What's Cooking? - Quick Zucchini-Corn-Tomato Casserole

Quick Zucchini-Corn-Tomato Casserolefrom Soul to Soul - A Vegetarian Soul Food Cookbook

1 medium onion, diced
2 cups whole-kernel corn
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 small tomatoes, diced
6 zucchini squashes, sliced in 1/4" thick circles
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons textured vegetable protein, bacon-like chips
2 teaspoons chicken-style seasoning
1/2 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Saute onion, corn, and garlic, stirring frequently until onion is soft and limp. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and simmer till zucchini is tender. Do not overcook. Serve with rice. Serves 6-8.

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Sophia Update - New Schedule

Sophie was really fighting me every time I would try to put her to sleep. I got tired of fighting with her three times a day. Maybe she was too well rested. I decided to cut her down to one nap a day. It has worked well for the last couple of days. I've been able to lay her in her crib awake and she put herself to sleep with minimal fuss. Today though she's not feeling well. She has a 102 degree temperature. So, she's already taking her second nap of the day. She needs extra rest when she's not feeling well. Hopefully we won't have a problem at bed time. Hopefully she'll feel up to having her birthday party.

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My Bookshelf - Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons
by Lorna Landvik

My book club read this book as our September selection. I was brave and hosted the meeting in my house. My entertaining had previously been limited to having a few close friends or family over. There were probably 10 people here last night. I think it went well though. I provided the drinks and the other ladies provided the food. I was able to use my Polish pottery and Turkish glasses. Kenny took Sophie to Costco in Victorville and didn't get back until the meeting was over, so I was able to have some adult time.

The book is about a group of women who live on one street in Minnesota. The story spans several decades...from 1968 to 1998. The women, who are very diverse, form a book club that meets for 30 years. We military wives felt amazed and a little sad when considering the length of time that these women had together. I can't fathom having a 30 year history with anyone but my parents. We talked about how perhaps we're able to make deeper friendships a little faster because of our unique situation, but we acknowledged how there may only be two or three people in the course of a military career who are really kindred spirits.

A point that we didn't talk about in the book club meeting, but one that really struck a chord with me, was the idea of uniting mothers around the world to stop war and halt violence. Since I've become a mother, images and stories of suffering children really tear at my heart. What if something were to happen to Sophie? I read an article about the Katrina victims. One seven (?) year-old boy led several other children to safety, one of them barely able to walk. What if Sophie were separated from me during a disaster and she had to follow someone barely old enough to go to school? And natural disasters are things that can't be helped. What about wars and other forms of violence that could be helped? Mothers are very protective of their children. I think a united front of mothers could be very effective. We might be able to set aside ethnic and religious and other differences for the safety of our children. It's a powerful idea if someone could only think of a way to implement it.

This book wasn't a page turner for me like Kite Runner was, but it was a pleasant read with some good ideas.

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What's Cooking? - Easy Taco Casserole

Easy Taco Casserole
from Taste of Home Magazine

1 pound ground beef I use Morningstar Griller Crumbles
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce

In a saucepan, brown ground beef; drain. Add salsa, mayonnaise and chili powder; mix well. In an ungreased 2-qt. baking dish, layer half of the meat mixture, chips and cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Just before serving, top with tomato and lettuce. Makes 6 servings.

Kenny - Hit the spot!

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Sophia Update - Birthday Preparations

Sophia is going to turn a year old this Saturday. We've sent out party invitations and are working on teaching her to blow out a candle. The party is going to be at 12:38 pm, the time she was born. It will probably be chaos with all kinds of little ones running around, but I feel good doing something to celebrate her first year.

We're going to try cutting Sophie to one nap a day. I've had a miserable time recently trying to get her to sleep. Maybe she's been too well rested.

We go tomorrow for her one year checkup. It's a little early, but we're going on vacation next week so we wanted to get it taken care of.

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Sophia Update - Sophie's Suitors

Sophie is breaking hearts already, and she is not even a year old yet.

Mary and I took Riley and Sophie to Costco the other day...a big day out for us since Costco is an hour and a half away. The carts at Costco are big enough for two kids to fit, so we thought Sophie and Riley would have a good time cruising around the store together. At first they were very cute. Riley tried to hold Sophie's hand. She wouldn't have any of it! She pushed him away. Finally Riley got tired of being rejected and he bent Sophie's little finger back. She screamed and screamed so I took her out of the cart to comfort her. She refused to be put back in the cart beside Riley.

Then, when we were checking out several of the male employees came to talk to Sophie. They thought she was pretty hot stuff with her spiked hair (I got tired of taming it so she looked like a rock star for a day) and one of them even ran his fingers through her hair and told me I had a beautiful daughter. Oh my!

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What's Cooking? - Blueberry-Corn Muffins

Blueberry-Corn Muffins
from The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk I used 1 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberries or raspberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease twelve 2 1/2" by 1 1/4" muffin-pan cups. In large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In small bowl, with fork, beat buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla until blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in berries.

Spoon into prepared muffin-pan cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately remove muffins from pan. Serve warm, or cool on wire rack to serve later. Makes 12 muffins.

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Sophia Update - What a Walker!

Sophie is getting more confident with her walking every day. She seemed a little shy about it at first and mostly did it at home. We went to playgroup today and she walked all around the gym. She had me a little bit concerned at one point because she climbed up on the bleachers and was cruising along the bottom step. Sometimes I have to remind myself to let her be independent and not try to protect her all the time.

Kenny said maybe Sophie is like his brother, JoeB. He likes to put things together and take things apart, and so does she. There is a little door on her musical table that she likes to take off and carry around. The other day she went and found where she had left it and took it back to the table and was tried to attach it to the appropriate spot. Smart girl!

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Travel - Steve & Amanda's Wedding

We were happy to see Steve marry Amanda on the Oregon Coast over Labor Day weekend. Steve and Kenny have been friends since grade school and Steve and I have been friends since high school. We hadn't met Amanda before but were pleased to note that she seemed very nice. We also got to see Gabe and Alaena, Eric, and our high school government teacher, Todd. It was nice to visit with old friends in such a pleasant setting.

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Sophia Update - Trip to the Oregon Coast

Over Labor Day weekend we drove up to the Oregon Coast to attend a wedding. We spent one night at my parents' house in Northern California, and then drove the rest of the way the next day...two full days of driving. Sophie did surprisingly well in the car. If she started to get fussy we played her They Might Be Giants music and fed her Veggie Booty. We stayed in Yachats, Oregon. We could see the ocean from our room. It was a little too chilly to swim, but we did lots of walking on the beach. We even made a fire and made smores. I'm always happy to visit the ocean, but this trip was extra special because we got to see old friends too.

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Sophia Update - Riley's Birthday

Sophie's friend Riley turned a year old on the 30th so we went over to his house for a party. He fed himself for the first time ever...guess it took a cake to motivate him. After lunch, cake, and presents, we went outside and let the babies play in the pool. I liked this butt shot of them in their matching swim diapers. Sophie, of course, is the baby in the pink swim diaper.

We're getting ready to go on a road trip to see a high school friend get married on the Oregon Coast. It's a long drive, but I'm looking forward to seeing friends. We'll spend the night at my parents' house on the way up and the way down so Sophie will get to see her Grammy and Grandpa for a short while.

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