The coconut girl

Grasshopper's request from Lee Lee's supermarket was a coconut. She has had them before, but she recently had it at school as well as part of a lesson on how the conquistadors survived in the places they found.

She set about cracking the thing.

The milk was collected.

She calls this "the meat"

Snowden helps

She is less passionate about the coconut, but loves a challenge.

A dream

I have not given up on growing vegetables on a slightly bigger scale than now.

I learn best by watching and doing it with someone. I helped out a little here.

And hope to learn more with the families about to embark on the growing of their own food.

Meanwhile, I will relish in my own small vegetable garden.

I have used the parsley on several dishes. Let's see how many tomatoes will grow.

Noveau Bistro

The perfect weather for a Saturday outing. We made the required stop to Target then stopped by a restaurant we had yet to try. Noveau Bistro is quaint with a lovely outside area.

Shrimp in goat cheese to start with.

The dessert. Fruit fondue.

Although I chose to have salmon, I was eyeing the other dishes on the menu and I would like to come back.

Chipotle Chicken

Chipotle, a jewel of a spice for this girl who grew up on Mediterranean cooking.

The chicken is served on a bed of rice and with a side of mango.

Cooked slowly with a dash of ginger too.

Dinner Chez Grasshopper

The girls have been participating more and more in the cooking and baking.

They usually perform tasks such as mincing onions, or cutting something into small pieces.

Whenever possible I explain how the tasks are part of a bigger picture.

Grasshopper decided to make her own soup, using ingredients of her choosing. My participation was limited to suggesting that the onions be sauteed. She did that and developed the rest of the recipe.

She took notes and can repeat it later.

Some of the ingredients were: potatoes, spinach, garlic, and the juice of tangerines. Color was an important element.

it turned out very edible and tasty. The time spent in the kitchen with my daughters is rich in love, tolerance, and creativity.

Monkeys at the beach

The batter is the yellow cupcake batter, a standard in many of the cupcakes in this book.

This was a solo effort on Snowden's part. The girl worked hard and only enlisted me to help spread the icing on the cupcakes.

The sand is made from previously smashed up graham crackers.
Yum.