Feeling the Pregnancy

Grateful for so many things, especially these things:

1. I can feel our little baby kick now.
2. My Josh regularly checks to see if he can feel the baby yet.
3. Our midwife loves babies, natural births, and the Lord.
4. I'm warm all the time and this allows me to wear sandals whenever I want.
5. I have no food aversions. I love meat. I love spice. I love milk.
6. People are starting to notice I'm pregnant. 
7. I love having a mommy glow and a baby bump.
8. Josh and I love being parents, and we love being parents together.

Taken by Joshua Wagner

Chicken Tikka Masala

Josh bought me this Best Ever Indian cookbook at Half Price Books for $5. He started reading it on the plane ride to Texas. (We moved to Dallas a couple weeks ago!)

He has requested that I start at the very beginning with chicken tikka masala (p8). I'd say it was a pretty good start. And I had a lot of fun!

First, I made the tandoori chicken (p32). This included an overnight marinade with greek yogurt, heavy cream and other deliciousness. Intense broiling until charred - one of those flip and brush every few minutes kinda broiling.

Next, the tikka masala brought some aromatic spices, diced tomato and, oh yes, heavy cream...

Add the tandoori chicken, spread over basmati rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Could it get any better than this?

Lunchtime today made a very happy papa and mama. Our little babe is gonna be begging for some curry right out of the womb! 16 weeks today. 


P.S. Next on page ten is chicken korma.

Waffles Without Milk

We drink a lot of milk in our home. Raised that way. We were out this morning, and I wanted to make waffles. I really dislike making extra trips to the grocery store. I substituted orange juice for the milk. Same amount. Result = perfect and delicious.

(Thanks, Betty Crocker.)

Really Bad Eggs - Part 2

Found these on the kitchen counter. Typically eggies left out for a little too long don't worry me... not this time. Enjoy, brother.

Goodbye, Rock Hard Brown Sugar

Ever left the lid off the brown sugar? So annoying. Here's the solution. It takes several hours in a sealed container but works every time!

Rock hard brown sugar + piece of bread = soft brown sugar deliciousness

My mama taught me this.

I thought everybody knew, but I've run into several people recently that didn't. Maybe you didn't either. There you have it.

Not Your Ordinary Oatmeal Cookie

These are our favorite cookies now. I got the recipe from Pat, a colleague and friend, who got it from her mom, Lois. More people have asked me for this recipe than any other. So I'm gonna share the love.


Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. margarine
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. bkg powder
2 c. oatmeal (little more)
1 c. each of any/all: coconut - nuts - raisens/craisens - chocolate chips
(cinnamon)

Bake at 350.

I use coconut, pecans, white chocolate chips, and craisins... and leave out the cinnamon.  And I bake it on parchment paper so keep down the mess.

Can't get any easier or more delicious than this. Thanks, Pat and Lois!

Learning to Wife w/ A Bump

The bump's not quite visible, but here's an introduction. Baby Lovebird is working to join us in June! Josh and I couldn't be more thrilled. Today's our 2-year anniversary, so I thought it was the perfect day to announce I'm learning to wife in a new way!

(Ultrasound: 11/10/11 - turn up the volume)