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Friday, October 26, 2012

sincerely



Dear Hurricane Sandy,
Um….no. Please either hurry up or else make a sharp right because if you mess up Benny’s first Halloween where he’s actually going to carry his own little candy bag and ring doorbells, I am going to flip out. Flip OUT. “Frankenstorm” or not, don’t mess with this mama on Halloween. Also, I need to raid Benny’s stash so it’s kinda serious.

Dear Raging Appetite as of Late,
What’s up, yo? I don’t know if this is an emotional eating thing, a boredom thing or true hunger but enough is enough. Back on The Soup Diet.

meanwhile….

See you Sunday! Can’t wait! OMG yum.

I am obsessed. Your ass is mine.

Dear Benny,
I love you sweet boy, but lets try and cool it with the Cars 2 obsession, k? I’m not asking you to go cold turkey, but maybe we could just limit the demands for “CAHS! CAHS!” to less than 100 a day? Mama’s going a little batty….Ka-Chow. I love you, baby.

That’s all, folks. Have a great Weekend!!


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Thursday, October 25, 2012

3.14

On Sunday, we had the whole mishpucka over for a big batch of Chicken Pot Pies from scratch. I’ve been promising my favorite sister in law these pot pies for years now and I finally delivered on my promise. Let it never be said I am not a procrastinator. Also let it never be said that these little beauties weren’t worth the wait.



I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Ezra Pound Cake, but it is actually a recipe from Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen. This is her “All Sold Out Chocken Pot Pie” which I have, naturally, modified to my liking. Feel free to play around with the filling, adding veggies you enjoy in your pot pies and omitting ones you don’t. The original recipe calls for green beans…personally, I don’t particularly dig green beans in my pie, so out they went. You get the drift….

Here is the recipe as I made is, but feel free to google this shizz if you’re interested in the original version. You’re welcome.

Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from The Pastry Queen
For the Filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
10 oz. sliced button mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
1 whole rotisserie chicken, shredded
8-10 oz package frozen peas
8-10 oz package frozen corn

For the Cream Sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup whole milk or fat free half & half or a combination of the two. Or heavy cream if you’re feeling really naughty.
1 tsp Tobasco
Salt and white pepper

For the Pie Crust

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
3 cups all purpose flour
8 oz chilled cream cheese, cut into large pieces
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black or white pepper
2-3 TBS ice water
1 large egg

Instructions

To make the filling:

Melt the butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and  carrots & saute for 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and saute about 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant. Stir in the crushed red pepper, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir the frozen vegetables and the chicken into the vegetable mixture. Set the filling aside.

To make the cream sauce:

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup (about 3 minutes). Add the milk, tabasco, salt and white pepper to taste. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken filling and stir to combine. Transfer the filling to individual oven safe dishes.

To make the crust:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the butter and flour until crumbly. Add the cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the ice water, 1 TBS at a time and continue pulsing until the dough just barely sticks together and forms a ball. You don’t want it very wet at all.

Set the dough on a flat surface dusted with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Measure the diameter of the baking dishes and cut dough into pieces that are slightly larger. Lay the dough on top of the pot pies, and tuck any overhanging edges under. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush the dough lightly with the beaten egg. Bake the pies for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Yields: 8-12 servings


p.s. Do not be intimidated by the crust. Crusts intimidate the hell out of me, but the cream cheese in this makes it the simplest thing in the world to work with and pull together. Trust.



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Friday, October 19, 2012

Friday Favorites

In an effort to shift the mood to happy up in this MoFo, I am linking up today for Friday Favorites…..I’ve been doing Friday’s Letter’s a lot lately and to be perfectly honest, the letter I wrote Tuesday is still exhausting me
so back to puppies and rainbows and unicorn farts, yes??

Favorite thing about today


this guy is my hero.

I didn’t get called for jury duty & I’m off the hook for the next 6 years!!! #booyah

Favorite Latest Beauty Splurge



YSL Touche Eclat…this concealer really is magical. The formula is so thin it’s more like a veil than a spackle like most concealers tend to be. I think it is meant specifically for use in the undereye area and the consistency is perfect for that because it’s so thin, it doesn’t settle into lines and look crêpey and gross after an hour, but still manages to do the job all day long. The only downside to this is, because it is not dry and pasty like other concealers, I have noticed I’m a little more prone to raccoon eyes while wearing it, but that’s nothing a quick q-tip can’t clean up. Love this stuff,

Favorite Latest Fashion “Splurge”



Ok, it’s not really a splurge, but I do get anxiety shopping anywhere besides Forever 21 these days….I bought this blazer in total desperation last Saturday morning for The Event Which Shall Not Be Named and I am so crazy in love with it, it’s nuts. It adds just the right edge to an otherwise snooze of an outfit and ups the glam factor just enough. Plus, it’s super comfy and flattering. I’m not usually a blazer girl, but this one won me over, bigtime.


Favorite Husband



MINE. Look what he brought me Wednesday for no reason just because he loves me! He’s cute….I think he does these things mostly for the praise he gets from the girls at work and my friends when I brag about what a sugar he is. Not to blow up his game, but don’t be totally fooled, ladies, he has his moments…..like when he farts on me. But regardless, he’s a keeper. I’m a lucky girl.

p.s now that I wrote up this whole post I see that there is no linkup today for Friday Faves. Bummer. I’m posting it anyway.





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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

my dear, dear anonymous...

I feel like I’m really moving up in the blog world. <sarcasm> I honestly never thought I’d be the one who would get to address the barrage of haterade in this ever classy and oh so passive aggressive manner but here I am, stooping. The thing about “anonymous” comments is….well….grow a set. If you’ve got something you want to say to me and you feel you know me, and my situation, and my husband, and our relationship well enough to have an opinion, then by all means, share it with me! But be woman (or man) enough to not hide behind the cloak of anonymity.

Source: bluntcard.com via Sally on Pinterest


Dear Anonymous,

Gosh, I just can’t tell you how much I appreciate your concern over how embarrassed my husband and son must be of me. The thing is, you read my blog, you don’t know me, or my husband, or my son. You don’t know the circumstances of our relationship, what works for us, the depth of our love and trust for each other, through the good times and the more difficult times. You don’t know that when I came home last night, he kissed me and told me how much he loved my post, that he had told his coworkers about my silly crush and my upcoming event and they all asked him how it went and he directed them to this blog, in all of its unashamed, totally honest and always ridiculously candid glory. Doesn’t sound much like a man embarrassed to me. You don’t know that I read him your comments and he laughed at you.

The thing about my husband and I and our relationship is that we are friends first. We are not jealous or suspicious of each other. I did not Saturday, nor would I ever, leave with the intention of doing anything other than have a good time with my girlfriend, flirt with a boy I had a crush on (which is actually healthy, by the way. Try it, you might like it. Or don’t…I’d certainly never demand you approach your relationship the exact way I approach mine like you did me. That would be pretty self righteous, no?) and take a few, rare moments to be wild and free. Those moments, these days, with a young son and 2 mortgages and a full time job, while still waging a war against major bouts of anxiety and depression are few and far between. I need them. I need that glimpse of the girl I used to be in order to be the mother and the wife that my family needs me to be now. Don’t you, who don’t know shit about me, DARE judge me for that. Or do. Whatever blows your skirt up. You will anyway, obviously.

Believe me, if I had wanted to “bang a D-list celebrity at his own event” like you so colorfully suggested, I could have. That wasn’t my intention. How about if we all take off our Judgy Hats and just live and let live. What works for you and your marriage or your life obviously doesn’t work for mine. I don’t welcome your demands that I change my behavior to conform to what you deem ideal any more than I welcome some male politician’s opinion about what we as women are legally allowed to do with our own bodies, or who is legally allowed to love and marry whom. But thanks for flattering me by taking the time to comment. And for whoever you are that told me I should be ashamed of myself and then complimented my top? You can get one here.

Peace Out, Sprouts. Thanks for stopping by.

p.s. Yes, I took down the post. If you missed it and you'd like to read it, I'll be happy to email it to you but my skin is just not thick enough for blog hate.




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Thursday, October 11, 2012

baby talk



If you’re looking to start a conversation with this sweet little face, things might not go as smoothly as you’d hope. Homeboy has his own language and since, in my humble opinion, he is absolutely the sweetest, most delectably delicious, irresistible and scrumptious little nugget to ever grace the earth, I’ve no doubt you’re going to request a translator.

Momma to the rescue…

Here I present to you
 The English Language According to Bennett
 age: 21 months


Ah-bway-u = airplane
Choo = train
Cah! = car
Ah-po = apple
Peeeeeez = please
Baba = bottle
Uckie = poop
Tees = teeth
Coooookie = cookie, or goldfish
Ot = hot
BU! UHN! = button
Buckle = bubbles
Duck = duck
Buh-eee = bunny
No = no
'Niiighhhh = goodnight
Moo Moo = moon
Dah! = dog
Ite! – light
Pooool - pool
'Tah = guitar
Bah-Pah = back pack
Gohhhhh = gone
A' duh! = all done
Ow-wah = flower
Thooooo = shoes
Kween! = Lightening McQueen
A-Whey-You = whale


Good Luck!

 
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The 7 day soup diet

 
Yes people, I’ve done flipped my lid.
 
I know you’ve all heard the urban legend of this Cabbage Soup Diet, haven’t you? It is sheer absurdity, and as well you know, Absurdity is my middle name so last week, when I had a small scale meltdown over my outfit for Saturday & decided I hated the VS jeans I got cuz they were “too distressed” and that I wanted to make my life a living hell wear something a little more elegant while remaining somewhat urban chic (wtf?), I chugged a bottle of wine, sobbed my way around the internet and ended up buying a pair of Gap “forever straight” jeans, sight unseen, fingers and toes crossed.
 
Why do I do this to myself? Every single time. It’s exhausting.
 
So, whilst waiting for these jeans to arrive and lamenting to any dear friend who would listen, my girl Andi stepped up to the plate and offered to mail me some of her Big Star jeans all the way from Denver….never one to scoff at options, I pretty much begged her to hightail it to the post office. And she did. Cuz my true friends in life, they feed my delusions. Love you Andipants!!
 
Except then? A sort of tragic thing happened….Friday night rolled around, and I drank another bottle of wine (don’t judge me.) and then at like 10:00, I said to Scott “you know what sounds good? PIZZA!” and he was all “you wanna get one??” and this was after we already ate sushi for dinner like 4 hours earlier, mind you, but the bottle of wine in me said HELLS TO THE YES and then it was done. And we demolished an entire pizza except for one sad little slice. And it was the best pizza I ever ate. Until the next day, when all 3 pairs of jeans arrived in the mail and I wanted to kill myself. 
 
Needless to say, it was a disaster and I realized that drastic times call for drastic measures so I headed to the wine store supermarket and spent about $76 on basically nothing but raw vegetables. And I spent the rest of my wild and wooly Saturday night drinking more wine and whipping up a batch of The Solution To All The World’s problems….
 
I'm doing this version.
Today is Day 4.
Bananas and skim milk.
And soup, of course. Always with the soup.
 
Would you believe me if I told you I haven’t cheated once?? Good, cuz I’d be lying if I said that. I have no will power when it comes to goldfish crackers. Goldfish are my kryptonite. But besides a small, daily cracker binge, I’ve been on the straight and narrow! And…….hold on to the wall….I’m gonna say it….I actually feel incredible! I know. I hate admitting it as much as you hate reading it, but it’s the truth. I feel lighter, my pants aren’t stabbing me, I feel rested and energetic….dammit all to hell, who is this person? I don’t know if it’s due to the wine strike (horrors.) or all the freakin’ vegetation I am consuming, but whatever it is, it’s working for me…..not enough to forgo the wine this weekend though…ohhhh no. Don’t worry your pretty little faces about that…
I will be Instagramming this mess, sloshed, from my padded cell. Promise.
 
So, this silly Cabbage Soup Diet gets a big thumbs up from me. What gets a big thumbs down is my perpetual Post Event Panic over any and every minute detail that nobody will notice but me, especially in the dark.
 
Currently stressing over:
 
  • Do I really think I am going to be able to clip in and style my own extensions without looking like a crack whore?
  • My spike necklace is too long and gets lost in my cleavage but I don’t have a shorter chain for it... 
  • What color am I going to paint my nails?
  • Which one of these two rings should I wear? Not both, because obviously. But are either of them right? gah!

circle necklace here   :   spike necklace here  :  rings from old navy (!)


  • I ordered this gorgeous top yesterday….isn’t it amazing? But will it arrive in time? With my luck, it will show up on Monday. Or Saturday at 4:32, two minutes after we leave to get the train. One thing is, I’ve been emailing with their customer service trying to get the shipping upgraded and they are so amazing to work with….doesn’t mean my top’s going to come in time, but does mean at least I’m smiling about it. Through the tears.
  • What if, even after 7 days of nothing but vegetables, bananas, skim milk and soup that tastes like lava, the jeans still give me a gross muffin top?

Call the whole thing off!

(Pass me the Cabernet…)


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Friday, October 5, 2012

friday's letters



Dear Kellen,
I can’t even tell you how great it was to talk to you last night. My little brother. You’re all growed up and we feel like friends now and kind of for the first time in my life I felt like I really had a sibling…I know that’s strange to say and I don’t know how to explain it, but I am so, so lucky to have you in my life and I love you with all my heart. Let’s talk more often ok???

Dear Maya,
You sweet thing….I’m so glad you make my little bro so happy. I can’t wait to meet you and hug you….I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about your kind heart and happy spirit from everyone who knows you and I just want you to know I’m thankful for you :)

p.s. I straight stole this picture right off your Facebook. I love it. You two are just about the cutest thing I have ever seen in all my life.


Dear Macoun & Honeycrisp apples,
You’re finally here! I am dreaming of hot, syrupy apple pies, fancy decorated caramel apples and simple, straightforward munching…..11 months out of the year I don’t even bat an eye at apples, but when October rolls around and your shiny, happy faces show up at the supermarket, it’s on like donkey kong! #yum


Dear Scott,
I know I have said this a hundred million times already, but I feel so guilty. I’m sorry your birthday present is almost a MONTH late. I basically suck. But I think it’s going to be worth it. I dropped a lot of hints last night and I hope you don’t go ruining your surprise, but if you do, I hope you’re excited cuz I am! We’re going to have a blast! And also, thanks for taking care of the pool stuff this week and cleaning up and everything. I love you.

Dear Cough/Cold/Whatever this is,

Enough already. Seriously. Ugh.



Dear John,
I am so ridiculously, outrageously excited to come & see you play next month. It has been far, far too long, my friend. Please save a snuggle for me. you know I’ll be needing a fix ;)

Dear Followers & Bloggy Friends,
Thanks for being patient with me while I work out this funky funk I’m in. I don’t know what my problem is, but every kind word you send my way and every new face I see in my GFC box makes my heart so happy….so, so happy.

Dear Retro Fitness,
I’ll see you this week if it kills me. Tell that arc trainer of yours it better be ready for me. I mean it too. grumble grumble grumble.

I could go on all day, but I’ll stop lest this turn into a snorefest…


Coming next week: all the words my genius boy has added to his vocabulary plus a severe excess of frantic panic nervous breakdowns regarding hair, makeup, outfits, uncomfortable shoes, what the hell lipgloss to wear, feeling fat, trying to detox and every other insane thing you can think of regarding The Brooklyn’s Backyard thing that I kinda sorta just wish would be over already so I can stop thinking about.

crap.  






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