Category Archives: pregnancy

Heartfelt Thanks | Pecan Sandies

January 10, 2011 –

I can’t honestly say I’ve given much thought to making New Year’s resolutions this year. New Year’s Day came and went so fast it was nearly a blur. In fact, I find most days are a blur around here. We are in a baby time warp of sorts. It’s hard to tell the difference between day and night. It’s hard to remember to eat, to write, or even bathe. It’s quite an adjustment, but it’s also absolutely wonderful. I wouldn’t change a thing.

However, if I were to really get on board with the whole New Year’s thing, I might resolve to be better at keeping in touch with dear friends. It’s true I make this same resolution nearly every year, but this year it’s more important than ever. Or, I suppose, this year with the birth of dear Maeve, I realize I have wonderful people all around me. I’d like to keep it that way too. Friends like all of you are pretty darn fantastic.

So, to begin the year in this positive manner, let me first express my deepest heartfelt thanks. Your kind words, calls, emails, texts, gifts of food and fun, were greatly appreciated by our fledgling family. In fact, it brings a tear to my eye to write about it. We were pretty overwhelmed by the generosity and the thoughtfulness. It makes me beam just to think about the wonderful community of people Maeve will always have around her. So, thank you. Thank you!

I didn’t have a whole lot of time to whip up anything really elaborate in order to express my gratitude, but I did manage to find a moment of calm in the kitchen while K took care of Maeve. I made you cookies. They may be simple Pecan Sandies, but they are truly buttery and delicious. I am sure you will like them whether they are warm from the oven just dipped in powdered sugar or perfectly crumbly the following afternoon with a steaming cup of coffee or tea. Pecan Sandies are truly one of my all-time favorite cookies. So, of course, it seems right to share them with all of you today. You, after all, are some of my absolute favorite people. And, you deserve a cookie. You do.

Perhaps you can make baking delicious cookies one of your New Year’s resolutions? I think it is abundantly appropriate. It’s so boring to resolve to lose weight or exercise more. Food is far more fun, I think.

Enjoy and, again, thank you all for being so lovely. And patient. My oven is making a triumphant return, albeit slowly.

Pecan Sandies

1 cup salted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

3 tsp. water

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1 cup chopped roasted pecans

3 tablesppons confectioners’ sugar

Combine butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl. Cream these ingredients until smooth and pale yellow.

Stir in the water and vanilla. Add the flour, nuts, and mix until the dough is thick and creamy.

Wrap the dough in wax or parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove from refrigerator and allow to warm slightly until the dough is malleable, about 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into balls the size of a rounded teaspoon and drop the balls onto a greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly with the prongs of a fork. Bake until the cookies are pale golden brown, about 20-22 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Coat cookies in confectioner’s sugar by rolling them in a mound of sugar. Set on rack to cool further.

Enjoy. Makes about 36 cookies.

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baby holiday pregnancy Uncategorized

Hello World. My Name is Maeve.

December 31, 2010 –

Hi there. I apologize for the radio silence. I suppose, however, that’s what happens when you have a little bun join you in the world. On December 26, 2010, K and I welcomed our little bundle of joy.

Her name is Maeve.

She is gorgeous, sweet, and eminently kissable. We are truly in love.

Oh, and the answer to the burning 41 week old question?

She has red hair!

I promise to be back in action in no time. I just discovered baby-wearing and I think it will open up the possibility of cooking for all of you again.

In the meantime, we are all wishing you a Happy New Year!

It’s going to be the best year yet. I promise.

Tags birth, New Years, newborn photos, personal, pregnancy | Permalink | Comments (101)

autumn cake dessert easy fall fruit pregnancy Uncategorized

Upside Down Pear Cake | My Breech Baby

December 13, 2010 –

I was feeling like a really powerful woman there for a while. I had energy. I had spirit. And, while I still have these qualities, I only have them in very small and fleeting doses. Things are a bit altered and I suspect this is the way it will be from here on out.

I’m 39 weeks pregnant. That’s a belly full of baby. And, before last week, I was carrying a breech baby in my belly. If you’re not familiar with that term, it means my little girl was sitting upright with her head in my ribcage. I didn’t mind it so much. I thought of my womb as her cockpit. Or, as K suggested, I was sort of like a puppet she was controlling from within.

Nevertheless, I tried many tricks to turn her into the right birthing position. There was talk of a cesarean section and I was desperate. I took advice from anyone and anything about how to convince my bun that being head down was better for everyone. K burned mugwort over my toes every night. I had abdominal massages and acupuncture needles pricked into my baby toes and wrists. I turned myself upside down in yoga. I tried sifting a blanket or large scarf up and down my back. I even played classical music to her in an effort to lure her into the right spot.

After all of that, I still could feel her tiny head bobbing up and down at the very top of my belly. I resigned myself. No one around here will deliver a breech baby naturally and I was warned repeatedly of all sorts of terrible risks if I requested a trial of labor. So I didn’t argue. Instead, I pulled out the final card.

Version therapy.

Have you heard of it? It seems sort of medieval in some respects, I’m sure. It is where a doctor turns your baby from the outside using, from what I can tell, sheer force, weight, and will.

We went for it and, although it was probably one of the weirdest moments of my life, it was also one of the most remarkable. I went to a special place in my mind where I relaxed as the man in the white coat loomed over me using all of his weight and effort to scoot my little girl’s bum up the side of my belly.

And, lo and behold, it worked on the first try. In just about 30 seconds, she was head down with her little feet in my ribs.

I cried. Of course.

Now, we are ready for the little bun to arrive and she can do so on her own terms. I have to admit, however, I’m ready. Her new position causes a great deal of pressure and it’s not something I care to live with for much longer. As such, I am talking to her daily about how wonderful it is here on the outside. I am told I can be quite convincing. I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, I’m keeping busy. I’m working on writing and cooking a lot. Sweet things are on the menu here as we really enter the thick of the holiday season. And, what could be more appropriate to share with all of you than an upside down cake with the flavor of fresh pears and cinnamon? I can’t think of anything. The cake is moist and airy. The Bosc pears are sweet, but not too sweet. Best of all, this upside down cake is super easy to pull together.

Today, we celebrate a successfully spun baby girl who will feast on sweet pear upside down cake spiked with cinnamon. I think it’s perfect for her impending holiday arrival. Enjoy.

Pear Upside Down Cake

11 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup maple syrup (substitute agave syrup)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat; add maple syrup and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook for another 2 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. When mixture has cooled a bit, pour it into a 9-inch baking pan and arrange pear slices in an overlapping circle on top (or whatever works with your size of slices).

With a handheld or standing mixer, beat remaining 8 tablespoons butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one egg at a time, continuing to mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with milk; do not over-mix. Carefully spread batter over pears, using a spatula to make sure it is evenly distributed. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 45 to 50 minutes; a toothpick inserted into center should come out clean. Let cake cool for 5 minutes.

Run a knife around edge of pan; put a plate on top of cake and carefully flip it so plate is on bottom and pan is on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: I cooked this in a spring form pan, which makes it easy to remove from the pan. If you’d like, you can watch the video for a brief demonstration.

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman

Tags breech baby position, easy desserts, pear cake, upside down cake, version therapy | Permalink | Comments (51)

baby Italian lasagna pasta pregnancy Uncategorized

Meat Lasagna | Freezing Comfort Food | Baby Bump

December 8, 2010 –

I just realized the time is here for frozen food. But please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about hitting up the freezer aisle at the supermarket. I would rather eat a bowlful of glass. I’m referring to cooking a lovely meal at home and freezing it to enjoy at a later date.

Perhaps you already freeze homemade meals on a regular basis in order to have food on hand for those cold nights when you’re under the weather. If you do, I am remarkably impressed. Such a thing never occurred to me until recently when someone suggested newborns take up a great deal of time. I had no idea. It was further implied that cooking one-handed with a newborn in one arm is a rigorous, if not nearly impossible, skill to master.

I am not adept at picking up new skills and, therefore, I am taking action now. I am 38 weeks pregnant and I like food a whole lot. I do not intend to starve after the birth of my little bun. She could be here at any time and I hope to have some food on hand for our little family to feast upon as she dazzles and perplexes us.

The first thought I had in this respect was, of course, comfort food. And, what could be more appropriate than lasagna? I can think of no better option because it’s wholesome, delicious, and freezes like a dream. I have a favorite recipe from the New Basics Cookbook, which I use on all sorts of occasions to comfort sick friends and others going through difficult times. It is a handy thing to have in your repertoire.

Of course, I don’t really stick to the recipe. I have my own spin, which I’ll share with you today. I think you’ll like it a lot. I also think that it might come in handy for you. I know you all lead busy lives whether or not you have little infants begging for attention. It’s a good idea to be prepared. After all, they are predicting a harsh winter. Will Amazon Fresh be able to drive through the snow if you can’t? I wonder.

I’m not taking my chances. I’m too hungry for that.

Beef Lasagna

4 tblsp. olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 shallot or spanish onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tblsp. fresh thyme, chopped

1 carrot, finely shredded

1 28 oz. cans organic diced tomatoes

4 tblsp. chopped parsley

3 and 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup chopped cooked spinach, well drained

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tblsp. dried oregano

3/4 tsp nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper, sea salt to taste

3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

8 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 tblsp. of oil in a sauce pan. Add the shallots and red pepper flakes and cook until the shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, thyme, and garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes over low heat. Season with salt.

Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, crumbling it into the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned. Drain, and set aside.

Add the beef and half of the parsley to the tomato sauce and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, remaining parsley, oregano, nutmeg, parmesan, and black pepper. Stir well.

Using a 13 x9 baking dish, pour 1 and 1/2 cups of tomato sauce across the bottom. Arrange 4 noodles on top of the sauce. Add half the ricotta and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella over top. Repeat layer. Top the remaining layer with just 1 cup of sauce and the remaining cup of mozzarella. Wrap the top in foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for an additional 18 minutes at same temperature. At the very end with just approximately 2 minutes to go, turn the boiler onto high. Bake for an additional 2 minutes in order to brown the cheese on top.

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy it right away or freeze it for a special occasion….

Tags freezing foods, frozen meals, Italian, lasagna, pasta, post pregnancy eating, pregnancy | Permalink | Comments (49)