Family meals hold a special place in our hearts. For the past 18 years, we’ve made the effort to gather together at least once a day to experience the benefits of this tradition. We grew as a family from from 2 to 3, then soon thereafter to 4, and then we added twins, giving us 6 around the table. We made our way through dinner time meltdowns, a million “I don’t like that food,” continued lessons in proper manners, and lots and lots of laughter. 

And now, there is an empty seat at the table.

The past few months my son had been making himself scarce. But, that’s the life of a recent high school graduate. He seemed more focused on making plans for get-always with his friends, than participating in any family adventures (with the exception of our trip to Peru). “I’m not here much longer, so I’m going to hang out with my friends,” he’d declare. Inside I’d think, “Well, you’re not going to be here much longer, what about us? Your family?”

On to Miami

I’ve been letting out the reigns for some time, and slowly coming to accept that he’d be off in college, across the country, transitioning to a new way of life. When we jumped on a plane to Miami, I was excited, as I was pushing away the thought of the impending ‘end’ of his childhood days living under my roof.  Long gone were the days of playing trains, building blocks, and singing and dancing around the house, but I still held onto the moments were would find ourselves together . . . our family meals. 

Food is about sharing, loving, giving. It has always been at the center of our lives. We’ve spent time in the kitchen together since the kids were little. We sit down for breakfast together, gather around the table for dinner, and make sure the food was delicious and healthy, alongside the togetherness. I can attest to the multitude of positives the process of gathering for family meals has brought to our lives. We’ve shared our lives with each other on a daily basis, had lively discussions about anything ranging from favorite Saturday morning cartoons to black holes; and at times, simply sat in silence, feeling each others’ presence, yet knowing that we would be there for each other, through the good and the bad.

Even during the time we were in Miami, readying him to move into the dorm, it was still about food and family. Upon arrival, we drove directly to may aunt and uncles house for a gathering of the extended family. We celebrated our togetherness – and the fact that one of our family would once again be down in South Florida.

The next eve, it was dinner at a friends house – a gathering of my swimming buddies, introducing them to Gray and getting a promise that they’d look after him if needed. The next eve it was dinner at my favorite BBQ spot in South Miami, Shorty’s. We were joined by Gray’s roommate and his family, getting to know new friends, and sharing in a delicious meal. Finally on his last night with us in town we treated him to another favorite of mine – Rusty Pelican out on Key Biscayne. Here, with the Miami skyline as the backdrop, we enjoyed a delicious meal on  our final night with our son before heading home. 

I think the family and friends mealtime gatherings helped me ease into this new reality. Despite all the busy-ness of orientation week, we found the time to slow down, and connect over a delicious meal, while discussing his new life at University of Miami before we loosened our reigns a bit more. We could sense his excitement, and the gentle pulling away from us, as he desired to immerse himself into his new reality as a college student. 

Readjusting at Home

Back here at home, there is that empty seat at the table.  A long term empty seat — not just an occasional emptiness because he is working that evening, or out with friends. But, the emptiness that comes with the realization that he is no longer here, under our roof, following our house rules, adding his silliness to our mealtime, asking for specific meals . . .

Now, we have more elbow room around the table. There are also added benefits of lower weekly food costs,  a bit less teen arguing and fewer dishes to clean.

At the same time, I must celebrate the empty seat at our dinner table, because I know that he is spreading his wings, reinventing himself, finding his groove, and growing into a fine young man.

I secretly hope that he misses our family meals, but know he won’t admit it to me. Instead, I’ll send a care package filled with homemade goodies — just like my mom did for me while I was in college, many moons ago. I guess that’s a rite of passage for new mom’s of college-aged kids.

I can’t imagine what it will be like when all 4 are gone . . .

But until then, the 5 of us here back at home will continue to gather together for our family meals.

The post The Empty Seat appeared first on Family Eats.

Water, coffee, tea and more . . .We take our beverages on the go, but the cost to the environment is staggering.

• Americans discard 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour.
• A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute and the number will jump another 20% by 2021.
• Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year. However, the U.S.’s recycling rate for plastic is only 23 percent, which means 38 billion water bottles – more than $1 billion worth of plastic – are wasted each year.
• In the U.S. Airline industry, 9 billion plastic cups are used annually.
• 58 billion paper cups are thrown away in the U.S. annually. Most paper cups can’t be recycled because they are coated with plastic.
• Disposable paper cups contain 5% polyurethane plastic, making composting and recycling of disposable cups extremely rare.
• Half a trillion disposable cups are manufactured annually around the world; that’s over 70 disposable cups for every person on the planet.
• If you buy just one cup of coffee or tea in a disposable cup every day, you’ll end up creating about 23 lbs. of waste in one year.

This Earth Day, take the pledge to bring your own bottle wherever you roam.

Simple and Stylish Rehydration

Drinking water couldn’t be simpler than doing so in retap. Designed without edges to trap bacteria, this beautiful glass water bottle features a no-spill lid so you can carry it in your briefcase, purse or gym back. Available in 10 and 17oz sizes to fit in car cup holders, or 27-ounce for your desk. Choose your size, and then accessorize with your choice of top, and then a cotton knit sleeve.

Fill, Drink, Collapse and Store

Whether you’re trudging though the airport or backpacking in the beautiful outdoors, the colorful water bottle from Hydaway is collapsible to 1-1/4” thick, so put it in your pocket, pack or purse. The carrying handle fits a carabiner so you can clip on a bag. Dishwasher safe watertight, made of food-grade silicone. To protect your bottle in or out of your bag, Hydaway now comes with the handy carrying case.

Coffee Press and Hydration Bottle

Often called the Swiss Army Knife of bottles, the popular Espro Press is now available in a lightweight version. Providing for portability, durability and delicious brewing, The ESPRO Ultralight is the lightest 16-oz. combination press and hydration bottle of its kind. Made with vacuum insulated stainless steel, it keeps contents hot or cold for hours and allows outdoor enthusiasts and avid travelers alike to caffeinate and hydrate anywhere, at any time.

Everyday Hydration

The Diana Water bottle from Aladdin features a 2-in-one dome lid that is removable to add ice or clean. The bottle is vacuum-insulated stainless steel with a Tritan plastic top. The Diana bottle is scheduled to be available this spring at retailers and at the company website. There you can also find a range of styles for any drinking occasion.

Sip in Style

Sip wine in style in the backyard, beach or music festival with the Wine Cooler Set from Reduce by Base Brands. Double walled vacuum-insulated containers keep wine at the perfect temperature (fits most 750 ml bottles). The 12 oz. wine tumblers come with a Tritan lid to keep things from spilling. The set includes a wine cooler and 2 wine tumblers.

The post On the Go Beverages appeared first on Family Eats.

Dinnertime is the time we slow down and nourish our bodies. But, it is more than just the meals that are important to us, it is the conversation – the experience – that we enjoy.

There are no books, no phones, and no television allowed at the dinner table. All we ask is that we hold a conversation, and from time to time, I allow games at the dinner table.

It all started when they were toddlers. I had four little ones, each with different tastes, which meant that each night I had to carefully maneuver through someone’s complaints about the meal I put on the table. The meat was too chewy, the fish was too ‘fishy,’ and vegetables . . . well I struggled to ensure they got their daily fill before filling their bellies with their favorite carbs.

I got creative. Not only in my meal planning, but also in my game playing. A decade later, the kids have grown, but they continue to play these toddler dinner games.

Here, is a description of our dinnertime game-playing, which Addison wrote in her journal a while back.

“We’ve got a family game. We’ve been playing it for a super-long time. It is called, “Who Likes More Food?”

And we find out the answer during dinner.

The big competition is between me and my brother. Both of us love food, and this game is our family’s way of finding out who likes more foods. When our food is on the table, we each try to find a food maybe the other doesn’t like. (Well, usually I like everything – but, I won’t speak for Grayson.) When Mom serves us something, we can usually tell if someone doesn’t like it very much. We then challenge that person: “I’ll bet you that I like (NAME of FOOD) more than you.” The person challenged then must eat that food and convince us all at the table that he/she likes it.

Anyway, the whole family joins in on the fun. The way to find if someone doesn’t like it is by their nose. We know because they’ll flare their nostrils, which is what Grayson does when he tries to lie about liking a food, when he really doesn’t.

What Mom likes about this game is that eventually our plates are clean. But we all like it, especially since it turns into a competition between us all.

There is another game we play to make you eat your veggies: The Carrot Crunch!

It is simple. Carrot stick are on the table, and we each bite into the carrot stick trying to make the biggest crunch sounds. Mom is the judge and calls the winner. We have several rounds of this game at the table. The whole family loves it, and now that we are older we all know that Mom created this game as a way to get us to eat the carrots.

Dinnertime is so fun, especially when we play these silly family games.”

Games or no games, I have always tried to make the table a fun place to be. Something more than a place they we eat and run off to do something else. Instead, I want the dinner table to be a place the creates memories  and traditions; a place where we like to sit down together for more than 5 minutes.

I do believe 20 years down the road, when the family gets together, someone will continue our family game, and give us all a good laugh.

The post Family Games appeared first on Family Eats.

I’m exhausted, not really hungry, and pretty darn cranky; but Keely asks, ‘Will you eat dinner with me, Mommy?”

I agree to, and realize that I have another daughter in the house, and ask her if she’d like to join us. It would be a quick meal; Keely is off to dance in 20 minutes, and I’m waiting to hear from Grayson as to when baseball practice is over so I can quickly drive him to his 6 pm guitar lesson (which I’m beginning to wonder if he will make it in time).

As three of us appear in the kitchen, the dinner table is empty. There are no place mats, bowls, cups, silverware – I ask them to fetch their own and serve themselves from the meal sitting on the stove. It isn’t usually this way.

We sit down, and quietly begin eating. No words between us.

Keely is the first to brave a few words. “We must all love the dinner because it is so quiet now. Thanks for making a delicious meal,” she says to me.

I nod and give her a quick smile, but I know that the quiet isn’t because it is delicious, it’s because I’m exhausted, annoyed, and just plain stressed out with all that is going on in our lives. And the kids know it.

My phone sits on the table beside me, awaiting the call from Grayson telling me he’s ready for pick-up. I’m bracing myself for his complaint, as he’ll have to wait 20 minutes until Addie is finished with swimming – I can then pick them both up at the same time.

Nicole spots a book sitting at the other end of the table, reaches for it, and begins to page through it.

In between bites, Keely lies down on the kitchen bench and begins to stretch.

I ask her to sit up and suggest to Nicole that she should close the book, but I continue to glance at my phone for any notification that I must get back into the car and maneuver kids around town.

We’re breaking all the dinnertime rules.

Aside from being a family favorite (Risotto and Pork Ragu – thank goodness they’ll be no complaints), the only thing I got right about this dinner is that it is one that can be made ahead of time, and kept warm throughout the evening to serve the family during our scattered evening schedules. That’s what Monday dinner is all about – we have baseball, dance, music and swimming schedules to contend with, making us grab dinner is spurts, and eat with whomever is home at the moment.

This Monday was no different, except  Greg is out of town, which means all the whip cracking, driving, and fielding complaints fall on my shoulders. (Yes, there’s more stuff going on, but no need to bore you with our full slate of worries . . .)

In the quiet, as I sit at the table with my 2 girls, each of us in our own little worlds, I realize that something is really wrong with this dinnertime scenario. Tonight, I plugged through making dinner only because I knew I needed to feed the kids. I just needed to get beyond it, with the kitchen cleaned up, and the kids moving towards bedtime. Tonight, dinner was a chore. Tonight, eating together was a chore. Tonight, I let outside forces overtake our sacred dinnertime tradition.

I know that this dinner wouldn’t be as pathetic if Greg were home. But he is out of town for another day, and I found myself in overdrive, trying to plow through the things that needed to get done so that I could put on my pjs and slip into bed, and hopefully drift off to sleep quickly, where I could escape the day’s worries.

Enjoying dinner together takes a commitment — one we usually adhere to. If Greg were here, the book, the phone, and the stretch would not have even been a thought, but my exhausted, I-just-don’t-care-right-now”attitude has let them creep into our ‘sacred’ dinner space.

When these little traditions begin unraveling, my kids notice. A wave of guilt rushes over me. They enjoy time spent around the dinner table, reconnecting with the family, being silly, sharing stories of their day. I like it, too. I need the time to stop everyone from moving around., to focus on our family as a whole, and to laugh and share together.

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Tuesday morning has arrived and I press the reset button.

I’m still cranky, but at least I dragged myself out of bed to get in an early morning swim, in the hopes of diffusing some of the negative energy.

Breakfast is enjoyed together, even if it is only cereal.

Lunches are made, and kids are sent off to school.

I make some coffee – later than usual – but feel the need to drink a cup so I can reset my mood, and ready for today’s challenges.

I check my menu planner and see that I have Lemony Herb-Grilled Shrimp scheduled for the evening’s meal.

I then check the activities for the evening, and realize things are a bit less hectic at dinnertime this evening.

Tonight’s dinner may not be a favorite of two of the kids, but at least I know that they’ll be happy when we all sit down together to enjoy the meal. Well, maybe not all together just yet. Greg will be on a plane headed back home this evening, missing family dinnertime.

I mentally check the calendar for the rest of the week, trying to figure out when we’ll all be together to enjoy a meal.

Wednesday will find us scattered about with dance, swimming, baseball and a music performance.

Thursday it’s dance and Boy Scouts keeping us from eating together.

Friday night another music performance . . .

Saturday. Yes, Saturday it is! Pizza and movie night with the family  . . . one of our favorite traditions. Right now, all is set for us to reconnect and enjoy this tradition together . .  That is, unless Mr. High School makes plans to spend the night hanging with his friends.

If that is the case, then Sunday dinner it will be. I will do my best  to enjoy it, because come Monday, things may just start unraveling once again!

The post The Unraveling of Dinner appeared first on Family Eats.

And with one wrong move, another butter dish smashes into pieces on the kitchen floor.

We just can’t seem keep a butter dish in one piece in our kitchen. Over the past decade, we must have broken at least 6 butter dishes. It was my doing this time around — a surprising twist of fate, since breakage in the kitchen is rarely my fault.

You see, I’m a hawk when it comes to policing the family with breakables in their hands. Despite my efforts, I still see chips magically appearing on my Vietri bowl, and cringe when I hear something ceramic hit the kitchen counter, no doubt falling after being precariously placed in the pile of breakables in the dish drying rack.

It is only a dish you might say, but some of them are embedded with memories deep in their ceramic (or glass) makeup.

• The bowl I handmade years ago during a business visit to Denby Pottery in England, or the Emile Henry mini pie dish I shaped and painted years ago while on a visit to the factory in Marcigny, France.
• The charger plate picked up at Chef Michel Rostang’s Paris restaurant Dessirier, which reminds me of a delicious (albeit long) business dinner in The City of Light.
• The plate from Barbados purchased during a two-week, island hopping trip throughout the Caribbean for work.
• A  glass citrus juicer — a reminder of life with Grandma Gorman.
• A beautiful Brazilian-made glass vase from my trip to the country for one of the first Cup of Excellence coffee competitions.
• The mini pitcher purchased on the streets of Andalucía — it’s matching 5 bowls have already been smashed to pieces.
• A Favorite childhood mug– Olive Oyl!
• The terra cotta cazuela from Portugal which not only reminds me of that wonderful culinary trip, but also evokes memories of the friends gathered around my table for a homemade dinner (with the cazuela on the table).
• Family gatherings meant the basement at Grandma and Pa’s. It also meant the gold leaf glasses. My Dad and Uncles George and Tom gathered around the basement bar sipping cocktails from these glasses.
• The soup terrine from my great aunt and uncles’ home in Johnstown, PA — I only own one object from their full set, but that terrine is filled with memories of summertime visits.

Yes, they are only objects, but they serve a purpose — reconnecting me, and my family, to a lifetime of food-related memories. They are part of the storytelling of our kitchen. The meals may change, but these items move through the years with us, reminding us all of the memories we have enjoyed around the table. Subtly reminding us of the gatherings, friends and family members no longer with us, and the laughter we shared while eating great meals.

Those which have chips on them, tell a story. Likewise, those which have shattered and have made an exit from my cupboards, live in our memories and take us to a point in time.

There are others that have more recently joined our family table. They may not have as much of a melancholy hold on me now, but I’m sure that they will down the road, especially for my children.

This Thanksgiving, we’ll be making more memories with the family — planning the menu, cooking together, and definitely sitting at the table eating. As we do every year, we reminisce of holidays passed. There, on the table, the turkey-shaped gravy boat will sit (a gift from Greg’s Mom several years ago), my Grandparent’s wine glasses will be filled, and the foie gras terrine (a gift from a friend in remembrance of our drive through the south of France to cooking school) will be filled with deliciousness.

Meals are filled with memories — what you ate, where you ate it, who you were with, and for us, it is also the objects which hold memories as well. I wonder, 20 years down the road, which of these these objects will sit on my children’s tables evoking memories for their family.

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The post The Broken Butter Dish — and other memories appeared first on Family Eats.

For three days last week, I hiked, explored, learned and dined with nearly 100, 5th grade students from our Elementary School. it is an annual trip that my girls have looked forward to since kindergarten, and one I just couldn’t miss either.

The entire grade spent time out at Nature Bridge in the Marin Headlands. As a chaperone, I spent the mornings and evenings helping corral the class, and during the daytime, hiked with a smaller group of 16 students as we headed out and about into hills surrounding our Nature Bridge headquarters to learn about everything from plankton to nuclear warheads.

The adventure welcomed some highs and lows. My group was challenged the first day, hiking nearly 7 miles before arriving at our destination in Marin Headlands. Not always paired up with their best friend, the children were challenged to interact and spend time with those they don’t necessarily ‘play’ with at school (especially the boy/girl connection).

Through it all, they worked together as a team, supported each other when needed, and learned how to make the most of a challenging situation. At night, these 10-year-olds were also challenged with the idea of being away from their families for so long.

We were all out of our element, but learned how to adapt and make the most of our situation.

There were many things which stand out to make the trip enjoyable — digging for bioluminescence by the light of the nearly full moon, a discussion on scat piles found on the trail, team building exercises on the beach, a visit to the Nike Missile Site, a lab class on plankton, and learning about the health of the water systems.

Aside from all these great learning opportunities, I find myself thinking about mealtime as perhaps the most surprising finding.

Mealtime Lessons

Eat What You Are Served

The entire group ate together during breakfast and dinner, then each individual group enjoyed lunch out on the trail. The food served was healthy and wholesome. The mid-morning snack was an apple — which they enjoyed while fighting off the bees, and at  lunch, it was turkey and cheese sandwiches one day, the next sunflower butter and jelly accompanied by carrots.  Lunch ‘treats’ included goldfish one day, potato chips another — and a cookie at the end of the long day. You only took what you would eat, and no one complained.

Back at Nature Bridge, dinner was devoured!

Aside from lunch on the first day of hiking, all food served was from Nature Bridge. Unlike here at our house, the kids did not have a multitude of backup options when it comes to being served something they don’t like.  What was offered was their only choice (albeit pretty darn good — The food is often cited as a favorite part of the trip!)

There was no grazing throughout the day: When the kids are home (at least in my home), they’re always digging through the pantry looking for something to snack on. Half the time I know that they aren’t even hungry — it’s just there in front of them, so they’ll snack. During this trip, food became less about having a multitude of choices, and more about enjoying what is placed in front of us.

Don’t Waste Food

Food waste was a big issue that our guides focused on during our stay. We started out on the trail with the Apple Core Club — eating it all, even the core, not throwing it into the bushes where the seed could regenerate.

Back at the dining hall, the kids were encouraged to take smaller portions and then go back for seconds if needed. Take only what you’ll eat, then go back for more.

Each evening, the children gathered to plot their food waste — both solid and liquid. During our short stay there, the kids significantly lowered the pounds of food waste from the first evening to the last. Throughout the week, I heard them discussing mealtime portions with each other so they could cut down on food waste.

Clean Up After Yourself (crumbs and all!)

  We ate on a bandana out in the field, capturing our crumbs instead of allowing them to fall to the ground. We pitched in cleaning up in the dining hall, ensuring all food was properly disposed of in the appropriate bin. We left no trace behind on the trails — looking under our picnic table, picking up scraps of food and wrappers which may have been left behind.

Back at home, our girls can’t stop talking about their experience. One of our favorite places to hear new stories is around the dinner table. I’m definitely looking forward to this evening’s meal — I have a few stories to tell as well!

The post Out of Our Element appeared first on Family Eats.

“Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon,

or good people and noble ventures.”

M.F.K. Fisher

All anyone has to do is mention wine and cheese, and my mind begins to wander . . . I find myself with a warm, comforting feeling inside, friends and family gathered around as memories are being made.

Growing up in the age of processed foods, beyond packaged American slices, my big venture with cheese was gouda, wrapped in red wax, which made it look fancy — making me feel as if I was a sophisticated cheese connoisseur at a ripe old age of 10.

My taste for the world of cheese didn’t take an adventurous turn until my mid 20s when I found myself visiting some of the world’s most famous cheese regions for business. I welcomed the opportunity to visit Parma, Italy and learn about the production of this famous cheese, and the connection between the cows that nibbled on the grass and flowers on the hills overlooking the Po River Valley, and the piquant, slightly salty flavor of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

This experience was only beginning . . .

It wasn’t until I visited England that I truly began to allow my taste buds to venture deep into the world of cheese. I credit a visit to with the head of The Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association in Leicestershire that brought me to my current level of cheese enjoyment. Arriving at Long Clawson Dairy, I divulged to him that I was not a fan of blue cheese, the taste being too strong for my liking. He smiled and assured me that by the time I left that day, I would be a fan of Stilton.

He was right!

Since then, I’ve happily indulged in freshly made Ricotta and Robiola Piemonte in Italy, visited the Roquefort Cheese caves in France, even adventured in the bold taste of Limburger.

Cheese is now a part of my life, and when I think of a cheese plate, I’m sometimes overwhelmed when trying to decide what to put on the board that evening. There may be a proper way to create a cheese board, but my favorite way is to head to the store and peruse. As I gaze upon the cheese, my taste buds tingle, remembering all my travels and education into how these cheeses are produced.

Today, it was a delicious Parmigiano-Reggiano, Mrs. Appleby Cheshire from Neals Yard Dairy,  Shropshire Colston Basset Blue (also from Neals Yard), and the Mt. Tam Triple Cream from the local Cowgirl Creamery.

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The Photo Shoot for #Cutthecheese2017

Of all those food photos I have taken, this cheese board was the most fun to create and shoot — perhaps because I knew that this delicious spread was awaiting for me once complete.

Find inspiration: My inspiration was from various still life paintings.

Gather props: A homemade cutting board, figs and flowers from our yard, olive oil from a friend’s farm, a water pitcher from my travels in Germany, and cheese slicers and knives from Rösle.

Choose the cheese: Of course, my favorite part, since I would be able to eat this once complete. In fact, Addison arrived home while I was finalizing the presentation. She immediately headed over to the table, thinking it was her after-school snack! It was, eventually, after I took a few more photos!

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The post Still Life with Cheese appeared first on Family Eats.

In a perfect world, the table would be set and the smell of a well-rounded breakfast would gently wake the kids from their slumber. They’d joyfully rise, say ‘good morning’ to their siblings, and rush into the kitchen to give me a big hug — asking if they could help me with anything.

I’d smile and respond with, “No honey, I appreciate you asking, but you can take a seat with the family to enjoy breakfast before you get ready for school.”

The reality is, mornings are busy here, especially if I get in an early morning swim and don’t return until around 6:30 a.m. At that time, I need to kick things into high gear and start the water for coffee, grab a quick shower and be relatively ready before I have to make sure the kids are up and out the door for school.

I’ll grumble and swear a bit under my breath if dishes from dinner last evening are still sitting unwashed in the sink; adding to my morning To Do list, and priming me for barking at the kids if they cause any commotion while I’m trying to get things cleaned up so I can head to my office.

The Breakfast Tradition

Breakfasts are hard these days. Three different schools, three different start times, four different desires. I struggle to keep things together at the morning table these days, and most days I would rather the kids eat what they want, when they want it – that way I could stand ground in the kitchen and bark commands:

Go brush your teeth!

Leave your sister alone!

Clean your dishes!

Wear what you have on — tomorrow is another day you’ll have to get dressed again!

Grab your bike lock and helmet!

Through the years, one of the things that has been consistent is that we all sit down together for breakfast. I have to admit, that the tradition of everyone at the breakfast table is maintained because of Greg. He has a ‘schedule’ of things we serve the kids — cereal, warmed pancakes or waffles (we make extras on the weekends), and eggs. Occasionally something else will be slipped in there, such as biscuits and smoothies, but for the most part, this has been our breakfast parade for some time now. Yes, it is getting boring, and I’m working on mixing things up a bit for breakfast, but what’s more important to me than what we serve on the table, is the brief moment we take during breakfast to say hello to the family, chat about what’s happening that day, and hear about anything else on the kids’ minds before we’re off on our own daily adventures.

This morning, we were back at the table together – briefly. We didn’t get much more than a grunt from our high schooler, but we did find out what’s happening today at elementary school, and provided a bit of fashion advice to our 7th grader who was wondering what to wear today.

Yes, I know I need to mix things up for breakfast offerings — more energy filled than carb filled — but at least we were all together for a brief moment this morning, connecting with each other before we head off on our own adventures. And, given our schedule for later in the day, this could very well be the only time we are all in the same room together for the rest of the day!

Right now I’m optimistic that Mr. High School will arrive home with more to say than a grunt; that our 7th grader will have totally forgotten about her morning anxiety over what to wear, and our 5th graders will enthusiastically recount their classroom adventures.

Come to think about it, I am living in a perfect world.

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We’ve been gone for most of the summer, and this weekend is the last one before school and the fall sports calendar begins. We’re determined to make the most of it.

At this stage of the summer, you may be winding down your weekly backyard barbecues and beach get-togethers with friends, but here in the Bay Area, warmer weather arrives in September, so we are sure to fit in some more summer fun in the coming weeks.

Whether you’re throwing a festive end-of-the-summer bash, or simply refusing to head indoors until the weather gets too cold, you still have a few weeks let until the fall season officially arrives.

Summer Recipes

With the sun setting on summer, we are determined to take advantage of the warm weather and continue entertaining outdoors. And that requires some great, easy-to-make recipes.

We love colorful and refreshing salads, like the Corn and Tomato Salad, which is a great candidate for bringing to a picnic, barbecue or on a camping trip. Choose salads like this which are a perfect side dish for a burger, or spooned alongside a grilled fish fillet. And, if you’re heading out and about to enjoy summer entertaining, try a recipe that transports well, and our Summer Pasta Recipe fits the bill.

For those times when we entertain at home, we still look for easy-to-prepare foods, but we also get a bit creative with the meals, utilizing the best of summer produce. Our Watermelon Gazpacho is a quick and tasty option that can add a delightful refreshing summer touch to the meal. And, when served alongside Warm Tomato and Bread Salad, I’m out enjoying the party without much prep work in the kitchen.

We find that big-batch cocktails are just a fun as the simple pour-from-the-bottle drinks. A White Tea Sangria is ideal for outdoor entertaining, as is the Pluot Refresher made with pluots, mint and Sauvignon Blanc. Other non-alcoholic beverage inspiration can be found in our Summer Beverages post.

My mouth is watering, so I think it is time for me to get outside and enjoy that last bit of summer!

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Crazy busy as our lives are, I manage to get homemade meals on the table every evening (with the occasional, opt out).

What is essential in ensuring this happens is my meal planning. Part of my weekly ritual, my meal planning gives me the opportunity to shop for all the weekly essentials at one time, while easing the stress of figuring out what to have for dinner every evening. This is especially helpful while I’m in the midst of ensuring everyone is where they need to be in the after-school hours.

Admittedly, even with a homemade meal, we don’t always eat dinner together during the week. Addie’s late swim practice means she doesn’t arrive home until after 7 pm. This, however, gives her the chance to eat with her Dad, when he arrives home from work.

As they sit down, and I’m busying myself with tidying up the kitchen and making sure everyone else has has homework completed, I hear the two of them chatting away.

“How was your day, Daddy?” she asks of him. She then offers up a play-by-play description of her day, including every set she swam at the pool. The other kids pop in and out of the discussion, making it, at some times, a bit of a circus, as they try to capture a bit of Dad’s attention before they’re all herded off to bed. At times it seems hectic, but at least there is some connection and conversation between dinnertime — even if we don’t always eat together.

Then there are the days when mealtime is a bit less harried – Sunday.

A few weeks ago, our Sunday Supper was particularly lively. Not only did we each have something to share with the family, but it was the happenings during the day that made the dinner even more fun.

It was homemade pasta night.

We’ve been making pasta on and off since receiving a Marcato Atlas 150 for our wedding, nearly 14 years ago. When the kids were old enough, they happily participated in the process, helping crank out strand upon strand of fettucine, cappelini, and pappardelle.

This time, however, we were venturing into new territory – ravioli!

The Marcato Ravioli Tablet, was a recent addition to our kitchen. I was excited about giving it a try – but honestly, less than excited to have a cacophony of “can I helps” in the kitchen with me. My pasta making isn’t always perfect — I needed to focus, and get the hang of it myself, before I welcomed a bit of mayhem, and “I want to try,” into the kitchen.

In the end, there was too much excitement about the ravioli making, that I couldn’t banish everyone from the kitchen. So I took to the Marcato YouTube channel for some inspiration, and found a wonderful collection of videos to choose from, so I quickly got down to making it.

It was an assembly line at our table. The twins took turns cranking out the pasta sheets, while the other helped place the sheets on the form, and place the pork ragu filling inside. Then, came the rolling out of the shapes. Oh, they couldn’t wait for dinner.

When dinnertime arrived, the family was abuzz with excitement over how delicious the ravioli would be. During dinner, the conversation was quite lively as they all recounted their own method for making the ravioli. In the end, the kids began questioning each other how many they had eaten, as they were readying to claim those still on the serving platter. With only a few more on the table, Grayson tried to quietly slip two more onto his plate. That brought about screams of “no fair!”

Aside from this minor “food fight,” the discussion turned to what we should fill ravioli with next time we made it – cheese, squash, or spinach, all interspersed with a bit of knock knock jokes, updates on test grades, and a rundown of what happened in class this past week.

Sunday dinner is always a fun time to talk about everything that happened during the week, and it appears as if it is also a great time to discuss everyone’s methods of cooking the Sunday Supper.

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The post Sunday Supper: Dinner and Conversation appeared first on Family Eats.