How Not To Cook - Paradise Pasta

So, I haven't blogged in a little while because I have been editing a full version of How Not To Cook with MamaDB. Instead of our "snippets" which are about 2 minutes in length, the full version is a whopping 10 minutes.

Here is the recipe we were attempting:

Pine Nut Paradise Pasta

Source: Sunset Magazine

Serves: 4

• 1 LB Mushrooms (finely chopped)
  
• 1 t(easpoon) Basil
  
• 1 t Oregano
  
• 1/3 c(up) Pine Nuts
• 1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
  
• 4 c Broccoli Flowerettes (chopped)
  
• 1 small Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
  
• 4 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
  
• Angel Hair Pasta
  
• 1 1/2 c regular Vegetable Broth
  
• 1 T(ablespoon) Salad Oil
  
• Parmesan

Step 1: In frying pan, stir pine nuts over medium heat until golden (~8 minutes); Pour from pan and set aside

Step 2: In pan, combine finely chopped mushrooms, onion, garlic, oil, basi and oregano

Step 3: Cover pan and cook on HIGH, stirring often, until liquid appears

Step 4: Uncover pan and stir until vegetables are lightly browned (~8 minutes)

Step 5: Add chopped broccoli, bell pepper and broth, and bring to a boil

Step 6: Cover pan and cook until broccoli is just tender when pierced (~5 minutes)

Step 7: Pour pasta into a large shallow bowl, and pour cooked vegetables and juices into bowl.

Step 8: Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts and parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.

We doubled the recipe in some parts and only added a 1/2 more in other areas giving us an interesting yet still delicious outcome.

We also added Garlic Bread and a Salad.

Here are the ingredients of the salad:

• Sping Mix Salad
• Gorgonzola Cheese
• Balsalmic Vinegrette Spritzer
• 1/3 Apple-Pear (Asian Pears are better)
• Glazed Pecans

If you try this recipe, please let us know what you thought of it.

Final Result

All Things BD wanted to know how the chicken turned out from yesterday's blog.  I've included a couple of pictures, so she will get off my back she will be happy.

This was MamaDB's recipe, and the chicken was delicious. Whenever I cook chicken legs, I would buy the Shake N Bake stuff, but Mama just cooked a yummy coating. I was confused by this, but I trusted in her expertise and listened. Thank goodness.

This cornbread was so good I wanted to eat the whole thing. Unfortunately, others in the family wanted some too, so I had to settle for 2 squares. Whatever... dumb family getting in the way of my gluttony.

How Not To Cook - Chicken Legs

Here is our latest installment of How Not To Cook! MamaDB and I have been unable to do this for several weeks now due to various illnesses and visitors. However, we are back, and I'm as clueless as ever. In fact, I think this video should be titled, "What am I doing?"

I think I say that three times during this video.

On another note, I mentioned in an earlier blog that I had to do laundry since the pile almost touched the ceiling. My Mukor laughed when he read that and told me that the truth wasn't that far off.

So I took a picture.

As you can see, the pile is no where NEAR the ceiling; however, it was embarrassingly big, so I did laundry that day - ALL DAY.

Evidence Of Bad Parenting

One of the most important things a parent can give a child is an education.

So we ditched school and went to Disneyland - AGAIN!

The usual suspects: Charlie Brown, Lucy, LittleMan and BoopaLoop.

LittleMan had a hard time standing still waiting for MamaDB to come back with the strollers.

BoopaLoop desperately wanted to be tall enough to be a fireman.

Charlie Brown wanted to try it too!

At the end of the day, the kids were still all smiles.

But, MamaDB and I had HAD enough. I failed to bring my camera in for a picture of our delicious Red Lobster dinner...

... which is probably best since I don't want to incur the wrath of AllThingsBD.

A little paradise

As some of you know, I play tennis - a LOT of tennis.

A couple of weeks ago when my tennis was at its peak "busy-ness", I played 8 times in one week. That included 2-3 matches for 3 different teams I'm on. It was insane, but I was playing really great. I think since I was playing doubles instead of singles, I was able to maintain that crazy-course without anything breaking or falling off my body.

Last week, one of the teams I am on finished its season. To celebrate the fact that we came in 5th or 6th of 12, we had a luncheon at our captain's house. Okay, we really didn't need a reason to celebrate - we were going to do it anyway.

Isn't this an amazing home?! You can see the natural-looking pool in the background.  I was bummed I didn't have my bathing suit - even though it was chilly in the wind. (I know I'm going to get flack from Meg about using the word "chilly" in 72 degree weather.)

Oh - I'm the one in olive green. (NO! I can't just say "green". My shirt isn't green enough to call just GREEN, so I am doing the anal thing and being specific with my colors, alright?)

This is a shot from the other side of the table. The beautiful woman at the end wearing the apron is the captain and hostess. Behind her is where she put the desserts and beverages.

She put together the lime/flower center pieces herself.

Here is a closer look at the mango soup our hostess prepared herself. She called it a soup, but it was just a puree and cold - and DELICIOUS. I am not a huge fan of mangos, but this was yummy. I'm certain it had to do with the brown sugar, raspberries, and ginger she put in it. I was not prepared to like it at all, but I ate it all up - and seriously considered breaching protocol by licking the dish clean.

The next course was delivered in lime colored (of course) chinese take-out boxes with beautiful dark-wood chopstix sticking out. Inside was chicken, asparagus, red pepper, and gold pepper in a sauce that was light yet satisfying.

It was an incredible experience hanging out with my tennis friends and getting to know them off the court.

Now, that I'm not playing as much tennis, I have to get some housework done.

Our dirty laundry pile nearly hits the ceiling.

Conversations with Kindergarteners

I was walking LittleMan to school one morning, and I had to share a couple of comments that were made during his drop-off.

As we neared LittleMan's classroom, there were several kids and parents wandering around the Kindergarten yard. Among the throng of people were a dad with his hand on his son's shoulder. A bit too loudly, LittleMan asked, "Why are they both bald?"

I prayed that no one heard him.

I think I came up with some kind of lame explanation about how the boy wanted to look like his dad, but even I didn't believe me.

We arrived at LittleMan's classroom, and we got into the line that had formed. A few other students filed in behind us, and the line grew as children arrived. One of LittleMan's female classmate saw him near the front of the line and said, "You are finally here on time for once - not like yesterday." She then smirked at me and pointed her finger at my face. I couldn't help but laugh and smile back.

She was right. I had made LittleMan late yesterday.

Nothing like being called out by a 5-year old.

Happy Mother's Day and Monday Madness

My sister-in-law, AllThingsBD, visited this last weekend. How great of a Mother's Day gift is that for me?!

It was one of the most memorable Mother's Day holidays EVAR! I saw Star Trek with my mother, I played poker and Yatzee with my SIL, and we drove home without children - which meant we could blast the music and stop wherever we wanted to.

Normally, after such a wonderful visit with her, I experience sadness, but this time I was able to completely override those feelings with joy for my children. You see, they were looking forward to Monday. Now, Mondays are usually sneered at and avoided at all costs, but their new gynmastics class is on Mondays. And they LOVE gymnastics.

As soon as their class is over, they ask if they can do it again. As far as I'm concerned that makes this class the best class in world. Seriously.

So, what I have learned is that to live through the sadness that is the removal of my SIL, I just have to make certain I have something else that I'm really looking forward too immediately following.

I think I can manage that.

I once was lost...

... but now am

FOUND !!

I am exhausted (as you can tell from this picture). I keep having these weird dreams where I'm trying to capture a special moment my kids are having on my digital camera, and I remember that it is gone.

I went to the gymnastics place on Monday - hoping that someone found it and turned it in. I was 70% certain that I had left it there, but I didn't remember actually holding the camera. I just had a vague memory of putting it under the chair I was sitting at, filling out forms to enroll my kids in the class.

The lady at the front desk was very nice, sympathized with my stupidity, and went looking in various drawers for the camera. She searched through all of the drawers that I could see and a few I couldn't and came back empty handed.

I created LOST posters to pin up at the gymnastics place figuring someone might have remembered seeing it. Maybe someone saw who might have picked it up.

I went back to the gymnastics place today to re-request permission to put my posters up all over their place, and a different lady said, "A digital camera? Oh, we have it!"

I nearly cried.

Right there.

In front of these people - these people who will always be the MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE in the world.

They handed me the camera, and asked why I hadn't called. Good question, I thought. They went on to tell me that they took some pictures of the special needs team and would I mind e-mailing them those pictures. I said that I would love to do that. I would have given them my children (okay, not that... but close) I was so filled with gratitude and surprise.

Who would have turned this in? Well, it turns out that when I went to the front office to sign my documents for enrolling the kids, I left the camera sitting on the counter. The lady I spoke to thought it might be mine, but I didn't have any pictures left on it, so she couldn't verify it 100%. They just waiting for me to call.

So, I have my camera back.

I am happy.

I am grateful.

I am tired.

Time for a happy-nap.

Wanted Dead or Alive

MISSING

LOST: One brand new digital camera

LAST SEEN: Broadway Gymnastics under a beaming-with-pride mom's chair

REASON FOR LOSS: I'm an idiot.

Please return camera to me. It answers to the name of "stupid, stupid thing you better work or I'll throw you!"

Thank you.

Follow-Up

Before blogging on Blogger, I used to blog on MySpace... until I felt too old to be there. Frankly, moving over here was a God-send. I found people I could relate to and enjoy. I found a whole new world of friends from all different places with fascinating stories to share!

I was looking over some of my first blog entries, and for those of you who care (HI MOM!) I wanted to bring some closure to what has happened since then.

Mom Thinks She Is Always Right (06/26/2007):

This exchange between myself and my then 2-year old BoopaLoop and 4-year old LittleMan illustrated so well the way children that age think. BoopaLoop was Ms. Nonsequitor and LittleMan was Mr. Literal. I'm glad I wrote about this, so I can be teleported back to who they were with ease... and appreciate all the more who they are growing into.

The Highs And Lows Of Parenthood (07/13/2007):

This story will always have a special place in my heart for two reasons: one, to remind me how much easier life is with children who are potty-trained, and two, to remind me that although moments like this with my LittleMan make my heart melt, I am raising a MAN who will understand that it isn't his responsibility to keep my emotional state in the "JOYOUS" column. However, I will cherish each of these moments since they are becoming rarer and rarer as he gets older.

It Is Just Funny (07/18/2007):

LittleMan doesn't ask the "what does this taste like" question much anymore; however, BoopaLoop is now the age my son was then, so she asks it all the time. We still answer "like monkey brains", but that just makes the kids laugh rather than acting as a deterrent. I am proud of our kids for being willing to try new stuff. I remember as a child we would go to Bob's Big Boy (remember that restaurant?!), and even when we were there for brunch I would order their hamburger, fries and hot fudge sundae. I really have no room to talk...

Sometimes I Can't Explain Myself (08/02/2007):

MamaDB and I held a garage sale last fall which was hugely successful. We did something brilliant (I think): we put all of the children clothes in different bins separated by size. Lining the inside of Mama's fence were several different bins labeled 0-3 months, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18 months, 18-24, 2T, and 3T.  When I was telling other friends that we were holding a garage sale, they warned me that clothes don't sell - perhaps they meant adult clothes. And, I have to say that the image I described while holding a garage sale was dead on.  Mama and I had a blast (with a few creepy exceptions), sitting under her beautiful tree, drinking Diet Pepsi and enjoying the moments. The sad part is my garage is still full of garage sale items. How do I amass so much junk stuff to sell?

No Messages = A Good Day (08/05/2007):

I am really disappointed that my children are too old to do this anymore. I don't remember exactly when they became too old, but suddenly they started listening to what the other person was saying. It was great when they didn't understand how a telephone worked. Now I'm back to my usual tactics with telemarketers: call screen or hang up during their monologue.