Between the Moments

Rather than resolutions, I like to set measurable, finite goals. Here are my goals for 2011:

Go to a meetup for something on Meetup.com
Climb Mt. Pilchuck
Try letterboxing
Go to the Granite Falls Museum
Go to the Seattle Art Museum
Go to the Pacific Science Center

Finish Audrey’s 1st year scrapbook
Start and finish Toby’s 1st year scrapbook
Update Audrey’s baby book to current
Update Toby’s baby book to current

Make 10 recipes in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
Make 10 recipes in Olive Trees and Honey by Gil Marks

Re-read all 9 books in the Little House on the Prairie series
Re-read all 8 books in the Anne of Green Gables series
Read 5 other fiction books
Read 5 parenting/child development books
Read Nevi’im
Read Ketuvim

Have 24 “no TV” days

Do 12 DITLs

Yes, this Jewish family will be having a Christmas brunch! Here’s what I’m making:

- Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup
- Baked Eggs with Cheddar Dill Sauce
- Mimosas

Because of Toby’s hospitalization, I wasn’t able to make everything that I had planned for this week so one recipe is being bumped out to next week. I’m also only planning three recipes this week because of Thanksgiving.

- Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa (bumped out from last week)
- Falafel Pitas with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
- White Bean Soup

- White Beans, Spinach, and Tomatoes over Parmesan Toasts
- Crockpot Potato Leek Soup
- Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa
- BBQ Tofu Sandwiches with Baked Beans

My brother is getting married in December in Mexico and then after they get home, they’re having a reception in January for friends and family. I’ve been trying to find some coordinating outfits for my family to wear to the reception. Here’s what I’m thinking:

For Audrey, this dress, with black tights and black dress shoes. She already has the tights and shoes.

For Toby, this shirt and overalls. He’ll need some black or red socks/crib shoes.

For me, I already have a black skirt and shoes. I need black tights, and then I’ll get this top and sweater.

Akiva will wear black pants and then some kind of black/white/gray long sleeved button front shirt from Old Navy.

Hopefully we’ll all coordinate enough but not look too matchy-matchy. What do you think?

I had originally planned to start my dinner menu planning the week of Oct. 25-29, but things happened and I didn’t get to start until this week, Nov. 1-5. We’ve had two of the four dishes so far that I talked about and they were both great.

Here’s what I’m planning for the week of Nov. 8-12:
- Crockpot Corn Chowder
- North African Vegetable Stew with Poached Eggs
- Vegetable Tian
- Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

I had grand plans today to make the Sugar Pumpkin Lasagna recipe from the Crepes of Wrath blog but discovered this morning that my sugar pumpkin was rotten. I decided to try to make a lasagna based on the CoW recipe but modified for a baking pan, canned pumpkin instead of fresh, and with some other slight variations. Here’s what I ended up with. I’m calling it my Autumn Lasagna.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup apple cider
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 egg
1 zucchini, washed and sliced thinly
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly
10 lasagna noodles, cooked
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons thyme
Salt and pepper

1. Combine the canned pumpkin with cinnamon, salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Thinly slice the zucchini and set aside.

3. Combine the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses in a bowl and set aside.

4. Boil the lasagna noodles, drain, and set aside.

5. Make your mushroom filling. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium heat until softened and cooked down. Add the thyme and garlic. Add the apple cider and cook until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then add to the pumpkin. Add the ricotta cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

6. Make the bechamel sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the tablespoon of flour and whisk until combined. Do not allow the roux to brown. Add the cup of milk, continuing to whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow it to simmer until reduced and thickened.

7. Now assemble the lasagna. Start by placing lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Top with some mushroom filling, some sliced zucchini, some of the bechamel, and a sprinkle of the cheeses. Continue to layer to fill the pan.

8. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until heated through. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

I have some leftover canned pumpkin now so I’m going to make Southwestern Pumpkin Burgers and freeze them to eat later.

Now that Toby has arrived and things are getting more settled with him, I’m going to try to get back into planning meals, grocery shopping, and cooking more regularly. Right now, we’re in a “eat whatever you want” kind of mode which leads to irregular grocery shopping and dietary chaos. I’m looking forward to getting regular meal planning and preparation back into my routine.

I’ve been collecting dinner recipes that look like something both Akiva and I will enjoy. That’s easier said than done since we have quite a few things we won’t eat. I’m also trying to keep the dinners at least somewhat healthy. One thing that I know works for us is for me to plan and purchase ingredients for four dinners per week. That allows for one weeknight where we’re on our own to eat something that the other person doesn’t like. And I do not cook dinners on the weekends (at least, not in any kind of organized way).

Here’s what I’m thinking about for the week of Oct. 25-29:
- Bean Bolognese
- Tofu Parmigiana
- Taco Salad
- Rice Corn Cakes with Spicy Black Beans

We used to live next door to a family named the Qualls. The mother had a wonderful salsa recipe that she shared with us and we loved. Over the years, the recipe morphed and merged with another salsa recipe from a friend of my dad’s. We still called it Qualls Salsa because that’s where it started. Here it is, in its current incarnation:

1 cabbage
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
1 large red onion
1 large yellow or white onion
2 bunches of cilantro
6 tomatoes
1 can of jalapenos
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup vinegar
Pepper
Garlic salt

That’s it! You chop everything up and mix it together. It’s best if it sits in the refrigerator for at least a few hours first. It makes a lot (and I mean a LOT) so I usually half or even quarter the recipe. Enjoy!

Dallas Ann tagged me to do this meme, so I figured I might as well! This blog is desperate for posts, anyway. One day, I’ll get back into posting more regularly. Right? A lot of my answers here are totally because of pregnancy. For example, ice cream is my favorite food right now but probably not tomorrow!

Hair – messy
Your mother – helpful
Your father – concerned
Favorite food – ice cream
Dream last night – unknown
Favorite drink – latte
What room are you in? – living
Hobby – genealogy
Fear – bugs
Where were you last night? – home
Something that you aren’t – nulliparous
Muffins – sure
Wish Llst item – books
Where you grew up – Washington
What you are wearing – pajamas
Your pet – furry
Friends – international
Something you’re not wearing – socks
Favorite store – Target
Favorite color – blue
Last time you laughed – today
Your best friend – Akiva
Best place you go over and over – home
Person who you email regularly – nobody
Favorite place to eat – Subway