People have their own personal signs of when spring has arrived. Baseball. Flowers. Our daffodils are brightening the day along with tiny purple crocuses. Inside, the hibiscus tree is beginning to bloom. The day we spotted the first bud meant the tree that sat in a sunny corner in the den, was getting ready to start the…
Author: aliceknisleymatthias
Alice Knisley Matthias writes about food, family, garden and education. Her work appears in The New York Times for Kids, Washington Post Kids, Food Network, Allrecipes, Taste of Home, Delish, The Kitchn, Eating Well and Parade. Her book, "Tasty Snacks in a Snap!" is published by Scholastic for young readers. She is a regular contributor for Parade covering food trends, product roundups, recipes, profiles and celebrity chef interviews. Her work for Boys' Life and Kids Discover has covered subjects like a Master Chef Junior finalist, music and theatre kids at work, how to make food from kitchen scraps and the science of yeast. Other credits include an America's Test Kitchen cookbook, Highlights for Children, Redbook, Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping, Meatless Mondays and regional parenting publications.
spring ahead
The month of March roared in like a lion and then took a rest. What’s the best reason to lose an hour of sleep on the weekend after a busy week? Moving the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time for longer stretches of sunshine in the days ahead. There’s the first green bud on one of the hydrangea…
yes, we like green eggs and ham
The view outside our window hasn’t changed much this winter. It’s headed our way again – more snow! You know you’ve had a long winter of storms when two kids overhear the news on the radio and groan. The indoor growing season, in the house, is what we focus on until we can garden outside again. We tend…
it’s an absolutely beautiful day!
“It’s absolutely a beautiful day out there right now.” That’s what the New York City school chancellor said to parents and school staff about the weather conditions late yesterday morning at a press conference. The storm was at the peak of the heaviest snowfall when the early morning commute should be in full swing. Yet…
nacho, nacho man!
“Do you know how to make nachos Mom?” my younger guy asked. “Because, I think we would like them. They have cheese!” Someone has seen a Super Bowl commercial or two. Nachos it is. The guys are good about embracing the dinner menu. The younger one though, does not like “mixed-up food.” This means that a hearty winter…
snow drifts and soup bowls
This winter is certainly reminding us what we have forgotten about the months between December and whenever spring shows up. The snow that was predicted for an afternoon debut showed up by early morning. The day was dark, and the snow started to fill corners around the house, as it blew around. The quiet yielded only the…
jumping into january after a polar vortex
We just finished watching The Polar Express movie from the holidays, when we learned the term “polar vortex,” and how it tightened a frozen grip on the entire country. We went from 6 degrees outside, desperately bundled against the icy air, to almost 60 degrees, in a matter of days. Now it is a pleasant temperature, but it’s…
christmas in new york made of twigs and pomegranate seeds
Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. Do you know the story of the eight-year-old girl whose belief in Santa Claus begins to waver one Christmas in New York City? She writes to the editor of a New York newspaper. The little girl’s father is a faithful reader and believes any story in the paper to be true. The editor of The…
cue the reindeer and christmas morning breakfast
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” That’s a little bit of pressure. We’ve had unusually warm record-setting temperatures the past few days. It made some holiday shopping a bit more pleasant. But, a blast of cold, artic air seems to be the right touch to roll in for Christmas Eve and Day. The guys talk…
oh lemon tree, oh lemon tree
Never underestimate your children or your plants. Just when you think you have one all figured out — you’re delivered a surprise. The Meyer lemon tree spent the summer outside in the backyard. The blossoms have a bold, lemony scent that are one of summer’s pleasures to enjoy when sitting on the patio. A sunny yellow…
herbinkitchen 