My Little Batch of Sky

The Big Plan

2012-01-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

Here is the plan. For now. It may be adjusted. It probably will be adjusted. But I have this written on a sticky note attached to my monitor so my goals are always in my mind. Or at least when I sit at my computer.

2012
Sprint Triathlon
Half Marathon

2013
Full Marathon
Century Ride

2014
Half Ironman

2015
Ironman Arizona!

Reinventing Sara

2011-12-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

It'sDecember 27th. It's the time when most everyone is thinking about New Year's
resolutions. I have plenty: stress less, don't take on too much, keep my
priorities in check, eat well, read more—or at the very least, read the monthly
book club selection, stop worrying about things that are so dumb (that was for
you, Jennifer), and maintain and build my fitness. Ironically, starting a
fitness regimen is probably the most popular New Year’s resolution for everyone. Maybe that’s why it’s so surprising to me that maintaining and building my fitness is what I believe will lead me to successfully reaching all my other goals.

Somehow,someway, in the last few years I’ve become somewhat of an athlete. I’ve never been one for team sports (too much pressure) but this year I realized that I’m better when I exercise. I’ve logged over one thousand miles in 2011 through
running, cycling, and swimming. And I’ve done most of it alone even though it’s a lot more fun if you have a buddy. But the alone time has been therapeutic. It gives me a chance to think things through,resolve some issues that fall on the shoulders of a thirty-something housewife,and gain a sense of peace for 30-60 minutes at a time. Exercise makes me feel better about myself. I’m more focused. I’m more productive. I’m more confident. I’m happier. And, yes, I think I look better. Gone(hopefully forever) are the days when I dread having to exercise. I’ve reached the point where I long for the time to get out and run, bike, swim, or strength train with friends. I don’t know how it happened, but I’m so glad
it did.

Although I participated in some races in 2011—several 5K runs, a 10K run, a duathlon, a mini triathlon—I’ve found that I no longer need to be registered for something to get me to exercise. That’s shocking in a good way for sure. I’m competitive, but I know what league I’m in so I compete mostly with myself. Though I’m proud to say my first attempt at a triathlon gained me a first place age group award. Validation indeed! Or more like a fluke. Seriously though, most of the time I’m working to better my time or simply finish. I would like to make the step from athlete to triathlete this year and I hope to gain enough confidence to do a real triathlon.

So right here, right now I’m setting a long term goal—to finish the 2015 Ironman
Arizona. I’ll be 39, my kids will be slightly more independent to allow for the training, and I’ll be even stronger in four years if I keep maintaining and building my fitness. And Ironman Arizona is in my backyard! I volunteered at that event last month and was inspired. I want to be able to say I finished that race. And when I do, I might even get a 140.6 tattoo…across my forehead!

And I Thought I Knew Them

2011-06-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Today I took my kids to the Phoenix Art Museum. Why? Well let me explain. In Phoenix--and probably most major cities--we have something called the Culture Pass. You can check out these passes from the city library for free admission to local museums or attractions like the zoo or botanical gardens. It's a fantastic idea; it gives people who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to go to these places the chance to experience them. While we have on occasion taken advantage of the Culture Pass, I try really hard to not take advantage. But it's summer and we're trying to keep busy and stimulate our minds without breaking the bank! So last week I checked the kiosk and apparently a lot of people had the same idea. There was only one pass remainig and it was for the Phoenix Art Museum. I thought, Well it's something to do. Maybe we can have lunch downtown. They'll like that. While Elizabeth does seem to have an appreciation for the finer things, Matthew is rough and tough and normally anything but calm and quiet. Thankfully, my kids could not have surprised me more today. Admittedly, I did my research before going and I did my best to engage them. We started our tour in the contemporary art galleries because I knew it would be unusual and strange and more thought-provoking than, say, the Baroque gallery. They enjoyed looking at mostly everything, they let me know which pieces were "not their favorites" (we had talked about voicing criticism aloud beforehand), and they thought a lot more about the art and had more comments than I expected them to. Without sounding like a commercial for the museum, this was the best experience we've had using the Culture Pass. We've used the passes for the Phoenix Children's Museum and the Arizona Museum for Youth, and this was better! There was so much to see here, so much to do (there's even a children's art studio where they can try different art techniques themselves), and the building itself is art in its own right. It was just an enjoyable day all the way around, and I'm ashamed that I honestly didn't think it was possible. In my defense, they did enjoy lunch and going to the big city, but I'm grateful and proud to say that they got so much more out of the experience.

The Pledge

2011-06-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

I will not let an entire year pass before I update my blog. I will not. That's what I've been saying to myself for a very long time. A little over eleven months, actually. But now that a whole school year has passed--and a challenging one at that--I can make a new pledge to myself (and my four or five former followers) that I will visit this page on a regular basis...and actually write something. I'm not even trying for a theme this time. Just every day random thoughts. Yes. That's my theme. Speaking of pledges, I firmly believe it was the promise I made to my children last summer that was the undoing of this blog. Children, I hereby promise thee that we will do a craft every day of the summer. My friend Jennifer tried to talk me out of it, but armed with torn out pages of Family Fun magazine and several bookmarked websites, I began this ambitious adventure fresh-faced and full of, well, ambition. Sure the first few days were fun. And I wrote about them here. But soon the fun turned to frustration because a three year old boy and a six year old girl do not share the same interests or abilities. So sometimes there were two crafts. Sometimes we compromised. But in the end, it was a whole lot of work and, truth be told, the kids were starting to get sick of crafts. But I made a promise and I was gonna keep it, gosh darn it! So we did the crafts, the kids never wanted to get rid of them, projects were all over the house, and by the time summer ended I needed another break. But I didn't get it. And that's a whole 'nother blog post. (There's a little foreshadowing for you.) So as this summer commences today, I've made no other pledge to my kids other than we will visit our favorite popsicle place once a week. Or maybe we'll venture out to new popsicle places. Or make our own. Popsicles. Now there's a promise we can all be happy about keeping.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my dad, my husband, and my father-in-law. Brian may have the trophy, but I'm going to call it a three way tie.

My Little Experiment

2010-06-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

June is half over which means my month-long experiment is half over. I decided to commit myself to a month-long exercise regimen to see if I felt and looked better afterwards. I don't know if four weeks is enough time to even get results, but that's how much time I had before vacation. Thankfully my father works at the Y so I'll still be able to workout while away. The emphasis is on be able to. We'll see if I do.

If I don't count sleeping better, then I have no results to report after just two weeks. But sleep was definitely something my body needed more of so let's say I'm noticing a difference. I hope it's not from exhaustion, though.

Here's my plan for the 4 weeks of June. The runs and walks follow Hal Higdon's spring training plan. Lately it's been two or three miles, though I did one four mile run and I have a 4.5 (new personal record!) coming up this Sunday.

Sunday--Run & Body Flow (yoga class)
Monday--Body Pump (awesome strength training class)
Tuesday--Run
Wednesday--Run & Body Pump
Thursday--Run
Friday--Rest
Saturday--Walk & Body Pump

Mmmm. Crafts.

2010-06-15T12:07:00.001-07:00

For those of you who haven't heard, I made a promise to my kids that we'd do a craft each day this summer. Well, at least Monday through Friday. So far I've been true to my word, but my ambition is definitely flagging. I do this all the time; as if I don't have enough on my plate, I find one more thing I have to do. I soon realized that all crafts don't have to include paint, glue sticks, markers, and glitter. What am I saying? We don't do glitter here. Anyway, I told the kids that baking is a craft and the kids have fallen for it. They love mixing and plopping batter in muffin tins. This I can handle! So while we're still doing regular crafts, I've already taken the easy way out a few times.

Some of my friends have asked me if I'm still doing the 'craft thing.' Yes I am and yes I will continue. Here's proof if you need that kind of thing.

Day One -- Caterpillars
Day Two -- Free Craft Day at Udder Delights ice cream shopDay Three -- Jello JigglersDay Four -- Countdown to Vacation Calendar

Some advice: Don't do this activity unless your vacation is less than two weeks away. Our calendar is 24 days long. It probably wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't committed to writing a fun fact about Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania on the back of each card. (I have to do one a night or else Elizabeth would read them all at once and ruin the surprise.) Did you know the city of Pittsburgh has 446 bridges?
Day 5 -- Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Day Six -- Okay, there wasn't a craft. But we had friends and some of Elizabeth's friends from school over for a backyard summer fun party with the little pool and sprinklers. Good enough.

Day Seven -- Painting with Apples

Admittedly this didn't go as well as I thought it would, but they didn't care.

This afternoon, I think I'm going to take the easy way out again. We're going to make cookies.

Yes I Can

2010-06-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

I told you I could. Just not on race day, apparently. Why can't they schedule charity 5Ks on Wednesday mornings at 6:00?

It's Peach Season!

2010-06-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

After the race the other day, we visited a local farm to pick our own peaches. The kids loved it. Matthew enjoyed eating a peach right in the middle of the orchard. Neither of them could stop picking once they started. We brought home 11 pounds of peaches. They're so sweet and juicy that we each eat at least two a day.

On the home front, here's a photo I took this morning of our garden.

Obviously, I still have to shop for produce. The cilantro is dying out for the summer, but we're still getting maybe a strawberry a week. The zucchini has bloomed so hopefully those will turn into something soon. We have two green tomatoes, but the peppers are slow-growin'. Finally the basil is taking off! Well, at least one plant, anyway. Maybe all the cat poop helped. Thank you, neighborhood feral cats.

Is it ever really black or white?

2010-05-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

No. And I need to be more flexible. And less hard on myself.

Baking has taken a back seat to life these days, but last week Matthew and I found a way to fit it into our overly busy schedule. I should mention that our baking project was impromptu. We should have been at the gym. Oh, the irony!

What gym, you say? Well, three weeks ago, Jennifer gave me a 3-month gym pass. Her kids' school was selling them as a fundraiser and she got one for me as part of my birthday present. She joined too and so far together we've gone to a spinning class, a yoga class, and an ab and arm workout out on floor. It's fun to have someone to workout with, but our schedules don't always gel so we just try to get there when we can.

I'm still running 4 days a week using Hal Higdon's spring training plan. I'm on (and have been stuck on) Week 3 because I had a 5K this past Saturday and, you know, I didn't want to get too tired or be too sore for my big 5K race. It has nothing to do with the fact that anything over 3.5 miles intimidates me because 3.5 miles is already far for me to run. Okay maybe it does. But next week will be Week 4 and I'm going to have to run 4 miles and I'll be so glad after I have. It's always fun to reach a new distance goal.

The running was going pretty well there for a while. I amazingly felt so good one day that I completed a 5K in 30:21. I thought I was awesome. I thought I was finally an athlete. Then the next day, I went out for my 1.5 mile run and there was this lady I've never seen before (and hope I never see again) seemingly running for her life. I mean, she was really running fast. I had just started my run and she called Good morning! from the other side of the street. I think I grumbled. Then I ran into her again (almost literally) when she turned the corner I was approaching. She said hello again and I said something cliche like Where's the fire? But only because I wanted to show her I could talk, I think. Yep. Back to my reality of slow and steady.

The 5K two days ago didn't go as I had planned and my time was nowhere near 30:21. (Maybe that time was a fluke or maybe it just so happened that my training, rest, and nutrition were perfectly aligned. Wish I could remember what I did before that run.) Anyway, the official results are still not available online, but my time is going to be a little over 34 minutes, I think. Still better than my 37 minute first 5K, but not the 31 minute 5K I was trying to get. My excuse? Oh, I have plenty. Let's start with the heat. It was hot at 8:10 am on May 29th in Arizona. Of course it was! That's why I usually run at 6 am. Second, there were no water stations at the start. I arrived at 7:00 (after I pinched my finger in a city park barricade because I was blocked in--and my finger would not stop bleeding for anything) and the race didn't start for another hour. I left my reusable water bottle in my car so I didn't have anything to drink for an hour before I started running. Third, the PTO board margarita night was the evening before. Dates for this get-together had been tossed around for weeks because it's hard to get 5 busy women together to have fun. I couldn't say, Well I have a race in the morning.... So the two margaritas may have added to my dehydration issues. In any case, I finished (even with some walking) the first annual Steven L. Pearson Leukemia Foundation Fight for Life 5K and finally registered as a bone marrow donor so at least I can be proud of that. Here's Carrie and me after our race.

So yes, I'm still running. I'm trying to use the gym as the place to work on my arms and abs but something's always getting in the way like meetings at school, making copies, Matthew having a runny nose. I still haven't learned that I can't make a schedule for myself that isn't flexible. I can't say I'm going to go to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and expect to have each Tuesday and Thursday morning free to do that. I must learn to go with the flow a little better. I'm working on it.

So back to the baking. Just in case you who enjoy the baking portion of this blog are still with me here. Matthew and I tried these black and white cookies from Cooking Light. At first I thought they were just okay, but they seem to get better with age. Which is really strange for a cookie. And I have no idea why mine are so puffy.

They might have been better if I hadn't decided to use soy milk for the frosting. The recipe calls for 2% so I figured my skim milk wouldn't have worked. The light soy has about as much fat as 2% so I gave it a shot. So the cookies taste a little more earthy than they probably should. But that's okay. I won't be so tempted to eat the cookies. Then I won't feel so bad about not being able to make it to the gym.

Please Share the Road

2010-05-21T13:05:00.001-07:00

Two nights ago, I participated in the Ride of Silence. It's a worldwide memorial ride honoring cyclists who've been killed or injured while riding their bikes. It's been a year and half since a mom in my MOMS Club lost her husband while he was training for a 600 mile charity ride. I think about her often and can't imagine how much pain this loss has caused her, her two children, their entire family, and all their friends. Their family isn't the only family that has had to go through something like this, either. There were over 100 people at the Mesa Ride of Silence honoring several different cyclists.

Whether you're a driver or a cyclist, we all need to pay attention and share the road. The law states that you must give a cyclist at least 3 feet, but that's a yardstick. Give them more room. Move over into the next lane if you can. Slow down when you pass them. Don't honk your horn at them. And if you're a cyclist, be sure to follow the rules of the road, signal, and ride defensively.

"Same roads. Same rules. Same rights."

Triple Crown Dreams

2010-05-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

I enjoy horse racing. I try not to think about how inhumane the sport of kings can be to race horses. But in my defense, I am a horse racing fan for all of about 3 hours a year. I love to watch the Triple Crown Races, and for the past ten years I've been anxious for a horse to win the Triple Crown. I was two when Affirmed won in 1978, so I obviously wasn't too excited about it then. And from the way the Preakness went today, I'm going to have to wait at least another year.

The Kentucky Derby is my favorite race, and watching it live is on my bucket list. Whitewashed Churchill Downs looks like a paradise with its stately spires, brick and green paddock area, and spring flowers blooming all over. I want to be there. I must be specific, though; I do not want to watch from the infield. For just one day, I want to live like the people at whom I roll my eyes while watching the human- (and horse-) interest stories build before the big race. What must it be like to spend millions of dollars on a horse and watch it race to the finish on one of the country's most iconic tracks? What's it like to wear those hats while drinking mint juleps all afternoon? What's it like to be called Muffy and to call your father Daddy when you're 40? I want to know. (Well, maybe not the last one.)

Someday. Someday I'll get there. In the meantime, do you want to know what I did the day of this year's Kentucky Derby? I took the kids over to downtown Chandler for a little racing. It was the city's annual Cinco de Mayo festival and the three of us enjoyed a little less classy kind of racing.

That's right. We watched the chihuahua races. You'd be surprised how excited people get about these races. And there are some serious chihuahua fans out there. Check out the ink on the older woman sitting next to me.

And that's not just any chihuahua. It's her beloved dog who is "very prissy." So much so, that the woman didn't want to bring her to the event because of all the "ugly dog diseases" she might catch. She even showed me photos of her angel, who I must say looks like every other blonde chihuahua I've ever seen. Whatever. At least she's taking care of her dog and not abusing her.

Yes, this was definitely no Kentucky Derby. Instead of big hats, there were impossibly short shorts and chihuahua in outfits of all kinds. Uh-huh. High class. I long for the day I spend the first Saturday of May in Louisville.

Week 1 of Spring Training

2010-05-03T09:28:00.001-07:00

Why yes I do have a calendar, thank you very much.

As I mentioned, I started Hal Higdon's Spring Training running program last week because I needed a plan. And he seems to know what he's talking about so I trust him. So I just finished Week 1, and I kept to my schedule for the most part. I ran a total of 9 miles--1.5 m, 3 m, 1.5 m, 3 m. Running four times a week wasn't as hard as it sounded to me. In fact, the short runs were something I looked forward to. Didn't see that one coming, for sure. Now if I can just commit to doing those ab and arm exercises on my rest days....

UPDATE: After comparing my eating habits today to my eating habits on days when I run, I've come to the conclusion that my diet is much better when I work out. I think it has something to do with my disdain for waste. I don't want to cancel out a running session by eating cookies all afternoon. But since I didn't run this morning, I will. And I did. So I now resolve to wake up every weekday at 6:00. On Mondays and Fridays I will tone my abs and arms and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I will run. This is very exciting! Why? Because it's well past 6 am on Monday so I don't have to do arm and ab exercises until Friday!

My New Plan

2010-04-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Hal Higdon? He's a Runner's World writer and runner himself. If you go to his website, he has a running (or walking) plan for everyone. Jennifer shared his spring training plan with me, and I'm up for it. And if there is any doubt, I'm doing the novice one.

Today was Day 1 of Week 1. I was looking forward to this run because it's just a mile and a half. I've been doing at least 2 or 2.5 miles each time out, so 1.5 sounded pretty good. I decided to try to push myself during these shorter runs to see if I can improve my pace. I kept my pace just under 10 minute miles this morning, but I was definitely feeling it. Tomorrow's 3 mile run will most certainly be run at a slower pace, but I'm going to try to keep it as close to 11 minute miles as I can.

Right now I'm not training for anything in particular. This is foreign territory for me because the only thing that has gotten me out there is the goal of completing an event. I guess being able to run farther and faster is a goal, but it's so much easier to measure my progress if there's an event to train for. Looking at my new training schedule, I see the very last run is 6 miles. I think I'll add .2 miles to that run and call it my first 10K. Now that's a goal.

Cilantro, anyone?

2010-04-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

So my garden is growing. Well, at least the cilantro is. I made enchiladas last week and we garnished them with some of our fresh herbs. Herb. Because the cilantro is the only thing ready for harvest at the moment.

Here's a look at the whole garden:There's some growth in the carrot and onion squares, but they're pretty hard to see. The basil sprouted right away, but it hasn't really done anything else. Maybe it just takes off all of a sudden. Here's hoping. We do have two green strawberries and one teeny, tiny little tomato.

We're on our way to delicious salsa. Come on tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Grow!

What Now?

2010-04-21T18:04:00.001-07:00

I don't have another event in the near future so I don't have a training plan to follow. And if there's one thing I've learned in the past two years, it's that I need to have a plan. Right now, I'm a bit lost. I was thinking that I'd run for 30 minutes three times a week, do some ab and arm strength training twice a week, and a bike ride once a week. But I don't know how much I'm supposed to be running. Do I just keep doing it to go faster and farther in 30 minutes? Or will that wear me out and maybe even cause an injury? Do I just run for comfort, meaning if I feel good go for it and if it's a bad day just take it easy? Is it really as simple as just listening to my body? Then how do I improve if I don't push myself? I'm so confused!

Right now I'm on the MWF running schedule. I felt great on Monday so I did a 5K in my best time yet--33:24. But today I didn't feel as good and my pace was a little over 11 minute miles so I ran only 2 miles. Tomorrow I'll do my arm and abs exercises and we'll see what kind of run Friday brings.

All in the Family

2010-04-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we were a family of duathletes!

We all participated in the ICAN Family Fun Run. It was advertised as a 2 mile run/walk but it was actually 3.5 miles. Matthew and Brian went about a mile and turned back. Elizabeth and I ran quite a while, then walked, then ran, then walked, etc. for the entire length of the course. I was really proud of her. It was sunny and HOT but she really wanted to do the whole thing. I didn't have a watch, but I'd say it took us a little less than an hour.

After the run, the City of Chandler was hosting a 6 mile family bike ride. So we did that, too. We rode 6.7 miles in about an hour. It was so much fun! We just got a bike trailer for Matthew and he loves it.

We were bringing up the rear through most of the ride, but we didn't care.

Look how much fun we were having!All in all, it was a great way to spend a morning. I can't believe Elizabeth covered nearly 10 miles in two hours. And Matthew went about 8 miles.

We're looking forward to many more family bike rides. And maybe even some runs. I'm getting a group together for the Aflac Iron Girl 5K in November. Let me know if you want to join us and get in on the 15% registration discount. Several moms and daughters in our Brownie troop will be mother/daughter teams, but you can register as an individual as well.

Have your heard?

2010-04-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

I completed a duathlon!

Okay, so it's not news anymore to my friends or my Facebook friends because I've emailed and posted so many photos from the event, but it will always be a big deal to me. Because I never thought I would do something like that. And neither did a lot of people--even my own mother. Her first words to me after I was done, through teary eyes I might add, were, "I can't believe you just did that." She was proud of me, and I'm proud of myself. So why wouldn't I want to shout it from the mountain tops? Here's a little summary of my first race:

Here I am setting up my transition spot in the twilight of morning. Brian and I arrived at 5:30 because the transition area was to be closed at 6:00. Turns out, although this is an official USAT event, it was pretty informal. There were all kinds of people and all kinds of bikes and all kinds of gear. It wasn't half as intimidating as I thought it would be. This is a good event to start with.

At close to 7:00, the duathletes lined up for the start. Out of the 750 people who signed up for the Tri for the Cure, 57 of us did the duathlon. It seemed like everyone had a friend with them. My friends are more ambitious than I am; they did the triathlon.The start of the race was a bit unexpected. A race official started all our chips at the same time regardless of when we ran over the chalk line. I know I'm no elite athlete or anything, but the hype in my mind called for something a little more exciting than a chalk line and a man shouting, "Go!" Oh, well. I was off and running my first mile. I completed that mile in 9:56, no matter what my official time says. In fact, all three portions of my race were personal bests. Hey, another reason to be proud of myself!Next was an 8 mile bike. I had been practicing speed and corners but apparently not mounting my bike quickly and without a curb. My seat is high!
After composing myself from my less-than-graceful start, I pedalled hard and fast. After the first turn, I checked my speed and it was over 19 mph! I gradually slowed to a more reasonable 17 mph so that I wouldn't wear myself out too early. Good thing because after the third turn, the wind was in my face and it was much harder to pedal. I made the fourth turn and what a welcome sight these two were!

After hearing their "Go Mommy Go!" cheers, I went around the block for another four miles. My official bike time was 35:18 and that includes two transitions. My transitions are something I will have to work on, so I think my bike was somewhere around 32 minutes. Not bad for a 34 year old beginner on a 15 year old hybrid.

The race ended with a 2 mile run. It was challenging but it wasn't bad. I was able to keep my pace under 11 minute miles. We did two laps around the complex and ran a lap on the track before finishing.
So that was it! A big day for me. A big deal. So you might think I'm boasting. I am. Most people who work hard and accomplish a goal would. But I hope that you're also looking at me and thinking, Well if she can do it, I can do it. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am not athletic. I am uncoordinated. I am not fond of exercising. Seriously. If I can do it, you can do it. I hope you're at my side (or over at the pool starting your triathlon) next year.

It's Almost Time

2010-04-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

My first attempt--I'm calling it my first attempt because I hope to continue running and biking even after this is over--at a duathlon is in two days. I feel I'm ready to run 1 mile, bike 8 miles, and run another 2.5 miles. Although I haven't written too much about it, I've been training 4-5 times a week. Last weekend, I even rode 8 miles and ran 2.5 miles afterwards and I felt pretty good. I'm confident the first 1 mile run won't make it too much harder. I know I can do this. I might not do it as fast (1 hour, 15 minutes) and gracefully as I want to, but I'm going to do it.

I know how to run. I know how to ride a bike. What I'm afraid of are the transitions and the other cyclists. I really, really hope I don't take anyone out on the turns. I've been practicing my right hand turns this week, but unless I'm going slower than 10 miles per hour I tend to take them pretty wide. Hopefully the course won't be too crowded or (gulp) pelaton-like. I'm much more comfortable with a wide berth.

And then there's the rookie mistake I'm bound to make.... Everyone I know who's done a triathlon (okay, it's not a lot of people) did something dumb on their first race. What will mine be? I hoped I've drilled it into myself enough that I must remember to remove my bike helmet before starting my second run. How embarrassing! I must hold on tight to my water bottle while drinking and riding. Additionally, I must watch out for those who do not hold on tight to their water bottles because running over a water bottle could be really bad news. Jennifer--who thankfully shares with us everything she learns in her triathlon class--says you don't want to be either of those people. If anyone else has any advice, please share. Even if you think it's common sense. I'm that worried.

School Cookbooks for Sale

2010-04-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Warning: shameless plug below.

Our PTO is proud to offer this treasured collection of recipes from our very own Humphrey teachers, parents, family members, and students. Our students' artwork graces the cover and pages of this attractive and practical cookbook. The cookbooks are only $10 and they make the ideal gift for mothers, grandmothers, daughters, friends, and all your favorite cooks--especially for Mother's Day.

Let me know if you want me to reserve some copies for you. I've personally tried a few of the recipes and they were great. These are the best cookbooks because everyone submits their very best recipes! No one wants their friends to think they're a bad cook!

5K in 35:22

2010-03-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

That headline is big news!

Now that the weather is turning warmer, I can go back to exercising early in the day. No more night runs. (Oops. The cat's out of the bag now. Sorry, Mom. I was always careful.) So this morning I was out of the door by 6:15 for my run. The weather was perfect. I felt good. The plan was to run for 30 minutes, but as I was approaching my house at the 30-minute/2.6-mile mark, I figured I could go farther. So I kept going to see if I could beat my first 5K time of 37:16. Obviously I did and I was so happy. My average pace was 11:30 and that seems to be right where I need to be. For now, at least.

My Garden Grows!

2010-03-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Green things are sprouting in the garden. This is what it looks like after three weeks.Every square is showing signs of life except for the one where we planted jalapeno peppers. Two days after we planted the garden, an unfriendly cat (or other animal) dug up a few of the squares. The original pepper seeds could be at the bottom of the dirt, so I planted a few more seeds today to see if they take. I also planted another row of carrots. I'm nothing if not impatient.

Here's our cilantro.

And our zucchini. I think if we keep those the way they are, they'll never fit in that square. We may have to transplant some of those to the pepper square if nothing happens up there.

And you can see the teeny, tiny tops of carrots.

(If you look closely enough.)

Our basil and onions are coming in nicely, too. So far so good!

What a Buffet!

2010-03-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

First of all, I don't know why I look so happy in this picture. Because none of us was happy at that moment. Yesterday, we competed with two other couples (our friends--at least I hope they're still our friends after we persuaded them to participate) in our city's version of The Amazing Race. Brian and I did it last time and it was a lot of fun so we tried talking some friends into competing with us. Thankfully, Jennifer & Aaron and Kathy & Craig registered. It really is a fun and active way to spend a Saturday morning.

But back to the photo. This was the very beginning of the race and it was an eating challenge. I hate, hate, hate competitive eating. In any form. And this was pretty bad at 9:30 am right before you have to race around a park. Each team had to divide up 5 less than appetizing servings of food, 3:2. The servings were: a small jar of green bean baby food; 6 Saltine crackers; a cup of V8; a teaspoon of cinnamon; and about a cup of Spam. Brian grabbed the crackers first. I wasn't going near the Spam so I gagged on the baby food. And it really was gross; I don't care how much you fancy green beans, you'd think it was gross, too. Brian started in on the Spam so I tackled the cinnamon. Now, I've put a teaspoon of cinnamon in a lot of things, but never in myself. Think about it...there's a teaspoon of cinnamon in a whole batch of cookies. A whole batch! Do you even know what happens when you put that much cinnamon in your mouth at one time? It zaps all the moisture from your mouth and it feels like your mouth is filled with paste. Paste that tastes like the equivalent of ten pieces of Big Red gum. I chased that down with the V8. Then I helped Brian by eating two pieces of Spam. (We were the last team eating and I don't think everyone followed the 3:2 rule so the organizers encouraged me to help Brian eat the Spam. I really wish they would have been firm about the rules. Only so I wouldn't have had to eat the Spam.)

The rest of the race was fun, even on a full stomach. We did some geocaching, lots of running, some brain teasers, and other challenges you'd expect to find on an amazing race style competition. For all my complaining, it really is a fun and unique way to get a workout with friends. Plus, our kids had fun in a nature class at the same time. They did a lot of crafts and activities and even went on a nature hike to look for bugs. They loved it!

If a city's parks and recreation department was the only thing that mattered, we live in the best city in the world. Our trails, parks, recreation centers, and classes offered through the city are outstanding. I realize we're fortunate so I plan to continue to take advantage of what the City of Chandler has to offer.

The Best Bread

2010-03-24T20:20:00.001-07:00

I baked bread for the first time today. I've been curious about it for a while, but admittedly not that curious to research recipes. I found a bread I like that doesn't have too many ingredients so I was content buying store-bought bread. Until now.

A few days ago, a friend invited me to one of those online recipe exchanges (okay, it's a chain letter), so I participated. I've received two recipes already, so it was worth the two minutes to send it on. Another friend, whom I knew I could count on to keep the chain going, sent her recipe exchange recipe to me, too. Kristin is a do-it-yourselfer. She makes her own laundry soap, her own butter, her own bread. Before she found her current wheat flour supplier, she even considered milling her own wheat. She's just as busy as I am, but every Sunday she makes two loaves of this bread. It didn't take long, I didn't have to kill my arms kneading (thank you, stand mixer and dough hook), and there are no weird ingredients. Just water, butter, honey, whole wheat flour (that's what I had on hand and it worked great), oats, yeast, salt, and eggs. Easy!

A while ago, I remember saying I'd never have time to make my own bread. Kristin proved me wrong. I'm certainly no artisan bread maker and I never will be. But this recipe is practical for me and healthy for my family. And it tastes so very good!

Honey Oatmeal Bread (makes two loaves)
prep time: 30 minutes
rise time: 1.5 hours
cook time: 30-45 minutes
done in: 2.5-3 hours

1 1/2 c water
1/3 c butter
1/2 c honey
1 c oats
5-6 c flour (bread flour works best)
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp yeast
2 eggs
butter and oats to sprinkle on top (optional)

Heat water, butter, and honey to 120-130 degrees in a small saucepan (5-10 minutes). In a bowl mix oats, salt, 5 cups of flour, and yeast. Slowly add heated liquid mixture and mix on low setting (or by hand with a wooden spoon) just until incorporated (about 1 minute). Add eggs and mix for 2 minutes more. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough is no longer sticky to the touch (or begins to clean the sides of the mixer bowl).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (You can use the heat of the oven to help the bread rise if you don't have a warm place like a window ledge.) Grease a large bowl with butter and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot. Let rise to doubled (about 1 hour).

Punch down, roll or pat out to about 1/2 inch thick on a counter top. Starting on one long side, roll dough all the way up, then cut in half and tuck the ends under. Place each half seam side down, in a greased bread pan. Cover and let rise again until doubled (about 30-45 minutes).

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when knocked.

Back to Baking

2010-03-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

As a member of the PTO board at Elizabeth's school, I've been working hard the past month or so collecting, typing, and formatting recipes for a fundraising cookbook. Quite a few of these recipes sound delicious, and I've already tried two. One of them is called an Inside-Out Chocolate Bundt Cake. The name is a little misleading; there's nothing inside-out about the cake at all. At least as far as I can tell, anyway. I think the name is referring to the fact that there's chocolate all through the cake--inside and out.

There are a mere 5 ingredients in this cake, and even though it uses a boxed cake mix and instant pudding, it's pretty good. I had a cake mix in the pantry from when I was experimenting with decorating cakes (Oh yeah. Remember that?) that I needed to use so I thought I'd give this recipe a try. I used a yellow cake mix and it was still very rich and chocolaty. The recipe comes from one of our 5th grade teachers. Thanks, Mrs. Friedel!

Inside-Out Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 small box instant chocolate pudding

1 package devil's food cake mix

12 oz chocolate chips

1 3/4 c milk

2 eggs

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed with finger. Do not overbake. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Remove and allow to cool completely on wire rack. She mentions you can dust it with powdered sugar or glaze it. I did neither. It really doesn't need it.

How do you like my milk glass cake stand? The photo doesn't do it justice. It's vintage and has a lot of pretty filigee on the plate and pedestal. It was a Christmas gift from my good friend Jennifer, and I love it!

Shaved off a Minute

2010-03-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

Brian and I went for a run this morning. I've gotten a little too comfortable at my 12 minute mile pace and he said I needed to push myself more in training. I know he's right and I do want to run faster; change just doesn't come easily for me. It was tough to keep up with him, but I hadn't really challenged myself lately with the running. Actually, he probably could have run a lot faster, but he didn't. Thanks for that, Brian. I wasn't able to hold a conversation, though. I doubt he minded.

Our first mile was 11:17. The second was 10:53, and the last half mile was 10:42. Now at least I know I can do 11 minute miles and I'm going to try to at least maintain that pace when I run alone. If I get complacent, I'll try for the elusive 10 minute mile.

Oh! And I know my times because of Heath at Garmin. I emailed customer service and he told me how to fix my Garmin. Garmin customer service doesn't have a good reputation, but I was very pleased with my service. Thanks, Heath!

Big Day

2010-03-18T22:53:00.001-07:00

I don't know which angle I should take for this post. It was an interesting training session this afternoon. Should I talk about my training partner today? My speed? What about my near crash? The fact that I did my first brick? I better just fill you in on all of it. Hey, lucky you!

My in-laws are visiting and Brian came home from work early, so we decided to go ride our bikes. We haven't ridden together since we were in San Francisco for that 20 miler, and our riding styles didn't click that day. Fortunately, this was a mere 8 miles (or 33 minutes) of togetherness. I led and he was right on my tail. I told him to back off because he was making me nervous. Then each time I tried to turn around to see if a car was behind me, all I could see was Brian. Which brings me to the next points to share.

We averaged 14.5 mph today. It would have been better if it hadn't been for the strong headwind as we were going west. What a challenge! My top speed going east was 18 mph so you know that wind created quite a resistance. But when I tried to turn around on the first lap, I had a little trouble with the U-turn.

I took that turn way too fast and I didn't have enough room to comfortably turn 180 degrees. Luckily there was a curb and I hopped off right in time. I blamed Brian for riding too close behind me and making me nervous, but I know it's because I was going too fast. Hey, training's not just about getting your body ready. It's also about learning to use the equipment and learning your body's limits. We both knew it was my own dumb fault and we were both laughing about it by the end of the ride.

Finally, this was my first brick--where you ride and then jump off your bike and start running. It doesn't sound like anything, but have you ever tried it? Do you know what your legs feel like after riding as fast as you can for 30 minutes? It's not easy to run. It feels really funky, and not in a good way. I ran for only 5 minutes, but in that time my legs never got back to normal. I'll try it again in a few days. The more I do it, the faster my legs will be able to adjust to the change in movement. Or so I've been told.

So, all in all, it was a good training session today! Maybe we'll run together in the morning.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pizza

2010-03-16T23:10:00.000-07:00

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a few months. The kids and I got around to baking it yesterday and we were all pleased with the results. Next time though, I think I'll stick the more traditional method of mixing. Because I'm convinced that's what they did to make theirs look the way it does. These instructions seem to go against everything that is sacred and holy about baking. Melt the butter completely? Normally, cookie recipes state to use room temperature butter, not melted butter. And I now know why--especially when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. Melted butter will melt your chocolate chips. Not that there's anything wrong with that; the chocolate ends up all through the pizza. But if you're looking for a puffier pizza and the chips to stay in their original form, don't melt the butter.

Our Garden

2010-03-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

We decided to start our own garden. Thanks to a local nursery who sells these garden box kits, it couldn't be easier. Well, that's what they told me. And I believed them.

This photo was taken on Day 3, and I plan to show you the progress on a weekly basis. Expect a lot of dirt shots these first few weeks. Other than the teeny, tiny tomato plant and a few strawberry plants, we planted only seeds. Looking at the photo above and moving clockwise from top right, here's what we planted: tomato, strawberries, basil, carrots, zucchini, onions, cilantro, and jalapenos.

Mother Nature has blessed us with lots of rain since this garden was planted on Saturday. They say rain water is better than hose water so I'm very optimistic. Wish us luck!

An athlete. Who, me?

2010-03-08T09:54:00.001-08:00

When is one considered an athlete? I've subscribed to the responsible, nerdy stereotype for so long that I just can't call myself an athlete. I'd like to be one, but I've never considered myself athletic. I am rather uncoordinated, slow, and not all that into sports. Do I even qualify?

Well...there was that 5K I ran on Saturday and the 14 mile bike ride I did yesterday.

So maybe I should call myself an athlete for however long it is that I can keep up with this. I know myself. My enthusiam can sometimes fade as fast as it appears. So, I better take the title while I can. I am Sara, and I am an athlete. Scratch that. Today, I sent in my registration for the Duathlon for the Cure so I am a duathlete!

My First Official Run

2010-03-06T18:26:00.000-08:00

There I am! Looking for the finish.

My first 5K run really wasn't bad. Cardio agrees with me when I have a cold, and the entire time I was running I didn't cough. When I stopped...well, that's another story. But I'm sticking with my cold as the excuse for why I wasn't able to finish with a faster time.

Those of you who run probably don't think 3 miles is a big deal. It is to me, though. Remember, I've been running for only three months. It's challenging for me to run for 30 minutes and I had to run for longer than that today. 37:16 to be exact. My body felt fine; I just couldn't catch my breath so I had to slow down and walk three times. Some of that had to do with trying to keep up with the pack. Running in a race is a lot different than running solo around the neighborhood. When everyone takes off at the start, I was tempted to run faster. I checked the Garmin and I was going at a pace that I knew I wouldn't be able to maintain--11 minute miles--but when I slowed down to 12 minute miles, it seemed like everyone was passing me. And I have a huge fear of being last.

So, this was a good learning experience. Next time I'll start off at my own pace and probably pass the people who started out too fast. Also, I'm going to keep on with my training and see if I can push myself a little harder to increase my speed.

Here's a picture of Jill and me after the race.

Tomorrow's the Day

2010-03-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

Well, all my training comes down to tomorrow morning. It's my first 5K run. I'm sick, and I have the feeling I'm not going to do well. Which really stinks because I've been training for three months and I really wanted to do well.

The last time I was timed in a 5K was in September of 1997. Michelle, my college roommate, and I walked the 5K portion of The Great Race in Pittsburgh. It took us 42 minutes. We are fast walkers and we ran the last part of the race because we were excited and it seemed like the thing to do. (Jennifer and I ran to the finish line of the half-marathon, too. There's just something about running over the line rather than walking over it.) Anyway, I'm planning on running the whole 3.1 miles tomorrow. Even if I average 14 minute miles and my pace from 1997 doesn't change at all. My goal is 11-12 minute miles, but seeing how this week is going, I should probably adjust my goal to something more attainable.

Who knows? Maybe I'll feel great in the morning and really fly out there. Don't hold your breath. I'll let you know how it goes.

Oh honestly...

2010-03-03T21:43:00.001-08:00

I'm not going to sign up for any more fitness events if it means I have to get sick right before the event. My first 5K run on Saturday should be fun with a sinus infection. I guess the bright side is that I have a good excuse for why it will probably take me 40 minutes to finish.

Dedication

2010-02-25T09:39:00.001-08:00

Why yes, that is me cycling in my family room.

The last few weeks I've been trying to stick to my training schedule for the duathlon. The three running sessions are easier to squeeze in than my two cycling sessions each week. Jill and I usually run after the kids are in bed, and we just run around the neighborhood. But the cycling is a little trickier. I'm not really comfortable with riding on the roads because every road around here (outside a subdivision) has a speed limit of 45. And riding around the neighborhood isn't really good for training. I did find a nice straight-away that isn't too busy and the speeds aren't too fast. But if Brian gets home from work too late, I can't go because I won't ride in the dark.

I know. I'm very picky.

So my valentine got me a trainer for Valentine's Day! I just plop my bike on it and ride like I'm out on the road. Except I get to watch TV. And I don't have to watch for cars or wear a helmet or get muddy and wet. Too good to be true,you say? Well, admittedly it is a little boring, but if the Olympics or Modern Family are on I can ride all evening.

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!

2010-02-19T12:39:00.001-08:00

I haven't been baking much lately. It's a combination of being way too busy with everything else and the fact that I was becoming too doughy myself. Hence the increased enthusiasm for exercise. But I did decide to bake some Valentine's Day treats for my family. Except no one really liked them. Okay, Brian and I like them, but the kids do not. Apparently my children are not sophisticated enough for shortbread and dark chocolate. Good shortbread and good dark chocolate, that is. These are very grown up cookies.

I used Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Hearts. They are delicious and so simple. However, because they are so simple, you should use good butter. I like Challenge. For the chocolate, I used a 70% Lindt Excellence bar. The shortbread just melts in your mouth and the dark chocolate is...well it's dark chocolate. Every cookie is better with dark chocolate! And as you can see in the photos, I was a little more generous with my chocolate than Martha.

Partners in Training

2010-02-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

Here I am with two of my partners in training, Jennifer and Jill. We all belong to the new Chandler Women's Tri Club, and our first official ride was 8 miles. Every Sunday we're riding like the wind. We're running on empty. We're taking it to the streets. Have I forgotten any songs of the 70s that would be fitting?

SMART Goals

2010-02-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

I remember that corporate mumbo jumbo about advancing your career by setting SMART goals. Maybe I can use it now. I'd like to look like Kristin Armstrong someday. It's specific and measurable. The time-frame would probably have to be more than a year. I'm not certain it's realistic and attainable, though. And I'm sure I'd have to cut out the sweets.

25 Minutes & Counting

2010-02-01T20:05:00.001-08:00

Jill and I made it though a 25 minute run tonight. We took our time, but we jogged for 25 minutes straight. I'm so proud of us!

So I'm training for my first 5K run in March, but I decided to kick it up a notch and sign up for a sprint duathlon in April. Basically it's a 5K run with an 8 mile bike ride, except it's split up like this: 1 mile run; 8 mile bike; 2 mile run. I'm very excited about it! Jennifer started a tri club for women and a few of our book club friends have joined. So we can all train together! Although they're all doing the sprint triathlon. I need time to get used to an idea before I run with it so I'm skipping the swimming part. Though I'm not ruling it out for next year.

Running Is Hard

2010-01-31T21:06:00.001-08:00

I know. Waaahhh.

Yesterday I tried to run for 25 minutes straight and was unsuccessful. I'm going to keep at it. Eventually I'll be able to do it. Right? Right? Right!

Maybe I started out too fast or maybe I just wasn't feeling it yesterday, but about ten minutes into the run I was pretty winded. At 15 minutes, I decided to walk for 3 minutes then run the last ten minutes. I ran only another 8 minutes. But, hey...23 minutes is the longest I've ever run. As long as I run longer next time, I'm still improving.

Stay positive, Sara.

My First 20

2010-01-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I ran for 20 minutes. I did it! It wasn't easy, though. I nearly hit the wall at 15 minutes, but I powered through. Perseverance is one of my better qualities. I hate to quit.

This is Week 6 in our training program. Tonight we'll run 8 minutes, walk 3, run 5 minutes, walk 3, and then run 8 minutes. This is our last week of running with walking breaks. For the next three weeks we'll have to run 25, 28, and 30 minutes straight. It sounds daunting, but it always sounds worse than it really is.

The 5K is March 6th so we'll have an extra two weeks to work on improving our time. We're on our way!

Couch-to-5K

2010-01-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

I had been against running for so long that it really surprised me when I began considering starting a running regimen. I always favored walking over running; I convinced myself that walking was better for my body because there's less impact. And while that's probably true, I was pretty tired of walking. I wanted to stay as active as I was while training for the 3-Day, but I was ready to try something new. And watching Elizabeth excel at running club was all the inspiration I needed.

Jennifer did the nine week Couch-to-5K training program a few months ago and she successfully completed a 5K race. I found a race at least nine weeks out (the Chandler Ostrich Festival 5K) and decided to give it a try. I found a training partner two doors down who was just as willing to start running. Jill and I run three times a week now. We're in Week 5 of the Couch-to-5K running plan. Yesterday we ran 8 minutes, walked 5 minutes, and ran another 8 minutes. Our next time out we have to run for 20 minutes straight. I'm not going to lie; I'm a little nervous about it. But I've been surprised at how easily my body accepts the challenges of this plan.

If you've always wanted to try running but weren't sure how to start, I recommend Couch-to-5K. The challenge to rest ratio is just perfect for beginners. Every week is different and sometimes even the days in one week are different. Your training is always changing so you don't get bored, and the difficulty from week to week might sound exponential to your mind, but it's gradual to your body. You'll see!

A Healthy Breakfast

2010-01-20T06:03:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to start my days without cold cereal lately. This is a major change because that's what I've eaten for breakfast all my life. But ever since I read In Defense of Food--get it, read it, try your best to live it!--I've been making small changes in my eating habits that will hopefully lead to a longer and healthier life. I can't eat eggs every morning, but I do love oatmeal. Plus, it's been so chilly in the mornings that a hot breakfast sounds good. And with the exception of the steel cut variety, oatmeal is done in no time. Though sometimes I cook the steel cut oats in the afternoon so that I have breakfast ready for the next four days.

This morning I made Ellie Krieger's cherry vanilla oatmeal. It's delicious, but with sweetened dried cherries and cherry preserves, it's probably only slightly better for me than the cold cereal I'm used to eating. It's no surprise that the kids loved it!

Okay. Here we go. This is it!

2010-01-19T12:33:00.001-08:00

Hey there. Remember me? I can't explain it, but it seems that if I get away from doing something for a while then it's hard for me to get back to doing it. So here I am. I'm back. And this time I mean it. Except...some things are going to have to change around here.

My Little Batch of Sky started as a baking blog 18 months ago, but it morphed into a little-bit-of-everything blog. When I decided to start blogging, I figured I better pick a topic because that would give me something to talk about. Little did I know how much I had to say. I don't know if you noticed, but many of my posts went off on tangents that didn't have much to do with baking. Then when I started training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day, I had to start a blog about that. Sara Walks for 3 Days is finished since the event is over, but what was so great about that blog (for me) was that it really held me accountable for my training. I didn't like making excuses in writing for all to see. Even though the 3-Day is only a memory, I would like to continue to share my fitness goals, struggles, and accomplishments.

I did realize a long time ago that it's incongruous to have a blog about baking and a blog about fitness. But I've decided to roll the two into one anyway. Life is all about the balance of good and evil, so I don't feel like I should pick one idea over the other. As long as there's more exercise than eating, I should make out pretty well. Besides, everyone deserve a treat once in a while.

Who thought of this?

2009-12-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever stuck a soft peppermint stick in a lemon and drunk the lemon juice through your homemade straw? No? I know it sounds terrible, but give it a try and then we'll talk.

Oh Bother

2009-10-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

Alton Brown owes me a waffle iron.I watched the season premiere of Good Eats last week. It was all about cooking the best breakfast. I've admitted that I can't cook a decent breakfast. Which is really unfortunate because it's my favorite meal of the day. I love breakfast foods! I just can't cook them very well. Luckily, eating out for breakfast is fun and a lovely treat.

But back to my waffle iron. Alton cooked bacon on his. Now, I never cook bacon. I shouldn't say never. I think I've cooked it a total of three times. It's not because I know how unhealthy it is (although that does play a part), but it's mostly because I'm afraid of it. Cooking it produces a lot of grease. A lot of grease leads to grease fires. And grease fires rank up there as one of my biggest fears in the kitchen. So I've just tried to avoid the chance of a grease fire by never cooking bacon or frying foods. But when I saw Alton cook bacon on his waffle iron, that didn't look scary.

Well let me tell you what is scary. Cleaning the waffle iron after you cook bacon on it. I guess I didn't really think this thing through the whole way. I mean, of course it looked easy when Alton cooked it. He's on television. Nothing is real on television. When his bacon was done, he got to eat it and then went home. They didn't show the little Good Eats grunt backstage scrubbing the waffle iron and shouting profanities. They wouldn't dare. After what felt like at least an hour, I did manage to get it clean. Or so I thought. Because over the weekend, I wanted to make some waffles for my family. Only this was the only waffle I made and it's still in the waffle iron.

Birthday Cake

2009-10-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Don't the kids look like they're having a swell time at Elizabeth's 6th birthday party? Despite what this photo conveys, I think they really did have fun. But this is the best photo I got of the cake. We took Elizabeth and a few of her friends to see Jack and the Beanstalk at a local community theater, and then we went to the pizza place next door for lunch and cake. This is the first birthday party we held outside of our home so we were a bit discombobulated. As we were leaving for the play, I happened to remember to take a picture of the cake. It was in the refrigerator; Brian came back for it between the play and lunch. Not surprisingly, that photo didn't come out too well. So this one will have to do.

I honestly didn't have high hopes for this castle cake. I got the idea from the Betty Crocker video site. Normally, the sample cake is perfect. Not this time. I don't know if Liv Hansen's cake was left out in the sun or what, but it's a bit lopsided. I figured if a professional's cake turns out like that, my doesn't have much of a chance. So even though it's far from perfect, I was pleasantly surprised when it came out looking like it did.

Peach and Raspberry Crisp

2009-09-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Utah peaches are on sale this week at Bashas' and raspberries are on sale at Fry's. So this is the perfect time to make Ina Garten's Peach and Raspberry Crisp. It's so good you don't even need to top it with ice cream or whipped cream. Although I'm sure that wouldn't taste terrible with it. Ina never lets me down. Especially when it comes to desserts. If you're not having a big gathering, I recommend halving the recipe and baking it in 9x9 pan. Unless you have fantastic willpower.

Wheat Crackers

2009-09-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

I saw an episode of Good Eats dedicated to crackers a while ago. Ever since then, I've wanted to try my hand at some homemade wheat thins. Well, here they are and here's the recipe. Things I need to work on: poking more holes so they don't bubble; rolling the dough out evenly so that the edges don't burn and the middle isn't chewy; adding more flavor.

I hope I'm not making it sound like making these crackers was a bad idea. Because they really are quite good. They're simple and inexpensive; that's for sure. I just need to make them more to perfect the process and the recipe. The herbs de provence was great. I just think I need to add some more salt. I did double the recipe, and on the second pan of crackers I added some parmesan cheese. I think next time I'll add the parmesan to the dough instead of just using it as a topping. It sort of just brushes off.

You can count on a Round Two very soon.

Oh, the Parties I'd Throw!

2009-09-09T16:25:00.001-07:00

Seriously. I'd like to have just one white milk glass cake stand. That's all.

But wouldn't it be fun to have access to all this? Of it you're a Martha Stewart fan, how about this?

Girl Scout Cookies

2009-09-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

I have had no time to bake anything lately. Between helping Elizabeth with her homework, reading, and music practice, my PTO responsibilities, getting the house in a decent sense of order, keeping the refrigerator and pantry stocked, and making sure I get in some playtime with Matthew, there's really no time to have fun in the kitchen. And I didn't even mention my latest project--starting a Daisy Girl Scout troop with my friend Jill.

Jill and I went to the Welcome to Girl Scouting meeting last night, and we walked away in a fog. They pretty much told us everything (and I mean everything) we ever wanted or didn't want to know about Girl Scouts. One of the lessons last night was on Girl Scout Cookies--their benefits for the troop and their undeniable popularity. Lately, when I've told someone that Elizabeth is going to be in Girl Scouts they immediately say something like tell her to call me at cookie time. In fact, after mentioning the training on my Facebook wall last night, there were at least two comments about the cookies. Forget the Girl Scout trefoil. Girl Scout cookies are the icon of the Girl Scouts.

In the past few years, much as been said about the change in the cookies. It seems like it all started when they announced they removed the trans fats. When you try to make any kind of cookie healthier, it just doesn't taste the same. Why does the bad-for-you stuff have to taste so good? Or maybe that's not even the reason they've changed. I'm no expert on the subject.

In any case, I've been craving Girl Scout cookies for weeks. I have my favorites, and I can't wait to bite into a Samoa in the spring. Check out the poll on the right and vote for your favorite classic Girl Scout cookie. It's just for fun.

Trip to Atlanta

2009-08-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

We were in Atlanta for a few days for my brother-in-law's wedding. The wedding was beautiful and the weather actually cooperated for this outdoor, Atlanta wedding in August. It was cooler than it had been the two previous days, dry, and sunny. It really couldn't have been better.

The color scheme of the wedding was very pretty--ivory, pale green, and peach. Their wedding cake was beautiful.

A little less elegant, but equally as impressive, was the groom's cake. The groom was the drum major in the Georgia Tech Band so his cake was inspired by his uniform.
Besides the wedding, one of the highlights of the trip was walking past Alton Brown's house. I won't reveal my source or the location of his house, but here I am out front.Do you see him in the window? Nah, me neither. Though you better believe I was looking. And looking. And looking.

Kids & Cupcakes

2009-08-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

Is there anything cuter than kids with cupcakes? My friend sent me photos of her kids enjoying the lion and bear cupcakes from last week. So sweet!

Julie & Julia

2009-08-09T21:04:00.001-07:00

My friend Kristin and I went to see Julie & Julia today. Have you heard of it? Kidding. I absolutely loved it! It is such a sweet movie. I had tears in my eyes almost from the beginning. And I think Kristin did, too. Unless she has a cold or is suffering from allergies.

Although I never really sat down and watched her show and I'm not at all familiar with Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I enjoyed finding out that Julia Child was such a sweetheart. It seems like no matter the situation, she was always herself. Her quirks were so endearing and so charming, and I fell in love. I want to know all about her now.

My friend Jennifer saw Julie & Julia last night. On our walk this morning, she told me that when the movie was over she went straight to the book store and bought Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I laughed. Except now I get it. I want that book, too. Kristin's planning to go out and buy it as well. I just want to try to make something that Julia Child made. And I really want to make those faces they make in the movie when they taste the boeuf bourguignon and the chocolate & almond cake with chocolate frosting.

Okay. All better now.

2009-08-07T13:04:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Carie and Laura, for helping me through my computer crisis. I never knew blog backgrounds could expire. I guess when something is free, you really can't get too upset if they take it away.

Argh!

2009-08-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

Someone please tell me what's up with my blog background and how I can fix it. Or do you all see it the normal way?

You Never Know

2009-08-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

A child should never have to miss a playgroup because Mommy forgot to make something or didn't have time to stop at the grocery store. What I was afraid might come off as cheap and lazy was actually perceived as cute and creative.*

*And the creative person wasn't me. I saw it done a few years ago, though I can't remember where.

Flip Flops Cake

2009-08-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

This cake was for a friend of a friend. She emailed me and said the flip flops (in orange and pink) would be perfect for a bridal shower she was throwing this weekend. Now, I wasn't sure if this was going to be the bridal shower cake, but I treated it as such. And that was the cause of my stress. And so much of it!

Things were going wrong all over the place, and I felt like a failing competitor on Cake Challenge. Thankfully, there were no cameras capturing the action or microphones recording the inevitable foul language. I nearly called the 'customer' last night to tell her that she might want to place an order at her local grocery store bakery because things were not looking good. I'm talking cake crumbs everywhere. Cakes crumbling. Worried about running out of icing. Running out of icing. Thawing frozen icing and turning green into orange! It was exciting, to be sure, but not in a good way for me. I don't handle pressure well.

Even though it was touch and go for a while last night, the whole thing finally came together in the end. It's probably not my best work, but I learned a lot of valuable lessons and that was the idea in the first place.

Cake Mixes

2009-07-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

All this cake-baking is making me wonder which is the best brand of cake mix. Or are they all the same? Do you have a favorite? Check out the poll on the right and make your choice.

Pretty Wild Cupcakes

2009-07-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

These lion and bear cupcakes are for my friend Kim. Her kids' preschool and elementary school mascots are the bears and the lions. They, along with some neighborhood kids, are marking the end of the first week of school with these cupcakes.

Brownie Bites

2009-07-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I tried making brownie bites for the first time, and I'd say it was a successful attempt. I used a mini muffin tin and got four dozen bites out of a Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie mix. I just sprayed the pan with Baker's Joy, and they popped right out. I baked them for about 18 minutes. I iced half with a peanut butter icing and half with the cream cheese frosting left over from the zucchini cake. The cream cheese icing looked great, but I over-whipped the peanut butter icing so it didn't look so nice and smooth.

I made these brownies for the lifeguards and swim instructors at the pool where my kids had their swimming lessons. They're just college students (and some high school kids) who slave away all summer keeping the community pools clean and looking great while teaching a whole mess of little ones how to swim. I wasn't sure if those kids with the buff bodies would eat them, but Elizabeth peeked into the office on the way out and shouted, "Mommy! Some of the brownies are missing!" So I guess they ate 'em.

They amuse themselves.

2009-07-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Just in case anyone is wondering what my kids do while I'm working in the kitchen....
I like to think he's stepping on her foot for dressing him in a cheerleader outfit and tap shoes. Take that, Witchy!

Order Number One

2009-07-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has placed an order for a cake! The idea is proving to be popular so I think I'll be busy for a while. I hope the experience pays off. I was pretty pleased with the way the first one turned out, but I'm begging you all to not submit any of my creations to Cake Wrecks. Please.

Here's the first cake I made for my friend Laura. I hope she and her boys enjoy this dinosaur cake!

Back to School

2009-07-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

School starts on Monday! Yes, it's a short seven-week summer, but the kids get two weeks off in October, December and March. Plus, it's hot as heck out here so the kids may as well be in school.

Our PTO is having a welcome back luncheon for the teachers tomorrow and they're having these apple cupcakes for dessert. They're just vanilla or chocolate cupcakes frosted in buttercream and dipped in sanding sugar. A pretzel stick is the stem, and I piped green melting chocolate onto waxed paper in leaf shapes. That worked out a lot better than my original plan.

The first plan was to cut green fruit roll-ups into leaves. I don't buy fruit roll-ups so I didn't realize that they don't come in green. Probably because kids don't eat anything green. Anyway, my second idea was to make chocolate leaves. I went into my back yard and got 24 leaves. I washed them, and then painted the backs of them with melting chocolate. Nine out of 24 came out.Sure, they looked pretty good. But the process just isn't practical when you need to make four dozen cupcakes. Maybe if I just needed a couple of leaves to garnish a cake.... But I don't know. Those chocolate leaves smelled like the real leaves so they probably tasted gross. And might even have been poisonous. I tossed them.

So, I ended up piping the chocolate on the waxed paper. I've watched pastry chefs do it on Food Network Challenge so I thought I was qualified to give it a try. I got better and better as I went along.

I need your help!

2009-07-13T16:56:00.001-07:00

Remember those baby rattle cupcakes from a few weeks ago? As I mentioned in that post, I learned how to make them by watching an online video. Betty Crocker has a whole collection of these how-to videos and, over the course of about a week, Elizabeth and I watched every one of them. I'd love to improve my technique, but I don't want to gain any more weight in the process. In other words, I want to bake and decorate a ton of cakes, but I don't want to have to eat them. (I think I've mentioned my disdain for wasting food.)

So, here's where you come in. Tell me to make a cake for you. Take a look at a few of these creative ideas and tell me which one you want. There are castles, flip flops, dinosaurs, trains, pirates, and more. Or find an example somewhere else and forward it to me. I really don't care where the idea comes from; I just want the practice. This doesn't have to be a cake for a big party. It can just be your family's dessert some evening. Surprise your kids! Surprise your husband! Do it just because.

Now if you still need more persuading, consider this. Because you're helping me practice (and I can't guarantee it will look great), I'll do it for you for free. Of course, I can't ship cakes so you have to live near me and I have to know you. I might be a little crazy but not so much that I go around making free cakes for strangers (unless they are friends of yours). So, please choose a cake and email me your pick! Just give me a few days notice on the delivery deadline.

Zucchini Cake

2009-07-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here's the recipe for the zucchini cake from the previous post.

Zucchini Cake
2 c sugar
1 c canola oil
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
3 c grated zucchini (or you can use carrots to make carrot cake)

Beat and mix well sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, soda and cinnamon. Slowly add dry ingredients. Fold in grated zucchini. Pour into two well-greased 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 c butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 t vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes.

Garden Variety

2009-07-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

We've been enjoying our garden lately. The tomatoes are so red and flavorful and the zucchini continues to come on strong. Summer squash, onions, peppers, and cucumbers round out the bounty. We haven't gotten too fancy with the goods yet, but here are some ways we've been enjoying our produce.

I made the recipe for zucchini patties again. As my friend Windee suggested, I topped them with cottage cheese and a slice of tomato. I will always listen to Windee. We had them for dinner and I enjoyed them for lunch the following two days. Well, the last day I ate them at 10 am because I just couldn't wait.

My mother-in-law makes a simple 'salad' out of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and green peppers. Just cut and combine the veggies and add vinegar and oil or Italian dressing. It's simple, but when the vegetables are homegrown and ultra-fresh, it's pretty darn good.
Although I've had it for over a year, we used the grilling basket for the first time. Wait. I think I grilled shrimp in it once. But we'd never grilled vegetables so we gave that a try. The zucchini and squash turned out great. It was a little undercooked the first time, but we're getting the hang of it. We lightly coat the vegetables in olive oil and then add some grill seasoning for vegetables.

Last week we had salmon with the 'salad' and brown rice. The kids ate the salmon! I was amazed. And of course I had to make a dessert. I don't know about you, but to me it seems like the best cookbooks are the ones made by a non-profit organizations such as a PTA, church group, or other kind of club. I mean, who's going to offer a recipe that's terrible when one's name will be attached to it for all his or her friends to see? Forever. I was searching for a zucchini cake and I happened upon my old high school band booster cookbook. This is Karen Elm's recipe. High school was 15 years ago so I can't even remember whose mom she is, but she makes a terrific zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting. I'll post her recipe tomorrow.

Great Snack

2009-07-05T14:07:00.001-07:00

The kids and I love to snack, but I don't like to feed them (or buy) what most might call kid snack foods. We don't usually have fruit snacks or chips in the house. Some may argue that I'm denying my kids these things, but I like to hope that I'm teaching them that they don't need them every day. Those are sometimes foods and we do eat them sometimes. Some may argue that what I do serve them isn't much better than the little packages I could buy. But, to that I say at least I know exactly what's in them. Take this snack, for instance--a banana rolled in chocolate crunch granola by Cooking Light. Sure, there's dark chocolate in the granola, but there's no corn syrup, preservatives, or other junk that would be found in something pre-packaged. Kids are kids and I don't expect mine to eat healthy foods all the time. That's no more realistic than expecting myself to eat healthy foods all the time. Planning and preparing for snack time takes a little more effort, but I'm hoping it will be worth it. I'm also hoping this whole plan doesn't backfire. When they're grown, my kids will either make smart food choices or have eating disorders. I'll keep you posted.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing says it's the 4th of July like grilled food. Well, that and fireworks. But, since our city's fireworks display doesn't start until 9:30, our kids are so young, and it's still over 100 degrees even late at night, we just go for the grilled meat and veggies. The steaks are from Bashas', but the zucchini, squash, and sweet corn are all from the garden. God bless America.

Waste Not. Want Not.

2009-06-30T10:07:00.001-07:00

I hate wasting food. I hate when the buns in the pantry get green before we eat them. I hate to throw away the leftover chicken from four days ago; sure we could probably eat it, but I wouldn't enjoy it wondering if we're all going to get sick in a few hours. I hate throwing away the last banana or peach that we didn't get to in time, or when the cookies have to be thrown out because they're too dry. Although, to be honest, it's more often that I throw out a too soft peach than a too dry cookie.

Remember those chocolate 'cupcakes' I made a few days ago? Well, I couldn't just throw them out. They might not be the right shape, but they still taste great. I thought of using them as ice cream bowls, but my friend Valerie suggested filling them with fruit. Much more sensible. And delicious, too.

Should've Known Better

2009-06-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Through experience, I've found that any dessert with 'skinny' in the title is probably a dessert I'm not going to enjoy. So why I was so excited to try these new delicious and nutritious sounding bars is a mystery. There are so many food blogs out there (many of which make me wonder why I'm even bothering with my own) with fantastic photos and recipes. I discovered Visions of Sugar Plum last week and it's a fun blog with great photos and she even creates most of her own recipes. I saw these Skinny Peanut Butter-Banana Oatmeal Bars on there and thought they looked so good and I liked all the ingredients in them. I read the comments (just in case some bleaders had any tips) and they were all positive. After I made these, I went back to review the comments and realized that no one had actually made these bars. They all basically said the bars looked good.

Well, I made them and, if you excuse the horrible photography, they don't look too much different from hers. She says they're delicious and more like a cake-like, chewier granola bar. Well, okay, but I think I would call it gummy and wheaty. I really like the concept of these bars so I'd love to find a full-fat version of them--maybe use all-purpose flour, a whole egg, and twice as much sugar and chocolate chips. That sounds better already!

Even though this recipe didn't work out, I really do like her blog and I want to try a lot of her recipes. Plus, she recently went to Vegas and took photos of her food while on vacation, just like someone else I know.

She's Having a Baby!

2009-06-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

My friend Christine (if you read sarawalksfor3days you know her as my physical therapist friend) is due next month. Our book club had a surprise baby shower for her tonight, and we celebrated with presents and these cupcakes. I don't come up with original ideas; I copy. And I learned how to make these cupcakes by watching this video. She makes it look so easy! But hey, she does that for a living. I certainly could use some practice with a pastry bag, but it's so hard to eat that much cake. Right....

All in all, cupcake crisis averted. Even though boxed cake mixes are not one of my favorite things, the homemade cupcakes attempt earlier today threw off my schedule enough that I was glad I had a mix in the pantry. It probably turned out better anyway because the cakes were yellow and they matched the lavender, green and yellow color palette. I still went with the original plan to fill the cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting and that went over in a big way. Filled cupcakes make everybody happy!

What the what?

2009-06-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well...this is going to set me back today. How do you like my cupcakes? I don't even know what I did wrong. I hadn't been checking on them and when the timer went off after 18 minutes, this is what they looked like. I've made this recipe before with great success, and I was really looking forward to chocolate cupcakes tonight. This really stinks.

More Granola Bars

2009-06-24T21:11:00.001-07:00

I promise this is the third and last time I will show you these granola bars. I've been getting some requests for the recipe lately, so I thought I'd make another mention of them. They're so good and really not that difficult to make. You won't buy granola bars after this. I make them about once a month. The recipe yields 22-24 bars. Today I used the Smart Balance butter blend instead of butter. They taste the same, but I like the texture of the butter better. Let's face it, butter is always better. Why do we kid ourselves?

Homemade Granola Bars

2 c old-fashioned oats
3/4 c wheat germ

1 c pecans, crushed (or other nut of your choice)

3/4 c raw sunflower seeds (or dry roasted--just add them when you add the fruit)

2/3 c brown sugar

1/2 c honey

4 T butter

1/2 t kosher salt

1 t vanilla

6 oz dried cranberries (or other fruit of your choice)

Preheat over to 350. Spread the oats, wheat germ nuts and raw sunflower seeds on a baking sheet. Toast them for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning.

Combine the brown sugar, honey, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

After the oat mixture is toasted, turn it out into a mixing bowl. Add the cranberries and pour the brown sugar mixture on top. Stir to combine well. Prepare a large baking dish by draping it with parchement paper. Allow enough parchment to fold over the top of the dish. Spread the granola mixture with a rubber spatula. Using oven mitts, fold over the parchment and press down on the granola, creating a level surface. Allow the bars to sit in the parchment for 2-3 hours to cool.

Carefully turn out the large granola bar onto a cutting board and peel away the parchment. Cut into bars by firmly pressing down (not sawing) with a large butcher knife.

The Photo Game

2009-06-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged in another blog game. I only wish I knew more people with blogs so I can tag you!

The Rules:

1) Go to your photo files…Select the 6th photo folder

2) Select the 6th photo in that folder

3) Post that photo along with the story behind it.

4) Then challenge 5 blog friends to do the same!

Here's my picture:
My aunt is probably horrified that she's on a blog post. Although she has no reason to be because this is a great picture of her. This is my Aunt Mamie and Uncle Drew. They came out with my parents to visit us during the summer of 2003, and it was the first time either of them had seen the West. I think. Anyway, we took them to all the Phoenix tourist hot spots like the top of South Mountain, Dolly Steamboat, and this old ghost town. We also went on a fun day trip through Prescott, Jerome and Sedona. And they and my parents took an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon when Brian and I had to go to work. I love my Aunt Mamie. She's a lot of fun and I've always envied the relationship she and my mother have. It makes me wish I had a sister, too.

I now tag Team Thompson, The Perham Gang, and A Little Bit Nuts, A Lot Cute because, well, that's all the bloggers I know who haven't been tagged yet. And oh my goodness, I just realized my friend Kathleen has a blog and she didn't even tell me! I tag her, too.

Graham Crackers

2009-06-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

I've been curious about homemade graham crackers for a while, but I always figured I'd have to go out and buy some graham flour or other ingredients that I don't usually keep on hand. Then one night last week Alton Brown's Good Eats focused on making crackers, and he made it look pretty simple. It was a very entertaining show, and I really liked the bit on Sylvester Graham. Catch it if you can.

Anyway, we were invited to a recipe exchange and I thought that would be the perfect time to try to make my own graham crackers. I didn't use Alton Brown's recipe because he measures by weight and I don't have a kitchen scale, so I used a recipe from another person I trust, Martha Stewart. Her graham cracker recipe had basic pantry staples, too, so I gave hers a try. Maybe I didn't roll them out thin enough because some stayed a little chewy instead of getting crunchy. And they sure are buttery! I'm not sure they're a healthy alternative to store-bought graham crackers, but at least they don't have any preservatives in them.
I also found a very tasty pumpkin dip in my Cooking Light cookbook. I know this isn't the season for pumpkin, but who cares? Besides, the hostess of the recipe exchange requested we not bring anything with egg or nut ingredients because her child is allergic. So, I took something with dairy that my son couldn't eat. What kind of mother am I? (I did take something else for him so I can't be all bad.)
Pumpkin Dip

3/4 c (6 oz) block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c canned pumpkin

2 t maple syrup

1/2 t ground cinnamon

Beat first 3 ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Add syrup and cinnamon and beat until smooth. Cover and chill.

Muffins for Dad

2009-06-21T14:08:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth and I made some muffins this morning for Father's Day. It's the first time I used this recipe for Pumpkin Muffins, and they're really very good. I didn't top them with pumpkin seeds, though. They were beautiful--so high and plump! I must be getting better at dividing the batter evenly because the muffins were all pretty darn close in size. I was so proud of us.

Happy Father's Day!

Way to go, Pens!

2009-06-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

...and happy birthday, Drew! Sometimes my friends and family share their kitchen creations with me and I, in turn, share them with the world. Ha. That's funny.

My best friend since fifth grade recently had a party in celebration of her 2 year old's birthday. Their whole family loves the Pittsburgh Penguins. Drew's birthday is in May and, lucky for them, the Penguins' season gets really exciting right around his birthday. They celebrated with a penguin theme and Lori and her mother-in-law created these adorable cupcakes!

Oh how my garden grows!

2009-06-16T20:22:00.001-07:00

Right now, the garden is producing loads of zucchini, squash, green chilis and tomatoes. I'm having trouble keeping up. We enjoy it all, but there is so much zucchini! We love it, but I'm worried we'll get tired of it. At first we were just sauteing it with olive oil, but you can only eat so much. We have to find some recipes for zucchini. If you have any, please share. I'm specifically looking for a great zucchini bread recipe.

I did try to make zucchini bread. Sorry, I must not have taken any pictures of it. I used a Paula Deen recipe and it was okay. It wasn't too flavorful, and it really stuck in the pans.

Leslie shared her family's recipe for zucchini patties (or pancakes). They were really good and we used some of the green chilis in them, too. Great flavor!

Zucchini Patties

1/2 c Bisquick

1 c zucchini

1 c cheese

1 egg

diced green chili and onion to taste

Mix and fry like pancakes.

And while my mother was here, she battered and fried some zucchini. I don't fry things (and not just for health reasons). I have a somewhat irrational fear of hot oil and grease fires. Hey, given my track record with burns from my oven, maybe it's not so irrational. Anyway, we all enjoyed the fried zucchini...even my dad!

I Heart San Francisco

2009-06-15T21:06:00.001-07:00

In celebration of our ten year wedding anniversary, Brian and I took a trip by ourselves to San Francisco. There's a lot to see and do there, so I did my research beforehand by checking out some guidebooks and planning our itinerary. So many books dedicated so many chapters to dining in this city. There's truly something for everyone in San Francisco. For this reason, I wasn't surprised that every time I told someone we were going to San Francisco they mentioned something I must eat while there--clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, dim sum in China Town, seafood at Fisherman's Wharf, and Ghirardelli chocolates, just to name a few. Well, I'm proud to say that I did indeed eat my way through San Francisco. And this blog will serve as proof. Yes, I took photos of everything I ate on vacation. Yes, sometimes I had to use the flash. Yes, I may have been a little shy about it at first, but it's San Francisco after all. Apparently, shy people are not allowed so I quickly got over it.

Sunday evening, we stayed close to our hotel and had dinner in Union Square. My trusty guidebook, which we were never without, recommended Kuleto's, an Italian restaurant specializing in seafood dishes. We were not disappointed. In fact, my two favorite meals were my first and my last in San Francisco. My Caeser salad was a bit surprising, though.

My mother would have died! My father would have sent it back. I, however, initially looked at Brian with wide eyes and then cautiously dug in. Sometimes I talk a good talk, but I'm no foodie and I apparently had never had a real Caesar salad until then. The anchovy certainly makes it a little fishier than I've become accustomed to, but not necessarily in a bad way. The real thing is much tangier than the paste. And I like tangy. For the main course, I had the risotto with shrimp and scallops and Brian had the linguine and clams. It was the best risotto I've ever had; it was creamy but not too rich, and the shrimp and scallops were fresh and cooked perfectly. Brian really enjoyed the linguine and there were easily between 30 and 40 clams in that dish. The service was top-notch which made a pleasant dining experience that much more enjoyable. If ever in San Francisco again, we're going to Kuleto's. Okay. Breakfast doesn't count. Our hotel offered a free continental breakfast and we took advantage of it. I didn't take any pictures. Bagels and instant oatmeal are decidedly unimpressive.

For lunch on our first day, we had to go to Boudin for the chowder bowl. Clam chowder with fresh clams in real San Francisco sourdough bread. No further explanation is required. Are you drooling yet?And because this was our first day and all, we really overdid it on the walking. Truly we did. See this post as confirmation. To reward ourselves, we stepped into Mara's Italian Pastries in North Beach (aka Little Italy) for a cannoli. Yum! But really, I've never met a cannoli I didn't like. And why yes, we did take a bite out of it before remembering to snap the photo.
We were exhausted but rejuvenated when Brian's cousin Aaron picked us up for dinner. He took us to the real China Town (a few blocks within the Richmond District) to the Shanghai Dumpling King. We were having such a good visit and enjoying the food that I kind of spaced on the photography. Below are the lemon chicken and noodle dishes. I forgot to get a photo of the Shanghai dumplings and the spicy green chives dumplings, but it doesn't matter. Although dumplings vary in flavor, they all pretty much look the same. These tasted fantastic. The photo above is of the sugar egg puff complimentary dessert. It tasted great but was a little on the greasy side. Go figure, huh?

Tuesday morning we visited the de Young museum. We didn't eat there, of course, but because this is a food blog, I'll show you one of my favorite pieces there:

Next we headed over to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. We had some tea, crackers, and cookies at the tea house. The snack was the spicy oriental snack mix found in most bulk bins and convenience stores, and the cookies were of the sesame and cashew variety. Although not very impressive, the tea was hot and felt good after walking around the chilly garden.

Per Aaron's (and my guidebook's) recommendation, we ate lunch at Pluto's in the Haight. Our vacation diets up until then didn't include too much roughage so the salads were a welcome change. It's basically a make-your-own salad place except that they make it for you. My protein was roasted turkey (and it tasted like Thanksgiving!) and Brian loved the grilled portobello.

Our dinners that night were a let down. We wanted fresh seafood so we went to Fisherman's Wharf. Apparently only one of San Francisco's top-ten seafood restaurants is at the Wharf. We thought Neptune's Palace would be a safe bet, but the only real reason to go there is for the view. Brian's coippino was lackluster and my sole would have been tasteless without the sauce, which happened to be overpowering. And my mashed potatoes were not hot. All in all, the food was very disappointing but we were able to watch the fog roll in and then out within the span of 90 minutes.
But, somehow, the world-famous Ghirardelli dark chocolate hot fudge sundae we had later that evening made everything better.

On our last full day of vacation, we went on a twenty mile bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and through Sausalito and Tiburon. During our stop in Sausalito, we treated ourselves to a scoop of ice cream at Lappert's. I tried a new flavor combination that, frankly, I'm sorry I didn't think of first--banana caramel chocolate chip. It's like all my favorites rolled into one. Brian had raspberry brownie.

Once we finally made it to Tiburon, we had lunch bayside at Sam's Anchor Cafe. I had $17 fish and chips and Brian had a $16 fried oyster sandwich. They were okay, but we almost had to fight the seagulls for them.

That night we had dinner in North Beach. Aaron (and, again, my guidebook) recommended Sodini's. I had the gnocchi and Brian had penne with prawns in a white wine sauce. Both dishes were delicious, the atmosphere was cozy and homey, and the service was warm and attentive. It was comfort food at its best!

On the way back to the cable car stop, we popped into Mara's again for a tiramisu to go. A couple hours later, this dessert topped off our vacation.I can't wait to go back and try more of what San Francisco has to offer.

Elizabeth's Favorite

2009-05-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

We all have at least one--a dish that tastes so good but you hardly ever make it because: a) it can't be whipped together in less than a half hour, and b) it contains ingredients you don't normally have on hand. Making and serving this dish is almost like an event. We tend to save these dishes for special occasions or when we want to impress someone. This is my special occasion dish and it's one that I must make every year on a certain October day for Elizabeth's birthday. It's so good, though, that I make it probably every other month because we crave it and go crazy over it...except for Matthew because cheese is pretty prominent in this recipe.

I'm speaking, of course, of Giada's Lasagna Rolls. I watched her make these on her show once and I was tempted to lick the TV; I might have if it hadn't been so dusty. The theme of that particular show was 'Italian Fast Food,' and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that this is not Italian fast food. It certainly doesn't taste like Fazoli's, but you just can't make lasagna rolls fast. As if you need proof, the first step is making a bechamel sauce. Then you have to mix the filling together, and cook the lasagna, and line the noodles with the filling, and roll them up, and top them with her Quick Marana Sauce (Wait! Making that sauce is the real first step.), and finally bake it for 35 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes. And she calls it fast food.

Heck, Giada can call it anything she wants. She's a chef after all, so maybe this is fast food to her. It doesn't matter. They taste amazing and Elizabeth eats spinach with relish. (I do hope you know that she's not eating it with minced pickles.) It's her favorite.

Will Work for Food

2009-05-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

How do you like my garden? Okay. I admit calling this my garden is like a mutual fund investor saying he owns PepsiCo. Since we moved into our house nine years ago, Brian has dreamed of a garden. I've experimented with herbs a few times (no, not that way), because I've been told that "basil and cilantro just go crazy here." Maybe it would work if I sprang for the plants, but we just started with seeds indoors and the plants die as soon as we take them outside. That reminds me of the time I brought a tiny little oak tree back from Pittsburgh thinking I'd grow a huge oak tree in my Arizona backyard. My dad said, "You're taking that tree to Phoenix? Why don't you just throw it in front of a bus?" Ahhh, I digress.

Jennifer was showing off her garden lately, and I was a little envious. I wish I was able to plan a garden, research how to take care of everything, know when to plant what, and commit to watering it, because let's face it, if you skip one watering the whole thing goes up in smoke (almost literally--it's that hot). Then, this opportunity arose. This garden is my friend Leslie's. Actually, it's hers and mine and another family's. She and her husband (who knows what he's doing and does everything the right way--which is obviously a huge benefit for me) planted this garden about six weeks ago. Yes, six weeks ago and look at it! Zucchini, peppers, onions, herbs, tomatoes, corn, watermelon and squash for all.

All I have to do is pull weeds, and I'm pretty sure I can handle that. I must really be getting into it because they went away for the weekend and I offered to water. The kids and I went over this morning and it was like a day down on the farm on a county island in suburbia. These horses are her neighbors', but the kids sure liked talking to them.

About seven years ago, long before it was fashionable, I participated in a CSA program. Once a week I drove out to The Little Farm in Gilbert at Higley and Queen Creek Roads and picked up a bag of whatever grew on that farm that week. We ate all kinds of lettuce, greens, onions, and squash, but there were also lots of turnips and beets. Occasionally, we'd be lucky enough to get pecans and fruit, but what we loved most of all were the farm fresh eggs. And oh my, look who lives on Leslie's farm!

And look what I earned today!

I know what's for breakfast tomorrow.

Here's a photo of my very first earnings last week and what we did with it. I just sauteed the zucchini in olive oil and seasoned it with kosher salt and pepper. Simply delicious.

Who would have thought I'd have such a productive garden?

Check it out!

2009-05-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty lazy lately. To see amazing cakes, click here.

Desserts All Around

2009-05-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Our PTO hosted a potato bar for the teachers last week as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. I asked one of the officers if they had anything lined up for dessert and I offered to make something. She thought it was a good idea. Then she told me the lunch would be for 65 people and said, "Do you still want to do it?" Oh, sure. I'm not busy or anything. No, seriously. I was very happy to do it. Even if I was up a little too late that night and didn't even get to watch any of my Thursday night shows on Thursday night. Hey, teachers are more important than TV.

I ended up making some cookies and cupcakes because they thought the teachers would prefer something they could eat on the run. I hate to beat a dead horse here, but these flower cupcakes are the cutest cupcakes I make so here they are again. I also made some oatmeal raisin cookies and my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe ever (which just happens to be low-fat!). I've gushed about that chocolate chip recipe from Cooking Light before, but my mother told me about these oatmeal raisin cookies. The recipe on the lid of the Quaker Oats container is the best homemade oatmeal raisin cookie I've ever had. And apparently, the teachers agree. Some even asked for the recipe and, sadly, I had to tell them where it came from.

I made some more oatmeal raisin cookies today for my MOMS Club service project. Every year, we take dozens of cookies to a local hospital's NICU. This is the third year our club is doing it and it's a service project that means a lot to me. Two and half years ago, I was a mom in that NICU and I received cookies from another MOMS Club. I asked our club to pay it forward and we've been doing it ever since. Here's what it looked like the first year. That crazy gal is my soon-to-be sister-in-law (wow, that's a lot of hyphens), Meg. And check out Matthew in this photo! He's six months there. Meg just graduated from college this weekend so please give her a whoop whoop, or whatever the kids are saying these days.

Spaghetti, Anyone?

2009-05-07T08:43:00.001-07:00

Did you ever have one of those days? I have them a lot.

Why Can't I Make Breakfast?!

2009-05-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

I have some catching up to do for the last week or so. I'll go in order and start with one of our recent breakfasts.

I should admit that making breakfast is not my forte. I can't really make a pancake. Isn't that weird? To not be able to make a pancake? I mean, I do make them, but they're not like ones you'd get in a restaurant--all evenly cooked, fluffy and golden brown. Mine come two ways: dark and crunchy or pale and soggy. Yum, right? To be fair, I was making my pancakes from Bisquick. Although I grew up on Aunt Jemima pancakes, Brian' mom used Bisquick. And, like a few other things I converted to for his sake (Colgate over Crest, Lever 2000 over Jergens, real rice over Uncle Ben's), I started making pancakes out of Bisquick. I read Alton Brown's baking book and had the revelation that the reason my pancakes are no good is because I'm not making them from scratch. So I tried his recipe and it was even worse than the Bisquick version. The batter was so runny that I had to keep adding flour to it. He may be on to something with that measuring with a scale method. I'm sorry I don't have the evidence to share the results with you, but believe me, they weren't pretty AND I forgot to add the salt. They seriously tasted like nothing.

Last weekend, I tried his recipe for waffles. They tasted good, but not too much different than Bisquick's. And with his, there was a heck of a lot more measuring to do than Bisquick's.

Why does the coloring look so uneven, you say? Well, I'll give you a hint. It has something to do with that big puddle of batter to the right of the waffle maker. See it? Here's a better angle.

I followed his recipe exactly, but perhaps his waffle maker is larger than mine or maybe my disher isn't 2.5 ounces. I've been meaning to check on that. In any case, after the first waffle, I realized I had to let the batter sit on the iron a few seconds before I closed the top. That eliminated the Niagra Falls effect and caused the uneven coloring (because the bottoms of the waffles were nice and brown). They still tasted good and my family loved them. I just had to suffer through comments from Elizabeth and Brian like "Well this is a fine mess" and "What happened over here?" I'll let you guess who said what.

Sugar Cookies

2009-04-27T08:26:00.001-07:00

I bought this set of cookie cutters a few years ago and it has proved to be a wise $6 investment. I know people (a lot of them just like me) go crazy over copper cookie cutters, but I'm a fan of the plastic ones. Gasp! There's no denying the copper ones are beautiful and expensive--which must mean that they're better, right? Not so fast, I say. Although copper cookie cutters won't rust, they can bend just as easily as their aluminum counterparts. With plastic cutters, you needn't worry about rust, bending or spending your kids' college funds to get a set of 101. Did I mention it cost $6 for the whole box? One copper cookie cutter can cost twice as much. Okay, the set was $9.99 and I used my 40% off coupon at Michael's, but does anyone ever pay full price for anything at Michael's?

An added bonus of plastic cookie cutters is that it provides endless amusement for my kids. They pull out the box and sort by color, by holiday, by animal, by shape...whatever they fancy. Of course, I do have to take the extra step of washing each cutter before I actually make a cookie with it, but that's a small price to pay. I assure you, if I had a box full of copper cookie cutters, my kids would never get to play with it.

The other day, they were playing with the cutters and I told them to pick one cutter each to make cookies. I had some leftover dough from Easter cookies (that I forgot to take photos of) so we rolled it out and made cookies. Elizabeth picked a heart with an arrow through it and Matthew picked a moon. Cookies for no reason. It doesn't get much better than that.

Have a Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T10:34:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter!

My mother-in-law gave me this pan for my birthday last year. It came from Williams-Sonoma so it has their special GoldTouch finish. Last year, I was so anxious to use the pan that I just put together a boxed cake mix and baked it. Do not try. There isn't enough batter in a boxed mix so the bunny is tailless, earless, and looks terribly undernourished. This year, I used the cake recipe that came with the pan and the results were great! The cakes just slipped right out of the pan with no trouble and I couldn't believe how evenly they baked. I didn't even have to level off the top. Look....

The decorating took about an hour and a half. Not too bad considering this was my first pass at three dimensions and basketweaving. I made the cakes yesterday because they needed to cool and then they needed to be refrigerated to make them stick together. So, there was quite a bit of inactive prep time. The decorating would have taken less time if I didn't have to keep putting the pastry bag in the freezer. I always have icing consistency issues so I have to plan that into my total time. You know me. I just exude warmth so I had to keep cooling the icing. I would even stop now and then and hold some ice cubes in my hand to keep the icing from getting too soft.

I must go and get myself ready now. Grandma will be here soon, and I still have to dry my hair. I just wanted to make sure I did this post before it was no longer relevant. I hope you all have a very happy Easter. Here's a photo of the other side of the bunny cake. The smaller the photo, the better he looks.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-04-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I finally made cookies with my new Williams-Sonoma GoldTouch sheet pans. The pans came with a recipe for chocolate chip cookies so I had to try it. They're good. I still like the Cooking Light chocolate chip cookies the best, though. These cookies are a cross between Alexis's brown sugar chocolate chip cookies and the familiar Nestle Tollhouse recipe. I ended up giving some away to friends for Easter because I had eaten three before 11:00 this morning.

I love Williams-Sonoma's recipes. They are extremely thorough. Dare I say their recipes are fool-proof?

Williams-Sonoma Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 sticks room temperature butter
1 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the brown and granulated sugars, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the pan, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to the rack and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Makes 36 cookies.

Happy Birthday, Shelly!

2009-04-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

My Bundt pan and I are having a love affair. I used to turn my nose up at Bundt cakes because they seemed so dated, but it seems these cakes are in the midst of a revival. Williams Sonoma is selling the 25th anniversary pan for $34, but Brian's grandmother gave me her old Bundt pan and it's the same. It's likely that this pan is 25 years old so I love the fact that it's vintage.

Here's the latest creation in my pan. I made this cake for my friend and neighbor Shelly who celebrated her birthday last week. She watches Matthew every other week while I go to music class with Elizabeth and sometimes in a pinch, but she won't let me pay her. This was my way of thanking her for all she does to help me out. This is a Paula Deen recipe that uses pantry staples. I admit that I haven't tasted it, but it smelled great! Paula serves this cake at her Savannah restaurant, The Lady & Sons.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
4 eggs
1 1/2 c water
1 t vanilla
1 package butter recipe cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding, 3.4 oz
1 package instant chocolate pudding, 3.4 oz
1/2 c melted butter, 1 stick
1/4 c vegetable oil
6 oz chocolate chips
powdered sugar for dusting (I went a little overboard)

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan or Bundt pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, water, and vanilla by hand. Stir in the cake mix and pudding mixes. Slowly add thr butter and oil, and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Sift powdered sugar over the cake or drizzle chocolate sauce over it, if desired.

Dinner before Dessert

2009-04-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to handle having two blogs. How do these people with four and five blogs do it? I don't know. They must not have kids or a house or ever volunteer. No. That can't be it.

I do have a big baking project coming up so maybe I'm just gearing up for that. It's a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. I plan on sending a variety cookies with Brian to work (with any luck, on a day where there are no layoffs) and putting out a donation box. I'm thinking of including order forms they can put in the box as well. Then Brian can take back more cookies to his friends. I guess you can call it a bake sale. I even have a slogan--Finding a cure never tasted so good.

In the meantime, you're stuck looking at photos of our dinners. Sorry. More fun stuff to come soon. I promise.

These pork chops are yummy. As a matter of fact, that's what they're called in Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook. I got that book as a Secret Santa gift way back in 1998 when I worked at Mid Atlantic Capital Group, and I go to it often for quick meal ideas.

Yummy Pork Chops

4 pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick (about 1.25 pounds)

3 T soy sauce

3 T ketchup

2 t honey

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork in ungreased 8x8 baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over pork. Cover with foil and bake about 45 minutes or until pork is slightly pink in center. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer. I serve it with brown rice with some of the sauce poured over it.

What's another pound or so?

2009-03-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

I remember when I used to go buy things I needed to make something. Now it seems I'm searching for recipes to use up what I have. The two tubs of sour cream seemed like a good idea at the time. Oh, I'll use it. Now there's a quarter left in one, the other hasn't even been opened yet, and they expire in a week. I needed a recipe (or two or three) to use up some of this sour cream.

I pulled out my Paula Deen cookbook, and she came to my rescue. This pound cake is fantastic! Even if I did have a little trouble getting it out of the pan. Next time I'll prepare the pan better. This cake's not light by any means, but is any Paula Deen recipe light? Pound cake has the reputation of being plain, but for all its basic ingredients, it's surprisingly flavorful.

I love this cake all by itself. But, the day after I made it, Smitten Kitchen made a pound cake with strawberry coulis (a strawberry sauce). I was hopeful the coulis would make the cake even better, but I was really disappointed. I suppose it could have been my supermarket strawberries. Those never taste like the ones from a farmers market or, even better, the berries you pick at a farm. But, this is not that season so I settled for the ones at the store. It was okay, but I liked the pound cake better without it. Maybe I'll try again when the berries are in season.

Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake

2 sticks butter

3 c sugar

1 c sour cream (I used light)

3 c all-purpose flour

1/2 t baking soda

6 eggs

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together; add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 hour, 20 minutes.

I will make you something!

2009-03-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

This is the latest and greatest in blog chain letters--I will make something just for you. (And it may or may not be a baked good.)

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me. This offer does have some restrictions so please read carefully:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
- What I create will be just for you.
- It will be done this year (2009).
- It will be something made in the real world and not something over the internet.
- It can be anything. The anticipation is half the fun.

In return, all you need to do is post this text into a blog of your own and make 5 things for 5 other people. Make sure to comment here that you are interested in my little gifty and then post it in your blog. Void where prohibited, use only as directed, for a limited time only, store in a cool dry place. Let's keep it going!

Hello, My Name is Sara

2009-03-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

...and I'm addicted to guacamole. I guess there are worse things one could be addicted to. Yes, avocados have a high fat content, but it's the good fat and they still somehow manage to be low in calories. Plus they have all those good vitamins like E and C and I don't know what else. Too much science for my little brain, but I know they're good for me. And they must be in season because they are so darn cheap right now. Every week, grocery stores are advertising them for 88 cents each, 77 cents each, or (Gasp!) two for $1. Of course, all these sales are only feeding my addiction. I'm a purist, so here's my guacamole recipe.

Guacamole
3 ripe avocados
juice of half a lemon
Kosher salt to taste

Mash together. How easy is that? I find a pastry blender works best.

So, the guacamole is good for me, but the chips I'm eating with it are not. Help me please. What else can I top with guacamole?

Aloha from...Tempe?

2009-03-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

I know this week is typically dedicated to all things Irish, but Brian and I took the kids to a Hawaiian festival yesterday. Brian and his friends at work have a couple of favorite places to eat lunch and one of them is Aloha Kitchen. Last time he was there, he picked up a flier for the Arizona Aloha Festival. We were looking for something to do yesterday so we headed to Tempe Beach Park. We ate fantastic Hawaiian barbeque, had fun listening to a lot of ukelele music and watching many hula dancers, and enjoyed this refreshing Hawaiian ice during one of the shows. I wonder if I can make Hawaiian ice at home?

Cheap Eats

2009-03-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Zucchini was on sale for 77 cents a pound this week at Sprout's so, naturally, I over-bought. Luckily, my Cooking Light cookbook had this recipe for zucchini bread. What's more, there's a lemon glaze so I could use another lemon. It's easy to make and you can change it up. Instead of two smaller loaves, make one big loaf or muffins. With the exception of the zucchini and maybe lemon, you most likely have everything you need to make this bread right now. If you need a lemon, call me.

Lemon-Glazed Zucchini Quick Bread

2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/4 t nutmeg

1 cup finely shredded zucchini

1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 T lemon zest

1 large egg

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 T fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour through nutmeg in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, zest and egg in a bowl; add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8x4 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and allow to cool completely on rack. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice with a whisk. Drizzle over loaf.

Coupon Crazy

2009-03-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight at book club, we were talking about using, perhaps over-using, our coupons. Since we attended our Shopping Cents Workshop, we've been stocking up on the products our households use by purchasing as many as we can at rock bottom prices. It's addictive. For some, our cabinets are overflowing with toothpaste. For me, my pantry shelves are full of cereal. We really do love our cereal here, but enough is enough. I've sworn off buying cereal unless I can get it for less then $.50 a box. This is why:

Yes, 31 boxes of cereal should keep us well fed for quite some time.

A New Challenge, Another Blog

2009-03-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

I've decided to participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day this year. I've been thinking about doing this walk for a few years, and this seems like a good year to accomplish that goal. It's a big commitment but it's worth it. My good friend Jennifer and I are going to do this together along with her friend and some of her friends. It's all about women (and some men, too) coming together to fight breast cancer.

To commemorate the experience, I've started a new blog. It's going to be a candid look (which means it will be painfully honest) at my complete 3-Day experience from start to finish. It will be so much more than just documenting my training. To be sure, if all goes well there will be a lot of that, but I plan to include everything from anxiety about fundraising to pains in my feet to the thrill of walking 60 miles in three days! It will be like an online diary. Oh wait. It will be a web log. Check it out.

Sara Walks for 3 Days

Gilbert Grape Fruit

2009-03-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

My grapefruit tree finally has a name! Thank you to John Bee for your wit and creativity. A bunch of grapefruit will be on your doorstep shortly. And thank you to everyone who submitted a moniker for my little tree. It was hard to choose from the list.

I don't really think so.

2009-03-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

When it comes to food choices, I like to play it safe. I'm no foodie, and I'm not one for the exotic. I remember when I was going to meet Brian's family for the first time. It was September 1997, and I was pretty nervous about 'meeting the parents.' Then Brian told me we were going to dinner at Sushi Too in Pittsburgh's Shadyside and all that nervousness turned to terror. A Japanese restauarant? Sushi? Can I really pretend to like raw fish? I'm going to look like an idiot with chopsticks! Well, turns out Brian's dad wasn't too interested in assessing my chopsticks ability, and his mom told me to "go for it" and put the whole piece of sushi in my mouth, which if you haven't guessed by now was a California roll. See? Safe.

Other than fixing rice two or three times a week, I haven't ventured much into Japanese cooking. Grandma showed us both how to roll sushi and I have my mother-in-law's (which is probably Grandma's) recipe for teriyaki chicken. And I make it a lot. I never knew that teriyaki sauce is just sweetened soy sauce. This chicken is so tasty and so easy. The original recipe calls for a whole chicken (cut up) to be baked in a 350 degree oven for two hours, basting periodically. My simplified version is to put the chicken (we like all drumsticks because then there is less fighting) in a crock pot on low for 5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

Teriyaki Chicken
1 whole chicken, cut up
OR about 3 lbs chicken pieces of your choice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar

Combine soy sauce and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Place chicken in a 9x13 pan or crock pot. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours (basting periodically) or cook on low for 5 hours or high for 2-3 hours.

We like it served with rice and steamed broccoli.

Moving On....Plus a Contest!

2009-02-27T13:12:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned, from December through February I'm up to my neck in lemons. But from early February through April, my grapefruit tree is creating yet another bounty that I can hardly keep up with. Maybe you're looking at the above photo and thinking it doesn't look too fruitful. Well, it seems grapefruit are a little sun-shy. They like to hide underneath the leaves. See below.

Incidentally, my grapefruit tree has yet to be named. Would you like to name him/her? I'm holding a contest for its naming rights and the prize is a bunch of fresh grapefruit from the tree you just named! Creativity is encouraged. To enter, please leave a comment on this post by midnight on March 6th.

I thought it was hard to be creative with lemons; it would seem you can make even less with grapefruit. (Way to promote the contest, Sara.) The juice is very tasty and very healthy, unless you're taking any medications because grapefruit and some drugs don't work well together. I decided not to buy orange juice for a while. We're going to have grapefruit juice each morning instead. Because it's just as good for us and it's free. And none of us is taking any medications so it's cool. Here's me using my KitchenAid citrus juicer attachment. Does this photo make anyone else think of Oobi?

These grapefruit are super juicy. In comparison, twelve lemons yield one cup juice. I juiced twelve grapefruit and got six cups of juice. Look how pretty!