Recovering Carnivore

Just a Little Luv

2016-03-09T21:18:00.001-05:00

That's all you can do!

Me on Monday - pms

2016-03-07T21:51:00.002-05:00

Adore

When people stay out of my way!

Abhor

Everything!

Eating

Dark chocolate and pasta

Watching

Every Oscar movie and sitting on my butt

Shopping

Online and too much

Wearing

Sweats

Dreaming of

Being me again!!! Waaaaa!!!

Winter Linguine

2016-03-05T11:18:00.001-05:00

Combine this...

...with this...

....to create this creamy and delicious
wintry dinner!

1. Boil linguine until al dente. Drain, reserving 1-2 cups
cooking water.
2. Drizzle the same pot with some olive oil to prevent sticking, then return pasta to pan. Add: one cup of grated parmesean cheese; 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best, but I don't bother), 1&1/2 teaspoons of salt and as much of the pasta cooking water as it takes to make a creamy sauce. Top with plenty of freshly grated pepper.
3. Eat!

***If you're fancy, top with parsley, halved cherry tomatoes, chicken, salmon, beans, peas, broccoli, asparagus or anything you want! Do like Buddy the Elf and put maple syrup on it if you want! (Actually, don't do that, okay?)***

Between Man and Beast

2016-03-03T22:37:00.001-05:00

A colorful and exciting account of a chapter of natural history, "Between Man and Beast" by Monte Reel is the story of Paul du Chailliu, "discoverer" of the gorilla.

Of Paul du Challiu was an “adventurer” (or traveler, as his critics later denounced him) who - although ignorant of the scientific methods and painstaking research the larger scientific community demanded - set out into the African Bush, becoming the first white man to ever lay eyes on the gorilla. The long mythologized animal had been described by Africans as some sort of cross between man and beast or a hairy man among other fun descriptions. The creature was then duly shot by du Challiu, preserved and stuffed, shipped off to museums and lecture halls across Europe and America, making du Challiu a legend in his own time.

du Challiu began life as a lad of uncertain origins (those origins are later uncovered by Reel and their socially damning facts are revealed). He came of age in equatorial Africa, eventually falling under the care of protestant missionaries. The young man longs to create a new identity for himself. Under the sponsorship of The Academy of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia, he enters the African bush, ostensibly to collect birds for that institution. On his mind, however, was the creature he had heard the African people refer to as “nyega” – the gorilla. While away from civilization, he encounters and befriends natives, does a good deal of collecting for the museum, and at long last, “discovers” the gorilla. When du Challiu emerges from the bush, he spends some time in obscurity before finally publishing his book, Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa, which details his journey and becomes a bestseller. And so, author and gorillas head off to America.

Once they reach America, du Challiu’s gorillas seem to touch every part of society, from the base (PT Barnum had some interesting ideas about how to prevent the young gorilla hunter from upstaging him) to the more enlightened; Edwin Stanton used the term gorilla as the ultimate derision when describing Lincoln. Struggling between the worlds of science and entertainment, du Challiu’s gorillas never really get their footing in America. Eventually deciding to try Europe, du Challiu unveils his creatures at a lecture in London. From here, du Challiu is drawn into the world of Victorian London’s scientific circles. In the days when Darwin had just published on the On the Origin of Species, scientific clubs seemed to abound and men such as Livingstone were stomping all over the globe, the Union Jack in tow. du Challiu was plunged – gorillas and all – into the debates that were raging over evolution. Both pro-evolution and anti-evolution forces used his gorilla to prove their case. The gorilla was seen as man’s nearest wild relative and was therefore a lightning rod for the evolution conversation, which was taking place in the scientific journals and rarified clubs great men frequented. This was a world that was fascinating to glimpse. Reel does a superb job of setting us down into a pipe-smoke filled, oak paneled room fairly brimming with the great minds of its day. The mix of men of science, the cloth and great wealth and titles at the height of Victorian Imperialism was a tasty treat for me (a confirmed anglophile) and I devoured with relish such scenes as Huxley and Bishop’s historic debate (not as intense as history has claimed, alas) as well as Dr. Owen cozying up is his house provided for him by none other than Queen Victoria herself

Due to his total lack of education in the sciences, du Challiu was called, in some quarters, a fraud. His book’s directions were murky, his maps incorrect, his drawings unscientific – in all, what was originally seen as a book of science was, in short order, denounced as a book of travel, and an inaccurate one at that. These great British men of learning were, in many ways, jealous schoolboys. Their foibles leaves the reader chuckling sometimes at how “evolved” they were. Some of the criticisms leveled at du Challiu were legitimate; others were just weird. Yet, there was real work to be done here, and du Challiu takes the steps needed to gain the respect of the scientific community and at long last, create and identity for himself of which he could be proud.

What could be a dry account of a little remembered sliver of history is rendered delightful in Reel's hands. Although his prejudices shine through (he is clearly in agreement with the evolutionists and doesn’t hold much water with those who object on religious grounds), he never insults, and he seems to want to give every person represented a good showing. The comic infighting amongst the scientists and explorers of the day is revealing and amusing. The stories from the African Bush are unique and enlightening. But what shines through most of all is Natural History itself. One gains an appreciation for the art of discovering new terrains and new species, decoding the history of earth and its inhabitants, and all that we now take for granted as being long-known being discovered. A read of Between Man and Beast will make you want to renew your National Geographic subscription or take a walk through your local Natural History Museum. I sure did.

Me on Monday

2016-02-29T11:57:00.000-05:00

ADORE


Unsubscribing to email lists and having an empty inbox

ABHOR

When people do not fill in their brows - do you see the difference?!?

READING

This amazing book about Natural History - it's gorgeous!

OBSESSING

Rooney Mara's Oscar look.

EATING

First crop asparagus

PLANNING

A visit to my zoo's new tiger exhibit ASAP

My "Beauty" Routine

2016-02-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

I mean...you can barely call it a routine, but whatever! I am super-low maintence when it comes to beauty. It's really laziness more than anything! But also, I found what works for me when I was pretty young and I've been hesitant to mess with it.

Skin care
I wash my face with Noxema and have done so since I was, oh, 12? Hey, it works! To be honest, I use the generic CVS version from time to time! I have tried other things and nothing makes me feel like I've gotten spanking clean and still not dried out.

Moisturizer
Keeping with the drug-store theme, I use Olay moisturizer...and not any of their new, fun, "fresh" brands: I'm talking about the stuff my grandma used. I smear a ton of it on before I brush my teeth and then double up after. Same before bed.

Body
I adore Ivory bar soap and it is all I use to wash my body. Honest Company makes a really nice body lotion; I like to combine it with their body oil to make it richer.

Tough, chapped skin (heels, elbows, lips)
Honest Organic Body Balm is USDA organic and works! A family member was really struggling with extremely rough and damaged skin around her nails, and I handed her this. Within a few applications she was fine...this stuff does truly heal.

Nails
Nude polish is a must if, like me, you go a looongg time between pedicures. Plus it's classic and sophisticated.

Hair
Maybe once a year I get highlights and the I really like the way they look growing out. In between, Root Rescue for grays (been graying since early 20s!)

Odds & Ends
Sally Hansen bleach on my oh-so-hairy arms! Although I'm way overdue. Sunblock is my weak area...I use it on vacation! I swear! My Olay has SPF 15 built in. Safe sunscreen is important; organic is best.

That's about it!

Most importantly...fresh air, walking, sleep and general health are beautiful!
XO- Jennifer

Me on Monday (a day late!)

2016-02-23T16:20:00.004-05:00

ADORE

Baby girl

ABHOR

The lingering sore throat from my flu

PLANNING

My annual watching of the Oscars while eating Ruffles and French onion dip and drinking a Pepsi (don't worry, it's only once a year!)

SHOPPING

Wooden kitchen set for daughter

READING


Brave Companions by David McCullough

DREAMING OF

Doing something outdoor-sy (like here, when we ziplined in Yellowstone)

Sunday Funday

2016-02-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

The flu has been going through our house, so posting has been tough!

I always get the worst chills ever when I get the flu, which I usually get about one a year. My husband hasn't had the flu in about a decade...don't know what his secret is!

So no Sunday Funday today. Have a great day everyone and hopefully I will be better soon!

xo Jennifer

Perfect Roast Chicken

2016-02-18T10:00:00.001-05:00

To make the perfect roast chicken....

1. Start with a fresh, organic bird. If possible, liberally salt up to one day in advance.

2. Place in a shallow, glass baking pan.

3. Pat skin dry, to promote better browning.

4. Place a quartered lemon and a halved head of garlic in cavity.

5. Rub chicken with olive oil.

6. Top with salt, pepper and rosemary.

7. Bake at high heat, 450 degrees, for 15 minutes.

8. Lower heat to 325 degrees, then roast for 20 minutes per pound. Cover if chicken is
getting too dark.

9. Baste occasionally with butter.

10. Allow chicken to rest for about ten minutes before carving.

*Chicken is cooked when temperature of bird is 165 degrees and/or juices run clear.*

Poor Man's Vegetable Soup

2016-02-16T10:11:00.003-05:00

It's cold. I'm lazy. Time for Poor Man's Vegetable Soup.

This is not an exciting recipe. It is a cheap recipe. It is not an organic recipe. It is a convenient recipe. This is not a recipe you will pass on to your friends, bring to a potluck or serve your mother-in-law when she comes to lunch. It is a pretty tasty, fairly healthy meal that can feed your family without using a microplane, standing mixer, or any of the cool stuff you registered for when you got married. It is the recipe you bring out when you have the flu or there is a Kardashian marathon on tv.

Step One
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 vidalia onion, roughly diced
1 large clove garlic or 2 small ones, pressed through a garlic press or roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 or 3 potatoes, peeled and diced (or 1 15.5 oz can potatoes, in which case, add during step two)
2 tsp. Italian seasonings or any seasonings mix you have handy
salt and pepper - as much or little as you like (but don't add too much!)
Combine all the ingredients, plus 6 cups water, in a large pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer on low about 30 minutes. Just set a timer and go about your business.

Step Two
1 15.5 oz. can corn
1 15.5 oz. can green beans
1 15.5 oz. can peas
1 15.5 oz. can beans of your choice (I use kidney), rinsed and drained
a handful of fresh greens, if desired
1 cup elbow macaroni, instant rice, noodles, whatever starch you have around
fresh parsley (very optional)
Add all ingredients to the pot; if needed, add enough water to cover. Taste for flavor; add more salt or seasonings if needed. Bring to a boil; add pasta or rice; lower heat slightly and cook until pasta or rice is cooked, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. (Remember, the pasta will continue to cook a bit after you turn off the heat, so leave it al dente). If using greens, stir into hot soup to wilt.Serve with some good, crusty bread or crackers, and if you have fresh parsley, chop some of that on there too; it makes it look fresh and pretty.

Me on Monday

2016-02-15T21:01:00.000-05:00

Seeing


Race

Dreaming of


Sleeping in!

Planning

Pizza party for my daughter's 15th birthday!

Eating


Malley's chocolates from Valentine's Day

Adore


Chocolate, duh!

Abhor


Feeling gross after living on chocolate for two days (see above!)

Sunday Funday - The Election Version

2016-02-14T20:43:00.000-05:00

Relationship goals

Sexy goals

Squad goals

Career goals

Fashion goals

Parenting goals

Hair goals

My Books

2016-02-13T23:12:00.001-05:00

Listed below are 10 of my favorite fiction books. I will create a list soon of my fave non-fiction books. I return to these time after time and I suggest that you do, too.

In no particular order....

The Interperter of Maladies
This short story collection won the Pulitzer Prize several years ago. It is a rather quiet collection. Many of the characters are Indians, both in America and back in their homeland. Themes of belonging, loneliness and family relationships are primary and of course, these are universal. If you read it, my favorite stories are: The Third and Final Continent; Sexy; Mrs. Sen's

White Fang
It may seem strange that the life of a dog would be particularly interesting. In Jack London's hands, it is a beautiful, raw, honest and sparse story. With an excellent sense of animal instincts and the natural world, London details how this wild dog slowly grows to trust man. Fantastic. The companion book, The Call of the Wild, is a close second.

Christy
Christy is a sheltered young lady who has rarely ventured beyond the parlors of her schoolgirl friends and the pew of her local church. Until, that is, she volunteers as a teacher in turn-of-the-century Appalachia. Christy becomes invested in her students and their families. Along the way, she has some romance, is the victim of hatred from clannish haters; has triumphs like installing the first phone in the area and securing donations from a millionaire; and she struggles with her faith after seeing and hearing many things one never would have seen in a cozy little parlor.

The Assistant
What is it about this little story of a poor Jewish grocer, his family and their dealings with the new assistant that always draws me in? Plain language, ordinary characters, unforced but unavoidable revelations...I just love it. In the center of it, my favorite male character and the essence of all that is good - grocer Morris Bober.

The Beautiful and the Damned
F. Scott Fitzgerald's highly autobiographical story of a young and stunning couple who self-destruct is a somewhat flawed book, technically speaking. Yet, the characters are extremely realistic, and I find the writing to be adventurous and just more fun than some of his other work. There is also a good deal of humor, and (spoiler) in the end, Fitzgerald just cannot allow them to bear what he would consider to be the worst of all fates - poverty. An interesting commentary on Fitzgerald's preoccupation with wealth.

1984
There are not many books that are perfect - where every single line is important, every single word is pregnant with meaning and the turn of events seems unbearably inevitable. 1984 is one of those books. George Orwell's gray and awful vision is one of the most brilliant collection of words ever created.

The Awakening
This was my favorite book for forever, although I have read it enough that I am a bit over it! During a summer by the sea, the heroine discovers within herself things she never knew were there before. Although I do not approve of every action she takes, I find myself somehow always approving of her.

The Age of Innocence
The first few times I attempted to read this, I could not get past the first few pages. However, once I did so, I was riveted. Edith Wharton perfectly unveils to us the world she knew so well – the world of New York City society during the gilded age of the 19th century. Beneath the pearls and behind the crystal, real people struggle with the real desires. Beautifully written.

The Catcher in the Rye
It is rather boring to include this in the list because it's on everyone's list, but oh well! I would also include Franny and Zooey, Nine Stories and Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters & Seymour; an Introduction. JD Salinger was just perfect at two things (many things really, but two I will mention): capturing human conversation and speech patterns and being the voice of the New York, rich, intellectual, faitly rebellious class of the mid-20th century.
Emma
Although Pride and Prejudice is generally considered Jane Austen's masterpiece, I somewhat prefer Emma. To me, "Miss Woodhouse" is a more interesting character than P&P's protagonist, Elizabeth Bennett. Her perpetual matchmaking is funny. Her follibles are well intentioned but disastrous. This is just a very humorous but also romantic book with a perfect "everyone ends up happily married" Jane Austen ending.

Coming up!

2016-02-12T22:39:00.002-05:00

No time to post today so I will just say hi and move along! Working on a good post about about my favorite books - plus one about the nursery before-and-after, the perfect roast chicken, homemade pantry staples and my beauty routine! So stay tuned! Plus a new Sunday Funday about the election and and more Me on Monday! (Am I addicted to exclamation marks or am I really this excited?!?!)

xo!!!!Jennifer

Birthday!

2016-02-11T14:38:00.000-05:00

It was just my b-day, whoop whoop! I partied like the 37 year old, tired mom-of-four that I am (meaning I didn't party at all)! But who needs to party when you...

Got a facial with my best friend!
She very sweetly took me for facials and lunch at Nordsrom.

Got a uniform!
Ok, let me explain! My best friend again is at the root of this one: she loaned me a shirt when I had the baby, and I loved so much, I never returned. I meant to...honestly! Anyway, she said just keep the damn thing and proceeded to buy me two more in different colors! Why is this not strange? Because I call the shirt "my uniform" and was pretty much at the point of wearing it every single day. It was gross, it was pathetic, but this shirt was perfect. Now I have three that I can happily interchange and always be in uniform.

Got flowers!
My parents gave me a lovely bouquet of tulips and a very sweet card about how kind and hardworking and generous I am (all true!!!) and my family gave me a huge bouquet of roses and other flowers. Gorgeous!

Got Chipotle!
My fave, really. I could eat it every day and back when I worked, I did.

Simple day full of simple pleasures and a lot of love, which is all I could ever want for my birthday, aside from jewelry.
Comment, share, subscribe! xo Jennifer

Pot Roast

2016-02-10T18:22:00.000-05:00

With apologies to my vegan readers....


This fork tender roast beef is absolutely delicious, and quite easy, too. Here we go....

Boneless Beef Chuck Eye Roast

Pour coffee over the roast - just whatever you have left from that morning, maybe a cup.

Season very liberally with kosher salt.

Top with a sliced onion.

Cover tightly with tin foil.


Bake on low heat for about four hours.

Let the roast rest for ten minutes.

Enjoy!

Photography

2016-02-09T12:14:00.001-05:00

Taking pictures of your little darlings is definitely one of the best parts of being a mom. And if you are one of the child-free people out there (enjoy your sleep you brats!), photography is a fun hobby. I've gotten some good tips from my MIL, who is a photographer. Some of my thoughts...

-I pretty much always use my iPhone to snap pics. It's just easier. I always have it on me for those spur-of-the-moment shots. The quality is excellent on the newest phones. Editing is a snap. I do have a fancy camera and I enjoy using it when the opportunity is there; but day to day, it's the iPhone.

-Speaking of editing, I edit my pictures on my phone. The cropping and red-eye correction are such useful tools. Good photographers are very much about getting the shot right the first time so you do not have to edit (a holdover from the pre-digital days). I agree and try to do that - but I actually enjoy editing pictures and find it relaxing. As far as filters...hey, they're fun! I'm a big fan of the noir, instant and fade filters.

- Composition is extremely important. Any good photography website can give you better and more professional tips, but generally: follow the rule of thirds. Divide your shot into invisible grid of three sections horizontally and three sections vertically. Place your subject matter off center a little and try to avoid the acres of space above the head people always had when we were kids! If your subject is looking to the left, allow space there for her to look towards and vice versa. Avoid amateur moves like cutting people off at the ankles and elbows. (Rules are made to be broken so get "artsy" if the mood strikes).

- Get closer. A lone figure in the distance is lovely, but if you're taking pictures of children, pets, etc., get a little closer.

-Take tons of pictures. If you take twenty a day and you get one good one, awesome! You're not wasting if film like the old days, so go for it. The key here is don't neglect to delete your junk photos!

- Have fun and be a student! Attending a photography workshop is an easy way to get better. The art of photography is an involved matter with aperture and exposer and all kinds of technical lingo; if you master it, it can improve your work. But if you never move into that territory, a good workshop or book will still leave you with tips on everyday photography you can use.

-Develope! I like to send my pictures to groovebook. You download the app, upload photos and they send you an "album" of your photos. It's just a little book, but it's great because they're contained - in case you never get around to putting them in an album. The photos are perforated if you want to remove them. And it's $2.99/month for 100 photos, so it's incredibly affordable.

Enjoy! And if you like this, comment, share on Facebook or Twitter and tell your friends! Happy snapping!📷📱

Me on Monday

2016-02-08T22:30:00.000-05:00

Pardon the odd font issues - technical difficulties

Adore

Lady Gaga singing the national anthem - beautiful and moving.

Abhor

When people walk in the room talking - as if there is no conversation already happening in there. So you have to stop talking and acknowledge them and it's just so annoying.

Watching

So much news - presidential primaries are riveting!

Eating


Junk food - I cannot not eat Ruffles chips!

Reading

The Last American Man for the umpteenth time

Dreaming of

Buying a dilapidated century home in my neighborhood and gutting it (not the one pictured)!

Sunday Funday - Downton Abbey

2016-02-07T17:38:00.003-05:00

Downton Abbey is my favorite show for sure, so I thought I would have a little fun with it!

Wedding Goals


Career Goals

Friendship Goals

Exercise Goals

Squad Goals

Hair Goals

Bedroom Goals

Parenting Goals

Party Goals

Relationship Goals

Photo credits: Wedding goals, chicvintagebrides.com; Career goals, crushable.com; Friendship goals. fanforum.com; Exercise goals, pintrest.com; Squad goals, radiotimes.com; Hair goals, pinterest.com; Bedroom goals, downtonabbey.wikia.com; Parenting Goals, dailymail.co.uk; Party goals, dailymail.co.uk; Relationship goals, downtonabbey.wikia.com

Book review - praise or pan of A Brave New World

2016-02-06T08:43:00.000-05:00

This is one of those books that I have been wanting to read for about twenty years, have started a few times, have been somewhat uneasy about my ignorance of - and now, finally, I did it. Was it worth the long wait? Did I spend my time wondering just what on earth had been the delay, delighting in a classic that had almost gotten away from me, ready to pass it on to friends and review it glowingly for you?

Not quite.

A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is, in my opinion, one of the most overrated books I have ever read. There are so many flaws in this story and silliness in the writing I scarcely know where to begin. It isn't that there are no redeeming factors to it - although there are few. However, to have this book anywhere near a list of classics or must reads, or (I can hardly believe it) greatest books of the twentieth century, is laughable. Yes, I do realize that sometimes a good book can suffer because of it's lofty reputation and often will not quite live up to what the reader expects. With that in mind, I tried to be objective and shelve any preconceived ideas I had about it. Even taking this rather liberal view, though, I just did not like it.

To start, my first objection is the lack of depth to this new world. The picture Huxley paints is incomplete. At no time does one lose oneself in this society, breathing the air the characters breath and tasting the food they taste. One doesn't cry when they cry or laugh when they laugh. It all remains sort of cerebral. The characters are weak, perhaps intentionally so. There is nobody to like or dislike, there is no protagonist. The whole thing reads like a first draft that desperately needs to be fleshed out a bit.

Furthermore,the one thing that Huxley seems to really want to hit us over the head with is sex. The characters all "have" each other all the time, having another person being as routine as going to coffee with them. The problem is this is quite literally the overarching idea of the whole book. If one can recall anything of A Brave New World weeks after reading the book, it is that sex is readily available (as are drugs). Apparently, if you glean nothing else from this book, you really, really need to glean that much. This free love is celebrated very easily because the theories of Freud have been manipulated and adapted to the point that the notion of mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers is obsolete; birth control is carried on a woman's person all the time and everyone is completely autonomous. Human sexuality is an aspect of anthropology, and anyone creating a parralel society would indeed need to address these dynamics. It is an interesting subject and one that could have been explored much better if Huxley had wanted to; but he seems satisfied with an almost adolescent preoccupation with highly attractive women armed with contraception and ready to fornicate all the time. The concept never gets much further than that.

The world Huxley imagines is one where all languages except English have ceased to exist (although there are different castes of peoples which bear such titles as Alpha, Beta, etc.) This inconsistency is never addressed. What Huxley must have thought was a clever play on words in switching "Lord" (God) for "Ford" (creator of the assembly line) is repeated ad nauseam throughout the book. Laboratories produce scores of identical twins all designed to enjoy factory work, and children are reared in state-run nurseries where they are brainwashed in their sleep and - Huxley never avoiding a chance to mention sex - they are encouraged to engage in erotic play with another. These amateurish ideas are littered throughout the book and make it more of a comedy than a commentary. Further reducing the book's sophistication is the amazing coincidence of the main characters encountering a "savage" on one of their trips who just happens to be the spawn of one their own kind (a civilized person). The odysseys of this savage into the modern world is a storyline for which I simply had difficulty drumming up enthusiasm. It revealed nothing of human nature other than pat, simplistic assertions such as: it is better to live life properly, pain and all, than to spend it having random sex and taking drugs. Which I do not find to be an earth shattering theses.

To compare this book to 1984, which many do, is an insult to a book that I consider to be a masterpiece. I have re-read 1984 many times and never fail to enjoy it; I had difficulty reading A Brave New World even once. While there is some enjoyment to be found in the ideas put forth in this "classic", it is about the same amount of enjoyment one would get from reading a paper written by a junior in high school entitled, 'What I think the Future Would Look Like,' - a paper that would, no doubt, be censored by her teacher for being too preoccupied with sex and excessive in uninteresting puns.
VERDICT: PAN

"Pepperoni Bread"

2016-02-04T19:52:00.001-05:00

This gorgeous pepperoni bread is as easy
as 1-2-3-4-5!


1. Stretch out store-bought pizza dough (such as from Whole Foods) and rub some olive oil on there...don't use a rolling pin! See how imperfect ours is? It's ok!

2. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese or vegan cheese. Don't be shy!

3. Add your pepperoni as shown - Yves makes a good one if you're going the vegan route.

4. Roll, going perpendicular to the pepperoni.

5. Brush with more oil; bake for about 20 minutes at ˙325.

Rustic and delicious - let the pepperoni bread rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Told you so!

Buying for Baby!

2016-02-04T19:37:00.000-05:00

After four daughters, I definitely have my favorites when it comes to all things baby. Obviously, I haven't tried every product out there - but I've tried a lot. HMD means hand-me-downs....I got so many from my best friend, which was really special.
So here is my unscientific list:

Receiving blankets
Adain & Anais - and the the pink and blue ones you steal from the hospital when baby is born!

Blankets, quilts
Handmade (not by me!); vintage; Pottery Barn ( remember, do not put baby in the crib with any blankets until you get the go ahead from your doctor.)

Sheets
HMD or Pottery Barn.

Clothes
H&M; Baby Gap; Gymboree; Carters; HMD and secondhand shops

Jammies
Carters sleepers! Love them. Fleece in winter and cotton in summer.

Hats
Homemade...and a Santa hat the entire month of December is a must!

Parenting Books
The Baby Book by Dr. Sears and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League

Nursing gear
Above mentioned receiving blankets (the Adain &Anais ones are lightweight and huge, so you're covered and baby is not sweltering); Medela breastpump - covered by insurance in many cases. Mine was; lots of support!

Bottle gear
Gerber Bottles; Whole Foods Organic Formula; Gerber cloth diapers for burp cloths

Bibs
Zippy bandana style bibs - incredibly cute and stylish!

Pacifiers
Mam

Diaper bag
Petunia Pickle Bottom, given to me by a friend. Or QE2bag from Modcloth.

Books
The Moon Shines Down and The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown; Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton; Most DK books

Toys
Melissa and Doug; Fisher Price Little People; Baby Einstein gear; anything musical; balls; stuffed animals

Carrier
Infantino. I love this and have so many fond memories of using it. Very reliable and sooo inexpensive.

Food
Happy Baby; the best value is Gerber double packs ; Plum Little Yums

Bathtime
Babyganics; hooded towels; any tub will do

Diapering
Pampers are the most absorbent diaper I have tried, and I have tried many. Desitin cream is the greatest - a tiny amount and the beginnings of diaper rash are gone!

Stuff
Baby friendly cotton swabs- they have a design which prevents you from sticking them too deeply into baby's ear (or your own for that matter)!

The BEST Marinara sauce (no joke!)

2016-02-03T08:15:00.001-05:00

Don't mind the hyperbole - but really, my homemade marinara sauce is soooo good. Marinara sauce is, by definition, meatless. It means, "of the sea", and was the meat-free option for sailors who were away from such provisions.

Warm a deep frying pan over medium high heat; add 1/4 cup olive oil. Heat slightly, then add: 2 cloves of sliced garlic; 1&1/2 tablespoons Italian seasons; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper. Sauté to release flavored and cook garlic a bit.

Remove from heat to cool for about half a minute. then off heat, add one large can of crushed tomatoes. Return to burner.

Fill empty can about halfway and swish; add water to sauce.

Whisk sauce together; bring to gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. If needed, thin sauce with some pasta cooking water. (Or plain water).


Taste for salt; serve over cooked pasta.

Enjoy!

note: Crushing the Italian Seasonings in your palms before cooking releases the oils and improves flavor. it isn't necessary, but it's a small thing to do and feels quite "chef-ish"!

Me on Monday

2016-02-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

Planning

A bunny themed first birthday
prettymyparty.com

Adore

My Vintage Kit Etsy Shop

Dreaming of

Chopping off my hair - doesn't she look fresh!?!

Watching

The final season of Downton Abbey😩🇬🇧🎩

Eating

My Split Pea Soup

Relishing

Watching the Cavs with my girls.

My birthday and Anne Frank

2016-01-30T07:03:00.002-05:00

I read The Diary of Anne Frank often around my birthday. I find that there is something about reading this chronicle by a young girl who only had 15 short birthdays – it is a reminder that birthdays are a good thing, a gift.

Like most people, I read this for the first time when I was probably around the age Anne was when she began the book. As my teenage years become a more distant memory, with every rereading, I find myself more intrigued by her parents and their role in this story. I now have children the ages of Anne and Margo Frank. I can only imagine the nightmare of having to worry every single day that your children are in danger. What hell they must have endured, knowing that discovery by the Nazis would mean what it ultimately meant for them – concentration camps, separation from one another and death. I think of Anne Frank's mother, Edith, who sometimes annoyed her daughters so much - only natural in such close quarters with teenage girls. She died at 45, of starvation, in a camp just a few weeks before the liberation. She, too, did not get enough birthdays.

So, I read this book because it is often amusing, as Anne was a marvelous writer and had an uncanny ability to capture a scene. Has she survived, she no doubt would have been one of the great writers of the century. Yes, I read it for pleasure - but also to remember that life is a gift. We should enjoy it and try and make it better for others. Because far too many never get that chance.