CABE’s executive director, Robert Rader recently gave me the opportunity to attend the annual CABE/CAPPS Convention as a Workingmother.com representative. This past summer I had discussed my column with Bob at the gym which we frequent along with many other teachers, principals, and board of education members in Glastonbury, Connecticut.  With all of these interesting professionals to speak with, I am seldom at a loss for ideas for my articles. Aside from their children’s personal safety and happiness, there is nothing that parents care more about than education.

What is the cost of efficiency? I recently started to realize that although I value efficiency and organization, I have lost some experiences along the way due to my commitment to my LIST.

Lexi asked me who she would live with should my husband and I die. That may seem morose coming from a six year-old, but we don’t find any of her questions to be strange anymore. It’s just who she is. And we don’t shy away from tough questions. It keeps parenting interesting!

My husband and I have discussed the question of legal guardianship should something happen to us, but I was guessing that Lexi already had some thoughts about the topic since she initiated it.

“If something were to happen to us, Lexi, where would you like to live?”

Today, I’m on vacation in San Diego with my daughter, Grand Dude and his 2 sons. We have a beach house and have been enjoying the bogey boarding and skim boarding. The 3 teenagers haven’t had much exposure to the ocean so it has been one learning experience for them after another. I grew up in Southern California, so I became the self-appointed tour guide.

Ice cream always hits the spot on a hot summer day. This five minute mango treat is popular at barbeques, picnics and birthday parties. The consistency remains creamy and smooth over time, no ice cream maker required. The recipe was created by a friend of a friend from India who couldn’t find great mango ice cream (like ‘mango kulfi’ back home) in North America, so she created it. Ryan asks for this everyday after dinner – at least it’s fruit and calcium. Chloe enjoys eating a scoop out of a small espresso cup, with a mini spoon.

In the downtown core where I work, the grocery stores are minimal to be kind. You can purchase milk, eggs, flour and processed cheese, that’s about it. On weekends we bring the kids grocery shopping at larger chains to take advantage of increased selections of produce. Keeping Ryan and Chloe in the grocery cart continues to be a challenge, we tend to bribe them with snacks in order to keep them sedentary and reasonably quiet. Today, ground turkey looks inticing. Chloe enjoys eating meat, any meat, especially burgers, the spicier the better.

I’ve been searching for the perfect recipe for oven fries for a long time. Usually, the fries don’t crisp up. They are so soggy that they need to be drowned in ketchup to become palatable. These oven fries are crispy, crunchy, salty, spicy and delicious. I could eat cumin and pepper with a spoon, the flavours are so vibrant. If they don’t appeal to you, feel free to leave them out. These manly wedges work well with steak. Tonight we had them with salmon smoked from the Big Green Egg. The kids liked them too, no red sauce necessary.

For Mark’s birthday, we had a small BBQ featuring smoked meats, of course. This Thai Coleslaw was a great accompaniment, along with corn on the cob and a pesto pasta salad. The flavours come together nicely and the combination of sesame and peanut tastes make this salad different from conventional coleslaw. The freshly roasted peanuts add a good crunch. Even the most picky eaters asked for seconds, and thirds. Also, it’s good for picnics as there is no mayonnaise to spoil.

Imagine a camp fire, without the camp fire. These bars taste like a combination of caramel and chocolate, with a chewy marshmallow crunch. They are beyond addictive so beware. You need 5 minutes to prepare the bars, and another 5 to wash the pot. Thank you, Betty.

http://powerapron.com/2012/06/10/super-fast-smores-bars/