Miss A's 1st Birthday!

ARGH!

I realized last night as I was posting what seemed like a gazillion photos to Flickr (with still many more to go from two other cameras!) I realized that I never posted about Miss A's birthday cake.  What?!?!?  Seriously, we are about a month and a half out from her birthday.  Where does the time go?

I found this owl cake on Pinterest and immediately fell in love with it.  I realized later I liked how "clean" it was which was created with fondant.  However, I have never really worked with fondant nor did I think that it would be ideal for a cake that a freshly minted one-year-old would tear into.  So, I opted to just adapt from there.

To be honest I almost scraped the whole idea and just go for decorating the cake like a cupcake.  Sigh.  I finally just sucked it up and went for it.  I like using butter cream frosting but it is not so stable when it warms up.  So, I went in stages with this cake and stuck it in the freezer for about 20 minutes between each step so the frosting would firm up.  I worked fast between steps so it wouldn't "melt."  It was a winner of a plan although it took some time.  However, I was pretty tired on this particular day so lots of little breaks were a welcome addition to the day.  Well, here's my final product.  I realized I should have crossed his eyes to maybe make him look a little less Angry Birds looking.  It was hit either way, even with my oldest, Miss L.  I have to also mention that I bought a special small cake pan for this project as I didn't think Miss A needed a regular sized cake all to herself.  Baking the cake took some extra care because there aren't standard guidelines for this sized cake.  I also did up cupcakes for the rest of the family.

I still would like to work on my cake decorating skills.  Maybe when the girls are older I can take a class.  Until then it will be my random dinking around with what I remember from almost 15 years ago when I had someone teaching me.  I used to be able to make lovely drop flowers and roses.  I am not sure I would know where to start anymore.  I think I will also try working with cream cheese frosting the next time around.  Delish and maybe a bit more sturdy (as in not so "melty") for sure.

Is it worth spending so much time on my cakes just so the girls can destroy them?  Totally.  The videos of my girls tearing into their first cakes are so worth every minute.  Plus, it's a fun little challenge.  However, I think for Miss L's third birthday coming up we may be ordering a cake from the bakery as I will be not too long from my due date and wow... that sounds like a lot of work.  We will see.  Oh yes... one more picture... the cake after Miss A was done with it...

"Vegetarian" Lasagna

I am always looking for something to add vegetables to our meals rather than just as a side.  I am not really creative there and Miss L is now in a phase of hit or miss on whether she likes vegetables and Miss A could not care any less as long as the food is in front of her.  I found this recipe browsing Pinterest (surprised?) and it was in a list of "8 weeks of easy recipes" from a website called, Moms Who Think.


So, while I am not a huge fan of mushroom I purchased all the necessary ingredients.  I had pasta sauce already on hand from a great sale and oddly enough I also had feta on hand that I needed to use sooner than later.  I have the word vegetarian in quotes in this post because I happened to have some left over pasta sauce that had some Italian sausage in it.  I added more sauce to the recipe as an estimate.  Go with what works for you.  Also, 24oz of mozzarella was a lot of cheese.  I didn't use it all by any means.  I will be using in in another meal later this week.  Be sure not to cook the vegetables too much as they will become too mushy during baking.  While I almost left the feta off because Miss L has not been such a fan of feta in the past.  However, she seemed to like it and it adds a whole new dimension -- must. add. feta.

This meal, while messy for my one year old, went over very well!  Great leftovers and the girls gobbled it up!  Totally worth the mess.  Totally.

Vegetarian Lasagna Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini
1 package of fresh mushrooms (amount depends on taste)
1 medium onion
Fresh garlic (to taste)
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach
28 oz. jar pasta sauce
24 oz. mozzarella cheese
8 oz. feta cheese
Olive Oil (to coat the pan)
Lasagna Noodles

Directions:

1. Boil lasagna noodles until al dente. Mince zucchini, mushrooms, onion and garlic.

2. Coat pan with oil and sauté vegetables until tender. Add defrosted spinach. Add pasta sauce.

3. Layer vegetable mixture on top of noodles; add mozzarella cheese on each layer.

4. Top with feta cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 until brown and bubbly.

5. Serve with warmed Italian bread. (Or maybe a fresh green salad!) 

Ham & Cheese Sliders

I keep seeing this recipe being "repinned" on Pinterest and I always think to myself, "Good recipe, I need to blog about it."  This was one of the first things I tried from Pinterest.  It was originally pinned from The Girl Who Ate Everything.  (I need to look through this blog a bit more! HA!)

Ham happened to be on sale that week.  I will say because of the general expense of meat I probably would not go out of my way to make this meal again.  However, it will be in rotation for when we generally have leftovers of ham.  So, think Resurrection Day/Easter, Christmas or New Year's if that's your thing... or anytime it is on sale.  This recipe may work well with deli sliced ham if you find a good deal on it.  This meal was a bit on the expensive side for me because I got the swiss cheese in the deli.  However, my buyer's remorse was short lived with how well this meal went over with everyone AND I was able to use the cheese I had not only for this meal but for another meal and some lunches.

I actually halved this recipe because I didn't think we would need ALL of them.  Plus, I was running short on time (I forgot I still had to slice the ham myself!) and I had opted earlier to only buy one bag of rolls.  Next time I will make the full recipe as they were gobbled up and they would make AWESOME leftovers.  Just sayin'.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

adapted slightly from the Recipe Club

24 good white dinner rolls

24 pieces good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup miracle whip

Poppy seed sauce
1 T poppyseeds
1 1/2 T yellow mustard
1 stick butter, melted
1 T minced onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes. Serve warm.

** sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Let me just say, my kiddos (1 & 2 1/2) gobbled this up!  That should be all you need to know to try this yummy meal.  I had just used the last of my sour cream a couple of days before so I didn't get to use that in these this time around.  However, my littles don't really like sour cream so I would have left it out of theirs anyway.  I put a little less chili powder in as my girls can be a bit sensitive but they didn't complain! I will add this to a regular rotation.  I had some left over chicken from another meal so it made it a pretty cheap meal.  However, I may try this with whole wheat tortillas next time around. (You can find the original recipe by clicking on the photo - they also have a print friendly version available there.)  Oh yes, this was also tagged on my Pinterest board.  Love.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wrap

*Makes 6 wraps*

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Pulled Pork with Spice Rub

Well, I am starting to work on some of the "simple" meals in my Freezer Meal plan in order to crank out as many as possible.  Part of me just wants to do it all at once the other part of me doesn't want to do it at all.  But I have to take into consideration time, budget, and the fact that we still need to eat other things.  So, we will take small steps so as not to overwhelm me or my family.

I did the pulled pork first because it required minimal hands on attention from me.  I found a website that recommended a spice rub.  Honestly, I have never done a spice rub on anything before.  I will say, I will be looking for more because this was AWE.SOME.  I didn't have the cayenne pepper but I don't think I was any worse for the wear in not having it.  However, I was a little perplexed that I didn't have any and added it to the spice list.

I will say that I was wishing that this was what was for dinner that night rather than the chicken that was already in the oven.  I set aside some for Husband to have for lunch in a BBQ sandwich.  I was a little envious of his lunch today.  HA!

The recipe called for bone in pork shoulder.  Well, I had a smaller tenderloin that I got on super sale and used that.  I also halved the recipe because I had far less meat to cover.  So, my ultimate measurements were semi-estimates.  I didn't have liquid smoke so I just used the water -- plus, some people have a love or hate relationship with the stuff.  I personally do not care one way or the other.  I froze my meat without the BBQ sauce so I have the flexibility to use for BBQ sandwiches or some other meal.  YAY!!

It is a little spicy and I wonder how my girls will react but I think with other flavors they will be just fine.  So, if you have super sensitive kiddos you may want to cut back on the spicier things.  But overall.... YUMMMM!!

(And of course, I neglected to get a photo of the final product.  Let me assure you it was beautiful!)

Pulled Pork (From The Way the Cookie Crumbles)

(for sandwiches, tacos, pork fried rice, or whatever)

Spice Rub: (from Cooks Illustrated)

1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground white pepper

1 (6-8 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
2 cups barbecue sauce

1. Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.

2. Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (For stronger flavor, the roast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

3. Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker liner. Add liquid smoke, if using, and ¼ cup water. Turn slow
cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

4. Transfer roast to cutting board; discard liquid in liner. “Pull” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.

5. Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

Let me know if you try this or if you have a spice rub that I should try!

Lactation Bars

These have, by far, created the most buzz from my Freezer Meal Plan.  There are a few comments alluding to it but I have also received several e-mails about them and what they are exactly.  I think I mentioned something to my mother-in-law about seeing them advertised in specialty bakeries for some ridiculous price.  Something like $40 a dozen! (The more I looked it seemed to be the going rate)  My sweet MIL looked online and found a couple of recipes for lactation bars and finally settled on Mama Jeeper's Lactation Bars.  Basically, they are a yummy snack that help promote milk production.  How?  They are chocked full of things that have been known to help with milk production -- flax, Brewer's yeast, oats, etc.  This is helpful to someone (ME) who has a hard time eating a whole bowl of oatmeal of any kind (which is supposed to help with milk production as well).  It's suggested to eat 4 or so a day.  Note you may have to share these with children and husbands. :)  While I have extreme issues with milk production these helped some.  Others swear by them.  I like that they are an easy snack during the ravenous time of nursing that can actually help the issue.  Some people have complained about the extra calories -- I don't worry about too much when nursing. Worry about weight loss, etc after nursing.  Although, some people (not me) tend to lose a ton of weight anyway while nursing.  No, I'm not jealous.  ;)  (Can you say tangent?)

A friend mentioned giving these to new mama's as gifts.  I think that is a lovely idea!  I mention this below but I would suggest this as well for gift giving, wrap them individually and let them know they freeze well if needed.

Mama Jeeper's Oatmeal Lactation Breakfast Bars 
2 c. butter, Crisco, or margarine (can mix and match to equal 2 c.) (I'm all for the butter and not that other stuff)
1 c. granulated sugar
2 c. packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. brewer's yeast (not baking yeast or what's used for brewing beer) or nutritional yeast powder  (use 1/2 Cup)
1/4 c. flax meal (or whole flaxseed milled fine in a coffee grinder) (use 1/2 Cup)
4 c. oatmeal (old fashioned, or as thick-cut as you can find) (We used Steel Cut Oats)
1 bag mini semi sweet chocolate chips 

1 c. nuts (optional)

Cream butter and sugars well, then add eggs and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Mix all dry ingredients (except for oats, chips, and nuts) in separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients all at once, stirring as well as possible by hand. Mix with beaters until smooth. Add oats and chips (and nuts, if desired), and stir until well blended. Divide dough into five parts.

Line a 10 X 7 cookie sheet (with shallow sides, like a jellyroll pan) with foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Spread 1/5 of the dough into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

When done, simply lift out foil to remove the bars. Place another piece of foil into the pan and spray for the next batch. Allow to cool at least slightly before cutting each pan of bars into eighths.

Makes 40 bars 

The dough freezes well so you can make a bunch up and then bake later.  Just thaw dough in fridge and then let warm up a little out of the fridge before putting in the pan.  The final bars freeze well, too.  However, I would recommend wrapping them individually to help keep them fresh when they are being used.  But that is just my preference and it makes them easy to pick up on the way out the door.

I read that someone put a vegan spin on these which if you are creative enough you can totally do.  She mentioned using Mother's Milk Tea as the "wet" part of baking-- which would be another good way to add lactation helping goodness.

Freezer Meals: The Plan

Well, we are gearing up to get ready for baby around here.  There are things that we will need to purchase this time around.  Basically, we will need to get another crib because Miss A will not be ready to move out of her crib when #3 arrives.  That's the biggie... oh... you know... and moving the girls into one room.  That should prove to be entertaining!  HA!

I am planning to make a whole lot of meals to fill our freezer.  We have some things already in there that are being stocked up.  Okay... one meal and some dough for lactation cookies.  However, I am trying to figure out what we need and start cranking things out so I am not waiting until the last minute when I will be large, tired, in the midst of Advent, Miss L's Birthday, and Christmas planning.  I am also trying to find the balance where it won't be in the freezer too long either.  However, now that I think about it I think we are in a good place with that now.

For this week I am working on making some chicken and turkey stock, green chile sauce with all the green chile we have in our freezer, and some pulled pork for sandwiches.  The stock will be an ongoing process as I use chickens for other meals, etc.

So, here's my long term plan... ambitious?  Not enough??

Husband's Lasagna x 2
Italian Meatloaf x 2
My Chile x 3
Veggie Chile x 3
Ren's Chocolate Muffins x 2 (has good stuff like pumpkin, flax, etc -- it's not ALL sugar)
Chicken Pot Pie x 2
Fiesta Chicken x 2
Fiesta Chicken (Green Version) x 2
Spaghetti Sauce x 3 or 4
Spinach & Artichoke Mac & Cheese x 2
Green Chile Enchiladas x 3 (or more at the request of Husband)
Spaghetti Pizza x 2
Turkey & Vegetable Meatloaf x 2
Meatballs (not sure how many yet)
Brown Bag Burritos x 1 (makes 20-ish)
Chicken Spaghetti (Pioneer Woman) x 2
Pulled Pork x 1 (more if meat comes on sale again)
Breakfast Burritos x 1 (will probably make more - cranks out about 16)
Chicken & Rice (Quinoa) Burritos x 1 (makes about 8?)
Baked Ziti x 2
BBQ Beef & Bean Corn Bread Casserole x 2
Bacon, Egg, Cheese Biscuit Cups x 1
Ham & Cheese Pockets x 1
Sausage Biscuits x 1
Twice Cooked Mashed Potatoes x 2
Cranberry Chicken x 2
Broccoli & Cheddar Soup x 2
Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken x 2
Lactation Cookies x LOTS!

From Costco:
Ravioli (will probably give us three meals)
Fish (will probably make fish tacos a few times)
Chicken nuggets (easy lunch for the girls)

My plan is to buy three turkeys around Thanksgiving.  One for the celebration meal and then the other two hopefully we will cook as soon as possible and just store the meat for whatever.

I will post recipes as I move through them and adjust them.  I am also looking into the best way to post them here.  I continue to find more recipes so I will add them here as I add them to my master plan.

Do you have a recipe I should add to my list?

Ham Fried Rice

I have been meaning to post this recipe for awhile now.  By that I mean probably about two week after Easter when I made this with left over ham.  I think you could substitute the meat protein with whatever floats your boat, including tofu (blech).  Sorry if you are a tofu fan -- I am so not there.  I found the base recipe on Allrecipes.com but have made some adjustments to make it my own.

However, I did learn why sometimes when I have tried to do this recipe it always came out funny.  It was because I would use freshly cooked rice that was still warm.  The trick is to start with your rice cold.  The rice doesn't get mushy and holds the texture well.  So, there's your tip for the day.

Ham Fried Rice


2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 C cold cooked rice
1 carrot chopped
1 C peas
1/4 C corn (optional - or add more if you like)
1 1/3 C diced fully cooked ham
1 tsp garlic powder (you can add more if you like)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash of pepper
1 dash chili pepper (as you like for your family)
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

In a skillet, cook and stir eggs in oil over medium heat until eggs are completely set.  Remove and set aside.  Add carrot, cook for a couple of minutes.  Add corn and peas.  Cook until carrots are just soft.  Toss in the rice, ham, garlic powder, ginger, pepper, and chili until heated through.  Add the soy sauce and worcestershire sauce and reserved eggs..  Stir well.  Serve immediately.

This stuff went fast in our house!  Was a hit with tiny mouths :)  

Menu Plan Wednesday

Well, part of getting back into a routine is starting to plan meals again.  It's still a bit of a challenge as some things sounds really good to me and then other things sound super horrible.  Or they require more time in the kitchen than I care to spend right now because I am tired by that time of day.  Also, I haven't had morning sickness but rather afternoon sickness -- which has its own set of pros and cons.  Either way, I have a husband and children that need to eat.  I guess I should probably eat, too.  HA!  So, needless to say this is all very tentative.

Fish Tacos
Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage (a new recipe we are trying)
Baked Spaghetti
40 Clove Chicken w/ Mashed Potatoes
Chicken with pasta salad
Minestrone Soup
Chicken with Bulgar & Spinach

We will be spending one evening with friends so that will be fun!  I know I have put the 40 clove (garlic) Chicken on here several times before.  Honestly, it turned into my back up meal.  I have yet to make it!  I kind of put it off because I couldn't find the exact recipe I was looking for.  A friend made it for as a "welcome baby" meal and I had misplaced her recipe.  But found it!  I can hardly wait.  However, I will need Husband to help me deal with the whole chicken, though.

Yes, I know it's the middle of summer and I have planned minestrone soup.  I pulled out the recipe and it just sounded good.  It's kind of a big deal since vegetables have kind of been eradicated from our menu the last month or so because I cannot stand the smell of cooked veggies right now (an aversion that I also had while pregnant with Miss A.)  It's probably time for a good dose of veggies all around.  Not to say that we haven't had raw veggies.  ha ha!!

Pork & Hominy Stew OR Posole Variation

On Friday, I made a yummy meal that we will be having again.  The original recipe can be found here.

If the link doesn't work for you let me know and I will send it to you in an e-mail.  It was pretty yummy.  A friend asked if it was posole.  I will say that growing up in New Mexico I wasn't a huge fan of posole.  Maybe it's because it generally is made with red chile and I am not a fan of red chile.  I am a green chile girl through and through.  So, after reading a true definition of posole I would call this a variation of posole.

I opted for the easy way out and used canned green chile instead of prepping our fresh which is crazy hot.  I wanted Miss L to be able to eat some, too.  However, with my modifications it was still pretty spicy.

Here are my modifications:

• 2 small cans of chopped green chilies
• I forgot the cilantro but will remember it next time!
• I had a bigger can of hominy and just used it all.  Totally fine.
• Because I had more hominy, I used a bit more salsa verde.

One time saving tip that I will remember is that if I cannot find meat that is already cubed at the store I will have the butcher do it.  With two little ones around this step was a bit much for me.  Remember to have your meat partially frozen to make it easier to cut.

Also, I used the "World Table" salsa verde from Wal-Mart.  It was pretty good over all and I wasn't disappointed at all.  Take that as a good recommendation when in the store.

So, there you go!  Enjoy!

Hesistant Hostess

Before I got married one could generally find anywhere from one to thirty college students in my apartment on most nights of the week.  Even on and off during the day a few would stop by if I was home to kill time before or between classes. 

I like having people in my home.

That hasn't really changed much but the dynamic of life has changed a bit.

When I got married we were part of a church that showed hospitality in a way that I had never seen before.  It was beautiful, generous, lovely... and, well... sometimes a bit intimidating.  Not that any one of these families imposed certain expectations on my but they were my own self-imposed expectations and thinking that I needed some serious observation lessons before attempting any of these shin-digs.  I would see women under such grace feed 15 people for a sit-down lunch/dinner and it seemed like it never phased them.  Scary!  At the time we also lived pretty far away from most people in our church family and in my mind I thought that it would be a great imposition for them to come all the way down to our home.  Sigh.  I think we had three households from church in our home.  The rest were a fun family that lived relatively close, family, and a neighbor.

Now we live pretty close to just about everyone in our church, family, and other friends.  In my expectations I didn't want people to see all of our moving boxes, then there was the "legitimate" excuse of morning sickness, or I want to get this or that project done.  Well, boxes are removed, morning sickness gone, and projects completed.  No more excuses.  You can insert my anxiety sky-rocketing here as Husband talks about having this or that family over. 

Again, it's not that I don't want to spend time with these people it's my own self-imposed, unrealistic expectations of what needs to be presented and done for these people.  Yeah, no aroma of grace there!

This last Friday we had a lovely family over in a very impromptu manner for dinner.  In the midst of my third trimester I am moving slow and trying to keep things simple and the oven off as much as possible.  Let me note that this family is quite hospitable and the wife is a whiz in the kitchen.  I told her basically that we were having pasta salad and I whipped up another cool salad type thing to eat with chips.  The pasta salad was even from a box but we love it and I added a few extra things to make it a bit more "hardy."  They brought a couple of things to share as well which was great.  Husband bought a bottle of wine home which I think can make any meal better.  ha!

We had a grand time in fellowship which is really what the evening was all about.  The kiddos had fun playing and we let them all stay up after their bedtimes.  While talking with the wife she appreciated the fact that I didn't put on any "airs" in creating my pasta salad.  She got a good laugh when she inquired about the recipe and I told her, "It's my Aunt Betty Crocker's recipe." All with a smile.

We talked about hospitality and what it means to have people in our homes ever so briefly.  I realized in our conversation hurt that had been extended to her because those who have been in her home and experienced her gourmet side think they have to return the same when they come over.  NOT SO!  Yes, she has special gifts in different areas as I have gifts in other areas.  We learn and grow from each other.  It's not about the food but what happens around the food.

It was a good learning experience for me on a variety of levels.  Even in letting her help me in the kitchen while being 7 months pregnant I learned it really is okay to let your guests help.  It was the least stressed I have been in a "hosting" situation in a long time.

So, with that we have another household coming next weekend for lunch... in the midst of a crazy, filling-up-fast, getting-ready-for-baby kind of schedule.  Family and other friends, too.

Even while having an extra tabel in the front room while we are trying to sell it.  Yes, the house was clean but there is grace even in that.  Not everything was totally in it's place.  A toddler lives here and it was obvious.  But that's okay... we live here, it's not a showroom.  More on these other aspects later.  But I am not quite so hesitant a hostess anymore.

Water Ice

We made a super fast trip to Texas over the July 4th weekend.  We were there to see a dear friend installed as pastor of a blossoming mission church.  It was a lovely time rich with fellowship and new relationships.  While I cannot go into all of that here there was this one random blip in the weekend that took me back to the summer of 2004 when I spent 6 weeks in Ocean City, NJ.

You know those special things that take you back to a special time and they seem like the most amazing thing?  Then you know how sometimes you can partake in said special thing outside of the context of said special time and it's really not so amazing anymore?  Well, this was NOT the case with Rita's Italian Ice... or more fondly called water ice.  It's like a sno-cone but not that rigid.  It's smooth... like a slushie but... still not quite.  A spoon is generally required. 

Let's just say that I may have given Husband a slight fright as I gasped when I saw the sign on a building as we pulled into the hotel circle.  OH. MY.  I told Husband that we MUST go there at least once this weekend.  After Miss L went to bed we got the hankering for something cool and sweet.  Husband was going to go get it and bring it back.  I told him whatever flavor was fine as long as it was red.  ha!  He came back with Tropical Punch for me and Cookies and Cream for himself.  I thought his sounded strange for water ice but it was pretty yummy!!  A regular size is plenty! On the plus side it is super affordable... I think we paid $4.00 for the two of them.

Ahhhh... Delightful!

We wanted to go again but our schedule kept us running and eating at other venues.  However, there is rumor that Rita's could be coming to the Valley of the Sun in the next year or so!  YAY!  Husband and I thought it would be a good investment and half thought about the possibility of doing a franchise.  I will say that it was a fleeting idea...  fun in the moment but probably not for us.  So, we will wait until places open here and join my Ocean City buddy, Stephanie, at a grand opening.   

In all of this reminiscing... I had to look up the Polish water ice place that I also liked and found that it is pretty much just in three states on the east coast.  But if you are looking for another fun place try out TLC's Polish Water Ice.  If you happen to find yourself on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ you will find these places fairly close to each other... partake... in both!

Claim Jumper

I told you about a restaurant from our California adventure.  So, now I will tell you about one from our Colorado excursion.  However, this one I tell you about for a very different reason.  While the atmosphere is fun and the food is pretty yummy, you can visit this restaurant just about anywhere.  Actually, there is one less than three miles from our home.  For me there is some sentimental value in this place as some of our premarital counseling actually happened here. But I digress...

While in Colorado we found ourselves at this restaurant twice.  The first time because we just needed a place to eat when we got to town.  The second was because our extended family really wanted to go when plans to White Fence Farm fell through. (FYI:  I have never been to WFF)  This was the first time that we had been to CJ with Miss L.  We were promptly informed of a "baby plate" that was of no charge.  No charge?  As in free?  What?  It consists of a slice of turkey (I think it's a thin slice of what they have on hand for their turkey meal) two different kinds of cheese sticks, a lovely helping of their homemade applesauce and milk.  Because Miss L tends to have a slightly bigger appetite we just shared the rest with her from our meals because...well... the servings at CJ are substantial!  We ordered some veggies for Miss L one time but we found they were not quite tender enough for her and her lack of certain teeth.  But if someone else were to have them we can find some that were suited for her without the charge.

We had the same waitress both times we were there.  She was as great with our group of 20 as she was a few nights before with our group of five.  She was great with the kiddos, too!

Apparently, CJ is ranked one of the top 10 family restaurants by Parents magazine.  Not that I put a lot of stock in many things that come from Parents, but like anything, some good things can come from it, too.

Their other options for older kids meals were pretty good, too!  We will be filing this place as places to go when Miss A arrives and is ready to eat solid food, too.

The Cottage

This last weekend we went on a little excursion with the "N" Family to San Diego/Coronado Island.  One of my and Husband's favorite places to eat breakfast is The Cottage in La Jolla.  OH. MY.  Seriously, you cannot beat the atmosphere or the food.  Breakfast is probably my favorite meal-type genre.  I think I could have breakfast for each meal of the day.  For real.  We have never had lunch or dinner at The Cottage but I am sure that they don't disappoint in that area either.  My favorite thing, besides the many varieties of eggs benedict, is the Southern California Special -- an omelet with bacon, guacamole, and some other yummy stuff.  It was fun to share this place with our dear friends the "N's."  Plus, we are not really souvenir people on vacation.  We like to find yummy places to eat and create memories that way and not accumulate "stuff."  Although, pounds may count for "stuff" someday.  HA!

However, we got an extra special treat this time around.  Our friend's, the "M" Family were the ones to introduce us to The Cottage.  They moved from the Valley of the Sun a couple of years ago and we have not seen them since.  I saw something about them possibly being in La Jolla the same weekend we would be there via her F.acebo.ok account.  I thought, "Wouldn't it be funny if we ran into them at The Cottage?"  I said as much to Husband just minutes before we arrived for breakfast.  Sure enough!  Just moments after we arrived and were waiting for our table we saw M & C with their three little ones -- two of which we had not yet met!  They were there for a wedding and visiting friends.  (We would run into his parents at church the next morning!)

Well, with all that said... fond memories are made at The Cottage and so are full tummies.  If you find yourself even remotely in the area of La Jolla, CA this is a must stop.  It's totally worth the drive.

Coffee Memories

It's a strange thing wanting coffee each morning.  I used to only drink it on the weekends.  Now it seems like an essential to start the day.  Such is life.  Needless to say, I was bummed when the bottom of my coffee mug peeked through.  I was tempted for a second cup!

This morning I was faced with the desire for a good cup of coffee.  Husband was already gone for the morning, he makes the best cup of coffee for me, so I thought about my options.  I didn't want to brew a whole pot because I usually only drink one cup anyway.  So, I remembered my handy little french press.  Glory!  I boiled the water, ground some coffee, and made the rest of my breakfast.  The end result was a nice cup of strong coffee sweetened to my liking with some half & half.  Lovely.

Whenever I bring out my little french press coffee pot I cannot help but reminisce on the summer of 2004.  I made my way across the country to Ocean City, NJ on a summer mission assignment.  My roommate, Shanda, always made coffee in a french press.  I don't remember when it happened but she then started making me a cup of coffee each morning on the way to staff meetings.  How it ministered to my heart!  There were a few mornings when I had coffee ready for her after she taught me the art of french press.  Ahh... sweet times.  I love that simple things bring back such lovely and fond memories of times spent with a sister in Christ and remembering how even simple things can mean so very much and stay with a person for a lifetime.

Polly Want a Cracker?

Anyone who reads this blog or knows me knows that A) I am an avid people watcher B) sometimes I see really random things C) I am fairly observant and D) (how appropriate that it came to the letter D) that I still love Dunkin' Donuts even though they don't carry my favorite donut here in Arizona anymore.  Well, all of these things met in perfect harmony on Sunday while making our way to church.  As you probably know, Husband likes to treat me to DD from time to time.  We left the house early, a little tired because we had yet to have some coffee, and made our way to the newly renovated DD on 19th Ave and Northern just off the 17.  We tried one of their new bagel sandwiches (delightful) and of course had a donut and ICED coffee.  An interesting mix of people always frequent DD's no matter the locale.  As we were leaving I had to stop dead in my tracks and call Husband's attention to my latest encounter...

...there sat a man in his car with his little dog and the window rolled down.  No big deal, right?  Well, on the window ledge was a Senegal Parrot walking back and forth and observing himself in the side mirror!  Of course we paused to talk to the friendly gentleman.  He told us how he takes his dog and parrot on a walk.  The dog on a leash and the parrot perched on his shoulder.  He made sure to tell us that his wings were clipped and he would not fly away.  The parrot's name is "Gunny" and just as I was getting ready to ask if the gentleman had been in the Marine Corps he said, "He reminds me of a drill sergeant I had in the Marine Corps, bossy, bossy, bossy!"  We laughed.

Oh how I wanted to take their picture and place it here!  But I didn't know how I would get the photo from my phone to the computer.  Even if I did, I don't think the resolution would have been very good.  Such is life... you will have to use your imagination.  Darn it for not having the camera with me this ONE time!  Ugh.

I guess the man's wife was in the store picking up their Sunday treats, too.  I hope I see these folks again.

In case you were wondering, I have now adjusted my top places for people watching...

1.  University Campus
2.  Airport/Train Station/Bus Station
3.  Dunkin' Donuts
4.  People driving (but one should only do this if you are the passenger!)

And What to Drink?

Not too terribly long ago I buzzed through a local drive-thru place to grab some lunch as my Little Flower had fallen asleep after an appointment and I had precious minutes in the car to eat in silence as I made the 20-minute trip home.  

I placed my order of a sandwich and my beloved fries.  Ahh.  Then when asked what I wanted to drink I replied, "Diet Coke, please."  They repeated it back to me but I should have known then that something would go awry when the confirmation screen simply said, "Coke."

I pulled away, grabbed a couple of hot fries, and reached for a swig of beverage.  At first I thought they did give me my requested drink but one more swallow would confirm they had not.  I wasn't sure I would be able to get the stuff down at first.  However, I made it go down a few more times.  It was then that I realized a couple of things.  First, I was pretty positive that the mix in the fountain must be a bit off.  Second, I have been ruined by "diet" forever, it seems.  I used to be able to drink regular Coke with no problem and could interchange at will but still a strong draw to the "diet."  On this particular day it was confirmed that I am a Diet Coke girl and there is no going back.  As you can see in the photo the Diet Coke is basically gone.  We keep the Coke around for whoever wants it.  Usually for my father-in-law or my Papa if he opts for it.

Guess it all works out for the good as Husband is also a Diet Coke drinker...  Actually, he's the one that did this to me.  :)  Well, I was drinking Diet Pepsi when we met and he brought me to the light.

Maundy Thursday

Today "is known in the traditional church as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday. It's the day/night of the Last Super, the washing of the disciples feet, the breaking of the bread, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, etc. John describes the events and conversation of this day in detail in chapters 13 - 19. Quite a discourse!

Getting to the point here, what does Maundy mean? Growing up, I guess I always assumed Maundy meant, "sad", or "mourning", because of the betrayal and all. But that's not even close. The word "Maundy" is from the Latin word "mandatum"....sound familiar...it's where we get our word, "mandate". The church applied it concerning Jesus statement in John 13.34, "A new commandment (mandate) I give to you: Love each other, just as I have loved you!" "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" So, Holy Thursday, became known as Mandate (Maundy) Thursday, or as, "Go love each other as I have loved you Thursday!"

Just thought you would want to know." 

(Taken from a posting by Sam Osterloh of Campus Crusade for Christ)

In other thoughts on the day, I flash back to my days in college around this time.  My religious studies professor, Dr. Brubacher, would host a Seder meal for his students that were interested.  Dr. Brubacher went so far as to have a mock up of a triclinium for us to eat at.  He would do the presentation with many of his archaeological slides and vasts amount of knowledge.  I am pretty sure those Sederdinners were things that marked my life in some way and helped form my thoughts on the last supper for a more accurate grasp on what was happening.  The triclinium was a three-sided table usually used for special occasions and you reclined at the meal... Passover was one such time.  It's an interesting way to eat for sure.  It is a meal marked with great symbolism.  I cannot remember it all now but I may take the time to look it up again in the near future.  It would be an excellent thing to do with our family in the coming years.  (I remember loving every morsel of food and thought it would be a much beter way to eat, too!)

So, there are some of my random thoughts on this day of Holy Week.  More to come hopefully next week on the whole of the Easter season.

Blog Back Log: Showered with Baby Love

Today was my baby shower hosted by the lovely, talented, encouraging, gracious, kind, and devoted women of my church.  There are many more words that I could use to describe them all but I only have so much time and so much space.  I arrived to quite the spread of food for lunch.  Someone even found out that I am quite the fan of crab and made a hot crab dip - it was yummy! (As was every other little morsel devoured for our luncheon.)  Lunch was then capped off with a very delicious and CREATIVE cake (shown above) that was made by one of my dear friend's mother-in-law who happens to be quite the talent in cake decorating.  As if that needed to be pointed out!  I don't usually leave the pictures on this post so large but you really need to get a feel for this cake.  Yummy and beautiful.  I am glad that I was not the one who had to cut it... I don't think I could have done it!

After cake came the barrage of gifts for our Little Flower.  I was sweating after it was all said and done (in combination with the large amounts of people and hormones, I am sure!)  We received some very lovely gifts.  Many homemade with love, others from our registry, and others still gave things that I really hadn't thought much about.  All in all, the gifts filled up the 4-Runner and we had to give a basket to my mother-in-law and we will pick it up tomorrow.  Other friends and family have written to say, "your gift is in the mail" or "I will bring it by on such-and-such a day."  I am overwhelmed and grateful.  There are still a few "large" items that we need to buy but God in His provision has granted us some wonderful discounts and unexpected financial provisions to cover those costs.  We are blown away by how many things are coming together.

Now, we just need to get it all put away and assembled (if required!)  I have some photos up on flickr of many of the homemade gifts and a couple of my favorite outfits.  Again, if you need an invite to see those photos, let me know and I will get you the link.  Flickr will also be the place to see photos of Little Flower when she arrives.

Dunkin' Donuts Disappoinment

Sigh.

Several months ago Dunkin' Donuts closed all but one store in the valley to remodel and open new stores in the valley.  Today was to be the big day.  Husband even joked that I should be there at 5 AM when they opened.  Glad that I didn't do that!

I planned a big day of running errands only to be topped off by one of my favorite donuts (because you can get away with anything when you are prego) and an iced coffee.  I pull into the establishment closest to us only to find a sign below a balloon arch that read as follows:

Due to circumstances beyond our control we are not able to open today.

WHAT?!?!  Say it ain't so.  I am not sure if that was the case for all the new openings but it was a very sad end to a pretty productive day.  Such is life.

I like DD for so many sentimental reasons... 

...random stops there when I was a wee lass with my Papa

...milk and donuts at midnight with Lynn-O while in Ocean City, NJ (walking there in the ocean mist moving in)

...coffee and donut dates with Ren while in Albuquerque

...random stop on a Sunday morning when my dear Husband wants to surprise me.

Then today... disappointment.  Hopefully, they will open soon or it was just this one particular store.  I need me some Dunkin'.  :)