I realized last year that all three of my children had a child in the same grade of school. This year, Vivian, Lincoln, and Liam will be in first grade.
Liam loves to learn and is very curious about how things work. Recently, he was riding with his dad (my son Adam) when they spotted a little bitty car on the road. “When I get big enough to drive I can’t have one of those,” Liam declared. “It’s not big enough.”
This remark led to a discussion about Liam’s favorite vehicle, which is a big Ford truck. “I don’t think I can have one of those, either,” he stated.
“Why not?” Adam inquired.
“It’s not big enough.”
“That is a BIG truck,” Adam exclaimed. “Why isn’t it big enough?”
“It won’t hold all my kids,” Liam informed his dad.
“Just how many kids are you planning to have?” questioned Adam.
“I think seven,” Liam replied. Then he grew thoughtful. “Daddy, where do babies come from?”
Adam answered, “From God.”
“Well, how does God put a baby in a mom’s belly?” (Liam has a little brother who is not quite a year old, and he remembers his mother’s pregnancy.)
Adam was not ready to have this conversation with his six-year-old son. “You will have to ask God,” he informed Liam. Then he managed to change the subject.
I laughed and laughed when Adam told me this story. It will be interesting to see if Liam still wants all those kids when he grows up and has a family of his own.
Typing of “all of those” makes me think of all of those tomatoes in my garden. The only thing that keeps me from being overwhelmed with them is the varmint (or varmints) that are taking big bites out of them. I am not sure what is eating them, but I have never had this issue before.
I have also been dealing with lots of green beans.
Here are some recipes to help use up all of those tomatoes, plus other fresh garden produce:
Tomato-Cucumber Salad
2 to 3 medium cucumbers, peeled, cut lengthwise into fourths, and sliced
2 cups small, vine ripened tomatoes, diced (see note)
1/4 cup oil-and-vinegar dressing (I used a balsamic vinaigrette)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Stir together cucumbers and tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat.
Chill before serving.
Note: grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, may be substituted for the diced tomato.
Mini Farfalle with Zucchini, Chicken, and Tomato
1 (16 ounce) box mini farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup whipping cream (I used soy milk)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion in hot olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until tender.
Add zucchini, and sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Reduce heat to medium; stir in tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss hot cooked pasta with sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Marinated Green Beans
1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 small red or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
Cook beans in boiling water to cover 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking process; drain.
Whisk together vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add beans and onion, tossing to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.