The Icing On The Cake

A little fun

2010-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this. As much as I love Martha, I did find it absolutely hilarious.

Hodgepodge

2010-10-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful weekend here - very hot and sunny days, but it is getting dark very early now and it is chilly at night. I'm a little sad because I'm one of the only people who likes spring/late winter better than fall. It's not that there is anything wrong with fall, but I love days that get longer and the promise of summer, not the gathering gloom of winter. Enough gloom though, because there are a few things that I am loving right now.

Hula Girl Sugar is delicious on my morning coffee. I love the strong vanilla flavor! It may have been a touristy gimmick that drew my eye toward it in the gift shop, but I'm a convert. No matter how surly my company is in the morning, I can close my eyes as I drink this and pretend I am back on Maui. My surly company loves a little of this sugar sprinkled over greek yogurt with frozen blueberries :)

My morning routine is pretty minimal these days - wash my face, lots of sunscreen, a little concealer and blush as needed, and then a little something pretty :) This is the perfect sheer candy apple color. I could use a few other instant pretty things - any recommendations?

Mcintosh apples are my favorites. Their crispy sweet tart flavor is simply the best in my book for cooking and eating. I will dice one up and toss with cinnamon and sugar, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes at about 350. This beautiful image is courtesy of New York Apple Association© New York Apple Association

I like to try one new recipe every week. It is fun for me to expand the repertoire, and I think it makes life more interesting for the other folks in our house when we have different things to eat. So, in the spirit of fall, I'm going to try this recipe, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. Sounds delicious!

What are you looking forward to this week?

A Haul from Old Navy

2010-10-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

There may have been a time when I turned up my nose at Old Navy. I was just discussing this with a friend this past weekend. ON has totally stepped up their game in the last few years. It used to be sort of boxy tees and tanks, nothing really terrible, but not stuff that I was ever excited about buying. I limited my visits to about once a year for workout tanks.

Now, I'm leading a lifestyle were I need clothing that is cute, but that also doesn't cost an arm and a leg, in case something happens to it. ("Something" being baby food, cat vomit, and other unpleasant sundries from the domestic life). Specifically, while I am scrambling after the naughty munchkin at the park or out and about, I don't want to worry about snagging a nice sweater or getting muck on a very delicate shirt. But, I also want to look cute and presentable. Just because I hang out with a toddler does not mean that I want to wear mom jeans and frump it up.

For chilly mornings at the park, I'm hoping this sweater works out! For leggings and boots and a comfy day of running errands, this tunic looks promising.

BTW, how awesome was Glee last night? After I got Miss K distracted with some toys, I watched it again today.

Also, per my to do list post yesterday, I wanted to link to this awesome holiday to do list template. Isn't that neat?

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail - Meal Planning for Type B People

2010-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

I used to think that I was a Type A. Then I was a big firm lawyer for a few years. I quickly realized that I am just a relatively uptight and anxious Type B who likes to make lists. That said, I do like having a weekly agenda of meals. It makes me feel like I know what we are going to eat when, and it also forces me to use up the ingredients that I buy. Nothing annoys me more than wasting food.

I'm now starting to get into a rhythm for planning. Friday afternoon during K's nap is when I sit down with my recipe binder of all the recipes I've clipped from magazines, my laptop with Epicurious and my little meal planning notepad. I also have a cup of tea and cookies. I've decided that meal planning is the way that I'm going to try those recipes that I've always hung onto, but never made. When I sit down to go through the binder, I can scan exactly how long something will take, and can note whether I need to purchase anything different at the store.

I use the weekends to try stuff that is more time consuming, or that really requires my undivided attention. K and her dad have a lot of football to watch together, so they are pretty busy these days :). K and I go to the grocery store about once per week for a big stock up, and then we will walk to the farmers' market or to the grocery store a few other times to pick up the little incidentals and fresh produce as needed. So far, it's working! I am not really wasting food anymore, and I feel like we are benefiting from working some new recipes into the old standbys. How do you menu plan? Also, what is your pantry staple supper for the night when everything goes wrong, but you feel too cheap to spring for takeout?

To Do: Organization

2010-10-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am on mission plough through my to do list and get organized. This involves lots of time thinking about routines and rearranging things. I've been poking around and found some helpful stuff to share with you all.

1. A great to do list template that makes printing your list and keeping it tidy a breeze located here

2. This blog provides lots of great ideas for household organizing. I love how she suggests some habits to develop to keep clutter in line. If only I could adopt them!

3. This blog makes getting organized seem so chic. I love their vision, and I also love that they provide an 8 week plan for better organization. The visuals remind me of my beloved and no longer in print Domino and Blueprint!

4. I heart this store and their adorable notepads. I've been sticking with meal planning much more consistently since I picked up a little notepad that lists my meals for the week and the ingredients I need. I feel like I could be even more organized with more adorable notebooks.

In non-organized fashion...for those that miss Gourmet Magazine, what do you think of the new Gourmet?

Where I've been

2010-10-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

I was the only person in California who had never been to Hawaii. I was there for five days last week and am now plotting and scheming for my return. It was paradise, from the beautiful water to the delicious food, to the adults only "serenity pool." We stayed on Maui, and while it was probably not the most authentically Hawaiian experience, we left relaxed, refreshed and thoroughly in love. Everyone was so friendly, and unlike LA, the other drivers were unfailingly courteous.

This was the view from my poolside cabana where I napped and ploughed through the Twilight Saga. I'm all done!

Our hotel did a beautiful sunset ceremony every evening, and I was able to get a great picture of the performer. Sunset was amazing! They also had beautiful Hawaiian music and hula in the lobby bar. Seriously, I definitely recommend staying here here

So, I hope you all have a beautiful Monday morning. I'm back to the daily routine and it's good to be back. Because, as much as I needed a little break from daily life toddler wrangling, I missed her. Oh, I should have said that earlier...it was a child free holiday - second honeymoon I guess :)

A typical day

2010-09-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Preppy did a great post about this, so I thought I'd do one too. I'm always curious as to how other people spend their days, so please feel free to do one!

6:00 to 7:00 Generally around 6:20, Miss K starts rattling the bars of her crib and saying "Up." That means it's go time. I retrieve her, change her, and we go outside to get the paper. For some reason, she loves heading outside for the paper first thing. (My husband travels a ton for work, and he was out of town today. When he is in town, we bring her back into bed with us when she wakes up and we all watch Good Morning America and the local morning news together. When it's just me, I just head upstairs and get my coffee started).

7:00 ish - Breakfast. Oatmeal, milk and applesauce in the highchair. Throw in a banana or little bits of prune (I know - she has funny taste). I clean her up and have her play in the dining room and kitchen while I eat breakfast and read the paper. I also always need a very strong cup of coffee, because I really like to wake up at 7:00 - not 6:20. Today, I woke up at 6:07. That is a little early.

8:00 - 9:00 K goes and hangs out in her crib to watch a little Curious George or other PBS kids show, while I run around like a madwoman cleaning up the kitchen, dealing with feeding the cats, and getting myself sort of presentable for our morning activity. By presentable, I mean I put in my contacts, wash my face, brush my teeth, and put on sunscreen or tinted moisturizer depending on the activity. I firmly believe that if you put on workout clothing, you will work out, so my uniform is lululemon pants or shorts, a tank and a hoody. If we aren't going out for exercise in the morning, I will wear jeans and a top or a dress. I can squeeze the quickest of quick showers in if I have to, but my hair is not blown out. Apologies, but she won't stay in the crib for longer than 30 minutes!

9:00 to 12:00 - I love to walk for exercise, so most days we head out for about an hour or so walking. Today, we went for our walk, then came home and cleaned up to head over to the park to play for a while. Since there is no more morning nap, I'm pretty free in the mornings to go out and do some fun stuff or some errands. (There is a morning snack in here at some point - generally when we are out in the stroller for our walk - Miss K does appreciate some tasty baked goods with a sippy cup of milk).

12:00 - 1:00 This is when lunch is served. For K - not me! She is starting to get interested in utensils other than her hands, so I always provide them. So far, not a whole lot of success. She enjoys a grilled cheese sandwich, or some black beans or peanut butter crackers for lunch. More milk too! She plays while I clean up the kitchen. Or, she plays while I scarf some lunch and ignore how messy the kitchen is!

1:00 -2:00 At some point in here, Miss K goes down for her nap. I zip her into her little sleep sack and pop her into the crib. I sit in her room until she falls asleep. I know I need to stop, but I haven't figured out how to break the habit yet. Once she is down for her nap, I take my shower, and work on whatever needs to be done - returning phone calls, laundry, tidying up, bill paying, letters, etc. Today, for example, I sat around and read Twilight Eclipse in my unmade bed, surrounded by unfolded clean laundry. It felt like playing hooky and I loved it :)

3:00 - 4:00 Sometime in here, Miss K wakes up. Time for another small snack and milk. She has started not to eat quite as much as she used to, so this doesn't take long.

3:00 to 6:00 Time to head out again for something - either another walk or errands. Today, we went to the grocery store. She loves riding around in the cart, and is in a really good mood after her nap. This is the one good thing about being down to one nap. It means that I have time in the late afternoon to do one more errand or trip outside. When we were on two naps, she was sleeping from around 3:00 to 5:00, so there wasn't a lot of time to get stuff done after that second nap. We also love going for another walk to the park to allow her to run around.

6:00 Back home and time for dinner. If my husband is not travelling, I've spent part of nap time doing dinner prep - setting the table and preparing the meal. If he isn't, I eat a salad and poached eggs, like tonight, or something else really easy. Sometimes, it's really boring, like a bowl of cereal. Miss K eats dinner - tonight it was pasta with pesto...sadly, she did not like my homemade pesto and bowtie pasta. Another cup of milk.

6:30-7:45 More playtime. If we are on our own, like today, more PBS kids because I'm tired. Although, honestly, she seem to ignore the show and just play.

7:45 - 8:00 Time for a quick bath and bedtime. Miss K is pretty tired at the end of her day, so we do not have a very complex routine. I brush her teeth, zip her in a sleep sack, and let her turn off the light in her room. I miss her, but I know I'll see her again, bright and early.

8:00 - 10:00 Ok. She is safely asleep, so I can clean up the kitchen, run the dishwasher and then sweep around the living room picking up toys. Or, I can sit in the living room looking at all the toys strewn about and decide I won't deal with them until tomorrow. It all depends on the day :). Some days, I use this time to work on recipes or do meal prep. Other days, we sit and watch TV. I watched an episode of "Four Weddings" as I did this post. Then, it's downstairs to bed.

The days are long, but the years seem short. Especially now that she gives hugs and kisses.

Late to the party

2010-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

I think I'm the only literate person in America who hasn't read the Twilight Saga. In late July, K and I both had hand foot and mouth - a particularly loathsome virus that gives you a fever and a bad sore throat. While in the throes of infection, and housebound, we watched Twilight. And I loved it!

The English nerd in me saw lots of similarities to my beloved Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. I felt a little silly checking out all the titles at the library, but then the librarian said it's the most popular series of books and that everyone has already read them.

Alright then. I'm on a mission to get caught up with the rest of America. The only problem is that I'm a terrible frady cat with a way too vivid imagination. Am I ever going to sleep again? I guess it's too late - I've read the first few chapters and I'm hooked!

What are you reading?

This post brought to you courtesy of Trace Atkins

2010-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

I don't actually like all that much country music, but I heard the lyrics to "You're Gonna Miss This" and it just made me stop and think. Here are a few pictures of my munchkin over the last 16 months, and I cannot believe how much she has grown. Fall always gets me in sort of a ruminative state, and I've been thinking a lot about how quickly the time goes by. With a baby, that process speeds up even farther; I feel like it's been at least five years since I acted like me pre-baby.

So, I think I'm going to use this fall to try to take in more of the little moments and to focus less energy on where we are going. Lord knows, we are headed into the future quickly enough, so now is the time to sit back and enjoy the present.

For me, that means doing more fun things to mark the seasons - whether it's baking special Halloween cookies or wrestling someone into a Halloween costume, and also spending more time on the floor playing and less time folding laundry and playing on the internet.

How do you make the most of the here and now?

Taming the Chaos

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

When K first came home from the hospital, the only evidence of her presence outside of the nursery was a little stack of receiving blankets next to the couch, and a little canvas bin with diapers and such in our windowseat. Times have changed. Not only can she climb on almost all the living room furniture, it looks like her toys are reproducing each night. Our living room is blessed with high ceilings and abundant light, but cursed with absolutely no built in storage or closet to contain her mess.

Courtesy of the Container Store and Ballard Designs, there is a little more living in the living room, now that it looks a little nicer.

I've instituted a five bin rotation of toys. Each day, K gets an new bin filled with a variety of toys and books. It makes picking up after her so much easier, and she doesn't seem to notice that she's only playing with a fifth of her toys.

Now that she can touch everything, I've had to move books and remotes to a safe space. That's where the Ballard Designs shelves come in handy. I will post a picture, but they hang out right over one couch, and provide a safe space for the books I want to read - and another place to display photos of her. I'm ordering two more to be installed further down the wall. I shopped around for a while at Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and West Elm before going with Ballard. I loved that they don't charge tax if shipping to California, and thought they were the best value around.

How do you stay organized? Any other toy/clutter containment ideas? Her bedroom and bookshelves are a whole different story :)

Coffee Talk

2010-09-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

I don't actually like coffee cake in the morning. It's too rich and sweet. I feel the same way about doughnuts. I love both as desserts or as an afternoon snack, but they are just too rich for breakfast.

That said, I bought raspberries at the store last week and didn't want to toss them. It's also about 60 and cloudy here, so I didn't really feel like eating them plain. A friend had emailed it to me months ago, and it sat in my recipe file. I stared at it, thought about it, but somehow always ended up making something else. Not anymore. Courtesy of a package of raspberries that I did not want to go to waste, I present to you a very delicious cake:

It is from confessions of a tart - a beautiful blog that I just discovered and am very much enjoying! http://http://confessionsoftart.blogspot.com/2009/03/raspberry-madness-coffee-cake.html

I made a couple changes to the recipe - I added nutmeg to the streusel topping - because I like it. I also added all the raspberries that I had - I think it was closer to 3 cups. Because I added a lot more fruit, the dough became a lot wetter and I had to extend the baking time by about 15 minutes. Because of all the extra fruit, I ended up with beautiful pink cake studded with tons of raspberries and a very crisp streusel on top. Just how I like it. The problem is that it's sitting in my kitchen calling to me as I sit and type this. I think this would be delicious with blackberries or another tart fruit?

Fall Wishlist

2010-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

We really did not have much of a summer in Los Angeles this year. So, it could be that September and October are hellishly hot, and I keep wearing summer clothing for the next few weeks. However, the fog rolled in last night, and it hasn't lifted. Baby K and I baked some raspberry coffee cake and enjoyed pizza for dinner. Fall is on the way.

Now that I have a toddler, I'm looking for comfy clothing that allows me to chase her around outside and inside, but that isn't just lululemon pants and hoodies. Don't get me wrong, if you run into me out and about doing errands, that is what I'm wearing most of the time, but I want a look for fall that is a little more together.

I have finally embraced the leggings and tunic trend, so here are some of my favorites:

Jcrew tunic - for a warm day at the park and farmer's market

A slightly more stylish tee for kicking back with jeans and boots during the day, and maybe cute enough for dinner with friends later.

I am obsessed with cable knit sweaters. I tried one on at Free People that had such potential, but it was the least flattering thing ever on. This one from Bloomingdales looks like it would be sleek and slimming, but still comfy and easy to move around in.

I'll have to do a separate post for Miss K. It's a little hard for me to find the traditional, smocked dresses that I like for her out here, but I think I've found some good contenders for fall.

The times, they are a changin'

2010-09-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yikes.

I have been way too lazy about updating lately. It's not that there is much exciting to report around here - it's just that when you get out of the habit, it is hard to get back in the groove. But, I miss having an activity that is just for me. So much stuff lately is for baby K, the family, the cats, friends - you know. I was flipping through the blog and realized how fun and inexpensive all of my little cooking projects were, and how very happy they made me.

It's cool here today. The fog has not burned off, and it definitely feels like fall is around the corner. It's a good time to savor the last strawberries of the season and to start gearing up for apples and pears. I generally am not a huge berry person. I'm happy to eat them, but I don't often get thrilled about them the way I do about chocolate or peaches and plums. This strawberry shortcake recipe should change that. It's the best. It is weird and a little scary the first time you make it - but it works. I made it for two dinner parties this summer, and both times, everyone had seconds. The secret - balsamic vinegar. It makes the strawberries somehow more strawberry. It was great with local fruit, and I think it would even help jazz up sad and tired grocery store fruit as well. Please, give it a try. The shortcakes are amazing as well. I'm thinking of serving them with sauteed plums in the fall, and later with pears, or as some sort of topping for pear crisp?

Shortcake:

2 c. flour
5 TBS sugar, divided
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. chilled unsalted butter (diced) I cut up the butter first and pop it into the freezer until the last possible second.
1 c. chilled heavy whipping cream
1 large egg, beaten (for the glaze)

Berries:

2 lb strawberries, sliced and washed well
6 TBS sugar - divided. Pay attention to how sweet your berries are!
3 TBS balsamic vinegar. You may want to start with one TBS and work up to three - I tell you it's worth it
1 large pinch freshly ground black pepper. The secret ingredient!!!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Grease baking sheet or line with parchment. Mix flour, 4 TBS sugar, baking powder and salt in food processor - pulsing till blended. Add butter, using pulses until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add cream and pulse again until clumps form. Dump onto floured work surface and smush into a ball. Pat out to an 8"x4" rectangle and cut into 8 squares. Place shortcakes on prepared sheet and chill in fridge 15 minutes. Then, brush shortcakes with egg glaze and sprinkle with remaining TBS sugar - I really like using sugar in the raw for the sprinkles. Bake about 15 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.

Berries - mix the berries, sugar, vinegar and pepper in bowl and let sit. I let them sit about 3-4 hours. The recipe says 30 minutes, but I found the longer you wait, the more juice they make and the better they taste.

Serve with vanilla whipped cream and enjoy. Courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine - here is the link to their recipe http://http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Strawberry-Shortcakes-with-Balsamic-and-Black-Pepper-Syrup-359412

What are you all cooking? And, do any of you have a slow cooker? Do you use it? Do you like it? Would you recommend a brand? I am teetering on the fence, and would like some more info and guidance.

2000s Recipes + Menus: Gourmet.com

2010-08-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

2000s Recipes + Menus: Gourmet.com This is the recipe I'm talking about - please give it a try!

Musing

2010-08-15T17:56:00.001-07:00

"the days are long but the years are short." I just read the "Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin, and I loved it. And this quote, which was featured prominently, just seems to fit the stage of life that I'm in right now.

It really got me thinking about what makes me happy and how I can do more of those things and to just generally have more joy. August is a month for savoring summer and gearing up for a darker season, so I'm going to try and share a little of the things that make me happy this month.

First off, nectarines and plums :) This cake made me so happy that I wanted to share it - it's from Gourmet Magazine's August 2009 edition. (Sniff, I miss you!) It's in the following post - I'm still as tech unsavvy as ever.

still here

2010-07-12T20:16:00.001-07:00

just very busy wrangling a toddler. here's a shot of her at the beach the other day - quite a different creature since last summer.

Easy as Roasting Asparagus

2010-03-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

I don't think this counts as a recipe, but it is so delicious, and Solar Powered asked for it - so here it goes.

Roasted Asparagus (adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook)

Asparagus
Olive oil (about 2-3 TBS)
Salt
Pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment and wash asparagus. Chop off bottom (woody part) of asparagus) and place asparagus spears in pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked through - don't let them burn.

Delicious! Spring is coming!

Wishful Thinking

2010-03-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday. I don't know why this is underlining my post, but here goes. If I ever get a good night of sleep again, I would celebrate with a cup of this "Brioche" tea. It is the most delicious I have ever tasted and I need to trek back to Beverly Hills to buy more immediately :)
If you were taking a very short trip sans bambino, where would you go - luxe resort with all sorts of amenities that isn't quite as scenic, or impossibly romantic, lush and gorgeous resort that is a little more bare bones (i.e no TV in the rooms)? I am trying to decide btw the Ritz St. Thomas and Caneel Bay on St. John for a quick little Caribbean getaway.

Oh, and someone is walking. Yikes - happy Monday!

A Room With A View

2010-02-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

When you have a baby, your world becomes a little smaller for a few years. Not in a bad way, because small things like smiles and steps and coos are very precious. But, you aren't exactly footloose and fancy free to set out on adventures. We took a wonderful trip to Italy a few years ago, and I've been working on getting my photos onto DVD. Here are some. Just looking at them makes me nostalgic, but also excited for when we are ready as a family for some fun adventures.

I've been thinking more and more about how precious experiences are as gifts. I remember the trips I've taken so vividly, and I think they are so important.

We are planning a very small getaway this summer - just three nights (about the length of time Nana can wrangle the munchkin), so Italy probably won't be an option. I'm thinking the Caribbean - any advice? And, what is your favorite travel memory? I would kill for some pistachio gelato and prosecco right now :)

Babyproofing

2010-02-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

So, I find the term sort of a misnomer, because even when things are babyproof, you still need to watch the baby all the time. Ours has already figured out how to remove the protective outlet covers from the outlets. That said, I have found one amazing babyproofing aid: the retractable baby gate, as found at www.retractagate.com. I'm not sure this link works, but if you google retractable baby gate, it should pop up. It folds away into nothing when baby is in bed, but allows us to use our living room without worry that she will fall down the stairs :).

Thumbs up. I can't tell you how awesome this is. I'm thinking about valentine's day stuff for tomorrow's post, but right now, the miracle of the baby gate is too awesome not to share :)

Tasty Treats, Travel, Rain and Paper

2010-02-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

This isn't my photo, but it is from gateau au yaourt.info, which is a french website all about this delectable little cake. It's so easy to make, and the perfect not too sweet and not too rich sort of cake that you can just devour all by yourself. I liked it warm with a cup of tea at night, toasted with jam for breakfast, and then cold with a cup of cocoa. It's the perfect dessert for beverages, because it doesn't overwhelm them. Check out Chocolate and Zucchini's recipe - it's fantastic.

In other news, I've started applying for the munchkin's passport. I figure we will want to take her places at some point, and it takes so darn long for the thing to be ready. Speaking of which, where would you recommend taking babies for a vacation? Any ideas?

It was pouring again today. So, we headed to the mall, went to a Junior League meeting and tried to stay dry. It's clearing tomorrow - I hope!

Tired

2010-02-08T21:03:00.000-08:00

The munchkin and I went out for a marathon walk this morning - all the way to the promenade and back. We met friends and played in Palisades Park, then headed back home. I always forget that walks wipe me out, but she's just storing up energy in the stroller. My goodness, what energy!

Costco

2010-02-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

So I went today - and it's very overwhelming. How do you all plan out your trips? What do you buy? What don't you buy? Help! I feel like it could be really useful, but I just need some practice!

Illumination

2010-02-02T21:21:00.000-08:00

Baby K's room has no overhead lighting. Now that she's clever and can pull on a floor lamp, I'm in the hunt for a table lamp that sits out of her reach and is relatively attractive. Any thoughts on these?

projects

2010-02-01T20:12:00.000-08:00

I feel that I'd be a lot more organized if I had a label maker. It's a round the clock clutter purge around here. I'm getting rid of stuff that I should have thrown away years ago, and starting to look at our place in a whole new light. I'd love to ask you how you all stay organized, and what your secrets are for purging your closets, kitchen and other places of all that clutter!

We had friends over for a big meal of spaghetti, salad and brownies on Saturday - it was great to catch up and enjoy some quality time. With this gloomy economy, and how much fun it is, I'm going to start having people over for dinner more often. This big Juliska platter caught my eye! Can't you just imagine it filled with pot roast or spaghetti and meatballs?

Grey. I am thinking about getting our living room and dining room repainted, and grey is my top color. I'm thinking a very pale, silvery blue grey. Any thoughts?

Funny

2010-01-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

unhappyhipsters.tumblr.com I hope this link works. I'm so not neat and spare enough for Dwell, so this site brought me a lot of joy!

Things Sleepy Newish Parents Like

2010-01-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have had everyone a little under the weather here at Chez Icing. As a result, we've had to revisit sleep training. Unfortunately, K is sleep training mum and dad by being very angry every night between about 3 and 5. Tonight is the fourth night of sleep re-education, and we are really hoping it's the night we turn the corner. In the meantime, here are some of my likes for these sleepy January days:
Plum jam. SO good. And, it's made by monks!

This loft home office done by Kenneth Brown. Isn't it beautiful? I just need to figure out how to get something like that in our loft.

J. Crew's extra 30 percent off their final sale. My last winter coat was purchased in 2000 and had put in many years of noble service, but it was time for something new. I love this color.

This is a fantastic book about feeding babies. As we venture into the world of solids, I find it very useful.

Cross your fingers that tonight is the night where waking up with a wet diaper is just a prelude to more sleep - not an hour of fussing!

If it isn't, this little machine and frother have been life savers! The coffee is phenomenal, and the frother is great as well. Highly recommended. The coffee comes in the cutest little tubs, and the shipping is incredibly fast.

Something Sweet for 200

2010-01-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, I almost always choose chocolate. There are, however, some key exceptions. And one of them involves ginger cookies. When I was a little girl, we lived about 100 yards from the public library. The two librarians were the nicest women. My first library card just has my first name on it, because I was too little to write out my last name. And one of them made the absolute best gingersnaps ever. She passed away a couple of years ago, and my mother just passed along her gingersnap recipe. I wanted to share it with you all, and hope that you give them a try. I bet if you made them to eat with a cup of tea and a good book, my kindly librarian would be smiling down on you.

Ginger Cookies

1 egg
1 cup sugar
6 TBS butter (3/4 stick) (I think you could use shortening too, but I wouldn't use oil)
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vinegar. It sounds weird, but it works
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 heaping tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves (I bet you could add some nutmeg too if you're so inclined)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine butter and sugar. Add the egg, molasses and vinegar. Mix dry ingredients separately, then add to wet. Mix to combine.

3. You can refrigerate the dough at this point, if you like. Grease two cookie sheets (or you can just use parchment paper - I'm a new convert to parchment - it's SO easy!) and make into walnut sized cookies.

4. Bake at 350 until the cookies have cracked tops (usually right around 10-12 minutes). They will still look soft. You can let them cook longer if you prefer a very crispy cookie. Cool slightly on a cooling rack, then dust with powdered sugar. Or, you could dip the cookies into regular sugar before baking.

As you can see, this is post 200 and I wanted to share something delicious. We go through these pretty quickly, so no photos :)

K's Adventures...

2010-01-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Santa was a little confusing, yogurt is not a big hit, but crawling around with a silly hat is a definite do!

Belated Happy New Year

2010-01-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

Hi,

We've been waylaid by colds, teething, holidays, fun outdoors and all sorts of things, but I wanted to get back to the blog!

Here's what I'm working on this week:

Uncluttering my home office - I just love the blog "Unclutterer.com"

Figuring out how to digitally store all the old photo negatives - scanning them to CD perhaps?

Putting the childproof latches on our cabinets - someone is starting to figure out how to open them!

In terms of cooking, check out this fantastic cookbook - Chocolate and Zucchini - I was absolutely blown away by the chocolate caramel tarte!

To Do

2009-11-20T13:55:00.001-08:00

1. Road test desserts using apples. Maple Apple Pandowdy (what a funny name) was tried last weekend - and delicious. I'm going to try a pear crostata tonight. Or maybe gingerbread with sauteed pears?

2. Go back and get the H1N1 shot - my gp has it - please let it remain there until Monday!

3. Pray that photo proofs come soon so that I can order Christmas cards.

4. DECLUTTER! I am a clutter magnet. It is frightening.

5. Start brainstorming Christmas gifts that can be purchased online - and try to avoid the mall this holiday season.

6. Anyone interested in posting a lot about Christmas cookie recipes? I like sugar cookies and gingerbread men, but I kind of want to try something new.

Happy Friday!

2009-11-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

If you are in LA, I highly recommend checking out the silver sale at Geary's - I was able to get a pasta server in my pattern (Towle Chippendale). K loves getting out and about in BH, so we also purchased some "Famous Cupcakes" to sample later. I'll report back if they are good - but the store gets props for being adorable!

Anyway, tonight we're going to eat roast chicken with some potatoes and salad. I don't need to tell you how to roast a chicken (I stuff mine with fresh rosemary, garlic, thyme and a lemon - a la Nigella's recipe from "Feast") because I'm sure there are other delicious ways of doing it - hint - please share with me! The recipe that I wanted to share is Ina Garten's pot roast from her "Back to Basics" cookbook.

I didn't grow up a huge fan of pot roast. My mother didn't make it very often, and I was one of those picky kids who needed all elements of a meal placed separately on the plate. I was so wrong. What was I missing all those years? A delicious and relatively nutritious dinner that is easy to assemble, and cooks quietly all by itself, so you can play with a baby, do laundry, phone calls, or whatever else you want!

This recipe also makes a tremendous amount - it would be a perfect dinner for 6-8 of you. As we are only two adults, it makes dinner for about four nights.

Ina Garten's Pot Roast

1 4-5 lb prime beef chuck roast, tied
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups carrots2-4 carrots, chopped to your preferred thickness (I like a smallish cut)
2-4 ribs celery, again, the cut is your preference
2-4 leeks (WASH them very well - I soak in water for about 10 minutes then drain and rinse again)
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bunch rosemary and thyme (tied or throw them in loose, but remember to fish out the stems at the end)
2 cups red Burgundy (pick a wine that you'd like to drink - you definitely taste it)
2 TBS cognac or brandy
1 28 oz can of whole plum tomatoes in puree
1 cup chicken stock
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 TBS unsalted butter at room temperature
salt, pepper and flour for dredging

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a LARGE dutch oven, heat about 2 TBS of olive oil on medium heat. Pat the roast dry, season all over with salt and pepper, then dredge through flour. Add roast to pan and sear about 4-5 minutes each side. Remove roast from pan and set aside on a large plate.

2. Add more oil to pan (if necessary - Ina tends to use oil with a much heavier hand than I do) and add carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 TBS salt and 1 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook over medium heat 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, but not browned. Then add the wine and cognac and bring to a boil.

3. When the vegetables and wine mixture are boiling, add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, thyme and rosemary. Put the roast back in the pot and bring the whole mixture to a boil and cover. Place the pot in the oven for 2.5 hours, or until the meat is "fork tender" (about 165 degrees internally). Turn heat down to 265 degrees after about 1 hour of cooking to keep the sauce simmering.

4. Remove roast to carving board. Remove and discard herbs. Skim off as much fat as possible. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. For safety, and to make it easier to skim the fat, I recommend waiting maybe 15-20 minutes to allow the sauce to cool down a bit. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on stove over low heat and return to simmer.

5. In small bowl, mix the 2 TBS room temperature butter and 2 TBS flour with a fork until all combined. Stir into sauce and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Taste for seasoning. Remove the string from the roast and slice meat. Serve warm with sauce spooned over.

This is great made ahead, and any extra sauce makes a really fantastic base for pasta sauce. Happy winter cooking with this one!

A treat for you - the most delicious plum tart!

2009-11-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

It's cool here at night now. K has gone to bed (she never got the memo about daylight savings), so I'm enjoying a nice cup of tea and a piece of plum tart. This is hands down the easiest recipe. I can throw it together in about 15 minutes (not counting taking the butter out early to soften). It's pretty enough for company, and homey enough to bake just for you. It also freezes like a dream. We devoured the tart pictured above, so I don't have any pictures of it baked - but it's gorgeous. The plums turn a dark reddish purple, and your house smells like plums and cinnamon.

Have I convinced you?

Here's the recipe for the New York Times Plum Tart:

1 stick unsalted butter (softened)

3/4 c. sugar plus 1TBS set aside for sprinkling

1 t. vanilla (this is my addition - I like vanilla in almost all cakes)

1 c. unbleached flour, sifted

1 t. baking powder

2 eggs

pinch salt

12 Italian prune plums, pitted and split into halves (you can use regular purple plums too)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and place rack in lower third of oven. Grease a 9" spring form pan and set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt. (I mix these together in a separate bowl and set aside, but you can just dump them in - this recipe is very forgiving!)

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a spoon. This is a thick batter, so you may think you messed up - just spread it out as best you can. Then, arrange the plum halves in a decorative pattern around the top. Sprinkle with sugar and a little cinnamon. I bet some nutmeg would be good sprinkled on top too.

4. Bake 40-50 minutes or until tester inserted in the middle of the tart comes out clean. This is great warm or at room temperature. I'd serve with vanilla ice cream, or some of that Haagen Daaz brown sugar ice cream.

The Great Pumpkin

2009-11-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! Halloween was fun - and the great pumpkin had a pretty good time. Unfortunately, the introduction of rice cereal wasn't such a big hit - but we'll keep trying!

Boo!

2009-10-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

I'm a terrible blogger. Really bad. But, I have a crawler on my hands and K is going EVERYWHERE. So, because we're looking to sell our place and look for a more baby-friendly one, I'm generally occupied during the day.

Here are my random thoughts of the week:

1. Kate and Jon - please get out of my trashy tabloids. I'm not into you anymore, and when I have time to get my nails done, I want to read good stuff - like spoilers for the new SATC movie!

2. I love Lululemon - I swear I don't wear yoga pants all the time - but if I did, I wouldn't be ashamed because theirs are so cute!

3. Italian prune plums - I just made a really easy tart and will post the recipe soon.

4. It's nice to be in my tall flat boots. I don't really like fall because it means winter, but K doesn't like heat, so I'll take some cooler weather and a baby who naps again.

5. Why am I the most cluttered person in the world? How do I reform?

6. This whole swine flu thing has me a little worried - the Today show should stop scaring me!

7. Happy Halloween!

Survivors

2009-09-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

We survived our first cross country trip. We also survived our first night away from Baby K to attend a wedding. She's been flirting with sleeping through the night for a few days now - we'll see about that.

Fall has started creeping into Los Angeles - the sun doesn't climb as high in the sky, and the fog has been rolling in overnight a little. I'm back reading books again, and I've fallen in love with the Los Angeles Public Library. Has anyone else read "To Hell With All That" by Caitlin Flanagan? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts - I'm still processing what I think. Next up is "The Feminine Mistake" by Leslie Bennets.

K can roll over, and we're eagerly awaiting the delivery of the exersaucer because she likes to try to stand with help these days. Here's my two cents - it is actually kind of nice to go out and buy baby stuff as she needs it - there is a lot less clutter in the house. Next up to purchase: a convertible car seat - as I think we'll be out of the infant seat in a couple of months.

We are having success with bottle feeding because we found the right kind of bottles - Born Free!

I'm working on a couple of home projects - reupholstering my beautiful new (well, second hand but lovely chippendale mahogany) dining room set, working on a family gallery wall, and just generally decluttering.

So, I think after a nice long summer, I'm ready to be back blogging, and especially posting recipes. Now that I am pretty much back to cooking every night, there's a lot to think about.

We're off to visit some very special great grandparents this weekend - watch out Colorado!

A little of this, a little of that

2009-08-26T12:48:00.001-07:00

Our adorable K was a very good girl during her baptism. She got to wear the dress that was made for me (I never wore it as it was over 100 degrees for my baptism).

These are my favorites right now - tomatoes. Seriously, my husband was away for a night, so I could indulge in a completely me-centric meal. Tomatoes and basil over pasta and pretty heirloom tomatoes with basil and olive oil. What do you like to eat when it's just you?

BTW, it looks like I can extend my maternity leave through November, so I've got to get better about blogging. I hope you all are having a lovely summer - the heat came back here with a vengeance this week so we're just trying to stay cool!

Random Things

2009-08-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, look forward to an investigation of the chicken breast later this week, but I'm taking a break from the recipes today.

Here are my questions - some rhetorical, some not :)

1. Who cuts Kate Gosselin's hair? And why is it long in the front and spikey in the back? It's like a reverse mullet?

2. How come people don't often hold the door for you when you are trying to push a stroller into a store? I swear I don't run people over or hit them with my stroller, but I could use a little help getting in the door sometimes.

3. If you have children, what is your strategy for getting dinner on the table? I try to pick out recipes in advance, and then prep/set the table during naptime, anything else?

4. If your baby doesn't like a bottle, how do you persuade them that it isn't so bad?

5. Why is all the lemonade in LA so sweet? I like mine really tart with just a hint of sweet, and everything I've had (most particularly you, Barney Greengrass) is almost gritty with sugar.

6. Recommendations for a lightweight travel stroller?

7. Why do people go to the grocery store in their pjs? I give parents and the elderly a pass, but I am always confused by the college students - they have no responsibilities?

8. Why does the Food Network have so many shows that aren't about cooking? I love my chefs and want more from them!

9. What is your favorite flavor of doughnut? I haven't had one in ages, and I'm starting to have a major craving. I'm a coconut or plain cake doughnut kind of girl.

10. Is it bad that I just don't blow out my hair all that often?

Happy Monday - what are your burning questions?

Nectarine Clafouti - Delicious

2009-07-31T15:14:00.000-07:00

I love summer, especially the delicious fruit. There is just something so delicious about eating fruits in season, and not the nasty ones you get in the middle of winter. So, I'm fully enjoying the bounty of our supermarkets - especially nectarines. I love dicing one and sprinkling it over greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream, and now thanks to Barefoot Contessa, I love them baked in a custard!

This is the easiest dessert that I've made in a while. It's adapted from Ina's Barefoot in Paris recipe for a pear clafouti. I had about four nectarines that would spoil before I could eat them, so I wanted to use them. It's basically a custard/pancake batter poured over the fruit and then baked. The sweet/tart nectarines and the creamy custard with a little cinnamon are delicious. (Belle, I saw the plum tart tatin and can't wait to try it - but I was too greedy and ate all the plums on hand first :)

Pear Clafouti (adapted with nectarines)

1 TBS unsalted butter, soft
1/3 cup plus 1 TBS granulated sugar
3 extra large eggs at room temperature
6 TBS all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest (I omitted this because these nectarines were pretty tart)
1/4 tsp kosher salt (I used regular table salt)
2 TBS pear brandy (Poire William) (I also omitted this since my nectarines are pretty juicy)
(ADDITION - 2 tsp cinnamon)
4 very ripe nectarines (if using pears - 2-3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10" round baking dish and sprinkle bottom with granulated sugar (I used a 9" square pan with a delicious result - if slightly less pretty :)

2. Beat eggs and 1/3 cup sugar in electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy - 3 minutes (mine never got "fluffy" but I beat for 3 minutes and the recipe worked). On low speed, mix in flour, cream, vanilla, cinnamon (if using), lemon zest (if using), salt and pear brandy (if using). Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. (If using pears, peel quarter and slice them). I kept the peel on the nectarines because I like the color, and simply sliced them in little quadrants (it's very hard to cut wedges of nectarine). Arrange the slices in a single layer (neatly if possible) on the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the batter over the fruit and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm - about 35-40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. It's very good with vanilla ice cream, and I bet it would be delicious the next day as well with a cup of coffee.

4. A note on seasoning. I like cinnamon, so if you aren't a big fan, maybe reduce it to 1 tsp. I bet this recipe would work really well with plums, or the more traditional cherries. You could also try adding some grated fresh ginger, orange zest, nutmeg - whatever.

Plum Upside-Down Cake

2009-07-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, this was fantastic! And completely easy to make. I made it during nap time, and managed not to mess it up despite a pretty serious interruption from Baby K. I posted a photo of it in my post yesterday. The recipe comes from the August issue of Real Simple. I've just started trying their recipes, and I'm really impressed with the balance of speed, nutrition and taste!

Plum Upside-Down Cake

1/2 cup plus 1 TBS unsalted butter
4 firm, ripe plums, each cut into about 7-8 wedges. I think you could substitute nectarines or peaches, but you might want to add a little lemon juice since they aren't as tart as plums?
1/4 cup plus 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. (Normally I skip lining pans, but I think you have to here, otherwise the fruit would stick!)

2. Melt 1 TBS butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add the plums and 1/4 cup sugar, tossing until sugar dissolves and plums get all nice and syrupy - about 3-4 minutes. Arrange the plums in a pretty pattern in the bottom of the pan (or, if your baby starts screaming, simply dump the plums and juice into the bottom where they make a pretty, abstract pattern of their own).

3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. In a large bowl or mixer, beat together the remaining 1/2 cup butter and 2/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Mix in the egg and sour cream, then add the vanilla. Gradually add the flour until it is just incorporated. (I think this could get tough if you over mix the flour).

5. Pour the batter over the plums and bake until toothpick/tester inserted in the middle comes out clean - about 50-55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 1 hour, then invert onto serving plate and peel off parchment from the bottom. A couple of plums may stick to the parchment, but I was able to place them on top of the cake.

This is a really pretty jewel colored cake, and really easy to make. I served it with vanilla ice cream when the cake was slightly warm. It's also very good the next day. I bet this would work really well with whipped cream or slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese?

P.S. Amy, thanks for your comment. If you are still allowing new blog readers, I'd love an invitation. My email is proseccoandpeaches at gmail dot com Thanks!

Summertime and the blogger is lazy

2009-07-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

So, it's been almost a month - but what a month. We've celebrated an anniversary, gone to the beach, and taken a very brief and wonderful trip to La Jolla. I'm back! I need to update lots of recipes that I've been trying, as well as post the birth announcements and the baptismal gown...but here's my start. I hope you are all having a FANTASTIC summer!

The Best Marinade In The World (I am not joking about this)

2009-07-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in a Glamour magazine (don't laugh). It is hands down one of the easiest and most delicious ways to spice up chicken breasts, and if you marinate a flank steak, I guarantee you'll have a main course fancy enough for company!

Marinade Ingredients

4 cloves minced garlic
1 TBS minced ginger - if I don't have a ginger root - I throw in a little powdered ginger
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. sugar
2 TBS freshly squeezed lime juice (I tend to use a little more - about two whole limes squeezed)
1 TBS roasted sesame oil (I substitute regular olive oil if I'm out)
4 grinds fresh pepper
(Lately I've been adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little extra heat too)

1 flank steak (approximately 1 lb to serve four)

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and then add steak/chicken. If you're using a steak, I'd opt to marinate overnight for maximum flavor and then grill to your liking (we tend to go medium rare). If you're using chicken, I like to use the breasts with the skin and the ribs for grilling, and you can make this marinade the day you're going to cook.

I've served this so many different times and everyone always loves it. I like it with a big green salad with goat cheese, pecans and cranberries with vinagrette (aka my "pregnancy salad") and with mashed potatoes in the winter or rice in the summer. It's really delicious with a pinot noir or a syrah - but it is also good with rose/pink champagne.

New Mama Favorites

2009-06-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hi there! It's finally summer here in LA - and I'm recovering from some sort of weird 24 hour fever. I thought being sick and pregnant was bad, but being sick with a newborn wins hands down. Baby K is in her swing, and I'm posting and on the mend.

I finally made it to see "The Hangover" this weekend and it was hilarious! We were able to sneak out thanks to some kind babysitters for a matinee.

Baby K is getting so big and so alert - she's turning into a real little person now.

I used to love getting facials every few months, but I'm thinking I don't have time to do that anymore :). Here's my solution. Bliss Steep Clean mask is perfect. It is gentle enough so that you aren't red and raw after using, but gets deep enough to really get the glow and make you feel like you've had a pretty serious cleaning. With all the dirt in the air now that it's hot, I think a more thorough cleaning is in order and this fits the bill!

The Joe's socialite jean - my answer to skinny. I don't do skinny jeans (I have really big feet and I think they emphasize my size 10's :). These are pretty much straight - and so comfy and flattering. I'm thrilled that they fit me again! They are also fantastically soft and stretchy!

Japanese Weekend - so soft, so comfy, and so easy to nurse in. This top I have in blue, and it's perfect. I use a nursing apron too (I'm a huge prude), but these tops make it really easy for first time moms to discretely feed babies and then get dressed again.

Ahem - PSA about skin cancer and the sun. My obstetrician recommended going to the dermatologist after Baby K was born, because pregnancy can trigger changes in your skin which may be precancerous. (You should go to the dermatologist every year for a skin cancer evaluation anyway - Icing loves you and doesn't want you to get melanoma:). Here's what I'm wearing on my face and arms this summer. It's fantastic. So light, oil free and doesn't drip in your eyes even on a long walk. Please be sun safe and careful out there!

So now, it's almost time for the 4th of July. I'm thinking that Baby K and I may just need to go up to Malibu during this week for a little adventure at the beach before it gets too crowded. What are you all up to?

8 weeks

2009-06-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

OMG - Baby K is now 12 pounds and almost out of the newborn size diapers. Where did my itty bitty baby go? She's so cute now, but I miss the brand new baby just a bit :).

Solar Powered - I live in a walking neighborhood, and can do most of my errands on foot, so I have the Bugaboo Chameleon. It is pretty easy to fold up for the car, but I think if I did most stuff driving, I'd want something a little smaller and easier to fold. I also wouldn't need the big sturdy wheels. Since I like taking walks for exercise - this is worth it, but I'm not sure it would be if I didn't walk a lot - we go out for a long walk almost every day!

Happy Wednesday - I'll add a picture to this post later today!

A Tame Birth Story

2009-06-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

I know some of you reading are expecting (hi there solar powered:) so I wanted to share my very tame and PG birth story. (This really is tame - so if you want to read about wild home births, dramatic surgery or near death experiences, this isn't for you!) I had so many people scare me silly about pretty much everything, and in the end - it was all fine! (Better than fine, because I got Baby K, who is napping downstairs).

Baby K was late. At my 40 week appointment, my doctor recommended an induction at 40 weeks and 6 days - as there is a very slight risk of complications if you wait for 42 weeks to induce w/o medical reasons. (Since Baby K and I were both very healthy, there was no need for a medically indicated induction - which is always a good idea if your doctor advises it).

I was so nervous, because I'd heard all sorts of horror stories about inductions ending in c sections, or very long and painful labors. I was also terrified that my epidural might not work, because I have very mild scoliosis - and that can make it harder to get the medication equally dispersed on both sides. But, I trusted my doctor, and was convinced that it was in the best interest of me and of Baby K to get her out.

So, we checked into the hospital in the wee hours of the morning (2:00 a.m.) and were shown to our lovely suite with a panoramic view of the Hollywood Hills. The hospital thought I was a second time mom, so they didn't think I would be in the room for too long - and wrong they were. I was placed on a pitocin drip about an hour later, and had some contractions - a little uncomfortable, but nothing really painful.

The epidural process went really well. The team came to my room about 15 minutes after the pitocin drip. My husband stayed with me, and the doctor explained everything that was happening. He numbed me with a tiny needle - and I didn't even feel the epidural needle going in. He also reassured me that most people with mild scoliosis have no problems with the epidural, and mine certainly worked.

So, we settled in and took a little nap. When I woke up in the morning at around 7:30, my doctor checked on my progress, and I was already 6 centimeters along. She thought breaking my water would be a good thing to do at that point, and so she did. Again, I didn't feel a thing. They had actually taken me off the pitocin, because I was now in labor on my own. Clearly, Baby K just needed a little coaxing coming out.

At around 10:00 in the morning, my lovely nurse noticed that Baby K didn't like contractions when I was lying on my back or my left side. So, I had to wear the oxygen mask and lie on my right side. Annoying, but not horribly uncomfortable. And that's how we spent most of the day. By about 7:30 at night, I was at 10 centimeters. I had one of the epidurals that allows you to hit a button for more medication, and I was so comfy that I didn't really need to give myself any more!

Pushing was hard work, but again, I was pretty comfy, so I could listen to my doctor's instructions and follow them. I could feel when I had to push, but I could also stop when she told me to. Since Baby K was a little bigger than anticipated (they thought she was about 7-8 pounds), it took about 1.5 hours to push my little 9 pound munchkin out. I did it, and thanks to my marvelous doctor - I had very minimal tearing/other stuff that I'm squeamish about. So, at 10:00 p.m., Baby and I were cleaned up and wheeled to recovery. (I did send her to the nursery for both nights of my hospital stay - she came back for feedings, but I am glad that I did, because I needed the rest). I also sent my husband home the second night because he was so tired! Those little chairs are not comfy at all.

Honestly, I had more pain in my right hip from lying on it the entire day than from delivery. So, I just wanted to share one positive and happy baby story. I was going for walks around the neighborhood a couple of days after I got home from the hospital, and was pretty much back to moderate exercise (walking 3.5 miles at a slow pace) by two weeks out. If you're having a baby, I wish you the best of luck and a very easy delivery!

Progress and Deliciousness (Is that a word?)

2009-06-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of posts lately, but we've been pretty busy with visitors and the new baby routine. So, to make it up to those of you who are still reading, this post covers a wide range of topics - including what my MIL and I and my mum have determined is THE BEST BROWNIE RECIPE in the world (the caps are not excessive - this really is it). The brownies are the Maida Heatter Palm Beach brownies, and the recipe is below the photo.

Maida Heatter's Palm Beach Brownies (with some minor edits)

8 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
8 oz (two sticks) unsalted butter
5 eggs (large or extra large)
1 TBS vanilla
1 tsp almond extract (I just add in more vanilla)
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 TBS dry instant espresso or other powdered (NOT GRANULATED) instant coffee
3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour (sift if you please, but I am generally too lazy)
8 oz walnut halves or the nuts of your preference (I prefer my brownies nut free :)

1. Adjust oven rack so that it is in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Grease a 9x13x2 inch pan (and she lines it with foil that is greased, but I don't think it's necessary).

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together - either in a double boiler or the microwave. I think the microwave is MUCH easier, I just heat in 30 second intervals and make sure to stir well between heatings so that the butter keeps the chocolate from scorching. When melted, set aside and allow to cool a little

3. In the large bowl of your mixer, beat the eggs with the vanilla, sugar, salt and coffee powder for 10 minutes on high speed. Turn the speed down to low and add the chocolate mixture, beating only until mixed. Likewise, add the flour on low speed, mixing only until all combined.

4. Pour into greased pan and bake for 35 minutes. Now, you will note that the edges get a little dry. This doesn't bother me, whereas Mrs. Heatter recommends trimming and discarding the edges. I think that's wasting chocolate! I do agree that you must make these a day in advance, as they are simply too rich and fudgy to cut the first day. So, cut yourself a nice piece the first day, and serve the rest to some really nice people the second day. These also freeze like a dream, so you can microwave them for delicious brownies anytime.

Below is my favorite little sous chef surveying the kitchen and for ONCE, being chill in her car seat. Seriously, she only likes the seat when she's in the car, or it's snapped into her stroller. Any suggestions? Everyone else's baby seems to like to hang out in the seat, but not Miss K!

This past weekend was my birthday, so I celebrated by picking up some adorable Lilly for Mommy and me fun. Miss K was so comfy in the Lilly boutique that she required a prompt diaper change. Fortunately the owner was so nice and helpful - it still makes me a little uncomfortable asking if there's a restroom or other place to change her - but I can't let her sit in a dirty diaper!

Miss K and I have embarked on an exploration of the many "Mommy and Me" classes here in LA. We went to Mommy and Me yoga twice last week - but as it is during Ms. K's preferred napping hours, I'm not sure we'll be going back, as she was VERY MEAN and not very calm. This Wednesday I'm going to try to check out Mommy Bootcamp, and I'm signing up for a Mommy discussion group for later this summer. In the meantime, I've discovered that Miss K really likes Motown/Soul, so this post is brought to you courtesy of the Motown/Soul music station on Direct TV. Happy Monday, and I'll be trying some new recipes this week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Yummy

2009-06-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Here's what was cooking last night - easy and delicious. It's based on a recipe from Giada, but I tried to make it a little healthier, and it still tasted delicious:

Penne with Sausage, Peas and Ricotta

1 lb penne - I used whole wheat
turkey sausage - uncooked (like the little breakfast sausages - I used about three)
1 clove minced garlic
1-2 cups frozen peas - you could use another veggie too - like broccoli?
1/2 cup ricotta cheese - I used part skim - I think all skim would be wierd and rubbery
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

1. Boil pasta water. In skillet, brown turkey sausage and garlic over medium heat. Add tomatoes and their juice. Let simmer.
2. About two minutes before pasta will be done, add frozen peas to pasta. When al dente, drain. Add hot pasta and peas to turkey sausage and tomatoes. Toss. Add ricotta and toss some more until everything is melded. Serve with a little grated Parmesan on top.

It's really nice to have a drink again. I enjoyed this glass of wine and the pasta above thanks to the miraculous baby swing.

How cute are the feet of this little outfit? I'm a big fan of suits that snap, rather than zip, for ease of access for changing.

Happy Weekend!

Thankful Thursday

2009-06-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

(apologies for the title - I know it's been done before)

I've been thinking lately about all the things I should be grateful for, and it's time to start listing them. Some of these are small and silly, others are quite large indeed. With all the horrible things in the news and going on in the world, it certainly doesn't hurt to count the blessings, does it?

1. A healthy baby. She has a plugged tear duct, but according to our doctor, it's a minor problem. Phew. I wasted an entire day yesterday envisioning horrific scenarios and harassing her by taking her temperature.

2. Same for the rest of my family and me. I read an article in the NYT talking about how dangerous birth is for mothers and babies in Africa, and it really made me reflect on how lucky I am to live in America. We take so many things for granted here. My biggest worry was if I had a C-Section how much it would hurt - dying was a remote possibility at best.

3. Living in a walking neighborhood. Baby K has only been in the car a few times - her stroller is my "wheels" and we go for a nice walk every day.

4. Summer. I spent the last part of the previous summer being very nauseous and looking for discrete places to throw up thanks to an impressive case of morning sickness. (I never did throw up, I just felt terrible and wanted to throw up for weeks 5-12). This summer I'm excited to take Baby to the beach and to enjoy silly summer beverages.

5. Friends. Having a baby is a scary transformation - and I really appreciate all the kind people who cooked for us, called, and just checked in to see that we're ok. It makes everything seem better.

6. Sleep. Baby K is down to one middle of the night feeding, and I'm praying that she stays on this path.

7. The swing. Baby K will generally conk out for 30 minutes in it during the day...hence time to write here and read all your fabulous blogs.

8. This week my part time babysitter started. Even when I'm in the house, it's so nice to be able to deal with issues uninterrupted by a shrieking baby. (like last week when I had to register her on my insurance. I think the insurers may have reported me to child services, because she was SCREAMING!)

9. Being able to help others. I'm one of those people who get the warm fuzzies from volunteering. Especially with children. I am doing the same JLLA placement this year - working with kids and reading for a few Saturdays. It is so much fun!

10. My lovely and caring husband. Who recognizes the child care can be exhausting and scary. Who doesn't judge that there aren't a whole lot of delicious baked goods or other sorts of treats coming out of the kitchen these days. And, he just loves Baby K to bits. Seeing them together gives me the warm fuzzies.

11. (This is vain and silly) - Pregnancy didn't change my shoe size. So all the lovelies still fit!

What are you thankful for these days?

A Mish Mosh Post

2009-06-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

Baby K is one month old as of last week. We're starting to get into a routine, and I'm starting to figure out how to dress postpartum. Some of my old clothing fits, but sadly not everything. I'm really trying to make a point to dress presentably (i.e. clean, showered and a little makeup).

Gap is making some cute and really practical tops for nursing - and this one is on sale now. I may order it in more colors, but for right now, this purple is one of my favorites.

Here's the cake of Orangette's - please search for it on her blog and try it - it is like chocolate mousse only slightly more solid! It is called the "winning hearts and minds" cake and was so incredibly easy to make. I served it with coffee ice cream. So, dinner last Friday went very well. The steak and salad were delicious, and our friends brought the most delicious baked orzo. The cake was very good too - and I enjoyed eating the leftovers this weekend:).

Here are my new jeans, which are on super sale at Bluefly. The brand is Earnest Sewn, and these are very soft denim, with a great, slouchy trouser leg. I need to get them hemmed, but they rock and they aren't "Mom" jeans. Does anyone wear "Mom" jeans anymore anyway?

BTW, how incredibly awkward is this season of Jon and Kate Plus 8? It's like a wreck on the freeway - you don't want to look, but you do anyway!

PSA

2009-05-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

For you all out there who are pregnant - Isabella Oliver is doing a sale on dresses with the code "Dresses" at http://www.isabellaoliver.com/womens-clothes so check them out. That's the black wrap dress I wore from month 6 through 9 and posted about earlier.

Plus, I got an email from their online marketing people about a new and gorgeous line of lingerie they are doing for pregnancy. It's too late for me...but I posted some of the pictures above. They do pretty nursing bras as well - which seems worth looking into. There's nothing that cheers me up more than pretty undies!

Baby K and I were incredibly lazy. It's cool and foggy - hello June gloom - so we had a lovely lunchtime visit from my friend J who left the most delicious chicken and rice casserole. We ate Chinese takeout and sparkling wine, and then she surprised me with the most delicious chocolate and cheesecake tarts from Amandine. How perfect.

In other random reality T.V. news - I'm addicted to "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC - are there any other good ones? I need them for the late night viewing in the nursery!

Le Diner

2009-05-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

So, we're having some friends over for dinner on Friday night, and that means dinner. Since these people have already visited us and provided us with a delicious dinner, I wanted to at least make something simple and tasty, rather than having them bring us food again.

Here's the plan (and it's a plan in the loosest sense of the word)

Marinated flank steak - grilled outside.
Salad (my favorite one with the goat cheese, pecans and cranberries).
Some sort of side - I'll ask them to bring it
Orangette's winning hearts and minds chocolate cake - if you haven't tried it - do so immediately, because it will change your life. With some vanilla and coffee ice cream.

Maybe some olives and grapes and cheese for starters?

1. Today during the long nap time - go through the recipes and make shopping list. (possibly make dessert too - if I have the ingredients?)
2. When N comes home, head to the grocery store to pick up ingredients.
3. During the Thursday long nap time - prepare steak marinade and dessert.
4. Thursday evening - declutter and vacuum.
5. Friday morning - after the doctor - during long nap walk to Whole Foods to get some cheese, olives and crackers for starters. And flowers.
6. Friday after N comes home, prepare salad and set table.

Can I do it? Am I insane? I'll post the recipes and how it goes. Wish me luck! (Fortunately, these are good friends, so if we end up with takeout Chinese and dessert from 711, we'll still have a lovely time.)

Things The Newly Non-Pregnant Like

2009-05-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

Baby K has the lung capacity and volume of a full-grown hyena. (We also have hardwood floors through the house, which may explain why she's so resonant). However, even when she's shrieking like a banshee and flailing her tiny and adorable limbs, the swaddleme blanket keeps her wrapped down and cozy, so she can eventually fall asleep. Yes, it does look like a tiny strait jacket (Nana Icing kept calling it a strait jacket), but it works. I will be buying this as a practical baby present along with fun stuff for friends from here on out. (In fact, this post was brought to you courtesy of the swaddleme!)

Eclat du Jour is another favorite magical product. My makeup routine these days is sunscreen, tinted moisturizer and concealer with a little lipgloss and blush thrown in on the side. Some days though, that's a bit too much. So, that's where Eclat du Jour comes in. You pat a little dollop of this peachy cream on your face, and you are magically glowing and rosy, not haggard and shrew like. Plus, it has that nice "European" floral but not sweet smell (I can't describe it, but I LOVE it). I bought a bunch the last time I was in the duty free shop in the Paris airport, but I think it's wonderful enough to justify retail in the US too. BTW, it also works as a primer under foundation if you're more together than I am these days. :)

(Since I'm not pregnant anymore, I figured I needed to update the title of my likes and dislikes posts - it isn't quite as catchy as the previous version, but it is more accurate.)

What We've Been Up To

2009-05-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Baby K is taking a tiny nap on her blankie, so I wanted to get back into the world of blogging - at least for a few minutes!

Mama Icing was dropped off at the airport last night, after three wonderful weeks of full on Nana attention. I miss her already. She was a master at soothing the fussies, and allowing me to get as caught up on my sleep as possible for a new parent! Hopefully she'll come back again this summer.

One of the best things my mum did was to make sure that Baby K and I got out for a walk every day. The weather has been beautiful here, and it certainly made me feel better to get out and get some fresh air. So, Baby K and I went out on our own this morning and it was wonderful. We're waiting for N to come back with lunch, then I'm planning to sneak out to get my nails done. My pedicure has done pretty well for the last four weeks, but I need a new one!

Sadly, I don't have any new recipes to post, for the simple reason that we have been living off of the things I froze pre-arrival. I doubt second time parents have time to do a lot of freezing and cooking, but if anyone is reading who is a first timer - it's such a life saver to have lots of meals stored up and frozen. Now that Mama is gone though, I think I'm going to have to do some replenishing, plus, we did think we found the definitive best brownie recipe - so watch this space.

In any event, I'm excited to catch up on all the blogs and start edging Baby K toward a rough schedule over the next couple of months. Happy Memorial Day and start of summer!

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T19:38:00.001-07:00

Mine was lovely. I got a pair of beautiful diamond studs from N and K (they are K's birthstone) and lots of flowers/cards and kind wishes from all our friends and family! It is such a special day, and I'm so glad that my mum was here to share it with us! We had a lovely cookout at a friend's mother's house, and Baby K was on her best behavior.

Today was a good day too - we had a nice active period between 4-6 in the morning, but thanks to Nana Icing, I was able to sleep in a little. We took a nice stroll, and I went to the grocery store in the afternoon - by myself. It was the first time that I've been able to easily load my car since the big part of my pregnancy! And, guess who is wearing non-maternity jeans? That would be me! Granted, they are a little snug in the top and they are J Brand (ridiculous amounts of stretch).

I'm still looking for the best time to blog, but I promise that I'll be back soon with my top picks for the postpartum life.

Things I Am Learning

2009-05-05T20:18:00.001-07:00

I'm still here, and in the trenches of figuring out Baby K. We've had a few bad nights, but thanks to Nana Icing, I'm able to nap during the day, which is wonderful. Here is a top ten list of the last few days:

1. Cloth diapers are great to use as burp cloths and to line the changing table pad, the car seat, and pretty much anything else that Baby K may mess up - thus limiting washing to easy little cloths, not taking apart the car seat.

2. Setting up a changing station upstairs (our bedrooms are downstairs) has saved me so much time during the day. I keep a little canvas basket with diapers, wipes, Desitin and cloth diapers by an old towel laid out on a window seat. It is a life saver.

3. The Boppy. I had no idea I could love a pillow this much - but I do. I'm buying another one to leave downstairs. It really helps with nursing!

4. Leftovers/Food Gifts. We are blessed to have friends who make delicious food for us! This week I have not cooked at all, other than to reheat in the microwave! It is fantastic. We are able to eat nutritiously without a major expenditure of time! Today we got a most delightful surprise; a messenger arrived with a dozen Sprinkles cupcakes for us from a dear friend. How fun is that? I'll try not to eat them all!

5. Nursing clothing - great idea. I highly recommend Japanese Weekend - their tops are really cute and comfy! The nursing pjs are going to be one of my top picks for gifts to new mums!

6. Getting confirmation from Pottery Barn Kids that our glider has shipped! FINALLY! I'm really sick of nursing on a little stool in the nursery!

7. TIVO/DVR. Wonderful for those late night feedings, or when I'm trying to rock Baby K to sleep. I'm now caught up on all my episodes of Barefoot Countessa and Everyday Italian. CSI too!

8. My stroller. The Chameleon has been perfect for our daily walks around the neighborhood - and the bassinet has plenty of room for Baby K and some groceries/errands/letters. Plus, it is bright pink, so all the maniacal Westside drivers will hopefully see it before running us down!

9. Nana Icing - she lets me sleep in and take naps. She has been there done that for every possible childhood crisis, and keeps a cool head. And, she has magical powers over fussy babies.

10. Showers. I've been setting a goal of taking a shower every day. It feels so good to be nice and clean - even if my hair isn't blown out. I should also thank Nana for allowing me to do this!

I'm still trying to read all your lovely blogs, but tend to do it in the middle of the night, so I'm not commenting as much as before. I'll be back full force once we get some sort of schedule underway that is more than just feeding Baby K every 2.5-3 hours :)

Hello Baby K

2009-04-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Thanks for your kind wishes! We are all adjusting to life at home, and are really looking forward to Nana Icing arriving tomorrow. Here is the big beautiful baby who had a great pediatrician's appointment today, and seemed to enjoy a nice walk around the neighborhood. I was a little tired from walking to and from the appointment (it is MAYBE half a mile), but hopefully we will be taking longer walks in a few weeks. A topic of heated debate around here is her permanent eye color - any thoughts?

She's Here

2009-04-29T15:58:00.001-07:00

Baby Icing arrived on Monday night! She was a surprising 9 pounds and 1 ounce and 20 inches. I'm glad they didn't let her stay in for another week! Thanks to my great doctor and the wonderful nurses, it was a very positive experience...and lots of thanks to the kind resident who brought me lots of ice chips and helped with the delivery. We're home from the hospital and trying to get settled, so I'll try to post some pictures soon. Her first name starts with a K, and so far, the cats seem to think that she is someone best admired from a safe distance. Thanks for your kind thoughts and wishes!

The Last Weekend

2009-04-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

So, Baby Icing did really well at our appointment today. She was "not stressed" at all during my non stress test, and has lots of fluid to hang out in. Frankly, I'm a little stressed that she won't come out, and am very much looking forward to the wee hours of Monday, when we get the process rolling and I get to meet her! I'm a little scared of induction, but I trust my doctor and it seems like I just need a little push to coax her out. Please cross your fingers that everything goes well, because I'm a little afraid of surgery!

So, given that this is the last weekend, I went for a pedicure (Peru a Ruby - OPI is awesome if you're pale like I am), stopped by the grocery store and tried another brownie recipe (Maida Heatter's "Palm Beach Brownies"). I'll try to post a review of them and the recipe tomorrow. I think we're going to lay low this weekend. I'm trying to order a cherry pie for N's birthday next Friday and to wrap up his presents. We'll go to some open houses and watch playoff basketball. Any suggestions of other fun things to do in a last weekend before parenting?

My mum is scheduling her trip, and will be with Baby Icing and I for a good 3 weeks (thank goodness, because scarier than having the baby is taking her home and taking good care of her!). So, I hope you have a lovely weekend, and I think I can safely say that early next week, I should be able to introduce my little one! Happy Weekend!

Yummy Butterscotch Pudding

2009-04-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

(Image courtesy of YumSugar)

I mentioned last Friday that I had made a very easy butterscotch pudding, and while I was too lazy to photograph it, I did want to share the recipe. Pudding used to be a little scary for me, because egg custards make me nervous. You're always walking a fine line between curdled nastiness and delicious pudding. But, egg custards are delicious. However, sometimes you want pudding without worrying about eggs. This pudding is from Gourmet Magazine's February 2009 edition, and it is easy and delicious. It's a perfect hot weather dinner dessert, because you could make it earlier in the day, chill in individual dishes and then just take out to come to room temperature as you are serving the main course.

Butterscotch Pudding

1/2 cup dark brown sugar (you really need the flavor)
2 TBS plus 2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 TBS unsalted butter, cut into little bits
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a heavy saucepan. Then whisk in the milk and cream over medium heat.
Allow mixture to come to a boil over the medium heat, stirring/whisking constantly. After the mixture comes to a boil, whisking constantly for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into bowl or bowls, and cover the top of the puddings with buttered wax or parchment paper. Chill until cold, at least 1.5 hours.
You could garnish with whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate, or fresh berries.

As you can tell, Baby Icing is taking her sweet time. So, today was household chores day. I hung some curtains in our loft, and finally polished a mountain of silver...since I am pretty sure I won't be doing that before the next time we have a fancy family dinner. Then I made some more soup to freeze. I'm trying to be patient, and despite being a little uncomfortable, I'm kind of enjoying puttering around the house and taking care of little projects here and there. It also helps that I know she's going to be coaxed out on Monday, if she still refuses to come on her own. I'm getting lots of check in telephone calls from friends and family, so I'm feeling fine. Now, I think I may treat myself to a nap...no point in overdoing it - right?

Time On The Couch

2009-04-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a lot of time here recently, and one of my guilty pleasures is reading urbanbaby.com. It's a website/forum for expecting/parent types, and it is wild. It's based in NYC, so I can read about how crazy preschool admissions are there, in addition to reading all sorts of heated debates - like cosleeping, home birth, breastfeeding, natural childbirth, etc.

Living in LA, you don't often get to eavesdrop on other people, so urban baby is my way of finding out what is up in the world of competitive parenting. It alternatively makes me howl with laughter or freak out...but it's a good way to waste a few hours. I think I'm a bit more middle of the road than most of the people posting there, but they sure are fun to read!

This afternoon, my big project is to make some congo bars to freeze and pop out when it's time to go to the hospital...I'm losing energy rapidly, and really want to make sure I have something for those nurses!

Things Pregnant People Love When It's Really Hot!

2009-04-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

It is still rather disgustingly hot here. And, though today is the "due day" I think Baby Icing is too overcome with heat to even think of coming out until it cools off. So, we are lying low, watching Food Network and doing a little cleaning. I'm scheduled for an induction next Monday if she doesn't come out on her own...but I sure would like her to show up on the early side of that!

This morning an appraiser came over to evaluate our townhouse so that if/when Baby Icing starts getting into trouble with all our wide open spaces and dangerous stairs, we can be ready to put this on the market. I think I'm a little hormonal, because even thinking about moving makes me weepy.

So as not to completely waste the day, I did drag myself back to Trader Joe's for more sorbets and other cool foods. I have to say, I'm in love with Double Rainbow - their chocolate and raspberry sorbets are to die for! TJ's makes a pretty good mango sorbet too. Plus, that parking lot in Westwood is so nice and easy during the week - how could I not take advantage of it.

And, I want to do a plug for the hardest-working maternity dress on the block - my short sleeve black wrap from Isabella Oliver. I don't have a lot of summery maternity stuff, because it generally doesn't get hot around here till later, and often April and May are quite cool and cloudy. That is obviously not the case this week, and this black dress is flattering and cool. I have a black summer dress from Old Navy that literally looks like a hospital gown or a sack, but I won't wear that if people have to see me, because it looks like I'm carrying at least four toddlers!

So, that's all the news from the home front. The cats are camped out on the tile floors downstairs, and I'm looking forward to the heatwave breaking so that I can go out for a little walk or something soon! If you would send "baby hurry up vibes" I certainly would appreciate it - as you can imagine, I'm getting really curious and can't wait to meet her!

Hot Hot Hot

2009-04-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

The title is in reference to the weather here - it's going to be in the 90's here on the west side today. :( This is not the temperature of choice for the woman one day before her due date. So, I'm going downstairs to our cool and dark bedroom to spend the rest of the day watching my SATC dvds and drinking ice water. Like a vampire, I won't be venturing out until it's dark. I wonder how dated the first couple seasons are going to look now?

Little Things

2009-04-17T17:51:00.001-07:00

I had my 39 week check up today, and Baby Icing is doing quite well, while I'm apparently getting ready for the big arrival, so let's cross our fingers she decides to show up soon!

Then I went to the paradise that is the Westwood Trader Joe's at 10:00 in the morning. It has great parking, wide aisles, and a really great selection. I would think it is horrible on the weekends, but this morning was lovely. Why does TJ's always choose locations in LA with bad parking? The one in Woodland Hills was the only truly large parking lot that I've ever seen!

I had my last eyebrows and related waxing appointment today - my aesthetician had to help me up! At least my eyebrows are ready for some post baby photos. And, tomorrow is my belated cut and color - my hairdresser is making a house call for me! We've been together for 7 years now, and I adore her. My friend M also uses her, and she'll be coming too - which will be super fun. So, I most likely won't have roots in the post-baby photos!

I made N butterscotch pudding (I'll post the recipe and pictures later) that was just so delicious! Now I'm resting on the couch and enjoying the beautiful spring weather through the open windows. Happy Weekend!

Is there any more room in the freezer?

2009-04-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm going to be totally honest and admit that I didn't actually get showered and dressed until around noon today. But, despite that, I was productive. I hung the smaller pictures in Baby Icing's room - the big poster should probably be done by someone whose tummy doesn't force them to stand almost two feet away from the wall! And, I did some research on the video camera and think I have our selection made. Plus, I made two delicious things from Orangette's blog - the chocolate cake last night...shown below. I'm thrilled, because N's birthday is in early May, and this cake is supposed to freeze really well. This, plus a nice cherry tart from the good French bakery should be two good choices for an easy birthday dinner.

Then, I made Orangette's nutmeg muffins. The idea of nutmeg as the leading flavor may sound odd, but I want to tell you that these are some of the most delicious little treats ever. Essentially, they are like little cake doughnuts that are baked - not fried. They freeze like a dream, and are delicious with coffee and tea. Mama Icing is a particular fan, so I wanted to have some ready for her arrival. In case you can't tell, I'm a total baker and need to work hard on my "cooking." Baking is just so easy because you follow the rules - with some small modifications :)

I've been treating myself to fresh flowers every week for the last few months, and am particularly enjoying the "Lipstick" roses as shown below. Ten bucks buys a dozen roses that last for about a week and they are just so pretty.

Tomorrow I have an early morning doctor's appointment to check on the baby, and then I'm doing some serious errands. Specifically, getting some sort of screen to make the sleeping loft a little more private, getting myself some little snacks to eat at the hospital (apparently if your baby is born in the middle of the night, you stay hungry until the hospital serves you breakfast the next morning!), and more groceries.

I have also decided not to go private. Instead, I'm keeping this as my place to vent where my family/friends don't really know about it, and I'll just be a little more circumspect about the details - plus, I really like posting all the recipes - which would probably not interest people looking for baby photos. However, for those of you who leave comments fairly frequently and would like, I'm happy to friend you on Facebook, where Baby Icing will be very prominently documented. So, feel free to email me, and if we've previously emailed or corresponded, I'll friend you. I may do a separate baby blog too, but let's face it - I have one of the least tech savvy blogs ever, so I probably won't push my luck :).

Happy almost weekend. Please check out Orangette's blog to get the recipes posted above - the stories that go with them are so sweet that you shouldn't miss them!

Adventures in Santa Monica

2009-04-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

I went to the neatest little store today. It's a shop in Santa Monica that sells all imported Italian products. I was able to snag a freshly baked ciabatta, some Italian Nutella (a little more chocolatey than the American variety), a very nicely aged Parmesan for N, some pancetta for both of us (and the cats :), and some pretty pottery. All in all, a fun little adventure.

Baby Icing had a busy day of wiggling around, which I think means that she isn't interested in coming outside because she feels like she has plenty of room in there! I suppose I can't blame her too much. One good back pain trick that has been helping me and that I thought I'd share is bouncing on that silly exercise ball. I try to sit on it for a while during watching TV, and it does make my back feel a little better. All in all, I can't complain much. She'll come out when she is ready...or we'll evict her the week after next!

I tried the "Hearts and Minds" cake from Orangette's book, and I'll post a picture tomorrow. It's the sweetest story that she writes about it. I'm in love with her book! Tomorrow I'm going to try some stuffed shells (I may share a picture of my freezer - it seriously looks like I'm preparing for nuclear winter) and some sort of cookie/brownies to test for the l & d nurses. I also need to finish hanging the photos for Baby's room - one of the cats must have hidden the hammer!

Easy Peasy Breezy

2009-04-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

That was today - I made some really tasty black beans from Cook's Illustrated. My hat is off to that publication, because clearly only the most rigorously tested recipes are used. I love their online subscription, because you can store recipes and menus in a little online recipe box. So far, everything that I've made has been a great success.

A trip to the drugstore for more essentials prior to Baby Icing arriving, and a quick stop by my doctor's office to confirm that no, my water had not broken (I figured it hadn't, but wanted to make sure) and since I have that strep B, they make you come in. Everyone in the doctor's office is so nice, and they got me in and out in about 30 minutes! The good news is that I'm progressing along, and Baby Icing is apparently happy as a clam in there! Hopefully we can persuade her to come out at some time soon!

Now I'm taking it easy on the couch and gearing up to do some prenatal yoga to stretch out my back - any back pain suggestions would be most appreciated! Also, what do you think the L & D nurses would like as a snack? I was thinking a pan of brownies or congo bars - those are pretty easy, but are there any better options I'm not considering?

The End of Week 38

2009-04-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

I had a wee bit of heartburn last night, and ended up sleeping in until 10:00 today to make up for some middle of the night wakefulness. So, I'm sort of feeling like the cats today. However, despite that minor setback, I did manage to accomplish the following:

Buy a futon for our loft/guest sleeping space that appears to be comfy and is queen-sized.
Buy an exercise ball and some small free weights for after Baby Icing arrives and I need to start thinking about bathing suits :(
Went to the most awesome kitchen/cook's supply store ever. It's called Surfa's and is in Culver City. I think they also have a website. I needed some new cake pans and a jelly roll type pan, and walked out with those, in addition to hazelnut syrup for my coffee, and some delicious chocolate/hazelnut gelato. They have some really interesting kitchen implements - lots of stuff for restaurants, but also lots of stuff for the home cook, and really interesting specialty foods.
Generic tidying. I need to drag myself outside for a little walk, but other than that, I'm done.

All in all, fairly productive, and here's hoping I get a good night of sleep tonight!

The Most Delicious Quiche

2009-04-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Remember a few days ago, when I had really delicious quiche for lunch? (I'm sorry, my life is really boring these days, so I actually do remember with quite a lot of specificity)! I've been thinking about quiche, and wondering about it, because it has a lot going for it - namely you prepare it in advance and reheat it - and it's perfect for lunch with a small salad! This is the quiche that I made for Easter brunch, and it was so easy and so delicious. The recipe comes from the big yellow Gourmet Magazine Cookbook. (If you don't own this book, you may want to consider it, as it is a great resource!)

Ultimate Quiche
12 pieces bacon, cut crosswise into 3/4 inch wide pieces
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from the 17 oz package - Pepperidge Farm makes a good one) THAWED!
6 large eggs
2 (10 oz) cartons creme fraiche (delicious French sour cream - Trader Joe's sells it, as does Whole Foods). You can also use full fat sour cream, or a mixture of full fat plain yogurt and sour cream. I really wouldn't try to make this low fat.
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg ( I don't grate my own nutmeg, and I think the little spice jar nutmeg works just fine).
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese.

Put a baking sheet in the middle oven rack and preheat to 375.
Cook bacon in large sauce pan over moderate heat until crisp (stirring occasionally) about 10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel lined plate to drain. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface into a square. Fit it into a deep pie dish (9 inches or so) or a special quiche pan, and trim off excess.
Whisk eggs in separate bowl until well-combined, then whisk in creme fraiche, salt and nutmeg just until smooth. (Pour filling through fine mesh sieve into prepared crust - I skipped this and it was delicious too). Sprinkle bacon evenly over filling and top with grated Gruyere.
Bake quiche on baking sheet until center is set (it doesn't jiggle when shaken) for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to rack to cool, and serve warm or at room temperature. I reheated mine the next day by placing in 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Easter

2009-04-12T18:38:00.001-07:00

I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend. I'll post more pictures (and what we six decided was the best quiche recipe ever) later, but for now, I wanted to leave you with the step by step pictures of my Boston Cream Pie - which was a big hit. I'm going to add in the recipes to this - because if you haven't made it, please give it a try.

Our Easter brunch was delicious! It was so fun to catch up with people, and to enjoy what is most likely our last leisurely meal with just adults. What with getting out the good china, and hand washing it again, I'm a little tired now, so I think I'm going to lie around for the rest of the day. I'll polish the silver and put it away nicely tomorrow.

The yellow cake. It's better than a boxed mix and just as easy - I promise! (All recipes are from the 1960 version of the McCall's Cookbook)

Two Egg Yellow Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

1/1/2 cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening (I used unsalted butter)

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8" cake pans.
In the bowl of the electric mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add melted butter ( I melted mine since it doesn't beat in quite as well at room temperature as shortening), milk and vanilla. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the bowl as needed.
Add eggs, beat two minutes longer.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 30-35 minutes or until surface "springs" back when gently pressed.
Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool COMPLETELY before filling/frosting. (I like to bake the day before and then wrap well when cool to fill and frost the next day)

Here's the custard filling. I'm no expert on custard, but I think this is pretty delicious, and it really isn't hard.

Rich Vanilla-Cream Filling (HALF the quantity is perfect for filling this cake, but I think I like a little less custard than most people - so here's the full recipe and just be careful not to use it all on the cake!)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch (if you are halving the ingredients, 1/8 of a cup is approximately 2TBS)

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups milk (I think whole milk is best)

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

In medium saucepan, combine sugar with cornstarch and salt.
Gradually add milk, over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Add half of hot milk mixture to eggs and mix well (to avoid scrambled eggs). Gradually return to saucepan, stirring.
Over medium heat, bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add vanilla. Cool completely before using to fill cake. (You can tell when your custard is getting close, because it gets much thicker and if you drag a spoon along the bottom of the pot, the drag mark remains for a while.

Here's the chocolate frosting - it is really easy and very delicious.

Quick Fudge Frosting

2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup soft butter (I would NOT substitute margarine for butter in this frosting)
3 cups sifted confectioners' or powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup hot cream or whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt chocolate over hot water or in microwave (I always add a little bit of butter or oil to chocolate before melting in microwave). Remove from heat, stir to ensure all melted and let cool a little.
In medium bowl (I used the kitchen machine) combine butter, salt, sugar, and 3 TBS of hot cream. Beat at medium speed until mixture is smooth.
Add chocolate and continue beating until frosting is thick enough to spread. Then mix in the vanilla.
If your frosting seems too thick, add a little more hot cream.
This makes enough to fill and frost two 8" layers. Traditionally, the sides of Boston Cream Pie are unfrosted, so I just pile all the frosting on top and don't quite use it all

Assembly - cake and custard.

Ta Da! The final product. It doesn't make a very large cake, so it's perfect if you are having 8-10 people (for 6 we had about 1/4 left over).

Friday is Fun

2009-04-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

And so it is. In that spirit (and because I'm feeling sort of lazy), here are my top ten fun plans for this summer:

1. Going to the beach with Baby Icing on a weekday - and bringing a peanut butter sandwich and fruit (my favorite beach lunch of choice) there's just something about sandy peanut butter :)

2. Planning a beautiful baptism and a nice party/lunch afterwards.

3. Taking Baby Icing to mommy and me yoga. I'm pretty sure that if she takes after me, she will be a little bored by the whole thing, and may not really buy into the tranquillity part.

4. Enjoying lots of chilled rose, pink champagne and margaritas (I am a total fraud and prefer margaritas of the strawberry or mango variety).

5. Breaking out the self tanner once I can actually reach my legs again

6. Taking a trip to Boulder to meet the great-grandparents who are so excited to meet her!

7. Going to my FIFTH law school reunion - yikes!

8. Planning a fun and special first Father's Day for N.

9. Taking Baby Icing for walks around the neighborhood.

10. Grilling for dinner and sitting out on my deck.

(Note, these all involve some sort of fantasy parenting of a very easy and happy baby that I'm sure won't actually happen, but a girl can dream right? At this point, a day without Tums is almost too exciting to contemplate!)

Today has been a nice and restful Good Friday. Our cleaning lady came this morning, so the house is all tidy for the holiday weekend. I had another checkup and it looks like things are starting to happen - not too much, but enough to make me feel like Baby Icing is at least starting to think about leaving. I got my toes painted the prettiest coral, and now I'm resting on the couch.

Oh, and I wanted to recommend the book pictured above. Orangette is one of my favorite blogs to read and I ADORE her recipes. Her book is also really good reading! I'm enjoying it so much...and noting which things I need to make!

For those of you celebrating Passover, I hope you are having a lovely holiday (and I'm sorry that my husband has eaten all the macaroons out of our grocery store), and for those of us gearing up for Easter, happy Easter!

Things Pregnant People Like When They Are About To Pop

2009-04-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

Hi there friends - I'm still pregnant, and here are some of my new passions as I celebrate a week of resting at home. I have to say, I'm feeling better at 38.5 weeks not working than I did at 36.5 weeks when I was still trekking to the office every day!

1. Annick Goutal L'Eau D'Hadrien - it is the lightest and most citrusy scent - I'm using the soap in the shower, and may need to pick up the eau de parfum for this summer. Delicious and not sweet at all!

2. Grapefruit - I guess there's sort of a citrus thing going on right now for me, but it's one of my favorite snacks these days - so sweet and refreshing!

3. For Easter Brunch, what could be tastier for dessert than Boston Cream Pie? I hope I can make one, or find a good recipe - I love the custard filling!

4. This pretty top from Pea in the Pod (I think it's on sale now). It's perfectly springy, and it still fits me now. I think it will come in useful after Baby Icing arrives as well.

5. My maternity 7s. I bought them at about 15 weeks, and am still wearing them at 38 plus weeks. I strongly urge the potential preggos out there - buy a really nice pair of jeans that are really comfy...because if you work in an office, you probably only need one pair, and it's so worth it to have a pair that are flattering and comfortable!

Today I met a friend at Babies R Us and got a bunch of last minute necessities, and then headed up to the valley to have lunch with another friend and her beautiful baby boy. She looks gorgeous, and so does he! Now I'm lounging on the couch with big kitty and trying to work up the energy to do some pregnancy yoga. It really helps with my back pain, and it seems to really entertain my cats - I'm not the most graceful practitioner at the moment :)

Tomorrow, I have my weekly doctor's appointment, and need to get my nails done. I also need to start preparing for Easter brunch and that involves giving the silver a very good polish. Any suggestions for a good movie to watch while polishing and ironing?

Nesting through Shopping?

2009-04-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, here are a couple more tops for the transition period. Tomorrow I'm going to Babies R Us (with a friend - so if I'm totally overwhelmed with the chaos and go into labor, she can help me get home :) Diaper pail, some more receiving blankets, socks and mittens and that should do it!

Seriously, I'm a big fan of Japanese Weekend for postpartum/maternity!

But, dear readers, I need some help. It looks like I may need to throw together an Easter meal (brunch or an early dinner) for about 6 guests. I'm thinking some sort of quiche, maybe more of the maple bundt (I'm sending it to work with N tomorrow and hopefully those keeping Passover won't be too mad at me), a nice salad, bacon/sausages, fruit and some sort of dessert? Do you have any ideas? I am not too worried about getting tired, because I have a few days to pull it all together and can tackle a lot of it in advance, so any thoughts/recommendations for tasty brunch dishes would be appreciated. Thanks!

Inner Martha

2009-04-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a little intimidated by Martha Stewart. The woman has her act together. Anyone who can handle prison with such class, and write absolute encyclopedias on home care and entertaining is not someone with whom you want to trifle. I haven't tried any of her recipes, but figured that they would probably be rigorously tested (or else she would have the editors marched out and shot).

Today was beautiful and windy here in LA, and I wanted to make a nice snack for my kind friend A, who stopped by for tea after work. I am also working on project use all the wacky kitchen gadgets that I received as wedding presents - including my beautiful Bundt pan. So, who better to turn to than Martha - considering I've never made Bundt before? Her maple bundt did not disappoint - in fact, it was stupendous!

Maple Bundt Cake (Martha Stewart Living Magazine)

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (this is the main flavor, so I would definitely use the real thing!)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream (if you're serving it with whipped cream)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter/spray a 10 cup bundt pan and dust with flour (I used a non-stick bundt, so I didn't flour it). Whisk together flour, baking soda, powder and salt.
Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy (I used the mixer for this). Add the eggs and beat well. Then beat in the maple syrup and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream. (Don't over mix - beat until just combined but not too lumpy). Scrape batter into the bundt pan.
Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 35-40 minutes). Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes and then tip cake out of pan to cool completely on wire rack.
Just before serving, beat cream with a mixer/whisk into soft peaks. Add 2 TBS maple syrup and beat until soft peaks return, then drizzle over cake. You can also drizzle some maple syrup on top of the whipped cream. (This would be pretty for a larger party/brunch, but since there were only two of us, I figured I need to send the leftovers to work with N tomorrow and thought the whipped cream would ruin it).

Honestly, I'm mostly a chocolate person, not a regular sweets person. This cake was really delicious, especially with a nice cup of tea. It is moist and has a great maple flavor. It's impressive and easy to make. I think it would be lovely to have for a fall brunch/football watching party - or to bring to a friend's house. So, I love you Martha, and am subscribing to your magazine, because you rock. Not to mention, I'm happy I played with the bundt pan, because it really does make a pretty cake. Now I just need to find more cakes to bake in it!

Shopping...for the Aftermath

2009-04-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Since I know (although I have stopped believing) that I won't be pregnant forever, I'm starting to work on a transitional wardrobe. Part of that involves getting some nursing friendly basics for lounging around the house those first 6 weeks. Enter the Pump Station in Santa Monica. Not only do they have real customer support to help you get fitted for the proper unmentionables for first few weeks, they have an assortment of actually attractive clothing. The green tank looked super cute, and comfy for now and later.

I also got these nursing pjs for the hospital - just in case I want to wear something with pants. Both are Japanese Weekend, and I'm really impressed with the quality. If you don't live in LA, the Pump Station has a really helpful website with lots of baby products/new mama products to order. http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/

Today I took care of the nursing/postpartum clothing for me. Tomorrow is Babies R Us for a few last essentials. And, sweet A is dropping by to visit me after work, so I'm going to need to make a tasty snack for us. After a string of beautiful spring days, it started raining tonight. Just so you don't think it's all sunshine and lemon drops around here, one of the cats peed in the stroller bassinet when it was sitting on the ground - thank goodness it is washable (and I can confirm that cat pee does wash out of strollers :)

Now it's time to reflect on the train wreck that is "Toddlers and Tiaras." I just can't take my eyes off this show. It's riveting!

Happiness is...LASAGNA!

2009-04-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

Here's one of my new coworkers on the home shift. My other coworker is more nocturnal, but this guy keeps me on a strict schedule. It's impossible to enjoy coffee and the paper when someone is sitting in the middle of the paper. (That's right, I just subscribed to a print paper - it seems safer for my laptop - baby can spit up on the paper no problem, but not on the laptop!).

And, here, as promised, is the Lasagna that my mum makes - if any of you are from New England, it's the recipe from the Prince Lasagna noodle box (there was actually a Prince factory in the North End a long time ago.). This recipe is very amenable to variation, so you can get really creative with the sauce and cheese. It also freezes and reheats like a dream. I know a lot of people assemble the lasagna, then freeze it to cook it later, but I like to cook mine first, because then you just need to defrost and microwave. It's my standard present to people with babies, because one pan will feed two grownups for at least 3 meals, and if you package it in individual Tupperware, your friends can decide exactly how they want to use it - and can freeze some for later if they have a lot of other casseroles.

Classic North End Lasagna

1 lb lasagna noodles (I use the no boil ones - they save SO much time and you can get them at any grocery store - though Trader Joe's makes them and sells them very cheaply)

1 clove garlic

1 TBS dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt (you may not need it depending on how salty your cheeses are)

1/2 cup dry white or red wine

1 26 oz jar tomato sauce

1 lb ground beef - not super low fat (per my mother the lower fat meat gets too dry in the sauce, but I think if you're careful not to overcook it, lean beef or a little turkey would be ok)

1 15/16 oz carton of ricotta cheese - I think whole fat works better

2 eggs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Romano or mixture

2 TBS chopped fresh Italian parsley

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or you can cut it into thin slices) This is about a pound.

1/4 tsp pepper (or more if you like)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If you are cooking lasagna noodles, do that first and then let drain in the colander while you construct the lasagna.
In large skillet over medium heat, brown the meat and pour off some of the fat (don't pour the fat off if you are using lower fat meat). Add garlic and oregano with wine (you could also use beef broth if you don't cook with wine) and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in pasta sauce and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded Parmesan, eggs, parsley and pepper. You can add in some drained chopped frozen spinach (defrosted) and I added some defrosted artichoke hearts this last time. Add a little bit more ricotta if you are adding lots of veggies.
In a large 13 x 9 baking dish, spread a generous layer of the sauce (this helps make the pan easier to clean) and top with a layer of lasagna strips. Then do a layer of ricotta mixture with mozzarella. Layer the noodles over the ricotta/mozzarella layer, and continue as such until you use up all the ingredients. The top layer should be sauce (and use a lot because it sinks down to keep all the layers moist. Finish with a layer of mozzarella or Parmesan. Cover tightly with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. I generally need more like 35 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and cook for an additional 5 minutes to let the top brown (you can just cook uncovered too - it turns out fine).
Let the lasagna stand for at least 10 minutes before serving - 15-20 should leave it plenty hot and gives the layers time to set up.
If you're freezing this, let it cool completely before cutting up.

Food for Thought

2009-04-06T17:42:00.001-07:00

This is a hot topic that I've just had time to start reading about. Working/staying at home and motherhood. The LA Junior League invited Ms. Stone to speak with us last year and it was a very informative evening - and really enjoyable. I just read her book (I've had it for a while, but it didn't seem relevant until recently:)

She talks to a lot of highly educated, professional women about why they left their careers after having children and her conclusions are really interesting. If you are interested, I really recommend it. There is no judgment or agenda, just a thoughtful discussion of the forces that work to make career and motherhood very difficult to balance.
Here's what I'm reading right now - and it's also fascinating. Women with families who work and who stay home provide insight into their decisions, and what helped them decide. It's fascinating stuff. I am an attorney, so I'm hopeful to continue my career after having a family. However, these books are really useful to get thinking about childcare, parenting responsibilities as well as my own assumptions. My mother was a fantastic and doting stay at home mum, and she really deserves credit for the success of my brother and I. (When I was in high school chemistry, she retaught herself to balance chemical equations to help me with my homework!) It's definitely a topic that interests me - if you've read anything on the subject, let me know what else I should read!

Odds and Ends

2009-04-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

We have a car seat! If you live in California, did you know that the Highway Patrol and local fire stations can provide clinics on safe car seat installation? I think other states provide similar services, so it's worth browsing around the internet. The officer who assisted us said that the vast majority of car seats coming in are not done correctly. So please call and get yours checked on this week! It was a great experience, because we got a one on one instructional session and learned a lot. Thank you CHP! (Below is the intersection of Topanga Canyon and PCH - it was a beautiful day to drive through the canyon and by the ocean!)

Our installation was out in the valley, and I used my time on the other side of the hills to enjoy a beautiful day in the valley. I know that if you don't live here, the San Fernando Valley has kind of a bad reputation, and I want to say that it is not deserved. The valley is a great place to visit with great restaurants and is warm and sunny on days when this side of the hills is foggy and cold. Maybe similar to New York, LA is clogged and traffic-infested, and the Valley is nice and suburban. I went to a lovely and uncrowded Target and Trader Joe's...heaven big parking lots, wide aisles, and a generally more pleasant shopping experience.

I availed myself of these opportunities and stocked up. We now have toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies to get us through a month or so of baby-included chaos (including visits from my mum and N's dad and stepmother and his mum). We also have all sorts of frozen goodies from Trader Joe's and there is a lasagna cooking in the oven. I played around with my mother's recipe, so I'm going to test it, and if it worked, I'll share, otherwise I'll just post her original version (which is awesome).

After exerting myself, I am perched on the couch with my little buddy. Happy Monday, and if you're some place warm, please have a glass of chilled rose or some other summery drink for me.

Weekend Update

2009-04-05T20:19:00.001-07:00

Spring has sprung in LA. It was absolutely beautiful this weekend. Honestly, we didn't do all that much, but I did get some nice cleaning done in my home office/aka the loft closet, and washed some more of Baby Icing's clothing. She has lots of clothing for someone with no Social Security number or birth date!

I'm also working on putting together a postpartum transitional wardrobe. In that spirit, here are two machine washable, potentially nursing friendly pieces from C & C California. Check out Bluefly.com for a great selection!

I got the wrap dress in grey, but couldn't find a photo.

Yesterday, we lounged and watched men's basketball, then went to see Duplicity! I LOVED it. Without spoiling any of the plot, there is great dialogue, intrigue and romance. It's the same director as "Michael Clayton" and I love how he gets big law/big corporations. Having worked in that environment, I really appreciate how silly those places can be.

Today I had brunch with another friend M (I seriously need for people to have different initials), and then the combination of sun, pancakes and maple syrup was too much, so I needed to recuperate on the couch for the rest of the day. I did make it off the couch to file away some recipes (I'm still working on the quiche issue) and general office tidying.

I have some exciting news - our car seat is getting installed by a member of the California Highway Patrol. I'm thrilled, and relieved because I was a little worried about doing it correctly! So, as a big thank you, I made the congo bars referenced earlier to bring to him. I'm also looking forward to visiting a Trader Joe's in the valley - the one near my house is literally the seventh circle of Dante's Inferno. Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Day Two

2009-04-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

It's kind of sad what "overdoing it" is for me these days. (The picture above is Amandine - the delicious patisserie - hang tight as I search for tasty quiche recipes to try for you). I walked the two very flat, very gentle miles to the car dealership to pick up my car and part with several hundred dollars. Then I changed for my doctor's appointment. Baby Icing is right where she should be, and looking good.

You'll agree it was not a very taxing day. However, I'm simply too tired to go to the grocery store now, so I'm going tomorrow. In other frustrating news, I finally figured out the mystery of the missing rocking chair. Pottery Barn cancelled my original order for some reason, but since I paid with N's credit card, I didn't notice. So please, cross your fingers that the reordered rocker arrives in time. My mum was quick to note that Baby Icing will probably not notice the difference if her first few days are sans rocker.

It's crazy windy here, and quite nice and sunny. Big kitty and I are relaxing on the couch and watching "What Not To Wear." I'm pretty sure that I am one watermelon bellied "Don't" at this point, but I will try to redeem myself after Baby Icing arrives. In a traumatic new development, my hairstylist just left her salon, and I hope I can coordinate with her on a new location before Baby Icing arrives - otherwise we'll have to do some headless shots of me (mama don't do roots).

Happy Weekend!

My Favorite Brownies (So Far)

2009-04-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

These are from How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson. They are everything that I think a brownie should be. The recipe makes a huge pan of deeply fudgy and delicious brownies. They freeze like a dream, and keep well out of the freezer (in fact, they improve if you serve them after a day).

And, they are really amenable to lots of add-ins (pictured above I used white chocolate chips because N likes them, but they are delicious with hazelnuts, candies, dried fruit, pretty much anything you like). I know they sound like they use a ridiculous amount of butter and chocolate, but it's such an easy recipe, and they are so worth it!

Brownies (Nigella Lawson)

1 2/3 cups unsalted butter softened (This is 3 sticks and about 2 TBS)
13 oz bittersweet chocolate (it's worth it to use really good chocolate - Valrhona or Ghirardelli)

6 large eggs

1/2/3 cups sugar

1 TBS vanilla

1/1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13"x9"x2" pan (and you can line with parchment if you like- but I always skip this step!)
Melt the butter and chocolate (I use the microwave, but you could use a double boiler. In a bowl (I use the Kitchen Aide) beat together the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Measure the flour and salt and mix in a separate bowl.

When the chocolate is melted, let it cool a little before mixing with the eggs (otherwise you get scrambled eggs). Beat the melted chocolate into the eggs and sugar, then add in the flour/salt mixture. Beat until you have a nice smooth batter.

Scrape into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes where the middle of the brownies stays nice and gooey. I generally give these 30 minutes, but don't go over. They also continue to cook as they cool.

It is much easier to cut these after they've cooled overnight. So, cut yourself a nice brownie hot out of the pan, and leave the rest for another day. Your brownie will be hot and crumbly, but they cut quite well and are really pretty if you let them cool overnight.

Please, if you don't ever make a single other recipe that I post, please make these! Of course, right as I was typing this post, my mum called to tell me about a new recipe she just found that involves both melting the chocolate and butter, but then creaming some of the butter in with the sugar. She promised me that there would be days when Baby Icing is quiet and well-behaved, so we'll be sure to try it out!

Day One

2009-04-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your sweet comments! I had a lovely day. First things first, I dropped the car off for a much-needed servicing (complete with hearing I need new brakes and new tires) - oh well, better now than later! Then, I went home where my lovely friend J braved cross-town traffic to bring me some sweet books and a beautiful hand knit blanket from her mother.

We had a lovely lunch and tea! Check out Amandine if you're ever on the west side during lunch - their asparagus/potato/pesto quiche is divine. (Why isn't quiche cool - I swear it's one of the tastiest lunches ever!) I'm saving my piece of "Delice de Chocolat" for tomorrow after my check up, but had a bite of hers and it was fantastic!

The UPS man brought me the baby bag above, and I have to say that I love it. It's black nylon, the logo is relatively discreet, and it's the perfect size. Then, I figured out how the car seat adaptor works with my stroller and it was EASY! YAY! I'm working on a brownie post - so stay tuned for my favorites (of those recipes that I've tried so far).

Happy Almost Weekend!

All Done

2009-04-01T17:48:00.001-07:00

Have a drink for me! I made it through my last day at the office - of which I spent about 6 hours standing in the hallways of our lovely downtown courthouse as we waited on a judge. I don't really like standing for extended periods of time these days...so I'm tuckered out. We were finally sent to another courtroom, where the trial will start in with the preliminaries tomorrow. I have done my out of office email, checked in with all the parties, and I'm on leave.

That said, you'll have to bear with me because I'm going to have a lot of time to post over the next 3 plus weeks (I am assuming that Baby Icing has NO interest in coming early). So, stop on by to check on my progress...and if you would be kind enough to send kind thoughts/prayers my way for a safe, easy and early arrival for my little sweetheart, I'd be very grateful!

Yummy

2009-03-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness - work needs to calm down. I can't wait to go on leave and catch my breath! But, here are some of my favorites for this week that I wanted to share. Samoas are my favorite Girl Scout cookies, so imagine my delight when I found they are made into an ice cream! Oh my goodness, it is fantastic! Fortunately, our freezer is small (and right now filled with other Girl Scout cookies and frozen soup) otherwise I would have filled it up with this! I'm on a mission to get our freezer really organized before Baby Icing arrives, and mostly stocked with healthy dinners/lunches, but I think there might be room for some emergency cartons of this stuff!

I also wanted to share a delicious recipe from Real Simple that I finally tested out yesterday! I'm a big fan of the magazine - I love their aesthetic, the cleaning tips, and especially their recipes. So, yesterday afternoon, when I realized that I had two big bags of frozen corn in the freezer, I thought what could be better than corn chowder?

Corn Chowder (From Real Simple, February 2008)

8 oz bacon (chopped into small pieces)

1 large sweet onion, minced (I added in a minced carrot and a couple ribs of celery for added flavor)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I added more, because I wanted more heat)

2 10 oz packages frozen corn (I used 2 16 oz packages because I had them and I like thicker soups)

3 cups low sodium chicken stock (I mixed it up and added a half cup of white wine in there)

1 cup half and half

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (I added chopped parsley because I didn't have these)

Cook the bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. (They take the bacon out and use it as a garnish at the end, but I left it in the soup for more flavor). Whatever you do, when the bacon is crisp, add the onion and stir occasionally until soft (5-7 minutes).
Add garlic, paprika and red pepper, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Stir in the corn, broth and half and half and bring soup to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Puree half the soup in blender until smooth. Add back to the pot and make sure all soup proper temperature. Garnish with parsley or scallions.
YUMMY!

Misc Projects

2009-03-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

I had the most wonderful coconut pancakes at brunch today, and a nice visit with one of my friends who is expecting a baby in September. I'm glad to know some other mums, and am glad that Baby Icing will have some friends!

Yesterday I did basically nothing - other than see "I Love You Man" which was really funny. I may take myself to see "Duplicity" next week for a matinee, or go with N next weekend - we're trying to see all the movies we can now. I think I redeemed myself today - I finally got out the work baby shower thank yous, and am doing laundry - all of Baby Icing's little snapsuits and onesies will be nice and clean for her! I wanted to share a couple pictures of the things that I've gotten done (and look for a later post with corn chowder - depending on how it turns out)!

This little bubble is so sweet - it's one of mine and I think it looks good for being 30 years old! I can't wait to dress Baby Icing up - it's going to be a hot summer here, so I want to make sure she stays cool and comfy. Bubbles are nice and light, but they are still a little bit dressier than snapsuits.

Here's the crib with the bedding - TA DA! I'm thrilled with the quality and with how it all looks together...we just need a baby in there (hopefully one who sleeps!)

Here's the stroller that I built- and per MMM's review over on her blog, she has really liked it so far, so I'm thinking that we made the right choice. It has certainly been fun to practice driving it around the condo! (Much to the consternation of my cats).

Speaking of cats, there is fortunately nothing terribly wrong with my little girl cat - she has to go in for some further tests, but it sounds like she may just need to switch diets to avoid getting another bladder problem! Thank goodness. We've been spoiling her with lamb baby food (which is DISGUSTING, but she loves).

Definitely...Maybe

2009-03-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have had a legitimately crazy week at the office. Ai yi yi. I'm sitting in on a depo taken by our outside counsel on Monday, and then on Wednesday observing the potential start of a trial. Can anyone say - that's a little much for someone right around 37 weeks pregnant?

The good news is that Baby Icing is taking it all in stride. Thank goodness I'm not actually litigating anymore - budgets and strategy are stressful enough! She is definitely a girl, and looks pretty darn adorable (and in the right position) on our ultrasound. My doctor estimates that she is perfectly and completely average - somewhere between 5-6 pounds.

So, in that vein, I'm enjoying some March madness while N and the cats nap on the couch. My poor baby girl cat has been a little under the weather (and not doing her business where it should be done.) Please keep your fingers crossed that the vet tests will reveal nothing is really wrong with her - she's so cute snuggled up right now!

Happy Weekend!

Dinner in Paris

2009-03-25T21:02:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like chicken breasts are boring? I do! But, they are so healthy and cook so quickly. This recipe is my secret weapon for making them fancy enough for company, and delicious enough for lazy me to make them for myself even when I start cooking at 8:00 p.m.

The recipe was in Gourmet Magazine's Paris special last year, and I can't urge you enough to try it!

Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce

1 package chicken breasts (3-4)
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 small shallots thinly sliced (I go heavy on the shallots)
3/4 c. dry white wine (California Chardonnay)
3/4 c. reduced sodium chicken broth (sometimes I leave this out if I don't have it in the house)
1/4 c. heavy cream (whipping cream works too)
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1 TBS finely chopped chives (you can substitute parsely too)

Preheat oven to 450 with rack in the middle.
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12" cast iron (or other oven safe) skillet over medium high heat. Brown the chicken in batches (if chicken has skin, brown skin side down first) for about 2.5 minutes per side.
Return all chicken to skillet and put in oven until cooked through - 15 to 20 minutes. If you cook more chicken, let it cook longer than if there are fewer pieces.
When the chicken is done, remove it from the skillet to a platter. Add the wine and shallots and broth to the skillet and boil for 2 minutes, or until reduced by half.
Add cream and boil until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Strain sauce through a sieve - I always skip this step!
Whisk in mustard and chives. Return chicken to skillet and toss with sauce. Enjoy!

Things Pregnant People Like When They Are Pretending They Are No Longer Pregnant

2009-03-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 36. Baby Icing is kicking up a storm, and is clearly getting ready for her big debut at some point in the next month or so. I am pretending that it is late May, and I'm taking Baby out for some air and cupcakes in her adorable stroller. And, what better for kicking around the neighborhood than these beautiful earrings from Turq? (Here's the link: http://turqjewelry.com/sl4.html).

Because I'll be looking for more machine washable clothing than my current business casual wardrobe, isn't this dress from J. Crew darling? It's nice and light cotton for those hot days on the westside of L.A.

Throw in a pair of flipflops or Loeffler Randall peep toes, and there's my fantasy baby care outfit. Spitup not included. A girl can dream, right? I think the reality is more Lululemon pants and tanks...

Also, on a more philosopical note- why are most prenatal yoga classes during the weekday during normal business hours? I realize this is the West Side, but come on, doesn't anyone else work? Doesn't that seem a little silly?

Spring is Here?

2009-03-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

Monday is over. I found this lovely image of a sunny day on this adorable website - http://www.pugslife.org/ which showcases adorable little pugs.

It was a perfect early spring day here - very windy, but clear and right around 70 degrees. I'm a total slug at work mentally, so I was happy to leave early to go meet with a pediatrician. Hope I don't get in trouble, but I told everyone where I was going - and I feel like at almost 36 weeks I should get kudos for still thinking and showing up in the morning! She was great. Not only is the office walking distance from our place, but they have really nice hours and a great on call policy. The only downer is that she doesn't have privileges at the hospital I'm delivering at, so Baby Icing will be making an early trip out of the house for a visit!

That's one thing down off the list of prenatal projects - hopefully I can get cracking on the remaining ones this week. I can't believe how close we are getting to anticipated arrival - and I surely do hope that Baby Icing is prompt! We have our final ultrasound and 36 week appointment this Friday, and I'm hoping everything looks good.

I'm starting to plan some fun projects/activities for my time off - it starts next week! The first day I'm having lunch with a friend and then going to a lecture about anesthesia (that won't be so fun, but I think it will make me feel better to learn more about pain relief). Then, I've got to get a haircut and color, and maybe a facial - I probably won't have time to do any spa days for the next 18 years! But, I want to make sure that there's lots of time for puttering around the house and general relaxation. What would you do if you had three weeks at home relaxing? Any projects? Any books/DVDs that you would finally watch?

Weekend Update/ Baby Reviews

2009-03-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

Last week was CRAZY busy. Work was nuts! One of the projects I'm managing just kicked into high gear, perfect timing for my maternity leave. So, I was jumping around trying to put out various fires, and not have my blood pressure go through the roof! I just keep reminding myself that there is a much bigger picture, and that my biggest concern is not stressing out little Miss Icing.

On Wednesday, we had a nursing class. I have to say, it was a very big disappointment. I went in expecting to learn about how to feed a baby, and how to approach different breastfeeding challenges. Instead, N and I were forced to sit through about an hour and a half of the benefits of breastfeeding (we are in the class, clearly we believe in the benefits) and lots of anecdotes. I can understand the place for those things, but what I really wanted was to learn how it works. I also wanted to know what to do if you need a cesarean, if you have a sick baby, etc - all the things that would make breastfeeding tricky. No such luck. I hope the class is sort of useful, and I guess I can always call in a lactation consultant or hit up one of the Pump Station support groups after Baby arrives.

The good news - after we snuck out of the class early, is that one of our good college friends was in town visiting with his girlfriend. So, we had a lovely, but late, night eating some delicious take out Thai food and wondering how we all got so grown up all of a sudden!

Thursday, I had a lovely dinner with girlfriends at Gulfstream - try it out - it's in the Century City Mall, and it is delicious - I had Brazilian Cioppino and a few bites of their ice cream sundae! (I may need to do a post on making hot fudge sauce shortly.)

Unfortunately, Friday morning I woke up with a fever and chills. I had to be in court to watch a hearing, so I dragged myself into the office and to the hearing, only to find out that the decisive issues won't be decided until a couple weeks from now! I went home, called my doctor, and found out that I can take anything in the Tylenol family. I took a four hour nap, and then just did a little work.

N has been sick all weekend too. Yesterday, I managed to drag myself out for a walk, and to my eyebrow appointment, before we lay on the couch all day watching basketball. I did make Irish Bread and laundry, but other than that, I was unproductive.

We're feeling a little better today, though sad that USC is out of the tournament. Oh well, maybe next year? Now I'm settling in for the evening, and writing thank you notes for my work shower.

Oh, and I read the book pictured above. I can't recommend it enough. It is a very fair look at all sorts of pain relief measures during labor - from what do do when you're just a little uncomfortable, to what to do when you need serious relief. It really gave me a good understanding of my choices and options. I'm going to recommend it to anyone who wants to understand modern choices - all of them. I'm so glad that I read it. It also has a really nice section describing pain relief choices for cesarean recovery too!

Only 30 days to go...and 8 days left of work!

Irish Eyes Are Smiling

2009-03-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little bit late for St. Patrick's Day, but it was cold and windy here in LA this weekend, and I wanted to curl up with tea and Irish bread. My mum didn't bring her recipe to Florida, so I'm making do with this one from the Boston Globe. It has the delicious surprise of whole wheat - definitely not traditional in my family, but really delicious and a welcome addition. I was out of white flour and had to use cake flour for the white, so this is a little different than the original, but delicious nonetheless. Also, kudos to Lauren for recommending the Lurpak butter - go out and try it - it is so delicious! This was the perfect food for a weekend spent recuperating from some sort of 24 hour bug and doing lots of laundry!

Irish Bread (also known as "Soda Bread) from the Boston Globe

2 cups whole wheat flour (I find King Arthur brand is available at regular supermarkets)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I won't be using cake flour again hopefully)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda (hence "Soda Bread")
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I increased the liquid from 1 1/3 cups and the butter because whole wheat can be dry)
1/3 cup canola oil (I used 1/2 cup of melted butter and loved it - I am not sure about oil in Irish Bread!)
2 cups golden raisins (I opt out of raisins on principle, but I realize I'm in the minority!)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until well blended.

2. In mixer, beat the eggs. Melt the butter in the microwave, and add it to the eggs, along with the buttermilk. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the liquid until it becomes a dough.

3. Turn the dough on a lightly floured counter and knead gently a few times until smooth. (Since you are using a mixer, you don't really need to do this as much - but I wouldn't skip it if I were mixing by hand). Turn the dough into two equal balls, and mark a cross in the top of each. I forgot this step - but it is definitely traditional - my Nana used to say it brought good luck.

4. Bake the breads for 25-30 minutes or until they are puffed and browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

5. Cool on a wire rack. Cut in thick slices (it will crumble if sliced too thinly). Serve with hot tea, butter and jam as a snack, or alongside a main course - it's particularly good with Easter if you do a leg of lamb!

4.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

I hope yours was filled with good beer and green cheer. I don't have any green maternity clothing, so I am celebrating in spirit! I did make sure to bake some potatoes with my roast chicken for dinner, but despite my Irish roots, I cannot stand corned beef and cabbage. Right now I'm craving Irish bread, and I'll share if I can get my mum's recipe (it's actually from my godmother originally and it is delicious!).

I was browsing on the Idaho potato website, and thought this recipe for Irish nachos looked delicious - and a good way to celebrate for those of us in the west! http://www.idahopotato.com/recipes/id-709

In other news, we have our big learn how to feed the baby class tomorrow night, and are having house guests. I'm definitely getting the fatigue at the end of pregnancy - I'm ready for a nap by the time I get to the office in the morning!

Sweets to the Sweet

2009-03-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

What do you bake when you want something really delicious that can be whipped up easily, is portable, and is loved by all? The answer would be blondies/chocolate chip pan cookies/congo bars (which is what my family calls them).

We had dinner at my brother in law's last night, and his girlfriend made delicious short ribs in the slow cooker. (I'm totally buying one, and will practice on it when I'm on leave waiting for Baby Icing). She asked me to bring dessert, and I wanted to share this recipe - not only does it make really pretty toffee colored cookies, but it couldn't be simpler!
It is from the back of the Guittard brand of chocolate chips (but I think it would work well with any brand).

Congo Bars

2/1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c. butter (I like to use unsalted butter, but I think you could use salted as well - maybe then no added salt?)
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. dark brown sugar (packed firmly)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups (one bag) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts - I generally leave these out because I never keep them around.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until light. Add in vanilla and eggs.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Add the chocolate chips. Spread into pre greased 9" x 13" pan (the original recipe calls for a 10" x 15", but I don't have one and this worked out well)
Bake for 25 minutes (again, 20-25 if you're using the larger pan). You may need to give these a couple of extra minutes, but they do continue cooking as they sit on the cooling rack.

I'm making them again tonight, because I want to bring them to my office as a thank you for the really adorable shower they threw me today! I got tiny and cute outfits for Baby Icing, and a gift card to Babies R Us that I'm sure is going to come in handy for those last minute necessities!

In other news, we had an absolutely lovely, but tiring weekend. I managed to drag myself out for exercise both days, but my three mile walks are starting to seem like 10 miles. I'm taking it easy, and carry water and a cell phone with me, but I have a really hard time sleeping if I don't get any exercise during the day.

Saturday night, we had dinner at Mastro's - if you go - get the warm spinach salad and the lobster mashed potatoes. We had a lovely time celebrating our friend's birthday, and are so excited to hear that his wife will be having a baby in late September! Honestly, being pregnant has been a bit lonely, because I really only have one friend who has a baby! I'm thrilled, and can't wait to meet their little one, who I am sure will be a very good friend to Baby Icing.

I also managed to make some red lentil soup and some more blueberry muffins for the freezer. Tonight I made another batch of regular lentil soup - I'll post this recipe soon. I'm working on having a decent amount of soups and nutritious meals frozen so that we don't have to eat takeout all the time.

We have friends from college stopping by on Wednesday night which should be fun, and I'm hoping that work stays calm this week because I'm about wiped out by 3:00 p.m. every day! I'm still mulling over potential baby announcements. Only 5 weeks to go starting tomorrow!

Weekend Thank Goodness

2009-03-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

I'm tired! So, after hitting up Ralph's for the groceries, I'm sitting on the couch with a cup of tea and a scone (see the recipe from this past weekend's post). Baby Icing is doing well per my latest appointment, and we have an ultrasound scheduled for my next check up to see her one last time. My doctor doesn't do lots of ultrasounds unless there is a need, so we haven't seen her in about 16 weeks! I can't imagine what she looks like, and I'm so curious to see if she has lots of hair (we all have black hair in my family)!

Here's my original little girl - isn't she sweet? She is the most gentle little cat ever. She doesn't play bite or scratch, and she is so clever at hiding that I have thought we've lost her several times. She likes strong foods, like hummus, yogurt and salmon, and weirdest of all, duck grease poured over her cat food. She also likes peanut butter, but I only give her a tiny bit because I'm pretty sure it's not good for cats. She likes to sleep in the pregnancy pillow during the day, and loves to snuggle on the couch. She is also half the size of our big kitty - but she's just as cute!

Since I had a little time to kill before my doctor's appointment (and I parked at the Beverly Center), I toddled down to Bloomingdales to pick up some pretty spring lipgloss - check out Bobbi Brown's "Tangerine." It is the perfect pinky peach - just right for spring and summer when you have a little bit of a tan. (BTW, I say "toddle", because I am starting to feel like a weeble - like I could just roll over at any time from the weight of this ginormous tummy!).

This weekend I'm cleaning, washing Baby's bedding in Dreft, and hopefully starting to work on stocking the freezer with some nice pasta sauce and soups to reheat after Baby Icing arrives. I can't believe she'll be here in around 6 weeks!

Going Private - The First Notice

2009-03-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hi all. I want to use this as our platform to share all the Baby Icing photos after she arrives (safely, God willing), so I'm going to be turning private in mid April. If you are interested in reading, please send your email so that I can send invitations. I'll do a couple more reminders too!

Odds and Ends

2009-03-12T20:24:00.001-07:00

Happy almost weekend everyone! I think Baby Icing is ready for the weekend too - she's been staying up pretty late at night, so I think she wants to sleep in!

How delicious does this brownie sundae look? It's one of my favorite features in the LA Times; their food section does a recipe on request from a local restaurant. I'm going to try to make these brownies...I may just buy the coffee ice cream and fudge sauce though! http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-sos11-2009mar11,0,6537428.story That's the link for you to check them out yourself. BLD is a great restaurant (and a really fun place for brunch) if you're ever in LA!

I picked up this pretty cherry blossom photo on Etsy. Here's the link to the seller: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5246696 I think it will be pretty in Baby Icing's room!

This weekend we'll be keeping it pretty low key. I have a long meeting tomorrow morning/mid afternoon, and then a doctor's appointment (I get so nervous for all of them that I'm wiped out afterwards). I'm thinking of picking up some duck breasts and good cheese/bread/salad for dinner, and then whipping up the brownie sundaes for dessert. Saturday, we're going to Mastro's for a birthday party. I've never been, so I'm excited to try it, but I'm also nervous - I hope I can still squeeze into my party dress one last time!

Other than that, it will be organizing Baby Icing's room, and working on gathering the little essentials that we need for her. Let's hope tomorrow goes by quickly!

To Do List Progress

2009-03-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

I've made some headway:

1. Scheduled meeting with pediatrician within walking distance of our place for two weeks from now.

2. Cleared a lot of junk out of Baby Icing's room.

3. Scheduled a breastfeeding seminar at UCLA Santa Monica (apparently it is NOT easy to learn at all!).

4. Ordered the first batch of nursery essentials from Diapers.com - check out MMM's blog for a review and discount!

5. Taken my pretty Bold and Noble poster for an expensive but very attractive framing! I can't wait to see it hung up!

6. Confirmed that the remaining parts of the Pottery Barn Kids order are still coming - I was getting nervous, but it looks like delivery should be coming around this week or next!

7. Provided my certification to my office confirming my last day of work is April 1. I can't believe it!

Pregnant People Like - Books

2009-03-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today starts week 34. So, I have somewhere between 6-7 weeks left before Baby Icing makes her debut, and my memory is going. Since I hope to have more than one happy and healthy little baby (God willing), I want to remember all the resources and tips that were useful this time around. When I found out that I was actually pregnant (because I'm paranoid, I couldn't believe it until the blood work came back at 6 weeks), the first thing I did was to buy a couple of good reference books.

I think books are pretty personal, so what I liked might not work for you. That said, I think the Mayo Clinic book is very good and very neutral. It covers pre-conception tips and nutrition, genetic counselling and testing for disorders, as well as what changes your body and your baby go through over the 40 weeks. I thought the discussion of labor/c section and pain relief was really informative and non-biased. It also has handy little decision charts for different questions and concerns as you go through your pregnancy, and when you NEED to contact your doctor.

This is what I'm reading these days, and I've just started it. It's written by a pediatrician who does a really good job of looking at sleep from the perspective of a little baby. I'll review further when I complete it, but it is a nice sympathetic way of examining how babies sleep, and clarifying that they are quite different from grownups!

Vicki Iovine makes me laugh so much. I got this right at the start, and I think it's the perfect combination with the Mayo Clinic book - sage medical advice in the one, and light-hearted humor in the second. At a time when you are feeling deadly serious (and more than a little nervous), it's reassuring to read about people who have been there done that and survived! She is so funny about the ills of pregnancy (including the little indignities that NO ONE told me about). Granted, I think if you are very committed to a natural/home birth experience, or are not a fan of conventional medicine, you probably wouldn't find this very supportive, but it is HILARIOUS. I'll be giving this one to people when they tell me they are pregnant!

I just ordered Dr. Camann's book today, and am eagerly looking forward to it. Since this is my first baby, I want to be educated about all my options. It's written by an anesthesiologist about all sorts of various pain relief methods. My hospital offers a seminar by an anesthesiologist on pain relief choices as well, so I'm taking that too. Hopefully, this will help me understand how the epidural works, so I can be a little less nervous about it!

So, these are the books that I've found helpful so far. I will clearly need to do a post about baby care books too - right now I'm reading the back section of my Mayo Clinic group for baby care. What books have you found helpful?

Things Pregnant People LOVE

2009-03-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Tums Smoothies. Extra strength! Highly recommended! I'm starting to work on reviews of my favorite pregnancy essentials - so when I do this again, I'll remember! Do you have any random little things that work?

Delicious Weekend

2009-03-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

This was a wonderful weekend! It really felt like spring here, perfect for my slow "exercise" walks around the neighborhood. I had a lovely brunch at Comme Ca with my dear friend R, and a fabulous pedicure yesterday. Today we completed "Prepared Birth" (Lord help us), and saw Ben Affleck at the drugstore! I cleared out more extra stuff from Baby Icing's room, and now we're enjoying Flight of the Conchords waiting for bolognese sauce to heat up.

Spring weather puts me in the mood for tea and scones. I know most people like scones in the winter, but there's something about sunny, cool spring days that has me thinking of afternoon tea with hot scones, jam and butter. Here is my favorite afternoon tea - delicious!

And, here are my mother's scones. This is the easiest recipe ever, and you can do so many variations. They are tossed together in 15 minutes, baked in 20 - so if you ever visit my mum and give an hour's notice, you will most likely get some of these!

Teatime Scones (I think these were originally published in the Boston Globe)

1 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 cup milk)

1 egg

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/1 cup melted butter (I don't think it will work as well with margarine)

2 TBS sugar (this is optional, but I like it)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Beat together buttermilk, egg, and sugar. Sift the flour and baking powder, soda and salt together in a bowl.

3. Mix 2/3 of the flour mixture into the buttermilk and stir well. Gradually add melted butter to the mix, then add the rest of the flour.

4. Knead dough ( or just use the dough hook on the Kitchen Aide) by hand for about 5 minutes (I think it's about 2 minutes in the Kitchen Aide). Divide into 3 equal parts (4" to 5" in diameter). Pat these parts into circles, and score the top of each circle with a cross (see picture above).

5. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

(These are really delicious hot out of the oven, but they also freeze and reheat well). With jam and butter, they are so good - and easy.

Little Happies

2009-03-05T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ok. My grumpiness is out of proportion to the reality of the situation - as neither the stroller nor the request for info is a huge problem. So, here are some little things that make me VERY happy!

Peach roses - my all time favorite color rose!
This darling little Beatrix Potter baby book my mother sent me - it's the updated version of the one my mother in law used with my husband 30 years ago! (For some reason, the update now includes a space for mum to record her pregnancy weight gain - will not be happening in my baby's book!)

Pretty photos of cherry blossoms - Etsy is aflutter with them now, and I think I'm going to get one framed for Baby Icing's room - they are so lovely!

Chocolate! I'm still savoring my delicious box of Valentine's chocolates!

My upcoming pedicure this weekend! Badly needed - I can't really reach my toes these days!