Amazing Amy Dunn Giveaway!

I am BEYOND excited about this giveaway, from the incredibly talented and lovely Amy Dunn, maker of "handmade fun" and bags that make me need to hide my credit card from myself.  I seriously want one of each thing in her gorgeous Etsy shop. Amy makes all of her stunning bags, clutches, wallets and fun kids' accessories by hand.  She's also the mom of three beautiful girls, and she grows all of her own veggies as well.  Amy, I will take 2 of whatever you are having to keep up this level of creativity and stamina... you are my hero!  I was thrilled when she offered to do an SMJ giveaway... you guys are going to die over her work!   Amy Dunn Designs is offering two beautiful pieces for two lucky SMJ readers.

The first is her Dewdrop Clutch.

I adore this bag, but what makes it truly amazing is that it is fully reversible! As an accident prone mama with a tiny staining sidekick, this is something I really value. The Dewdrop is red and white seersucker on one side and aqua designer cotton on the other.

 The flower broach is removable and a little too adorable for words.

 The second piece is her Gathered Zipper Wallet.

The wallet is vintage white cotton with yellow flowers and a solid yellow band.  I love how bright and cheery the inside looks.

The wallet is large enough to hold your cards, cash, phone and a few other necessities... it would be perfect for a night out when you don't want to tote your huge purse, but still need a few essentials on hand.

I am now going to exhibit amazing ethics and self-control and not enter this giveaway again and again under assumed names.  I love Amy's stuff that much and I hope you do to.

For a chance to win one of these beautiful pieces, pay a visit to Amy's Etsy shop and leave a comment on this post.  

I'll pick two winners, one for the Dewdrop and one for the wallet, next Friday, July 2.

Mom Dating

Today it was hot.  Muggy.  Intermittently rainy.  And the sky was filled with biting bugs... greenhead flies and misquitoes have invaded our beach haven.  The husband is gone on business.  The parents are gone to the mountains.  So, it was just me and this tiny fellow who doesn't talk (yet) knocking around the house, and I found myself going a bit crazy.  Had to get out.  A few minutes on the interwebs revealed a free children's story hour about to begin at Barnes & Noble (bless you, Barnes & Noble), so into the car we scrambled and off we went.  And it was here at our local corporate big box bookstore that I encountered my first experience with what I will call Mom Dating.  I haven't had much of a chance to meet moms I don't know since Baby J was born.  In Vermont, I was just head-spinningly, disgustingly, beside-myself busy once I went back to work.  If I wasn't commuting, pumping or working, I was vegging with the husband, trying to catch my breath. And here in Maine, I've been lucky to be hanging pretty tough with my cousin's clan, our sidekick Good Golly, and, of course, my immediate family.  It hasn't been often that I've been called upon to meet new moms.  Until today.

So, there we were at the "lapsit story time" and there were a bunch of other young moms, all with babies newborn to 20 months.  A perky B&N worker read 5 fabulous stories about monkeys, which was lovely.  Baby J loves monkeys.  But before and after the monkey tales, there was simply a quilt on the ground with dozens of age-appropriate toys for the taking and about 10 little ones tearing it up.  It is interesting trying to socialize as an adult in this situation.  For one thing, you have to keep a constant eye on your own child and make sure he isn't "hugging" someone much smaller than he is (Baby J is a hugger... what can I say?  He comes by it honestly.).  For another thing, children this age haven't learned any social boundaries, so you are just as likely to have someone else's child climbing all over you while you try to make sure your's doesn't mug someone for their stacking toy.  And, there are moms of all stripes there... quite young, on the older side, goth, sporty, exhausted, protective, absent... you name it.

However, there was one mom there who seemed like she was my peeps.  Her son and mine were at about the same level of development and digging eachother.  She was wearing a t-shirt from our local surf shop (which I am now coveting... so cute).  She was accessorized as I usually am (nondescript silver jewelry, flip-flops, long curly hair swept back), and she seemed really nice and not out of patience with her baby (as many of the other moms seemed).  Suddenly, I felt like I had seen a cute boy at a bar circa 1999.  What was my next move?  Go up and say hi?  Make conversation?  What witty one-liner would be my opener?  How did I look?  I mean honestly, I was shocked and appalled by how similar this suddenly felt to dating (and everything I ever hated about dating).  I didn't want to seem desperate, and at the same time, wanted to chat more with this person. I have to say, I feel slightly like a stalker even writing this, but I just had to share, as this is a situation I am sure to repeat as we get settled in a new town and start frequenting its playgrounds, storytimes and music classes, and I'd like very much to know how other women handle it.  Anyone? 

As it was, I got caught up in breaking up an almost-scuffle between Baby J and another toddler over a magic wand, and then she was gone.  And anyway, our time here is just about up, so I don't need to start dating meeting new mom friends at this particular Barnes & Noble anyway.  However, this experience and the shocking familiarity of the emotions around it gave me pause.  I suppose making new friends at any age is hard, because you are always kind of just putting yourself out there to be accepted or rejected, which is an emotional risk regardless if you are a mom or at any other station in life.  There is just something about having your most precious person along for the ride that makes the whole experience that much more fraught.  Who knew?

 Want to hang with us?  We're really fun... and we cook! :)

Well, sporty surf mom from B&N, you and I weren't meant to be, but you have introduced me to a whole new phenomenon in my life.  Just when you thought being married spared you from ever having another "come here often?" moment.  Life is full of surprises, no?

Soul Food... SMJ style

As I mentioned last month, this summer I'm going to be helping my friend Laura, from Black Kettle Farm here in Maine, create recipes for her CSA members.  We're hoping to give them, and you, innovative ideas about what to do with your seasonal produce.  This week, Laura's CSA members will get garlic scapes and collard greens in their baskets, and these happen to be two favorite ingredients of mine.  Even though we're yankees (and Red Sox fans!) through and through, the hub and I love ourselves a little Southern cookin', and garlic scapes and collards lend themselves to one spectacular Southern-inspired meal.

 

Creole Sautéed Shrimp with Garlic Scapes, Melted Collard Greens, and Baked Beans

So, let's break this meal down, shall we?  First off, the baked beans.  You can make 'em from scratch if you please, and fab recipes for doing so abound across the interwebs (see inspiration here and here).  If you don't have the time or the will to make scratch beans, we adore Heinz Vegetarian Baked Beans, and the ones above were purchased at our local butcher, who sells yummy side dishes like this along with great, organic meat. 

Also, you may be asking yourself, "SMJ, what is a garlic scape, anyway?". 

Garlic scapes are the curly tipped, delicious green shoots that grow from heads of garlic, which are usually discarded before harvesting in most of the U.S.  If they are harvested while they are still tender, they can be used in a variety of recipes, and have a delicate, unusual flavor that is a cross between a green onion and garlic.  These are so worth a try and so pretty to have around the kitchen.  They are also the foundation of my Creole Shrimp recipe.

Creole Sautéed Shrimp with Garlic Scapes

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. each fresh ground pepper, paprika, onion powder, oregano and thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
2 pounds medium shrimp
5 long garlic scapes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon butter
Olive oil
1 lemon
Directions
1) Peel, de-vein, and rinse shrimp. Dry off excess water.
2) Put the flour in a medium bowl and mix in all the spices.  Add the dry shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat with the spice-and-flour mixture.  Set aside.
3) Put the butter in a large pan. Coat pan with olive oil . Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the scapes and sauté until they begin to wilt, about 5 minutes.
5) Turn the heat to high and add the shrimp, using a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to the pan and shaking off extra flour en route. Sauté until just done, probably about 5 to 7 minutes.
6) Transfer shrimp to plates, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.
And for a nice veg...
Melted Collard Greens
Ingredients
1 bunch collard greens
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
paprika, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
1) Chop the collards into ribbons.
2) In a deep skillet with a lid, bring the water to boil.  Add the greens, cover, and allow to steam for about 5 minutes, until well wilted.  Drain in a colander, pressing out extra moisture.
3) In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the collards and honey and sauté until collards are soft, but still retain some bite, about 5 more minutes.  Season to taste.

This may not be a classic Southern meal... for one thing, it contains no pork fat, and for another, I am not sure garlic scapes are technically a soul food staple, however, this is a healthy and unique spin on the flavors of the region we adore, and a great way to use some of your fresh produce this week.  Enjoy!

Father's Day Chip Tasting

Happy Father's Day! 

The men in my life happen to love chips and salsa with a passion.  A few weeks back, I was generously given a bunch of samples of Food Should Taste Good chips to review on SMJ. I figured the husband and my dad would be my perfect guinea pigs for this one given their love of the chip, but then they were both on the road for awhile and time passed by.  Finally this weekend we were all in the same place again, and it being Father's Day, I thought it was the perfect time for a chip tasting.  So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you our official tasters:

My tasters were to try four varieties of chips:

The Works: A chip version of an everything bagel with onion, garlic, poppy and caraway seeds.

Multigrain:  Made with flax, sunflower and sesame seeds, as well as oat fiber, brown rice, quinoa and soy.

Olive: A combination of real black, kalamata and green olives with garlic and sea salt.

Sweet Potato:  A classic chip, just made with sweet potato and a hint of cane sugar.

Food Should Taste Good also makes yellow and blue corn, jalapeno, lime, cheddar and chocolate varieties, but the above were the ones that were most universally appealing and readily available at our grocery store.

Clockwise from top left: Multigrain, Olive, Sweet Potato, and Works.

For dipping, we had three salsas: black bean and corn, peach and pineapple, as well as some marinated goat cheese from my favorite local Italian specialty shop.  My tasters were ably assisted by their third in command:

Their impressions?  In general, all of these chips were a huge hit.  They are all baked, not fried, making them a healthy alternative to your average Tostito, which all of my menfolks appreciated.  They commented that these chips are "distinctly different" than normal tortilla chips, with "prominent flavors".  Also, they are "not wimpy".

The Olive were my dad's favorite.  They have a distinct olive flavor that particularly hits you in the aftertaste, and they were divine with the goat cheese, but not as great with any of the tomato salsas.  They would also be fantastic with hummus, and more olives on the side.   The Olive chips are so unusual, and would make a special addition to a fancy app spread.

The Multigrain were the husband's favorite.  He recommends them for the "regular chip eater", since they are "less exotic".  He calls them a "beginner's fancy chip".  They're high in fiber and have a delicious nutty flavor which complimented all of the salsas.  I'd continue to buy these regularly for sure.

The Sweet Potato were Baby J's favorite (and although we were not on the official Manly Chip Committee, they were also my mom's and my favorite as well).  They're a little sweet, a little salty, and truly taste like pure sweet potato, which is one of all of our favorite veggies, so it is no surprise that we loved it.  Like the Multigrain, the Sweet Potato tasted great with all the salsas, the cheese, and on its own as well... an all around winner.

Finally, the Works.  My dad loves rye bread, so I thought that the caraway seeds in this chip would win him over, but it was not his favorite.  Everyone liked the Works, but we felt they maybe weren't meant to go with salsas, as they seemed to overpower all of the ones we had on hand.  The caraway flavor is very prominent, but my dad noted they had a "balanced, bold flavor".  With the right accompaniment and on their own, I think these chips would be great... the website recommends a Vidalia onion dip, which would have been dreamy.

The Committee, hard at work.

All in all, the chip tasters and SMJ highly recommend these chips.  They are unique, healthy and delicious, and the wide variety of flavor profiles allow you to mix and match them with different dips for a truly special appetizer experience.  They are a little more expensive than your average chip, but if you were having friends over and wanted to do an out-of-the-ordinary app spread, these would be perfect, and still more affordable than, say, a whole bunch of cheeses.  Food Should Taste Good also has a coupon on their website for $1 off, so print it and go check them out yourself!

 Thanks to Food Should Taste Good for the opportunity to try their products and thanks to my chip tasters for being game for the challenge, and being incredible fathers today and every day!  

Celebration Steak

Last week, my very own mama won the prestigious Teacher of the Year award at her school (woo hoo!).  We all decided that this called for a celebratory dinner, and the guest of honor was craving steak.  Wanting to mix it up a bit from our usual summer grill fare, I recalled a recipe from a New York Times article on Italian grilling that I read years and years ago.  I searched for this recipe online, but couldn't find it, and so we just winged it and the results were BEYOND.  I know that this recipe sounds very simple and also will make you want to say what the husband did:  "You're going to rub those steaks with olive oil?  WHOA."   Yes, you are really going to rub those steaks with olive oil, and yes, you are going to want to hug me after you do.

Florentine-style Grilled Steaks
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, crushed and halved
3 T-bone steaks (each about 1.5 pounds), at room temperature
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
1 bag arugula
Directions
1) Rub the garlic cloves over the steaks, then rub them with olive oil.  Go ahead, do it.  It feels so wrong, but it is so very right.
2) Season the steaks liberally with salt and pepper (so liberally that again the husband said WHOA.  I reminded him to please trust me.  He said he was glad he did.).
3) Light your grill. Grill the steaks over medium-hot coals or flame until cooked to desired doneness, turning once.
4) Now, here's the hard but important part, you must let the steaks rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.  This allows the meat to retain all of its juices and become the most tender, juicy loveliness you have ever had.
5) Slice the meat against the grain into 1-inch slices. Squeeze the lemon over the steaks. Serve on a bed of arugula.

We served this steak with just a simple caprese salad: gorgeous cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cut in quarters, showered with chopped fresh basil, and dressed simply with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Italians know how to live.

So glad I married one.

Sun Protection Plan

I recently had an inquiry on my Facebook page regarding baby sunblock, and how I'm protecting Baby J for the summer.  This reader had seen the Environmental Working Group's exposé on the dangers and false promises of some sunscreens, which becomes all the more scary when it is no longer just your own skin you have to protect.  Like everything else on a baby, their skin just feels so pristine and unscathed by life, and it is a big responsibility to keep it that way as long as possible.  My attitude towards the summer sun is that it is something to be savored, not feared.  We need Vitamin D from the sun's rays, and no childhood should be without sand-covered PB&Js and drip castles.  With a few good purchases and some common sense, there is no reason not to have a beach baby.  My approach is three-fold:
1) No more dawn-til-dusk beach days.  I myself could spend an entire day, every day of the summer, out on the sand from my first iced coffee to my first cocktail.  However, it is no longer all about me.  The hottest sun of the day is from 10-2, and so I'm planning my beach days to either start early and end by lunch-ish, or start late and go into the cooler part of the afternoon; limiting sun exposure this way is effective and easy.
2) I cover the little dude up as much as possible.  This means trunks + rash guard + hat.  Old Navy has a ton of reasonably priced swimwear for the little ones.  The trunks and rash guard being modeled above were each less than $10, and the rash guard has UPF 50.  I decided to splurge a little on the hat, as I wanted one that would stay on, totally cover his neck, and hold up for more than one season.  For that kind of quality, I love Patagonia all the way.  Their Baby Sun Bucket Hat provides amazing coverage, stays in place with a soft chin-strap, and is reversible (always a plus in baby gear).  As you can see, this get-up leaves only his forearms and calves exposed, which leads us to...

3) I douse the guy in a safe, effective sunscreen.  I'm loving California Baby SPF 30+ Fragrance-Free Sunscreen this summer.  California Baby is a fantastic company which makes all kinds of natural care products, and this sunscreen is PABA free, non-chemical, non-staining and very water-resistant.  It soaks in quickly and doesn't sting little eyes.  California Baby gets highest marks from the Environmental Working Group for their sunscreens, making this an excellent choice all-around.


Hey, we all survived the 70s with our front-seat riding in airbag-free cars, eating of God only knows what, and long, glorious days at the beach.  I realize the ozone layer has gotten thinner and life in general has gotten scarier since then, but I refuse to be robbed of a good old-fashioned summer.  I say, take a few steps to prepare yourself, and then get out there and live.  And don't forget your PB&J.

Summer Soup

So, June isn't exactly prime soup time, but I'll tell you what: we're still getting some cold, rainy evenings up here in the north, and I am willing to bet that some of my southern readers are dining in air conditioning these days, so perhaps soup isn't such a bad idea.  There are few better ways to make use of an abundance of vegetables and my friend Laura, from Black Kettle Farm, just brought me two huge, gorgeous bunches of chard which were crying out to be soup-ified.

Also, my dad is just getting back from a long trip overseas, and white bean and veggie soup is his favorite.  As we know, I aim to please, so I whipped up this soup yesterday in anticipation of his homecoming.  I was just going to quietly keep it off the radar, thinking none of you would want a soup recipe this time of year, until my mom proclaimed it "the best soup she has ever had."  This from a woman who pretty much survives on soup alone between the months of October and April. So, in honor of such a distinction, and in case you are being pelted by rain or shivering next to your AC, here is a great summer soup to make use of some of your farmers market goodies.

SMJ'S Sweet Summer Soup

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 lb. dried cannelini beans, soaked overnight
2 sweet Vidalia onions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
6 cups veggie or chicken stock
2 bunches Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1) Soak your white beans overnight before starting this recipe.  Drain and rinse them well.
2) Cover the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil and heat it on medium-heat.  Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic, roasted red pepper and carrots and saute until the carrots are just tender, about 10 more minutes.

3) Add the soaked white beans, the sun-dried tomatoes and thyme and stir well.

4) Add the stock.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover.  Allow the soup to simmer until the beans are well-cooked and soft, about 2 hours.
5) Stir in the chopped chard and basil.  Both will wilt into the soup in about 5 to 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The skies are darkening and the temperature is dropping as I write this... perfect night for a bowl of soup and a glass of white.  Ahhh, summer.