A few months back, it seemed like my adult children were all planning to move back in with us. I had mixed emotions about it, but I wrote an article about it in this newspaper nonetheless. However, as is often the case with young people, their plans changed. It all started with Luca, who had just returned from the West Coast after a whirlwind year in Oregon. He had his own place, a real job, an adopted dog, and the ability to take care of himself. But he missed the East Coast, his family, and his college friends, so he packed up and moved back. His stay at home was brief, though, as he went off to start a new life in Ithaca. Zoe also moved back in for a short time before deciding to live with her boyfriend instead. Watching her bring all her things in and then take them all back out was quite a turnaround. Elliot has been here since May, but in just a few days, he’ll be heading back to college. He couldn’t wait to come home in May, but now he can’t wait to go back to college. The lesson I’ve learned is that adult children will come and go, but they will never truly be gone. I’ve realized that worrying about it is unnecessary because it’s beyond my control. All I can do is keep the doors open and the fridge stocked.
While my children were here, we fell back into our old dinnertime routines. Someone cooked while the rest of us washed dishes. We enjoyed making some of our favorite meals together, like carbonara, cheeseburgers, big salads, and fruit pies. We even went out for ice cream and played cards. One night, we had BLT sandwiches and took our dog, Martha, for a late-night walk through the neighborhood. As a mom, it was truly the best.
I want to share a recipe for a salad that we love to enjoy during the summer. It’s perfect for special dinners, casual lunches, and even just eating with loved ones. When all my kids are around, we always make this salad to go with our dinner. When it’s just me and my husband, we make it the main course and have leftovers for lunch. What makes this salad unique is the balance of leafy greens, grains, and seasonal produce. I love the combination of chewy farro, fresh greens, and ripe fruits. The recipe was born out of an abundance of tomatoes and peaches that we had. We threw them all together with the salad greens, added a cup of cooked farro, a few sprigs of thyme, some almonds for crunch, and feta for creaminess. It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but it all comes together beautifully in one bowl.
BLT sandwiches are a great choice for families because everyone can customize their own. Each person can add their favorite ingredients to make it just the way they like it. When we have BLTs, I always find it interesting to see how different everyone’s sandwiches are. Elliot’s sandwich has more than just bacon, Luca’s is loaded with avocado, lettuce, and tomato, and Zoe prefers hers without any mayo. My husband, Paul, likes to have a balance of all the ingredients. I’ve included a recipe for the way I like my BLT sandwiches, which is a bit different than the traditional version. Instead of bread, I use a large piece of lettuce as the wrap. I layer it with bacon, smoked salmon, avocado, and tomato. I don’t hold back on any of the ingredients. Finally, I drizzle some herbed mayo on top. It’s messy but oh so delicious.
For dessert, I made a simple yet nostalgic ice cream slice. It requires very little skill and no baking whatsoever. This dessert brings back memories of my childhood birthdays, where a Carvel ice cream cake with crushed cookies was always the highlight. I wanted to recreate that experience in a more grown-up way, so I combined chocolate ice cream with raspberry and mango sorbets. I made sure to include an overload of cookie crumbles between each layer. To make this cake, let the ice cream pints soften, layer them with the cookies, and freeze it overnight. If you loved those cookie crumbs as a child, this cake will bring back that feeling of coming home.
After 25 years of being a mother, I’m constantly learning and growing. I’ve come to understand when to offer advice and when to simply listen. The most valuable gift we can give each other is our time. And the most recent lesson I’ve learned is to always be prepared with salads, meals, and desserts filled with love and nostalgia for when our loved ones want to come home.
Recipe: BLT Smoked Salmon Wraps with Herbed Aioli
Serves 4
Ingredients:
– 1 head of butter lettuce
– 8 slices of thick-cut bacon, cooked and drained
– 1 large ripe tomato, sliced
– 1 ripe avocado, sliced
– 4-ounce package of hot smoked salmon
– ½ cup mayonnaise
– 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
– ½ teaspoon black pepper
– 2 teaspoons water (for thinning)
Instructions:
1. Take each piece of lettuce and arrange one slice of bacon, tomato, avocado, and a few chunks of salmon on it.
2. Mix the mayonnaise, tarragon, black pepper, and water together to create a spreadable aioli.
3. Drizzle the aioli over each wrap and serve immediately.
Note: Hot-smoked salmon is different from cold-smoked salmon and adds a flakier texture and smokier flavor to the wraps.
Recipe: Farro, Tomato, and Peach Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients:
– 1 ½ cups water
– Kosher salt
– ¾ cup farro, rinsed
– 4 cups salad greens
– 1 large tomato, cored and sliced into wedges
– 2 peaches, pitted and sliced into wedges
– ½ cup crumbled feta
– ½ cup sliced toasted almonds
– 6 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
For the dressing:
– ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
– ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
– 2 tablespoons water
– Salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. Bring the water and salt to a boil, then add the farro. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked. Set aside to cool.
2. Toss together the salad greens, tomato, peaches, feta, almonds, and thyme leaves.
3. Add the cooled farro to the salad.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour enough dressing to lightly coat the salad and serve the rest on the side.
Recipe: Chocolate and Fruit Ice Cream Slice
Serves 6
Ingredients:
– 1 pint chocolate ice cream
– 1 pint raspberry sorbet
– 1 pint mango or pineapple sorbet
– 25 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)
Instructions:
1. Allow all three pints of ice cream to soften on the counter for 30 minutes.
2. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they resemble crumbs.
3. Line a large loaf pan with parchment paper.
4. Once the ice cream is soft, layer it in the pan with the cookie crumbs in between each layer.
5. Freeze overnight.
6. Slice and serve.
By incorporating these recipes and life lessons into my motherhood journey, I’ve learned that being prepared with love and nourishment is the best way to welcome my children back home.
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