He's getting big and his hair is starting to look red. He just loves grabbing his toes, his hands, my hair, my necklace. He can get so distracted by my jewelry that he doesn't nurse! The other kids just love that he can hang on to a toy they are giving him and Zak and Eliot have convinced themselves that they are making him "violent" as he has started batting at his toys. There have been a few hurt feelings before the kids realized he wasn't intentionally punching them. We just don't deserve such a sweet baby!
Friday, August 28, 2009
You want to see something cute?
He's getting big and his hair is starting to look red. He just loves grabbing his toes, his hands, my hair, my necklace. He can get so distracted by my jewelry that he doesn't nurse! The other kids just love that he can hang on to a toy they are giving him and Zak and Eliot have convinced themselves that they are making him "violent" as he has started batting at his toys. There have been a few hurt feelings before the kids realized he wasn't intentionally punching them. We just don't deserve such a sweet baby!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sunday's breasts
Wow, thought provoking article .. to say the least. I know I've been guilty of been naive as a teenager, unconcerned as a 20 something - but now that I'm 30 it has finally sunk in and is important to me. Is it important to you?
Monday, August 24, 2009
A week without ... noise
Pretty much impossible right? Well, after much contemplation I decided that it is time to pull the plug on all the noise not generated by my own sweet family. So starting today - no Facebook, no TV, no radio (classical station on Pandora excepted) and less computer time.
"All the vain things that charm me most .. I sacrifice them to his blood"
Charles Wesley
"All the vain things that charm me most .. I sacrifice them to his blood"
Charles Wesley
Friday, August 21, 2009
Home made bread - wrap up
To end my week of home made bread I made up a double batch of dough (Wednesday) but used 1/3 whole wheat. Yesterday I made baguettes, the results were very satisfying! I think I'll stick with this thing a little while longer but this next week I'm doing a week without (so much) media. More on that later...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Recipes
I purchased the book "Artisan Bread in 5 min. a day" and used the recipes from there. I don't think I can post them on the blog because of copyrights but you can check out this link by the authors of that book and see if they have it up on their website.
For the zucchini bread I used Paula Deen's recipe (although I decreased the nutmeg, sugar and oil and added 1/3 cup ground flax seed) and for the pasta I made up my own recipe
4 cloves of garlic bruised and then put through my garlic press
enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan
3 cups diced zucchini and/or whatever other summer squash you may have
Parmesan regiano
dried thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
sausage
Cook the garlic over med-low heat with the olive oil until you stink up your whole kitchen. (Since the zucchini will soak up any extra olive oil don't use too much). Add the zucchini and resist the urge to stir it too much since you want it to be browned one side but not scorched. Once it starts to get brown add the thyme and throw it in the oven at 350 while you put the pasta water on to boil. Cook up the sausage at the same time in a different pan (casing removed if yours has a casing, I used a package of breakfast sausage because I'm not a food snob and that is all I had on hand but I bet sweet Italian sausage would be better.) Once it is nice and brown toss it in with the zucchini so that the salt from the meat can permeate. Wait for the water to boil. And wait. and wait. Better throw a lid on it so it boils faster. Once the pasta is cooked (I used whole wheat rigatoni) drain it, toss it with the veggies, taste it to see if it needs additional salt and pepper and serve with some grated Parmesan. Enjoy! (for the record my children did not enjoy ... so make it at your own risk)
For the zucchini bread I used Paula Deen's recipe (although I decreased the nutmeg, sugar and oil and added 1/3 cup ground flax seed) and for the pasta I made up my own recipe
4 cloves of garlic bruised and then put through my garlic press
enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan
3 cups diced zucchini and/or whatever other summer squash you may have
Parmesan regiano
dried thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
sausage
Cook the garlic over med-low heat with the olive oil until you stink up your whole kitchen. (Since the zucchini will soak up any extra olive oil don't use too much). Add the zucchini and resist the urge to stir it too much since you want it to be browned one side but not scorched. Once it starts to get brown add the thyme and throw it in the oven at 350 while you put the pasta water on to boil. Cook up the sausage at the same time in a different pan (casing removed if yours has a casing, I used a package of breakfast sausage because I'm not a food snob and that is all I had on hand but I bet sweet Italian sausage would be better.) Once it is nice and brown toss it in with the zucchini so that the salt from the meat can permeate. Wait for the water to boil. And wait. and wait. Better throw a lid on it so it boils faster. Once the pasta is cooked (I used whole wheat rigatoni) drain it, toss it with the veggies, taste it to see if it needs additional salt and pepper and serve with some grated Parmesan. Enjoy! (for the record my children did not enjoy ... so make it at your own risk)
Home Made bread day 4: Zucchini bread
Yesterday I made up the last of the Boule bread dough I had mixed up on Thursday. Another great result! I also made zucchini bread with the enourmous zucchini that someone anonymously left on our doorstep.
This ONE zucchini was enough for 4 batches (two loaves each- but I put some of it in the freezer to make up later) of zucchini bread with plently left over to grill up and add to our pasta dinner last night. I don't think I have ever seen such a huge zucchini in my life. The kids are loving the zucchini bread and as I made several small loaves I have about 3 friends that are going to (hopefully) enjoy some too. Thank you to who ever gave it to us!
This ONE zucchini was enough for 4 batches (two loaves each- but I put some of it in the freezer to make up later) of zucchini bread with plently left over to grill up and add to our pasta dinner last night. I don't think I have ever seen such a huge zucchini in my life. The kids are loving the zucchini bread and as I made several small loaves I have about 3 friends that are going to (hopefully) enjoy some too. Thank you to who ever gave it to us!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Home made bread : day 3
In case you are counting, I skipped the weekend. (I did cook on the weekend but I cheated on the peach tart tatin that I made- I used store bought puff pastry.) So today - my first real free form loaf.
I'm just going to have to get used to being plump. I was afraid that the dough didn't rise enough but with a crispy crust and a soft interior I couldn't ask for more. Time to make some home- made jam! I've had three slices (quality control :) and I know what I'll do better next time but I'm really enjoying the whole process and feel like I could really do this!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Home made bread day 2
I'm eating home- made cinnamon rolls right now and they are FANTABULOUS!! For the record real butter and Saigon Cinnamon make all the difference. I think I'm going to have to make a lifestyle change to be able to sustain this for more than a week though. Not including yesterday's prep time (made the dough yesterday) it took an hour and 15 min this morning (rising time and cooking time).
But SO worth it.
But SO worth it.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A week ... without
I am gripped by inspiration!! I came across a blog recently where the author was going to go a whole week without processed food. My family doesn't eat much processed food simply because in a family of 6 it doesn't make much sense (we would have to buy 4 boxes, cans, jars, etc. of whatever to feed this hungry crew ...) but one thing I have refused to give up is store-bread.
Ever since I got married and realized what actually goes into running a household my respect for my mother's cooking has gone through the roof. She made pickles and jam (I didn't know you could buy jam at the store), we canned fruit and veggies to eat in the winter, we grew food in our garden, made our own granola etc. I was taken aback when I first went to the store to buy food and found all these little packages of things that were already fixed!! how nice!
As it turns out - not so nice. Everything has HFCS in it and not only do I hate the taste of HFCS, it makes me hungrier. Everything also has a ton of salt and if I can't pronounce more than three ingredients on the list I won't buy it so now I'm almost back to making everything -- except bread.
My mom has always made her own whole wheat bread (did I mention she grinds the wheat - talk about from scratch!!) but once I was introduced to whole wheat store bread I've always liked it better. Not only that I seem to have a knack for killing yeast. I can't even make decent bread with a bread machine!! But tomorrow I'm going to try again. Tomorrow starts my week without store bread. Hopefully I can manage to make yummy, appetizing bread. (Unlike this bread)
Ever since I got married and realized what actually goes into running a household my respect for my mother's cooking has gone through the roof. She made pickles and jam (I didn't know you could buy jam at the store), we canned fruit and veggies to eat in the winter, we grew food in our garden, made our own granola etc. I was taken aback when I first went to the store to buy food and found all these little packages of things that were already fixed!! how nice!
As it turns out - not so nice. Everything has HFCS in it and not only do I hate the taste of HFCS, it makes me hungrier. Everything also has a ton of salt and if I can't pronounce more than three ingredients on the list I won't buy it so now I'm almost back to making everything -- except bread.
My mom has always made her own whole wheat bread (did I mention she grinds the wheat - talk about from scratch!!) but once I was introduced to whole wheat store bread I've always liked it better. Not only that I seem to have a knack for killing yeast. I can't even make decent bread with a bread machine!! But tomorrow I'm going to try again. Tomorrow starts my week without store bread. Hopefully I can manage to make yummy, appetizing bread. (Unlike this bread)
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