Pinterest Party

Linking up with Bobbi for her Pinterest Party. I'm all about trying Pinterest recipes, so this is a little write-up on the one I tried for dinner last week.

The Pin

^^That says, "Sounds like a good week night health eat - Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet"

I had pinned this yummy idea several months ago, and found it while doing my meal planning for last week, digging through my pins, looking for a new idea.

The Project

Sales based on ZIP Code: 29016 Change This?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Pure Wesson® Canola Oil
• 1-1/2 cups quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 can (15 oz each) Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, undrained
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup instant white rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

Nutrition Information*

Serving Size	4 servings (1-1/4 cups each)
Calories	276

View complete nutrition information

Directions

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
2. Add rice; stir well. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese.

- See more at: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Zucchini-Black-Bean-and-Rice-Skillet-5623.html?WT.mc_id=RSE_JULY_28_A&WT.mc_ev=click&fmid=14269414#sthash.7djdbNS0.dpuf

Sales based on ZIP Code: 29016 Change This?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Pure Wesson® Canola Oil
• 1-1/2 cups quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 can (15 oz each) Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, undrained
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup instant white rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

Nutrition Information*

Serving Size	4 servings (1-1/4 cups each)
Calories	276

View complete nutrition information

Directions

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
2. Add rice; stir well. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese.

- See more at: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Zucchini-Black-Bean-and-Rice-Skillet-5623.html?WT.mc_id=RSE_JULY_28_A&WT.mc_ev=click&fmid=14269414#sthash.7djdbNS0.dpuf

I made the skillet for dinner on Friday. There was enough for two big helpings on Friday, and leftover for me for lunch on both Saturday and Sunday. Of course, I can't follow a recipe exactly, ever, it seems. This was no exception. I decided to add an onion and some garlic (because onion and garlic always make everything better), using regular diced tomatoes. I swapped the green pepper for green chile (because I don't care for bell pepper). I added a can of corn, because I had it in my head that there was corn in the recipe, even when reading the ingredient list, and pressed forward all headstrong with my trusty can of corn.

I started by sauteing the onions in the oil until they were translucent. From there, I followed the directions, adding the corn and chile with the beans and tomatoes, as directed.

The Product

Yum!

Yum! I'll definitely make this one again. It was yummy, easy, and made a great meatless meal. Its flavor was not unlike a tortilla soup, and since I love tortilla soup, I declare it a winner!

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 18

Joining Jen and the gang for another round of 7 Quick Takes.

1. Sending up lots of prayers for you, Jen, as whatever happens goes down in the newest installment of your vein drama trauma. And, of course, for your little boy.

2. I woke up with my cranky pants on and the coffee not getting into my system nearly fast enough. Of course, Clare was ready to face the day and get into eeeeeeeverything. Thank goodness for long, hot showers. And baby nap time.

3. Baseball's back! We're a happy family.

4. So, every morning, Charles watches SportsCenter over breakfast. The highlight of this ritual, for me, is the discovery of the Not Top 10 Plays on Fridays. It's like America's Funniest Home Videos, but funny. And only lasting like 3 minutes. Example:

5. Our dream is to one day have a large vegetable garden, and can/freeze a portion of the produce. In the mean time, we are the proud parents of two thriving tomato plants that are already starting to blossom. Homegrown tomatoes will soon by ours.

6. Even so, I never eat raw tomatoes. I can appreciate how much better homegrown ones are than anything else, but I still just don't care for them. Yes. I'm weird.

7. Cute baby in the bath? Ok. She requires "two cups and one duck" to be in the tub with her. She rarely touches the rubber ducky, but still freaks out if it's not there. Just a little obsessive.

Have a lovely weekend!

Throwback Thursday

I'm takin' it to the blog, people. Why? Because I am in possession of two large plastic totes of old family photos, so I can. Plus, they totally make me smile/laugh/turn beet red in embarrassment of my 9-? year old self.

Fall 1987

Look at my dad's gorgeous marigold bed. Look at my sister's adorable lace tights. Look at my dad's hair and glasses and mustache. Look at my collar and side pony and staring into the sun squint. Look at the adept use of the rule of 1/3s (or maybe just the smaller number of "takes" when film was all the rage). 

5 Favorites, Vol. 3

Linking up with Hallie (sending prayers for you and baby!) and Jen (because she's got another week before the fun starts -- sending prayers up for you, too!) to share some of my favorites.

1. Stila Lip Glaze -- I love lip gloss, and Stila lip glaze is one of my favorite types. I have almost gone tubes stashed in every pocket and pile of lip products around. I was stoked to find this set for just under $8 at Nordstrom Rack last week!

Via

2. Better Homes and Gardens cookbook -- I've said it before and I'll say it again, the old, red standby is a great newlywed/mom cookbook. Everything is easy and tastes good. It's not super gourmet, so it's approachable. I was excited to see most of the recipes are online now (for linking, 'cause there's nothing like flipping through a recipe book for dinner inspiration!).

Helped me make an easy, yummy pasta dinner on Monday!

3. These cheater cinnamon rolls -- Thanks to Pinterest, I made them Sunday morning. They were quick, easy and yummy. Since I knew I was the only one who would eat them (Charles doesn't do many sweets and Clare is so not there yet), it wasn't worth doing something fancy, complicated and totally new. But I got a sweet treat before I got in the shower, so I was a happy camper.

Cinnamon & Sugar Cresent Rolls with Icing...spread butter on rolls, sprinkle with cinnamon & Sugar, roll..bake at 375 for 11-13 mins..mix 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar with 2tbs milk..spoon icing over while hot!!

4. Spring Flowers -- to celebrate Easter, I filled the house with spring flowers. Then I gave a bunch of them away. Nothing says spring like bright, happy flowers! I wish I was better at bringing flowers into the house on a regular basis.

Someone was fascinated by the mini-daffodils until they went to live with my grandma yesterday.

5. Easter -- it's not a day, it's a season!What's not to love?!? He is risen, indeed!

Via

I look forward to finding new favorites from all of you! :)

On Becoming a Parent

Um, this post is slightly about Clare. The connection ends there.

I've been a parent for something like 18 months. Almost 9 months to an outside baby and another 9ish to a sweet (at least quiet) inside baby.

Today, though, I became a parent. It's not the first time I've felt that way. I'm sure it won't be the last.

I've think I've mentioned before that when I thought about sacrificing as a parent, my thoughts were far too obvious. I thought about giving up sleeping through the night (oh, how I under-appreciated sleep my whole life!). I thought about never driving a "cool" car in favor of vehicles that holds car seats and strollers and groceries. I thought about passing up fruity-drink-with-umbrella trips to the beach in favor of juice-boxes-full-of-sand trips to the beach. Staying up late to finish science fair projects and edit term papers. Making lunches when you'd rather be making another cup of coffee. Changing yet another diaper.

I'm not really sure what happened today. Clare had been whiny all day, going from happy to "ehehehehehe" whiny and back again every 39.7 seconds. She slept terribly last night. I chalked it up to yesterday's emergence of tooth #2. I planned my afternoon cup of coffee. We were getting through our day. Playing with Mama. Playing alone. Wanting to be held. Wanting to be put down. Wondering if it was too soon for that extra cup of joe. Eat lunch. Nurse. Wonder if 2pm is an acceptable bed time.

Then, Clare was playing with the door on the TV stand behind which the DVDs are stored. I heard the bonk and jumped up to rescue her just as the tears emerged.

And emerge they did. In the next 35 minutes of rocking and holding and hugging and shhhhing and snuggling and walking and laying down and patting and back rubbing, Clare cried. She might be a baby, but you could tell it was one of those good, cathartic cries that all of us emotional girls need every now and then. She let out all of the pain and frustration and anger and whatever else she's felt all day. And, vocabulary gap aside, there was nothing I could do for her but be there.

As I did everything in my power to calm her, my mind kept drifting forward, armed with the sure knowledge that this would not be the last time that I was powerless to do anything to "fix" my baby. That all I could do was be there and love her with all I had. I remember a few years ago sitting with a distraught seventh-grader and her best friend, experiencing the kind of pain and heartbreak that only seventh graders can truly feel. I remember letting her cry and rubbing her back, and hearing her tell me in that moment that I would be a good mom. I had no idea what she meant by that. I get it now. I'm sure I'll get it again, more fully, in the future.

I'm sure I've said before that I wish I could keep my children from ever feeling pain -- whether physical or emotional. I know I can't. I know that there will be challenges -- challenges we face alone and those we face together. I know there will be times when the pain is caused by one another. I know it, but today, I felt it.

Finally, I took my baby to lay down in my bedroom. I snuggled her into my arms and decided that I would make myself feel comfortable and safe, and maybe it would seep into her. Sure enough, 5 minutes later, she her crying had stopped and her breathing had calmed to normal and after another 5, I was keeping her from crawling off the bed (oh, depth perception, how I take you for granted!).

That's parenthood, the mercurial swings, the agony of another's anguish, the giving of yourself in ways you can't imagine for the benefit of another. The trusting of your heart to someone who hasn't promised to love it "all the days of our lives." That's the sacrifice. You sacrifice that piece of your heart.