My Brave Boy

Something about this picture really gets me. It's his first day of preschool. His face is full of uncertainty and apprehension. He clings to his bag wondering what waits for him inside those doors. His sister is resting comfortably in the carriage behind him; she gets to get back in the car.

He cried, and clung to me, and asked if I would stay with him or if we could just go home. But he ended up having a great day. That was three weeks ago. And now he loves school, loves his teachers, walks through those doors and doesn't even look back at me. He comes home every day singing new songs and carrying art projects. You should see our refrigerator, covered with dried bean letters and gluey, painted apples and a sunflower made from a paper plate. How can I ever throw any of his art away?

It has been a rough few weeks of parenting. No one is lying when they say the twos are hard. But when I think about the innocence of these preschool years, his excitement at learning the ABCs, taking his teddy bear to school for a picnic, his face when I pick him up at noon... I know that my heart will ache for these days someday.

Cinnamon Brownies

There are pictures of apples and sweaters all over the internet, but it is hard for me to get excited about fall just yet. All the coffee shops are advertising pumpkin lattes. My son's Halloween costume sits in a box, ready to go. I even have out my fall cocktail napkins, courtesy of my mom. It is 88 degrees in the lowcountry today. The mosquitoes are still out.

Nonetheless, I've been getting ideas for fall and winter and a little excitement is stirring. I can't wait to have a house to decorate. I plan to make this advent calendar with my preschooler this year. And today I made some very wintry tasting brownies.

Let me say that I've never jumped at brownie recipes that call for using unsweetened cocoa powder. That doesn't seem like real chocolate to me, and it seems too easy to use something I always keep on hand. But that was before I learned that the taste of cocoa really stands out when all it shares the pan with is butter, sugar, flour, and a little cinnamon. The only fat comes straight from the butter instead of from the fat and binding agents used to make a chocolate bar. The only sugar is real sugar. The taste of these brownies is amazing, gooey, rich, delicious. The cinnamon cuts through it all just perfectly. They are just what I needed on this late summer day, when I am happy to be soon saying goodbye to September. It may not be fall yet in Charleston, but at least it is fall in my kitchen.

Cinnamon Brownies

10 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon mexican vanilla

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and place in the microwave, cooking in 30 second increments as not to over cook. Stir after each 30 seconds. Cook until butter is melted, and ingredients are well combined--it looks fairly gritty at this point, but it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added. If you don't have a microwave, a double boiler will work just the same.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter. The recipe says 20 to 25 minutes, but I found I had to bake them for about 30. Let cool completely on a rack and then lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares.

This recipe comes from this gorgeous blog.

In Memory of My Grandmother

My grandmother, Lois Hudson Cobb, lost her life to breast cancer 30 years ago today. She was 56, almost six years younger than my mother is now. While I was only 7 when she died, I have sweet memories of sitting with her on the front steps of her house in Nashville cutting out Lettie Lane paper dolls. I did not know her long enough.

On October 15th I will be running the Susan B. Komen 5K to help raise funds to treat and end breast cancer. If you feel compelled, please donate money to this worthy cause using this link: http://www.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/General?px=10558114&pg=personal&fr_id=2260 Any amount helps, and I greatly appreciate your support.

Bicycles and a Tree House

After a difficult week of parenting (skipped naps, our preschooler eating toothpaste and then vomiting all over the house, early mornings and lots of tantrums), Andy and I needed some time to escape from our children. It was his brilliant idea to hop on our bikes and head for the tree house. A tree house and bicycles may seem like a strange way for adults to escape from children, but actually it was the perfect way to spend an evening. With our children with a sitter we packed a picnic and settled in among the branches to sip some wine, listen to the marsh sounds, and watch the boats come in from an afternoon at sea.

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We aren't sure who built this place, but it sits on the shore of the Wando river on Daniel Island. With nothing to do and a view that looked something like the picture below, it was easy to remember why we moved to Charleston, why we live on Daniel Island, and most importantly, why we married each other. 

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And since Daniel Island is so incredibly bike friendly we were able to bike home much, much later, maybe a little tipsy from the wine, with no worries about our safety. But not before stopping off here for a nightcap. 

The Art of the Handwritten Letter

I have the most lovely and amazing aunt. Although she turned 91 this week, she still lives (alone) in her home in Jackson, Tennessee. Like many in her generation, she's never chosen to learn to use a computer. Instead she corresponds by writing beautiful handwritten notes. I was lucky enough to receive one of these in my mailbox yesterday, and for a moment I was lost in her sweet words.

What is it about handwritten letters that makes them so special? Is it that words written by hand have undergone more thought than those that fly off a keyboard? Or the extra effort it takes to buy a stamp, address an envelope, and drop it in a mailbox? Handwritten notes offer something tangible that can be kept forever. I still have letters written by the hands of my grandmothers, both of whom are no longer living. My grandfather wrote letters to us when we were little using a pen with four different colors. Every word is a different color, his all-caps handwriting all his own, and his quirky sense of humor comes through in every sentence. I'll keep them forever.

When I write letters, I like to use good quality stationery. Here are a few of my favorite stationery makers:

Avie Designs www.aviedesigns.bigcartel.com

William Arthur www.williamarthur.com

Crane & Co. www.crane.com

Enjoy your weekend and take the time to write someone a letter. I know I'll be writing back to my aunt, and that getting my letter will make her day.

Sometimes a Dog...

Sometimes a dog is as good as any man.

This is for my brother and his family today. And his two dogs, who have been good companions to him for a long, long time. You were good boys, James and John. We will miss you.

Little Baileys Cheesecakes

I happened upon these little beauties on thestonesoup.com, which is rich with quick and easy recipes. In fact, the whole premise is 5 ingredients in 10 minutes or less. I find that when I'm hosting a dinner and preparing every course myself, sometimes I run out of steam by the time dessert comes around and I end up buying something from a bakery. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that, but these little cheesecakes are impressive and elegant and take even less time than a stop off at the bakery. I made these this weekend when my parents were in town, and everyone thought they were delicious.

Little Baileys Cheesecakes

6 shortbread or butternut snap type cookies (I used Walker's shortbread rounds)
1/3 cup Baileys
7 oz. ricotta
9 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Line a muffin tin with 6 muffin papers.

Place cookies upside down in the bottom of each. You may need to trim them a little with a knife to get them to sit flat. Drizzle each cookie with 1 teaspoon Baileys.

Combine remaining ingredients, including remaining Baileys, in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Divide mixture evenly among muffin papers and refrigerate for at least an hour until ricotta firms up.

Both images via thestonesoup.com. My appologies for using borrowed images, but my pictures did not turn out.

A Weekend of Celebration

 It was a beautiful weekend in Charleston as we celebrated the joyful occasion of our daughter's baptism. Some of my favorite people were in town to share in the celebration, and Stella had the honor of having her Mimi as a reader during the ceremony. She fussed a little as we stood at the front of the church, but really she could not have handled the whole experience better. I left the day feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for our church, our family, and of course our little girl. Afterwards we went to our house for lunch and pink cake. Below are a few photos from the special day.

Stella and her special reader

Stella with her grandparents

our little girl on her big day

what he'll remember from this day

heirloom cocktail napkins

pink cake

Happiness is Stella Hayes

Mediterranean Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Feta, and Olives

I made this on a weeknight and thought it represented minimal effort for maximum results. The fresh mint adds a lot, and I find myself using feta often because it's a full-flavored cheese that's lower in fat. The recipe uses a high-low approach when cooking the chicken, which means that you get a flavorful browned crust without drying out the interior. You can translate the technique for all kinds of chicken dishes.

Chicken:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless breasts
salt and pepper 4 teaspoons canola oil

Relish:
2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup coarsely chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup shredded mint
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. For the chicken, spread the flour into a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off excess.

2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until well browned on the first side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

3. For the relish, return the skillet to medium heat, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, and water, scraping up any browned bits, and cook about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pour the relish over the chicken and sprinkle with the feta and mint before serving.

This recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.

Handmade Crayon Roll Up

I love anything made by hand, and it always makes me happy when I can find a gift for someone on etsy. It's not just about giving something that is one-of-a-kind; it's also about supporting others in their creative pursuits.That's why I was excited for my friend Rachel when she recently opened her own etsy shop, RAGamuffinStyle (her initials are RAG - isn't she clever?). Rachel sews beautiful things. She made this gorgeous nautical themed crayon roll up for my two-year-old:

It fits nicely in my diaper bag so it's instant entertainment when we're away from home, and he loves having his own "wallet" full of crayons.

Rachel coordinates her fabrics with whimsical details like the anchor button in the photo above. The result is a beautiful, handmade gift that is perfect for a birthday party when paired with this coloring book. Please visit Rachel's etsy shop by going here, and check out her crayon roll ups as well as changing pads, loveys, dog beds and more.

Tidying Up

These images, by Swiss artist Ursus Wehril, really appeal to my neat and organized side. They are part of a just published book entitled The Art of Cleaning Up (or Die Kunst, Aufzuraumen, from Kein & Aber, in case you happen to speak German).

Who would see a bowl of fruit...

 ...and think to do this with it?

And who on earth would think of tidying up a pine branch?

And then there is our randomly aligned solar system, which could use some organization. 

And here is my favorite for the beautiful colors and live participants.

I really need this guy to come to my house.

All images via npr.org

Skinny Margaritas

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Ever since I learned that tequila is the liquor with the lowest glycemic index from some of my crazy (and very skinny) friends who follow the Paleo diet, I've been making these at home on a regular basis. They're easy and good and best of all, it's a scientifically proven fact that the more of them you drink the skinnier you get.

One of the keys is using a decent tequila since you will really taste it. Usually that means a silver instead of a gold. We really like Milagro tequila for its smoky flavor. My brother sips tequila neat, but he's always been sort of a general badass.

To make skinny margaritas:
1. Fill a pretty glass with ice. Crushed is best.
3. Fill the glass about 1/3 full with tequila.
4. Add enough sparkling water until the glass is almost full. Flavored is nice, but plain is good too.
5. Add a touch of Rose's sweetened lime juice - about a pinkie finger full.
6. Use lots of fresh lime to top it off, and don't forget a nice cocktail napkin.
If you are a Paleo purist you would avoid the Rose's, of course. You try it your way and figure out what you like.

And here's my brother, the general badass, only instead of holding a glass of tequila he's holding my daughter.

Aren't I nice to send you into the weekend with a new cocktail recipe? Happy sipping.

Barges

Thames sailing river barge via

This is one of my favorite songs to sing to my children. My mother taught it to me.

Out of my window, looking through the night

I can see the barges' flickering light

Silently flows the river to the sea

And the barges too go silently.

Barges, how I'd like to go with you

How I'd like to sail the ocean blue

Barges, have you treasure in your hold?

Do you fight with pirates, brave and bold?

Van Gogh's Barges painted in 1888

My son loves this song because he can see barges on the Cooper River from his bedroom window. It's not exactly Van Gogh, but there's something so peaceful about watching ships pass by silently as they head out or return from a long voyage at sea.

Feather Baby Your Nest

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When I was pregnant with my second child, my mother took me to this beautiful store in Atlanta for what she called a "mini-shower." It was totally unexpected and wonderful. As soon as I walked in the door I was in love. The fabrics are 100% Peruvian Pima unblended cotton and softer than anything you've ever touched. The patterns and designs are equally as gorgeous. All pieces are designed by Joe and Suda Peta, Decatur residents who happen to have triplets and still find time to be creative and run their own small business. Good for them.


If you live in Charleston, there's only one place that sells Feather Baby, and that's Sugar Snap Pea on King Street.

I spent so much time staring at those beautiful clothes before my daughter was born and trying to imagine her in them. And now I spend so much time staring at her. 

Hi beautiful Stella. Those are her brother's hands beside her, by the way.

My little feather baby girl.

Labor Day Weekend

Here are some bits and pieces from our Labor Day weekend with my Dad, Susan, and Stephen on Wild Dunes. Our favorite parts were dinner at Hank's, a rainy afternoon spent together indoors, chasing our children on the beach, and Foard's first high school football game (BE vs. Hanahan).