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Soapbox Please?

This last week I finished reading the book Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat by Hal Herzog
about our relationships with animals.  It was a good book, but if you aren't interested in reading it the basic message is "it's complicated."  One of the points that he drove home was that we are all hypocrites in some manner; the more we spell out our positions the more we end up contradicting them, and here I find myself in a logic corner.

In loosely following politics, I generally agree that the deficit is a bit out of control and that trying to spend less and get closer to a balanced budget is a good thing.  I also agree with the idea that cuts are hard to make and that everything should be up for review, to use the phrase thrown around the news, "nothing is sacred."  But like many people across the country, I only say this phrase until people start talking about the programs and issues that I care about.  To rephrase - "Back off our education!"

* Rant Start *

Now I'm not talking about teacher unions or testing practices - I have opinions aplenty about this that I will spare you - I am talking about Head Start, Title 1 Schools, and WIC.  Currently, the House of Representatives is getting ready to vote on H.R.1.  If this passes $1 billion would be cut from Head Start, $747 million would be cut from nutrition programs for children in low income families, $693 million would be cut from Title 1 schools which are the schools serving the most low income families and already have the least amount of resources, and many other cuts.

Lately, as part of my work I have been connected with Head Start classrooms and Adoption agencies that count on the help and support of social workers and a whole team of professionals.   According to NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), Head Start only reaches half of the children eligible for it.  Reducing the funding will only decrease the amount of teachers and resources.  As someone who was in a Head Start classroom recently, it is almost difficult to imagine how less money could be spent.  These are classrooms that are already doing the best with what they have and most of them are doing a really good job, we can't afford to further push back the children that are already starting off further back.

Other than voting (and once taking a stroll down Michigan Ave with my former roommate Andy--different story) I do not take political action very often, but this hit me much stronger than many issues.  If you care about this issue at all, please consider sending a letter to your representative.  You don't need to write anything other than your name; just follow the link, copy the letter, click on looking up your rep, and complete the form.  

* Rant Complete *

On a much lighter note, as I was setting up the Safari Room this morning I decided that today would be Piggyback Day for the animals.

My challenge to you, take or give a piggyback ride this week.  Enjoy!

Love is in the Air

It is Valentine's Day (or the day after technically) and here are some of the things that I am loving right now.

This logo for our new exhibit is very much adorable.

Sweet glorious sunshine I've been missing you!

Thank you for helping me fight the ice dams.

What's not to love here?

Our local library.

Old Hitchcock movies (courtesy of previous picture).

Fire, slippers, mint tea in wonderful cup from Cat.

For the evening of Valentine's Day we had a very nice and relaxing evening in.  We made our favorite cheddar fondue and exchanged gifts.  I truly love my gifts from Laura, but where do you think we rank on a scale of 1 to 10 for how wild and crazy we are?

Wasabi peas, pickled beets, balsamic glaze,
honey balsamic mustard, caramel peanut butter cup.

One of the perks of work is having access to the harmonograph table which comes in handy for when it is time to make some homemade cards.  I am particularly proud of this one!

Just one line!  Can you believe it?

I hope that everyone was able to spend time this Valentine's Day with something or someone you love! 

Home Alone

Laura is gone this weekend which means two things: 1) I'm going to get a little bit bored, and 2) I'm either going to eat really well, or have ramen noodles four times a day.  After debating this later fact, I eventually voted down the case of oriental flavored Maruchan.  However, the first fact remains that I am a little bit bored, so whatever I make has to keep me interested and productive for a good part of the evening.

Here is where my new best friend enters the picture, my fireplace.  During the first big storm this winter we all sat huddled around the fireplace and thought, "What would happen if we lost power?"  The answer my friends is, "We would eat like kings!"  And it was here that the idea of being able to cook with my fireplace was born.

Like I said, this meal had to occupy me for a good chunk of the night which equals I get dinner AND dessert!  To help ease my way into cooking with my fireplace I decided I should somewhat follow a recipe.  Turns out that the good people over at Reynold's Aluminum Foil have an entire recipe section of their website dedicated to cooking with foil packets.  I was going to make a Curried Cauliflower.  I chopped the cauliflower, added a tomato, half a red pepper, curry powder,  and salt to my foil packet.

Is this a Chipotle ad?

 I cleared a spot in the fireplace surrounded by coals and put the packet in for 15 minutes.

I carefully took out the packet, opened it up and the steam came pouring out.  I added some yogurt, sriracha, and raisins to complete the dish.

Fresh from the fire.

Yummers!

With the main course complete, it was time for dessert... and I seriously wanted some cookies.  So, in doing just a little bit of research I discovered many a person who had "grilled" cookies.  I figured the top of my fireplace is hot, why not cook there?  So, whipping up a basic chocolate chip cookie dough and placing some more fabulous Reynold's Aluminum Foil on top of the fireplace, I formed very thin cookies figuring they would burn fast.

(Sorry for the photo quality - phone camera)

With how fast they were cooking I needed to flip them half way through, sort of like cooking a pancake. They got a little dark on the outside, but they tasted fabulous!  The kind of fresh soft cookie that reminds me of Sweet Martha's (I miss you Minnesota state fair).  I paired them with some mint ice cream and the evening was complete.

I hope Laura is eating as well as I am!  I guess I'll save her a few of the cookies... maybe.

I Can Gather all the News I Need on the Weather Report

Kudos weathermen, you have done it!  You have accurately predicted how crazy this winter will be!  It is amazing how fast an entire state can go from, "Look at the pretty snow, it feels like Christmas!" to, "I'm done with all this white garbage!!!"  We are once again in the middle of a storm that has closed schools and businesses and made life a little bit more difficult.

At this point my goal to enjoy the winter is becoming one that takes some effort.  Currently, there are new healthy eating guidelines coming out and a renewed emphasis on living an active lifestyle.  This is all well and good, but I think my outlook on life is mostly going to stay rosy by eating and drinking through each storm.  And as we have heard so many times, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  One of my favorite breakfast comfort foods is french toast. 

Yesterday, foreseeing this breakfast need I made a loaf of brioche.  It is light and porous and doesn't have a ton of flavor so it works well for soaking up the batter and picking up that flavor along with the syrup and anything else.

This recipe was the first that I have ever tried from this cookbook, I'm happy with how it came out.  Waking up the next morning I was ready for a seriously delicious breakfast.  Having lived across the street from IHOP for three years, I became introduced to the idea of "stuffed french toast."  Given that I didn't make a special trip to the store for this I was confined to what was in the pantry, but I think it came out pretty well.

I stuffed the brioche french toast with dried apricots and cranberries, added a side of fake sausage, warm Vermont maple syrup, a cup of oranges and banana, and to wash it all down a cranberry and seltzer.  Take that winter!!!

Every good start of the day also deserves a good end.  For this I turn to my new favorite drink.  When visiting Laura's family in Australia I was first introduced to ginger beer (think ginger ale made with lots of actual ginger).  Lately, I have seen it pop up more and more in grocery stores and restaurants.  The last few bars I have been at have had this on the menu, and recently we were gifted the 2 items necessary to make a "Dark and Stormy."

1 part dark rum, 4 part ginger beer.  Add lime if you like.

With a good morning and good night it will be spring in no time!  Stay warm (unless you are in the middle of the heatwave in Australia, then I hope you cool down!)!