The Pork is More Than Just Brine…With Butternut Squash Risotto

https://www.chat-quiberon.com/2024/01/18/ssnwkia5z3 0

I don’t end up cooking much meat so I’ve never brined meat before but there’s a first time for everything. I was excited for a new technique.
risotto_pork_plate_290_200
I set the country style boneless pork ribs set up in brine for the workday. The pork should absorb a lot of liquid and when this cooks off, the meat will be more tender. True story.

Ingredients

Buy Valium Legally 2 cups ice cubes
1 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup salt
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbs peppercorns

Directions

Boil cider vinegar.
Add salt and sugar stirring until dissolved.
Add ice cubes and peppercorns.
Put pork into the brine and let sit for 8 hours.
brine_pork_290_200
To cook, remove from brine, smother with bbq sauce and bake for 1 hour, covered.
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The pork came out smelling amazing! It was uber tender. Fork tender…no knives required. It would have been really special with homemade barbecue sauce but was so good and I was really happy with it.

butternut_risotto_cup_290_200
I made butternut squash risotto to go with it. I love risotto and don’t make it nearly enough. It is creamy and delicious with so many variations! I’ve made a weight watchers one with tomato juice and zucchini. The tomato juice makes it red, flavorful, and creamy without being overly acidic. Enough about that, onto today’s risotto.

Ingredients

Order Xanax Online Usa 1 cup aborio rice
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups butternut squash
½ cup white wine
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

https://www.chat-quiberon.com/2024/01/18/5eudyz3c Toast aborio, stirring consistently until golden.
Heat broth and wine on medium low.
Steam butternut squash and add to rice.
butternut_risotto_steam_290_200
Add ½ cup broth until absorbed and repeat until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Serve with plenty of Parmesan.
butternut_risotto_290_200
The risotto was sticky and delightful. The squash was a perfect addition. What a great orange color! Needless to say, I ate leftovers for days. I thought making a ½ cup of rice might be weird to have strange quantities but we definitely had more than enough. Maybe arancini will be a fun use of these leftovers.

Black Bean and Squash Veggie Burgers

Buy Valium 2Mg Online 1

https://space1026.com/2024/01/4pbf7rip My event is over, I’m back from vacation, work isn’t stressful anymore, and there are no more excuses. Time to eat real food and better food. Time to cut the crap…so to speak. Last night Mr. J was wanting dessert. I was glad he didn’t end up suggesting a trip to our fav local ice cream place. I might not have had the will power to say go without me. I need to get back on track.

Buy Soma 350 What a perfect segway to veggie burgers! I love them and don’t make them nearly enough. Homemade ones are sooo much better than store bought ones.
veggie_burg_plate_590_390
I get it that folks dismiss them. I’m not vegetarian, but I can’t eat beef so I kind of have to like them. People who are lucky enough to eat beef without a problem don’t really understand and can mock them all they want. I love all the flavors, condiments, and options for burgers. I usually make chicken burgers and some restaurants offer turkey burgers and they are pretty good substitutes. It is just such a quintessential summer food I miss out on.

https://www.prehistoricsoul.com/78ry66ewg5 These are so simple, filling, hot-of-the-grill, and hearty. Veggie burgers are filling but not stuffed-can’t-think-about-food-again kind of burgers. I’ve made them with eggplant which I like but the nuttiness of the oatmeal and the crunch from the sunflower seeds is so great. My friend Flying on Jessfuel made Sweet Potato & Pecan burgers a million years ago before we had blogs. The butternut squash in these brought me back to that million-degree apartment in Boston way back when.

Black Bean & Squash Burgers

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
1 cup butternut squash cooked (I used frozen, mostly defrosted)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tsp garlic, chopped
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbs olive oil or 1 egg
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded/chopped/grated
1 tsp onion powder
salt & pepper

Directions:

https://www.ngoc.org.uk/uncategorized/future-events/1csxpa9b Rinse and drain black beans.
Add black beans, butternut squash (mine was still a touch frozen/frosty), onion, and garlic to a food processor.
veggie_burger_ingred_590_390
Pulse for a few seconds until mixed leaving some black bean chunks.
Mix black bean mixture with oatmeal, sunflower seeds, egg, cheese, onion powder, and some salt & pepper.
Form into patties

Order Xanax From Canada veggie_burg_formed_590_390
Grill until crisp on the outside. Flip once, gently.
Serve on a bun with all the traditional burger ‘fixings or on salad or in a pita or bunless.
veggie_burg_plate_590_390
I topped mine with avocado, ketchup, and some whole grain mustard we’re obsessed with on the bottom. It was so good. I froze the other 3 burgers separated by parchment. They’re ready and waiting for the next burger night!

Mr. J saw me whipping these together (he formed his own beef burger) and saw something orange go in from the freezer. Mango? Hahaha, nope! That frozen butternut squash wasn’t our fav and it hung around so long he didn’t even think of it. He magically grilled this bad boy to perfection while I feared it would fall apart. He’s the grill-master for sure.

https://www.justoffbase.co.uk/uncategorized/3gpk6swan (p.s. wish him a happy birthday tomorrow!)

Fast 5-Ingredient Meals

https://masterfacilitator.com/kk2mvklaqw 0

Buy Loose Valium The countdown to Christmas is on and now’s the time for fast dinners that that are crowd pleasers and most importantly, take minimal thought. I assume you have takeout and regular freezer favorites and pasta covered. These may help bridge the gap of some balance but not magic.

1. Grilled cheese & tomato soup
1 can tomato soup + 1 (28 oz) can of kitchen ready tomatoes + 2 tablespoons cream/half & half
sliced bread + cheese
One can of basic tomato soup and one large can of kitchen-ready tomatoes. Blend it if your eaters want it smooth (like mine!) and a drizzle of milk or cream at the end and it will be perfect. Add anything you like to the grilled cheese. Cut into sticks for easy dipping if you’re feeling fancy.

The Three Bite Rule - French Grilled Cheese

https://therepairstore.ca/m3t9arzxp 2. Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Biscuits/Crescents
Rotisserie chicken + ranch dressing + bacon + tube of biscuits or crescents
serve with salad/veggies with more ranch
Chicken, bacon and ranch can take a bunch of formats – as crescents, they’ll assemble & go into the oven. The last time we had them, I tossed the shredded chicken in ranch and put onto biscuits like a sandwich. The kids were both into it! Or serve as loaded fries. Or make a Greek turnover.

The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Bacon Ranch Turnovers

3. Pizza Beans
2 cans of white beans + tomato sauce + cheese + any other pizza toppings you like
We have pizza beans regularly – anyone can top as they’d like and it comes together in 10 minutes. These are a good way to use some small amounts of ingredients or sauce from the freezer. Or give a Mexican twist for Taco Beans!

The Three Bite Rule - Pizza Beans

https://gungrove.com/zn0gezbh17m Buy Cheap Xanax Online Uk 4. Corn Quesadillas in Herb Butter
Tortillas + corn + butter + herbs
These corn and cilantro butter quesadillas are so good and anything added to a quesadilla will turn dinner into a meal. Swap the corn for black beans or butternut squash or mushrooms or chorizo, or any-thing. Serve with black beans or corn (whichever isn’t inside!) and poof! Dinner!

The Three Bite Rule - Corn Quesadilla in Cilantro Butter

https://www.justoffbase.co.uk/uncategorized/7vi6s436keo 5. Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Popcorn chicken + pasta + blue cheese or ranch dressing + hot sauce + greens
I most often have this buffalo chicken pasta as a cold salad but it’s fun hot too! Use crispy chicken or rotisserie chicken. I go with arugula but spinach works too!

The Three Bite Rule - Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Need one extra? Breakfast for dinner is perfect. Pigs in Sleeping bags (maple sausage in crescents) is a hit here and pairs well with some eggs.

Fed is best, regardless of what’s on the menu in a busy season. You’ve got this.

October 2023 Recap

October felt like a month where we were in our groove. We had gotten more used to aftercare pick ups, all the soccer practices, weekend plans, and what we need to be ready for it all. We are psyched for Halloween.

I made a Bfast Pizza with Everything Bagel Crust

The Three Bite Rule - Bfast Pizza with Everything Bagel Crust

We had an impromptu Ranch-Off testing out 3 ranches to dip. The “restaurant-style” packet is way better than the regular. I don’t know why. Tell that to my very large canister of dry ranch mix. 

The Three Bite Rule - Wingstop Dupe Ranch-off

Lastly, I made a butternut squash and bacon tart. I loved it having lots of squash and only enough egg to hold it together. It is sweet and salty and perfect. 

Next month I’ll share a lunch idea and an app. I’m not sure what else. Next month brings my blogaversary and new goals. It will wrap up soccer and bring a new routine.

https://mmopage.com/news/vm5ynjdv7fj The Big Kid: 
He’s very into sports cards, stats, and teams. The soccer season wraps up soon and it has been fun to see his group. I love picking up from aftercare and kids saying bye or getting to local fall events and him finding his friends. There’s a new ga-ga ball court at school and he’s obsessed.  

The Little One: 
She got very good at taking the world’s most awful-smelling antibiotic (we mixed with chocolate syrup for the win!). She has a best buddy in kindergarten who we hear about daily. We met this little one at a back to school playground meet up and while you can’t judge a book by its cover, C definitely zero’ed in on a long braid and dress. All the kids love seeing one another at soccer or wherever. 

Goals:
https://manabernardes.com/2024/ugi92ufr Year of workwear! I grabbed some fall-colored tops for family photos
https://space1026.com/2024/01/z2ujyfhr Salads or side-dishes: I made some soft cornbread and seriously, this is the only one to ever make. 
https://serenityspaonline.com/dfosvjv prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: I prepped some savory waffles – like this but with bacon and cheese; and I had the butternut squash and bacon tart as lunch a few times. 
Buy Valium Roche 10Mg Monthly dates: Stars aligned last minute for an unplanned date for Mexican at Casa Loca. 
https://modaypadel.com/7g8xko4am Declutter/cleaning: Now that we’re into the next season of clothes, the kids needed to pass off ones that don’t fit. 
https://www.ngoc.org.uk/uncategorized/future-events/7gepw5s Workouts as a routine: I’m now onto a long kickboxing one I’ve done several times.  
What I’m reading: I read Remarkably Bright Creatures and Hello Beautiful.

French Onion Manicotti

French onion soup meets stuffed manicotti! It would have been stuffed shells but they were MIA at the grocery store. These were fun! I caramelized onions, added french onion soup mix to the ricotta filling, and topped it with an onion sauce with optional mushrooms. I’m the mushroom fan, and the rest of the family had without.

The Three Bite Rule - French Onion Manicotti

https://masterfacilitator.com/5bsv8e00q1x French Onion Manicotti (or stuffed shells)
Ingredients (for ~5 servings)

1 onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 package manicotti (or jumbo shells)
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 packet of french onion soup mix
1 pint of mushrooms
1 cup veggie broth or golden mushroom soup
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup milk or half and half
1 cup shredded mozzarella

https://serenityspaonline.com/827i335h9yb Directions:
Slice the onion and cook in a large skillet over medium-low heat with olive oil and butter, stir often and reduce heat once the onions are translucent. Cook for ~30 minutes until caramelized, soft, and brown.
Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain.
Mix half the onion soup mix into the ricotta.

The Three Bite Rule - French Onion Manicotti

Slice the mushrooms. Cook in a hot pan with olive oil and butter – not stirring, let them brown on one side and flip once.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
Warm veggie broth, worcestershire sauce, and remaining onion soup mix over low heat. Cook for ~10 minutes to cook the soup mix. Then and add in the milk/cream and cook for another 5 minutes.
Spoon the ricotta into a zip-top bag (tip: put around a tall drinking glass with one bottom corner pointed down). Then snip the bottom corner and pipe into each end of the manicotti to fill. Place into the baking dish.
Top with caramelized onions and mushrooms.

The Three Bite Rule - French Onion Manicotti

Spoon 1/2 to 1 cup of sauce over the top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Bake for 40 minutes until warmed through and the cheese melts.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - French Onion Manicotti

I liked this one! I wouldn’t make it alllll the time, but it had good flavor and was fun for variety. I rarely make manicotti but they’re so good and piping in from a bag was great – I’d be pulling my hair out if spooning it in!

If mushrooms/onions aren’t your thing:
Make with pesto & sausage (here)!
Make like chicken parm (here)!
Make with butternut squash & alfredo (here)!
Make with spinach & cheese (here)!

The Three Bite Rule - French Onion Manicotti

September 2021 Recap

I love September though this one was a bit of a rollercoaster! There were some real highs: our 10th wedding anniversary! T started 1st grade! The lows were all the Covid cases in first grade and quarantining…2x and going remote and postponing other fun things. We’re wrapping up the month quarantined – again. This time the entire class was sent home. Are we done yet???! I’m psyched for October and Halloween!

This month was a good one in the kitchen! I love love loved this French Onion Soup Burger. All that melty cheese in the middle and on top!

The Three Bite Rule - French Onion Soup Burger

I am also ready for fall so I whipped up a pasta with some fall flavors into a pasta – it has sausage, butternut squash, smoked gouda, sage, and a light brothy sauce.

The Three Bite Rule - Sausage & Squash Fall Pasta

I took flavors we love: pesto chicken, tomato, fresh mozzarella and turned them into a sandwich. This was delicious – especially since the kids love pesto on pasta so I like them seeing it in other ways.

The Three Bite Rule - Pulled Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

Oct will have some fun ones. Wait till you see this pizza coming up! I have an old post to give a face-lift and some fun ones. Work is full force – especially for September and October.

https://gungrove.com/8pky0hd3 The Little Girl
She loves being back to daycare and having grandparent days! Her favorite things to do are playing outside and playing games that her big brother makes up for them! Her fav foods are pb and cheese. I get a kick out of giving her something, like an egg, when she resists, then eats it and says “Ohh I loooove eggs”. She likes tasting all the ingredients.

http://www.wowogallery.com/g3h5ueik2 The Big Guy:
School started well and he loved the bus. I wish we heard more from him. It is hard to tell how he feels about anything. I try not to pepper questions and lately have had some luck with: what surprised you today? what do you wish didn’t happen today? what made you laugh today? what was delicious today? what felt hard today? etc. only asking a few. He’s playing soccer and despite having to miss some, so far so good! He loves school lunch, hard boiled eggs, and all the pasta.

Buy Yellow Valium Goals:
https://www.justoffbase.co.uk/uncategorized/bdgqk8b Year of the fun mail! I thanked the teacher & principal for a little preview we got from the playground to ease the first day.
https://www.ngoc.org.uk/uncategorized/future-events/lirrq35fl More breakfasts: ehh. not really
https://www.prehistoricsoul.com/ynw0qylp Lunches coordinated or prepped in advance: Having the standby of turkey/cheese/arugula is helpful!
I’d like to get the house a bit neater:
Bullet journal – yup, keeping a meals list.
https://masterfacilitator.com/4e2a09ctn What I’m reading: I read Malibu Rising and worried since it was so hyped but I loved it (though the author’s Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is still the best)! For bookclub, we read This is How it Always is and it might be the best one I read all year. Next was Dear White Peacemakers and really appreciated it. Then I read Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First – it was ok.
What I’m Watching: I got all caught up on Million Little Things awaiting the return. We watched a few movies with the kids: Toy Story 2 & Rio 2 & Jungle Book.

Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

While I’m not a connoisseur of Cracker Barrel’s meatloaf at the restaurant, the copycat recipes have circulated for years and I like so many aspects there: the cheddar in the meatloaf, the butter crackers, and the jazzed up ketchup on top make this a winner. I put my spin on it, most notably using pork but go for meatloaf mix or pork as you like. Raw meat isn’t the most photogenic, but this is very worth it.

The Three Bite Rule - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat
The ketchup topping probably makes this even more kid-friendly. We all like this at our house!

Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1/2 onion
1 sleeve of club crackers (~30ish), crushed
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
~1 1/2 pounds ground pork (or meatloaf mix)
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard

Directions:

Sautee the onion in olive oil/butter until cooked through.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the crackers, eggs and milk, then add that to a big bowl with the ground pork, cheddar, sauteed onion, worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Then mix well until totally incorporated.
The Three Bite Rule - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat
Spoon the mixture into a loaf pan sprayed with non-stick spray.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard.
The Three Bite Rule - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat
Spoon half over the meatloaf and cook for another 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and spoon remaining ketchup mixture over the top and let rest for 5 minutes.
The Three Bite Rule - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat
Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat
This is really juicy and flavorful. I served it with some roasted butternut squash (that could have roasted a bit more) and some peas or arugula salad choice. I’m not into peas, and the kids aren’t into arugula, and J could go either way, so everyone got something green! I should really do 2 veggie sides more often! This came after my birthday celebration of a bagel brunch and cake so we probably all appreciated some colors and more varied foods that day!

It reheats very well too so enjoy the leftovers. If making in advance, I’d skip the ketchup topping until the day you’re eating it!
The Three Bite Rule - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat

February 2020 Recap

February is almost over and do you know what that means?!?! My birthday is coming!! February had some confusing weather and some winter sickness at our house. I feel like there’s a lot more on our calendars in March than we had in Feb. We had a fun little Superbowl festivity and our first school vacation!

I did a series of lunch ideas. It is hard to be creative when packing lunch all the time. I focused on me, though kids could eat these lunches. I spent high school refusing sandwiches and now I love a turkey sandwich come lunch time! I rarely buy lunch since I’d rather save that money for a dinner or that time for a walk.

My fav in the series was this hummus, cheese, and very veggie sandwich. Loading up the veggies is great and the roll seeming decadent is key to keeping this exciting. Word to the wise: bring un-assembled. Otherwise it’ll be drippy and soggy and no good.
The Three Bite Rule - Hummus & Veggie Sandwich

Breakfast food for lunch was a stroke of genius. I made just a few breakfast burritos but will definitely make more.
The Three Bite Rule - Bfast Burritos for Lunch

I also made some Lemon Poppyseed Tuna, complete with the caveat not to pack this one up for work unless you eat outside or close your door.
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Poppyseed Tuna

I’m not sure what’s up for March. I just did 2 back to back series so I think I’ll hold off on another series and just make what I want. We’re doing a bagel brunch with the fam for my birthday and maybe my birthday is a good excuse to go out to our fav Chinese restaurant or my fav Mexican restaurant. Both are kid-friendly for my little ones and we all like both spots. I also am itching to make ravioli again so maybe that’ll fit in soon.

The Preschooler Guy:

We loaded up my old ipod with some songs and he loves playing them. We tend to hear one 1,000 times then he’s onto another. Kokimo by The Beach Boys was on repeat for awhile. We’ve been playing a lot of legos lately too. He loves going to the library and he often can find the books at home when we’ve missed returning them! Sometimes he eats so much and other times I’m shocked that’s all he wants. He ate 1 and a half pb&j sandwiches the other day…and might have kept going. He’s obsessed with the fruit and cream flavored oatmeal packets. He had a fun vacation with a few days in Maine and some extra fun days home with me and with his grandparents.

The Toddler Girl:

She’s getting more and more words! I love to hear them. She’ll repeat most words, and started saying “mine”…especially when big brother takes something! She loves being in the stroller and going outside. Refillable pouches with applesauce or yogurt are her fav bfast right now. Anything brown-ish and square, to her is a “cra-ker”. I love how well she sleeps. She loves to tuck toys into sleep and she loves her baby Cabbage Patch Doll “baby” and a hippo lovey “Pi-po”. I’m thrilled how much more she’s enjoying books!

This Year’s Goals:

Year of beauty/selfcare! Do antibiotics for strep count? Jk. I got some nifty hair elastics to minimize breakage and I got red-eye reducing drops.
Prep intentional sides and veggies: I planned for a few then grabbed a few others to have available – like a butternut squash. That’s the best method for me!
Eat more fish: Both kids will eat tons of salmon so I made that a few times this month. We all ate crispy fish tacos too. I made coconut shrimp when it was just me and the little girl home but she wasn’t that into it.
Blog some series: I did a lunch one of “Outside the Lunch Box”!
Focus decluttering/organizing to an area: ehh. not so much but I did transition some clothes the kids have outgrown with a next batch of hand-me-downs. 
Share more books on instagram: I got a few of mine on there and a few for the kids.
Prioritize workouts: I finished 100 Morning Meltdown! I felt so accomplished. Then I started a core/kickboxing one called Core de Force.
What I’m reading: Bookclub read There, There by Tommy Orange. I liked it and was glad to get lots of perspectives from Native Americans but wasn’t super motivated to keep picking it back up. I flew through Chances Are… by Richard Russo. I was really into it, but felt it was good, not life-changing. 
What I’m listening to:
my usual podcast favs like: Young House Love Has a Podcast; Be there in Five; Reply All; Mama Bear Dares
What I’m watching: There was an interesting Dateline I had seen in the news. Cra-zy.

Winter Comfort: Chicken Pot Pie

I believe everyone needs some crowd-pleasers or make-ahead meals in their arsenal! This chicken pot pie would fit the bill for each of those categories! Here’s the first of some winter comfort food staples!
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Pot Pie

…unless you ask a certain pre-schooler. Kids’ tastes are so weird. He ate all of the Winter Veggie Grain Bowl on another night with farro, roasted veggies and dried cranberries- he even had more of the roasted butternut squash – prob not be every kid’s preference. He was hesitant to try the chicken pot pie, and then pretty indifferent after having a few bites of each component. While he likes all these things separately, he’s not super into foods all cooked together, but he needs to encounter foods that way. He doesn’t get an alternative so he ate some tomatoes on the side and then just a few bites and was confident in his decision that it was all he would have for the night. To each their own, right? Our toddler loved the chicken pot pie though!

Chicken Pot Pie (serves ~5)

Ingredients:

~2 cups of roasted chicken (I used ~1/3 of a Costco roasted chicken)
2 potatoes
2 carrots
1 cup frozen corn (or substitute peas)
1 cup chicken broth
2/3 can cream of chicken soup
salt & pepper
1 pie crust (frozen, rolled up)

Directions:

Cut the roasted chicken off the bones and chop into ~1″ pieces. If possible, simmer the bones & skin with ~2 cups of water for 15 minutes to make broth.
Cook the potatoes and carrots and add with the chicken to a pie plate sprayed with non-stick spray.
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Pot Pie
Mix the broth with the cream of chicken soup. Gently stir that liquid mixture into the chicken, potatoes, carrots, and corn.
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Pot Pie
Unroll the pie crust and cut some slits into it to vent.
Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350-degrees. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. (Or bake for 20 minutes, cool and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator over night and bake for 20-30 minutes before serving.)
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Pot Pie
Enjoy!

It freezes well, or could be prepped and cooked in advance and warmed when eating. I made 1 big one, but it also easily doubles or could become mini individual ones! If you’re passionate about crust make your own but using a pre-roasted chicken and frozen crust brought this together so quickly!
The Three Bite Rule - Chicken Pot Pie

Days later both kids had mul-ti-ple servings of lasagna so- life lesson: don’t count ’em out, kids can always surprise you and eat something all cooked together!

December 2019 Recap

Woo-eee! December was bus-y! We loved it all. Dinners were more minimal to keep us up with social commitments and shopping and doing all the things. We listened to Christmas music non-stop until just the other day. Santa came while we were sleeping and the kids got to see their new things then we went to my side of the family for the day. On the 26th we headed to Maine and had a few days with the family there. It was all really special and fun. Getting home, I was ready for some more careful food portions, fewer treats, and more workouts & movement.

I don’t have a post-holiday down feelings. I love to move onto winter decor and wrap up a fun Christmas. I’m in the process of un-decorating from Christmas and finding a home for everything. Mr. J and I are gearing up for our traditional sliders, shakes, and champagne for NYE!

This season neeeeds a Winter Veggie Grain Bowl – customized as you wish! Mine had farro, butternut squash, zucchini, mushrooms, cheddar, dried cranberries, and a drizzle of honey mustard. It is hearty but not heavy. Trust me, this is a perfect fit to your January.
The Three Bite Rule - Winter Veggie Grain Bowl
Santa (and the office cookie swap!) got Hot Chocolate Cookies!
The Three Bite Rule - Hot Chocolate Cookies
I finally posted about the finals for the burger competition.

January will have some fun foods. I have a series coming up and I’m prepped ahead which feels good. I over-indulged a bit over the holidays and didn’t sleep as well as usual. I’m glad have some slower days and be back to my routine before heading back to work.

The Preschooler Guy:

The holiday season is magical at age 4! Visiting Santa was so fun and he was excited and brave! He got a Captain America costume, mask, and shield from Santa. He barely took it off since he got it. His other favorite items were dinos, his sister’s musical instruments, and headphones. Food-wise, he’s still into pasta but rice is out of fashion.

The Toddler Girl:

The little girl was a bit nervous to meet Santa but she held it together! She got a baby stroller for her doll. She loves it! Her other favorite items were a penguin winter hat, music instruments, and doll bottles. Food-wise, she loves dipping and eats almost everything we give her.

This year’s Goals:

Year of beauty! I got reusable make up remover pads!
Prep intentional sides and veggies: I’ll keep at it.
Eat more fish: The kids are loving salmon with everything bagel seasoning.
Blog some series: Dec didn’t feel like the time to launch one. Hang on for Jan!
Focus decluttering/organizing to an area: Baby toys are on their ways to new homes!
Share more books on instagram: We hit the library a few times but I didn’t share much.
Prioritize workouts: I’m 65/100 through 100 morning meltdown.
What I’m reading: I loved Meet Me in Monoco for a lighter and sweet but interesting story. 
What I’m listening to:
Bachelor Party podcast has been counting down the most dramatic seasons. It is so funny to think back to some such a long time ago.
What I’m watching: all the Christmas movies!