Lemonade

Hannah has been wanting to make lemonade ever since the snow ,but I always forget to buy lots of lemons. So Friday was finally nice, Harper fell asleep on the couch when we got home from the park and we had a bag of lemons on hand so Hannah and I made lemonade. She made her version and I made mine. They were remarkably similar (how different can you get with lemons, sugar and water?). The difference was Hannah didn't want any help so her sugar didn't dissolve quite as well, as I boiled mine to make a syrup first and then added it to the juice. Both were so much better than any store bought lemonade, it's refreshing and would be extra good with a splash of vodka...I'm just saying.

Try it this summer and then thank Plum Pie: culinary creations from a charlottesville kitchen.

5.5 cups water, divided
1.5 cups sugar
2 cups fresh squeezed lemonade (juice from about 10-12 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Pour 1.5 cups of water into a small saucepan. Stir in 1.5 cups of sugar. Add half of the mint sprigs. Bring sugar/water mixture to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard mint sprigs. You now have mint infused simple syrup! For regular lemonade, skip the mint step.

In a large pitcher, combine 2 cups lemon juice, 4 cups of water, and 1 cup of mint infused simple syrup. Taste. Add more simple syrup if you prefer a sweeter lemonade. Add remaining mint sprigs and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve over ice with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint!

Weekly Menu
Monday: ummm....Subway
Tuesday: Lentil Soup and Buttermilk Biscuits
Wednesday: Egg Foo Young over Noodles
Thursday: Paella
Friday: The Whole Bowl
Saturday: Eggplant Sandwiches and Corn on the Cob
Sunday: Cod Baked in a Tomato and Feta Sauce, Asparagus, Spaghetti Squash, Bread and Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream

Weekly Pantry List
Olive oil, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, milk and lemon juice or buttermilk, nutritional yeast, coriander, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, cornstarch, turmeric, cayenne, butter or margarine, flour, baking powder, baking soda, fresh garlic, grainy mustard, nutritional yeast and fresh garlic.

Weekly Grocery List
1 lb shrimp
4 (6oz) cod fillets
Black olives
Sour cream
Feta cheese (1/2 cup)
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese

eggs (6)
Corn on cob
2 limes
2 eggplants

2 tomatoes

1 avocado

3 onions

3 carrots

2 celery sticks

Bok choy
1 spaghetti squash
1 bunch asparagus

Zuchinni

Shiitake mushrooms

Bean sprouts (1 1/2 cups)

Cilantro

Fresh Basil

Fresh ginger
1 red bell pepper

green onions
2 lb of strawberries
Frozen peas
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

1 cup brown lentils

¾ cup small pasta

Veggie broth
2 cans 19 oz can of mixed beans
1 can chickpeas
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 19 oz can tomato sauce
Salsa verde
Brown rice
Couscous
1 loaf ciabatta

Ummm...Subway

You know the day when you suddenly are completely overwhelmed by the amount of laundry and cleaning there is and so you decide that we seriously need a new system here because we've all fallen into bad habits and you feel like the maid. I had that day today, which I could normally handle but it collided with the start of my period which lead me to need my Super Bitch Cape, which of course was not clean! These are the events that lead me to Superstore at eight in the evening because we needed laundry soap but really, it's because I needed cookies! Farmer's Market oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to be precise. It was pouring rain, yeah that really helped my mood, and Dave offered to go for me but I couldn't risk it, I had to get them myself. There were only two containers left, thankfully I got there in time. So I went through the self checkout and the cookies wouldn't scan, so I had to wait for the checkout person to come and help me, while a line up of people bore holes in my back, probably wondering why I was just standing there with an awkward bottle of laundry soap on the bagging area and cookies in my hand. When she finally made it to me (why is it always so busy there?), she took the cookies away to her little stand and there was actually a rise of panic that coursed through my veins as I watched her walk away with them. This panic should have actually cued me to cut and run without the cookies right there, I was definitely too dependant on them, but I waited. When she brought the cookies back I quickly finished up, rushed to my car in the pouring rain, sat down and did what Dave and I have vowed to never do, scarfed down a cookie while sitting in the parking lot of the grocery store, I then took out another for the drive home, I would like to say that it ended there, but it didn't. I'll confess this isn't the first time and probably not the last...

Recipe
Forewarn husband about your mood before he comes home from work, let him discover that it's 5:30 and there is no food in sight and then agree with him that taking the kids to get Subway sandwiches, or whatever you want, is a great idea.

Lentil Soup and Buttermilk Biscuits 

What a great day, the sun was not shining but it didn't matter I got to spend the day with Hannah on her school trip at Morning Sound Farm. Harper was equally excited to be spending the day, just her, with her Grandma and Pepere. When she woke up she said, "Today my see Grandma and Pepere?" and when I responded yes she looked at me very seriously, "Today, not Tomorrow." So my mom headed over to get her and Hannah and left for the school with our rain jackets, rubber boots and brown paper bagged lunches. We rode the school bus together, which was much more fun than the city bus (according to Hannah, I on the other hand felt sickish the whole ride), and Hannah was surprised everytime we needed to stop at a red light in the bus. When we got to the farm we went on a hay ride and watched the cows come running over to the tractor to be fed, we also got to see a calf nursing from his mama. We then went to the barn where Hannah held a baby chick, a puppy, a bunny, she fed a bottle to a calf and checked out the pigs. We headed outside where she played with some kids (the goat variety not child variety) one tried to eat her jacket and then another little girls hair and then, he wasn't allowed to play with the kids (child variety) anymore. She also rode a pony and a donkey and brushed Cocoa the miniature pony. We washed out hands outside and had lunch, I packed her a juice box and this may have been as exciting to her as riding the pony. In the afternoon we learned about hens and when Mrs. Farmer asked if there were any questions Hannah's hand shot right up, "Why do they lay eggs?" when the answer came I was a little concerned that she would have a follow up comment, because we had just discussed the eggs that are in us, but there was no comment. We moved on to exploring another barn and milking a goat. Hannah partook in everything, even milking the goat! It was really a fun day and I loved, loved, loved being able to focus all my attention on Hannah.

Recipe

It was freezing and rainy today so after being outside all day and then getting ready for soccer (which was cancelled, but we still had to get out  there to find out it was) I decided we needed soup to warm us up. I made the lentil soup found here but also added a little shredded spinach that needed to be used up and sprinkled it with a little Parmesan cheese. I also made the buttermilk biscuits found here because they're quick and easy and more exciting than toast.

Egg Foo Young over Noodles

I think I need to start blindfolding Harper to have breakfast in the morning, she's in such a monkey see monkey do faze. This morning she got up all happy, Dave and Hannah were still sleeping, by the time I got down she was on her stool at the kitchen counter with the cereal out happily singing, "My want some swawberries too!" So we fixed her cereal with strawberries (no milk, she wanted it dry) and she sat down at the kitchen table to eat. When she saw me take the pan out of the cupboard and the eggs out of the fridge she promptly declared, "My want egg too!" Once Dave came downstairs and poured his cereal and added milk she looked at me like I had told her she couldn't have milk and exclaimed, "My want milk, my want milk...(me looking at her with my eyebrows raised)...pease may my have some milk." So now she has an egg and cereal with milk but Hannah has not yet emerged. I'm o.k. with the cereal egg combination because I know she'll eat it but, when Hannah asked for oatmeal I knew it was going to be all over. I quietly made the oatmeal and tried to slip it to Hannah in a big bowl so Harper would maybe think it was cereal (because, one more breakfast in the mix and she would not finish), it worked for about ten seconds and then she looked over, did a double take and exclaimed, "My want oatmeal!" It took a lot of distracting to avoid a fit. I really think a blindfold would work, or I suppose we could all start eating the same thing in the morning.

Recipe

This recipe is from FOODjimoto but I used a sauce from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. We didn't have any rice so we use rice noodles, which made it a little rich or something I think that it would have been better on it's own or over rice. This recipe looks long and annoying but it's really quite simple and fast.

Rice

6 eggs, beaten

1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup grated carrot

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced bok choy

1/2 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Put all the veggies, except for the cilantro, in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and set aside.

To make the sauce:

1 cup water

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp dark sesame oil

2 scallion, finely chopped
4 tsp cornstarch
4 tsp cool water

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and scallions to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cool water and stir it into the simmering sauce. Stir until the sauce thickens and then remove it from the heat.

To make the egg foo young, pour off any water at the bottom of the vegetable bowl, crack the eggs into a bowl, beat them, and add them to the vegetable mixture along with 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Mix well.

Heat a frying pan and add about 1/2 teaspoon of oil into the pan and spread it evenly. Add about 3/4 to 1 cup of the vegetable-egg mixture, keeping the egg from spreading out by pushing the little egg fingers back into the circle with a spatula. Turn the egg/veggie pancake over when the egg on the bottom is set and the bottom is golden brown. Cook for a few more minutes, and remove to a platter. Repeat until all the veggie/egg mixture is gone.

Prepare your rice or noodles, slice the egg pancakes and place over the rice and then drizzle with sauce.

Paella

My children have a total fascination with water. I think that all kids do, I'm not sure if girls may have it a little more than boys, but my girls love to play in it. Today I found them hiding in the corner with their dolls (dripping wet), a spray bottle, two stools, a toy hair dryer and a comb playing hair dresser (luckily no scissors). I gave them the choice of either going outside or giving up the spray bottle, they gave up the spray bottle (I was shocked). So I went on my merry way and continued to do up the dishes from breakfast. When I heard a huge splash, I go over to find Harper with her potty insert container (ewww) and water (yes, all water - she doesn't actually pee in her potty, she just sits on it and pretends) all over the floor. As I'm quizzing Hannah as to how Harper got the water and she's denying it (which I'm totally questioning because Harper can't reach the taps), I realize in disgust that Harper can reach the toilet. I look in the bathroom in a panic and see that the toilet bowl water is lower than usual. Needless to say there was some major cleaning (thank god we don't have carpet) and a few dolls got a ride in the washing machine. They love water and will source it out anywhere, good to remember.

Recipe

Simple, fairly healthy, quick, popular one pot meal. I'm not saying it's the greatest thing in the world but it's pretty good and considering it took less than 30 minutes (including prep) and everyone had seconds I'm thinking it's a winner! I got it from Kitchen Simplicity.

1 red bell pepper, chopped

6 green onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3.5 vegetable broth
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this)
1 pound large shrimp, uncooked
2 cups couscous
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon butter
sliced almonds, to garnish
fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

In a large nonstick skillet saute red pepper in a small amount of oil until softened. Add onions and garlic and cook for 1 minute.Stir in broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until shrimp turns pink. Making sure broth is at a simmer, stir in couscous, peas and butter. Remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with almonds and parsley to serve.

The Whole Bowl

Harper, my little dare devil!

There's this new children's area that opened up at a local park called Children's Garden. We've been wanting to take the kids since it opened a few weeks ago but it has been rainy or life has otherwise gotten in the way. Today the sun was shining and I had some cleaning and laundry to do, so I decided it would be the perfect day to get out of the house and go check it out, lucky for us my mom also came. It was really such a great morning, the park has all these soft rubber hills to climb on with saucer swings, long twisty slides, a climbing wall/hill and this awesome sand and water area where my kids spent most of the day. Seriously, my cousin called it genius, sand and water together for kids to play with, and she's absolutely right! There were a lot of people so you did need to keep a close eye out, on Harper especially because she has no sense of staying near. Although having said, that I did love how on the way out Hannah ran ahead following this windy path and Mom, Harper and I cut up the middle to meet her but, halfway there she stopped and was lost, I could see the panic rising in her eyes as she scanned the crowd for us until she spotted my mom (ten feet in front of her) waving.

We of course stopped at the BDI for a soft ice cream on the way home, why do I ever get any other kind, and to walk the bridge. On the way back I finally got Harper all cleaned up and she kept trying to run off into the parking lot so I took her to wait in the car while Hannah had her last bite and cleaned up with my mom (like, 3 or 4 minutes). The whole time I was putting Harper in her seat she was asking about Hannah and I was saying she was on her way too. When Hannah climbed up in the car, Harper took one look at her and her eyes widened in surprise and she exclaimed, "Hewo Hannah!?!" like she was totally shocked to see her there.

Recipe

I got this recipe from Toronto Girl West, I did make a couple substitutions to the sauce (limes for lemons, regular almonds for blanched) mostly due to what I had on hand. Dave commented that this was a really good meal about seven times in the span of five minutes. The kids found the sauce a little spicy and chose not to have it, although it wasn't very spicy, sometimes the suggestion that it could be spicy is enough to turn Hannah off and Harper will do what Hannah does (unless it's Indian food, then Harper can't help herself, really who can?). The girls were perfectly happy to eat their bowls plain but a little mild salsa would have been good for them too.

The Sauce (she calls it K Sauce and I felt like I was messing with something sacred when I changed a couple things). It makes a lot so you could half it or use it for dip, crackers or on wraps or sandwiches like I'm planning to do.

1/2 olive oil

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup almonds

Juice of 2 limes

6 garlic cloves

1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp old fashioned grainy mustard

1/2 cup nutritional yeast*

2 tsp of cumin

Mix all these ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

*I know it seems to be popping up everywhere. I had no idea until I really looked at it today but 2 Tbsp packs 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein! If you're still leery of finding it, I got mine at Superstore in the tiny health food isle in front of the deli area.

For each bowl:

1/2 cup rice (we only had white, but she suggests brown and I think that would be better)

1/2 cup mixed beans

1/2 tomato

1/4 avocado

2 Tbsp salsa verde

1 1/2 Tbsp olives

1 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp K Sauce

Cilantro and green onions for garnish

These are the measurements she gives, I didn't really measure anything I just guesses. Put it all in a bowl and mix it up. I'm going to recommend eating it outside on a sunny day with a beer, but that may just be me.

Eggplant Sandwiches and Corn on the Cob

So Hannah was at the dentist a week or two ago and she said that Hannah's two bottom teeth were loose. This, we later determined, was only evident to a trained professional so my heart traveled back from my throat to its rightful place in my chest and we all moved on. Today, Hannah complained when she bit into a cracker and sure enough her bottom two teeth ARE loose. I'm not exactly sure why I'm so unbelievably shocked. I do have all the faith one should have in their dentist, I just don't quite believe that my kid is old enough to be loosing teeth...she just got them! Is it normal that the news of her loose tooth has me fighting back tears everytime I think of it or is there seriously something wrong with me? Maybe a little of both? I'm not sure but it's a big deal and she's been a little bit of a drama queen about it all day (I wonder where she gets that?) and I've been avoiding it because I'm worried that I'll start to cry, and then my children will see how crazy I actually am. I'm kind of waiting for them to be teenagers before I let the crazy slip out so I can use it to embarrass them! But as I write this she's laying in that bed of hers all gangly and big and soon to be toothless...seriously, I could have sworn she just finished getting those suckers!

Recipe

Dave's out for a stag night tonight with some friends, many of whom do not yet have kids, and as I sat at the dinner table tonight watching my girls cover themselves in tomato sauce and play with their corn on the cob (Hannah did not eat it off the cob because of her tooth) I thought, "Man, Dave and I are leading very separate lives right now!" This was messy, messy good!

Corn on cob

2 small eggplants

28 oz can whole tomatoes

14 oz can tomato sauce

olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 large white onion

3 cloves garlic, pressed

large handful of fresh basil, chopped

Mozzarella cheese

1 loaf of ciabatta (of course I used an olive herb one)

Heat about 3 Tbsp of olive oil in the bottom of a saucepan, add onions, garlic and sea salt and saute until onions are soft. Once onions are ready add tomatoes and tomato sauce, stir, bring to a gentle boil and then simmer for 25 minutes. Once sauce is ready use a knife to break up tomatoes and stir in basil.

Cut eggplant into1/2 inch rounds and brush each side with olive oil. Grill on BBQ over medium high heat a couple minutes a side.

Cut ciabatta in half horizontally and then cut into "bun" size squares, brush each side with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted.

Spread a little sauce on the bottom piece, pile two or three pieces of eggplant, more sauce and then top with mozzarella cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese melts. Put the top on the sandwich and serve with corn on the cob, I boiled mine tonight but I recommend doing it in the husk on the BBQ or out of the husk at a low temperature on the BBQ.

Cod Baked in a Tomato and Feta Sauce, Asparagus, Spaghetti Squash, Bread and Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream

There are certain things that I took for granted before I had children...well, actually there are many things that I took for granted but being able to sit down and read a good book whenever I wanted to is one of them. This afternoon I was getting supper ready for Sunday dinner with my parents and Dave was outside with the kids. After awhile the girls were happily picking flowers from the yard and making center pieces for the dinner table and Dave and I found ourselves rocking on the swing together reading our books. It occurred to me that the last time we were enjoying an afternoon of reading together Hannah was three and I was very pregnant. It was really one of the first times since we'd had Hannah that she was content playing on her own for a significant amount of time. Dave and I lazed on the swing reading together and marveling at how nice it was when we looked down at my very large pregnant belly and realized that just as things were getting easy we were about to complicate them again, one of the greatest "complications" of our lives, but time sure does fly by, doesn't it?

Recipe
This recipe is slightly altered from Closet Cooking. I used the leftover sauce from last night but added a little oregano, 1/2 cup of olives and 1/2 cup feta.

Prepared tomato sauce (see eggplant sandwich recipe)
4 (6 oz) cod fillets

1/2 cup olives
1/2 cup feta cheese

1 tsp oregano

1 spaghetti squash
olive oil
salt and pepper

1 bunch asparagus
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.

I had cooking squash because it's so hard to cut, I always feel like I'm going to chop my hand off while I'm getting it ready. So I though I remembered someone saying that they cooked theirs whole and looked it up and sure enough you can cook them whole it just takes a little longer. Pierce the squash with a knife all over and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Take care not to burn yourself when you take it out, cut it in half, scoop of the seeds and break flesh away from skin with a fork.

Mix in feta, oregano and olives to tomato sauce. Lay cod fillets on the bottom of a baking dish in a single layer and cover with the tomato sauce. Bake in the over for about 12 minutes, until the fish is cooked.

Lay asparagus in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake for about 15 minutes, until tender.

For dessert I wash, cored and sliced 2 lb of strawberries and the drizzled about 2 or 3 Tbsp of honey over them and mixed in 1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch and let them sit for about half an hour at room temperature. On a piece of parchment I spread out a sheet of puff pastry, piled the strawberries in the middle, folded up the corners and baked for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

I hope you have a great week and the sun shines down on you.