Producing a Pretzel Precedent

Today was Chinese pretzel day #2 for Daniel and Nathan. Their first pretzel day was scheduled so that Jacob and Marissa (one of Nathan’s neighbors) could participate. But Tawni had to work that day, which necessitated a second pretzel day. Today’s pretzel making allowed Tawni, Charlotte, and Cami (two of Tawni’s sisters) to experience their first ever pretzel day. The boys have gotten their production line pretty fine-tuned and with five sets of hands working together, I suspect the whole process went much faster than it does around here. Nathan told me that the first timers were certain the end product needed some powdered sugar or even some Nutella, but once convinced to try them, they determined that the pretzels don’t need any adornments. Because they really don’t. 😉

I suspect that by feeding pretzels to their friends and new in-laws and associated extended family, Daniel and Nathan are setting a precedent. Before they know it, everyone will want to enjoy some pretzels every year. But as the boys seem to enjoy the whole process, maybe that’s a good thing. There is something to be said for handing down family traditions and knowledge to future generations. And honestly, I’m glad they are enjoying cooking their heritage. And eating it!

Speaking of eating, after Daniel and Nathan headed up the pretzel making committee, Tawni took over and became the entire dinner cooking committee. Tawni likes to cook. And she isn’t a follow-a-recipe kind of cook. She is a feel-the-vibe kind of a cook which basically means she is creative and cooks and seasons according to taste. My little Logan crew and their cronies have started giving Tawni a challenge to use a specific ingredient or two and then giving her free reign to cook whatever she wants for dinner. Nathan calls it the “choose your own adventure” kind of dinner.

Earlier this week the challenge was to make chili using a specific citrus spice blend Nathan had. The result was a white chicken chili well-seasoned and spiked with lime juice. Tonight, the instruction was to use some Cory cow. Sirloin ramen was the result. It looked delicious. And it makes me wonder if I could step up my cooking game with a bit of experimentation. I sometimes get bored with our menu and boredom leads to dissatisfaction after dinner which leads to a desire to nibble on other things not because I’m still hungry, but because the meal I ate was not satisfying for my tongue. Malia has become a super picky eater of late, and that is definitely not helping matters. I’ve tried to choose dinners that I know she will eat, but that way leads to boredom as previously mentioned. So maybe I need to just break out of the routine and try something different. Maybe I need to try a “choose your own adventure” kind of meal once in awhile…

Crafting a Confection

One of the things Malia cannot eat is fancy chocolates. Ingredient wise there isn’t always anything that makes them dangerous for her, it’s the cross contact. There are certain things that always have cross contact with peanuts and fancy chocolates are one of those things.

Now this is going to seem like a squirrel moment but stick with me. It all works.

Years and years ago, I used to make caramels every year at Christmas. I love caramels and the homemade ones were far, far better than those square cubes of Kraft caramels that I ate as a kid. But after Matthew was diagnosed with his plethora of allergies, I stopped making the caramels. It just seemed too mean to make such a tasty treat and tell my little guy that he couldn’t have any. And all those years ago, I was not as experienced where cooking without all his allergens was concerned, so I didn’t know how to make a version that worked for him.

With Matthew away from home right now, I have been taking advantage of being able to cook with a bit more freedom. We have discovered that there are some things that we simply prefer in the Matthew friendly versions, but other things have been a delight. And for the first time in many years, those annual Christmas caramels came to mind. And I knew I would be making some. But the cool thing is that with eighteen years’ worth of experience cooking for Matthew, I made some delightful coconut milk caramels last month and sent them off to Arkansas last week. Matthew said they were delightful. Anyway, back to the normal dairy version.

A few weeks ago, Malia happened to spot a box of chocolate-covered caramels that didn’t have anything on the label that would seem detrimental to her health. Now let me educate you just a bit. There is a law in place about labeling for food allergens that are actually in foods, but there is no law regarding labeling for cross contact. Many brands include a “may contain…” or a “manufactured on the same line…” statement on their packages, but they are not required to do so. As such, when I find a product that doesn’t contain any kind of statement, I always treat it as a possibly dangerous item. Especially when it falls into a category that is generally unsafe. Like fancy chocolates. So, we bought the chocolates, with the caveat that I would contact the company and if they were unsafe, we could send them home with the older kids. I did contact the company and unsurprisingly, the caramels had cross contact with just about everything. So, Daniel, Tawni, and Nathan got some fancy chocolates, and I promised Malia that when I made caramels, I would dip some in chocolate so she could experience the wonder.

This week was caramel week and today was dipping day. For years I’ve just used normal spoons and forks for dipping chocolates, but I recently picked up a cheap set of chocolate dipping tools, and they made the whole dipping process much faster and easier. And some simple chocolate drizzling spoons gave me the opportunity to dress the chocolates up just a bit. They turned out pretty, which makes me ridiculously happy. Because tasting good is fantastic, but looking delightful and tasting good is even better! Malia sampled some as soon as she walked in the door after school, and they have earned her stamp of approval. Even the early ones that aren’t as pretty as the others. 😂 As for me, I’m enjoying the undipped caramels. And with a good Matthew friendly version in my cookbook, they just might be back on our yearly Christmas menu.

Priorities

With finals over, Daniel and Nathan have turned their focus to far more important things-Chinese pretzels. They scheduled a day that was soon enough after finals that Jacob and Marissa, one of Nathan’s friends, would still be in town as both of them wanted to participate in the making of the pretzels. Because those who help make them have part ownership and eating rights pertaining to the finished product. And anyone who is addicted to these crunchy little wonders knows that one or two is just never enough! Nathan has picked up a few more tips since last year’s inaugural pretzel day, and this time he knew exactly how to adjust the batter to get optimal results. They turned out perfect!

As a side note, Nathan Facetimed me to see if their early pretzels looked right and it just so happened that I was at my mom’s house today helping her make pretzels, so he got the Chinese Grandma’s stamp of approval! And I guess if you look at it the right way, this whole process is about learning and passing on cultural and family traditions, so if we call it family history maybe that is a good way to rationalize the importance of the event. Or maybe I’m just trying to justify eating my own body weight in Chinese pretzels. 😂

Preoccupied with Peppermint

It’s a well-established fact that I love to bake. And it’s also a fact that I’m a big fan of cheesecake and have really enjoyed creating some amazing ones here at home so that my food allergy kiddos can enjoy the creamy, dreamy taste of a good cheesecake as well. Over the past few years, I’ve reserved cheesecake for my birthday, but I came across a white chocolate peppermint cheesecake recipe that looked absolutely divine, so I jumped the gun a bit and made cheesecake a few weeks in advance. I mean, peppermint flavored goodies at Christmas time are kind of ubiquitous and I know that I won’t be craving that particular flavor as much once January rolls around. So, I broke my one treat a week rule, which honestly, I’ve broken pretty much every week since Thanksgiving, and created a red and white swirled confection that just screams out North Pole.

I wanted to make sure there was plenty of peppermint flavor, so I used peppermint extract in addition to the Andes white chocolate peppermint baking chips the recipe called for as well as a bit of extract in the whipped cream I swirled on top. The verdict on this particular cheesecake is that it is delicious, but maybe just a bit too strongly flavored. I think that if I leave the whipped cream plain next time, the flavors will balance better. But despite that, I really enjoyed it! It is rich, creamy, and I suspect it will be making a repeat appearance in Decembers yet to come.

Tender Mercies

There is a tender mercy in the fact that Matthew is spending his first Christmas away from home in an area where he has extended family of a friend here at home watching out for him. Megan’s aunt has been an absolute rock star. Not only has she invited Matthew and his companion into her home on multiple occasions, but she was here for Thanksgiving and hand delivered a letter to me from Matthew and took a little package from us back to our missionary in Arkansas. And this morning she sent me a text asking what kind of Christmas candy Matthew can have. I sent her a few options, and she put together a whole little gift bag full of goodies for him and another for his companion. She checked with me to make sure she got it right, and she absolutely did. Everything she chose was perfect for Matthew.

Matthew has been a little down the past few weeks. Big holidays away from home can be tough, so I’m enormously grateful for these little things that become big things for those young men and young women who are away from their families serving the Lord. I only hope that there is a sister in Honduras who is watching over Megan’s aunt’s son while he serves and spends his first Christmas away from home. 

People Person

 Rather than the three or four Christmas concerts we’ve attended the past several years, this year we only had one. And while Malia hated some of the songs they sang (the alto part of “Carol of the Bells” is so boring!), there were some she really enjoyed (a medley of songs from “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” one of our favorite Christmas movies). And she loved that Daniel was able to drive down to attend her concert. As the youngest child, she doesn’t have siblings that attend every concert like the boys did. And she feels that loss. So, the fact that Daniel took the time to come down meant a lot. His finals schedule worked out just right this time around and I’m so grateful he made attending the concert a priority. And I know Malia appreciates it too. She knows that her brothers have busy lives as they try to juggle school, work, church responsibilities, friends, family, and in Daniel’s case, a new wife, but she definitely misses them.

While I know many youngest children who really enjoy having the run of the roost, Malia doesn’t enjoy being the only child left at home. She has always been a people person. Even as a baby she loved being surrounded by people and in those early years, those people were her brothers. They come around when they can and she understands that they can’t always be here, but when they can, it is a highlight for her.

Somebody’s Watching Me

Last night, Malia asked me if we had any googly eyes. It is one of those craft items that I’ve had hanging around for years for those random times I want them, and my supply was greatly increased some years back when Nathan used googly eyes as a high school dance ask or response, I don’t remember which. So, I replied in the affirmative, having no idea why she wanted them. Her reason? Whimsy.

The eyes on the microwave are the ones that keep throwing me off. I catch a glimpse from the corner of my eye, and my brain tells me there is something not quite right…

Her Own Drummer

Malia has a strong personality. She has her own ideas of how things should be and most of the time, she cannot be swayed. I learned years ago that she simply doesn’t think the way I do. Even as a preschooler, she pushed back at my way of doing things. She balked at any kind of organizational system I tried to employ in her room. I stopped buying clothes for her without her consent when she was about five because if it was not to her liking, there was no way in the world she was going to wear it. And things that she had happily worn a year or two before became anathema to her. So rather than waste the money, I began consulting her on all clothing purchases. And if she does not want to do something, she really digs in her heels and trying to get her to change her mind is like fighting a forest fire with a Dixie cup of water. Basically impossible. So, we save the big fights for the things that matter. But it’s not that her way is bad, it’s just different than my way. We kind of sum it up by saying that she thinks like an artist, not an OCD perfectionist like me. 

Her style and way of doing things is sometimes more obvious than others. And this evening was one of those times. She invited her longtime friend Acie to join her for an impromptu gingerbread house decorating event. Although both girls had the exact same house kit, Malia assembled hers in her very own way. And was perfectly happy with the results. 

Malia says that if you look at it just the right way, it looks a bit like Rudolph. That’s her artist’s brain working. And yet, she has a point…  😂