Here Kitschy Kitschy

Honey Walnut Shrimp.

2008-11-19T08:23:00.000-08:00

Success! Honey Walnut Shrimp is a dish I crave when I'm pregnant. I've tried my hand at different variations of this recipe, but have had disastrous results. Last night, I finally made some that turned out wonderful.

Honey Walnut Shrimp
Serves 4
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp white wine
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 egg white
1/2 tsp salt
cornstarch
canola oil
Sauce:
1/4 C mayonnaise
2 tsp honey
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Honey walnuts:
1 C walnuts
3 tsp honey
1 tsp water
cilantro
toasted sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat egg white till foamy. Mix rice wine, white pepper and salt to egg white. Toss shrimp in mixture. Let shrimp rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For honey walnuts, mix the honey with water. Place walnuts of a baking sheet, bake 15 minutes. Cool.

To make the honey mayo sauce, whisk mayonnaise, honey, vinegar and salt.

Heat oil to 350 degrees in shallow pan. While heating, take marinated shrimp and coat with cornstarch. Fry shrimp, about 1 minute in each side. Toss shrimp with honey sauce mixture. Add honey walnuts, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

Baking: From My Home to Yours.

2008-11-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

I am a lover of cookbooks. For someone who doesn't really like to spend time in the kitchen, purchasing a cookbook might not be the best Christmas gift. For me though, they are lovely. I like to just sit and read them.

Here's a book I recently purchased for myself:

More than I like to cook, I love to bake. Baking: From My Home to Yours is a James Beard Foundation Book Award Winner and is the 9th cookbook of Dorie Greenspan. In this cookbook, not only does she share over 230 recipes, but she also walks you through the steps like she is right there with you. I've already spent most of my afternoon reading about pound cake. Bookmarked shortbread cookie recipes. Thought about what cake I want to make for my birthday (yes, I want to make my own celebratory cake this year).

Good thing I've sworn of refine sugars for the remainder of the month -- otherwise I would be in the baking in the kitchen right about now.

iCandy Pear.

2008-11-17T08:49:00.000-08:00

This stroller is sold only in the UK, and I think I want it (whether or not I can afford it is another story). We'll be in London for two months this summer so maybe I can test it out then. It just might be my perfect double.

Why does Europe get the coolest strollers companies? And why do they take forever to come Stateside?

International Symbol Magnets.

2008-11-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

I like these colorful international symbol magnets. I feel kind of foolish though. I thought I was well traveled, but I don't know what a few of those symbols mean. What's your guess for the one on the top left?

I think these would make a great gift for a co-worker.

Bouchon Cookbook.

2008-11-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

If you can't fork up $240 for a nine-course meal at Thomas Keller's The French Laundry restaurant (or any of his other amazing eateries), then maybe you can try your take at his recipes at home.

A great gift for any foodie, Keller's cookbook Bouchon will delight even the most basic chef:

I say basic, because this collection of recipes and techniques is more everyday user-friendly than his more complicated French Laundry Cookbook. (Unless of course, you're not like me and you have things like foie gras and pig's head readily in your kitchen.)

Sadly, I do not own this book myself (what-you-can-get-me-for-Christmas plug here) but I've read enough mouth-watering reviews to predict this cookbook will not disappoint. I have however, tried my hand at Keller's Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche (which was taken from his Bouchon book), and will now and forever use this recipe for quiche.

In fact, it's on the menu for this year's Christmas brunch.

Good Night Moon Game.

2008-11-12T15:17:00.000-08:00

The book Goodnight Moon has been a bedside companion to my little girl since she was born. She loves this book. I think any kid familiar with the illustrations would also love this game too.

(lowest price in my search was at Wal Mart for under $15)

Fallen Feathers Tree Skirt.

2008-11-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm going to keep my Holiday decor in the blues/golds this year. I think this Fallen Feathers Tree Skirt would be just lovely under my tree.

Smeg Refrigerator.

2008-11-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Is it crazy that I think this refrigerator would make an ultra cool Christmas present?

Fuzzy Gold Chain Garland.

2008-10-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

I have been sooo bad at updating this site. I'm super sorry. I'll flash my "I'm pregnant" excuse card now, thank you.

Now that the Holiday Season is approaching, I've been inspired to do more creative things. Like, recreate this fuzzy chain from last year's West Elm decor (found on Domino):

I think these chain links would look so cute made out of gold pipe cleaner. As soon as I actually complete the project, I'll post my results.

Muumuus.

2008-09-22T12:26:00.001-07:00

I lived in Hawaii for a year and a half and feel in love with many things in the Aloha state. One of them being muumuus. I love muumuus. I especially love them when I am pregnant because they are so roomy and comfortable. Not to mention extremely beautiful.

I currently only own two, but if I were ever to be more ambitious with my sewing, I would get these fabulous vintage Victoria Jones patterns:

Hawaiian V-neck Yoke Muumuu

Hawaiian High Neck Muumuu

The Veeda Weekly.

2008-08-20T21:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been absent all summer. It's been a crazy crazy time out East and honestly. I never thought I would say this, but it's sure nice to be home in Utah.

Because I am very unorganized and somewhat inconsistent, I am putting "Here Kitschy Kitschy" on the back burner for the next few months. I have a writing project I'm trying to complete by the end of the year and I am going to focus my efforts on it.

I'll be blogging my daily word count and more general happenings at my other blog:
The Veeda Weekly

This was my first blog baby, and I've done lots of experimenting with it. It's been taken down. Gone private. Now back to public domain.

Please visit me there for the next little bit!

xoxo,
Veeda

Brief Hiatus.

2008-06-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'll be packing up my little family again this week to move up to Washington D.C., and I'm amazed at how much I need to do before we leave. We don't have much stuff, but it seems like we have things scattered everywhere! As much fun as this summer has been, I will be happy when one day we are home again and not living out of suitcases.

I'm not sure how the internet connection will be in our next destination, so I decided to also pack up this blog and put it on the shelf for awhile. Oh, but I'll try and post the curry before we leave.

I'll be back sometime in August, have a great summer everyone.

Mugga says, "I'll see you soon!"

Quiche and French Toast.

2008-06-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't get the chance to make that quiche till late late Friday evening. Axel and I ended up eating it for a midnight snack, and was it good. Unfortunately I don't have a picture, but here's the shot from Food & Wine:

Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche

In our household, we don't appreciate things like mushrooms as food, so I used some smoked sausage instead. I will never make that substitution again. The quiche was already extremely rich and with the added meats, it was a little out of control. Maybe I'll use asparagus next time.

On Saturday, I tried the french toast recipe I didn't get to last week for a breakfast brunch with friends. It was a hit! This recipe is a keeper. Courtesy of Martha Stewart of course, but it's not her recipe. She had Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson from Balthazar restaurant in NYC on her show. They made their yummy french toast, and I'm glad I now have it in my collection. You can watch the show on the recipe link too:

Balthazar Brioche French Toast

I used challah bread instead of brioche and I loved, loved, loved it.

Oh, and just to let you know, I had breakfast today too. Nothing special, just cereal. But maybe, just maybe, breakfast will stick.

Thai Green Curry.

2008-06-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

This morning's meal may not seem appealing to some of you, but having leftover Thai Green Curry from dinner last night was just the thing for my breakfast. Reasons why curry is so perfect:

1) I am too tired and too impatient to wait for my planned quiche to cook (the recipe I'm using takes hours, but it's a Thomas Keller recipe so I'm sure it's totally worth it).

2) I woke up this morning really wanting to eat last night's leftovers. I really love green curry.

3) I can pretty much eat anything for breakfast and I do. I'm asian. We do things like have dinner for breakfast.

I don't have a recipe to share because all the steps and measurements are in my head. It's the version my mom taught me and I should probably write it down one day. If anyone really wants it, I suppose I could try to figure it out on paper.

Tonight though, tonight I'm having quiche for dinner. I'll post the results of that later. Don't you think breakfast for dinner is a great thing too?

Eggs Benedict.

2008-06-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love Eggs Benedict, but it's a dish I'm always a little nervous to try. Sometimes it seems like it could be so easy, but I have my doubts. It's that darn hollandaise sauce. It seems so impossible to get right. Before today, I've only made it one other time and it turned out pretty bad. I think I was using a low-fat rendition or something.

Well, I'm not sure my attempt this morning would sell in a restaurant, but I think I managed to make myself a passable breakfast. I can poach eggs okay (they aren't the prettiest things though). Plating the eggs on an english muffin and slice of canadian bacon isn't hard either. It's just that darn hollandaise sauce. My sauce taste just fine, but it was on the thin side.

Oh well.

I think I heard somewhere that Trade Joe's sells hollandaise sauce in a jar. If so, I'll have to go stock up on that stuff before I leave the East Coast. Oh, how I love Trader Joe's. Especially their Orange Juice. My husband thinks it's a little strange that I can love a grocery store so much.

Anyway, the recipe I tried was from the Martha Stewart web site. It's courtesy of Josh Eden, a pretty amazing NYC chef.

Eggs Benedict

Peanut Butter on English Muffin.

2008-06-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Today I feel like a minivan mom. Partly because I'm driving a minivan this summer and also because I've been playing chauffeur since 5:50 a.m. I've dropped Axel off at the bus stop, another person off at the airport, ran errands and only got lost once.

So ... this morning all I had time grab was a whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter. Oh, and some strawberry yogurt. I was running so late, I didn't even have time to document my breakfast with a picture.

Sometimes there's just no time to eat a good breakfast.

Cereal Muffins.

2008-06-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

This morning for breakfast I had yogurt and cereal muffins. I've had a recipe for bran muffins for awhile and I've always wanted to try it. Since I don't happen to have any bran cereal on hand, I went with my next best alternative: Cranberry Crunch Total.

Growing up, my parents always bought Total. To this day, I still hate that cereal. It's nasty. No amount of sugar poured over that stuff can make it good. Believe me, I've spent many years trying.

Since I married a man who has eaten grown-up cereal all his life, my cereal consumption has changed over the years. I don't buy Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs anymore. Or Cocoa Crispies. We hardly even eat Pop Tarts in our house (but that's an entirely different breakfast component).

Axel has gotten me to eat cold cereal with more grains and you know. Good for you stuff. It's a gradual process though, he eats Kashi brands, I can swallow down Special K.

Well, these cereal muffins I made today might be a good alternative to adult cereals. At least for me, it's one way I can eat any form of Total cereal.

The muffins are pretty tasty, they are nice and fluffy and I like the tall tops. Oh, and did I mention, it doesn't even taste like Total cereal?

Cereal Muffins

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 qrt. buttermilk
5 tsp. baking soda
4 c. cereal
2 c. boiling water
5 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. Pour boiling water of cereal, mix together. Add cereal to shortening and sugar mixture. Sift flour and salt. Add baking soda to buttermilk. Mix half of flour mixture to cream mixture. Then add half buttermilk to batter. Add rest of flour, then remainder of buttermilk.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, bake 20 minutes.

Carrot Cake Pancakes.

2008-06-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

I've never even thought that things like Carrot Cake Pancakes would exist. When IHOP starting flashing their recent commercials, I decided I wanted them. Like right now. Since I am pregnant and very susceptible to food cravings, I sometimes have to close my eyes when food commercials come on TV. Most of the time I think, Oh, no. Not another burger commercial.

I don't want a burger. I don't want a burger. I don't need a burger.

"Honey?" I call to my husband in the next room. "Can you get me a burger?"

After lots of Internet searching, I decided to use this recipe I found on this tasty food blog. It has all the components I wanted: no pre-made pancake mix, no raisins, no pineapples. and yes, just like real carrot cake, the recipe also includes a cream cheese topping.

This morning, I woke up at 5 a.m. to whip these babies up. Axel leaves for work a little before 6 a.m., and I wanted to cook for him. I consider it payback for all the late night burger runs. The pancakes are super fluffy, just the way I like them. It's a pretty good recipe. On the cook's suggestion, I sweetened the cream cheese with some powder sugar. When I plated the cakes, I put the topping on the side. It may be optional for some (like my toddler) but not for others (like me who enjoys dessert for breakfast).

The best part of the pancakes? My little Mugga loved 'em. She ate them even with out syrup or any additional sweeteners. I feel pretty good knowing I just gave her carrots first thing in the morning. And she didn't even notice. Hah!

Carrot Cake Pancake Recipe here.

Challenge: Breakfast

2008-06-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really bad about eating breakfast. It's a little boring to me. Usually just cold cereal. Peanut butter toast. If I'm ambitious, I'll fry some eggs.

I think one of the reasons why I don't look forward to breakfast is because I'm usually eating it by myself. It's something I shove down my throat out of necessity, something I know I need to do but don't particularly enjoy. Well, I recently read an article in New York Magazine that has my mind thinking differently about the most important meal of the day:

How I Learned to [Heart] Breakfast (or at Least What to Eat for It)

I'm not going to go into the article, but it's so interesting. It caught my attention enough, that I decided that this week, I'm eating breakfast. Not only am I not skipping my morning meal, but I'm going to make some recipes I've always wanted to try.

So, this week I'm thinking about breakfast. Because I want to look forward to my mornings, I'm making dishes that aren't so healthy, but definitely worth waking up for.

Top Chef.

2008-06-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

I have been heartbroken for the last few weeks since Dale left Top Chef (but so happy to see him make an appearance last week). Tonight's the finale and I'm super excited.

I'm crossing my fingers Stephanie's the winner. Although if Richard takes it, I would be happy too.

Real Simple Essay Contest.

2008-06-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

I know by posting this, I'm just asking for more competition. I'm always one for fair game though. Real Simple is offering their first essay contest, and I'm excited about it. You can be published in the mag, and recieve $3,000.

Rules and details here.

Crocs.

2008-06-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

I have friends who tell me that Crocs are where it's at. Especially when you are pregnant. And have big feet. And your feet will just get bigger when your belly gets bigger.

I've heard how comfortable they are, how great they are in the summer (even winter), yet I find myself so extremely hesitant. I can't bring myself to do it. They are just so ugly.

Well, after a conversation with a friend just a few days ago (again, a Croc supporter) I decided to look again. I found these styles that aren't too bad ... I dunno. Maybe I can give it a try.

Eat What I Make You?

2008-06-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few questions for all you parents out there. Do your kids eat what you make them? Do you make special meals during chow time? Do you enforce the "Eat What I Make You" rule?

I always thought I would be the enforcer-type of mom. The one who says, "You kids eat what I make -- end of discussion." Yeah, I pictured myself stern and firm just like that.

Well, now that I have a toddler, I see I'm not as tough as I thought. I'm quite the pushover, really. At meal time, I find myself spending more time rummaging through the kitchen in search of something that my gal will find palatable at the moment (because, of course, the dinner I cooked that night just wasn't good enough). I don't know why I do it ... well, I do. I don't want her to be hungry. She's just so little.

Axel is always reminding me not to cater towards my daughter's sometimes picky/sometimes not eating habits. Yup, you guessed it. Dad is definitely the Enforcer.

I guess I've worried that my girl is too young to follow the eating rules ... but am I wrong? Is an almost 2-year-old mature enough to handle the "Eat What I Make You" rule? Is it too late? Can I still be an Enforcer?

Your comments are much appreciated.

Sugar Rush.

2008-06-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was able to escape the 100 degree weather (plus humidity) and walk around the Tysons Corner Mall. My favorite part about shopping?

Going to Cakelove.

You may know I'm a lover of cupcakes, and I was super excited to try Cakelove's treats. We had the German Chocolate and the Brown Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting. Delish!

I'm still hoping to visit the famous CakeLove and Love Café on U Street in D.C., and go to the cupcake bar. Here, you can create your own cupcake concoction. Oh, or maybe I'll even take one of their baking/decorating classes this summer.

The sugar possibilities are endless.

East Coast I love you, but you're bringing me down.

2008-06-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I said I would be a better blogger, and look. It's taken me almost a week again to post something.

Well, I blame tornadoes, crazy mean thunderstorms and super bad internet connection. Yes, this is the welcome the East Coast has given me. The very first day we are here, there is a tornado warning.

Yesterday, we were out power all day and night. Axel was almost blown over at a bus stop in D.C. on his 2 hour commute home, and I had absolutely no techology for most of the day. No cell phone, no central air, no TV, no nothing. Just me and the baby. Watching the sky grow dark.

Well, this morning things are starting to look better. The AC finally kicked back on an hour ago, just in time for Mugga to watch Yo Gabba Gabba and for me not to shower in the dark.

So, right now I'm off to do something fun. We're hitting the mall. And some Popeye's Fried chicken. See ya.

Packing.

2008-05-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

We leave tomorrow morning, and as of right now, I haven't put a single thing into my suitcase. Yeah, so I'm totally not stressing.

Also, I am always so amazed how much stuff one little toddler needs for a trip. I'm not just talking clothes and car seat. Stuff like, portable DVD player, cartoons, snacks, diapers, sippy cup, books, her baby and blankie.

This is just stuff I'm thinking off the top of my head too. There's probably a few things more. You may think I'm obsessive, but the other travelers on the plane will think I'm amazing when I keep my kid quiet. If I'm lucky, it might be for few hours or so.

Missing In Action.

2008-05-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there.

Remember me? I used to be a blogger and post here quite often. I'm sure I've lost all my blogging friends by now, I completely understand. It's a consequence that happens when you sudden drop of the face of the blog-o-sphere.

Things in my household have been quite busy these past few weeks, but the thing keeping me the busiest is this:

By busy I mean too nauseous to want to live, by busy I mean to tired to do anything but nap, by busy I mean occupying my time by shoving lots and lots of low sodium saltine crackers into my body. I don't think I've done anything productive in like, a month. There are some women who are fantastic pregnant. They either don't get sick, or their sickness doesn't affect them much. Me? I'm a complete mess the first trimester.

Super moody, extremely tired and ridiculously picky about the food I put into my mouth. It seems like so many things make me want to hurl. This of course, explains my Crock Pot Challenge disaster of 2008. Unfortunate for me, my morning (okay really, it was all freaking day) sickness kicked in during the middle of that challenge. Now it's all I can do to keep myself from gagging whenever I see a slower cooker.

Also, needless to say I never even started my quiet book challenge. Oh, and don't ask me the last time I'm tried writing something to get published. (Me in the first trimester also makes a bad freelance writer.)

But thankfully I'm feeling much better now after my first three months. Which is good, because I have a pretty filled summer ahead of me. Our family is headed out East for an internship for Axel at the end of the week. He starts Monday in D.C., and I'm not even remotely close to getting the house in order or packing for 10 weeks. I suppose it's fortunately that I'm already with a chubby belly, because this limits the wardrobe I'll take. Also, now I have a great excuse to hit up the H&M Mamma section.

So, I promise I'll be a much better blogger from now on. I don't have any more first trimester excuses, so I should be back quite regularly.

We are so excited for our growing family ... I'm starting to think baby stuff all over again. You can bet I'm already dreaming about double strollers.

Challenge: Quiet Book

2008-05-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

I've been planning this lil' project for awhile now, and now I'm finally committing. For my challenge this week, I'm going to make Mugga a quiet book of her very own. The best part of my design so far? Minimal sewing! (I'm embarrassed to admit I have a fantastic machine I hardly use.)

I'm making up my own story and pattern, but if you want a few ideas of your own here are a couple how-to links:

Martha Stewart

HowtoMe (this one looks much too complicated for me)

Here are two bloggers I found that made their own quiet books too:

Fowler Family

itybtyfrog's ideas

Since I've done nothing but buy materials, I don't have anything interesting to post right now. I'm aiming to do an 8 page book, so maybe I can whip up two or so pages a day (including cover). Hopefully the book I have pictured in my mind will be the book I see finished on Friday.

Us.

2008-05-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been absent from the blog this week. I'll make up for it more come Monday ... because I'm doing a challenge! (More on that later)

If you've been wondering what my little family looks like, here is the most recent photo of us documented by the most wonderful Cindy at friendly gathering last night:

{there is me. Then Axel. and Mugga. One day, I will think of a clever alias name to give myself. Feel free to offer any suggestions.}

Mike and Kim were great hosts. They even supplied a trunk full of toys for Mug. Oh, and Rock Band for us older kids.

Twilight Trailer.

2008-05-05T23:56:00.001-07:00

I admit it, I'll be in line to watch this come December 12th.

Rite Of Passage.

2008-05-05T10:51:00.001-07:00

It kills me that she is trying to erase her permanent marker mess off the Magna doodle.

Six Reasons to Love Gossip Girl.

2008-05-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

I just got my copy of New York Magazine yesterday (I always get mine a little late since I'm not living in NYC), and much to my surprise, the cast of Gossip Girl was on the cover!

{Insert happy squeal here}

Inside is a 5,000 word article on why you should openly love this show and not be ashamed of it's teenage plot. True story. It's a great article, check it out for yourself:

The Genius of Gossip Girl

Family Vacations.

2008-04-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Up until last weekend, I had my doubts about family vacation spots and vacationing with children in general. I love traveling, and I love exploring off the tourist track. I usually try to avoid places that are overflowing with souvenir shops and filled with everyone and their family reunion. Kid-themed attractions also top this list.

Now that I have my own child, I have different expectations. I don't think I can take Mugga backpacking across Thailand. I for one, am not up for that sort of thing anymore. (Hostel hopping has never been my thing.) I also don't see us dining in gourmet restaurants in NYC (Mug is really into chucking things off the table lately) or shopping for hours at Piccadilly Circus in London (it might interfere with nap time).

There are times when I have thought, "Man. My days of real traveling is so over. Now I'm stuck with a kid, and she's gonna slow me down."

But after taking Mug to the beach for the first time in her young life, my perspective is changing. She was afraid of the water at first and shrieked when the wave licked her toes. After a few minutes, she was loving it. She loved, loved, loved the beach. Absolutely fascinated by the sand, Mug spent about 45 minutes shoveling it into this yellow bucket:

(Notice the lack of swimming suit. Like everything else in her wardrobe, it was left at home.)

Seeing Mug's reaction to her first real elephant at the wild animal park was also completely priceless. She got one look at the giant Asian elephants and screamed to go inside their gated-off home.

"Ed-di-die! Ed-di-die!" she pleaded. ("Ed-di-die" is her word for "elephant.") Mugga almost feel over when she came face-to-face with a stray duck in the park. She's seen ducks before, so a second encounter was a real treat.

There were other kids in the park experiencing this same wide-eyed captivation, and it touched my cold, traveling heart. My reservations melted away, and I too, became fascinated again to see a lion up close. Wow, those things are scary.

It's interesting how everyday, my outlook on life changes now that I'm a mom.

I love to travel and explore the world because I like to expose myself to new and different things. I feel like it opens my horizons and helps me be a better person. I thought that vacationing with a child would limit this experience. I would be stuck visiting contrived kiddie attractions with absolutely no interest to myself.

But traveling with Mug isn't as bad as I thought it would be. If fact, it's actually better. To see my little one experience these new adventures, to touch the ocean for the first time ever, see a real giraffe, listen to the laughs of a spider monkey -- these are the greatest explorations. Her eyes are opening to new things, and at the same time, mine are too.

Whisper lamé tiered skirt.

2008-04-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

I love this outfit from J. Crew. It's positively ethereal.

Flower Child Double Strap Footbed.

2008-04-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe the Birkenstock look is back.

Flower Child Double Strap Footbed by Free People

No!!!

2008-04-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

I hate that these two are together. Man, do I love this show.

Flowers to Go: Favor Bags.

2008-04-29T09:09:00.001-07:00

I've mentioned before that I've been helping my sister plan her wedding. This is a cute idea for favors: waterproof bags to hold flowers from the reception. The personalized message printed on the bag is adorable.

via Martha Stewart

Butterfly Appetizer Plates.

2008-04-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

Right now, Mug freaks over anything with butterflies. She absolutely loves them, it's so weird. I bet she would love these Andy Warhol butterfly appetizer plates. Mom loves Warhol too, and at $1.95 a pop, I bet even dad would approve.

Animals at the Park.

2008-04-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

While we were in Southern California, we took Mugga to the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park. It was extremely hot that day, I think it was close to 100 degrees. When we arrived, there were actually paramedics on scene. I heard someone tell their kid that some child must have gotten too close to the lions, but I think the ambulance in the enterance was for heat stroke causes. The boy looked really scared though.

I of course, was paranoid Mug was going to burn in the hot sun or get dehydrated. I lathered sunscreen on her every 45 minutes or so and made sure her sippy cup was filled with cool drinks. It was so hot, despite her love for animals, I think her favorite part of the park was playing kiddie-sized water park:

{Mug with her Auntie Juan}

The elephants, giraffes and monkeys were all exciting for Mugga. But by the end of the day, she was a pretty tired, grumpy and hot. So was I. On the tramp ride back to the parking lot, she was telling everyone on the tram about her discomfort. In other words, she did a lot of screaming.

One lady sitting in front of Axel and Mug turned her head slightly towards the sound of my daughter and snarled, "Cool it!"

I was sitting further away, so I didn't hear exactly what she said till Axel told me later. I did hear the meanness in her voice and I shot back with a sharp, "Hey!" I then complimented Mug till we reached our stop, saying what a good girl she's been and how great she's been the whole trip.

The mean lady made no other remarks but I was furious. Here we are, leaving a family friendly attraction and some woman snapped at my child. Axel was pretty shocked too. He was much too polite to say anything, but I know he wanted too. Since moving away from California, I think we lost some of our edge.

Walking back to our car, here are a few things I had wished I had said:

"You cool it!"

"Don't talk to my child that way you animal!"

Or, I would have talked to my girl directly (in a very loud voice so that the mean lady could hear):

"Mug, that woman may not realize how rude she was right now. She may be tired after a long day walking in the hot sun around smelly animals with her own loud grandchildren. She's probably gotten too much sun and not enough water. She probably doesn't realize you are not even two years old, and you've had a long day too."

A little more passive aggressive, but with tons of sarcasm. I've never had someone snap at my child before, and I was caught off guard.

I don't expect everyone to love my little girl, but I guess I was naive with the amount of kindness people show towards children. Man, I'm still furious.

Back Home.

2008-04-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

As much fun as it is to travel, it always such a relief to be home again. Especially if I managed to clean the house before we left. Returning to a clean house after a long trip is one of the greatest feelings ever.

We had lots of fun adventures on our Southern California trip. We try and get down there once a year to visit family and to eat delicious food (where we live, dim sum isn't the best).

Probably one of the most memorable things happened about 4 hours into the drive. This is the point when Mugga exploded in her diaper and needed a change of clothes. We stopped the car and I went straight to the trunk in search of extra pants. As I was rumaging past the portable crib, the stroller, my own clothes bag, it occurred to me that my daughter's bag was not in the trunk. It was actually sill sitting on the coffee table in the living room.

What kind of mother am I that I forget my daughter's clothing? The same kind that was even more bothered that my makeup bag was also left on the coffee table back home. In my mind, replacing a few days worth of children's clothing isn't that big of an investment. But my makeup? I am very particular about everything I put on my face. From my SPF 30 face lotion to a certain eye lash curler, the contents of my makeup bag is much more costly. Yes. So whatever kind of mother I am, I am this one.

We ended up buying Mug a few cute summer things from Target (so cheap!). I also swallowed my pride and just bought more foundation. Luckily I still had some lipstick in my purse.

Now that we are back home, it's nice to remember all the fun we had in California. I'll probably post more about the trip later. It sure is nice to sleep in my bed again. Put Mug in her crib. And use my favorite eyeliner.

Late!

2008-04-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

As always, we are behind on schedule. We should have been out of the house 38 minutes ago. Yup, blame the toddler.
I'm headed off for a long weekend in SoCal. See you Monday!

Back to the 101.

2008-04-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

In tribute to my road trip to Sunny Southern California tomorrow, here's a video that I love so much because it makes me laugh. Also, doesn't Albert Hammond Jr. kinda look like Thom Filicia?

Strawberry-Soy Milk Shake.

2008-04-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

This tofu milk shake looks delish. I'm always looking for ways to sneaky in something healthy in for my little Mugga and myself. Also, I want that spoon.

recipe and photo via Cookie Magazine.

Plastic Baby Bottle Safety.

2008-04-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here is another reason why I worry as a mom:

Wal-Mart to Pull Bottles Made With Chemical BPA (not till next year. I guess Canada and European countries have already banned them from shelves)

Bottle Maker to Stop Using Plastic Linked to Health Concerns

Yet the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association in the U.S. still considers them safe. Read here.

*update* here's a great blog with information on BPA free bottles, sippy cups, tableware, etc. There's even a download for a wallet-sized info card:

Z Recommends

I appreciate blogs and news articles like these that help consumers stay informed. When manufactures see the response of concerned parents and the decrease in sales, I think they are more likely to make changes.

Jewelry Box for Mom.

2008-04-21T11:59:00.001-07:00

Speaking of Mother's Day presents, I love this red Ningbou Jewelry Armoire. It has tons of storage space and I love the Asian flair. The sides have necklace hooks, and the top opens up to a mirror. (Plus, it's on sale!)

Slow Cooking Summary.

2008-04-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Well, on Friday I decided to stop being fancy with my slow cooker and just try something simple. I opened up my Betty Crocker Cookbook and tried this Slow Cooker Potato and Double-Corn Chowder:

Once again, what I made in my pot looked nothing like what came out of the test kitchens. The chowder was okay, a little unremarkable. It still looked gross to me, and I didn't want to eat it (luckily there are husbands, who out of the kindness of their heart, will eat any kitchen disaster).

This might have been the worst challenge I've ever done. Everything I made turned out awful. I mean, I don't even think I'm that bad of a cook, I guess I just can't slow cook. I don't think I'm ever trying again. And now I no longer want that beautiful All-Clad Slower Cooker. so maybe there is something good that came out of this experiment after all. Oh well, I'll just have to hint at something else for Mother's Day.

Skirt Tugging.

2008-04-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the frustrations of crock pot cooking (i had no idea I would be so horrible) there have been some great highlights in my kitchen this week.

Example:

As I scrambled eggs for Mugga's lunch yesterday, she did the amazing thing. She stood next to me and tugged at my skirt. My toddler has never done this before, and the small little gesture surprised me.

It wasn't a nagging pull, like a "Hurry Up With My Eggs Mom" pull, but sort of a flapping dancing motion. She clutched my hem in her little hands and moved it back and forth. Her body swayed from side to side and she gazed up at me. To whatever imaginary song she heard in her head, we both bobbed our head to the music.

Mug was so cute right then, dancing with my skirt to some song only she could hear, I couldn't help but laugh. I scooped her up in my arms and we danced and stirred the eggs together.

Having her in my life is so fun at times. But honestly, Mugga was probably just happy I wasn't slow cooking anything.

Another One Bites the Dust.

2008-04-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's crock pot adventured was awful! I'm not sure what it is that is causing me to blunder so much. Maybe I'm trying all the wrong type of recipes in a crock pot. Since I have no experience in slow cooking, I don't know what works and what does.

I attempted the Cheesy Spinach-Artichoke Dip, and l just couldn't bring myself to eat it. The dip look like regurgetated puke, and it smelled even worse. The reek of melted feta cheese was way overpowering -- seriously. It smell was like something out of a baby's diaper.

Just on scent alone, I am not touching that dip. Of course the sight of it also makes me shudder.

After this week, I maybe never crock pot, or eat feta cheese again.

Cast Iron Pans.

2008-04-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

A lot of my growing up years, my mom would subject Nazi-like enforcements on the food we ate (and how we cooked it). Anything with the words "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" was banned from the kitchen cupboards. We also were givens strict instructions on never cooking food in the microwave with plastic.

Mom even threw away all the Teflon pans one day (to read possible health risks associated with Teflon, read these articles here, here and here).

I used to laugh at her and call her crazy. I noticed though, when I started caring for my own family, I took her advice a little more seriously. I mean, people are getting cancer from somewhere right?

Last year I chucked all of my Teflon coated pans. My thinking is, better safe than sorry.

In their place, I bought a couple of cast iron beauties. I was skeptical at first. Cast iron was strange to me. The whole you-can't-soak-this-pan-in-soap-and-water bit made me nervous. But my husband, the great cook that he is, talked me into them.

Cast iron is amazing. It browns beautifully. Eggs slide of easily. Best yet, no Teflon!

Lodge makes a great inexpensive skillet, you can get it at Williams-Sonoma for $27 for a 12 inch. Sure it's no Le Creuset pretty, but it does the job just fine.

(Best Buy: I picked up a pair of Lodge skillets from Costco for around $20 something.)

Missing In Action.

2008-04-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

So sorry about being M.I.A. yesterday. I had a post all ready to go, but you know. It was one of those days where nothing really gets done.

So much, that my husband Axel actually took over the crock pot cooking. He made the Spicy Country Ribs and they were good. So, maybe it actually isn't the recipe or crock pot. Maybe it is me.

{Real Simple photo}

Chocolate Mud Cake.

2008-04-16T00:15:00.000-07:00

{This post should have been blogged yesterday, but it never made it to the web. Sorry for being a day late with my updates!}

For my recipe yesterday, I put off my Spinach Articoke Dip and made a Chocolate Mud Cake from the FamilyFun web site. I figured chocolate cake would be a more encourage recipe to try for my second day. Iwas terribly dissapointed. My cake was not molten-like at all. Half was fudgy and moist, the other half was chocolate water.

The reviews for the recipe were all positive, so maybe it's me. It's one of the easiest forms of cooking, but maybe I'm not meant to be a crock pot cooker. This slow cooker thing is discouraging. Maybe I didn't cook my cake long enough. I'm beginning to not want that All-Clad cooker.

My cake looked nothing like this (from the web site):

Puffalumps.

2008-04-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here's another nostalgic toy for you:

The Puffalumps are back! One of my sisters had the white cow one, and she loved, loved, loved it. According to the Fisher Price web site, they are sold exclusively at Target (I have yet to see one at my local store).

Pout Cheek Stain.

2008-04-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this cheek stain good or not, but I really like the packaging:

I've never tried cheek stain, I mainly use blush. Although, in a crunch, I have used a little lipstick for cheek color before.

Slow Cooking Blogs.

2008-04-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

After dinner last night (which happened at exactly 8:02 p.m.) I decided I need to change around some of my recipes. The Chicken Stew in White Wine was great. The chicken was super tender, the stew really flavorful. But it might have been better if it wasn't 72 degrees outside.

While compiling my recipes this week, I didn't take in the seasonal appeal of the dishes. Eating a hearty stew in almost-summer weather wasn't ideal. For this reason, I'm scratching a few recipes off the list and trying something else.

Right now, I searching around for lighter summer recipes (if anyone has any recommendations, please let me know) and stumbled across numerous blogs based soley on crock pot cooking.

Here are a couple I found interesting:

A year of CrockPotting

A Crock Cook

Man, there are blogs for everything.

I'll be back later with updated recipes. I never thought slow cooking would be this time consuming.

Slow Cooking Update: Day 1

2008-04-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

So far, the slow cooker and I are already at odds. It's only day one, and already I want to quit.

I picked a recipe today that only requires 5 hours of cooking time. Axel doesn't get home today till 7:30 p.m., so I figure I've got all time in the world.

After rummaging through my pantry this morning, I realize I am missing garlic, a yellow onion and white wine for today's recipe. Okay, no problem. A quick trip to the grocery store will take care of my culinary needs.

At the supermarket, I manage to find all items except the wine. So I hit another grocery store. Then another. Puzzled, I finally remember to ask someone for help.

"Excuse me, do you have any wine?" At this point, Mugga is lunging for a bottle of Izze.

"JUUUICE!" she screams. I patiently tell her Izzes are not juice. At least not 100 % juice. They do however, have no refined sugars and are made up of 70 % percent juice. So maybe one day Mugga, I'll give you an Izze instead of a soda. Unfortunately for you, that day is not today.

The grocery store employee looks at me with pity. Maybe she thinks this mom needs a good stiff drink right about now. Oh, and Mugga also has snot running down her face. I have no tissues on hand, so I wipe her nose with my shirt.

"We don't carry hard liquor," she says. "You have to go to a liquor store for wine."

Turns out, absolutely NO grocery stores in my area carry wine. This is a fact I did not know, since I am not an alcohol consumer. Maybe it is a nation wide rule, but I feel this is unfair.

Actually, I'm a little bit annoyed at this point. Trader Joes always carried wine. Why can't other grocery stores carry wine?!? Why can't other grocery stores be like Trader Joes? Then I begin to feel sorry for myself that I live in an area with no Trader Joes. I also realize this also means another trip with my tired hungry toddler in the car, and I feel even more sorry for myself.

I pick up some chicken from the deli for Mugs, and we are off to the liquor store. At this point, she is almost 2 hours over her regular nap time. The folks are the liquor store are nice. They help me find a nice inexpensive white wine. They are patient with Mug when she wipes her greasy hands on the credit card machine. They even smile at my kid when she offers them a bite of her drumstick. Bless you, people who know liquor.

By this point, it is 3 o'clock. Mugga goes down for a nap, and I get busy in the kitchen. I cut the potatoes, browned the chicken, chopped the bacon. All is going according to plan until the time comes for me to simmer the white wine. I realize I have no idea how to open up a bottle of wine. I stare at this foreign object on my table, and it stares back.

There's a cork. I have no cork screw. I peel off the sticker around the neck thinking maybe there is another trick to this bottle, but no. Nothing else. The 2 inch cork is separating me from the wine and completing my dinner. I have absolutely no idea how to get to it. I am stumped.

Even after all the hassle it's taken me to obtain the alcohol, I want to give up. I want to smash the bottle over the counter. I just need a cup and a half. Surely I can get that if I break it open. This is so frustrating. Crock pot cooking sucks.

Then, a miracle happens. My younger sister walks through the door. She listens to me sob about my horrible day. How the crock pot is in conspiracy with the wine to foil my dinner. I just know that stupid slow cooker is laughing at me.

My sister picks up a butter knife, hammers it in to the cork and saves the day. She's only 18 and I don't know if she should know how to do this.

So right now, my meal is cooking. A nice slow simmer. Dinner should be done around 8 o'clock. If we lived in New York, this would be early.

I'm just crossing my fingers it's worth it.

Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone.

2008-04-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Today at Target I spotted this toy:

Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone

It took me back to when I was a kid. My grandparents had one in their basement, but it was never in good condition. I think they might have had an original 1962 version.

I might have to go back and get this for Mugga.

Challenge: Crock Pot Cooking.

2008-04-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

I know. You're probably thinking, "A challenge for slow cooking? Really?"

Yes, really. For me, slow cookers/crock pots are super intimidating. I didn't grow up using them. The concept of leaving a meal to cook on it's own has always been strange to me. You just throw things in a pot, leave it for awhile, and everything turns out? Seriously?

In the (almost) three years I've been married, I've used our wedding present crock pot, like twice. Both times making chili that's already been cooked (so basically I'm just keeping the food warm).

I also cringe away from crock pot cooking because of my recipe mind block. When I think of slow cooker recipes, stuff like pot roast and stews come into mind. I didn't think anything else was possible. The whole planning-a-meal-6-hours-in-advance almost never happens in my kitchen.

Well, a trip to Williams-Sonoma reformed my fear. One day, I spotted the most gorgeous appliance I've ever seen:
The All-Clad Slow Cooker. It's stainless steel. Six and a half quarts. White ceramic insert.

I suddenly pictured myself making the most amazing food in that slow cooker: Beef Bourguignonne, Braised Lamb Shanks, Pulled Pork Sandwiches. I could be the most amazing crock pot cooker, if only I had that All-Clad machine.

My husband Axel saw me eyeing the shiny cooking gem and immediately puts a halt to my daydreaming.

"You never use a slow cooker," he says disapprovingly.

"But I can." In my mind, I've already measured how much counter space it would need.

"Okay then," he replies. "Use the one we got."

Daydream fades. Oh those husbands. So practical.

Well, fine. For the next five days, I'm dedicating my cooking to all things crock pot. I'll show my husband I can be a slow cooker. Maybe he'll take one bite of my Spicy Country Ribs and be blown away. Maybe he'll realize we need a slow cooker with a 6 1/2 quart capacity. Maybe he'll remember the All-Clad beauty when he also remembers that Mother's Day is right around the corner.

So, here are the recipes I'm trying this week (picked from some of my favorite food magazines/web sites).

Monday: Chicken Stew in White Wine -- Williams-Sonoma

Tuesday: Cheesy Spinach-Artichoke Dip -- Cooking Light

Wedsnday: Spicy Country Ribs -- Real Simple

Thursday: Sour Cream Cheesecake -- Food & Wine

Friday: Beef Provencale -- Food Network

As always, you are more than welcome to join me. Let me know if you decide to try a recipe or two (I always appreciate reviews).

Happy slow cooking!

Over and Over -- Hot Chip

2008-04-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

Say what you will about this video, but I absolutely love Hot Chip and this song:

My Smart Barrier.

2008-04-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

There are times when I think motherhood has zapped away the majority of my brain cells. I was terribly forgetful when I was pregnant, but I seems like raising a little girl has further dumbed me up (if "dumbed" is even a correct use of the word). I consider my absentmindedness appalling, the other day I didn't remember the currency of Japan. This is ridiculous, because I have lived in Japan.

I have stupid moments like this that depress me all day. I'm a college graduate for crying out loud. I read. I write. Yet my brain is still mush.

Then there are times like yesterday. I have a break though -- a moment of genius clarity -- and I think, "Okay. So maybe I'm not so dumb after all."

As I've mentioned before, my little family is out of town camped in a hotel room. I say "camped," because being in a luxurious hotel room with a king size bed is not a treat. It's almost a punishment. We have a tiny fridge that barely fits all Mugga's juice and yogurt. In haste to stock up on things for my daughter, I failed to buy myself water bottles. Instead of coughing up $3.50 at the hotel for 12 oz. of water, I chose to drink it from the bathroom tap. Yuck.

Taking naps has been so difficult. Sleeping in the same room? Even worse. Imagine sharing a room with someone who goes to bed at 8 p.m. You, on the other hand, like to live a little more at night. You know, do crazy things like watch TV. Unfortunately you know that even the smallest noise will awaken your moody roommate. She can even hear the typing clicks of a keyboard.

This trip has been hell.

The main problem of sharing a room with my daughter is that she will not sleep if she can see her parents. I've left the room and stood in the hall while she drifts off to sleep, but eventually sometime during her slumber she'll stir and look over. She sees me, she's awake.

Last night she went down fine. When she woke up at 2:30 a.m. and realized she was in the same room as mom and dad, she was upset. "I should be in that beautiful king size bed too, and not this lame crib," she says with her cries.

It's been hard, so hard.

But today -- today -- my brain cells worked. As I was getting Mugga ready for her afternoon nap, a genius thought came into my mind. I need to make a barrier.

In the closet I found an extra blanket, draped it across the TV armoire and a tall lamp (unplugged), and wha-la! Instant parent blocker. She couldn't see me in her crib, I couldn't see her on the bed. I read a book for two complete hours with absolutely no interruption.

So maybe sometimes I forget what 8x9 is. Maybe I run to the grocery store and forget to grab fresh basil for dinner -- even if I brought the recipe with me. But maybe, sometimes maybe, I come up with solutions that even MacGyver would approve off. And today, this makes me a genius.

King Size Save.

2008-04-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

When Axel and were engaged, one thing I wanted to register for was a king size bed. I am 5'11''. He is at least 6'2''. I didn't think there would be any way we would fit in anything smaller.

On our honeymoon, we got to sleep in a number of beds. Most of them kings, one or two queens. We definitely had more room when we were in a king, but it felt like too much room. Unless I snuggled up in the very center, I could barely touch my new husband. I would have to stretch my legs across what seemed like miles until my toes connect with any part of his body. I might as well been sleeping by myself.

I decided then that a queen would be just right for us. No wide separation and cheaper prices in bedding. We received a comfortable hand-me-down queen from family, and the free bed became the size of choice.

Well, at this moment I am contemplating changing my bed size decision. My little family is out of town, camped in a hotel room while Axel attends a conference. In our room, there is a beautiful king size bed. Last night it did not matter that I could not touch my husband. The miles of seperation was replaced by one squirmy sick little girl. She woke up at 6 a.m. and puked right in the middle of her parents. If we were in a queen, it would have hit me.

A king bed sounds really good right about now.

{I love this bed, via West Elm}

Ticket to Ride.

2008-04-06T23:53:00.001-07:00

We had lots of family in town this weekend and I ended up playing lots of this game:

I used to hate this game until I won once, and now I love laying down the tracks. After this weekend, I think I might be a little addicted. My brother-in-law (who is the board game guru in the family) told me about the online site where you can play Ticket to Ride for free. Click here.

Doesn't that sound fun? I have yet to try it. I'm nervous that if I do, I'll never get off the computer.

Log Off Summary.

2008-04-06T23:37:00.000-07:00

Well, my week of online log off is over. Thursday I failed miserably. Friday I was extremely busy and spent maybe only 5 minutes online. All in all, I think it was a success. Even if I didn't keep my daily goal of 30 minutes online, I managed to use my time a little better. Which was the purpose of my challenge.

Thanks to everyone who took the challenge, I hope you did better than me!

Want to Go to Greenland?

2008-04-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

Budget Travel is one of my favorite magazines. I like it so much I decided to spend a portion of my 30 minutes of internet time today perusing it online. What can I say? I like a good cheap trip (I'm constantly searching for a way to get back to Hawaii).

The magazine offers a contest for travel stories every month, and I've always had good intentions on submitting something. This month, the winning prize a trip to Greenland for two. I've never been to Greenland. Have you?

For contest, click here.

Log Off Day 3

2008-04-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, keeping myself to 30 minutes on the internet was much easier. I didn't even cheat -- not once!

The morning is probably the most tempting time for me, this is when I'm usually online. The downfall to my logging off is that I have not done any writing this week. Even typing on the computer is too much of a temptation. Oh well, this is why freelance works. I have an interview I will probably need to type up on Friday, but by the end of the week I should be much stronger.

Instead of being online yesterday I:

Spent lots of time playing with Mugga. She loves her new baby doll and likes to put her to sleep, change her diaper and feed her cheese.
Made risotto with shrimp in celebration of the Hell's Kitchen (You may notice that I like a lot of dumb TV shows). Risotto is something the cooks on the show always mess up, and I wanted to try it for myself.
Did laundry. Folded laundry. Did more laundry (I'm always behind on laundry).
Started getting the house ready for company this week.
Remembered to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store (this probably has nothing to do with spending less time on the Internet, but I was really happy with myself. I'm always forgetting those darn bags).
Poked around at my garden.

I know, the exciting life of the stay at home mom.

Thanks again everyone for joining me in this challenge. It puts more pressure on me to do better.

*Update: I just went 7 minutes over today. Stupid Facebook.

I Don't Know How to Quit You.

2008-04-01T08:29:00.001-07:00

I really must be an internet addict, because yesterday was extremely difficult. So many times I wanted to check my blog. Look up a book on Amazon. Read someone else's blog. Man, those blog things are addicting.

I will confess, I did cheat. I saw that I got new mail on my computer mail box. I checked it. Read it. And replied. It was work related, so I don't feel that guilty. Work is okay, right?

Instead of being online yesterday I:

Went on a walk with Mugga.
Made dinner.
Washed the dishes.
Took Mugga to the store and finally bought her a baby doll.
Spent time with my sister.
Watched the Hills.

So maybe watching MTV wasn't productive, but um... I'm also addicted to the Hills. Can you believe Whitney got a new job? I'm glad she's more hands on with styling and I love that she worked fashion week, but really. All the girls at People's Republic look like walking zombies.

Anyway, I am wasting my internet time jabbing about the Hills.

I'm hoping today will be more productive. I'm not going to mourn my loss online. Maybe I'll even empty out the guest room.

P.S. Big thanks to Jill from ink*drop who's joining me on this challenge. It's nice to know someone else out there is doing the same. I'm adding a link list including anyone who's doing the challenge this week, let me know if you're in!

Challenge: Log Off.

2008-03-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my husband (I'll call him Axel) ran downstairs and found me at the computer.

"Babe!" he says. "Mugga is so cute right now. She's playing in the curtains and I got some great pictures."

"Mmmhmm..." I reply.

I am working on a writing assignment/surfing the net. Much too busy to see what's going on in the rest of my house. Besides, its the weekend. Axel is home to help. Most of my time on the computer is spent with good intentions. I am a freelance writer, so I do a lot of work right here at this very desk.

Unfortunately, my attention span is quite short when it comes to staying on track at the computer. Especially when there is a sale at Banana Republic to check out online. Or dinner recipes to look up. Oh, and don't forget about all those great blogs to skim.

Later that day, Axel shows me the pictures. They look a little something like this:

It was a small happy moment that I chose to ignore. I missed out because -- like usual -- I am plugged into the computer. My time online is good. I research products I like. I get new ideas, I keep in touch with friends.

I realize my time online could be better. It might be best if I limit my internet use entirely.

This week I've decided to reform myself. I'm restricting my online use to 30 minutes a day. This will give me enough time to check my e-mail. Put a blog post in. Do a quick blog catch up. See what else I can do with my day.

I started these challenges to motivate myself to complete projects and become a better person. This week, I'm going to see what my off-line life has to offer.

Cupcakes For You.

2008-03-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

My husband showed me how to use Excel to pick someone at random for the contest (he's a stats genius). I typed in a formula and wha-la!

The winner is: adrienne

E-mail me your address at:

ilovekitschy@gmail.com

a package of lovely Sprinkles Cupcake Mix will be on the way.

Thank you everyone for commenting and visiting! I hope you tried some recipes and found them as delicious as mine. The Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting might be my favorite find.

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache & Cream Cheese Frosting.

2008-03-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today I make Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache & Cream Cheese Frosting from Kara's Cupcakes. They were okay, not my favorite of the week. Maybe it's because a banana cupcake is essentially a banana bread cupcake, but I wasn't won over. The cupcake was very soft. The cream cheese frosting is decent, but my chocolate ganache ran a little thin. Piping it in to the cupcake was a little messy, but not too difficult.

I probably won't make this again. My husband, who has been a huge help through out this enitire challenge (he willingly sampled and took my last two pictures) really like the banana cupcakes. The recipe looks more time consuming that it actually is, I found it too be pretty simple. So maybe it's a keeper.

I'm DONE!

I'm Almost Done!

2008-03-28T15:08:00.001-07:00

My very last batch of cupcakes are cooling and I want to jump for joy. I can see the finish line and it's lined with cupcakes.

I wish I could have gotten to blog about them sooner in the day, but well. It didn't happen.

Thank you everyone for visiting my blog this week. I've already met so many nice people! Thanks for being my blogging friend.

I really like the idea of weekly challenges for myself, it helps keep me motivated (and knowing other people are checking up on me to see my progress keeps me going too). I think I'll do two challenges a month. Next week will be my next challenge, I'll have details on Monday.

Okay now, back to frosting.

Auntie Em's Red Velvet Cupcakes.

2008-03-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Truthfully, I'm a little burnt out on cupcakes. After tomorrow, it might be a little while before I bake again. While I am reaching my cupcake making limit, I am glad I did this challenge. I've baked lots of goodies for neighbors and friends and given myself a reason to finally try these recipes.

Today I made Auntie Em's Red Velvet Cupcakes. This cupcake was featured on the Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay and after watching that show, this recipe has been in the back of my cupcake-trying mind. Sadly, Auntie Em's lost to Mr. Flay, but I still was curious enough to try them.

The cupcakes baked great. Nice round tops, beautiful red color. Very moist. The chocolate flavor wasn't very strong, but the cupcakes were still tasty.

I also decided to cut the cream cheese frosting recipe in half. In the show, you see Terri (the chef) frost the cupcakes with an ice cream scooper -- she is very generous with her frosting. I love frosting, but not that much. The amount I made was perfect.

Overall, quite good. Maybe after my cupcake hiatus, I might have to try this recipe again.

Save-The-Date Postcards.

2008-03-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

While I am waiting for my cupcakes to bake (I just peeked and so far they look amazing) I thought I would take advantage of nap time and blog a little more.

I'm helping plan my sister's wedding and it's been so much fun. I love weddings. Here's a cute Save-The-Date Postcard idea we might try:

My sister will probably print a picture on card stock of her and the fiancee and use those as postcards.

Covered Glass Candy Stand.

2008-03-27T14:32:00.001-07:00

This candy display that might be too cute to eat:

{dish and candy from Williams Sonoma}

Kyotofu Cupcakes.

2008-03-26T15:45:00.000-07:00

Out of all the recipes this week, the cupcakes at Kyotofu are the only ones I've actually eaten from my famous cupcake list. Since I've never had a cupcake from Magnolia, Sprinkles, Auntie Em's or Kara's, I wanted to get an official recipe from their chefs. Whatever I baked needed to be the real thing.

So far, I've also followed the recipes meticulously. I've sifted. Used ingredients at room temperature. Measured things exactly. Things I sometimes cut out when I am being a lazy baker. I wanted to be absolutely sure I was following the recipe --this way if the cupcakes didn't turn out, I knew who to blame (not me).

Well, the recipe I found for Kyotofu's chocolate cupcakes might not be their exact recipe -- but after tedious searching online, it's the only one that came close. I also think it could be official, it's from the R&I (Restaurants & Institutions) web site which I don't know that much about.

Kyotofu's cupcakes were voted the best cupcakes of 2007 from New York Magazine and seriously. They are so good. These cupcakes are the best I've ever had.

They are made with soy milk and are so tasty they don't even need frosting--really! So tasty, I went there like five times when I was in New York. If you get a chance to go there, don't bother getting a table. Skip the sit down dessert menu altogether and just order the cupcakes up front.

Okay, back to the challenge...

In this baking experiment I didn't follow the recipe exactly. The recipe I found is for Green-Tea Chocolate Cupcakes. I omitted the Macha tea powder. The recipe doesn't call for very much, but I'm sure my exclusion made some difference. Also, the baking time in the recipe was way off.

I've mentioned before how my oven is hotter than most, so like usual I decreased the time. The cupcakes weren't done, so I added more time. Then a few minutes more. Then another minute more. After 25 minutes, I think they finally turned out.

Sooo...my Kyotofu cupcakes were both a success and a slight let down. A success because they still taste super good. These cupcakes are a cross between a molten chocolate cake and heavenly souffle. Super rich, decadent and delicious. The down side is that I didn't replicate exactly the same cupcake I remember (the middle didn't rise either), but I'm still happy. It's still a keeper.

If you're ever in New York City, you need to go try one for yourself:
Kyotofu
705 Ninth Ave., New York, NY 10019

In Defense of Mom Blogs.

2008-03-25T23:09:00.001-07:00

There are some out there who think mom blogs are cheesy. Décor sites are a waste of time. They see some blogs as fluffy and full of useless information. Who cares if little Johnny pooped today? Why does it matter if you like those candle holders? “Really,” they say, “Do you think I want to read about your birthing experience?”

These critics think that everyday stories are boring. Moms are taking too up much of the Internet with bad writing about their own children. I read remarks from these cynical commentators and wonder, “Do you like children?” “Do you consider where you live a home or just somewhere to sleep?” “Have you ever wondered about what it would be like to bring a baby into the world?”

I love blogging and I love mom stories. This may be in part because I am a blogger and a mom. I fit nicely into the mom blog category. I like reading stories of regular people in their regular lives. Sometimes the most exciting thing can happen within the walls of your own home, on any normal day. For example, last night I saw my daughter’s shoes in the hall way and I started crying:

Now, there is nothing out of the ordinary about these shoes. They were a birthday present and they are super cute. Just regular sandals that can finally fit. No hidden flying powers, no promises of amazing skills or height. But they are shoes that belong to a little girl who runs around my house singing, “Puppy, puppy, puppy, pup-PEE!”

These shoes are also supposed to stay off the carpet, but I always forget to take them off Mugga’s feet when we get in the door.

When I saw those shoes I thought, “Those shoes belong to my girl. And she belongs to me.”

This recognition caused me to tear up. To once again remember the wonder of my child, the smiles she flashes when she eats drumsticks, the kisses before bedtime, it got to me. She’s approaching toddlerhood and sometimes approaches my patience limit, but I still love her.

So the sight of shoes made me cry and appreciate a little person in my life. All right, fine. Maybe you’re right. I am cheesy and my life is fluff. Even so, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcake.

2008-03-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am so flattered that so many people are visiting my new little blog! Thanks for all your nice comments. If I could, I would give you all cupcakes.

Unfortunately, they just won't be from the batch of Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes I made today ... I just don't think they are good enough to make again.

My first few baked dry. I have a temperamental oven that runs hotter than most, so I usually adjust baking time down by 5 minutes. Even after my initial subtraction, the cupcakes came out with a hard crusty top. I took more time off the suggested baking time and my next set cooked perfectly.

Maybe it's because vanilla has never been my favorite flavor, but I thought the cupcake was just so-so. Okay, it was boring. So you can imagine what I thought of the vanilla frosting. The sprinkles give it a bit of pizzaz, but for Magnolia's most famous flavor, I was disappointed. They sure look pretty though. The cake itself baked well, but flavor wise, it's a pass.

Sorting Shapes Cupcake .

2008-03-25T08:20:00.001-07:00

Since this week is dedicated to all things cupcakes, I thought I would show you this little learning treasure:

This cupcake shape sorter is so cute. Thanks again Target, for a wonderful find.

{I have to wait till nap time to make my Magnolia cupcakes. I'm really curious how they'll turn out. See you later!}

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcake Recipe.

2008-03-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

At first, I was a little hesitant to try Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcake recipe. There were a lot of reviews saying the cupcake was too dense. It was dry. The frosting was runny. It didn't taste like strawberries. I am happy to say my cupcakes did not turn out that way -- they are pretty good actually.

True, there isn't an overwhelming strawberry flavor, but I don't think there needs to be. The cupcake was delicious, not at all dry and crumbly. My frosting is probably a little more chunky because didn't pureed the strawberries super fine. Either way, I absolutely love it.

To make the red and pink dots, I used salt water taffy. I don't have fondant on hand, so I improvised. Overall, I'm quite pleased with my results. I don't consider myself the most expert baker, but I can handle my own in the kitchen. This recipe was easy and I chalk it up as a winner.

Introducing: Weekly Challenges.

2008-03-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

I have so many projects left unfinished. It's a bad habit of mine. I like to start something I think is awesome. I then get bored with it and move on to another something awesome. This happens before I finish the first awesome. Needless to say, I have many incomplete awesomes laying around the house.

Well, with the start of this new blog, I decided it would be fun to challenge myself to projects a couple times a month. I'll document my progress and if it sounds interesting to you, invite you to tag along.

This week, I'm making cupcakes:

Not just ordinary cupcakes, but recipes from some of the most well-known cupcake shops. I narrowed my cupcake selection recipe down to 5:

Monday: Sprinkles Cupcakes
recipe here.

Tuesday: Magnolia Bakery
recipe here.

Wednesday: Kyotofu
recipe here.

Thursday: Auntie Em's Kitchen
recipe here.

Friday: Kara's Cupcakes
recipe here.

I based my selection on cupcakes recipes by the accessibility of the famous recipes and how badly I've been wanting to try them (most are official recipes, one is a rendition I found online). If you're in, I would love for you to try out the recipes too. Come bake with me and let me know what you think!

Also to kick off this contest, I'm offering my very first blog giveaway. Leave a comment on this post before Midnight, Friday March 28th and I'll randomly pick someone to receive a Sprinkles cupcake mix:

{image via Williams-Sonoma}
Yay! Let the baking begin!

(as soon as I whip up my first batch, I'll blog about the cupcakes I make later today.)

Cupcake Courier.

2008-03-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is by far, the most awesome cupcake carrier I've seen:

{can hold 36 cupcakes, 3-layer birthday cake (with candles) or 9 x 13 inch sheet cake}

Outdoor Game.

2008-03-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

I have spring fever right now. In my head, I'm planning the perfect outdoor picnic. Besides great food, it would also include a game of this:

gittabags Small Folding Tote.

2008-03-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Instead of a large diaper bag, this small tote is perfect for carrying the essentials. Marked down from $65 to $9.95!

gittabags Small Folding Tote

Buy Fake.

2008-03-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

I know some people buy chicks and ducklings to give to their kids for Easter. This was always odd to me. While fuzzy yellow chicks and tiny baby ducks are cute, they grow up to be not-so-cute ugly clucking chickens and loud quacking ducks. Also, I'm not so sure about the whole poultry for pets things. Oh and the whole Salmonella issue. And the kids-are-not-gentle-and-will-probably-kill-that-little-animal-in-the-first-few-weeks thing.

Here are a couple web sites with more information on the hazards of holiday pets:

Green Living Online

CDC

American Humane

Instead of the real thing, buy these adorable Chiyo Chiyo plush chicks (Only $3 at Target):

So much cuter -- and better yet -- no chicken poop in the living room!

Wee Wonderful Animals.

2008-03-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

I really love browsing Hilary Lang's Wee Wonderfuls blog. She makes darling things. I have attempted to make this kitty:

But I haven't gotten very far. Free patten here.

This bunny will make a great Easter present:

Free patten here.

Water and More Water.

2008-03-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, really. My little girl has gone crazy. It's like she woke up this week with extra curiosity and doesn't know how to contain herself. Lately, she attracted to anything water.

This morning she realized she could now get water or on her own from the dispenser on the refrigerator door. Except there was no cup to catch the running water, it just went down her head on to the floor. She pushed the lever with her little hands and screamed when the water came shooting out. Mugga laughed and laughed like this was the best bath in the world.

"Momma!" she says. "Wa-wa! Wa-Wa!"

Then she crotched down to smack the growing puddle with her hands.

"Wa-Wa! Wa-Wa!"

Despite having to mop everything up, it was pretty funny. The whole discipline thing is hard for me when I think most everything she does is cute. I gave my girl a towel and we cleaned the mess up together. Unfortunately, I think she thought clean up was fun too.

Oh well. I now use the lock button on the fridge door.

Throw Pillows.

2008-03-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm in the mood for spring right now, and If I was going to learn how to sew (and embroidery) today, I would make something like these inspirational pillows:

Garden Embroidered Round Pillow.

Floral Cotton Pillow.

Amy Butler's Nigella Quilt.

2008-03-18T13:41:00.000-07:00

That's it. I'm going to learn how to sew so I can make this:

free quilt pattern here.

Toilet Play.

2008-03-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have more confidence in my mom abilities than I should.

Example: This morning Mugga stuck her hands in the toilet and splashed toilet water all over the bathroom. Her shouts of "Whee!" and the sound of water hitting walls tipped me off.

Now, the good mom in me would have remembered to shut the bathroom door. The even better mom would have bought one of those toilet locks or something. The best mom? Well, I would have already trained my daughter to not use the toilet for play. You do serious dirty business on that thing. It's not something you want to put your hands in (if I was the best kind of mom, my daughter would already know this).

But I am a somewhat absentminded mom who also forgets to pack her husband a daily lunch. The guy never complains about it either, which of course makes me feel worse. Husband, I'm sorry you are lunch-less today.

Well, after I caught Mugga in the bathroom (my gasps of horror only caused her more glee) she got her fair share of Purell, hand soap and more hand soap. Which of course made my girl even more happy. She got another shot a playing with more water.

Which makes me think:

"Did I just reward her?"

"Did she just learn that it's okay to put her hands in the toilet?"

"Does she now think that anytime she does, she will then get to put her hands in the sink?"

Yikes, listen to me. I know I'm over thinking this.

Mugga is now covered in soapy suds. Now her clothes are soaked too. She looks ups, gives me a grin and says, "Bubbles."

Oh man, that kid. She's hard to stay mad at.

St. Patrick's Day Pinch.

2008-03-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

In honor of St. Patrick's day, I am tempted to dress my girl in something without green today. She's already dirtied two onesies and she just might deserve the pinches.

Curly Hair.

2008-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter, (I'll call her Mugga) has crazy curly hair. She's a hodgepodge mix of Asian and Caucasian and gets the curls from her dad. I am the Asian, my hair falls straight.

All my life I have coveted those with curly waves their head. To wear ponytails that don't slip out of the bands? Blissful! To have ringlets that bounce when you walk? Heavenly. To be the owner of wispy tendrils that gently frame the face? Sigh. What the life that would be.

Well, now that my offspring belongs to that special group, I see curly hair a little different. I'm beginning to realize curls aren't so glamorous. For instance, did you know curls tangle? Like, I-can't-run-this-comb-through-this-rat's-nest tangle.

Not only do curls tangle, but they get frizzy. On their very own! Mugga doesn't have to do anything to get the frizz on. She walks, she runs, she sleeps -- the frizz comes. Sometimes when I get her after an afternoon nap, Mugga greets me with hair that would baffle Einstein. He would take one look at her and say, "How did you get hair crazier than mine?"

Mugga's hair (on a good day):

My hair (every day):

Now, I take back my jealousy to all those with bounce in their hair. I'm sorry you have to live through things like frizz, tangles, and endless supply of products to tame your wild locks. One day when Mugga is in junior high and is suffering from a bad hair day, she might come to me in tears.

"Why me mom?" she might say. "Why do I have this cursed hair?"

This is when I will look at my beautiful curly hair daughter, give her an encouraging smile and answer, "I don't know sweetheart. Blame your dad."

Introducing...

2008-03-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog! I'll be working over it on the weekend, so come back Monday for some fun stuff.

xoxo,
v.