”
Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you
need
– a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth
the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog,
and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little
more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.
”
– Author Jerome K. Jerome,
”
Three Men In a Boat
”
“Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need – a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.” – Author Jerome K. Jerome, “Three Men In a Boat”
I love this quote. It says so much in a few words. And I like the phrase “your boat of life,” because that’s what life feels like a lot of the time. The seas can be smooth or they can be choppy, tossing and turning you this way and that.
I think everyone needs some oasis of calm every day. It can be a yoga class, five minutes alone with a cup of coffee, or – my favorite – a nice meal with family.
However, family dinners aren’t always calm. Sometimes they’re downright unruly, or fraught with stressful discussions or too brief. How to make them better? There’s no right answer, but the following tips may help. Five rules for family dinners:
1. No singing at the dinner table (I had to include that for my dad).
2. No super serious subjects. I don’t like to have conversations about grades, punishments or very controversial issues at dinner. It tends to turn the stomach, and makes everyone eat faster so they can escape. Better to save the serious talk for a walk after dinner. Simply say, “Let’s discuss that later, OK?”
3. Give thanks. This can be done in many different ways, from praying to complimenting another family member on something. The point is to appreciate one another and the good things about family.
4. Keep dinner and manners simple. My top three: no “truckers’ elbows” on the table, napkin in the lap, try not to use your fingers. Simple menus tend to breed contentment. I try to save the “experiments” for weekends.
5. And last, help clean up. In surveys, families consistently say that they don’t eat at home more often because it’s such a hassle to clean up. If everyone pitches in, it’s not so daunting. And, truly, if it’s a very harried night, keep a supply of paper plates available – and use them without guilt.
May you have enough to eat and enough to wear, and someone to share life’s pleasures. Now, some recipes:
• Greek meatballs: Geraldine Kropkis of Morgan Hill sent in this recipe for Greek meatballs. She suggests serving with pita bread and yogurt dip as a light dinner or a good hors d’oeuvres.
• Summer option: As warm weather continues, you might not feel like fixing a huge, hot dinner. Sandwiches are a good option. This one from Janet Esparza combines spinach and chicken and requires none of the traditional high-fat additions, such as butter or mayonnaise. Try it on a wheat or whole-grain roll for an extra fortifying dinner.
Notes:
• A new way to get rid of garlic breath: chew caraway seeds. These seeds are known for their digestive properties and are rich in mineral salts and proteins. They can reportedly stimulate the appetite and get rid of garlic breath, or stinky cheese breath.
• When picking out strawberries, don’t go for the biggest ones. Go for the berries with the most intense perfume, no matter their size.
Greek Meatballs
1 slice white bread, crusts removed
1 lb. ground veal
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Flour, for dusting
2 T. olive oil
Flat-leaf parsley and mint garnish
Soak bread in cold water for 10 minutes. Squeeze dry and crumble into a bowl. Add veal, garlic, onion, parsley, mint, cinnamon, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. On a floured surface, roll meat mixture into small balls and dust lightly with flour. Heat oil in a skillet and fry meatballs 5 or 6 minutes, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a warmed serving dish.
Yogurt Dip
1/2 cucumber
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup regular plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 T. chopped fresh mint
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
Grated zest of 1/2 orange
1 tsp. honey
Freshly ground pepper
Mint and cilantro, to garnish
In a bowl, mix diced cucumber, yogurt and other ingredients. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Chicken Breast Sandwich with Spinach
10 oz. spinach
3 T. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, rinsed and patted dry, cut into four pieces
Flour or cornmeal
Salt and pepper to taste
4 rolls or 8 slices of bread
Step 1 Heat 1 T. olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add spinach and sauté until wilted. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over top. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2 Heat remaining olive oil in another skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken pieces in flour or cornmeal and add them to skillet. Cook about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Step 3 Reheat spinach just until hot. Assemble sandwiches with a chicken breast and a spoonful of spinach on top. Season to taste and serve.
