TMae from Life v. 2.0 claims she’s going to use my shopping list from my iPhone photo post to buy all the ingredients to make these. Which you could, in theory. I’m just impressed anyone can READ that list.

1. Herb Cheese Crusted Salmon (recipe below) served with couscous
2. Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies – Tasty Kitchen (made with butterscotch chips)
3. Drip Beef Sandwiches – The Pioneer Woman
4. Pasta el Pomodoro – The Kitchn (I used canned tomatoes and stretched it to feed four with extra canned sauce)

5. Sour Cream Enchiladas – The Pioneer Woman  (I added shredded chicken)
6. Chicken Bacon Ranch Macaroni and Cheese – Tasty Kitchen (not as good as it sounds)
7. Chicken Crescent Rolls – Tasty Kitchen (DEFINITELY my favorite from the week)
8. Beer Braised Beef with Onions – Tasty Kitchen (also not as good as it sounds)

And on the 8th day, she rested:

Don't be fooled by the picture - this was just my first helping.

Takeout pizza from Engine 6 Pizza Company

It looks like 8 meals but was only 7 because one is cookies. But I also baked the Carrot Apple Muffins this week, so when you put it all together I did a LOT of cooking. I didn’t really have to, because every meal created leftovers that are currently still in the fridge (and will probably be fed to the dog)(Except for the enchilada, I ate those for lunch)(Oh and the spaghetti, we had people over for dinner so it fed 4 easily), so if we were a leftover-eating family we could have had those at least twice. What did you have for dinner this week?

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Herbed Cheese Crusted Salmon

4 6 to 8 oz salmon fillets (skin or no skin, it’s your preference)
2 tablespoon lemon zest
1 5.2 oz container semisoft cheese with garlic and herbs (I use Allouette)
Sea salt or salt
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

1. Rinse fish; pat dry. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a small bowl combine semisoft cheese and lemon peel. Cut each fillet almost in half to make a pocket, but be careful not to cut all the way through. Spoon cheese mixture into pockets. Season fish with salt. Place in a shallow baking pan.

2. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter, and pine nuts; sprinkle over fillets, pressing lightly. Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until salmon flakes when tested with a fork.

This started out as a recipe for bran muffins, but since my version doesn’t actually contain any bran I had to call them something else. Also, the original recipe didn’t have frosting but that was just a damn tragedy. Everything should have frosting. They’re just about as healthy as a muffin can get before you move into inedible cardboard territory and contain both a fruit (wait, are raisins a fruit? if they are then it contains TWO fruits) and a vegetable so you can feel good about feeding them to toddlers. Just don’t feed them TOO many because, hello, how much fiber does one 25 lb child NEED?

The best part about these muffins is, like my cereal bars, you can add or subtract based on what you have on hand and/or can find at your grocery store. I couldn’t find bran flour so I used wheat germ and substituted whole wheat flour for the white. If you wanted them to be more cake-like I would definitely use white flour (OR try the white whole wheat flour I saw at the store but was too dumb to actually put in my cart thanks to having both kids with me). You can add nuts, dried cranberries or blueberries, zucchini or squash. If you don’t like cinnamon use cloves or more nutmeg (actually, I might throw more spices in anyway the next time I make them.) And of course, if you hate deliciousness you can always omit the frosting.

Here’s what you need:

What, you don't buy baking soda in giant 10 lbs bags?

1 ½ Cups whole wheat flour
½ cup wheat germ
¾ cup ground flax (I found it near the oatmeal at the store)
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup milk (I used 1%)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons applesauce
2 cups shredded carrots
2 apples, peeled & diced
1 cup raisins

Mix all the dry ingredients:

Add the wet ingredients, fruit and carrots:

Fill muffin tin cups about 3/4 of the way (I used paper liners, you could just spray the tin with some Pam):

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. While they cool, make the frosting.

Cream cheese frosting:

2 8-oz packages reduced fat cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat it all together:

This makes MORE than enough frosting for the muffins – you could probably halve the recipe easily. But then you wouldn’t have nearly as much left over to eat with a spoon store in the fridge for next time.

The muffins are sort of carrot cake-y and a little dense but not too much. You can’t really taste the apple so if you WANTED to I would add at least another whole apple. I ate two to taste test them and now I am STUFFED – they are really really filling thanks to the whole wheat, wheat germ and flax seed, although none of those flavors are distinguishable from the muffin as a whole. With the frosting you could easily trick children into thinking they’re cupcakes, especially if you added an extra half-cup of sugar to the muffins.

Enjoy!

This week was B O R I N G. Too much snow made us lazy and housebound, so you get lazy housebound pictures.

Sunday:

I made Thai Chicken Pizza for dinner. It's freakin' delicious. Next time I make it I'll blog it so you can enjoy it too.

Monday:

Sleepng baby enjoys a few minutes of quiet before our crazy day of craziness started

I cleaned out my diaper bag. The pile on the right? All trash. I need to get organized.

Tuesday:

My only picture from the day - nursing baby. That's really all I did, all day.

Wednesday:

Someone was literally bouncing off the couch with energy after four days inside.

Snapped a monthday pic with my iPhone too

Thursday:

Pediatrician's appointment. E got home from work in time to watch Little Evan so it was easy-peasy with just one kid.

Friday:

The antibiotics for my kidney infection gave me thrush (basically a yeast infection on my nipples). I'm treating it with Gentian Violet, which unfortunately dyes everything purple.

Including poor Caroline's face. It fades after a few hours but she's still pretty purple.

Saturday:

I got dressed up (to go to Target and BJ's)(leaving the house is a Big Deal these days) and discovered my hair is ridiculously long. Also, someone explain to E that big belts are fashionable and not stupid.

Did you take camera phone pictures this week? Link up one or a whole bunch below and grab the code for your own linky over at A Good Life Blog.

Apparently I found the threshold at which I can no longer remember to celebrate Little Evan’s every monthday, and that threshold was 19 months. So…Happy Monthday Baby! Good thing you can’t read a calendar yet so you have no idea Mama is three days late! Let’s blame it on the hell known as Daylight Savings Time aka the longest day of the toddler year. SO SO LONG.

But lateness is no excuse to skip my milestone update entirely, so let’s do this thing!

Except when I went to look at the chart it turns out we’ve officially moved to the 19-24 month level, which is WAY TOO MANY MONTHS. Why are there so many months?! (Please say that last part in the “Why are there so many ostriches?” Don Knotts on Family Guy voice, because that’s totally how I hear it in my head)(Apologies to those who have no idea what I’m talking about.)

Sob sob sob Mah bebeh is so biiiiig! Sob sob sob

OK, I’m done now.

19 Month Milestones (from Baby Center, as usual)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
• Uses a spoon and fork – I wouldn’t say he’s ready for dinner with the Queen, but he does OK
• Runs – Fast
• Throws a ball underhand – Overhand, with enough aim to hit almost anyone in the face
• Enjoys helping around the house – Define “helping”. I would say “is as interested in helping around the house as any 19 month old, especially when it involves cleaning up messes he would rather continue to make.”

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Understands as many as 200 words – Am I supposed to be counting? He definitely understands at least 90% of the stuff I say TO him, and probably 50% of the stuff I say in general. I can say something like “Why don’t you go get your milk – it’s over there by the dishwasher – and then sit in your chair and watch the football game?” And he will do all those things, while also saying “milk” “football” and “touchdown!!!”
• Recognizes when something is wrong (e.g., calling a dog a cat) – I…don’t know? Is that a game we should be playing? It seems sort of mean.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• Washes and dries own hands with help – He LOVES to wash his hands, but it’s not really a help-free activity
• Points to picture or object when you call it by name – Very good at animals, trucks/cars, babies. Not so good at everything else.
• May know when she needs to pee – No, but we usually get a poop warning. Although honestly, teaching him the sign for “potty” has been one of the best things I’ve done, simply because I can explain to him “mama’s going to the potty so she’ll be right back.” And now I get to pee (or hide out and take a few deep breaths) in peace.

In other toddler news, we’re having some trouble with both “no” and “stop” especially in regards to “hitting mommy” and “jumping on mommy’s belly”. I’m planning to set up a time-out zone (aka the Pack-n-Play in the boring living room) and start enforcing time-outs in a calm, non-shouty manner when calm, non-shouty instructions are not followed, but I have very little faith it will result in anything more than 2 minutes of hysterical screaming and crying.

Our super easy bedtimes have regressed a little to mostly easy naps but bedtime crying when he realizes he might be missing out on something fun. Rocking & book reading doesn’t really help – he just needs a few minutes to be sad before he goes to sleep, most of the time for 11-12 hours straight. I’m starting to worry a little about sleep-regression issues after the new baby comes, but figure it’s best not to dwell on it and just take an extra nap whenever I can.

But in general, this is SUCH a fun age. He’s fun to hang out with and capable of entertaining himself long enough that I can still get things done (for example, as I write this, he has dragged his blankie over himself & the dog and is curled up drinking his milk, totally content to be hanging with his BFF). He can make most of his wants/needs known clearly so there aren’t many frustrated crying fits. We still haven’t seen much stranger anxiety – just a little shyness that I swear he fakes just because it makes ladies at the grocery store say “awwwwwww”. And there is no way to explain to a non-parent just how exciting it is when your kid learns a new word/sign/skill. You can practically SEE his brain growing and it makes my heart feel all bursty every single time.

My goal for month 19 is to trick force bribe encourage Little Evan to eat more vegetables, even if it means I have to soak them in ranch dressing. If you see me tweeting about dinner ideas, please remind me that meat with a side of pasta and cheese is NOT a balanced meal and green things won’t kill us. Hopefully my 20 month update will include an extensive list of new healthy foods Little Evan now loves.

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I have TWO more winners to announce this morning!

The winner of the adorable green polka-dot Gussy pouch I am crying a little bit over parting with is…

#12 Merin!! Since this giveaway is coming from me personally, I’ll be sure to get you your pouch ASAP. Although it might involve making you drive to my house to get it.

And the winner of the Phoebe Mouse & the book is…

#18 Robyn! Conrgats mama, I KNOW you’re little girl will love Phoebe! I will email you to get your address and send her out some time this week.

Thanks to everyone who entered – I was blown away by how many people entered the Phoebe giveaway, considering it wasn’t made by a fancy handmade seller but just by me. Or, more likely, everyone just wanted the adorable book and planned to throw Phoebe in the trash as soon as they got her.

The LAST open giveaway is from Becca at Hugs & Kisses Designs. Get in your entries now – it’s got less than 50 as of this morning, so you’ve got a pretty good chance to in yourself something REALLY pretty.

The Best Lasagna Ever – The Pioneer Woman
Spicy Pulled Pork – The Pioneer Woman (apparently, this one’s cookbook exclusive – I can’t find it online)(it was not spicy)
Drip Beef Sandwiches – The Pioneer Woman
Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce – The Pioneer Woman (Yeah, I’m a fan. In case you didn’t already know. It doesn’t help that I just bought her cookbook.)

Not pictured (because it was after the fair and I was too tired to remember: Mini Meatball Sandwiches – The Pioneer Woman

Fish Tostadas with Chili-Lime Cream – Better Homes & Gardens
Gnocchi with Spinach and Goat Cheese – originally from Giada but I can’t find it, posted in the comments here by my friend Merin
Marinated Chicken with Cucumber Mint Salad – Martha Stewart
No-knead Lemon Rosemary Bread – Williams-Sonoma (mine is torn out of a catalog from Christmas 2 years ago)

And then we ate leftovers, leftovers, leftovers, LEFTOVERS.

What did you eat this week?

(P.S. If you’ve noticed a sudden spike in the number of photo collages here on ye olde blog, it’s because I just discovered Picasa & I’m OBSESSED. It does everything from little edits like removing red eye to cool effects to watermarking photos. Why did no one tell me about it before? <—- not a paid endorsement)