Endings

Anyone out there??? If you are, you should note, this blog is being "shut down" to make way for something new and exciting: http://middlebrookfamily.blogspot.com/.

A new blog for a new start. I'll be focusing a bit more on what you guys probably care about and a little less on cooking. Don't worry, I'll still share recipes. In fact, I have dedicated a whole new home to those I've already collected while writing this blog: http://sites.google.com/site/middlebrookcook/. It's not the best site (a little bland, font is inconsistent throughout, blah blah), but I think the organization works a bit better than a collection of random recipes in the side bar.

Keep in touch the next few weeks- life has been getting pretty exciting around here!

Tantrum Central

2/3 of our house have spent the day in a state of irritability. I won't mention names, but Thomas sure does deserve a good night's sleep. My fridge is currently stocked with leftovers from yesterday's chili and today's chicken peanut chow mein (it was yummy, see recipe below!), and there is still one uncooked meal from last week's menu. This basically means no Monday grocery shopping is needed this week. I'm a little worried for my social life because this is depressing news. Surely I'll find some way to survive (it's spelled J-A-V-A-J-A-C-K-S).

Grocery shopping is exciting (again- I know how sad this sounds), but this week it's extra exciting. I heard about an online meal planning service at MOPS. Dave Ramsey's name is all over it and although that was a bit of a turn off (sorry, self-help gurus are always a turn off to me, even if I agree they're helpful) I decided to give it a try anyway. The website is www.e-mealz.com. Basically you choose a plan (options include family of 4-6 or family of 2, low-fat, walmart, any store, etc) and then pay them $15 to receive a weekly menu and grocery list every week for three months. Their goal is to provide an interesting plan that costs no more that $75/week for a family of 4. The family of 2 plan should be roughly half the cost, but it fluctuates more. I chose the Low Fat Meal Plan for Two for any store. My goal is to save money, but it should also save me time. I don't mind the time I spend cooking and planning, but I have tried for 6 months and am not good at planning cheaper meals. What can I say, I love to cook exotic food.

So far here's what I think- They use some typical "low fat" corners which means the meals aren't necessarily "healthy". I should've expected this, but it's still a bit dissapointing. The meals don't sound gross, but they're not exactly what I would have picked out. They have a list of "staples" which they don't include in the price. These staples include eggs, milk, butter, salsa, etc. Not sure how much this will effect the overall cost. They do not list how much they are expecting the items to cost, so it's hard to price match while shopping to see where their planning and my reality don't match.

It'll probably be next week before I'm able to try out this experiment, but I'll let you all know how it goes! Leave a comment if you've ever used a similar service.


Chicken Peanut Chow Mein (from Cooking Light)

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups noodle mixture, 1/4 cup onions, and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts)

Ingredients

• 1 cup precut matchstick-cut carrot (I used 1 1/2 cups)
  
• 1 cup snow peas, trimmed (I used 1 1/2 cups)
  
• 2 (6-ounce) packages chow mein noodles (I halved this and it was plenty)
  
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
• 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast (I used 1 lb, 1/2 lb is only enough for 2 servings)
  
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup presliced mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons bottled fresh ground ginger (such as Spice World) (I used 1 tsp ground ginger, it was a little too much)
  
• 1 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions (probably only need 1/2 cup, I only had 1/4 and it wasn't bad)
  
• 2 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Cook carrots, snow peas, and noodles in boiling water 3 minutes; drain.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cut chicken crosswise into thin strips. Add chicken and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to pan; stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, broth, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper, stirring well. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and ginger to pan; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add broth mixture, and cook for 1 minute. Add noodle mixture and chicken to pan; cook 1 minute, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with onions and peanuts.

Katherine - the Viking warior chef

I just noticed that my blog banner artwork is a little strange. All the kitchen tools in the apron pocket are normal...except one... huh.

Odd time for an update I know, but I HAVE to distract myself from ebay. I just realized that you can type in Janie and Jack and you find over 3,000 listings of discounted, slightly used clothing from my favorite children's store. It's my favorite, but Eden has basically nothing from there because it's ridiculously expensive. Well, not ridiculously. The clothing, fabric, and design are all phenomenal- but I can barely bring myself to pay full price for clothing at Old Navy (and rarely do at that) so $80 for an infant dress is a bit crazy to me. Thomas and I recently took a small "vacation" to Houston--- interuption: can I call it a holiday? it was just a little weekend getaway/refreshing trip. Isn't that what the brits refer to as a holiday? it's such a useful term, AHEM--- Thomas and I recently took a small holiday to Houston and I got to actually buy something from Janie and Jack. Maybe it's because it's my favorite time of year, or because my daughter was born so close to the holidays, or because I'm a mind-warped-American-consumer, but there is just something so special about THE Christmas outfit. I went nuts last year trying to find the perfect one. Let's just say Janie and Jack had about 10 to choose from and I couldn't resist. Sooo, here it is:
Can't you just imagine it with tights and a red satin headband?? These pictures don't really do the fabric justice. Now if only shopping for myself was so easy.

It's getting cold---- YAYAY!!!

It might seem odd at first, but if I was asked what my favorite-can't-live-without kitchen tool was I'd have to say my laptop. I try to keep all of my favorite recipes on here, use google way too often for recipe substitutions and measurement conversions, and watch hulu while cooking. In preparation for making chili tonight I opened up my blog to get the recipe (they're all on the sidebar!) and was shocked that I had never posted about this! Thomas and I bought a firepit last winter and broke it in by having a chili and smores party. Recipezaar is often a go to site when I'm looking for classic dishes and want to compare a variety of recipes. I found one titled "The Best Chili You Will Ever Taste" and haven't ventured to another recipe since. Well, here you go!

THE BEST CHILI YOU WILL EVER TASTE

Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons oil
* 2 onions, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 lb lean ground beef
* 3/4 lb beef sirloin, cubed
* 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 can dark beer
* 1 cup strong coffee
* 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
* 1 can beef broth
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 3 1/2 tablespoons chili sauce
* 1 tablespoon cumin
* 1 tablespoon cocoa
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1 teaspoon cayenne
* 1 teaspoon coriander
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans (I HALF THIS)
* 4 chili peppers, chopped

Directions

1.Heat oil.
2.Cook onions, garlic and meat until brown.
3.Add tomatoes, beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth.
4.Add spices Stir in 2 cans of kidney beans and peppers.
5.Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
6.Add 2 remaining cans of kidney beans and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Decisions, Decisions

There are some BIG life changes looming over the horizon for our little family. Until we know for sure what we are doing in January I can't plan. People, I NEED to plan!! It's stressing me out and affecting my ability to make decisions. We're not talking about big decisions that actually require insight and spousal approval. We're talking should we get two or three pumpkins-when should I eat lunch-what conditioner should I use on my hair-should I spend an extra $2 organic milk???????. I get myself worked into a ball of anxious energy over the tiniest things, and seem unable to make the slightest move without asking Thomas' opinion. Poor guy! :). BREATH.

For my sake (ok, for Thomas' sake too) decisions need to be made- by me- throwing all caution to the wind and not worrying about what anyone else thinks. This might seem like a silly exercise- but I need to jump start my independent thinking processes. So I'm going to type out a list of decisions without consulting Thomas. Ok, here we go....

1) GET MY HAIR CUT- there, I made a decision - been fretting over that one for weeks
2) DO TAKEOUT FOR DINNER TOMORROW- I guess to make this a really good decision I should decide where.....(fighting urge to ask thomas).....(trying not to feel horribly conflicted because that's the point of this exercise)......Rancho Grande
3) ORDER THAT DRESS I'VE LOOKED AT EVERYDAY FOR A WEEK, in two sizes so I know at least one will fit right.
4) STOP MAKING THIS LIST AND GO TO BED!

But first, I want to leave you with a little eye candy. A little perk for reading through such a personal rant. Not being able to make a hard and fast decision has led me to create a little inspiration board of ideas for Eden's upcoming celebration (excuse the poor image quality). Enjoy!

To Do List (they keep me sane)

During my week I think about a half dozen times "I should blog this." Now that I'm sitting at my computer with blogger open I can't think of what to say! Hmmm.....

Eden has her "first" viral infection. She has been fussy for about a week and we thought she was teething, but at a doctor's visit today it was discovered that she has a very angry sore throat. Fortunately, all the Tylenol we were giving her for sore teeth is the same treatment for this ailment. Hopefully she'll get to feeling better soon and we can all go back to sleeping through the night!

I've been super creative lately- meaning normal mommy tasks like cleaning house, cooking, and doing laundry have fallen to the wayside. Luckily Thomas has been home to help pick up the slack- he's such a sweet husband. He even hung some of my paintings up at Java Jacks :). There are several empty spots on the walls at our house now. Maybe I should paint more? Over the last couple of weeks I've finished a mock painting for a large scale mural, almost completed a large painting (just copy work) for a gift, baked an applie pie to celebrate the first day of fall (this will become a tradition in our family), baked scones THREE times, completed an album for my sister, and sewn pajamas. That doesn't sound like a lot now that I've written it out- but there was a very silly, fantastic, REFRESHING girl's weekend in the mix.

My to do list for creative projects is quite heavy at the moment:
-sew skirt
-paint mural
-finish large painting
-correct album
-start big girl quilt for Eden
and drum roll....da.dad.a.da.da.da.da...
-start new painting, a serious one (whatever that means, haha)

Oh, and remembering to cook and feed my family :).

Some catching up

What a refreshing morning! After almost two weeks on the road we returned home early Friday morning. Eden went to stay with her Grandaddy and CiCi Friday night so Thomas and I could catch a movie and sleep in- we were admittedly a bit road weary. The movie, District 9, was not at ALL relaxing- but it was definitely a well done piece of cinema. We ended up winding down by starting Scrubs Season 8 (I don't feel like divulging just how many episodes we watched) and eating ice cream. After sleeping in, which felt SOOOO good, I took a bubble bath while reading magazines and eating oreos for breakfast. Perfect morning off! Although, think I need to go on a dessert strike again :).

Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Stopping in at the Arkansas border for lunch- Eden's first time in a state other than Texas

"I'm ready to get out of the car!!"- just outside of Chicago

Outside The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

Hanging out in St Louis

After visiting Trinity Evangelical in Chicago, Thomas officially likes the program and will be working on the GRE and admission paperwork over the next month. Once that's done we'll just have to see what happens next! Exciting, no?

I got the painting itch on the trip and am glad that I've wrapped up most of my sewing projects. I'm pretty sure that the sewing machine will be put up so that it isn't a distraction.

Here is the finished quilt for Emily's graduation present. I printed the Psalm 121 panel through spoonflower.com. If you're crafty, check them out, awesome service!!

And here is a skirt made for Emma's first birthday present. This is from JonaG's Edith Twirl Skirt pattern.
Be expecting some recipes soon!

Say cheese!

My sister Jill was in for a week last month and being the awesome aunt and photographer that she is spent a day in a sweltering hot house taking pics of Eden. Prepare yourself to run out of adjectives describing just how precious each one of these photos are.
Go here for the whole slideshow and check out www.jilliankay.com if you're interested (and you should be) in the rest of Jill's photography.

Birthday Goodies

I've wanted to post about my birthday gifts because they've inspired so much creativity! Of course you would rather see pictures of all the cute odds and ends I've been sewing and baking and grilling... but it was easier to take one quick pic of all the inspiration.

Things I've made and the gifts that made them possible:
1. Gorgeously decorated cupcakes for new neighbors- Cupcake goodies from bakeitpretty.com. Not only does my sister know me well, but she reads my blog :). I got oodles of pretty cupcake liners, tops (including the Magical Forest Sampler, Vintage Village Cupcake kit, and ballerinas for Eden's 1st birthday), and an icing decorating kit. I have tried out the icing tips and they are fabulous! It makes the cupcakes look professional and I'm such a sucker for that in my baked goods (plus it uses twice as much icing, yuuuummmm)!

2. Chicken Curry with Greens, Mushrooms Scented with Cardamom, and Sweet Lassi- The cookbook Indian Home Cooking . This was written by a New York chef who teaches classes introducing Americans to ethnic cuisines and is meant to simplify basic Indian recipes. Thomas took me to an Indian Grocer in Austin during our little birthday weekend and I picked up about a dozen basic spices that will allow me to cook almost anything in this book.

3. Grilled Steak with Summer herbs and Potatoes- The Williams Sonoma Grilling cookbook. Not only does this have some pretty tasty looking recipes but it also has a helpful chapter on cooking with a grill that's already upped my game considerably.

4. Headband/Scarf looking thingy- Weekend Sewing. Ok, I'm really just to lazy right now to get up and look in the Weekend Sewing book to see what this thing is called. All you need to know is it was way cute, I had all the supplies on hand, and it only took about 30 minutes. Too bad I got my haircut today and it now looks goofy :(. Luckily there are 39 other projects in the book that look just as fun.

5. Tag Blanket for Eden- Simple Sewing. This has dozens of cute, easy projects and I want to make them all for Eden. I made a tag blanket from the book for Eden's future cousin Sophie Rose (don't you love the name!?) and then changed the pattern up a bit (used vintage hankies instead of cotton fabric) and made one for Eden.

6. Scrubs, Supernatural, and I-Tunes gift card- all of this crafting and cooking had to have some background noise, right? I'll take some recommendations on music!!

7. Fantastic Homemade Bread -Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day- ahhhh... yeah... that actually hasn't happened yet. I got this book because the technique sounds fascinating! Oddly enough it should be the quickest thing to make and it's the one I just can't seem to fit in. When I try it out I'll let you fine folks know how it works and IF it works :).



In baby news- we're onto solids! Well--- if by solids you mean vegetables that have been cooked longer than any adult would ever prefer and then blended with a lot of water--- then yes, we are onto solids. Eden really likes squash, breaks out with peas, and LOOOOVVVEEESS her sippy cup. This little girl is getting big too! She is in the 94% for height and 85% for weight. She is 6.5 months old and crawls but does not sit up- goofy kid :). It's hard work to get her to giggle out loud but it's ok because her silent laugh is hysterical! She smiles, opens her mouth wide, and throws her head back like she's in the middle of a big belly laugh--- but there is NO sound- HILLARIOUS. She got really upset last night because bathtime was shorter than she expected and she was not ready to say goodnight to ducky. Oh- and she loves all living small things- kids, babies, dogs, cats- I'd get a hamster but she eats EVERYTHING.

Yay for naptime/blogtime!

Whew! What a strange, but good, weekend. Thomas got back about 2 am last night and had to go to work at 7 am. I miss him more now than when he was gone because I know he's just 15 minutes away! Eden and I are going to take him some lunch as an excuse to see him.

Eden had a fantastic time at her Mamere's while I spent some R & R in Ft Worth. Cyndi organized a little get together at their place Saturday night so I got to hang out with Michelle and Brian and Miriam and Aaron. My friends are so cute- they all have these major, wonderful life changes and they're so humble about them (ahem, meaning quiet) it's hard to keep up! Buying houses, graduating from med school, starting med school, finding new-good jobs in this economy, moving to Kansas, etc etc. You all know who you are and what great things you're doing- CONGRATS!!
We had fantastic vegetable curry, goat cheese stuffed figs, and hummas. I wrote down the recipe for the curry but I think I threw it away. Cyndi- I need it again- it was so good!! After dinner we spent literally hours playing Catch Phrase- what a fun game. Definitely need to get this one. I got back late Sunday but was too wound up to sleep so I made a couple desserts. With Eden I don't normally have enough hands or time to make a complex dessert. The evening was spent meticulously make a Tiramisu Cake (this was goooood!) and Chocolate Ganache Rasberry Tart while watching part of Numbers Season 1. It was so relaxing! As fun as all of that was I'm pretty excited to have Thomas and Eden both home and very much looking forward to some low key family time.

Here's the menu for the week:
Tuesday- Grilled Orange Soy glazed Salmon and Asparagus with Saffron Rice
Wednesday- Szechuan Pork (menu in side bar)
Thursday- Citrus Tabbouleh & Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce (menus in side bar)
Friday- Herbed Black Bean Salad (menu in side bar) and Grilled Chicken
Saturday- Steak with Thyme Potatos and Corn


Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Tart (from Bon Apetit)
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kahlú a, other coffee flavored liqueur, or strong coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups fresh raspberries (three 6-ounce containers)
• 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

Preparation

Using on/off turns, mix flour, butter, and sugar in processor until coarse meal forms.

Mix egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl. Add to processor; mix until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 12-inch round. Fit dough into pan; trim overhang. Freeze 20 minutes.

Bake crust until golden, 25 minutes; cool.

Meanwhile, bring cream just to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in liqueur and vanilla. Cool ganache 15 minutes.

Transfer cooled crust to platter. Spoon chocolate ganache into crust and smooth top. Arrange raspberries atop chocolate. Stir raspberry jam and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in small saucepan over medium heat until smooth. Brush warm glaze over berries. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Tiramisu Cake
Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

For the cake layers:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the espresso extract:
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons boiling water

For the espresso syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy (I used brandy)

For the filling and frosting:
1 8-ounce container mascarpone
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy (I used brandy)
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or about 1/2 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To make the cake:
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.

To make the extract:
Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

To make the syrup:
Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.

To make the filling and frosting:
Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.

Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

To assemble the cake:
If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer - user about 1 1/4 cups - and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.

For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks as if it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so. Refrigerate the cake too.

With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving - the elements need time to meld.

Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.

Checking in

I have once again created a blogging conundrum. I have been so busy I can't blog and now am putting off blogging because I don't know where to start!

Thomas left today, and is currently flying overhead, for Bayfield, WI- where he and three buds are going to canoe to the apostle islands in Lake Superior. They are really trying to take one outdoorsy trip a year together. My girls and I have had similar goals but we've never gotten our act together :). Of course instead of canoeing in 40 degree lakes we want to go to NYC and catch a broadway show.

Eden is going to go to her Mamere's on Friday night and is staying until MONDAY! I normally go nuts after about 24 hours without her but there are some compelling reasons for me to let her go a little longer this time.
1: I'm not a big fan of the "single parent" game. My respect for single parents, military families, families of truckers or men who work in the oilfield, etc, has risen TREMENDOUSLY since having Eden. Thomas travels some and I'm totally capable of handling our little life without him, and have done so for short periods, but it's SO much easier with two parents- and selfishly- it's my birthday and I would like a break- not a harder day. Can I be selfish and still be a good mom? Meh- I've been told finding time for yourself makes you a better parent- but I still feel pretty guilty when I do it!
2: I really want to discourage seperation anxiety and these visits certainly help.
3: I'll get to do a little traveling of my own! Saturday morning I'm going to head to Ft Worth to visit Cyndi and Clay at their new place- hopefully we'll catch some dinner with Michelle and Miriam and their hubbies.

If you don't get anything else out of this blog it should be that I LOVE lists. I've actually already researched iPhone apps on the subject and have yet to narrow it down, oh but you can bet I'll be getting one.

Coming soon I'll post pictures of our tie-dye party. We broke in our grill (Thomas' b-day present to me, which I love!) and had a few friends over for burgers, tie-dye, and the following dessert.

Fresh Strawberry Bars
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup strawberry jam
4 cups small whole strawberries, halved or quartered

1. Heat oven to 350. Line 13X9X2 inch baking pan with foil, extending foil beyond edges. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut better on medium to high for 30 seconds. Beat in sugars, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour.
3. Spread dough in prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
4. Cool completely on rack. Remove from pan by lifting foil. Spread jam and top with berries. Cut into bars. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 6 hours. Makes 24 bars.
Make ahead- wrap the peanut butter base in foil; store at room temperature up to 24 hours. Before serving, top with jam and berries. Or freeze the peanut butter base in a freezer container up to 3 months.

Cute times infinity plus 1

I don't REALLY have time to be posting. After all, I skipped out on a girlie movie because I had too much to do. In all honesty, Matthew Mcauna.. or however you spell it... just wasn't tempting enough to pry me away from pizza, baking strawberry peanut butter bars for tomorrow, and the season finale of Bones. What is prying me away just long enough to post is the absolutely adorable shot I got of Eden on our afternoon walk today. Even though she has had a really rough week, meaning I've also had a rough week, I can't deny that she's pretty much the cutest kid ever:

Still napping...

Eden is still asleep! Yay for taking fewer but longer naps. I would save all of this information for a post tomorrow- but who knows what tomorrow will look like :).
If you subscribe to this blog- go to my actual page and check out my quick redesign!

This week's menu
M- Moroccan Roast Chicken Thighs & Moroccan Carrot Salad
T- Curried-Pear Chicken with Basmati Rice
W- Salmon with Maple-Lemon Glaze, Wild Rice, & Snap Peas
Th- Girls' Night!
F- Dinner Out

Now that that's over, I want to share a few goodies I've run across recently.

One of my greatly romanticized goals is to have a few chickens so that I have a fresh supply of eggs. I understand that in reality it is much easier to go to the farmer's market, it's illegal in the city, and it would be a lot more work that I have time for. Did I mention I'd love a dairy cow too? This product has re-invigorated my desire for a tiny farm. Seriously? How cute is that!? I could name them all fantastic old-fashioned names like Ethel,Vera and Nellie.

A more reasonable obsession is the discover of BakeItPretty.com- a FANTASTIC shop full of charming, vintage-inspired, CHEAP baking supplies. Here are a few of my favorites:

Blueberry Scones and Birthday Presents

So this is the time I would normally post my weekly menu (ok, ok, if I actually POSTED it when I created it)- but instead, I have been cleaning out flower gardens, sorting baby clothes to be passed on, updating the recipe index on this blog and tending to a runny nose. Last week's menu had a bit of a change- Friday night instead of breakfast we had burgers. Why? Because my lovely hubby got me a grill for my birthday! Yes I know my birthday is at the end of the month and that he got it for me because I all but demanded he do so- it makes it no less exciting for me :).

Friday night we fired it up for the first time, had a neighbor over, and ate Worcester garlic cheeseburgers. Saturday we fired it up again so I could make "grilled" cheese- provolone, tomato and basil sandwiches. Surprisingly the texture was better on the grill :). FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITE GRILLING RECIPES WITH ME- I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM DOING!

Saturday morning we went to a garage sale (where I scored some bread tins) and made blueberry scones. A few years ago we gave the cookbook Breakfast Lunch Tea as a Christmas present. Of course, I fell in love with it and got a copy for myself. It is written by the baker/owner of Rose Bakery in Paris, France. The scones were one of the first things I made and they tend to come out of my oven at least once a month.
Thomas and I baked these just before Hurricane Ike. We stayed with some family and brought these for breakfast. We practically lived on them and a few open restaurants while we were without power for the next week.


Blueberry Scones
Makes 12-15 scones

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 handful wholewheat flour or cornmeal (optional)
2 very heaped tablespoons baking powder
2 heaped tablespoons superfine sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange
Scant 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces (plus extra for greasing sheet)
2 handfuls blueberries
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups whole, 2% or soy milk
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease a baking sheet with butter.

Sift the all-purpose flour into a bowl and add the wholewheat or cornmeal if using (I use wholewheat).

Mix in the baking powder, superfine sugar and salt, then add the butter and rub in with fingers (or pastry blender) until the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs.

Mix in the lemon or orange zest.

Add the blueberries and mix well.

Beat one of the eggs in a measuring jug, then add enough milk to reach the 1 1/4 cup level.

Make a well in the middle, pour in the liquid and use a fork to work it into the dry ingredients. Finish by hand but without overworking the mixture- just lightly bring everything together to form a softish but firm dough. If it is too dry add a little more milk, and if it is too wet add some more flour. It must not be sticky at all.

On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll the dough into a solid shape about 1 1/4 inches thick.

Using a 2 inch cutter, cut the dough into rounds and place them on the greased baking tray so that they almost touch.

Beat the remaining egg and use to glaze the tops of the scones.

Sprinkle with the brown sugar and bake 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

The scones will stick together, so take them gently apart when they have cooled a little.

Mediterranean Meal

Sunday afternoon I FINALLY finished Eden's fabric book- one more thing for her to chew on! I am SO SO SO glad this project is over. It's a little sloppy looking because I just winged it- no pattern- not much forethought, but it's all for Eden and she doesn't know the difference. Here are a few pages:



Speaking of the little munchkin- she was so cute last night! It was pretty gloomy and rainy yesterday and we were in desperate need of a walk so we went to the mall. Of course a little browsing took place as well. We stepped into Payless and she LOVED trying on shoes! What a girl.

Here's this week's menu-

M- Date Night!
T- Kefta (Meatballs) with Yogurt Dipping Sauce and Citrus Tabbouleh (recipe below)
W- Rice and Beef Stuffed Peppers (recipe in side bar)
Th- Szechuan Pork (recipe in side bar)
F- French Toast with Fruit Topping and Chicken Spinach Sausage

Monday night a neighbor friend who had practically BEGGED to keep Eden watched for a few hours while Thomas and I got a little brake. We ate delicious sandwiches in an empty restaurant, splurged on magazines, comics, and books at Hastings, and read them while enjoying java jacks coffee and watching NeanderPaul perform (way cool!).


This is from last night's dinner- no pictures- but it was delicious AND pretty. It's from the Mediterranean Mezzas cooking class I attended.

Citrus, Olive Oil & Herb Tabbouleh
1 and 1/2 cups bulgur (light, cracked wheat)
1 and 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
3 large garlic cloves, minced
Optional: 1 teaspoon ground coriander
2- 15 ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained, roughly chopped
1 packed cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
4 large green onions, ends trimmed, chopped (whites & greens)
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
3/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

Place bulgur in large bowl. Mix in the boiling water. Let stand until bulgur is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Whisk the oil, lemon juice, zest, honey, garlic, and (optional) coriander in small bowl to blend; set aside. Add salt to taste
Mix the oranges, parsley, green onions, mint and olives. Add oil mixture; toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 30 minutes to blend flavors. Makes 8 servings.

Kefta (Meatballs) with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 green onions, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 large egg, beaten lightly
2 tablespoons dried currants, chopped raisins OR chopped dried apricots
1 pound ground lamb or ground chuck (needs at least 10% fat)
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
Minted Yogurt Sauce (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 450. Combine all of the ingredients except the lamb and breadcrumbs in large bowl. Add the lamb and bread crumbs and mix well, being careful not to compact the meat.

Form level tablespoons of lamb mixture into 1 1/4 inch meatballs, arranging ona tray as formed. (Note: Meatballs may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely.)

Bake meatballs in upper third of oven 8-10 minutes, or until golden and just cooked through. Serve with the yogurt sauce. Makes about 3 dozen meatballs.

Minted Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Labeneh):
2 containers Greek Yogurt (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste.

Stir all together.

5 months

Eden turned 5 months today so it seems as good a time as any to do a little update on the kiddo.

At 5 months Eden:
Rolls over from back to belly... but has forgotten how to roll from belly to back.
Razzes... or at least I think that's what they call the spittle speak.
Yells with glee... in high pitched tones only dogs and moms can hear.
Smiles... CONSTANTLY :)
Still sleeps through the night... on her belly now.
Wears 9 month clothing... which I probably need to get more of :).
Giggles when you blow raspberries... especially on her belly and neck.
and
Is a ROCK STAR nap taker... making this post and the dishes possible.

I forgot to post my weekly menu on Monday (I know you're all DYING to know what we're eating :) ). To be honest, it's been really helpful to look back at this blog and see my menu planning and recipes, so just bare with me cause it's not going away! These recipes share a lot of cilantro.

M- Chicken Corn Tacos w/ cantaloupe (check out side bar for menu link)
T- Salmon w/Maple Lemon Glaze, Snow Peas (bought at the farmer's market), and saffron rice- see recipe below
W- Cilantro Lime Chicken
Th- Soy Citrus Scallops
F- Leftovers - or something else :)


Salmon with Maple-Lemon Glaze (from Cooking Light, April '09)

The flavor on the fish was light and sweet and paired well with saffron rice and a sweet veggie.
It's fast, healthy, and cheap- YAY! Triple threat. (The cheap only applies because I got the salmon at Sam's- but it still counts!).

I changed this recipe because I don't have an oven safe skillet. Instead of searing it in the pan first and then moving it to the over, I simply broiled it for about 6 - 7 minutes on a roasting pan. I brushed it with the marinade about half way through.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Refrigerate 10 minutes, turning bag once.

3. Remove fish from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute.

4. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over. Brush marinade evenly over fish. Broil 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Color Me Happy

For Christmas I got to spruce up our living room a bit. Yeah, I know that was four months ago, but it's taken me a bit to get everything framed and hung. We replaced the metal sculpture and clutter that previously decorated our mantel with some fun prints I'd been drooling over at etsy.com, got some colorful accents (rug, pillow, throw), and moved the furniture a bit (aka moved the recliner that broke the window twice).
Here are the results!

Before:




After:
Not a huge change, but it definitely feels more like us. Notice, the kid has replaced the cat :)



The next step is to replace the lace curtains with some colorful, handmade "roman shades." I'm not actually good enough to make real roman shades- it involves a lot of patience and some special hardware, but I did find an easy looking tutorial on Martha Stewart.

One of these fabrics, along with white solid, I think would be nice:

Featured Creativity

As promised, here are some photos of what I've been up to.


Eden's Easter Dress, which hopefully won't fall apart in the wash as soon as I attack it with some fabric glue. It's a bit big in the arms, but was very cute with a cropped white sweater and white satin shoes. Sewing tiny clothing is much faster and does not have to fit as well- I think I'd do it again.


Rykan was born last Thursday and so I hurriedly finished her receiving blanket. This project is very sweet and EXTREMELY useful so I try to make it for all the little babies I know. She was 7 lbs 11 oz, 1+ 1lb over Eden's birth weight, but I seriously could not remember Eden being so small! It was so pleasant holding such a tiny life AND I got to swaddle her :).



A couple from our church had there 3rd child and first boy about a month ago. We're collecting needed items and I got to make the basket, meaning I got to try out making a name banner. I used what I had except needing some ribbon. During their renovation, the Nacogdoches Walmart got rid of their craft/sewing section (boo) so all I could find was some expensive Martha Stewart ribbon. Worst ribbon ever!!! Oh well, it got done- all from my head, no pattern.


I love making handmade presents (as you can see) and whipped this together for my sister-in-laws birthday (it was yesterday so I can post pictures of it now). It came out a bit brighter than I expected and I'm glad it's permanent home is not my yellow kitchen. I changed the pattern a bit and I think it will work well in its intended home.



Well, I think that's about it! I'm currently working on a soft book for Eden, but it won't be done for a couple weeks. Speaking of the little sprout- I'll leave you with a picture of her:

Let's try and make this quick...

The kid is napping and I should be getting ready for the day- this usually happens at 6am- but I overslept this morning (till 7 am) and it was great! She is so cute right now when you put her down for naps. No matter how tired or asleep she already is, when you set her down she starts flailing all of her limbs wildly for 30 seconds, takes a deep breath, and then is completely still and asleep :). It's one of her many cute things.

Easter weekend was very lovely and fairly stress free. Friday and Saturday were cookie madness again as I prepared cookies for Trinity and James' renewal ceremony. The ceremony was very sweet and their little family looked so cute!

The rest of Saturday was spent preparing for Sunday company and lunch and hanging out with our friends Kali and Joel- the conversation was too good to cut short and we stayed up a little later than normal. During their visit I baked a banana chocolate chip cake (bundt cake- RECIPE BELOW!) and prepared the ham glaze for Easter lunch. My parents and brother and sister-in-law came over for lunch yesterday which was such a treat as I don't see them as often as I'd like. Eden was pretty fussy at the start of lunch and after trying everything else we stripped her down. Apparently she felt like celebrating Christ's victory in the nude and spent lunch all but naked. Clearly there was no need to make her a dress :).

Today is iphone day! Thomas put my phone together yesterday and surprise, surprise, it worked. WHAT??!!!! Yeah, it survived going through the dishwasher. I had tried on two previous occasions to resurect this phone to no avail- apparently the battery was the only thing wrong. We decided that we would keep it as a back up for the next time Thomas destroys his phone (he's used up all the trade-in's the phone insurance allows). If you have an iphone, tell me what your favorite ap is!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups mashed, well ripened bananas
2 1/2 cups self rising flour
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
2. Beat the sugar and butter together until light in color and texture. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Reduce mixer to low and add mashed bananas. Gradually add in flour. Mix in chocolate chips by hand. Spread evenly in pan.
3. Bake 1 hour or till a toothpick comes out clean and the cake starts to pull away from pan.
4. Cool 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Lots of Lists

Our little family is still doing pretty great - cooking a lot of well balanced meals, exercising more, sleeping well, fitting in both family and personal time, and overall staying pretty sane! High five to us.

Here's our menu for the week:
M- Chicken Fajitas
(sauted chicken, bell pepper, and onions, served with wheat tortillas, tomato, and guacamole).
T- Shrimp and Broccoli
(recipe is in the side bar)
W- Steak Diane, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn
(Thomas has been asking for mashed potatoes, I'm steak impaired but this was pretty easy! See recipes for
this at the bottom of entry)
Th- Homemade Vegetable Pizza
F- Turkey, Provolone and Sundried Tomato Pesto Paninis

Our week in recap:
Monday night we rented Get Smart- one we had missed when it first came out- HILLARIOUS!
Tuesday my mom came to visit and took Eden on a little shopping trip- new party dresses, just in time for Trinity and James' party this Saturday!
Wednesday Eden and I went to Lufkin to get an Easter Ham from Sams (we had a gift card for signing up recently) and check on getting an iphone. That was actually a pretty frustrating morning- Eden wouldn't eat or sleep, the AT&T store was totally unhelpful, I was confused on Sam's hours and got there too early, blahblahblah. The evening totally redeemed the day- Eden took a really long nap after Thomas came home, was in a terrific mood when she woke up just in time for church, AND Sarah kept the nursery! Thomas and I haven't attended Wednesday night services together in months- one of us is always in the nursery. It was quite a treat- followed by excellent conversation and coffee.
Thursday Eden and I went to MOPS and she rolled over for the first time! Just a small group of mom's showed up- Trinity, me, the director of the program, and one of the other mom's that I really enjoy talking to. We discussed the need to ask for help and talked about sharing Easter with our kids. It was probably the most Christian centered meeting we've had and it was very refreshing. That evening I got to do a little crafting-

Projects I'm up to:
1. Making Eden a cloth book
2. Finishing Eden's Easter dress (done!)
3. Making a quilt for the living room
4. Finishing a receiving blanket for a baby (due in a week!)
5. Designing a small vegetable and herb garden

Friday is Today! Eden is taking stellar naps- which is good because she woke up at 6 am. We've already mixed dry ingredients for the cookies I'm making for the paty tomorrow and taken a long, wonderful walk where we ran into lots of neighbors and friends.

Things we're looking forward to:
1. Party Party- Trinity and James 10 year vow renewal- so happy for them :)
2. Easter services
3. Hosting Easter Dinner for my parents and brother and sister-in-law. (I've never baked a ham before- cross your fingers!)
4. Getting my iphone on Monday!
5. Thomas leaving for a raising on Tuesday- back on Friday- looking forward to this because me being left alone with Eden while he works out of town has been a long time coming (only one night in the last four months, wow!) It's going to be nice to finally get it over with.
6. Getting contacts on Wednesday- or whenever they can order them in.
7. Getting our flower boxes next week and adding some curb appeal.


Sick of lists? I'll just leave you with the recipe for the steak. Mashed potatoes Thomas style- I skinned then boiled 3 lbs of potatoes, mashed them with an entire head of roasted garlic, creamy horseradish, a little milk, and creamed goat cheese then baked them in a casserole dish for about 40 minutes. OBVIOUSLY this was not the healthiest meal, but totally happy husband making.


Steak Diane

Ingredients

• 4 rib eye steaks (1/2 in)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
• 3 teaspoons green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced

Directions

1. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 T butter in skillet,stir in onions and mustard.
3. Add steaks.
4. Cook for 3 minutes on each side.
5. Remove to serving platter and keep warm.
6. To skillet, add lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 T butter.
7. Cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add parsley and chives.
9. Pour over steaks.

Odds and Ends

I ran across this deal through one of the thrifty mom blogs I read. If you sign up for the DQ blizzard fan club (and come on, who doesn't, right?) you get a coupon for BOGO free blizzard. You guys enjoy one for me!

Also, for you fashionistas out there, this is kind of a cool site to check out- just see it for yourself- I can't explain it, but it's tons of fun.

The little one and I are off to get ready for a trip to Lufkin for some grocery shopping and whatever else trouble we can get into!

One dark and dreary morning...

Eden had her four month check-up yesterday and was so wound up she didn't take any naps. Whoever said those shots make babies sleep hasn't met our quirky little kid. Eden is big and healthy- 70% on length, 75% on head (she's growing into her noggin!), and 80% on weight- a whopping 14lbs and 11 oz. She has been cleared for cereal and I can't wait to try out the first oh so messy feeding.

Our lives are so full right now that it is hard to find time to blog- it is also hard to catch up from my last post- but I'll try to hit the highlights:

Thomas took Eden to her Mamier's on Friday, taking along with him Creamy Chicken Enchiladas I made them for dinner. I'm shocked to discover that I've never posted this recipe before. We eat it often and it's my go to recipe when preparing dinner for another family. Check out the recipe below.

While they were traveling I made cookies and watched Crossroads (not the Brittany Spears version but oh just equally unwatchable). After very little sleep, I braved the freezing weather to sell cookies. The cold snap sort of killed the spring fling- but I was still able to break even (covering one time purchases like the tablecloth) and make enough to pay myself about $1.50 an hour. I will not be doing this in the future :), but it was fun while it lasted.
The rest of our weekend was VERY relaxing- I napped, we took a walk at the lake with Ryan and Anna (well, Thomas and Ryan played disc golf), ate sushi, bought and watched A LOT of Pushing Daisies (which Thomas loves), sewed a little for a friend's baby shower, and found my phone- IN THE DISHWASHER.

Yeah, I'm special, I've been told.

Monday was spent feeling crazy because I didn't have a phone (I'm addicted), Tuesday was spent traveling to see my parents and borrow a junker phone from my brother, and yesterday was Eden's dr appointment. Caught up now?

So I get to buy a new phone... and I'm starting to think iPhone. Thomas made the excellent point that if we move- easy connectibility will be a must. I'm still not convinced that I'm worthy of such a fancy phone, but I'm sure I'll grow out of that soon!

Today is dedicated to gathering ingredients and prepping cookies for Thomas' mom's family reunion this weekend. My current plan is to make Midnight Cowboy Chocolate Chip cookies (sans cocunut), butter rum cookies, and hazelnut caramel cracker bars. They are all pretty quick and easy and two of the doughs can be made a day ahead of baking. I'll let you know how they go, but for now will just leave you with this yummy recipe:

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (drain well!!! or your enchiladas will be soggy)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 8-ounce carton light dairy sour cream
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
6 flour tortillas (smaller ones)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped tomato for garnish

Place chicken in a large saucepon in enough water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes ro utnil chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove chicken from saucepan. When cool enough to handle, use a fork to shred chicken into bite-size pieces (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Set aside.

In a large bowl combine chicken, spinach, and green onions; set aside. For sauce, in a bowl combine sour cream, yogurt, flour, cumin, and salt. Stir in milk and chile peppers. Set aside.

For filling, combine half of the sauce and the chicken-spinach mixture. Divide filling among tortillas; roll up. Placed filled tortillas, seams sides down in a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.

Spoon remaining sauce over tortillas. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 oven about 25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with lots of chopped, fresh tomato.

Cookies, Crafting, and Camping

I discovered yesterday that Eden will happily play close by while I work out- making it really easy for me to add this into my current routine, which is GOOD because I am sick of all of this scheduling! Eden staying at her mameir's this weekend is perfect timing. I am going to use the empty house tonight as a chance to try the farmer's market again- so if you're local come and see me- I give away free samples! On the menu for the weekend are hazelnut caramel cracker bars, vegan chewy chocolate chocolate chip cookies, decorated sugar cookies, and MAYBE cornmeal thyme or citrus cornmeal cookies. This weekend is the big Spring Fling so it should draw the largest crowd - lots of entertainment, kids activities, and first signs of produce. Not only do I hope to sell more, but it should just be lots of fun!

Today Eden and I will be traveling out to get a few supplies for the market and also a snap fastener. Her Easter dress is almost finished and I have been dreading the buttons- they are difficult to do well AND I don't like buttons on her clothing. It dawned on me last night that I could simply change the pattern and add snaps - which I definitely prefer for the ease of dressing a baby. Plus I get a new toy :).

Thomas and I have been discussing taking a small family vacation for a few weeks and yesterday decided that we should go camping. We'll be joined by two very good friends who live in Ft Worth- if anyone knows a food camping site between Nac and Ft Worth- let me know!

Isn't this just supposed be a metaphor?

Sorry for the blurry picture, if you can't tell the window is broken. Seriously--- I think my scales are telling me something. To be honest, I have no idea how it broke, but it's not too far fetched that it was me. I have officially peaked at my post-baby-easy-weight loss and still have about 1/3 of what I gained- thus begins step 2 in Katie gets her act together. Normally I would refrain from publicly discussing something that I, and most women, consider a very private challenge. However, I recently learned during the cookie experiment and step 1 in getting my act togherther:cleaning, that I'm more apt to follow through with something if I make a public proclamation. Don't worry, there will be no mimicking of crazy radio dj stunts, no swearing to post a picture of myself in a bathing suit in three months, etc. Weight loss for me is a pretty slow process because I refuse to diet- none of this no carb/counting calories, etc. I just try to eat "right". Our meals usually show good habbits- lots of veggies, few breads/pastas, light/low-fat ingredients/ lean meats, etc, but they are NOT diet foods. I guess I'm saying that I'm still going to talk about our menus, and they're not going to look like I'm on a diet, so please don't judge me! (not that any of you sweet people would).

The plan will be to cut back on/cut out sweets and workout. Two things that I do very little of. I have a serious sweet tooth and I get little/no exercise- It's actually quite amazing that I don't gain weight. The fact that I live this way and still manage to creep off a few pounds leads me to believe that losing some "extra me" won't be TOO difficult if I follow through with these two goals.

This will probably lead to less blogging. Eden takes about 2 - 3 short naps while her daddy is at work. I have been using those to clean/blog-surf/and prep dinner. Exercising is going to take priority over EVERYTHING, or, let's face it, it will never happen. So Eden's first nap is exercising. I am going to lay out clothes and equipment the night before so I have no excuses. Her next nap will be dedicated to cleaning- don't want to undo step 1!

Hopefully this will lead to having free evenings to hang out with Thomas and Eden and slip in the occasional craft project- which is what you would all rather be reading about! I realize my life via blog may sound a bit boring/boxed in- but hey- I have a newborn. Cleaning/exercising/cooking (well maybe not cooking) are not what I want my life to be about! But it is important for me to find ways to make them routine and easy so that my life can be mostly consumed with family time and time to create. I'm always amazed when people seem to naturally balance all of these things, and work too! I really have to work at it- but at least our days don't look like this anymore:

- Thanks for sticking with me during my journey!