A Life, Lived

Raising Kids in the 'Social Media' Era

Perhaps I shouldn't have an opinion on this as a non-parent, however as a long-time educator the following story really made me think.When an Akron, Ohio, mother was treated with disrespect by her daughter, she decided to teach the 13-year-old a lesson by publicly punishing her on Facebook.

Mom humiliates daughter on Facebook to teach lesson

Denise Abbott swapped out her daughter Ava’s Facebook profile photo for an image of the teen with an “X” over her mouth and the caption, “I do not know how to keep my [mouth shut]. I am no longer allowed on Facebook or my phone. Please ask why, my mom says I have to answer everyone that asks.”

Abbott says she was driven to do this after her daughter was rude and talked back to her in front of three of her friends.

“I was trying to think of something that would impact her so she would know what it felt like to be embarrassed in front of people,” Abbott said on the Today Show. “I think you need to have empathy to understand the situation.”

Public shaming is the latest parenting trend. In the past couple months several stories of parents embarrassing their kids in public have appeared in the news. In April in Swansea, Illinois, Montrail White forced his 8-year-old daughter, Melissa, to stand outside High Mount School wearing a sandwich board sign reading “I like to steal from others and lie about it!!” Montrail came up with the punishment because his daughter was stealing at home and took Halloween rings from a teacher at school.

That same month in Miami, Tarvon Young, a fifth grade student stood outside Richard Allen Leadership Academy holding a sign that read “I was sent to school to get an education. Not to be a bully… I was not raised this way!” Also, in Miami, a seventh grader was forced to stand outside holding a sign after he received three Fs on his report card in March.

I'm not every going to be convinced that shaming your children is a great way to discipline them! The behaviours described above read like the actions of bullies - the resulting harm to the kids would be considerable.

I understand that children require boundaries but a sledgehammer.

On the Road Again . . .

It seems that I say that a lot these days! Busy times.

We are running a three day training session for the instructors of our additional qualifications courses for teachers in Niagara Falls.

Paul came down yesterday to help out with the preparations. He was very happy to see that I had been upgraded to a large suite on the 20th floor of the hotel overlooking the Falls.

This is the view from 'our' balcony . . .

Today is the pre-conference session for the new instructors and then we're off on an optional wine tour we put together for those who were interested. It reminds me a bit of my teaching days - herding 40 adults through the wineries of Niagara should be a blast.

Photo Hunt - Texture

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'texture'.

I love the textures on these old buildings . . .

Apsparagus and Ham Quiche

It won't be long before Ontario asparagus hits the market. If any of you follow my food pattern (fresh produce means crazy bulk buys as each new thing returns to the market) you'll soon be looking for interesting ways to use up that asparagus! If you are in that situation you won't go wrong with this amazing quiche from Elise at Simply Recipes.

We made this after Easter and used some of the leftover ham that we had on hand. Of course all of those old cliches were uttered  . . .  real men dont eat quiche and other such foolishness. Truth is real men eat whatever the hell is put in front of them and tastes amazing - like this!

Asparagus and Ham Quiche

1/2 recipe pie dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
10 ounces asparagus spears, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch long pieces
1/2 pound ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 10-by-1 1/2-inch round tart pan (with or without a removable bottom), pressing dough into corners. Transfer to freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line pastry with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil, pressing into the corners and edges. Fill at least two-thirds with baking weights - dried beans, rice, or aluminum pie weights. Bake first for 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Carefully remove parchment paper and weights. Poke the bottom of the pie pan with the tongs of a fork and return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden. (Fork holes are for any air to escape.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making filling.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add asparagus. Cook, stirring frequently, until asparagus are just cooked (al dente), slightly browned, firm, not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Place tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any run-off there might be (especially if you are using a pan with a removable bottom.) Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. Spread asparagus and ham over the cheese and then top with remaining cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, and eggs. Season with fresh ground pepper. Pour over cheese. Transfer to oven, and bake until just set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Rick Rants - Negative Politics

Love this one . . .

Spicy Beef with Peanuts and Chiles

A few years ago Fine Cooking did a series where they showed readers how to make their favourite take-out recipes at home. This is how this one was discussed:

As seductive as picking up the telephone and ordering in on a busy weeknight may be, you can throw together a stir-fry quicker than it takes a delivery person to get to your door. Even better, this dish is just as good as—or even better than—anything you'll find in a to-go carton.

Those who gather the ingredients and give this one a try will NOT be disappointed - it is an amazing dish.

This was the last of the dishes I made last Friday for our impromptu Asian feast. I think it may have been my favourite of the three. I loved the heat and the layers of flavours. Some might find it too spicy for them . . . we did NOT.

The flank steak that I had in the freezer was HUGE. I doubled the recipe and was glad that I had done so - the leftovers just got better and better.

Spicy Beef with Peanuts and Chiles

1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal against the grain
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. fish sauce
1/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1/4 cup salted peanuts
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped (don’t seed)
3 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil (I used Thai basil)

Toss the steak with 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce, 1 tsp. of the fish sauce, and the salt. Combine the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce and 1 tsp. fish sauce with 1 Tbs. of the lime juice and the brown sugar and set aside.

Pulse the peanuts, shallots, and chiles in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.

Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil and once it's shimmering, add the beef. Cook, stirring, until the beef just loses its raw appearance, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil and the shallot mixture, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 2 minutes.

Return the beef to the pan. Stir the soy mixture and add it, along with half of the cilantro and basil, and cook, stirring to let the flavors meld, 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve sprinkled with the remaining lime juice, cilantro, and basil

Travel Tuesdays - Niagara Falls

I've been thinking a lot of Niagara lately . . . we have a conference there for work this weekend so it has been on our minds a LOT lately!LOL

Many folks don't realize that there is more to Niagara than a bunch of water rushing over some rocks.

BORING

Niagara is home to Canada's premier wine region. These pictures were taking while out and about at some wineries.

You can bet that we have a wine tour as a part of our conference.

Thai-Style Spicy Chicken in Lettuce Cups

This dish, also known as Larb in Laos and Thailand, is often served over lettuce, cabbage, or vegetables, with steamed sticky rice. I've most often seen it served with lettuce cups for an Asian take on tacos - in fact this is one of my favourite dishes at PF Changs.

I've wanted to try to make Larb for years but never have. Then I came upon this recipe from the folks at Fine Cooking and decided to give it a shot. I was surprised at how easy this was to pull together (I used minced lemon grass that you get in a tube, not wanting the trouble of chopping one up myself). It turned out amazing - the perfect blend of Thai flavours bouncing around in your mouth. Having had this I won't be ordering the PF Changs version again!

Oh yes, this has about 150 calories per serving - it just gets better and better!

Thai-Style Spicy Chicken in Lettuce Cups

3 Tbs. uncooked jasmine rice
3 Tbs. fish sauce
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers removed, and inner core minced (1 Tbs.)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
1-1/4 lb. ground chicken, preferably dark meat
1 medium shallot, minced (1/3 cup)
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 medium head butter lettuce, for serving

Toast the rice in an 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes (the rice will begin to smoke after a couple of minutes). Let the rice cool slightly and then grind in a spice grinder until the largest pieces resemble very coarse cornmeal; the mixture should not be completely powdery.

Combine the fish sauce, lemongrass, pepper flakes, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a 12-inch nonstick skillet and bring to a simmer over high heat. Separate the chicken into large clumps and add to the pan. Cook, breaking up the chicken into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the ground rice over the chicken and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid in the pan has thickened, about 2 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the shallot. Sprinkle with the lime juice, scallions, cilantro, and mint and stir gently to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with 1 tsp. of the remaining ground rice. Serve with the lettuce leaves on the side to use as cups for the chicken.

Rice Noodle Salad

We had a bit of an Asian feast for dinner on Friday night. With me being away for work five nights in the past 10 and racing full out I'd been felling a titch unsettled. In my twisted world getting in to the kitchen to chop, measure, stir, and simmer slowly brings the world back to where it aught to be.

I had planned on making Larb - that wonderful spicy chicken mixture served in lettuce leaves that is a classic dish from Laos and northern Thailand. Then I found a recipe for spicy beef with peanuts that I had been wanting to try. I figured that a nice cool salad would be the perfect accompaniment.

This recipe, from the folks at Fine Cooking, had a delicious lime/ginger dressing which is forgiving . . . meaning you can add or subtract ingredients in order to match your tastes. The result is an excellent Asian salad dish that is refreshing, light yet fulfilling. The flavours pack a good punch too (particularly if you increase the amount of jalapeno pepper as we did)!

I'm certainly going to remember this salad in the depths of July when it becomes too hot to turn on the stove for long. On really hot summer nights, I love having a delicious cold salad for dinner instead of a hot and heavy meal. It's also good to not have to slave away in the kitchen and sweat even more from cooking using the hot stove.

You could make a meal out of this by adding some grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu. I followed the recipe as printed with two exceptions - we increased the amount of jalapeno pepper and we used Napa cabbage instead of Romaine lettuce thinking it would hold up better with leftovers . . . and it did!

Rice Noodle Salad

For the dressing:
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 to 4 tsp. minced fresh hot green chile, such as jalapeño or serrano
2 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. finely grated or very finely minced fresh ginger

For the salad:
6 oz. medium-width rice noodles
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup roughly chopped or small whole fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped or small whole fresh cilantro leaves
3/4 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumbers
1/3 cup grated carrots
3 Tbs. chopped peanuts

Make the dressing:

In a small bowl, mix the lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, chile, garlic, and ginger. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to get an assertive but tasty balance of flavors.

Make the salad:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rice noodles and stir to disperse them. Cook until strands are opaque white and fully tender, but still resilient, 3 to 6 minutes (check the noodles often, as different brands cook at different rates).

Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them under cold water until the noodles are cool and the water runs clear. Let the noodles drain in the colander for 30 minutes, fluffing every few minutes to make sure they stay loose.

When ready to serve, put the rice noodles in a large bowl with the lettuce, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, cucumbers and carrots. Add the dressing to taste and toss well. Sprinkle with peanuts before serving.

Photo Hunt - Reflection

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'reflection'.

I took this shot last summer in Algonquin Park.