Sending Your Teenager Abroad Part 1

Kathleen Rear

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August 24, 2011

When our 16-year-old son asked if he could visit his girlfriend in Denmark we said, after many questions were answered, yes.

The main question was, is our son mature enough to handle traveling alone?
We have traveled quite a bit as a family, our son had (with us) navigated security queues, airports and luggage carousels before. We were confident he could deal with that part. That said, when we traveled to Boston this summer we made him in charge of checking in and finding our gate as a little practice run for being alone. He did well, so that helped alleviate that concern.

He would be staying with her family during his visit, we e-mailed her parents and got their address and phone number. Full disclosure: Yes, we did look up their address with Google maps and viewed their house with street view (charming! lovely neighborhood!). It was a little embarrassing when I overheard the Skype conversation wherein my son told his girlfriend that we were stalking her parents house on the internet.

Dear readers, I ask you, would you not? I also must to confess that my powers of parental stalking were only just getting warmed up during this whole venture. I am the master in that Dojo!

Travel abroad, as you know, requires a passport. Most teens don’t have one and you’ll have to apply for one well ahead of their scheduled departure.
Here is a link I found helpful in getting the process started. Travel. State.Gov (FAQ)
I think most teens should get their passport whether they intend a trip abroad or not. It’s a great form of identification before they are able to get their driver license. You never know when preparation and opportunity might strike; as did the case with my son’s trip. Had he not already had his passport the “pain in the butt factor” would have been far greater.

Another concern we had about him traveling alone was the connecting flight(s) he may have to make during his plane travel to and fro.
We solved this by getting him a flight with only one connection needed and within the United States. I do know that English is spoken in most European countries and especially in airports by the staff there, but knowing he could ask questions without having any trouble put this Mother’s mind at ease.

The other thing that eased my nerves was this great app, Flight Track Pro


You can get alerts if a flight is delayed and track where your child is while flying. Professional grade parental stalking, I tell you!

They’ll need their phone while away, upgrading your teens cell phone to an international package that you can turn on before they go and turn off when they get back is worth the expense. If there is an emergency or hiccup in their travel plans, you will be able to help.

In Part 2 I’ll talk about money exchanges, credit/debt cards for minors, packing light for teens and, how to talk your son into taking dress clothes.

If I can answer any questions please post them in the comments!

Dinner Tonight: Indian Spiced Pulled Pork

Kathleen Rear

1 comment

August 10, 2011

This pulled pork is a wonderful weekend or party meal. It feeds a ton of people and can be morphed into sandwiches, hors d’oeuvre, or a proper roast dinner.

Indian Spiced Pulled Pork

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

1 4-5 lb Boneless Pork Shoulder
2 Cups Apple Juice
Spice Rub

Place the pork into a large Dutch oven, rub with the Spice Rub, add the Apple Juice. Cover with the lid and place into the preheated oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. You’ll know it’s done when you can shred it easily with a fork.

For the Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Coriander
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Cardamom
1 teaspoon Ginger
1 tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 cup Olive Oil

Combine the Spices and Olive Oil then rub all over the Pork Shoulder. If there is excess Spice Rub add it to the pot.

For the BBQ Sauce:
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
1 6 oz. can of Tomato Paste
1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar

Remove the Pork Shoulder and set aside. Place the Dutch oven over medium high heat and bring the cooking juices to a boil. Add the Garam Masala, Tomato Paste and, Brown Sugar to the pot. Whisk until the sauce thickens. Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. If the sauce seems too thick add a bit more apple juice or water. Taste for seasoning, add more salt if desired.

To Serve:

Allow the pork to cool a bit before you shred the meat into chunks using two forks or just your hands. Pour over about a 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce reserving the rest for serving.
Serve the pork on a toasted bun with plenty of BBQ sauce on the side and topped with your favorite cole slaw recipe.

P.S. It’s really great with “re-fried” black beans on toastadas or flour tortillas too!

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

Kathleen Rear

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July 29, 2011

All the credit for this recipe goes to Jef, who, when I was recovering from surgery a few months ago took over the cooking duties for a few days. This recipe is a result of his cooking adventures.

For the Salad:
1 lb Orzo Pasta
4 cups halved Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
2 cups crumbled Feta Cheese
4 cups chopped Cucumbers
2 cups pitted Calamata Olives
1 cup chopped Green Onion

Cook the Orzo Pasta in a large pot with plenty of salted boiling water. Drain and set aside to cool completely. You could also rinse it under cold water until chilled.
Combine the pasta and the rest of the prepared veggies and Feta cheese in a large bowl. A LARGE bowl! This recipe makes enough for about 20 side servings and about 10-12 meal size servings.
Toss the salad with the dressing and serve chilled.

For the Dressing:
1 cup White Wine or Champagne Vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Whole Grain Mustard
2 tablespoons chopped Fresh Dill
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
2 cups Olive Oil

Place all the ingredients in a blender and whiz it until it’s emulsified. You can also put everything in a large jar and give it a good shake.

Love, Save the Empty and other distractions …

Kathleen Rear

no comments

July 23, 2011

I’ve been neglecting you, I know. For good reason. I’ve been getting my 16-year-old ready for his first trip alone, abroad. Why yes I am anxiety riddled and covered with nervous hives. Thank you for asking. Breathe, Breathe…
Of course a post about all the prep is forth coming, until then here’s Erin McCarley’s video Love, Save the Empty.

Okay, off to set my own little fish free in Europe.

Chicken Filo Pie

Kathleen Rear

3 comments

July 12, 2011

Yes, I am suggesting you turn on your oven during the summer. You can always eat on the patio, or take your Filo Pie to the park as a picnic.
I’ve tried to simplify the recipe down to essentials trying to make this dish doable for a weeknight.

Chicken Filo Pie

For the Spice Mixture:
1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 teaspoon Ground Tumeric
1 teaspoon Ground Red Cayenne Pepper
1 “fat pinch” of Saffron Threads
Mix all spices in a small bowl and set aside.

For the Filling:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large Yellow Onion (chopped)
3 or 4 cups cubed Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
4 Eggs lightly scrambled (optional)

20 sheets Prepared Filo Dough (thawed)
1 stick Butter (melted)

Topping:
1/2 cup Crushed Flaked Almonds
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Spice Mixture
Mix and set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 Degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the Olive Oil. Add the Chopped Onion and Salt and Pepper (to taste) and saute for 5 minutes. Add the Chicken and brown for 10 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons of the Spice Mixture and stir to combine with the Chicken and Onions.
Add the Chicken Stock, stir to combine then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes or until the Chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.
(The smaller you cube the chicken the quicker it will cook)

Loosely scramble the Eggs, adding a pinch of the Spice Mixture. Set those aside to cool as well.

Once the filling has cooled you can assemble the pie. I spread the Chicken Filling on a plate and put it in the freezer for 5 minutes.

To Assemble to Pie:
Melt the butter and lightly brush a pizza or sheet pan. Unroll the Filo Dough and use 10 sheets for the bottom layer. One sheet at a time, layer them into a circular pin wheel fashion, brushing them in between layers with butter. Let the edges overhang the pan.
Spoon the cooled Eggs onto this bottom layer. Spoon the Chicken mixture onto the eggs. Fold up the sides of the Filo around the filling. Brush the edges with butter.

Using the rest of the Filo Dough over the open top of the pie, construct the pin wheel assembly again, buttering between layers and on top. Tuck the overhanging pieces of the dough under the pie.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then, using another pan on top, flip the pie over and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Sprinkle with the Sugar and Almond Mixture and slice into wedges to serve.

Shuttle Atlantis, NASA and the End of an Era.

Kathleen Rear

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July 11, 2011

When I watched Atlantis take off for the last time on July 8th I, like a lot of people, had mixed feelings. Sadness, because it really did feel like the end of an era. I was in grade school when the first shuttle launched in April 1981.

On the other hand I feel it’s time to move on, and really it is okay to hand the reigns over to private companies and entrepreneurs. Just like the Apollo program made way for the shuttle program, so to will the future work of NASA move forward. In what way? I couldn’t tell you but, I’ll be watching.

Astronomer Phil Plait articulates these ideas much better than I. Click over to his article in the Washington Post.

Check out the final mission at NASA TV

If you have Google Earth, you can track Atlantis in real-time as they orbit the Earth.

A book you should check out is Packing For Mars by Mary Roach
If you’ve ever wondered what it would take to become an astronaut, Mary answers those questions. Sometimes, hilariously, you wish she hadn’t asked!

Also, here is the goodbye message from the shuttle close out crew as they “tucked in” the astronauts for the last time.

Meet Lisa Eldridge

Kathleen Rear

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July 1, 2011

As you know, I love the internet. I this series I’ll introduce you to the bloggers, vloggers and sites that inspire me.

Meet Lisa Eldridge.
In April I wrote about Lisa when she interviewed Madeline Marsh, who showed off her amazing vintage make up collection. Lisa is a celebrity make up artist. She’s the talent behind some really mind-blowing editorial photo shoots for the likes of Vogue, and the creator of to many red carpet celebrity looks to name. On her websiteShe hosts tutorial videos about all things make up. Not just how to achieve that dramatic party look but, she covers the basics too.

How cute is her accent, I ask you? The joke around here is, that if I had a British accent I’d never shut up.

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