Best Ribs Ever

We have tried lots of different ways to cook ribs over the last few years. I finally managed to cook some tender, melting, more-ish ribs yesterday and it was really easy! No more worrying about marinating for hours, parboiling, pre-browning, arranging them on a rack over a pan of water, etc! In a nutshell, all I did was:

1. Put the ribs in a bag with some sauce (more about that later), just enough to coat thickly. The bag keeps the sauce nicely surrounding the meat. I did this in the morning and put it in the fridge.
2. About mid-day, I put them in the slow cooker on low. The ribs were ready to eat by about 6 or 7 pm but we didn’t get around to having dinner until 8. If you want to make this recipe by putting the ribs in the cooker in the morning before you go to work, then you probably should add about a half-cup of water to make sure the dish stays moist for the longer cooking period (or maybe just double your sauce!)
3. Browned briefly in the oven just before serving, but I think this was actually unnecessary. I only tried it because of a recipe that I read. They tasted great over rice with some of the sauce spooned over. (This is the other great thing about this recipe – the marinade doesn’t go to waste, and gets reduced to a delicious sauce.)

The sauce I used was just a splash of vermouth, plus a motley crew of five dollops each squirted from five different bottled sauces: ketchup, teriyaki sauce, peri-peri sauce, kecap manis, and oyster sauce. I also included some finely chopped garlic (about 3 cloves). This just goes to prove that you can totally make it up. Mainly you are aiming to have some sort of alcohol (I normally use bourbon but we ran out), some tomato-ish flavor, and a bit of sugar content as well, and the rest of the flavor is up to your imagination. I also usually make sure to include a splash of oil in my marinades but since the ribs are so fatty I didn’t worry about it in this case.

I have read in other sources that slow cooking anything fatty like these ribs ensures that the fat becomes delicious rather than disgustingly greasy, and I can certainly attest that’s what happened in this dish.

Tanglemania

I have to admit, I have been extremely geeky today. The number of portable devices that I carry around on a daily basis is not that huge: just a laptop and a phone. (I don't have an mp3 player, since my phone can play music, although I haven't even gotten around to buying a microSD card for it.) However, it drives me crazy that I have so many accessories for these two items. Headphones for each, mouse, cord for connecting the two devices to each other, power cords, network cable... It wouldn't be so bad if I only had to set up a couple of cords each day but I always end up deploying every single one. My approach so far has been to loop each one into a small ball and throw them all together into the soft pocket in the top of my backpack.

But the tangle drives me crazy and I have been thinking about getting some kind of wire management devices to keep all this under control. I looked around on Amazon and eBay to find a myriad of possibilities: cable turtles, silicone fishbones, earbud keepers, etc. But it was this geek tip, below, that convinced me that I don't need to buy anything. So I thought I would share, since it's pretty cool. Also, it has a fun name.

Geek Tip: Keep Your iPod Cords Untangled For Free ...

How to Grow Up

Poor little Callum. First, at the start of last week, we decreed that dummies (pacifiers) would only be for sleep time. He coped quite well with that change, to my pleasant surprise. Anya told me she does think he is hitting her more often because "he's frustrated about his dummy." I'm not sure if that's true or if he's just being more aggressive generally.

Next, we cut his hair ourselves. This went all right until he got the urge to rub his nose, and the hair-covered cape was in the way -- you guessed it, the hair got rubbed all over his nose and lips and drove him wild while we tried to finish the haircut.

Last, we bought him some undies and had him wearing them as much as possible. This has resulted in some specatacular puddles, but still is a massive improvement over changing his nappies and handling a smelly nappy bucket. The slogan we are emphasising is "You don't wee on Ben 10!" (His undies feature Ben 10 in a different fist-punching pose on each one.)

So, our little boy is growing up. My heart just melted looking at him this weekend while he was watching TV: undies on, hair cut short, and leaning casually against the lounge with one leg crossed over.

Hungry?

If you know me at all, you know that I love food. Unlike most people who love food, I don't even have a love-hate relationship with food, just love (and mutual respect). There was a time when having lunch out was an essential part of my day, and I also loved having dinner out when I could swing it. I like to think that some of my reviews got into the LA Zagat Guide.

However, I am finding that with my current work-life balance, although it's generally working out well, there doesn't seem to be time for food.

This is what I find myself doing lately: in the morning, I stand in the kitchen sipping my coffee and snatching bites of breakfast, partly because I am barraged with a continuous interrupting stream of requests for more food or drink or intervention from our kids, and partly because if I sit down, I am very likely not going to get to eat all of it (food on grown-ups' plates is oh so much tastier!) The only way out of this maze is to either prepare a giant quantity of something that we can all eat at the same time (pancakes are great for that but really only plausible on weekends), or skip it altogether and wait until I can eat in the relative tranquility of my office.

At work, where I only have six hours to focus, I tend to feel so far behind all the time that I just make a sandwich on the spot (I keep supplies at work to make going-home sandwiches for the kids), or I duck out and buy something that I bring back, or worst of all, I forget about eating until about 3 pm by which time it is too late to get food from anywhere so I just have a snack.

Luckily, at home we share the meal prep work, so there is a much higher likelihood of my eating a proper meal. If not for this I would probably start to disintegrate with this "food on the run" craziness!

Farewell, Clouds of Kisses

Before I knew it, they were gone. I used to receive kisses in generous amounts from Callum when he first learned the right way to kiss (he used to think that kissing involved making a clucking sound with his tongue). Once mastered, his kisses were usually bestowed in a profuse display of technique: first one cheek, then the other, then lips, nose, and even my forehead, and sometimes a second time around the face. David's favorite part was when Callum would proclaim "I kiss nose" before pulling your face toward him with his hands on your cheeks. Then without my noticing it, he just stopped. /Sob! Now he just gives me one kiss on the lips, although kissing me on the nose sometimes still creeps in.

School Lunch Mix-n-Match

As I was contemplating the upcoming "Lunch Box Days" which Kindercraft has scheduled to introduce the older kids to the idea of packed lunches (since Anya and her friends will all be starting school next year), I stumbled across this excellent article: What Do Other Countries Eat For School Lunch

This article, too, was quite interesting: What Chef's Kids Eat

I was very inspired by another site about Japanese lunches, Bento Gallery, which says that Japanese often plan the dinner meal around what would make good leftovers for including in the lunch box. I wish I had the nerve to give Anya a bento lunch (rice! vegetables! chicken!) but I fear she would much prefer a sandwich like all the other little Aussies. Maybe I can make her an Aussie bento lunch with her favorites to introduce the concept: boiled egg, avocado, pasta shapes, cheese & fruit pieces.

Let's Go Swimming!

Swimming weather is definitely upon us. This weekend we went swimming at Don's (the family was actually away so we just went to the back yard) and both kids loved getting a dip after a hot and dusty day, even though the water was so cold. I encouraged them to swim around but they mainly enjoyed jumping in over and over. They also were too tempted by the inflatable boat I'd brought along, so we only had a short swim before they were shivering violently (while still wanting to stay in).

Last weekend we went to the beach and Anya started catching waves -- very exciting. She was just in the very shallow water but it was thrilling that she was getting into it, instead of fussing about the waves hitting her. David loves to bodysurf. Personally I find the waves a bit strong here and prefer what David calls "boring" days (when the waves are very small). I also love when I can just float in the water without worrying about getting saltwater up my nose or a rip tide pulling me away -- I'm not really into the surfing part, I just like to relax in the water. I was embarassed (during the weekend) to be asked by a young surfer if I needed help -- he misinterpreted my lolling about for inexpert swimming.

Tales from the B Side

(or, "Further Evidence of a Y Chromosome")

My sweet little boy climbed into bed with me for our customary morning snuggle. He had his Wags the Dog and Anthony toys -- it has always surprised me how much more he likes stuffed toys than his sister. We nestled in together, and then he clashed his toys against each other, and yelled, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Freaky Weather in Brisbane

I've been tapping away at my computer since arriving at work this morning, and had no idea this was going on outside:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/dust-storm-covers-brisbane-in-haze-20090923-g0wm.html

And here is my own contribution to the pool of photos:

The Positions One Finds Oneself In

Tonight I looked after the kids on my own -- David went rock climbing after work -- and they just went NUTS. Driving home: OK. Dinner (during the drive): OK. Checking the mailbox (a ritual they love): OK. Anya was thrilled to receive a letter from me and we duly headed inside to open it.

It was after this that the trouble began. Or maybe slightly before this, because I noticed it was about to rain, and detoured briefly to take some laundry off the line. Callum didn't like this, because when he is reunited with me after a few hours apart, he needs to be carried or sit in my lap for a LONG time before he is topped up again and happy to wander out of close physical contact with me.

But I grabbed the laundry pretty quickly, and got him to hold it while I held him; this was OK. We went inside and somehow or another, instead of getting Callum undressed and into a bath, this degenerated into a nude roly-poly on the kitchen floor. First, Anya got me to draw her a picture (while Callum climbed all over me and interfered as best he could) which she started colouring in while I undressed Callum. He kept saying, "No bath! No bath!" so the undressing happened in stages, in between crawling between my legs, hiding behind me and pretending to pop out, then ultimately, climbing on my back and yelling "NEIGH!" (by which time he was fully nude).

Anya found this too good an idea to resist, so then there was some pushing and shoving and wailing about whose turn it was to ride up top. I found it completely ludicrous to be hunched over on all fours, while one nude little boy screamed and one fully dressed little girl sobbed... (I eventually solved it by giving them each one more turn, then briskly saying it was BATHTIME NOW.)

the zen of parenting

just a short thought for today. realised today that when I am with Anya or Callum, I make a conscious effort to be "in the now." focussing purely on how it feels to be with them. funny, because at the same time, at this age it is crucial to be aware at all times of the clock so that they get to eat, sleep, etc at the right times.

Circus Stuff

I can do an Amazon, Mermaid, Monkey Roll, Gazelle and Shoulder Stand, among other things. Don't know what I'm talking about? Check out my latest obsession at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaguarish/tags/circa/

You can also check out the training centre at:
http://www.rocknrollcircus.com/

Queen of the Non Sequitur

Here are two recent conversations with Anya, both of which made me think, "What the?!"

First, in the car as we all were starting the day (kids going to Kindercraft, us going to work)...

Anya: Dad, why do you have a purple shirt?
David: Does this look purple to you? It looks blue to me.
(I look over. Yep, baby blue with yellow pinstripes.)
Anya: DAD, why do you have a purple shirt?
David: I don't have a purple shirt, I have a blue shirt.
Anya: No Dad, why do you have a purple shirt AT HOME?

Second, in the car as I was taking Anya to circus class (David and Callum stayed home)...

Elaine: You know Anya, I am a little sad that you're growing up. Do you know why?
Anya: Mmmm?
Elaine: I miss taking care of you - when you were little. I miss my baby Anya, even though I'm proud of my big strong Anya.
(Long pause, during which I imagine Anya is pondering this and coming up with a poignant response.)
Anya: If a big giant comes, I will bop him on the nose!

Six Days Without Dad

Last Tuesday, David left for a fishing trip with his brothers and some other guys. We had a pretty busy time of it at home, as well, since Wednesday was a public holiday – for Brisbane-ites to attend the "Ekka" (Royal Exhibition, like a State Fair). Thursday I worked, then Friday is my usual day off, followed by the weekend, of course. Raema (David's mum) stayed with us for a lot of the time, which eased the pressure on me somewhat. Below is a potted history of what we got up to.

Wednesday: We had already gone to the Ekka on Sunday, so instead we went to Kmart Arana Hills Plaza, where they put on a mini-Ekka for the kids. Anya had a free pony ride (outside), then waited in line quite a while for her face to be painted (I also snuck Callum into the seat for a quick dash of paint). Luckily, Callum and Anya didn't get impatient, as Po (Kung Fu Panda) appeared nearby and we watched him greeting all the kids. We managed to get painted faces *and* meet Po as well afterward, so all in all it worked out well. Anya had a rainbow around her face and Callum had tiger stripes and ears. There was also a small animal petting area, for which Raema kindly held our place in line while Anya and Callum played on the usual shopping centre coin rides, until we could get in for a pat. Last, we went back outside intending to try some of the amusement rides, but the queue at the ticket booth was enormous, so I enticed them away to McDonald's where they had more play time in the fort after lunch. All in all, a hugely successful outing, and Raema even got to have the traditional Ekka treat, strawberry ice cream (courtesy of Cold Rock Ice Cream).

Thursday: This is the day when Raema looks after Anya and Callum at home. She also said it was OK for me to go to circus class as usual in the evening, but I came home in between to give her a rest. I'd hurried in to work to meet a colleague at my office – but he arrived an hour late because his wife asked him to drop her off at the Ekka and he wasted a lot of time circling around and getting on the wrong roads etc. So instead of going home early-ish as intended, I ended up getting home about 4:30... just in time for a big spat between Anya and Callum. But apparently, before that they were good little lambs all day. Raema took them on a walk down to a local park, then after lunch Anya and Charlie (neighbour the same age as Anya) played together most of the afternoon with Anya hopping back and forth over the fence. I headed out to circus class after giving Anya and Callum their dinner.

Friday: We dashed off to swimming and Raema went to attend a funeral... and we forgot the lock the house! I thought she was going to do it (didn't realise she was leaving right at the same time) and she thought I'd done it (she saw me go back in for something and assumed I'd locked up as well) – my fault of course, I should have made sure to check what was happening. Imagine my shock when I got home and found the two back doors wide open. Luckily, nobody wandered in, and I wasn't gone long, because I was expecting a visit from Jodi Meynell (realtor), about listing our house with them. Callum was resisting naptime for the start of my talk with Jodi and I kept having to run back into his room to supply tissues, sing songs, and get kisses. Eventually he settled down, but it was a complete change from his usually easy naptimes.

Saturday: Callum was extremely reluctant to let me go out without him (taking Anya to her circus class) – I think he's been extra attached to me this week because David's missing. He has been a bit restless at night as well. But Anya absolutely loved having me to herself all morning. We went grocery shopping as well after circus class, and she was so happy and well behaved and helpful. In the afternoon, she started playing with Charlie again, who came over to our place this time. Alyssia (Charlie's older sister) appeared after a while, and then they all asked, "Can we put our togs on?" (Togs are swimsuits, for you non-Aussies.) I had the sprinkler on, you see! You should have heard them running around and giggling. They got containers and kept collecting the water and tossing it up in the air in unison. By dusk they were all shivering while still insisting they weren't cold. Alyssia went home to have a warm bath and Anya and Charlie had a bath together in our bathroom. Then they asked if Charlie could sleep over! I was thinking that it was possible, but worried a little about the extra activity and disruption (and how crowded it would get in the bedroom), and luckily Nicole (her mum) told Charlie no.

Sunday: We went to GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art), the Science Museum, and the Art Gallery. GoMA's children's area has a "bat experience" at the moment. The room is decorated with paper folded cutouts of bats, flowers, leaves, cicadas, praying mantises, snakes, and other creatures that they've provided makings for (trace a template, cut it out, and follow folding instructions). One end also has a city skyline with glowing windows, and you can draw on yellow paper that fits in the window spaces. We ended up at the Science Museum by accident as my preferred cafe (at the State Library) said we couldn't eat any of our own food there (although I was planning to order coffee and my own lunch there). So we wandered around and ended up at the Museum Cafe.

After lunch, we briefly walked through the main parts of the Museum, the highlight being the room that feels like you're inside an aquarium – Callum was particularly taken with the turtles, and Anya really like them too. She also delighted in pointing out the sea snake to Raema (we all know that Raema hates snakes and frogs). At the Art Gallery there was a bank of TVs and headphones showing various old style animations. Anya made herself very comfortable there. Callum and I read some of the books on offer, then we started wandering around a little and had to drag Anya away. It was getting rather late (2 pm) and we should have left sooner, but both kids were having such a nice time.

Callum only slept for half an hour (in the car) then was his normal self for the rest of the day – I couldn't believe it. He got a new best friend (briefly) because for some reason, Anya switched allegiances and was playing mainly with Alyssia. So Charlie decided she would play with Callum instead. (I imagine it was a little disappointing for her, though.) Jack (eldest from next door) also came over the fence and played with the girls, who were pretending they were fairies (he said he was a pixie).

And that was our six days without Dad...

Eating Well

Tonight I made Hainan Chicken and veggie stir fry. Delicious. I am still so in love with the simplicity and intense but subtle flavour of Hainan Chicken. If you have never tried this dish, here is a short version of the recipe (but please do look up "proper" recipes on the internet which will include fancier directions for the rice and sauces!)

Half fill a stockpot with water (or chicken stock), sliced fresh ginger, smashed garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce and/or fish sauce). There needs to be enough liquid to cover your chicken. Bring to a boil, add a whole chicken or chicken pieces (preferably with the bone in - my favorite is the Maryland), turn down to a simmer and cover. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Turn heat off and leave for a further 20 minutes.

You can use the stock from the chicken pot to cook the rice, for even more flavor in your dish, but save some for the sauce (see below).

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, grate or finely mince fresh ginger to make 2 tablespoons. Also finely mince garlic or put through a garlic press to make 1 tablespoon. Mix together with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of the stock from the chicken pot. This is enough for 2 serves, so scale up accordingly!

Serve the chicken over rice with the sauce drizzled over. Optionally also drizzle over some hot sauce (such as sambal oelek).

Potty Season

I have been rather slack about potty training the second time around. Anya was placed on a potty repeatedly from 18 months of age (months and months of extra work and stress!) but didn't become fully trained until one day I decided to try the "no nappy" technique (requires an easy-cleaning house or staying outside). From there it only took TWO DAYS and she was trained. With Callum, I have been waiting for warmer weather so I can do the same thing. Well, Anya has pre-empted me! I heard from Raema that yesterday, Callum followed Anya into the toilet (the bathroom). The next thing she knew, Anya bustled out of the toilet, got the potty, ran back, and when Raema came along to investigate, she found that Anya had removed Callum's nappy (diaper) and sat him on the potty, and was coaching him!

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Callum just turned two this week and it seems like he is maturing faster every day. (I will laugh the day that he starts properly arguing with Anya... she *really* has all the answers!)

The actual birthday was a Tuesday, so I brought cupcakes and balloons into Kindercraft and stayed with Callum for about two hours. As well, in the morning he opened one of his presents which he immediately played with over and over -- very gratifying. We saved the rest of the presents for the evening, when his grandma came over. All in all he had a lovely day and relished every present. Ever since the day, he's been randomly breaking out with a "hip, hip, hooray!"

A Big Serve of Yuck

I’ve been out of commission recently due to a revolting stomach bug. I never realised how much of my time I spend thinking about food, anticipating what to buy, cook and eat next, until I was limited to “plain food” which I hate and which was making me sick anyway. I was thrilled tonight to sit down with a proper serving of pasta with Bolognese sauce (although I put on much less sauce, butter and oil than usual, to be on the safe side). If I made a mistake in doing this, I’ll know in about an hour...

Meanwhile, Anya has been making up for me, by eating about three times as much as she normally does. I thought at first that she was just being greedy about snacks, but she was happy to have second and third helpings of the meals themselves, and seems to be eating all day. I wonder if she will suddenly shoot up in size next week (like Jack’s beanstalk)?

Callum, of course, has always been a big eater. He reportedly had three helpings of pumpkin and spinach pasta at Kindercraft yesterday, so I begged Pin (the chef) for the recipe: mashed pumpkin, thickened cream, salt & pepper for the sauce, with baby spinach mixed in. Amazing! She is a great cook and always seems to come up with dishes the kids all like. She even makes mild curry for them!

In other developments (not to talk about food endlessly!) Callum has still been trying to learn how to jump. He pumps up and down but doesn’t quite get that he is supposed to bend his legs first. (Maybe if I dangled some food on a stick above him!) He loves trying to do the same circus tricks that Anya and I practice at home: flying (my feet on her hips while I hold her hands), rolling (he did some great sideways rolling in a rage this evening), even holding a chair up with his legs (when he saw Anya doing it, he immediately carried the other small chair in from the other room, and tried to do the same thing).

Broccoli Souffle with Tapenade Sauce

This wonderful recipe from one of my favourite cookbooks, The Impoverished Gastronome by David Chater, was our dinner last night.  I’m pretty sure I’ve made this before, as broccoli is one of my favourite foods, but I think I made the mistake of leaving out the sauce last time.  The soufflé is very mild tasting on its own (milk, butter, eggs, flour, cheese, almonds), so the tapenade really makes the difference.  Interestingly, the tapenade itself is slightly different from the usual, as it includes mustard.

I won’t give the full recipe here, as it’s probably not that hard to find a recipe for a broccoli soufflé.  The main things that make this dish are the combination of the soufflé with the tapenade, and the inclusion of mustard in the tapenade.  I tweaked the recipe a little too, as I couldn’t bring myself to boil the broccoli (just seems like a travesty to treat broccoli that way!) and instead I sautéed it in a little butter, then added a dash of water, covered the pan and steamed it until soft.  If you do this just right, the broccoli keeps its bright green color.

For the cheese I used finely grated Romano, but I toyed briefly with the idea of putting in some blue cheese for a stronger flavour.  I left it out because David doesn’t like blue cheese, but it’s probably worth trying.  Also I wondered if some fresh herbs (tarragon? coriander?) might be tasty.

Baby Banana

Mysteriously, Callum’s latest thing is to get a drink or piece of food, and just hold it for an hour or more without actually drinking or eating it, while steadfastly refusing to give up the item. His appetite has been very small lately compared to usual, because of colds and teething, but normally before now he would have just been uninterested in having anything. This magpie-like behaviour is perplexing and frustrating. I’ve gotten to the point where I am wary of giving him anything squishable, crumbly, or tip-out-able. While I am quite happy to clean up afterwards when he actually eats, this new habit of festooning our carpet and sofa with perishables for no purpose (he usually eventually abandons the item) just drives me crazy.

We have all been gradually getting well after a week of snuffling and coughing, so I took it as a positive sign last night that after eating some pasta, Callum asked for a banana. Like a fool, I actually gave him a piece. You guessed it: he then clutched it, wandered back and forth, clambered over my legs and into my lap and out again, all the while applying just enough pressure to the banana to render the surface slimy. Eventually, it popped out of his hand on to the carpet.

It didn’t rest there for long, because Callum spotted a washcloth on our side table, so he picked up the banana, placed it on the table, and draped the washcloth over it. Next he patted it, and said, “Baby.” This went on for a little while longer, and then he picked up the banana again, this time with the cloth around it, and continued climbing over my legs and lap. He even gave the banana an experimental nibble, so that I teased him that he was eating his baby, but he never did eat it.

But at least I got an amusing blog-able moment out of it…