Chicken-less Chicken Chowder

It's a bit of an ironic title to give this soup recipe.  While there truly is no chicken cooked into this soup, it is made with a chicken stock base.  And the origin of this recipe was a chicken chowder - it actually had chicken in it.

But  in this house, we roll with what we don't have.  And the night I made this, we had no chicken.  So we made up soup with what we have.  This recipe has turned out to be my most beloved of all, so far.  Its the kind of soup you would find at a Panera, or Spoons [for you local Fort Collins friends].  A little different, but hearty and delish. I also am pretty proud of it because none of the ingredients are expensive or difficult to find, but you wouldn't know it when you eat it.

A couple quick notes:

-This soup will take up most of your focus while making it.  I would recommend to all the moms reading to plan on making this over a nap time or on a night when another responsible adult can pay attention to your children for about an hour or so.

the responsible adult

-You can definitely add cooked chicken in this recipe and make it Chicken-full Chicken Chowder.  You also can easily use vegetable-based broth and make this vegetarian.

Chicken-less Chicken Chowder

[Based on Fine Cooking's Chicken and Rice Chowder from their 2010 Soups and Stews Magazine]

Time: 40 minutes to an hour of dedicated time
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 jalapenos, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 red potato, peeled and diced
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups chicken broth [or veggie, if you want it vegetarian]
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 cooked wild rice/brown rice mix, if you prefer
• 1 tsp pepper
• splash Worchestershire sauce

Directions

*If you haven't already cooked your rice, I would start cooking it now.  That way you don't have to wait forever for it to finish while the family is starving*

Part One - In a 4 qt pot, put in jalapenos, onion, garlic, red potato, 1 of the 2 sweet potatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes - long enough that all of your ingredients are really mushy.

Next, blend your broth mixture until creamy. Then pour the mixture back into the pot.

Part Two - [Do this while the broth mix is simmering] In a large skillet, melt butter, then add celery, red pepper and other sweet potato.  Saute veggies for about 10 minutes on medium heat - until they are soft and browned a little bit.

Part Three - Add to the blended broth mix the sauteed veggies, milk, rice, pepper, and Worchestershire sauce.  Heat soup to a simmer [but not to a boil], and let sit for at least a few minutes before serving.

While this soup is a little spicy from the jalapenos, its not enough to deter me [the spicy wimp], or a one year old from really enjoying it. Because the jalapenos are fresh, the soup takes on more of a sweet-spicy tone to its flavor.

Have any stories of making due with what you don't have and succeeding? Do YOU have President's Day off?

Happy Varentine's Day!

My husband and I have this really bad habit of talking with weird voices and mis-saying words.  It is a regular fear that when our kid begins actually talking, she is going to pick up on the voice we have dubbed her with since birth, and won't know how to say words properly, like "valentines" or "really."

Wanna know what we were doing 5 years ago, this day?

We were getting married.

Quick trivia: the state of Colorado does not require both parties to be present to sign a marriage license.  The absent one just has to fill out a bunch of paperwork and find someone crazy enough to represent and sign for them.  That, my readers, is what we did, this day, five years ago.

So to celebrate our fifth anniversary and the sappiest day of the year, we did Valentine's a day early.

a gluten-free, pancake, bacon, and grease-soaked egg breakfast.

Dellie was introduced to bacon for her second Valentine's Day.  She didn't quite get it, however, so her daddy more than willingly finished her piece for her.

Both daughter and mother received a hand-written poem from their loves.

We spent the day by going to the public library for some school research, having way too serious of a marriage conversation while kiddo napped, making up, and having our first nice date in months.  We had dinner at The Stockyards [steak, yum!] and Slickables ice cream sandwiches.

Today we're hoping to go get some free Qdoba for the price of a public smooch.  Then a birthday dinner delivery for a lovely friend.

Valentine's, for me, is not complete without some delicious cheesecake. A super delish gluten-free version is Japanese cheesecake, found over at Green Cilantro.

[image and recipe are both from Green Cilantro]

What are your plans for today? Let me know in the comments below!

Cloth Diapers at 12 Months

You know you're a mom when... you buy a new cloth diaper you've been coveting for months - with your Christmas money.

I honestly couldn't come up with anything better to spend it on.  I swear.  If that isn't enough to defend myself, here's a picture of it -

adorable, no?

Adelle - 12 Months 

# of Children: 1

Gender: female

Size: 18 lbs, 27 in

Average # of Diapers a day: 9

Laundry Schedule: Every three days.

 Routine: 2 pre-folds used during awake times, all-in-ones during naps, all-in-ones with extra insert at night

Diaper Size: One size diapers - middle settings, Thirsties covers - size 2, second smallest setting, Disposables - size  3

Leaking?: Not any more, thankfully.  We bought three hemp inserts to use for the overnight leaking issues we were having last month, and they have solved the problem (success!).

How's the Poo?: Good.  Nothing new to report this month.

Night Time: Buying the hemp inserts was the key to keeping Dellie from leaking.  We have had zero issues since we started using them.

Did you Use Disposables?: For a day, I think.  I don't remember why - I think I just got lazy.

Any Changes: We bought some more diapers - 3 hemp inserts, another pre-fold cover, and an all-in-one. Kiddo also got a little bit chunkier around the waist - we are snapping the Thirsties covers one size out from last month.  To be honest, she's really inbetween the two snap sizes.  That would be one downside to snaps versus velcro.

Any Issues: None!

Favorite Brand: Bummi's TotsBots still wins.  It's the brand of the new diaper I got with my Christmas money.  I have been completely suckered in now because [1] their new fairytale patterns are adorable, and [2] the diaper insides are made of minky.  What I would give to have my behind swaddled in minky all day... [I promise, this is not sponsored, I am always this obnoxious when I like something.]

Still Like Cloth?: Yes, indeed.

Birthday Pot Roast

You remember ages ago when I said I would be posting regularly about food and diapers?  Yeah... that obviously isn't happening.  And I'm super-duper overdue for a post about gluten-free foodies.

That being said, here's one!

What happens when it's my birthday, I'm getting over a cold, and the hubby has found a chuck roast on manager's special at the grocery store? We make pot roast.

This pot roast recipe is a combination of two recipes and some adaptation courtesy of a lack of spices.  Here's how it went down: hubby found this recipe, and declared it must be amazing because over 1000 people have rated it very highly.  However, dry onion soup mix has a little note on the side of the box stating that "this product has been processed in a plant that also processes x, y, z, and wheat." Go figure.  So, I went and found this recipe to substitute. Then, on birthday morning while we were scrambling to get everything in the crockpot in time to eat it before midnight, I realized we had no onion flakes.  So, here's what we came up with!

Birthday Pot Roast [with all credit given to Marie and Chef Dee]

Ingredients

• 1 4 lb. chuck roast on manager's special
• 1/3 of  a small bag of baby carrots
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 red potatoes, cubed
• 1 cup water
• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 cubes of beef bouillion
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Brown the chuck roast on a skillet, about 4 minutes on each side.


2. Dump all the ingredients in a crock pot.


3. Cook for 10-12 hours on high.


4. Invite some friends over for dinner, and enjoy!

Sorry for the lack of pictures.  That whole being sick thing, you know.  Makes one forget to do important things, like take pictures of their quarter-century birthday for posterity's sake.

Locked Out

Remember way back when I told you the story about how I locked myself out of the house with a sleeping child inside for over an hour?

I now present to you the short, Locked Out, which was inspired by said events.

Enjoy!

Locked Out from Daniel Lane on Vimeo.

A Simple Quilt Patch Tutorial

I realized today that I have an irrational fear of slipping on wet sidewalks.

I went out to get the mail and I tiptoed the entire way there and back... I even tested the traction on my shoes. Twice.

By the way, the traction was just fine.  I wouldn't have hydroplaned in them even if I tried to on purpose.

Being that it was too rainy to take the dogs for a walk and I didn't have a hubby to entain me during naptimes [National Guard weekend], I took to fixing a quilt of mine that has been out of commission for over four years.

That's right. It's been needing work practically since I got married.

I made this quilt in high school.  I can proudly say that it is my very first quilt ever done [except the actual quilting part.  Ironic?]. It was my bedspread during my two years in college dorms.  Sadly, a couple months after I got married the quilt was viciously torn apart by a wild monster -

affectionately named J.J.

He was my pet while Josh was doing six months of Army training right after we got married. Not my favorite pet, being that he bit my ears, was super boring, smelled, and nibbled himself a hole through my precious quilt.

I spent a lot of time searching for the proper way to fix holes in quilts, but all the tutorials I found either were way to complicated or didn't make any sense.

So the poor thing sat in boxes and moved four times while waiting to be put back together.

At one point I actually mapped out a plan for fixing it that involved re-sewing another block over the original and then trying to free-motion quilt the original pattern over the newly sewn patch.  Reality is, I'm not that good - or that brave.

So I instead came up with this Simple Quilt Patch that, now that I'm finished, I'm actually pretty happy with.  The quilt looks a little bit more on the homemade side, but what's a good family heirloom without some personality?

A Simple Quilt Patch Tutorial

Time: about an hour for each patch

Supplies:

• Proper sized matching pieces of fabric for front and back [if patching is needed on both sides]
• scissors
• iron and ironing board
• pins
• needle
• thread [I used glaced quilting thread - the kind that is typically used for hand quilting]

Instructions

*the pictures were taken while I patched up the back of the quilt - it is the exact same process for both sides.*

One - Cut your piece of patching fabric large enough to cover your hole, plus at least 1/4 inch extra room on all sides.

Two - Place your fabric wrong side up on the ironing board. Fold each edge 1/4 inch inside and press with your iron, one by one. Then flip the fabric over and press, with edges still folded. This will give your patch clean edges.

Three - Pin your patch over the hole.  Make sure that the quilt fabric along you will be sewing into is still is good condition.  You don't want to have your patch rip off due to unravelling anchor fabric.

Four - Start sewing!  I started at a corner and then just hand stitched my way around.  As you can see from the picture, I did really small stitches [only about 1/8 inch long, at most].  This was to make sure that the patch would be really tightly sewn to the quilt, being that it will be the only barrier between the hole and the mean world.

Five - When you get all the way around, tie off and admire your work!

Six [Optional] - once your get both sides patched up [if needed], you can re-quilt your patched up area to match the rest of the quilt.  I did not feel brave enough to attempt this, because my quilt was originally quilted by a machine using software.  I'm not that good of a free motion quilter; maybe in 20 years if I work at it.

End notes - I was actually shocked how well the blue patch camoflauged its way into the quilt.  I really wasn't expecting that, so bonus!  And even though the underside patch is definitely noticeable, it was a piece of the white fabric that I had used on the front, so it complemented the quilt as a whole.

a quick game of where's waldo the patch?

I honestly don't know if, at this point, the quilt will be able to withstand any serious washing in a washing machine. I am going to have to give it a try soon, though, because I found a few stains that were most likely made by a dog during some midnight sneakings to cuddle on the blanket while it hung out on the floor.

Update 1/31/13: I sent the quilt through the washing machine - it survived!

 What do you think?  Have you come up with any awesome ways to patch up something worn and loved?

Some Not-So-Professional Breastfeeding Advice

**This post is going to contain some personal information about myself and about the lactacting human body.  Nothing gross, but I will be using the appropriate words for related body parts and will be using some description. If you don't really want to know, then this is not the post to read.**

I have a lot of friends right now who are pregnant, or have just had a baby within the last two months. I mean a lot.  I think at last count I was up to 10.  It might be even more at this point.

Anyway, with all the pregnancy announcements and Kiddo recently turning one, memories of the joys and the tears of new parenting have been coming back in full force.  I was wondering what advice [in the midst of all the massive amounts of advice!] I actually wish I had been given specifically concerning breastfeeding.

Why just breastfeeding?  Well, because I had a really awful time with it for the first two months. As in, I wanted to quit every single day for two whole months. I'm not exaggerating.

When I was pregnant, I couldn't imagine why so many new moms quit breastfeeding after only a couple tries.  Honestly, I thought they were just lazy. And then, I had a baby - and I tried to breastfeed.

Before I get into my story, I want to preface by saying that breastfeeding might go really smoothly for you.  I truly hope it does.  Conversly, you might have trouble breastfeeding because of things outside of your control, like poor milk production or something medical. I don't want to scare you into or out of breastfeeding.  I simply want to encourage any new moms out there that are struggling and looking for help. Breastfeeding is a personal decision, and no one should ever feel pressured into or out of it.

I spent every feeding at the hospital in excruciating pain. I would have to pinch myself or kick something just to distract myself from the pain.  It hurt so badly that eventually I couldn't even let my daughter latch. I would get her just close enough and then involuntarily yank her away just before because I was so scared of how badly it was going to hurt. My husband woke up at 4 a.m. our second night to me having a complete meltdown over my inability to breastfeed properly.

Engorgement came, making it even harder and more painful to latch.  I had cracked, and eventually, bleeding nipples, which only added insult to injury.  Then, a clogged duct - the only cure for it was to breastfeed even more often.

This went on for over two weeks.

By the time the pain became more manageable, Kiddo wound up in the hospital with a skin infection.  Over those two days with her in the hospital, I essentially went back to square one with breastfeeding her.

I spent innumerable nights crying because I wanted to quit, but I knew I couldn't. We needed to save our money so Josh could go to school, so breastfeeding was our only option.

 To those ladies whom I judged, and judged harshly for quitting, I apologize.

Eventually, slowly, breastfeeding got better.  By month three, Kiddo got better at it, and so did I. I learned a lot about breastfeeding over the past year, enough to write more advice than any new mom would care to hear, so I'm just going to stick to three things.

My Three Bits of Breastfeeding Advice:

1. Get help while you're still at the hospital post-delivery.  If its available to you, ask to have a lactation consultant visit you at the hospital post-delivery.  If that isn't an option, see if you can get a nurse on the floor who knows her stuff to help you out. Ask, ask, ask. Even if you "aren't doing that badly."  Even if its 3 a.m. Make sure you walk out of that hospital as confident as you possibly can be about breastfeeding. Also, walk out of there with information about who to contact if breastfeeding gets difficult again.

2. Wear a sports bra at night.  I didn't think I needed to wear one because I'm not well-endowed.  Night bras were supposed to be for supporting the extra weight.  I found out the night after my milk came in that this is not the case.  Those bras are to hold nursing pads so that you don't soak yourself literally from head to foot.  Waking up soaking wet and freezing in the middle of the night is the last thing you will want to experience in those first few days with a newborn.

3. Get a buddy. I give this advice to all new moms, but specifically for those who are really struggling with breastfeeding.  I battled over quitting every single day for two months, and even months after I had a lot of days where I just wasn't feeling it.  I am so thankful that my husband stepped in to encourage me to keep going, to remind me the reasons why, and to even tell me a couple times that I wasn't allowed to quit breastfeeding for at least another week.  Without his support, I know I wouldn't have made it.  So, enlist your husband, your mom, your best friend - tell them to help you keep it up.

Along with my tidbits, I want to share with you my three favorite breastfeeding accessories:

1. Medela Tender Care Lanolin.
 This nipple cream was, by far, my favorite.  The consistency is less chunky than most lanolin creams.  Using this cream is like spreading softened butter on toast.  It's just easier - especially when you're sore.

2. Belly band/tummy sleeve/what have you.
 I got these while I was pregnant in order to stay in my normal jeans longer.  Turns out, I used them more for nursing convenience than to keep my pants up.  The belly bands work as a tummy cover for all those times you will be pulling your shirt up to nurse.  It's great for being in public, for keeping yourself warmer while feeding, and for protecting your tummy if you had a c-section. Coolest thing is they even help keep the extra post-baby flubbies tucked in :)

3. Johnson's Nursing Pads.   I tried every variation of nursing pad under the sun.  Reusables would get miserably chilly once they got wet, and most disposable pads would rustle or were huge. These pads come contoured and [bonus!] even have a little indent for your nipples to go.  The outside has a sticky if you want to adhere your pad to your bra. They don't rustle and they can hold a lot of leaking without getting you wet.

[These links go to my Amazon Associates page, where a percent of your purchase of these items through the links will come back to support this blog.  Thanks!]

So was breastfeeding worth it?

Yes, I can safely say, one year later, that breastfeeding was worth it. While I am truly excited to finally have my body back to myself now that I have weaned Kiddo, I realize now that getting to breastfeed her throughout her first year of life is something I truly cherish. It was the first time in my life that I fought to continue doing something I didn't want to do [with a lot of encouragement from the hubby]. To breastfeed was a choice I made to chose my family over my feelings.  Breastfeeding made me grow up, plain and simple.

I even think I will do it again, when kid #2 rolls around some day :)