Beautiful Fall

Monday: Lentil Stew
Tuesday: BBQ at School
Wednesday: Asian Salmon and Rice Soup with Maple Carrots
Thursday: Curried Veggies with Dhal over Coconut Rice
Friday: Eggplant Pizza
Saturday: Mexican Baked Eggs
Sunday: Chickpea Artichoke Heat Stew with Bread and Banana Ice Cream

 

Lentil Stew
I remember when Hannah was about three and she still would not play on her own. She was always stuck to my or Dave's side, she may have gotten distracted for a few minutes but as soon as she realized she was alone she would come out and find us. Right before Harper was born she went out in the backyard and actually played by herself for about twenty minutes and it was sheer bliss, I'd never experienced the freedom and to be honest I didn't really experience much more of it that year. After Harper turned one they started to play together all the time and Hannah would play on her own every now and then. In the last six to eight months she plays more and more on her own, shutting her door (much to Harper's chagrin) and playing Playmobile at least a few times a week. Today she came home from school, sat and had a snack with us and then went up to her room, shut her door and played Playmobile. Harper and I sat on the couch together a little sad until finally Harper asked me, "Why Hannah not paying with us?" So I went upstairs to make sure she was fine and there she was happy as could be playing Playmobile on her own, I hid the fact that I was a little sad and went back downstairs to play with Harper. I suppose you need to be careful for what you wish for...

 

Recipe
This recipe is here in this post and I just love it. The whole family gobbles it up, it's filling and hearty and good for you.

 

School BBQ
Sometimes kids have tantrums over things that we can help fix, let them do or redo. Other times you're standing in the pouring rain after dance class trying to put your two year old in her car seat while she freaks out because she wants to drive the car. There's really nothing you can do at this point (all my pretend game tactics failed). Eventually, I got one poor little defeated Harper into her car seat, she cried all the way home and after a very long cuddle on the couch she settled down, took one look at me and said, "Pease may I drive the car?"

Recipe
There was a welcome back BBQ at Hannah's school tonight. It was raining so it was moved to the gym which was a little crazy, there was two bouncers, loud music and a cotton candy stand. The kids had a lot of fun though. When we got home Harper fell asleep and we let Hannah stay up a little late and watch the first period of the first game (exhibition) of the new Winnipeg Jets. We were all pretty happy to be sitting on the couch together watching our home team play hockey! Hannah is so much fun to watch, she asks a lot of questions which Dave very patiently answers and she cheers throughout the whole game, "Go Canada Jets! Get a goal - Yay!"

Asian Salmon and Rice Soup with Maple Carrots
Today when Hannah went to school I took Harper to the Book store to spend the gift card that she got for her birthday (in May). She was so adorable, I told her what we were doing when we were on our way and the whole way in the car she kept saying, "I going to buy something with MY birfday card." When we got to the book store, which has a toy section as well, she walked around very proud and touched every single toy in there. After trying to buy a few toys that were way too old for her and one $110 train set she happily settled on two little books, a wooden puzzle and a little doll with hair she can brush. We spent a quiet afternoon together reading books and doing the puzzle. We then repeated it all when Hannah got home.

Recipe
This soup is a nice early fall or spring soup because although it's soup and still has that warm comfort to it, it seems light and clean because of the clear broth and salmon. I thought there was a little too much salmon but, Dave thought it was the perfect amount. It's from that bargain cookbook Dave bought me for 84 cents, Food and Wine Magazine's Quick From Scratch Soups and Salads Cookbook.

 

3/4 cup long-grain rice (I used brown basmati)
1 1/2 lbs salmon fillet, skin removed, fish cut into 8 pieces
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
10 cilantro stems, chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp salt
2 cups low sodium veggie broth
4 cups water
3 scallions, chopped

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Coat the salmon with the soy sauce and sesame oil. In a large pot, combine the cooked rice, cilantro stems, the ginger, salt, both, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Add the salmon to the pot. Simmer, covered, until the salmon is just done, about 5 minutes. Serve the soup and garnish with the cilantro leaves and scallions.

Carrots:

 

Preheat the oven to 450F.

In a bowl whisk together 2 Tbsp olive oil with 1 large clove of garlic, pressed and 2 tsp of maple syrup. Peel and cut 1 lb of carrots, toss with the sauce in an oven proof dish and back for 15 minutes.

Curried Veggies with Dhal over Coconut Rice

Hannah didn't have school today and we had a lot of errands to run this morning the last being driving across the city to get the oil changed in the car. I was so impressed with my littles who didn't complain, walked with me in the mall (without running off - for the most part), we had lots waiting to do where my children were cute and impressed all the other people waiting. It was so lovely of them and I was so grateful. I saved the oil change for last because it was a long car ride and I knew they would be done after that. We're driving out and they're quiet in the backseat until finally Hannah says to me, "Mama, I don't think we need an oil change because I've been listening and I haven't heard the car squeak once."

Recipe
These recipes are both from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. I also added some grated coconut to it.

1 1/4 cup red lentils or yellow split peas
4 or 5 cups hot water
Rinse lentils or split peas. Lentils cook faster and absorb less water than split peas, so use 4 cups of water for lentils and 5 for split peas. In a covered saucepan , bring the water and lentils or peas to a boil. Reduce heat, uncover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until tender.

You may want to start your rice at this point.

1 onion, chopped
1 fresh green chile, minced
3 Tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
2 cups water
1/2 head cauliflower (about 4 cups)
2 green or red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
10 ounces fresh spinach
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

In a large soup pot, saute the onion and chile in the oil for several minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, curry powder, cumin, and ginger and continue to saute fro 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the 2 cups of water. Cut the cauliflower into florets and add to the pot. Add the bell peppers, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

 

While the vegetables simmer, rinse, stem, and coarsely chop the spinach. Pour the lentils or peas and their cooking liquid into a blender or food processor, and puree for 2 to 3 minutes to make a smooth dahl. When the cauliflower is tender, stir in the spinach, the dahl and the lemon juice. Simmer just until the spinach has wilted. Add salt to taste, and serve immediately.

 

Rice:
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 400ml can lite coconut milk
1 stick cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins

 

Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil and then simmer on low covered for 15 to 20 minutes until rice is tender. Serve curry over rice and sprinkle with coconut.

Pizza
I was called to Hannah's school this afternoon because she had fainted. She caught her fingers in the door and fainted and banged her head pretty hard, she's got quite the goose egg. I was so shocked because she has never before fainted with anyone else besides Dave and I. When I had told her teacher that she fainted I made it seem that it would never happen. She had been quite concerned about it and here it happens within the first two weeks. The more I think about it the more it freaks me out. When I picked her up I was more concerned about getting her home where I could really assess how she felt, it's so hard in the office with the principal, vice principal, her teacher and the receptionist all standing around, although don't get me wrong they all expressed such concern and worry for her that it did put me at ease that she is in a school where she is really cared for and looked after, I just needed to get her home so I could assess how much was pain and how much was fear. She did take a good hit but I think it was really scary for her to have it happen and have her be on her own...for me too. We've always treated this fainting pretty lightly, like a thing that happens - we are aware of it and always let anyone who cares for her know but we've never made a big deal about it or limited her activity in any way. I know that this is the right way to treat it...but it sure makes you worry, it's more a... part of her than I ever really considered it to be. I know that life will go on, she will be fine and will grow out of this  - it's just very unsettling...

 

Recipe
We had pizza tonight and I did try a new crust recipe. We liked it better than the old crust recipe but, it's still not exactly what I want. The recipe is from Kitchen Simplicity and the only change I made was to bake it for longer to get it crispy.

1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3-4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 500F.

Stir together water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over top. Let proof for 10 min.

Stir in oil, salt, vinegar and 2 cups flour until well incorporated. Add additional flour and knead until pliable and barely sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Once doubled. Punch down and divide into two portions. Roll and stretch each piece of dough to cover a large un-greased baking sheet. Cover with pizza sauce and toppings of choice. We topped ours with roasted eggplant, carmalized onions, olives, feta cheese and fresh parmasan. Bake for 20 minutes watching closely.

Mexican Baked Eggs
The girls like to race, and lately when Hannah wins she's been calling out, "I'm first, I win!" and so has Harper...even when she's not first which drives Hannah crazy. She's finally explained it all to Harper and today when they raced Harper yelled out, "I last, I lose-ed!"

Recipe
This recipe is slightly altered from Closet Cooking and is quite similar to heuvros ranchos but I think that I like this better. We had it with some pita chips that I made using up the last of the pitas before they turned but it would be excellent with tortillas chips, or wraped in warm tortiallas.

1 Tbsp corn oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 jalapeno peppers, diced

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes or 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes

1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 handful cilantro, chopped

4 eggs

1/4 cup grated cheddar

1/3 cup crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and jalapeno saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes and black beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Place half of the mixture into one or more baking dishes, top with the eggs and spoon the remaining mixture around the eggs.Bake until the eggs just start to set, about 10-12 minutes.

Top with the cheese and broil until it melts, no more than a minute or two. We topped ours with a little sour cream and green onion.

Chickpea Artichoke Heat Stew with Bread and Banana Ice Cream

Practicing her balancing.

It was so beautiful outside today. That perfect fall day where the sun is shining and the weather is so nice you could be in shorts but are perfectly comfortable in jeans as well. We took the kids out on their bikes and up to the park. Hannah has barely ridden her bike this year because she has been using the scooter that Santa brought her for Christmas. Her bike is (was) actually a little big for her this year but because she wasn't that interested in riding it we didn't worry about it all that much. Today she got on that bike and I think she must of shot up lately because it fits her pretty perfectly now. She was tearing around the park with, wanting Dave to run beside her...better him than me.

Recipe

We had a very casual Sunday dinner here, the hockey game was on, the kids played around and outside and we had popcorn for snack and stew for dinner. The recipe for the stew is from Moosewood Cooks at Home and it's really simple, quick and good.

4 cups water or veggie stock

2 medium onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp paprika

4 medium red or white potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp ground)

5 leaves frsh sage, minced (or 1/2 tsp ground)

1/2 cup pureed winter squash or sweet potato

3 cups drained cooked chickpeas (two 15 oz cans - I used two 19 oz cans)

1 1/2 cups drained quartered artichoke hearts (14 oz can)

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Grated Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese (optional)

In a saucepan, bring the water or veggie stock in a simmer. While the water hears, saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 8 minutes, until soft. Stir the tumeric and paprika into the onions and saute for a minite. Add the potatoes, rosemary, sage, and the simmering water or stock. Cokkk for about 12 minutes, until the potaotes are tender. Stir in the pureed squash or sweet potaotes, and add the drained chickpeas and artichoke hearts. Remove the rosemary sprig, add salt and pepper to taste, and return to a simmer.

Serve topped with grated Pecorino or Parmesan.

For dessert we has banana ice cream.

It's suppose to be a beautiful fall week here and I'm looking forward to spending lots of time out in the sunshines with the girls. I hope the sun shines down on you!



First Day of School!

Monday: Tomato and Chickpea Soup with Broccoli and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Tuesday: Tuna Burgers with Oven Baked Onion Rings and Peas
Wednesday: Taco Salad with Lentils
Thursday: Peanut Noodles with Gingered Veggies and Tofu
Friday: Falafel
Saturday: Egg White Frittata with Toast and Fruit
Sunday: Grilled Salmon, Green Salad, Roasted Potatoes with Carrots, and Roasted Veggies with Berries and Vanilla Ice Cream for Dessert

Tomato and Chickpea Soup with Broccoli and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Well, it happened - Hannah had her first day of school and we all survived. Really, there was never a question about whether she would or not, it was how Harper and I would make out. We walked up to the bus stop with my mom this afternoon and waited for the bus. We were a little early and the bus a little late and so we waited for quite awhile, I started to worry that it would give her a chance to start wavering in her excitement and confidence...it only affected me. When we finally saw that orange bus round the corner my heart jumped into my throat and Hannah giggled with excitement. She walked on that bus full of confidence, waited to be told where to sit and barely gave us a glance out the window as the bus pulled away and we wiped away our tears.

When we met her coming off the bus after school, she was all smiles. I tried to get her to tell me about her day minute by minute but, it just doesn't work that way. So I patiently waited and hung off every new tid bit of information that came out throughout the evening.

Making cookies for after Hannah's first day of school.

Recipe 
It turned cool today which seems a little sudden after last week's heat wave, they're even calling for frost tomorrow night. But, it does give me the chance to put soups back on the menu which makes me really happy. The recipe for this soups is here in this post, except I omitted all the cheese in it (since we were having grilled cheese), I also used flat leaf parsley instead of cilantro and it was delicious. I did the sandwiches in the oven so they would be ready at the same time, I sprayed the outside of each toast with olive oil, filled with cheese and then baked at 350F until the cheese was melty, then I broiled them for a couple minutes to toast them up. It was the perfect meal for a day like today.

Tuna Burgers with Oven Baked Onion Rings and Peas
Hannah also lost a tooth yesterday at supper (her second). I then noticed that she is getting a new molar when I flossed her teeth last night (like how I slipped that in there, like it was the most natural thing in the world and every night we sit down and floss our kid's teeth...is it gross we don't? I mean we do, every night of course). The sight of the new molar made me need to count both mine and Dave's teeth because I suddenly realized that I have no clue how many teeth we have and what to expect from these little mouths.

The losing of the tooth and the visit of the tooth fairy also lead to an interesting conversation that I had with Hannah today. She was wondering how the tooth fairy knew that she had lost a tooth. My answer (which is the same for anything I can't seem to explain) was magic. The narrowed eye look she gave me, told me that my answer was wearing thin. I was also a little worried that perhaps that was it, two teeth and the secret was out. She squished her nose and said, "I think that maybe she has helpers that live in each child that's ready to loose teeth and when we go to sleep they creep out of our mouths...or noses, grab the tooth give it to the tooth fairy and then come back." Creepy, I know. I am now having a hard time looking at her without picturing a little tiny fairy crawling out of her nostril.

Recipe
I did a full grocery shop today only to get to the end and have the power in the store to go out. They had no idea why and were only accepting cash and non weight items...I abandoned cart (only to return to get all my bins and bags) twice. So I had to be a little creative this evening for dinner. It did force me to clean out the freezer and fridge, and rummage through the cupboards to see what had to use up. These were quite good (would have been really good with fresh tuna), Hannah devoured hers. I came up from my run to eat dinner and was so hungry I ate it before remembering to take a photo - ooops, sorry.

2 cans of tuna, drained
4 large green olives, chopped
8 kalamata olives, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
3 Tbsp light sour cream
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix all together and form into 5 patties. Place patties on a parchment lined and sprayed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping half way through.

We had these on buns with a slice of tomato, 2 onion rings and the following sauce.

1/2 cup half fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 dill pickles, grated or chopped fine

Stir together and let sit in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.

Oven Baked Onion Rings:
Dave found this recipe a long time ago and I just made them for the first time tonight. I'm not sure where it is from, I found them to be dry, but we really enjoyed them on the burgers.

1 onion, peeled and sliced in rings
3/4 cup flour
2 egg whites, beaten
3/4 cup Panko crumbs
2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spray a parchment lined baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix together Panko crumbs with seasoning. Dredge each onion slice in the flour then the egg and then the crumbs and place on baking sheet. Bake them for 20 minutes until crispy.

Taco Salad
Oh, Miss Harper. The second day of Hannah being gone for the afternoon and Harper and I started to find our groove. She is a totally different child with her big sister gone. She is calm, quiet and cuddly. She is also tired which contributes to her quietness but, without Hannah she kind of takes on a much calmer persona. We sat and cuddled in with some stories, she helped to fold the laundry (it kills me not to refold the things she folds but I hold myself back because she's just so proud) and she toddled off and played a little Lego by herself. I love listening to her play on her own, because of Hannah she role plays with things so much sooner than Hannah ever did. Today I could hear her with a Lego guy and a wheel (?), "Now, I your mama and you my baby, O.K.? O.K., come with me baby..." I think by the end of the afternoon she was a little tired of me just picking her up and cuddling her every few minutes and so when Hannah got home, I promptly changed to doing it to Hannah all evening because, although I loved spending some one on one time with Harper I still missed her.

Recipe

We had taco salad tonight. You can find a recipe here in this post I think it was mostly the same, I usually add whatever I have on hand but I did make the chips differently. I do a few different things, buy tortilla chips (the problem is you really only need a few but once that bag is open we tend to always eat them all), or those taco shells (because we won't eat these once the bag is open and once you toast them and crumble them in the salad they're just as good), sometimes I just toast flour tortillas, today I actually cut up the tortillas, sprayed the with a little olive oil on both sides and toasted them under the broiler - they were really good, like Friday night snack worthy and I'm thinking they can't be as bad as bought tortillas chips.

  

Peanut Noodles with Gingered Veggies and Tofu
We did yoga today, we had kind of abandoned it over the summer and I was really happy when Hannah asked to do it this afternoon because it's always so much fun with the girls. Harper cracked me up, she was so attentive to the video and trying so hard, she loves downward dog and cobra. When it came to doing the butterfly she sat down in the pose and then after a few flaps of her legs, stood up, spread her arms out and ran around the house saying, "I fying, I fying ike a butterfy! ook at me I fying ike a butterfy!" She ran all around us, in front of us and behind us, Hannah (in all her seriousness) barely even looked at her, as she concentrated on her pose.

Recipe
Tonight's dinner was quite good, I altered the recipe from epicurious to suite what we had in the house and it all turned out great except I used leftover bean thread noodles instead of spaghettini and they really sucked up the sauce, I think spaghettini would be better. It was also a peanut allergy nightmare to the point where I almost felt oddly uneasy about it - I'm not sure why we have no allergies here - it was just very peanuty which we all loved.

2 Tbsp peanut oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced on an angle
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 zucchini, sliced in half and then in 1/2 inch pieces
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 Tbsp Mirin
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
10 oz tofu, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

12 oz spaghettini, cooked

1/2 cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts, ground

Heat peanut oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, add ginger and stir 30 seconds. Add broccoli and carrot and sauté 5 minutes. Add zucchini and  peppers and Mirin and soy sauce and sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes longer. Add tofu and stir gently until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place spaghetti in large bowl. Peanut Sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to platter. Top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Peanut sauce:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup hot water

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Mix peanut butter, soy sauce and garlic in medium bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup hot water. Add remaining ingredients; whisk to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.

Falafel

Sometimes the kids are saying something and I can't figure out where they get it, usually to discover that it is something that Dave or I say all the time (sometimes this is cute, or the realization makes me cringe and try and crawl inside myself - depending on the comment). Lately Harper has been saying, "You're not my mama!" and I haven't been able to figure it out...until, today. Hannah was jumping on the couch and I asked her to stop, when I left the room I heard her start jumping again and then heard Harper's little voice, "Hannah, please don't jump on the couch - it's not good for it." and Hannah replied, "You're not my mama!" in her 13 year old attitude voice, which I can't say I blame her for using in this instant...but, it scares me.

Recipe
We had falafel tonight which is always a hit, the recipe is on this post but I realized that I left out the cucumber from the sauce in the recipe. The sauce should have:

1/2 plain thick yogurt
1/2 cucumber, deseeded and chopped
Juice of half a lemon (about 1 Tbsp)
2 small cloves of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.


Egg White Frittata with Toast and Fruit
We lost Hannah today - it was the worst five to ten minutes of my life. The girls were playing in the backyard, Dave was washing the second story windows in the front and I was holding the ladder. After every window I would go back and check on them, while Dave moved the latter. On the last window Hannah came around front and I was in a bit of a panic as to whether she left the gate open and Harper was out wondering around, my mom had stopped by and went to check and then left and Hannah went back. Dave and I were in the backyard two minutes later and there was no Hannah. We figured she was inside and we went in, calling her but there was no answer. You know the panic starts to rise slowly, but you think you're being a little silly as you start tearing around the house ripping open every door trying to find her - no Hannah. Meanwhile, Dave's outside running around the house calling for her (I think actually at this point we're both completely panicked and we're screaming). At one point I was standing at the door into the garage (with the garage open) screaming for Hannah and I was sure I could hear this faint, distant voice calling my name back but no matter where I went I couldn't hear it again. By this time I'm in full panic mode, trying to be calm (maybe she walked down to my parents and they don't realize we don't know), but really I'm crying and thinking how long do we wait to call the police? I run into the backyard, thinking maybe she crawled under the deck and got stuck and now I can't find Harper or Dave either. Finally I hear Dave call out to me and I come around to the front to find all three of them on the step - she was in the car. She climbed into the car and then was trapped because the child safety locks were on. I think we all learned a few lessons from this.

Recipe
Dave and I went to the Pearl Jam concert tonight and so we had a quick dinner of egg white frittata found here.

Grilled Salmon, Green Salad, Roasted Potatoes with Carrots, and Roasted Veggies with Berries and Vanilla Ice Cream for Dessert

What a wonderful day today. It started out a little gloomy and we all stayed in our PJ's until eleven o'clock. Dave and I worked on the crossword while the girls played. We all chatted together, had breakfast, played memory and Go Fish. I love playing Go Fish with the girls. Evertime Harper asks she says, "Do you have an Angel Fish (or whatever) because IIIII do, here you can have mine." During the game of memory both girls cheer us on, "You, got a match! Yay, Daddy!" and they clap for us. By eleven the sun was trying to come out and we all got dressed and read some books in our bed before lunch. I went to the gym this afternoon and Dave brought the girls to go swimming after the football game was over. As I was leaving I saw this really good looking Dad holding two adorable little girl's hands and I so wished I had my camara because they were so cute and peaceful looking (it was my family in case you didn't catch that, I don't want you to think I'm creepy...).

We were at my parents for Sunday dinner tonight and as always they fed us deliciously.

I hope the sun shines down on you this week.

Peace, Love and Happiness...

Monday: Honey Lime Tilapia, Roasted Veggies and Couscous
Tuesday: Veggie Burritos
Wednesday: Rice Wraps
Thursday: Hearty Lentil and Kale Penne
Friday: Fajita Bar
Saturday: Leftovers with Pizza
Sunday: Creamy Leek, Potato and Mushroom Stew with Blue Cheese

Honey Lime Tilapia, Roasted Veggies and Couscous
I was off today, as in not feeling well, and I slept until 12:30!!! I know, crazy. To be honest I spent the whole day in a haze from the lake to home. We did have this fish for supper which was a hit with everyone, except Hannah who normally gobbles up fish, and yet Harper who often picks around at it ate it all up!

Recipe
The recipe is from One Lovely Life and I would make it again for sure...making Hannah's naked I guess.

For the fish and marinade:
4 (4-5oz) tilapia fillets (thawed if frozen)
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed (the original called for garlic powder, 1/4 tsp)

For dredging and cooking:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Assemble marinade by combining lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a gallon-sized zip-top bag or shallow container with a lid. Add fish and marinate in the refrigerator anywhere from 1 hour up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook, combine flour with salt and pepper on a plate. Remove each fish fillet from the marinade and dredge lightly with the flour on both sides (just a light, light coating).

Heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook fillets 2 at a time for 3-4 minutes per side or until opaque and browned (this works best if you don’t disturb the fish much while letting it cook).

Veggies:
1/2 each red pepper, green pepper, yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 zucchini, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F

Toss veggies with a glugg of oil, salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet in the oven or on the BBQ.

I served veggies over couscous prepared with veggie stock instead of water.

Veggie Burritos
Why is it that when I ask my kids to stop doing something nicely they think it's optional? I was that mom today in the grocery store. You know when your buttons are being subtly but constantly pushed all morning, in the grocery store? Yes, well mine were and then when we hit the second store (seriously, if Superstore would carry some decent everyday cheese, my life would be a lot easier) and I nicely asked Hannah to walk four times, until she finally ran ahead toward the door, Harper followed her and went right out the door - I caught her on the sidewalk before the road (thank GOD) but I may have lost it. I had a kicking and screaming two year old under one arm, my purse strap came unsnapped so under the other I had my purse and a bag of groceries, as I sweated like crazy and loudly called to Hannah to stay right by my side as we walked to the car. To the man who gave me a dirty look, I would have liked to say something very rude but figured it would only fuel his judgement...and my children were very present.

When we got home Hannah and I had a talk about how asking nicely is respectful, it does not make things optional. I then asked her nicely to take her shoes off the couch - she thought it was optional, sigh...

Recipe
I love these, they're easy, you can really add whatever you have on hand for the most part, they're filling and are a good lunch leftover.

Flour tortillas
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
1 cup brown basmati rice, prepared according to package directions
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
2 cobs of corn, kernels removed
1 can red kidney beans (or white or black beans)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 package low sodium taco seasoning

Toppings:
Cheddar cheese, grated
Sour Cream
Cilantro, chopped
Salsa Verde

In a large pot heat a glugg of olive oil, and saute onion until almost soft, add the peppers and saute three minutes, add the garlic and saute another minute, add the cumin and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the can of tomatoes, rice, sunflower seeds, corn and the package of taco seasoning stir until combined and add 1/4 cup of water or veggie stock if it seems too dry. Simmer on low stirring often so the rice doesn't stick for 10 to 15 minutes.

Warm the tortillas and stuff with filling and any or all of the other toppings, roll and enjoy!

Rice Wraps
It's fixed, it's fixed - when the hard drive arrived in the mail this morning I danced around going, "The new hard drive is here, the new hard drive is here!" The girls didn't get the reference, but they danced with me anyway.

Shoe shopping for Hannah. Hannah needs shoes for school and shoes for fall. I don't know why I thought this was going to be an easy task, I had a coupon for one of the shoe stores and thought we'd go find two pairs and leave...not so much. We tried on every shoe in two big box stores that were either too loose, too tight or hurt her feet - while I chased Harper around from tearing the store apart and sweated like maniac (it's a two year theme). After lunch at home, my mom offered to watch Harper (God bless her) so Hannah and I could do some more shoes shopping. Off to the mall we went for two more hours to no avail. We tried on every shoe we could. Dave then took her out tonight for two more hours, I thought for sure when I heard them come in they'd have new shoes with them, but no.

So finally, I had to have a talk with Hannah, I don't want her feet to hurt but, no shoe is going to feel as good as flip flops and perhaps this is the problem. More shoe shopping tomorrow, we'll see if we find anything.

Recipe
The girls have been asking for (Salad Rolls) rice wraps (or wice waps, as Harper calls them) for a few weeks now, so that's what we had - recipe is in this post.

Hearty Lentil and Kale Penne
We found shoes!!!! She claims they don't hurt her feet...I may not actually care at this point. No, no I care - I don't want her feet to hurt...yes, I care, I care. After a morning of shoe shopping, which is not super fun with a two year old we went to the YMCA to swim in the pool. Harper can touch the bottom! I know that they can move the bottom of the pool up and down but it was at the same level it usually is and she can touch. How in the world is she growing so fast - she's so proud and exclaimed over and over, "I can touch ALL BY MY SELF!!!" I cried a little...

Recipe
So there are a lot of repeat recipes this week, I was a little less creative with the Internet down and all this week but this recipe is worth repeating, I think.

Fajita Bar
It was a big day today. Hannah and I went and met her teacher, who seems to be very nice. She suggested that we have Hannah take the bus on her first day so that it's new for everybody (we were going to drive her the first day). I see her point and it does make sense...it made my knees weak, and I thought I may throw up. It's not so much the school thing but the bus thing. The idea of her going independently to her destination really freaks me out, deep breaths, it'll be fine. She seems pretty fine with it and I pretend I am too.

We had company for dinner tonight and it was so fun to watch the kids playing outside in the dark. I remember when I was a kid and we'd play hide and seek outside with all my cousins, I loved it. We also noticed that Hannah's fish died. He hasn't been swimming around at all lately, he's been kind of lying on one of the rocks on the bottom of the tank. I had actually noticed this over the past month but it had gotten worse over the past week....perhaps ever since I changed his water and pinned him with a rock as I was trying to get him out of the water. I may have failed to mention this to Hannah, I do feel really bad. So we decided that we would tell her tonight after everyone left instead of ruining the day tomorrow. She had a good cry and then solidified her desire to sleep in this tent and with the added guilt of pinning the fish it is in our room next to the bed!

Recipe
There were a few components to dinner tonight. I didn't take enough photos of all the different ones, I am lacking in photos this week. I bought small flour tortillas as well as made some corn ones from MASA flour and these are the fixings I provided.

We used the leftovers from Tuesday night that I had put in the freezer.

Prawns:
2 packages of large prawns (about 50 total), shelled and deveined
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Juice of 1/2 lime
3 Tbsp olive oil

Mix everything in a large ziploc and marinate in the fridge for at least four hours and up to 24. I would have skewered them and grilled them, but the BBQ is still not fixed so I just did them in a pan.

Refried Beans:
This recipe is slightly altered from Susi's Kochen Und Backen Adventures. I have used a different one in the past but I really liked this one, the consistency was better and the added lime and cilantro at the end lightened it up and gave it a really yummy tang. It's so easy to make this, almost as simple as opening a can of store bought and better tasting.

1/4 cup white onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons tequila or water

2 (15 ounce each) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 to 1 cup veggie broth

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

Saute onion in oil over medium-high heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, and coriander. Saute 1 minute. De glaze pan with tequila (or water); reduce until evaporated.

Stir in beans and broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Crush beans with a potato masher and cook until soupy, 5 minutes. Keep adding broth if the bean mixture gets too dry until desired consistency is achieved.

Stir in lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Corn:

2 cobs of corn, raw kernels removed.

Tomatoes:

4 tomatoes, chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped fine

1/2 cup cilantro

Mix all together and set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Guacamole:

1/4 red onion, chopped

4 ripe avocados

1 tomato, deseeded and chopped

4 cloves of garlic, pressed

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp cumin

Salt to taste

Saute onion in a little olive oil until soft. Mash avocados with a potato masher and mix in the tomato, garlic, cumin add the lime juice and salt to taste.

Slaw:

1 small package coleslaw mix

1/3 cup half fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup low fat sour cream

Juice of 1 lime

Mix all together.

Peppers and Onions

1/2 red onion

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 each red, green, yellow peppers

1/3 package of Old Ell Paso (reduced sodium) Fajita seasoning

Olive oil

3 Tbsp water

Saute onions in olive oil until slightly soft, add peppers and continue to saute until soft. Sprinkle on seasoning, mix and add a little water stirring until thickened.

I warmed the tortillas in the oven and served it all buffet style with the following:

Green chillies

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour Cream

Salsa Verde

Chopped cilantro

Everybody built their own.

Leftovers and Pizzas

It's girl's weekend. Which means that my mom and aunts and some of their friends head out to the cottage for their annual weekend together. This has been going on for 26 years. I can remember being a kid and having my mom leave for the weekend. Seriously, I think that we were almost as excited as she was (or we thought, now that I'm a mom with littles...I'm thinking there's no way we were as excited). It wasn't because she was leaving for the weekend it was just the event itself. There was always planning and prepping beforehand and we could sense her excitement. When she was gone I can remember staying up late with my Dad watching Dr. Who and eating taco dip for dinner. Honestly, it wasn't like my mom was gone and so my Dad didn't cook, he was home before my mom during the week and therefore cooked most of the dinners, it was just the event, the special thing we did. We were always excited for her to come home Sunday to hear all about it, which is funny because she never really told us much of anything about it. I think it was just to have her home again. My dad came for dinner tonight and although life is a little crazier for me these days it's so important to me to see him for dinner on the girls weekend.

Recipe

I know I talked about trying different pizza crusts this week but, the time just slipped away from me and I make these mini pizzas on pitas tonight. They do work well.

Toppings:

Pizza 1:

Olive oil

Sun dried tomatoes

Mozzarella



Pizza 2:

Olive oil

Fresh Tomatoes

Mozzarella

Pizza 3:

Pizza Sauce

Olives

Sauteed Onions

Mozzarella

Creamy Leek, Potato and Mushroom Stew with Blue Cheese

We went to my parents for supper tonight and my Dad made this delicious stew from The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes.

Recipe

1 Package 14g dried porcini mushrooms

1 cup boiling water

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 large leeks, white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced

4 stalk celery, peelled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic,+ minced

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 lb portobello or cremini mushrooms

1 28 oz tomatoes, including juice, coarsely chopped

1 cup veggie stock

2 to 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 cup whipping cream

3 oz good quality blue cheese, such as Maytag or Gorgonzola, crumbled

In a heatproof measuring cup or bowl, combine dried mushrooms and boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes and strain, reserving liquid. Pat mushrooms dry, chop finely and set aside.

In a skillet, heat oil over mdeium heat. Add leeks and celery and cook, stirring, until softenend. Add garlic, thyme, pepper, salt and dried mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring until they are well integrated into mixture. Add tomatoes, chicken broth or vegetable stock and reserve mushroom liquid and bring to a boil.

Place potatoes in stoneware. Add contents of pan and stir.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5, until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream and cheese. Cover and cook on HIgh for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted into sauce and mixture is hot and bubbling.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

                                                                                            - John Lennon

Peace, love and happiness to all today.

May the sun shine down on you this week!

Crashing the Hard drive.

I know this is crazy late. The computer crashed, broke, died Thursday night and Dave ran a bunch of tests to confirm what he already knew, that the hard drive had crashed and he had to call Dell (who were extremely helpful and hasselfree) Sunday and order a new hard drive. I was absolutely no help at all. When it stopped working and Dave was frustrated and trying to run some sort of diagnostic test I said to him, "What if you just turn it off for awhile and then turn it back on. Would that work?" He looked at me, blinked a couple of times (I'm quite certain, bit his tongue really, really, really hard) and said, "No, no that won't work." I shrugged, "Well, I'm out of ideas!" Poor Dave...lucky me he installed the new hard drive last night (being Wednesday) and we're up and running a week later...now to catch up!

Monday: Pasta Primevera...of sorts
Tuesday: Southwestern Quinoa Salad
Wednesday: Lentil Loaf, Beet Greens and Carrots, Potato Chips and Garden Tomatoes
Thursday: Forty-Clove Broccoli and Chickpeas with Greek Bulgur
Friday: Individual Omelets, Mushroom Pate on Toasts and Fruit
Saturday: Eggplant, Green Olive and Provolone Pizza
Sunday:  Perogies and Corn on the Cob

Pasta Primevera...of sorts
The last week before school starts, although Hannah doesn't start until the week after, and even then it's a staggered week and she only goes the Monday, Wednesday, Friday but for most it's the last week of holidays. I love the changing of all seasons, I'm always ready for a change and although the freedom

of spring and summer seems to rise me up so high there's something so comforting to me about the beauty of fall and even hunkering down for the winter. I particularly love fall, the crispness, watching the trees shed their leaves preparing for a new beginning, the sight of school buses once again along the road, kids waiting at the bus stop, the return to order and routine, new school supplies and the potential of a new year laid out before you. I realize that it's the same year but for me September marks a new year way more than January, this is one of the reasons I became a teacher. In honor of the summer coming to an end, we are trying to slip back into a routine and some regular activities. Hannah will be taking the bus next year and so today we made school buses together and talked about all the safety rules. It felt good to do a few planned activities and the girls were shocked (happily) that I had a craft for them to do. So here's what they did...

Recipe

I was sent home from the shower with a bunch of leftover veggies and we still had some leftover pasta from Saturday so I mixed the two to make a Pasta Primevera.

Olive oil

2 cups of veggie stock

3 cloves of garlic, pressed

1 red onion, chopped

3 to 4 cups of chopped veggies (I had peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)

3 tomatoes, chopped

Handful of basil, chopped

Cooked Pasta (I used leftovers from Saturday night, fresh Spaghettini, about a 454g package)

Heat a good glugg of olive oil in the bottom of a pot and add the onion, saute for a few minutes and then add the veggie mix and saute for a few more minutes. I then added the garlic and sauteed for a minutes before adding in about 1/2 - 1 cup of the stock and lowering to a simmer until the veggies were just tender. Stir in the remaining stock and tomatoes and pasta. Mix together until all warm, add in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

You know what they say about pay back don't you? The girls put on another show for us this evening. Dave and I sat in our chairs as the girls twirled around and around singing a made up song. It was really cute for the first five minutes but then...I wish I wanted to watch more, I think we both did, does that make up for wanting it to e.n.d. I tried to be really polite in telling them to wrap it up, yeah - kids don't really get subtly, finally we just had to walk out. I know it sounds heartless but you weren't there, for my parents and aunts and uncles and grandma that were there (only 30 years ago) you know we're not heartless only human.

Recipe

Sometimes I have this weird time thing where I think I'll only be gone for an hour and then I fly through the door three hours later, this is what happened today. My parents were watching the girls and Dave beat me home so I ran around and got dinner ready (which I'll confess I hadn't totally planned yet). This is what I came up with and it was pretty good.

225g package quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1 19 oz can black bean, drained and rinsed

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow pepper, chopped

1/2 orange pepper, chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup cilantro, chopped

1  1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

In a large bowl whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and cilantro add in all other ingredients and mix together, let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour and serve.

Lentil Loaf, Beet Greens and Carrots, Potato Chips and Garden Tomatoes

"Harper, what does a Kitty cat say?"

"Dance, dance, dance. I a tat, I a titty tat - dance, dance, dance, dance!'

She can be awfully cute sometimes.

Recipe

I'll be the first to admit that lentil loaf is not super fancy or pretty, but I really like it. The leftovers also make great sandwiches.

4 cups cooked green lentils, about 1 1/2 cups dried

1 onion chopped

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup sesame seeds

1 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup soya sauce

1 tsp salt

1 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350F.

Spread sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and nutritional yeast on a baking sheet and toast slightly. Let cool a little and then pour into the food processor.

Heat a glugg of olive oil of medium heat and add onion, cooking until just soft. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, add the soya and vinegar and stir until combined, add to the seeds in the food processor and process together until fairly pasty. Add three cups of the lentils to the mixture a cup at a time, processing each time until fairly smooth with a little texture. Scape mixture into a bowl and add the last cup of lentils and an egg stirring until combined. Spoon mixture into two small loaf pans and bake in the oven at 350F for 35 minutes.

I like mine with grainy mustard, the kids eat their with ketsup and Dave goes back and forth.

For the Chips:

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 tsp salt

3 tsp rosemary

Preheat oven to 500F.

Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and seasoning, lay in one layer on a baking sheet (I used three sheets). Bake for 10 -15 minutes, flip and then bake for another 5 minutes (the time may vary depending how thin you sliced your potatoes, you want them to be crispy, even golden but not dark brown ).

Beet Greens and Carrots:

3 carrots, peeled, halved and cut in chunks

Beet greens from 2 bunched of beets, greens cut off - stem cut out

olive oil

vinegar

In a pan heat a glugg of olive oil over medium heat and then add the carrots, flipping around a couple of times until browned on the outside, about 4 or 5 minutes add the greens and cook until wilted, 2 minutes. Take off heat and add in 2 Tbsp of vinegar and serve.

We also had thick slices of garden tomatoes - is there anything better?

Forty-Clove Broccoli and Chickpeas with Greek Bulgur

Hannah is learning how to climb trees - she's pretty good. I think the motivation of the apples really pushed her to the limits here. I'm trying hard not to be a helicopter parent, you hear about some young adults in the workplace that have been so overprotected throughout their lives and now they need their hands held to get to work on time, work independently and need constant praise for every little job they complete, I don't want to do my children this disservice. I know that climbing trees is part of being a kid, falling is even part of being a kid...yet when I looked out at her in that tree it took everything in me to not go out and tell her to get down because she was going to break her neck (a terrible expression...I always picture a poor chicken getting it's neck broken)! I always think in terms of news stories and all I could think was a headline about a total freak accident where she falls, hits her head and somehow dies. I'm not claiming to be totally sane, what parent is? I held back, she was fine, after throwing down all the apples she could reach she climbed down.

Recipe

We had 40 clove broccoli and chickpea found here. This is really a super simple meal to make, it's not pretty but my kids devoured it.

I also made a salad to go with it with bulgur. I would have normally used couscous but I had tons of bulgur left in the cupboard and I'm trying to empty everything out.

1 tomato, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro. chopped

1/4 cup olives

2 cups bulgur or couscous, cooked

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients except for bulgur and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, then mix in  bulgur and serve.

Individual Omelets, Mushroom Pate on Toasts and Fruit

Friday morning the girls were playing airplane in their chair fort. As I'm trying to take this picture Harper says to me, "Mama, stop! I trying to concentrate - I driving!"

Recipe

The mushroom pate recipe comes from dishesfrommykitchen. I served it on little baguette toasts with omelets and fruit.

For the toasts:

Heat broiler, cut baguette in inch slices and spray for brush both sides with olive oil. Broil until golden and flip and do the same to the other side.

For omlettes:

Heat a pan over medium heat, spray generously with olive oil and pour in one beaten egg. When the starts to settle flip, fold over how you like and place on plate.

For pate:

1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 shallots, sliced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbsp butter (I used margarine)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup silvered almonds

2 Tbsp cream (I had some leftover from something else but, I would have used milk)

2 Tbsp thyme

3 Tbsp flat leaf parsley

1/4 Tbsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp pepper 

Heat butter, olive oil  in a large frying pan. Add the Red chili flakes followed by onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until soft. Now add the sliced mushroom, increase the heat and cook till they get soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. The mushroom at this stage will get slightly caramelized (don't burn it). Roughly chop the almonds in the food processor. Add the mushroom mixture and process until smooth. With the motor running, gradually add the cream. Add the herbs, and black pepper. Give it a run again then spoon the mixture and smooth the surface. Keep Refrigerated for at least 4 to5 hrs. This can be stored for 2 days if refrigerated.

Eggplant, Green Olive and Provolone Pizza

We were out at the cottage for the long weekend. The weather was just like fall, which I love but poses the sitting around eating and drinking all day problem. It was actually one of those days that started out dark and even a little rainy, as the day progressed the sun did peak out here and there but by then I was settled in for a lazy day. Hannah and I watched Charlotte's Web together with no tears...well, Hannah didn't cry this time and so I choked mine back as best I could. After the movie she said to me, "Oh, thank you mommy for letting me watch that movie!"

Recipe

The recipe for the pizza we had is from epicurious. It was a little bit of an adventure to grill, as we'd never grilled our pizza before but it was really tasty. We used bought dough but I do want to start trying some different dough recipes to find a good one, the trial for that will begin next week.

1 garlic clove, minced (I would use two next time)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/4 pound eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds

1 pound store-bought pizza dough at room temperature

5 ounces sliced provolone, cut into short thin matchsticks (1 1/4 cups), I just shredded ours

18 pitted green olives, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat grill on high, all three burners. Once hot turn middle burner off and cool for 10 minutes (this is important we didn't let it cool long enough and had some burnt bits on the first side.

Stir together garlic and oil. Brush some of garlic oil on both sides of eggplant and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill, covered, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Cut into roughly 1-inch pieces.

Stretch dough into about a 12- by 10-inch rectangle on a large baking sheet and lightly brush with garlic oil. Oil grill rack, then put dough, oiled side down, on grill. Brush top with more garlic oil. Grill, covered, until underside is golden-brown, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.

Using tongs, return crust, grilled side up, to baking sheet. Scatter eggplant, cheese, olives, and parsley over crust. Slide pizza from sheet onto grill and grill, covered, until underside is golden-brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes (this took about 10 minutes for us - just be sure to watch closely).

Perogies and Corn on the Cob

I love Junie B Jones, she cracks me up! On the way down to the cottage we listened to her on audio book, The Stupid Smelly Bus. Which made me think that Hannah and I hadn't really talked about how she felt about taking the bus (we did go over the rules and such but not her feelings about it). So, Sunday night when I was putting her to bed I asked her how she felt about taking the bus. She had a few questions about how the door worked and where she would get on and off. When we finished I asked her if she had any more questions, she thought for a second and then said, "How does a light switch work? I mean it's not even attached to the light!"...I meant about the bus. As my wise friend pointed out, that's a dangerous question to ask a five year old. I think that she's going to be just fine.

Recipe

There's no recipe, we bought the perogies and served them with fried onions, sour cream and boiled corn on the cob - yum!

I hope the sun continues to shine down on you this week!