potpourri

for the few people that actually check in here every so often, sorry that i have been neglecting even my flavor fridays.

here is something for that:

Black Bean Tomato Soup and Quesadillas

I made this meal again tonight and it was great. I recommend going easy on the chili powder. And you could serve Margaritas if you wanted to get really crazy...or if you are able to drink them.

I also had this revelation that quesadillas are freaking easy to make. Out of all the things I cook, how have I not made these before? It could not be easier. Faster than a grilled cheese sandwich even. Amazing.

**

Transitioning to solid foods with Peter has been more of an adjustment for me than for him I think. I knew the whole adage about how just when you are used to a certain routine the kid changes it up on you. I think I forgot about it....I couldn't quite figure out how his new schedule should look like and I suffered through a couple of frustrating days when I couldn't get it quite right. Thanks to the help of some dear friends that are probably tired of hearing me update them on his status, things are going a lot better.

We're up to 3 meals of solids a day now and he is doing great....I am sure things will change again soon. But for the moment, I am enjoying the steadiness.

**

Have you thought about how great God's forgiveness is? Maybe you haven't thought about it today...or maybe you haven't thought about it for awhile. But His mercies are so wonderful. The fact that He has offered us a way out, that He has provided us with a Savior....I know that it sounds simple and that this is such a basic tenet of Christianity.

But seriously...have you thought about how awesome it is that God forgives us when we fall short? I pray that I can truly appreciate His forgiveness for me some day. I don't think it has quite hit me yet...I have been reading Psalm 51 a lot recently and also listening to a series from Dr. B on the heart. I was reminded last night that God does not delight in sacrifice. He just wants our broken hearts. There is nothing I can bring to Him. Except my brokenness.

...i pray that those that read this will be able to appreciate God's forgiveness....and accept it. for me that is the hardest part I think....

**

very excited that we are going on our first vacation together as a family. it will be a short and sweet trip but much needed. thankful that we have already had some opportunities in the past few months to take baby p on "sleepovers" so I already am confident that he will do pretty well sleeping in another location....

.....that's all i have got for now...will try to re-dedicate myself to keeping this thing more current.

Flavor Friday

It has been a busy week here...I made something new, but I didn't really like how it turned out...so I won't promote it here. I have got a couple of yummy stuff planned out for next week that I am already excited over!

Company is in town for the weekend which means a lot of cooking but I will be making our favorite things so that is fine. I have already posted much of what I am making this weekend...

So, is it lazy of me to confess what my favorite frozen pizza is as of late? You can pick it up at Trader Joe's (sorry to those foreign readers). It is called Pizza Parlano...it is yummy! I make it when we have had a long day and I just don't have time or inclination to do some cooking.

....enjoy your weekend...I hope it is not full of labor...but full of relaxation...

Flavor Friday

little late here but who will notice....this sandwich is awesome....

artichoke bacon chicken salad sandwich

it is easy and you can make it in advance. and for those that don't like rosemary, you can ditch that and it will still taste good.

Flavor Friday

Pesto is great, because it is easy. Mash up a bunch of basil and garlic and you are set. But what about adding pistachios? Pistachios are a beloved nut in our household, so when I came upon this recipe, I knew it was going to be a must. Any excuse to get pistachios into the main entree!

I followed another suggested menu from Cooking Light. It suggested to serve the Fusili with Pistachio Pesto with melon and garlic bread. The melon really complemented the flavors in the pesto. And it took no cooking, which was nice.

It was a nice summer meal....enjoy!

Flavor Friday

I am not sure if this meal tasted so good because it was shared with dear friends, or if it was just freakin awesome.....but seriously. If you have not put sweet potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes at 425 degrees...you are missing out!!

Cooking Light often puts together a suggested menu--so I went with their suggestion this week and the result was a super delicious result....

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sauteed Baby Spinach

Game Plan
1. While oven preheats: cut potatoes, and coat with spice mixture.
2. While potatoes bake: prepare salsa, cook pork, saute spinach.

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa
Allspice and mango bring Caribbean flair to this dish. The salsa, redolent of mint, also packs a bit of heat thanks to a dusting of crushed red pepper. A Jamaican beer, such as Red Stripe, would complement this meal.

TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES

Flavor Tip: To tweak the taste of the salsa, use lime juice and rind instead of lemon. Or substitute chopped papaya for the mango, or if you prefer; look for ripe, golden-yellow papaya that yields slightly to finger pressure.

1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 (4oz) boneless center cut loin pork chops, trimmed
cooking spray
1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled mango
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over pork.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.
3. Combine mango and remaining 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve with pork. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and about 1/3 cup salsa)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Cut 2 (8oz) peeled sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; cut each half lengthwise into 6 wedges. Combine sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper in a bowl; toss gently to coat. Place wedges on a baking sheet, baking at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or till tender.

When I made these, it seemed like 25 minutes was just right--although some of the pieces were a little brown.

Flavor Friday

I don't want to brag about my culinary skills....but do you ever find yourself looking through your recipes, choosing something to make, and then when you are making it think, "wow! this is much easier to make than I remember." I love having that feeling because it makes me feel like I am growing. And who doesn't enjoy growing--except if it is your waist--hee hee.

Anyways, a great stand-by around here is Superfast Salisbury Steak. I don't think I realized until this week how superfast it really is. If you are "young" and do not have relatives from the Mid-West like me, you may not know (I didn't) that salisbury steak is just a fancy way of saying meatloaf.

I served some instant Idahoan mashed potatoes and corn with this. But you could also do some red potatoes and carrots if you wanted.

Guten Appetit

Are You a Shlumpadinka?

So. Ask yourself. Are you a Shlumpadinka?

I don't like to quote Oprah...as it reveals that I am a viewer...but I must say that she really does have something when it comes to this theory..

Basically, if you are guilty of running errands in your pjs or wear your husband's sweats a lot--you qualify.

I started to think about this because I have been watching a lot of "What Not to Wear" on TLC. A lovely little show of 30 minutes where the hosts tear apart women that either are wearing too many cat sweaters or think that neon is still in. Or they fall into my category of "being too busy" to look nice.

I don't know about you, but when I only have to impress my office manager and the 5 month old everyday--the motivation to dress in real clothes is pretty low. I have been challenging myself to try to look a little nicer--so that at least by the time my husband comes home he has a shred of a reason to remember why he married me in the first place.

Today I tried to jazz it up a bit (mainly because my shorts that I had worn all week and t-shirts were all covered in baby spit up). I put on my khaki capris and a nice tank top. Dressing nicely actually helped me feel a little bit better about the day. My co-worker calls it, "dressing for success." She says that even though she works at home, she makes a point of wearing work clothes. She says it makes her feel more like she is "at work." I don't know if she has stopped that since she had a baby herself....

In any case...don't give up on dressing in REAL clothes! (okay, but I think that nursing moms should get some kind of exception though. As soon as I put on a shirt, there is spit up on it. Today was a miracle to go for more than a couple of feedings without a big pile of yuck).

Real clothes really do help your outlook on life for the day.

PS If you have a chance, check out the link on Oprah's page. I think that I match Dawn most closely in what I would wear everyday if I could.