Well the end of grad school has sparked the beginning of my quest to become a more "domestic" wife. I want to increase the variety in our meals, and learn to make some things from scratch (ie: pie crusts, etc). I've also embarked on the make-your-own-baby-food mission, and so far O is pretty excited about it. Last week we had a baby food making party with Lucy and her mom Wendy. Lucy and Owen (OWCY reunited!) are about 10 days apart, and boy were they fun to get together!
The last time we took their pictures, they had symmetric fencer poses. Now they rival each other in the height at which they can hold their heads. Both kiddos got a kick out of each other. Lucy's a "shrieker" and she didn't hold back in her communication with O!
I imagine this face to be his way of saying "She's so pretty, mom, and I am having SO much fun!"
Wendy had a very fancy baby food maker which retails for about $150. Needless to say, we used that instead of my food 'mill' which retails for about $10. I will say, though, that the mill will likely come in quite handy once O has progressed beyond stage 2 foods. These peas featured above were a bit to chunky for his preferences thus far, so we just threw them in the freezer.
The finished products of our baby food making day. We made carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, and apples. I've since made some pears in the food processor, and I think they turned out well. Owen hasn't started on fruits yet, but I am sure he will love them. We're still making our way through the list of veggies: green beans (dislike), peas (like), carrots (love), sweet potatoes (like). Next up is avocado!
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The same day as the baby food party, I got to redeem part of my graduation present from Mike.. a Julia Childs cooking class at Sur la Table. I've been telling him how I want to learn to be a better cook, rather than a strict recipe follower (I am so inspired by Chef Uncle Ryan.. I am convinced he knows EVERYTHING about cooking).. so Mike gave me this great gift! I was a little nervous to go at first because I lack confidence in my kitchen skills, but it turned out to be a BLAST!
In true Julia style, we made Chicken in a Cream of Mushroom sauce (made with Port and heavy cream). This recipe was my favorite by far, and I will be reattempting it on my own soon! We also make steamed artichokes and hollandaise (I've been wanting to learn to make hollandaise for my eggs Benny). We devoured that dish, however, before I got to take a picture.
Next up was Beef Bourguignon: braised beef in red wine served with carrots, pearl onions, and mushrooms. Also delicious, and a great 'wintery' meal to make for company! As we only have 2 months of summer here in Seattle, we will stick to using our grill in the short future, but I will let you know when I attempt this one on my own as well!
Apple Tart Tatin
I have to be honest, this recipe was actually a bit 'tart' for my taste which I found interesting because there aren't very many desserts I've met that I haven't liked. I don't know that I would attempt this one on my own, but I love that we learned to make our own caramel and pie crust. Yum!
Later today, I am headed to IKEA to get cute fabrics for the Lotta Jansdotter baby sewing projects on my list to attempt. I think between now and the end of January we know 15 babies coming along (7 in August alone). I want to add a special touch to my gifts.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE BEING DONE WITH GRADUATE SCHOOL!?!?!?
Love you too! xoxox, an aspiring homemaker
Oh my gosh! That all sounds so wonderful! When I was in Milan we went by a Circo store and I showed my sister the baby food maker and said, "You really just need a food mill."
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you want a partner in crime for any domestic projects. You know I'm game.
Love you, friend!