Photo from America's Test Kitchen

First, the wraps: they came from America’s Test Kitchen (free registration required) and they were amazing. Every crazy step in that recipe, from toasting rice and making powder out of it to freezing chunks of pork tenderloin to grind up in the food processor, worked perfectly.

A word of warning: do not lean in to get a whiff of the pork as it cooks in the fish sauce and chicken broth. This is not a smell you will enjoy. But once the mixture is done, with the lime juice, fresh herbs, and shallots, oh, it’s wonderful. Especially all wrapped up in a lettuce leaf.

Second: brown rice! I put a cup of brown rice in a strainer, rinsed it, then put it in the rice cooker with 2.25 cups of water and two smashed garlic cloves. Ohhhhh, yummy, especially when soaking up the juice that leaked from the lettuce leaves as we ate them.

So – if you’re looking for a fresh tasting and delicious summer dinner, have at it. SO good. Yum.

But since I have a book to write, I wanted to do something fun and easy to make my office space unique and amusing. I found some amazing wall decals on Etsy, and hung them all up in the space of an hour. It was bonehead easy, and every time I look up at the slanted ceiling above my head, I smile.

I ordered some branches, more branches, and some extra birds.

I ordered this one for my laptop, but forgot it was for my laptop and put it above the lightswitch instead. Oops. It’s still cute, with birds in… Twitter blue!

This is the first one I put up – very easy. The birdhouse is a separate piece. You peel the paper off the decal, stick the clear sticky part with the decal on it to the wall, rub it with a plastic card that’s included (Thanks!) and then peel carefully. It was supremely easy and once I got the hang of it, it went very quickly. The transformation to the wall was so amazing and made me hugely happy.

The big branch was next. This was a separate order from a different artist and I (oops) ordered a left-facing branch instead of a right one, and this one couldn’t be flipped over because of the bird’s nest in the middle.

I should have realized this one was meant to come from the left and flipped the birdhouse one, but I already put that one on the wall by the time I realized it. But no worries. I think I found a solution that works.

Halfway done (Pardon the glare in the picture. It was morning when I took these, and if I had the light on it was 9000 Celsius in my office).

Time to add birds! I have black, blue, and red.

And now, this is the view above my desk. It makes me ridiculous happy. And the total for the decals was less than $100, and 1 hour of work. Yay Etsy!

Time for the June garden update.

My garden is an alien thing. It’s freakin’ huge. We’ve already decided to expand it for next year, because between the potatoes, the ginormous tomato plants and the cucumber plant, they’re taking over the entire garden. They need a bigger place!

Here’s the overall garden shot. It’s insane, really, with everything fighting for place. And we thought an 8 x 8 garden would be too big and nothing would grow to fill the space. Ha!

Green beans!

A green pepper! (I picked it today)

Cherry tomatoes! (The cherry tomato plant is loaded. Can’t wait!)

The cucumber plant is like a vine, winding its way through the whole garden. We already have several ready for picking. Wheee!

Our two regular sized tomato bushes are already as tall as me, and full of tomatoes. Good thing we love salad. Heh.

For our first year of growing vegetables, we’re so pleased. I attribute it all to the manure. Clearly vegetables love shit.

( Note to self: NEVER engage in a garden contest with someone in (a) a much better climate and (b) who has a LOT of shit to sling around! -SW)

Here are six words you never thought you’d see together: Frida Kahlo Uterus is Super Cute.

My Healing Uterus is vegan friendly.

Uterus in a Jar. Only made of felt. Money quote: “your Uterus will be just that little bit different from any other Uterus.” I should goddam well hope so.

If felt doesn’t do it for you, here, have a knitted uterus. Good for educating (people on how to knit creepy ass shit).

This brings a whole new meaning to those ads for see-thru underwear.

Sweet weeping poutine, the Golden Girls as a uterus and ovaries. Money quote: “Nothing says: “From ‘u’ to ‘us’” quite like a Uterus”

If all that drives you over the edge, here. Enjoy this. Zombie uterus.

No, no, don’t thank me. I’m going to be over here in the corner. Weeping.

I posted two weeks ago or so that I was sewing up a dress for the tot’s piano recital.  Here she is wearing the dress.  This is actually super easy to make as I made the top out of a knit so the entire dress just pulls right over the head.

The best thing to do is find a bodice + skirt pattern that you like. I used an Ottobre pattern but I think this Butterick one would serve the same purpose.

You simply  lay the front bodice pattern piece on the fold of a piece of knit.  You’ll need only about 1/3 of a yard.  Cut two for the front.  Repeat for the back bodice pattern piece.  You don’t have to interface the neck, although it might lay nicer if you do. (I did not interface the neck if you were wondering).  Knits should be cut slimmer than wovens so subtract about 1/2 – 1″ from the middle of the bodice pattern pieces:

Just remember that you are cutting on the fold so if you subtract 1/2″ from the edge, you are actually taking off 1″ from the entire width of the bodice (but that is what I used and it worked fine).

Sew the shoulder seams of the front and back of both knit pieces (one is the lining and one is the face fabric).  Sew the armholes.  Roll the fabric inside and sew the side seams.  Turn fabric right side out and repeat on the opposite side.  The bodice is done.

Cut out two pieces for the skirt (remember no closure so there doesn’t need to be a back seam) out of a face fabric and two pieces out of some kind of cotton lining.  Sew up the side seams. Gather the waist.  Attach it to the bodice face fabric and the bodice lining.  I recommend using clear elastic to provide some stability in the waist for just the face fabric (not the lining part, thoug).    I did add a little nylon chiffon to the lining for a little body at the bottom and made a sash for the recital. Tot doesn’t wear the sash normally.  I made this dress and another just like it in about two hours.    I let her wear them everywhere, including playing outside because they cost under $15.00 and heck, who cares if they get torn or dirty?  I’ll add pockets or something.

Oh, and I never did rip out and redo the hem.  You can’t really tell the hem is wavy because the girl inside the dress is never at rest.

Monday Cashew Chicken – I love this recipe. I’m going to try to make brown rice in the rice cooker, and hopefully I won’t totally screw that up.

Tuesday I’m going to a dinner in Brooklyn (WOOT) so I won’t be home. I think Hubby is planning to order Chinese or something.

Wednesday Hubby is going to grill some fish, and I’ll probably make whole wheat/flax seed couscous on the side. I am sure the excitement is knocking you over RIGHT NOW.

Thursday We’ll be bringing the boys up to Connecticut so dinner will likely be sandwiches or road food (ew).

So: what’s your favorite travel food? When you’re on the road, what places do you look for? And if you’ve ever been to Quebec City, what do you recommend?

Thanks!

I was searching for recipes with beans and sausage, since I want to eat as much fiber as possible, and I wanted to eat sausage. (Yes, there’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’m too tired to find it).

I found this recipe online for Kielbasa with Beans and Tomatoes. Y’all. IT WAS DELICIOUS. I modified by adding a bit more tomatoes (I had a can double the size of what the recipe called for, so I added some extra for additional tomatoes, which I love). I also did not have dried rosemary and substituted marjoram instead, which was just fine.

I served it with parmesan polenta that I haven’t made in forever. It’s also super easy.

2.5 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup fine corn meal

1/2 cup grated or shaved parmesan

Put the water and salt in a microwave-safe casserole and whisk until dissolved. Then whisk in the polenta. Cook for 4-5 minutes on high, until the polenta gets thick. You will have to whisk it together, and can stop the cooking after 2 minutes to do so, though sometimes I’m doing eight other things and can’t do it. It might be gloppy on the bottom but you can stir it together – but be careful because that mess is HOT.

Once you have the thickened polenta all stirred up, gradually add the parm while continuing to stir so the cheese gets all up in there (yes, that’s a culinary term). The consistency is like really hella thick mashed potatoes, so I put some in a big bowl and served the kielbasa and beans alongside. They were perfect together (much like New Jersey and you*).

*That is Tom Kean, former governor of New Jersey, and keeper of the most interesting Jersey accent in the history of the universe.

The whole meal took me about 25 minutes to put together and was awesome. Hubby also gave the meal 5 out of 5 stars, so we’ll be making it again soon.

Do you like kielbasa, or sausage meals? What’s your favorite recipe?

Wednesday: pork chops. On the grill if it’s nice, in the oven if it’s not. Baked potatoes. Corn on the cob.

Thursday: Ranch chicken (I was supposed to make this last week, but didn’t). I have no idea what sides I’m going to serve. Side dishes are the hardest part of meals!

Friday: Grilling… fish for me, hamburgers/hot dogs for the others. Corn on the cob and roasted potatoes.

Saturday: Date night! Brianna is going to my in-laws for TWO weeks, leaving this day.

Heh. So it’s a lot easier when I only have to plan for three days. The next two weeks of meals will be different because I’ll be out of town both weekends (once for fun, with Josh, then for work) and because Brianna won’t be here. I tend to cook less and plan ahead less when she’s not around. But there will still be three of us, so we’ll see how the planning goes.

Anyway, what’s on your menu?

I am drawing a blank when it comes to suggesting simple meals for J. to make.

Breakfast is easy. We’ll do cold cereal, fruit, yogurt, toast, etc.

Lunch will be sandwiches, soup, salads (like egg, chicken, garden, etc.), chicken fingers, hot dogs, mac and cheese, etc.

Dinner is where I am drawing a blank. I need stuff that is really quick and easy to prepare. He is not interested in spending more than like ten or fifteen minutes preparing stuff. I guess that what we need is more lunch type ideas to eat at dinner.

What relatively easy, kid-friendly meal ideas can you share? Do you have super simple crockpot recipes, cold meal ideas, or quick stovetop meals? Please share them in the comments and help E. and her family out so they have one less thing to worry about as she concentrates on cooking a baby bean!

Here in front we have lettuce – green leaf and green romaine, and red romaine. Those skinny things are onions. That pot in the background has strawberry plants in it.

Behind the lettuce are sugar snap peas, on the left, and peas and green beans on the right.But, that’s about all that’s there. I have some pepper plants in, and some purple carrot seeds that are about to spout, but other than that, it’s a very minuscule garden yet. However, the flowers in Jersey are busting out all over.

I have not retouched this photo. This is the azalea that grows on the side of our house, and according to the scientific name of the plant, it is Slap Your Grandma Hot Screaming Pink.

May is also when the Chinese wisteria grow, and the patio area smells like heaven for about a week while it’s blooming.

Seriously, for a week, I could get drunk off the air.

Buzz, too. He’s enjoying spring.

Zeb, however, likes to hunt the bugs in the grass, so spring is making him just ecstatic.

Happy gardening – as more plants go in through May, I should have a lot to show for myself come June. But so far, Jaci is a-kickin’ my tail in the Garden Off.