Let's give this another go...

Well, that was a fun eight-year hiatus. I am, at long last, finding my food writing legs—in children's picture books of all places. In fact, today I reached a huge milestone: I received my first rejection email! As I read, write, and cook, I'll be sharing my successes, failures, and discoveries here.

Just now, I must get back to mowing the "lawn" in the kitchen with a red trombone that is sometimes a lawnmower and sometimes a motorcycle. With this guy:

I'm not done yet!

We never went to see that cuban salsa band
and I didn't get to wear my green striped heels
you never saw the piece I did on sadness
and I never got to feed you my best meals

We never went to see that one exhibit
and we never even tried to partner dance
we didn't get you eating beans or butter
and you never saw me in my yellow pants

We never got to go to Santa Barbara
and you never heard me play on my guitar
we haven't ever sung a hymn together
and we didn't even wish upon a star.

I just need another week
another year or ten
one lifetime would be enough
time to do these things and then

I promise I wouldn't bother you
after that I'd let you go.
Just one itty bitty lifetime please,
I'd give you mine, you know.

What wonders can be made with what I find?

Sometimes,
through the decompressed voice stream pressed to my ear,
I hear your skin unzip,
just a little.

I want to reach through the cells
between us to cradle your head and undo
the stuck
bits
in the
zipper,

see you lying there, your primary colors hanging out all over the place.
wordlessly root through you, piece by little Lego piece.

Everywhere teeth and smiles and serious eyes.
Laughing cup holder. Corn in a bag.
Sunday, perfect Sunday.

Butterscotch Pudding

2 ounces unsalted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 T cream
1/8 t. salt
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons corn starch
splash or more scotch

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the cream, cornstarch, salt and yolks. Heat the milk, add the sugar mixture, then temper into the yolk mixture.

Return mixture to the pot and simmer, stirring constantly, until the pudding mixture begins to boil. Stir in the scotch. Divide among ramekins. Refrigerate 6 hours.

And another one...

sub Coconut oil (melted) for the vegetable oil in your waffles. And then use it to coat the pan. It even "fries" the waffles crispier on the outside than veggie oil does.

YUM

I recently acquired a gallon of coconut oil after trying it out at my sister Annalaura's house. She taught me a few uses and I've discovered a few more:

Mix it into peanut butter and eat it on apples or anything.
Mix a teaspoon into your cup of hot chocolate
Use it to cook your popcorn in
Fry shrimp with fresh peppermint in it

The popcorn, I must say, is spectacular. Especially with the pink Himalayan salt I got from my other sister, Gypsy.

Oh, and it's good as moisturizer for you, too.