February 2023 Recap

February was full with school vacation, C started dance classes, some new things like the guys getting to see the cousins play basketball, superbowl snacks and (finally) snow.

I made a black bean soup that is so easy, and so filling. I was into it and think the toppings make it really fun. The kids were so-so. Serve with quesadillas for something for everyone. It reheats well which reminds me I should make it again and pack it for my work lunches.

The Three Bite Rule - Black Bean Soup
Easy Black Bean Soup

These Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls were a test which turned out great! They use very little chicken and very little broccoli so they’re a good one to have in mind for leftover uses.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Rolls
Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls

Cute little Cheeseburger Hash Brown Cups were a Superbowl snack. They didn’t stay together perfectly, but I think with a little more care in the cup formation (or a more traditional size cup) would help with that.

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups

I put chicken INTO waffles and loved it. Add some arugula for a fresh bite and a drizzle of maple aioli and you’ll be in love too.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken in Waffles
Chicken IN Waffles made easy with maple aioli & arugula

March brings my birthday! I have a few old posts I hope to re-do sometime and I’m imagining we’ll fit in some more wintry foods. We did a little getaway to Providence during school vacation and it was so so fun. The kids did great and it is so much easier now that they can sit at restaurants and don’t need strollers/pack & plays/etc. They had never stayed at a hotel before.

The big kid:
I love his friendships. It is very heartwarming to see other parents glad to see him. I took him to my work to see Fencing and he was as enthralled with the swards as I imagined. He was glad for snow and loves sledding. He had some fun days for vacation with the grandparents and getting time for a few movie nights.

The little one:
She is so psyched for dance. Her fav game is using the stairs to pretend she’s getting on the school bus. It is fun for her but she wants to play all. the. time. so it feels repetitive for me. I can’t wait to see her actually go to kindergarten.

Goals:
Year of workwear! I got shoes this time!
Salads or side-dishes: We had salad bar, though I really need to get on some interesting sides.
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: the lasagna rolls were mostly for lunches.
Monthly dates: We went out for Valentine’s Day with last-minute reservations.
Declutter/cleaning: We loaded some textiles to donate – clothes that are unusable for others.
Workouts as a routine: I wrapped up one and started a new one that’s harder and a mix of weight days with yoga days.
What I’m reading: I finished A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder which was a cute perspective of a high-schooler reexamining a cold case, Beautiful Country which was a powerful story of an immigrant family and I loved the window of life, rather than the entirety, depicted in the story. I read Don’t Cry for Me and was very moved. I just finished The Magnificent Life of Marjorie Post and thought it was like Evelyn Hugo + historical context. I need to get hopping on my bookclub one!

January 2023 Recap

I enjoy January for the freshness and re-set since I don’t get a post-holiday letdown I know others feel. Once the holidays pass I love to usher in the snowy decor and prep for our guy’s birthday!

This is the ultimate breakfast sandwich is on Texas toast with maple bacon aioli and gooey cheese.

Treats don’t have to end come January so we had some Snickerdoodle Muddy Buddies.

As the only mushroom-eater, I made these Forager Flatbreads as lunch.

The Three Bite Rule - Forager Flatbread

We had fun going to the pool and ice skating and we definitely are awaiting real snow. We are outside less and wishing for more daylight. I’m very over the colds we seem to pass along. I love the snacks of the superbowl ahead and maybe we’ll create some pink Valentine’s day dessert.

The Little Girl:
She’s still in her Elsa dress daily. She builds magnatiles and colors non-stop. We are very into the books that read-aloud themselves from the library. I’m so impressed with how well she can use scissors. She cannot wait for kindergarten and riding the bus.

The Big Guy:
His birthday was so fun. We had a family dinner party and he had some friends meet him at the trampoline park. I love seeing his friendships blossom. Of course we had pasta and caesar salad. He is very into How to Train your Dragon and transformers. He’s taking an Animals around the World class after school and he’ll play baseball in the spring. He’s interested in the football playoffs and superbowl.

Goals:
Year of workwear! I got a few shells for under blazers or cardigans
Salads or side-dishes: Hmm.
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: this makes getting to the office so much easier. I made some chickpea/tomato/cucumber/feta bowls with hummus and pita.
Monthly dates: We didn’t make this happen, but will.
Declutter/cleaning: I passed along all the pjs that the big guy is always be too hot for!
Workouts as a routine: ehh. Too many days of colds meant this didn’t happen regularly.
What I’m reading: I read The Nineties which was interesting but felt like I’d already read it. Bookclub read The Ten Thousand Doors of January which wasn’t for me.

Seasonal Soup Round Up

‘Tis the season for soup. My littles do not always want foods all cooked together but are sort of interested in soup. Sometimes I give them more “stuff” and less broth. I ensure we have it with something else in case they aren’t all-in (like biscuits or crackers & cheese). Not all eaters consider soup to be a meal, so go all Panera on them and do soup & sandwich while figuring out what’s a hit.

Our easiest go-to is making tomato soup with grilled cheese. My cheater method is:
1 can of tomato soup + 1/2 can of milk or broth if it is condensed 
1 28 oz can of kitchen-ready tomatoes
plus whatever seasoning you like – some basil & garlic or a splash of cooking sherry makes it delightful. Stir in pesto or tortellini or whatever you like!

Cook together over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to get the tinny can flavor out

That is so fast & mindless and you get the hint of creaminess from the canned soup version with the not-sweetened canned tomatoes for true tomato flavor and I add an extra swirl of cream to the kids’ bowls to cool it down. 

Here are some of my personal favs: 

Greek Lemon, Orzo, and Chicken Soup
This one is so fresh and orzo-packed that I think it is filling yet simple. I always think it needs more and more lemon so have lots! Serve with hummus & pita chips

The Three Bite Rule - Greek Orzo Chicken Soup

Sweet & Smokey Chili (add some sweet potato!)
While mostly a basic chili, sweet and smokey chili gets a few last touches to sweeten it up – maple syrup, sweet potato, and liquid smoke. In the past, this one has been more palatable for the kids and toppings of cheese, corn, chips, and sour cream can help make it work well for everyone!

The Three Bite Rule - Sweet & Smokey Chili

Cheeseburger Soup is so fun and really filling. We once did them in bread bowls but some croutons would be fun. I add an extra drizzle of ketchup, mustard and some scallions and pickles!

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Soup

White Bean & Sausage Soup is quick and the sausage is nicely decadent while being loaded with greens. Sweet Italian sausage or spicy sausage are equally great. Serve with bread or rolls!

The Three Bite Rule - White Bean & Sausage Soup

Easy Homemade Ramen is a go-to lunch for me – with varying levels of add-ins. I’ve been known to chop a ton of arugula or some frozen spinach. Popping in some ginger paste or frozen ginger cubes and a splash of rice vinegar would all provide some big time flavor while using half the seasoning packet or your own broth.

The Three Bite Rule - Easy Ramen

November 2022 Recap

November was a bit of a blur. It wasn’t a busy month in the kitchen. One week was a doozy and we just needed some space, time, and grace with ourselves. We said goodbye to our beloved dog and it was hard. Thus, here we are.

My blog turned 12! Wow. It is a tween! I like to set some new goals/intentions and decide my fav kitchen moments from the past year.

Cheers! I made a pear & cucumber cocktail that was delightfully crisp and with just a touch of fall.

The Three Bite Rule - Pear & Cucumber Cocktail

This spinach strata was so good for breakfast and lunch.

The Three Bite Rule - Spinach Strata

December is coming right up- wow. The Christmas season for us is really fun so I’m trying to soak it all up and love the parts were in. It is very much time to switch gears in my brain. Bring on the hot chocolate and we’ll see what cooking looks like this month. I’m guessing we’ll host Christmas Eve for appetizers (partly because we like those, and partly because kids don’t have to sit as long).

The little girl:
She totally gets cold so I’m curious how much she’ll love winter this year. I love how how much wonder she has for all the Halloween candy – even opening a tootsie roll has her astounded for what comes out. She loves playing hot or cold for where she is in relation to something. Both kids ate so well at a restaurant for breakfast and it was her first time! She and I are going to see a Nutcracker performance and I cannot wait.

The big guy:
He is very into drawing and coloring right now. I love it. He likes coloring pages we print that are very ‘of the moment’ for a character or theme we’ve just read/watched/etc. The games the two of them come up with very much amuse me – there was something with sliding figurines and hitting them away like hockey that happened the other night and seemed mutually agreed upon. Soccer wrapped up and we love the flexibility and unscheduled weekends.

Goals:
Year of workwear! I got a sweater-ish/tunic-ish/mock-turtle top in a dark cranberry color
Salads or side-dishes: I made a cold buffalo chicken pasta salad with shredded chicken this time, for a very pack-able lunch.
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: The strata!
Monthly dates: We had Mexican at El Centro
Declutter/cleaning: I have a big drop of donations to make – let’s see if it rides around with me in Nov or hitting Dec. Both kids went through their art and were done with a good chunk of it.
Workouts as a routine: I’m a bit more routinely doing some dance & weight workouts.
What I’m reading: I read Why Didn’t You Tell Me which was an interesting look at identity/race/lineage/birth order/gender. Bookclub did a YA this time with You Should See Me in a Crown which was so cute and fresh – esp for those of us very far from highschool. I read Killers of a Certain Age which was Italian Job meets Golden Girls and was very fun, not the best ever but amusing.

12th Blogaversary

This hobby continues to hold a spot in my heart and I’m grateful for this outlet. Thanks for following along and telling me what you’ve made! On this occasion each year, I award some superlatives and set out some goals for the year to come.

Most photogenic: Salmon Cakes over Lemon Risotto

The Three Bite Rule - Salmon Cake & Lemon Risotto

Most Likely to Succeed: Bacon Parmesan Burger

The Three Bite Rule - Birthday Burger with Bacon Jam & Parmesan Peppercorn

Most Likely to be Repeated: Savory Loaded Waffle

The Three Bite Rule - Savory Waffle

Most liked on Insta: Strawberry Basil Lemonade Cocktail

Strawberry Lemonade & Basil Cocktail - The Three Bite Rule

So, how’d the goals go:
Year of nail polish! Choosing some new ones inspired me to dump a few I’ve had since college cough:pre-2006:cough.
More international food: went ok, it’s a good area to expand
More soups/salads: I don’t recall many new soups – I should stay on that
More apps: Apps for dinner is such a fun way to make a special and beloved dinner
More fun drinks: I went pretty hard on tea and made more cocktails!
Updating photos: I did a few and will keep this on my radar.
What I’m reading: I read 42 books this year!

What’s ahead:
Year of the _____: it’s going to be workwear! My new job is dressier and I’m in the office 3x a week so I know I need to update and cycle out some old things I don’t love.
Salads or side-dishes
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays
Monthly dates
Back to some routine of workouts