Shrimp Quesadillas

This is so fast and so good. Roast some peeled shrimp in a 400 degree oven, tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper for about 5-7 minutes. Prep some tortillas by brushing with olive oil. Add a combination of chopped scallions and shredded cheddar cheese (about one scallion to one cup cheddar) and spread on the tortillas. Chop up the roasted shrimp, distribute among your tortillas. Cover with another tortilla, brush with olive oil, and put it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. I don't have a good strategy to crisp up your quesadillas, mine came out a big soft still, but this dinner was fast and delicious!

Lobster Roll and Radish Salad

I got really fancy and made this, but still in 30 minutes!

Lobster Roll



I used a bag of frozen "Langostino" from Trader Joe's. I told Chris this and we were both puzzled because we didn't know what that meant, exactly. I guessed crawfishlike creature, and he guessed prawnlike. Tastes more like lobster. This was delicious, though.

I also made this salad:

Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing but with just romaine lettuce. I had the rest for lunch and it was glooorious. Aren't you impressed with me?

Dinner Menu

Saturday-Sam Gyup Sal or pork belly pieces, with rice, dipped in a mixture of sesame oil, salt and pepper, with a side of kimchee. You can get a pound of sliced pork belly for under $5 at the Korean markets.

Sunday-Shrimp pasta with lemon oil. Left out the arugula (went bad in my fridge :( ), and the "zested" oil. I just added some olive oil when i added the lemon juice. It was awesome, actually and really easy.

Monday-I used my crock pot for the first time in months to make Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup. It made way more than we could eat so I froze one batch. Next time I will sub the beer for chicken stock. I used the taco seasoning mix mentioned on the website. I really like recipes where you open a few cans and dinner is waiting for you when you come home. Definitely top with sour cream and tortilla chips (and maybe some scallions?) before eating.

Tuesday-My random eat out day.

Wednesday-Korean marinated barbeque beef (that you can also get by the pound) and rice.

Thursday-Marinated Chicken thigh kebabs broiled in the oven with rice. The recipe involves soy sauce, peanut butter, and hardly any cooking time (just the cutting up and skewering of the chicken).

At some point I need to look in my freezer and figure out what else I should be making. My freezer is pretty stuffed. Enjoy these recipes!

New Year's Day

It's a time for reflection, thinking, wondering, planning, and doing!
Here is a list
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
hm, no idea. this makes me feel oddly resolved

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I usually don't, but thanks to above, I resolve to do something in 2009 that I've never done before..

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
no!!

5. What countries did you visit?
Amsterdam and France. And Belgium!

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
More cuddling!

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Nov 4, 2008- because we thought about it, and decide Hope was a good choice.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Tracking, assessing, remediating! I'm getting better at teaching!
Also, teaching Gideon some sign language. I did it! I'm THAT mommy!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Work-not enough tracking, assessing, remediating! Argghh teaching!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
no!!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
financial freedom! not really, I think that would require more investment planning or whatever those people are always blathering on about in commercials where "your money works for you." It was the ipod speaker.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
American Voters--well done, citizens! We must applaud those of you who had the good sense to come out, and those of you who thankfully stayed home!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Two little fellows at work, whose names will be withheld. but they know who they are!

14. Where did most of your money go?
paying off debt. and child care.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The 44th President!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Yes We Can by Will.i.am, and Stronger by Kanye.


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? saaadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? A teeny bit fatter? No longer BFing so the fat can't be leeched out like it was before.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer!! No credit card debt in '09

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
More reading, and listening to music, and organizing my house and cleaning, and writing.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Less procrastinating, of course.

20. How (did) you spend Christmas?
With my men and some lamb chops.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes!!

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Life. I <3 Damien Lewis, and Mad Men

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Probably!!

24. What was the best book you read?
Twilight. I don't know that it was the best, but definitely the most enjoyable read of the year.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Stars!

26. What did you want and get?
Jewelry

27. What was your favorite film of this year?
Perusing my netflix queue, i realize there are very few things I saw and enjoyed this year. my favorite "movies" that I watched were a revisionist Shakespeare series produced by BBC, particularly The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado about Nothing.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Ate mussels with my man. I was 29.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More cuddling.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
To thine own self be true.

31. What kept you sane?
Gbaby

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
Yes We Can! What do you think??

33. Who did you miss?
Kai and Melanie

34. Who was the best new person you met?
Natasha!

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
You are born alone, you die alone.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I wanna ask you -
Do you ever sit and wonder,
It's so strange
That we could be together for
So long, and never know, never care
What goes on in the other one's head?
-Ben Folds

Illicit Haircut

I am incredibly lucky to have my parents watch the Gbaby while I work. I know this, I appreciate this, even though I really have no scope for reality because they have always watched him. I always trusted him with them, and knew he was safe and loved and never cried for more than thirty seconds in a row in their presence.

When I picked up the Gbaby tonight, I noticed and commented on my dad's snazzy new haircut. Then I picked up the Gbaby, and left.

I gave Gbaby his bath, we ate dinner, and were hanging out for a bit before bedtime. When I noticed his usually fuzzy hairline, which I had even commented to Chris as being slightly on the edge of "baby mullet" was surprisingly straight. Leaning in for closer inspection, I noticed a thin even scar. Like the kind, I don't know, scissors would make. My jaw dropped. Inspecting his whole head I realized that the delicious curl that stuck out of the back of his hair when he woke up, that I used to pull and tease when cuddling him, that looked so adorable as he toddled around, was GONE! His entire head had been trimmed with a preppy maliciousness.

My son has received an illicit haircut.

No mention of the haircut prior to the event. No mention after.

Don't they realize that the first haircut is a momentous event that is meant to be cataloged, or at least photographed?? I can just imagine my mom laughing uproariously when her "trick" is discovered. At least at a day care I wouldn't be surprised by random acts of grooming.

Low right or High right?

On NPR, they were talking about the low right and the high right. Apparently the low right are those "Joe the you-know-whats" or "Joe Six packs" (take your pick) conservatives, while the high right are those that were embarrassed by the choice of Sarah Palin as the VP nominee.

This blog has come down from some "High" 30 minute meals to some pretty "low" 30 minute meals. That's right, I am now the Rush Limbaugh of speed suppers, I am more akin to Sandra Lee than to Rachael Ray.

Don't blast me. That's just how motherhood has played out.

In the nature of debate, my assertion: I am a "low" cook.
My Reason: I have been using some ... questionable methods and ingredients.
My example: I made a soup using velveeta. And it was good, damn you. Good!!!

The recipe was found at my mother in laws where I visited last weekend. Apparently, she has a subscription (free) to Kraft Foods magazine. There they showcase some very manageable dinners, including aforementioned recipe.

This "Velvety Velveeta (yes, that is the recipe name henceforth) Vegetable Soup" comprised three ingredients, and took all of five minutes of attention. Hence, no screaming baby, hence, successful night for all.

Tonight I made a Shepard's Pie from the Kraftfoods website. I had to add some Worcestershire sauce, but it appears it will be successful.

Funny? Or Scary? Perhaps, both.