Latke Recipe

(In recognition of BoTH's generous sharing of his own recipe)

1. Go to Trader Joe's
2. Buy a box of frozen latkes
3. Bring them home
4. Heat a large saute pan on medium for 5 minutes
5. Add oil (Canola plus a dash of evoo)
6. Cook the whole box, 4 minutes per side, with a spatter-pan over the top
7. Serve with homemade applesauce

Not as good as homemade. Not as messy or time-consuming either.

Homemade applesauce:

1. Peel and roughly chop some apples.
2. Toss them in a tupperware with a little water (or Calvados, if you have it) and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Put top on tupperware, leaving one corner open to vent steam.
3. Nuke on high for a while (2 minutes for 1 apple, up to 10 minutes for several)
4. Squish with a potato masher or pastry cutter until you reach the desired texture

There is NO call for cooking applesauce on the stove, unless you are the kind of benighted soul who does not have a microwave. It takes forever, requires stirring/attention lest they burn, and really does nothing for the flavor.

It may, however, give you an excuse to hang around in the kitchen smoking a pipe, in which case it is acceptable.

Cabin Fever

This week we've received some unprecedented cold weather, along with snow. Since we only have 2 plows for a county the size of Massachusetts, the roads have been ugly.

And the drivers have been worse.

Fortunately, as we wandered in and out to the driveway, hacking at the ice on and around the car, wondering if it would be better to get stuck, alone, in the car int he freezing cold a mile down the street, or to get stuck, inside, with the toddler for hours on end, we had company.

Very nice company.

Very entertaining company.

In fact, mommy was actually *rejected* on several occasions in favor of the toddler's new playmate, a former colleague of Bad Cohen's, who was here with her SO on a visit. She's great. not only can she cook, she can apparently play with miniature train sets and twirl around in circles for hours on end.

We now face the bleak prospect of more snowed-in days with a toddler whose expectations have been raised unreasonably.

Pray for us.

Infant massage for Phoebe

Helpful illustrations of the "I Love You" anti-colic baby massage for Princess Phoebe:

Usually done several times, then followed by gently lifting both legs and pressing knees to chest. Hopefully followed by loud farting and a smiling baby.