Camping Nachos

Well Rach,

While you were bread and cheesing your way across Europe, we were snuggled up in our Trillium. Yes, we've kicked up our camping a bit. No more tenting for the Campbell family, no we're a yuppy RV family now.. well, about as posh as a 1970s bowler with walled-carpeting (no, not wall-to-wall, carpet ON the walls). But isn't she a beauty?

Lately I've noticed that it seems to be trendy to make lists of awesomeness. And since I'm nothing if not trendy, I'm going to provide you with my list for today:

Uninterrupted Sleep: Wistfully Awesome
Uninterrupted Meals: Elusively Awesome
Washroom Privacy: Wouldn't that be nice Awesome
Personal Space: What's not to love about 2 small bodies permanently attached to your lap, hip, neck, leg kind of Awesome
Finn smearing his whole body with Old Spice deodorant: Hilariously Awesome
Finn referring to said deodorant as 'pit stick': Inappropriately Awesome
Nap time: Blissfully Awesome
Baby slobber kisses: Heart-meltingly Awesome
Roughing it with the Trillium: Retro-y and Cozily Awesome
Camping Nachos: Awesome

While planning a camping trip with the Vermettes this past August, we hadn't yet realized the brilliance of having a personal chef and handy man a short tent trailer away. After a few nights of camping- eating gourmet meals and sleeping in the luxury that is the Trillium- staying in a hotel, or even living in our own house, now feels a bit like we're slumming it.

If you don't have your own personal Jeff, then here are his directions for making your own camping nachos:

Before you go

-buy inexpensive non-stick cookie sheet

-modify sheet with drill by drilling 1/4 inch holes at 1 inch spacings

-use Dremel to remove burrs/sharp or rough edges left by drill

-NOTE: can also buy perforated non-stick cookie sheet - in the bbq section of local big box store. saw some at canadian tire. but of course it's way more fun to make your own

Camping Nachos

-preheat BBQ on highest setting for 10 minutes

-(can also be cooked over fire, so in that case - prepare coal base in fire pit (if no fire bans))

-spread out layer of nacho chips of choice on cookie sheet

-layer nacho ingredients of choice (we had - cooked italian sausage meat, tomatoes, olives, jalapeños(?), and of course, lots of cheese)

-repeat for 2 or 3 layers

-lower BBQ to medium, and cook nachos with lid on, about 10 minutes, till hot, and cheese is melted. Bottom chips will be slightly toasted, and any cheese that falls on the pan will be crispy bits (yum!)

-if cooking over fire, try to cover with something (foil?)

-serve with salsa, gauc, and sour cream

Gauc

-avocadoes

-fresh lime juice

-tomatoes - diced really small

-ground cumin

-S&P

As far as we can remember, that was it.

Of course any ingredients people like on nachos can be used, but this is what we had on hand camping. If we were more prepared, we may have brought along: banana peppers, red or green peppers, onions... (these are mostly items Jeff would add).

Other meat ideas: Cajun flavoured chicken breast, diced up small; ground beef cooked with taco seasoning...

Well Rach, there you have it. Camping nachos. Awesome.

Brote met Kaas

Dearest sister,

Our culinary experience in Europe can be summed up quite simply by three Dutch words: 'brote met kaas.' Translation: bread with cheese. In Germany, it came on pumpkin-seed buns slathered in butter then blanketed in thick wedges of soft cheese, followed by tomatoes and leafy lettuce. We found these sandwiches in train stations, bus stations, subway stations, neighbourhood bakeries, mall food-courts, and coffee shops.

In Holland, the quality of bread slipped marginally; the vegetables disappeared, and cheese was served with or without a generous portion of ham. Here, the gouda reigned supreme. A breakfast spread was not complete without a plate of sliced gouda, both plain and spiced, snuggled up against a selection of sliced meats. (Naturally, in Holland we were also treated to the likes of liverwurst, cheese pate, frites with mayo, olibollen, panekoek, croquettes, and raw herring.).

We crossed the border into France and were promptly handed a baguette lined with cheese and our choice of veggies. We each ate one, yes, a whole baguette, in a graffitied bunker in the rain, before resuming our bike journey to Paris. We quickly learned the meaning of the word 'fromagerie.' The prices were just as wonderful as the cheeses. In the south of France we ate fresh cheve, just delivered by the farmer to the bin. We tried stinky cheese, and grey cheese, but not bright orange cheese, which Caleb balked at. In Ireland there was cheddar and squash bread and scones, and those giant, weighty loaves they call soda bread.

Yesterday I popped into the grocery store for a few necessities. I stopped at the cheese fridge and nearly cried. Little scraps and squares marked eight dollars, or blocks of Kraft, dyed bright orange, for a more reasonable price.

Tomorrow I will make a pot of spreadable cheese. If I am successful, I will post images and a recipe. If my experiment goes awry, you will hear nothing more on the topic.

Your loving sister,
Rachel

Celebratory Trifle

Rach - Welcome home! I am posting something delicious in order to celebrate your return and our newest nephew. Welcome to the newest little Reems (or not so little weighing in, 2 weeks before his due date, at over 9 pounds!) - Parker Brent Reems!

Mike and I have noticed a trifle trend in Chilliwack- trifles of various kinds seem to be the dessert of choice in this town. So who am I to stand in the way of local dessert preferences? If I'm trying to please my fellow Chilliwack-ians I guess I'll have to throw some deliciousness into a bowl, let it get nice and mushy together, and call it dessert.

Chocolate cake? Layered with chocolate pudding, whipping cream and raspberry sauce? Chocolate shavings? Well.. I guess.. if that's what everyone wants..

Oatmeal (Insert Fruit of Choice) Muffins

R-

Blogging has been sparse as of late. It feels like a chore to hunker down with my laptop when the sun is shining and there are adventures to be had. Being married to a teacher (in addition to being sister to a teacher, sister-in-law to 2 teachers, and daughter to a teacher) has kept my world revolving around the school calendar. The laundry pile has grown, carpets have gone un-vacuumed, and my tupperware drawer has been systematically giving birth (but never to a matching set- oh I have countless lids, and unlimited containers, but never the twain shall match). But alas, our holidays could not go on forever, and when Mike left for school on Monday I saw the dusty piano with all the guilt that only a Dutch descendant can truly empathize with.

We grew up in a muffin household. Joan ensured a continual flow of banana chocolate chip muffins through the Reems household, these saw us through everything from highschool basketball practices, to early morning life guarding shifts. Lately I have been on the hunt for the perfect muffin balance - a muffin healthy enough that you can grab one for breakfast, or feed to your child and not feel that nagging bad-mother-white-flour twinge (yes I have guilt issues, that have only increased exponentially by the arrival of children into my life!). I'm still on that quest - here is the King Arthur Flour oatmeal muffin recipe that I have been using lately- I would definitely put the oatmeal version in the breakfast muffin category, though a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top, or the addition of a bit of streusel certainly makes it a nice mid-morning coffee accompaniment.

Haley-variations and findings
I have been making the oatmeal version with the addition of rhubarb or blueberries this summer. I like to add a teaspoon or so of cinnamon and sometimes chopped pecans to the batter. I have made them with both oil and melted butter and haven't noticed a huge difference between the two. I use 1/3 cup brown sugar instead of 1/2 white. Finally, the oatmeal version tastes great fresh, but I put all the leftovers in the freezer as they tend to dry out after a day or so.

OK Rach, you are about to board a plane and wing your way back to Canada. Yippee! I'm planning a trip to the island to see you soon!

What not to feed your baby..

Rach-

I have a few exciting food posts percolating; however, I need to get my promised baby post in before you return from your vacation. Though maybe you should pay close attention, since Mike and I will be dropping your niece and nephew off at your place for a few days mid-September.

Hee hee, just joking (though if you were interested...)

Due to something I am coming to refer to as 'second child syndrome,' this will not be a 'what to feed your baby' post. No, this is more of a 'what not to feed your baby.' While Coby has always had a healthy appetite, in the past month she has consumed the following non-baby-recommended items:

Dog food - I wish that I could say that this was an isolated incident, but my baby has managed to get to the dog food bowl several times.
Felt Marker - I actually tried to wipe off washable marker from her tongue. Blue marker. Please don't recall my recent discussion on feeding your child dye-free cheese.
Dirt - Lots and lots of dirt. And sand. Fortunately she discovered before our camping trip that dirt does not taste good.
Ice Cream- Daddy has given the princess the remainder of his cone on several occasions this summer.

The list goes on. Another symptom of second child syndrome is that baby #2 does not get special meal treatment but begins to partake in family meals at a much younger age (with or without teeth - yes my 11 month-old has no teeth). Mike and I have always been a bit lazy about spoon-feeding our babies - thus starting at an early age Coby, like her brother before her, eats a lot of finger food.

A friend introduced me to Real Food for Mother and Baby by Nina Planck. Nina emphasizes a diet of whole foods - lots of full fat dairy, veggies, and meat. Nina also supports my philosophy of not needing to fuss with a lot of additional food preparation for my older baby, but feeding babe food from the family table. This book also made me realize the importance of meat as an iron source for babies. I have to admit (sorry Nina), that I can't totally break away from the convenience of carbs, but I do try to stick to whole grains. The one thing that I have made the decision to stop using is just-add-water baby cereal, I stick to oatmeal and blueberries for breakfast, and ensure that my little monkey is getting iron from natural sources.

I have to run. Coby is into the dog food again.

Veggie Wars

Rach - I'm envisioning you and Caleb in a little French cafe -sipping cafe au lait, eating pastries, all while C plots where to find a French thrift store- if they in fact they exist- if they do I'm sure that Caleb will soon be sporting a 'new' circa 1970s Parisian cardigan. We are also holidaying right now. I use the term 'holidaying' because we really are living the good life - we are staying in the Okanogan in a 2 bedroom air conditioned cottage, on a golf course, with a plethora of pools. I have to confess a twinge of Dutch guilt that we aren't spending the week camping in our new 1976 Trillium, but Coby's addiction to consuming dirt, rocks and sand is making me thankful that our camping this summer will consist of a few days at Cultus in August.

Several days after posting my admittedly smug expose on what to feed your 3-year-old, the following conversation occurred between me and my 3-year-old -

Finn: I don't like vegetables
Me: Vegetables taste good
Finn: No, candy tastes good
Me: Vegetables make you grow strong
Finn: I am strong

At this point I conceded. Round 1 Champion: 3-year-old

Round 2

Fortunately, Finn's definition of a vegetable is still abstract. I leveraged this to my advantage in serving him (with no mention of the V-word) tomatoes and yam fries (with dip of course). He also pounded back a plate of gnocchi with pesto and broccoli for lunch today.

Round 2 Champion: Mommy

3-Year-Old Yam Fries

1) Peel, then thinly slice a yam into thin wedges. IMPORTANT: MUST LOOK LIKE FRENCH FRIES

2) I used an average sized yam and tossed it with about 2 tsp of olive oil and a good sprinkle of sea salt.

3) Roast at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes- stirring every 10 minutes or so. Make sure that you flip them all to get some crispiness.

These taste great with Spicy Yogurt, or Finn's condiment of choice: ketchup.

Feeding your 3 year old

Well Rach-

While you're off frolicking on the continent, I am pulling my lone editorial weight and will be doing some parent-friendly posting. Today's post will be on feeding your 3-year old. Now, I've only actually been feeding a three year old for about a month, so I suppose a more apt title would be feeding your small child.

Now as I write this I realize that I am fortunate, no I am blessed, in having a 'Good Eater.' Sharing snack and mealtimes with a toddler is fraught with enough drama and mental energy, that if any readers have picky eaters my heart goes out to you. Here are some ideas that are working for me-

1) Dip. If you want your child to eat veggies, or pretty much anything, try incorporating a dip into the meal. Homemade tzatziki has been one of my favourites nutrition wise, but in a pinch ranch dressing is the answer. I often mix equal parts of ranch dressing and yogurt.

2) Cucumbers, especially cucumbers and dip. I've never been a huge cuke fan, but I'm coming around. They are the easiest veggie to give a quick rinse and slice. They are easy for kids to hold and eat. Lunch at our house almost always has a side of cucumbers.

3) Assume that your child likes things. They'll be quick to tell you if they don't like something, but if you present new things without a fuss they might surprise you - Finn's been eating sushi since he was one.

4) Melted cheese. Finn will eat almost anything that has melted cheese on it. I'm slowly trying to make the switch from orange cheddar to white cheddar, I keep hearing awful things about dyes. Pizza buns for lunch are a great way to sneak in some veggies.

4) Pancakes. You can put lots of things in pancakes - banana, squash, oatmeal, grains.. Even most picky eaters like pancakes. I top them with plain yogurt, nuked frozen blueberries, and a bit of maple syrup. I used to good ol' Aunt Jemima but have been coming around to using natural sweet sources in place of manufactured ones.

5) Popsicles. In the summer you can't go wrong with homemade juice popsicles. I have a confession. If I need 10 minutes to myself I send Finn onto the deck with an 'ice pop.'

6) Chop veggies fine and cook until soft - big chunks in stir fries, sauces, or stews are just begging to be taken out. If the texture is fairly consistent than Finn won't notice the veggies. If your child is picky you could take this a step further and puree veggies to add to sauces (yes, I have to do this for my husband).

7) This is a big one - and often a royal pain- but child participation in the food preparation goes a long way in their willingness to eat what they've helped to make. Finn helps with certain jobs: mixing, mashing bananas, even grinding my coffee beans. That said, having a 'helper' doubles or triples the time and mess involved, so I often stick to nap-time dinner prep if I'm pressed for time.

8) Fruit for snack - sweet and tasty. My children would eat fruit all day (and sit on the you-know-what-all-night) if I let them. If your child doesn't love fruit, maybe be a bit adventurous and try some new ones. I freeze blueberries in the summer and add them to porridge every morning, put them into yogurt and use them for baking. My friend makes her kids smoothies with fruit and yogurt and they get a lot of fruit in that way.

9) Homemade is best. I know that you know this, and if homemade isn't your thing don't hate me too much, but remember that packaged foods have lots of sodium, additives, sugar. From boxed cereals to granola bars to crackers. Now I feel mean - But even if you don't bake you can cut back on packaged food in-take - fruit and veggies are the ultimate non-packaged foods. Or trade with your best friend who loves to bake but hates to clean. I would totally trade a batch of cookies for a mopped floor.

10) Plain yogurt. You can ignore this one if you want, I know that those tubes of yogurt are awesome.. however (angel on shoulder admonishing you).. flavoured yogurt has lots of sugar. Lots. I like to control 'invisible' sugar intake and add jam or honey to sweeten it myself.

11) Play with food. Make sandwiches into faces. Finn and I like to put on Raffi's Banana Phone and have a little dance party whilst eating our bananas (yes, I am an embarrassing mother - Finn has started realizing this and has to at times remind me in public 'Don't Dance Mommy'. It's not my fault, all my best moves come from rocking the oldies with my dad or from Barbie Dance Party). Check out Pancake Dad if you really want some cool pancake ideas.

OK, that's all I have right now. This is one post that I would love to create some dialogue on - feeding your child is unfortunately not a formula, and I know that everyone reading this who is currently feeding, or has fed a small child, will have ideas for me and other readers. So please comment with any great strategies!

Stay tuned for: Feeding you baby. And maybe, if I can hide from Mike for a few days: Feeding your picky partner.