I am not a sappy person at all, and usually I shy away from posting/forwarding inspirational stories - but I found this really touching. I found this link over on Dooce, one of the blogs I frequent. Worth a read, and make sure you have some tissues handy.
9.30.2008
9.25.2008
Soup Weather
Today is cool and drizzly - perfect for a big pot of soup simmering on the stove. Throw leftovers in freezer bags for quick lunches and dinners. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Easiest Chili Ever
1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 15 oz can of chili beans (they come with spices)
1 15 oz can of kidney beans (black beans or pinto beans work too)
palmful of cumin
palmful of chili powder (NOT CAYENNE. That would be painful)
salt to taste
In a deep pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef, drain extra fat. Add onion, peppers and garlic and saute with beef till soft. Dump all the cans (tomatoes and beans) into the pot, mix well. Stir in cumin and salt. Simmer on stove as long as you want - on a low heat you can let it go for a few hours. It needs at least an hour for all the flavors to come together.
Serve with warm cornbread and honey butter! This is an order!
Poblano, White Bean & Chicken Chili (or Soup, my friend Jenny takes issue with chicken chili...she's a purist)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 poblano peppers, de-seeded and diced
1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 15 oz cans of great northern beans, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon (or more if you really like it) cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
fresh cilantro, torn
sour cream
shredded pepper jack cheese
avocado, diced
warm tortillas
In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the chicken in oil until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the peppers, onion, garlic and one can of beans - cook about 15 minutes, stirring often, till beans start to break apart. Add the rest of the beans, broth, cumin, oregano and cilantro. Simmer till warm throughout. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle (or douse!) with shredded cheese and avacado, and add a dollop of sour cream. Serve with warm tortillas.
Easiest Chili Ever
1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 15 oz can of chili beans (they come with spices)
1 15 oz can of kidney beans (black beans or pinto beans work too)
palmful of cumin
palmful of chili powder (NOT CAYENNE. That would be painful)
salt to taste
In a deep pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef, drain extra fat. Add onion, peppers and garlic and saute with beef till soft. Dump all the cans (tomatoes and beans) into the pot, mix well. Stir in cumin and salt. Simmer on stove as long as you want - on a low heat you can let it go for a few hours. It needs at least an hour for all the flavors to come together.
Serve with warm cornbread and honey butter! This is an order!
Poblano, White Bean & Chicken Chili (or Soup, my friend Jenny takes issue with chicken chili...she's a purist)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 poblano peppers, de-seeded and diced
1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 15 oz cans of great northern beans, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon (or more if you really like it) cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
fresh cilantro, torn
sour cream
shredded pepper jack cheese
avocado, diced
warm tortillas
In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the chicken in oil until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the peppers, onion, garlic and one can of beans - cook about 15 minutes, stirring often, till beans start to break apart. Add the rest of the beans, broth, cumin, oregano and cilantro. Simmer till warm throughout. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle (or douse!) with shredded cheese and avacado, and add a dollop of sour cream. Serve with warm tortillas.
9.24.2008
Oh, PETA
This really takes the cake - or should I say ice cream.
Just thinking about Ben & Jerry's using human breast milk in my Cherries Garcia...well, it makes me throw up a bit in my mouth.
I'm pretty open about breast milk. Heck, I've donated it to a baby besides my own. But I tell you I'd freak out if my donated breast milk ended up in some adults dairy dessert. Call me old fashioned, but ewwww!
Just thinking about Ben & Jerry's using human breast milk in my Cherries Garcia...well, it makes me throw up a bit in my mouth.
I'm pretty open about breast milk. Heck, I've donated it to a baby besides my own. But I tell you I'd freak out if my donated breast milk ended up in some adults dairy dessert. Call me old fashioned, but ewwww!
Coping...Kind of.
I can't believe how long I've gone without posting.
Actually, I CAN believe it. My motivation level these days is pretty low. I really got to thinking about it the other day and realized that deep down, I kind of feel like I'm doing a half-ass job at everything, but not doing anything really well. And it's got me down.
It's times like these when I'd really love the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. Not that moms that stay at home have infinite amounts of time, but what could I do with those 40+ hours a week I put into my job and commuting?
Some weeks it's all I can do to cook some meals, slog through the laundry and keep the house in some semblance of order. Believe me, none of those things are getting done well.
And getting the maintenance type things done, well what happens to things like playing with my son? This is the part that makes me the most upset. I'm not even doing a good job running the household and even that mediocrity is cutting into me taking care of the most important things.
As you can imagine, the family, the house and my job leave me no time for myself. Which I expected, but I feel like I can't even take care of myself. I'm eating terribly, getting zero exercise and you can imagine what that's doing to my self-esteem. Not good.
I have no answers. I don't know if I should consider hiring someone to come in and clean once a week (or every two weeks). It feels like a cop out. And I don't know if I can justify the money. I do my best to cook and freeze meals, but that only goes so far.
This is a vent, more or less. I'm pretty resourceful so hopefully I'll figure something out. But suggestions are good. And writing this down feels better too. Whew.
Okay, rant over. Back to work.
Actually, I CAN believe it. My motivation level these days is pretty low. I really got to thinking about it the other day and realized that deep down, I kind of feel like I'm doing a half-ass job at everything, but not doing anything really well. And it's got me down.
It's times like these when I'd really love the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. Not that moms that stay at home have infinite amounts of time, but what could I do with those 40+ hours a week I put into my job and commuting?
Some weeks it's all I can do to cook some meals, slog through the laundry and keep the house in some semblance of order. Believe me, none of those things are getting done well.
And getting the maintenance type things done, well what happens to things like playing with my son? This is the part that makes me the most upset. I'm not even doing a good job running the household and even that mediocrity is cutting into me taking care of the most important things.
As you can imagine, the family, the house and my job leave me no time for myself. Which I expected, but I feel like I can't even take care of myself. I'm eating terribly, getting zero exercise and you can imagine what that's doing to my self-esteem. Not good.
I have no answers. I don't know if I should consider hiring someone to come in and clean once a week (or every two weeks). It feels like a cop out. And I don't know if I can justify the money. I do my best to cook and freeze meals, but that only goes so far.
This is a vent, more or less. I'm pretty resourceful so hopefully I'll figure something out. But suggestions are good. And writing this down feels better too. Whew.
Okay, rant over. Back to work.
9.11.2008
Great Food Friday Catch-Up: Sandwiches & Favorite Mix
Sheesh. Been a while since I've done this blog thing. First things first, I need to catch up on my Great Food Friday entries. I'm been very negligent!
1st: Sandwiches
I bought a kick butt panini press from Costco a few months ago and I am in lurve! Here's my favorite:
Caprese Panini
Bread of your choice (I recommend thickly sliced French or Ciabatta rolls)
Really good tomato, sliced
Buffalo Mozzarella, sliced
Fresh Basil Leaves
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Heat the press. Drizzle the olive oil on the outside of the bread (that will touch the press). Between the bread, layer the tomato, mozzarella and basil. Drizzle a little vinegar on top before closing the bread. Be sure not to overfill your panini, it will just end up squishing out during grilling. Place the panini in the press, grill till crisp on the outside and the cheese is melted. Yum! you could totally do this as a grilled sandwich in a regular pan (but I think it's better as a panini).
Other panini ideas:
Tuna and cheddar (tuna melt!)
Roast beef, swiss and horseradish
Nutella & strawberry or banana (dust with some powdered sugar)
2nd: Favorite Mix
I love cake mix. It's very difficult to really tell the difference between scratch and mix, especially with this recipe. It's from Jessica Seinfeld's 'Deceptively Delicious'.
Yellow Cake
1 18oz box of yellow cake (any kind)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup water
2 T vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 egg white
6 oz nonfat vanilla, lemon or banana yogurt
Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a nine inch cake pan with cooking spray and flour lightly. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil eggs, egg white and yogurt. Beat till smooth - 1 or 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
You can also do this as chocolate cake, just use chocolate cake mix and stick with the vanilla yogurt.
My sister in law does this recipe as cupcakes for all the kids birthday parties. They're so good, even better than the bad for you cupcakes. The kids LOVE them. We're still looking for a healthy frosting!
1st: Sandwiches
I bought a kick butt panini press from Costco a few months ago and I am in lurve! Here's my favorite:
Caprese Panini
Bread of your choice (I recommend thickly sliced French or Ciabatta rolls)
Really good tomato, sliced
Buffalo Mozzarella, sliced
Fresh Basil Leaves
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Heat the press. Drizzle the olive oil on the outside of the bread (that will touch the press). Between the bread, layer the tomato, mozzarella and basil. Drizzle a little vinegar on top before closing the bread. Be sure not to overfill your panini, it will just end up squishing out during grilling. Place the panini in the press, grill till crisp on the outside and the cheese is melted. Yum! you could totally do this as a grilled sandwich in a regular pan (but I think it's better as a panini).
Other panini ideas:
Tuna and cheddar (tuna melt!)
Roast beef, swiss and horseradish
Nutella & strawberry or banana (dust with some powdered sugar)
2nd: Favorite Mix
I love cake mix. It's very difficult to really tell the difference between scratch and mix, especially with this recipe. It's from Jessica Seinfeld's 'Deceptively Delicious'.
Yellow Cake
1 18oz box of yellow cake (any kind)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup water
2 T vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 egg white
6 oz nonfat vanilla, lemon or banana yogurt
Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a nine inch cake pan with cooking spray and flour lightly. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil eggs, egg white and yogurt. Beat till smooth - 1 or 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
You can also do this as chocolate cake, just use chocolate cake mix and stick with the vanilla yogurt.
My sister in law does this recipe as cupcakes for all the kids birthday parties. They're so good, even better than the bad for you cupcakes. The kids LOVE them. We're still looking for a healthy frosting!
8.23.2008
Great Food Friday: Leafy Greens
Though I love me some greens, I don't have many really cool recipes for them. I guess I just usually eat them pretty close to their natural state: sauteed spinach with a sprinkle of balsamic or in a salad. So this week I'm posting about salad. I love salads, have since I was a child. They are kind of an obsession of mine - I'm always trying to think of new combinations. This one is definitely a favorite.
You'll need:
Baby Greens
Goat Cheese (think Chevre, not Feta), crumbled
handful of dried cranberries
handful of roasted sliced almonds
your favorite vinaigrette
In a big bowl, toss all ingredients. Eat.
Some other salad combos I love:
Baby spinach with strawberries and balsamic vinaigrette
Baby greens with Gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and pear
Looking over my salad recipes, I think the leafy greens may just be a vehicle for cheese. Oh well.
You'll need:
Baby Greens
Goat Cheese (think Chevre, not Feta), crumbled
handful of dried cranberries
handful of roasted sliced almonds
your favorite vinaigrette
In a big bowl, toss all ingredients. Eat.
Some other salad combos I love:
Baby spinach with strawberries and balsamic vinaigrette
Baby greens with Gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and pear
Looking over my salad recipes, I think the leafy greens may just be a vehicle for cheese. Oh well.
8.20.2008
Baby Axel Update
A month or so ago, I wrote about my cousin's little baby boy who was born addicted to methadone. Last week he was finally released from the hospital (he was in for about six weeks). My uncle and aunt were granted custody - which is what we were all hoping for.
There was an intervention for my cousin - I didn't go, it was decided it would be better with just immediate family. A proposal was made for her to go into rehab for a month, then enter a halfway house where Axel could live with her, but they'd be under constant supervision.
She and her boyfriend (also the father) walked out. I am just stunned they could walk away from their baby, just like that. But addiction is powerful, and in reality, baby Axel is probably in a more safe, nurturing environment then he would have been with his mother. If she or the boyfriend show up, my aunt and uncle are to call 911.
My mom got to meet the little guy last week and said he looks good. He's fairly small (11 lbs at 2 months), but all I have to compare with is my gargantuan son. The pediatrician's prognosis is very good - and we're all hoping for the best.
Back when this all hit the fan, I contacted La Leche League about donating my frozen breast milk to Axel. I figured he needs all the help he can get. I was wondering how accepting of the idea my family would be, but everyone has been absolutely open about it and I feel really good that all the frozen milk I have stockpiled will go to good use. I will continue to send up as much as I can until I wean George. Hopefully whatever the milk contains that is making my kid grow so fast will work a little magic on Axel!
There was an intervention for my cousin - I didn't go, it was decided it would be better with just immediate family. A proposal was made for her to go into rehab for a month, then enter a halfway house where Axel could live with her, but they'd be under constant supervision.
She and her boyfriend (also the father) walked out. I am just stunned they could walk away from their baby, just like that. But addiction is powerful, and in reality, baby Axel is probably in a more safe, nurturing environment then he would have been with his mother. If she or the boyfriend show up, my aunt and uncle are to call 911.
My mom got to meet the little guy last week and said he looks good. He's fairly small (11 lbs at 2 months), but all I have to compare with is my gargantuan son. The pediatrician's prognosis is very good - and we're all hoping for the best.
Back when this all hit the fan, I contacted La Leche League about donating my frozen breast milk to Axel. I figured he needs all the help he can get. I was wondering how accepting of the idea my family would be, but everyone has been absolutely open about it and I feel really good that all the frozen milk I have stockpiled will go to good use. I will continue to send up as much as I can until I wean George. Hopefully whatever the milk contains that is making my kid grow so fast will work a little magic on Axel!
8.17.2008
Deli Karma
Ahhh, the grocery store. I used to actually enjoy grocery shopping, but with a child in tow, it's a completely different game.
Today I had to do the weekly shopping. Usually I save it for a weekday night, but we were low on everything, so it was a must. Plus, its super hot and muggy right now, and I figured the store's AC would be a nice break.
I have a pattern when I shop. I walk in, and directly to my right is the deli. Brian likes to take sandwiches to work, so sliced deli meat is always the first thing I get. The line was long, but I hopped in to wait my turn. George was fairly well behaved at this point.
Thanks to some deli clerks who were running in slow motion, by the time it was my turn, G was starting to get a little whiny. He likes to be moving in the grocery cart. Anything else is unacceptable (I've been known to run down aisles and just knock stuff into my cart when he's starting to crab). I was just about to ask for my black forest ham, and this woman steps right in front of me. I was a little shocked, but didn't say anything. But inside I was fuming. I'm just a LITTLE passive aggressive.
She says," Do you have any pico de gallo - I mean good pico de gallo? The stuff in the refrigerated section isn't good pico de gallo, it has jalapenos. I can't have jalapenos, they're too hot." The poor clerk looked confused. She wasn't sure what exactly was in the pico de gallo, but she said she'd go check the container it came in.
A few notes here:
1) Good pico de gallo is made fresh. So if she was wanting the *GOOD* stuff, the deli counter at Albertson's probably wasn't the best place to look.
2) I would venture to guess that most commercially produced pico de gallos have hot peppers in them. Most likely jalapenos.
The deli clerk comes out. She tells pushy lady that the pico had serrano pepper in it, which is just like black pepper and offers a sample.
Oh yeah. I had a feeling this was going to get good.
You see, serranos are hotter than jalapenos. A lotter hotter.
At this point I had a choice - speak up or stand back and enjoy the show. Under normal circumstances, I'd have probably advised regarding the heat of serranos and direct her a few doors down to Trader Joes, which has a lovely assortment of prepared salsas.
But these were not normal circumstances. I had a simmering baby, had been sweating like a pig all day and was tired. I was up for some entertainment.
The clerk passed the lady the sample in a little white paper cup. She sniffed it and then took a big ol' bite. I waited.
A few seconds passed - then pow! She started jumping around and saying 'hot, hot, hot.' Like a five year old. Over dramatic a bit? It was priceless.
She ran over to the cold drink section, cussing.
I sidled up to the counter and got my freaking ham, enjoying how the universe came through and punished the cutter. You don't cut off a woman with an infant at the deli line. Nothing good will come of it.
Today I had to do the weekly shopping. Usually I save it for a weekday night, but we were low on everything, so it was a must. Plus, its super hot and muggy right now, and I figured the store's AC would be a nice break.
I have a pattern when I shop. I walk in, and directly to my right is the deli. Brian likes to take sandwiches to work, so sliced deli meat is always the first thing I get. The line was long, but I hopped in to wait my turn. George was fairly well behaved at this point.
Thanks to some deli clerks who were running in slow motion, by the time it was my turn, G was starting to get a little whiny. He likes to be moving in the grocery cart. Anything else is unacceptable (I've been known to run down aisles and just knock stuff into my cart when he's starting to crab). I was just about to ask for my black forest ham, and this woman steps right in front of me. I was a little shocked, but didn't say anything. But inside I was fuming. I'm just a LITTLE passive aggressive.
She says," Do you have any pico de gallo - I mean good pico de gallo? The stuff in the refrigerated section isn't good pico de gallo, it has jalapenos. I can't have jalapenos, they're too hot." The poor clerk looked confused. She wasn't sure what exactly was in the pico de gallo, but she said she'd go check the container it came in.
A few notes here:
1) Good pico de gallo is made fresh. So if she was wanting the *GOOD* stuff, the deli counter at Albertson's probably wasn't the best place to look.
2) I would venture to guess that most commercially produced pico de gallos have hot peppers in them. Most likely jalapenos.
The deli clerk comes out. She tells pushy lady that the pico had serrano pepper in it, which is just like black pepper and offers a sample.
Oh yeah. I had a feeling this was going to get good.
You see, serranos are hotter than jalapenos. A lotter hotter.
At this point I had a choice - speak up or stand back and enjoy the show. Under normal circumstances, I'd have probably advised regarding the heat of serranos and direct her a few doors down to Trader Joes, which has a lovely assortment of prepared salsas.
But these were not normal circumstances. I had a simmering baby, had been sweating like a pig all day and was tired. I was up for some entertainment.
The clerk passed the lady the sample in a little white paper cup. She sniffed it and then took a big ol' bite. I waited.
A few seconds passed - then pow! She started jumping around and saying 'hot, hot, hot.' Like a five year old. Over dramatic a bit? It was priceless.
She ran over to the cold drink section, cussing.
I sidled up to the counter and got my freaking ham, enjoying how the universe came through and punished the cutter. You don't cut off a woman with an infant at the deli line. Nothing good will come of it.
8.15.2008
Great Food Friday - Quick & Easy
Most of my cooking these days has become 'quick & easy' out of necessity. I want to spend as much time with the kiddo as I can and he's not a fan of the kitchen (he has a special distaste for the food processor).
I promised Andrea I wouldn't post any recipes with cream of mushroom soup (and I have oh so many), so I decided to post a recipe I ran across earlier this summer and is great to make ahead and eat for days.
Hot and Cold Sesame Noodles
1 box spaghetti (I use whole wheat, it has a good nutty flavor)
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 rounded cup smooth peanut butter (microwave for 15 seconds to soften)
2 tablespoons cider or rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoon hot sauce (whatever you like, I used Franks - you know, the hot wing sauce)
2 cups shredded cabbage and carrot mix (buy it in the bag, pre-shredded)
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1 cup bean sprouts
3 green onions, chopped at an angle
crushed peanuts or sesame seeds to garnish
In a large bowl, whisk together the tamari, peanut butter, vinegar, oil and hot sauce. Boil the noodles to al dente, drain and shock with cold water to halt cooking process. Dump the noodles and all the veggies in to the bowl on top of the dressing. With clean hands (this is the easiest, I swear) toss all the ingredients together. Chill before serving. This is good with shredded chicken for a quick meal on a warm day. It holds up in the fridge (covered) for a good 4 days, if it lasts that long.
I promised Andrea I wouldn't post any recipes with cream of mushroom soup (and I have oh so many), so I decided to post a recipe I ran across earlier this summer and is great to make ahead and eat for days.
Hot and Cold Sesame Noodles
1 box spaghetti (I use whole wheat, it has a good nutty flavor)
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 rounded cup smooth peanut butter (microwave for 15 seconds to soften)
2 tablespoons cider or rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoon hot sauce (whatever you like, I used Franks - you know, the hot wing sauce)
2 cups shredded cabbage and carrot mix (buy it in the bag, pre-shredded)
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1 cup bean sprouts
3 green onions, chopped at an angle
crushed peanuts or sesame seeds to garnish
In a large bowl, whisk together the tamari, peanut butter, vinegar, oil and hot sauce. Boil the noodles to al dente, drain and shock with cold water to halt cooking process. Dump the noodles and all the veggies in to the bowl on top of the dressing. With clean hands (this is the easiest, I swear) toss all the ingredients together. Chill before serving. This is good with shredded chicken for a quick meal on a warm day. It holds up in the fridge (covered) for a good 4 days, if it lasts that long.
8.10.2008
There is a Couch in My Kitchen.
While we were on vacation a little over a week ago, we had our hardwood floors refinished. It seemed like a good idea to go ahead and paint our living room and redo the trim while we were at it.
Now, we've been home a week and our house still looks like WWIII (as my mom would say). There is a couch (and a chair) in my kitchen that I have to crawl over to get to the fridge. Our table is outside. Our office/extra bedroom is so full of junk that it is a hazard to navigate. And our living room is a cornucopia of plastic, painters tape and dust.
This could very well be what pushes me over the edge.
I have never wanted to organize so badly. But, it is pointless, because I will come home from work tomorrow and all my work will be for naught. I have decided that once all the dust has settled (literally and figuratively) I will be having a massive yard sale to get rid of all our excess stuff. I say stuff, cause it's not necessarily junk, but it's not useful to us at this point in our lives. I mean, who really needs a boxful of VHS tapes when you haven't had a VCR in 5 years? Hoarding runs in my family and I need to watch myself...it's a sickness...really!
Hopefully this will all be over soon and we'll have a beautiful, freshly painted living room, kitchen and hallway. The other rooms can definitely wait. Until then I'll be cursing at the sofa blocking the fridge and the ever present coating of sanding dust on every stable surface...x*&@#%!
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