What's for Dinner?

Three seemingly simple words.  One very basic question.  Yet almost impossible to answer.  "What's for Dinner?"  There are about 2,000 plant species which are cultivated for food.  There are hundreds of proteins to choose from.   And starches..more than enough options.  Dinner can be fried, sautéed, boiled, broiled, poached, steamed, grilled, heck even eaten raw.  So why is it so hard for a family of four to figure out how to nourish itself when the sun begins to set?  The obvious answer to this question is that there's too much to choose from.  But if you ask me, it's a lot more complicated than that.

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Which must make dinner those most confrontational.  When you eliminate all of the dislikes, the impossible to get items, the expensive splurge ingredients and the unidentifiable, iced-over packaged goods buried deep in your freezer, you've probably only really got 10-20 possible options.  You would think it would be easy to agree on just one each night.   But it's not, and most nights, coming to a consensus requires a minor war to break out first.  And I think I've boiled it (pun intended) down to a few causes:

• We're just too tired to cook.  There's really no escaping this feeling, especially as the week drags on.  But if we were smart and planned ahead, and maybe watched a few Rachael Ray shows over the weekend, we'd be prepared with an agreed upon menu for the week.  We'd have meals prepared over the weekend for quick reheating or have simple recipes lined up making dinner a snap.
• We were too lazy to defrost something from the freezer last night.  Yes, the day was crazy and we were tired and just wanted to go to bed.  But last night, when our bellies weren't doing their best "Little Shop of Horrors" impression, was the best time to decide what's for dinner today.
• We're all too damn picky.  The purpose of eating is to stay alive, and while our taste buds want to soak up the good life, it won't kill any of us to eat rice two nights in a row.  Or to have a sandwich or some scrambled eggs and just be done with it.  But we're always searching for the perfect choice.  And let's be real, not many of us ever finish dinner and say "That was the best home cooked meal I've ever had and debating what to eat for an hour and a half was worth it all!"
• There's just so much to do tonight.  True enough.  There's homework to finish and school lunches to pack.  There's some lingering work from the day to wrap up.  The garden needs to be watered and the laundry needs to be done.  It's hard to focus on taking the time for a nice family meal so we start thinking about short cuts and boxed food.  But we're torn up with guilt over just how bad that stuff is for us.  And in the end, we don't take the time to relish in each other's company.
• We just can't agree.  So the first four reasons are nice and logical.  And I think they can all be conquered.  But then there's this dreaded fact.  A family of four rarely agrees on anything.  Every decision is a battle.  Every decision a chance for each of us to flex our muscles, to show who's boss, to take control and get what we want.  I'm not sure I have the magic bullet for this one, but perhaps if we establish some rules and a game plan, we can make it work...with some compromise.  So here's a quick idea my family will put to the test this week:
• We'll each choose two staple ingredients we want to eat this week.
• We'll brainstorm dishes we like to eat with those ingredients.
• Then we'll each choose a main dish for the family to eat one night.
• We'll make sure at least one night's dinner is cooked in a crock pot.
• We'll leave one night open to bring in a quick dinner and one night to go out for dinner.
• That leaves just one night open, so I guess we'll let the dog choose that one!

I'll report briefly on how the week goes next Friday.  In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you on how your family conquers this age-old question, or I'd invite you to try my idea along with us this week and let us know how it goes!

Can We Go Out For Dinner?

My younger daughter and I are so alike it's scary.  Everyone who looks at the two of us instantly knows we are father and daughter.  But they may or may not realize that our behaviors are near identical, too.  Over the past several years, my daughter's anxiety levels have risen tremendously, triggered early on by the tornado that rolled throughour backyard in 2011.  Combined with what appears to be a solid dose of ADHD, she can have a hard time concentrating and an even harder time keeping her cool when she doesn't get her way.  It's been a struggle to say the least.

I've, too, have had my share of traumatic life experiences including panic attacks in college, losing my dad too soon, being apart from my mom for several years, several job changes, not to mention a tornado rolling through my backyard.  And while those are stories for another day, I think it's fair to say they have left me a little anxious, too.  I don't have the same focus issues, but it's clear I have some trouble keeping my cool, especially when combating a young child who's lost her cool.  So it's no secret if you've spent any time around my family that my younger daughter and I can go at it pretty strong sometimes.  But one thing remains constant through it all...I love her more than words can ever express.  And every night, I lay in bed wondering how to make things better.  How to teach her the necessary lessons in life while balancing that with letting her just be her.

Tonight, for at least one night, I found the answer.  My wife and older daughter were off at dance class so it was just me and the young one.  Coming off three straight nights of knockdown, drag out, steel cage match, battle royals, and feeling a little lost, my daughter said to me "Can We Go Out For Dinner?".  Now on most week nights after a stressful day of work, I would have said no without hesitating.  But this night, I paused, thought about those night laying in bed thinking about how to make things better, and said yes!  I set out two parameters for her before we left:

1. You need to show me you can behave like a young lady.  You need to sit nicely and have a nice dinner.
2. We are going to take some time to talk about what's been going on and figure out how to make things better.

And off we went.  We shared one side of a booth, hugging hips.  We colored for a bit.  She read to me from the book she was assigned to read this week.  We had some bread.  We talked about our feelings.  We ate our dinner.  And we talked some more.  We even came up with a plan of attack for when she starts to get a little angry.  And I think if I can do my part, she'll do hers as well.  We came home and she went to bed without a single fuss, which on the heels of the last three nights, was a much needed reprieve.  And perhaps a great sign that if we all just stay calm and keep our heads on straight, we can make this work.  I know it's just one night, and I know it won't always work, but just having a plan is a start.

So tonight's lesson?  Food can really bring people together.  And if the plan works, I'll share it in a follow up blog post soon.  Wish us luck!

When Will There Be Another Peanut-Free Night?

For the first time since I started this blog, I get to write about something that combines all three of my passions: my kids, food and sports!  And it's all thanks to a very special support group called NC FACES (Food Allergic Children Excelling Safely).  This past Sunday night, the "volunteer support group that provides a social and emotional support network for families dealing with food allergies in the RTP area of North Carolina" organized a night out at the ballgame.

My wife and I had recently been discussing our realization that our younger daughter would not only never get to eat Chinese food because of her peanut allergies, but that she'd also never get to smell the fresh cut grass at a baseball game because of the abundance of peanut shells littering the pavement.  Then my wife learned about NC FACES from a co-worker of hers.  Ironically, they had just planned a Peanut-Free night at the Durham Bulls game!  Our little girl was going to get to see her first baseball game thanks to this wonderful collection of people.

Peanut-Free Signs All Around the Porch Area

The weather this past weekend was pretty crappy so for a while I didn't think the game would even happen.  Throughout the day, there were random passing downpours, but as game time approached, the clouds parted partially and some sun broke through.  Game on!  NC FACES had secured the porch area down the left field line and put up Peanut-Free signs everywhere.  The area had been cleaned thoroughly with not a shell to be found anywhere.  We were all given special stickers to show our support for the cause, and they even put out nutritional and ingredient info on the ballpark food so parents could be sure they would purchase safely for their kids.

The Famous Durham Bull and Blue Monster

We took in the sights and sounds, we eat hot dogs and nachos, we stretched during the seventh inning  and we cheered on the Bulls.  My daughter even got a tour behind the Blue Monster over which the famous bull from Bull Durham sits.  It's true, she cared much more about what was happening off the field than on, but it was a truly special night for all of us, especially for her.  It was a night that left her asking "When will there be another peanut-free night?"

So a special thanks to NC FACES for providing my daughter with an opportunity to feel like every other kid out there!  We are excited to be new members of this terrific group.

Will My Preakness Picks Be Any Better?

Since I didn't make a complete fool of myself with my Derby picks, I'm at it again for the Preakness Stakes, the second of three legs in the Triple Crown.  Since there are only nine horses in this race, here's my quick analysis of each horse, followed by my wagers.  I'll stick with another $100 in bets in an attempt to make up the $100 I lost in the Derby and hopefully a lot more.

• Orb (#1) ran the biggest race of his young career winning the Derby and he doesn't figure to repeat that performance in the Preakness.  Derby winners are usually the favorite in the Preakness, and they have been known to run better than they should in this race, so while I'll look for a better value to win it all, I can't throw him out completely.
• Goldencents (#2) went into the Derby coming off his biggest race and figured to go backwards a bit in the Derby, but not that bad.  He was beaten by almost 50 lengths which is a whole lot in a horse race.  There are a lot of possible reasons for the horrible performance including distance, too many speed horses in the race, and most of all, a very sloppy wet track.  He should get back to form in the Preakness, as long as the predicted rain doesn't mess with this race, too.  And since I figure the betters might shy away from him a bit, he'll definitely be in my wagers.
• Titletown Five (#3) looks too slow to keep up with this field, so he's out.
• Departing (#4) is a new entrant to the triple crown, with four weeks of rest to support his efforts.  He seems to have done well with the increasing distance and is a serious contender.  He should have enough speed to sit right behind the frontrunners and strike when they turn for home.  He's a major player in my betting.
• Mylute (#5) ran a big race closing fast in the shadows of Orb to finish fifth in the Derby.  He figures to struggle off his biggest effort so far and as one of the favorites, I don't think he's worth the odds.  So he's out of my betting.
• Oxbow (#6) ran alright in the Derby until fading late like many other horses running a mile and a quarter for the first time.  The Preakness is a sixteen of a mile shorter which should help, but I just don't think he'll have enough to win it all.  But at a potential long shot price, I'll take a shot at him finishing in the top 3.
• Willtakecharge (#7) was coming off his best race heading into the Derby and might have been turned off by the wet track and added distance.  He's probably too slow to win it all, but at a decent price, I'll throw him into at least one of my triple bets.
• Sometimes when handicapping a race, there comes a horse you just don't know what to do with.  Governor Charlie (#8) is that horse.  He's lightly raced with only three starts in his lifetime and he hasn't run in almost two months.  He's never run against this quality of competition either.  All signs are that he probably needs a few races of this caliber to be competitive, but if he can continue to improve, it's not that difficult to make a case for him.  I'll throw him in a few bets because his price might be too good to pass up, but I'm not counting on much this time.
• Itsmyluckyday (#9) took a huge step back in the Derby and I'm not certain he can recover quickly enough with just two weeks since that race, so he's off my radar.

With the analysis behind me, I'm putting all my eggs in the Departing basket.  And since I like to try to hit it big, I'll take a shot with a bunch of triples without Orb for a big price.  Here are my wagers:

• $20 Win on 4 (Departing) (total bet costs $20)
• $5 Exacta Box 4 (Departing) and 1 (Orb) (total bet costs $10)
• $5 Exacta Box 4 (Departing) and 2 (Goldencents) (total bet costs $10)
• $3 Exacta Box 4 (Departing) and 6 (Oxbow) (total bet costs $6)
• $3 Exacta Box 4 (Departing) and 7 (Willtakecharge) (total bet costs $6)
• $3 Exacta Box 4 (Departing) and 8 (Governor Charlie) (total bet costs $6)
• $2 Triple Box 4 (Departing), 1 (Orb) and 2 (Goldencents) (total bet costs $12)
• $1 Triple Box 4 (Departing), 2 (Goldencents) and 7 (Willtakecharge) (total bet costs $6)
• $2 Triple Part-Wheel 4 (Departing) with 2 (Goldencents), 6 (Oxbow), 7 (Willtakecharge)and 8 (Governor Charlie) (total bet costs $24)

Here's a quick reminder on what these bets mean:

• Win - The horse has to win the race
• Exacta Box - The two horses have to finish first and second in either order
• Triple Box - The three horses have to finish first, second and third in any order
• Triple Part-Wheel - The first horse must win the race and two of the other horses in the bet must finish second and third

Really, Westin?

If you read my last blog post, you know I have a minor addiction to desserts.  In fact, when bed time nears, if I don’t get my sweets, I can get a bit cranky.  So when I travel on business, things can get rough, especially if I don’t have a rental car to go on the hunt for a bakery, ice cream shop, or even a gas station convenience store stocked with goodies.

It takes great planning to ensure that when the opportunity strikes to procure a snack for later in the night, I strike.  So I’m always on the lookout for a packaged good at lunch time or even a dessert-to-go if dinner leaves me too stuffed to eat it right away.  But the real solution would be to find a hotel chain that cares more about customer service than one that feels compelled to rip off its guests.  One that finds a way to make their guests feel like they are at home rather than feeling like they are in an unfamiliar country where everyone is speaking a different language.

Snacks Available in the Room

I’ve been in Boston this week for a work trip, and last night I went out for dinner with a group of co-workers.  At the end of dinner, no one was overly excited about the dessert offerings, so we decided to head back to the hotel.  About 30 minutes after checking back into my room, the nighttime cravings started to kick in.  But with no rental car and a hotel not located within walking distance of anything open, I weighed my in-room options, only to be left asking myself “Really, Westin?”  A normal canister of M&M’s that would sell for $2 at the grocery store was $4.  The short can of Pringles was also at least twice the price.  But perhaps most ridiculous of all was the ice cream on the room service menu.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream costs $9.  But wait, there’s more.  Let’s add a 15% service charge, a 3% administrative charge, 7% sales tax, and a $3.75 delivery charge.  That makes this scoop of ice cream $15.  What, is it topped with gold flakes?  Most take-out restaurants deliver food miles away for free, or maybe $2 at most.  This scoop of ice cream doesn’t even have to leave the building.

In-Room Menu with Overpriced Ice Cream and Surcharges

Yeah, I know I’m venting and yeah, I know it’s not just the Westin that charges outlandish prices for in-room food and room service, but as a business travel, I demand more.  And perhaps if I traveled lots more and had a fancy club membership I’d get all this for free on the 39^th floor in some fancy bar overlooking the bright city lights.  But I don’t.  That still doesn’t mean I should be taken advantage.  So I say to you Westin and all the other hotels out there like you, find a better way.  You can’t possibly be making enough revenue from these sales to offset the negative customer experience.  Bring down your prices, make travelers feel like they’re at home, and maybe they will write better reviews about their experiences!

Have you had similar experiences?  Or perhaps you’ve found hotels that are already doing this?  Either way, I want to hear about it!  Please feel free to comment below.

Why Is a Big Bowl of Ice Cream So Comforting?

Tonight's dessert

After a long and stressful day, most adults utter the following words: "I need a drink".  Heck, even I utter those words sometimes, and then I remember I don't drink any more.  So instead, I think "I need a ridiculous amount of ice cream covered in crumbled thin mints or Oreos or pretty much any cookie I can find in the house, then smothered in hot fudge sauce right out of the microwave and topped off with a mile-high spray of whipped cream.  Oh, and give me a tall glass of milk along side.  And until recently, it was whole milk, but I finally came to my senses just a little bit.  So "Why Is a Big Bowl of Ice Cream So Comforting?"

I know it's not the near thousand calories I'm ingesting.  And I don't think it's the brain freeze I get if I eat it too fast.  So what is it?  I think each sinful spoonful offers a little break from the daily grind.  With that first bite, you're transported to your younger days, hanging out in front of the ice cream shop licking clockwise around the cone so the melting ice cream doesn't hit the ground.  When life was simple and all you had to worry about was which video game to play next.  With that next taste comes the magical hit of the cold ice cream swirled in with the hot fudge, sending your taste buds into a state of confused euphoria.  Is this a cold dessert or is it a warm desert.  It's both!  In fact, the combination of cold ice cream with warm pie or brownies might just be the best and most comforting food combination ever imagined.

As you dig your spoon into the ice cream for your third mouthful, making sure you get a little of everything, you begin to realize this might not be the healthiest thing for you.  But you know that for just a few brief moments, nothing else matters.  Not the next day's work you should be doing now.  Not the dirty dishes piling up in the sink.  Not the dog whimpering at the water bowl.  That for this small slice of your day, you can just kick back and be as over-indulgent as you like without being judged.  That's a truly comforting feeling.

Dreaming of tomorrow

Spoon by spoon, you slip more and more into an ice cream stupor much as if you had actually indulged in that drink.  But unfortunately, when your spoon clanks against the bottom of the now-empty bowl, you are immediately blasted back into reality, only now with a massive tummy ache.  You wonder aloud why you felt the urge to ingest all of that, but quietly think to yourself, I can't wait for tomorrow night when I can sneak away again with another supersized helping of the good stuff.

What is your "Bowl of Ice Cream"?  Or more importantly to my addiction, what do you put in your bowl of ice cream that I might like to try tomorrow night?  Let me hear from you by commenting below!

How Do We Get Our Kids to Try More Foods?

Are you having trouble getting your kids to try new foods?  If so, I can sympathize.  We had the same problem but came up with a creative way to solve the problem.  Hopefully, this post will help you.

Growing up, I tasted lots of different foods.  My mom had a real simple rule.  Try everything, and if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it.  I remember the first time I visited Boston with my mom when I was 13.  We were out for breakfast and I ordered an egg sandwich on a croissant.  I expected the eggs to be scrambled, but when they came, they were sunny side up with broken yolks running everywhere.  It didn't look very appealing, but following my mom's rule, I took a taste, and for the past 24 years, eating sunny side up eggs with broken yolks running everywhere has been my favorite way to eat eggs.  When I was eight, we were visiting friends in New Orleans.  They had a big brunch party and I tried quail for the first time.  A week later while introducing myself at sleep away camp, I told everyone my favorite food was quail, which was quite the departure from the typical answers of pizza, hot dogs and ice cream.

So I guess I just expected my kids would abide by the same rule and would love everything.  Clearly I have more defiant children who also possess less sophisticated  taste buds.  After several years of nothing but mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, corn and peas, my wife and I had seen enough.  So we asked ourselves "How Do We Get Our Kids to Try More Foods?".  The answer was a simple little game.  And sitting at Moe's tonight watching my older daughter eat a burrito with beef, rice, cheese, salsa and cilantro, and my younger daughter eat a soft taco with black beans, rice and cheese, while dipping chips in queso, I realized the game had worked.

We created a chart titled "Try a New Food Chart".  Under each child, we placed five rows each containing twenty boxes.  When one of the kids tried a new food item, they got one check.  If they liked it and ate a full serving, they got a second check.  This inspired the kids not only to try the food, but to actually give it a real chance.  When they finished each row, they got to pick out something from the Dollar Tree.  A cheap treat but one that thrilled them nonetheless.  And when they got their 100th check, they got a special surprise gift.  Once they got through four rows, it was amazing how many foods they were trying to finish that last row.  They used to ask before they tried a food "Do I get a check if I try that?".  Now, they just try the food and then they ask if it was worthy of a check.

Along the way, they realized how much they love some new foods.  Eggs prepared about five different ways, prosciutto, black beans, lamb chops, bruschetta, and so much more.  And all for about $50 in prizes.  Not a bad way to get the kids to try new foods and begin to experience the joys of eating all kinds of stuff.

Now it's your turn.  Please provide a comment on the creative ways you've tried to get your kids to eat more foods and how it's worked out.

Who's My Derby Pick?

Today is Kentucky Derby day.  For some, that means it's time to dig out their big fancy hats.  For others, it's time to mix up a Mint Julep and cook up a Hot Brown.  But for me, it's time to put my handicapping to the true test and see if I can pick a winner among nineteen unpredictable three-year old horses.  I've studied the past performances, I've done my analysis, and I'm ready to make my picks.  As a kid, I used to grab the morning paper, check the names of the horses running that day and circle my top three picks.  Then that night, I'd watch the race recap show and cheer on my picks, comparing my results against the professionals picks.  One summer, I even managed to have a better winning percentage than all five pros in the NY Daily News.  So I'm excited to share my picks with you today, knowing full well that by about 6:30pm EST tonight, I will have either earned your full respect, or I'll cease writing about my race track adventures forever.

First a few facts about this race.  The horses will run 1 1/4 miles, which is further than any of them have ever run before.  The race is run on the dirt, but with rain predicted, a sloppy track is possible which could throw all research out the window.  So here goes.

The Favorites

• Revolutionary (#3) is taking money, down from 10-1 morning line to current 5-1 odds.  He has a chance to put in a big performance.
• Goldencents (#8) ran a very big race in his last effort and his name is now well known as the horse partially owned by Rick Pitino.  Those factors will likely make him one of the favorites and doesn't provide enough value for me.  So I'm throwing him out.
• I grow up in the shadows of the Verrazano Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to Staten Island.  So my heart is with Verrazano (#14) today, but I'm concerned he's run too many big races the past four months.  And he didnt' race as a two year old, so he just might not be ready for this big stage just yet.  I think he's still good a solid shot at top three, but he won't be my first choice to win it all.
• Orb(#16) may be the favorite when the gates open, and he's run two solid races in a row, but at short money, even if he continues to progress, I think someone else will jump up and beat him.

The Middle Tier

• It looks like Normandy Invasion (#5) will like running the extra distance and has a big race last year to indicate he could run big today.
• Overanalyze (#9) has a shot at a decent price to make the top three and beat Normandy Invasion last November.
• Itsmyluckyday (#12) ran two very big races in January before getting beat by race favorite Orb in March.  It's possible after a step backwards in that last race he could improve again, but I think this distance will be too much so he's out.

The Long Shots

• Will Take Charge (#17) is interesting to me if the track doesn't get too sloppy.  He's well rested and should like the added distance.  His sire is Unbridled's Song, a Derby champ and he's trained by legend D. Wayne Lukas.
• Java's War (#19) ran second to Verrazano in March and a repeat performance could have him close at the finish, especially given he likes to come from way behind.
• Vyjack (#20) will leave from the far outside post but with Garrett Gomez along for the ride, getting over and saving ground shouldn't be problem and he also figures to be closing late at a very big price.

Now that I've done the analysis, "Who's My Derby Pick?"  I've decided to put my faith in the #5 Normandy Invasion.  He might not be the best horse in the race, but for his price, I like his chances the best.  So here's how I'd spend my $100:

• $10 Win on 5 (Normandy Invasion) - I think he's got the best shot for the price (total bet costs $10)
• $10 Exacta Box 3 (Revolutionary) and 5 (Normandy Invasion) (total bet costs $20)
• $5 Exacta Box 5 (Normandy Invasion) and 9 (Overanalyze) (total bet costs $10)
• $3 Exacta Box 5 (Normandy Invasion) and 19 (Java's War) (total bet costs $6)
• $3 Exacta Box 5 (Normandy Invasion) and 20 (Vyjack) (total bet costs $6)

A whole bunch of $1 Triple Boxes (each bet costing $6):

• 3 (Revolutionary), 5 (Normandy Invasion) and 9 (Overanalyze)
• 3 (Revolutionary), 5 (Normandy Invasion) and  17 (Will Take Charge)
• 3 (Revolutionary), 5 (Normandy Invasion) and  19 (Java's War)
• 3 (Revolutionary), 5 (Normandy Invasion) and 20 (Vyjack)
• 5 (Normandy Invasion), 14 (Verrazano) and 20 (Vyjack)
• 5 (Normandy Invasion), 16 (Orb) and 20 (Vyjack)
• 3 (Revolutionary),  9 (Overanalyze) and 14 (Verrazano)
• 3 (Revolutionary), 14 (Verrazano) and 20 (Vyjack)

Here's a quick dictionary of bets:

• Win - The horse has to win the race
• Exacta Box - The two horses have to finish first and second in either order
• Triple Box - The three horses have to finish first, second and third in any order

So, who you got?  You've got about 3 1/2 hours to make your pick!