Here it is almost the end of March and I haven’t written for quite awhile. Lots of reasons, none of them especially interesting, but there it is. Here is what we have been up to at Jenny Lane and elsewhere.

Asheville, NC

I flew down to Asheville on the 28th of February and spent the next 10 days there taking care of my littlest grandson, Orin, who is now just over four months old. It was truly amazing to watch him change on a daily basis while I was there. He learned how to use his hands together, almost rolled over, followed things with his eyes and his head and was able to sit up (with belt on) in his little amusement seat shown above. Needless to say I lapped up all the smiles and giggles that came out of him and thoroughly enjoyed the cuddles whenever I could. The regular sitter was on vacation so my role was to be with Orin during the day while both his mothers were at work and his sister at school. Yes, I loved it. Yes, I was tired. Yes, I would do it again.

Big sister Edie discovered to her delight that there was a mud puddle on the side of their road that she was able to jump in wearing her boots. There is nothing finer than mud and it makes a lovely mess. The weather was very cooperative so it was nice and warm for making mud pies and splashing while getting everything soaking wet and dirty. Babies and three and half year olds make a lot of laundry. I know because I had the chance to fold most of it while I was there several times. Gave me something to do during nap time.

I was able to get out for a couple of good walks including a good long one with Orin in the carriage. You may not know this but Asheville is very hilly and where they live especially so. I had a fun time pushing the carriage up and down those hills with a good solid baby in the carriage who slept beautifully the whole time, even when a fire engine went right by us. On our return home we took a side street and ended up behind the family’s neighborhood and this is the sign we found there. They are so lucky to live in the city but be surrounded by woods and nature trails.

Returning Home

Just before I left I noticed that I had a bit of a scratchy throat. Determined to remain healthy I drank lots of water, took some Tylenol and got plenty of sleep. It didn’t work. I came down with a raging allergy. That’s a family joke as every time John’s mother went to visit her grand children she was told they all had allergies and she would come home with one after each and every visit. So, I came home with one. It actually kept me in bed for a couple of days and on the couch for a few more. Then I got a stomach bug of some kind which didn’t help at all. So, now I am feeling like myself again and realized that I hadn’t written in a very long time.

We have been out walking on the Rail Trail a few times. The snow was almost all gone and the walking was great. I managed a couple of four, five and even a six mile with all the dogs. It was glorious and then. This was on Tuesday night and it really was a blizzard. The wind was howling, the snow blowing and spring was literally blown away. We had daffodils coming up, snow drops and crocus in bloom, and then swoosh, gone. Then there was a forecast for a major winter storm which we got in spades. The official tally was 22.8″ of snow in New London. I measured a few times but never got an accurate total. It’s a lot of snow. This is outside my front door right now. We couldn’t even get our car out of the driveway to go to church yesterday as the pile at the end of the driveway was too tall and too solid. Finally our snow plow friend came and rescued us but by then it was too late to go.

Jack and The Fire Academy

Meanwhile, Jack is moving forward with going to the New Hampshire Fire Academy which he will start on Monday, April the 8th. He will be there through the week and come home on weekends until he graduates on the 14th of June. He is seen here at an information session that he attended this month. In the meantime he is still working as a Safety Officer and a Volunteer Fireman with our local fire station.

Cooking and Eating

I did do an experiment for the first month of Lent and I stopped drinking alcohol. I made it for exactly one month and then decided I really wanted a glass of wine so I did. I can say quite truthfully that I slept better and had more energy than I had before. It was a good reminder to me. I like my wine especially on the weekends as a social thing and it was St. Patrick’s Day. We had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day dinner on the Friday before the 17th and then again on the 17th with our first ever Irish Pizza. It was actually a Reuben pizza and was one of the best I have ever tasted – we all agreed. Of course I forgot to take a picture.

Colcannon Shepherds Pie from Yankee Magazine

Yield:
6 to 8 servings
For the topping:
Ingredients
Kosher salt, to taste, plus more for the cooking water
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
2 1/2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
2 scallions, all parts except root, thinly sliced crosswise
2⁄3–1 cup milk, warmed
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions for the topping:
First, make the topping: Put the potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Using a strainer, remove the potatoes to a bowl and set aside. Discard the water. Return the pot to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, swirl to melt, then add the cabbage and scallions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash until nearly smooth. Add the milk and remaining butter, stirring and mashing until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

Ingredients for the filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or lamb
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup beef or chicken stock, or stout

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F and set a rack to the middle position. Now, make the filling: In a large skillet, warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef or lamb and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet; return to medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and a bit browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir until the vegetables are coated. Return the meat and any juices to the skillet. Sprinkle the flour over all and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock (or stout) in a slow stream, stirring as you go. Simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spoon the topping in dollops over the filling. Use the back of a spoon to gently spread it evenly over the top. Bake until golden brown in places and bubbling along the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.