Have A Bite Of...

Almost Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

With spiralized squash.

Sometimes the only "productive" thing that gets done around here is comforting a very fussy baby. On those days dinner is something easy, like jarred spaghetti sauce. Me being me, however, means that I can't leave well enough alone!

Almost Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

a.k.a. Fancy Sauce

1 lb. ground beef

1 - 2 Tbs. garlic paste

2 shallots, diced

Optional: 1/4 cup of diced or shredded vegetables*

(*think carrots, celery, and/or zucchini)

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 Tbs. oregano

1 Tbs. basil

1 Tbs. parsley

1/4 - 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 Tbs. milk/cream

In a large saucepan, brown the beef with shallots and garlic (plus vegetables, if desired). Add the spaghetti sauce, oregano, basil, and parsley (I use Litehouse herbs unless there are fresh ones on hand). Let everything simmer for about 20 minutes, adding 1/4 c. of chicken broth at a time if the sauce is getting too thick. 

Five minutes before serving, add the milk and let the sauce continue simmering. Serve over traditional, gluten free, or veggie noodles. Quick Tip: spiralized squash noodles can be prepped hours in advance so they're ready for a brief sauté as soon as the sauce is done.

The first time I modified the sauce Chris couldn't stop raving about it, and was shocked to discover its humble beginnings. Tweaking the sauce only takes a couple minutes and makes all the difference in turning a nondescript jar of sauce into something a little more special!

January Snapshots

1) View

Perfection is January sunshine in Oregon.

2) Happy

Loft haul!

3) Balance 

How is this comfortable...?

4) Wear

Finally found a daily wear watch - good old Fossil brand.

5) Love

My loves.

6) Everyday

Running errands with the tiny one.

7) Eat

Egg, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and gorgonzola over romaine.
No dressing required, but a drizzle of olive oil with some fresh pepper is heavenly.

8) Project

Our poor filing cabinet has definitely seen better days, but I decided that

a quick makeover with Rust-oleum would help in the meantime.

Shop assistant inspecting the progress. We still need to figure out the hardware situation. 

9) Habit

We're getting daily walks in, but I'm trying desperately to make this happen a few times per week.

10) Favorite

"I not quite solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

"The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."
Jill Churchill

Live From My New Office

What happens when you lament to your husband that you absolutely cannot find a desk in a style that you like for less than $900? He builds it. Smart, sexy, handy-around-the-house, AND good with the baby? I do believe I hit the jackpot.

This is my new happy place.

Ahh...

So much elbow room...

The rest of the office is still a work in progress, but now I have a beautiful desk to motivate me!

Current view from the foyer.

Next up: Bookshelves and an appropriate desk chair...

Always into something...

Mom, why is this empty?

Out please!!

Is Dada home yet?

My favorite giraffe.

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years."
Simone Signoret

What We're Packing...

 Diaper Bag Edition

Having read countless lists of diaper bag essentials that left me wondering exactly how bulky (and heavy!) all of those necessities were, I decided to create my own diaper bag guide. With seven months of parenting experience under my belt this is, of course, the final word on efficient diaper bags. Obviously. ;)

Also, as I seem to have lost the ability to retain or convert anything in my short-term memory, this post gets to pull double-duty as a reminder to myself when I'm trying to figure out what's missing. Am I the only one who blogs things partially because I need help remembering them? Anyone? Oh, well.

Our basics.

The Bag: Nothing fancy, but I love the insulated bottle pouch. The little tags on the pockets are a nice bonus: great for helping Chris find things quickly.

Diapers: I always stock diapers for an entire day; the magic number is eight.

Wipes and Cream: One package of wipes, Bourdreaux's Extra Strength cream for combating diaper rash, and Crunchy Mamas balm for normal use.

Changing Pad: The zip-off changing pad from our portable changing station goes everywhere with us. Public changing tables give me the willies.

Plastic Bags: I always have three bags on hand for stinky diaper disposal. It's just plain rude to leave a public restroom reeking of soiled diaper.

Spare Outfit: For the winter, I've taken to packing one set of pajamas as a compact back up outfit for the off chance that there is an uncontrolled blowout.

Bib and Cloth: Reflux = extra spit up, so a spare bib and burp rag are handy.

Blanket:One of the biggest multi-taskers in the bag, we always take a blanket.
Sleep Sack: A must for our swaddle baby, especially when out past nap time.

Feeding Supplies: We're still doing a nursing/bottle combo out of necessity, so a shield, nursing pads, bottle, and spare milk are always with us. 

Pacifier and Toy: We use Ulubulu clips for both pacifiers and toys, but I always bring a spare binkie just in case. Our toys are usually just a rattle and Sophie.

Hand Sanitizer: A must during cold and flu season. I have been known to spray peoples hands as they are reaching for the baby. I pack hand lotion as well since winter + sanitizer/hand washing = super dry hands.

Optional: For day trips I pack a Plum Organics pouch, and we have a separate bag dedicated to pumping needs.

The Condensed Version: For extremely short trips I pull the changing pad out of the regular diaper bag and take the full station stocked with six diapers, mini diaper cream, ten wipes, and a onesie. But only on days when I feel brave.

Out?

I can sit all by myself, Mom. I'm not lion!

"One of the most obvious results of having a baby around the house is to turn two good people into complete idiots, who probably wouldn't have been much worse than mere imbeciles without it."
Georges Courteline