New recipes are here and here.
You guys were so funny and nice about Ben's Mad Lib. I read him some of the comments and he said, "Wow, that makes me feel almost *famous*." Also, he was kind of scandalized by himself.
Meanwhile, I am running our kids' school fund-raising auction with my friend Maddie. Have you ever run a fund-raising auction? It's like planning a wedding. The kind of wedding where you also have to sell 300 items to your guests. 300 items that you first had to sleaze around town begging for. Not that I ever threw a wedding, mind you, though that is doubtless the kind I would throw. All I can say is: we have drunk many glasses of wine. So bear with me until next week, when it will all be over.
Enjoy the lilacs, the dogwoods, the violets. . . sigh.
Catherine, I am on the board of directors of my kids' chorus, and we used to do the same thing: have a big gala with a silent auction each year. It was as near to hell as I ever remember being (my wedding was on my back porch, much less of a big deal).
ReplyDeleteThis year, we instituted online auctioning through a function of eBay called "MissionFish." That allows nonprofits to put their auctions online. This means it can be a gradual, all-year-round-with-no-stress activity with just a few things live at any one time, PLUS you can advertise it to the entire community (and, if appropriate, everyone on eBay, as long as you build in a shipping cost) so that it's not just the parents shelling out yet again.
Here's the stuff that's currently online for my kids' chorus: http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/friendsofthebccincIt's really so much easier, so you might want to float this by the committee for next year.
Thanks for the recipes again! I was on the costumes committee for my son's school play. What a nightmare!
ReplyDeleteAll that work to dress 50+ kindergartners to 3 graders!
I needed weeks to recover after the play! Good luck with the auction!
don't you know the first rule of schools? Field trip mom only! That way, you get to do the fun stuff and save the wedding-ish work for, um, some other sucker. Opps. Did I actually type that?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, our CSA share kicks up again in a week, and I'm certain asparagus will be filling our box-- and we've got Trader Joe's salmon galore still in our freezer from our last trip to the big city...so thanks for the good eats. And good luck with the auction. Keep drinking sister;)
Ben's Mad Lib was hysterical and I think I forgot to compliment him!
ReplyDeleteCOMMENT FOR BEN
Ben, you would love our house right now it is all baby poop all the time and it is making my girls - who are exactly the same ages and you and Birdy laugh and laugh and laugh.
We have our dance-a-thon this Friday and I get a get-out-of-jail-free card this year, hooray!
Oy! I am the room mom this year, so I have an inkling of the pain/need for wine. But I haven't had to sell that many things yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am so glad I found your blog! I am a fellow Banana Slug, in the final stages of my diss in Lit (god help me). I bet we know a lot of the same people! Long ago, I used to read your blog on babycenter, but I didn't know about the slug connection until a friend gave me your book. So it's nice to find you here!
We just had our silent auction/gala on Saturday, and I am still recovering. My first foray into fundraising, and boy howdy, what a lot of work! Tomorrow we are meeting to figure out why so many of the receipts have no names, and some items didn't get picked up and some that maybe got paid for but maybe didn't . . . Mental note: next year, have a non-drunk person at the cashier/check out stand.
ReplyDeleteHope yours is a rousing success!
The captions on your food blog pictures crack me up! You have only to look at the Easter egg hunt pictures on my blog to see similarly tie-dyed babes. I didn't even notice, although most of my commenters did. What can I say...my kids like loud clothes. :)
ReplyDeleteAbout the asparagus, I loathe mayonnaise so I'm not sure I can give the sauce a try. I need a really zippy flavor to get over the mayonnaise base. I do like them roasted in the oven like you mentioned with just a bit of lemon and chunky salt added at the end. Yum!
wine+ school events= happiness:)
ReplyDeleteThe recipes look fantastic. How the heck did you make uncooked salmon look decently appetizing?
And how 'bout a snack mix or sandwich recipe-- only selfishly because I am learning to sew and whipped up some sweet reusable sandwich snack bags that I want to be in use. everyday. because I made them.
I'm like a five year old with a new toy:)
By the way, if you are interested in seeing how to make your very own such bags check it out here:
http://www.cluckandtweet.com
There was a funny editorial in our paper yesterday about schools asking too much and this particular parent wanting a break from the requests. It's here: http://www.ajc.com/printedition/content/printedition/2009/05/04/browned0504.html
ReplyDeleteI jumped to the recipes. Love the good idea for salmon. Yum. And didn't realize you'd done a recipe of Migas. That's one of our favorites. There's a place in Austin, TX my husband used to live near called Trudy's and they served migas at brunch. Lots of green chile and unusual beers on draft to go with it.
I make salmon and roasted asparagus every single year for Passover seder. I don't even think twice about the menu anymore - this is the magic meal that says spring is just around the corner. I'll try this salmon recipe (Trader Joe's usually has three or four varieties of wild salmon in the freezer, all for under $9/lb) - but one of my favorite ways is slow-roasted, at about 225. It melts in your mouth like butter.
ReplyDeleteYum, thanks for the recipes! Salmon and asparagus - one of my favorite combos and I make it every year to celebrate spring!
ReplyDeleteOh boy Catherine, this past school year I volunteered as president of the board at my daughter's preschool, and I thought it would be the death of me. I am right there with you about the auction. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAnd since Wondertime has never let me comment over there (believe me, I've tried!) I just have to say in regard to the asparagus column, That Ben! Could he be any more adorable and beautiful? Your kids are just gorgeous! Oh yeah and the dip looks great too. ;)
I just have to say, for all the giggles your early food photography provided, it now seems to me I was looking a spread from Gourmet Magazine compared to what my cluck and tweet partner Alison just posted. Think an up close shot of salmon in a can. I did not even know such a think existed. Gross, but hilarious. You really need to go look. You'll feel so much better about that pot roast shot;)
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to tell you how much I love and adore everything you write, I read Waiting for Birdie while expecting my youngest son two years ago, and it is so wonderfully appliccable - I love your blog about food, and I feel strangely related to you, in that you are able to express exactly how I feel a bout so many things relating to everyday life much better than I could possibly ever say it myself. I find it hugely entertaining and funny to read your posts.
ReplyDeleteChristine (Norway girl)
Tonight I had Asparagus and Ramen for dinner. Not quite as appetizing, perhaps, but definitely excellent comfort food. :) I thought of your post here.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is very promising. I'd like to try one
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