Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Costco currently has 18 oz packages of blackberries for $4.49, which is why y’all need to take a look at this recipe for Blackberry Crisp.  After all, what’s not to love?  It’s got more or less the same topping as apple crisp–the recipe doesn’t call for nutmeg, but I absolutely threw some in because NUTMEG–but underneath it runs a river of gorgeous purple berries and juice.  Even I stopped for a few seconds to admire the color before indulging in the taste, and I’m not known for fretting overmuch about the aesthetics of food.  (Much to my art teacher mother’s regret.  You did try, Mom.)  Once you top the serving in your bowl with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, however–or whipped cream in a pinch–you’ll move past the surface pretty quickly.  The trio of tart, sweet, and buttery is a party in your mouth, and when you marry it with cold creaminess, it’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.

My friend and I may or may not have doubled this recipe and made it twice this week.  I wonder when I’ll make it to Costco again…

Tonight I brought the 4th Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel out into the living room to finish and loosened my hold on it; I ended up having to (literally!) pry it out of my 8-year-old’s hands while pointing out that I had fourteen pages left, I would review it tonight, and she and her older sister would find it on the stairs available for them to read when they woke up tomorrow morning.

Me: …And THEN you guys can fight about who gets to read it first.  And by “fight about it” I mean politely use words to come to a peaceful and mutual                    decision.

Since my oldest is in the middle of one of the Frog Princess books, and the 8-year-old specifically chose the shortest library chapter book she had to read tonight so that she could finish it and be ready for the other in the morning, I’m not expecting any surprises.  She is obsessed with graphic novels.

Thankfully, Claudia and Mean Janine makes for a good one.  Sibling conflict is widely relatable, and Mimi’s illness makes a meaningful catalyst for change in Claudia and Janine’s relationship.  The panels depicting the BSC’s summer playgroup scenes made me giggle more than once, and the ending was emotionally satisfying.  It’s true that sibling relationships are more likely to gradually improve, but the sit-down-conversation between the two girls felt representative of that, in a way.  It felt like it ought to seem too neatly and quickly wrapped up, and yet it didn’t terribly to me.

Ultimately, these versions of the old books have been surprisingly enjoyable to me as an adult, and my 8- and 11-year-olds are both nuts for them.  If you’ve got middle to upper elementary daughters, these ought to be a hit.  (Just cross your fingers with me that the change in artists from this book to the next won’t be a terrible change.  I don’t envy anyone stepping into Raina Telgemeier’s shoes.)

That’s what this post is, but last night was one of those nights where you’re doing ALL THE THINGS and it just gets away from you.  On the other hand, it is with the GREATEST pleasure that I review Does This Book Make Me Look Fat?:  Stories About Loving–And Loathing–Your Body, because I have been reading this forever.  (Clearly it’s a day for emphasis and hyperbole.)  It was in the bathroom drawer for a while, being read small bits at a time, and then I brought it into my bedroom and read until a long short story had me stalled, and then I pushed through that only to realize that while I loved the essays, the short fiction didn’t always speak to me.  I made it through, however, and overall I think the target audience might really like this one.  I really enjoyed parts, mostly enjoyed others, and found at least one to be downright bizarre.  I also put myself into a few pairs of shoes that I hadn’t before, metaphorically speaking, and noticed myself pondering events and possibilities that I wouldn’t normally give much thought to.  I’d say that’s a recommendation in and of itself, wouldn’t you?

Who could ask for anything more, right?  I was at my friend Britt’s house looking at tortellini recipes–it both felt doable and sounded good–and came across this Ham and Cheese Tortellini that looked awfully easy.  The bonus?  It called, specifically, for deli ham, and guess what I had languishing in my fridge that needed to be used sooner rather than later?  This recipe, then, was both practical and tasty.  My one issue with it as written was that it didn’t have anything acidic going on (and oh, how I love acidity!).  To that end, I chopped up a couple of tomatoes and tossed them in with the peas (which I about doubled–yay for veggies, right?), and I drizzled some Balsamic vinegar on top of the individual servings (my choice and at the kids’ request!).  I also tossed some garlic into the pan shortly after the ham, because why not?  I ended up quite liking the result, although next time I will salt it less.  The kids were ambivalent, interestingly enough, but since it was quick and easy and I liked it, they’ll probably end up having a few chances to change their minds…