A guest post from Ellen Gordon Reeves, author of Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?

“Last week, an e-mail from CBS popped up: “Would you have five minutes to speak with Katie Couric today? She’s writing a graduation speech and has a couple of questions for you…” I have to admit, my first thought was that somebody was yanking my chain. But no. It was really Katie. She was gathering as much advice as she could from everyone she could think of before giving the Commencement address at Case Western Reserve in Ohio:  Al Gore, Attorney General Eric Holder, Michael J. Fox, Queen Rania of Jordan, Condoleezza Rice, quarterback Drew Brees, Chelsea Handler, General Ray Odierno, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Anna Quindlen, Sheryl Crow—and me. Sunday morning I watched the address via live webcast and basically had an out of body experience.”

(Nose Ring mention starts at 7:26!)

-Ellen Gordon Reeves (caniwearmynosering@gmail.com)

Experiments that pop, ooze, bang, crash, and teach! The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science by Sean Connolly is packed with experiments that lead kids through the history of science and teach scientific principals with outrageously fun, hands-on exercises. Watch the video below for more!

Father’s day is an excellent excuse to splurge in the butcher aisle. Pick up a few classic T-bones and use these favorites head over to Steven Raichlen’s monthly newsletter for two different T-bone recipes; T-bones with Walnut-Roquefort Butter from How to Grill or Salt-crusted T-bones from Steven’s personal recipe arsenal.

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Growing up, every year around mid-June, I went with my mother and sisters to a “pick your own strawberry patch,” where we were supposed to fill cartons with fruit so my mom could make her signature jam.  Of course, what resulted, was my sisters and I “taste-testing” the berries, while my exasperated mother did the vast majority of the picking. But, I’m sorry, you expect a 7-year-old to resist the temptations of delicious, sun-ripened strawberries? It wasn’t possible. To this day, they remain one of my favorite fruits, and soon they’ll be in season…so after seeing Lucie L. Snodgrass’s recipe for Ricotta Hotcakes with Strawberry Compote from her new book Dishing Up Maryland, I couldn’t think of a better way to start the day!

Ricotta Hotcakes with Strawberry Compote:

Ethereally light, these hotcakes with cooked strawberries are habit-forming. Other berries or stewed fruits, depending on the season, work well, too.  Makes 2-4 servings.

2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Make the compote: Combine the strawberries, 1/4 cup water, and the sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer until the strawberries are soft and cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove the strawberry compote from the heat and transfer it to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl with a whisk or electric mixer at high speed until they form stiff peaks. Set the egg whites aside. Combine the egg yolks, ricotta, and milk in a medium bowl and mix until blended. Add the flour and baking powder. Carefully fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, gently blending them together, but not overmixing.

3. Lightly coat a large skillet with oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Ladle in enough batter for the desired pancake size and fry the hotcakes over medium heat until they are cooked through and golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with the warm strawberry compote.

The editorial staff here doesn’t usually cluster around each others’ computers to listen to mid-morning talk radio, but last Monday we made an exception for a segment featuring the author of Fandex DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains, Randall Lotowycz.

When Randy briefly spoke with his editor that morning, he offhandedly reminded her that he would be making a local stop on his national radio tour in only ten minutes time. With the timing just right, clearly the only logical thing to do was to organize an impromptu listening party!

So, we corralled as many passersby as possible, crowded into an office housing a computer with external speakers (a little luxury mine is currently lacking), and listened as Randy charmed the interviewer and audience alike with his extensive DC Comics knowledge.

Three members of the editorial team – Maisie (the proud editor!), myself, and Nate – listen as our picture is snapped entirely for the purposes of this post.

Don’t miss an opportunity to quiz your knowledge of the DC Comics Universe:

Part 1

Part 2

If you’ve always thought you need acres of land to grow vegetables, think again.  You don’t have to own a farm to have the satisfaction of producing the freshest vegetables imaginable. Try creating a raised bed for your veggies. A what? It’s a bed of improved soil that’s piled above ground level, about 8-12 inches high. If you’re just starting out, try a single bed measuring two feet by four feet. Just make sure that it gets at least eight hours of sunlight a day. Jenna Woginrich’s Made From Scratch gives helpful, easy-to-follow tips and advice for novice gardeners who want to try out their own raised bed this growing season…

Here are a few pointers to get started:

Rather than spending a lot of time digging up sod, mow the grass down to the nub and cover the space with several layers of newspaper or brown kraft paper.

Treat your raised bed like a giant container and fill with a mixture of half potting mix and half high-quality compost.

If you like, line the edges of your little garden with wooden planks, scrap wood or bricks…anything really (But keep away from pressure-treated wood, which leaches chemicals into the soil).

Plant seedlings that have been acclimated to the outdoors. To do this, take your seedlings outside for a few hours at a time until you can finally leave them out overnight on a sheltered porch. Water them with a gentle, but thorough, sprinkling.  You want the earth to stay moist but never be flooded.

Give plants some extra protection from sun, wind and cold those first few days they’re in the ground. Cover them with old baskets or a thin sheet for a day or two, until they’re used to their new digs.

Make sure your outdoor space is prepared for you to enjoy it! Put up a hammock or bring out some blankets and a book.

Learn how to plan your garden landscape, and everything else gardeners need to know about what plants need, with this excerpt from The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch.

“A mother understands what a child does not say“

–Jewish Proverb

Anne Byrn, better known as the Cake Mix Doctor, has delicious recipes for any occasion. However, where her made-from-mix style shines is in last minute preparation!

With Mother’s Day extra early this year and school graduations around the corner, this Sour Cream Cinnamon Loaf from The Dinner Doctor is the perfect thing to whip up for a special, but quick, treat. It’s also a great end-of-year present for a beloved teacher.

Visit the Recipe Corner at CakeMixDoctor.com for this recipe and many more!

Whether you’re starting a new career, part of a new family stretching the dollar, or a recent graduate on an entry-level salary, staying on a budget can be hard. That’s why Be Thrifty by Pia Catton and Califia Suntree focuses on living better with less through countless tips, specific techniques, and learning quick fixes to prevent overpaying for help.  Learn how to save money around the house in the excerpt below.