Fiesta tilapia

I made up a recipe. Go me! Well, ok, it's probably more accurate to say I borrowed one I read on all recipes and then adjusted it for city apartment living. You see, I love grilling. I will grill anything. Especially pineapple. Swoon. But since I'm not going to whip out the hibachi at 830pm after the toddler is in bed I wanted a recipe that I could make stovetop. Although playing Caribbean steel drum tunes may be optional at your house.

1-4 fresh tilapia fillets

1 14oz can of tropical fruit salad

1 t Chinese chili garlic sauce

1 T brown sugar

1 T butter

1-2 bunches of chard. (rainbow is good with the fiesta theme. Plus

have you ever seen anything so beautiful?)

1-2 c rice

Pour the juice from the fruit over the fish in an oven safe dish. Add a few pats of butter in between each piece of fish. Cover in tinfoil.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. Chop up the fruit in another bowl and add the garlic sauce and brown sugar and stir together.
Wash the chard and steam in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and some of the fruit juice. Serve fish over chard with a side of rice. Add a few big spoonfuls of the chopped fruit mixture and be sure to add a spoonful of the juice mixture from the fish over the rice! Yum!

Saving dinner time

At our house it's rare we finish a whole jar of spaghetti sauce at one

meal. That's if I haven't made a huge pot of homemade sauce. But on

those nights I just want to make one serving of ravioli or spaghetti I

go for the jar sauce. Of course that means the rest of the jar sits in the fridge for weeks and goes bad. In a cleaning fit yesterday I started a bag of baby food accessories to donate. But I saw this individual meal freezer holder and thought it's be perfect for individual servings of sauce. So I'm keeping it. Pop one out and defrost it, voila.

Now that's a family restroom!!

We went to Cleveland for the holidays and what do you do in Cleveland? Why, go to the mall of course! Ok, not always. But we had to see Santa, and the mall is where he is known to hang out so there we were.  Anyhow, as it is traveling with a toddler in potty training mode, I have one eye open for suitable bathrooms at all times.  We cruised out of JCPenney (woot! party!) and spotted a sign for the family restroom. In pretty colors. Again, in a preventative measure, we took a side trip down this pretty colorful hallway to the most amazing family restroom I have ever seen. It actually had a SEATING area with games and TVs for the kids (or bored Daddies, imjustsayin...) and it had a large room with 3 baby-changing 'bays' (is that the appropriate word? I know they aren't cargo vehicles, but still...) with sinks and even a microwave. Then there were small curtained rooms with plush couches and a table. Must be for napping or nursing. I never wanted to leave. And I'm not even nursing anymore. Apparently I'm not the only one at this mall that knew of this hidden gem because the only actual toilet (that also had the cute toddler size toilet too!) was occupado. We waited. We waited. Then we heard the telltale flush, followed by the feared second flush! Out walked an older woman, sans child.  Can't say I blame her. That place was a palace.  Why can't more public establishments be like this?? When I was nursing maybe??

Sade rules

I've always loved this song. And her dress.

Happy Birthday Louise Brooks

Some people make jello shots....

how to: pore strips

I'm going to make pore strips.

Sometimes I 'm so organized that I scare myself

But when you've got a house full of people using the same fridge, I had to find a way to avoid wasting any food. (Ok we're in a 1 bedroom apartment, but it feels like Grand Central Station.) And maybe somehow cut back on the famous stand-with-the-door-open gaze and then the inevitable, "Mom there's nothing to eat." (My toddler doesn't actually say that, but at least her nanny knows what to push besides gummy bears. again.)  And lastly, I'm a Leo. I'm a full-time working Mom and I get very little recognition so here it is. Look at the amazing meals I prepare for my family. I love the spotlight.  

I picked up this nice, neat and not so huge dry erase board at Duane Reade for $5.  I actually read the label and it's made by a company called "Board Dudes" - part of MegaBrands.  Their out of Canada and have a great family friendly business model.  They're awesome.  

It's a new day

As the sun comes up on Saturday, what was supposed to be Day 4 of Day 8, I feel different and everything I do feels different.  Dr. Ho, the kindest man on the planet, reviewed my mammogram scans and my sonogram right at the radiology center, and determined that he sees 'nothing to be concerned about.'  He reasons that the glandular tissue in the breast can react to menstrual cycles and that is the simple cause of an enlarged, thickened area.  It should subside.  I feel lighter than I've ever been.  This extreme depth of the finality of my life really hit me hard - even in only 3 days.  Even with my scary ability to deny that it was happening.  Even though I'd collapse in a puddle, shaking and sobbing at the thought that my daughter would have to grow up without me.... it made a dent and I've learned.  Suddenly, all the little details that used to aggravate me or annoy me seem like wonderful badges to wear and be proud of.  I CAN put up with a tantrum and refusal to go to sleep. Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it beautiful to have a child that throws her food? Ok well not really but my point is, we're here. I'm here.  We have another shot to appreciate everything.  Thank you.