Seeking Companions for the Vigil

Parent Cafe
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<p>operahorn, thank you for suggesting Rowan. I had never heard of it. I will tell D about it so she can let me know if she would be interested in visiting. Since it’s in NJ, it’s probably something we can do on a day trip (although I’m not sure where in NJ Glassboro is).</p>

<p>mountains, that’s ok - you share what knowledge you have - and today you shared your new recipe for Orange Layer cake - so, thank you for that. I have a question because I’ve only baked one orange cake and that was when I was at sleep-away camp as a child - when you say orange peel, do you zest it, or do you just throw in the peel. I’m sorry if that’s a stupid question, but I really don’t know. I just can’t imagine throwing a peel into cake batter or frosting…lol.</p>

<p>jude_36 - thanks for pointing that out about the study abroad issue, something I may not have thought of. At the moment, D is not interested in the study abroad option, but I know that is something that might change. </p>

<p>CountingDown - LOL about the Iron Chef ad. I think you might be right! The word’s gotten out - we like to eat at the Vigil.</p>

<p>Oh, and owlice, I can’t believe you eat half the stuff you write about, or you wouldn’t be able to get up out of your chair to do all that baking…lol. You have surely contributed more than your fair share of the goodies to our little get-togethers here at the Vigil.</p>

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<p>LIMOMOF2 - I can’t believe I put orange peel - I meant orange zest! That’s what happens when you cut and paste from various recipes and don’t edit too closely! Thanks. Now, I can’t change the recipe. Sigh. (Moderator: if you’re reading this, can you please be so kind and change all the “peel” words to “zest” in post #2135?" Thank you.)</p>

<p>Everyone - it’s orange ZEST! Oh, and I have a fabulous $7.99 Cuisipro zester I can’t live without (thanks amazon)! Makes zesting a breeze.</p>

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<p>I have to say that out of context that is one funny sentence:</p>

<p>Makes zesting a breeze.</p>

<p>@mountains – it’s been years since I was so fancy, but I used to zest all the time with an old fashioned potato grater also used for potato pancakes.</p>

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<p>mountains - I am sure everyone else understood it was zest, but I just wanted to make sure. I don’t own a zester, and like mythmom, I have used a potato grater in the past when I needed to zest lemons. Now that you’ve clarified, I have no excuse - I’ll have to give your recipe a try. Let’s see, the next special occasion is mother’s day, so maybe then.</p>

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<p>I zest with a grater.</p>

<p>mountains, congrats and thanks for the recipe!</p>

<p>LIMOMOF2, what makes you think I can get out of my chair?! :D</p>

<p>Dinner was lentil-bulgar salad; I swear H makes it better, and that means he must not follow the recipe closely, because I did, and it just wasn’t as good! I just finished eating three Oreo cookies. I’ll probably have some peanut M&Ms later. (Well, scratch that “probably.” :slight_smile: )</p>

<p>Now the alcohol references are mostly made up; I drink very very little. A glass of wine with dinner on mostly special occasions, and sometimes a bit of something like Grand Marnier. Speaking of which…</p>

<p>mythmom, orange liqueur sounds like an excellent idea! I have just the thing!</p>

<p>Counting Down, lol re: Iron Chef! You know, if we’re getting context-sensitive ads, we could have some fun with this! :D</p>

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<p>owlice - I know you can get out of your chair because you are always running around after your son, baking bread, etc. If you ate all those amazing sounding dessert you put out for us, well, I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to keep up the pace you set for yourself.</p>

<p>Lentil-bulgar salad sounds like a recipe I need. D is a vegetarian, and I am not, so I am a bit challenged at finding well-balanced vegetarian meals for her. Please share! Or maybe ask your H to share his version, since you said his was better…lol.</p>

<p>Not a big drinker IRL either - although sometimes I would like to be…lol. I do enjoy most drinks, but since I’m always having to drive/pickup the kids and their friends, I rarely have the opportunity.</p>

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<p>I don’t drink at all! But I am a virtual lush, happy to partake with the rest of you. Have to avoid most of the goodies IRL as well. Sigh. But in the matrix, it’s party time.</p>

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<p>mythmom - I think we all have to avoid most of the goodies IRL - sad, but true.</p>

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<p>I must make that recipe mountains…sounds amazing!</p>

<p>I wish all the eating I had done this weekend was virtual…sigh. On a good note, the pool is finally warm enough to get back in and exercise…oooh, my sore muscles.</p>

<p>I checked out the waitlist thread before coming to the V-lounge…looks like some schools are already going to their lists. Not D’s yet. Who’s up for a nightcap?</p>

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<p>Lentil-Bulgur Salad</p>

<p>1 cup dry lentils
2 cups water</p>

<p>1 cup dry bulgur wheat
1 cup boiling water</p>

<p>1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tbsp. freshly minced mint (or 2 tsp. dried mint)
2 to 3 tbsp. freshly minced dill (or 2-2 tsp. dried dill)
fresh black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup (packed) freshly minced parsley
1/3 cup finely minced red onion
1 small bell pepper (any color), diced
1/2 stalk celery, finely minced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup Nicoise olives (a scant 1/4 lb.)
1 medium-sized tomato, diced
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
squeezable wedges of lemon, for garnish</p>

<p>1.) Place the lentils in a medium-sized saucepan, cover with 2 cups water, and bring just to the boiling point. Turn the heat way down, partially cover, and allow to simmer without agitation for 20 to 25 minutes – or until tender but not mushy. Drain well, then transfer to a large bowl.</p>

<p>2.) While the lentils are cooking, place the bulgur in a small bowl. Add the boiling water, cover with a plate, and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes while getting the other ingredients ready.</p>

<p>3.) Add everything to the lentils, except tomato chunks, walnuts, and lemon wedges. Mix gently but thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate.</p>

<p>4.) Just before serving, top with tomatoes and walnuts. Garnish with lemon wedges.</p>

<p>~~~ </p>

<p>That is from the Moosewood Cookbook, which is a great source for vegetarian meals. We always add the whole block of feta (probably 6? 8? ounces). Tonight’s salad needed more dill and more onion; I hadn’t measured either, and should have. H tends to put in more of almost everything herbal/spicy called for when cooking, though for this salad, he never adds the olives (he serves these on the side, as I don’t like olives) nor the walnuts. </p>

<p>He thought tonight’s salad was better than his, but that’s only because he didn’t have to make it!!</p>

<p>We serve this with pita wedges. Tomorrow, S’s lunchbox will have pita stuffed with this salad in it. </p>

<p>I like taking this dish to potlucks; it’s not a particularly attractive dish to look at, so I keep hoping people are scared off of it and we’ll have leftovers to bring home. (Oh, I can dream, can’t I?! :slight_smile: )</p>

<p>~~~</p>

<p>This has been a stressful weekend in my little abode. S has been his 14-year-old challenging best, and I was so furious with him tonight (the very quiet furious that is worse than a raised voice furious, by far) I told him that if he turned 18 and wasn’t in college, he would be moving out and living on his own. His response, very dryly delivered, would have made me laugh ordinarily (and does now), but I was so mad at the time, it didn’t: “I really don’t think one Biology quiz in 9th grade is going to keep me from going to college, Mom.”</p>

<p>(For the record, I’m not mad at him for not studying for the bio quiz, though would prefer that he study for it, of course.) </p>

<p>I read of how wonderful all your college-going kids are, how kind and thoughtful they are, and have to wonder whether my kid will ever get there, and if so, when? When?!?!</p>

<p>Now I have to go tell him good night. I may be furious with him, but I always tell him good night. I’m surprised that most nights, he still lets me kiss him good night, too.</p>

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<p>I’ll be up for a nightcap in just a few… brb.</p>

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<p>:: pours Grand Marnier ::</p>

<p>2for, may I interest you in some Grand Marnier?</p>

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<p>Also a virtual drinker here; don’t drink at all. I actually have alcohol intolerance (found out the hard way) and am allergic to a lot of meds. S, so far, has inherited all my med allergies. I wonder if he has alcohol intolerance, too? He is not a drinker, but then again, what do Moms know? </p>

<p>owlice - I have to try your Lentil-bulgar salad. H is a health nut, so he will like this.</p>

<p>mythmom - Zesting can indeed be a breeze. :)</p>

<p>I used to use my regular peeler and then I discovered the zester - can’t go back!</p>

<p>Waitlist vigil - let’s spread out the goodies! ::Gives out bowls of oatmeal. Everyone squirms.::</p>

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<p>mountains: You are tooooooo funny in your very quiet way.</p>

<p>I love oatmeal. You can’t make me squirm! But I don’t cook enough to need a zester, alas.</p>

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<p>lol, mountains! Thanks for breakfast!! I love oatmeal.</p>

<p>:: adds a pat of butter to oatmeal and stirs it in after it melts ::</p>

<p>:: adds raisins and maple syrup ::</p>

<p>:: sprinkles cinnamon lightly over the oatmeal ::</p>

<p>:: digs in ::</p>

<p>YUM!!!</p>

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<p>owlice, thank you for your recipe. It sounds great and I look forward to making for D (and the rest of the family - although something tells me it will not go over quite as well with S, especially since you said it not a particularly attractive dish…lol). I used to own a copy of the Moosewood Cookbook, but it seems to have disappeared. I forgot about it until you mentioned it, so now I’ll have to go buy another copy.</p>

<p>Wow, so many virtual drinkers here! I barely ever drink, but not because of an alcohol intolerance or anything - just because I won’t drink and drive, and I’m always in the car - which doesn’t seem fair, since I hate driving and like a drink now and then…lol.</p>

<p>mountains, thanks for the oatmeal. Love it! Plus, it’s good for you.</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Yup, this goes for me, too. I’m usually the one behind the wheel, dang it!!</p>

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<p>owlice</p>

<p>Your son is right about the bio quiz and I know you know it. Ninth grade isn’t given as much weight by most schools and this leaves him room for the much-to-be-desired upward trend. I worried too, though, so I understand.</p>

<p>Eventually, I predict he’ll care about it as much as or more than you do–at least as a means to get into the college of his choice, but we all know that following his passions can lead to great things too–certain kinds of passions, that is.</p>

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<p>owlice, hope all is brighter this morning at your home.</p>

<p>Thanks for breakfast, mountains. I’m still working on my first cup of coffee.</p>

<p>Put me down as a Microplane zester advocate. I love that little baby. It’s fast, sharp and easier to clean than a grater. I use mine more for fresh ginger than citrus zest, but it works great for both.</p>

<p>How are our waitlist kids doing? Are they falling more in love with the schools they’re with, or still holding out for the dream school?</p>

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<p>I hear there’s free food here and since I’m always seeking a handout… I read the 144 PAGES of advice, recipes, etc. (This might be too serious for my tastes though, at this hour of the day. I just wanted a choco-chip/zucchini muffin).</p>