Food morphing
The other day I was taking home some pasta salad from a friend's house. I said, oh, I will put this with some chicken and there's dinner. Another friend who has one small child said something like she hadn't had enough experience to see how food can morph into other forms. I thought, yes, I have made enough meals for my little family that I can take an item and morph it into something else.
Here are some favorite morphs (or using food items in different ways than you originally purchased it for).
Pasta salad
Put with chicken tenderloins marinated in balsamic and you have dinner.
Ripe bananas
Make a smoothie with ice, frozen berries, juice and yogurt
Pesto sauce
Make pesto pizza--spread cream cheese and pesto on a pita. Top with Mozz. and Parm. cheese. Bake for 8-10
minutes. Great appetizer or lunch.
Potatoes
Make potato soup if everyone is tired of baked potatoes
Lowfat graham crackers that no one likes to snack on
Make them into a crust
Kitchen tools
There are two kitchen tools I use every day that I could not live without.
1) Kitchen shears. I never knew about these until Mark brought a pair with him into our marriage. He had several kitchen items from his bachelor pad days and this was one. (Others that we still use to this day are a sandwich grill, a hand mixer, and an awesome set of 70s style corelle dishes which we still use for kids everyday!) I bought a second pair so one would always be clean. I am using them constantly, to cut up kid's food, cut up raw meat, cut pizza, cut herbs, cut romaine hearts, flower stems, etc. If you have not discovered the joy of kitchen shears, I promise you won't be disappointed!
2) Tongs. These are great for corn on the cob, tossing salad, taking out your boil in the bag rice, I even used them dishing up spaghetti noodles last week. I love tongs.
A dumb morning
It was a dumb morning.
It was pouring rain.
My pictures of Sam I so carefully ordered online last night at CVS were not ready when I went to pick them up. Please call me CVS so I don't stop there on my limited errand time. I did splurge for a cute black, polka-dot umbrella, one that is just mine and Mark won't dare take because it's too girly.
Went to the dance studio to find laces for Caroline's tap shoes. Dance studio closed.
Went to pick up cake for second grade class party. The person helping me had a really hoarse voice. I said, "Are you feeling alright? You're voice sounds hoarse." " This is the way my voice always sounds." Oh, I felt so stupid. "I said, I am sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She said, "It happens all the time."
I then went to get my new library card at our new library. I have an $18 overdue fee for a Blues Clues video I swear I took back weeks ago. AARGH! No new library card until this is resolved. I have to say I miss the laid-backedness of my former library! This library is more intense.
I should have stayed home!
This afternoon is looking better though.
The class party was great.
The baby is napping.
I found a solution about the video--I could probably just replace it at half the cost.
It stopped raining.
And hey, it's FRIDAY!
Ratios
Now that we are a year (almost) into having four children, we can report on how certain ratios are working.
1 parent to four children (1:4): This depends on the location. At home, pretty manageable. Mealtimes are crazy, of course.
1:3 at Josh's baseball game: Not manageable. Sorry Carma, Caro and I will meet in the City another time!
1:2: Very mangable. Especially when it's supposed to be a 1:4 situation. Yesterday afternoon this happened twice. I had 1:2 when Caroline was at dance and Sammy napped. Then, another 1:2 happened as I had dinner with Caroline and Sammy while Matthew and Josh napped on the couches. This was a surprise ratio so we enjoyed every minute of it.
1:0: This is a good one. Most mornings when Sam sleeps and the other 3 are at school
2:0: Very nice thanks to babysitters and grandparents and early bedtimes!
2:1 This is a good ratio. We had this last night as Matthew raged until 11:00 after taking late afternoon nap. Most evenings are like this with Josh, he stays up a bit later than the younger 3.
1:1 We love one on one time with any of the kids.
4:4 This is also good, we are looking forward to Mark's parents visit in 2 weeks.
2:4 We also really do love all being together.
This sounds like that book Bears on Wheels!
Enjoy your ratios today!
Obsessing
Now that life is normal, I am back to my patterns about obsessing. Tell me, does this ever happen to you? You get so fixated on something that you stew and think and mull and ponder and research online and chat and blog and then it happens or it's over and it's on to the next thing to obsess over. This particulary happens to me around my children's birthdays.
The current object of my obsession: Hoover floor mate:
Should I get purple frost or alaskan green?
Isn't it beautiful?
Should I get this at Costco where I really hate going?
Should I get this at Bed Bath and Beyond when I get my 20 percent off coupon? Then it will be the same price as at Costco and I may come out money ahead since I won't spend an extra amount at Costco?
Is this really neccessary?
Will cleaning my floors be so much easier when this is here?
Will this end up in the vaccuum cemetary like our previous 6 vaccuums? (I am really hard on vaccuums)?
Just a few things I am pondering.
What are you obsessing about today?
A good chowder
Well, with our dreary weather, so rainy, cold and damp, it was a good night for some homemade soup at our house last night. This one is always dependable, super easy, and we love it. Even Sammy loved it!
Potato and Onion Chowder (from the Lion House Cookbook)
1 cup diced onions
1/2 c. diced celery
2 Tbsp. butter
2 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
2 cups sliced or cubed raw, peeled potatoes
1 c. milk
1 c. light cream (or you can use 2 cups milk)
parsley to garnish
Saute onions and celery in butter until transparent, but not browned. Add broth, salt, pepper, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add milk and cream. Heat thouroughly. Makes about 5 servings.
We often top with cheese and/or bacon for some extra fat grams!
La Casa
For our friends and family out of town, we decided to post some pics of the new digs. Good news: plenty of room to stay when you are ready for a trip to NYC! Note: we are in phase 2--well, hoping to move into phase 2 of moving, that is hanging up pictures, adding little touches, etc. So things will evolve.
When we walked into this room, we knew we had found our new home. This is the family room and it looks out onto the deck. Anyone know how to remove wallpaper?
This is the other side of the family room, our TV nook!
Master bedroom, master bath is off to the side.
Many happy hours spent in this playroom/office.
The dining room. The chandelier is really growing on me! Very retro!
Living room, which really has nothing in it except the piano, so I guess I could call it our music conservatory.
The kitchen. We are hoping to reface the cabinets.
Stopped by the old house yesterday--can't wait to see what the buyers are doing with it!
My mom's friends
I was so happy for my mom this weekend because her 3 great friends from California came to visit her on her mission in North Carolina.
These 3 friends have been such a part of my mom's life.
Dianne was almost like a second mother to us. It cracked me up when my mom said tonight, "Dianne said, 'well, Josh will be happy this morning, the Yankees beat the A's in 13 innings.' "
Ann H. was my first YW president. I have so many great memories of her from camp, youth conference, etc. She was always there. She was the perfect YW leader--she loved us no matter what.
Ann B. was who my mom would often be talking on the phone with.
I am so glad my mom has such great friends. They raised their kids together. They traveled to Italy 2 summers ago. Two of them are also widows. They have made about a gazillion quilts together. Mom said this weekend they laughed non-stop--it was just fun to be together.
Thanks, Dianne, Ann and Ann! Thanks for being so good to my mom!
Timing
Since we moved, and returned back to school after Spring Break, I spent this week figuring out those exact times that I need to leave my house to get to a certain destination.
7:10 a.m.--time we take Mark to the train
8:16 a.m.--time we leave to walk to school
8:20 a.m.--time to leave if we drive to school
2:52 p.m.--time to leave to walk to pick up the kids from school
6:15 p.m.--time to pick up Mark from the train
8:20 p.m.--time to start watching the 8 p.m. show I was DVRing
I think after a week, we've got it down.
I thought it would be hard to take Mark to the train. He was so independent before. But we actually really like it. I figured the only thing that had to be done before going to the train was that Mark and I both had to be showered and dressed. Anything else that happens before we leave is helpful (like having breakfast or any kids getting dressed.) It's nice to start the morning as a family, as opposed to Mark just slipping out when he needed to leave. And since we are all early risers anyways, it works out.
It's crazy, because other people must be on our times too. We always see our friend's dad walking to the train. The same guy walking his dog when we are headed to school, the same neighbors walking to school...
Also, in a desperate need for TV to watch on Tuesday nights (oh, Gilmore, what are we going to do? I can't stand reruns!), I have finally started watching American Idol. I protested for so long mostly because of Simon. But then all this publicity about the crazy hair guy picqued my interest. So now I am watching! I really like it! I am a Melinda fan.
Baking for Baby
Today is a rainy rainy day, and Caroline's home with me and we decided to bake. We baked for baby Sam, 2 recipes (see below) out of the Well-Fed Baby Cookbook. I reviewed this cookbook today as he's out of the baby food phase, but with only 4 teeth, we are a little limited in offering him everything. It was fun to do a special activity with my girl for our sweet baby boy who napped through the baking fun. (I must admit that I am back "on the diet wagon" so that baking anything normal was going to be risky!) I also picked recipes that my other kids might try and that I had all ingredients for on hand.
It's Baby Grace's first birthday this week. I was fortunate at this time last year to be pregnant with several friends from our ward, all due around the same time. Oliver turned 1 last month, and after Grace, we'll have Sam's birthday, followed by Eliza, Betty and Jane and then Fritz a few weeks after that and even more after that! (We had 13 ward babies between March and August last year!)
So here's to our older babies and how much fun they are! And yeah to us for a great year!
From the Well-Fed Baby by Robin Sweet and Thomas A. Bloom
Oatmeal Shortbread Biscuits (makes 12)--recommended for ages 10 months and above
1 c. flour
1. tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 stick butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup milk
Preheat to 375. Mix first four ingredients. Add oats, then cut in butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture is crumbly. Add milk, stirring until a dough is formed. Roll out to 1/8 inch thinkness, cut into 12 irregular squares. Bake on a cookie sheet until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve at room temp. with apple butter or strawberry jam.
Pretzel Crisps (recommended for ages 10 months and up)
1 cup warm water
1 envelope active yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour (of this I used 1 cup whole wheat flour)
1 large egg yolk, beaten
Preheat to 425. In a bowl, mix water, yeast and sugar together, set aside for 15 minutes. Add flour and knead for 5 minutes. Cut dough into small pieces and place on cookie sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes (watch carefully) or until golden brown, offer stale or frozen. (You could also use frozen bread dough).
Inside my makeup bag
I got a recent issue of In Style Magazine at CVS. There is always a feature about "inside a makeup bag". This time it was Elliott from Scrubs.
Just for the curious, here's what's inside my make-up bag.
I love to wear makeup. It's not something I spend a lot of time (about 5 minutes) or money on, but there are a few key items that I wear regularly and enjoy applying. I also spend a few extra dollars and go to the Clinique counter. Their products are great and last a long time. If I time it right, there's a bonus and that's a great time to check out new products and get travel sized items.
1) Superpowder double face makeup in matte beige. This is a great way to wear powder. I don't like to wear foundation or concealer, and this gives great, complete coverage.
2) soft-pressed powder blusher in pink blush.
3) My absolute favorite right now: touch base for eyes in nude rose. I was worried this was going to be too pink, but it's perfect. A great way to wear color on your eyelids. I much prefer my finger to apply eye color instead of a brush or wand. You can wear this by itself or under eye shadow.
4) For a newer, softer look, I chose kohl shaper for eyes in blackened pewter instead of black. It comes with a sharpener. I prefer pencil type eyeliners rather than roll-up ones.
5) black mascara--right now I am using high impact mascara from a previous Clinque bonus.
6) I really don't like lipliner or lipstick, so I am into lipgloss right now. I have a few I like, Body Shop High shine lip treatment, neutrogena moisture shine lip soother in shimmer, Clinque glosswear for lips in air kiss.
Easter
I really love Easter. I am trying to get in the mood this year since I have been a bit distracted.
Here are some things I love about Easter:
1) I love Easter colors.
2) I love dying Easter eggs. I am not very crafty, put I love dying eggs from the Dudley's egg kit. The smell of vinegar and the fizzing of the tablet is awesome! I love to help my kids dye eggs. So fun.
3) I love Easter clothes and planning out what my kids will wear to church and then taking pictures of them. Note to self: buy Josh a tie today.
4) Of course I love Easter candy!
5) I love making and finding Easter baskets.
6) I love the meaning of Easter.
This year the Easter Bunny is coming a couple days early since we will be out of town for the weekend visiting my brother and meeting my new nephew!
Enjoy your Easter preparations, and if you have a tradition you love, please share.
Side note: We went to our town's Easter egg hunt on Saturday. 4000 eggs on a lawn. Lots and lots of kids lined up. All eggs gone in about 1 minute. It was crazy!
