jnaomicline

SocNoC (Southern Cross Novel Challenge) is New Zealand’s version of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). NaNoWriMo takes place in November which would be a really tough time for me to participate with the semester wrapping up so I came across a group called Kiwi Writers and joined up with them to do my thing in June. Its helpful to check in with their website everyday and post my new word count.

The idea is not to edit as I go, which is excruciating at times, and just get the raw material out. Its tough trying to keep up, but I think I will really learn a lot through the process.

I may have gotten a little carried away with the whole puree thing. One Sunday after I got this cookbook in the mail I bought pounds of sweet potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, butternut squash, broccoli and started steaming and roasting and pureeing. Let me just tell you, I can think of MANY easier ways to incorporate vegetables into a meal. Especially if there are no kids around.

Unfortunately, most of Jessica Seinfeld’s recipes are for kid foods like mac and cheese and pancakes that we never make around here anyway. After toiling over the purees though I was determined to try out something. My first recipe was the broccoli and breadcrumb coated chicken tenders. Let me just say that these aren’t fooling anyone. The green was fully visible and looked very little like the picture. They tasted alright but I don’t think this will be a family favorite.

I love wine and wineries, but I never knew that you could actually stomp grapes in a big rustic barrel like in the days before more sophisticated viticultural technology. That is until I heard about the Callaway Harvest Festival.

My friend Marissa told me about this Southern California wine country event and I was totally sold when I heard about the grape stomping. They didn’t actually make wine from our stomped grapes, but it was awesome nonetheless. And it totally lived up to the hype. It was every bit as cool as I thought it would be.

Read about it on my blog: www.musewritetravelteach.blogspot.com