Door Stops

are really great child distractors!!!

Speaking

For the past few months, we have been living in a world of screaming JT.  But within the past 24 - 48 hours, we have noticed that he is starting to string syllables and sounds together to make what could be words.  It has been a little weird listening to these baby conversations.  I am pretty sure I captured "dada" in this first video along with some other gibberish.  The second video has what I think is "mmmaa, mmmaa".

Kibbeh

Now that we have this fantastic new grill it is time to have some fun with recipes.  So yesterday evening, we tried a middle eastern recipe - Kibbeh.  I had never heard of it before.  Andy had had it during his deployments so I thought what the heck.  Let's give it a try.  The recipe reminds me of meatballs on a stick but they aren't Italian meatballs.

Kibbeh

Cookshelf Barbecue

Ingredients:

½ cup couscous
1 onion, small
12 oz. ground lamb
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. cayenne
4 tsp. ground allspice
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. ketchup

Steps:

1. Let wooden skewers soak in water for at least 20 minutes.
2. Place couscous in a bowl, cover with cold water and let stand for 30 minutes, or until the couscous has swelled and softened.
3. Drain the couscous through a strainer and squeeze out as much moisture as you can.
4. Put the onion in a food processor and chop finely. Add the lamb and process briefly to chop the ground meat further.
5. Combine the couscous, lamb, and spices. Mix well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions. Press and shape the mixture around 8 skewers, pressing the mixture together firmly so that it holds its shape.

Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. To make the baste mix, the oil and ketchup together until well combined.
7. Broil the kibbeh over hot coals for 10 - 15 minutes, turning and basting frequently.

Serve immediately.

The Final Product:

We did have a little issue while they were on the grill.  When it says turn and baste frequently, it means frequently.  Don't put the cover down. Every minute or so, turn those skewers because it will get stuck.  It tasted really great.  The couscous gave it an interesting texture.  We are really enjoying the new grill.  Lots of possibilities!

Confidence returning...

Lately, I have felt a little bit on the sad side concerning my running.  Maybe I just shouldn't be running this crazy 10k in eight weeks.  During all of my workouts, I have felt like, well, for lack of a better term poop.

The stroller is not comfortable to run with.  I am out of breath in a matter of seconds.  My knee that stopped my running in college feels like it is on fire and does not seem to want to work properly.  Add to that my pathetic times - yes, I am tracking the amount of time I spend on my runs - and I am just depressed about the whole idea of getting back into running.

But today, something clicked and it wasn't my knee.  The run felt smooth.  I didn't feel like I had massive stores of tense energy in my shoulders.  I completed the 2.2 mile run without stopping to walk - that means I actually ran both of the huge hills (82 ft in elevation, i really like the mapmyrun app).

Using the app, I was able to log my mile splits as well.  My first mile run about 3 weeks ago with the stroller - I did in about 13 minutes.  Today, my mile splits were 11:24.  I am so happy with my consistency and that I am getting closer to one of my goals - mile splits at about 10 minutes.  Now I just need to keep at it and start adding mileage.   I definitely feel that I can manage a 10k in under hour and half with the stroller.

I miss running.  I am glad that I am getting back into it.

Battle of the Dog Toy

Given that JT is now so quick and mobile, nothing is safe.  Nothing is sacred - not even the pug dogs' toys.  There is one toy in particular that is beloved by all three of them - JT, Silvio, and Walter.  Who do you think will reign supreme in this three-man (or dog?), three-round all out battle?  Check out the video below!

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Anniversary Gift

Our anniversary came and past on May 24th.  We decided not to go all out purchasing gifts - instead, we settled on obtaining a new fancy grill.  After a bit of researching on my part, we decided on the Weber Genesis E-310.  So far we are really enjoying it, well as much as one can enjoy a grill after only using it one time.  Our inaugural grilled meal is below.

Charboiled Turkey with Cheesy Pockets

from Bookshelf Barbecue

Ingredients:

4 turkey breast pieces (I used chicken breasts)
4 portions of full-fat cheese, 1/2 oz each (I used Allouette's Spreadable Creme di Brie)
dried sage
10 - 15 bacon strips
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1.  Cut a pocket into the side of each turkey breast.  Open out each breast a little and season inside with salt and pepper.
2.  Place a portion of cheese into each pocket, spreading it a little with a knife.  Sprinkle a little sage in the pocket.
3.  Stretch the bacon out with the back of a knife.  Wrap the bacon around each turkey breast so that the pocket opening is completely covered.  Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place.
4.  Mix together the oil and lemon juice in a small bowl until well combined.
5.  Broil the turkey over medium heat for about 10 minutes on each side (since the breasts were on the smaller side, we left them on for about 5 - 6 minutes a side), basting with the oil and lemon mixture frequently.
6.  Transfer the turkey to warm serving plates.  Serve with toasted garlic bread and salad.

The Finished Product:

Super yummy.  The chicken was still juicy on the inside but the bacon was nice and crunchy.  The oozy cheese was a lot of fun.  Word to the wise - don't forget to pull out those toothpicks!  Chomping down on charred wood is not so much fun.

Getting back in form

As you may remember, I set a fitness goal for myself - to be ready and able to run a 10k road race at the beginning of August.  Well, I am eight weeks away (scary!) - and this is the time to really hunker down to set out a plan to at least be able to run 6.2 miles non stop.

First, I needed new shoes.  We have a great running/shoe store here that is owned and operated by runners.  They know about stability control and running form.  They know their shoes inside and out.  They also have great gadgets (watches, hats, clothes) to help you on your running quest.  I have always ran in either Asics or Saucony.  After a getting checked out, they say sure there is an Asics but give this style of Brooks a try.  Gosh, it was great.  I had never had a pair of shoes that fit like that.  Happy feet make for happy running.

Second, I know I needed an app.  We live in the gps phone age.  I did not want to purchase a gps system for my runs.  I carry my phone with me in case of emergency - so finding a gps app should do the trick.  I really like the MapMyRun app.  It is pretty simple to use.  When I go online, I can view all my workouts for the month.  It's great to see the color coding - runs, elliptical workouts, pilates - shoot I even include the marathon cleaning sessions as a workout.  It also keeps count of your weekly mileage - am I having a good week, or have I not made it out of the house at all?

Third, running with a jogging stroller takes a lot of getting used too.  I have managed four runs over the past week and a half.  I am still not comfortable with it.  I am pretty sure it has to do with how I store my energy.  I store a lot of it in my arms.  I use my arms to really dig deep and get going.  Holding onto the stroller really tires me out and does not allow me to use the energy in my arms.  I am glad I decided to start my working out early. Running a 10k without practicing with the stroller, would be a nightmare.

I am starting to feel confident about running again.  I know I am nowhere near as good as I was in high school or college but I don't really care about that.

New Games

Now that JT is mobile, we are finding lots of fun new things to do.  We like to listen to Mom continually say - JT, those are dog toys.  Don't put those in your mouth.

JT loves exploring.  He has not quite managed it yet but he is still trying to figure out the dogs' crates.  I am pretty sure in a few more days I will just find him hanging out inside of one of them.

JT also enjoys crawling over to the laminate flooring with some of his toys.  Then the drumming session begins.

Avgolemono Soup or...

How we find out that I am unable to Boil a Chicken!

So, while in Disney one of my new favorite restaurants is Kouzzina's by Cat Cora.  Okay, it is not new.  But compared to some of the other restaurants there it still has that new shimmer to it.  I love getting a bowl of the Avgolemono.  So I decided to go on a search for the recipe.  I found it here on the food Network.  I was a bit intimidated by the whole chicken but well, I leave the story for a later.

Avgolemono

Ingredients:

1 (3 pound) free range chicken
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 leek, cleaned and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
2/3 cup aborio rice
2 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Steps:

1.  Place the chicken in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water, enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, skimming when necessary.
2.  In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions. Sweat the onions until clear. Set aside.
3.  When chicken is cooked through, remove from the broth. Let the chicken cool and pull the meat from the bones. Dice into large cubes. Set aside.
4.  Add the onion, bay leaves, leek, and carrot to the broth and simmer for 1 hour. When finished, remove the carrot and leek from the broth and add the rice. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to medium high to simmer until the rice is cooked to al dente, about 30 minutes. Add the chicken back into the broth. Add more water if needed.
5.  In a small bowl beat the eggs and lemon juice together. Pour 2 cups of broth slowly into the bowl of egg and lemon, whisking continuously. Once all the broth is incorporated, add the mixture into the pot of chicken soup and stir to blend well throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

The Finished Product:

First, my story.  I thawed out my chicken - which was closer to 4 pounds than 3.  I follow step one.  Between step 1 and 3, I manage to get step 2 completed along with get side tracked by JT and keeping my work area clean.  All in all, I think I left the chicken in for an hour.  Apparently that was not long enough.  I take it out to find that while the chicken is white on the outer layers, the inside was not done.  I quickly pulled out a fry pan and start tearing chicken off the bone and frying it up.  For a fix it, it did not turn out to badly.  I did not have fresh lemons on hand so I used Real Lemon.  It was good but not quite like I remember from the restaurant.

I plan on trying it again - it's great calorie wise and still really filling with the rice and chicken.  Next time I might just boil several chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken.  Definitely will get a couple of fresh lemons as well.

From Crawling to Standing

Shut the Front Door!  JT figured out crawling only five days ago.  Today, he tried to climb out of his pack and play.   First I thought it was all just innocent.  JT was looking at the rails that hold the "bassinet" portion in place.  I thought it was cute.  JT was having the time of his life, laughing his little head off.

Not two minutes later, I hear more laughing from the other side of the pack and play.  Here is what I found:

I immediately pulled him out of the dang thing and lowered the bassinet.  I thought that since he figured out the crawling he would be happy with that mode of transportation.  Apparently not.  Oh the insanity.  And now I have an unhappy child who desperately wants to pull himself up to standing.