Friesencold

TJ is the man because he read 15 books to Bauer this morning while I was packing for my trip and doing my usual morning things around the house.

What does Bauer love, besides books?

His stuffed animals.

Hiding.And of course, his baby brother.

TJ and I decided the best way to show my book list would be on a Books page, so look for that tab at the top. Gingerrific and Teej are now gone but not forgotten.

Cash turned 7 months old today. Here are a couple pictures from the car seat photo shoot.

Alexander McCall Smith is one of my favorite authors. He wrote three different series that I enjoy a lot: The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Isabel Dalhousie Novels, and 44 Scotland Street. My mom introduced me to AMS just after I had Bauer back when we lived in Orlando. She was at our house for a visit, and I saw she was reading a book called The Tears of the Giraffe. I thought that was the weirdest name for a book, and the cover totally didn’t interest me. I didn’t know it at the time, but Tears was the second book in the Ladies Detective Agency (LDA) series. I started reading the series upon my mom’s recommendation and before long I was hooked. To date, I’ve read all 18 books that comprise the three series I named above. The latest in the LDA series comes out in hardcover in April.

It’s not so much that the stories themselves are the most fast-paced or moving stories. The stories are good, but sometimes can be slow. However, it is AMS’s use of language that had me from hello. I am now an avid fan of his and can’t wait to see how he puts words together in each new book he writes. Here are two examples of the language that I love so much:

“He looked at her and thought: I have found myself in you. Bless you. And then he thought: what a strange, old-fashioned thing to think. Bless you. But what other way was there of saying that you wanted only good for somebody, that you wanted the world to be kind to her, to cherish her? Only old-fashioned words would do for that.” (Love Over Scotland)

“She felt that she had revealed something to Cat, and with revealing something about oneself there always comes a sense of lightening of the load that we all carry: the load of being ourselves.” (The Right Attitude to Rain)

While AMS is off somewhere writing stuff like this, and I am here waiting to eat up what he writes, I’ve got some other things to be excited about in the meantime. First, HBO is going to begin airing the LDA series starting tomorrow night. We had to order HBO for a month so I could watch the show and see how I like it. Not sure exactly when I’m going to have time to watch, and not even sure I will like it since what I love most about the books is the language and I’m guessing TV won’t be able to do that justice – but of course, my initial feeling is excitement about the show.

Even more exciting is that I get to see and hear Alexander McCall Smith himself. My mom got tickets to see him in NYC this coming Wednesday night and she invited me to go with her. It’s going to be an early 30th birthday present for me, not just the AMS tickets, but tickets to Wicked on Broadway, too. And this isn’t even counting the fun one-on-one time I’ll get with my mom for a couple days. We plan to shop, eat, and get lots of exercise walking around. I am so excited about this trip and so thankful that TJ could take a few days off work so he can keep Bauer and Cash.

In May, I will get to see another of my favorite authors, Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I like referring to her as AKR. She’s the one who wrote the Cookies books and Little Pea and Little Hoot books for children and for those who love children’s books. She also wrote The Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, which I received for Christmas last year and just about cried I loved it so much. She is coming to Anderson’s Bookstore for a book signing in May. The last book signing I went to was Anne Lamott, another of my very favorite A-named authors.

I plan to update my books on the right side of the blog so I can show more easily what I’m reading. I’m not too crazy about using GoodReads for this purpose. I’m currently reading 3 books and enjoying them all. So stay tuned to find out what they are.

This recipe was on my old blog a while back, but I’m reposting it here to make it official in my repertoire of recipes.

I'm getting my money's worth from this 9x13 baking dish.

My friend Dena introduced me to this recipe when she brought us a meal after Cash was born. And yes, she used MealBaby to sign up! This was one of our favorite meals we received, and has now become a family favorite and one of my most-passed-along recipes.

I did make a few adjustments to the recipe. It calls for 6 large garlic cloves, but I felt the garlic was too strong for Cash in the breastmilk. So I substitute a large sweet onion. I doubled the amount of tomatoes and corn the original recipe called for. And though the recipe called for both feta and muenster cheese, I omitted both (so did Dena when she made it for us). It is so tasty, even without cheese. I am going to type it out below just how I make it.

What is so great about the dish, besides how good it tastes, is that you can make it in the morning or early afternoon (whenever you have time) and put it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it later in the day. It probably takes only 25 minutes to put together from start to finish, and only half an hour to bake in the oven just before you are ready to eat it.

Baked Orzo Pasta with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Corn

1 pound Bella Terra organic orzo (I found this at Whole Foods, but recently heard that SuperTarget sells orzo; I’ll have to check into that because it’s probably cheaper.)
10 oz of organic pre-washed fresh spinach
4 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 28-oz can Hunts diced tomatoes
2 cups organic frozen Super Sweet Cut Corn from Trader Joe’s
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.

Using a stockpot, boil a large quantity of water. Add the orzo and cook until it approaches al dente stage (about 6 minutes).

Stir the spinach into the pasta. Cook 30 seconds. Drain spinach and pasta in colander. Return to the pot or to a large mixing bowl. Pour on 1 T oil and toss to coat well.

Heat 3 T oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to the tomatoes as they are simmering.

Mix tomatoes into the pasta/spinach along with the corn.

Oil a shallow 3 quart casserole dish. Spread the pasta mixture into the dish and cover with foil.

Bake now for 30 minutes at 375 or leave in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.

We had a veggie tray and toasted Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Bread on the side.

Cash isn’t eating any food yet, but he sure looks good in his cool new high chair. He loves his soft carrot teething toy that my friend Julie gave him.

Bauer loves listening to his music on his CD player and he is really starting to learn (or not learn) the words to songs. A recent song I’ve heard him singing around the house goes “Praise Him, Praise Him, all you little children…” except Bauer’s version is “Raisins, Raisins…”

Here’s a non-vegetarian dish I made one night last week. As we were eating it, Bauer said…”Mmmm, meat, it’s so good.”

Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with Sage

1/2 baguette (about 4 oz), torn into pieces
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves (about 25)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb fresh chicken sausage, casings removed (I use a 12-oz package Trader Joe’s pre-cooked Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage, crumbled into small pieces)
1/2 cup dry white wine (I use a $2.99 bottle of Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc from Trader Joe’s)
3 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse bread until very coarse crumbs form (you should have about 3 cups). Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil; pulse briefly to moisten. Season with salt and pepper; set breadcrumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add sage; cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sage to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside (reserve pan with oil).

Add onion and garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage and wine; cook, breaking sausage up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes (the Trader Joe’s sausage is pre-cooked, so this isn’t really an issue). Stir in beans; cook until beans are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer sausage-and-bean mixture to a shallow 4-quart baking dish; scatter breadcrumbs over top. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve casserole topped with fried sage leaves.

I had a great night away in Chicago last night with the girls from our small group. The daddies stayed home with the kiddies so the mommies could go away and not be mommies for a night.

I was so excited to see a mime. I love street performers, but mimes are my second favorite after breakdancers, kind of like ducks are Marcus’s second favorite animal after dolphins. If you didn’t get that, well you better go watch my favorite movie About A Boy.

I was also so excited that my friends wanted to eat at Bandera, my all-time favorite restaurant in Chicago, and that 4 out of the 5 of us got my all-time favorite meal there – the veggie burger. They really should name it something a little more fancy because just look at it:

I loved sharing a good meal with some of my best friends here in Naperville. From the left, it’s Lisa, Ginger, Jaime, Meghan, and Brandy.

After eating we did a lot of walking to do a little shopping at The Gap and at WaterTower Place. Then we stopped by the Ghirardelli store/ice cream parlor for some treats before heading back to our awesome digs, The Palmer House Hilton, thanks to one of the husbands’ hotel points. The Ritz and now this. I think I might be getting a little hotel-spoiled.

This morning we slept in, had showers (as much hot water as I wanted!), and had breakfast in the Executive Lounge before heading back home.

But not long after that, it was time to head back out for my friend Julie’s surprise baby shower/tea party at a cute little tea place called Serenitea. Julie was so surprised. She thought we were having a playgroup moms outing, which we do from time to time. Here’s a picture of our playgroup moms, who mean so much to me. From the left, it’s Jamie, Meghan, Julie, Ginger, and Jaime.

There were 7 other ladies at the shower too, including my good friend Amber. Here’s a picture of us.

But my best friend TJ gets mad props for being an awesome dad and caretaker of our boys for those 24 hours straight. He gave Cash 4 bottles in a row! And he said it was a breeze. Wow! That makes me feel so comfortable leaving for my trip to NYC in a couple weeks and knowing the boys will be just fine.

I’m on a roll.

This recipe is the one I was referring to earlier today that I just started adding ground flaxseed to. Previously, it was 4 ingredients, but now there are 5. My same friend Hannah gave me this recipe a long time ago and I’ve probably made these bars about 47 times. They are super-healthy with no added sugar or bad fats, extremely quick and easy to make, and Bauer loves them. That’s all the motivation I need. TJ and I enjoy having our late night tea with these bars as well.

Banana-Oatmeal Bars

2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped dates (make sure you buy pitted dates)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (2 cups if you omit the flaxseed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix ingredients together in large bowl.

Press dough into a lightly-greased 9×9 baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes and cool on wire rack.

When cool, slice into squares or bars.

Then go say hi to the cutest baby on Earth.

I got this recipe from a little paper insert that was included inside the Supersize Me DVD we got several years ago when that movie first came out on DVD. The recipes in the insert were created by Morgan Spurlock’s fiancee Alex (who is an actual chef) and made up his “Last Supper” before he started the 30-day McDonald’s diet. This quinoa dish was a side dish in the insert, but it can easily be made into a main dish by eating it as a main dish. Just fill your plate with it.

That’s what we did last night. In fact, I actually doubled most of the vegetables that the recipe shown below lists, so feel free to improvise by adding or taking away whatever you want. I put in 2 onions, 2 sweet potatoes, about 15 brussel sprouts (I didn’t actually count, believe it or not!), 2 cups of cauliflower, and just 1 lonely beet. I would have doubled the quinoa and vegetable broth too, but I only had 1 1/4 cups of quinoa, so I upped the broth by the corresponding amount to make it come out right.  We had some leftover Wheat Germ Corn Muffins in the freezer so I thawed a few of those to go along with the salad. Munching on carrot and celery sticks added a raw and delicious palate-cleanser between bites. I finished off the rest of the quinoa salad for lunch today along with a large spinach salad topped with cucumber, celery, red pepper, grape tomatoes, avocado, and croutons.

My friend Hannah recently posted this same recipe on her blog, so I want to give her credit for reminding me about it. I think I may have shared the recipe with her way back so if that is the case, then it’s come full circle and is reaching out to you now, too.

Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad

1 cup pre-washed quinoa, such as Ancient Harvest Brand
2 cups vegetable broth
1 yellow onion, sliced into large rings
1 beet, cut into 1″ cubes
1 sweet potato, cut into 1″ cubes
5 brussel sprouts, cut into quarters
1 cup of cauliflower florets
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring quinoa and vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).

Combine all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the olive oil, soy sauce, and pepper together and pour over the vegetables. Stir to coat the vegetables well. Drain and transfer the vegetables to a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, tossing the veggies halfway through to ensure even cooking.

When the vegetables are cooked through and beginning to brown, remove from oven. Mix the vegetables into the cooked quinoa, toss well, and serve.

Makes at least 2 dinner-size portions, plus enough for a 3 year old.

This recipe is based on a Rachael Ray recipe called Whole Wheat Pasta Arrabbiata with Arugula. My sister Holly passed it on to me, but I have made a few changes as we’ve gotten to know the dish. The original recipe called for pecorino-romano cheese (which I’ve omitted) and for arugula (which I’ve replaced with spinach). I also took the liberty to add the red pepper and the mushrooms for extra veggie impact. I’ve found the dish to be a little too spicy for Bauer, so you may want to omit or reduce the crushed red pepper if you’re planning to serve it to your kids.

Penne Pasta Arrabbiata with Spinach

1 13.25 oz box Barilla whole grain penne pasta, or any other penne pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 8oz container mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 28-oz can Hunts fire-roasted diced tomatoes
4 cups organic spinach

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, in a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, and crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta and reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet and toss for 1 minute. Toss in the spinach and cook until wilted, 1 minute longer.

Makes 4-6 servings.