Tuesday: Oaxacan Potato Soup and Edamame Beans
Wednesday: Roasted Veggie and Hummus Sandwiches
Thursday: African Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas and Baguette
Friday: Pasta and Salad
Saturday: Pizza
Sunday: Lentil Stew, Salmon, Salad and Bread
Leftovers
Once the party ended and all went to bed we heard cries from Hannah's room, pained, confused cries. When we made our way through the dark, running into each other here and there and confused as to who we actually were, we found a hot and fevered little girl. Poor little one. I spent most of my day today on the couch with her watching Strawberry Shortcake and a variety of other cartoons and watching her sleep. She also seems to have an eye infection, it's really kind of a sad sight. She's sleeping now, it really only took a few minutes, here's hoping she makes it through the night and is feeling better tomorrow.Recipe
Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers! We had lots leftover from the birthday party, which was especially nice seeing though Hannah didn't really want me to leave her side today.
Oaxacan Potato Soup and Edamame Beans
Day two. Hannah is still sick. It pains me that the T.V. is on so much. I know that she's sick, and really, what do I want to do when I'm sick? Lay on the couch, watch T.V. and take the occasional nap, it's just that sometimes I feel like I can smell their brains frying. Oh, well. At least I was able to get the laundry done.
Harper is missing Hannah in action, she has also been watching T.V. with her a bit, but luckily she gets bored of it pretty easily. The down side is that I am the new playmate of choice since Hannah is sick. I mean, lucky me, Harper wants me to play with her all day long! We've built Lego, made paper crafts, played dollies, and a series of other role play games where I'm not entirely sure what the story line was, at one point I had to wear a pillow as a hat.
Recipe
This recipe is based on a soup recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special. I altered it to use up the leftovers in my fridge, making it with leftover mashed potatoes and adding some leftover bean spread from last week's pizza, I also omitted the sour cream. This is the original recipe, I really love this soup and it is best with hot banana peppers on top, if I don't have any I add a little salsa (sometimes both).
2 Tbsp butter (I use 2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil)
5 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 cup fresh green peas
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos or banana peppers
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp black pepper
chopped scallions or red onions
In a soup pot on medium heat, saute onions in butter (or oil) for about 7 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add potatoes, water, salt and mustard. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Cook until the potatoes are just soft, about 10 minutes.
Remove the soup pot from the heat and coarsely mash the potatoes in the soup pot with a potato masher. Use slow, steady pressure to avoid splashing the hot cooking liquid. Return the soup pot to the heat, add the carrots, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas, olives, and pickled peppers and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, just until the peas are tender.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, black pepper, and a couple of ladlefuls of the soup broth. Pour the hot sour cream mixture back into the soup pot and stir well.
Serve garnished with chopped scallions and red onions.
Roasted Veggie and Hummus Sandwiches
Part of the day today was spent sitting on the couch between Hannah and Harper, while Hannah watched more T.V. (still has a fever over 100F) and Harper and I read stories. Partway through reading stories Harper decided she would read to me. Is there anything cuter than a two year "reading" a story - especially when she pretty well gets all the words? Every time she would finish, she would look at me and say, "O.K. Mama now you go put dis one back and pick a new story!"I went to my aunt's this evening for a Norwex party. It's amazing how you go in thinking, I'm not going to be "sold" on anything, I need new clothes and that's all. Yet, you sit there, and really you know they're all good products before you even get there, suddenly you need them all. I did manage to remain somewhat conservative, but purchased more than I intended - although I still feel justified. I did avoid the $180 face washing/cream system, only just. As the woman presented the facial system she announced that it was for mature skin, the four of us in the room of my generation all began to disengage a little until, she added that mature skin was age 35 and over!!! Really? How did that happen? She said it so matter of factly, like it would not come as a surprise to any of us in the room...well, it did!
Recipe
Since Hannah is still sick I have yet to venture to the grocery store, so I am having to get a little creative. Luckily we had some extra veggies left that I didn't use on the weekend and these were quite good. They would have gone nicely with a little green salad, if I'd had some lettuce left.
1 eggplant, chopped into 1inch cubes
2 yellow peppers, chopped into 1inch size pieces
1 red pepper, chopped into 1inch size pieces
3 cups mushrooms, quartered
2 onions, roughly chopped
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 450F.
Mix all the veggies together in a large baking pan with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, stir and then reduce heat to 350F. Roast veggies for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring a couple times throughout.
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 cup water
Put all ingredients in a food processor and whiz together until desired consistency. Test and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spread on bread or bun, top with roasted veggies and eat either open faced or as a sandwich.
African Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas and Baguette
It's my birthday. Let's just say I've got one year left before my skin has matured, probably many more after that until my personality has matured. Do you remember that birthday feeling as a kid? I remember there was this magic feeling from the moment you woke up, everything was better because it was your birthday - even brushing your teeth had a little magic to it. I don't get that same magical feeling on my birthday, perhaps when you reach an age where another year really isn't going to make much of a difference (except it means the difference between youthful skin and mature skin) in my life that feeling starts to fade. But, there is always some magic in the day and today was one of those days.
Hannah is still sick and when we woke up (I slept with her last night) she couldn't wait to go downstairs so she could give me the gift she'd picked out. Downstairs, Dave had cleaned up from last night (even wiped the counters) and had gotten the coffee all ready for me this morning (this may seem little to you, but honestly not having to clean the coffee in the morning is just so, ahhhhhhh). Harper danced around in her usual morning way, telling me it was my birthday. My parents were at my door around 10 am to wish me a happy birthday and watch the girls while I worked out and did a little grocery shop (they had offered so I could do a little me shopping, but Hannah was so sick and didn't want me gone that long). My parents came back later with dinner and to watch the hockey game, other than my poor little Hannah being sick it was a perfect day. Not to mention all the great birthday wishes I received from friends and family. Have I ever mentioned how lucky I am? How grateful I am to have the life I have? It's easily forgotten or more, pushed to the back of my mind as we trudge through the day to day, but I am truly grateful and happy!
We were suppose to go to my parents for dinner, but because Hannah's sick, they brought dinner to us. Sushi, and this wonderful artichoke dip (with olives, artichokes, garlic and olive oil) to start and then this delicious soup from epicurious with baguette for supper - it was so good.
I had forgotten to take a picture and was going to with the leftovers except, I came home Saturday after shopping and was so hungry I ate them up and forgot all about the picture.
Dave made me this cake from Baby Cakes, it was vegan and gluten free. There were mixed opinions on it, I really liked it!
Well, we woke up today and I thought today's the day. Hannah was playing with Harper instead of laying on the couch, she had some breakfast, she's finally recovering. So I ran around the house like a mad woman, cleaning every surface, vacuuming the ones that couldn't be wiped and putting every possible thing in the washing machine that I could. By around 2:00, I had a done 5 loads of laundry and still had 3 to go, had a very clean house and a six year old crashed on the couch out of energy and a two year old complaining about her ear. Dave called and said he wasn't feeling so hot, and I soon felt the threat of it in my chest during my run. I always jump the gun on the cleaning part. So now I have cancelled the company for tomorrow night and we are all laying low. Oh, well.
Recipe
The dip my mom brought over last night inspired me to make this pasta.
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in quartersolive oil, a couple good gluggs
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 tomatoes, chopped
Fresh basil to top
Brown rice pasta, cook according to package directions
Cheese to top, Parmesan or daiya
Heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the olives, artichokes and tomatoes, cook on low until flavors meld and it gets a little bit saucy, about 10 minutes, add some veggie stock if you need a little more liquid. Toss with pasta and add basil and cheese.
Pizza
Today's the day? Maybe? Possibly? Hannah does seem to be on the mend except for her cough - she didn't even crash today until bed time, although she did sleep in until 9 this morning. Harper slept through and has not mentioned her ear at all and Dave and I are slow moving, but not feeling any worse. I hate the flu, but it is January and we do seem to get hit with it every January so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.
Harper and I played charades today. My sister gave her (I know, she was bang on with the gifts this year) this charades game and she loves to play it. The cards are little pictures that you act out; animal, action or thing. Harper, looks at the card, tells herself what it is (out loud), acts out the picture on the card and then is genuinely surprised when you guess it - Magic! I love it!
Recipe
The plan for tonight was to have some friends over to watch the hockey game and have appetizers for dinner, but considering the germs we must be harboring here we cancelled. So we had the fixings for pizza and that's what we made, mine with daiya - which was very good, and the rest with feta.
Lentil Stew, Salmon, Greek Salad and Bread
This has been a common scene in our house this week...well, actually imagine Hannah laying down and looking much, much sicker. Today, she made it outside to play for a little bit, to keep her from going insane, she hasn't been out of the house in over a week and we all sat down this afternoon to watch Frozen Planet. I'm wishing the sickness away, but it's just not gone yet - it's January.
We went to my mom and dad's for a delicious dinner of Lentil Stew found here and salmon (not me), bread and salad. It's our last Sunday dinner with them for awhile as they are heading to Australia to visit my sister, brother in law and niece. They will be gone for awhile and I'm really excited for them and my sister, but we always miss them so much when they're gone.
I hope the sun shines down on you this week and you're all able to stay healthy!
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