Willpower Wednesday (on Friday)

You know how blogs often have cute theme days . . . there's "Muffin Tin Monday" (of course!), Tackle It Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Recipe Thursday (ha!), Photo Friday . . . and so many more. Well, I think I need Willpower Wednesday - because I have NONE and I need some . . . fast!

I thought about titling this post, "My DVR is trying to kill me" but really it's me again. I have a compulsive need to empty it. There's no reason to stay up so late watching inane shows . . . but I do it. I NEED MORE SLEEP! The solution is simple - go to bed earlier - but for some reason I simply can't. 11:30 pm seems to be the earliest I can hit and even then I open up a book, do some stupid sudoku, write or lay there staring at the ceiling before my eyes close. Insomnia sucks. I make deals with myself from time to time . . . don't turn the t.v. on past a certain time. Close the book once this chapter ends . . . it may work for a bit but I always end up breaking the deal.

Don't get me started on nighttime snacking! The pounds are creeping up on me and it's (again) up to me to fight it!

Maybe admitting there's a problem (in print) will help me to change. One can only hope!

Oh and I did end up going to bed early last night (to bed at 9:30 and lights out 10:30--pretty good since the past few nights I've looked at the clock and it's been 1:30 am). But then Monkey was up off and on between 2:00 and 3:45 . . . that hasn't happened in months! I guess he knew I was trying to catch some zzz's. Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

Poached Halibut

This recipe is very easy and Monkey will even eat bites of the fish! I've started getting our seafood delivered from Surfin' Seafood. It's great to have it on hand and not have to go to the store (especially now that we're eating fish at least once a week). It's also been very yummy!

And now for the recipe (adapted from Rachael Ray on food network) I use less fish but the same amt of shallots/garlic for four pieces . . .

You'll need:

pan with tight fitting lid
olive oil
2 halibut fillets
salt/pepper
sliced shallot (or a thinly sliced 1/4 of an onion if you don't have shallots on hand)
garlic clove (diced)
enough white wine to fill pan about 1/4 inch or so (1/4 - 1/2 cup?)
about a cup of diced tomatoes (or 1/2 - 2/3 of a well-drained can)
lemon
thinly sliced basil for topping

Season the fish with salt/pepper.
In a large pan (with a tight lid) add a bit of oil (less than a T).
Lightly dredge the fish in the oil (turn over so both sides get a bit of oil)
add garlic, shallots and wine to pan
Top each piece of fish with tomatoes
Heat to boiling over Medium heat, then put on the lid
Cook until done (but not too dry) about 7-10 minutes

Transfer to plates (add some of the cooking juices and garlic/shallots)
Squeeze lemon over the top and top with basil

Serve immediately

I like to serve this with whole wheat pasta with Newman's Own tomato/basil sauce (if I don't have my own and I usually don't!) or quinoa (then put the fish on top and the quinoa will soak up the juices).

This is a great weeknight meal that looks fancy and tastes great.

It's Official!

Not too much time today (Monkey has a cold and is SUPER needy--I'm not used to this . . . but I better get reminded fast as sucky sick season will soon be here) but I wanted to share that I'm finally officially included as a Contributor at Seattle Picks. Check it out!

Omnivore 100

A friend sent me a link to Very Good Taste (a blog about eating and drinking). Well, I love eating and drinking so I thought I'd join in on the omnivore 100. Here are the details from Andrew (and my results below):

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4.Steak Tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects - it was in H.S. Biology (extra credit for trying them!)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (not sure what this is!)
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Please leave a comment here if you decide to add to your blog!

Naked Days

We are currently in the throes of potty training. Last week it was warm so we tried the naked/mostly naked approach. He would have been all naked but the house behind us is doing some sort of remodel (for the past two summers . . . argh! Just imagine classic rock, power tools, loud talking/singing EVERY DAY in your backyard) and so when they come out the undies go on.

One day it was gearing up to be pretty warm so the morning was perfect for a little naked boy. Here is how we spent the morning:

First a round of naked painting

Then we made a house out of a big cardboard box (gotta love a cardboard box!)

Then we decorated the house

After that he picked strawberries for lunch

All in all a good day--and no accidents!

Squash!

It's that time of year (finally) when the squash is getting ripe. You spend so much time waiting for it and then it's finally here . . . and then you're thinking, "what the heck do I do with all this squash???" Yeah, you could make some muffins but what about dinner?

Here's a recipe that can use up some of your squash and rosemary (I have a bounty of both) and you can also throw in garden tomatoes. We don't have enough yet (Monkey keeps eating them as soon as they are ripe so there's no build-up).

This dish is good vegan and even yummier with the addition of Pecorino or Parmesan cheese.


You'll need:

Pasta (I like to use a short tube pasta)
olive oil
1/2 onion (diced) - optional - I like onions
about 3 squash or zuchs (or use up a bunch!) - cut into 1/2 moons about 1/4 inch think
garlic clove (minced)
T chopped fresh rosemary (I use a bit more than this)
Can of diced tomatoes (or fresh!) drained
2 cups garbanzo beans (or well-rinsed if using canned)

Start the water boiling for your pasta (salt the water). We've been using 100% whole wheat pasta but I long for the days of its non-brown compatriots. Sigh . . . okay, back to the recipe . . .

Heat the olive oil over medium/med high heat until it shimmers
Cook the onions until almost translucent
Add your squash and cook until tender (3-5 min)
Add the garlic on top (don't let it burn) and cook for about 30 seconds or so
Add in the tomatoes, beans and rosemary
Stir to combine and put it on low until the pasts is ready (or at least 10 minutes)

Serve immediately with cheese to pass (I like the sharper bite of pecorino with this dish but parm is fine too!)

optional: toss a bit of white wine in when adding the tomatoes

Foot Frenzy

Here's a fun (outdoor!) project to do with your toddler . . . foot painting! No, not a painting of your foot but painting with your feet. Foot prints to be exact. If I'd been prepared I would have used those big washable stamp pads (but we don't have any and I'm never prepared) so we just used plain old tempera. It's a bit slippery on the feet (but that's part of the fun) so I would advise holding hands as your little one steps.

I used the big dishes from our bubble wand sets for the paint. I have to give a MAJOR plug for these bubble wands. They are really easy for young kids to use and make their own bubbles (as any hyperventilating parent knows this is a GOOD thing). My son's been using them since before he turned two and has always been successful at producing bubbles without help. You can get your own at street fairs around town (they often have a booth) or here. I recommend getting the two wand set with the dish--great for playdates!

Okay back to the foot art experiment:

As I mentioned, big washable stamp pads would produce a better product but this was really just about messy fun in the driveway. I let Monkey pick out two colors of paint and I put a bit in each dish.

I had set out a large piece of paper on the edge of the patio so he dipped a foot and went to town. He insisted mama feet be included on our masterpiece so I dipped in as well. It was squishy, good fun. Afterwards we washed our feet with the hose (I put it out ready for us and made sure he couldn't get anywhere near the house w/out a rinse first) and stomped our feet on a towel. I highly recommend having a nearby water source and a towel at the ready.





After we finished he was much more interested in watching the water run down the driveway . . . but art time was fun while it lasted.