Come Sail Away

It seems that time of year is upon us when the zucchini plants in my garden decide to start making lots of little zucchini babies. They aren't quite as Octomom-y as they were last year, but my counter and freezer are starting to fill up with green vegetables, and we're getting sick of eating them in the same ol' ways. Even the zucchini chicken salad is getting kind of old - not to mention that pecans are now about ten bucks a pound.

Enter my good friend Ashley, who, as I've mentioned before, is an excellent cook. One awesome skill that Ashley has is that someone can sort of tell her about something they made, and she will totally recreate it without a recipe or directions. I love to cook, but I find that I'm pretty strict about following recipes - I don't trust myself enough to just go off the cuff and do my own thing. Anyways, Ashley's mother-in-law told her about some tasty stuffed zucchini boats she made, and sure enough, a few days later she was recreating them in her own kitchen.

Lucky for me (and you), Ashley was nice enough to write down her recipe so that I could be a part of her test kitchen. These are awesome - a new way to use up my zucchini, and pretty healthy, too. They're also a little more of a cool weather dish, which is a nice change from all the grilling we've been doing. As Mike said, "They are the perfect combination of yumminess, healthiness, and comfort-foodiness," and I will definitely be making them again!

Ashley's Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:
1 lb ground round (to make it even healthier, you could easily swap in ground chicken or turkey)
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs (panko, plain, or Italian seasoned is fine)
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp olive oil
4 medium-sized zucchini (I had one regular sized and one MONSTER sized)
3/4 tsp Kosher salt, plus more for drying out the zucchini
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp dried basil or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used a combination - my basil plant are just about shot)
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella (again, use light or non-fat to make it healthier)
2-3 cups prepared spaghetti sauce (I used mushroom since that's what I had, but Ashley used tomato basil)

What you do:

The first thing you want to do is slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Put the sliced zucchini in a colander in the sink and sprinkle the cut side liberally with salt. The salt works to draw the extra water out of the zucchini so they they don't get totally watery and mushy when you cook them. I let mine sit for at least a half an hour, but you could probably go even longer. Then, pat the zucchini dry, and microwave them for about three minutes to soften them up a bit. Scoop out the pulp, chop it up, and throw it into a big mixing bowl.

Normal one in the middle - the outer four pieces are from one zucchini!

You can see the water coming out.

Scooped out - waiting to be stuffed!

While the zucchini is draining, saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the olive oil until soft, and let cool. I used to detest chopping garlic - it's so small and slippery and I just found it to be a major pain - until I learned an awesome tip from Rachael Ray. Use a Microplane grater, the kind you would use to zest a lemon. You can just grate the garlic right into the pan. It is so much easier and neater, and the garlic practically melts into whatever you're cooking. Amazing!

My favorite kitchen tool!

Mix together the cooled ingredients, zucchini pulp, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, seasonings, 3 tbsp of grated Parmesan (oh look - another great use for the Microplane!) and meat. Stuff the zucchini with the mixture (pretty heavily) and put in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with the sauce and the remaining cheeses. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes, covered. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is lightly golden.

I feel like the final pictures I took didn't do justice - even though it might look weird, it was delicious!

Thanks, Ashley! These were so good I just ate the leftovers, cold, for lunch!

Do you have any awesome cooking tips? Share them!!


Happy Tuesday!

In My Mind, I've Gone to Carolina

When Mike and I made the decision to pack up and move south, I don't think either one of us really knew what to expect.We knew we wanted out of Michigan, we just didn't know where we would end up. Greenville, South Carolina was chosen as our destination based on about three hours we had to explore the area, the final stop on a whirlwind trip for Mike to interview with several different companies around the country. In fact, we almost never even ventured to Greenville, because we were pretty convinced that Dallas, Texas was the place to be. While out with a Realtor in the  Lone Star State, though, Mike had a phone interview with BMW that went well. Our next stop, Wilmington, North Carolina, was a four-hour drive to Greenville, and on a whim we decided to check it out.

It's moments like that in life that make me think that everything happens for a reason.

While Mike and I talk a lot about how we always knew that Greenville wasn't ever really our home, the four years we spent there were some of the most important in our lives. I guess I can't speak for Mike, but for me I feel like I really learned a lot about being a grown up (or just learned how to pretend a little better). For the first time in my life, I was more than an hour drive from anyone in my family. I started my first real teaching job. I even got my own health insurance! And even though some days I was so homesick I would fantasize about hopping in my car and driving straight back to Michigan, we stuck it out. We made friends. Our vocabulary expanded to include words like "y'all", "hose-pipe", and "dark-thirty". We drank sweet tea and ate fried green tomatoes and developed a deep, deep love for good barbeque. And even though we said things like "pop" and "you guys", we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel at home. I learned probably one of the most important lessons of my life - that even though I may not always agree with someone's political or religious beliefs, and even though I may feel like we come from totally different worlds, there is always a chance for a connection, for shared laughter, and for friendship.

I was reminded of all that last weekend, when we went back to Greenville for the first time in about sixteen months. We spent the three days we were there reconnecting with old friends, visiting favorite spots, and reminiscing about our time there. It was wonderful to be back in city where Mike asked for my hand in marriage, and where our sweet girl came into the world.

Checking out the planes

Goofing around with Dada on the plane

Mmmmmmmm.

Swimming!

Ashley and Anna

Enjoying some BBQ

I'm on a boat!

Lake Jocassee. I think Mike and I were out on this lake every weekend the summer I was pregnant with Anna.

Crashed. (The baby, not the boat!)

Ashley & Jeb

The only pic I made it into - sorry for the crappy quality!

 No, Greenville was probably never going to be the place where we put down our roots. But it's definitely a spot where we let our branches grow.

A special thank you and shout out to everyone who made our trip so lovely, especially Jeb and Ashley for putting up with our messes and letting Mike eat all your deviled eggs. We love you guys! To my Woodruff peeps - The Runyans clan, the Wileys, the Shavers, the Baileys - it meant so much to see and laugh with all of you again!

And The Seasons They Go 'Round and 'Round

Sometimes, I get really happy about the smallest, simplest things. Like coffee. (My sister said it best the other night: "Don't you love it when you remember that you get to wake up and drink coffee in the morning?" Yes, yes I do!) Phone calls with friends living far away. Trips to Whole Foods. (Seriously, Lansing. Get with it.)

Anna gets really happy over lots of small, simple things, which in turn makes me happy, too. Like Elmo. Playing on the bed. Noodles. And swings. Girlfriend loves her some swings.

Which is why it was super awesome that we got to my parents' house last weekend and discovered that they had gotten Anna her very own swing. If it weren't for the swarms of mosquitoes trying to carry us away, Anna would have been content to swing out there all day, letting the breeze blow through her little blonde mullet without a care in the world.

The even awesome-er part is the fact that I can vividly remember the day that swing set was built by one of our family friends. I have so many great memories of playing back there, and I love that now Anna will get to do the same thing. When we outgrew the swings, a hammock was hung, and I can remember spending hours out there reading and napping - and even sleeping a night or two with my friend Amy. (When I asked my sister why she never slept back there with me, she claims it's because I never invited her. I maintain that she was never brave enough to fend off bugs and raccoons, not that I was a mean big sister.)

I guess you could say that old swing set has come full circle.

Wait? Why does Amy look so miserable, yet I look so happy?

Something else that makes me really happy? Mike, Anna, and I are heading south tomorrow - boarding a plane and traveling to Greenville. We spent four great years there, and we're so excited to eat Chick-fil-A visit with friends and soak up some Southern culture.

I just hope they have swings.

Happy Tuesday!

Soak Up the Sun

I know that it is hardly the middle of August, but for some reason it feels to me as though the summer is over. Maybe it's the cooler temperatures we've been having, or the back-to-school displays being thrown in our faces at Target, or maybe it's the fact that Hobby Lobby has their Christmas decorations up.

Isn't it funny how the 70 degree weather in April or May calls for flip flops and tank tops, and now I'm ready to pull out my flannel nightgowns if the thermostat dips below 75? How all spring we were wishing for warmer weather, and then once it comes we're cursing the heat and humidity and welcoming fall with open arms?

It reminds me a lot of parenting, because I have many of the same emotions when it comes to my child. I couldn't wait for her to roll over and start crawling and then walking, only to realize that a mobile baby means an exhausted mama. Won't it be so much better when Anna can talk and tell me what she's thinking? Well, yes, it is amazing and funny and entertaining, but it's also somewhat like trying to interact with a hyperactive monkey on uppers. "MILK!" "MELMO!" (Her secret code name for Elmo) "DRAW!" "BIRDIE!" "CHEESE!" Her growing vocabulary is truly awesome, but is also directly correlated to the levels of peace and quiet in our house.

It seems like we're always in such a rush to move on to the next phase, or the next season, that we don't take the time to appreciate what we have now. New seasons do bring new adventures - football games, trips to the apple orchard (oh, the donuts!), pumpkins - and probably new milestones, too. But the problem is, as much as I am drooling over the wool sweaters in the new J.Crew catalog that just arrived in my mailbox, I'm not quite ready to let go of the bathing suits and blow-up pools. As much as I love watching Anna grow up, I don't think I'm prepared to face the reality that she is clearly not a baby anymore.

I'm going to do my best to savor the seasons - literally and figuratively. I'm going to enjoy the quiet moments when Anna wants to cuddle, when she wants to cling to my legs or smother me with kisses, because I know they are fleeting. I'm going to take extra time to appreciate trips to the pool and I'm going to hold off on dragging out my sweatshirts and wool socks. We're taking a family trip to South Carolina next week, where fall hasn't even begun to show its face, and even though I'm probably going to complain about the humidity, I'm going to do my best to suck in the warmth to remember on cold November days.  (On a side note - any tips for flying with a toddler??)

Here's a little peek at how we've been soaking up the sun the last couple of weeks...

Tea parties

Ice cream cones

Trips to the zoo

Swinging

Happy Friday!

How do you plan on enjoying this last little bit of summer?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The Circle of Life

It's been an interesting couple of days around here. Anna must be on some kind of growing brain cells kick, because she has been chugging milk like nobody's business, and homegirl's vocabulary has skyrocketed. I think we're getting a sneak peek as to what the next couple of years are going to look like - Anna exploring and acting curious and shouting random words, and Mike and I attempting to keep her under control.

There have been at least four different instances this week that have led me to think, "I am the worst mother on the face of the planet", and it's only Wednesday.

For the second time this summer, a nice little family of robins has decided to build a home on our front porch. This time, it's in one of our hanging flower baskets, which is why I stopped watering them and let them die - I didn't want to disrupt nature. (Not because I'm lazy, okay? Okay??) Lucky for us, there is a perfect view of the nest from the living room, and we've been having a lot of fun watching the babies eat worms and grow and flap their wings. Coincidentally, one of Anna's new favorite words is "birdie", so it all works out.

On Sunday night, though, Anna walked up to the picture window and this is what Mike and I hear: "Uh oh, birdie. Uh oh, birdie. Uh oh!" I get a little closer to inspect, and laying on the porch is a dead bird. Not one of the babies, luckily, but some other poor feathered friend who flew into the window not realizing it was glass. Mike and I quickly tell Anna that the birdie has gone "night night", she seems to accept it, and we shuffle her off to bed, with every intention of removing the "sleeping" bird before she can see it again.

But as you can probably imagine, we both forget about the bird. The next morning, however, Anna has not, and while I'm making coffee and trying to wake up, she toddles immediately over to the window, presses her face to the glass, and starts crying. And not like she bumped her head or is upset about getting a toy taken away, but like she's truly sad and scared. I know, logically, that she can't possibly know about death or understand what actually has happened to the bird, but she definitely could tell that something was wrong - and I definitely felt like I failed her as a mother. Of course she will experience sadness and witness awful things and have her heart broken, but there's plenty of time for all of that.

A few hours later, as I was flipping through my latest issue of Us Weekly doing some really important stuff at the kitchen table, I look over to see Anna, naked, holding her diaper in one hand, and pointing to the floor with the other. "Ew, Mama. Ew. Ew!" Sure enough, my child (most likely because she was so traumatized about the bird, right?) pulled her diaper off and plopped her poop onto the floor. Later in the evening, as I am cooking dinner and having a belated catch-up session with my bestie Amy in Virginia, I catch a glimpse of Anna - and her face is covered in green. "No biggie," I think. "It's marker. It's washable. I can deal." Until this morning, when I am changing her diaper and discover that she has clearly ingested an entire jumbo crayon. No wonder she didn't seem too interested in her dinner.

And as a final notch in my "Parenting Fail" belt, this morning I discovered Anna gnawing on a tampon. Don't worry, it was clean - she somehow ripped open the packaging to get it out - but probably not high on the list of the things you want to see your child put in her mouth.

Perhaps the last three events were all in response to the first, and we have scarred Anna for life and I need to send her to therapy immediately. Or maybe she's fine, and just being a toddler, and I should get used to this. In any case, to make up for the past couple of days, I think Anna and I are going to spend the afternoon cuddling on the couch watching a movie, because everyone knows that televisions and Disney cartoons are definitely main chapters in the Good Parenting Handbook. Besides, Anna needs a little lesson on the circle of life. And I need a break.

Hush, Little Baby

Warning: This is the post where I talk about my boobs.

But before you get all excited (or grossed out?), let me clarify by saying that this blog entry is going to be about my boobs and how they feed my baby and how it's awesome.

Still with me?

I've had breastfeeding on the brain a lot lately, mostly because Anna is doing less and less of it, and I can tell that it won't be long before we're totally done. And for some crazy reason, I find myself getting all sentimental and emotional about it - the fact that she is growing and changing at an alarming rate, that she is needing me less and less, and the realization that being a mama truly has changed me.

I would be lying if I said that nursing has always been enjoyable, or even tolerable, because it hasn't. Far from it. But from the moment I first read about how beneficial it would be for my baby and for me, I knew it was something I wouldn't let go of lightly and would try my hardest to endure. And at the beginning, that's all I was doing - getting through. Because I was exhausted and sore and totally unprepared for what I had gotten myself into. Babies eat twelve times a day? For forty minutes at a time? And I am the sole provider? Good grief.

Slowly, though, things began to change, and we got into a groove. It helps that my family was supportive and it also helped that I had a Kindle. It sounds crazy, but the hours spent in that rocking chair went by a lot faster with something to read, and the Kindle has the added bonus of needing only one hand to operate. I learned to nurse Anna while laying down, and even though some people thought we were out of our minds, bringing her into bed with us at night allowed us all to sleep.

Suddenly, both Anna and I knew what we were doing, and the quiet time we were spending together became a lot more enjoyable. I had a built-in excuse to kick back and relax every couple of hours with my favorite girl, with the added bonus of being able to eat as much as I wanted and still lose weight.

Somewhere in between the sleepness nights and diaper changes and hours spent marveling over the little person we brought into the world, I began to gain more confidence in myself as a mother and person. Maybe I can't always keep my counters free of clutter or the fridge stocked, but if there's one thing that nursing my baby has taught me, it's that I'm capable and strong. I might not always love the way I look in my jeans or the way my hair is frizzing out in the summer humidity, but it is this body that has helped to nourish and feed the tiny being toddling around and exploring her surroundings.

I distinctly remember the first moment that Anna latched on. It was early in the morning after she was born, probably around four, and I was wide awake with awe and excitement and fear. My daughter cried, and I used my own body to calm and soothe her and I will never forget that feeling.

I imagine that the last time I nurse her is quickly approaching, and I'm doing my best to cherish these moments, to hold her a little closer as she falls asleep in my arms, to breathe in her sweet smell, and to be grateful for the peaceful time we still have together.