Hot Dogs for Dinner

So here's the deal. Way back when I started this blog, I simply took pictures of everything I ate, and blogged about it. Then I started personal cheffing, and the blog became more about what I cooked for clients. I am at a loss now being 37 weeks pregnant, not currently cheffing, as to where to go with the blog. If you have any ideas, let me know! In the meantime, I'm gonna go back to my Eat Repeat roots, take pics of my food, and tell you all about it, and about what's going on with me. Sound good?

My dinner:  One kosher beef hot dog and one organic turkey dog with ketchup, mustard, green onions, pickles and one shredded up piece of string cheese I divided between two buns.  I freaking love hot dogs during this pregnancy.  Pre-pregnancy, I probably ate hot dogs twice a year.  Now they are a staple.  I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that my favorite toddler foods were hot dogs and apple sauce (not together, although it could work...).  My mom said I used to go into the kitchen, slap the refrigerator door and say "Sauce!" or "Ketchup Hot Dog!"  What a clear communicator, even back then.

My hot dogs came with a side of roasted broccoli and a giant pear.  Pears are my favorite fruit.

Husband's dinner:  One turkey hot dog with ketchup, mustard, green onions and pickles, tater tots, and a big side of baked beans with more cut up hot dogs.  He worked hard today in informercial land and ate everything, plus a tuna sandwich.  Hungry husband.

In other news, I had my 37 week check-up today with the lovely midwives at The Sanctuary.  All is well with Ian, except that his spine is a little more towards my left side than they'd like (shortly before birth, the optimal position is for their spine to be between the left side and the mom's belly button, with the spine pointing outward, rather than towards mom's back, which is what causes "back labor").  So I've been encouraged to hang out on all fours for a little while each day to move the little guys back a bit.  Tonight I crawled around on the carpet while watching The West Wing.

I feel really good today physically, and did a brisk 30 minute elliptical workout.  I had the midwives measure my "waist" which is a hearty 41 inches.  I have no idea how much weight I've gained, nor do I care to know until the very end.  On that note, I think I'll have a snack...

My 700th Post! Honeymoon: Take Two. Part One Of ?

First of all, I cannot believe this is my 700th post!  I feel so productive.

Our dear friends, Kenny and Izumi, offered to let us stay in their beautiful cabin in Pine Mountain Club, California.

Husband has dubbed this our honeymoon do-over.  Word.  This was our first honeymoon.  We did everything wrong and learned things like it is best to have a place to stay beforehand.  And not to eat clam chowder.



 I like to start my vacations at Denny's because, as you know, vacation calories don't count.

Husband's hot chocolate.  Don't really get hot chocolate with french toast for breakfast, but he doesn't get salt on my french toast.  No judging in happy marriages.

The iPhone is still active, which means vacation has not yet kicked in.

Mine.  Yup, three slices, but I used sugar free syrup.  Yummmm, malitol.

Husband's french toast slam.  I don't opt for the egg and bacon chaser, I mainline the sugar and carbs.

The view from the livingroom.   See our yoga mats?  We haven't utilized them yet, but we have gone on two hikes!  One in the snow!

Husband bought tulips.  Romantical husband.

Izumi advised us to bring our own food.  Pine Mountain Club makes a small town look like a big town.  They barely have any restaurants, at all, but they have lots and lots of liquor stores.  Hmmm.


We stocked up on cereal, nuts, stuff to make smoothies and Green Monsters, and some good crap, like reduced fat cheese puffs and chocolate covered almonds (vacation calories, remember?).

We went to La Lena in the Pine Mountain village and got our Mexican on.  We won't talk about the fuschia bathroom with a tiny turquoise door to nowhere or the sticky menus, the food tasted pretty good.  Started with chips and salsa.

Husband wanted a margarita, but La Lena's is without a liquor license...don't worry!  They do serve a wine margerita and a wine pina colada.  Husband had the "Winerita" which he said almost worked, until it started reminding him of his wine cooler puking junior college days.  Oh well.  Love the crystal pimp cup, too!

Mine (don't worry, I didn't finish it):  tres amigos enchiladas-one beef, one chicken, one cheese.  The sauces were yummy, the meat was flavorful but dry.  I gave husband my guacamole.

Husband had the chicken enchiladas.


Now, nobody got sick, but I was not hungry until noon the next day, and husband's stomach is still talking to him (grumble, grumble).  Eating out in small towns is like going barefoot at a public pool.

For brunch, husband made himself a smoothie (self sufficient husband) with fresh mango, banana and frozen berries and cherries.

Mine:  cucumbers, carrots, organic string cheese (watched Food, Inc. and have a renewed passion/panic for organic, sustainable food) and...

...a Trader Joe's Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookie.  The cookie part was pretty good-cinnamony, moist, chewy, lots of raisins.  The frosting part did not work for me (should have known when the check-out girl told me these weren't her "favorite").  It was too cheesy and dense.  I would like it more whippy and sugary.

For our afternoon activity, we predicted our futures.  Word.

This is the future of our baby (not yet in existence, probably).

This is the future of husband's film making.

This is the future of my personal chef career.

I loved the little girl on my "goal" card.  She reminds me of me:  the hat, the boots, being alone in her room, her rainbow rug.  As husband said, often when I get dressed I look like "a rainbow threw up."  I love compliments.

Husband's future eating habits. Right on.

Husband's Proper Birthday

 

Jam session at our place.  Ummmm, too loud.  Gonna have to rethink the drum plan.

  

  

Smells like teen face.

 

The spread:  baby back ribs, spiced yam mash, oven baked beans and roasted green beans with leeks.

 

First time cooking ribs, people.  Very easy and very tasty.

  

  

For baked beans, I always start with one can of actual "baked beans" and the rest are plain.  I caramelize a ton of leeks and garlic, add vinegar, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and molasses before adding all the beans.  I put that mess in an oven proof dish, cover and let them bubble away for a couple hours.

  

Wow, can you tell this cake is homemade?  I assembled and frosted this sucker in my mind about 50 times, but it had a mind of it's own.

  

See the 43?  I bought a 4 candle and a 3 candle, but somehow the 4 candle did not make it into my shopping bag, so Austin and I improvised, making the number 4 out of regular birthday candles.

It's the thought that counts.

  

When making a wish, before one blows out the candles one should raise their left foot.

  

The cake.  The cake itself was a bit dry, although it felt moist when I cut it.  Weird.  I used gluten free flour and chocolate soy milk, so I knew it was a bit of a crap shoot.  Flavor was decent.

The frosting was awesome!  I ran out of chocolate mocha buttercream (made with Earth Balance), so at the last moment Austin and I whipped up a batch of peanut butter buttercream (made again with Earth Balance).  SO good!

Here's what to do:

Take 1 cup of Earth Balance, put it in a mixer and whip it for a couple minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and whip some more.

Add sifted powdered sugar, about 3/4 cup.  You need to sift it because otherwise you get little lumps of powdered sugar in your frosting (which actually isn't terrible, it happened to me and it tasted fine).

Finally, add your flavoring of choice.

For the chocolate mocha, I added 1 cup of melted bittersweet chocolate and 2 Tablespoons of hot espresso.

For the peanut butter, I added 1 cup of melted peanut butter chips.  You could easily sub peanut butter, although it might make a stiffer frosting.

  

I had two pieces because I am a sugar addict.  I am now giving away copious amounts.  Come and get it.

Did You Know That The Best Damn Denny's In The World Is In Thousand Oaks California?

The bathrooms are beyond gross.  The entire place hasn't been painted since the early 90's.  The booths are kinda broken, BUT the food is damn good.  Husband is enjoying his hot chocolate on a 100 degree day.  WhatEvs.  Weirdo.

 

Whipped cream is best part.

 

Austin taking an exaggerated sip of his Razzdango (think translation of that is Sprite with artificial raspberry syrup).  He could use the calories.

 

Funny stepmom taking pictures of food all the dang time.

 

Austin's Grand Slam Burrito:  pancake, sausage, bacon, eggs and cheese wrapped in a grilled tortilla.  Served with onion rings and yes, he poured syrup all over the burrito.  The child craves this and this child does not have cravings.  Ever.  Holy weird and wonderful, I say.

 

He didn't touch the onion rings.  Why mess with perfection?

 

Mine:  scrambled egg whites, turkey bacon, chicken sausage and two slices of french toast, which I am pretty sure they deep fry.  Best french toast ever.  Really.  And only at this Denny's.  Trust me, I've tried others.

 

I didn't take a picture of husband's food cuz I was annoyed with him.  I was beyond emotionally fragile on this day (lots and lots and lots and lots of work stress for me and husband) and was pretty much silent through the meal.

After Denny's, I dropped husband and Austin off at the library and went to see Love Happens.  I bought an extra large diet Pepsi and balled my eyes out through the whole stupid movie.  And it was really stupid but I loved it because it gave me permission to sit in a dark room and cry for 2 hours.  Thanks, Jen.  Oh, and she was wearing a Gap dress in a couple of scenes, so that was thrilling as well.

Saturday workout:  quick 2 mile run.

What An Old Married Couple's Friday Night Looks Like

Sexy.  We even ate this in bed.  We've both been working working working, and last night I decided to be a hot mess.  I had wedding cake for dinner and cheese popcorn for dessert.  They were both gross and thankfully I didn't finish either.

Husband consumed the candy  and was royally pissed that he accidentally purchased diet root beer (not pictured).  Then we fell into a deep food coma.  We really need to get out more (CVS food run at 10pm so doesn't count).

Husband Meals

So sorry I have been MIA.  Between trying to get the house settled (latest was our poor handyman getting glass embedded in his arms as our shower door exploded in his hands), getting my cookie biz off the ground and husband pushing through a NEVER ENDING project...I'm mighty distracted.  When both husband and wife work from home, it can get sticky, and right now we're swimming in sap.

I'm still feeding him, though, as you can see.  Lots of grilled cheese melts with heirloom tomato and organic turkey, tuna salad and of course, crispy chicken.  He even got sweet potato fries last night when I left him to go to a Raw Curious Salon, which was great and I plan to get my hands on Rod's new book, Raw Food For Real People and start cooking (oops, not cooking) from it.  I was so excited when I opened the book and saw a recipe for nut milk!  And it's crazy easy.  That alone is worth the cost of the book.  Besides that, Rod is really cool, down to earth and even sampled one of my vegan (but not raw) cookies.  Honored!

Workouts this week:

Friday:  40 minutes sweaty elliptical at the gym
Thursday: 4 mile sweaty run in the smoggy heat of HelLA
Wednesday: 40 minutes sweaty elliptical at the gym (I do more cardio when I'm feeling nervous)
Tuesday:  60 minute YogaGlo session with Jo
Monday:  Can't remember, but I probably posted about it...

I'm delirious, y'all.  Think I'm nervous for my big cookie debut tomorrow in Hollywood.  So nervous that I ate wedding cake for dinner (too ashamed to take a picture, it was as big as my face).  God bless me.