City Mice

Before reading this post, sit down because you might be here for a while. You might even want to grab a cup of coffee to keep awake. This is going to be a long post covering events of yesterday evening and today.

Yesterday Sammy was sick, again, so we had to cancel a long awaited sleepover she was having with a friend. We intended to let the girls camp in the backyard for an extra special slumber party, but it was not to be. After much consideration, and a little bit of a spring in Sammy's step, by late afternoon we'd decided the slumber party was back on, this time with just our family. We cracked open the brand new six person, octagonal tent, Jon had bought a few days ago and started assembling it with a great deal of enthusiasm... at first. After an hour or so, it became all too clear that the tent was a lot smarter than us. We gave up. As much as I hate to admit it, it was just too damn hard and we were tired of wrestling with it. After all, we are, City Mice, and know not the ways of erecting tents and such, instead we are much better at erecting a suitcase in which to place our travel clothes for hotel stays.

Despite our pathetic attempts at outdoorsy fun, we settled on a simple backyard fire complete with Nutella S'mores.

The girls camped out in the family room instead of under the stars.

By morning, we were all hungry for a big breakfast {fighting with a tent will make you ravenous) so I made these Pikelets from Donna Hay. I'll have to provide the recipe later as I am too tired to type out the recipe now.

After breakfast it was off to explore our sunny city. As you probably know by now, it just isn't a family outing without a trip to a long board store. And yes, Jon did manage to buy another one -- with our encouragement of course.

Then it was off to downtown Seattle where we explored the open market and cavernous stores and eateries.

 

After the girls had ice-cream at Pike Place Market, we stopped in at the Chocolate Box - a cruel thing to do after the girls had already eaten their ice cream. Their hungry eyes wanted more treats but we just couldn't bring ourselves to give them more, so we left with having only a few samples.

Then it was off to Tune, a high-end audio store where we checked out a few turntables. And yes, I did explain to the children what the big black discs were and why they were going around and around on the flat plate.

We walked to the Olympic Sculpture Park where we rested and also played.

We listened to the gurgle of Seattle's underbelly through the large orifice in the center of this installment. Okay, maybe it wasn't Seattle's underbelly, but if you had to imagine it, it would probably sound like the glurp whoosh bubble bubble coming out of this contraption.

The City Mice showing off their sharp teeth and claws.

After taking the photos we saw the sign that read, "Do Not Touch." Oops.

I call the above image: Man, Red Chair and Striped Handbag. HA!!

It was such a beautiful day and this bride picked the perfect day to start her new life. I apologized to her for taking her picture but told her that I thought she looked gorgeous. I don't think she minded what with that radiant smile of hers.

This orange bike is fabulous.

Finally we arrived home after a long day walking the hard pavement of downtown Seattle. Jon made possibly the best ever iced coffee drink I've ever wrapped my lips around. But because it contains: condensed and evaporated milk along with concentrated coffee, I don't know how many more I'll be having -- it was extremely decadent. My husband knows me too well. I suppose I was supposed to sip it... I didn't. I chugged it. Yummy.

We City Mice were wiped out by the end of the evening -- well, except for me. After having that coffee I'll be up all night, hence the long post.

Lemon Butter Cake

My children sometimes challenge me in ways I never thought imaginable. They can be fiery, and they test their boundaries at every turn keeping me forever on my toes. We are trying our best to take advantage of the summer break and we wish desperately that Mother Nature help us out a little. The incessant rain and gloomy skies haven't given us much motivation to rejoice so instead we rely on indoor activities like, practicing our best Paula Dean accent to fulfill each day. Alex's impression of Paula Dean is almost perfection while Sammy and I still have work to do.

"Welcome to Pawla Deeen's Besst Diashes. Today we're goinna bake a deliciouz, Lemon. Butter. Cake. Don't that jes make yer mouth warter?"

The other day I baked a cake even though there was no birthday or anniversary to celebrate. I just thought a cake might be the thing we needed to lift our spirits. That and a little Paula Dean.

Modern Classic, Book 2, by Donna Hay is absolutely wonderful. Donna's recipes are time savers and require few ingredients which is exactly the type of baking I enjoy most -- simple.

Lemon Butter Cake

Recipe from: Modern Classic, Book 2, by Donna Hay

Ingredients:

Cake:
4 oz butter, very well softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caster (superfine) sugar (can be found at William Sonoma or other specialty food stores)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon zest of lemon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place the butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, baking soda and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined.

Increase speed to high and then beat the mixture until it is smooth.

Grease a 8 inch round cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper. Spoon in the mixture and bake for 1 hour 5 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then turn onto a wire rack. Serve plain or spread with basic icing.

Basic Icing:
Sift 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar into a bowl. Mix through 2 tablespoons water or 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth.

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips with Fruit Salsa

Sometimes kids just have a way of saying things plainly, compartmentalizing worlds complications into black/white or this/that. For instance, tonight after dinner Alex was looking pensive just sitting there alone in a comfy chair, quietly dangling her legs over the armrest until she decided to prop herself up, extend her arm and then point to the light in the vaulted ceiling. "I wish I could live in that light?" Which I thought she was saying for her own benefit due to the dreamlike quality to her voice; but soon her gaze rested on me, a sure signal that she wanted a response. Meeting her gaze, I stopped loading the dishwasher and asked, "What's that now?" With arm still extended she answered, "That light... right there. I wish I could live in it because sometimes at bedtime I'm afraid of the dark." Simple isn't it? If you're afraid of the dark, why not live in the light. Putting Alex to bed tonight proved to be an impossibility because she cried her eyes out until Jon decided to take her downstairs to snuggle with him. There, with her dad, accompanied by the glow of the TV, Alex's wet cheeks illuminated and her mood elevated. Under these conditions, sleep came with ease. How I wish everything came this easy.

Today I made Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips with Fruit Salsa. I don't have an official recipe as I merely put it together based on some information I received from two other moms at my daughter's elementary school. It sounded easy enough and so I tried it. Here's a picture tutorial:

1. Cut flour tortillas into triangles. As many as you think you'll need.

2. Mix melted butter, sugar and cinnamon, then brush over tortilla pieces.



3. Sprinkle a mix of Cinnamon sugar over the top of the buttered tortillas then Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes or until nice and crisp. And don't worry, your hand won't look like a giant claw when you do this; this is just how my hand looks on camera, don't be afraid, go to the light.

4. Combine fruits of your choice to make the fruit salsa. I used, mangoes, strawberries, red seedless grapes. (you can also add cilantro or mint to kick up the flavor, but I didn't do it because I wanted it to be as kid friendly as possible).

5. Squeeze in some lime juice. (you can also add peach nectar or orange juice if you so desire -- I did not desire, so I left it out.) Can you tell I was having trouble squeezing that lime? Where's the juice you ask. I couldn't tell you if the lack of juice was the result of an an abnormally strong lime, or a weak left hand. In either case, I did manage to produce a good amount of lime juice once my right hand was free. 

6. Mix it all up.

7. Meanwhile your chips should have come out of the oven by now.

8. Your fruit should have melded together nicely.

9. Put the two together and you got yourself, Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas with Fruit Salsa.

I wish all recipes were this easy.