Competition Season

Anybody else REAL over this thing where COVID spread lessens and we --immediately-- rush back into so-called normalcy, thereby setting off a new wave of spread and lather, rinse, repeat?

No?

Just me?

Well, then. I may be alone in wanting to slow our roll on returning to so-called normalcy, but I'm getting drug along for the ride as everybody else crashes back to 2019. The latest wave of "Pandemic? Oh, we're done with that!" has to do with dance competitions. I think I wrote about it back in the day, but dance competitions were downright pleasant during peak COVID restrictions. There were no insane awards ceremonies at 11:00 at night with 300 dancers crowded together on a stage. We had studios trying to not inter-mingle and therefore performing in blocks instead of spread over days. And we had parents staying far away from the dressing room.

NOT ANYMORE!

Alexis had a competition this past weekend which led to me being smacked in the face with no restrictions. I'll eventually stop whining about how that meant that Alexis had her solo at 2:00 on Friday, awards at 10:30 Friday night, a group dance at 5:30 Saturday, and another round of awards at nearly 11:00 pm Saturday. Eventually. Not today, certainly, but eventually I'll stop whining.

No, I won't. It's --so-- much time spent waiting around. But on the flip-side, some good did come of this particular competition:

- Alexis placed 10th with her solo, which is quite the accomplishment given that there were 112 dancers in the same category. This was only her second time doing a solo, so yay kid!

- The weather was amazing and fantastic and perfect and if you're going to have hours to pass, it's good to spend them walking around downtown Pittsburgh enjoying that amazing and fantastic and perfect weather. See also: Milkshake Factory. Life is always better when you have a Jake Shake in your hands.

- Alexis said, and this is a direct quote, "You're not a dance mom. You're a mom who has a kid who dances," and I can't possibly love that distinction more than I do.

- And my favorite, which is also a quote from Alexis, came after she spent Saturday waiting to do her group dance. This particular group dance is one that was choreographed by a fancy guest choreographer and required an extra audition to perform in. It's one of three "specialty" numbers the studio will strut out as their best-of-the-best during the season. Ergo, there are a lot of dance moms involved with that particular number. They get very, uh, serious about the whole thing. While you won't catch me in the dressing room EVER, they're back there primping their kids and making them run their dances before going on stage and basically they are far more invested than I am. Which, good for them, but Alexis made the best observation ever. "I want to be one of those kinds of dance moms when I grow up because all of their drama and stress is drama and stress that they made up themselves and how great would that be."

It totally would be.

Mandarin Orange Monkey Bread

Hi, my name is Michelle and I am obsessed with Monkey Bread. I'm the kind of obsessed that causes people to bust out a muffin pan at 9:00 pm to make a batch because dinner hasn't happened and all day and I spent the entire weekend at a dance competition and I'M A GROWN-UP, DAMMIT. I CAN EAT MONKEY BREAD AT 10:00 PM IF I WANT TO.

Ahem.

I'm also the kind of obsessed that can't just make it, but that has to make it in all sorts of ways. Add nuts, take away the nuts, more brown sugar, throw some mandarin oranges in there ...

Wait.

What?

YES. MANDARIN ORANGES.

Good golly, Miss Molly.

THAT was a really good idea.

Mandarin Monkey Bread

1 package Grands biscuits (the big whack-a-can that has 8 biscuits in it)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 15-oz can mandarin oranges (the ones in their own juice)
4-oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grab your muffin pan (the one that makes 12 regular-sized muffins) and spray it with some nonstick spray.

2. Chop up the biscuits.

4. Place the granulated sugar and cinnamon into a large Ziploc bag and shake it to mix.

5. Drop the biscuit pieces into the sugar bag, zip that bag shut, and shake everything until the biscuit pieces are well covered.

6. Use a fork to fish the mandarin oranges out of the can and place 5-6 of them in each little spot of the muffin pan. Save the juice because you're going to use it to make the bestest glaze ever.

7. Place the biscuit pieces on top of the oranges, distributing them evenly to make 12 little Mandarin Monkey Breads.

8. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar and melted butter together to make a lovely little caramel sauce.

9. Drizzle a the caramel sauce over each little Mandarin Monkey Bread until you've used it all.

10. Bake the little Monkey Breads at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

11. While the baking magic is happening, let's make use of that mandarin juice, mmkay? In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the mandarin juice and mix some more. Then slowly add the powdered sugar until everything is well combined. (Of note, if you want the glaze to be more like a frosting, add more sugar and use only half of the orange juice. You can also leave it runnier by using less powdered sugar.)

12. Once the Mandarin Monkey Breads are done baking, allow them to cool for a minute or two then use a knife to loosen them from the pan. They should pop out pretty easily once you slide the knife into the edge.

13. Serve one little Mandarin Monkey Bread with one huge spoonful of glaze.

14. You're welcome.

15. Yes, pineapple works just as well. Thanks for asking.

Potatoes and Zucchini Saute

You know that thing where you look in the fridge and find random stuff and attempt to turn it into actual food? Sometimes it works!

The good thing about this particular version of fridge findings was that it's full of healthy choices and cost basically nothing. Oh, and the girls loved it.

Potatoes and Zucchini Sauté

3 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 small white potatoes, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1-2 small zucchini, cubed (you want roughly equal potatoes and zucchini, so adjust based on what you have available)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Handful grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Large nonstick skillet. Medium heat. Olive oil. Go.

2. Toss in the potatoes as you manage to cube them. Every time you add another potato, stir things up so you don't burn anything.

3. Once all of the potatoes are cooking, start cutting up the onion and add it to the pan. Keep stirring every few minutes.

4. By now the potatoes should be starting to soften, so go ahead and start cubing the zucchini. Same deal -- as you are cutting it, add it to the pan and then stir every few minutes.

5. Once the zucchini is in, add the herbs. Stir.

6. By now, the potatoes should be just about done. Add the tomatoes.

7. Cook for one to two minutes, with the occasional stir.

8. Add salt and pepper to taste. You know this is done when you sneak a potato and it is the exact level of soft you want. Start to finish, it's less than 15 minutes for me to make this.

I like to serve this as a side with faux chicken cutlets. You may, of course, prefer to go with the real thing. Your choice.