Spaghettis. Bottle of wine or loaf of bread in hand.

I can't wait.

Spaghetti

As I was sitting in the cafe at my new job, a guy sat down next to me and started talking about the Wednesday Spaghetti special.  I, in turn, told everyone at the table about this little special. 

That's all.  Nothing else happened, but I thought it would be nice to get a current post here. 

: )

Drink this Kool-Aid, I Dare You

*Originally posted at www.wellreadhostess.com

About a year and a half ago, my friend Lora, who thinks, writes, and even lives the way I often wish my cluttered mind would allow me to, invited me and a few other local women bloggers over to her house for dinner. She'd postponed her usually Wednesday night gathering of neighborhood women to have us over for spaghetti.

Lora started Wednesday Spaghetti in her neighborhood as a way to live what she believes in, the importance of friends and family gathering regularly to build community in the most natural way - sharing a meal and talking about whatever people talk about when they are comfortable and eating dinner: family, life, schedules, politics, the neighborhood, marriage, relationships, work, the weather, anything. Every week, she puts on a big pot of water, heats up some sauce, and opens her door to a group of regulars.

She even wrote a mission statement: Wednesday Spaghetti was formed to increase public awareness of the need for families, caregivers, and peer groups to spend quality time together in an in-home, casual dining setting in order to discuss general life issues, household guidelines and practices, personal habits, issues, and goals, educational habits, issues, and goals, employment habits, issues and goals, family habits, issues, and goals, physical health-related issues, sexual health-related issues, emotional health-related issues, spiritual issues, relationship issues, community events and resources, and other such topics; to support and conduct nonpartisan research, educational and informational activities to increase public awareness of the importance of togetherness, communication, and good nutrition; to provide simple to make, nutritious meals to any family or group in the community, regardless of race, color, creed, sexuality, religious beliefs, ethnicity, economic status, or location at no cost to the family or group.

I fell in love with this idea. I'm not really sure why. Well, that's not entirely true. There are lots of reasons why, and I've come at that topic a few times, but it's a larger than life issue and I'm OK just letting it be that and not completely picking it apart like I do everything else.

We try to do Wednesday Spaghetti once a month, not every week, and unlike Lora's Wednesday Spaghetti, our guest list isn't just a few neighborhood women, it's a more extensive crowd of families and friends. The most we've ever had was 103 (we think, with so many kids, it's hard to get an entirely accurate count), but the average is about 50 or 60 guests.

Here are the two things I hear about Wednesday Spaghetti:

1) I love Wednesday Spaghetti.
So do I. Probably even more than you do.

2) I don't know how you do this.

I say, "It's not hard" and people look at me like I have a baby's arm growing out of my forehead. But it's true. I do lots of things that are hard, I sould know.

So here's how. And I want you to do it. I realize that I sound a little Jim Jones-y here. But this is some Kool Aid you want to drink. I promise you that you can do this, and you won't be sorry. Ask anyone who knows me, I am as uptight as they come, and if I can have 103 people come to my house on a Wednesday and eat spaghetti, mediocre spaghetti - at BEST, and not only not stress out about it but love every damn minute of it, you can, too.

How To Wednesday Spaghetti

1) Don't clean your house: Straighten up. Put stuff in closets. Close doors.

2) Keep it simple. Because I invite a ton of people, I use paper plates and plastic cutlery. I recycle and try not to think about the environmental sins I'm committing.

3) Cheap pasta. Cheap sauce. Nobody is there to eat gourmet food.

4) Sometimes I put some cookies on a plate. Sometimes I don't. If juiceboxes are on sale at the Acme, I buy some. Sometimes I put out some bottles of sparkling water. If we have some beer, I put it in a tub. Sometimes I make a salad. The first time I did this, I made sure we had spaghetti, sauce, bread, salad, and a dessert. Now I made spaghetti and sauce. I put out a few pitchers of ice water and, like I said, usually some juice for kids. People bring things. I don't ask people to RSVP and tell me what they're bringing, and if they ask, I tell them that if it doesn't stress them out to bring something, they should feel free. Sometimes we have spaghetti, sauce, water, wine, and a million brownies. Sometimes we have lots of salads, sometimes we have none. Most important thing: NOBODY CARES.

5) We had 103 people at our house for spaghetti last month. I have a dining room table that seats 8. My house is about 2000 square feet. We have a screened porch and a pretty decent sized yard. The neighbor brought over some some tables and chairs. People find places to sit. Don't worry about it. Kids don't sit anyway.

6) I really didn't clean my bathrooms yesterday. I usually at least wipe them down with a Clorox wipe. Not yesterday. Didn't have time. NOBODY CARES.

7) I say over and over again, to anyone who will listen, "It's not a party, it's just spaghetti." And people say, "Well, it sure feels like a party." That may be. But in my head, it's NOT a party, which means I don't worry about who's having a good time, I don't make sure I've greeted everyone, I don't go out of my way to introduce people I'm not positive haven't met before, I don't refill glasses. People come in, I say hi, I make some introductions because I'm not a barbarian, I point people in the direction of food and then everyone does their thing.

8) Sit down. Eat some spaghetti. Make the noodles ahead of time, put them in a lightly oiled pan in the oven, set to 200. Dump them in a big bowl and serve everything all at once when everyone gets there. Put the sauce in a crock pot. Let people help. Don't fuss.

9) You will be surprised by how this small thing, this boiling of water and heating of sauce and setting out of plates changes you. Your family will start to ask, "When is the next Wednesday Spaghetti?" People will say, "Can I bring our neighbors?" You will, of course, say yes. You will feel funny about people's gratitude towards you for hosting this event, because you feel like they are giving something to you as much as you are doing something for them, even more so. People will tell you, over and over again, how much they love this, and they'll have this look on their faces, like, "Isn't it weird? I mean? It's just spaghetti, but..."

10) Drink this Kool-Aid. It's delicious. And I double dog dare you.

Wednesday Spaghetti has been on hold in my house for too long. But I'm back, and as soon as I can wrangle up my people I'll put on a pot of water and sit everyone around my table, just like olden times.

You can find Wednesday Spaghetti on Facebook!  I would love to see you like it.  I'm pretty sure it's set up correctly.  I'll play with it a bit more over the next week or so.

I hope everyone is doing well and you are all finding time to sit down with the people you love.

Selfish Spaghetti

Last night we had one of the best Wednesday Spaghettis ever. After each one, my husband and I do the recap and check in, since chances are we haven't had the chance to talk to each other all day up to that point. Some weeks he is more relaxed, some weeks I feel rushed, some weeks he feels like he hasn't helped enough (never true), and some weeks I fret that we didn't have enough salad/wine/bread/parm/whatever. We always have a great night, but we both agreed that there was something special about yesterday.

Maybe it was the weather. Yesterday was warm, and we opened up the windows and the doors and the kids played outside for most of the evening. Some people ate on the porch, christening it with red sauce and red wine for the season.

Maybe it was that most of the people there were "regulars." They knew the drill and didn't feel like they were at a party and they knew everybody and the neighborhood kids drifted in and out between homework assignments and just in time for dessert. I didn't feel like I desperately needed to talk to any guests who I hadn't seen in a while. I just hung out. We all did. And, as usual and with no small thanks to the whirlwind neighborlady cleanup squad, everybody was gone and the house was back together by 8:45.

I get embarrassed when the people who come for Wednesday Spaghetti make big pronouncements of gratitude for the fact that I do this thing I do once a month. Obviously, I appreciate their thanks, but I also feel like a bit of a fraud. While they may feel that I'm doing some kind of service for bringing us together and building community and providing an easy and comfortable environment for families to share a meal, I'm pretty sure I get more out of it than they do.

Spoiler Alert: I am a control freak. I know. You're stunned. I'll allow you a moment to recover or stop laughing.

Opening my doors to anyone who is interested once a month, on a work and school night, and not sweating the fact that the floor isn't mopped and there is visible dust and there is dog hair on the couch and that I haven't changed my clothes or brushed my hair since 7 that morning or that there is no way on this green earth that I'm going to have time to cook something designed to dazzle the palate and impress the herd has had a profound effect on me. Without dipping my toe too heavily into the churning waters of melodrama, let me just say that as much as anybody who comes to my house for Wednesday Spaghetti thinks he/she loves it, I love it more.


*WRH post..poached.

The Twelve Days of Spaghetti

On the first day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
A dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the second day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the third day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the fourth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the fifth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the sixth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Six jars of red sauce
five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the seventh day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Seven bowls of noodles
six jars of red sauce
five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the eighth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Eight smiling toddlers
seven bowls of noodles
six jars of red sauce
five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the ninth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Nine kids playing dress ups
eight smiling toddlers
seven bowls of noodles
six jars of red sauce
five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the tenth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Ten helpful teens
nine kids playing dress ups
eight smiling toddlers
seven bowls of noodles
six jars of red sauce
five high school friendsf
our plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the eleventh day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Eleven late arrivals (highway closed all day, couldn't be helped)
ten helpful teens
nine kids playing dress ups
eight smiling toddlers
seven bowls of noodles
six jars of red sauce
five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

On the twelfth day of spaghetti, Well Read Hostess sent to me
Twelve times the joy
eleven late arrivals (highway closed all day, couldn't be helped)
ten helpful teens
nine kids playing dress ups
eight smiling toddlers
seven bowls of noodles
six jars of red sauce
five high school friends
four plates of cookies (most of which I ate myself)
three wine boxes
two birthday cakes
and a dog who ate a Christmas tree.

Today's history lesson:

On or sort of around this day in 2008, I was feeling a little stressed, apparently. As you can read about HERE.

Also, the "Twelve Days of Christmas" refers to the time between Christmas and the epiphany, which marks the day that one is struck by the sudden realization that her pants no longer fit her after eating Christmas cookies and chocolates for two weeks straight. A common myth about the lyrics to this song is that each of the items sent to "me" on the twelve days symbolizes a biblical or religious principle or event. For example, 11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles. Snopes says otherwise, and frankly, it does seem like a bit of stretch to equate French hens with the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Friday gatherings

Me and my peeps enjoyed a potluck dinner last night.  Kind of a Wednesday Spaghetti on a Friday and without the spaghetti.  We also made a list of restaurants we will be going to each month for the next six months!  Then we get to enjoy our gatherings with someone else cooking and cleaning up.

I made the following salad for the potluck.  It was delicious and I came home with an empty bowl.  It would be a great salad any time of the year, but it really seems appropriate for fall.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO SALAD WITH BLACK BEANS AND CHILI DRESSING

Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, preferably red, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh hot chili, such as jalapeno
1 clove garlic, peeled
Juice of 2 limes
2 cups cooked black beans, drained (canned are fine)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potatoes and onions on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on the corners and are just tender inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; keep on pan until ready to mix with dressing.

Put chilies in a blender or mini food processor along with garlic, lime juice, the remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Process until blended.

Put warm vegetables in a large bowl with beans and bell pepper; toss with dressing and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day.

Serves 4

Spaghetti Family

Last night, as Wednesday Spaghetti was winding down, we were in the kitchen finishing off the wine and picking at the leftover dessert crumbs, and one of my neighbors remarked, "Wednesday Spaghetti feels like being at your favorite cousin's house. Everybody is just being themselves and kids are running around and it's so comfortable."

When I think about what I want to give my children most, it's the opportunity to make and share the memories that will sustain them now and for the rest of their lives. I don't think I knew, even just a few years ago, how one's family grows. Or maybe more accurately, how many opportunities, even those that come out of a box of noodles and a jar of the cheapest sauce on the shelf, there can be to grow that family.

Potato Soup and a snowy day in October!!

So now that we are on the home stretch of football ( last official game is this weekend with the SuperBowl next weekend...) I am hoping to get back into the swing of cooking not only for my family but for my friends. And boy are they ready. As I have said.. I have some friends who dont do alot of cooking so when I cook they really seem to enjoy it or atleast they tell me they do!

I have using the Crock Pot alot lately ( with getting out of the house before 8am every morning and not getting home til after 5, then heading off right away to Football... by the time 8:00pm rolls around the last thing I want to do it cook.)
This past Sunday we snuggled in to watch The Patriots ( hey, I live in Mass) and believe it or not it was snowing. Already. Yup.

So I tried out this great recipe I got online from my bloggy friend Ace. Check it out. Its a great warm dish in the winter and is pretty cheap to make so you can make a ton...

Potato Soup

Potatoes
Flour
Milk
Seasoning
Onions
Oyster Crackers

Cut potatoes in chunks. Cut onion into slices or chunks. Boil both together til tender. Dump out most of the water, leaving enough to cover the potatoes slightly. In a separate container ( with cover) I mixed Flour with milk and seasoning until thin. I added this mixture to the potatoes and lightly mixed. I did leave some of the potatoes a little chunky but you can mash to your desired consistency. I then seasoned again with salt, pepper and garlic salt. I cooked on medium heat, stirring often for another 15 minutes or so.
When done, garnish with crackers, cheese, bacon bits... whatever you want. Be careful not to use too much flour otherwise the whole soup will taste like flour. Just enough to thicken up the broth.

Enjoy!!!

Recuerdo

RECUERDO

We were very tired, we were very merry--

We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry.

It was bare and bright, and smelled like a stable--

But we looked into a fire, we leaned across a table,

We lay on the hill-top underneath the moon;

And the whistles kept blowing, and the dawn came soon.

We were very tired, we were very merry--

We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry;

And you ate an apple, and I ate a pear,

From a dozen of each we had bought somewhere;

And the sky went wan, and the wind came cold,

And the sun rose dripping, a bucketful of gold.

We were very tired, we were very merry,

We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry.

We hailed, "Good morrow, mother!" to a shawl covered head,

And bought a morning paper, which neither of us read;

And she wept, "God bless you!" for the apples and the pears,

And we gave her all our money but our subway fares.

---Edna St. Vincent Millay

Playroom before Tuesday Wednesday Spaghetti

Playroom after Tuesday Wednesday Spaghetti

I offer up these pictures not to say, "Holy crap, and you should see the rest of the house." Rather, to show that people came over, ate some dinner, and their kids played happily while grownups visited and talked.

Some people brought food to share, some people didn't, some people came straight from work, some people came straight from soccer practice, some people brought friends, some people brought their friends' kids, some people ate spaghetti with sauce, some people ate spaghetti plain. One thing I heard more than a few times was, "Are you crazy to do this?" It felt really good to be able to say, with complete candor, "Maybe, but it wasn't hard and it doesn't stress me out." The idea of 50 people in your house on a Tuesday evening eating pasta and red sauce (from a jar, thanks, it's not gourmet night Chez WRH) sounds overwhelming, and maybe even a little crazy. But it's not. I shoved a lot of junk in drawers and closets and I swept and I will totally admit to mopping the floor behind the toilet in the kids' bathroom because I have a son and, well, AIM, CHILD. I boiled water and I bought paper plates. There are some dishes still in my sink today, but that's not unusual for midweek.

It is, I realize, an exercise in self-improvement and a bit of therapy for me to do this Wednesday Spaghetti thing. LOOK, you can not lose your mind at the thought of people seeing the dust elephants bunnies in corners. LOOK, you don't need to pull out all the culinary stops to impress anybody. LOOK, your life might be crowded and cluttered but you can maintain friendships. LOOK, kids are meant to get together and play dress up and make noise and jump on the furniture. LOOK, you are doing it. LOOK, you are happy. LOOK, you might not be changing the world and saving humanity and making a million dollars and becoming a household name in anybody's household but your own, but LOOK, you are OK.We were very, very merry and the apples and pears have never tasted better.

This post also appears at Well Read Hostess

*Thanks ATS for ESVM

The Folly of Enthusiasm

The pace of our collective life chez WRH is, uh, shall we say, "brisk." So brisk in fact that TWGH has thrown his back out for the second time in a month and by 5 pm my voice is so shrill and whiny that it could shatter glass.

School year demands on teacher and students and Carpool Dad, three soccer teams between two kids, ballet, family obligations, new puppy, PTO meetings, volunteer responsibilities, mandatory back-to-school colds, you know. The usual.

The safe bet would be to keep everything humming along without any unnecessary interruption. Stick to the schedule, go with the flow, eyes on the prize, fake it 'til you make it, hum hum hum. No surprises, everything planned and routine.

I'm doubling down on What Are You Thinking, Woman?!!

I have to. I tried not to. I went all September without a Wednesday Spaghetti. October began and I looked at the calendar and I realized that there was no good day to do a Wednesday Spaghetti until at least mid-December. So, What Are You Thinking, Woman?!!

What this woman is thinking is that two hours with friends and neighbors, sharing a simple meal, no matter what state the house is in, that the dog isn't fully housebroken, that my daughter will still be wearing her clothes from ballet that afternoon, and that my husband might come late to his own house for dinner because of a work meeting, is too necessary to forgo.

Maintaining the connections that sustain us is as important as the sustenance delivered in spaghetti form.

Lora, founding mother of Wednesday Spaghetti, has this vision of people across the country beginning their own Wednesday Spaghetti traditions, modified by whatever fancy strikes and to meet the needs of a diverse many. Is it folly to think that something so simple could nudge us back to a place where we remember what matters? Not just on Wednesdays (or Tuesdays), but every day?

It's getting colder...

Cold weather means one thing in my house - time to get out the crockpot!  Here is a very easy and delicious recipe that seems to please the palates of all age groups!

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
2 to 21/2 pounds pork loin or tenderloin, trimmed of all visable fat
1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
1 jar (12 oz) all natural barbecue sauce (I use Gates)
8 whole wheat hamburger buns

Add all the ingredients, except buns (that would be just gross!) to crock pot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. When the meat is tender, remove from sauce and shred using 2 forks. Place
the meat back in the crock pot, and mix with the sauce.

This recipe is good with:

CRANBERRY COLESLAW
1/3 cup light canola mayo
3T cider Vinegar
3T maple syrup
1/2 t. salt
1 bag (16oz) coleslaw mix
3/4 c. dried cranberries

Whisk mayo, vinegar, maple syrup and salt into large bowl until smooth. Add the coleslaw mix and cranberries and gently blend. Serve right away or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Fun Autumn Recipe for WS

Now that our hectic summer is over, I am hoping to get back on board with Wednesday Spaghetti. So last night I tried out a new recipe on my family in preparation for WS. I really enjoyed it and with a lot of prepared ingredients- it's really simple.


Cheese Ravioli with Pumpkin Maple Sage Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo Sauce (I used Buitoni)
1/2 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin (I used slightly more since I love that flavor)
1 tablespoon sage (I had to use ground since I had no fresh available)
Refrigerated or frozen Four Cheese Ravioli
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS
Cook wine and onion in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Stir in sauce, pumpkin, syrup and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving cup cooking water. Stir reserved water into sauce; toss with pasta. Sprinkle with green onion. Season with ground black pepper.

Fashionista Food - Sinful Chocolate Pots ;)

Hey y'all ;) I have been super into cooking lately (could it be the new kitchen, or maybe it's the creativity inside of me needing to be unleashed... none the less, Vlad has been very happy about this recent development), and wanted to share this SUPER easy, super indulgent chocolate recipe with you... it will truly make your friends gasp when you show up to a dinner party/BBQ with these little luxuries in your arm ;) ... or even just a night in with your closest friends or lova... EVERYBODY loves chocolate!

So, this recipe is brought to you by the brilliant Jamie Oliver... oh Jamie... *sigh* such a beautiful man... My aunt actually gave me his cook book "The Naked Chef Takes Off" and it is the only one yet that has actually gotten me to get off my lazy ass and try a few of the insanely tasty recipes. Jamie... to get through to ME - YOU are a genius!

Here is what you'll need
serves 4

(I doubled my recipe to keep some in the fridge for me... uhhhhh I mean guests...)

• 1 cup light cream (I used 10%)
• 7oz best-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids)... I used Bakers Semisweet Chocolate for a not-too bitter taste
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons brandy, the best you can get (I used Chemineaud and bought the little samplers you can get at your liquor store... so much better than splurging on a bottle of alchie you wont ever drink, plus they are something like $2.00! Ummm... hells yeah!)
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter
• cookie wafers, fresh fruit... whatever you would like to garnish your finished product with
• Espresso cups, shot glasses, ramekins... (I used Asian teacups for mine - less is more... this recipe is VERY rich and better with just a taste)
  

That's it! Lets get rolling...

So first you are going to take your cup of cream and bring it to a boil in your nice big pot...

While you are waiting for the cream to come to a boil (stirring occasionally so that it doesn't burn... and YES, cream CAN burn...), take your two eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. This can be done easily by cracking the shell in half and tipping the egg whites over the shell while keeping the yolk in. If you need to, use a fork to block the egg yolk from falling out :)

Your yolks should look like this (free from the whites). Don't throw out the egg whites!!! You can make a great omelet with that for breakfast tomorrow morning...

Did you know?
The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.


On to the yummy stuff...
Once your cream has come to a full boil, remove your pot and set it aside to cool for about a minute... then, you will be stirring in your chocolate!!!

Unwrap 7oz worth of your chocolate (Bakers Chocolate is great for that because they come pre-wrapped in 1oz squares - 7 squares = 7 ounces = easy math = happy Robyn :)

Start stirring those suckers in....

Did you know?

Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

As the chocolate melts slowly while you stir it will change into a beautiful chocolate brown... above is the look of the "halfway point".

Blame it on the A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-ALCOHOL! (Just HAD to make a T-pain reference... HAD to)... get out that brandy baby! Once your chocolate is all melted in and whisked to creamy perfection, it's time to add some flavorful booze!

So go ahead and add those 3 tablespoons of brandy to your pot of chocolate...

... mix it up... and let it cool down for a few more minutes (don't rush into the next step, as adding the butter when the chocolate is too warm will make it split... soooo... blast some music, do a little dance... have some fun and come back to it in five)

Did you know?
The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

Alright... once you've given it some time to chill, go ahead and add in your butter - stirring occasionally until it is all melted and smooth!

Taste test! Hey... you gotta make sure it's edible right?

Next, you are ready to pour them into your little cups! I used a soup server looking spoon thing to fill them up (don't worry too much about making a mess on the sides... it is about what's on the INSIDE that counts... am I right ladies?)

Did you know?
Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

Place your little lovelies in your fridge for a good 20 min to solidify a bit...

... then take them out and decorate! I used cookie wafers and fresh strawberries (they are deliciously in season right now... and strawberries and chocolate... well... could there be a better match?!?!)

Did you know?
Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

Here is my beautiful creation! And let me tell you... it is SINFULLY delicious ;)

Bonne Appetit!

http://www.fashionista514.com/

Football Season is upon us!!

So I have been ultra busy lately. With summer, travel, work and now Football season has started ( for my 7 yr old) I haven't been doing WS like I intended. I miss it.
This time last year, Wednesday was actually a day that I would put together a quick meal for my family and have some of the other football players and their families over for dinner before practice. I am at my best when I have a full house and am entertaining. I also really like to cook!
I was working until 3, then I would come home, prepare dinner and we would gather outside on the deck, kids in the kitchen at the island or in the living room, sprawled out and chowing down, mostly on Spaghetti and meatballs and fresh salad from our local farm stand.
Then there would be a tornado as the dad's rushed to get the boys into uniforms and out the door while the moms and siblings helped me clean up and then we would hit Dunkin's for coffee and off to the field we would go.
I miss that terribly.
Now I am working until 5 and barely have enough time to grab a soda and change out of my work clothes in a mad dash for the practice field!

So look forward to some WS pics and posts from me, um... lets see... maybe in November when the season lets up!
Just kiddin! I plan to have everyone over on a Wednesday soon, just might be after practice this year!

Our Founding Mother's House

Wednesday Spaghetti-like

I am having a Wednesday Spaghetti-like event on Wednesday.  I belong to a national moms group called Mothers & More and we are having a gathering to meet some our newer members.  I will not be serving an entire meal, but mostly appetizers, desserts and drinks.  Here's one recipe I will be serving.  My neighbor has a gzillion fresh tomatoes.  So many she doesn't know what to do with them all so I kindly offered to take some off of her hands. YUM - fresh, off the vine tomatoes, free of chemicals.  Now if I could just make my own cheese... 

My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

MOZZARELLA, TOMATO AND BASIL SALAD
4 large tomatoes
2 cups mozzarella cheese
8-10 leaves fresh basil
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar (optional)

1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella cheese same thickness.
2. Arrange the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, alternating in a circle around a decorative serving dish.
3. Drizzle with olive oil (and balsamic vinegar if desired).
4. Serve with salt and pepper to individual taste.

 Since I am serving it as an appetizer, I will be surrounding the salad with bread to look like this.

Bon Appetite!

Jo

Under the Influence

Wednesday Spaghetti on the weekend

A friend of mine is lucky enough to have her house to herself this weekend.  Her husband is on a guy's trip and her son is visiting the grandparents.  She decided to have a girls sleepover to celebrate!  And as it turns out, my husband is gone for the weekend and my kids are going to the grandparents for a visit.  This works out perfectly.  So five or so of us are getting together for dinner, drinks, desserts and then movies at her house along with late night giggling and no sleep.  Ok, some of the five will sleep, but I am a night owl and will probably be the last one standing.

We probably won't have spaghetti, but the spirit of Wednesday Spaghetti will be alive and well!

Being Real in the Momosphere

I've been reading about the call to keyboard for authentic writing in the momosphere for the first week of August. It seems there are camps forming with two distinct themes. One is that being courted by businesses with a variety of giveaway goodies for the purpose of honest assessment and word of blog publicity is a good thing for women who blog. It's like having a "big girl" job. The other pov laments the takeover of real dialogue, deep thoughts, shared beliefs and community in favor of poorly written drivel and arguably deceptive posts.

My eyes hurt from all the rolling.

Most of the commercial mom blogs I read, or have skimmed, are businesses. And there is nothing wrong with a blogger taking advantage of the commerciality of their work. The net is the last frontier as far as low cost start-ups go and more power to you if you can convince someone to pay you for doing something you enjoy.

But here is the problem I have. These women, as far as I can tell, aren't getting paid. They are taking stuff. Maybe they sell it later on eBay to recoup expenses for their time and maybe not, but since when did "stuff" constitute a living? And when a blogger is willing (and plenty seem to be) to be compensated in goods what happens to the writers/bloggers who would rather have cash? I mean, not every mommy blogger has a daddy paycheck earner to take care of the pesky expenses, and last I heard, the people who hold your mortgage aren't keen on barter.

Here's the other thing that doesn't compute for me. How are we a community, or cyber friends even, when you are writing to convince me to buy things. That's almost as annoying as the friend who takes up Pampered Chef or Mary Kay or sex toy parties because now our friendship is threatened by an unspoken coercion that involves me feeling obligated to buy and you needing me to buy in order to maintain the flow of freebies and advertising. And now I am not a "dear reader" or a friend but rather a customer.

The bloggers at Momdot want moms to blog authentically for the first week of August. To just shut down the PR (it's unclear to me if this includes all the ads in the sidebars which make pages load so slowly) and get back to basics. Which begs the question of what a mom is to do if she began blogging simply to milk the cash cow but that is a call for others to decide.

Some are not really down with this. They are proud of the businesses they have built and rightfully so. If you are blogging for profit and are good at it and your "friends" are totally cool with funding you, the fact that it is a quasi-ponzi scheme shouldn't be an issue.

More and more I am uncomfortable in the momosphere. I have always been clear on the fact that I began blogging for me and it continues to be "all about me" which is probably too boring for most. And I am totally rethinking my connections with mom grogging because I am not allowed to be utterly me and write about women issues, wants, dreams, dilemmas, only some of which are mom-oriented. At my age, why should I care what companies think I need or should want? They are only interested in my money and will shill and wheedle and flatter their souls away to sell it to me. Their power? Lies in my willingness to buy and in someone else's willingness to sell themselves cheaply enough to promote it to me.

I just don't understand taking crap as payment - and if I have to dust, store, or pick it up and move it from one place to another - it's crap. It's like the white traders in the early days of North America buying land and goods from Native Americans with glass beads and cutlery. I don't remember who wrote this, maybe it was Konrath, but the sincerest form of flattery for a writer, and I think blogging counts as writing, is a paycheck, and if you aren't doing your bit to promote the idea of money as currency for writers than you are not a writer and you are hurting real writers with your posing. You are kind of like scabs who cross picket lines, under-cutting the common good for selfish gain.

"But I am feeding my family!"

Really? With movie passes and WiiFit?

We (and when I say "we", I mean "you") will always be ghetto-ized as Mommybloggers so long as the majority of us are mesmerized by the sprinkles tossed our way like bootie shaped confetti decorating a table cloth at a baby shower. We will not be taken seriously as a group or a force. And the sad thing is - we (and by "we" I mean "all women") could be a force if our more prominent members weren't so content to be stereotypes.