Bumpy Slides, Cherry Blossoms, Rockets and Margaritas

I am, achem, recovering from my older son’s 2-week spring vacation. Actually, it was wonderful. We stayed in town for the first week and a half and I took the kids on a daily park adventure. Fine, so there was that one day early in the vacation when I called my husband at work to say “the kids are having a ball…they’re running all over like they’ve never been to a park before…Me? I am FREEZING, and I am fairly certain I am the only mom here,” I complained as I took inventory of the young au pairs and groups of nannies catching up while their charges ate sand. But after I changed my attitude, and was thankful that I have two healthy, really really excited little boys who think there’s nothing better than going to the local parks, things started to look up.

Then, at the tail end of the break, we packed the kids up in the car and went on a D.C. adventure. I had my doubts that going to D.C. with kids so young was going to be fun for any of us, but I was wrong. It was the perfect getaway. We stayed outside of the city, so the Metro alone was an adventure for them. (We made sure we picked a hotel that welcomed children, and that had a Starbucks close by.) We discovered (with the Michelin Guide’s help) a fabulous gourmet pizza place that served unique microbrews. We romped around the National Zoo the first afternoon, meandered through the Air & Space Museum in awe on (rainy) day two, and popped the kids in jogging strollers for a long circuitous walk to all of the Monuments and the Capitol on the morning of day three. Oh, and did I mention that all attractions were clean, very well kept, free…and that the Cherry Blossoms were starting to bloom?

Then, we capped off this exhausting but fun leg of the quick getaway with two nights in Richmond, VA, to visit our dear friends who moved south a little while back. The four little boys ran amuck and giggled for 48 hours straight, and the parents booked some well-deserved babysitting time to catch-up and enjoy each other’s company. On Saturday evening, we ate in with some of their local friends so I whipped up one of my go-to dinner party meals: chicken enchiladas. I have shared the “recipe” below so that you can give it a whirl if you are entertaining a crowd. It is easy to prepare, difficult to botch with cook times, and can be assembled in advance then just popped into the oven. Now that makes for a relaxing evening with friends!

Corn tortillas
Enchilada Sauce (I like Hatch brand, which you can get at Whole Foods)
Shredded Cheese(s)

The filling can really be anything. As I show my cooking lesson clients, once you understand the consistency (it helps to have a visual but the idea is: moist enough that the enchiladas will be solid and creamy, but not so moist that they'll be runny...), you can modify the ingredients depending upon whether you’ve got vegetarian eaters, meat lovers, mild and cheesy guests, those that like beans, those that don't….you get the picture. That night, I made ours with:
2 rotisserie chickens, white meat removed/shredded (I was all about ease that day)
2 envelopes Taco seasoning (Garden of Eatin’ brand is a favorite)
2 bricks low-fat cream cheese
2 cans black beans, drained
4 bell peppers, diced
3 onions, diced
1 can diced mild green chiles
½ jar of pickled jalapenos, diced

I assembled the enchiladas (not worrying if they cracked in the process b/c they're going to be covered in copious amts of sauce), poured the enchilada sauce over the two big baking dishes, sprinkled them with cheese and voila, done. Pop them into a 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese is lightly browned, about 45 minutes or so...though I was having such a good time that I forgot and left them in for about an hour and a half, no damage done. We served them with a yellow rice (which we added some frozen peas to for color/texture), black beans spiked with lime and jalapenos and lots and lots of homemade margaritas. Yes, the neighbor's “Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Machine" made an appearance. Mmm hmm, I just might have to get one of those for our summer entertaining…

Merchants' Day - Canada Life Building

On April 01, 2009 we will be participating in the Merchants' Day event at the Canada Life Building on 190 Simcoe Street, 2nd floor, Corporate Conference Centre. The event will from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm.

We will have a booth displaying our beautiful baby gifts and baby shower favours. We will also be giving away a gorgeous spa basket to a lucky winner! If you working in the area do come and check us out.

Even though we will be processing orders that day and deliveries will be on schedule, we will not be able to answer phone calls or emails during this time period. We will be back in our offices and return all messages by end of day. Please be assured, that all orders placed that day will be processed on schedule.

Thank you!

New Diaper Cakes!

We have been working hard this year designing new diaper cakes and baby gifts. We are very excited to unveil our first batch of freshly 'baked' diaper cakes (more to come so stay tuned!) We tried to include a variety of looks including a 4 tier design. Don't forget, many of our cakes are available in 1,2,3 and 4 tiers so just drop us a line if you like a particular design and we will customize it for you.

Be sure to check out our new diaper cakes and let us know what you think!

Follow @TheBruery on Twitter!

We've welcomed ourselves to 2009 by extending our blogging to Twitter!  Start following TheBruery today and whether it be brewing Saison Rue, stocking the shelves of BevMo or concocting a brand new recipe for you all to enjoy, you will always know what's happening.  Once we've accumulated enough followers, we'll also send out announcements through Twitter, so those who follow us closely will be the first to know about special events or limited releases and be able to get in on them before everyone else.  

Go to www.twitter.com/thebruery or search for @TheBruery on your twitter account and start following us one tweet at a time.

Making a Meal Multi-Task

I love it when I read an article in a magazine, or find a book, that gives me a pat on the back for what I am doing right and offers up ideas that are realistic. One of my more recent finds on this front is Lisa Barnes’ new cookbook, “Petit Appetit – Easy Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages”. There are lots and lots of cookbooks out there, but I like hers because she does a good job of explaining what types of foods you should have on hand to easily create child-friendly homemade meals (similar to what I offer clients on my grocery shopping trips), she talks about how to instill good habits from the start and how to integrate your children in the cooking process. While I consider myself an excellent cook who is savvy in these areas, it’s always nice to have a refresher!

I recently made the boys Mango Chicken Quesadillas from the cookbook…but since I was hosting my book club that night (and my husband, achem, happened to be off on the ski slopes with college buddies which meant chaos between 5-7pm as I fed, bathed, and read to them and then quickly tidied up the house, opened the wine, lit a fire and put out a couple of apps in preparation for my friends’ arrival…) I needed a recipe that could multi-task. So after making two basic whole wheat tortilla brushed with olive oil/chicken/cheese/black bean/mango/cilantro quesadillas for them I doctored up the ones for my girlfriends.

For the mom ones, I added some mango chutney, more fresh cilantro, some finely chopped pickled jalapenos and a dusting of cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika. I baked all of the quesadillas at 350 until they were crisp, and then sliced them into quarters for the kids, more manageable eighths for the moms (who don't want to put their wine glass down for too long). They were delish. I served them room temp with a dipping sauce I quickly whipped up (since whole wheat tortillas are fabulous, but a little dense) of Greek Yogurt + Mango Chutney + Chili Powder. The child dinner/hearty adult app was so good that I made it again the following week for my kids and my husband…then the next day brought the extra quesadillas over to a friend’s house so the mommies could enjoy a delicious lunch while the kids played.

A neighborhood like they "used to be"

This morning I found myself in a pickle. Part of what keeps me feeling fulfilled and balanced is the volunteer work I do for The Tiny Miracles Foundation (TTMF). If I had the ability to tack on a couple extra hours a day to complete the PR work I do for them I’d be golden. But, since my magic wand is on the fritz, I am dealing with the regular 24 and sometimes pulling very late nights juggling normal motherhood with the needs of this non-profit. Sometimes it’s such a juggling act that I wonder if I can do it all, and do it well? But I do not give up this volunteer role because the women I volunteer with inspire me. The strategic thinking and passion that my fellow board members exhibit is a reminder that in addition to taking good care of my family and myself, it is also very healthy to look outside of my immediate circle and help others. The added bonus is that this volunteer work keeps me sharp. Whether you completely dig all the facets of motherhood, or you have days when you long to go back to work full-time we can all relate to the need for occasional adult interaction…and a brief respite from diapers, dinner and coloring.

Anyway, back to my pickle: I want to be able to do my volunteer work, but I also have two young children to consider. Since I cut out all week day babysitting (as a cost saver) and didn’t trust that they’d stay put across the street at Cosi for 2 hours (that’s a joke folks…), it was time to get creative. Solution for those of us without family living locally, or a live in au pair? I asked a friend to watch my children along with her child (translation: playdate) and to thank her, I offered to make dinner (win-win all around, right?). Sure, making dinner may end up costing as much as you’d pay a sitter, but the swapping of dinner for a brief reprieve so you can go and do something for yourself is just such a nice idea. One mom gets a little time off during the day, and the other gets time off at dinner time. Instead of the “mommy guilt” I used to feel at shelling out $30-$60 for a couple of hours of “me” time, I now look forward to swapping childcare with my friends and neighbors.

While I’d like for this blog entry to break out into a loud “halleluiah” song at this point, it bears mentioning that unfortunately the original friend who generously offered to watch my kids woke up to a sick toddler. This is absolutely going to be a fact of life when relying upon our fellow mom friends. Our lives are wonderful, but not necessarily our own! I’m not going to lie….my first instinct was to let Tiny Miracles know I couldn't make it after all. But after shooting off a couple of emails, a third generous neighbor (affectionately called “Auntie Shell” by my children) was more than willing to help out. Knowing she would appreciate something pretty versus edible for her help, we stopped to pick up beautiful quince branches en route to say thank you.

In these times where we’re all watching our wallet a little more closely I am really thankful that I can still get my “me” time…it just takes a little more creativity, and generosity on the part of my fellow moms. I am grateful to have friends who operate like a neighborhood "used to be", moms who look out for and support one another.

Mall walking-- minus the white Reeboks

I love to cook. I also love to eat. I’m not the skinniest mom I know, but I feel good about my body. Post-baby? Not feelin’ too hot. But now it is strong, a little svelter and always able to keep up with my two little boys. A “mom-a-licious” mom has got to feel good about the way she looks if she’s going to be upbeat for her husband, her kids, and (most importantly) herself. For those of us who are trying to be more financially prudent, gone are the days of hiring a sitter so we could get to the gym. My answer to the no sitter/booger-fest gym daycare dilemma has been Stroller Strides classes. While I sometimes cringe at the fact that I spent my winter working out in the mall, you cannot beat a rigorous hour long workout alongside other health-minded moms, with our babies or kids in tow. I didn't let a little snow, sleet, rain or blowing wind get in my way. Besides, Spring is just around the corner, and once the sun comes out for good these fabulous classes will be held outside in Greenwich, Stamford, Rowayton, and (drum roll) New Canaan too!

Yours truly is spending her Spring Break getting trained as a Stroller Strides Instructor. In May, I’ll be bringing these mommy & me exercise classes to Waveny, to encourage local moms to get (or stay) in shape...without breaking the bank. Tune up those jogging strollers!