Finding priorities

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This week was one where decisions had to be made – would I participate in a conference which is hugely important to me with long standing friends and colleagues, which is a plane ride of 6 hours and thus at least a 10 hour trip with airports, traffic and the rest – from my home town – and possibly miss the birth of our newest grandchildren? Some years ago – I would probably have taken the chance since the babies are not due for another three weeks – but today my grandchildren are the center of my life – and I didn’t have a doubt in my mind – this was a risk too large to take. Speaking to all grandparents out there – I think you know what I mean?

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Wishing all those who celebrate the New Year today – a wonderful one filled with sweetness and joy

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It is a very special time of year for those who celebrate tonight and this week – and I send my very best wishes to everyone – may your lives be filled with the patter of small feet and joyful hugs from small children everywhere – here are some pictures of my home made egg bread and me in my bee suit – collecting honey with my husband from our bee hives. What a miracle bees are! And of course apples from our apple trees.

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Junior Chef’s need a snack!

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My grandchildren assisting with cooking breakfast – they got hungry and couldn’t wait – so here they are having a quick snack of yogurt before breakfast! I think the front and the back are equally adorable. But then I am their Grandma so a LEEETTTLE bit biased….send me YOUR favorite Grandkid’s pictures….

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Did you see the article about Family Traditions in www.grandparents.com?

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The article has had a wonderful response – lots of grandparents who have sent their own traditions – if you have a tradition you want to share – please send them to grandma@littlefarmgrandma.com. The link is http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/expert-advice/family-matters/article/family-vacation-traditions-memories.html

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Easy Thai Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

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Background:

We have visited the fair country of Thailand ( called the country of Smiles) – wonderful people, gorgeous scenery and amazing food. This is an easy throw together dish – Thai cooking uses salty/sweet flavors – and when traveling there, I always asked every head chef at the amazing hotels at which we stayed, ‘what was your favorite dish and the one that YOUR mother made for you on your birthday?’. This was one of them although I am using readily available ingredients in the USA as substitutes.

Ingredients:

  • Canola Cooking spray
  • 1 cup leek, both white and green, sliced very thin
  • 2 cloves of peeled finely chopped fresh garlic
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (I splurge and use filet mignon but its not necessary; sirloin will do)
  • 2 teaspoons of red curry paste (such as Thai Kitchen)
  • 1 cup tomato sauce ( I make my own since we have so many home grown tomatoes – but pureeing whole canned tomatoes in puree works too)
  • 1/2 cup light coconut milk ( or the heavy kind if you cant find the light)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
  • 3 cups hot cooked short-grain rice
  • Iceberg lettuce wedges (optional)
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Chopped green onions and Chopped red peppers – for color

Description:

  1. Put on your rice to cook ( in a rice cooker is the easiest – follow directions for the cooker – but its normally adding a couple of cups of water to the cooker with the one or more cups of raw jasmine rice, a bit of salt and plug it in!)
  2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. This can also be done in a wok.
  3. Coat pan/wok with canola cooking spray.
  4. Add the sliced leeks and fry for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the finely chopped garlic and fry for about a 1 minute.
  6. Add the ground beef and cook for about 6 minutes until lightly browned, breaking up the pieces until the meat becomes crumbly.
  7. Stir in the curry paste and tomato sauce and cook until half of liquid evaporates (about 3 minutes).
  8. Add the coconut milk , sugar, lime rind and juice and the Asian Fish Sauce and cook for a few minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken.
  9. Place Iceberg lettuce leaves to simulate cups on a serving plate.
  10. Make sure everyone is seated at the table ( or the meat and rice will cool in the lettuce and also make the lettuce wilt)
  11. Place a bed of rice inside the lettuce cup and the meat mixture on top. Don’t overfill the lettuce cup.
  12. Sprinkle the chopped red peppers (just a few), chopped green onions and chopped cilantro on each lettuce cup and SERVE IMMEDIATELY!

 

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Posted in Meat | 1 Comment

Rockin’ Grandma’s video will go up next week on YOUTUBE and her column launches on Grandparents.com too!

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Monday of next week is an exciting time! Our new video will go up on YOUTUBE and be sure to go onto www.grandparents.com to see my first monthly column too!

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Been traveling like crazy – so happy to be home now to get back to the things that matter!

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Hi there again:

It has been a very busy week or two, as my former life (giving keynote speeches about strategic alliances for businesses) heated up somewhat and took me to Orlando and then to Dallas in a whirlwind trip for three days. But I am back home now – and looking forward to some serious cooking this weekend. Something simple I am thinking would be relaxing. We are big meat eaters and so taking ground beef and mixing it with wonderful Thai spices that we learned about at cooking lessons in Thailand a few years ago, sounds like a good plan. If it works out, I will share it with you so stay tuned! My grandchildren are with their other grandparents this weekend so there is always an empty feeling in my heart when I know I won’t see them for a week or so – how blessed I am that we see them so often! So cooking will help…..what do you do for fun when your grandchildren or children are not around? ( and you wish they were)

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Getting interest from the UK – will be adjusting the shipping options so that global customers are well served

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After emails from folks in the UK we are adjusting our shipping options to make them easier for you’all. Stay tuned! Should be up and running tomorrow ( which is already today for you!)

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It is Labor Day weekend and Rockin’ Grandma Music’s site is having a busy time!

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Hi everyone – it is a gorgeous weekend and we have the grandchildren here – lots to do at the farm and of course Sam, The Broken Robot is helping us with the animals. Continue reading

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Rockin’ Grandma Music is HERE!!

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Our site is live! September 1 2011…a rockin’ good day – and Sam, The Broken Robot now has his voice – and he is thrilled about that. Just look at him and his friend, Lolly –

dancing all morning in his room. Continue reading

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Welcome To The Rockin Grandma Music Blog

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Sam, The Broken Robot  and  Grandma P From The Pretend Family

Hi – welcome to Rockin Grandma Music’s Blog. Most weeks my blog will feature Music Mondays, Tuesday Tips, Tasty Thursdays and Philanthropy Fridays. If holidays and other things get in the way I may miss a day or two – but that’s my plan!

I have been thinking up great recipes for you that are easy and quick. We eat a LOT of fruit all year around. And we make fruit salad – which after a few days can be converted into a wonderful fruit smoothie. Look for easy-to-make all fruit smoothies under the recipe category “Other Wonderful Treats”.

Continue reading

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Cheesy Eggs

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Background:

My grandsons love cooking with me. Jack in particular really enjoys everything about cooking – unfortunately he doesn’t enjoy eating different things as much as he likes to cook them. So even though I can rarely get him to eat eggs, he is happy to make them for his brother,Jonah, with me. Continue reading

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Risotto with Asparagus -from my cookbook MADE WITH LOVE – THE ITALIAN WAY

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Risotto as taught by  Lele in Radda in Chianti in Toscana ( in the above photo from top to bottom-Lele and her cousins, Mimma and Franca). Continue reading

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Peanut Butter Cookies

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Background:

Since most children love peanut butter, this recipe for cookies is always a favorite. Continue reading

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Toffee Sugar Cookies

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Background: The big challenge here will be to prevent yourself from eating all of these before your company arrives! They are that good. Continue reading

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Garlic Bread

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Background:

Bread is the staff of life and garlic is its crowning glory. Adding garlic to bread and butter and heating it makes an aroma that can make one swoon. And tastes good too! Continue reading

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A Most Unusual Onion and Tomato Salad

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Background: 

Most salads are either raw or cooked. This one is a bit of each. I love onions especially when they are cooked and caramelized. And fresh summer heirloom tomatoes are so sweet that they have their own natural sugary taste. This is a most unusual salad – and you will love it! Continue reading

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Coleslaw with a Crunch

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Background: 

Making Coleslaw is a snap nowadays with shredded multicolored cabbage available in the markets all ready for you to add fixin’s and dressing. This is so delicious – it could be eaten on its own as a main course if you add more nuts for protein. It’s a great vegetarian dish too. Continue reading

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Fresh Herb Dip

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Background:

This is absolutely delicious with fresh cilantro, garlic, peppers, onions, limes and parsley from our Little Farm ( or from your local Farmer’s Market). And this is where you can use non fat sour cream without a huge change in the taste of the recipe. I do!

Preparation: 10 minutes plus one hour for chilling

Cooking time: None

Ingredients:

1 cup of mayonnaise

2 cups of sour cream ( I use non fat or low fat)

10 healthy leaves of fresh cilantro finely chopped

10 healthy leaves of fresh Italian parsley finely chopped

2 Tbsp of fresh garlic cloves finely chopped

1 Tbsp of lime juice ( use fresh – it just tastes different but if you don’t have it you could use bottled lime juice unsweetened)

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1/2 White or Yellow Onion finely chopped

2 Jalapeno peppers chopped ( I leave this out since we don’t like spicy food)

Directions:

Combine everything and chill in the fridge for an hour.

Serve with Pita Chips or raw baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets etc.

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Bean and Garlic Dip

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Background:
This is for a gathering of close friends – beans and garlic can be a pretty powerful combination! The dip isn’t terribly unhealthy – that is if you use low calorie mayonnaise – but it does change the taste a bit. I would rather have a little bit of something unhealthy that tastes great than a whole lot of something that is healthy and doesn’t satisfy me at all! You make your own choice. But if you are having a southern bbq along with the BBQ Ribs recipe – this is an appropriate starter.

Preparation time: 10 minutes and chilling for about an hour

Cooking time: None

Ingredients:
1 can of pinto beans

1 crushed clove of garlic

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1 tsp of chopped chili peppers ( I leave these out since I don’t care for spicy food)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Combined cooked pinto beans with all other ingredients and mix well then put in the fridge for an hour or two and serve as a dip. Depending on how hungry the gang is, this could serve about 8-10 folks.

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