I chopped through my fingernail and nail bed last night when I was chopping an onion. I pride myself on my knife skills but I guess that's being a little cocky considering I butchered my finger. Still makes my knees week when I think about it. I haven't looked at it since last night. My thumb throbbed all night. I am really worried I am going to lose my fingernail.

Speaking of cooking....
The premiere of Season 5 Top Chef starts on Wednesday. So set your DVR's for the season.

NOLA Restaurant News

It's kind of been the talk of our food conversations lately-the menu at Lilette. For a creature of habit like me, I don't mind that the menu never changes because I always get the same thing. I know a good thing when I see it but Uncle RaRa and a few others have mentioned that they really wish the menu at Lilette would change-just to mix things up a bit.

Well, good news food lovers, it has, according to Appetites!

I. for one. am very excited about the changes to the Hangar steak sides. I love love love gnocchi if they are made well. and Lilette;s are almost as good as John Besh's. Well, actually, better than, since the last time I went to August. His gnocchi has gone down in my book. It really pains me to say it, but it's the truth. and Lilette is my front runner.

For New Orleans foodies-Times Picayune restaurant guide

Ok. The Times Picayune's Lagniappe 2008 Fall Dining Guide came out this Sunday and I have to say that I am excited. I read it cover to cover and while there are things that I may not agree with both J and I can't wait to try some new places. Boy are we stuck in a rut. We went to Crepe Nanou Saturday night after a long hiatus and it's no surprise to me that it didn't make the 100 greatest restaurant list.

Moms, remember how chicken smelled to you when you were pregnant? Blah, makes you just wanna puke? That's how my roast chicken smelled and tasted. and oh, I'm not pregnant. The pommes frites were waaay over fried, almost burnt. J liked him because he likes a crispy fry but he has to admit, come on, you know you do, that they were beyond crispy. Anyway, I'm not here to talk about Crepe Nanou.

So as I was saying we are stuck in a rut. We always go to the same places and we have made a pact to try all, or almost all, (there are a few that I have no desire to go to), the restaurants listed. I'll keep you posted. It should be a fun and fattening year.

It was a very exciting weekend over here. Pman said his first real word. Well, technically Mama is his first word.He's been saying that for awhile now, mainly when he wants something oh and he says Hi. It sounds more like "Aaaaah" but it's really hi. but Saturday he said "Pop Pop" in plain English. I am still giddy over it. Pop Pop in the our language means pacifier. It's also a verb as in "Pop pop your pacifier" meaning spit it out. We got this family word when W was a baby and he had to take his pacifier out of his mouth before he left his crib. So it went from being a verb to being a noun. Anyway, I was getting Pman up from his nap and I said, "Pop pop" and threw the pop pop back in the crib and he repeated me as clear as day. A happy day.

Have you been to Houston's in a while? A casual fine dining chain for those who have never heard of it. Anyway, they are trying to make it a bit higher end but it's still a chain nonetheless. They were a bit miffed from the start at having to put us at a table rather than a booth because Pman is too wiggly at this point in his life to sit in a booster seat. We need a highchair where we can strap him down. Then this guy takes our drink order and I ask for a water for W. I asked for something like a plastic to go cup, something that he can't spill or drop and break and you would have thought I asked for a freakin' cow. This is how it went.
"Do you have a kids water or just a to go cup for him?"
"Actually, no we don't."

We are in freaking New Orleans where people have to go cups stocked in their house in every closet and every drawer imaginable. and Houston's doesn't have a plastic cup. Well let me lend you a few. I have them coming out of my ears. and there is nothing kid friendly on their menu at all. Now this doesn't bother me as much. It's our own fault that our kid is a picky eater. But to not have a frickin' cup that a toddler can drink out of? Am I being unreasonable? The whole thing pissed me off. So he brought our drinks. and there was a straw in every drink except for W's. I mean really. I'll stop now because maybe you're not interested but I can no longer tout this place as a good restaurant. Our salads sucked anyway and I am still amazed at the prices. I think the bill was $50 and that only included an appetizer, 2 entree salads and an order of french fries. and at a chain restaurant.

We went to MiLa on Saturday. They have been getting a lot of good press lately and I was intrigued. So we went and I have to say it was unbeleivable. Now, if you know me by now, I am a stickler for service. and there was one thing that pissed me off when we first arrived. It was early. Not one other person was in the restaurant. The host was this big obese football player looking guy. but he spoke so softly that you couldn't hear him. "Speak up!", I wanted to say. He sat us at this back table behind this random curtain. I sat, thought about it, got up and asked if we could sit somewhere else.
"No."
"No?" I swear this always happens to me. I show up at a place with no one esle in the whole restaurant and they tell me that all the tables are full. I get it. they have it mapped out but I know from my limited restaurant experience that you can work around this when it is only 6pm and you haven't even sat one table of the first seating.
"No." he whispered. "All of the tables are reserved."
"And everyone who is coming reserved an exact table?"
"Yes."
I stared at him ready to perform the broken record technique.
and he caved. Thank goodness the waiter was very likeable and really went out of his way to make me forget the ass.

So my supper was the most steaming hot, juicy sweetbreads over truffled grits. and then I had the double cut pork chop with Israeli couscous and greens. The dessert menu was awful. Just kind of wierd so we didn't partake but the whole experience was incredible save for the minor incident at the beginning. I highly recommend it. There's a reason why they are getting so much national press.

I was catching the tail end of Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentis on the Food Channel the other day and I started to drool. I couldn't quite catch what it was because of her affected Italian accent (which drives you crazy too, I am sure) but it looked delicious. Turns out it was an Eggplant Timbale.

The pan is lined will grilled eggplant and then filled with smoked mozzarella cheese, ground beef, penne, and peas. Can't beat that.

This photo is courtesy of the Food Network

Does this just make your mouth water or what? I am going to make it and I will let you know how it comes out. If you decide to cook it before me, let me know if I should even waste my time.

Tonight was the night that I was going to transform W into a good eater. I am sooo tired of making 2 dinners or just 2 dinners that require preheating the oven and waiting 30 minutes for the pizza or the chicken nuggets. Tonight W was going to eat carrots and noodles. I steamed the carrots while he was napping and tossed them in butter and salt. They tasted like candy. The noodles I tossed in butter, parmesan cheese and salt and they were delicious. and I gave him 4 potato chips for a lagniappe.

He ate the 4 potato chips. and I didn't give in. He wanted more chips. "After you have 1 carrot and 2 bites of noodles."
He wanted yogurt. "After you have 1 carrot and 2 bites of noodles."
He gave up. He wanted to get down. I made him sit at the table until he had 1 carrot and 2 bites of noodles. No dice, mama. I started to cave. I told him he could get down. Frustrated I told him, "I don't care. If you're not hungry you can get down"
5 minutes later. I want a nana. "After you have 1 carrot and 2 bites of noodles."
J came home. I gave him the speel. The broken record technique.
I went running, came back and J went running.
"I want a nana."
"you can have a nana AND yogurt covered raisins....IF you have 1 BITE of carrot." At this point I had shown my weakness. The war was his to win but I still had some fight left in me. I told him I would take a bite of carrot if he would take a bite at the same time. There I sat with a carrot in my mouth trying to get him to take a bite from the other end. Hysterical laughter, from W. I HAD HIM!!!! or so I thought. I crawled around the floor like an idiot chasing after W with a carrot hanging out of my mouth. Thank God J was running. The story goes on but how did it end, you ask?
He had 4 potato chips, a bowl of goldfish and a banana for dinner.

Venus would be disappointed

I have a new found love for Venus Williams after I saw her beat her sister's ass at Wimbledon. She was kind and gracious to her and Serena acted like such a shit. She pouted through Venus' speech and was really just a sore loser. Anyway, I've taken up tennis again. At one time in life I was pretty good and since being back I have started to have fantasies of me kickin' butt on the beginner tennis circuit. Until today. I went out to play with Uncle RaRa and he ran me ragged. My poor fat ass was running back and forth, huffing and puffing but I have to say I was proud. Then it hit me. The nausea-oh the misery. I just knew I would throw up and when I started seeing spots I kind of started to panic. It lasted about 5 minutes-I won't bore you with the details. but damn, it's gettin' hot in hea! I think between the heat and not having yet had lunch, I just couldn't hang.

I know it was such a rookie mistake. Venus never forgets to eat, ha!

I know you're sick of hearing it. I know J is sick of hearing it and I am sick of saying it. That I am starting a healthy way of eating. But today, I really am. There was a small kink in the plan this morning. We went to the mall. It was our outing. Sad, isn't it? But I figured W would enjoy playing in the fountain and I could get a wedding gift for someone who got married almost 6 months ago. He loved it. I had him run "really, really fast" around the fountain a few times to make sure he got good and tuckered out. S and her baby girl met us and we fed the babies then walked over to Cafe du Monde to get coffee. There are no other coffee shops in the mall-ANYONE WANT TO MAKE FORTUNE OPEN A PJ'S IN THE MALL-so I had to settle for a $4.00 iced cafe latte with whole milk. It was delicious-anything with whole milk would be-but I think $4.00 was a bit steep. This ain't the French Quarter. This is Veterans blvd. but I guess they figure they have a captive audience. So that was my slip. Otherwise I have been really good all day.

Yesterday, I made Dr. Ann's homemade granola minus a lot of the nuts she calls for because I didn't feel like buying pine nuts and the like for $17/lb. It was really easy. I took slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and oatmeal. Then I mixed it up with about a quarter of a cup of honey and a tsp. of vanilla extract. Then I baked it in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring about every five. Deeeelicious. I had it this morning with a fresh peach and skim milk. J didn't enjoy it as much as I did. But I am sure it will grow on him.

I've also decided not to take a free day for two weeks which is going to be hard. Free days are a carryover from my long ago Body for Life but they make such much sense. They kind of get you through, keep you going, make you feel like you are not totally depriving yourself of anything good. But lately they have been getting me off track (I've been taking free weekends) so I am going to forgo it for awhile.

I know my fans are really excited about my diet dilemmas but I am sick and tired of it and think about nothing else so I wouldn't be true to you if I didn't post about. I will be a hot mama once again some day. I'll spare you the details for 4 weeks. By then I will be able to give you a good update. Doesn't mean I won't share my healthy dishes and recipes with you. I might even take a photo of my shrimp fricasee tonight. Stay tuned.

Not Suitable for those without a sense of potty humor

I am BM obsessed. I always have been. It runs in the family. My brother and dad are similar in their enjoyment of BM's. Not Mom, though. She thinks it's inappropriate to talk about going to the bathroom and J is very uncomfortable about the whole subject so I'll leave him out of it. Anyway, Master P is constipated. It's awful. I discovered it a few days ago. I had just gotten out of the shower and my hair was wrapped up in a towel. I looked at him and he had this awful look on his face and then he erupted into this horrific scream. I thought that it was because he didn't recognize me with the towel around my head. Wasn't the case. He's constipated and uncomfortable. I tried to get him to drink water but he just spit it out. I need to get some Karo syrup and prune juice before I go ahead with the glycerin suppository. Anyway, all of this constipation talk got me reminiscing.

When we finally ended up in Baton Rouge after Katrina we had to share a house with another couple. S was pregnant and the LB was 1 month old by the time we all moved in together. I found a kindred spirit. She too likes to talk BM's. Can you imagine the conversations between a pregnant lady and one with a new baby who like to talk about BM's? There was never a shortage of conversation. It was fabulous. Now that we both have 2 children we spend countless hours on the phone discussing and analyzing their habits. It's great.

It almost reminded me of college. When I first transferred to U of Alabama my roommates drank a lot of purple Koolaid. One of the first things they told me. It makes your poo green. But you probably already knew that.

And then I started thinking about Uncle RaRa and his potty humor. It was actually Jazz Fest about 10 years ago when he taught me the phrase "dropping the kids off at the pool". The memory couldn't have come at a better time. I used to be as obsessed about Jazz Fest as I am about BM's. I went every day from beginning to end. and never failed, someone always had to drop the kids off at the pool. I know, disgusting. The port-o-lets are hot and steamy and not an ideal place for doing that but when nature calls... Thank goodness Jazz Fest is not my thing anymore. Because although the thought of schlepping around in the hot sun with sweaty people getting my feet dirty (I hate getting my feet dirty. That was the one thing I always dreaded about JF) sounds awful, the thought of having to drop the kids off at the pool at the Fairgrounds during JF is worse.

But don't get me wrong. There is a little piece of me who is dying inside to go to Jazz Fest despite the hot, sweatiness of it all and the despite the $50 ticket. (I remember when it was $12. I think I was in high school. That was a lot for a highschooler who got something like $40 a month in allowance) I would love to bring W just for a morning. He loves music and I know he would dance until the day is done but it's not going to happen. So for all of you Jazz Festers eat a falafel sandwich, a crawfish strudel and crawfish bread for me. Sit in the Gospel tent and sing out loud and don't forget to bring lots of toilet paper.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

"I didn't think you could swing it."

Those were Uncle RaRa's exact words in referring to my Chicken and Andouille Gumbo.

I DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD SWING IT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I sure showed him and he admitted it too.

I made it for Bacchus night/Super Bowl Sunday. I spent all afternoon Saturday, hungover from the morning p-rades, no less, making my roux and browning my chicken and I had a sore arm to show for it. My roux was dark. Really dark and my wooden spoon was burned. I was worried I burned the roux but nope, it was perfect. I used Veron andouille sausage. and I used a bit more than it called for. I also used the cast iron dutch oven that our family passes around. I think it makes a difference.

I am damn proud of my gumbo. and Uncle RaRa was too. Try it if you have a few hours to kill.
Here's the recipe

I feel like Tuna Tonight

I never thought that I would say this.

I made a tuna casserole for dinner.

The recipe was in that Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and well, I must be pregnant, ha! because it sounded really appetizing. J didn't even sound disgusted when I told him we were having that for dinner. Frozen veggies cooked in the same pot as noodles with a can of tuna thrown in for good measure was a bachelor staple of his. Blah! He still makes it on occasion when I have a meeting or something. So this was like ambrosia to him.

Now this was a Mediterranean Tuna Casserole which includes artichoke hearts. It was delicious if I do say so myself. I would probably doctor it up a bit if I made it again. You know, add some garlic, maybe some cheese, oh and Aunt Liz said she has fond memories of tuna casserole with peas. I wasn't sure what to expect because I have never had a tuna casserole in my life. Something ole Mimo would NEVER allow. Aunt Liz thought about making it herself once I told her what we were having for dinner but Uncle Bob, like Mimo, wouldn't allow it. Something about a bad experience as a child. I thought about giving some to W for supper but I didn't want to force it on him, and end up with an "Uncle Bob Tuna Casserole Debacle".

I had to sit down to prep everything because of my increasing back pain. Not an easy thing to do, not even with my stellar knife skills (and my knife skills are just that, seriously). But in the end it all turned out well and the BONUS: It made two casseroles. One to freeze for when the new bambino is here.

We all woke up this morning at the same time, 6:15. It was unusual. J has been waking up with W since I've been pregnant and tired allowing me to sleep in another heavenly 45 minutes or so and it makes all the difference. Now that I'm nearing the finish line I'm not sleeping so well anyway so I figured I may as well get up and go. I've been feeling guilty about not excercising so I told the LB we could go for a stroll. With his typical, "ado ado ado" when he gets excited about something he quickly let me put on his shoes and took off for the stroller. I can't remember the last time we went for a real walk. It was a guilty reminder of how much he loved going for walks. He talked and pointed and laughted and took in the sights. Yelled above the drill of the streetcar line workers and urged me in his own way to detour at the playground.

We didn't take the detour. I had to go home. It wasn't the heat really, it was the back cramps. and turns out I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions and never knew it. But atleast I know now why my stomach feels rock hard and heavy every so often accompanied by excruciating back pain. My doctor wouldn't tell me what I wanted to hear. To stop excercising. He did tell me that I was fine with my weight gain so I headed off to Haydel's to get the Petit Fours I told you about. OMG! If you want to experience a good ole fashioned bakery smell, the kind like when Mackenzies was around or if you're pregnant and want to experience your ultimate dream, go to Haydel's. I bought 10 Petit Fours and 5 Turtles (real ones, the sandy cookies with pecans and a blob of chocolate on top). and I'm definitely going back for more.

We went to Galatoire's yesterday afternoon for my mom's birthday. I won't tell you how uncomfortable I was. I know it's getting old for everyone including me. But I will tell you that it was there that I decided that Galatoire's will be the site of the first big whoopin' it up time for me once I have this baby. I can't remember how you really Whoop it up while nursing. Maybe you don't but a girl can dream, can't she.

We walked in and it was cold. Freezing cold. It felt so good and while everyone else was wrapped in sweaters I basked in the icy coldness of it all. A few hours of relief where I didn't have to keep getting up to adjust the thermostat.

R and J had secured the table and were drinking wine. Ohhhhhh-I know this is getting old too but-to drink a bottle of cold white wine. I slurped a big ole gulp from RaRa's glass and savored it. and then I sat and watched as they drank bottle after bottle of the most delicious wine. He's a sommelier and a wine importer so we really indulge when he's ordering and all I could do was watch in slo mo as each bottle was emptied.

They ordered all the usual-the Grand Goutee with oyster en brochette, shrimp remoulade, another shrimp something, crabmeat maison. Fried eggplant, souffle potatoes (which have disappointed the past few times). I ate some fried eggplant and a taste of crabmeat. ordered a green salad with hearts of palm and a baked potatoe. I knew I couldn't eat much more. I feel like I'm going to pop all the time. Did you know that G's doesn't serve baked potatoes? Nope. So I ended up with crabmeat Clemenceau instead mainly for the potatoes. For those of you who don't know Clemenceau is a saute of peas, potatoes, mushrooms with lemon and butter, traditionally Chicken Clemenceau but I always do the Seafood Clemenceau when at Galatoire's. It was good. I had a few bites but Uncle RaRa ate most of it.

Everyone else went to The Bourbon House for a Frozen bourbon milk punch afterwards and I went home with J (who had already had his fair share of drinks).

So now I know, my first big night out will be at Galatoire's. Really it's going to start in the late afternoon with liesurely cocktails and I can't wait!

Night out at Clancy's with L and B

Just got back from Clancy's. I had a craving after a friend said how delicious her meal was last week. Mine was just as good. I mean, I couldn't eat half of what I wanted. For some reason I've been more of a stickler about what I'm eating this time around. Where last time I would eat brie, no hesitation, this time I won't etc. So I couldn't have my oysters with brie. I couldn't have the veal with crabmeat and bearnaise because of the raw egg or the Filet with Stilton or the fried green tomatoes with Hollandaise so I ended up getting what I didn't 100% want. It was perfect.

I opted for the Clancy's crabmeat salad. It was bigger than I remember and the crabmeat was the biggest lump I have ever seen. The tomatoes were perfectly red and firm. The dressing (I don't remember what it was) was light and tangy). The stuffed egg as always was to die for with the right amount of bacon and pepper. The hearts of palm slices were huge. I couldn't have asked for a better salad. I had to leave some of it because I was so full.

For my entree I had the Veal Annunciation. I was underexcited about it since I don't really like panneed veal but for some reason the Fettucine Alfredo that came with it caught my attention. When was the last time you've eaten that? I think from Stouffers when my parents would go out and needed something easy for us. The veal was crispy, not chewy at all. Seasoned just right and the fettucine!!!! This isn't your dad's or Stouffers for that matter Alfredo. It too was light, erring more on the cheesy side than creamy side with garlic and diced red peppers. My mouth is watering all over again thinking about it AND I'm still full. Now, that's saying something.

Of course Clancy's was Clancy's sans the smoke. A beautiful thing. It's the first time I've been back since the no smoking ban has been in effect and it was really nice. Every single time I went to Clancy's, I would arrive and ask to sit downstairs. And every single time the host would say, "Fine, if you want to sit in the smoking section" as a way to discourage you from sitting in the highest demanded spot. The new speil (sp?) is "Fine, if you want to sit in the noisy section". Bring it on!

Picture this..

a fat pregnant lady on her knees, leaning onto an ottoman with her butt on the edge of the chair and her belly hanging watching tv. That's me in my most comfortable position. Probably too much information. It's getting to that uncomfortable point where it doesn't feel good to stand, sit or lay down. There just is not a good option but I think I feel sorriest for the Little Buddy. He has got to be soooo bored. I don't have any motivation for anything. Cooking is getting to be miserable because after 15 minutes on my feet, my back feels like breaking. I think Hamburger Helper is even too long of a process. Tonight I cooked meat stuffed pasta shells (I think I am going to stick to A's famous lasagna) and a Panzanella salad which actually was delicious. I may even make it again tomorrow night. I used leftover garlic bread from Whole Foods and a bit of La Boulangerie's ciabatta bread. I kind of winged the recipe-read up on Emeril, Ina (Barefoot Contessa) and Giada's recipes and kind of put them all together.

This is what I did. Made the salad dressing with garlic, let the grape tomatoes marinate a bit in the dressing with salt and pepper. Tossed in the bread cubes then decided they needed to be harder so I fished them out and toasted them. Right before we were ready to eat I shaved in the parmesan, tore up the fresh basil, added back the bread and tossed it with the remaining dressing. Dee-licious. Really. If you want a more accurate recipe, just let me know.

Our anniversary at Restaurant August

J and I went to August for our anniversary tonight. We got there and of course they sat us at a table which I hated. I swear I get anxious every time I walk into a restaurant because I always expect the worst. I can't stand to have a spot light shining on the table when I got out to eat and it seems as if every single restaurant thinks this is a necessary component of dining. Our table was in one of the back rooms. It was 6:30 and full light outside and they sat us in the darkest room possible at a table with spot light shining on the seat where I would prefer to sit, looking out towards the dining room. So I had to take the seat facing the wall which makes me totally claustrophobic. Luckily the food was enough to distract me from this. But if you do go to August ask to sit in the front room. I felt like my dad who has to bring a flashlight with him when he dines out so he can see the menu. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared so I moved the candle to my menu so I could read it.

We decided to do the 5 course tasting menu. I was so excited! This was our menu. My menu descriptions are probably not totally accurate but here goes:

1. Grilled watermelon with grilled baby heirloom tomatoes drizzled with a balsamic reduction sauce.
I thought I would really enjoy this course. It sucked. The flavors were totally off, the tomatoes were bitter and the balsamic reduction tasted , this will sound crazy, fishy. When the waiter came to clear the course he got flustered and made a comment about me leaving so much on my plate. He said the chef would be upset. From working in the industry, I understood his worry, and told him to tell the chef that I was pregnant and that I can't eat that much. This would backfire on me later.

2. Olive crusted sheepshead on a bed of basil risotto and garnished with fried baby heirloom tomatoes stuffed with an aioli.
This was my hands down favorite course. Unbelievable. I basically licked the plate clean. Which is why I then had to explain to the waiter that that was going to put me over the edge of fullness so the chef wouldn't catch on that I didn't really like the first course and he wouldn't take it out on the waiter.

3. Rabbit sausage with white beans and tomatoes
Really, really delicious.

4. Kobe beef short ribs resting on an artichoke puree, garnished with steamed asparagus.
I'm not sure I have ever had Kobe beef before. It was tender and good. I enjoyed it. But there was something missing. The lack of this something didn't make this dish bad though. It was really good.

5. Creole Tomatoe pie and tomatoe sorbet
This was the only reason I hesitated in suggesting to J that we get the Tasting Menu. I'm pregnant for goodness sakes and I want something rich and delicious for dessert. The only time in my life that I crave sweets instead of another glass of wine. Not just because I can't have the wine, I have a big sweet tooth also. Anyway, talk about expecting the worst.....AND GETTING THE BEST! It was so unexpectedly decadent. It was like a tiny Hubig's Pie (and I love me a Hubig's Pie) with tomatoes instead of apples. I could have done without the sorbet.

My only other complaint was that they rushed us in and out of there. I think we had the whole 5 course menu in 65 minutes. Poor J had atleast 2 glasses of wine in front of him at all times. So the experience per se wasn't the best but it was a fun, delicious night and a very good substitute for our upcoming anniversary.

Was yesterday just so gross? It rained ALL day and when I mean all day, I mean ALL DAY! I think it let up just a tiny bit in time for J to grill the meat medley. I'm working on my meat management skills. We bought chicken breasts and flank steak. J grilled it all and I will manage my meals with that so hopefully I won't have to go to the store 18 times in a week. We had the flank steak last night with a warm potato salad that I heard about from Kate F.

She has a great photo on her website of it. I mixed it up a little bit due to pregnancy restrictions. I'm so over these limitations, I don't know why I bother. But anyway, basically you saute onions, garlic and shallots and then mix it in with the warm potatoes, add some salt, olive oil and cider vinegar at the last minute with a sprinkling of parsley. I sauteed the ham in with the garlic and onion mixture so that my deli meat was hot (pregnancy rule-hot deli meat). It actually was really good. But don't forget the vinegar! that's what makes it. Uncle RaRa even had second helpings which he rarely does with carbs. We're having the leftovers tonight with our chicken breasts.

Tomorrow we are having a fajita combo platter of grilled chicken and flank steak. So I have at least Monday and Tuesday's dinner planned. It's all very exciting.

I also whipped up the Barefoot Contessa's avocado and red grapefruit salad. It was alright. I think that the grapefruit overpowered the avocado although it was a beautiful plating. I really wish I would have taken a picture of that. Maybe you'll like it better. I could tell everyone else wasn't that thrilled either. We had a lot of grapefruit leftover-no avocado.

Pulled Pork

Some of you have inquired about the outcome of the pulled pork. Let's just say, it wasn't what I expected and rather than pulled pork it was cut off pork. All of the recipes that I consulted said to cook it for like 6 hours. But when I stuck my thermometer in, it had reached the specified temp. after 3 hours. My mistake, I am guessing, was taking it out then. I probably should have left it in but I was worried I would over cook it. I thought the flavor was good-the dry rub was-it's just that it was kind of tough and chewy. BUT I'm not giving up that easily. Like they say, try, try again.

Nothing wrong with a helping hand

I'd never eaten Hamburger Helper until I married John. I had no idea what I had been missing! Seriously! My mom was a sort of health freak growing up. Really a cafeteria health freak. She read every label to us, didn't really want to buy bread, never ever served us boxed mac and cheese (the first time I had that I borrowed a box from the lady across the street my senior year so I could taste it) and was also one of those moms that made a hamburger for you on sliced wheat bread (when we had it) when we asked for MacDonald's. BUT she ate sweets like they were going out of style and is known for her love of cheescake.

So my first experience with HH was served to me by my husband at our dining room table. I was hooked. I actually cooked it myself for the first time a few months ago. I was shocked at the pitiful size of the serving but luckily J shared his secret and that secret is what I am going to share with you. You must supplement. Meaning, add a little extra noodles to the pot. Find the kind that most closely resemble the ones in the flavor you are using and you are good to go.

I cooked it again tonight, remembering the secret. But as J stood over my shoulder and laughed at my lack of confidence while cooking the HH, I realized that cooking a meal from scratch is easier for me than following the instructions on the box. I can't explain it. But J is a whiz at it and I may just leave the HH cooking to him. and I don't mind in the least. I'd eat it every night.

Tomatoe, Basil and Fresh Mozzarella pasta

I made the pasta that Kate F. wrote about in her blog. I tried to make something similar once when I was younger and it never came out as I tasted it in my mind so it was helpful to have her directions. It was perfect and great for leftovers. I did add one ingredient to marinate with the tomatoes, salt and olive oil. Garlic. I minced it, super fine, sprinkled it with a bit of sea salt and olive oil and then mushed it up with the blade of my knife. We had it with a filet on Friday night (I cook a mean steak in my cast iron skillet (and then over roasted).) Today we had it for lunch ( I asked J to take it out of the ice box while I was working out so that it would come back to room temp) with fried eggs on top. If you like eggs, it's a great combo. So thanks Kate F. The dish came out as I had tasted it in my mind.