She Likes Purple

Cookbook Recommendation: Joy the Baker Cookbook

In the past, I'd write this kind of thing over at Food Lush (I miss that place) but this is my only space to ramble these days, so lucky you.

I made a goal this year to cook one recipe a week from all the cookbooks I currently own, and let me just say that was a stupid goal. I edited the goal (my goals, my rules) to cook 30 recipes from my cookbooks anytime over the year. Just whenever. At my owwwwwn pace. I love making my own rules.

(I'll make a 10-recipe feast in December, for sure.)

Anyway, I'm seven recipes down. (You are BLOWN away by the time I spend in my own kitchen, aren't you?) And I noticed five of those recipes are from the Joy the Baker Cookbook. Guys, you really need this cookbook in your life. 

Every single thing I've made has been delicious and that's a pretty good track record. Mike raves! Mike is kind of picky and hates about 50% of the things I make. (He eats them all! He just requests I don't add any of those things to the regular rotation.) (I glare at him a lot.)

I made this goal to see what cookbooks I really love (since I paid money for all of them) and this is one I'm so glad I own. 

It's also like 75% chocolate, which is an excellent percentage in my book. 

Christmas (Week) Menu

Now that Thanksgiving is an entire DAY behind us, let's talk about Christmas food. I think that makes perfect sense.

So, again, my sister and her family are coming in for the week of Christmas, and since I can't actually remember the last Christmas I spent with her (maybe in 2000?), I am ridiculously excited about this year's festivities.

I'm planning some special menus.

Christmas Eve

She flies in Christmas Eve afternoon and I assumed no one would feel like cooking a big meal, but Mike got very sad about breaking our breakfast-for-dinner Christmas Eve tradition, so we'll cook.

Brown butter blueberry muffins

Pancakes (either red velvet or oatmeal cookie)

Mike's Scramble. (Mike is going to whip up scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, cheese, etc. He's requested we refer to this as "Mike's Scramble" for the duration of the holidays.)

Bloody Mary's. I might need to buy this mix (#47 from the Food Lush gift guide)

Christmas morning

Cheap cinnamon rolls from a tube. (Delicious, though!)

Mimosas

Coffee

Christmas Night

Steak (Mike's taking care of this)

Scallops in hazelnut browned butter (I've been eating a little fish for about a month now--just once every couple weeks or so--and I'll enjoy these on Christmas night.)

Whiskey glazed carrots

Green bean casserole

Twice baked new potatoes

Store-bought dinner rolls

French 75s

French silk pie, perhaps? (Haven't quite decided on dessert.)

Other

I think I'll try to whip up these cranberry & brie sandwiches at some point and maybe these old-fashioned chocolate donuts, too, because why not. It's Christmas.

One other dinner will also be this (oh-so-good) veggie lasagna or these spicy shrimp with yogurt

Have you thought about what you're having this year?

September Menu + Workouts!

So, hey! It's September 10th. This is what happens when you take a relaxing, sun-soaked vacation. TIME COMPLETELY FLIES BY. Anyway, I fell out of my work-out routine with gearing up for vacation, being on vacation (check out the very best burger in all the world I ate while in California, for starters), and then returning from vacation, but I'm back at it now.

The recipes I included this month, in case you'd like to make them or pin them are: Cheesy Broccoli Orzo, Vegetarian Taco Salad, Roasted Corn + Tomato Soup, Skinny Mozzarella Sticks, Mexican Inspired Grilled Cheese (I'm going to try to create this recipe myself. LIKE A REAL ADULT OMG), 5-ingredient Coconut Curry, Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowls, Healthier Fettuccine Alfredo, Spicy Black Bean Tostados, Stuffed Grilled Peppers (making this one up too).

As you can likely tell, September is a wee bit nuts for me, especially that third week when I'm on both a work trip and a semi-work trip (blogging-related trip) so cooking is a little light and working out might be a little tough. 

Wish me much luck through it!

August Menu + Workouts!

I know! I posted a menu back in January and February and then maybe another rogue month, who can remember, but I'm at it again because this half-marathon training prep has motivated me to .... write more plans down, it would seem. I'm an ambitious planner, you can't take that from me. If only that translated to an ambitious everything else.

Click to enlarge and make less blurry!

Anyway, hold me to this month of cooking and work-outs, would you?

***

In random other news: Cherie, the other half of Cherry Jean, put together some pretty cool sidebar badges for me (look to your right!) for some of my favorite categories. You can click on any picture and go directly to those posts. I also (finally) made some minor edits to my about page, updated the monthly archives page, and moved my 2012 to-do list over here.

Finally, last day to enter the Naya shoe giveaway (SHOES!) before I choose one very lucky winner. I have to say, I'm personally invested in the winner picking the blue ones, so I can potentially see pictures. I promise I'll still choose a winner randomly, though. I'll just choose with my fingers crossed.

February Menu

Let's all ignore today's date and pretend this isn't laughably late and maybe also pretend you're still interested in seeing my monthly menus. This month got away from me (probably partly because of my newly-formed Sons of Anarchy addiction) so a few of these I didn't get around to making but all the recipes look delicious, so I wanted to share/link to them anyway. 

Indian Spiced Vegan Chili; Whole Wheat Roasted Red Pepper + Fontina Pizza; Roasted Grape, Goat Cheese, and Honey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; Easy Black Bean Soup; Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas; Mike's Pizza (which is this Buffalo Chicken Pizza); Meatless Muffalettas; Gnocchi Mac-and-Cheese; Goat Cheese & Honey Sandwich; Avocado & Black Bean Salad; Veggie Lasagna; Tomato Basil Soup; Hummus & Avocado Toasts; Veggie Burgers (probably just Morning Star)

(January's menu!)

Making/Made anything delicious this month?

I Promise I'm Not Bragging. Oh, Fine, I Am.

I came home on Tuesday, with Kyle in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other, and I dropped both in the dark kitchen, ran to the bathroom and then went in to visit Mike who is laid up in bed with a thrown-out back.

Kyle wanted juice five seconds later, so I walked into the kitchen, finally flipped on the light and screamed. (And scared my son, who started crying. Oops!)

But it was a good scream! A THERE'S A KITCHENAID ON MY COUNTER scream. Funny, screams don't scare your kid any less when they're brought on by a thing of sheer beauty.

Mike went in on this gift for me with a handful of other people, and they all deserve baskets of baked goods from me (and they shall get them!) but he picked out and hunted down the color himself and put it on the counter alone (with a thrown-out back and everything!) and he went from making my birthday fabulous to OMG BEST EVER.

I did give up sweets for the next 12 weeks, so the timing is a little funny, but did you know in addition to baking up a storm with your KitchenAid, you can also make out with it?

Learn something new every day!

Who wants to come to my baking party in 12(ish) weeks?

Things of Note: Lately

Television this fall has been .... shitty, am I right? I love television, and I watch a helluva lot of it, but I'm almost always doing something else. Laundry, blogging, writing thank-you notes or to-do lists, flipping through a magazine. There are very few shows I turn everything off and stop everything I'm doing to watch. In fact, I can think of just two: The Vampire Diaries and Friday Night Lights (I have DirecTV, so am currently watching (and enjoying) season five).

What's the show you turn everything off for?

***

Kyle is finally (!!) saying mama regularly. He's not the most verbal child there ever was, but he speaks plenty and he's been saying dada and daddy for probably a year now. And he could point me out if you ever asked him where mama was, but he just so rarely SAID it.

He says it now.

Hallelujah, I don't have to start guilt-tripping him with details of my labor.

We were in Wal-mart last night (I hate that I ever have to write that sentence), and I was getting frozen veggies on one aisle and Mike was getting something a few aisles away, and I heard Kyle over and over and over going, "mama, mommy, mama, mommy, mama, MOMMMMMMMMY" and I just have never heard a more perfect inappropriate hollering.

***

I'm organizing a blogging meet-up dinner thing for people nearby. I think I may officially call it that, even. It's for people who happen to live in North Texas (or anywhere near North Texas, if you happen to enjoy long drives with horrible scenery!). Do you fit that description and want to be on the invite list? Let me know!

***

You should really make this lasagna. Jonna made it for us when we were in Boston and then I made it for my in-laws a couple weeks ago and MULTIPLE people told me it was the best lasagna they'd ever had. And I know I told Jonna this same thing.

It's delicious!

And easy!

And...DELICIOUSLY EASY OMG IT'S SO GOOD.

***

Kyle's teacher told me he's scrappy, which I sort of loved hearing. She then went onto tell me she thinks this, in part, because a much bigger kid pushed him down pretty hard the other day and he didn't cry or look upset, he just stood up, walked over to a chair and attempted to throw it at this kid.

Like a mini mobster!

My friend Kim said, "Come on, that's a kid you don't have to worry about. He's going to make it in life."

I'm ... proud? Maybe? Or terrified? Either or!

***

I'm honored to have one of my posts up at Story Bleed today. Thanks, Jennifer, for selecting it.

***

Finally, I finished Mockingjay this weekend (and, therefore, the Hunger Games series) and I just loved it. I cried at the end! Like a very sappy book reader! But, it was ... so good. And so rewarding without being cheesy. I was grumpy the rest of the day after finishing it and Mike finally said, "I know you're upset your book is over, but can you please snap out of it."

I don't even know what book to read next because IT WILL NOT COMPARE. NO NOPE WON'T.

(But, do you have a book you loved recently? Yes, I've asked this MULTIPLE times before and I have a super long to-do read list already, but I love talking books, so let me hear it.)

***

Thanksgiving is next week, which is a great way to show how grateful we are for family and friends and ... BLAH BLAH BLAH MASHED POTATOES DAY!!!

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

August Recap

First, a question:

HOW THE HELL IS IT SEPTEMBER?

It's all a bit mind-boggling, that we have a mere four months left until a whole new year. That means Halloween is right around the corner, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, THEN 2011, HOLY SHIT.

But, for now, August.

***

This past month I started regularly doing two things I haven't done in as long as I can recall: going to sleep at a reasonable hour and reading.

I've been offline in the evenings just as often as I've been on and let me tell you, as much as I love the internet, there's nothing quite as nice or as vital to one's peace of mind as a good book and an early bedtime.

(Unless that good book keeps you up until 1:30, I'M LOOKING AT YOU HUNGER GAMES.)

***

This month we also didn't eat out (for the most part) and, hey, we didn't die! We made a few exceptions, which I was fine with, but for the most part we ate all our meals from our own kitchen. It basically confirmed something I already knew: we spend entirely too much money on unnecessary meals. 

I'm going to try very, very hard to bring my lunch to work every day and to limit eating out to the weekends, for date nights or special family outings.

***

I've lost 31 pounds this year and have 17 more to go. It feels as if the weight is falling off ever-so slowly and that I'll never reach my goal. It's hard to keep perspective when you plateau, you know?

But, there's this: I enjoy food, I enjoy cooking (here's my September menu, if you care about that kind of thing), I enjoy running. Those are three brand-new things for me. It's hard to say I ever really enjoyed food before, not when there was so much fucked-up guilty aftermath that went along with it.

But, I no longer view food as a crutch or my particular form of self-medication. I feel I've done more for my family in terms of taking care of them and providing meals for them this year than all other years combined, and I feel I've done more for myself this year, as well.

I'm not there yet, no, and that's just frustrating, no way around it. To be close but not quite there.

But I'll get there.

When I do, drinks for everyone!

***

Style Lush continues to blow my mind. The content is just hands-down incredible. We consistently have great giveaways and fun features and the most talented DIYers I know.

Make no mistake, I am not one of them. I just organize all that talent in one place while contributing very little of it.

(Oh, and our one-year anniversary is in October. I'm lining up some great giveaways for that week. If you have a shop or store or hidden talent and want to contribute to a giveaway that week, let me know.) 

***

This month I also: saw Greenday in concert, had a fancy date night with my husband, threw a party, and went to BlogHer.

Phew. Maybe it was less of a low-key month than I thought.

***

Then there's Kyle.

Oh Kyle.

18 months has been, for us, just blissful. (Now 14-15 months was not.) He understands so much, and is so easy to talk to and get through to, and while he's doing all that BEING-A-REAL-PERSON shit, he's still a baby. There's chub, everywhere, and he's still toddling around in diapers and a little wobbly, and so soft and sweet. 

(Although 18 months did bring the toddler feet of doom. THEY SMELL OF DEATH AND ROT.)

He holds my hand, without me asking him to, and while the tantrums are brutal, they're also quick. 

He's talking more, he's laughing more, he's dancing more, he's just more, while still being so little.

He has a sense of humor and while it's a little, uh, strange -- he thinks it's HILARIOUS when we sneeze -- making him laugh has got to be the best thing on the planet. Sorry, boss, can I just quit my job and make my kid laugh for  a living because I appear to be awesome at it?

Every stage is so fleeting, so hard to remember without the help of a blog, so full of highs and lows that if you sit around think about it for very long, you can't help but cry. It's cruel, the way we are given these gifts only to have them morph into something else entirely so soon, but it's so beautiful that they're replaced with something even more amazing.

Missing who he was before is like missing a light while I live with the sun.

 

***

September holds: Kyle's first college football game, my first 10K (and lunch with Natalie), our nephew's birthday party, another birthday party, a handful of other birthdays, and the end of summer. NOT SUMMER TEMPERATURES, THOUGH, OH NO. Texas is an overachiever when it comes to being stupid.

What are you looking forward to this month?

A Few Family-approved Meals

Kyle's not so much a picky eater as he is an indifferent one. Sometimes he eats a lot (and a wide variety of things at that), but most of the time, he'd much rather be doing something else, like scaling the walls or playing with bugs outside in the 100-degree heat.

A sweltering day outside over carbs inside? If my labor wasn't a vivid memory, I'd wonder who this kid belongs to.

Anyway, if I can get him to eat a meal I've made for him, I'm stoked about it. I've had a little bit of luck lately, so I thought I'd share.

Dishes Kyle Has Asked for More of and By "Asked" I Mean "Signed" Because My Kid is Also Indifferent to Verbal Communication

1. Pizzagna from 30 Minute Meals. This was one of those glorious Rachael Ray recipes that I actually made in 30 minutes. Kyle ate every bite, including the peppers and mushrooms.

2. The Pioneer Woman's Mushroom and Swiss Sliders. I didn't add the spicy sauce to his, though.

3. Gnocchi. I just used the recipe on the side of the box we bought (basically I just poured some spinach and cheese pasta sauce over the prepared gnocchi), but he was practically licking his plate. 

4. Chicken parmesan burgers from Sweetnicks. Okay, confession, this is a parent-approved meal as Kyle didn't actually eat any of it but only because we made it after he went to bed and then proceeded to eat it all. He probably would have liked it! Tip, though: wait to pour the marinara sauce onto the bread until the last possible moment, so things don't get too soggy too quickly.

5. Pizza with brie, proscuitto, and mushrooms from Half-Assed Kitchen. I cut the amount of brie in half and added parmesan in its place. Mainly because I knew Mike would wrinkle his nose if there was too much brie. He's weird about brie. I KNOW, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Kyle liked this well enough. Although, come to think of it, he mostly just ate the crust. Still, tasty! Pizza is like a burger. Endless possibilities.

What have you eaten lately that you loved?

We're really good at reading menus, though.

While talking on the phone with my sister, her stove started beeping.

Rachel: Hey, Noah, go tell Dad the stove is beeping. (To me) Something's up with the stove, it's beeping.

Jennie: Uh. Is it dinner?

Rachel: Yeah, something like that.

Jennie: That may mean it's done.

Rachel: Maybe.

Jennie: You could look and see.

Rachel: Yeah, but I didn't put it in, so...

Jennie: Rachel, you can't think that's how dinner works? Whoever puts it in the oven has to take it out?

Rachel: Oh, I don't know.

Jennie: Rachel! Take it out of the oven!

Rachel: God, fine. But, I think the person who starts dinner really should finish it.

This story combined with that time I forgot to boil the noodles when I attempted to make Mike baked ziti when we first started dating, and you might not be too shocked to know we didn't cook much as kids.

Running, Eating, Facebooking

I registered for a 10K yesterday. Unironically. Although I'm not sure why I just wrote that since I've never known a single person to register for a race ironically.

Or, come to think of it, to spend any money whatsoever ironically.

Registering for a 10K is just something I've never done before or ever thought I'd be ready to do before this year. After I hit "register," I thought: huh, maybe I didn't think this through because I'm ... pretty terrified. Excited, sure, but mostly terrified.

I started training last night. I have four months to finish an 8-week program, which -- if I'm applying my first-grade math correctly -- is plenty of time. That doesn't stop me from wondering how in the hell I'm going to run SIX STRAIGHT MILES (plus a little more). My goal isn't to finish. My goal is to run the entire time, even if my pace is more molasses-like jogging than running. At least it won't be walking. I don't need to pay to prove I'm capable of walking six miles.

I'm also seriously considering signing up for a bootcamp class through our local rec this summer. It's on my to-do list for the year, and I think I'm ready. I wanted to get some of the weight off first, so I wouldn't be too discouraged in class. But. Well. The class is at 5 a.m. You're probably puzzled by that time. Let me clarify: that a.m. means morning and that 5 means just a handful of hours after midnight, when I usually go to sleep. I'll be working out when it's practically still night. 

Working out in the middle of the night by choice sounds like the worst idea I've ever had. (And just this past weekend I had the idea to get up in front of a bar full of people and sing karaoke.)

I can't help but think, though, that finishing something so seemingly challenging might feel fantastic.

We'll see.

***

I've also had this nagging thought lately about starting a food blog. That's insane, I know it is, as I don't think the universe is going to give me a few extra hours to cram into my day. And without those extra hours, I'm pretty tapped out of free time.

It's just, I really enjoy finding new recipes, new ingredients and new techniques and products. I enjoy my time in the kitchen and would love to have a place where I track everything I'm making/baking/ruining. I'd also love to have one place where I keep record of all the fun restaurants I'm trying and what I've tried there. 

It's doing what so many projects and ideas and grand plans do to me: whisper in my ear until I totally forget about them or turn them into reality.

Again, we'll see.

***

Did you know I run a style website? You probably did because I very rarely shut up about it (I'm proud of it, and I think being proud of something is totally okay). Well, if you're interested, we've launched a Facebook page for Style Lush. Go check it out (it's actually really awesome, with links to fantastic things all across the internet, not just from our site).

***

Finally, it terms of my Real Marriages series, is there a question you have or a topic you'd like to see explored? I'm reaching out to a few people for guest posts, and I think knowing your thoughts on this will help me schedule well.

Mid-month update

This month I had a few goals: get our budget under control, get our dirty house under control, give up chocolate, give up snapping at people I care about and participate in the 29 Days of Giving exercise I've mentioned before.

New goal: make it to May.

I've done well on some things, not so well on others (uh, such as The Snapping). It is entirely unnatural of me to push forward and try harder the next week/next month when I feel I haven't done my best on something. It's unnatural to dust myself off and start over. I call it my Pass the Cupcake pattern, which sounds delicious, but it is really just metaphorically indicative of how I get when I slip up: my instinct is to say "ah, fuck it, pass the cupcake."

If I've done anything this year that I am proud of, even more than that 5K, it's dusting myself off and trying harder the next day/week/month.

Instead of saying screw it, I'm going to try harder the rest of the month.

***

Mike starts a new(ish) shift this week, and it's going to make running in the evenings nearly impossible. Unless I leave Kyle home alone, and although Molly is pretty attentive, I'm afraid she'd use that free time to exact her revenge for all the times he's stuck his finger in her eye.

So, I'm debating running in the mornings. 

I'm not a morning person. I feel good after I work out in the mornings, and it sets me up for a great day, but getting out of bed and into running shoes at 6 a.m. (when I'd need to get up) is about 10x harder than going out for a run after work. I'm a night person, always have been, but the thought of only running weekends bums me out.

Not that you can provide much more than, "Just get your ass out of bed already," I know, but if you do have morning work-out advice, I'd gladly take it.

***

Why does he look 15 here?

I think he was telling me about the unfairness of not having free access to Mike's fish tank. Or that he wanted more animal crackers. His tangents all sound the same.

***

Happy week, kids. I'm making this Caesar spaghetti at some point, which looks delicious, and am having dinner at Taverna for a co-worker, which thrills me to no end because, check out that menu, and I'm not footing the bill. So, week's highlights are all about food. No one should be surprised.

Let's mainly focus on the desserts

I originally thought I'd talk today about workplace flexibility, although I don't think there's anything left to say on the subject. I think it's all been said. Both much, much better and much, much worse than what I could (or, hell, will) say. Look, if you know what I'm referring to, I would never begrudge Heather the opportunity to go to the White House. If the White House (especially this administration) called me up and invited me to speak on nuclear physics, I would. I'd even pretend to hate Veronica Mars and champagne if it meant a White House invitation. But, that doesn't mean I (or anyone) shouldn't be allowed to say: I hope mothers who leave their home to go to work are well-represented too. Hell, my first thought was I wish my boss was invited. No one does workplace flexibility better than him, I swear it.

Workplace flexibility is huge and it's not a blogging issue or a gender issue. Without workplace flexibility I couldn't do half the shit I do, and everyone should be so lucky as me (even though there's plenty I find worthy of complaint in my life, agreed). It's why I'm able to go to Kyle's doctor appointments and his class Thanksgiving meal and occasionally take the day off to go to the zoo instead of attending staff meetings. It's a huge, important issue (for me, for millions) and wanting to see the right representatives speak on behalf of working parents doesn't make you a troll or jealous or full of hate. It makes you a responsible parent.

So, since I'm obviously not going to talk about it (ahem), let's talk about dessert instead.

I'm sorry but sugar is much better than Internet stuff.

I'm throwing a girl's dinner at my house soon, and I'm making dessert. Maybe even two desserts if I'm feeling crazy enough

If I shared a few things I'm considering making, would you, uh, help me pick one? Oh, I know, I could easily pick one without you. Which dessert to make is not exactly a brain teaser, but you get to 1) discover great new dessert recipes and 2) have an opinion about them. I'll also tell all the dinner guests that my blog friends helped me out.

1. The Pioneer Woman's lemon crumb bars

 

2. Giada's strawberry and mascarpone-filled cupcakes

3. Banana espresso cake

4. Chocolate truffle cookies

5. Love & Olive Oil's mini chocolate cheesecakes

 

6. Orange chocolate mini-cupcakes

7. Peanut butter fudge puddles

8. Smitten Kitchen's peach cupcakes

9. Eat at Home's (great blog) apricot pound cake

 

Oh, they all look so good, don't they? But which would you like to munch on at a girl's dinner?

Also, happy weekend to you.

March recap

March was a bitch. Albeit one of those bitches you can't help but love. Like Pink or Martha Stewart.

We got some news that bummed us out, but we're feeling confident (crazy?) that things will eventually be fine. Even if "fine" means living in denial. You do what you must. I also got a new writing gig at The Stir, and I love it. I LOVE IT IN ALL CAPS. (If you haven't added my posts' feed to your readers, you should.)

Style Lush continues to impress me. Case in point, I had lunch with Natalie (one of the SL writers) the other day, and afterward I thought: she's ridiculously stylish. And not just in the perfectly-put-together, hefty-price-tag-wearing way, but in the comfortable-in-her-own-skin way. She owns herself, that was clear, and helping you own who you are is my entire goal with the site. So, yes, I love it over there. Hopefully you do too.

We went meatless this month, and it was actually pretty doable if you're asking me. If you're asking Mike, it's a torture tactic the U.S. government should look into. He whined his way through the entire thing even though the entire thing was his idea. (That's a little peek into my life. Feel for me.) Every time I made something, he would say, "This would be better with a side of steak." But, we managed, and we're better for it, I believe that. We tried a lot of new things (some new things gave us food poisoning, ahem). We challenged ourselves. I like how that feels and hope to give up something again soon that I didn't think I could do without, but come to find out, I can. I can do a lot I didn't once think I could.

Like run a 5K. Man, that feat still makes me smile. I'm proud of myself, you should know. Doing things that make you feel like you can conquer the world or, more realistically, your life's to-do list? Yeah, that's not a bad way to go through life.

Then there's Kyle. Oh, you guys. He's the best. He's clapping and blowing kisses and he makes monster sounds when you say, "make your monster sounds!" And he can count to one (granted that's just pointing, but whatever), and he is becoming obsessed with books. We read Brown Bear, Brown Bear 97 times in a row, and I think he likes the blue horse best. He's still a shrimp who'd rather crawl all over the place than attempt to walk. Whatever you want, buds. You have your whole life to master walking. And when you crawl, you can see the ground better and the ground is where old pieces of English muffin live. He went through a pretty strong mommy phase this month and can I just say: IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME. He no longer wants his papa 24 hours a day, and it's nice to no longer have to constantly remind him why he should love me best. He also unloads the dishwasher and likes chocolate. 

He's still the very best part of each and every month.

For April, I'm going to get creative with gift giving, and I can't wait to surprise friends and strangers with nice things, even if those nice things aren't things at all.

I'm also hosting a girl's dinner this month and we're going to an Art's Festival and I'm gearing up for my next 5K. I also hope to get a really tight grip on our budget and the state of our house. See, our house looks like a crazed elephant ran through it most of the time. And I hate that! Maybe we'll take a stab at this "spring cleaning" thing everyone talks about.

I'm also making crab cakes this month.

And since it's finally (FINALLY!) spring, we're going to get outside, go to the parks near our house, drive with the windows down and get eaten alive by mosquitoes. Texas is annoying year round, turns out.

So, spill it, what are you looking forward to in April?

Crab cakes

I'm so lame. I'm publishing an entire post about crab cakes. I bet you're a little embarrassed to know me right now.

Moving on. One of my 2010 To-Do List items is to make crab cakes (sidebar!). Aside from Mike's mashed potatoes and maybe a perfect cupcake, they're my favorite food. But unlike sex or pizza, you actually can have a bad crab cake. I don't want my first (hand-cooked) crab cake experience to be bad!

Neither does Mike. He puts up with a lot of my experimenting in the kitchen, but he'd sure like to know he's getting something delicious for dinner.

Do you have an incredible crab cake recipe? Do you know of one you can link to? So far, I'm leaning toward trying the Barefoot Contessa's recipe. She's from prime crab country after all.

But, still. You are the smartest people I know. If anyone can trump the Barefoot Contessa, it's you.

(Also, we're staring down our last Meatless March day. I'm doing just fine but I'm pretty sure Mike is going to have a cheeseburger for breakfast on Thursday. His words today: "I'm over this crap." Anyway, I'll write about our meatless month soon.)

Bullets that have nothing to do with each other

- Are you part of Book Lushes? Do you live in the DFW area? If you answered yes to both, go here and tell me if you'd be interested in a local book club meet-up to talk about the March selection. I'm hoping to aim this talk post-April 4, so we can have wine at our meet-up. I think all meet-ups should have wine.

- American Idol. I've read countless recaps saying how horrible this group is and how horrible Ellen is and how the show, well, it has lost it, but no! No! It's usually bad the first live week and Ellen is no Kara, fine, but she's no Paula either, THE WOMAN WHO COULD NOT SPEAK ENGLISH UNDERSTANDABLY. Also, I think there are some incredible singers this go round, really. (Andrew, Lee, Didi, Lilly) (Not to mention, season TWO. AND THREE. Both horribly boring and sub-par seasons that I couldn't even bring myself to watch regularly.)

- Kyle's still not walking, and I actually don't care much. I'm surprised at how not worried I am about this because, ha-ha, that's just what I do. Some adults pay their bills on time and get plenty of sleep and eat all their vegetables whereas I obsessively worry. I know he'll do it when he's ready, though, and he's shown all the signs of getting there. I even think he could probably do it now, he's just not that interested, BUT I keep thinking how much easier it would be if I didn't have to carry him everywhere. To put him down on the ground and let him get himself from point A to point B would be such a nice change of pace. It's more that I'm lazy than worried, you see.

- I ran two straight miles yesterday. I was so exhausted and so sweaty but also so damn proud of myself that when I walked out to my car, I half-expected a marching band playing celebratory tunes and a group of friends clapping and throwing confetti to be waiting for me. I was just so taken aback that I could do that. It wasn't easy, oh no, and I wanted to quit roughly 9 million times throughout those 28 minutes (my pace is slow, yo), but I've never run two straight miles in my life. Even when I was 108 pounds and dancing every day, I wasn't running. This is a DAMN FEAT but, my god, I have to run a whole extra 1.2 miles in exactly a month, and if I do it, I really will expect that confetti. Got that?

- I find myself constantly thinking about Top Chef -- which isn't normal, I know -- but my love for that show runs deep. I get physically sad when a season wraps-up because I know I'll have to wait months and months for another installment, and although I couldn't really get into Top Chef Masters its first season, I will definitely be tuning in when it airs in April. I NEED MY TOP CHEF FIX. Where is the foie gras? And the ceviche? I'd even take gratuitous foam usage if I could just see one little Quickfire. (And all those Top Chef knock-offs don't do it for me. Chopped, The Next Food Network Star, blah blah, NO.) Do you have a show like this? That you are unhealthily attached to?

- We kick off our Meatless March this Monday, and I plan to document it (who's surprised?) but almost exclusively over on my Flickr stream. So, follow along, if you'd like.

We finally have a clean-bill-of-health baby, so we're going to pack our weekend with plans (as in: WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE, WHOO), but tell me, what are you up to this weekend?

Goals: making and meeting

Confession: my brain has more motivation than my body ever will. See, my brain wants to change the world, run a marathon, cook dinner and then put on something sexy for my husband. My body wants a donut, a nap and a magazine, in that order. My entire life has been a constant struggle reconciling what my brain wants to accomplish (EVERYTHING!) and what my body wants to accomplish (NOTHING! WITH A SIDE OF SLEEP!).

With all that said, 2010 has been quite a surprise for me. Despite it being stupidly cold, which I've hated, it's also been full of me pushing myself and doing new things and being a person of my word and, oh my hell, this stuns no one more than me.

Instead of getting into a rut or letting the new-year high fade into the springtime consumption of every chocolate bunny (marshmallow-filled, please!) imaginable, I'm setting new goals while continuing to go after some old ones. LIKE A REAL GOAL SETTER, OMG. This is all so novel to me!

For instance, last night, I high-tailed it to the gym after we got home from our mini-College Station trip, and I was set to run some intervals (jog five minutes, walk three, jog five, walk three, you get it) when I decided, let's see how far I can push this. I ran more than a mile, without stopping, and although I'm sure your toddler could run that long without breaking a sweat, one mile without stopping is not something I can normally do. In fact, it's not something I have done since I was 18. When I finished, there was only sweat on my treadmill and not parts of my hacked-up lung! Success! This 5K I'm attempting next month seems FEASIBLE and POSSIBLE instead of maybe something I just say I did while sipping mimosas instead.

Speaking of mimosas, I've decided to give those up for Lent (along with every other type of alcohol). Before you ask, no, I'm not even part Catholic and I've only ever attended a Catholic mass when I liked a Catholic boy, but that's OK, right? I mean, if partaking in Lent even though I'm not Catholic offends some, I should probably not mention all that pre-marital sex I had. This is more to see if I can do this and it's also a perfectly-timed reason to eliminate a lot of unnecessary calories so I can meet my goal weight faster. So, Easter Sunday, who's in for a keg party at my house?

I'm giving up two other things in March. The first: meat. The second: shopping. Mike and I are kicking off a Meatless March in a week or so, and thank god for food blogs is all I can say. (But, hey, feel free to share your favorite vegetarian recipe below.) We're not trying to make some Statement here or toying with extending our Meatless March to Meatless FOREVER; we're simply spicing things up, pushing ourselves to try new recipes, seeing if we can, etc.

The shopping, well, that's something I've done before and something I'd really like to do again because -- and this is going to shock the hell out of you, so you should probably sit down -- the quickest and most effective way to save money is not to spend it. I know! Next you're going to tell me eating less and working out more is the secret to weight loss or something! I'll still pay our bills and grocery shop and make sure Kyle has diapers, but Etsy, you've been warned.

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Hey, also, if you're proud of any part of your home, join the Style Lush Cribs flickr pool and share those cute rooms, nooks, corners, closets with us!

Define handmade

On my Things to Do in 2010 list, I have "make Kyle a birthday banner by hand."

So, putting this to a vote: does it count if it was indeed made by hand, just not by my hand? My best friend Natalie (and her mom and Granny) made this for Kyle, and displaying it made me ridiculously happy and not at all stressed out, which are signs of a great craft project, don't you think?

Can I put a line through this list item or not?

Does it help that I made these cake balls all by myself, only getting assistance from my dad and husband during the tasting portion of the recipe?

 

(Recipe here. Not for those concerned about their pants fitting the next day, by the way.)

Tell it to me straight. Although, I have a few cake balls left over if you tell me what I want to hear.

Post-Christmas

Hey, first things first, take a look in the sidebar! Where my 2010 list lives. See how one item already has a nice, straight line crossed through it? AND IT'S STILL 2009? That would be me kicking ass, my friends. Although, thankfully none of you actually tasted the cinnamon buns I made from scratch Christmas morning because if you had, you'd be far less likely to pat me on the back for my achievement. As I was cleaning up the kitchen (for the 87th time in three days, my lord cooking makes a mess), I asked Mike, "Will you eat these if I save them?" and he didn't answer, which is how I know he doesn't want to answer and also doesn't want to lie and can't think of a non-lie, won't-start-a-fight response quick enough. He just says nothing at all in hopes I'll forget I asked him a question in the first place, which never happens, I AM A WOMAN, YOU KNOW. I asked again and he said (very noncommittally), "Uh, whatever." I asked again, and he said, "No, they weren't so good. Sorry, babe." And he was right. I either did something wrong or....no, that would be the only thing that could have happened, come to think of it.

 

(Other updates from this post, as in what I cooked and how it came out, can be found in my flickr stream. In case you don't feel like clicking through: the cinnamon buns were the only non-delicious part of our Christmas menu, thank goodness.)

Other than the food, we really did have a great holiday break, although things kicked off with Kyle getting bronchitis, and if you've ever been sent home from the pediatrician with a nebulizer in order to administer breathing treatments on your not-yet-year-old baby*, you know that's no way to ring in Christmas Day, MY GOD, THE HEART, IT BREAKS.

 

He was still a champ (he always is), so the hacking cough and raging fever couldn't quite keep him (nor his hair) down.

He even managed a smile or two.

And....other emotions, as well.

 

(He's crying because he now plays this new game called Throw All His Food Off His High Chair To Watch Molly Eat It. He thinks it's a great game, and who the hell am I to try and break him of this behavior when it keeps him 1) occupied while I do the dishes or (more likely) 2) entertained while I watch old 90210 episodes. But when all the food has been thrown, and he has nothing left to throw, THE WORLD ENDS OMG. Really, THIS is the kind of face you make when you're out of food to feed something else, child? I hope you channel that giving nature into taking awesome care of your mom one day.)

We also bought a car over the break and, yeah, that's even bigger than bronchitis, perhaps I should have led with it, but I'm still in a bit of shock about it. As you may remember, we definitely NEEDED a new car since the old one stopped reversing and, yes, you are allowed to laugh now, we realize it's kind of a funny thing to go wrong with a car, but it's less funny when you're the one driving the damn, non-reversing thing. So, we got a new one. Just like that. (Although NOT just like that, of course, as there was plenty of stressing and test-driving and crunching numbers and warnings of YOU CANNOT BUY ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL FOREVER PLUS A WEEK, GOT THAT?), but we have a new car. One that reverses. Phew.

Let's end on a snowier note, though, just because I'm still not over that we had a white Christmas Kyle's first Christmas. IN TEXAS.

 

(Front of our house, from the icy street.)

I hope your holidays were filled with all good things, and I thank you for joining me in 2009.

*I get to call him a baby until he at least turns one. GIVE ME THIS NEXT MONTH.

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At Style Lush today, I'm asking you to share your favorite holiday gift with us, so go answer.

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Don't forget to comment on this post (and pass the post along, if you would). I'm hoping to take a check to Jonathan's Place the second weekend of January, and I'd just love to mention how many people helped bring it there.

Christmas cooking

We're staying put this Christmas, thankfully, because it's our first Christmas in our first home with our first boy and I think that calls for a little celebrating in our own backyard. Also, holiday traveling sucks, and my Christmas wish list* does not include spiked blood pressure.

But, all this time at home means lots a few holiday meals are my responsibility. So, in case you're in the same boat, let me share my (tentative, could-all-be-scrapped for Taco Bell) menus:

Christmas night
Chipotle pork cheeseburgers
The Pioneer Woman's potato bundles
Chocolate chip cookies

After Christmas, breakfast-for-dinner get-together with family
The Pioneer Woman's monkey muffins 
A breakfast casserole I'll give the recipe for soon enough (it's unbelievable)
Banana sour cream bread (or some other type of bread/muffin I might stumble upon, suggestions?)
Grand mimosas

What are you making this Christmas?

*I'm actually going to post my holiday wish list on Style Lush Wednesday. Stay tuned!