Lost my (Tea) Mojo

So as all southern women know, you should be able to make good sweet tea by the time you move out of your parents' home.  Being a good cook isn't as necessary as it once was - with all the wonderful delis, bakeries and restaurants available with take-out you can "fake" most recipes and throw together a respectable meal or snacks for a dinner party or get-together.  (Side note: I cannot stand Sandra Lee and Semi-Homemade Cooking.  I don't know why, I love Food Network but I can't take that show.).

Good sweet tea is an art.  You wouldn't think something with three ingredients would be so difficult but there is a perfect ratio of tea, water and sugar and people are very proud of their tea.  Everyone has their own methods and secrets for making sweet iced tea, however I seem to have lost all of mine.  I used to be able to make respectable tea, but no longer.  I have several theories as to how it could have happened : I tried to cut back on caffeine while I was pregnant with Baby Lovely, so I didn't make it as often.  I'm sleep deprived now that she is here so everything is just a little off. Who knows exactly what caused it, but somehow I have lost my tea mojo. 

I went so far as to look up recipes last night (for TEA!) but I still wasn't sucessful.  Don't get me wrong, the pitcher of tea was drinkable, it just wasn't good. I did what most southern girls would do and asked Mom, however she has a history of witholding recipes from me (I think it is her way of ensuring that she is always needed.)  Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas for foolproof sweet tea? Help!

Simple, Summer Supper

It is HOT.  This time of year always makes me dread making supper - the last thing I want to do is be in the kitchen sweating.  I have lots of stand-by meals, but its always fun to add something new to the rotation.  I also like using what is in season - and right now that means tomatoes.  I used a little inspiration from a sandwich I had in Charleston recently and a classic tomato caprese salad and came up with my own version of a caprese sandwich. Sometimes the simplest meals are the best - we just had these for supper and my mouth is watering again just thinking about them. 




Caprese Sandwich

-fresh tomatoes (from your garden or the farmer's market - grocery store 'maters always disappoint)

-ball mozzarella, sliced

-fresh basil

-ciabatta bread (loaf or rolls)

-olive oil (a decent one - leave the cheap stuff for cooking)

-balsamic vinegar
-salt and pepper

Toast the ciabatta bread (sliced horizontally) for five minutes in the oven until just warm.  Slice the tomatoes into several thick slices, then liberally sprinkle both sides with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Place some tomatoes, mozzarella, a few basil leaves on each sandwich.  Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the tomato, top with the other half of the ciabatta bread, then enjoy!

photo © Johnny Katchoolik
for openphoto.net CC:Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Accountability

So far this posting twice a week thing isn't working out so well.  I also completely went against my instincts and told my husband I had started a blog.  So when the Captain mentioned that I hadn't posted anything recently, I hesitantly asked what he meant.  His response? "You haven't posted since the Manolo thing. I check daily."  Ooops.  Without anyone reading I didn't have anyone to be accountable to.  If I have a reader though (even if he does share a bed with me) I guess that is the motivation I need to try and post more often.

That also made me start to think about my new responsibilities and the changes that meant in my personal accountability.  As children, you answer to your parents, teachers, older relatives.  When you become an adult that changes - you have to explain your actions to your spouse, your boss, and sometimes yourself.  As I mentioned the arrival of my daughter changed a lot of my responsibilities. I drastically scaled back my job duties and became a (mostly) stay at home mom. It is a very different sort of feeling.

Getting up and going to work every morning had previously been important to me.  I have been working since I was 15.  In those jobs, I tried to be on time, work hard, and always do my best.  Now some days I don't get out of my yoga pants or even leave the house.  My job now is infinitely more important to me - I am completely responsible for another person. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that.  I have the responsibility of teaching her to read and to count.  I keep her clean and fed and happy.  I will (hopefully) help mold her into the smart, strong, beautiful woman I know she is going to be.  That is a lot of responsibility - but so far it has been my favorite job ever. Thankfully, she doesn't seem to mind the yoga pants.

Her Daddy is going to have to teach her Geography though.  I was always terrible with Geography.