]> http://betsyblock.com Betsy Block en http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1747 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. Ever had one of those months where two family members got fevers, there were social problems at school, someone needed an emergency root canal a ... Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:54:15 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1747 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1748 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. It s a busy time of year what with the end of school, invasive medical tests (love all those midlife surprises!), along with all the usual hooha ... Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:53:51 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1748 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1744 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. Beets, cooked and cubed sectioned oranges hazelnuts, toasted, peeled and chopped tarragon olive oil salt You can also crumble in some goat ch ... Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:36:11 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1744 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1741 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. Pardon me if this is a day late. It s been a tough few weeks around here. First, right as we were welcoming 50 people to our house for a party, ... Wed, 19 May 2010 16:11:09 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1741 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1740 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. To you this drink may seem simple, but to those of us in Boston who spent two days and three nights without potable water, it s pure luxury. ... Thu, 13 May 2010 07:30:13 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1740 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1736 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. My friend and neighbor asked if I had a good golden cake recipe for her son s birthday party. He%2019s allergic to dairy. I didn%2019t then, b ... Wed, 05 May 2010 15:11:09 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1736 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1735 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here. Andy came up with this particular version of turkey bolognese and it s so, so good. Not much else to say - I m posting late, it s school vacat ... Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:06:26 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1735 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1733 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. I don t like pancakes - if I m having cake for breakfast it needs to be chocolate, but really I don t want cake for breakfast - and I m generally growing a little tired of wheat. How much wheat do ... Thu, 22 Apr 2010 09:03:29 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1733 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1732 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Makes about 50 wontons, or one package of wrappers 2 tablespoons peanut oil Psifrac34Omicron pound of ground pork about two dozen shrimp, cut into small pieces 2 inches diced fresh ginger 3 lar ... Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:49:08 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1732 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1731 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. NB: Check out tonight s Tavis Smiley Reports on PBS. While you re on the website, take a look at the piece on Hillary Clinton. This is good stuff. Otherwise, for all of my Healthful Hedonist reci ... Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:34:43 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1731 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1730 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. For all of my Healthful Hedonist recipes, go here and click on The Healthful Hedonist link at the right. It s not often we ll have a big ol piece of animal flesh as the centerpiece of our meals ... Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:10:13 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1730 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1727 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Playing hooky as much as I can this week - it s warm and sunny for the first time in far too long. But even on a day when I don t feel like cooking, I can handle this: One 15-ounce can of wild ... Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:26:43 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1727 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1724 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Recently I ve been experiencing a healthy food backlash. It s like a yin-yang, seesaw kind of thing, encompassing both healthy and binge behaviors. For example, recently lunch consisted of a bowl ... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:12:32 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1724 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1722 Sustainable. Simple. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. I recently tried and failed to make chewy granola bars. Still craving something healthy and sweet, I came up with this instead. It got a bunch of thumbs up here, so I hope it will for you too. ... Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:06:25 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1722 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1719 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Have you ever tried roasting green beans? The first time I did this the sheet pan was picked clean within minutes and one little girl was in tears - literally, crying - when I told her there were n ... Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:26:11 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1719 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1716 Savory. Sustainable. Simple. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. This little vignette has nothing to do with this week s recipe but it s been bothering me and I need to get it out: A few days ago I went to retrieve the chocolate-caramel bar I d hidden from th ... Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:41:20 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1716 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1715 Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. A reader wrote in asking for a snack she could make for her fella to take on flights (hi, Sarah). At first I thought of granola bars, but after a couple tries I wasn t loving all that well-intentio ... Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:24:44 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1715 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1712 Savory. Simple. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Temps in Boston have been mostly in the single digits for weeks. When the sun appears, which is rare, its rays are like tea from a teabag that s already been used twice. A friend reports that Merc ... Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:52:54 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1712 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1711 Savory. Simple. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. NB: I wrote a 2000-word "book" (in the parlance of this cool new website) called 10 Ways to Get Your Family to Eat Better. It costs $1.49 to download. If you buy it, please (!) don t share it. If y ... Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:40:21 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1711 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1710 Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. I never ever ever thought tofu would fly in this house of meat-lovin Americans. I guess a couple years of hearing me endlessly yammer on about the evils of most meat finally wore my loved ones do ... Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:48:15 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1710 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1709 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. This summer I visited Apple Street Farm, owned and run by superchef (and farmer) Frank McClelland of L Espalier and Sel de la Terre. As I stood off to the side watching, notebook in hand, the chef ... Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:03:10 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1709 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1706 This soup is tangy, smooth and refined, and I love the ease of the grilled cheese method. The only problem is, I can t tell if its sophisticated flavors make me want to go to a Boston museum and then out for drinks, or if its soothingly familiar taste mak ... Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:32:28 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1706 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1703 Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Happy, Merry, everyone. Serves four About 1 pound fresh calamari Equal parts flour and cornmeal totaling 1 cup mixed with salt and Bay seasoning Oil for frying Cut the calamari into strips, dred ... Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:33:56 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1703 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1702 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. NB: This week s recipe has nothing to do with the essay below. Complete editorial freedom is the best part about having a website. I walk into a bakery and there it is: the holiday pastry displa ... Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:53:03 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1702 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1700 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. I d just put some beets on the stove to cook (for a recipe I ll share next week) and was ignoring the quietly accusing greens. I always intend to cook the beet tops too, but instead they almost a ... Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:29:49 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1700 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1695 Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. I don t know about you, but in my little universe there s been too much around-the-clock food prep, too much flu, and too much drab winter dreariness even though technically it s still fall. If y ... Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:43:04 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1695 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1693 Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. I don t know about you, but lately I m especially thankful for anything low-key and simple, from friendship to food. %2014That s why I was so excited when I got this gorgeous yet utterly doable re ... Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:48:54 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1693 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1687 Savory. Simple. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. NB: A few people have asked if I can email them when I post a new column. The answer is no, I can tOmicron I know email clutter all too well, although thank you for asking! Instead, you can sign up ... Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:48:43 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1687 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1667 Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Welcome to my new column, The Healthful Hedonist, born from everything I learned while writing The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World, my book about how and why I got ... Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:47:08 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1667 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1678 THE HEALTHFUL HEDONIST: COMFORT FOOD FOR THE 21ST CENTURY Simple. Savory. Sustainable. Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. Middle of the night and suddenly I m awake. My thoughts turn to gnocchi. I m afraid. %2014 Did I really buy sweet po ... Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:54:15 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1678 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1685 Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. %2014%2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 Savory. Simple. Sustainable. %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014Coming as soon as tech glitches are figured out (hopefully any hour now): a m ... Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:05:54 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1685 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1683 Simple. Sustainable. Savory. %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 Wednesdays on Mama Cooks. %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 %2014 We were having a busy day of cleaning, grocery shopping and raising two kids, but friends were ... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:08:55 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1683 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1681 Sofra is a bakery/caf in Cambridge, MA owned by acclaimed Boston chef Ana Sortun. I ve fallen in love with it, proving it s possible to feel very strongly about a cafPsieacuteOmicron. My friends will even use it as a reward, as in, "If you do this hard th ... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:07:31 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1681 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=1156 "It s time," I shouted up the stairs. Ten-year-old E was in his room with the door shut. Slammed shut, that is. "Oh, time for what?" he called back sweetly. Until that moment, I had been the penultimate Zen Mama all afternoon: endlessly patient, non-re ... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:03:57 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=1156 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1679 Black Kale with Poached Eggs by Frank McClelland I recently had the privilege of spending a morning with renowned Boston chef Frank McClelland, owner of L Espalier and Sel de la Terre. I almost had to run to keep up with him as he showed a few of us his ... Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:07:41 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=01--The_Healthful_Hedonist-col-_Comfort_Food_for_the_21st_Century&display=1679 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=747 To check out more Make Mama Look Good, go here. New post up every Wednesday. We were trying to come up with a menu when BD said, "You can make paella!" And with that, everything was under control again - or so it seemed. BD s folks were in town for a ... Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:48:28 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=747 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=351 An old woman pulled out of a gas station. Every other car around had to stop as she made a painfully slow and wide right turn, blocking two lanes of traffic. Another driver shook his head and glared at her as she passed. "Wow, she was driving really slow ... Sat, 23 Feb 2008 15:33:31 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=351 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=112 The set-up: I ve never been a big Thanksgiving fan - or a fan of any holiday, really. Something about all the hoopla leading up to the event depresses meOmicron the eerie silence on the day itself (whether it s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year s, whateve ... Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:12:37 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=112 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=973 In New England, we re allotted about 8 weekends of warm, sunny weather a year. That s 16 weekend days (give or take) when we can go outside and play with our kids. Last Saturday morning, it was clear that the next 48 hours weren t going to be among them. ... Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:28:29 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=973 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=936 A friend of mine who s an amazing sign painter made magnetic bumper stickers for my car that say "mamacooks.com." I get a lot of questions about the magnetics, but last week a woman drove up to me and asked if that was my "business." I must have looked c ... Wed, 19 Jul 2006 07:32:40 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=936 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=932 There s something magical about a casual meal of salads or sandwiches, a good baguette, a ripe cheese and some fruit enjoyed en plein airOmicron in other words, a picnic. The word picnic comes from the French pique-nique and was originally a potluck soci ... Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:35:31 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=932 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=251 NPR.org - I m opening the fireplace screen door, and now I m putting the steak in the fireplace, right on top of the embers. On tonight s menu: Dirty Steak, or steak cooked on wood coals. As with so many great culinary discoveries, this one was an accide ... Mon, 15 May 2006 11:08:31 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=251 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=536 Four-year-old P was playing with two friends at her school playground and I was talking with their sitter, the loquacious D. After an hour and a half, I was wondering if it would be possible to fall asleep while sitting up when a group of older kids came ... Wed, 03 May 2006 07:15:25 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=536 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=526 10-year-old E had been home sick for three days and my big birthday bash was fast approaching. I haven t had a party in about two decades, and I had guests coming from hundreds of miles away, and I was more than a little worried we d all be felled by his ... Wed, 26 Apr 2006 06:48:19 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=526 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=442 My day had started at 5:30 a.m. with a crying four-year-old, quickly segued into the frenzy of breakfast and lunch-making, then moved right into a pre-8 a.m. walk, all uphill, to E s school. In other words, literally, the day could only go downhill from t ... Wed, 19 Apr 2006 07:07:46 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=442 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=97 NPR.org - I m a fraud. I haven t cooked in a decade. That s when we had our first child and my husband quietly took over kitchen duty. Even when we entertain -- okay, especially when we entertain -- this food writer is nowhere near the kitchen. Our unspok ... Wed, 12 Apr 2006 07:24:25 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=97 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=402 "You re not fighting about mustard, right?" 10-year-old E asked sarcastically, coming into the kitchen where BD and I were - you know - fighting about mustard. "Because that would be really lame." I sighed, because of course E was right. It wasn t musta ... Wed, 12 Apr 2006 07:19:05 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=402 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=364 When I got a luscious-looking recipe for grilled sardines with pomegranate dressing from Salt Yard, I knew it would be a huge hit - not with the picky eater in the house, my husband BD, but rather with 10-year-old E, who loves grilled fresh sardines. A ch ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:49:14 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=364 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=283 When I got a recipe for lobster paella from Washington, D.C. chef Jos Andres, co-author, with Richard Wolffe, of Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, I have to say, I was pretty excited. I mean, lobster paella from an internationally-lauded Spanish chef? D ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:48:16 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=283 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=269 We had friends over for dinner on Saturday night, and as I worked on this chicken pot pie in the morning, I felt a part of myself coming back to life: the old me who loves to spend a couple of hours slowly crafting a delicious meal. The one who got offed ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:47:45 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=269 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=280 When I recently got a recipe for Brioche French Toast with Native Peaches from Tim Partridge, a renowned Boston chef, I found myself in a moral quandary. Here we were, in the midst of one of our epic winters, and I d just gotten a recipe from a chef who ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:45:40 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=280 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=267 A couple of weeks ago, school got out at 11:15 AM Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday because of teacher conferences. I just love having my kids at home, especially lately, since I ve recently put the kibosh on TV. We played Monopoly, laughed, baked cookies, ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:45:24 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=267 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=111 The set-up: Mama gets a little overwhelmed sometimes, especially at this time of year when the impending and odious "holiday season" threatens to throw an already crazy and only tenuously balanced life completely out of whack. So while I knew the Hindu ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:44:44 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=111 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=180 NPR.org - Recently, I cooked dinner for what I consider a crowd. Eight people (somehow) gathered at our dining room table, knees and elbows knocking together, enjoying a meal that I had made. Given that I m a food writer, this may not sound like much of a ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:44:01 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=180 http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=322 In an amazing, unbelievable and almost incomprehensible coincidence, it turns out that someone barely related to me by marriage happens to live on our street, that she and her husband have become some of our favorite relatives, and that one night they and ... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:42:38 EST http://betsyblock.com/index.php?page=columns&family=&category=05--Make_Mama_Look_Good&display=322