at home with ann

I came down with a cold.  This cold has done a number on my voice, which is seriously impeding my "If You're Happy and You Know It" singing abilities, but not decreasing the requests.  The only plus has been that the middle of the night coughing fits are the closest thing I've gotten to an ab workout in quite some time.  In any case, this is why I made soup when it's 85 degrees outside. Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup Makes ~4 cups 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks 4-5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 1 small onion, cut into chunks 1 clove garlic, chopped 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme olive oil 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth Salt and Pepper Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a baking sheet, arrange parsnips, carrots and onion in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Stir, and add garlic and thyme sprigs.  Roast 10 more minutes. Remove the thyme leaves from the stem...

We were on vacation at the beach in Rhode Island last week.  During a heat wave there's no place I'd rather be.  Our days consisted of a nice little rotation of beach, other beach, salt pond and playground, all while enjoying Jon being home from work for the first week since August.  After Colin went to sleep at night (thank you, blackout curtains), we'd relax on the porch and enjoy the view of the water.  Vacations call for special cocktails, at least around our house, and Jon took the lead and whipped up this batch of Pink Lemonade Margaritas.  Pink Lemonade Margarita inspired by Ina Garten   Makes 4 cocktails. 1 cup pink lemonade 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 1 cup triple sec 1 cup white tequila 2 cups ice kosher salt Run one of the juiced limes around the rims of the glasses and coat with kosher salt.  Set aside. In a blender, combine lemonade, lime juice, triple sec and ice.  You might need to add the ice in batches, depe...

You've heard me go on and on about how much I love our CSA from Tangerini's Farm .  This is our third year participating.  The first year I was pregnant and got bigger and bigger by the week until it got to the point in late October when I couldn't comfortably bend over to pick vegetables in the fields.  Last year Colin was 5-9 months old.  I'd carry him in the ergo or wheel his stroller out to the ends of the rows in the fields and wave every so often.  This year he runs all over the place, pointing out all the fans, of course, and visiting the animals.  When we pull in the driveway he starts saying, baby goat, baby goat, baby goat, mehhhh, mehhhh.  He has mustered the courage to pat them now, as long as they don't look at him. This CSA summer season started up a few weeks ago, and among our first batch of vegetables were kale and garlic scapes.  Jon made kale chips from half the bunch.  I said I wasn't hungry, didn't want any, and pro...