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Create: Your Own Holiday

On Wednesday Todd declared, “Tomorrow is Lolo Day.” Lolo is Soren’s nickname for his much-loved nanny, Myrtle, a woman certainly deserving of a holiday. My heart kinda melted as Todd took it upon himself to make a card of appreciation, pick up a gift certificate to one of her favorite restaurants and create a sign to hang in the window for the entire day, Lolo Day.

Entrusting your child to another person is one of the many lessons in letting go that punctuate the story of parenthood. So there we were with a three-month-old for whom we barely had the operating instructions figured out, interviewing women, many mothers themselves, about caring for a child. What did we know? We went with Myrtle, a mother of two girls, who had worked for years in the neighborhood and knew her way around every sing-a-long and story time within a mile of the house.

I was so anxious that first day returning to work (how to fit in two morning feedings before leaving the house, what to wear, where to pump, is my sleep-shot brain up to this). Not to mention just walking away from a house and a baby that we were turning over to someone we’d only just met, even if she did come highly recommended. As a parent you agonize over any little disaster that could happen off your watch. I raced home that night to a sleeping baby, an immaculate house and dinner waiting for us. I wept with relief, and I’ve felt relieved ever since.

And grateful. We were incredibly fortunate to connect with Myrtle and her family. Over the past two years we have slowly learned what she and her husband sacrificed – including leaving their older daughter behind in their home country for a few years – while they established a more promising life for their family in New York. Myrtle came here and cared for other people’s children while she was separated from her own. And I was worried in those early weeks about leaving my son for eight hours a day. I can’t even imagine.

Myrtle was so surprised and touched by Lolo Day that it was fun for all of us. So appropriate your own holiday in honor of someone important in your life. It’s easy – a homemade sign and a plate of cookies is all it takes – but the impression is lasting.

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Create: Berry Cheesecake Bars

Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are being sold in leaning towers at the farmers market right now. Here’s an easy recipe* I’ve been hooked on this summer that makes good use of fresh berries.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
12 ounces cream cheese (a mix of regular and reduced fat)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup 1% milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
3 large eggs
1 cup fresh raspberries (more or less, as desired)
3/4 cup fresh blueberries (more or less, as desired)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix crumbs and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a food processor (or with an electric mixer) blend cream cheese, eggs, milk, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest just until smooth. Do not over-beat. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the crumb crust. Scatter raspberries and blueberries on top. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until touch to center feels slightly firm and set. Cool completely before cutting. Use foil to lift cheesecake out of pan and onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into clean-looking bars (wiping blade clean with a paper towel between cuts). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Adapted slightly from Recipe Girl. 

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Create: That’s a Wrap

I’m alright at selecting gifts, but I fall short on the wrapping. I find it remarkable that someone would see a need for a ‘wrapping station’ (or an entire wrapping room!) in their home.

Perhaps I overlook the tied up with a bow bit because I grew up in a house where Santa  neatly displayed gifts beneath the tree, but, unless you consider an errant price tag decorative, rarely did shiny paper mask the contents. This never diminished the joy, and, as for the surprise, Santa probably knew that I had ferreted out nearly every hiding spot. So really, what was the point?

But, leave it to the Japanese to make me reconsider gift presentation. Furoshiki, the ancient art of wrapping parcels and gifts in decorative cloth, is so practical and thoughtful I couldn’t help but be wooed. Like the newborn present for Soren that arrived in a gift from a stork style bundle, or the stack of of birthday treasures that my sister-in-law nested within a robin’s egg blue scarf. So lovely.

And so easy too. Simply recycle a scarf or make use of scrap material and start wrapping:

1. Lay the cloth flat with the bottom corner pointing towards you (the opposite corner will be pointing away from you and two corners will be directed left and right).

2. Place the object at the bottom of cloth with the corner exposed. Pull the exposed bottom corner over the object.

3. Hold the partially wrapped object in the cloth securely and tightly roll the object in the cloth in an upward direction to reach the top corner.

4. Position the wrapped object so that the exposed top corner is underneath.

5. Pull the left and right corners to the center of the object and tie securely. If enough cloth is available, tie together in a bow knot.

For even fancier Furoshiki check out this step-by-step diagram.

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Create: Chicken Soup for the Spring Cold

Spring has been temperamental with its steamy, humid highs and cool, rainy lows. As a result it seems like just about everyone I know has suffered from some sort of cold or cough, myself included. So a few weeks ago when my niece and I both came down with whatever this blah is, I churned out a giant cauldron of chicken noodle soup.

I packed it up in large Mason jars and froze one for later. Later being today. The blah and the rain crept back in and I needed to seek the comfort that can only be found in a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

I adapted this Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup recipe from an old issue of Bon Appétit. If you cook up a pot let me know how you customize it.

  • 16 cups low-salt* chicken broth
  • 5 bone-in chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 4-6 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1&1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (I used shitake)
  • 8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
  • 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) fresh thyme

Combine chicken broth and chicken in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover partially and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large bowl. Cool chicken and broth slightly. Discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken meat into bite-size pieces, season with salt and pepper and reserve. Spoon fat off top of chicken broth.

Return broth to simmer. Add onion, carrots and celery. Simmer until vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover chicken meat and broth separately and refrigerate. Bring broth to boil before continuing.)

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to broth; stir in noodles, thyme and reserved chicken. Simmer until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a fresh loaf of bread.

*I used low-salt broth and 2 out of 4 of us said it needed more salt. I had a cold so I could not accurately judge. Perhaps next time I’ll use a few cups of full sodium broth.

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Create: May Day Magic

Last year on May 1, a tiny basket festooned with crepe-paper ruffles containing pink tulips, glossy green hypericum berries and homemade sugar cookies was left on our doorstep. I half expected to glimpse woodland elves scampering off down the block trailing pixie dust in their path. I wasn’t too far off on the magic bit, as the source was my friend Jessie, one of the most incessantly creative people I have the good fortune to know.

Jessie and my pal Brian are the husband-wife-team behind, Loeffler Randall, the dream of a footwear company that they spun into a remarkable reality. As dedicated as they are to this successful business started in their then Brooklyn garden apartment, they have another thriving venture: raising three sweet boys (5-year-old twins and a 19-month-old).

While Jessie obviously has an incredible talent for sublime design and high fashion, she  equally adores hands-on crafts that involve paint, glue, stamp sets and her curious boys. The May Day basket is just one example of her many thoughtful, homespun projects.

I asked Jessie to share a little bit about these baskets of bliss in honor of the ancient spring festival of May Day tomorrow.

Until this treat landed on our doorstep, I had no idea about May Day. Is it something you celebrated growing up? Yes, when I was little we used to make May Day baskets for our neighbors, particularly older ladies who lived in the neighborhood. We’d make little bouquets out of the wild flowers we’d find around the neighborhood.

What materials did you use to create last year’s baskets? Plastic tubs I found at the hardware store; streamers (to make the fringe); more streamers to braid for the handle; glue to secure fringe to the baskets; a glue gun to secure the handles; little tags from the hardware store to write “May Day”; rubber stamps to stamp out the letters and ribbon to tie the tags onto the baskets.

What sort of treasure should fill a May Day basket? Flowers in a little bouquet and something sweet to eat.

How did you get your boys involved with this thoughtful project? The boys helped me glue the fringe to the baskets, select the flowers and make the bouquets. And they were my delivery team!

We sadly missed the best delivery service ever, but  how did people react? People were completely delighted. When I was growing up we did this every year, but these days I don’t think many people do it. So it was a real surprise and it felt like an old fashioned treat.

What did your boys learn from this act of giving? It’s always nice to come up with a project around giving. Sharing and giving is a tough concept for 4-year-olds. Of course, my boys were very vested in making their own baskets, but they were even more thrilled at the reaction the baskets received from others. They loved the project!

I love this project too. It’s perfect for all ages, and any chance to spread spontaneous, unexpected joy should be taken. Thanks Jessie!

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Create: Party Hats

This past weekend concluded a marathon birthday celebration for one of those numbers that kicks-off another decade. And kicks me into a new marketing bracket––bring on the premature AARP mailings. The closing ceremony, as it were, was marked with friends and their children who rolled with my birthday wish to all cram into our one-bedroom apartment for a party.

The day before the little fete I started to panic a bit…what to do with all the kids? As in many hosting situations, I took a page from my mother’s entertaining playbook. This called for goldfish crackers, a couple of classic movies and the old party hat activity.

This hat craft made its debut at my 7th birthday party, and still keeps little ones entertained today. It’s the perfect last minute activity, and what’s a birthday party without a hat? And, in the case of this party, friends spilling out onto front stoop, a fridge stocked with champagne bottles in pyramid formation, a homemade layered red velvet cake and a house full of people I hope to know for many decades more.

It all started with the hat. Here’s what you’ll need:

*Paper bowls (which also conveniently double as bowls for cake)

*Ribbon

*Glitter glue (a six-year-old guest told me that glitter glue is far superior to regular glue)

*Markers, crayons

*Stickers, pom-poms, glittery shapes, any sort of crafty bling

Pre-punch holes on either side of the lip of the bowl, string a ribbon through on either side and the kids can do the rest.

 

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Create: Jar Muffins…or Cookies…or Bread


I realize that this is one of several posts involving a Mason jar, but they are so darn useful. Perhaps ‘put it in a Mason jar’ is to Brooklyn what ‘put a bird on it’ is to Portland. Either way, here’s yet another treat to put in a Mason jar––jar muffins…or cookies…or bread.

This simple gift is one I’ve assembled for the sweetest twins around and my niece. It’s fun for kids who are interested in baking, and my brother-in-law claims it was a delicious activity for my niece.

Start with any simple recipe for cookies, muffins or a savory bread. Layer the dry ingredients in the jar, and package any extras like raisins or chocolate chips separately. I leave out any wet ingredients like eggs, butter and vanilla which most people have on hand. Then I include a hand written recipe card that they can file away. Package it all up in a brown paper lunch sack and you have the perfect birthday/Valentine’s/rainy day gift.

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Create: Best.Granola.Ever.

Guest post by Jane Lerner

Big day here on Good House Guest: our second guest post comes from the very first rate Jane Lerner. In addition to being a top-notch writer and editor, Jane throws an excellent party, always suggests just the right restaurant and is the woman to call about a food adventure. Plus, she shows up with treats from one of her favorite neighborhood spots or her magic kitchen. Jane’s granola recipe is a secret I’ve been after for awhile now, so I’m thrilled she is sharing it with GHG. Thank you Jane! Connect with Jane on Twitter and be sure to check out her gorgeous new website. You’ll love Jane as much as her granola.

I host a lot of house guests. There was one stretch in late 2010 where 14 different sets of guests stayed in my apartment over a four-month period. Granted, I have a spacious three-bedroom apartment in a popular part of Brooklyn, and when I moved in I extended an open invitation to all of my friends. Problem is, everyone took me up on it.

I love having guests in theory, but I have learned—the hard way—that I contain a finite amount of hospitality. My sincerest apologies to those friends who stayed with me when I was at the end of my gracious-host rope. At the conclusion of that 14-guest run I was ready to relocate to a 300-square-foot studio just to discourage anyone else who might want to visit. Luckily my friends are wonderful people, most of them with good manners and a real consideration for the fact that staying in someone’s home means that a gift is in order. I’ve received a colorful cutting board, a gigantic jar of local honey and an array of specialty foods from the gourmet shop down the street, but truth be told the best present is a guest who does the dishes, is fun to hang out with and doesn’t burn the house down (yes, a few folks have introduced fire into the equation).

Homemade gifts are especially sweet, and if you’d really like to warm the hearts of your hosts, may I recommend whipping up a batch of granola to present as a pre–thank to get in good graces the minute you step over the threshold. This granola is a mishmash of a few recipes I’ve tried over the years, and I think I’ve hit upon the perfect version. As a friend recently emailed, after sampling a batch of the stuff: “Your granola game is tight. Best I have ever eaten!” Package it in a large Mason jar and add a little tag that says, “THANK YOU!” I guarantee that no one will complain about you on Good House Guest ever again.

GHG Granola

3 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tsp Maldon salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup dried unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup French coconut cubes (optional, as they are only available at Fairway)
1 cup golden raisins and diced dried apricot

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, cardamom, salt, olive oil and maple syrup. The mixture should be well coated but not super wet. Spread evenly on two large baking sheets, put in oven and bake for 20 minutes until the mixture is a toasty light brown, stirring two or three times. Add in the coconut flakes and coconut cubes. Bake for 15 minutes more, stirring once or twice. The granola should be a dark golden brown—monitor it closely to avoid burning.

Remove pans from oven and let cool on racks. Stir in dried fruit. Transfer to a few large Mason jars and give away as gifts.

Adapted from/inspired by published recipes from Mark Bittman and Early Bird Granola.

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Create: A Sweet Tradition

My childhood birthday dessert memories are a chilled, sugary trifecta of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, chocolate cake and the dense, glossy frosting found only in a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. I cannot separate celebrating my dad’s birthday from an airy, spongy forkful of angel food cake. High school was flavored by the so fake (but so good) box birthday cakes and cupcakes that we’d make for friends. And people tell my husband and me that ding dongs-––we built a tower of the waxy pucks to make a cake––will always remind them of our wedding.

These sugary memories have sticking power. So when I asked what I could make for my niece, Ale’s, second birthday party and my sister-in-law handed me a cake recipe, I panicked a bit. The cake, presented to the birthday girl ablaze with candles, would not only be immortalized in photos, but people would actually eat it. Lots of people. And there is no hiding a bad cake.

Well, the cake came through, and the cooking assignment turned out to be one of the best ones yet. Because this cake, the Cook’s Illustrated carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, has now become the family birthday dessert. I have also baked it for the first birthdays of my son and nephew, Francis. Just last week we welcomed another nephew, Thomas, and I hope to make it for him too. The taste of tangy cream cheese frosting and spicy sweet cake is now mingled with watching my niece, son and nephew delight over a confection just for them. And the so-joyful-I-could-burst feeling of having these little ones here to bake for at all. It is a wonder certainly deserving of cake.

Pictured above is my son on his first birthday. I will probably never bake anything as well-received as that cake. Anyone else have a cake or sweets recipe that has become a tradition with family and friends?

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Create: Make Someone's Day


My mom is a note writer. We could mark the years in messages tucked into lunches or school bags in her neat cursive covering everything from the encouraging “Good luck on your test” to the practical “Don’t forget to turn in your permission slip”. On my 16th birthday, I opened my lunch (which she still made every day––yes, I was lucky and spoiled) that had been packed inside of a paper birthday hat along with several notes. I blushed (and probably said: oh my gosh, my mom is such a dork!)  knowing I was too old for this, but truly happy that I hadn’t outgrown it either.

I’ve never outgrown it, and I owe that entirely to my mom. What a simple, lasting gift. I love leaving and finding notes. Even a quickly scrawled post-it on my desk will do. Thankfully I’ve paired up with someone who understands this about me.  My husband, Todd, even goes as far as concepting themes for the elaborately photo-shopped stack of notes that he leaves for me to open every day when he’s on extended work trips. He also posts things (in the style of ‘lost cat’ bulletins on trees) for our son all around the house. It’s sweet and our son makes sure the notes are well fed as shown above.

Todd’s creativity has challenged me to up my note writing game too. For a recent trip I jotted down facts (population stats; key phrases to know; etc.) about the city he’d be working in, and equally important facts about life at home (we miss you more today; things are boring here without you; etc.) on little scraps of paper. I layered these notes and a few photos between the clothes in his suitcase as a surprise to unpack miles (fact: 4,081 miles) away from home.

Here’s the thing, notes like these can completely change someone’s day, and it doesn’t take much. Seeing as it’s February 1, it’s about to start dumping diamond and long-stem roses advertising. To combat all that in the coming weeks, take a moment to write a sweet, funny or flirty message to someone that you care about––a roommate, co-worker, the waitress at lunch, your neighbor. Leave a poem on the kitchen counter, impart one kind line on the back of a receipt, or scrawl a waxy crayon heart on construction paper to simply say ‘I like you’. It’s way more lasting than roses.

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