No-Family Day (A Hubbuddy Post)

I have always wanted to have a family. Even as a young child, it was always obvious to me that I would have a family of my own . . . eventually. It wasn't a decision or a wish, it was a given. Unavoidable, even.

I imagined my adult children and their spouses in some living room on some weekend afternoon, chatting about books they had read and movies they had watched and things they were passionate about, while I listened to them all and occasionally chimed in myself.

But that's the last step. It reminds me of what Michael Kanin said: "I don't like to write, but I love to have written."

So if I wanted a family of happy adult children, I guess that meant having younger children. Which probably meant having babies. Which probably meant that I needed a wife. Which probably meant having a serious girlfriend. Which would probably require having any girlfriend at all.

And that first step was kind of a stumbling block for longer than I really want to admit. I guess a young twenty-something guy with fantasies of an informal multi-generational book club is not quite what the average twenty-something girl has in mind.

But then I meet my Sionnach. We dated. We got serious. We got engaged. We got pregnant. We got married. We had a baby. We did it quickly and only just a little bit outside of the proper order, but it was because of one of the many things that we shared: an absolute certainty that we were going to have a family together.

It was important. We were not going to wait for a good career or a good house. We weren't going to wait for anything. My parents were 30 and 32 when I was born; I was 31 when WOI was born. It was time to start.

This seems to be a somewhat rare drive among my peers. Some of them already have children; and some of them can't have children. But an awful lot of them want to have children 'someday' . . . or very definitely not have any children at all.

And it's not just my peers. The total fertility rate in Canada is sitting stubbornly around 1.6 children per woman. To keep the population steady, we need a fertility rate of around 2.1 children per woman.

This is doing interesting things to us demographically. There are now more sixty-year-olds in Canada than there are six-year-olds.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Pyramideca2010.jpg

The baby boom faded and we settled into a predictable two-and-a-bit million new babies every five years. And then, about a decade ago, something happened. Several hundred thousand babies were never born. Several hundred thousand adults never became parents.

Having children is certainly scary. It takes time and money and attention and effort, and all of them in huge quantities. Times are not good economically, especially for younger people. The cultural expectation that people will marry and start families and start families may well be the weakest that it ever has been. A generation of children raised in non-nuclear families have spent their lives worrying about the future and the planet and overpopulation, and now that they are adults they are sitting this major life event out.

I'm not encouraging you to rush out and start a family. I'm just curious about what you personally think about families, whether you are like me and always wanted one, or you don't want one, or you are still somewhere in the middle. Let me know.

Kefir Onion Dip

Onion & Leeks on Fire!

After having successfully achieved homemade crackers. I have begun my search for Kefir Onion Dip, because I still crave that stuff like crazy. For my first attempt, inspiration from Donna Schwenk at Culture Food Life with her "Ron's Kefir Onion Dip" I love her idea of 2nd Fermenting with Garlic the Kefir cheese, and will definitely do that next time. This time was about using what I already had. Going measurement free today, because with dips you gotta listen to your tongue.

Squeezy the Lemon.

I roughly Cut one Onion and one Leek, and sweated them a bit in a pan with Butter. Let them cool, while I stormed my fridge for all the tiny 125ml jars of Kefir Cheese I had sitting in there. I usually make it to use later and then forget about it. Consistency of the Kefir Cheese was mixed two jars were the ideal stiff cream cheese and the other two little runny greek yogurt style on the other two. If my mental math holds the four jars would total about 500ml or 2 cups of homemade Kefir cheese, used in total. Followed that up by getting a little fresh with a Meyer Lemon and adding the juice. Dashing in some Paprika, I whirled it around to get an even consistency of Kefir Yogurt and then added the cooled Onion Mix.

Where Onion Leek meets Lemon Kefir.

Food Processor Magic left me with some delicious tasting dip, and close enough to my memory of the Chip Aisle Brand that I am satisfied. The Consistency isnt as gollopy as I recall, but that just makes it stretch longer. It did have that "let me sit" flavour about it, so I stuck it in the fridge for a bit, and went out to purchase some chips, because someone had eaten all my crackers without my realizing it.

So, tonight along with watching one of the Hubbuddy's suggested movies "Iron Giant" we are partaking in some blue potato chips and the most delicious onion dip. Perfect texture, and consistency for dipping, after a sit in the fridge. The flavours have melded nicely. Could use a touch more salt, but the chips make up for it. So Happy to have found a more healthy version of a favourite indulgence. 

Kefir Guacamole

Avocados were on sale this week. Organic were the same price as regular. So we got us some Organic Avocados and I actually managed to catch the window when they were perfectly ripe for guacamole. Usually they are rock hard when we get them, and then I forget about them in the week span to when they are soft and delicious. I am one of those "lucky" people, to whom cilantro tastes like soap.  Therefore it is rare to get good guacamole in my world.  As such this is my second time ever making the Green Delicious. Being a Kefir addict I figured it would be natural to add Kefir to the mix.

After reviewing a few recipes here, here, & here. I settled on the following:

3 Ripe Avocados
1 Bulb Garlic (Loving my Garlic)
1 Onion (It had a bite)
~1/2 cup Kefir
Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon
Sprinkle of Chili Powder
Pinch of Salt

Remove icky bits & pits then whirly in the food processor.

I put some in smaller Jars for Hubbuddy's lunch, letting some stew for a bit, and then cleaned the food processor with Naan crisps. The raw onion was a bit strong, and I might reduce it next time. Although Woi enjoyed it with gusto, except ever so often the onion would hit her and she would cry and then make a face. She quickly learned to follow these instances with Water. By the end of the feeding session she was getting the water herself before signing and saying more for the next green covered crisp. Hubbuddy returned home from work to offer the advice of the onion being a bit sharp, and it needing something. I think playing with the spices over time and letting it sit a bit will help draw out the flavour better. Of course he ate it all so I guess next time. Good thing I bought more Avocados on the way home from picking him up at work.

CRACKERS

I am not sure why it took me so long to do this, but I made Crackers. It was probably embarassment from the fact it took me a bit back when I realized you could make crackers. Of course you can make crackers, but I had never even heard of someone doing it. Crackers were the high processed delicious chip subsitutes that came out of a box, and always a box. They were made in some mystical realm of MSG sprinkling tiny creatures. People didnt make crackers. So I broke out of the cracker box, and got cracking at making crackers.

Since crackers are delicious and the perfect medium for dips. I started searching for recipies online and came across a great basic one at Towards Sustainability here. Four ingredients and a ton of great comment reviews, plus I could modify it to use my Kefir which was what I was really hoping to do.

So with 2 cups of freshly strained Kefir I started the process by doubling the recipe.

2 cups Kefir
4 Tablespoons Softened Butter
4 Cups Flour
Salt (I added on top to one batch forgot the second)

I blended in the butter, and then the flour, then popped the lid on my 8 cup Measuring Bowl and walked away for the day. I returned to it in the morning and wow had the kefir made the dough rise well, but for crackers that just wouldnt do. So I beat it up with all the pent up baby wont nap frustration, rolled it out onto the Bar pan using a glass jar because the rolling pin was just too big, used a pizza cutter to score them and then sprinkled with Sea Salt and tossed the lot into the Oven. Then I went and dealt with the crankiest baby that ever did crank. I may of forgotten about it a bit, someone still wasnt napping but was able to rescue them before too much burn happened. They are a little thick but a good consistency. The second batch were crispier then the first, but the slight middle chew made good texture. With or without salt was a perfect dip medium. Now I just need to go figure out how to make an awesome Onion Dip. 

War Declared: Onion Garlic Soup

Darling Hubby has been feeling off for the past few days, his boss lady and her little people crew had a run through of sick just around the Holidays and into the past week. I had been trying to let him take it easy over the  Holidays so as not to bring home a lovely bug, but apparently that just put it off to this week. Today he finally called in sick, after being up a few times last night with a splitting headache. This is a man who would sleep through an earthquake. Rules are rules, and if he stays home from work, he has to stay in bed, although he has slept most of the day anyway. With the upset tummy, and the need for him to get better right away. I made Onion Garlic Soup, which he wolfed down.

The key to Onion Garlic Soup is some Good Broth, since Yule just passed us, we had some Turkey broth that the household had made up and I popped into Muffin Trays in the Freezer. I had been meaning to pull them out for a week or so and plop them into a Ziplock for quick easy Broth by the cup. This forced me out of excuses. So now I have a giant Ziplock full of Broth in the Fridge and another arsenal in my Vicious Attack on the Evil Sickness. Our first Birthing Class is tomorrow, so I hope this nips the nasty in the butt.

Onion Garlic Soup
This is for a Tiny Pot about 2 bowls.
Onion - a Full one cut chunky
Garlic - a couple cloves or more depending on the recipient
Broth About 2 cups ish
Quick Oats

Saute up the onion in a pot, add the Garlic, add the Broth let simmer until even temperature. Serve in bowl sprinkle with Quick Oats. Feed to Sick Person.

I have also been forcing him to drink Take Charge Tea : Elderberry echinacea rosehip hibiscus blend. I think it is sweet and love the flavour, he finds it a bit sour. Of course he takes 3 teaspoons of sugar in his regular tea. So it is a bit of a force on this one. I will add honey on the next glass.

Scones Galore

Scones they really are that easy. I can whip up a batch of scones in as much time as it takes to scramble eggs. It is debatable whether or not clean up is as easy. If you do it right away it certainly means your morning isnt loomed over by dishes in the sink.  Over the Holidays I did a number of Scone experiments, and now I am going to share them with you.

Cinnamon Apple Scones
Slice up Apples
Dip Apple slices in dish of cinnamon so coated
Add Apples and Cinnamon to Scone recipe dry ingredients just before adding the wet ingredients.
Finish Recipe as per instructions.

Cranberry White Chocolate Scones
My Specialty (requested on regularly, inspired by fancy coffee shop scones)
Plop a handful of Dried Cranberries in a pot of water, simmer on stove until cranberries plump
Add Cranberries and White Chocolate chips to Scone recipe dry ingredients just before adding the wet ingredients.
Finish Recipe as per instructions
When fresh out of the oven sprinkle with powdered sugar

Both Recipes and Eggnog Scones made for Yule Faire, no powdered sugar on the Cranberry though.

As you can see it is fairly easy to modify additional dry ingredients. So experiment with what you have kicking around your cupboards and fridge. As a sweet tooth these are my standards, but it is easy enough to add grated or crumble cheese, green onions, garlic... the possibilities are endless. If you fall upon a new family favourite share it in the comment section.

Scone Breakfast Sandwich
(Inspired by Tim Hortons Breakfast Sandwich on a Biscuit)
Make scones but instead of spoon dropping the batter, roll out gently and cut into large circles, wine glass or Soup can make good cutters. I added cheese to the scones, because then I didnt have to add a slice on after, and it was super melty.
As Scones bake, make eggs for in them. Easier said then done. I tried pouring a mixed egg into a metal biscuit cutter on the hot cast iron pan. It still leaked out but not too much, but when it came time to flip the top ran everywhere before I could flip, so I ended up just scooping it back to some resemblance of scone size. I am sure some fastfood worker knows the secret to round eggs, but I am still experimenting, and my mouth doesnt mind the angles.
These took me about 30 minutes total, but my Husband was sure impressed with the reward after some hard morning chores.

What are your favourite scone variations?

Baking Experiment #1 Eggnog Scones

About 7pm last night, I really needed some Waffles. So I went out and got some Groceries and Eggos. Sadly by the time I got home Waffle Craving was over, and it was all about the Nachos. Excitedly at Shoppers Drug Mart there was Eggnog on sale for $1.99. Scoop, first Eggnog of the season, drank almost all of it. There was about half a cup left this morning so I decided to experiment, by replacing the milk in my scone recipe with Eggnog.  

The Recipe

Eggnog Scottish Scones

Preheat Oven 450 F

1 1/2 cups	Flour
1/4 tsp	Salt ( I omit normally)
1 tsp	Baking powder
1/4 cup	Butter
1/2 cup	Eggnog
1	Egg beaten

In Bowl, mix flour salt baking powder and sugar

Cut in butter to form course meal

In small Measuring cup measure out Eggnog, Crack in Egg and Beat with Fork

Add Eggy Eggnog to Bowl

Mix with wooden spoon, or fork. Should be consistency that balls up around mixing spoon. If it seems wet and sticky add a little more Flour. If it is crumbly add a little more liquid. 

 Bake 10-15 minutes ( In NS) 

I sprinkled with a little Nutmeg when it came out. 

The Results

Moist with a creamier texture to standard scones, the Eggnog is there but just a hint. I was hoping for more of an Eggnog flavour, but then I had just below a full 1/2 cup of eggnog, and topped up with 18% cream. Thinking might add some nutmeg to the actual scone next time, and maybe omit the egg and add more eggnog. Still pretty impressed with myself for coming up with the idea though. 

Leave a Comment if you try it at home, especially any modifications.