Tag Archives: kids

Cooking, Family, Food, Kids, Uncategorized

Spaghetti al Limone

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IMG_7741Pasta al dente.

Man, who wouldn’t be salivating just reading those three little words.

Well, my kids did…not.

“Pasta?  Again, Papa?  Can we have something different…please?”

Kinda tough to hear when you’re a single dad pretending to be a miracle chef…

I’m sorry.  Cook, not chef.

And to find something that they both like?  Ha!

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To please my mollycoddled rug rats, I scoured my bible: “Cook’s Illustrated”.  In addition to the tried and true recipes of my bud and chef Cathy Thomas, Cook’s Illustrated is my go-to play book.  I think the Denver Broncos could have used one last weekend…a playbook, that is.

By sheer fortune, Cook’s Illustrated had what sounded to be a delectable pasta dish…  Spaghetti al limone.  And it sounded pretty light and (relatively) healthy to boot and it was a huge change from my man-kitchen pasta repertoire.  As an example, my from-scratch Alfredo sauce would make Fat Albert REAL happy.  It is laden with luscious butter, cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  The only healthy thing in it is the garlic and a dash of nutmeg.  But man, its to die for!  Oops.

So I gave Spaghetti al limone a shot…and the kids loved it!  Both of them.  Ye-haw!  Of course, garlic bread was a required accompaniment, making their smiles even bigger.

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In my attempt here, I should have used a bit more of the basil leaves; it surely would have added a bit more color and brightness.

For those interested, the ingredients are:

  • Salt
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1-1/2 cups reserved pasta cooking water
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 3 lemons
  • 1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
  • Ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

(Note: For the lemon zest, I like the zester made by Microplane.  And be sure to use ONLY the yellow part of the peel and avoid the pith.)

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So whether or not you have kids to appease, engorge yourself on this pasta dish.  It’s a great cure if you’re feeling down.  Your palate will love it.

Yes.  It was that good.

And a US Marine blogger intimated that my food pictures he saw were “dated”…  meaning “Do I still cook”?

Well, he don’t get any.

That’ll teach him. 🙂

America, Children, Cigar, Family, Friends, Kids, Photography, School, Uncategorized

A Smoldering Butt

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Just thought that was a catchy title…albeit a bit misleading like our media.  Just a tad misleading…’cuz the butt’s the other end.

I guess the news guys are finally rubbing off on me after all.

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But as I watched my kids and their friends play in the front, I felt like playing around with my new, fancy-schmancy Canon point and shoot – specifically hand held close-ups of the business end of a nice cigar.

It was amazing that an inexpensive camera such as this could take such equally amazing (yuk to some!) close-ups:

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I did switch to my standard Canon DSLR to snap these fun snapshots of my kids.  Little Brooke likes the distortion that erupts with this Canon 10-22mm lens…although a certain pro photographer buddy of mine will likely BBQ me over a slow but hot flame for using it.

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America, Children, dog, Family, Kids, pets, Uncategorized

Widdle Wabbits

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A precious little girl walks into a PetSmart store.
She asks with the sweetest little lisp between two missing teeth, “Excuthe me, mithter. Where do you keep the widdle wabbits?”
As the shopkeeper’s heart melts, he gets down on his knees so that he’s on her level and asks, “Do you want a widdle white wabbit, or a thoft and fuwwy, bwack wabbit, or  maybe one like that cute widdle bwown wabbit over there?”
She, in turn, blushes, rocks on her heels, puts her hands on her knees, leans forward and says, in a tiny quiet voice:
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“I don’t think my python weally gives a thit.”

America, Children, Family, Kids, School, Sports

The Joy of Neighbors

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As they say, you don’t buy the house.

You buy into the neighborhood.

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I was reminded of how wonderful our little neighborhood is this past Sunday morning.

No words necessary… Smiles on all of them. Brady, Jack, Jacob and Brooke.

I invited our neighbor’s two youngest kids out to have breakfast.  We had such a nice time albeit much too brief.

Although Old Man Jack and Mr. Johnson are no longer with us, the integrity of the neighborhood remains.

It is a neighborhood where I feel safe.  And I feel the kids are safe.

They are safe because our street is filled with good people.  Good parents.  Good neighbors.

They even bring in our trash barrels if they get home first.  It’s swell.

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But I marveled at how ALWAYS nice Jacob and Brady are with my kids…from when Jack and Brooke were born.

Jacob and Brady are growing up so fast.  They are becoming young adults now and very busy.  Yet, they find the time to play with my young kids.

Jacob is a super athlete.  Heckuva sportsman and is heavily sought after by the high schools.  Even now.  His dad is a jock so he’s a chip off the ol’ block.  (Don’t worry, dad.  You’re not THAT old.)

And Brady… She already is a boy-killer…and a heckuva dancer.  Smart one, too!  (Don’t worry, mom.  I won’t tell ANYONE I have taken over at least a hundred of my chocolate truffles.  Funny Jake and Brady rarely tell me if they were good or not… ;))

But most of all, they are great kids.

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September 2006
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March 2008

Jacob and Brady always take their dishes to the sink when they eat here.  Brady even cleaned off my (DISGUSTING) rangetop when she watched Jack and Brooke so that I could have my “date” with a varsity cheerleader and old friend for my 40th high school reunion last month.  I’m still on a high from that, by the way.  Thanks, Brady!

I had Jacob clear this irritating climbing ivy “someone” planted in my backyard.  It was climbing all over the place…and into my neighbor’s yard.  There wasn’t one branch left after he finished.  He even pulled out the roots.  Problem no more.  Thanks, Jacob!

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One other amazing piece of “togetherness”…  There are eight kids between our two families with an amazing connection…  The kids’ first letters in their names coincide – and in birth order, to boot!  They are:

  1. Robbie and Robyn
  2. Taylor and Takeshi
  3. Jacob and Jack, and lastly,
  4. Brady and Brooke

And one last (and upcoming) connection…  Robbie and Robyn are both getting married next year.

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Soon, Jacob and Brady will be seeking their own niches in life.  While Jack and Brooke will be sad, at the same time, I know their hearts will be filled with happiness and gratefulness for all their love, care and fun afforded them throughout their first years of life.

So many things to be thankful for…and Jacob and Brady are two of them.

Children, Family, Kids, School, Sports, Uncategorized

Little Miss Firecracker

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My youngest one… but the biggest firecracker.

The biggest handful of all four of ’em…  Well, probably she’s tied with my oldest son.

Lil’ Miss “I Won’t Go to Bed”.

“Papa… Pleeeeeze?”

“Oops. I farted.”

“Papa, I wanna do it!  I wanna do it!”

As I look at photos of my two grandmothers of a century ago, I wonder if they were like her…