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July 4th, 2009
05:51 pm - cuteness
I wish I knew someone who was having twins, these onesies are too cute: click for cuteness.
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03:21 pm - fabric
So there's this style of fabric that I really like. It's the kind that looks like photographs of fruits and veggies printed on cotton. I don't know if there's a name for it, and I don't sew, but I've seen plenty of diapers and diaper covers, and the occasional random item on Etsy, made from it. Today I finally figured out one maker of this style of fabric. Not that it matters because like I said, I don't sew, but it's like I figured out a puzzle. :) It's the Farmers Market line by RJR Fabrics, here and here.
Oh! I found more! The Fruits and Vegetables fabrics from Timeless Treasures, here. They're not all the style I like, but most of them are.
I also like the ones that look like photographs of other things, such as beach balls, parakeets, balloons, marbles, or dalmatians, printed on cotton. RJR has some Christmas fabrics like that here. I especially like the candy canes. I think what all these prints have in common is the lack of a background color (except, occasionally, for black)--the pattern overlaps itself, if that makes sense.
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July 2nd, 2009
02:36 pm - lentil stew
This is probably one of the easiest and cheapest meals we make. Yesterday we ate it with rolls from the freezer.
Lentil Stew adapted from More-with-Less Cookbook and a friend's mom's recipe
1 cup lentils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 bay leaf
1/2 lb. lean ground beef, optional
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 to 1 cup water, as needed
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Bring lentils, broth, and bay leaf to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
While lentils are simmering, saute ground beef, if using, with onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in a large skillet or Dutch oven.
After 20 minutes, add lentils and broth to beef mixture along with tomatoes, ketchup, brown sugar, and oregano. Discard bay leaf. Stir to combine. Add water as needed and salt to taste (if you used vegetable broth, you won't need salt). Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. Officially 6 servings, really more like 3.
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June 29th, 2009
02:56 pm - berry smoothie
Double Berry Blast Protein Smoothie adapted from this recipe:
Blend until smooth:
6 oz. grapefruit juice
6 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites
1/2 cup frozen strawberries (3 or 4 strawberries)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons Benefiber
1 packet Truvia
Add and blend until smooth:
A couple of ice cubes
Nutrition stats: 197.5 calories, 0 g fat, 6.5 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 10 g protein, 3% RDA for iron
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June 27th, 2009
01:03 am - !@#$ toenail
So, last fall, September-ish?, I took my chronically ingrown left big toenail and myself to my doctor, who removed the edge of the nail and applied phenol to kill the root. It still hasn't grown out completely; I haven't trimmed the left half of the toenail since September. (So this has nothing to do with my nail-trimming habits--it never did--the original place it was ingrown was halfway down the side of my toenail.)
Everything I read ahead of time said that unless the doctor killed the root the problem would recur.
Well, apparently the doctor didn't use enough phenol, because the problem is back. With a vengeance.
I woke up yesterday (Thursday) with a red, swollen toe. Now, I can't get a good look at it, mind you, because my mobility is slightly limited by the GIANT BELLY O'BABY in the way. But I showed Bear when he got home from work, and yes, he agreed, it looked terrible.
So in the middle of last night (Thursday night), I wake up because my toe hurts BECAUSE THE SHEET IS TOUCHING IT. And even in my sleep-deprived state, I think, Well, !@#$, that's Not Good.
Surprise surprise, the toe is more swollen this morning (Friday). I showed my midwife when she visited, and yes, she agreed, it looked terrible.
I've already been soaking my feet every day in hot-as-I-can-stand water with mentholated bath salts because my feet are sore. Today I switched to plain salt instead. I always go barefoot in the house, and I've only been wearing my flip-flops out of the house. Clearly, none of this is doing any good. So today I called my doctor's office, and I got a stupid recording about the office being closed, and calling back during business hours.
At 1:20 on a Friday afternoon, the doctor's office was closed?! What the...?!
Of course I'll call first thing Monday morning, and they had better plan to see me on Monday, thankyouverymuch. This is ridiculous. I get that my body is busy growing a baby and not, you know, fighting off infection, but seriously? I would like to be able to walk.
Look, I'm not worried about a systemic infection or anything, because thankfully I have good circulation, no pregnancy-related swelling, and am in good health generally, but this sucks.
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June 24th, 2009
12:51 am - breakfast today
Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie:
Blend until smooth:
6 oz. lemonade
1 cup frozen strawberries
6 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites
2 teaspoons Benefiber
Add and blend until smooth:
A couple of ice cubes
Nutrition stats: 205 calories, 0 g fat, 6 g fiber, 27 g sugar, 10 g protein, 6% RDA for iron
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June 23rd, 2009
02:54 pm - funny story
I subbed at my old work this morning. Their summer program started today, two days a week for five or six weeks. One of the teachers is on vacation this week, so I was in with her kids and her lead teacher today. Six preschool-aged boys. One of them came up and put his hand on my belly and asked, "What is that?" I said, "The belly? There's a baby in there." I told him that when he was a baby, he grew in his mommy's belly. I think he got it, but you never know. It just amazes me that a 3-year-old would even notice that my belly was somehow...different. Esp. since he's the youngest in his family and has never seen his mom pregnant.
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June 21st, 2009
01:15 pm - breakfast today
PB & Banana Smoothie:
Blend until smooth:
1 cup lowfat plain kefir
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Benefiber
Add and blend until smooth:
A couple of ice cubes
Nutrition stats: 475 calories, 18 g fat, 12 g fiber, 48 g sugar, 19 g protein, 6% RDA for iron
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June 20th, 2009
11:16 pm - meatballs
Meatballs adapted from Cooking for Two magazine
1/2 cup soft or dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 oz. lean ground beef
for serving: 4 oz. spaghetti; 1 cup pasta sauce
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients (bread crumbs through pepper). Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 3/4-in. balls.
Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink; drain. 2 servings.
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11:03 pm - ground beef woes
The other week, I made a small meatloaf for the two of us. It wasn't very good--I'll use my old recipe from now on--and it left me with two-thirds of a 32-oz. package of ground beef, which I froze in two 10-ish-oz. packages. (I froze it before the meatloaf was done, so I didn't know I wouldn't need ground beef in 10-oz. increments again.)
This week, I decided to make meatballs, so I got both packages of ground beef out to thaw in the fridge. Tonight I actually made them. I measured the other meatball ingredients--bread crumbs, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, etc.--into the bowl, enough for two batches of meatballs, then added the first package of ground beef, which smelled like nothing, which is as it should be. Then I opened the second bag. Yuck. It wasn't any good and I had to trash it and run to the store (at 10:30 at night) for more ground beef.
So: I buy one big package, split it into thirds, use one third, freeze two thirds in the same freezer, at the same time, thaw those two thirds in the same fridge, at the same time, and one third spoils? WTH?
I am really over paying $5/pound for ground beef that spoils so easily.
In the meantime, while I was at the store, Bear was grilling (on our grill pan on the stove) some chicken breasts and thighs to have for the salads he takes to work for lunch, and he set off the smoke alarm. :p
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June 18th, 2009
03:00 pm - chocolate-banana smoothie
Chocolate-Banana Smoothie:
Blend until smooth:
1 cup lowfat plain kefir
1 cup baby spinach
Add and blend until smooth:
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons Benefiber
2 packets Truvia
Add and blend until smooth:
A couple of ice cubes
Nutrition stats: 280 calories, 3 g fat, 15.5 g fiber, 29 g sugar, 15 g protein, 30% RDA for iron
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May 30th, 2009
May 28th, 2009
10:21 pm - p.s.
The party is over. Everyone liked the food. Everyone left around 9:30. We cleared the table (which was set up like a buffet), shook the tablecloth out outside and got it into the washer, put the dining room chairs back in the dining room, loaded and ran the dishwasher, put the casserole dishes on to soak, got all the leftovers (there are a LOT!) into the fridge, and put the trash bags in the outside trash can.
My nose has been bleeding randomly the last two days. Oh joys of pregnancy. I made a cup of tea because you know tea cures everything. :p
I introduced Bear to Fail Blog and he's spent an hour at his computer shrieking like a hyena at it. After telling me an hour ago that he was going to bed. :p
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02:00 pm - dinner party angst
In my 27 years on earth, and 16 years learning how to cook, I have never, but never, had a pan of homemade brownies not cook through.
Tonight we're having Bear's co-workers over for dinner, and he really wanted Duncan Hines brownies because they're what he grew up with. Okay, fine.
I made one batch, added a cup of pecans, baked them, let them cool, sliced them, and they're fine. They're sitting on our pretty iris platter covered in plastic wrap.
I made a second batch with no pecans (one of Bear's co-workers has diverticulitis and has to avoid nuts, seeds, and the like), baked them, let them cool, sliced them, and they're NOT fine. The four in the very middle of the pan are goopy. I tried baking just those four for another twenty minutes (in five-minute increments, obviously) and all I got was hot, goopy brownie batter. So I've salvaged 12 of 16, but they're still mushy. What the heck? I swear I didn't do anything differently: brownie mix, oil, water, eggs; same oven, same temperature. And they didn't look soupy when I pulled them out of the oven, either. Grr.
We're having chips, carrots, celery, and dips; baked spaghetti (which is vegetarian), turkey Italian sausages, garlic bread, and green salad; fruit salad and brownies; iced green and black teas and red wine. All of the food is prepped and I'm working on the housecleaning.
I might feel calmer if I'd had a proper meal so far today, and not just a Fudge Round. :p
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May 27th, 2009
03:52 pm
We moved to Charlotte eleven months ago.
I still know my Nashville library card number by heart. I've just tried to type it into the Charlotte library website twice.
25192005476482.
Sometimes I wish my brain had a delete button, for all those things taking up space that are of no use anymore.
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May 17th, 2009
01:06 pm - a quiz
1) Cleaning my washing machine: A necessary evil (because it smelled funky) or a sign of nesting?
2a) Listing unread books that I can get from the library on PaperbackSwap in order to get unread books I can't get from the library: Clever or obsessive? 2b) Can one own too many books?
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May 13th, 2009
April 12th, 2009
03:56 pm - today
Today I woke up around 9:15 and got my mom and sister up. Well, maybe I crawled in bed with them and let them feel the baby kick and THEN we got up. :) We (mom, aunt, Miranda, Bear, and I) had scrambled eggs with veggies, cinnamon rolls from a can, and strawberries for breakfast. Around 11:20 Mom and Marilyn left to take Miranda to the airport on their way out of town. Now the house is very, very quiet with just the two of us in it.
That brings y'all up-to-date, I think.
Mom was very concerned about a crack in my cast iron skillet, but I didn't look to see what she was talking about because the pan has had a small crack in the side for years (seriously, for almost the entire nine years I've owned it). That crack didn't leak and I wasn't worried about it--it was visible when the skillet was hot and sealed back up when the pan cooled off. But after everyone left and I was cleaning up the kitchen (what a disaster!), I realized that there is a new, huge, crack in the skillet, and it's in the bottom, not the side. I washed and dried the pan and re-oiled it, and some of the oil seeped out onto the stove, so it's definitely time to replace the skillet. This makes me sad and frustrated, because while we can buy the exact same pan, it won't have NINE YEARS' worth of seasoning. :( I have no idea how it could have gotten such an awful crack--we've never dropped the skillet or poured cold water into it while it was hot. (Anyway, I went ahead and ordered a new one.)
It does explain, though, why our stove burners often smell or smoke when they're hot--probably small quantities of oil have been leaking out of the skillet for awhile, and we didn't notice until now, when the crack is absolutely huge.
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03:30 pm - Saturday
On Saturday I got up because I heard voices and smelled coffee (Mom and Marilyn brought a small coffeemaker with them), and found Mom and Marilyn in the living room, wide awake. Eventually Miranda and Bear got up, or we got them up :p, and we had oatmeal for breakfast. Eventually everyone showered or at least got dressed, and we left Bear at home and headed out for adventures.
First, the UNCC Botanical Gardens. I made the mistake of saying, "Too bad you couldn't have come visit next weekend, next weekend they're having a plant sale"--turns out, they have some plants for sale all the time. Mom and Marilyn both walked through the greenhouse, but they spent the rest of our time there buying plants and talking about buying plants and tracking down the professor-type who was working to ask him what stuff was and how much it cost and whether it would survive an Ohio winter. I'm sure they found all sorts of treasures. :p
When they were done, we went to Ikea. We had lunch and then tried to make it through the whole store, knowing that I had to be back at our apartment by 4:30 to leave with Bear for our Bradley class. Miranda thinks that everything at Ikea is cheap and flimsy, which didn't, of course, stop her from buying sheets and the same pan-lid rack we have and a down pillow. :p We finally left the store about 4:05, and I called Bear and asked him to just meet me at the Bradley class.
But we made it to the neighborhood of the class by 4:30, so Mom and Marilyn wanted to find a thrift store--they had printed out pages of potential stores to visit. (Yes, really.) So we wound up at a Salvation Army store on Central, and then Marilyn ran me back over to the class while Mom and Miranda tried stuff on. Then I was still a few minutes late because I had to sit in the car and write out directions to get them home from the Salvation Army store.
Our class ended early, around 6:30 instead of seven, and we went home, picked them up, and went to Jaipur for dinner. (At which point, I would rather have not eaten out any more, but.) Then we walked up to the Food Lion to get breakfast ingredients for this morning--Mom had brought eggs from her neighbor's chickens (and I had organic eggs in my fridge already), so we got tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, and canned cinnamon rolls.
I had Casanova from Netflix, and Marilyn and Miranda wanted to watch it, but it wouldn't play properly, and finally froze completely three-quarters of the way through. We tried removing the disk and wiping it off, and we tried re-starting it and going to the right scene, but it never worked. This is only the second DVD I've ever gotten from Netflix that didn't work, and the other one was actually broken in half. I don't know what was wrong this time.
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03:02 pm - Friday
On Friday Miranda was going to come with me to my prenatal appointment, but my midwife called in the morning to let us know she was at a birth. We rescheduled my appointment for tomorrow, which is fine because this coming week is my spring break. Miranda was disappointed, though.
We made oatmeal for breakfast and took our showers and then Miranda needed some coffee. :) So around lunchtime we went to the Smelly Cat up in NoDa--she wanted to see something more interesting than my neighborhood. :) It was raining, though, so after we got coffee, we took it over to Cabo Fish Taco and had lunch (good tacos, bland side dishes). We stopped in one gallery before heading home, but we didn't want Bear to have to face Mom and Marilyn alone, and they were supposed to get in at three. But on our way home, Miranda got ahold of Mom, and she and Marilyn were stuck in traffic in Winston-Salem and weren't going to be in Charlotte till four-ish. So we decided to drive all over Creation and headed for the Healthy Home Market down on South Boulevard. It was really nice, much nicer than the store on Independence, and much MUCH nicer than the South Park Earth Fare. They had both my laundry detergent and my chewing gum, and Miranda picked up a bottle of wine.
We got home about ten minutes after Mom and Marilyn got here, so then came another round of hugs and belly-patting. :p We sat around and chatted, and the other women in my family had some wine, and eventually we went out to Aladdin's for Lebanese food for dinner. We passed everyone's food around the table. I like going out to eat for food I can't make myself.
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