The Barefoot Kitchen Witch

Little Red Fish

I was playing around with new beads earlier today, and this is my favorite result.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter, Sage and Walnuts

It’s not hard to throw together a fabulous meal when you have a few basic ingredients and an adventurous spirit.

Case in point – this butternut squash ravioli.

Rings

A bit of what I’ve been up to today.  These are the good ones.  I’ll be putting them in my etsy store later today or tomorrow, once I’ve cropped the individual pictures.

I’ve also got a bunch of sub-par rings that I’ll cut up so I can salvage the beads.  Except one that I sort of like and might just keep for myself, as I don’t mind the flaws it has.

Here are some individual shots….

Bringing Spring

I don’t care what the groundhog has to say. 

Spring is where you plant it…

TWD Baking with Julia - White Loaves

I’m so glad to be baking with the whole Tuesdays with Dorie group again!  After finishing Dorie Greenspan’s Baking, From My Home to Yours in 2011, they decided to keep baking, and what better book to tackle next than the fabulous Dorie Greenspan/Julia Child collaboration, Baking with Julia.

So glad!

Big Violin

I don’t remember if I’d ever mentioned that Alex is learning to play the violin at school. 

We’ve decided that it’s about time Julia, who is learning classical guitar here at home, should quit slacking and learn another instrument, too.

Random Stuff

~~~ I’m so glad I’m not a politician or a football player.  I would hate having things I say taken out of context, and I would hate being blamed for losing the Super Bowl.

~~~ I see families that go out to eat in restaurants, and the parents just let their kids totally trash the table, the floor, and then they leave.  Yes, it’s nice to go out to eat and let someone else cook and do the dishes, but it’s hideously rude to create a huge, gross mess for someone else to clean up, just because you can.  Do the people that let their children open all the sugar packets and dump the sugar (or artificial sweeteners) in a pile on the table allow this same behavior at home?  Or do they save that for special occasions?

~~~ Sometimes trying to be vigilant about only buying organic, and only buying meat from animals that were raised humanely and only fed good stuff, and not buying anything genetically modified, or anything with fake stuff in it…sometimes it gets exhausting.  But it’s worth the battle.  And I’m teaching my kids to be vigilant as well.  It’s hard, because sometimes the bad stuff tastes so yummy.  But I am talking to Alex about how to read ingredient labels, and how, if you can’t pronounce it, it probably isn’t something you need to eat.  I’m just glad the kids like most vegetables and fruits.  And that they’re open to trying new things.  And that they know where food comes from.  I think I’m giving them a good start. 

~~~ It’s February (really?) and do you know what that means?  No, not Groundhog Day.  No, not Valentine’s Day.  It’s Time To Plant!!  We’ll be starting onions and leeks this week – perhaps even today!  YAY!!!  It’s SPRING!!!  Well, in my world it is.

~~~ Julia likes to demonstrate her maturity by remembering to put her cereal bowl and spoon in the dishwasher without being asked.  I like it.  I like it a lot.

~~~ Alex is saving his money.  He wants to buy a cell phone.  I’m on the fence about him having one at this age.  He says some of his friends have them.  Anyone out there care to weigh in on this?  Pros and cons?  If I did put him on our plan, it would be very limited.  But do I really need to or want to at this point in time?  I really try (or WE, Bill and I, really try) to limit the amount of “plugged in” time for our kids.  I’d rather they run around outside and rip new holes in their jeans playing football or kickball than get carpel tunnel syndrome before they’re teens because  they play too many DS games.  In fact, my kids don’t own those hand-held games.  The closest they can come is playing Frogger on my husband’s cell phone, which they haven’t done since I don’t remember when.  We have a Wii, and they play with that, but not constantly.  We don’t have any angry birds in our home.  (Just outside, when the squirrels eat all the food.)  Instead, I tell them to read a book.  Or practice guitar.  And, in Alex’s case, violin.  Or draw.  Or play with the zillions of toys they have.  (Zillions may be too high a number, now that we’re planning a yard sale when the warm weather arrives.)  Julia asked for a DS for Christmas, but Santa chose not to grant that request.  And really, Julia wasn’t the least bit upset about it.  She got really cool boots, after all!

~~~ I’m going to make another batch of frozen yogurt today.  Strawberry.  Maybe Alex will like this one – I used 2% milk instead of whole.  So maybe it won’t taste as “yogurty” to him.  Whatever that means.  I’m just bound and determined to create a yogurt or frozen yogurt that he’ll like.  I don’t know why.  I’m just…stubborn.  Or stupid.  Take your pick.

~~~ That’s it for now.  Have a fascinating day!