Miracle of Lights

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Pandora -- this is so cool.

Scent of a woman

Forget the cookie, a smell can really take you back. I was perfume shopping last night; or rather, I was trying to find the perfume I used to wear, which Sephora no longer carries (Jill Sander No. 4 -- know where I can get some?)

I tried to describe the scent to the woman at Bloomingdale's (spicy, vaguely oriental) and commented that it reminded me of my grandmother -- not that I want to smell like my grandmother, but that it seemed like an older scent. Like it could have been a perfume from the 20s or 30s.

She sprayed something on me and said "did it smell like this?"

And I said "Hm, I like that, but it's really familiar. What is it?"

It was Opium, which I couldn't place for a while, but then realized it was what my mother wore for years (She's since switched to Sung).

Some of the spray got on my coatsleeve, and I've consequently been thinking of my mother all day. In a way it's kind of comforting: Opium is in no way a "maternal" smell -- it's not like cookies or baby-powder or anything -- the company's web site describes it as "voluptuous, provocating and bewitching." But it's what my mother smelled like when I was young, and it's giving me that comforting "Mommy's here" feeling.

Such a balabuster

So on Friday, I picked the girls up, swung by the bakery and got a challah, then went home and cooked turkey tenderloins in a maple-soy glaze, buttered parsnips and broccoli (by special request of the Little Ballerina), and when LawyerMan got home we actually had a whole shabbat meal.

I try to cook when I can, but with our schedules, and picky kids (and picky husband) it's hard. When I actually make dinner and nothing in it comes out of a bag or is pre-cooked, I feel so pleased with myself, and go on these "I should cook every night! With the girls! I'll be like Bree!" And then I watch the Heffalump throw broccoli at her sister's head, and I rethink that.

Maple-soy turkey
4 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs maple syrup (real maple syrup, no Mrs. Butterworth)
2 turkey tenderloins (I suppose you could use breasts, but I only ever see tenderloins in the market)

Combine oil, syrup, and soy in small bowl, stir vigorously to break up oil.

Pour into ziplock bag with turkey, seal and smoosh around to coat. Marinate for an hour or so, turning every once in a while.

Pre-heat broiler

Prep broil pan -- I put a sheet of tinfoil on a cookie pan, and put a wire rack on top of that, then spray wire rack with Pam.

Broil turkey on rack, for about 20 minutes, turning once. No pink should be left in center, about 175 degrees.