What's for Supper?

Monday is here, and it's Menu Plan time again. Thanks again to Laura for hosting! Last week our menu got pretty messed up, thanks to the flu, a blizzard and Dr. B being absolutely swamped at work. This week, hopefully we can stick to it a little better. We did take advantage of an Xmas gift card, though, for a night, so it didn't totally blow the budget! I'm working hard to use what we have and reuse leftovers in new dishes, comme c'est typique en France . Anyone got a good name for this? I'm stumped.

Anyway, the menu planning is working very well for me (I'm less stressed, my jeans feel looser, and I am not wasting food), but not so much for Dr. B. He is a stress eater, and tends to open the fridge and stare/grab when he's freaked out (which usually is about 15 minutes before a meal is on the table. Grrr.) Then later, he feels guilty and tells me not to buy any junk food. Then when I don't keep a bunch of extra stuff in the house, he tends to get mad at me or else eat the ingredients for a meal, despite the fact that he reads this and sees the list posted. This weekend there were no chips for the lunch tuna melts because of it. He's going through a really stressful time at work, so I'm adding chips, chocolate, cheese sticks, diet Coke, and some of those single-serving microwave popcorn packs to the list. (It's not like he chooses an apple when he's stressed--get real!) Then at least I don't get yelled at.

So here's the plan for this week.

Monday Dr. B is going to be late. I have leftover turkey cutlets with a red wine reduction sauce and glazed carrots from last night, and I'll prepare some starchy accompaniment for myself. Maybe a little pasta.

Tuesday Our Valentine's Day! :) NY Strip steaks, Garlic Mashed Potatoes* (recipe from Pioneer Woman), Salad, baguette, a bottle of Bordeaux, and Ice cream. Yum.

Wednesday Spanish Tortilla I never made last week, salad.

Thursday Turkey kielbasa Sausage, onion and pepper hoagies, oven-baked fries.

Friday My Mom's Meatloaf, potatoes*, corn*.

Saturday Lunch: Meatloaf sandwiches*, chips, fruit Supper: Sausage corn chowder with Potatoes*

Sunday Lunch: Leftover chowder*, bread, CPA Supper: Hard-shell beef tacos, Spanish rice

*indicates the leftover liaison--I'll make more of one dish than we need and incorporate it into the other meal.

Appearance

I woke up today feeling much better. Rowan was cheerful, and we had a great morning. She played happily and then napped, and I showered (and it was wonderful; after two days I reeked.)

After lunch, we took Lucy on a long walk, and around 3:30 I began the pre-nap ritual of changing the pants, reading the stories or singing the songs or reading the poetry (today it was Shel Silverstein), snuggling her in her blanket, and laying her down.

No go.

OK, more singing and rocking.

Not.

Extra play time.

More rocking.

More singing.

Lying down with her.

Nope.

Lying with her and singing. When she screamed I just sang louder.

Finally.

I threw some towels in the dryer, put some bacon in the oven for dinner and grabbed a bowl of ice cream and my book. 2 bites in... "Waaaaahhhh!!!"

Again. I tried the whole gamut. Nothing worked. I let her scream for a few minutes and ate my ice cream. (That was not going to waste. It was fudge brownie, people.)

The oven beeped, and I had to get the bacon out or it would burn. I put her in the basket of clean towels, and she played happily for 3 minutes while I drained it and put the pan in the sink. I went to feed the dog, and she tipped over, banging her head on the ground.

Woo! That really made her happy.

She screamed and screamed until I nursed her into submission. Finally, following an hour of screaming and hiccuping, she belched. Big time.

I got her calm enough to play for a while, phoned my grandma, and waited for her dad to get home. While I made the oatmeal (yeah, the menu plan went out the window this week), he took the dog for a walk and I fed her some squash, mashed potatoes, green beans and applesauce. As I was spooning the orange squash into her mouth, I saw the reason for the screamin'.

Tooth #2. It's here.

Thank God this didn't happen yesterday.

Awake and Alive

It turns out that a 72-hour flu in a little person is only a 24-hour flu in a big one. Conversion rate, I guess, or I got the concentrated version. Regardless, I am thankful it's over. As soon as she was tucked in and snoozing last night, I also hit the hay, and after approximately 12 hours of sleep, I feel much better.

Dr. B, however, is on the road to ruin. He's been so busy at work, he got 2 hours of sleep last night, and 3 hours the night before. Anyone that knows him personally knows he is a 9-hour guy. He's always needed more sleep than I have, so I'm pretty worried about him. I'm glad he takes the bus to work--I wouldn't want him driving in this sleep-deprived condition, with the icy roads leftover from the storm earlier this week.

We're postponing our Valentine's celebration until we're both conscious (and he has a chance to get a little something for me--he felt really awful that he didn't have anything prepared.) The steaks will keep, and we'll celebrate on our terms. It is a nice break in a dreary winter to have a holiday this time of year, but we believe in making them fit our schedule.

Now, we all need baths. Big time.

Gift

Rowan gave her Mama a present for Valentine's Day. She didn't mean to, but how can you blame an 8 month old baby for giving you the flu?

You know you're sick when the smell of toast and coffee, normally my favorite smells ever, makes you vomir partout.

Luckily, I have a friend who's coming over in a few hours to bring me some 7up and walk Lucy. This is not something I am capable of today, and the Diet Coke I got yesterday just doesn't cut it when I'm sick.

I am not looking forward to the poopy diapers today. Ugh.

Excuse me. The couch is calling my name.

Back to her Old Self

Mom says I'm a Stinker., originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

Rowan is on the mend. Her mild fever is gone, she's keeping food down, and as you can see, she's back to plotting all the trouble she can get into. Today we did our usual routine of breakfast, nap, shower, playing, poopsplosion, dressing, eating, playing, nap, and then headed out to run errands and bring some food back into the house. I've been trying to keep us to our planned meals, thus not keeping much extra in the house, which makes it challenging when you combine a barfing baby and a blizzard. But, we made it, just with many a craving that went unanswered (which is probably a good thing).

Tomorrow we're going to visit her Daddy's office and bring chocolate treats to share with his coworkers, and go to the library. After 3+ days of being stuck in the house, I need to get out again. Even if it is just to pick up shoes at the shoe repair place, get a few new books to read, and ply Dr. B's colleagues with chocolates and baby cuteness. (You never know; some of them may have kids who like to babysit.)

Joyeux St. Valentin! Happy Valentine's Day! We wish you hugs, snugs, and good chocolate.

Push it

Hangin' with Dad, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

Rowan's last big puke was at 1:30 AM. Right after nursing, she unloaded the full meal back on to my pajama top. No harm done, a quick change and wipe down and we were both back to sleep.

Today, we took it easy. Nursing only for her, and 2 morning naps. I got a few tasks done (bathrooms both cleaned, sheets changed, insurance stuff done, filing), but mainly took care of my little girl. Late in the afternoon, I rocked a hole in the floor trying to coax her into an afternoon nap. Unfortunately, she was stronger than I was, and refused to go down, but did spend some quality time with me vegging on the big bed watching King of the Hill and That 70's Show. You know, educational TV.

By 7 PM, I figured we were past the worst of it. 18 hours, no vomiting. We must be in the clear! She was energized, happily playing in her play station, so I put a handful of Cheerios in the snack tray and opened my laptop to dig into my 6 ongoing Scrabulous games.

By 7:30, I had learned my lesson.

Oh, and Lucy has a taste for things other than the content of diapers.

Sigh. Here we go again.

What's for Supper?

OK, it's Monday and Menu Planning time again. And I have a sick baby, so the store trip is going to have to wait. Therefore, this menu will definitely change based on what happens with her, but here's what's in the works for this week, at least so far. Also, you can find the recipe for Dr. B's Sorta-Thai Curry from last week here. Thanks again, Laura!



Monday: The Beef Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas (I forgot there is leftover chicken thighs that we didn't need all of for the curry yesterday. Gotta use them up.) I didn't make this weekend, because we went to some friends' home for Cincinnati Chili on Saturday. (We liked it!)
Tuesday: Norwegian Meatballs, potatoes and gravy and corn (because they're in the house already). Either that or go out because our friend's birthday is Tuesday. But if Rowan's still puking, that won't be happening.
Wednesday: Dr. B has a meeting. I have a frozen pizza. Hopefully I'll get to the store by this day.
Thursday: It's Valentine's Day! I don't know yet what we're going to do. We're still in discussions on this one. I was thinking steak, but he wasn't feeling it. We'll see.
Friday: Shrimp Creole with brown rice, salad
Saturday: Lunch: Red Pepper/Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (I put this soup on the menu every week and we never get around to eating it. So here it is again!) Supper: Turkey breast cutlets with Sauce Poivre, leftover brown rice that I'll probably jazz up somehow (I'll make extra), glazed carrots.
Sunday: Lunch: Tuna melts, chips and CPA Supper: Spanish Tortilla (the potato/egg one, not the flatbread), salad

Thankful

Dr. B often jokes that "we" didn't have a baby. No, he says, "you budded." She is like me in so many ways. Pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes. Relaxed? Not so much. High highs, and low lows. Lives for music. Likes lots of warm blankets when she sleeps, with her arms raised above her head, and does a full-body stretch just as she's waking up. Gets really fussy if she's bored. Loves to go shopping. Has stinky feet.

Of course, she's like him in other ways. Loves the bath. Hates change. Loves prunes. And one new way that I'm really thankful for today.

When she barfs, she smiles. Relaxes. Feels better.

Me? Not so much.

Dealing with our first stomach bug here. I should have known. Brilliant me, on the phone with my stepmother.

"Yeah, I suppose it's because she doesn't go to daycare, but Rowan really hasn't been sick at all. A little stuffy nose, but other than that, she's been fine."

12 hours later we had projectile vomiting.

Of prunes.

Sigh.






*Note: due to this, the grocery trip will have to wait, so Menu Plan Monday will probably not be that interesting. Happily, we were invited to a friend's home on Saturday, so I didn't make the enchiladas then and still have all the stuff. I think I can also cobble together a meatball dinner and some pesto pasta with shrimp. Since Dr. B has a meeting on Wednesday, this could get us through until Thursday! Hopefully the puking will be done by then.

No Hurry Curry

Thai Curry Chicken à la Dr. B, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

Dr. B is famous for his curry, which he cobbled together from friends' recipes, the ladies at the Asian market, and his own guesstimates. It's warm, yummy and comforting, and never the same twice. We'll attempt to give you the recipe, but know that it's always a matter of trial and error, your mood, what you have in the house or what was available at the store, and pure luck. The measurements are approximate at best. But it's good. Oh yeah, it's really good. (Hint: Wear your fat pants. You're gonna want seconds.)



Dr. B's Sorta-Thai Curry Chicken

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups pearl barley (you can make more if you like, or use brown rice, but we love the barley texture with this dish)
* 16 oz. chicken broth (or amount needed for your barley)
* 1 T. butter


* 1-2 lb chicken breast or thighs cut in bite-sized pieces
* 1-2 cans coconut milk (DO NOT health out and get the low fat. It fails every time. Our favorite brand is Roland, but that's not easy to find, unless you live in Madison. The Goya brand works OK, and is readily available. )
* 1-2 "thumbs" (thumb size pieces) Maesri curry paste (we like the red, and the panang is good too but the red is better. Panang is much milder. If the directions on the package say use a lot more, ignore them.)
* 1-2 T. Fish Sauce (I know it smells like dirty feet. THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL. Your curry will not be right without it. And don't tell me you made it without it and it came out just fine. If you did, you didn't make Dr. B's curry. You made a wimpy no fish sauce version and it just wasn't the same.)
* 3 cups or so peeled butternut squash that has been cut in bite size pieces
* 1/2 cup raisins (we've tried currants and golden raisins, but they just aren't as good as the regular old Sunsweets.)
* Planter's Dry Roasted Peanuts (you want the ones with the salty coating--you'll use several handfuls)
* cilantro
* lime wedges


Optional ingredients, for when you're feeling frisky: natural peanut butter (1-2 T should do it), sliced scallions, honey (especially if it's too spicy), regular onion or shallots, zucchini, peas, eggplant (just keep an eye on the texture as those can water it down a lot.) Whatever you like.

OK. Now to get to it.

Start cooking the barley, according to package directions (total time: 45 minutes--don't get the instant stuff), except substitute chicken broth for water. (We tried with water. It really took away from the flavor of the whole dish. Spring for the chicken broth.) The butter goes in at the end, so don't put that in yet.

When the barley has been going for about 15 of the 45 minutes, heat about 1/2 the coconut milk in a large nonstick pan (that has a cover) until it just starts to boil. Add the curry paste, and mix it in until it's all blended. Add the remaining coconut milk and the raw chicken. Cook over medium high heat about 10 minutes, until the chicken is getting cooked but not done yet.

Add the butternut squash pieces, raisins and some of the peanuts if you like. This is also when you can add some of your "getting frisky" items. Don't add too many at once if you're adding a lot, because you don't want the temperature to go way down fast. (Add a little at a time, if you want to add several items.) Stir, cover and cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fish sauce and continue cooking, covered, until the squash is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about another 10 minutes.

When the barley is done, stir in the pat of butter. Spoon some barley into each serving bowl, top with the chicken curry. Garnish with more peanuts, cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Serve with cold beer.

Firsts

I have nothing clever or interesting to say, but wanted to share two things.

Today, Rowan started thinking about maybe trying to crawl. She was hands down, rocking.

And tonight, she got her first tooth!

Is it weird that I am really, really excited?

(She is now applauding herself. It's pretty adorable.)

What's for Supper?

Is it Monday already? Thanks again to Laura for hosting! This week we're using up some bumps from last week, and using up leftovers in other meals as much as possible. Happily, there's less for me to buy at the store. Plus, Dr. B offered to make his specialty, a delicious chicken coconut curry dish that he developed his own recipe for--I love it, so am looking forward to it very much! (Plus the me not cooking thing is always good...)

I may do my shopping today or tomorrow, depending. Rowan had a freak out from 2-4 AM, so we slept in (I joined her for the AM nap) and she's down again. If she sleeps like she did yesterday (a 3 hour nap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), then we'll put it off. I have to run tomorrow anyway, have some prescriptions to pick up and dry cleaner/shoe repair, etc. to do.

So without further ado...

• Monday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew, salad, leftover corn muffins (got bumped, because Dr. B took me out on Saturday.)
• Tuesday: Homemade Pizza (last week I found a local pizzeria's "kit" at the store, with sauce, crust and cheese, but it had 2 pizzas worth in it. Going to use up the second one.) Toppings: black olives, artichoke hearts, chicken sausage.
• Wednesday: Dr. B has a meeting, and I'm planning an Altoona shopping trip, so it's either leftovers or grab something out, depending on timing.
• Thursday: Cream of Leftovers Soup made with leftover chicken sausage and leftover rice from last week, carrots, and celery; bread.
• Friday: Tuna melts, chips, carrot sticks and pickles. (We had leftovers, so never made the tuna sandwiches last week.)
• Saturday: Lunch= ham and cheese sandwiches, tomato/roasted red pepper soup. Supper=Dr. B's request: Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas (his favorite)
  
• Sunday: Lunch=leftover enchiladas Supper=Dr. B cooks his specialty! Coconut Curry Chicken with butternut squash and raisins, brown rice.

Trying to Help

Guest Post

Mommy said Rowan's been kind of plugged up, and so she decided not to feed her oats today. She got prunes (I licked out the container), green beans, and applesauce. Then she took a nap and when she woke up, Mommy changed her and put her in a cute outfit.

She played on the blanket on the floor for a while. Then she fell over, and when Mommy picked her up, she started laughing and said, "it must have worked!" She tried to clean her up, but it was pretty messy, so she took her upstairs to give her a bath.

When she came down she was really, really mad at me. She yelled a lot and then she made me get in the bathtub and washed my mouth out with baby soap.

I don't know why. I was just trying to help clean up.

Love,
Lucy

I would embed this if I could. Found it.

This is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. My abs ached from laughing.

I gotta get me one of those chairs.

Happy Birthday, Franzie!

A long time ago, a guy was born who became one of the world's most beloved composers. Here's my favorite soprano, Renée Fleming, singing one of Schubert's pieces with Claudio Abbato conducting.

Oooh, her voice just gives me chills. She can sing Happy Birthday to me any day of the year!

I'm too lazy to email this.

Today, Rowan and I walked our dog and a friend's dog (separately) and it was really cold and very windy. We got tired. Rowan had one of her really irritable days, so even though I was pooped, I eventually gave in and packed her up and took her to the mall. Most people would think the opposite, but going shopping usually buys me time where she's not shrieking. Hey, whatever you gotta do, right? So we went. (Just so you know, there isn't crap there this time of year.)

Anyway, I have nothing witty to say, but a friend emailed me this thing, and I though rather than sitting and typing in a bunch of email addresses to forward this to, I'll just post it. Reply if you like (I'd like it), but if not, here it is, for what it's worth.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not officially, because my parents knew twin girls named Ronica and Roxanne and loved the names (my sister is Roxanne, though we're not twins), but my dad's name is Ron, so kind of after him. My middle name is Heather, after my Grandma Helen. (I guess Ronica Helen didn't sound very good.)

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Maybe at my sister's wedding in November. I know I cried then, but I don't remember anything since. Probably that. The officiant did a really nice moment of silence to remember my mom, and I think I even saw my dad tear up. (He's very stoic, so that's an occasion.)

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No, it's pretty awful. Kind of creative, though, but mostly crappy. I'd rather type. It's much faster, and more legible.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? rare roast beef.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Rowan, 7 1/2 months old.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS
WITH YOU? I think so. I like to think I'm pretty cool.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? What do you think?

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, never had trouble with them.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No way, Jose. I have trouble standing on a chair.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I don't really eat cereal. I like toast. But when I was pregnant I craved Lucky Charms and it was one of the only things I could keep down.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No, except for my hiking boots because I can't get out of them without untying. My converse are always kicked off. Otherwise, I usually wear no-lace shoes anyway.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I know I am.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? I love the old fashioned flavors like Tin Roof and Rocky Road. Also Fighting Sioux Champion Chip. And right now I'm digging Black Raspberry. And Wavy Gravy, Chunky Monkey (Ben and Jerry's) and Bananas Foster (Haagen Dasz.)

I just reread that. I really have a problem.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
tone of voice, I think. I don't know. What a good question. Like Julie, I also look at their facial expression, I think, too. That's very perplexing.

15. RED OR PINK? red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I am obsessive. I wish I was more relaxed. I'm trying REALLY REALLY HARD TO BE!!!!

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Mom.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
Yes, fill up that comment box or email me!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black Gap pants and no shoes. But my haus schus are on the floor by my feet. They are green wool felt clogs from Germany.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Homemade pizza with ham, red peppers, black olives and cheese. It was tasty.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The menu music for Night at the Museum. Dr. B is rocking Rowan to sleep, then we're watching a movie.

22. HAVE YOU HAD BRACES? No. Born with really straight teeth. I do have them bonded though, because they had a gap. I could do a mean impression of a lawn sprinkler!

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Toast. Especially made for someone else (it always smells so much more enticing!) Fresh coffee. Lavender. And donuts (not the grease, the sweet.)

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE
PHONE? Dr. B. It was to say, "we're here to pick you up and your daughter passed out while screaming in the backseat listening to Peter Frampton." She's a classic rock girl.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yes! If I didn't, why would I post it here?

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Hockey! Fighting Siiiiiiioooooooouuuuuuuuuxxxxxxxx Hockey!

27. FAVORITE KIND OF PIZZA? I love any with lots of veggies, and I also love BBQ Chicken pizza and Bacon Cheeseburger pizza that has PICKLES on it.

28. EYE COLOR? blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes, but I switch off with glasses because I have chronic dry eye.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Pickles. Cucumber and sour, please.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings. Or not, but I'm not into scary.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? We watched "Heavenly Creatures" last night with Kate Winslet, directed by Peter Jackson. We both hated it. Creepy and awful. I want those 109 minutes of my life back.

In a theater? Pirates of the Caribbean 3. I was pregnant with Rowan. She did NOT like it, kicked me really really hard for the entire time, and made me have to go pee about 50 billion times. I really have no idea what the movie was about, I missed so much of it.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? black fine-gauge sweater tshirt and grey cardigan.

34. FAVORITE SEASON ? early winter.

35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? crème brûlée. Best one I ever had was at the Mall of America, at the Napa Grill. I think it was key lime or some such silliness, but it was the silkiest, most divine thing I have ever tasted. I wanted to crawl into the bowl when I was done.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Lisa

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Dr. B

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I am stuck in the middle of Eat, Pray, Love. Also reading Yayas in Bloom. Just finished the Mercy Seller.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I don't have a mouse. (Touchpad on my laptop)

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? We didn't. Watched the freaky movie. I did watch some Simpsons and King of the Hill before Dr. B got home, though.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? Wind rattling the cottonwood trees' leaves.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I like the Beatles, but Dr. B doesn't, he likes the Stones. But really, I like both. Except I think the Stones are scary looking.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Probably Germany. But I lived in France!

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can put both ankles behind my neck and slip my shoulders through. I have no upper body strength, though, so can't walk around like that. And no, I won't put video of that up on vimeo.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? St. Paul, MN at Midway Hospital. It's closed now. My Dr. was Charlie Brown!!!

47. WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR PET PEEVES? I have a lot. OK, a big one is when I see people out shopping wearing sloppy pants with torn hems (because they walk on them), flip flops, messy hair pulled back into a pony tail without brushing it, and chewing gum with their mouth open. Disgusting. Have a little respect for yourself and others, please!

48. THINGS YOU REALLY ENJOY DOING? reading, eating, cooking, dancing, playing with my daughter, talking with my husband, shopping, watching movies, traveling, laughing.

49. FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL (OR COLLEGE)? Music, French, Drama, English. I love History, too, but prefer to learn on my own. Class was usually boring or frustrating.

50. DO YOU DRINK COFFEE? Yes. Black, and strong.

What's for Supper?*** Updated

I'm on pantry-clean-out mode, due to the overflowing nature of it in recent weeks, and am proud to say I can now open it with nothing falling on my head. My goal is for it to be full of what we're eating this week, a few staples, and not much else, because it's tiny and we don't have room for loads of junk (and frankly we are not really likely to be snowed in for days either, so I need to let go of that obsession.) The fridge, however, is bare except for some citrus fruit, a few condiments, and the random rind of hard cheese, so that will need to be restocked. The menu has been made, the list written, and I'm ready to go shopping! (OK, not that ready. I still need to dry my hair, put some maquillage on, and eat some lunch.)

Thanks again to Laura for hosting this and helping me stay motivated! (Though I admit I put it off until today--I just really needed that nap yesterday afternoon...)



***Update: this all gets bumped. I came home from the grocery store to find that our power was out, and it wasn't restored until 9 PM. I was NOT going to cook pizzas over a candle, thank you very much. So we went to Quaker Steak and Lube and had disgustingly delicious cheeseburgers with wing sauce, blue cheese, and all sorts of other drippy stuff on them. Yum. And we had a really good waiter, which is always nice. Funny, helpful, but not too in your face. And he didn't squat. (I hate that.) Now I'm just trying to get an overtired baby to sleep. Wish me luck.

• Monday: Homemade Pizza with ham, red peppers, cheese and black olives, salad.
• Tuesday: leftover potato soup with ham and peas (from Sunday), une baguette, cheese (probably some of that lovely intense Brie from Wegman's), carrot sticks, pickles, applesauce. (you'll see these a lot--we have CPA a lot, especially if there are no veggies to speak of in the meal.)
  
• Wednesday: Pesto Pasta with shrimp, red peppers, carrots and zucchini, salad.
• Thursday: Quickie Beef Chili, cornbread muffins.
• Friday: PAYDAY! Go out for dinner! (*does a little dance*)
• Saturday: (Lunch) Chicken strips, fries (remainder from burger night), peas, leftover cornbread. (unless we have good restaurant leftovers, in which this can all stay in the freezer.) (Supper) pork chops, yellow rice, green beans. More leftover cornbread if there is any.
• Sunday: (Lunch) Tuna sandwiches, chips, pickles and carrot sticks. (Supper) Crock-Pot Beef Stew, bread and butter.

Note: for lunches I usually eat last night's leftovers or a Lean Gourmet or make a quesadilla or something. On the weekends, if I don't plan it and make it at the right time, Dr. B will pig out on chips and chocolate. He's very capable of preparing lunch, but for some reason he has this sort of mental block about it, and would sooner mow down 500 g. of Lindt dark and 1/2 a bag of Sun Chips than heat up some soup. Go figure.

I keep ice cream around for dessert (usually later, while reading or watching a movie) and sometimes make some baked thing during the week if I get inspired. This week I'm thinking about making cupcakes. Last week Rowan and I made coconut chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, but I didn't like the recipe that much (of course, I had to substitute one ingredient, so that could have something to do with it). Of course I ate them all anyway. Heh.

Breakfast is the same during the week (we both like routine). We both have coffee, toast (with choice of butter, nutella, jam, peanut butter), fruit (bananas or citrus), homemade yogurt (I make it in our yogurt maker each week--he eats his with honey, I like plain sour milky goodness). He usually adds a boiled egg or piece of ham. On the weekends, it's either this or he'll make a yummy scrambler with whatever is laying around, or sometimes will run out for patisseries. I don't function in the AM, so don't ask me to cook or leave the house before noon. Putting toast in the toaster takes all the effort I got.

Also: last week I got creative and made stuffed hamburgers based on the Bob's Bad Breath Burgers at the Weary Traveler in Madison, WI. The stuffing was divine, but I need to work on the technique, so I'll let you know when it's perfected.

MYSTERY INGREDIENT QUESTION: I have a jar of tomato ginger preserves (from a gift basket) that I don't know what to do with. Should I serve it with crackers and some sort of spreadable cheese like Chavrie? What other ideas do you have? I'm stumped.

Rated

Huh. I had no idea I was so risqué.

Or so lame. Sigh.

But here's the best part. This is why.



I wonder what would happen if I used the word "ass-splosion"?

Heh heh heh...

Tickle

As a kid, I was really ticklish. Extremely. Horribly. My dad thought it was great to sit on me and tickle me mercilessly. He thought I enjoyed it because I laughed so hard. I didn't. It was tickle torture.

Appears Rowan inherited something else from me. And it looks like I inherited something from my dad. (It's just too much fun to watch her giggle.)


Tickle, Tickle! from Ronica on Vimeo.

PS: she doesn't take direction well.

What's for Supper?

I hate New Year's Resolutions. I'm not going to lose 20 lbs., become fluent in Italian, or cure the common cold in a year, and a resolution just makes me feel guilty 'round March when I haven't even thought about starting. A few years ago, I started making New Year's Resolutions I Kind of Want to Keep. ©

One year I decided to eat more salads. (I like salad. I should eat it more. And once or twice counts as more.)

Another year, eat more fish. (Same reasons. I don't often cook fish, but started ordering it at restaurants. Then I started making broiled salmon at home with a yogurt-dill-lemon sauce. It's yummy.)

Yet another, wear more skirts. And another? Call my family and friends more.

This year I wanted it to be good. I kept thinking. What do I need to get better at, that's not too much pressure and will trigger a bout of migraines or insomnia? Something I will enjoy, but have to do anyway?

And I got it.

I decided to start planning my family's meals, rather than buying a bunch of random crap at the grocery store and hoping it fits together. I got tired of staring at my over-stuffed pantry and not having any idea of what to make. And I got tired of eating the same convenience stuff over and over again because, due to the witching hour from 5-7 (aka Rowan's FREAK OUT time), I was to tired to think.

I used to be a from-scratch cook, then I had a baby. And got realistic. Yeah, spending 90 minutes leisurely making dinner while sipping a glass of wine and listening to jazz? Doesn't happen often anymore. Plus, living in a small home makes you really question the use of space, and storing food in case of a 3-week blizzard may have been practical in North Dakota where we grew up, but it's not here (and not likely, anyway.) Things have to change around here.

So I started. I'm on week 2, and so far so good. In fact, it's a lot easier than I thought. I found I stress out less, spend less money, go shopping less, and we eat healthier because there's less, "Oh honey, you had a rough day. I'll just take you out for dinner," thus eating a much higher-calorie meal and paying 5 times as much for it. I actually kind of like it (though I'm not going to turn down the occasional meal out. I'm not crazy.)

So though it's not Monday, I'm going to join in. (Thanks to commenter Sharon for showing me that I'm not the only one with this resolution.) And maybe I'll even keep it up.

This is what we've been eating.

Monday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, salad.
Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas (tortillas, seasoned chicken, red and green peppers, onions, sour cream and salsa), black beans cooked with a little salsa and fajita seasoning.
Wednesday: Norsk Meatballs (I made a huge batch and froze before Xmas), potatoes and gravy, salad. I was going to do corn or beans, but we have leftover lettuce so I think salad will do. ***Note: I got inspired in the afternoon and made jello. Whoopie! But it was good. Apricot jello, made with 1/2 pear juice, and peaches and raspberries. In wine glasses so it's Super-fancy.
Thursday: Dr. B has a meeting, so I'll eat leftovers or something.
Friday: Huevos Rancheros casserole (black bean, onion, green pepper, red pepper and cheese, veggies saved from the Fajita night), salad.
Saturday: (lunch) Leftover egg bake, (supper) Hamburgers and fries (homemade, though. Well, at least baked out of a bag.)

OK, that's as far as I got. I was planning Sunday-Sunday, so may have to remedy that to participate in this thing.

Last week:
Sunday: (lunch) tomato and roasted red pepper soup (Pacific), terrine de canard, bread, cornichons, fromage avec champignons. (supper) Sloppy Joes, Sun Chips, pickles, carrot sticks.
Monday: Beef Soft Tacos, spanish-ish rice (Tío Ben's).
Tuesday: Moroccan Chicken Stew, couscous. (Needed more cayenne, cumin and raisins. Or maybe garlic? Good, but needed a little more zip for our palates.)
Wednesday: Dr. B had a meeting so I ate leftovers.
Thursday: Veggie Lasagne, salad. (frozen from Wegman's--don't think I'm too ambitious.)
Friday: Chicken and Prosciutto Tortelloni with caramelized onions and sour cream, salad.
Saturday: we went out to the Elk Creek Café with Seth and Erin. Very good beer. Food was good, too, but they ran out of most everything (they're a lot busier than I think they expected) so I am anxious to try something I planned to order.

That's it. So, if you're a part of this, I'd love to hear from you! Maybe it'll give me some ideas. I'm always on the lookout for easy, good, and fast recipes!

Blessed Sleep

You know those people whose babies sleep through the night from day one?

Yeah, I hate those people.

Rowan's been on another insomnia streak, with 15-minute naps, couchers that are creeping later and later, waking up every 30 minutes and needing to be rocked back to sleep, and of course the 3 AM feeding that reappeared around early December. She is so tired, but there's no such thing as baby Ambien (though my aunt, who's a nurse by the way, suggested rum.)

I tried feeding her more as my SIL suggested, and that worked for a day. Then, back to the no-sleep crabtastic infant. Who is now spitting up more because she's been overfed. Great.

Our doctor admonished me for not letting her cry it out. He pushed literature at me, and said, "you really need to do this. She needs to be independent." So we tried. 33 minutes later, she was completely inconsolable. She had been crying and screaming so hard she was manic. She had that wild, terrified, completely freaked out look in her eyes, and she was drenched in sweat, hiccuping and beet red. We held her and consoled her to no avail--she couldn't let it go. She kept screaming. It took 15 minutes to get her to calm down enough to nurse, and then another 45 minutes to get her back to sleep. Maybe that works with 99% of babies, but not ours.

Yesterday was another super-crabby 15-minute nap day in a string of 3 such days, but at 6 PM she literally passed out (you know she's at the end of her rope when she starts shrieking) for 40 minutes. She didn't go to bed until 8:30 or so, and it took some doing (by that I mean I literally crawled out of her room on my belly.)

But I think she must have hit the wall. She slept from 9-ish (I know she laid awake for a while) until 6:45 this morning. Then at 9:15 she went down for a morning nap. And she's still sleeping at 10:40.

My Mom would have said, "Praise the Lord and pass the band-aids!!!"