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Category: musings

  1. Friday, October 19, 2012

    {Food for Thought Friday} Type 3 Diabetes and California’s Prop 37

    It’s Friday. Time to party, right? Nope. Time to think and think hard, people! 😉 I feel like by the end of the week, I often have heard and read lots of “stuff” that really gets me thinking. So, I’m going to process my thoughts with you, share what I’ve learned, get your thoughts, see where it gets us. Thinking is good, even on Friday.

    So, for our first Food for Thought Friday post, I’m dropping two big bombs. Get ready.

    Alzheimer’s is probably the “new” diabetes
    As if two kinds of diabetes weren’t enough, several studies are indicating that Alzheimer’s could be considered Type 3 diabetes. Mark Bittman wrote a great piece on this subject on the New York Times recently that is worth a read.  No, really, go read it.

    I love dessert. Nate often teases that I should rename my blog This Week for Dessert. In all seriousness, though, it’s becoming increasingly clear just how bad sugar is for our bodies. One study after another indicates the great amount of havoc that sugar wreaks on our systems. I still stand by the adage “everything in moderation.” But, I must also admit, my sugar intake is not always moderate (and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one). How many times have I looked at people with Alzheimer’s and thought, “Oh, I hope that never happens to me.” Genetic predisposition plays a role, but it’s looking like what we eat plays a much bigger role in whether or not our brains go to pot. Which stinks, because I really love dessert. And french fries, for that matter. But I also really want to be lucid until the day I die. If I can affect whether or not that happens, I should seriously consider what I’m putting in my mouth every day.

    California’s Prop 37 and why it affects all of us
    If you live in California, you most certainly have heard of Prop 37. If you don’t live in California, let me give you a quick rundown.

    First off, as we all know, California is kind of a crazy place and here is just one more example. We have this initiative process where laws are proposed and get voted on by the people directly. The California constitution is probably 3,000,000 pages long because of all these propositions that get passed. I actually kind of hate the whole process because, well, I’m not an expert on any of this stuff and neither are most people. I think people in general tend to vote on many of these issues in an emotional way, which may not be the best way to, say, make budgetary decisions for a state in astronomical debt. But this is the system and it’s what we have to work with. You can read more about California’s ballot initiative process here if you like.

    Proposition 37 is one of these such initiatives that will be on the ballot in California this November. In sum, Prop 37 mandates labeling of genetically-modified food. And, if it is passed in California, it will impact the rest of the country somehow, somewhere. You know, setting wheels in motion and all of that.

    As with all propositions, I approach it skeptically. Especially after learning how poorly it is written, including so many exceptions to render the labeling almost meaningless. In addition, while I feel very strongly about the various impacts the industrialized food system has on our health and the health of the earth, I don’t think we can say that GM foods are all bad and evil, and mandating a label implies as much. (P.S. I reserve the right to change my mind as more information comes to light, of course!). I’m married to a scientist, a bioengineer at that. Nate and I believe in science and it’s ability to do a huge amount of good.

    HOWEVER, genetically-modified crops are a mainstay of Big Food (i.e. the big, rich, powerful companies that drive the industrialized food system). They are fighting this proposition tooth and nail and they are the reason there hasn’t been labeling from the get-go. And, as flawed as the proposition may be, it just might be the first time we can take a real, meaningful stand against a broken food system.

    I’m torn. This must be what a legislator in Washington feels like when a bill they believe in ends up with riders they don’t agree with but are necessary to get the bill passed. Politics are messy. I am sooooo glad I am not a politician. But, like it or not, voting on Prop 37 in a few short weeks gets me involved politically. And it puts the food system on the political map.

    Michael Pollan wrote a piece about Prop 37 for (you guessed it) the New York Times last week. He puts it all down on paper far more eloquently than I have. Go read it. It is, at the very least, thought provoking.

    I’m not telling you how I’m voting. Although, I have to say, I can’t imagine ever being on the same side as Monsanto. Much to ponder, here, my friends. Much to ponder.

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 10:36 am   22 Comments
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  2. Friday, September 28, 2012

    Oooo Oooo, That Smell!

    This post has been rumbling around in my brain for some time, so I’m finally setting it free! Plus, I love sharing my strange neuroses and then having you people back me up. It makes me feel better about myself.

    There are four foods that I HATE the smell of. And it’s weird because they are totally normal foods that shouldn’t elicit such a passionate smell response. And, in fact, I eat these foods. But for some reason, the way they smell puts me over the edge.

    Peanuts/Peanut Butter
    I actually don’t like eating peanuts, but I DO like peanut butter. But the smell? Oh goodness. I can’t handle it. Back when I worked in an office full time, my boss had a jar of peanuts and everyone would nibble on nuts as we held our weekly staff meeting…little did they know they were slowly nibbling away at my sanity at the same time.

    Wet Cheerios
    Whether it’s a bowl of Cheerios in milk or leftover Cheerios sitting in the bottom of the sink, the smell makes me bonkers. And, too bad for me, my kids eat Cheerios almost every day. I don’t care how late we’re running in the morning, I get those bowls rinsed out as soon as I can!

    Popcorn that wasn’t popped in the last 15 minutes
    I love the smell of freshly popped popcorn, but as soon as it’s cold, no thanks. And a bowl of popcorn that’s sat out overnight? I can smell it miles away. BLECH!

    Ketchup
    I know, weird. I’m telling you, I eat the stuff. It tastes great. But I can’t stand the smell.

    I feel better now. For some reason airing out my crazy is therapeutic.

    Wet Cheerios AND a knife with peanut butter sitting in the sink? AAAAHHHHHH!!!!

    What completely normal food smells drive YOU crazy? And, if you agree with any of the foods above, please back me up!

    No food bloggers were committed to a mental hospital in the photographing of this stinky food…but it was a close one.

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 11:22 am   43 Comments
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  3. Friday, September 14, 2012

    I want to tell you about Lucy

    I want to tell you about my little friend Lucy. She’s three years old and she is funny, feisty and loving. Really loving. Like, if she met you right now, she would tell you how much she loves you.

    Lucy is also the person in my life who I think about when things get hard or stressful, or at least when I think they get hard or stressful. All I have to do is call Lucy and her family to mind and I instantly gain perspective. You see, Lucy has a terminal and degenerative genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). She can’t walk. She can’t eat. She can barely breathe. And yet she is LUCY. She has this amazing little brain that works just like yours and mine. She loves using her iPad (which, by the way, has opened up the world to her). She loves to go swimming. She loves the Disney princesses. She loves to swing on the back porch with her brother and sister in the special swing her grandpa built for her. She likes to drive her special chair ALL BY HERSELF. She is just like any three-year-old, except her body just doesn’t cooperate.

    Lucy’s parents Chad and Cherisse are amazing. They have the tremendous task of caring for Lucy, and they do so with tenderness and love, just as any parent would. But, actually witnessing their care, on both good days and bad? It is a true inspiration and a reminder of the great love and great good we are all capable of. Even with all the care that Lucy requires, they still have strong relationships with their two older children, who adore Lucy as well. Cherisse’s Instagram feed does a heart good, let me tell you. Getting a peak into their day-to-day, the small moments Lucy has with her siblings, it’s beyond touching.

    Lucy is a miracle. She was diagnosed with type 1 SMA (the most severe form) as a small baby. At the time of diagnosis, the doctors said Lucy would be lucky to see her first birthday, which was hard for Cherisse to believe looking at the baby in her lap. It became clear as time went on, however, that the disease would overtake almost all of her abilities.

    And yet…Lucy is a miracle. 90% of SMA Type 1 babies don’t make it to their 2nd birthday…and Lucy is a trooper of a 3-year-old!

    SMA stinks. Lucy is the second child I’ve personally known who has this disease. I’ve been wanting to tell you about Lucy because, well, I love her story. But I also want to help Cherisse spread the word about SMA. I love this infographic from the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation that gives a fabulous summary of the disease:

    spinal muscular atrophy summary

    Here is SMA in a nutshell: it’s degenerative, it’s the #1 genetic killer of infants and young children, it affects the body’s ability to function in just about every way and yet the brain is never affected. But here’s the sort of magical thing about SMA…research of this disease could truly do wonders. Treatment and cure is plausible and, if discoveries are made for SMA, that research could help with the treatment of hundreds of other genetic diseases and neurological disorders. (To read more about SMA, click here!) 

    Have you ever seen the This American Life tv show? It is as great as the podcast, and my most favorite story from the series is of Mike Phillips. Mike was diagnosed with SMA at age 9. He was 27 when This American Life told his story. He always said that if he could talk, he would want to sound like Johnny Depp. Awesomely they got Johnny Depp to narrate his story, a story that is amazing, haunting, sad, funny and will definitely make you cry. It gives such a unique insight into the mind of someone dealing with this disease.

    Lucy has made a mark on this world. She has impacted many lives. And she is a beautiful reminder to all of us that each and every day we have on this earth is a gift. I am going to quote Cherisse here for a bit because, well, the words of Lucy’s own mother are more precious and powerful than anything I can come up with.

    “I would not trade the world for this little girl that brings so much joy, love, hope and light to our lives. She is an angel in every sense of the word and I wish I could share her with the whole world. She has enough love in her little red heart for everyone she meets (and she will tell you that she loves you too, over and over again). I don’t think that our family will ever feel as loved and supported as we have while caring for this very special girl, my heart swells when I think of all of the kindness and love that has been shown to us. Everyday I think that my life will never be as stressful as it is now but then it won’t ever be as wonderful as today, another day (and everyday) that I get to spend with my three little ones and my sweet husband.”

    If you’d like to help support SMA research, Cherisse is going to be running the Santa Barbara 1/2 Marathon to raise money for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the SMA cause. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE it if some of you could support Cherisse and help us fight SMA. Even if it’s just $5. Consider it your annual This Week for Dinner subscription fee or skip the pumpkin latte at Starbucks for a day. No pressure, just if you’re feeling it! Click here to donate!

    And, have you seen the completely awesome Flight of the Conchords charity song? Really, you have to watch it. The whole thing (or at least start around the 5:00 mark). It will make you happy and the supremely catchy song will get stuck in your head. Let’s helpa helpa helpa the kids!

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 11:24 am   14 Comments
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  4. Friday, June 15, 2012

    Daily Do Overs

    I am pretty sure we all have moments in our lives we wish we could do over. Big or small, there are always those things you just can’t un-do. But sometimes we are given a chance. A chance to make it right, to do over that moment we wish had never happened.

    As I’ve been contemplating my own do-over moments for this post, my mind first went to cooking. Like the first time I made brownies as a ten-year-old girl. I was melting butter and chocolate and wanted to ask my mom a question, ran upstairs, and came back to a burned mess. My mom was patient and kind, helping me clean the pan and pulling together new ingredients to start over. Or the time I made my first roast beef dinner. Roast beef and mashed potatoes felt like the quintessential home-cooked meal when I was young, so when I was first married, I decided to try my hand at this classic comfort meal. Of course I invited a few friends over to eat with us. I was excited about my new home (i.e. dark basement apartment) and being able to entertain (i.e. squeeze around a tiny, hand-me-down kitchen table). The meat AND potatoes were dry as bones. Everyone was kind. They ate their meal and politely praised my talents and it was a fun evening of food and friends. I can remember each person who was there (hi Maren, Celeste and Rob!) and think of that night with fondness. And while I couldn’t re-do the particular food I served that night, as with any recipe, I was able to make it again and again and now have no problem whipping up a tender roast and creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes.

    As I continued thinking about these do-over moments, I realized that, as a parent, I have moments I wish I could do over all the time. More than in any other part of my life. Parenting is hard and I am far from the perfect parent. I would hazard to say that I have do-over moments every day with my children. Some are bigger, some are smaller, but I really don’t think a day goes by that I don’t have a time or two (or more) where I really wish I had handled things differently with my little ones. But the magical thing about parenting is that while there is ample opportunity for making mistakes, there is just as much opportunity to make it better and do it right.

    My life as a mother is full of Daily Do Overs.

    Take for example just this week…I was having a particularly busy day with work. The kids are home for the summer and trying to balance work with fun with household responsibilities is proving to be quite the balancing act. I had some work that I had to get done before we could head off to do errands, go to a playdate and then dance class. I was sitting at my computer completely focused on that work and not much else. The words “In a minute” escaped my mouth many times in a very rote way.

    Anna asked for a cup of milk. “I can get that for you in a minute, sweetie.”

    Type. Type. Type.

    Owen piped in with, “Waaaaahhh…I want my binky and someone to cuddle with me!” (Can you believe he’s using full sentences already? Wink wink.)

    Type. Binky in mouth. Type. DVD cases to play with. Type.

    Then Cate walked in. She asked if the shirt she had picked out matched her denim shorts. I quickly glanced at what she had chosen, told her anything matches denim shorts, and she left the room saying, “Okay!” She returned a few minutes later saying something about her zipper. Cate likes us to do everything for her, so I just assumed this was another case of her wanting me to do something that she could do herself. Without listening or paying attention, I just turned to Cate and said, “Honey, you can zip up your own pants.” She quietly left my side.

    With no time to spare, I finished up what I had to do and told the kids to hop in the car. Anna started asking/whining about her milk and I impatiently told her she would be fine. She started crying and then both girls obediently went out to the car. A pang of guilt hit and I realized how SIMPLE it is to just get a cup of milk. So, I poured a sippy cup of milk and took it with me to the car. She was delighted. Daily Do Over #1.

    At some point I looked back in the car and noticed Cate was wearing black leggings. I was perplexed, she had thought so hard about her cute outfit for the day. “Honey, why are you wearing your black leggings”

    Cate replied with, “My zipper was stuck on the shorts so I had to change.”

    {Heart pangs.}

    She couldn’t get the zipper up. She was asking me for help because she needed it. And I had been too busy and focused on my to-do list to even hear what she was asking me. When I didn’t give her the help she sought, she quietly found a solution. Which is sweet and I’m proud of her, but, man, did I feel like a crummy mom.

    “I’m sorry I didn’t help you fix your zipper, Cate. I didn’t realize it was stuck.”

    “It’s okay, Mom.”

    That’s the amazing thing about kids. They are so forgiving. And so good at forgetting. And moving on. Which is the saving grace of parenting. And the reason why it’s so important to just say sorry when we screw up and jump at any chance at a do over.

    When we got home, I went and found her shorts in the drawer (that she had put away like a good girl!) and got that zipper unstuck. Daily Do Over #2. Sure, I was a little late to the game, but at least I had arrived.

    A friend of mine named Rachel is a teacher. She was telling me about an experience she had once where she got to sit in on parent-teacher conferences with another teacher, one who was an amazing educator and a great mentor for her. Rachel worked at a private school for talented, over-the-top-smart children who have to go through a battery of tests to attend the school. In one parent-teacher conference, a set of particularly over-achieving, Silicon Valley parents asked Rachel’s mentor, “What is the number one thing we can do to help our child’s development and to help them succeed in school?”

    “Apologize to your kids.”

    Rachel said they were surprised, puzzled. I think they maybe even pushed the issue a bit. But the teacher held her ground. The best thing you can do for your child’s success is to say sorry when you make a mistake.

    I can’t tell you how relieved that advice made me feel. I may not be perfect, but I do always say sorry to my children when those “do-over moments” happen. And, when I can, I really do try to do the moment over.

    Like I said, it’s a daily struggle for me and, I believe, for all parents. But it’s a forgiving struggle. And I am so grateful for those Daily Do Overs. I don’t know what I would do without them.

    This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you share your own do-over moment at www.facebook.com/Frigidaire, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children’s U.S. programs. Plus, Frigidaire® will help cover the costs for one lucky visitor to win the ultimate do-over.

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 7:22 am   24 Comments
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  5. Sunday, May 27, 2012

    Week 279 Menu…and why the tooth fairy STINKS

    It’s a bagel morning at our house today. Want to know why it’s a bagel morning? It all starts Friday afternoon when Cate lost a tooth at school. Saturday morning she wakes up, checks under her pillow, and lo and behold her tooth is still there. Which maybe wouldn’t seem too terrible except LAST time she lost a tooth the same thing happened. That time, however, the tooth fairy snuck in during breakfast and Cate got two dollars instead of one and everything worked out. Unfortunately, yesterday the tooth fairy didn’t ever show. So, Cate wrote her a letter, wrapped that around her tooth, stuck it under her pillow then woke up this morning to find…the letter and her tooth. AGAIN. Thank goodness for the book Pinkalicious, we just keep saying, “It’s just like Pinkalicious! The tooth fairy just must be soooo busy this weekend.” Believe it or not, two other kids in Cate’s class lost teeth on Friday. Proof positive that the tooth fairy has more on her plate than she can handle.

    Which brings us to the bagels…the tooth fairy only had a twenty this morning when she realized she screwed up AGAIN. So she went and spent $13 on bagels just to get the change…and by the time she got back with the bagels, Cate was already awake. Stupid tooth fairy. I kind of hate her right now. So, bagels for breakfast, everyone! Aren’t I a nice mommy to go out and get them so early? You’re welcome! I love you all, too!

    MONDAY:
    – Happy Memorial Day! We’ll definitely be grilling up some classic Memorial Day fare, said fare TBD! 🙂

    TUESDAY:
    – Spaghetti and Meatballs
    – Cheddar cauliflower (from the CSA…it’s yummy!)

    WEDNESDAY:
    – Cream of Mushroom soup

    THURSDAY:
    – Tuscan Tomato Soup
    – the girls both want soup this week, but they can’t agree on the flavor, so we’re having two soup nights

    FRIDAY:
    – Dinner at Cheesecake Factory to celebrate Cate’s last day of school!

    SATURDAY:
    – Leftovers

    SUNDAY:
    – Breakfast for dinner…waffles!
    – Fresh fruit

    Please share your menu for the week! And, if you see the tooth fairy, tell her to get her patootie over here pronto.

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 9:29 am   49 Comments
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  6. Friday, May 11, 2012

    Thoughts on parenthood…

    The last few weeks have been a little bananas around here. You see, I have this job that I never talk about on the blog {for privacy reasons and because it’s boring} in addition to maintaining my blog, editing DailyBuzz Moms and being a stay-at-home mom. The job I don’t talk about has been eating up a LOT of time lately, all while the rest of my responsibilities have remained the same or been more demanding than usual. I’m not telling you this to garner sympathy. I’m just setting the stage. I’ve basically been a crazy person, unable to get dinner on the table most days and feeling stressed and exhausted all of the time.

    While all of this has been going on, our dear friends Rachel and Will lost their sweet baby boy Charlie due to complications from a rare genetic disorder. After 16 months of challenges, his little body finally decided it was time to rest.

    While I was sitting at Charlie’s funeral two weeks ago, so many thoughts flooded my mind. First and foremost was just how short and precious life is and what amazing parents Rachel and Will have been to Charlie. I also couldn’t help but think of my grandmother.

    She was herself a baby born into this world with complications. It was 1929. Her mother was older and ended up with an infection, necessitating early induction of labor, with the ultimate goal most likely being that of saving the mother’s life. Instead, my grandmother, the premature 3-pound baby, survived. The story goes that my great-grandmother held my grandma in her arms and laughed that she could have had a baby so late in life. She passed away just a few short hours after the birth, leaving my grandmother without a mother. That has forever shaped my grandma and who she has become, a loving mother and grandmother devoted to her family and the well-being of everyone she knows.

    Left: My great-grandparents’ wedding photo. Right: My grandma’s high school graduation photo.

    Here is the crazy part of the story. Will is a doctor. His father was a doctor. His father before him was a doctor, the same doctor who attended to my grandmother’s birth.

    And so, sitting at the funeral of a baby who should have been dealt a better hand, I couldn’t help but think of my grandmother. I am beyond grateful that that tiny premature baby from long-ago rural Idaho survived and that Will’s grandfather was a part of that. And I can’t help but wonder why beautiful, red-headed Charlie had to leave this life so soon. Life is not fair, but it is beautiful. Even though one baby’s life was cut short and another’s grew into adulthood, both lives touched others and made the world a better place. And watching Rachel and Will go through this experience, while beyond heartbreaking, has also been truly beautiful and inspiring. They are choice parents.

    I’ll never forget when Rachel first had Charlie. She and Will are both ivy league-educated, go-getter types doing amazing things. Rachel has a quick mind and a kind heart and I just love everything about her. But when she had Charlie, I gained insight into a whole different aspect of who Rachel is. On one night in particular, Rachel was sitting in my kitchen, cradling newborn Charlie in her arms. She was completely enraptured by him, oblivious to any of us, a smile spread across her face. It was a quiet, beautiful moment that has forever been imprinted in my mind. Motherhood brought out a side of Rachel that I had not seen…at least not at that level. Words can’t truly explain what that ‘side’ is or how it changes a person. It just is.

    So how does this all link back to my over-worked, now seemingly-frivolous schedule? When I am overwhelmed by work, the thing I get most frustrated with is that I don’t get to be the mom I want to be. I simply don’t have time to do all the things with my sweet children that I wish I could. I know in the back of my mind they are fine and happy and that “this too shall pass,” but it doesn’t change the “bummed-outness” that I feel. But then I think of Rachel, Will and Charlie and remind myself I need to savor every moment as much as I can and not let the stress get the better of me because, in the grand scheme of things, none of that stressful stuff really matters.

    As all of these thoughts have been tumbling about in my crazed brain, I’ve been feeling like I want to write them down, but not really knowing what the thoughts were entirely or how they all connected. Then today my friend Natalee sent a link to a a really lovely blog post about motherhood, our expectations and the things that our children are truly needing from us. It made me laugh, it made me think, and it made me tear up a little, too. It was just what I needed right now.

    Here’s the thing. None of us is perfect. Things rarely go as planned and sometimes go where we would never wish them to go. And life is always too short. All we can do is embrace the moments, big and small, that come into our lives, the moments that connect us with others and make it all worthwhile. And if that means we have to eat out again, so be it. At least we’re here, eating together, and that’s all that matters in the end.

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 6:00 am   46 Comments
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  7. Sunday, May 6, 2012

    Week 276 Menu

    Today I am on a plane…flying home…from this place…

    Owen and I got to go to Miami for a few days to attend the Mom 2.0 Summit with my DailyBuzz Moms team. It was a blast…especially the closing night party at the Versace Mansion. Yup, Owen has been to a party at the Versace Mansion. How many 7-month olds can say that? Too bad I’ve ruined Cinco de Mayo for him for the rest of his life…don’t think he’ll ever be able to top it!

    It’s really hard to think about a menu right now, but I’m pretty sure that we’re going to have to eat dinner this week!

    MONDAY:
    – Kitchen Sink Quesadillas
    – Guacamole

    TUESDAY:
    – Lasagna

    WEDNESDAY:
    – Leftovers

    THURSDAY:
    – Oriental Chicken Salad

    FRIDAY:
    – Eat out

    SATURDAY:
    – If the weather is nice, grilling! I’m thinking brats and hot dogs
    – Fresh fruit and baked beans

    SUNDAY:
    – Waffles
    – Scrambled Eggs

    Wow! I did it! I planned a menu. The Miami heat didn’t completely fry my brain. You know the drill…time to share your menu for the week. Thank you all and have a great week!

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 8:05 am   54 Comments
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  8. Friday, April 27, 2012

    Grandma Wallin’s Bulle

    My Grandma Wallin was a wonderful cook. A reluctant American, she never stopped eating and cooking like a Swede, despite living in the United States for the last 45+ years of her life. Many of my memories of her are centered around food. Amazing ham for Christmas Eve dinner, rice pudding with a hidden almond for dessert. Swedish meatballs for Sunday dinners. Cheese and hard bread every single day of her life. Despite all these food memories, my strongest by far is of cardamom bread. Officially called vetebröd, our family calls Swedish cardamom bread “bulle,” which means “roll” or “bun” in Swedish. Every time I taste cardamom, no matter what dish it is in, I immediately think of my grandma and her bulle.

    Grandma Wallin served bulle pretty much every time we saw her. My memories of Grandma’s bulle involve buns that looked like cinnamon rolls, but flavored with cardamom rather than cinnamon. I remember one time when I was around 9 years old she came to visit and baked a batch, specifically making a cinnamon version for me. I laugh when I think that I would have asked for cinnamon bulle since I always liked the cardamom version anyway. Crazy 9-year-old Jane.

    My mom has continued the tradition of making bulle, especially at Christmastime. While the little rolled buns remind me of my grandmother, the beautiful braided version of the bread reminds me of my mom and Christmas. Since I’ve been married and have started a family of my own, I always make bulle on Christmas Eve so we can have it Christmas morning. Like my mother, I braid the dough.

    I was thinking about my grandmother’s version of the bread the other day, so I gave my mom a call to find out how Grandma Wallin made her bulle. My mom started to describe the process for making the braid. I stopped her and said, “Yeah, I know how to do that. That’s how I’ve always done it. How did she make the buns?” My mom laughed and said, “She switched to the buns when she was older. My memories of her bulle are of the braids!” While we both had the same Grandma Wallin bulle memories, it was funny to us that the shape of her bread was so different in our minds.

    I was talking to my sister about these memories the other day. She’s nearly nine years younger than I am, so her memories are not always the same as mine. When I was telling her about how my recollections of Grandma Wallin’s bread were similar but different from our mom’s, she laughed and said, “I always thought that Grandma made cinnamon rolls…but now that I think about it, I’m certain it was bulle. I never even realized those buns were the same as the braided bread Mom makes.” I love that one type of food in the same family can have such different associations for the different family members.

    As I write this, I have a batch of bulle baking, the familiar scent filling our home. I am delighted that my daughters love bulle as much as I do. I look forward to teaching them how to make the bread and then watching them one day make it for their own children. It remains to be seen what shape of bulle they will associate with me and ultimately make themselves!

    Please share your own family food memories! Would love to hear them!

    Note: I’ve shared the vetebröd recipe previously, but I’ve only ever made the bread into a braid. This was the first time I made bulle into buns like my grandma did and they turned out deliciously. I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit here to tailor to the bun shape. If you want to try your hand at the braid, click here!

    Grandma Wallin's Bulle
     
    Print
    Makes 48 buns”¦I promise you can eat them all.
    Author:
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Ingredients
    • 2½ cups milk
    • 2 cakes compressed yeast OR 2 packets active dry yeast OR 4½ tsp. active dry yeast
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 8 cups sifted flour
    • 1 cup melted butter
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ~3 teaspoons ground cardamom
    • ½ cup or so of butter, melted
    • Sugar
    • Powdered sugar
    • Milk
    Instructions
    1. Scald milk and cool to luke warm. Crumble yeast in bowl: add ½ cup luke warm milk and stir until yeast is dissolved. Add remaining milk and ¼ c sugar. Beat in 3 C flour and continue beating until smooth. Cover and set aside to rise until double in bulk, ¾ – 1 hour.
    2. Add remaining sugar, 1 cup melted, cooled butter and salt. Add about 1½ teaspoons of the cardamom and 4½ C flour to yeast mixture. Place remaining ½ C flour on board or pastry cloth for kneading. (I let the KitchenAid do the kneading, so add 5 cups of flour at this point if you are going to do the same.)
    3. Turn out dough and knead until smooth and elastic. (If you are using the KitchenAid to knead, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes or so on low.) Place dough in greased bowl. Cover with cloth and let rise until double in bulk, ¾ – 1 hour.
    4. Divide dough into four even pieces. Roll each piece out into a rectangle, about 15”³ x 20”³. Brush rectangle with butter, then sprinkle evenly with sugar and cardamom (dividing the remaining 1½ teaspoons of cardamom between the four rectangles”¦it may be more than that). Roll the dough up so you end up with a 20”³ long roll. Slice off pieces so you end up with 12 pieces per rolled rectangle. Place rolls in buttered muffin tins. Let rise until double in bulk, 30-40 mins. Brush with egg. Bake in moderately hot oven (400 degrees F) 12-15 minutes, until tops and bottoms are golden.
    5. Drizzle rolls with glaze (see below).

    Vanilla Glaze
     
    Print
    Author:
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Ingredients
    • 1¼ cups sifted powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • Milk or half-and-half or light cream
    Instructions
    1. Whisk sugar and vanilla together. Stir in enough milk/half-and-half/light cream to make drizzling consistency (a little goes a long way!).

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 6:05 am   19 Comments
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  9. Friday, April 13, 2012

    iPhone Tip Follow-Up

    Remember the iPhone tip about apps running in the background that I shared a few weeks ago? Well….I have an update that I need to share with you today! (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, click here to get the scoop.)

    My friend’s boyfriend is an actual iPhone engineer at Apple. They were talking about this and he has some updated and important information for us. Apparently when iPhone apps are running in the background, they are not eating up battery life or processing power. Well, they can be…if it’s an app that is actually doing something, like tracking GPS, then it could be using up some power, but otherwise, the apps are not killing your iPhone’s life and speed.

    In my defense, our Apple engineer friend said that Genius bar employees are one of the reasons that this myth is being perpetuated…and I did do research online before writing my original post. Every source said that open apps use up battery and processing power. I blame the so called geniuses for all this confusion!

    Regardless of this new information that has come to light, I am still DELIGHTED that I learned the trick. Now that I know how to pull up open apps (just double click the home button), I use it ALL THE TIME. I tend to close apps that that I don’t use often. And the ones I use frequently I leave running. It really is so much faster to double click the home button to pull up whatever is open and get to the apps from there. I love it!

    So what originally was something I thought bugged me turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the iPhone. Of course. Should I have ever have doubted Steve Jobs and my friend’s boyfriend? No! 🙂

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 8:07 am   4 Comments
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  10. Sunday, April 1, 2012

    Week 271 Menu

    Wanna hear a crazy story, perfect for April 1?

    Our maintenance guy Ivan stopped by on Friday. He had two little pieces of paper with him…a lottery ticket and the winning numbers from the most recent drawing. And they matched. That’s right, all five numbers PLUS the MEGA number MATCHED.  Which means he was the MEGA lottery winner, right? Well…Ivan bought his ticket on Wednesday, thinking the drawing would be happening Thursday night. He picked his numbers based on his daughter’s ages, his wife’s age, his address…you get the drift. He then went in Friday and asked for a printout of the numbers that were drawn. He looked, looked again, looked AGAIN…they matched! So he confirmed with the cashier that the winning numbers had been drawn the night before, to which she clarified that they were Tuesday night’s numbers and the next drawing (as indicated on his lottery ticket) was for Friday night. Ivan PICKED THE WINNING NUMBER from Tuesday night…but he had bought the ticket on Wednesday! So, Ivan won the lottery. Too bad there won’t be any money associated with the win! A cruel early April Fool’s joke from the lottery gods. 😉

    I know that story had nothing to do with food, but it was too funny/crazy/tragic not to share!

    Okay, menu time. My girls have Spring Break this week, so we’ve decided to do a cooking week! Cate is super excited and wrote down her list of recipes she’d like to try (many of which are desserts…surprise surprise).

    MONDAY:
    – Leftovers

    TUESDAY:
    – Stir Fry (one of the recipes Cate picked out)
    – Rice and dumplings

    WEDNESDAY:
    – Soup (Cate chose this…flavor TBD)
    – Homemade rolls

    THURSDAY:
    – Pasta with Arugula and White Beans (we didn’t get to this last week)

    FRIDAY:
    – Leftovers

    SATURDAY:
    – Eat out

    SUNDAY:
    – Easter Feast! We’ll plan our menu in a few days…I’ll either share in a separate post or just update it here!

    Please share your menu for the week! Can’t wait to see what you all have cooking!

    Posted by Jane Wallin at 9:53 am   52 Comments
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