1000 +

You LIKE me, you really, really like me!

hip hip hooray!  this morning i woke up to check the blog and thanks to all you fabulous readers, we’ve hit over 1000 views!!!  AND on the day we got to see our little marshmallow again!  yeop, we had our 18-20 week ultrasound, and good news, she’s still a she!  phew.  i told adam that if he she is a boy this time, that he’ll have to pretend to be a girl for at least the first year of his life…cuz his mom already spent too much on oober girlie clothes 🙂

on this monumental day, i thought i’d answer some of the questions that i get all the time.

Q.  how are you feeling?
A.  beyond the puking every morning, and the constant heartburn…great!  oh, did i mention tired?  oh yah, and that my back is usually sore (most likely thanks to my even more humungous lady lumps)

Q.  can you feel her?
A.  well, i’ve convinced myself i have.  everything i read says that most first time moms don’t feel it right away, but the 2nd time around they know what they are ‘feeling’ for…. and since everyone says it feels like gas, bubbles, flutter…anytime i feel something that is in that realm, i say it’s her.  it helps me understand and feel better about items in the first questions.

Q.  any weird cravings?
A.  weird in general? no.  weird for me? yes.  the one thing i crave on a daily basis are bean and cheese burritos.  I never liked beans…i never really liked burritos.  but this whole thing has turned my eating habits upside down.  anything i liked, seems to be on the ‘do not eat’ list, while things like beans—it’s ON!

Time to go lay on the couch some more.  have a great weekend.

oh my my…obsessed.

…and how could i NOT be?  i have been stalking flora & henri since before i was pregnant…swooning over the incredibly adorbale knit layettes.  finally, after confirming that marshmallow was indeed a ‘she’, i went in for the kill.  my only complaint? by the time i got there, a lot of the sizes were already gone, so  i couldn’t follow my mom’s rule to ‘always buy in multiples’…pretty sure i’ll be stalking ebay for these guys. (ugh, even the packaging was cute)

today i met richard

happy 4th of July!

every night on my way home from work, i pull into our little complex, and drive passed a little old man –  routinely dressed in his levi jeans, plaid shirt, and khaki baseball cap.  he’d stare down cars as they passed…i just assumed he was just a grumpy old man waiting to scold the younger residents for going over the 8 mph speed limit…that was until one day, i decided to just smile and wave.  low and behold, he cracked a big ‘ol grin and waved back.  from that day on, every night on my way home, i wave ‘hello’ to the man in the levi jeans, plaid shirt, and khaki hat and he smiles back. goes to show what a smile can do :).

one of my favorite days here in our little complex is july 4th.  every year there is a cookout, and EVERYONE comes creeping out of their doors and gathers to eat burgers, hot dogs, watermelon, and home baked goodies.  it’s really fun to see all the residents here.  usually we all keep to ourselves, politely nod as we pass…perhaps take each others garbage out (or in), and go on our merry way.  so this year, when i peeked up between chomps of my burger (stuffed with bar-b-que chips)  i saw a grin, directed at me,  peeping out from under a khaki hat.  i introduced myself, and FINALLY, after almost 8 years, met richard…the man in the levi jeans, plaid shirt, and khaki hat.

anyways, to celebrate the 4th, i had a list of three things to do, and by that, i mean, three things to eat: corn dog, s’mores, and a root beer float.  what’s more american than that!? nothing.  seeing that we are not adventurous enough to fight the traffic, we made our s’mores here at home, in the oven.  i think they turned out just scrumptiously.  (also note that we had to use baby marshmallows, because the grocery stores were completely sold out of ALL the normal ones!!!!!)

missed.

there are definitly things that i miss being pregnant, but i think the one thing that i really-really miss on a daily basis, are my morning.  they used to be filled with runny yokes, sweet potatoe hash, bacon, did i say runny yokes?  uh.  i love me some runny yoke eggs…but for now, the site/smell of eggs sends me running for the porcelain. on that note…some of my favorite runny yoke egg recipes that i hope to one day enjoy again.

Eggs in a nest
directions: preheat oven to 370 degrees, line greased cupcake tins with strips of proscuitto (it is much easier to remove the cups if the proscuitto completely lines the cups), crack egg into cups, sprinkle each egg with a little shredded cheese and dash of salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes, let sit for 5 min. 
for sweet potatote hash- peel 1-2 large sweet potatoes, with food processor ‘hasher’ shred potatoes.  i fry my sweet potatoes in ghee, and add a hint of maple syrup.  MMmMMmMm.  you can also make the hashbrowns in the oven if you are making large quantities.
once egg cups have set, remove from tin, and place ontop of has brown, top with green onions.
Ham Eggs Cups

this is a somewhat simplified version of the first recipe!
directions:  preheat oven to 375 degrees- insert thin slices of ham into the cups of a greased (coconut oil, ghee) cupcake pan.  crack egg into each cup.  sprinkle with salt, pepper to taste.  for the ham cups, i really prefer topping with gouda cheese.  the two seem to pair really well.  bake for 15 minutes, or until eggs set.  if you want to get crazy, before cracking the egg, drizzle the ham with a little maple syrup.  i know i’m weird, but i love egg yoke and maple syrup mixed together.
Eggs in the Clouds
This one takes a bit more effort, but is SO worth it.  
directions: crisp bacon- i like to cook my bacon in the over at 400 degrees, for about 15 minutes, until it’s good an crunchy- CRUNCHY. let cool. crumble into bits
increase over temperature to 450 degrees
separate egg white and yokes
whip egg whites until peaks form – fold in bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, and green onion (or chives).
divide the egg white mixture into the number of eggs used and spoon mounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet, create a deep well in the center of each mount.  bake for 3 minutes.  remove from oven, gently add 1 yoke into the well of each cloud.  season with salt and pepper.  bake for addition 2-3 minutes.
Soft Boiled Eggs with Asparagus and Proscuitto Crisps

directions:  
crisps (can also substitute with bacon)-
slice proscuitto into thin slices fry in pan on medium-high heat until crispy.  remove from pan, and set aside on a paper-towel covered plate (helps remove some grease)– keep pan warm and save grease for later
soft boiled eggs-  
boil water- reduce to rapid simmer.  gently lower eggs into the water.  cook eggs for 5-7 minutes depending on how running/firm you desire.  remove eggs from water, and run under cold tap water for 30-60 seconds.  remove from shells
asparagus-
i hate the woody part of asparagus, bleh.  so i take each end of my asparagus, and slowly bend it in half until it snaps. it will snap where the woody part starts.  my favorite way to cook asparagus is to blanch it.  boil salted water, add asparagus- cook for 1 minute, remove from water.  THEN, add the asparagus to the proscuitto pan and quickly fry it a little in the proscuitto grease…MmMmMmm
layer- asparagus, egg (with salt and pepper), crisps.
bon appetite!