New Mama Eggs

I was about to tell you how it's hard to cook with a baby in the house. Well, that it's hard to do anything with a baby in the house other than have 5 pm show up wearing the same thing you woke up in (ok, that hasn't happened in a while, but it did at one point during newborn life). But Lola just woke up from her nap crying. Now I don't have to come up with a creative way to tell you that it's hard to accomplish anything (blog post, for example) with a baby in the house. She did it for me. Thank you, Lola. I'll be back...

Back. It's seven hours later.

In that seven hours, I changed a few diapers, got the darling girl back down for another nap, made some banana bread during that nap, supervised tummy time, took some photos, and made New Mama Eggs for dinner.

What are New Mama Eggs, you ask? They are a breakthrough in my post-baby dinner world. They are really Ina Garten's Herb-Baked Eggs from Barefoot in Paris, but to me, they are something that I can easily pull off with Lola and they feel like something special. Whoa.

Look at them. They are pretty. They look delicious (and are!).

And best of all, they take 15 minutes (if even) from start to finish.  There is some herb chopping and cheese and garlic grating. Then you throw the gratin dishes under the broiler for 3 minutes with a dash of heavy cream and a small pat of butter in them. You add the eggs; top with the herbs, garlic, and parmesan. And pop under the broiler for another few minutes. That is seriously it.

Oh, and I guess you have to toast some bread and throw together a salad. But whatevs to that.

These New Mama Eggs were perfect for tonight as we struggled getting Lola to go to bed for the night--a task that happens right smack in the middle of dinnertime. Everything was prepped so I knew there were only 8 minutes in between go-time (Lola asleep) and us eating. Thanks to New Mama Eggs, we got to eat a hot dinner as soon as it was ready. At a reasonable hour. At the table. Together.

A rarity.

Don't skimp on the bread. Use good stuff, like a good baguette or even thick strips of good whole grain bread. Drizzle the bread with olive oil or give it a once-over with butter. Toast it. Good toast is a must for this dish, to sop up the runny yolks and scrape the browned bits of butter and garlic off the side of the gratin dish.

These are particularly for my new mama friends (the ones who like eggs, anyway). But I think anyone would be egg-stra happy to eat them.

Boo to the bad joke.


Herb-Baked Eggs, adapted slightly from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

1 small clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp minced thyme
1/4 tsp minced rosemary
1 tbsp minced Italian parsley
1 tbsp grated parmesan
6 large eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Toast

Preheat broiler. Prep garlic, herbs, and cheese, and mix them together.

Grab 2 individual gratin dishes.

Place 1 tbsp of heavy cream and 1/2 tbsp of butter into each gratin dish. Place on baking sheet about 6 inches under broiler for 2-3 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

In the meantime, crack 3 eggs gently into 2 bowls (3 eggs in each bowl for total of 6 eggs).

Add eggs to gratin dishes. Top with garlic, herb, and cheese mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place under broiler for about 5 minutes until egg whites are almost cooked (will continue cooking after removed from oven).

Serve. Eat.

Serves 2 new parents.

I'm Baaaaack

Woo, it's been a long time.

In May I became preoccupied with bedrest and the constant monitoring and impending arrival of my little nut. And then the craziness that is getting to know and taking care of a newborn happened. And then eventually I thought I was ready to be back to the blog. But then, sleep issues (for little nut) happened and I no longer had naps to do my thing.

But, now, I think I can be back. Although naps are still elusive...

Have no fear, I have not been on any sort of food hiatus since we last spoke. There were plenty of things I should have / could have shared while I was taking a hiatus. Let me get you caught up (with a detour first)...

Her Name is Lola
This is the reason for the hiatus. Sweet Baby Lola. Despite what some think, she was not named after my favorite pizza haunt. But it's a lovely coincidence. And she has dined there. She came a little more than 2 weeks early. And she's perfect. She loves: smiling, loud chewing sounds, art cards, her stuffed chicken, her mom and dad, books, when her dad tells her she has stinky feet (she doesn't), and songs about birds. She doesn't like: taking naps, the sun, or her hat falling into her eyes. I'm already hard at work turning her into a foodie. She watches me make dinner every night as I narrate. She has a cool kid red high chair. And I've already started scoping out recipes for her (and researching alternates to rice cereal).

Food Love
I wasn't allowed to cook while on bedrest. And I wasn't allowed to go out to eat while on bedrest. So, what was a girl to eat for a month? All of the fabulous food my friends bestowed upon me. I was spoiled. Completely spoiled. I was sent a dozen (yes, 12) cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes from dear Alexa one sunny afternoon. I was brought numerous lunches from many different friends. I received a ton of freezer ready dinners and breakfasts (and even a pitcher of mock sangria) from my friends Pooja and Carrie. My brother brought me Pizzeria Lola. My friends EHG and Melissa also brought me Pizzeria Lola (and mini cheesecakes). My monthly dining buddies Lauren and Lizzie brought me Brasa, Salty Tart, and fancy sodas all in the same night. And my bestie Jenni made me a bunch of meals from Let's Dish. I know I'm forgetting lots of folks...but you get the point. I received a lot of food love.

Post-Delivery Food
Remember the madness I created over what I'd eat right after I delivered? I have had a lot of people ask me what I ended up having. It should come as no surprise to those who have already had babies, but I didn't really care that night. I was hungry. But I was too tired and in another stratosphere to care. But my brother came through and brought me a meatball sub from Broder's. And it was just what I needed.

New Restaurant Finds
I have managed to escape the house on numerous occasions to seek out delicious food. My favorite would probably have to be The Left Handed Cook at Midtown Global Market. They have a bop bowl that I love. The popcorn is off the hook and addicting. And the brussels sprouts with shards of parm and diced orange and other yummies are fantastic. I also tried neighbor Sonora Grill since last you heard from me and love that too. All of the tacos I've had have been solid but the rice and beans are my favorite. They cook the rice in coconut milk. Uh, hello good idea. I also am embarrassed to admit that I hadn't been to the France 44 Cheese Shop until recently. I stopped in one day on my way home from running errands with Lola after realizing it was 2pm and I hadn't had lunch. Their sandwiches are awesome.

New Food Finds
I have 2 here to report. First, Fentiman's Rose Lemonade, introduced to me by my friend Carrie. It's so perfectly rose-y, sweet, and fizzy. And comes in a beautiful bottle. Second, Ines Rosales Sweet Olive Oil Tortas (orange flavor). I have known about these tortas for a while, but I didn't know until recently that there was an orange flavor. Think subtly sweet thick crackers with little pops of orange flavor. They are dusted in sugar, have caramelized edges, and are perfect to serve with cocktails. Or to eat as a snack while on maternity leave.

A New Favorite Apple Orchard
So, Apple Jack's is usually our go-to orchard every Fall. It's got the typical orchard necessities: apples, pumpkins, apple doughnuts and brats, a river, haystacks. But a few weeks ago we decided to try out the orchard that supplied apples at the Fulton Market last summer: Sweetland Orchard out in Webster. We were so glad we took the drive out there. The orchard is beautiful and peaceful, and the owners couldn't be friendlier. We loved the short walk to the Honeycrisps, up a hill, until we ended up in a small clearing with a yellow picnic table in front of us and a couple of rows of apples to our left. And chickens roaming.

And The Most Amazing Cake EVER
Now, I'm a huge supporter of the Yates Family Chocolate Cake. You know this. And if you've asked, you know I won't share the recipe. But, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake from Smitten Kitchen...I hate to say it...but...maybe it's even more amazing? This cake. I can't articulate it's deliciousness. It's composed of 3 layers of moist chocolate cake. Those layers are surrounded by peanut butter cream cheese frosting. And then the whole thing gets a bath of peanut butter chocolate ganache. Smitten Kitchen says it's best served in skinny slices. But I disagree. I think it's best served in generous slices. It's out of this world. When I need to pull out the big guns, I will be making this cake.

Meat Lovers and Non Meat Lovers Unite: Butcher and the Boar

I was supposed to be at Butcher and the Boar this Sunday with some of our other expecting friends--a semi Mother's Day, if you will, for 2 prego ladies and their meat-loving husbands.

But, bedrest and a weekly OB appt with no field trips granted prevented that.

It's okay, I guess.

I'll just consider myself lucky that I got to go twice already.

This place is going to be a good thing. I know it. It possesses the ability to please meat lovers and people that aren't so obsessed with meat alike. That is rare.

I first went with Zach for a little Friday date night weeks ago. I loved it. He loved it. They made me a "prego cocktail," an interesting one, no less. We ordered wisely. We liked everything we got. All was good. We were so happily full that we didn't really care at all that we had paid to have the valet park our car in the first parking spot immediately next to the door--and that they handed us our keys when we picked it up after dinner instead of backing the car out for us. (Nice, valet guys, nice.)

There aren't many times when I would pass up a lobster grilled cheese on a menu--so we started with that as an app. Delicious and rich as expected, crispy and buttery, oozy and lobstery. It was pretty special. And something to definitely share.

We cleansed our palettes after that with a salad. It felt like the sensible thing to do in between a lobster grilled cheese and meat feasting. I don't usually get too hyped up about salads, but this one was solid. Cornbread croutons and bacon jazzed it up. Not sure cornbread croutons and bacon can be considered a palette cleanser, but cut us a break.

For our entree we split the cheddar sausage, which came with uber mustardy broccoli and some fresh crisp apples. Really good stuff. I've since had some of the other sausages, and I would say by far the cheddar one has been my favorite. We we ordered some grits on the side--creamy and decadent, per usual as far as grits go.

I've had their gingerbread banana pudding twice now for dessert--I love the pudding. Can take or leave the gingerbread. But I actually think the real dessert start at B and the B is the homemade s'more plate that my friends and I got for free the last time we were there thanks to some sub-par service (first visit, service was great; second visit, not so much).

Spotty service and bad valet service, aside, the food is delish. We'll be back after BGC makes her appearance into the world and frees me from bedrest--when she is 2 and I'm good leaving her with a sitter, that is. (Although this place is loud enough to probably sneak in a newborn--and I have a feeling I won't be beyond that.) Life is about to change!

Cheap Date

This is one of my entertaining tricks. Everyone loves sangria. But serving alcohol can be expensive when entertaining.

Enter $3 buck chuck from Trader Joe's.

And this recipe, which also calls for Ginger Ale to round out the drink.

This is an insanely cheap way to serve drinks while entertaining. You end up with a whole pitcher FULL with 1 bottle of $3 buck chuck, 1/2 a bottle of ginger ale, some OJ, triple sec (if you have it on hand), and lemon and orange slices.

I think if you have the triple sec on hand, it helps stretch it even more. Because it makes it a lot stronger. 

Okay, so it's cheap. I've proven that. But it's also delicious. I promise.

As Alexa kindly said earlier this week, "You make the best sangria. I love your recipe." Aww, thanks Alexa! :)

Sangria, Adapted slightly from Williams-Sonoma Cocktail Parties

1 bottle Trader Joes' $3 buck chuck red wine

24 oz ginger ale

3 cups orange juice

1 orange, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1/2 cup triple sec (optional)

Mix it all together--that's it! (I make mine a couple hours in advance and put it in the refrigerator to let the flavors develop.)

Sandwich Sharer

I suggested to Zach that he go to Clancey's today to get us some sandwiches for lunch. (In case you haven't heard me go on and on about their sandwiches before, I think they are consistently some of the best sandwiches in town. I love them.)


I told him to get me whatever their hot sandwich special was. I trust Clancey's and their hot sandwich specials. I'm not sure they could create something I wouldn't like.


What I didn't tell him (and felt guilty about the whole time he was gone) was that I was pretty sure it would be a madhouse there today with everyone in an Easter frenzy, picking up their legs of lamb and hams. The place gets a little crazy on Saturdays. Let alone the day before holidays.


But all resolved itself when Zach got home and instantly said that he desperately wished he had ordered my sandwich for himself too instead of his cold turkey sandwich (which to be fair is also quite delicious).


The hot sandwich special today was BBQ Pork. With homemade tangy and smoky BBQ shredded pork, homemade coleslaw, and jalapeños. On a big ciabatta roll. Placed in a paper boat, wrapped in foil, then in white butcher paper, safe for the ride home. Apparently, the person waiting on Zach told him that it looked like the best batch of BBQ pork he'd ever seen then make. And that was it. Zach knew he had ordered wrong.


I kindly decided in a moment of generosity that I'd share with him. He could have half of my sandwich.


We both were over the moon for this sandwich. It was beyond good. It was...just...I don't really even have words. It was perfect. It was amazingly delicious. So delicious that I stood in the kitchen after polishing off my half, picking bits of the leftover pork that had stuck to the paper and eating everylast bit.


I knew I needed to share this sandwich with you.


But I couldn't muster up the willpower to walk away from my sandwich until Zach said "You better get a picture now before it's gone." So, here you have it. My almost gone half of a sandwich.

I Love My Brother

I’ve lost some credibility this week. I decided on Monday night that I really don’t like our (almost complete) nursery anymore. Which isn’t really all that surprising to me because I have never been so indecisive about anything ever in my life. I want this room to be perfect. So, I am in the process of re-doing it. My mom has been patiently helping put new Pinterest boards together. My husband is being quiet about it and going with the flow (as long as he doesn’t have to paint). And I will be spending the weekend begging and pleading for a few stores to stretch their return policies and let me return curtains, pillows, baskets, and crib sheets that I’ve had for more than 30 days.

The only reason I tell you this is because I worry that what I’m about to say might make me lose even more credibility.

Do you want to know what I’m worried about when it comes to labor and delivery?

What I’m going to eat after I give birth to this baby.

It’s actually probably a coping strategy. Instead of thinking about how I’m actually going to push this baby out and survive it being the person who has to lay down to have blood drawn, I’m focusing on the food situation.

I know that people who have had babies will think this is crazy. I know that people who haven’t had babies will think this is crazy.

(And side note: I do think about more important things regarding this baby too, like how we’ll raise her, how we’ll take care of her, what her personality might be like. Not just about her surroundings and what I’ll eat after labor.)

But what can I say?

The thought of not eating for however long I’m in labor is downright frightening to me. That could mean I don’t eat anything for 24 hours. Maybe even more thanks to some horror stories that have been shared with me lately. And I am someone who eats every 2 hours on the dot. I have regular, full, balanced meals. I have lots of snacks in between. I get grumpy when there isn’t food in my stomach.

Okay, I know there is a chance that I will not be hungry during labor. That is what people tell me anyway.

But I know I will be ravenous after labor. And I’ve spent quite a good amount of time worrying about what I will eat when that happens. What if I have this baby at 1am and have no access to any food that I will eat? (I don’t do hospital food.)

My plan for a while was to fill up a cooler and wheel it into the hospital with us. I told Zach a few times (and I’m not sure he ever realized I was serious) that the second I go into labor, we are going to Lucia’s To Go for snacks to load into the cooler. Because I’m sure that poor Zach having to wheel in a ridiculous cooler while trying to manage me in all my labor drama and our overnight bags as we check into the hospital won’t be a total cluster. But, after our birth class instructor mentioned some people do it, I decided it wasn’t too insane.

I also have my brother lined up to be my designated food getter. He (somewhat) understands me. And he’s my brother. I can ask him to do things that I wouldn’t ask others to do and be bossier with him than I can with most people.

This is already very nice of him, right, to be on call to get me food? Well, he took it a step further today.

In an email from brother John-Paul:

“If you give me the list of places you're interested in getting food from, and what food you want from those places, I will put it into a spreadsheet with hours of operation so quick decisions can be made;)”

Be still, my heart.

I love spread sheets. I love having plans in place. I love food. This is like the best idea I’ve ever heard of. I love my brother.

So, I think I’m covered. A cooler full of Lucia’s treats that could get me through the night if needed if BGC does in fact come at 1am. And a brother who will pick me up whatever I want during normal-ish hours.

A plan. It’s in place. All is right with the world.

Something to Celebrate

I'm excited.

The path from getting my photos from my camera to my blog is now insanely shorter. This is life changing.

Before, Zach had to be involved in the transfer process. There was getting the photos downloaded onto our archaic business school laptop. Well, actually, they first had to be saved to an external hard drive because there was no more memory left on the laptop. This took a long time and invovled a complicated path that I didn't have the patience to learn. They they had to go into Picasa. This also took some time. Then the editing process was plain slow. Then, I had to boot up another laptop with the font I liked to type the content. The process was annoying. And that is part of why the blog has slowed down.

But it's all so much simpler now!

To celebrate, I'm having a cocktail. A mocktail. A prego cocktail.

It's a new favorite ritual. It makes me feel like I'm indulging. It makes me feel like I'm living a somewhat sophisticated life for a few minutes. And it's tasty. And one of the only things I'm eating that is healthy as of late.

There is no recipe. It's customizable.

It involves herbs (I've been using mint, but am going to explore with rosemary soon).

It involves fruit (I like raspberries best, but this was made with strawberries). I'm intrigued by the notion of using pineapple.

It involves some seltzer, some ice, and a garnish if you have one (but not required).

Into the cocktail glass goes the herbs and fruit. You muddle. I like to muddle.

You dump in the ice. Squeeze in the lime garnish if using. And you top with seltzer.

I'm sure some sugar added during muddling would be fabulous, but as I said, this is one of the few healthy things I've consumed in a few days. So, I skipped it.

Bottom's up.