NYCJane's Profile

I have a daily planner that I got from a stationery store; my one criteria was that it be pretty enough to leave on our coffee table. We have childcare at home during the day while we're at work, and our nanny writes the day's events in it -- what the baby ate, where she and the baby went, if there is a new friend with whom they had a playdate, etc. I add appointments and events so she knows the schedule: e.g., "appt. w/Dr. X, 11:30, bring full bottle; working from home Friday."

I add to it with commentary a few times a week, "bumped head on couch and was fussy this afternoon, learned to grab nose on command, loves peaches, favorite book is Big Red Barn." It's not fancy, but it's much more detail than I would otherwise have, and it also keeps the house somewhat functional.

I found this yesterday at the Container Store. It's by a company called Casalinghi, and it's called the Snips Sesamo. It folds up like a little suitcase.

http://www.snips.it/cucinaENG/sesamo.htm

http://www.snips.it/imgENG/cucina/Sesamo_big.jpg

http://www.snips.it/imgENG/cucina/Sesamo_small.jpg

http://www.snips.it/imgENG/cucina/Sesamo_small2.jpg

My trick for making any broccoli taste better, no matter what you're doing to it, is to peel it.

1. Hack off the part of the stem you're not going to use.
2. Holding the broccoli upside down, put your knife into the stem, just barely into the stem.
3. Peel back, peeling off the old and stringy part of the stem, pulling toward the florets. All the nasty and old parts of the broccoli will come off, and you'll be left with the fresh and sweet part of the veggie.

My favorite preparation: Hold a skillet under the tap for a count of two. Throw the broccoli in the skillet, and put the skillet on a burner, on medium. As the water cooks off, it steams the broccoli, eliminating the need for a fancy steamer or another piece of equipment. Toss with lemon infused olive oil and warm through for one minute.