February 23rd, 2010 by admin
By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich,
Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes
There is a natural affinity between pasta and cheese, but they can’t be paired indiscriminately. In Italy, cheese is used with pasta very selectively, judiciously, and with proper timing.
Pasta does not always require cheese. In Italy, cheese is never served with seafood pasta, and it is sometimes omitted when serving game sauces or sauces containing hot pepper.
Cheese should be added to pasta as soon as the pasta is cooked and ready to serve — if extended heat is applied to cheese, the proteins will separate from the fat and you may end up with stringy cheese and oily pasta. To add a classic final touch you can grate or shave cheese over plated pasta.
The three cheeses that are most often used to dress pasta in Italy are Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano. Each cheese has its own characteristics and its own uses. Read the rest of this entry »
August 10th, 2009 by admin
By Caroline Taggart,
Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School
Back to school can be stressful for kids and parents alike, so here are Ten Helpful Hints for busy moms (and dads). The aim is to make the whole thing a bit more fun and perhaps teach the kids something at the same time. Some of this program needs to run through the vacation, so set a good example — don’t leave everything till the night before school starts! Read the rest of this entry »
May 26th, 2009 by admin
By Tammy Kling,
Co-Author of The Compass
Standing at a kids birthday party one saturday, I overheard a mother use the words before kids . . . to start a sentence. “Before kids,” she went on to say, “it seemed like we had a lot of money!” The other parents chimed in, nodding their heads. “Before kids” . . . another mother said, “I used to run triathlons.”
Rediscover who you are Read the rest of this entry »
April 27th, 2009 by admin
Excerpt
The following is an excerpt from the book Spilled Milk: Breastfeeding Adventures and Advice from Less-Than-Perfect Moms
by Andy Steiner
Published by Rodale; September 2005; $12.95US/$17.95CAN; 1-59486-040-8
Copyright © 2005 Andy Steiner
To wean or not to wean? That is the question
This could either feel like a beacon of light on the horizon or a sad reality of life: At some point, every mother stops breastfeeding. Some start thinking about stopping not long after they’ve begun. Others find that nursing becomes such an important and rewarding part of their lives that they feel like they could go on forever. Usually a mother (or, regrettably, another outside adult force) leads the charge to stop nursing, but sometimes it’s the kid who makes the final decision to quit. Read the rest of this entry »
April 15th, 2009 by admin
By Jennifer Wider, MD,
Author of The New Mom’s Survival Guide: How to Reclaim Your body, Your Health, Your Sanity, and Sex Life After Having a Baby
When I was pregnant with my first child, I had no absolutely no idea what to expect. I went about my business as if nothing was different. At work I’d occasionally glance down at my growing belly as thoughts of chubby, quiet, smiling babies dressed in all-white filled my mind. I had convinced myself that my life wouldn’t really change.
Read the rest of this entry »
