Pot Roast

I have never attempted to cook a pot roast. Primarily because Craig is a vegetarian, and secondarily because I didn't grow up eating a huge amount of red meat or very traditional American dishes. I have become increasingly enamoured of my crock pot due to the amazing time-saving capabilities and have been researching crock-pot friendly meals. Yesterday at the grocery store I was intrigued by the various beef cuts in the meat section and decided to give one a try. I was pretty sure I remembered my grandmother cooking something that might have been pot roast, but since I was a kid I had no idea what I was actually eating.

A quick search on the Internet gave me ample pot-roast recipes to choose from that were tailored for the slow cooker. I decided on the absolute easiest one I could find and then improvised. I browned the meat in salt, pepper and flour. Then I cut up a few carrots, parsnips, potatoes, a sweet onions and several cloves of garlic. I dumped all of this in the crock pot, along with about a cup and a half of beef stock, set the dial to low, and let it go for 8 hours. I even managed to do all of the chopping with Maceo in a front facing baby carrier since he was on a napping strike. Everything but the browning.

At about the half-way mark I realized that the smell coming from my pot was very familiar and indeed a common aroma at my grandmothers. I took that to be a good sign. When Craig came home around 4pm, he opened the door and announced that our entire house - from the entry way on up - smelled like Burger King. Not a great sign. Nine hours later we had dinner. On the whole, I'd say it was pretty tasty. The meat was incredibly tender. The carrots and parsnips were sweet and the onion and garlic gave off a nice savory undertone. I was somewhat shocked by the oil that was on the surface - I tried to skim the majority off but I suppose that the fat marbling is what keeps it tender. On the whole, a good experiment. Not sure I would make it on the regular, but it gave off a comfort food vibe that can be just the thing for the right moment.

Love Bugs

Craig loves to drag Maceo into bed when he comes home from school for a nap. Even if Maceo just woke up from his own. Rarely does the second round of sleeping work, but big smiles from both parties are guaranteed.

Back to School for Mama

For the next eight weeks, I will be heading off on Tuesday evenings all by myself to take an upholstery class at a local Jamaica Plain craft school. While at first I was apprehensive about committing to something for 3 hours a week in the evenings (read: bedtime for Maceo) I realized that it would be a great opportunity to 1) learn a practical skill, 2) have some quality time by myself, 3) create space for something creative and productive to happen weekly, and 4) give Craig and Maceo some solo time.

We went on a mission in early April to find the raw material for this class. I found a late 1800's mahogany rocking chair for $30 that was in need of some serious TLC. I had fantasies about finding a Victorian ladies dressing chair with a full skirt, or even a mid-century Eames inspired chair, but no such luck. One of the challenges was finding a chair that was small enough to fit into our place. We don't need any new furniture, and perhaps more critically don't have the space, so the compact size was essential. I am still unclear where this chair will actually go when it is done, but at least if we have to store it somewhere it will not take up tons of precious storage space.

Despite multiple post-its and reminders to myself, I failed to take a photo of the chair before the first class. How idiotic. As a result, the before and after pics are going to be much less dramatic than I had hoped. Just to give you a visual picture, it is (technically, was) a narrow rocking chair with a fully upholstered seat and high upholstered back. The frame was a lovely deep red and the upholstery was a nondescript and mildewy heavy red canvas type material with two of the very large and dangerous looking springs protruding form the seat.

I also failed to take photos of perhaps the most impressive part of the project which was ripping off the old upholstery. Last night was the first class, and the main objective was to rip off all the old fabric and stuffing and get things "down to the studs" so that we could do any repair/reinforcements to the wood. The photo below (again, poor quality with the blackberry) is the chair taken down to the skeleton.

I was somewhat skeptical of the time-dating of the chair when I first bought it: labeling if from the late 1800's seemed like it might just be a ploy to make it more attractive (read: vintage) to the buyer. However, that dating was confirmed when I started ripping off the old seat and back. I discovered that the chair had been reupholstered once before, so much like stripping wall paper you could see the various life spans of the chair as reflected in the fabric choices. The original fabric was a mustard yellow with small blue and red bouquets embroidered into the fabric. Sweet. When I got down to the original stuffing, it was hay! Seriously. And as if that was not Little House on the Prairie enough, the primary nails that were used in the construction of the frame were square. The instructor said that they were essentially tiny railroad ties. Wow. There were also several sections where the frame had been constructed with wood notches at the corners so that each of the sections fit like puzzle pieces.

Unfortunately, the authenticity of the dating was also confirmed by the terrible condition of the wood. Once I got everything off, one full corner of the frame was splintering and almost rotting away. I made a joke about needing to post a weight limit on the chair, but the instructor seemed convinced that some wood-fill and furniture glue was going to be sufficient to hold things together. And so we re-glued all the joints, recreated about a 4 inch section of the frame, and got everything into vices to dry for the week. Next week will be all about re-tying the springs in the seat, removing all the tacks, and beginning to build the frame back up.

I plan to add future posts over the next couple months to show the progress of the chair. I must admit that I had a touch of chair envy as there is a guy in the class with the mid-century chair I had been dreaming of, as well as a few other groovy pieces. However, my project is by the far the oldest and has the potential to be the most transformed. Stay tuned.

Nice Buns!

In addition to the full array of outside fun we had in New Hampshire, we ate like kings and queens. Unfortunately, we did a pretty poor job at documenting this aspect of the vacation despite the culinary masterpieces coming off the grill and out of the kitchen. Thankfully, the one exception were the absolutely perfect cinnamon buns that Niko made on Saturday morning as the centerpiece of our outside brunch. They were the centerpiece because A) they were just delicious, and B) he made 16 rolls for 6 people, which meant that we all had to do our part in the eating department. Not a problem with this crowd.

The recipe is from Cooks illustrated and is listed below. Sidenote: We failed to take a sexy close-up photo of the buns so I tried to crop them from another photos.

1 TBS melted butter, for pan

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

3/4 cup brown sugar
packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt

1 TBS melted butter

Biscuit Dough

2 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for work surface

2 TBS sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6 TBS melted butter


Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat to 425 degrees. Pour 1 TBS melted butter into 9-inch nonstick cake pan or 8×8 glass pan, brush to coat pan.

To make cinnamon-sugar filling: Combine sugars, spices and salt in small bowl, add butter and stir with fork until mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.

To make biscuit dough: Whisk dry ingredients together in large bowl, whisk buttermilk and 2 TBS of the melted butter in measuring cup or small bowl. Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir until just combined, dough will look very shaggy. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter top and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy.

Pat dough with hands into approximate 12×9 inch rectangle. Brush dough with 2 TBS melted butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar filling, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Press filling into dough. Loosen dough with fingers or bench scraper from counter and roll dough, starting at the long side, pressing lightly to form a tight log. Pinch seam to seal. Cut evenly into 8-9 pieces, pinch bottom of roll with fingers to seal and keep filling in place. Place in pan. Brush remaining 2 TBS melted butter over tops of rolls.

Bake until edges are golden brown, 23-25 minutes. Loosen buns from pan, place large plate over pan and invert buns onto plate. Then place cooling rack over plate and invert onto rack.

DNA is Powerful Stuff

For those of you that knew my mother when she was my age, you will be amazed at the likeness between the two of us in these photos. For those that don't, I have scanned a photo that offers a comparison.

Think he's hungry?

Nose nursing - an extreme indicator.

Fishing with Dad

They didn't catch anything, but they had fun (despite Maceo's super serious face).

The Hungry Caterpillar

Maceo often seems quite attentive during story hour. This week his interest skyrocketed as he was fixated on turning the pages, holding the book, and most intensely, eating the book. After just one "gumming" session, I now see the virtue of board-books. Inspired by the hungry caterpillar, Maceo decided that on Thursday he would eat through 2 books, as well as 2 sessions of rice cereal. Unlike the caterpillar, he did not appear to wind up with a stomach ache.

More Rice Cereal with Auntie Hana

In just 5 short days, Maceo really started to get the hang of the rice cereal. While Niko made some delicious cinnamon buns, Hana and Maceo supervised.

A Family Portrait: A Work in Progress

Despite a surplus of photos of Sarah and Maceo, Craig and Maceo, Maceo and Maceo, getting a good photos of the three of us remains a challenge. While we had plenty of visitors to help us document a family moment, it seemed impossible to get everyone smiling and looking at the camera at the same time. Thus far, this is closest we have come...three smiles, one person looking at the camera. We will keep trying.

More fun in New Hampshire

Our Little Gnome

Craig, Maceo and I set off around the pond for an early morning walk. We are still trying to convince Maceo that vacation means he can sleep past 6:30am. A work in progress.

Craig has a keen eye for interesting natural formations (think Andy Goldsworthy). So when he came upon this little ivy nook sprouting from the crack of a large rock, he immediately grabbed his camera. Just as I was about to say, "hey, it might be cool if we put Maceo in that crevice", he turned to me and said, "do you think we can put Maceo in here for a few photos?"

We had to operate quickly as the ivy and the incline were making the surface a bit slippery. And I was a bit nervous. But the results were worth it: our own little magic gnome.

A Peace-Loving Baby

Maceo is becoming increasingly enamored of the "Superman" hold.

A Week in Paradise

I still can't get over the combination of beautiful outside light and the remarkable snazz of Craig's fancy camera. This is a shot of Maceo and I examining the water washing up on the mini-beach in front of the house in New Hampshire.

Move over Annie Leibovitz

In preparation for Maceo's arrival, Craig's parents gave him a digital camera that can be used with the lenses of his traditional Nikon. Thanks Bob and Judy! I have never used a "real" camera with adjustable lenses in my life. I just started fooling around with it this weekend and must admit that the clickity-click of the paparazzi shutter is deliciously additive. [Lindy - I might even get inspired to take a class if I can take photos as beautiful as yours].

While I have been admiring the outputs from my two recent father and son photo-shoots, Craig gently offered that the next step in taking a nice photo it to think about what else is in the frame. Until I have mastered these subtleties, I am going to post some pictures that still seem pretty professional to my eyes. Composition be damned!

Does this thing actually bounce, mom?

Bring on the Rice Cereal

Just one day shy of Maceo's official four month birthday (I am never sure how you are supposed to be measuring time at this point - he is nearly 18 weeks old but his birth anniversary is April 19th? ) we ventured into the land of rice cereal. The photos don't quite capture the looks of bewilderment/indifference that were on his face as he encountered and then attempted to eat the cereal. I have been operating on the general rule that so long as he does not cry or shriek, things are ok. With this standard in mind, he tolerated the cereal - occasionally making a grimace but then promptly wiggling his legs ferociously and clasping his hands when the "bite" was done. I took the wiggling motions as "more please". And so we essentially "ate" - I use this term liberally - about a tablespoon of the cereal. I think we will try again tomorrow and see if there is a more definitive reaction one way or the other.

Loving Gazes Before Bedtime

I FINALLY got some great shots of Craig and Maceo. Since Craig is the resident photographer, it seems like there are not nearly enough photos of father and son. I was so glad I captured these while Maceo was on a serious smiling run. I even managed to use Craig's fancy camera versus the auto-everything digital that I generally rely upon.

A New Hampshire Get-Away

Craig, Maceo and I set off this afternoon to New Hampshire for the week. We have been looking forward to this vacation for quite some time - we have the first three days to spend together as a threesome, then Aunt Meredith and Uncle Rico are coming for a visit from Colorado, and then cousins Hana, Mira, Niko and Paul are coming at the tail end of the week for a rural get-away from the big cities of New York and Philly. So, in essence it feels like three vacations in one.

I plan to post many photos and stories from the week as it emerges, but I felt compelled to note at the outset that Maceo was a FANTASTIC traveler. We made it from Boston to NH in exactly three hours, with stops at both Trader Joes and the liquor store. Despite the fact that the car seat has become a serious foe of Maceo's, he managed to sleep 75% of the trip, with the other 25% being spent melodically cooing in the back seat. As soon as we got to the house, we started a fire to warms things up. The moment the flames started to flicker, Maceo became completely transfixed, staring into the hearth for an un-interrupted 10 minutes with a seriously contemplative and deep look on his face. Once he broke free from the lure of the flames, he promptly took a snooze on the rug. Apparently he got the memo about this being a vacation.

As if that was not enough A+ behavior, he made the transition into the co-sleeper and new bedroom environment without skipping a beat. This kid clearly loves a routine (I am pretty sure he gets that from his mom). We shall see if he sticks to his schedule and wakes up at 4am to eat...if not, all would be forgiven since he made the trip up here so much easier than we would have anticipated. We just love this little guy.

Back to Crafting - Jambo Pants

Check out the baby pants I made for Maceo with a pattern my mom drew up for me. A perfect way to use remnants of fabric that are not big enough for anything else. Clearly his legs need to grow in length to fit into a couple of pairs, but the palazzo style works well for his ample thighs. We have coined these "jambo pants" - jambo means hello/greetings in Swahili. I made the first pair with some West African fabric, hence the name.

An Untraditional Easter

The weather in New England has been positively springy so we decided to take advantage of the sun - and our Trustees of the Reservation membership - and head out on a sightseeing adventure with Neema and Laura. We packed ourselves into the Subaru (quite literally - a car seat takes up a lot of back seat space) and headed to the Gloucester/Rockport area for some fun in the sun. Fueled with about 10,000 calories of sugar and butter from Canto 6 Bakery, we were ready to commune with mother nature.

We wound up at Halibut Point: "Halibut Point is a uniquely beautiful coastal seascape. Looking seaward on a clear day, the view stretches from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. Formerly the Babson Farm granite quarry, the park is managed for scenic, historic and conservation purposes by the DCR and the Trustees of Reservations." The description was true to life - an amazing view of the ocean and some wonderful rock formations. We had to abandon the stroller about half-way through because the paths gave way to an uneven granite moonscape with tidal pools. Craig carried Maceo in the Ergo and the rest of us scrambled around attempting not to slip on the seaweed (although two of us did anyway). Maceo had a first-class blow out towards the end of the trip which required a tenuous diaper change on a rock. This one was a record as it went through all of his clothes, the Ergo Baby carrier, and Craig's shirt(s).

After the hike we went into central Rockport in search of a tasty lunch. We found food - not very tasty- but enough to fuel us for the ride home which included a fair amount of crying from the little one. Despite the tears, it was a beautiful day and fun to discover a new part of the state with good company.

Meeting More Family

Much to our collective joy, more family came to meet Maceo for the first time. Uncle Steve, Aunt Kate and Cousin Mad ventured to Boston from Philly to meet the youngest family member. While the visit was fairly quick, we packed lots of fun into the 48 hours. Unfortunately, the photos only document our final hours together when we went to Chow Chow City in Dorchester for Dim Sum.

The weather was beautiful on Thursday so we spent the day wandering the city. After some general strolling, we took advantage of the crystal blue cloudless sky to take a trip 52 flights up to the Prudential Tower to get a magnificent view of the city. Did you know that they used enough steel in the Big Dig that you could wrap the circumference of the entire WORLD in a three-inch band of steel (factoid from the audio tour of the city that I found especially noteworthy and troublesome)? From there we went to the Boston Public Library for a quick tour, and then culminated the day with Burmese take-out. Just when we thought the night was ending, our fabulous family afforded Craig and I a rare date-night opportunity and watched Maceo while we went out on the town for a couple hours.

While it went by way too fast, we were left with the lingering warmth of having such a wonderful family to share in our joy.

PS. I'd like to note that I conducted the most precarious of diaper changes to date - with Kate's critical assistance - in the 3x3 bathroom of an indian restaurant. With Maceo perched on the top of the toilet we managed to completely change his entire outfit - from head to toe - after a world-class blowout. By the end I was sweating bullets and there was a line for the bathroom, but we managed to keep the baby off the germs and the poop off of us.