Cupcakes 101

Whipped cream and an M&M

I can’t seem to get them right. Does anyone have a simple recipe for moist cupcakes? Please?

“Oh, YOU were the one!”

Yikes, I better learn!

Today was Mads first swim lesson at the Middle School. We left early even though it’s only a 4 minute-drive, but knowing me… of COURSE I got lost. I actually saw the high school first, so I kept driving thinking it was next. You’d think since all four schools in Weston (elementary, intermediate, middle, high) are on one road (School Road) it’d be a no-brainer, right? Just leave it to me to get it wrong. Anyway, I finally came to the start of School Road again and realized that the middle school is before the high school, so I turned into the lot…the WRONG way. Hence, “Oh, YOU were the one!” when I told a mom I know from playgroup that I used the wrong entrance. Great way to make a good impression on the other moms, huh?!

In any event, Mads had fun and wants to go back on Wednesday. Bet she still won’t like getting her hair wet during baths, though.

Mads waiting anxiously

Mads doesn't trust her

She's not letting go

Let me out of here! JK

And the moms who told me I went the wrong way? Those are the moms I fear, but they are also the moms I would want in my network.

Like treading water in the deep end, these are the days of our lives.

The FKB Kick Off Westport’s Free Summer Fun

The bugs are swarming, the excitement is buzzing, and the kids are coloring with the free chalk and paper from Melissa & Doug as we’re waiting for the Flying Karamazov Brothers (FKB), the Russian American troupe, to start wowing us.

Hmmm, what are those boxes for?

The show started promptly at 7 pm with introductions and thank you’s. Melissa and Doug are real people and they were actually at the show! Thank you for sponsoring tonight’s fun event at Levitt’s Pavilion and for the summer craft supplies. By the way, the brothers don’t fly across the stage; the bowling pins and other objects do. Mads was impressed with the juggling, but only got some of the humor. At one point of the show, the kids in the front row tossed shoes and other items for the master juggler to attempt in three tries for a standing ovation. There was also a lot of music, some of which was played by the Brothers. The finale was completed with all 4 brothers juggling a cleaver, trout, flashlight, lit torch, ukulele, egg, small bottle of wine, cube of dry ice, and a frying pan. You can learn more about them and watch their videos on their web site (The FKB in Bologna Live is a summary of what we enjoyed tonight). More free entertainment at the Levitt Pavilion daily (except for July 3rd). Kids’ shows are on Wednesdays. So pack a blanket and a picnic and we’ll meet you there!

Yes, they are wearing tutus

One of the noses is real

free for all juggling

The grand finale!

A-maze-ing Day at Beardsley Zoo

If you haven’t been to the Connecticut Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, it’s worth checking out. True, it’s nothing like the Bronx Zoo, but there IS a carousel and there are enough exhibits that families can make a half-day out of it. Membership is only $80 for a family and parking is FREE! We became members before we actually moved to CT. They also have neat events, like the Halloween and Chinese New Year parades. Now they have a life-sized Barnyard Maze open everyday and the country fair on weekdays.

Since we missed the Barnum street parade, we went directly to the zoo. It was a really gorgeous day! Little Pie is finally old enough to point to animals and appreciate them. Here are some of our favorites:

Prairie dog gathering of the minds

Mane wolf strutting

Turtles that Mads saw way before I did

Otter resting

tick tock tick tock

Is a grasshopper in my hair good luck?

crouching tiger, hidden grasshopper

Trader Joe’s Run

Once upon a time we had to drive to Scarsdale, Hartsdale, or wait until we were near Union Square to go for a Trader Joe’s run for our favorites. In Scarsdale and Hartsdale, the drive was either too long or the parking lots were too small and waiting for a spot is not an option. In Manhattan, well, there are express lines for checkout – that kind of says it all for me. Here in Westport, the drive is actually easy and the lot is a good size. The best part is, it’s on the corner of Post Road and N. Compo Beach Road (on the way to the beach, or back). I brought my daughter in yesterday and was disappointed to see the checkout lines, but happy to see that the aisles were clear! By the time we were done shopping, the wait for checkout was minimal.

Why am I writing about TJ? Well, a couple of moms I was with last week had never tried my favorite ginger beer or frozen naan. Heck, why not give you a list of our favorites so you can try new things, too!

• Lowfat ginger cats cookies
• Triple ginger snaps
• snap pea crisps
• banana chips
• no pudge fudge brownie mix
• banana bread mix
• tandoori naan
• garlic naan
• mango lemonade
• Reed’s extra ginger brew ginger beer
• orange peach mango
• Reed’s ginger beer
• veggie sticks/chips
• pineapple salsa
• Avocado’s number guacamole

What are your favorites?

Live Music at Weston Farmers’ Market

One more hour of live music. Come join us on the grass.

Recap: I actually bought vegetables today (squash, kirby cukes, corn, and bread). Hey, have you tried the Wave Hill Bakery bread, yet? They also sell it at Caraluzzi’s if you’ve missed them at the farmers’ markets.

A sighting of the Magic Genie out of costume looking for New Zealand spinach with his family was made by yours truly. Hmm, he must be a Westonite. He’ll be performing at Weston’s July 4th celebration.

I also did a double take when I saw someone who looked like a woman I worked alongside with in the Bronx. Actually, we shared the maternity ward together; our daughters are a day apart in age. She kept looking at me, too. Turns out she’s been living in CT longer than I have. Yay! Another friend!

The Weston Farmers’ Market is certainly the place to see and be seen! So come by next week and chew on some fresh bread.

Book Talk: My fave five

Anything to procrastinate, but here are my favorite books of all time!

• The TIme Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• The Pact by Jodi Picoult
• Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
• Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian, and
• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

What are yours?

It’s a wash, for us anyway

I was going to suggest to my husband that we go check out the sand castles in Fairfield today, but after last night’s crazy storm, I don’t know anymore. I’ve heard that it’s fun, but we’ll see. Our weekend plan is to spend some time, if not all morning, at our farmers’ market to listen to David Levy while we enjoy some pastries and coffee (milk for the kids). After a quick nap, we may head to a beach to enjoy the rest of the day. Tomorrow, we’ll be at the Barnum Festival Parade, touted to be a good one. In the evening, we’ll be at Levitt’s Pavilion for the Flying Karamazov Brothers at 7 pm.

Hope you have a fun weekend planned, too!

Our Favorite Playgrounds to Run Free

In WESTON

• Bisceglie-Scribner Park (entrance off of Rte 53)  has 53 acres of possibilities. For the tots and older children, there are playgrounds with colorful, age-appropriate ways to burn energy (or just have fun). For adventurers, there are fitness trails and walking paths. Ballplayers will enjoy baseball/softball fields. Swimmers can dive into the pool that goes as deep as 8 feet. No worries, kids can play in the wading section.

We also enjoy the elementary school playgrounds. One in particular that we always go to is next to the public library. In the winter, the slope behind the library is GREAT for sledding! Note: it is only open to the public during non-school hours.

In WESTPORT

The Compo Beach playground has hours of fun. Just be mindful that your kids can (and will) run out to the parking lot or to the beach out of all the excitement, or just following the new friends that they’ve made. I caught Mads trying to run towards the water with her new older gal pal. The playground could use gated doors at the entrances… Anyway, there is a designated toddler section. During the summer season (May 1 through Labor Day), one does need a parking sticker (or pay $20 per day during the week/$40 per weekend day). Otherwise, it’s free parking off-season.

In RIDGEFIELD

Ballard Park has a great playground (next to CVS on Main Street) that is similar to one at Compo Beach, except that it’s not built on sand, but on wood chips. The toddler section, however, is built on sand and has a shaded area. There are picnic tables and benches. Within the park is also a garden, which Mads enjoys walking through, but it can be scorching hot because it’s not shaded. There is also a gazebo with a lot of lawn surrounding it for concerts on Tuesday nights. You can park in the CVS lot for 2 hours, or next to the playground entrance for 1 hour. FYI, they do monitor how long you’ve parked.

So where do your kids like to burn energy?

Recipe: It was a chili night

Weather-wise, it was a nice evening; not chilly at all. We hadn’t had turkey chili in a while, so I decided to make it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the recipe I always use, and settled on one I found on my iPhone using the BigOven app. I avoided the kidney beans because we have a bean allergy in the family; water because the stewed tomatoes already have a lot of liquid; and cayenne powder so that Mads could eat it.

What I used: Note: [ ] = original ingredient in recipe

• 1 pound ground turkey [20 oz Jennie-O Turkey Store Extra lean ground breast]
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion(s)
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced (added myself)
• 5 mushrooms, chopped (added myself)
• [2 cups water]
• [16 oz canned kidney beans]
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes (I had stewed tomatoes)
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• [1/2 tsp cayenne pepper]
• I added 1/2 tsp sugar to lessen tartness

How I made it:

• Heated the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Placed turkey in the pot, and cooked until evenly brown.
• Stirred in chopped onion, red pepper, and mushrooms, cooking until tender.
• [Pour water into the pot.]
• Mixed in tomatoes, [kidney beans,] and garlic.
• Added chili powder, paprika, oregano, [cayenne pepper,] cumin, salt, pepper, and sugar.
• Brought to a boil.
• Reduced heat to low, covered, and simmered 30 minutes.

Comments:
It came out fine and there were no leftovers, but next time I need to cut the tomatoes, or make sure I used crushed tomatoes. To thicken the sauce, add some tomato paste.