On the menu: week of 3/9/09

Time to figure out what we're eating this week!

First, my back-of-the-grocery list scrawlings:


Translation:

• Monday - Cilantro chicken with lemon red onions
• Tuesday - Pork chops with black beans and veggies
  
• Wednesday - Taking cabbage salad to church potluck
• Thursday - A big fat question mark
  
• Friday - Pizza

Now let me 'splain a few things:

Tonight the Hubs is making a couple Peruvian dishes. In Peru, I believe the cilantro chicken is called "pollo verde" or maybe "pollo con culantro." The side dish is made up of red onions marinated in lemon juice. They call it simply "ensalada," and it's served with just about everything. We'll probably throw some corn on the side, too. It'll be good and goes with the theme.

I'm really craving pizza. At first, I took a cue from Jenna and penciled penned it in for Friday. Then, I moved it up to tomorrow night. Then I remembered we had leftovers to eat up, since last night was our niece's birthday, and we didn't do our usual Sunday leftover thing. So it got moved back to Friday. Friday's a good night for pizza.

Wednesday there's a potluck with a few of the small groups from our church. I signed up to bring a side dish, and I'm making my Aunt Roberta's cabbage salad (with almonds and crunchy Ramen noodles). Kind of on a cabbage kick right now. If you're interested, I'll post the recipe. I don't think she'd mind.


Thursday, I'm going to have to get back to you on. I was going to discuss it today, but this post is already a bit longish, don't you think?

Happy menu planning! And don't forget to stop by this week's menu plan blogroll for more foodspiration!

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Photos by me.

Hitting a hundred to that special kind of paranoid

Yes, folks, it's time for another 7 Quick Takes Friday - the part of the show where I share my fascinating interesting amusing thoughts on the week. So, without further, adieu, here are this week's quick takes:



When is it going to hit 100 degrees in Phoenix? I'm not asking in a wistful way, like "When am I going to win the lottery?" I'm wondering because the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) is sponsoring a contest to see who can guess correctly guess the date that the temperature at Sky Harbor Airport will take off into triple digits. Think you know? The prize is a weekend at a Scottsdale resort.



Since the weather is still gorgeous, the Hubs and I took a spontaneous little hike at South Mountain last weekend, where I decided I needed to photograph trail markers and signs for today's post*. And in the spirit of quick takes (and because it was starting to get dark), they were taken quickly. (Sorry they're a bit shaky. But makes you feel like you're hiking right along with us, doesn't it?)


Our freesia bulbs came back this year. And this week, they bloomed! The pics are on Flickr. Yes, our plants have their own photo set now.


Kinda tested the limits this week with stuffing more bedding, etc. in our small stack washer-and-dryer unit at one time than I probably should have. I was afraid it would overflow. (Remember Freaky Friday? No, the old one.) So I kept an eye on it. And refrained from chewing gum or listening to groovy music on my headphones until I was sure insane amounts of bubbles would not come pouring out the top. I lucked out. That thing sure beats the laundromat!


Also, we are busy, busy here in Phoenix this weekend! There's a lot going on, but here are my top event picks:

• Art Detour - walk through art galleries in downtown Phoenix (if you're into abstract photography, check out "3" at Jordre Studio). | Sat. (3/7) 10a-6p, Sun. (3/8) 12p-6p | free
  
• Arts & Flowers exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum - innovative floral designs created to complement works of art | Thr. - Sun. (3/5-3/8) 10a-5p | included with admission, free Fri. 6p-10p
  
• Heard Museum Indian Market - American Indian crafts, music and dance (most kid-friendly event) | Sat. + Sun. (3/7-8) 9:30a-5p | adults: $15, children under 16: free

The Hubs got his braces adjusted Tuesday, and, much to our relief, he has been able to eat without putting anything unusual in the blender or food processor.



Our neighbors a few doors down got broken into this week. So I've been that special kind of paranoid that results from those kind of events. Yesterday, I kept hearing noises. No, really. I jumped up and went to the window ten or twenty times. Every time, it was my next door neighbor unloading his car.

His method went something like this: throw open door, throw open creaky gate (which slams shut), rummage around in the car (preferably slamming trunk and/or doors), dog whines, open gate (preferably hard enough that it slams against the fence), fling open door, bang around inside of house, repeat. At some point in the process, I would think, "What was that?! I don't think that was the neighbor." But it was. Every time.

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P.S. If see numbers and not photos, you probably are blocking images or reading this through a feed that doesn't allow images. Don't worry. You're not missing much.


Photos by me. But you knew that. ;)

Of socks and snot

I saw three fabulous tips on ParentHacks that were all related to winter weather, runny noses and socks.

If you have kids, check these out:

• Cut-off sock "leg warmers" keep sleeves snot-free
• Old tube socks protect exposed wrists from snow
• Oversize long-sleeved shirt as parental snot guard

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Photo (of more adorable baby feet!) by majorbonnet.

How to drink tea

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Photos by me.

For words to go with this wordlessness, see Ali's blog. | For more wordlessness, visit wordlesswednesday.com.

When not to breastfeed

Lots of us have eaten while driving. Some have reached around to hand a child a snack or a bottle while (maybe) at a stoplight.



Here's what you should not do: breastfeed a child while driving.

Did that even need to be said? Apparently. According to the New York Times, an Ohio woman breastfed her youngest child while driving her kids to school.

There are so many things wrong with this incident that I don't even know where to start.

My biggest problem with the whole deal? Taking the girl out of her car seat while they were still on the road and holding her in the front seat. Didn't we just talk about car seats?? (I like pretending that everyone reads my blog.)


In case anyone still isn't clear on this, if your child gets crazy hungry while you're driving to school and you can't just give her a bottle or some Cheerios, here are your options:

1. Wait until you get to the school to feed her.
2. Pull over into a parking lot along the way and feed her (with the car stopped).
   

She will not die of starvation during the drive. And the older kids will not die from being late to school. But think what could happen if you got into a car accident (which is more likely when you're distracted).

The woman, who is charged with a first-degree misdemeanor because her daughter was not in a car seat, said she would do it again.


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Photos by me.

Menu plan: Week of 3/2/2009

Loved the feedback I got on last week's menu plan, so I decided to share again this week!

I ended up making some changes on the fly to last week's menu - which just means I get to recycle some of the ideas for this week. (Efficient? Or lazy? You decide!)


One big thing I'm taking into consideration this week is that the Hubs gets his braces tightened Tuesday, so I'm planning on softer foods most of the week and hoping we don't have to use the food processor so much. Or revert to oatmeal. But ya do what ya gotta do.

• Monday - Stir fry. (No peanuts for the Hubs, though!)
• Tuesday - Lentil soup with E and Christine, take two!
• Wednesday - Salmon (on sale at Sunflower!) with veggies
• Thursday - Chili-topped sweet potatoes
• Friday - Pasta salad
  
• Saturday - Pizza
  

Sorry I'm not quite as detailed this week. It's just one of those weeks where I'm going to be figuring out a lot of things as I go. At least I have a starting point.

For more great menus, head on over to My Joyful Haven for this week's Chive Talkin' Menu Plan Blog Roll. And don't forget to link up if you post your menu!
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Photos by me.

Brace yourselves...

The Hubs never had braces when he was younger. He decided it was catch up time. Actually, he got them put on about a month ago, but I didn't think he'd want me blogging about it right away.

If you look closely, you can see them in the photo from our Valentine's Day arboretum trip. But they're not very noticeable.

When he first got them on, chewing was really painful for him, so even softer foods like bean soup and corn chowder either got blended or food processed. He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to eat real food again! Once he was feeling well enough to tackle thin crust pizza, a bracket popped off mid-bite. Then there was a wire causing him pain, and, really, it was a couple weeks before it was all sorted out. Poor guy.

Since then, he's recovered. He can eat pretty much anything he's allowed to eat.



I don't remember how long it took me to recover from getting my braces on, because it was (ready for this?) 15. years. ago. And now I'm wondering what I ever did with my old Water Pik.

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Photos by me.