Reading & Feeding

My youngest has caught the reading bug! Two or three weeks ago he would only "preview" books by flipping through them, but he wouldn't really try to read the words. Then something clicked in his head and he decided to read. He had brought home a Captain Underpants chapter book the previous week and I guess the chapter I was reading to him at bedtime just wasn't enough. After a week or two of him wanting to read and re-read the first chapter or two of Captain Underpants, he switched to the first Harry Potter book. Every chance he gets he asks me if he can read to me. He keeps starting over at the beginning, learning the words so much that he has memorized it. He even wrote out part of it at school!

I've been cooking up a storm lately. A few months ago I subscribed to NYTimes Cooking. They send me emails a few times a week with recipe and menu suggestions. Normally I am routinely unsubscribing from email lists, but I love these emails. Anyway, recently I've made Linguine with Crispy Chickpeas (where the rosemary infuses the oil and thus the whole dish with it's essence), Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric (I ate this for lunch all week and looked forward to it each day, even the last serving!) both from NYTimes Cooking, plus my standard brined and spatchcocked chicken (eternally loved), pasta with sausage and broccoli (something I just made up), Bolognese with Vodka Sauce (I had planned on making it in my slow cooker but ran out of time and just made it on the stove - really good!), Chicken Paprikash, and roasted delicata squash with maple syrup. This is the season for winter squash. I have a table full of picky eaters, myself included, and we all enjoy this squash.

Last week I decided I wouldn't try to make something to go along with the theme of the Great British Baking Show and instead just made my favorite oatmeal cookies. They are so good. I've been making the same recipe since I was in high school. What's left of them is now in a bag in the freezer and I think pulling one out of the freezer and eating right away is possibly even better than eating them freshly baked! As it is Friday today we will watch another baking episode tonight. One of the bakers' challenges has to do with ice cream (I always peek ahead!) so I bought some chocolate covered ice cream bon-bons. While I was picking up the bon-bons I bought a cinnamon croissant loaf and it is really, really good. The kids each had two toasted slices after school. I had one with a cup of tea and secretly wanted a second one too...