Hey everyone! It’s looking like I’ll be able to share our fun news with you tomorrow! Which is one of the reasons I’ve been missing from the blog this week. Things to do! Things to do!

Until then, I want to share a little trick I just discovered. Oprah would call it an “A-HA!” moment, but I think it can more accurately be described as an “OH, DUH!” moment.

Okay, so I have kids who won’t eat the crust on their sandwiches. It drives me batty. They all started out as people who ate their crusts, but all three of them, at some point along the way, just stopped eating crusts. I think it’s such a waste and I hate it, but there’s not much I can do about it! Since there’s no fighting the no-crust-eating around here, I always cut their sandwiches into four triangle, which results in straight crusts. If the crusts are straight, they end up eating a lot more of the actual sandwich.

My one problem has always been when they just want half of a sandwich. I always cut squares for half-sandwiches. When you try to cut rectangular-sized bread into a triangle for a half, the edges don’t line up.

See, the long side of one triangle doesn’t line up with the short side of the other triangle and everything is skeewompus.

As a result of all this, I hate giving my kids half sandwiches because I feel like they are hardly getting any sandwich at all with those dumb cornered crusts.

And then, the other day, as I was making a half sandwich, it finally hit me. We CAN have half sandwiches AND straight crusts, too! (PS…I’m pretty sure this is what Marie Antoinette actually said.)

Cut the bread in half diagonally, into two large triangles.

Then, flip one of the pieces over, like so. (This is the secret to success here!)

Look at that! The long edges line up with the long edges, the short edges line up with the short edges. All is right with the world!

The result? A half sandwich cut into two triangles with straight crusts!

When I was photographing the bread for this post yesterday, Cate asked, “Do you think other people don’t know this?” She makes a good point. You may all have already figured this out, but if there is just one of you in the “OH, DUH!” boat like me, then it’s worth writing the post!

Happy non crust half sandwich eating, spoiled children of the world!

My friend Melissa invited the girls and me over for lunch last Friday. It was wonderful! The table was set beautifully and the food, oh the food. I suppose pretty much anything is a step above my usual PB & honey sandwich. But this lunch was probably a million steps above that. It was a real treat. Cate gobbled up the salad. That’s really saying something when a 3-year-old will eat SALAD.

Melissa was kind enough to share the recipes with me. Enjoy!

Cranberry Salsa

 

Print

Beautiful and delicious!

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish, Lunch, Salad

Serves: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 12 ounce package cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 medium jalapeño
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• juice and zest of a lemon

Instructions

1. Blend in food processor and chill for a couple of hours to allow flavors to marinade. For a twist, serve salsa over cream cheese and top with fresh cilantro.

3.2.2265

Bookclub Chicken Salad

 

Print

From “Favorites” by Grace Ivory Rock & Jane Ivory Metcalf

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish, Salad

Ingredients

• 6-8 chicken breasts
• 8 ounces slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 bags European blend salad mix
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, torn into pieces
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup raisins or craisins
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (or Feta and/or Apricot Stilton)

Instructions

1. Cook chicken breasts for 30 minutes at 350 degrees (or in the microwave on high 4-6 mins, or until done). Cool and cut into small pieces. In a small skillet sprinkle sugar over almonds and cook over medium heat until almonds are coated and sugar has dissolved. Cool.
2. Mix all ingredients together and top with sweet red onion dressing.

3.2.2265

Sweet Red Onion Dressing

 

Print

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• ½ red onion, or less if onion is large
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cups vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Finely chop red onion in food processor (or blender). Add sugar, dry mustard, salt and vinegar and blend until frothy. Slowly add oil. Toss with salad.

3.2.2265