What We're Doing - Snowblowing



Ariens snowblower

 A big snow means my husband gets to use his big Ariens snowblower - something he looks forward to.  Long Island got hit with 12 plus inches of snow overnight.  My husband was out there this morning clearing the driveway - and a few neighbors'. 

The Ariens is a powerful machine, and its shiny orange metal really stands out in the snow.  It glides up and down the driveway, throwing snow 30 feet away, leaving a beautiful clear driveway.  And the best part is that no one has to shovel the driveway.  All the snowblower needs is a gallon or so of gas and it is good to go for a whole season. 

Decluttering 101: Selling on Ebay

Mickey Mouse and friends - Pinocchio, Daisy Duck, Pluto, Bugs Bunny



Parting with Mickey Mouse - or Not

I've been on a major decluttering mission.  The prize would be to have closets that look like those in Real Simple magazine.  Realistically, I just don't want to have a shoe fall out and hit me on the head when I open my closet door.  I've been tackling one closet at  time, making piles of items to give to charity, to give to friends or family, to throw out, to save, and to sell. 

It's really hard to get rid of things I've been saving for years, but I keep reminding myself that I haven't regretted getting rid of one thing.  Because my house has very small closets and very little storage, I still have a long way to go.  For followers of my blog, you know that I was inspired after hearing Gail Blanke speak and reading her fabulous book, Throw Out Fifty Things. 

I recently discovered selling on ebay as another way to declutter.  A great way to get rid of that old camera that I never used but was very valuable to a collector in Illinois.  I also parted with a handmade patchwork quilt that was taking up a whole shelf in a closet - several bidders went crazy for it!  Then I started selling my old toys (yes, I still have some) and my son's old toys.  So, that's why I took this photo of Mickey and friends and put it up on ebay to sell.  Turns out, my mother saw my ebay listing and wanted to bid on the Disney figurines!  I told her that I could simply withdraw them from sale and give them to her.  Which I did.  When I gave them to my mother, she said she didn't want them because she thought they were much bigger.  So, there they are back in my storage room - together with Winnie the Pooh, Owl, Piglet and Eyeore - you'll see them on ebay next week!

Winnie the Pooh and friends - Piglet, Eeyore and Owl

What We're Watching: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

A little embarassing but I'll put it out there ....
I'm an avid follower of this reality series.  It's one of only two shows that I enjoy in the evenings. When  watching Real Housewives on Thursday nights, I tell my sons not to bother me unless it's an emergency. Not kidding.

Can't get over how catty and competitive these grown women are. Watching the show, I count my blessings: the women in my life - mother, mother in law, sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces and girlfriends - are supportive and kind, each and every one offers qualities and strengths to admire. As I see it (rose-colored, maybe....but still my perception is my reality), their intentions are to edify rather than tear down.

Back to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I like Kyle. She's real, acts in a natural manner, and seems to have her priorities in line. Kyle's the type of woman with whom I'd be happy to be friends. Confident and stylish as well, but then all the women have high style. I enjoy checking out their accessories: earrings, cuff bracelets, necklaces, purses ...  maybe I should get a pair of huge hoop earrings.

A tight marriage, happy children, and good friends, Kyle is a woman to admire.
Lisa (the paradigm of classy combined with hip) and Adrienne are my two next favorites. I admire Adrienne's strength, conviction, and dedication to martial arts. Her marriage seems playfully fun-loving, devoted, and healthy.

I'm addicted to this series and ("obvi," as my boys would say) I've divulged to the blogosphere... my husband sometimes indulges me by watching it with me so I can talk to him about it later....lol; he's the best.

If you haven't tried this series yet, give it a shot. NY City Housewives is a good place to start: The Real Housewives of New York: Season One and The Real Housewives of New York: Season Two.

Pardon the cliche, but this series - with all its shenanigans - confirms that money and status do not necessarily yield peace and contentment. The show does, however, yield a deluge of drama - I have boys, no drama. Refined girlfriends, no drama.  Very good family, no drama. Again, I count my blessings.

~ Linda

What We're Into: Linda tries to Prioritize

People think stay-at-home moms have all the time in the world. Not true.
In fact, when Monday morning hits and the kids are at school, I don't know which direction to head in first. I feel scattered and pulled in myriad directions, unsure of what to tackle first:


food shopping, erranding (always a gazillion), scheduling doctor, dentist, orthodontist, car, and vet appointments, organizing a closet or cabinet, sorting through paperwork, taking a walk, calling friends to catch up, gift shopping, the list is endless.


I remember Mom calling it "the merry-go-round" and I didn't get it. 
Now I do: spinning like a top.


Prioritizing well is something I plan to really work on this year.
Health and family are at the top of the list - this I know for sure. Next is what my husband and sons need.  Basics of keeping the household running efficiently and serenely are next in line (wouldn't that be wonderful ... with three sons and a vociferous dog, I'm a helpless idealist.) Then the real challenge of prioritizing looms.

Which entreprenurial idea to tackle? Which lunch date to make? Who to visit? Which store to go to?  Which topics to learn about?  Blog template design and taking photos should be on the list; I'm amateurish at both.

Prioritizing well is an art of living skill.
I've heard it said: People first, things second.
This wisdom I adopt whole-heartedly.  So if one of the guys calls (and the 3-year-old calls often) and the dishes are piled high in the sink or the groceries are not put away, I'm off and running...

I think a big part of prioritizing is taking the time to carefully think through the options before deciding to have an "indoor day" (and tackling a million indoor things) or to get in the car. Prioritizing well might start with sitting down in the living room (one of my favorite rooms in our house - light colors, serene) more often ... to think ... and plan the day. This part sounds very appealing.

One more 2011 intention is set. I'll keep you posted if I make any headway.

Cooking with Laura - Ravioli

Ravioli are delicious as an appetizer for a holiday meal or as a main course.  The key is to combine an excellent fresh ravioli with a fabulous tomato sauce.  I love New York Ravioli Company's large round cheese ravioli.  Make a simple fresh marinara sauce, and serve with a good quality, freshly-grated parmigiana or pecorino cheese.

To make a delicious marinara sauce, saute 4 sliced cloves of garlic and one small onion, finely chopped, in two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes).  Add one can (32 oz.) crushed tomatoes - I like Tuttorosso.  Simmer about 60 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Be sure to cook the ravioli until it is al dente - if it is too solft, the ravioli can open up and the filling can ooze out.  I like to use a hand held scoop colander to take the cooked ravioli out of the pot.  It is much easier than carrying the large pot of boiling water to the sink and pouring it into a colander in the sink.

Accented in 14k gold, these floral bowls were my grandmother's who we called Nanny.  Nanny came to the United States with her mother when she was only eleven months old.  Each time I use them I think of her.  They are elegant and perfect for serving a pasta appetizer.   





Baking with Laura - Traditional Italian Pizzelles

Pizzelles are a tradition in our family.  Pizzelles are an Italian waffle cookie.  They are crispy and delicious, flavored with anise.  My grandmother made pizzelles on a iron with a long handle which was heated on the stove.  I use an electric pizzelle baker that makes two pizzelles at once.  I cook them for about 60 seconds each and place them on my granite countertop to cool off.  Once they are cool, sift confectioner's sugar on them.  Then you can stack them and place them in a cylindrical tupperware or other container.

We make pizzelles for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and other special events.  They are delicious with coffee or tea, as a breakfast, a snack, or a dessert. 

Traditional Italian Pizzelles

3 organic eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. anise extract
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat eggs and sugar.  Add cooled melted butter, anise, and vanilla.  Sift flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture.  Batter should be firm enough to drop onto pizzelle griddle by teaspoonfulls.  Batter may be refrigerated for use at a later times. Makes approx 30 pizzelles, depending on the size of your pizzelle baker.
   

My sister Linda's pizzelle baker (pictured above) is the Quattro by VillaWare because it makes four, delicate waffle cookies at a time that resemble snowflakes. A similar grill called Piccolo (Italian for "small") is available from Cucina Pro: CucinaPro 220-03 Piccolo Pizzelle Baker.  In our family, people tend to take a stack of pizzelles off the dessert buffet, instead of just one, at a time.

For additional delicious flavor, try adding fresh lemon zest, orange zest, or drizzling with melted dark chocolate.

Enjoy!

Cooking With Linda: Grilled Chicken Parmigiana & What We're Reading in the New Year: Giada De Laurentiis Cookbooks

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to try even harder to make healthy family meals a priority. This is a big challenge in a busy household packed with school, work, team sports (peak of winter and one of our boys is in a basketball league; the other, baseball training), teen social lives, and the interminable, high-priority 

To-Do List.

This meal was a winner because the whole family - husband, teens, 3-year-old, and myself, enjoyed it.  Satisfying Italian soul food and healthy too, grilled chicken parm starts by making a big pot of fresh tomato sauce: in extra virgin olive oil, saute 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, half a vidalia onion finely sliced, 2-3 leaves of fresh basil. 

Add two cans of whole plum tomatoes (broken up by hand), salt and pepper. We like crushed red pepper for heat.  Let sauce simmer gently for about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken by pounding the boneless, skinless cutlets very thin (or you can buy them thinly sliced), sprinkling some olive oil, salt and lemon juice and grilling them until cooked through. Super quick due to its top and bottom grilling function, I use my Wolfgang Puck Panini Duet, which is not only a multipurpose grill but a great panini maker!

Layering (the fun part) begins:  thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom, then grilled chicken, next part-skim shredded mozzarella, ample slices of savory imported scarmorza (smoked fresh mozzarella), fresh basil, and plenty of parmesan-reggiano grated cheese. The non-traditional part of this preparation is that the chicken breasts are grilled not breaded and pan fried.

In a lasagna pan or a stainless steel roasting pan, bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.

 Cool 15-20 minutes before serving so your sliced portions stay together. Serve with tricolor salad, thin spaghetti, and Italian bread.


My sister, nieces, and I are big fans of Giada De Laurentiis - trying new recipes from her cookbooks Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites and Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California is on my list of New Year's resolutions.

Buon Appetito!

Economizing Key - Leftovers for Lunch:

My boys enjoy chicken parmesan sandwiches the next day on  Italian hero rolls.  Add slices of roast red bell peppers, tomato, and crisp Romaine lettuce.