Faking it: Cooking edition

We've been eating out a lot lately. That's code for: I've been really lazy about cooking lately. In my own defense, I've been busy at work and extra fatigued because the wee one hasn't been sleeping well (although that's getting better), but what mom doesn't feel that way ALL THE TIME? So it's not much of a defense, and anyway I'm starting to feel unhealthy from eating out so much. Time for a change. The thing is, I like cooking, except it's time consuming and messes up my kitchen. If I had someone to swoop in after me and clean up my kitchen, I'd cook a lot more. A prep cook to prepare all the ingredients for me in nice little bowls would also be lovely.

So my March resolution, effective immediately, is to cook more. Here's the menu for this week:
  Tonight: bacon-wrapped scallops (hubby's favorite), butternut squash risotto, lemon arugula salad
  Tomorrow: Mediterranean quiche
  Monday: steak with roasted asparagus

That's all I've got so far. HERE'S WHERE YOU COME IN! Comment on this post with links to your family's favorite recipes, or send them to my email or facebook, please. Elena, I want your tandoori chicken burgers. Let's all remember that the hubby won't eat rice or pasta (I know, I know), so bonus points for paleo-friendly recipes (so meats and veggies, basically).

In related news, I've also started playing everyone's favorite domestic game: defrost-that-mystery-container-and-eat-it. Since I hate wasting food, I often throw leftovers into containers and stick them in my freezer. What I NEVER do is date or label them, so every defrosted meal is an adventure. As I type I'm eating something that I believe is curried butternut squash soup, which I have no recollection of making but which is quite yummy and probably from this fall since that would be squash season. Isn't this fun?

Me day!

I hadn't planned on it, but somehow today turned into a total ME day. The hubby took the wee one to gymnastics and the park so I could clean the house (something I actually wanted to do) and work. I got a 90 minute massage (my first - turns out it really is at least 50% better than a 60 minute). I got things checked off my to-do list. I went to yoga. I contemplated going to weightlifting before yoga, but I decided to squeeze in some banana bread making instead (banana-pumpkin-coconut-walnut, to be precise), so I only managed 15 minutes of cardio before yoga. Now I am blogging and eating enough bread and real butter (the only kind worth eating) to negate the cardio, and I couldn't be happier.

I know some people, moms especially, feel guilty about taking me time. I rarely feel guilty about it. Or rather, I feel guilty when I think about work or housework I could be doing instead, but I never feel guilty about taking time for myself instead of parenting. Maybe it's because I do a LOT of parenting, compared to me time, while I regularly neglect the other stuff. Or maybe it's because the wee one is the main reason I need me time in the first place. It helps that my hubby is very supportive of me time, perhaps because it keeps the crazy at bay (temporarily), or perhaps just because he is a lovely person. Either way, I appreciate it immensely. You rock, honey!

Seriously, I feel fantastic right now, which is a miracle considering that just 12 hours ago I was ready to strangle someone (if only someone would deliver my girl scout cookies...). So friends, I urge you to take some me time for yourselves this week. Do something - ANYTHING - to keep your own crazy at bay. It's extremely important. Trust me, I'm a psychologist.

Faking it: Gardening edition

Sorry for my long absence! Two weeks ago we were in Mexico (posts on that to follow after I finish wading through all the pics), and then this week was INsane.

But this weekend things had calmed down a little, which gave me time to work in the backyard. The main reason I wanted to buy our house is the backyard, which looks like a park. Or at least, it could except the previous owners were clearly not yard people. The plant selection and placement was clearly done by someone who was on crack. I've spent the 1.5 years we've lived here mostly just clearing out the crazy. That's almost done, and now it's ready to replant. In my head, it's going to be a lovely, serene park space, kind of english garden style, with veggie patches.

As I think I've mentioned previously, gardening is one of those things I'd really like to be able to do well, but alas. Just like with photography, I start to try to learn about gardening, but then it feels like there is sooo much to learn (soil composition, crop rotation, and pruning, oh my!) that I get overwhelmed and just throw some plants in the ground. Last year I planted eight or so different types of veggies. My final yield was four carrots. This year, I'm trying again. I bought The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, and I'm actually going to READ it (novel, I know) in the next month so I can get the garden going in earnest April.

I also started my tomato plants and my herb garden yesterday. Evidence:

My garden out my kitchen window. In the containers, I planted basil, rosemary, chives, cilantro, thyme, hibiscus, and radishes (I heard they were good container plants). In the back are the raised beds that hold the remnants of my winter garden, i.e., the surviving pea plants, which are actually doing quite well. I erected a support system for them yesterday that you can't really see in the pic. The rest of the winter plants didn't make it, but that's not my fault. The dumb dogs dug them up.

Six kinds of tomatoes, in eco-friendly pots.

If all goes well, in six months I'll be blogging about canning all my tomatoes. That is a long time to keep the plants alive, though, so don't hold your breath!

p.s., For fellow northern Californians, here is a handy calendar to show you when to plant what. Next on my list: carrots and onions (after hubby builds me my other raised bed, which will be after this week's horrible weather). I also need to order some rhubarb (which I'm using for landscaping and eating) and asparagus today.