Hardly Housewives

Mother's Day Recap

2013-05-23T06:30:00.000-04:00

It's been almost two weeks since Mother's Day, so hi & sorry this is so late! Despite the delay on showing some pictures, I had a really wonderful first Mother's Day. My family came up from NY & DC and we celebrated at our house with Jesse's family as well. It was a beautiful sunny day and I had a great time. As usual, Will tolerated a few photos:

Not much doing on the craft front except for these little cards which Jesse and I made for the mothers in Will's life (two grandmothers, one great-grandmother, and one godmother). You'll need: one baby foot, some paint, a card, and colored pencils. It was messy, but there were surprisingly no tears and I think they ended up super sweet.

After a tasty dinner, we ate the flourless chocolate cake made by my mom & sister. They have an AMAZING recipe which I will be sharing here soon. In the meantime, I've been making it on my own... you know, for research purposes.

After the crowds left, Jesse snapped a few photos of Will and me. You can't really see it, but in the background of this shot is our tiny fish pond that I have a love/hate relationship with. If I ever work up the energy to clean it out, I'll take some pictures. For now, our three year old goldfish lives out there in squalor.

With Father's Day quickly approaching, I need some ideas on what to do for Jesse to celebrate!

Grilled Wedge Salad

2013-05-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

I've really out done myself this time. I know, I know, I shouldn't toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT.

This is one of those salads that you make for company. Or for yourself, because you love yourself. And bacon.

Speaking of the bacs, you want to buy thick cut bacon and slice it into chunks, or as I like to call them, bacon croutons. They will shrink as they cook, but really good wedges have really good pieces of bacon so don't screw this part up. Please...and thank you.

Holy cow. I was swatting Charlie away with our broom.

Now, I'm fully aware that wedge salads are usually served with a wedge of iceberg lettuce. The only problem with that, is that this is a grilled wedge. Iceberg is the flimsiest of lettuces and would never hold up on a grill. Not only is romaine better suited for the grill, but it's also prettier. I mean, it's ombre for goodness sake. Oh, and it's healthier. Win, win, and...win.

Anyway, remove the rough looking leaves from the outside and trim the top, so all you're left with is super firm pieces of lettuce. Next, slice down the middle lengthwise.

For any flavorful dish, you need to season every component...including the lettuce. So, after slicing down the middle, brush with olive oil (or with bacon drippings, like me) and sprinkle a little sea or kosher salt and some fresh cracked pepper.

I handed this part off to Charlie. On a super hot, clean grill, he laid the lettuce cut side down. DO NOT CLOSE THE GRILL. Otherwise you'll have limp loose losery lettuce. All we want are the grill marks, the grill flavor, but still super crispy lettuce.

Boom.

....

To serve, cut each half of lettuce sideways. I found these beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes, so I served the salads with those. Top with a spoonful (or two or five) of homemade blue cheese dressing.

YUMMMMMMYYYYYY.

Stay hungry!

The Great Map Wall

2013-05-21T06:17:00.000-04:00

I've posted here & here about the biggest decor project we've taken on at our house thus far... the living room's two story map wall. The project started in 2006 with a map of Vieques we bought while vacationing on the island. Seven years, many countries visited, & lots of maps later (plus some printed from the Library of Congress site & purchased from antique stores), we have a full map wall in our living room:

It's tough to photograph with the light coming in from skylights & reflecting off of the glass on the frames, but the photo above gives you an idea of the scale.

We started out with a (very tall) ladder (note my cat on top) & a program called Google Sketch Up.

Google Sketch Up allowed us to map out exactly where each print would go (it looks messy & required a lot of measuring beforehand, but helped us plan a spot for each map):

Some of the maps are traditional, some are artsy (or Etsy), and some are perhaps not what you would think of when somebody says "map":

We have old maps and new maps, one from a wedding in Cooperstown (annotated with landmarks near and dear to the couple), a few postcards, Jesse's dad's old fishing maps, and maps in German, Thai, English, Czech, & Spanish. We have a Super Mario NYC map. We have a map of Little Compton, RI & a map of the seas of the moon.

When we hung everything up, we knew this was an installation that we'd keep up for a long, long time. This wall is one of the first things you see when you walk into our house and it's made a huge difference with making the house feel like it's ours.

We still have two tiny frames to fill, as well as a key that will show what each map is of for easy reference (people often ask "What's that one?" when looking up at the wall). It's tough keeping the maps straight and more or less impossible keeping them all dusted, but I'm still loving how it looks and will for a long time. Let me know what you think & stay homey!

Dill and Chive Blue Cheese Dressing

2013-05-20T07:30:00.000-04:00

There's this newish place in Chicago called Bavettes. Charlie and I have been there a million times to eat their wedge salad. In fact, we've crawled out of bed at 10:30pm on a Saturday to go get one because we couldn't stop thinking about it. The dressing makes it. It's SUPER herbaceous, creamy and sinful. To dies fors.

I made a grilled wedge salad this weekend (salad to be posted on Wednesday) as an homage to one of my favorite dishes in the city. The most important part to any salad is the dressing (duh) so we'll start with that.

There are several fresh herbs you can use for this, but my favorites are chives and dill. Chop them up as fine as you want - I give them a rough chop because I think the herbs look super pretty.

If this looks like a lot...it's because it is. I doubled the recipe because Charlie puts this on everything. Really.

After you add your sour cream and mayo and other good stuff, you could stop here and have a delicious dip...

Or, you can add milk to thin it out and have an amazing dressing...

Either way, it's absolutely divine. Here's the recipe (doubled):

2 Small Containers (4 oz each) of Blue Cheese Crumbles
1 Pkg of Fresh Dill (3.75 oz), large stems removed, finely chopped
1 Pkg of Fresh Chives (3.75 oz), finely chopped
2 Shallots, Minced
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mayonnaise (Hellman's please)
2-3 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup of Milk
1/2 Tsp of Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp of Kosher or Sea Salt

Mix everything together in a bowl. If it's too thick, add additional milk slowly. Note: It will thicken as it cools in the fridge. Also, taste for seasoning. If it needs additional acid, add a little vinegar, 1 tbs at a time.

Stay tuned for the salad on Wednesday...it's ridiculous!

Stay hungry!

Sonoma: Lauren's 30th Birthday

2013-05-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

My bff Lauren (aka L'Ron, L'ronimo, etc) celebrated her 30th birthday this year and we went to Sonoma to party it up. Lauren, her husband Zan, my husband, and Colleen and her fiance Bill all went. It was seriously a trip of a lifetime. We laughed our butts off and drank so much wine we were all hungover for a week. Here are some of my favorite pics from the trip...

Here is Lauren with her husband Zan at Benzinger Winery..

This is what happens when I ask Colleen to hold my camera while I use the restroom. Clowns.

Here they are at Unti winery...

Here is Mr. Unti himself...

Oh hello hubby...

This is when the wheels started to fly off the wagon...

Aww... lovebirds.

We pre-ordered a picnic for the ride. I got the brie and prosciutto sandwich. It was crazy good. It was so good it hurt me. I cried a little.

Lauren and I... you know... just taking in the sights.

I loved it at Unti. It was like being in Tuscany. Just beautiful. THE WINE and the wine. The wine was so good.

The last winery we went to, Bella Vineyards, was frickin sweet. The winery and the tasting was underground in a cave.

As we were waiting for the gate to open, I came across the most heavenly smell...BACON. I tracked it down like the little pork hound that I am and found this lady. Prepping for a big event. It was SO DELICIOUS. Thick cut with a hint of brown sugar.

Okay, back to the trip. Here's Charlie in the entry of the cave.

...here we are inside the cave in the coolest tasting room ever. It was amazing and such a cool experience. We felt like royalty.

I absolutely can't wait to go back. Next adventure...Napa??? Stay ~~drinking~~ hungry!

Cracked Pots in the Herb Garden... Again!

2013-05-14T06:03:00.000-04:00

If this seems like déjà vu, it's because this is a redux of my herb garden post from last year.

Last April, using my dad's idea for repurposing old pots and some herbs I picked up at the local nursery, I planted a small herb garden in a garden bed outside of my kitchen - here's the original post. It worked out so well (and I loved how it looked), so I found no reason to try to get creative with a different style of herb garden this year. Here goes year two of using cracked terra cotta pots as herb garden markers...

First up this year was digging out the weeds that had taken over the garden late last summer and this spring...

A few herbs survived the cold New England winter - oregano, thyme, and sage. My rosemary lasted through at least February, when I grabbed a bunch to make Jesse a pork roast, but I must have picked too much because the plant was dead when I went to weed.

Speaking of weeding, it was done over a couple of 45-minute sessions while Will snoozed in the shade.

Fred was there, too...

Once I had excavated the little plot, I turned the soil, added a bit of fertilizer, and planted the new herbs alongside the hardy ones from last year.

I've already picked leaves from many of these herbs for a herbed quinoa that I made this weekend (SO good... recipe to follow) and can't wait to cook with them all summer! Here's to tasty basil, salsa, marinades and more!

Super Simple Grilled Asparagus

2013-05-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

I hope you guys like grill recipes because that's basically all that we've been doing around these parts. It's summery and beautiful in Chicago and I can't get enough of it.

There isn't anything that quite compares to grilled asparagus. It's tender, yet crunchy, smokey and super healthy. Healthy and yummy? BONUS.

Simple, yet so delicious.

Here's the recipe:

1 Bunch of Asparagus
2 Tsp of Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Olive Oil
Kosher or Sea Salt

Squeeze fresh juice over asparagus and add lemon zest. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus and toss to coat. Sprinkle sea or kosher salt over asparagus and grill for 5-7 minutes or until skin begins to blister and char.

Stay hungry!

DIY Citrus Body Scrub - Guest Post from Michelle @ Skana Spa

2013-05-09T08:54:00.003-04:00

Remember when I said I'd be back on Thursday with a homey post? Well, things got pushed back due to the rain (hint: it's an update to my herb garden) and I figured I'd share this guest post before Mother's Day in case you are looking for a last minute, easy to do gift! Enjoy and many thanks to Michelle from Skana Spa at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in upstate New York!

When you’re a busy mom, you don’t have a lot of time to pamper yourself. You

know it’s important to relax, but who has the time for a manicure and pedicure every

week? It would be nice to have a spa vacation every month, but that’s probably not

going to happen. You need a pampering product in the comfort of your own home

that makes you feel refreshed and revitalized.

If you’re looking to save time and money on a beauty product that matters, make this

quick do-it-yourself body scrub. The invigorating scent practically screams spring

and summer! With the lemon, lime and coconut smell, you’ll feel like you’re in your

own spa at home. This fresh natural scrub will perk up your mood instantly during

your morning shower routine. The grains of sugar exfoliate your skin, while the oil

softens it. This is a simple way to exfoliate your body and slough off dry winter skin.

This citrus body scrub is just what you need to prepare for the warm season ahead.

Get ready to wear your shorts and sandals by following the instructions below!

What you need:

1 lime

1 lemon

1 teaspoon peppermint oil/extract

½ cup coconut oil

1 cup pure cane sugar

Mint leaves (optional)

Lime and lemon peels (optional)

Place the coconut oil and peppermint oil into a medium sized bowl. Cut your lemon

and lime in half. Squeeze out the juice, and pour the mixture in with the rest of the

oils. Next, add in the cup of pure cane sugar and stir it all together. Feel free to add

in mint leaves and fruit peels to the scrub for a touch of color. Place the mixture into

a pretty glass or plastic jar. Now you have a fresh body scrub you can use for the

next few weeks.

With this citrus body scrub and your morning cup of coffee, you’ll be ready for

whatever the day throws your way!

Michelle Pino, is a Spa Manager at Skana, a spa in upstate New York at the Turning

Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. She enjoys DIY projects, healthy recipes,

exercise, and all things related to skin care. If you have any comments or questions

feel free to contact Michelle via email at michellepino@turningstone.com.

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

2013-05-08T07:30:00.000-04:00

This chicken is SO amazing and so easy. I threw the chicken in the marinade before leaving for work and then Charlie grilled it up when we got home.

And you know what? This is a recipe that doesn't even really have a recipe. Just some of that, a little of this, and voila - a tasty, easy dinner.

Mmmm...hello crispy bits o' chicken.

Here's the recipe:

3 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tbs of Chopped Fresh Rosemary
4-5 Crushed Garlic Cloves
1 Lemon, Juiced and Quartered
Salt & Pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together and toss the chicken in the marinade. Marinade for 24 hours, but for at least 12. Grill over open flame for 8-12 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve with some grilled asparagus and you have a delicious, healthy week time meal.

Stay hungry!

An Update from the Homey Homestead

2013-05-07T05:33:00.000-04:00

Well hello again and many thanks to Jaisa for holding down the fort last week. I was feeling so busy and crazy that she kindly stepped in and gave me the week off!

Will is six weeks old. If I had taken a standard FMLA maternity leave, today would be my first day back at work, but I'm lucky to have been able to take 22 weeks away from the office which means I still have plenty of time at home to spend with the baby. I can't imagine leaving Will yet - he is still SO tiny - and feel so grateful that I am able to have this time at home with him.

That being said, I was totally unprepared for how nuts life is with a brand new baby. Here's a snippet from a conversation I had with Jaisa's BFF Lauren back in October:

Lauren: can i be completely inappropriate and ask you how excited you are for maternity leave?

me: hahahah SO excited

(i think i have really unrealistic expectations of how much effort it takes to care for a newborn)

i am picturing me on the couch under a blanket watching the entire series of dawsons creek between naps and pizza

Lauren: haha, so newborn = college?

me: HAHAHAH pretty much

Lauren: that seems reasonable

Somehow I thought maternity leave would be more of this:

and less of this:

I know that was ridiculous, but I guess nothing can really prepare you for what it's like to take care of an infant until you're actually doing it. Will is a pretty relaxed baby who generally only cries if he is hungry or needs to be burped or changed (or is tired of his mother photographing him). "Sounds like a tamagotchi," said my (23 year old) friend when I explained this to her. Even so, Jesse and I were both woefully unprepared for the sleep deprivation, the spit up, and the rate at which the house gets messy when you're trying to keep a new little person alive and well.

That being said, the 3 AM feedings, the piles of laundry, the occasional ear-splitting scream are totally worth it. He has my hands, Jesse's nose, and my mother's eyes. He brings us all so much joy. He's a keeper for sure.

So please bear with me as I post mostly about babies (well... one in particular), lean on friends for some guest posts, and stray from the DIY/craft trail during this time (though I will be back on Thursday with an actual non-baby homey post for the first time in ages).

Tandoori Chicken

2013-05-06T06:30:00.000-04:00

My husband LOVES Indian food. He loves spicy, flavorful dishes, and is constantly asking me to make him Indian food at home. He had a potluck at work and forgot to tell me about it. I would have preferred he cheated on me. A POTLUCK THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT OR PARTICIPATE IN? The WORST. Anyway, his colleague Sudhir made Tandoori Chicken for the occasion and he brought some home. I even got the recipe. HEY YA'LLLLL.

This was SO delicious. I can't wait to make this at home. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 pounds chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
1 teaspoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Remove skin from chicken pieces(drumsticks), and cut slits into them lengthwise. Place in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and lemon juice. Set aside 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, and cayenne pepper. Mix until smooth. Stir in yellow and red food coloring. Spread yogurt mixture over chicken. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours (the longer the better). Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate. Cook chicken on grill until no longer pink and juices run clear. Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.

Stay Hungry!

Shower Me with Quiche

2013-05-01T12:32:00.000-04:00

You guys remember my friend Colleen? The one who is responsible for introducing the most amazing ham and cheese sliders I have ever, ever had in my life? Yeah. That one. She's getting married and I just happen to be so lucky to be part of her big day. The weekend before last, we showered Colleen in gifts (and booze) and I showered myself in quiche.

No...really.

Before I swan dived into said quiche, I was greeted by an adorable name tag. THANK GOD for name tags. I was wondering how I would remember who I was after drinking mimosas all day...

We were also greeted by yummy brownies that we were encourage to take on our way home...

THE QUICHE. We're getting closer...

Here are adorable little cupcakes. I don't bake, so I can totally get behind a homemade brunch and store bought (not just any store...pick a good one) dessert. Especially when it tastes like heaven.

Now to the quiche. I took one bite and knew I was in totes trubs. Heavy cream? Check. Bacon? Check. Flaky, buttery crust? Check, check check. Damn it damn it damn it.

It was seriously the best quiche I've ever had in my life. SO GOOD. And you know I demanded the recipe!! (scroll to the bottom peeps)

Awww....look at Colleen in the hot seat. I LOVE IT.

I love this photo...happy, joyful faces, all around.

This wrapping put me to shame. I refuse to wrap things. Mainly because ~~it's not green~~ I'm lazy.

Here's Colleen's future sister-in-law, Joanne, taking down all of the gifts...

I seriously had to take this picture a 4 times. Lauren likes to talk/blink/make fun of me while I'm trying to take pictures of her. Regardless, she's a rehearsal bouquet making PRO.

As promised, here's the quiche recipe.

Quiche Recipe ( a la Colleen's fiancé, Bill's, aunt)

1 Med. Onion Chopped
1/2 lb. of Bacon cooked, drained, crumbled
1/2 - 3/4 lb lb. swiss cheese shredded
1 pck frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbl melted butter
1 3/4 c whipping cream
2 frozen deep dish pie shells

Cook frozen pie shells according to directions
Cook Bacon drain and crumble, dump grease
Saute onion and spinach in same pan then mix in bacon
Shred cheese
Mix up other additives (salt, pepper, nutmeg, butter, cream, eggs)
Split spinach and cheese into two pie shells
Add cream and egg mixture to each pie shell
Cook for 10-15 min. at 400 F
Reduce heat to 350 F for 30 - 45 minutes

Can be made ahead and put in freezer. Just cook less at 350 F ( about 20 -25 minutes ). Wrap well and put in freezer.
Stay hungry!

Prosciutto and Cantaloupe Salad

2013-04-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

I don't know how to spell...or pronounce things. If it wasn't for my spellchecker, this post would be called "Prociutto and Cantalope Salad." All that really matters is that it's delicious...OKAY. JEEZ. (No seriously, it's amazing).

Prosciutto and cantaloupe isn't a new concept...in fact it's an amazingly easy, no fuss, yet elegant appetizer. The two go incredibly together - the smokey, salty meat holds up perfectly to the sweat and refreshing fruit. I have not, however, seen this in salad form and BOY OH BOY is this good. My husband actually said, "you can never, ever have a BBQ without making this salad again." My arm is sore from patting myself on the back.

I ate this on the side of my apricot glazed chicken, but if you wanted to serve this as an appetizer, consider serving a couple of pieces of brie with it...

...ooo la la. This is going to be one of my summer go to's.

Recipe:

1/4 lbs of Prosciutto, finely sliced and chopped

2 Cups of Cubed Cantaloupe

1/8 of a Red Onion, sliced very thin

2 Cups of Spring Lettuce Mix

3 Sprigs of time

2 Tbs of Balsamic Glaze

Pile your lettuce mix on a platter. Add your cantaloupe on top and then sprinkle on the chopped prosciutto. Use your fingers to gently mix the prosciutto and cantaloupe. Sprinkle the red onion on top, followed by the sprigs of thyme. The thyme isn't just a garnish - it adds a wonderful fresh aroma and slight flavor to the salad - I wouldn't skip it. Finish the salad with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Stay hungry!

Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken

2013-04-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know who your husband is...but mine's better than yours. You know why? He makes me chicken like this:

I mean, did your mouth just drool all over the place, cause mine did. Disclaimer: my husband is not responsible for the beautiful, artfully placed thyme. Just thought I'd throw that out there. He is, however, responsible for everything else. Including grilling on our roof deck and not starting a fire.

The glaze is super simple. Apricot preserves, olive oil, soy sauce, fresh thyme...

...and some smashed garlic.

Let the glaze sim-simma, who got the keys to my bimma?

Once it bubbles on low heat for 2-3 minutes, shut the heat off and let it thicken up.

While the glaze is doing its thing, you can start on the chicken. We like dark meat, mostly because it's way more flavorful than white meat, but you can really put this glaze on anything - including pork. Spray your hot, preheated grill down with a grill safe non-stick spray (we like Weber), and put the chicken skin side down.

I am an absolute cross contamination NAZI and have thankfully passed my psychosis on to my husband. He uses disposable gloves to handle the raw meat, and then once the meat has begun to cook, he switched to tongs. Smart man.

This is what you want. Nice crispy skin.

Once the chicken is nearly cooked (about 13-15 minutes on a super hot grill), begin to glaze it up. Glaze, flip. Let the glaze caramelize while you glaze the other side. YUM.

We like tin pans when we BBQ...it makes clean up a breeze. Now, that doesn't mean you can't spruce it up with a little fresh herbs.

Oh hello.

Drool. Face. All over.

Here's the recipe:

Glaze:
1 Cup Apricot Preserves
1/4 Cup EV Olive Oil
3-4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
1 Tbs of Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Large Garlic Cloves, Smashed

Chicken:
5 Chicken Thighs
5 Chicken Drumsticks

Heat the glaze ingredients in a heavy sauce pan over low - medium heat until glaze begins to bubble. Let bubble for 2-3 minutes then shut heat off. Grill chicken until done, about 13-15 minutes on very hot grill, turning periodically to prevent burning. Brush the chicken with the glaze and turn, allowing the glaze to caramelize. Let cool for 5 minutes then serve.

Wait til you see the amazing side I whipped up for this on Wednesday...stay tuned...and stay hungry!

365 Project

2013-04-25T06:12:00.000-04:00

I've been looking for ways to share pictures of Will with family and friends without spamming them with pictures they don't want to see. I'm quick to assume that everybody wants to see pictures of my baby, the cutest baby in the land, but I try to remember that people have busy days and hectic inboxes.

When Jesse and I were in Thailand in 2010, we traveled with some friends who were living overseas for the year. I remember them uploading a photo at the end of each day to 365Project.org so their friends & family back home could see what they were up to and they could remember the little daily adventures. After poking through the site the other day, this seemed like the perfect way to share pictures with Will's loved ones on a daily basis - if they want to, they can check in daily to see a photo and a short caption about what's up with us. I'll still send out periodic emails with pictures, post to Facebook here and there, and update on the blog but it's a quick way for, say, Will's aunt in DC to see what he's been up to every day (hint: mostly sleeping).

Will will be a month old tomorrow and having a daily picture of him also shows how much he is growing and changing day to day. Everybody tells me to stop and enjoy this time because it goes by so quickly and that is no joke. When uploading the pictures of him from the last month, it's crazy watching him go from this...

...to this...

What a month! Sheesh, I could cry just typing about how quickly time is flying, so let's get back to 365 Project. I'll be uploading these pictures daily for the rest of Will's first year on Earth (they have an option to email pictures to the site to make it easier when we are on the road [you know, all that travel with a newborn] or away from a computer). I'm excited that we'll have all of these photos of him in one place to review (in shock) when he turns a year old!

(PS - Email me if you want the link to the Daily Will!)

Grapefruits Galore

2013-04-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

I rarely make fish at home. I mean rarely, rarely. So, every once in awhile, when I'm out to eat (sans hubs) I'll order fish. I went to the Capital Grille on Monday for a work dinner and ordered sea bass that was served with a grapefruit, watercress salad with citrus vinaigrette. It was amazing. The sea bass was so buttery and flaky...it paired perfect with the tart, light salad. Well, ever since Monday I've been day dreaming about grapefruits. Crazy, right? Maybe not. They are delicious. After scoping the net, I found a few beautiful and light grapefruit dishes that I'm dying to try. Just in time for summer!

1. Grapefruit and Beet Salad with Lime Vinaigrette from The View from Great Island.

2. Kale Salad with Grapefruit, Avocado & Walnuts from Alaska from Scratch.

3. Summer Citrus Salad from Sage Recipes.

4. Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Shrimp with Sweet Sugar Bean.

5. Greyhound Poptails by Endless Summer.

Stay hungry!

Coconut Oil for Baby's Skin

2013-04-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

We're trying to cut down on the number of unnecessary chemicals used around the house and, having heard great things about using coconut oil for skin care for babies, I decided to give it a shot (and whip up a container to keep it in).

I bought a small glass jar (ninety nine cents from my local food co-op and, having typed that statement, I'm officially a hippie) to keep the coconut oil in and jazzed it up with some colorful paper and Mod Podge.

The yellow circle is actually cut from a very sweet (and on-theme for my baby shower) card I received from a friend:

(I appreciate the vote of confidence)

I Mod Podged the paper to the lid of the jar along with a strip of white paper to use as a label, then glued the two pieces of the lid together.

The result is a sunny little jar of coconut oil (that smells divine, by the way) and reminds me of my friend's sweet wishes at my bridal shower. It also assures us that Will is getting fewer toxins than if we had gone the normal diaper cream route (not that I'm writing that off for emergency situations). We have also been using it for his dry skin and it works like a charm!

A little goes a long way which means I have lots left to use for other stuff...any suggestions?

Redoing Our Roof Deck: Part 2

2013-04-18T07:30:00.000-04:00

You know when I first posted about redoing our roof deck??? ALMOST A YEAR AGO. Thank you Chicago permit process for being the most annoying ever. But enough about that. Our roof deck is almost done! Here are some pics from last weekend:

Facing south...

Close up of the door...

Facing northish...

Here are our stain options. We're leaning towards the one on the far right...it's called Valise. What do you guys think?

I can't believe this year long process is almost done! All we have left to do is buy furniture, stain the deck, and get grates to put over our skylights. I'll keep you posted...until then, stay homey!

Nursery Reading Nook

2013-04-17T16:39:00.000-04:00

The nursery isn't quiiiiiiite done yet and baby Will is sleeping in our room for now anyway, but I wanted to share one very finished part of the room. As you can see in some earlier pictures, this room (like all of our upstairs bedrooms) has a bumped out area from the dormer window that isn't quite big enough to comfortably fit a bed or a crib but was the perfect space for a nursery reading nook!

We received a ton of great baby books as gifts for Will and I decided to use them as part of the room's decoration - bright, colorful books that could be switched up as Will gets older. Using a wall as a front-facing bookshelf cuts out the need to decorate that wall at all... the books take care of that on their own.

I thought about making my own shelves from scratch but realized there was a cheaper and easier option... Ikea's Ribba Picture Ledges. They're pre-built and are easily screwed right onto the wall:

Jesse and I both love to read and can't wait to spend hours rocking and reading to Will in this space. It's so cheerful and I'm thrilled with how it came out!

Garlic Studded Pork Shoulder

2013-04-16T07:30:00.000-04:00

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmm mmm mmm MMM! I loves me some garlic. Like really loves me some. I was watching Best Thing I Ever Ate: Garlic on the Food Network and John Besh featured this Garlic Studded Pork Shoulder. It was so simple and sounded so good that I followed the recipe exactly. Which never, ever happens.

I've never thought about using mirepoix instead of a roasting pan to add more flavor. GENIUS. Oh, b-t-dubs, I also added garlic. And if you don't know what mirepoix is, it's just celery, onion, and carrots. But this is GARLIC studded pork so I added me some GARLIC.

Just make a bunch of slits with a paring knife, and slip in some fresh rosemary and garlic slices.

Don't forget lots and lots of salt and pepper...

2.5 hours later in a 325 degree oven...you have this...succulent, juicy, amazing porky garlicky goodness. Words can not describe how amazing this smelled.

Here are the ingredients:

One 4-to-5-pound boneless pork shoulder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 branches fresh rosemary

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 onions, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

Water

Pan Gravy:

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pork: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sprinkle the shoulder liberally on all sides with salt and pepper.

Place the roast fat-side up. With a paring knife, make several small incisions into the fat. Cut the rosemary sprigs into 1-inch segments. Place the sliced garlic and rosemary into each incision.

Scatter the chopped onion, carrots and celery in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed roasting pan. Then set the shoulder on top of the vegetables and add 1 quart of water. Place into the oven and roast until the pork registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F on a meat thermometer, about 2 1/2 hours. Let the meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you serve it. Make a pan gravy, or reserve the pan juices and vegetables for another use.

For the pan gravy: Take the roast out of the pan and whisk the flour into the pan drippings. Add 2 cups chicken stock, stirring often over medium heat, until the flour is incorporated. Simmer 20 minutes, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a fine sieve.

Stay hungry!

Three Weeks!

2013-04-15T20:12:00.000-04:00

Will is three weeks old tomorrow which I find mind blowing. I can't decide if it seems like more than three weeks since he was born or less, but we are still overjoyed every day that he is here and thriving!

He is already growing out of his newborn sized baby gear. Everybody told us not to buy any newborn stuff since Jesse and I are big people and we were expecting a big baby. When Will was born at 7 lb and 14 oz and swimming in his "0-3 month" stuff, we rushed to Babies R Us when he was four days old to buy a few tiny outfits (he's been wearing these daily and I've been washing them every night). Even though I knew he'd outgrow them fast, I'm still sad to set aside the ones he is already too big for, the outfits we picked in a daze while wandering through the aisles like zombies. Or "New Parents" from Central Casting.

He still fits in this little firetruck number though, which is unexpectedly my favorite of his newborn outfits. It has built in hand mittens, is super soft, and is just so boy-ish. Clearly he still has some room for growth with this hat:

Now that Will is getting a bit bigger and the temperatures have stayed above freezing, we are venturing out of the house more for walks and short errands. He doesn't mind his carseat too much for stroller walks, but I prefer to wear him when possible. We have three baby carriers (maybe I went a little overboard?) - the Ergo, Peanut Shell, and Baby K'Tan. I like the K'Tan best, so far... it's snuggly and warm and he falls asleep almost immediately. Here we are after a walk this afternoon:

In other news, spring has finally sprung around here. After a long, long winter, I'm excited to see blooming trees and daffodils sprouting. The deer have already eaten the sprouting leaves from the tulips that I planted a year and a half ago so remind me to find some time this summer to pull out those bulbs and plant them closer to the house (file this under "Projects That Will Never Happen").

In the background of this picture, you can sort of sort of sort of see the treehouse that Jesse's dad built years ago (it's the same greyish color as our house so it blends into the sky here). It's gone totally unused since we've owned the house (I've never actually been in it - or in my house's attic - isn't that weird?), but I have a new excitement for it, even though Will is years out from being able to climb up there himself.

Here's Willbo all swaddled up like a smiley little glowworm last Tuesday on his two week birthday. We've been reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and those 5 steps really calm Will right down when he slips into crazy time.

I wish I had more of an update on how Stay-at-Home-Mommery is going, but the truth is that I haven't quite gotten the hang of anything but keeping Will happy, cleaned, and fed and for now, that's enough for me. I won't even comment on how cleaning our house is going, but on the cooking front, Will's grandmothers have kept us fully stocked on food and snacks so most of what we're eating is heated up. We still have a freezer full of meals that my friends cooked up for us and brought to my baby shower, so I suspect it will be a while before I start making anything from scratch for us. I still have 19 weeks of maternity leave to go, so housewifery can wait a while...

Fish n' Chips from London

2013-04-11T11:21:00.001-04:00

In addition to Prince Harry, Big Ben, and room temperature beer, London is known for some killer fish n' chips. One of my BFFs, Colleen, is in London for work and ordered and captured her fish n' chips experience just for us!

I can't figure out how rotate this picture, but you get the idea. My mouth is watering. YUM. Thanks for sharing with Hardly Housewives, Colleen. Stay hungry!

Our Formerly Microwave-less Life

2013-04-10T05:40:00.000-04:00

Sometimes my brother refers to my home as "Little House on the Prairie" and I realize it's for reasons like this: until a few weeks ago, we didn't have a microwave. When we moved in, there was a big empty box hanging on the wall among the kitchen cabinets that had once contained one, but no actual microwave. We had splurged on a fancy schmancy toaster oven with Williams Sonoma gift cards after our wedding, so we utilized the toaster oven for all of our food-heating purposes and turned the microwave space into a pet food zone:

Jesse and I thought it was quaint and old timey (and I'm sure we were somewhat holier-than-thou about our microwave-less life). "Food tastes better when it's heated slowly" and "Microwaves make things too mushy and chewy." Etcetera etcetera etcetera. Family members and guests were not nearly as enchanted with this lifestyle choice. In my father's words, "It took me an hour to heat up a damn burrito."

But as our life as a twosome with plenty of time to heat food wound down, we realized it might be time to consider a quicker food heating solution. Luckily, my sister found a new, still boxed microwave in her bedroom closet at my parents' house (???) and my mom brought it up for us to use. I transferred the pet food to the pantry and hooked up our teeny little microwave and anchored it with a few of my favorite cookbooks:

Jazz hands, or possibly a nervous wave at the microwave. Not sure what this is all about.

So far, we're only using the microwave here and there and although it's been a real lifesaver when needed, I still maintain that leftover pizza tastes better when reheated in the toaster oven. Anybody else living the good life without a microwave? Or is it just weird that we made it almost two years without one?

Cook's Lobster House and a Baby

2013-04-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Charlie and I flew out east this weekend to visit my grandmother and grandfather, aunt and uncle, cousins, father, mother, sister, brother-in-law, and niece and nephew. Whew. Lots of action. You may remember my post announcing Kai, but fast forward 9 months...and this little baby boy has turned into a total ham.

He has two little teeth to round out that huge gummy smile...

Can't get enough of him. Just adorable and so sweet.

After Kai's photo shoot, we headed over to one of our favorite restaurants, Cook's Lobster House in Harpswell, Maine. We've been going there for forever...for as long as I can possibly remember. Charlie and I have been together for nine years, but he's never come with us so it was time to introduce him to some yummy Maine LOBSTA.

First, we started with some clam chowder. Yum.

Now enter the main dish. Three split lobster tails with Ritz cracker and butter stuffing. O. M. G. I can't. I just can't even. My mouth is drooling everywhere right now.

Here's another plate that my parents ordered. Uhem. Notice double the lobster tails.

Yum. Nom. Nom.

Obsessed. It was a great trip home but I'm FAT and need to detox. Stay hungry!

Guest Post: Sarah from Total Basset Case

2013-04-04T06:25:00.000-04:00

Hey there Hardly Housewive-rs!

Floyd and I are pumped to be hanging out over here today!

First and foremost we want to say a HUGE congrats to Caitlin on the arrival of Baby Will!!
He is precious!!

I'm Sarah and I blog over at Total Basset Case

and if you couldn't guess from my blog name, we (the Mister, ie the hubs and I) have a sassy, snuggable, cute as can be, basset hound, Floyd.

(that's the Mister-he's pretty cute too)

Over at my blog I ramble on about, Floyd (you probably gathered that by now), food and recipes, the Mister, fashion and whatever else stumbles through my brain.

Every Friday I do a feature called, 'Fridays with Floyd' where I report on Floyd's weekly escapades. We also have a feature called, 'Floyd's Friends' where one of Floyd's pup buddies come over and take over posting for the day!

Sometimes I blog about how Floyd is SUPER sassy, and/or also dramatic, how he can not and will not catch a ball, how he recently learned how to shake, how he keeps a dutiful eye on the neighborhood

how he goes to the park and doesn't play (and just drools),

or how he will bring you beers

but mostly about how stinkin cute he is.

and much, much more.
Floyd is always doing something entertaining so come on over and visit us!

Again, congrats and welcome to the world Baby Will!
Slobbery kisses and hugs,
Sarah and Floyd