These Little Piggies Went to Market

   Mid-August is my new favorite time of year, especially in Virginia.  I might not like the ridiculous temperatures and the off-the-charts humidity, but the food is absolutely heavenly. 

 

   Last Saturday, we all went to Eastern Market for a special trip to the farmer's market.  Last summer I often shopped for produce at markets,  but we haven't been able to this summer.  We considered this our special treat, and our trip happened to fall on National Farmer's Market Week, too.

 

    Overall, Eastern Market is my favorite outdoor market in Metro DC.  It's right up Constitution Avenue from the Capitol Building in a historic red-brick building where they have a huge deli, a flower shop and a restaurant.  On Saturdays and Sundays they have an outdoor flea market and farmer's market. 

   I was somewhat disappointed that the flea market didn't have many resale vendors with used home goods or clothing, and the ones that do won't negotiate prices.  There are many artists there I would love to support if I had money to spend on novelties and artwork.  The deli and the farm stands are really where this market shines, and where you can find the most variety.

  

  Many of my favorite foods were in season like berries, peppers and peaches.  I honestly can't pick favorites when it comes to fresh, organic produce.  

 

 

And, oh, the tomatoes!  Cherry tomatoes, chocolate tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, grape tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes of every color, shape and size; I was sad I could only pick three kinds.  

   Little's favorites were the blackberries, which were like juice-bombs, and my home-grown grape tomatoes.

Salmon Croquettes

We really didn't have any plans for Easter this year.  In fact, I didn't even think about what we were going to eat until I was at Trader Joe's the day before.  We didn't decide to have a picnic until we got home from church.  This recipe was really easy to throw together, and easy to modify to my available ingredients.  The original recipe used cracker crumbs and Dijon Mustard instead of bread crumbs and pesto mayo.

Salmon Croquettes

2-6oz cans Pink Salmon, drained
1/2 cup bread crumbs, toasted
2 egg whites
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or onion
1/2 teaspoon pesto
1/2 teaspoon mayonaise
Olive oil for frying

Separate the chunks of salmon with your fingers and let fall into a bowl.  Add bread crumbs, egg whites, shallots, pesto and mayo.  Stir or mush until well mixed.

Form into 4 patties.  These can be refrigerated to cook later, if you wish.

In a small skillet over medium heat, heat oil.  Cook patties until browned on each side, about 7 minutes.  Place on a bed of baby spinach and top with a dollop of pesto and mayo on each.

First Foods

I've been feeding Little solids since about age 4 months.  I knew all about the recommended 6 months waiting period, but I also knew that everyone in my family had been fed solids at 3 months and turned out fine.  Also, Little informed me that she wanted big girl food by trying to steal mine and eventually spilling soup all over my lap.  So I caved.

First we tried oatmeal.

Then we tried rice.  She liked that a lot better.

Then Cheerios

Sweet Potatoes

Carrots

Asparagus

Mango

Avocado.

I seriously think this kid would eat anything!  Please tell me it's always this easy.

She can even feed herself now.

Seeing it breaks my heart.

  

What's next?  Crawling?  Saying Momma?  I don't think my heart can take it.

Thanksgiving Recap

Thanksgiving was nothing less than amazing.  It was our first Thanksgiving as a family an I cooked for hours.  We spent most the weekend rolling on the floor, watching movies and eating left-overs.

On the Menu:
Candied Walnut Gorgonzola Salad
Green Beans with Hazelnuts and Lemon
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Skillet Cornbread
UNBELEVIABLY delicious Cornish Game Hens
Pumpkin Pie

 

 

 

 

Into the Woods

Today is an absolutely beautiful day!  The temperature is mild and there's a cool breeze.  I just knew that I had to get out today and see some nature!  Lucky for me, there's a nature center half a mile from my house that has trails along a beautiful little creek.  The Little and I sat by the water for a while so she could know what nature was and hear the babbling water.  I still don't have a camera, so the pictures I took are from my blackberry.  I am so excited to finally get out my hiking boots and discover this place!

On my way back home I intended to take this "bridge"  across the creek, but due to the torrential rains yesterday, it was covered in water. 

Of course, that didn't stop me.  I just took my shoes off and shuffled across.

When I got home I decided to make cookies, so I got out my Moosewood Cookbook.  The recipe was Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.  I ended up using whole wheat flour instead of white, and steel-cut oats instead of rolled.  I wasn't sure it would turn out, but I tried it anyway. They ended up being less sweet and more crunchy, but delicious cookies, nonetheless.

"Please LORD, don't let Mommy start a fire."

COOKIES!

Now I can't let David be in charge of breakfast for a few days or we'll be having cookies everyday, just like with the peach pie I made last week.

The Medieval Kitchen

Yesterday was not a good day.  I got sick, and I’m not sure why, but about 2pm I got a migraine and started vomiting.  I also called the bus company today hoping someone had returned my wallet from Friday, but no one had.  But I do have a delicious peach pie, and I’m sure I’ll thoroughly enjoy it once I can stomach it.

The day before, I was feeling southern and domestic so I decided to have some kitchen fun.  I made my peach pie, which was way easier than it should have been.  All you do is cover peaches in sugar, flour and cinnamon and throw them in a crust.  I almost feel guilty that it tastes so good when I hardly had to work for it.

I did realize something though, that I probably knew all along but never really understood, that I have an extremely under-equipped kitchen.  There are so many reasons that I might as well make a list:

• Rolling Pin:  I didn’t figure this one out until it was time to roll out my top crust for my pie.  Quick Fix: peanut butter jar
• Basting Brush:  How do you brush the top of your pie with milk?  With your fingers, of course
• Can Opener: Too bad I bought all that canned soup…
• Blender: How do you make green monster smoothies with no blender?  You don’t.   And you can forget about that chocolate banana shake too.
• Mixer:  This one really isn’t a big deal if you want to tone your arms and you own a wooden spoon
• Wooden Spoon  …
• Tea Kettle:  Although, I suppose my 4qt saucepan could do the trick.  But what kind of barista doesn’t own a tea kettle, or a French press for that matter?
• And while we’re on the subject, a tea pot would be nice, if I ever do have any hot water to make it with.

Then just when I am about to throw a fit because I can’t make yet another mouth-wateringly delicious recipe, I see this:

And her mouth is watering all over her favorite giraffe. 

How can I be upset?  It’s just not fair.

You've Been Wondering...

Today is a lazy day.  After not seeing David for two days, no thanks to school, we decided to sleep in this morning.  Unfortunately, that meant I would miss the Market Square Farmer's Market for the first time.  I promised David I'd make a peach pie, so I'll have to make a special trip to Whole Foods this weekend.  The peach season is quickly coming to a close here in the South, so I need to get my apron on and cook it up before they're gone.

I've been slacking a little on the blog.  I felt guilty and ashamed for skipping the top tens because of my inadequacy as a stay-at-home-mom.  But, now I'm back and courage and ferocity!  As for my Top Ten Favorite Recipes,  I'm not going to list the actual recipes, because they are not my own.  All you have to know is that I love them.

Top Ten Favorite Recipes

Chicken and Dumpling Soup  In my opinion, there is nothing better.  I ask my mother for this every year for my birthday.  So filling and mouth-watering.  (I'm drooling just thinking about it.)

French Silk Pie  I tried making this once and it didn't turn out so well.  I prefer to be lazy and just order it from Perkins.  I'm a sell-out, I know.

My mom's Raspberry Cream Pie.   Particularly with her  Pretzel Pie Crust.  I love anything that combines crunchy, salty, creamy and sweet.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches  I.  LOVE.  CHEESE.  I learned to master this one at a very young age.

Marinara Pasta Sauce  So easy, so tasty.  I love pasta sauce from fresh tomatoes.  I'll never eat canned tomato sauce again.  Plus, the bigger the mess you make, the better it tastes.

Pumpkin Bread  I've made this for every family gathering for several years.  I try a different combo every time, the only one I didn't like had molasses in it.

Megan's Borscht  I requested this specifically at my pot-luck wedding.

Iced Mochas  This combines three of my favorite things, chocolate, milk and coffee.  Plus, this is usually a safe bet at any coffee shop.  It's pretty hard to screw up.

Double-Dipped French Toast  I got this idea from Emily at The Front Burner Blog.  You just fry your french toast, dip it and fry it again.  Double-dipped and twice as tasty.

Café Miel  It's a latté with honey and cinnamon.  It's basically a hug in a cup.


Speaking of Iced Mochas, I've been trying to make them at home, using my Italian Moka pot.  It's pretty close, but a little weaker than the real thing.  I can't have my coffee straight any more because it tastes like burnt rubber from leaving it on the stove too long, too many times.

Enough about me.  I know you've all been wondering what the heck is up with the Little. 

She's getting very strong.  She has been holding her head up on her own very well.  She gets a great workout from all her fussing.  When we go out for walks, she loves to look around at the leaves and the lights, and she always makes people's heads turn when they see her big round blue eyes  She still loves to talk, and she comes up with new sounds all the time.  I've even caught her giggling once or twice.  

Unfortunately, the poor little precious has outgrown her baby-zantac, so her acid reflux has come back with a vengeance.  She tells me about it every day.

 We have been primarily been using the Baby Bjørn to carry her, but lately I've started using the Moby d Wrap.  I didn't realize how much more comfortable this was until after weeks of using the other carrier.  Unfortunately, it is also a lot warmer and since the temperature has been near ninety all week, I haven't been able to really use it.

 Now I'm off with the peanut head to see her daddy.  He promised me we'd have family painting night.  I really need to make something to fill our condo.  As David said,  it's looking a little too institutional.

Top Ten Ways to Spend Too Much Money

Yesterday I did a silly thing.  I thought, "since babysitting yesterday was so easy, I'll go shopping today!"  Bad idea.  I attempted to run to the grocery store a mile away for dipes between feedings, but ended up getting home late.  I had to practically run home before the kids had a fit, and it was up hill the whole way.  So that combined with trying to tote around a baby that's twice the size that I'm used to has me completely worn out today.  Not to mention that it's hotter than sin in Alexandria today.  I'm going to start a rule that I don't leave the house if it's hotter than 85 degrees out.  I need something to rebel against anyway. 

Now, for day two in the best of the Top Ten series.  Today's is a mix of Minnesotan and Virginian, since we haven't been out much lately.

Top Ten Restaurants


Luna Rossa Trattoria, Stillwater MN:  I may be a little biased, since I worked there for three years, but seriously, I've never had better Italian food in my life.  I had some variation of the Penne Villagio almost every day that I worked there.  I just could not get enough of that goat cheese!  Plus I must have had and entire loaf of homemade bread a day, besides the stuff I brought home with me.   I dearly miss all the fresh Italian cooking and the oodles of gelato samples I had when I ran the Espresso Bar.  Those are sweet memories indeed.

Kopplin's Coffee, St Paul, MN  Okay, so it's not technically a restaurant but the coffee is seriously the stuff of daydreams.  Mr.  Kopplin  roasts his beans on site, has won roasting and barista competitions, and has a beautiful list of single origin coffees and espressos that look like a tablet written from God himself.  All sac-religiousness aside,  if you drink coffee, you really need to stop here.  You will believe you'd died and gone to heaven.

The Tea House, St Paul, MN  I was born a picky eater and have been trying to coax myself out of it for years.  I swore I hated Chinese food for a long time, and I think this place truly converted me.  The meals are served family style, so even though the food's not cheap,  You can split the bill with as many people as you decide to invite.  I love their beef broccoli stir-fry.  yummmmm

The King Street Cafe, Alexandria, VA  There are a lot of expensive places here, but none seem to be worth the hype in my experience.  This place is probably the cheapest place in town, and it has amazing wrap sandwiches.  I've had their California Wrap, cool and refreshing and just a little spicy.  Their smoothies are good too, but pretty overpriced.

Random Irish bar on King St, Alexandria, VA  I know, I should know the name but I don't.  They have a cheap Sunday Champagne Brunch for $9 that comes with a lot of food and a glass of champagne.  I got french toast that was probably the best I've had, and I'm picky about french toast.  Not so wild about the potatoes I got though.

Perkins Restaurant, Old Hudson Road, St Paul, MN  Delightfully bad service, open at all hours, conveniently located.  David and I usually split the Fantastic 12.

Al's Breakfast, Dinkytown, Minneapolis, MN  It's only open for breakfast, and it's not for the claustrophobic.  It's built into an alleyway and you have to stand against the wall to wait for a seat at the bar.  The servers are full of BS (that's short for banana splits, Mom) but the food is great.  Great no-frills diner with horrible coffee.

Denny's Restaurant, Hudson, WI  I used to go here with my friend Anna during my rebellious days.  (I mean DAYS, literally.)  They were open 24 hours for the drunk kids and they had a smoking section for my chain-smoking friends.  I, of course, was the mature, sober person.

The Nova, Hudson, WI  This is a fairly recent addition to Cassanova's Liquor store.  They have good appetizers and a huge wine selection.  It's also the classiest place in Hudson (by default, of course; there's not much competition in that category.)

Selma's Ice Cream, Afton, MN (RIP)  After a long day at the beach, I always stopped by here for my Zanzibar ice cream.  I even convinced some of my crazy friends to bike there from Hudson with me.  I will miss you dearly, Selma's.