Another Kitchen Chronicles is out today. I’m in the middle of figuring out where to put these articles so you can access them. Maybe another blog? Or perhaps a facebook fan page? In any case, I will repost the recipes here (that is, the ones that I haven’t already written about).

Today’s recipe was Cheesy Polenta with Sauteed Greens.

The greens came from my mom and they lasted a whole month in the fridge. When she and Dad came to visit last weekend, she brought me two more bags. Thrilled, I was. Now I can cook me up some vitamin-packed leaves whenever I’m feeling depleted. Which, this week, has been constantly.

Cheesy Polenta with Sauteed Greens
(This recipe first appeared in the Daily News Record on January 18, 2012.)

Sauteeing results in firm, full-bodied greens. If you prefer them softer, steam them instead, and be sure to finish them off with a drizzle of brown butter.

the polenta:
1 cup chicken broth or water
1/4 cup coarse cornmeal
a generous pinch of salt
2-4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring the broth to a boil. Sprinkle in the cornmeal, whisking steadily. Stir in the salt. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes, or until thick. Stir in the cheese and taste to correct seasonings.

the greens:
2-3 cups torn hardy greens, such as kale, collards, mustard, etc., stems removed
1 tablespoon butter
pinch of salt

Melt the butter in a skillet, and add the greens and salt. Using a fork, toss the greens until they have brightened in color, softened, and slightly blackened in places.

Spoon the polenta into a bowl, mound the greens on top, and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

This same time, years previous: snapshots and captions, Julia’s chocolate almond cake and chocolate butter frosting, five-minute bread

This is the view out my kitchen window (or from my deck, rather).

Hang on a sec. Let me get a different lens.

There. That’s better.

The oldest two tore down the (hideous) plastic-and-wood fort this morning while I was visiting with a friend. I think they said they are upcycling the materials into a car.

They did not use the word “upcycle.”

Legos. That was what I thought of when I looked out the window. They’re just playing Legos, but on a bigger scale. 

Or Tetris, now that I think about it.

Maybe life is just one big Tetris Lego game. We spend our days figuring out how to fit things together: people, furniture, food, car parts, words…

Then my friend left and I called the kids in from their giant Lego Tetris game and we watched this youtube video: Seven Lies About Homeschoolers. The kids loved it, especially the ending.

My daughter has still not gotten the hang of reading. She loves words—copying them, listening to them, playing with them—but she isn’t able to (easily) decode them.

Sometimes I feel completely confident with our decision to let her learn at her own pace. Other times, I freak out, but only on the inside.

Despite her inability to do something as basic as reading, she is sparklingly confident and happy, much more so than I was at her age. This gives me peace.

FYI: when a homeschooled kid (who happens to live in my house) plagiarizes, all hell breaks loose.

A simple ‘F’ would be so much easier.

This same time, years previous: snapshots, kiddisms, getting in fixes

*snow blocks: the white stuff is scarce this winter—to make the most of it, we bring it inside (not my idea, but it worked)
*the latest in fort technology: a hanging nest
*new bookshelves: tired of a bed full of lumpy books, he built himself a solution. It’s crooked, which pains him a little, but it serves the purpose most famously
*baking, baking, baking: Cuban bread (delightfully chewy), bran date bread, granola
*such a dork
*recipe creation: still needs some tweaking, but it’s close
*Bible quizzing: the competition is fierce; the kids are having a blast
*transport for a sick child: she needed to use the bathroom but could not possibly get to her feet—her brother (not me) was sympathetic to her plight
*a pre-supper snack
*reading/reciting poetry for Baby Cousin’s dedication
*freezing temps and bare toes: who needs shoes anyway?

This same time, years previous: quick fruit cobbler, cranberry relish, spots of pretty, inner voices, the bet