Waiting...

This past Sunday marked 38 weeks, and February 8th is quickly approaching.  Bags are packed, car seat is installed, and grandparents are on stand-by... that being said, I feel confident that baby boy has no intention of checking out early.  Admittedly, I feel a bit silly driving around with an empty car seat and a full belly; but it just means that we have had plenty of time to organize, clean, and if the previous posts haven't tipped you off yet- eat.



Maggie has been warming the pack n' play up for him... or getting herself banned from our room, whichever way you choose to look at it... We'd like to keep him reasonably cat hair free for at least his first night home.

The Biggest Loser Leopard Edition: Training Update

"You're the best! In the world! nananananadahdahdah" (does anyone know the words to that part? "No one can ever keep you down?").

This week JakerBaker7 also stopped short on his sprints, Mister and Lady (team spotted black's trainers) were a bit more understanding than Bob.





Last chance workout is going to be brutal.

You'll Have What We're Having: Soprano's Night

For some reason whenever we go all out with an Italian meal we feel compelled to use the vernacular of Tony and Carmela.  Red sauce = gravy, etc.  Anyways, one of the things I wanted to do before baby boy arrives in (hopefully) 2 or less weeks, was make ravioli again with the ravioli form I received for Christmas.  My last attempt was tasty, but the aforementioned form really helped with the "pillows" being uniform.  I also experimented with a sausage and beef filling which we both really liked.  M decided to take his bread making to a new level and make a "knock off" of a certain Italian chain restaurant's bread and dipping oil.  It was DELICIOUS.  Maybe next time we make this I won't be 9 months pregnant and can enjoy a big glass of Shiraz...

To see the dough rolling process, see here and here, for recipes click below...

Once the dough is rolled out into sheets, the form does all the work... lay a sheet of dough over form, press down pockets with other half of form.  Then fill each pocket with sausage/beef mixture.



Brush around edges with water to "seal" the pockets... Cover the pockets with another sheet of dough.  Take a rolling pin and roll on top of the ravioli starting from the center moving out, the form will then cut the pockets. Turn over and shake em' free.



Cooking it all up...



M's yummy bread...



and dipping sauce makings... (just add olive oil)



Our final product.  Tony & Carm would be proud.



Side note: When we ate the ravioli again for lunch on Sunday, we decided to just toss it with olive oil, dried basil, garlic powder, S&P, rosemary, thyme & Parmesan cheese (all to taste).  This was incredibly quick, and we both agreed we liked it better- you could taste more of the ravioli filling.

Click for recipes...

In the words of Andy Bernard...

"Gonna go home, get my beer on, get my LOST on"

-Andy Bernard, The Office

Well, it is finally here, the season 5 premier.  One hour recap and two brand new (and hopefully revealing) hours. Also the results of my LOST poll are in... drum roll... apparently no one likes polls!  Perhaps other bloggers have had poll success, do share your secret.  Regardless, the results are: One vote for "Why is Kate with Jack and not Sawyer" (SB, was this you?) and one vote in "other" from M (see comment).  But I'm gonna go ahead and allow nepotism and count M's vote, so 2 votes, it a tie!  I suppose this is karma for never voting on anyone else's poll.   Deep down I know all the Lost-ies are much more psyched about tonight than the poll reflected.   Here's another ABC sanctioned "everything you need to know" video...

You'll Have What We're Having: Creamy Rotini Pasta

I suppose this is a rough take on an Alfredo pasta recipe, basically I used the ingredients I had on hand in our effort to clean out the pantry and freezer.  So while it's similar to other white sauce recipes I've done, it's a bit simpler and uses less ingredients.  Regardless, it turned out to be a tasty and simple comfort food.

Creamy Chicken & Veggie Rotini


Ingredients

• 2 cups whole grain rotini pasta (spirals)


• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables


• 1 cup diced cooked chicken breast


• 2 T unsalted butter


• 2 T flour


• 2 cups milk


• 1 cup Italian cheese, shredded


• 1 tea garlic powder


• 1/2 tea nutmeg


• S & P to taste


• 1 slice of bread, 1/4 cup Italian cheese, 2 T olive oil

Directions

• If you are not using leftovers, dice and cook up your chicken in some olive oil, S&P, set aside in foil to keep warm


• Food process together the bread, 1/4 cup cheese & 2 T of olive oil.  Set aside.


• Pre-heat oven to 425F


• Add noodles to boiling, salted water.  Let boil for half their cook time (about 5-6 minutes)


• In the meantime... melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat


• Add flour to butter and whisk together, let bubble while stirring for a minute or two


• Whisk in milk


• Add frozen vegetables to the boiling water (with the noodles). Cover, bring back up to a boil, cook an additional 5 minutes


• Meanwhile... continue stirring sauce until it begins to bubble and thicken.  Reduce heat.


• Stir cheese into sauce, add S&P, nutmeg and garlic


• Add chicken to sauce


• Drain pasta and vegetables, empty back into pot


• Add sauce & chicken to the pasta and vegetables, stir


• Top with bread crumbs mixture, cook in oven until top is browned

Serve & enjoy!

The Biggest Loser Leopard Edition:Weigh-in #1

We haven't watched the actual Biggest Loser episode from last night yet, but we did have a weigh-in of our own.  In a stunning twist, Jake is already down from his all time high weight of 18.7 lbs from this past August.  Usually contestants don't reach their plateau until towards the end of the season, Jake on the other hand will start the season by working on his last, and most difficult, 4 pounds.   The upside is that Jake is that much closer to achieving the stealth body we know he is capable of.  However, as the self proclaimed trainers of "team spotted black", M and I feel we have our work cut out for us if we want to have any significant body % lost and to stay above the yellow line.

JakerBaker7: Leopard

Team: Mister & Lady

Age: 2

Height: 10"

Occupation: Stay at home cat

Bio: JakerBaker7 was the largest of a litter of 4 born in February 2007.  Significantly larger than his live-in sister, the runt, Maggie.  However, Jake's heart has always matched his appetite.   Extreme weight gain set in as a result of boredom during Mister & Lady's stint in an apartment.  Inside all day, Jake was unable to get the exercise he needed, which resulted in mindless snacking.

Click for results... (I had to create some drama without the aid of commercial breaks)

Raining Monkeys Again!

This past Sunday afternoon was my baby shower in M's parent's town hosted by M's Aunt Glynice, 2 cousins, Meredith & Mallory, and 2 ladies from their church, Judie & Connie.  Thank you, hostesses!  M & I really appreciate you all planning such a great shower for baby boy.  Topping it all off, my Mom was able to fly in!  She arrived on Friday night, so we fit in a BabiesRUs run and started on the daunting task of organizing the nursery.  Saturday, we loaded up a distraught Jake (due to the weather... Maggie apparently had prior commitments and didn't seem to mind being left out in a thunderstorm) and headed to M's parents to grill out and spend the night.

The shower on Sunday was wonderful, I had a great time visiting with family and being able to meet more of my in-law's friends.   Baby boy's room is full with adorable (and manly) outfits, blankets, toys & of course, monkeys.  Thank you, everyone!

M and I before church (36 weeks!)



Mallory, Glynice, Me, Janice & Meredith



My Mom and I

Monkeys!

Mallory's pretty (and tasty) cupcake tree

Opening gifts

This weekend also marked exactly 36 weeks, that means only 27 days to countdown until my due date.  Hopefully baby boy will stick relatively close to the schedule.  Thanks to modern medicine he shouldn't be too far off the mark...