The Answer to My Prayers?

I'm not very organized in my private life. In my work life, I am an attorney, so organization is REQUIRED. My office is pretty neat, I calendar everything, and I'm a compulsive double checker. Unfortunately, that seems to consume all my organizational abilities, leaving VERY limited quantities for my private life. But, since being pregnant, I've gotten gradually more interested in ways of tracking and sorting. Check out http://www.seejanework.com/ for great options - this brand also makes binders for life in general. I also found some other adorable stuff that seems like it would really help me stay organized! The Kate Spade organizer I own in green and LOVE it. It holds up really well to being jounced around in purses all the time.

I think I'm getting the medical book to track Baby's appointments/shots, etc, and I should probably do the same for myself and DH. Who knows...baby will either push me over the edge into total chaos, or help me shape up.

My belly is getting bigger, but my interest in purses is definitely tending toward the small. Why is this? And, I'm obsessed with teal. I love teal accents with a black dress. Sigh.

Wants

Isn't this little jacket the cutest? I could see how cute it would look with black pants and a white tee for work, or with jeans on the weekend. And, such a fun thing for Valentine's day. Sadly, I don't think it will have enough room for my by then 32 week belly, so I hope I can snag it on sale after Baby arrives. Right, there is no way that this would work on someone very pregnant?

Meatballs!

I believe in the symbolism of eating things on New Year's Day that look like coins. So, after enjoying a bowl of lentil soup for lunch, I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. I use a combination of my mother's recipe and a recipe from Nigella Bites. I had to adopt my mum's recipe to the reality of LA, where there is not the same Italian population, so you can't buy the ground "meatball mix" of beef, pork and veal. I also don't fry them like she does, instead, I make my meatballs small (about a teaspoon size) so they can poach in the sauce. That's easier than standing over the stove frying for a long time. I use Nigella's sauce, because it's pretty easy. I think you could probably get away with using bottled marinara too - but I think this sauce is so easy, and you can adjust the spice in the sauce to match/compliment how spicy you make the meatballs.

Meatballs (from Mum and Nigella)

1 lb ground beef (don't use low fat - I like 20% fat)

1 lb uncooked pork sausage with casing removed (I like using hot Italian sausage because it adds a lot of flavor)

1 egg

2 TBS grated parmesan (I eyeball this, and I think it would not work with canned parm, you need a little moisture)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

3 TBS breadcrumbs (I tend to omit this, but add it sometimes. I can't tell if it makes a difference!)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt. If you are using sausage instead of plain ground pork, you probably don't need this.

Mix everything in bowl with hands (it is sticky, but it doesn't work as well mixing with a spoon!) Shape into small balls (about the size of a rounded teaspoon). Place the meatballs on baking sheets and cover with plastic wrap. Place into refridgerator until ready to use. I think the chilling step also helps the meatballs firm up so they don't fall apart when cooking.

Sauce

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbs unsalted butter

1 tbs olive oil (the kind you use for cooking - not the fancy stuff for salad dressing or bread)

24 oz canned crushed tomatoes (I can only find 28 oz cans, and they work just fine)

3/4 c. water

pinch sugar (I just toss in a sugar cube, and sometimes I forget - this isn't critical)

salt and pepper

1/3 c. plus 1 tbs whole milk

1. Mince onion and garlic. Heat butter and oil in deep saucepan (use a BIG pan) then cook the onion and garlic over medium/low heat for about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and water with the sugar, salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes.

2. Stir in milk, then drop in tomatoes one at a time. DO NOT STIR after adding meatballs - you will end up with meat sauce, not meatballs and sauce. Cook everything for 20 minutes partially covered. (I cook them longer - about 40 minutes because you can't overcook them, and that way you can do other stuff around the house or not eat right away).

3. This makes a lot of sauce and meatballs, and it freezes really well. It does take a couple hours, but it certainly isn't difficult, makes your house smell delicious and is delicious!

4. Note - My mum thinks veal is necessary to meatballs. I am a little weirded out by it, so I don't use it, but if you like, you could add some veal in there to replace some of the beef or pork.

Weird

I was walking down Montana yesterday morning and popped into Baby Style. I want a second pair of maternity jeans that is a little dressier, and I was hoping to try the Mama J's. However, because this is LA, the Baby Style I frequent only carries the SKINNY LEG version. Not the chic and versatile boot cut, but the skinny. Honestly, I know I live in LA, but I'd expect that at least some pregnant people here might want to wear bootcut jeans. I am just annoyed, because this means I'll have to order them online and guess at my size. Sigh. Only in LA. I understand emphazing the parts of you that stay skinny, like your legs, but honestly, I think skinny jeans are such a tough look to pull off even when I'm NOT pregnant!

Back to Things Pregnant People Like

1. Walks. I may go slowly, but I really enjoy going for a walk outside these days. I don't even need my IPOD - I think my brain is slowing down, so I occupy myself quite well without any music. My favorite walk takes a while (it's about 7 miles) but it goes all the way down San Vicente to the ocean, and then back up Montana for some browsing.

2. Wasa Crackers. I really like peanut butter on crackers as a snack, and I've been looking for a whole wheat cracker that tastes a little more interesting than the norm. These hit the spot. They have tons of whole grain and fiber, but still taste really good. Plus, they don't have a lot of fat or bad stuff in them, so I think they can be called good for baby!

3. Brownies. They are my favorite dessert, hands down. And, I am constantly amazed at how easily and quickly they can be thrown together. Here's a recipe that I just tried, and it's perfect for a smaller batch. It is by Marc Bittman of the New York Times. It's quite similar to the recipe from Gourmet that I posted a few months ago:

Marc Bittman's Brownies

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 stick salted/unsalted butter (I tend to bake with unsalted)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. flour

pinch salt if it's not in the butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" x 8" square pan. Combine chocolate and butter in saucepan over very low heat to melt. (I cheat and almost always microwave the chocolate and the butter together. I don't microwave chocolate alone, but I think the butter helps keep it from burning.)

2. Transfer the chocolate mixture when melted to a bowl. (If you use the microwave, you can make everything in one bowl, which I highly recommend!) Stir in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time (I dumped them both in at the same time, but I'd be curious to try this the other way and see if it makes a difference.) Add flour, salt and vanilla and stir until flour is incorporated.

3. Pour into pan (I added chocolate chips on top at this point) and bake for 20-30 minutes. I baked for 25 and found that gave the perfect balance of fudgy but still crisped the brownies on the side of the pan, and I like a bite that is both crispy and fudgy.

4. Mesu Portion Bowls. I'm trying to watch my portions to avoid gaining more than I have to, and while I've owned these little bowls for years, I'm finding them incredibly useful right now. It's so easy to figure out what a portion looks like. Plus, they are pretty darn cute. And, it's really helpful when you want a brownie and ice cream, but you don't want to totally overdo it.

5. Coffee. Unlike my beloved friend wine, which is off limits and DISGUSTING (it all tastes like vinegar), coffee still tastes pretty darn good. I'm limiting myself to a few cups a week, but those cups (heavy on the steamed and frothed milk) are so darn good.

6. My Isabella Oliver Wrap Sweater. Warm, comfy and room to grow! What could be better. I'm wearing it like a coat these days, as it's cold and damp here, and I think it was worth every penny!

Happy New Year!

I hope a good new year was had by all. We went to two fun parties (I'm totally paranoid that it is our last New Year on the town). One was at a friend's fiance's apartment - and he has redone it in the most inspiring way - so it was fun and good design research for me about how pretty sliding doors can be! The second was at a club in the VIP area. It was so fun to just be out and about (and finally not have to wait in the ladies' room line). I busted out the party dress and shoes, and since I sat a lot, I stayed pretty comfy. We did leave right at the stroke of midnight, but hubby had an easy time since I drove (and drove him through the Taco Bell drive through) on the way home. (I won't leave this picture up forever, but I did want to show you what I look like - so hello out there!). The shoes are up there, because I wanted to show that while they are lovely, they are only 3.5", so they are technically not "too" tall!

Yesterday, I sat on the couch all day! The Rose Bowl was good watching as the Trojans played well. I have to say, I was so impressed with the lovely and polite Penn State fans spotted all over town this week. I'm impressed with their coach, their players and their fans! Today, I'm cleaning up the house and cooking, so look for some recipes coming up, including my New Year spaghetti and meatballs. It makes enough to freeze for later (at least the sauce) so if you are thinking about post baby meals, I recommend it highly!