We're So White

There are times, living in Southern California, that I feel a part of my diverse environment.  There are so many cultures represented by houses of worship, languages, schools, and restaurants.  I'm grateful that Thatbaby will grow up in a place where he's exposed to people from all walks of life.

And then there are times where I realize that despite the diversity, I am as white as white can be.

Like when the inlaws come to visit.

Or when I attempt to make tamales for the first time. 

Because what does a white girl do when she can't find corn husks?  She gringo-fies those tamales.

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Aluminum foil.  It's like the duct tape of the kitchen.  And for my first time making tamales - these came out really well!  And they keep well, so they make an excellent dinner alternative for Thatbaby when Thatboy and I have something spicy on our plates.

Black Bean Tamales (From Cate's World Kitchen)

1 8 ounce package of corn husks (I obviously used aluminum foil)

Filling:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chile powder
1 cup dried black beans
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups water
1/2 cup diced or shredded jack cheese (cut into 1/4″ cubes)

Tomatillo Sauce:
4 large tomatillos
2 cloves garlic
1 poblano pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt

Masa:
3 1/2 cups masa harina
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chile powder

1. If you're using corn husks, completely submerge them in water and  soak for 12 hours.  (If you use aluminum foil, you can skip this step, since soaking foil in water doesn't make it any more pliable) 
2. Make the beans - combine the garlic, onion, oregano, chile powder, black beans, salt, and water in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Stir the cheese into the beans and set aside.
4. Make the tomatillo sauce - Broil tomatillos, garlic, and poblanos until black and blistered.  
5. Place poblanos in a brown paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel off the skin and remove the seeds.
6. Place poblanos, tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, and salt in a food processor and puree.
7. Stir 1 cup of the puree into the beans, and save the rest to serve with the tomatillos.
8. Make the masa - Combine the masa harina, shortening, 2 cups of broth, chile powder and salt and mix well. 
9. Make the tamales - place a corn husk (or rectangle of aluminum foil) on your work surface with the narrow end toward you.  
10. Pat 1/4 cup of masa into a 3-4" square in the center of the husk or foil. Spoon 1-2Tbsp of bean mixture in a line down the middle of the masa square.  Fold the sides of the husk/foil in, then fold the bottom up.  
11. If using the husks, tear a strip off one of the husks and tie around the tamale.  If using foil, just pinch it closed.
12. Place a steamer basket in a large pot over an inch or so of water and bring the water to a boil.  Stand the tamales up vertically in the steamer basket.  Cover the pot with a lid and steam for 15-20 minutes. 

Bounce Around the Room

I almost didn't join my moms group.  When I first found them, I looked at the ages of all the babies in the group.  They were all much older than Thatbaby, most of them born in April or May of last year.  But as I scanned, I noticed there was one babe who was born the exact week Thatbaby was.  And what's more, they lived in the same town we do.  That discovery sealed my fate with this group.  I honestly joined just to meet this mom and babe.

And I'm so glad I did.  First, as I've said before, I love my mom's group.  And I'm thankful for those older babies and moms who have been there, done that.  And the mom with a baby Thatbaby's age is great, and it's fantastic living nearby so that we can sometimes coordinate playtimes for our little ones.

We both live near one of those indoor kid-spaces and have been trying to get together with our boys there for a while.  We finally got the chance.  There are all sorts of cool things to play with - a trampoline, slides, climbing structures, mats and bean bags.  And my kid?  He finds the balls.  Similar to ones he has at home.

Reluctantly he let me lead him over to the trampoline.  As long as he could bring a ball or two with him.  Of course, once he got on, he was in love with bouncing.  The rest of the time there he spent crawling up and down the trampoline and bouncing his little heart out.

Superbaby was quick to join in on the trampolining action.  Thatbaby got a little worried about having to share his balls, but there were plenty to go around.

Making the decision to try something new can be based on one simple factor - like my decision to join this mom's group.  And like that decision, it can open up a world of happiness.  The first time I tried paella was similar.  Drawn to the chorizo in the very first paella I tried, it was a beautiful marriage of rice and meats.  Not too dissimilar from jambalaya, which was already a favorite.  It had the added benefit of a beautiful color of saffron.  Once I tasted it, I was hooked.  And when I visited Barcelona, it was easy to find on every menu - with a wide variety of what was included.  Back home, it was a little harder to find non-seafood paella.  So when I want one teaming with shrimp, sausage, and chicken (my favorite kind) I make my own!

 Paella
1 chicken breast
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 link chorizo sausage, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, halved
3/4 cup green olives, chopped
3/4 cups arborio rice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of saffron sprigs
1 bay leaves
1/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Heat oil in an oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Sear chicken on both sides and remove from heat.
2. Add sausage to pan and sear both sides and remove from heat.
3. Add onion to the pan and cook until translucent.
4. Add garlic and olives and saute for 7-8 minutes.  
5. Add rice and saute for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add chicken stock, cumin, saffron, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
7.  Add chicken and sausage back to the pan. 
8. Cover and place in oven.  Cook for 45 minutes.
9. Add shrimp to pan and cook and additional 5 minutes.

Mommy Mondays: Life at One

I really love these "day in the life" posts because it's fun to reflect and see how things change (or don't) in just a few months.  This is not a typical day for a couple of reasons.  First, because typically I work on Mondays, but last Monday I took off because Thatbaby's school was closed.  I thought this would be a good time to record our day.  It was also smack dab in the middle of teething fun.  Which means you'll get to see how nighttime fun works when your child is...less than cooperative.  Normally Thatbaby wakes once a night, but you'll see that last week, he was up a little more often.

2:37am - Thatbaby wakes up and nurses.  He's pretty good about falling right asleep when he's done.  So am I.

4:50am - Thatbaby wakes up again.  Thatboy heads in for this one and puts Thatbaby back to bed.

5:55am - Thatbaby wakes up.  This is a gamble one.  I normally get up at 6, but it's more helpful if I can get ready while Thatbaby sleeps, so I always try to get him to go back to sleep at this time.  Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I'm not.  Today I scored and he went back to sleep.  And since I wasn't going to work, so did !

7:15am - Thatbaby wakes up.  He gets to spend a little bit of time with Thatboy before Thatboy heads out to work.

7:37am - I nurse Thatbaby and he gets a diaper change.  Because Thatboy didn't do it before he left.

8:15am - Thatbaby and I have breakfast.  He has some clementines and peach yogurt drops.  (I freeze yogurt in little drops.  These are perfect for teething because they're nice and cold!) I have some lemon bread and and an apple.

8:28am - Thatbaby gets dressed, we brush his teeth and hair.

8:36am - Playtime for Thatbaby while I clean up our breakfast mess.

9:18am - Showertime for me!  I load up the bathroom with things for Thatbaby to play with, although he's more interested in seeing what's going on in the shower.

 I get dressed after, but get interrupted with requests to read a book, and to nurse.  I should point out, that Thatbaby NEVER nurses as much as he did this day.  I blame it on the teething.  Normally by 9am in the morning he has nursed twice (including that middle-of-the-night feeding)

10:18am - Thatbaby is starting to get tired, so I head out for some errands. 

Sure enough, he falls asleep as soon as he gets in the car and sleeps through most of my shopping trip.

He wakes up in the dressing room while I'm trying on suits - I was in trial last week and I like to pick up a new suit to add to my collection for each trial.  He snacks on animal crackers while I put on a fashion show.

After he helps me shop at Trader Joes.

And the supermarket.

12:30pm - And when we get back in the car, he falls asleep again.  When we get home, I move him into his crib while I unpack groceries and do a little work.

1:30pm - Thatbaby wakes up from his nap.

He nurses and I do a diaper change.  Then we sit down to lunch.

Thatbaby has some leftover southwestern quinoa and savory madeleines.  I picked up a buckwheat noodle salad from Trader Joes while we were there.

2:18pm - Thatbaby plays while I clean up lunch and do a little bit of work.

2:30pm - We take this show outside!

3:30pm - Back inside to play so I can get a little more work done.

4:00pm - Naptime for babies.  Worktime for mommies.

4:30pm - Thatbaby wakes from his nap, nurses, and gets another diaper change.

4:43pm - Playtime.  Not really all that different from the rest of the day, right?  Except now I'm in the kitchen.  Which is far more interesting that toys.  So Thatbaby comes to join me.  I set him up on the floor with some snack while I make stuffed peppers for dinner.

5:25pm - Someone comes over to hug my leg.  Which can only mean one thing - DIAPER CHANGE!

5:28pm - I clean up the kitchen.

5:35pm - Thatboy comes home.

5:50pm - This is something new we've been doing and I adore it.  We go for a family "run."  Thatbaby and Thatboy actually head out for a walk while Thatdog and I go running.  We don't get that far, probably about 1.5-2 miles, before we turn back and meet up with these cuties.

Then we all head home together.  Yes, I've been sacrificing my long runs, but during the week I don't get a lot of time to head out and this way I get to run outside and I love running back to my family.  There isn't one day I don't want to throw on my running gear and head out.

6:52pm - dinner!

 Mexican Stuffed Peppers

3 medium green peppers

1/2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 cup cooked rice

3/4 cup salsa

1/2 Tbsp diced green chiles

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop.  Boil peppers for about 4 minutes.  Drain peppers and rinse in cold water.
2. In a nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, and celery over medium heat until cooked through.
3. Stir in rice, 1/2 cup salsa, diced green chiles, and chili powder.
4. Cut the peppers in half and spoon the mixture into peppers.
5. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and put the peppers in the dish with 1/4 cup water.  Cover and bake 1 hour.
6. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and remaining salsa.  Bake 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

 Scalloped Corn

1 can creamed corn

1 cup fresh corn kernels

3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup melted butter

2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Pour into a large baking dish and bake for 1 hour. 

7:20pm - I clean up dinner while Thatboy gives Thatbaby a bath and reads him a bedtime story.

7:57pm - I nurse Thatbaby one last time and put him to bed.

8:20pm - I make the pastry cream for the Boston Cream Pie I'm making the next day.  Thatboy folds the laundry.

8:45pm - Time for beer, computer, and couch!

10:00pm - bedtime

Music to my ears!

So my inlaws came out to visit for Thatbaby's birthday.  And they stayed for OVER A WEEK.  Does my absence from blogging suddenly make sense to everyone else? 

I needed to figure out some things to keep all of us occupied, and Museum Appreciation Day just happened to fall while they were here.  Thatbaby LOVES music, so I decided to get us tickets to The Museum of Making Music.

He enjoyed every minute - that he was awake.  The best part of the museum is how hands on it is.  There are instruments to try out all along the way.  Thatbaby tried his hand at a mandolin.

But really found his groove with the drums.  Thatboy is already dreading when Thatbaby can talk and ask for a drumset.

The rest of the family tried their hand at a variety of unusual instruments.

Thatbaby fell asleep halfway through the museum.  But we didn't let that stop us!

We really enjoyed this museum and I can definitely see us heading back - without the inlaws in tow so we can spend more time playing and exploring.

Since Thatbaby missed out on some of the museum, we made it up to him with one of his favorite foods - pork!  This one is another easy roast pork dish.  Stuffed with prunes, which Thatbaby loves.  And served with green beans - which are some of his favorite vegetables.  He was singing after this meal.  Because in our house, music lasts all day long.

Roast Pork with Prunes

1 pork loin (3-4 lbs)

16 prunes, halved and pitted

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp ginger

3 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup prune juice

2 3/4 cup water

1 tsp red currant jelly

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Cut slits in pork loin and insert prune halves. 
2.  Rub the pork with the salt, pepper, and ginger. 
3. Place in a roasting pan and cook for 1.5 hours. 
4. Remove the pork from the roasting pan and place the pan on the stovetop. Heat pan drippings
5. Stir in the flour, then add the prune juice, water, salt and pepper to taste and cook until thickened. 
6. Stir in the jelly and serve the gravy over the sliced pork.

Wedding In The Woods

This is the part where I confess that at times I am a major judgmental bitch.  I know.  None of you are shocked.


It's not entirely my fault.  When you get a wedding invitation on a balloon you can't help but be skeptical when the next wedding invitation you received warns you that "The site is basically a grove of oak trees, with a pair of bathrooms, and that's about it."

or says that at 10pm "we can bust out acoustic guitars and sing about banana slugs and oak trees."

I wasn't expecting much.  And was unbelievable surprised.  It was a gorgeous wedding.

When we lived in Orange County, Mr. Greenthumb and Thatboy were inseparable.  I joked that they were dating since often they would go for a surf after work and Thatboy would come home in Mr. Greenthumb's clothes. 

I know Thatboy has missed his surf buddy since we've been in San Diego and he doesn't get to see him as often.

 

Mr. Greenthumb dated a long line of young bimbos while we were in Orange County.  And then he met the future Mrs. Greenthumb.  Who was as far from a bimbo as you could get.

 The consensus among Mr. Greenthumb's friends were that the future Mrs. Greenthumb mellowed him out.  If you ask me, the future Mrs. Greenthumb made this Peter Pan grow up a bit.

And so, earlier this year, Mr. Greenthumb "grew up" and asked her to marry him.  She said yes.  And last weekend, in a grove of Oak Trees, they were joined as husband and wife.

 
The venue was gorgeous.  And there was plenty of room for fun stuff like a bean bag toss

For the record, Thatboy is not very good at this game when you tickle him as he attempts to throw.

And a fire pit.

Smores anyone?

And photo opportunities abounded:

Marriage brings together two people who are perfect for each other, but maybe two people you wouldn't necessarily think to put together on your own.  Food marriages are similar.  Taking two of your favorite foods, that maybe you wouldn't combine otherwise.  When I first saw Elly's Tamale Pie I loved the idea of combining tacos and a potpie.  It was a big hit in our house and became a recurring item on the menu.  With some leftover masa harina to use up, this was a marriage that was made in heaven.  Or at least my kitchen.

Tamale Pie (From Elly Says Opa)

1.25 cups masa harina (corn flour)
1.5 Tbsp cold butter
1 cup corn
3 Tbsp milk
ground pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chicken stock

 1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1  jalapeno, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup salsa
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, jack, colby, etc. (whatever kind of cheese you want)
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a food processor, process 1/2 cup corn, masa, butter, baking powder and pepper until butter is incorporated. 
3. Add milk and pulse process to just combine.
4. Mix chicken stock with masa mixture until a smooth, spreadable–not pourable–dough forms.
5. Brown ground beef together with onion. Drain excess fat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant
6. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese. Simmer for a few minutes to combine flavors.
7. Pour filling into large pie pan or 8×8 baking dish.
8. Sprinkle with cheese, and then spread the masa crust over the top.
9. Spray with cooking oil. Bake about 25-30 minutes or until crust has set and filling is bubbly.