Cat Cora to Receive Alumna of the Year Award at CIA

Cat Cora, the Food Network’s “Iron Chef,” will be honored tonight as “Alumna of the Year” by her alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at the CIA Leadership Awards (“Augie Awards”) in New York City.

Cat and her partner Jennifer welcomed their fourth son last July, with Cat giving birth to him not long after Jennifer gave birth to their third son last April.

In the past two years, Cat has also opened CCQ barbeque restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA and Kouzzina at Walt Disney World, and helped raise funds for Haitian relief through Chefs for Humanity, a charitable organization she founded. She also continues on Iron Chef America and as executive chef of Bon Appétit magazine.

I want to know if she ever sleeps.

Congratulations, Cat!

Can Same-Sex Parents Get a Break on College Financial Aid?

Same-sex parents are used to the routine of crossing out “Mother” or “Father” on various forms and writing in whatever applies to our family. What happens, however, when this is asked on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, used by most colleges and universities to determine a student’s contribution towards the cost of his/her education? Can we fill in the form literally and thus not count one parent’s earnings (meaning potentially more aid)?

That’s the question my spouse Helen asked over at her blog. I’ll let you pop over there for her thoughts on the subject.

“She Got Me Pregnant”: Episode 98

Helen and I tackle financial literacy for kids and the origin of piggy banks. We then explain why indie rock band They Might Be Giants is becoming the Schoolhouse Rock for a new generation—and why the band has a special connection to LGBT families. On a somber note, we mourn the death of Brendan Burke, the gay son of Brian Burke, general manager of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. Brian Burke had several months ago spoken out strongly in support of his son and against homophobia in sports.

(If the embedded video above doesn’t work for you, try it at Dailymotion.)

The ABC’s of IRA Inheritance for LGBT’s

Pointing out another fine post by my spouse at her blog. (Hey, Valentine’s Day is coming up. Gotta do what I can.)

Want to know how to keep your disapproving Aunt Sally from ending up with your money? Read what Helen wrote the other day about The ABC’s of IRA Inheritance for LGBT’s.

Helping Haiti

I was going to write a post about donating to Haiti, but my spouse Helen did it instead. She’s pulled out a list of all the organizations providing relief in Haiti that are rated four stars by Charity Navigator. Charity Navigator also has some useful tips on evaluating who should get your money.

We’re going to include our son in the donation process, making sure that he understands why we are giving and why it is important to be good world citizens. (You may also enjoy Helen’s post on Pennies for Peace, another organization we support with our son’s involvement.)

How do you include your kids in your charitable giving or volunteer efforts?

Give Your Kids Reindeer Food

No, I’m not suggesting you feed your children grass and lichens. One of the room parents at my son’s school made up the following recipe for each of the kids at their holiday party. Given my last name (Rudolph), it’s surprising I’d never heard of this before; I’m guessing it’s not that unusual. Still, it’s a fun little item you can give to your kids for Christmas, if you’re observing it.

Mix 1/4 cup plain, dry oatmeal (regular or instant) with about 1/2 tsp each red and green decorative sugar crystals.

My son’s room parent added this note to the bag:

On Christmas Eve,
Sprinkle this magic reindeer food
On your lawn.
The magic glitter
Sparkling in the moonlight
And the smell of oats
Will help guide
Rudolph to your house!

Anyone have any other traditions for feeding Santa and his team? (Me? I’d go multi-culti and leave him some latkes.)

“She Got Me Pregnant”: Episode 94

Helen and I discuss shopping for our new car and Helen shares her thoughts on why shopping “green” isn’t always as easy as it seems. (Helen also goes into more detail over at her place about our car purchase.)

We also bring news of more lesbian birds trying to incubate eggs, and a project to encourage human LGBT families to send holiday cards to the White House.

(If the embedded video above doesn’t work for you, try it at Dailymotion.)

Brought to you in partnership with After Ellen.

Crash, Bang!

One of our cars was totaled last week. Let me quickly add that no one was hurt. Helen got rear-ended while stopped in traffic, and was pushed into the car in front of her, which happened to be a tow truck. If you’re going to have a car crash, that’s the way to do it.

That gives me as good an excuse as any to introduce her new blog, Science and Money, where she has posted about the accident and its financial aftermath. The blog is the standalone relaunch of one that was associated with her home business. In it, she offers “elements of personal finance from a scientist’s perspective”—and with a fair amount of wit. She doesn’t always write about LGBT-specific issues, but as a lesbian, she does keep an eye out for when those issues arise.

Go say hi and offer her comments with your own stories about car-buying hassles. We’ll tell you what we bought next week.

What’s Cooking?

It’s Thanksgiving week once again, which means it’s time for me to be whipping up a batch of my family-famous Cranbanero Sauce. Not for the faint of palate. (Recipe after the jump, along with a milder one.)

What are you cooking and/or looking forward to eating for the holiday? Read the rest of this post »

Cat Cora On How to Get Kids to Eat Well

Karman at After Ellen has just published a long interview with Iron Chef and lesbian mom Cat Cora. Cora has just launched a new restaurant, Kouzzina, at Disney World in Florida, and is about to start another season of Iron Chef America. Karman asks her the obvious question: “How are you juggling having two new babies [and two other young children] in the house, competing on Iron Chef, and launching a very high profile new restaurant?”

Go read the interview for her answer. I will, however, quote her response to Karman’s question about how to teach kids good eating habits:

My theory is that you have to start with the parents and kids TOGETHER. The parents are the ones who shop for food, cook the food and feed the kids. They are the ones who decide whether or not to drive through that drive thru for fast food. So, educating them along with teaching the kids is key.

Hear, hear.

We’ve been blessed with a non-picky eater, but I admit it’s hard at times, especially when traveling, to stick with healthy food. I commend any restaurant that takes the audacious step of putting vegetables on a kids’ menu. And don’t even get me started on our local school cafeteria. Endless cycles of chicken nuggets, hamburgers, and Domino’s pizza, with an occasional “breakfast for lunch” of French toast. Our son gets lunch there once in a while, but I usually pack his food. (Not that we don’t have some of the above at home every so often, too; we just don’t do perpetual loops of it.)

Where/when do you find it hardest to eat healthy with your kids?