{soccer camp}

I don't have a lot of time, but I thought I'd post some pictures from soccer camp. Tomorrow is the last day :(

I took some video, too, but that'll take me a few days to upload.

{bits and pieces}

We've been busy lately, so I thought I'd take a minute to catch everyone up...

...Soccer camp starts tomorrow for Gerard and he is so excited. He wants to wear his shin guards all the time and tells me he wants to be goalie. I've tried explaining to him that they're probably not going to be playing actual games just yet, but he doesn't seem to care. He wants to be goalie.

...The other night Gerard told us he didn't want to go to sleep. Do you know why? Because he decided he wanted to be nocturnal. Nocturnal!? I taught 7th graders who couldn't remember what it meant to be nocturnal. I know I'm biased, but my son is a genius!

...Morgan is laughing and smiling so much now. It's so cute and just melts our hearts! Even Gerard just giggles any time Morgan smiles at him.

...Morgan is still not sleeping through the night. Some nights she wakes up once, some nights it's twice. I can't wait until this phase is over.

...Lynn, Mary K and Gail are coming to visit tomorrow! I hope Big Gerard can put up with all the girl talk and gossip while they're here! I'm so excited!!!!

...I've been sticking to my resolution to try to make new recipes each week. Darci gave me a delicious and relatively healty recipe for fettucine alfredo. Turns out it was from an old Cooking Light. Here it is:


Fettuccine Alfredo

1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cracked black pepper

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 399 (30% from fat); FAT 13.5g (sat 8g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 21.3g; CHOLESTEROL 34mg; CALCIUM 451mg; SODIUM 822mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.9g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007

...I've made a few other new recipes that were worth posting. Both from Cooking Light:

Little Italy Chicken Pitas with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Use oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to prepare the vinaigrette for this zesty sandwich. Chilled green grapes are a cool side.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
1 tablespoon chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 3/4 pound) (I used rotisserie chicken)
1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
3 cups mixed baby greens

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomato, cheese, and basil. Line each pita half with 1/4 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita halves.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)

CALORIES 342 (24% from fat); FAT 9.1g (sat 2.8g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 26.4g; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 162mg; SODIUM 397mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.3g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo

Sear the scallops while the orzo cooks. Serve this easy but impressive meal with a green salad, garlic bread, and a crisp white wine.

Cooking spray
1/2 cup prechopped onion
1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in pasta, broth, wine, and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente. Stir in chopped chives and lemon juice. Keep warm.
Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with salt and pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with pasta mixture.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 4 1/2 ounces scallops and about 3/4 cup pasta mixture)

CALORIES 480 (10% from fat); FAT 5.1g (sat 1.7g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 60.9g; CHOLESTEROL 122mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 875mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.5g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

...We still go to the park on Tuesdays with friends from preschool. Here are a few pictures from last week:





...and a cute one from yesterday at home:

{big gerard's birthday and another recipe}

Last week was big Gerard's birthday, but he had to work late so we celebrated the next night. Little Gerard helped me make his birthday cake and, like last year, he enjoyed eating it even more than he enjoyed making it. He even helped blow out the candles.


some more from his birthday:

it was a long day:

I made another yummy dinner tonight. We had flank steak a few nights ago and I purposely bought a bigger one than usual so I could use the leftovers for this recipe from Cooking Light:

Steak Wraps with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions

1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced onion (about 2)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces Blackened Grilled Flank Steak
1 cup cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup cooked long-grain rice
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in vinegar and sugar; cook 5 minutes. Add Blackened Grilled Flank Steak to pan; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Set steak mixture aside; keep warm.
Mash beans with a fork until smooth. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spread 1/4 cup beans over each tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border. Top each tortilla with 1 cup lettuce, 1/4 cup rice, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Divide steak mixture evenly among tortillas; roll up.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 wrap)

CALORIES 431 (19% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 3.9g,mono 3g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 26.3g; CHOLESTEROL 31mg; CALCIUM 172mg; SODIUM 792mg; FIBER 7.5g; IRON 4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 60.3g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

I used flank steak left over from another recipe and had more than 6 oz. I think 6 oz for 4 servings was way too little. I omitted the rice, as I felt this was just a filler since the recipe called for so little meat. I also used only 1/2 the amount of bleu cheese. We thought it was very good (especially the onions)!

{big brother is watching}

My sister sent me this...

Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to type a telephone number into the search bar and hit enter. You will be given the person's name and address, PLUS a map to the person's address. Hit Map at the end of the address for the map. It's a nationwide reverse telephone book.

Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. If you try some random numbers you should find that it comes up along with the mapquest and directions straight to the house.

In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to Google at http://www.google.com/. Type your phone number in the search bar (555-555-5555) and hit enter. If you want to BLOCK google from divulging your private information, simply click on your telephone number and then click on the removal form. Removal takes 48-hours.

Check your own number and although this may not apply to you if you have an unlisted number or cell phone as primary contact, but you may know someone who needs to know this.

{gerard's birthday}

A little message from the kiddos to Daddy:

{just some pictures}

I'm tired and ready to go to bed, but I thought I'd upload some pictures from yesterday. Good night!

Gerard entertaining his little sister:

our little major leaguer:

again with her tongue sticking out:

{what a day!}

You'll never guess what BOTH my kids did today at 3:30. Go ahead, take a guess. Nope. Nope. They took a nap! I couldn't believe it. A few days ago we decided to try "quiet time" with Gerard. He is normally sooo exhausted by the end of the day, and when the weather is nice we'd like to go outside after dinner, but he's just too tired. We really just expected him to relax in bed and "read" books, but today he listened to two books on tape from Grandma and then he fell asleep. I almost didn't know what to do with myself for that hour! Actually there was plenty to do... clean, cook, clean some more, and go through more pictures.

I tried another new recipe tonight. The chicken was good, but I won't even post the recipe for the spinach salad. That was not a hit. Here's the chicken recipe, once again from Cooking Light:


Hoisin and Lime-Marinated Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Combine hoisin sauce, ginger, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half)

CALORIES 243 (17% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 0.9g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 39.9g; CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 618mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007


And here are some more pictures from today:

{new haircut}

Check out Gerard's new haircut. Just like Daddy....

I know he looks goofy here, but you can see the spiky top best in this picture:

{good food, good pictures}

Our dinners have gotten so boring. Since we've grown tired of many of our old stand-bys, I've decided to try at least one new recipe a week. If we like it, I'll post it here. Last week I tried a new salmon recipe (it was good, but not as good as our Jack Daniels salmon). Tonight I made a variation of linguine in clam sauce and even little Gerard liked it. OK, he didn't like the big pieces of clam, but overall it was a hit. Here are those recipes, both from Cooking Light:

Grilled Salmon with Apricot-Mustard Glaze

A slightly sweet, simple glaze complements the fish. Pour viognier, if you're having wine. Time: 39 minutes.

Salmon:
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Glaze:
1/4 cup apricot nectar
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Remaining ingredient:
Cooking spray

Prepare grill.
To prepare fish, sprinkle fillets evenly with garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

To prepare glaze, combine nectar and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon pepper) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; set aside.

Place fillets, skin side up, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 minutes; carefully turn over, and grill 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Brush each fillet with 1 tablespoon glaze; grill 30 seconds.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

CALORIES 342 (34% from fat); FAT 13.1g (sat 3.1g,mono 5.7g,poly 3.2g); PROTEIN 36.4g; CHOLESTEROL 87mg; CALCIUM 25mg; SODIUM 482mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.1g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

This was yummy, but it took longer than 6 1/2 minutes to cook. I served it with grilled pineapple rings and asparagus. All three of us liked it.

Linguine with Garlicky Clams and Peas

Fresh linguine from the supermarket's refrigerated section cooks quickly, so this dish comes together in a flash. Crusty bread and a tossed green salad will round out the meal.

1 (9-ounce) package fresh linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
3 (6 1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams, undrained
1 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Drain clams, reserving clams and 1/2 cup juice. Add reserved clam juice, broth, wine, and pepper to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add clams and peas to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add pasta to pan; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil)

CALORIES 368 (29% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 3g,mono 6.9g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 19.8g; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 166mg; SODIUM 961mg; FIBER 4.3g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.5g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

For this one I used regular dried pasta and substituted low sodium, fat free chicken broth for the vegetable broth. Very garlicky and yummy!


OK, enough with the recipes. Here are some more pictures from our trip:

Gerard had fun with Eliya and Anna at lunch (not so relaxing for the grown-ups!)

isnt' Anna a cutie!

Aldine and Noah:

Gerard with Eliya and Noah (why is it impossible to get 3 kids to smile and look at the camera at the same time?)

We went to *that* amusement park near Grandma and Grandpa's. Gerard had a ball. There were cute rides for little kids, but he definitely preferred the water park.

Gerard with Grandma on the merry-go-round:

Not a huge fan of this ride. We had to have them stop it early so he could get off.

on the boats:

the water slide:

Grandma and Morgan in the shade:

in the wave pool with Daddy:

those are pretty strong waves!

on the bumper cars:

My parents had a little get-together so our family friends could meet Morgan.

Patti with Gerard and Morgan:

Laura and Morgan:

Gerard and Christian:

{photos, photos, photos}

As promised, here is a glimpse of our vacation. I still have LOTS to go through and will be posting those soon.

Grandpa G teaching Gerard how to cast:

practicing:

Mima and Morgan:

three Gerards fishing:

his first catch:

Mima and Aunt Elizabeth:

one of SEVEN fish he caught:

more fishing with Daddy:

Morgan at Nani and Poppy's:

Nani and Poppy and crew:

Grandpa Ian and Gerard:

Grandma Andrea and Gerard:

a very unhappy Morgan:

I'll post more from the vacation, but here are some from yesterday -- the 4th of July: