Repeat After Me

The "beep" is the sound the microwave makes after we count down from ten.

Laundry Basket Boy

Luke loves to sit in the laundry basket and run his toy trains around the edge (or chew on socks...?). The other day, while sitting in the laundry basket and talking to his Grandma on the phone I overhead Grandma say to Luke, "I'm in California, where are you?" And I whispered to Luke, "Manitoba". Luke said loud and clear, "Ma-ni-TO-ba". Needless to say, Grandma thinks Luke is a genius.

The repetition is very endearing. I've just taught him to say, "Pretty Mommy", "Yes, Mom", and "You said it". I'm very proud... and apparently wildly popular, and almost always right.

Should I stay or should I go?

Stay sane.

Go crazy.

Hm.

Tuesday's Words

Soule Mama asked her readers to come up with ten words to describe right now. I thought it was a fun exercise in being concise, and reflecting on what you've got/done/have. I'm expanding right now to include all of today. Here are my words:

Cold.
(there is a story behind this word - it's usually cold in Manitoba in January but today Luke and I had a particularly cold experience, which I will blog about tomorrow)

Bright.

Edible.

Sleepy-eyed.

Routine.

List.

Tea.

Books.

Clean.

Together.

I would love to hear your words for Tuesday! Here are some of Luke's:

"Let's Just Cut to the Chase"

While Derek was home for lunch this afternoon, Luke brought him a book and climbed into his lap. The book was, "The Little Engine That Could". Derek said to Luke, "Let's just cut to the chase here - " and he began reading, "The funny little clown and all the dolls and animals cheered and the little engine said, 'I think I can, I think I can, I think I can'. Then the little engine did, and said, 'I thought I could I thought I could I thought I could'. The end."


Mark Elias built this frame for my Aunt Deanna's painting of Dead Ox Ranch that hangs in our living room. He used old wood taken from a barn that was being torn down. I really think it suits the painting, don't you?

After Dinner Floor Show

Our adorable floor show after a scrumptious meal with new friends, last night.

and the toque that you are all getting for Christmas next year - because it rocks. I made two more today. Celeste modeled one for me and then wouldn't take it off again. I'm in my own now too. Cozy and cute!

What kept you?

Simply in Season potato soup

Mom's brownies

Katie's bun recipe.

Working on this toque. Tomorrow I will have a picture of it on my head (hopefully!).

Seems like most days when I have a lot to get done, Luke needs/wants a lot more attention than usual. Somehow I still managed to get a lot done today - even with a grumpy boy, and a shorter than usual nap-time. We're having company over for dinner (potato soup and homemade buns - my mouth is watering), so there was cleaning and cooking to do. Everything is now prepared, and Derek is home to entertain Luke and I am heaving a sigh of relief at the prospect of sitting and eating some good food.

Hoar Frost Photos

Sunny Weather

The gorgeous weather we've had this last week has meant LOTS of digging in the snow, building snowmen, and making snow angels. Luke is making lots of friends in the neighborhood (and so are Derek and I - apparently no other adults ever come play in the snow. The children stare at us with their mouths open while we play with Luke as if they've never seen such play before!). See how deep our tree is buried?

Recipes Galore

In the last year I have used my Simply in Season cookbook a LOT. Anywhere from one to five times a week I am cooking out of this book. The great thing about these recipes is that most of them allow for, and even ask for, flexibility and creativity. Both of which are a must in my household for any task. Today I will share with you the Waffle Cookie recipe from Connie that I hinted at before Christmas, my own recipe for Garlic Alfredo Pizza, and the Simply in Season recipes for Potato Soup, and Stacked Vegetable Quesadillas (with my own variations). These recipes were relatively quick to make, very affordable (I had most of the ingredients in my pantry/fridge already), and actually make frugal and healthy meals (well, not the cookies).

First off, these cookies turned out wonderfully so I must share:
Connie's Italian Waffle Cookies
6 eggs
1/2 C sugar (or more)
grated rind of one lemon
grated rind and juice of one orange
1 1/2-2 t vanilla
1C veg oil
anise seeds OR Sambuca liquer

Add flour until a non-sticky dough

Shape in a figure 8 (about six inches from top to bottom) and fry on a well-greased or teflon waffle iron (the tiny bumps are preferable for such a small cookie).
This recipe made around 2 dozen cookies, and was excellent fresh OR frozen, served with coffee. Plus, they're unique and light so people don't feel like they're getting fat if they have more than one.


Garlic Alfredo Pizza

I must admit I have been using pre-made pizza crusts for this pizza the last several times I've made it. I have a good excuse though! My niece's nursery school was selling them for a fundraiser, so I bought a pack of 18! Anway, you can use your favorite crust recipe (I love foccacia bread for pizza dough), or a pre-made crust. Make sure to grease your cookie sheet (unless you have a pizza stone).

Saute two cloves of garlic, chopped, in olive oil (be careful not to overdo it on the oil, it makes the sauce really greasy if there's too much)
Pour in 1 pint whipping cream
Add 2 teaspoons garlic plus (my favorite new spice!)
pepper to taste
Fresh grated parmesan cheese (I honestly use LOADS of fresh parmesan...like 1-2 C)
thicken sauce by whisking 2 T flour into some milk and adding to the cream sauce
Add chopped, cooked chicken to cream sauce and warm. (I almost always have leftover baked chicken bits in the freezer for recipes such as these. If you want to save some time and money, bake an entire chicken, pull it apart and freeze the pieces in 1 or 2 C increments using sour cream containers)


Pour sauce over crust and top with 1 C mozzarella cheese.
Preheat oven to 425 but reduce to 375 as soon as you put the pizza in, and bake for about twelve minutes. Sometimes I broil it for a few moments to brown the cheese on top (don't burn it accidentally! I've done that before, and the disappointment was devastating).


Stacked Vegetable Quesadillas (p132 SIS)

1/2 sweet onion (thinly sliced)
In non-stick frying pan saute in 1 T oil until translucent, 1-2 minutes

1 clove garlic (minced)
4oz mushrooms (thinly sliced/optional)
2 carrots (julienned) I actually grated the carrots and zucchini
1 zucchini or other summer squash (thinly sliced)
1 green or red sweet pepper (thinly sliced)
Add and cook 5 minutes more just until vegetables are tender
Salt and pepper to taste
I added Garam Masala blended spices to my vegetables and my mouth waters just remembering

12 tortillas (corn or flour)
1 1/2 C your choice of cheese (shredded)
Assemble 4 stacks simultaneously on baking sheet. Start with a tortilla, top with vegetables, some cheese and another tortilla. Repeat layers, ending with a third tortilla. Place stacks in preheated oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and stacks are hot. Cut into quarters and serve warm with salsa, sour cream, avocado and/or chopped fresh cilantro.
The first time I made these we ate them with plain yogurt, and the second time with sour cream. Both were delicious additions.


Potato Soup (p236 SIS)

2 T butter
1/2 C chopped onion
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion, Saute until translucent.

3 C potatoes (diced) I diced them pretty small for Luke to eat more easily
2C water or veg. broth
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 C celery with leaves (chopped; optional) I never had celery
1/2 C carrots (diced or shredded; optional) I chopped my sliced carrots in half for Luke
1/8-1/4 t ground nutmet, dried marjoram, celery salt, dried dill weed, or paprika I always used dill weed, because I LOVE dill weed
Add, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. For a creamier soup, remove some of the potatoes, puree them and return to the soup.

2 C milk
3 T flour
Mix together until smooth. Add to soup and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Cheese variation:
Add 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
I added cheddar because my family would have put cheddar in even if I hadn't.

Simply in Season actually has several variations for this soup including: Ham, Cheeseburger, Dumpling, and Corn - none of which I've tried, but all of which I am certain are delicious.

Pictures today, recipes tomororow

Yes, all I have today is pictures, but tomorrow I will be sharing some recipes I've tested, created, experimented and had success with. So stay tuned.

PS- Luke has started telling us, "Time for nigh'night!" when he gets tired. Will wonders never cease?

So Easily Entertained

It's true that there are times when I put a great deal of energy into our family's entertainment ie. making a delicious dinner and renting the entire Star Wars series for a movie marathon, planning and executing a family camp-out, etc etc. But most of the time we are perfectly content with the entertainment that presents itself in our day-to-day life ie. running Luke's trains around the edge of the laundry basket while he sits inside shouting, "Choo choo!", putting away the laundry, or just watching the orange cat prowl around outside and our kitty leap from windowsill to windowsill.

Thinking of Grandpa

Dear Grandpa,
Today I am thinking about you often, and Mom says she wishes she didn't live in Canada - even though it's supposed to be one of the warmest days in the history of Januaries. I hope your surgery goes well and that when you wake up there will be a big turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes waiting for you, because from my own experience being born in a hospital I can tell you visiting the hospital will leave you hungry. I am going to play in the laundry basket with my trains today, and probably carry the cat around for a while. My schedule is just packed! But not too packed to be thinking of you. Can't wait to see you.
Love you,
Luke Stanley

He's not lacking enthusiasm

That's Derek's way of describing Luke's perpetual motion, "He's certainly not lacking enthusiasm for the task, is he?" (while Luke tries to wriggle underneath the gate with only two inches of clearance)

An object in motion tends to stay in motion...and according to Luke the flip side of this argument is: objects that aren't in motion should be!

Wow, it's ten-thirty at night and I'm just posting the blog. I'll tell you why. I didn't think I had any pictures - which is strange because I usually pick up my camera hundreds of times a day (only a minor exaggeration). But I was certain I didn't have any new pictures to share, and I wasn't inspired to write anything particularly meaningful, so I left it thinking I'd get a picture eventually. Well, I just sat down in front of the computer and realized I had LOTS of pictures from the weekend. The cat's bath, Luke's fun toilet seat (with a convenient privacy screen...ahem, for boys), and my Sunday morning tea steaming in the sunshine....dangerously within Luke's reach. I am quite proud of capturing that swirl.

Cat Plays Piano

The Quietest Time of Day

If you can believe it, lunchtime is the quietest part of our day because Luke's mouth is full of food.

Throwing out the kitty with the bathwater

We love teaching Luke to throw the ball, especially when the cat chases it and entertains him. The hard part is trying to teach him NOT to throw other things, like books, blocks, tractors, the cat.

Word Endings

Luke says, "All Done!"

Last week Luke had several days of ending words with "O". So when we had stew and dumplings for dinner and I said, "Luke eats dumplings", Luke responded with, "Luke dump-o!" and his award winning stew-faced smile. Today Luke has started a new phase, that of adding, "-em" to the end of words. While putting a toy phone in my shirt pocket this morning Luke said, "Pock-em!" And while I was buckling him into his high chair his response was to shout, "Buck-em!" And of course when we went to the bank and I told Luke "Mommy's depositing a check", Luke, sitting on the counter beside me shouted, "Check-em!"

Life with Luke is rather loud these days. He's such a good talker, and so entertaining, that I sometimes have to sit on the couch and just watch him talk and play. And when I get tired of the incessant chatter I remind myself that he won't always wake me up in the night and give me sleepy kisses. Or laugh hysterically after giving Derek's tummy one raspberry after another. Or sit on the sleeping cat and shout, "Horsey!"
Hm.
Indeed.

Gop

Luke asks for "Gop" often these days. Grapes are in fact one of his favorite snacks. Now that he knows how to open the fridge on his own, the grapes have no place to escape to and I will randomly find Luke with an entire bag of grapes in his lap munching away. Sunday morning Luke went back to his bedroom and was awfully quiet - which naturally makes a mother suspicious. I followed his trail and found him sitting behind his dresser eating grapes and reading, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". The boy certainly knows how to coordinate his reading material with his meals.
Our oven is being repaired (at least 3 weeks without an oven! we're making lots of soup) and Luke was making sure the drawer didn't go anywhere while the repair man worked on the oven.