No Substitutions

Last week I took a recipe for stuffed zucchini and revamped it completely--true to my cooking style, the end result only halfway resembled the original intent. But it was so good, I knew I ought to write it down for posterity or I'd never be able to recreate it! If you make it, be sure to change it up to make it your own; no recipe is complete for me without at least one substitution. :)

Stuffed Chopped Zucchini with Stuff in It

1/2 cup quinoa; you *could* use brown rice but why would you do that? Quinoa is nicer.
3 large zucchini or 4 medium zucchini or 5-6 small zucchini, chopped
maybe some asparagus, if it's not $6.99 a pound like I saw at Whole Foods last weekend
1/2 bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
Tzatziki

Bring one cup of water to boil and add 1/2 cup quinoa. Cover, turn to low and let simmer 25 minutes. At the same time, thaw/cook the spinach in the microwave or on the stovetop.

In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey, drain it, and scoop it into another bowl. In the same skillet, saute the zucchini (and/or asparagus) and onion until slightly soft; add garlic, spinach and tomatoes and saute 1-2 minutes more. Add the spices plus salt and pepper to taste, and add the turkey back in. Turn all this to low and let it sit until the quinoa is finished, at which point you mix it all together and eat it up. You could serve this with naan, or you could put it in a pita--I'd leave out the quinoa if I did that, but your carb mileage may vary.

Tzatziki goes really well with this; it adds some extra flavor and moisture. You can buy it prepared in the refrigerated section or you can make your own: mix 6 oz plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2  a cucumber (peeled, with the seeds scooped out, and chopped finely). Pro tip: it's cheaper to make your own, and you get to snack on the leftover cucumber while you cook.

Happy cooking!

A Different Sun

I just heard this bit of poetry, and am putting it here just to save it. I heard it on a BBC program called "A History of the World in 100 Objects;" this particular episode was about a woodcut of a rhinoceros. The artist had never seen a rhino, but heard about one that had been sent from India as a gift to the King of Portugal. Sketches were done of the animal, and this poem was written in its honor. For me, it encapsulates why I love to travel.

I am the rhinoceros brought hither from dusty India,
From the vestibule of light and the gateway of the day,
I boarded the fleet bound for the west, its bold sails undaunted,
Daring new lands, to see a different sun.

Lovely.

Sprung

Spring has sprung, and with it has come softball and school breaks and vacation days spent in search of good food. Meap is enjoying softball this year, and is proving to be her father's daughter--she can actually hit the ball, and catch it, and throw it! So impressive. 

I offered to put her in a softball camp this summer, but she said she'd rather do volleyball. When I asked her why she said, "'Cause it's indoors!" Makes sense to me.

During spring break we hit up the Reggae Hut for some Cajun shrimp and jerk chicken, and then went to the Museum of Natural Science with the rest of Houston. I *almost* got a butterfly to land on Meap's headband, and we watched a cool show at the planetarium about the Northern Lights. That's the only item on my bucket list, by the way--to see the Northern Lights. That's the only reason I'd ever plan a vacation someplace cold!

Pop and Baba came to visit the next week and got to see all sorts of cool stuff: Meap's performance as Ima Hogg in her school wax museum, the annual PE show (my absolute favorite of all school shows--the first grade hula hoop war is a showstopper), Number One's pottery class, and Meap's Bible-reading in chapel. And one day, I took off work so we could drive to Austin just for lunch:

It was totally, totally worth it. We stood in line for an hour and a half--the weather was amazing, thankfully--and ordered a little (ok, a lot) of everything. The pulled pork was okay, but the ribs were amazing and and the brisket was the best I've ever put in my mouth. SO GOOD. And the owner was nothing like I'd expected; for some reason I had it in my head that he was like the Soup Nazi of Austin BBQ, but he couldn't have been nicer. He chatted with Baba about the best places for barbeque in Nashville and I'm pretty sure she invited him for dinner the next time he was in town.

Easter was a wonderful day--beautiful weather, church outdoors with friends at Jones Plaza, lunch from a food truck, and free snow cones for dessert.

Now the jasmine is blooming, and I wish I could capture that smell in this blog. It smells like happiness and new life and hope, and if I could bottle it I'd be a millionaire. It's probably best, though, that it comes and goes so quickly. I don't take it for granted, and it's a good reminder to breathe deeply and enjoy this time, every minute of it.



Wicked Weekend

My BFF came to visit!

My beautiful, smart, funny, awesome friend from Lubbock came to see me last weekend, and we just had the best time. The best! We went to Austin to see "Wicked," we shopped in San Marcos, we shopped in Houston, we ate A LOT of food, and just enjoyed each other's company so, so much.

We spent one night at her in-laws' house, and she slept with her favorite dog Titus.

It looked less than comfortable.

We had such a great weekend, I had to take a sick day Monday to recover. When I got back to the office, my birthday plant looked sad:

I think I broke it. Or maybe it's just a metaphor for how much I miss my friend . . .

Running Away

Running three miles doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty far for 10-year-old legs. These girls ran it strong, and they ran the whole way, never stopping to walk. Meap told me throughout the entire race that I was going too fast, but when we turned the corner and saw the finish line, she and her friend took off like they were on fire--it was all I could do to keep up.

While we ran I kept telling them how proud I was of them, but that doesn't even cover it--I was bursting. I hope they always try harder than they think they can and finish strong, and I hope they make themselves proud.

I think this one definitely felt some pride--this was a self-portrait on the way home. Way to go, Meap!

New Faces

Number One and I got to pick out our new faces yesterday--we visited our favorite optician for new specs! She knew exactly what she wanted and had her new frames picked out in less than a minute. I had to try on just about every pair in the store before I found anything we could all agree on--and yes, those are ladies' frames.

On our way home we picked up Buffalo Wild Wings for late lunch/early dinner (linner?) and called GrandBob to come over and watch the Texans game. Obviously that's what made the Texans win, so now we have to eat wings during every playoff game, to help them win again. It's science.

(They are dubious of my scientific claims. But not so dubious that they'll turn down wings.)

What I Wore Today

I love this new skirt from Forever 21! And I have managed to make it through the entire day wearing blue tights without anyone asking if my legs were cold or making a Smurfs reference. I'd call this a success.

A Day at the Park

We took Sweet Tea to a dog park today. She wasn't wild about the slide.

Well, Thank Goodness THAT'S Over

I've hardly been able to enjoy this holiday season. All I could think about is how glad I am that 2011 is ending; I just wanted to get through it and start a new year. I have no evidence that 2012 will be any better, but having that fresh page on the calendar is supposed to mean something.

But I can't let this past year go without commemorating the GOOD things that happened. So without further ado and in no particular order, here are eleven highlights from 2011:

1. Menchie's. This place makes our family smile, and it's a perfect, cheap, last-second treat.

2. Sweet Tea. All four of us are stupid about this dog, and she makes us smile even when the gas she passes leaves a deadly stench in her wake.

3. The painted churches in Schulenberg. When my parents came to visit for spring break we took a day trip here, and it was pretty much a perfect day.


4. Softball. Watching her play was fun for the whole family, and she liked it so much she's actually willing to do it again this year.

5. Enchanted Rock. Also pretty much a perfect day.

6. Corpus Christi. We spent a weekend here in early June; the weather was warm but not too hot, we had a great room at the Omni thanks to AMEX points, we had the rooftop pool nearly all to ourselves, and we spent just enough time at the beach.

7. Great Wolf Lodge. Who knew you could have that much fun on an inner tube?


8. SkyCoaster. Only two of us were brave enough to attempt it, but it really was fun for the whole family.

9. Visiting Nana. I only got to spend a very short time with her this year, but she was in great spirits. I love this lady.
10. Whale watching. Our whole 20th-anniversary trip to Montreal & Quebec City was fantastic, but the best part was the whale-watching tour. If I had a bucket list, this would have been on it.

11. Running 13.1 miles. I ran the Houston half marathon in January just after my 40th birthday and while I will never run another one, I am proud that I finished it in a decent time.

(I don't have a picture for this one, but it's just as well; although I feel like a graceful gazelle when I run, I actually look like a doofus.)

So. 2011 definitely could have been worse. Here's to a better 2012, one day at a time.

I am definitely down for some rock climbing

We didn't do much for spring break this year, but at the end of the week we decided to spend a night in Fredericksburg and then visit Enchanted Rock. We found a tiny motel that had a room available, I made sandwiches for a picnic lunch, and off we went.

Some of us went up more quickly than others; I think by the time the girls and I reached the footpath, Batman was already at the top.


It was overcast but warm; really it was a perfect day to go scrambling around rocks.

We ate lunch on the other side of this pond, near the big tree.

Batman ran ahead of us on the trail and ended up climbing another rock called Turkey Peak. (I'm pretty sure he's part mountain goat.) We kept seeing glimpes of him as we walked on the trail; I told him it was a good thing he'd worn that yellow shirt, so he'd be easily found when the inevitable rescue helicopters came.

After a few hours we cleaned up a bit and headed into Fredericksburg, which is full of fun little shops and art galleries. On our way home we stopped in Austin to eat delicious hamburgers and spend quality time with the B's at Hopdoddy, and finally got home tired but happy. It was just about the perfect weekend, made even better by the fact that we didn't end up as an episode of "I Shouldn't Be Alive."

The Next Willie Mays Hayes

Meap had her first softball game Friday night:

On her first at bat, she got her first hit, stole her first base, and scored her first run.

I didn't get a picture of her touching home plate; I was too busy cheering!

She played outfield and shortstop during both games of her doubleheader, fielding two ground balls and looking more or less confident:

Who won or lost is really unimportant; the main thing is that they had fun and looked adorable! Better luck next time--(oops, did I give it away?)

I Want It All, and I Want It Now

I've stopped shopping.

This is huge. I am a shopper. I love to shop. LOVE IT. I even worked for several years as a mystery shopper, being paid to shop, and it was the greatest job ever. My absolute favorite present is a gift card because it's two gifts in one--the gift of whatever I buy with it, and the gift of shopping. The thrill of the hunt, finding a bargain, the rush of bringing home something new and pretty--it's pretty much my favorite hobby.

But after Christmas and my birthday, after I actually had difficulty spending the money and gift cards I got as gifts, after we ran out of hangers in our closet, I realized that . . . I'm done. I just cannot justify buying one more thing, not clothes or purses or shoes or tights or workout gear . . . I don't need any more. So I've sworn off shopping for 2011.

(Okay, so I haven't STOPPED shopping; I've just hung it up for a year. But H&M's online store goes live in 2012 and let's face it: there is no way on earth I can say no to that.)

The first month was pretty easy. I unsubscribed from all the store email lists so I wouldn't be tempted by daily announcements of Big Sales. When I went to Target I avoided the women's clothing section altogether. I enjoyed wearing my new things from the big shopping spree I'd had right after Christmas. I shopped my own closet, putting together new combinations from things I hadn't worn in a while. But now, spring is on the way and I can't avoid seeing articles about Christian Siriano's new line at Target, or how flared jeans are in for spring, or that Nordstrom Rack just opened an online store. I do have three gift cards from my birthday that I'm saving for a rainy day, but let's face it: those won't last long in my hot little hands. Certainly not until December!

So I'm taking it one day at a time. Instead of taking advantage of The Limited's 40% off sale (they have a circle skirt like I've been wanting for months! on sale!) I'm posting here. Instead of cruising Old Navy's website to see if I can pick up some t-shirts for summer (great for layering!) I'm reading blogs about how to combine necklaces and bracelets to make new, chunky pieces. It'll get more difficult as the year goes on--turns out, it's a hard habit to break--but I've got to stop buying. It's no good for my budget, for my overstuffed closet, or for the example that I'm trying to set for my daughters.

Although, Number One is only half a shoe size away from mine. If she grows just a tiny bit, that would justify more shoes that we can SHARE! That would be a real bargain . . . right?

We're All Winners!

Well. Who would have thought? A little over a week ago, I finished a half marathon--me, the nonathlete, the one always picked last for every PE team, the one who hates exercise. Go, me.

But this post isn't about the Triumph of It All. This is about Why I'm Not Doing It Again. Next year, when my co-workers try to persuade me to register, I shall read this post and remind myself, "Self, you do not want to do that again. Once was plenty."

The worst of it was the training. For me, short runs are fine; longer runs of 7 or 8 or 9 miles are awful. They're so tiring, it takes away half my day--and on busy weekends, I can't easily spare a half day. Then there's the guilt during the week when I miss a lunchtime run (or two) and the worry that I'll suffer for the lack of preparation . . . ugh. I'd rather just pull on my shoes and head out on a nice day for the fun of it, and feel good afterward instead of feeling like my hips are falling off (or wishing they would).

The start of the race was a pain--I was jostled and pushed and shoved and completely irritated by the end of the first mile. For a while I ran with my elbows out, half hoping to catch someone's teeth as they pushed past without so much as an "on your left."

The race itself went much faster than I'd expected. The previous weekend's 10-mile training slog felt soooo slooooww, and at the end of it I wondered how in the world I'd ever do another three miles on top of it. But during the race there was so much to see that time just slipped by. I saw GrandBob and the girls at mile 4--Special was up on his shoulders and I spotted them in plenty of time to cross to their side of the road and give out high fives. I knew I'd see them with Batman at mile 7, and that kept me trucking along for the next three miles. After mile 7 I REALLY needed a port-a-potty, and during the two miles that it took to find one I was afraid to walk. (I REALLLLYYY needed that port-a-potty.)

After my little break, I knew Batman and company would be at mile 10, and I was so anxious to see them that I only walked once, up a steep hill for about 30-40 seconds to give my hips a break. Batman was so shocked to see me at mile 10; I don't think he expected me to be as (relatively) fast as I was. Then before I knew it I was at mile 11, and when I looked at my watch and did the math and realized I could finish in under 2-1/2 hours, well--there was no stopping. There was also no speeding up; I tried that and immediately slowed back down to my regular pace. But when the finish line came into view, I grinned and gunned it and finished in 2 hours, 21 minutes and 14 seconds. Approximately.

And then I died. Well, not right away--I ate a banana and some trail mix and got my medal (not a half medal! a whole one!) and my t-shirt, and texted Batman and called GrandBob and found him and the girls; GrandBob took me home and I put on my most comfortable clothes and sat down, and THEN I died. My legs! My hips! My abs! My feet! Everything hurt and ached and there may have been some whining. It took a couple of days for the limping to go away.

I'm glad that I did it--so, so glad. For me, it was a huge accomplishment and one I never expected to even try. But I've done it, and I didn't embarrass myself, and now it's time to try something different. Perhaps competitive 5Ks. I think I can do well for my age group!

One-Way Ticket to Office Popularity

Number One conned me into making Sparkly Snowballs for a little party she had today, and the recipe made enough for an army. So, rather than eating them all myself and getting fat, I brought them in for my co-workers so they could get fat instead. They are a huge hit, and I'm going to coast on this tide of goodwill until at least next week. Here's the recipe:

Prepare a white cake from a mix while at the same time trying to prepare dinner. Bake it while you eat. Let it cool completely while you clean up the dinner dishes, and crumble it into tiny crumbs. Add a tub of white frosting (recommended: Baker’s white frosting mix with a tsp of peppermint extract) and mix until all crumbs are coated. Freeze for one hour.

Remember at 10:00 that you have to make the balls before bed, and sigh loudly. Form mixture into 1” balls, put on wax paper and freeze overnight. Swear that you are never doing this again.

Melt 2 bags of white chocolate chips. Drop individual balls into the melted chocolate until covered; scoop out and place on wax paper. Have your assistants sprinkle them with sparkling sugar or white sprinkles before they harden. Realize your assistants haven’t washed their hands, and insist that they do so, and yes they have to use soap. Run out of white chocolate and fuss at yourself for being too cheap to buy a third bag. Roll the remaining uncovered cake balls in sprinkles. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Makes about four dozen. Try not to eat more than six.

A Grand Day Out

With Batman and his dad gone to Utah this weekend (with instructions to bring me back a sister-wife), the girls and I decided to do something fun ourselves. On Saturday we went down to the Kemah Boardwalk, which is on Galveston Bay and is as far from our house as you can get and still be in the Houston area.

After a Starbucks treat, we headed for the rides.

I was reminded of just how much I hate Ferris wheels.

The girls wanted so much to play a game on the midway, and after I carefully explained how the games are rigged so that few people will win and that they're much harder than they looked, Harper won two prizes in three tries.

Our favorite ride, the Wipeout, went round and round and up and down and frankly I'm a little dizzy just writing about it.

After a dinner at Joe's Crab Shack spent watching the boats come in and out of the bay, we headed home. Some of us were more alert than others.

Meap would like to go again next weekend, but I think we need to wait until Pop and Baba can go with us. Maybe Pop will take the girls on the Ferris wheel, because there is no WAY I'm going up in that thing again.