Peak & Pit

.

I admit it, I love reality TV. I have a few faves and Keeping up with the Kardashians is definitely in my top three.

During the episode showcasing Khloe's wedding, Kim and Kourtney mentioned in their speech that at dinner every night Bruce has the family share the peak and pit of their day. I thought that was a neat ritual to introduce to my family so a few weeks ago we started it. It was fun to think of my peak that day (a little snoozer cuddled up with both kids) and to hear my husbands ("right now" he said). On Christmas Eve I changed it up and asked what the peak was of everyone's year. Fitting question for tonight especially!
.
I think this would be a great ritual to do if you have teenagers. Anything to get them talking and sharing what's going on in their life, right?

Helper's High

.
I just came across The New York Time's article, In a Month of Giving, a Healthy Reward, by way of the Mixed Greens blog. It's a quick read and leaves you feeling inspired to do more for others.

I can truly relate to the "helper's high" they reference in the article because I was giddy for days thinking about all the gifts my friends so generously bought for a family in need. I thought about the family all day on Christmas, knowing that it was a magical morning for those kids. Ah.... helper's high.

I took a quick gander at the 29 Gifts website and think I might jump on board, starting tomorrow. You should too. Come on! It's a great way to start off the new year, get away from your own life or problems for a few minutes (or hours), and just think... helper's high!

Happy Happy Healthy New Year!

A Poem for the New Year

.
If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

–Rudyard Kipling

Tomato Soup & Poached Eggs Over Homemade Croutons

As you may already know, my freezer is stocked with food for a lazy day. I pulled two large jars of tomato soup out on Sunday thinking I'd use them for lunch this week. Well I wasn't feeling great on Monday so I decided to hold off on the Ma Pa Tofu and tap into the tomato soup for dinner. I brought the soup to heat and swirled in some half and half to make it creamy. Then I got creative, inspired by a great tomato soup at La Medusa and a recipe I just saw in my Mad Hungry cookbook for eggs poached in tomato sauce. I had delicious homemade croutons left over from the night before so I threw a layer on the bottom of each soup bowl. Then I grabbed some fresh eggs from the farmers market and slid a few into the pan of simmering tomato soup. After 8-10 minutes in the soup, I fished out the eggs with a slotted spoon and rested them on top of the croutons. I poured the tomato soup over the eggs and voila, dinner in less than 20 minutes. It was delicious and a great new dinner recipe to add to my rotation. You can find lots of recipes online for poached eggs in tomato sauce or soup. Give it a try sometime instead of the old grilled cheese stand-by. Bon appetite!

Farmers Market Goods & Weekly Meal Plans

You're probably sick of seeing the same recipes time after time, but I get stuck on things sometimes. Here's the plan for the week....

Sunday
Chicken Caesar with my mother-in-law's croutons
Crostinis with Dubliner Cheddar
Broccoli (with butter & chicken bouillon)

Monday
Ma Pa Tofu
My husband's cabbage
White rice

Tuesday
Pork chops with apples & onions
White rice
Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday
Curried Butternut Squash Soup w/ Coconut Milk
Curried Roasted Cauliflower

Thursday
New Years Eve - something special or something easy - undecided

Friday
Arroz Con Pollo

Feeding Men & Boys

.

I just ordered the cookbook "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys" by Lucinda Scala Quinn, Executive Food Director of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. I recently tried her recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and Onions that was featured in Martha's magazine. It was tasty, so easy and I was able to get all the main ingredients from the farmers market. There are several positive reviews of the cookbook on Amazon so I ordered one for my mother-in-law's birthday and one for me. I'll be sure to share some of my favorite recipes once I start working my way through it.

Last Minute Gifts

.

Don't forget about Oh! Chocolates for Christmas presents or hostess gifts. They are my favorite. Every year I buy a big box of truffles for my husband's grandparents, my dad, and of course - myself. They offer gift boxes in several sizes including mini boxes for two or four pieces. Perfect little stocking stuffers. They have a new Bellevue Square location so keep an eye out next time you're there. You can call in orders to be shipped if you don't live in Seattle.

Last Minute Gifts for Kids in Seattle

...

Here's a quick list of some great stores in Seattle for children's gifts...

.

Izilla Toys
Urban Kids Play
Top 10 Toys
Clover Toys

Lakeshore Learning

Once Upon a Time

Bellevue Art & Frame

Red Wagon

Stuhlbergs

Weekly Meal Plan & Farmers Market Goods

.
Sunday
Chicken Piccata
White Rice
Broccoli (with butter & chicken bouillon)

Monday
Roast Chicken
Roasted carrots, parsnips and shallots
Caesar Salad

Tuesday
Avgolemono Soup (with homemade stock using chicken carcass and leftover chicken)
Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday
Grilled Cheese (using potato bread, provolone and gruyere like Matt's in the Market - no jam though
Tomato Soup (from the freezer)

Thursday
Biscuits & Gravy for breakfast (I grew up having this every year on Christmas morning)
Dinner Out

Friday
Casual Christmas Dinner at Home - Husband's Dinner Choice...
Chicken Enchiladas
Pinto Beans

Christmas Gift Idea #12

..

My friend Lynne is getting her husband this Bosca Leather Toiletry Kit. This is one of those items your guy probably wouldn't buy himself, but would love to have. Therefore, the perfect gift.

My husband has the TUMI Travel Kit and it is also great. If you own any Tumi luggage then you know that it's well-made, durable, and pretty easy to clean.
.

The Ultimate Batman Party

I just love Bug & Boo Designs. She makes the cutest cupcake and cake toppers. She really knocked it out of the park with this Batman party. Check out the fun cupcake toppers, the party favor bags and the pin the bat on Batman game. So clever!

Christmas Gift Idea #11

.

Not sure what I would do without our Bose IPOD Docking Station. I spend such a large portion of my day in the kitchen - making breakfast, lunch and dinner, doing dishes, paying bills, doing projects with my daughter and more so we've got the tunes pumping all day long. Great gift idea for the music lover in your life.

Weekly Meal Plan

Better late than never. Here's this week's meal plan.

Monday
Lettuce Wraps
Cabbage with Hot Sauce

Tuesday
Chicken Piccata
White rice
Broccoli (with butter & chicken bouillon)
Georgies

Wednesday
Lentil Soup
Crostinis
Broccoli (with butter & chicken bouillon)
Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday
Chicken Caesar
Leftover Lentil Soup
Veggie (undecided)

Friday
Undecided

Christmas Gift Idea #10

.

My dad and father-in-law love the Kodak Gallery Calendars that I make them each year. It's definitely one of their favorite gifts. It's filled with photos of their loved ones, it's useful and we write in birthdays and special occasions to remind them of special dates. They both have their calendars hung right near their computers. Perfect gift for grandparents.

Christmas Gift Idea #9

.
Guys can be so hard to shop for so you have to get creative. If the hunk of love in your life travels much, consider buying him some Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones. Santa brought my husband a pair a few years ago and he loves them for music, movies or to help drown out the noise so he can take a little snooze.

Mindless Entertainment

.

If you love shoes as much as I do, you'll enjoy the Elle Shoe Diary on the Elle News Blog. Just another way to waste the day away.

Christmas Gift Idea #8

.
Check out these beautiful handwoven scarves and shawls by A Peace Treaty.

"A Peace Treaty creates employment for skilled artisans working in places of socio-political strife, effectively supporting their craft while elevating their products to the level of high design for an exclusive, international audience."

A Room with a View

.
One of my all-time favorite places for lunch in Seattle is Matt's in the Market. They consistently offer a well rounded menu and fantastic food. I love the vibe in the restaurant - it's lively and loud - and there's always an eclectic lunch crowd.

I generally need the waiter to help me choose between a few enticing items on the menu. I usually order whatever pork sandwich they're offering that day but last week, while on a lunch date with my husband, I got talked into the grilled cheese with gruyere, provolone and tomato jam served with a side of San Marzano tomato soup for dipping. "You must dip," my waiter insisted with a little twinkle in his eye. It may have been the best grilled cheese I've ever had and the "dipping" knocked it out of the park. I loved it.

My husband tackled the breaded pork schnitzel sandwich. It was huge, hearty and delectable. We started our meal with clams with chorizo and toasted our little lunch date with white wine. I couldn't have asked for a better lunch, except maybe room for dessert.

The restaurant sits above the Pike Place Market so the view is lovely. After you eat, you can take a little stroll through the market to ease those full bellies. Whether you live in Seattle or are just visiting, I highly recommend Matt's for a perfect little lunch date with that someone special or a few great friends. Reservations recommended.

More Good Laughs

Tiger on SNL. Hilarious.

"Name Off Your Phone"

.

I don't know why I think this Tiger video is so funny but it really makes me laugh and I can't stop singing the chorus.

Something Different

.

My friend Jen recently made Molly Wizenberg's Pasta with Hashed Brussels Sprouts and Pine Nuts and raved about it. You can find brussel sprouts at the farmers market these days so I thought I would give it a try. I used fresh noodles instead of dried and a little bit extra of everything for the "sauce" because I hate when pasta dishes are too noodley. Verdict: it's quite delicious and so different from any pasta I've ever made. I will definitely make it again. Great way to eat brussel sprouts too which are high in vitamin C and K and offer lots of wonderful health benefits.

.

I just received an email from my friend Amy who saw the recipe on my blog and also made it last night using brussel sprouts from the market. She and her husband loved the pasta and her husband liked it so much he thinks it should be a regular at their house.

.

Thanks for the great recipe Jen (and Molly!).

The Best

.

Next time you need some tortilla chips, give these Have'A Corn Chips a whirl. My husband and I are crazy for them and go through bags at record speed. The bags are small so never buy just one.

Ingredients: corn, soy bean oil, soy sauce, lime.

Weekly Meal Plan

I braved the cold weather this morning and hit the farmers market. After that and a quick stop at the grocery store, I've got my plan in place...

Sunday
Chunky Chicken Chili (so good!)

Monday
Pasta with Hashed Brussels Sprouts and Pine Nuts
Sicilian-Style Sauteed Greens
Crostinis

Tuesday
Pork Chops with Apples & Onions
White Rice
Sauteed Cabbage
Sweet Potato Fries

Wednesday
Chicken Piccata
White Rice
Broccoli

Thursday
Undecided. Any ideas for me???

Friday
Flying Squirrel Pizza

Little Monkey Toes

.
I'm crazy for little girls shoes so I was excited when my sister-in-law told me about Little Monkey Toes. They have so many cute brands and styles. Check out their huge selection. Here's some of my faves....
.

Christmas Gift Idea #7

.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child is a classic and should be on the shelf of any aspiring chef. My uncle, who is my cooking inspiration, raved about this cookbook so I had to have it. It's been on my bookshelf for years now collecting dust because so many recipes intimidate me. I know though how wonderful the recipes are from eating at my uncles so one day I will start working my way through this cookbook. One day I too will master the art of French cooking!

Stocking Stuffers or Party Favors for Little Ones

.
My daughter has a set of each of these chopsticks and loves them. The Edison Training Chopsticks are especially great because they teach kids how to hold and use real chopsticks and are available for both right or left handed kids. Chopsticks might help those finicky little eaters get some food in their bellies because they'll have fun using them. Worth a try anyway.

Animal Cheater Chopsticks

Edison Training Chopsticks

Pump It Up

.
Now that I'm 9 weeks postpartum, I'm trying to figure out a good workout regime to get me motivated and sticking with it. I tried my first Bar Method class at the new studio in Redmond. It was quite the different experience. It's so stinkin' tough and you cramp up almost instantly. The interesting thing is that you don't sweat and you walk out of there feeling like you haven't even worked out. But then it hits you. I was sore within hours and the whole next day.

Check out the website to read more about the science behind this relatively new technique that claims to give you a leaner, firmer, sculpted body. They have quite the cult following which says something about the results people are seeing.

I also finally tried the Tracy Anderson Mat Workout video that I've owned for over a year and never even removed from the case. It's too bad I waited all this time because I actually really liked the workout and could have been doing it throughout my pregnancy. I have to be honest that I've never made it through the whole video because one or both of my two napping children always wake up, but I like the portion I've done.

I also watched a few minutes of the Tracy Anderson Connect video to see what that was all about. The treadmill workout looked pretty fun. Even though I just watched a few minutes of the demo, with no volume on my speaker (so I had no idea what she was saying), the moves looked easy enough and fun so I tried it. I loved it. What a fun way to mix up your cardio workout and do some new exercises on the treadmill. One of these days I will buy her treadmill workout so I know what the heck she's saying and can do it accurately.

I also hear that CrossFit has a huge following of people who swear by the workouts and the results they're experiencing. I'm worried it's too hard core for me, but always fun to try something once and see.

Dollhouses

I'm trying to decide what Santa should bring my two and a half year old daughter this year... a dollhouse, an easel, a goldfish, a cradle for her baby doll. I just don't know. I've been doing some research on the dollhouse option and here are some great contenders, including some fun contemporary options.... Would love to hear if you have any other ideas!

Westport Dollhouse

Palace Park Hotel

Dollhouse Bookcase
Arne Jacobsens Own House
Mini House from My Modern Mini

Three-tier Ornament Box & Ornament Trunk

.

One year for Christmas my husband got me a few of these ornament boxes from Frontgate. They aren't these exact ones but they're similar in size and functionality. They are quite sturdy and stack so nicely in our limited storage areas. I love them. They're spendy but if you get good quality ones, you'll have them for a lifetime.