Recipe: A Chicken Stew of Sorts

Ok this wasn't a hit with everyone (meaning John), but I liked it! This was our belated St. Paddy's Day supper - an alternative to the much loathed boiled dinner that most people eat, but not quite as good as bangers and colcannon. Mmm, colcannon. 

Inspired by Dublin Coddle, this stew has bacon! But no sausages or onions, sadly. But it's got potatoes and chicken and other delights. It could also go in the slow cooker - just toss everything in the crock after browning the chicken.

Recipe: Red Wine Risotto

Learned an important lesson today - if the baby wakes up from a nap while you've got a mouth full of raw carrots, you probably won't be able to soothe her back to sleep. Just a little tip from me to you.

This one was just ok. I'll admit though - we were starving and it was late, so I cut a few corners. The leftovers tasted better, and Julia approved of everything to boot. But no, I will not be trying this one again anytime soon.

mmm, beige

The sauteed celery was weird. I think it reminded me of licorice. (is that weird? Maybe it wasn't licorice) Really, I just wanted a caramelized onion. Celery is totally the same thing, right?

Cookies and Milk, or Rice and Rice

Is there a better way to end the day than by tucking in your little one and then tearing into some rice cookies and rice milk with your spouse?

Pull up a chair! Guys, I need to work on my backgrounds.

Sometimes I fail: Chicken and Quinoa Sort of Salad

Ok this one was weird. The quinoa was tasty and the chicken was good, and the bed of baby spinach wasn't too out there...but the raw carrots and celery were what pushed it over the edge.

I had based it on a dinner that my husband and I both love, and I may try it again later on, but this version...no.

Recipe: Everything-Free Applesauce Muffins

Very delicious muffins here. I'd even wager than most people wouldn't be able to tell they were gluten free, let alone everything free.Or it's been so long since I've had wheat that these seem good. Whichever. 

I think a variation with pumpkin would also be fantastic. Will definitely try something like that in the not too distant future.

You could probably make this into a cake. I usually prefer muffins because you can just grab one and go, especially while holding a baby. Also, no dishes required. Cake demands a dish and fork, and who has time to wash those anymore?

I lied; I used a plate. No fork though.

Next Week's Dinner Plan

Whenever I plan out our dinners for the coming week, I always bank on leftovers. This way we've got less cleanup and more time for diapers. Actually, with teething in full swing, it's been pretty loud around here lately. So more time for soothing!

Next week, I'm doing something bold. I'm attempting an allergy-friendly shepherd's pie with a sweet potato top. And hopefully it won't even suck. Then it's two simpler dinners after that. 

Recipe: Risotto and turkey cutlets

It's what's for dinner. A simple (read: plain) risotto with turkey cutlets. This is a staple in our home. Julia is happy when I eat it, and my husband John even likes it (doctored up with parmesan).

Recipe: Uglyummy Blueberry Muffins, everything-free and Julia-safe!

A new milestone: the feisty one and I baked together yesterday! I truly never thought this day would come. It was fantastic. She happily sat in her new highchair while I mixed the batter up next to her and taught her about baking. With a name like Julia, she's got to know a thing or two about cooking!