Friends Fatten Me Up: Surprise Dinnners Brighten My Day

My friends have gotten together to insure that I have a steady supply of dinners throughout my 5 months of treatment. Three nights a week, different friends will be dropping off dinner. The meals started coming two weeks ago and so far I have been enjoying the mystery of it all. I have no idea what I will be getting or who will be cooking so each meal is a surprise.

I have been terribly remiss in not recounting the meals I have received thus far. Tonight I will make amends because I cannot contain myself any longer. This evening my friend M. dropped off a meal worthy of much note and praise. The lady must have cooked all day and she arrived near three o'clock p.m., toting a Whole Foods bag filled with a vegetarian feast. There was a French Lentil soup with butternut squash and sweet potatoes, along with a red quinoa salad and steamed broccoli with a lemon vinaigrette. There was plenty of dinner to share, even with my brother who stopped by to help put Izzy to bed. Not only that but there was an extra-special healthy dessert, a Frozen Blueberry,Banana,Avocado and Date pie atop a granola crust, something I would never consider making myself but I'm glad to have eaten it as it was both healthy and fattening.



My very first delivery was a health, hearty chicken soup from C., my wonderful Pilates instructor. It came packed so prettily in a beribboned glass jar and was accompanied by some uber-healthy bread and fruit. My stomach was most fragile that evening so I never even managed to have a taste.




Next came some Indian victuals from my friend G., followed by an organic Friday night dinner from J., Spaghetti Squash casserole made with a delightfully herby ricotta cheese. This was accompanied by a wonderful Italian salad with artichokes and cucumber.





Monday brought us a Minestrone soup, whole wheat rolls and a Zucchini Bread warm from the oven, prepared by N... Not a morsel was left.

To get me completely up to date (I started this post last Wednesday), Friday's dinner came delivered by my friend A., who stayed for a short visit while dropping off a tureen of some Greek Lemon-Egg Soup.


All of these meals have helped me attain my goal of staying above 100 lbs., to fortify myself for the next round of treatments, after which I have will most likely have some difficulty eating, lose the weight and then try to regain it with some more food!

Am so grateful for food from friends, feeding me and my family. Keep it coming!

Winding Our Way Through Williamsburg In Search Of Treasure

With friends S. and T., we spent a day hopping in and out of their car, on a mission to check out many of the destinations highlighted in a recent NY Times article on Brooklyn's local culinary treasures.

We began with lattes at El Beit, a local coffee bar. Way too strong for me but according to my latte aficionado they were perfect. Izzy appreciated the heart-shaped design on top. Too much attitude but if you are a coffee-lover, worth a visit.

So fortified, we were off. We poked into a clothing shop or two and then we did make it to Mast Brothers Chocolates, only to find a sign stating their weekend hours. Noting people inside, I left the others in the car to go inside to investigate. Although they were not officially open for business I was allowed to purchase some of their intriguing chocolate bars, each one of which comes beautifully wrapped. I chose the salt and pepper version. I haven't tried it yet but will keep you posted.

All shopping and no play makes for unpleasant offspring so we had to stop at this tiny urban garden, conveniently located across from Urban Rustic, one of the stops on our list. While there I was able to pick up some much needed local organic eggs, since I didn't make it to Union Square this week.



Between lattes, lunch and a few clothing shops thrown in, we didn't quite make it everywhere we had intended. All tuckered out, we piled back into the car for the trip back to JC, which took us far longer than it should have, given that it was Good Friday. Still and all, a fine time was had by all.

A Day Of Puree: In The Land Of Baby Food

The good news is: Grandpa is home from the hospital! He is slowly regaining his energy and after over a week of not eating he is now permitted to eat pureed or pudding textured foods. The hospital created special meals for him, which included things like pureed bread. It came on his plate, shaped like a piece of bread. I wondered how that was achieved but perhaps its better to keep that a mystery.

I doubt that I will puree bread but I have taken it upon myself to prepare an array of other pureed foods for him. Today I descended into the land of baby food, using my two favorite baby food books as guides, Annabel Karmel's First Meals and The Baby Bistro Cookbook.

First up was Olive Oil poached Cod with Rosemary, Shallots and Potatoes and another version with tomatoes.

Next, Chicken, Leek, Zucchini Casserole

Then, Lentil and Vegetable Puree (with carrots and sweet potatoes)

Lastly, Spinach Leek Puree.

Izzy had the Chicken Leek, Zucchini Casserole, before I pureed it. The beauty of this food is that these are all things that you can prepare for your whole family. They work well in their natural state and pureed.

Recipes to follow shortly. Time to clean the kitchen and get some rest. Delivering the food to Grandpa tomorrow.

Gorging On The Gift Of Food: Balthazar and Diamond Organics

After over a week of not eating much, today I feasted. My friend S. made a trip to the Balthazar Wholesale Bakery and returned bearing a gigantic shopping bag filled with all manner of sweet French bread delights.

Izzy and I snacked on an almond-covered brioche slice, a triangular raspberry-filled pastry, a delightful monkey bread and a cannelle. And that wasn't all. I still have some petites brioches, a chocolate croissant, a butter croissant, another mystery pastry and a loaf of French white bread leftover. They freeze well so we will be able to indulge in them for the next few days. If I had a car I would definitely incorporate a monthly trip to Balthazar into my shopping excursions. Definitely work the 20 minute ride!

After consuming all that, I hardly thought there would be room for dinner but I was itching to test out the soups that were delivered today from Diamond Organics, a gift from my stepmother (way down in sunny Floriday) Hearing of my illness, she sent a package with a trio of soups. Chicken, White Bean and Cream of Mushroom. The soups come packaged in cardboard pints.

Tonight I tried the Chicken. I added rice and baby spinach and it could have passed as homemade soup. Good thing that Izzy wanted something else because I ate the entire pint myself. What a great gift for a sick friend or family member or just for someone who doesn't have time to cook. Diamond Organics offer many other things on their website and I wonder if they are as good as the soup. If so, they are a great resource to keep in mind.

Chicken Soup With Miso: Secret Stock

My coughs are waking the dead but I must share this soup. First it was the easiest chicken soup I have ever made. Why? Because I did not begin with a raw chicken. And no, it didn't come from a can or box either. I made the stock from roasted chicken bones and leftovers I have been saving up for a month or so, for just such an occasion.

I have been keeping a large plastic baggie in the freezer, to which I add chicken bones and other kitchen tidbits. Each time I use raw vegetables, I add scraps like onion skins, carrot tops, wilted parsley, celery leaves...You get the idea. Whatever could be used for a broth, I add to the bag.

When I finally needed something homemade, I brought out the bag, dumped the contents into a large stockpot and covered with water. I simmered what others might have deemed "garbage", into an aromatic, flavorful broth. It became the base for my "Facebook Soup." I even had leftovers, enough to use to make something new and exciting, like the soup I made tonight.

My secret stock became a base for Chicken With Miso. I have actually never cooked with miso before and I had no idea which miso to buy. I bought yellow miso this time and I hope to experiment with the other varieties in the near future. Basically, miso is a flavorful fermented soybean paste. Most people are familiar with it as an ingredient in miso soup but apparently it has countless other uses and I can't wait to find out more. But back to my soup, which was exactly what I craved:


Chicken Soup With Miso

6 cups chicken/vegetable broth (made from leftovers, simmered for 1-2 hours)
4 skinless chicken thighs
1/4 block of tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 scallions sliced
1 inch piece ginger, grated on microplane zester
3 servings soba noodles, cooked
handful baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons yellow miso paste.

1. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper, sear in olive oil a couple of minutes on each side. The chicken will not be cooked through. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to simmering stock
2. Simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add tofu, scallions and spinach leaves and simmer 2 more minutes. Add miso and stir until dissolved.
3. Place soba noodles in individual bowls and pour soup over, sprinkle with grated ginger.

Serve immediately. This makes 3-4 servings.

Homemade Organic Peppermint Patties: Get The Sensation!

I saw this recipe on one of my favorite food websites, The Kitchn and I knew it would make for an ideal holiday gift. The ingredient list was short and aside from peppermint oil, I had all of the ingredients* in my pantry.

Izzy and I prepared them this afternoon and had nearly instant candy gratification. These were even better than the ones we buy from Birnn Chocolates! The chocolate dipping can get a bit messy with a little helper but that was all part of the fun.

*All of the ingredients should be available in the organic section of your supermarket or at Whole Foods.

Green Split Pea Soup: Not Exactly Like Grandma's

I grew up with my grandma's green split pea soup. It was a muddied green affair topped with sliced hot dogs. A. grew up with bits of ham in his soup.
Though I am still tempted to add some meaty tidbits to this soup, I have found a way to make this soup flavorful without meat, caramelized onions. The onions with olive oil somehow turn this into a rib sticking meal. And it need not simmer for hours either, making it entirely possible to prepare on a weeknight.

Green Split Pea Soup (Vegetarian)

2 cups organic green split peas
7 cups water (add more if needed)
1 bay leaf
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (optional)

4-6 carrots, sliced or chopped
2 leeks, whites with bit of green, chopped
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 cups onion, chopped


1. Add peas, bay leaf and salt to large stockpot, cover with water and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Add carrots, leeks, celery, and garlic. Simmer 40 minutes more.
3. While soup is simmering, saute onion in olive oil and add to soup at end.

4-6 generous servings.

Served with bread, cheese and a salad = Dinner!

Green Expectations (or The Many Shades Of Green)

"Green" conjures up images of many things. From the choices we make in the way we live, to the vibrant colors of the many wonderful vegetables we eat. Today green was all of those things and then some. It was also a green I'd rather forget: Namely, green gobs of frosting on cookies that Izzy was eating. Of course I prefer to think of the former but can't get my mind off the latter. In some way, they are intertwined.

In small ways we try to raise Izzy "green" given the environment in which we live. This means doing things like hanging our laundry on the line (weather permitting), living without a/c most of the summer and walking or taking public transportation whenever possible. Every little bit helps. Izzy helps recycle and it certainly helps that his school encourages that as well. Izzy's "sculpture" creations, made from discarded food packaging (what packaging is recycled is another story, don't even ask what ingredients are listed in the package below) are just one way he is learning to be "green".



We also try to guide him towards selecting earth-friendly toys (apparently not a guarantee of anything) and he is fortunate to have many handmade ones like the ferry above, made by his Grandpa T.

Most importantly, if you read this blog you know, being "green" greatly influences how we shop and eat. Our major efforts towards being "green" are certainly concentrated in the food realm. We try to eat local, organic foods whenever possible. It is my wish to instill in Izzy, a lifelong love and respect for healthy, delicious foods. This afternoon, I prepared an organic green-split pea soup, made with local or organic vegetables. It may not have been the most beautiful pale shade of green, but topped with sauteed leeks (more green), it was warming and nutritious on a cold, rainy night.



In the late afternoon, while the pea soup simmered on the stove, I took Izzy to join his classmates for a small holiday celebration. The children were offered cookies with gobs of green frosting and small green Christmas trees. Not wishing to be a Grinch, I allowed him to indulge, knowing full well what the aftermath might be.

I tried to be festive but couldn't help but be disturbed. Why were they being fed food dye and why the color green?

Food dyes have been consistently shown to cause hyperactivity in children. Current research continues to confirm this. It is truly best to steer clear of them if at all possible. There are organic dyes available and certainly other ways to be festive.

Secondly, why the choice of color. Is green the seasonal color? Not if you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Diwali. Not that another color would have been healthier but how about equal opportunity dyes?

As I mulled over these thoughts, it came as no surprise when Izzy and his friends turned from chattering children to rolling, romping creatures, piling up on one another, causing the parents and teachers to reign in their behavior, caused in part, by the foods they were served.

I was more than happy to take Izzy home for his dinner. Hopefully the green split pea soup would be both nourishing and calming.

I continue to ponder how challenging it is to be "green" here in lovely, toxic, Jersey City. It is especially difficult when not everyone shares the same mindset. Learning to eat better is one way to counteract the negative effects of our environment, as we live in the shadow of the Holland Tunnel. We all do not have the opportunity to raise our children on a farm, as this amazing woman does but we do have a chance to teach our children about good greens and bad.

Buffalo Bundt Meatloaf

I heard from a friend that yesterday was National Bundt Cake Day. I don't know if she invented that or if it is indeed a celebrated occasion. In either event, I celebrated a week earlier with my favorite bundt cake and this..the belle of the bundt ball. A buffalo bundt meatloaf, which is an excellent way to present meatloaf for a crowd.

I usually make my meatloaf with grass fed beef or turkey. This time I happened to use buffalo meat. How is it that I just happened to have several pounds of buffalo meat? Well that reminds me that I have been terribly remiss. I forgot to tell you that I was offered a share of a buffalo.

You see D. (my real food connection) became involved in purchasing a whole buffalo which would supposedly yield something like 600 pounds of buffalo meat. A share of that did seem daunting so I made sure to specify not more than 30 pounds. Even that seemed to be a bit much, considering I hadn't tried buffalo meat before. I'm not exactly sure what happened in the end but I think I only ended up with around 15 pounds, which now that I have tried it, might not be enough.

The meatloaf turned out wonderfully moist, despite the fact that buffalo is rather lean. I had hoped for leftovers but only had enough to give Izzy a portion in his lunchbox the next day. If you haven't been offered a buffalo share, grass-fed beef will do.

This recipe is adapted from this award winning meatloaf recipe I found year's ago in The New York Times.

Buffalo Bundt Meatloaf

Ingredients
1/2 cup honey
1 cup milk
1 cup rolled oats
3 medium onions, chopped fine
olive oil
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 eggs
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 pounds ground buffalo meat or grass-fed beef
1/2 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon spicy mustard.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Saute onions in a 4 tablespoons olive oil until soft and slightly browned.
3. In a bowl, combine the honey and milk. Add oats, onions, salt, pepper, thyme and eggs. Toss with a fork and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the ground buffalo. Add the milk mixture.
4. Pat into oiled, 12-inch round bundt pan and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn off the heat.
4. Turn the loaf out onto a baking sheet. Mix ketchup and mustard together and spread on top of the meat loaf with pastry brush. Return to the warm oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 10-12

According To Alice Waters

Who spoke at the Times Center tonight as part of the first annual New York City Wine and Food Festival; if schools taught eco-gastronomy according to her Edible Schoolyard model, we could turn our children into little eco-gastronomes.

It was wonderful to be present for her discussion and hear her answers to the thoughtful questions from the audience. There were many schoolteachers and others who hope to improve the public school cafeteria situation. Unfortunately her answers always led back to the same thing: the federal government needs to step in to add extra funds to improve the breakfast and lunch programs in schools, ultimately saving money in the long run , when children grow up healthier as a result of eating better.

At the end of the discussion there was a wine and chocolate tasting and we had a chance to have her sign our books. My friend L. asked her what she did on airplanes and she said she would never eat airplane food and always has something with her so that she doesn't have to (glad I am not the only one).

When it was my turn to have my book signed, I told her how I was raising my own little eco-gastronome and she said "Bravo. Keep it up." Which, of course, I will continue to do.

p.s. She looks awfully good for someone I imagine is in her 60's. It must be all of the local, organic foods she eats!

Local Dinner: Venison Salami

My cat preoccupation has left me scant time for thinking about food. Good thing the Hamilton Park Farmer's Market was open today. There I found the fixings for a no cook meal, completely local save for the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I picked up a hunk of venison salami*, definitely worth the $8 donation to Upper Meadows Farm, along with some mozzarella from Hoboken Farms. I added lettuce and tomatoes from my CSA, along with basil from my garden and bread from the local bakery. I drizzled some olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the cheese and greens and voila, our dinner was made.



*I generally don't think of salami as a virtuous food but this salami is altogether different. It is neither greasy nor too salty, having been made with naturally lean venison meat, without any preservatives.

Hard To Believe But...

I shop at Shoprite... Granted it is not my supermarket of choice but it is a five minute walk from my house and if you are without a car, as I am, that means a lot.

I share this with you because this afternoon,, while wandering the aisles of Shoprite with Izzy, I bumped into a woman I know from exercise class. She was genuinely shocked to find me grocery shopping there, knowing what she does of my blog and food obsession.

Indeed I am maniacal about grocery shopping, trekking to the city at least once a week for my fix of Union Square, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. On those trips I stock up on local produce, cheeses, meats and items not found at an ordinary supermarket. No matter how much I want to buy, there is only so much my granny cart will carry so I inevitably need to shop for staples closer to home.

Shoprite sure is close and as I have pointed out before, it does have a decent organic section which has grown over the few years that we have lived here.

They carry many organic staples which allows me to reduce my granny cart load from nyc. I count on my weekly excursion to Shoprite for things like bananas, milk, canned goods, pasta and other odds and ends.

So next time you find yourself at Shoprite, don't be surprised if you bump into me, just rest assured, I'm not buying any meat there.

Homemade Venison Sliders: The Secret Revealed

After all these months, the venison sliders from Ox, still call to me. I heard from the owner that they were temporarily removed from the menu scheduled to return during the colder months.

Meanwhile, I needed a fix. I just so happened to have some chopped venison in my freezer. Doesn't everyone? And I just so happened to bump into Edward, the owner, near my house recently. I asked him for the recipe.
He claims it is simply Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

So I gave it a try. And he was right. These are divine.

Venison Sliders (Ox Style)

2 lbs. chopped venison
1 tablespoon or so Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper

1. Mix ingredients gently and form into small patties (I made 11)
2. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook or the meat will be tough.

Serve with caramelized onions and chopped mushrooms.

The Wonder Of A Blue Egg: Local Eggs, At Their Best

Imagine the wonder and surprise in my little boy's eyes when he opens a carton of eggs to find that they are all just a little bit different, with one blue egg and one speckled egg nestled in amongst the others, each a different size.

Intrigued by the prospect of a blue egg, Izzy immediately reserved it for himself. I told him we would save it for a "fried egg day", to savor its goodness.



Today turned out to be the day Izzy requested his egg for breakfast, heretofore unheard of. He happily burst the bright shining yolk with his bread, dunking it in, savoring its flavor as it dripped down his chin.




Egg bliss.

These Upper Meadows Farm eggs (from the Hamilton Park Farmers' Market) were a delight to behold, even for me. I imagined a diverse bunch of hens clucking around, contentedly laying them. It is for that image and many other reasons as well, that I will only purchase eggs from a farmer I know and trust, which sometimes means a trip to Union Square, in the freezing cold, with eggs on my brain.

I have been buying local farm eggs for the past 10 years or so and often hesitate at the idea of buying eggs at the supermarket, even when desperate times call for desperate measures. When I have no choice, I look for organic, free-roaming eggs that are as local as possible (say Pennsylvania instead of Wisconsin for example). For more in-depth egg-selection criteria, check out this article in today's New York Times. And keep in mind that eggs are most incredible when fresh from the farm.

A little egg poetry...

Carton Surprise

Different sizes.
Different colors.

One blue.
One speckled.

One brown.
One freckled.

What have the hens gone and done.
Magic is within each one.

Bright yellow yolk.
Smooth white

True eggy taste
in every bite.

Blackberries and Raspberries In Hamilton Park: The Market Comes Alive

This past Wednesday the Hamilton Park Farmers' Market was bursting with summer and fine food. Stony Hill Farm and Upper Meadows Farm brought along a veritable fruit cornucopia, including blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, sugar plums, watermelons, cantaloupes, and two varieties of peaches.

The two new farm vendors are more than making up for the disappointment of last year's market. Upper Meadows Farm not only provides unusual produce but they also have a small selection of grass-fed beef and other specialty items available. Hoboken Farms has returned with their great selection of frozen prepared foods (about which I hear many good things, I just don't buy that type of stuff), breads and cheese. The cookie baker, pickle vendor and jewelry stand only add to the allure.

This local market (or your own) is a great place to get your kids excited about summer produce. Izzy couldn't contain himself and was immediately begging for a fix of blueberry donuts and a pint of blackberries. He loves perusing the offerings and figuring out what we might buy and of course I do too.

Trash-Fed Beef? Only The Finest At Our House

I have been buying organic, grass-fed beef from a couple of different purveyors for the past year or so. I have used it mainly for meatballs or meatloaf and have been quite pleased with the flavor.

Hamburgers have proven to be far more challenging. Not sure if it is the beef, the preparation or what. The first batch of burgers I made a few weeks ago from some beef I allowed to defrost on the counter. They tasted so odd I thought that perhaps the meat had become rancid. I could not finish mine and Izzy only ate a few bites of his. My husband finished his and we were all fine.

I made a second burger attempt just a few weeks later, this time with guests. I was embarrassed to discover that the meat had the same peculiar flavor. I looked over at my husband to see if he agreed. I wondered aloud why it was that this grass-fed beef simply did not appeal.

My husband, ever the comedian answered, "Trash-fed Beef..We feed our cows only the finest garbage..." INDEED!

But seriously, I don't believe that grass-fed beef should taste that way so I have bought some new beef to compare. This from Sap Bush Hollow Farm (Thank you Y!) Can't wait to see how it tastes.

How Does My Garden Grow? Backyard Update

You may remember that this year has marked my first real foray into gardening. It began in honor of Izzy's birthday celebration. Raised beds were built. Holes were dug. Seeds were planted.

Since then we have been harvesting lettuce leaves daily. We finally had to remove all the lettuce plants which had become overgrown (note: Farmer Rich is a FARMER. Take his advice).

The most exciting part of the garden has been watching the transformation of the tomato plants, from small to tall and fruit-bearing. The tiny tomatoes seem to have magically emerged overnight. We are also closely monitoring our mystery squash. We are hoping it is a pumpkin.



The herbs have been the easiest to maintain, especially the rosemary and thyme. The basil looks like it might work out too. The jury is still out on the parsley which I just transplanted.

As for other fruits, the strawberries might be a flop. We had a total of three edible looking fruits, two of which were eaten by an unknown interloper. The plants look healthy but no new flowers in sight. At least we hold out hope for our Sugar Baby watermelon plant which is looking good.

Check back for more garden updates in a few weeks.

A Week's Worth of Snack: For Naught?

Monday: Organic grapes and homemade banana bread with brown sugar

Note: Izzy forgot to eat the banana bread and not only that but only half was gone at pick-up.

Suspicious

Tuesday: Buttermilk biscuits with raspberry jam.  Warm from the oven.

Note: At drop off, I offered to slice them all and put the jam on them, as I knew they would be unfamiliar to many of the children.  I was told not to (big mistake).

Izzy told me that he ate them but not many others did.

Wednesday: Secret Fruit Bars: Prepared with oats and mixed berries. Akin to a homemade granola bar. A sure bet and quite popular last year.

Note: Not so much this year.  I am getting increasingly perplexed.



Thursday: Cream cheese and jam finger sandwiches. Bakery bread and organic cream cheese.  Multi-colored sliced peppers.  What could be wrong with that?

Note: Izzy says he ate his but they were not a big hit either.



Friday: Mini-Banana Muffins, warm from the oven.

Note: Izzy said that he ate billions and billions of them.  Apparently his classmates did too since they were all gone.

How could it be that so many of these homemade snacks went untouched?  I asked the teacher, to confirm and that was where I found my clue.  She hesitated to respond and then said something about the children "not liking" the snacks.  How would they know whether they liked them or not if they DIDN'T TRY THEM???  It was then that I was reminded of last year and how the teacher would incorporate a brief discussion of the day's snack into circle time.  She encouraged them to try and try they did.  

A Lone Strawberry

Not just any strawberry, mind you, but a certified organic, Alpine strawberry from our garden. Miraculously, the squirrels did not get their paws on it first.

Instead I allowed Izzy to pluck it and seeing as it was too tiny to share, he had it all to himself. I hope the others ripen so I will have the chance to sample their sweetness myself.

Party Garden: Izzy Inspired

Deciding how to celebrate Izzy's fifth birthday was no easy task. You see he had ideas pertaining to outer space whereas my ideas leaned toward mud. I was not at all inspired to transform our yard into a planet so I came up with the gardening idea, knowing how much Izzy and his friends love to dig in the dirt.

Miraculously he agreed and Izzy's Papa obligingly created these fabulous raised beds so that we could have an organic kitchen garden, a necessity where we live since the soil is notoriously toxic.

Before the party, I selected a bunch of items from Silver Heights Farms at the Union Square Greenmarket on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Herbs, lettuces and leeks were my first picks for the garden. I also have a few strawberry plants and heirloom tomatoes.

The initial plan was for the party goers to transplant but they ended up having such fun with their seeds and just digging that we never got to that. Instead a few days afterwards, Izzy and I worked to transplant some of the things to our planter and I am still deciding what to do with the rest.

The co-mingling of party and garden has left us with a beautiful kitchen garden which will always remind us of the year Izzy turned five.