Pasta Bake

It's been a tiring day. My baby brother turned 21 today (so I guess he's not really a baby any more!)which still hit me like I'd been struck by lightening, even though I've seen it coming for the last year. I'm very sad that I couldn't be there with him to help him celebrate his special day, but he's always in my heart and he'll always be my baby no matter how old he is. Even when he drives me nuts!

So, in order to help relieve the unbearable guilt I've been carrying around today, I went shopping. That's right folks, shopping. I bought Baby Girl bedding for her crib, some winter clothes for when she finally arrives, some clothes and a bunch of craft stuff for the Little Dude, and Christmas presents. Yep, I said it - Christmas presents.

The Dude and I are making home-made gifts to send back to family in the UK this year. It's far more personal with greater meaning behind it than anything that money can buy. So, I figured I need enough time to make them as well as mail them back home. 2 months should be plenty!

This meant that the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was to cook dinner, so I made my quick-fix pasta bake. The beauty of it is that you can add any veggies you want like peppers or zucchini (courgettes), but tonight we just had basic-style. Here's the recipe:

2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
a palm-full of Italian seasoning
1 box dried pasta (I used rotini)
half a bag of frozen meatballs
1 ball mozzarella cheese
cooking spray
Pyrex dish or similar

Heat oven to 425.

Cook pasta according to instructions.

While pasta is on, gently cook onions and garlic until onions are transparent. Add meatballs, tomatoes and seasoning. Simmer for 7-8 mins.

Mix pasta and sauce together. Spray Pyrex dish and add pasta mixture.

Top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 15 mins until cheese has melted and is bubbling.

Serve with salad.

Japanese Stir-fry recipe

This is what Hubby and I had for dinner. The original recipe came from Rachael Ray, but I've adapted it to make sure evrybody in the family gets something they like. It really is easy and takes only minutes to prepair.

Next to some of the ingredients you'll see brackets. I've done this so my British audience can follow along at home!

You'll need:

3 crushed garlic cloves,
1 small tsp of freshly grated ginger
Japanese soba noodles
2 handfulls of mung beans (bean sprouts)
1 bunch of thinly chopped scallions(spring onions)
Half a packet of frozen, shelled edamame (soy beans)thawed
1 packet of pre-cooked chicken strips
Dried parsley flakes
Dried basil flakes
Soy sauce
Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp Sesame oil

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.

While the noodles are on, warm up the oil in a large skillet (frying pan) and add the scallions, garlic, edemame,mung beans, ginger and chicken. Cook for about 5-7 mins, until the chicken has warmed through.

Add the parsley and basil flakes, a good glug of soy sauce and hoisin sauce and let cook for another 5-7 mins.

Drain the noodles and stir into the skillet. Serve in warm bowls.

Other blogs to check out

If you like this blog, please take a look at some of my inspiration by clicking on the blog-titles to the right of my postings.

Julie Powell's blog is definately up there with the 'greats' (I loved Julie and Julia by the way, I can't wait to go see it again with Jo Jo and Dot!)

If there are any blogs that you think I should take a look at, drop me a line and let me know by posting a comment or two. I love hearing from my readers :-)

Victoria .x.

Weekend

I had a great weekend. While I didn't get round to any baking, I did build a toy kitchen for the Little Dude. He's been making us all french toast and tea - must get the domestic side of things from his Dad!

Saturday was a major housework marathon, as I had guests staying on Saturday night. Sunday however, Hubby, Dude and I spent most of the day in our PJs watching TV and snuggling on the sofa and at the request of my Husband, went out for dinner.

Today is a different story entirely. Music classes for the Dude this morning, working during the day and Girl Scouts in the evening. Japanese noodles for dinner. Thing is, I don't have a clue how life became so hectic!

Routine

I really don't like getting out of bed. My pillow and I are a match made in heaven (Obviously my Hubby comes first) and I miss my bed terribly when I'm not in it. However, knowing that at some point I'd have to learn to get up at a reasonable hour and create a routine, I decided that this morning was as good a time as any to start.

7am and I'm trying to pull myself away from the duvet. It's like a magnetic force that pulls me onto the matress and I feel like I'm trying to defy gravity. Eventually the dog got fed up of watching me trying to haul my pregnant ass out of bed and decided to lick my feet as an extra incentive to get me up. Ewww.

I was showered, dressed and ready by 7.30am. But, on the one single day I decide to get up before my son wakes me, he decides to sleep in late. Until 8.40am! Brilliant.

By 11am I felt like I'd already run a marathon. We'd been to our toddler class and run around like mad things. Was Little Dude tired? Not in the slightest. Mommy however, was as we say back in the UK - knackered.

Still, I've made it through the day. Admittedly, when Hubby got home from work I went and had a little nap to recharge my batteries. But that's OK - I'm pregnant for crying out loud!

We'll get there soon enough. I'm just glad that I'm finally able to start my mission. Who knows, tomorrow I might even get baking. . .

Burger King

Yesterday probably wasn't the best day to start my mission. My Little Dude has an ear infection and two molars coming in ALL ON THE SAME DAMN SIDE and I have a stinking head cold. Perfect. To top it off, the dogs had a good go at destroying the living room and barking the neighbourhood away all the live-long day. I couldn't wait to go back to bed.

I did do 3 loads of laundry though, returned my library books (and took out new ones, one of which is titled 'Bad Mother' and is supposed to make me realise that I'm not. . .) and tidied up a little. For dinner, we had Burger King. Argh.

What's on the menu for today? Who knows. Little Dude has a toddler class this morning - don't panic, I'm feeling miles better than I did yesterday, and I have to pick up the dry-cleaning. Oh, and change the bed covers and do a little grocery shopping. My god, housework is so bloody dull!

Introduction

I've never enjoyed housework. I've only just learned to cook and even now, I can't bake to save my life. I'm a Mom of one and a bit, loving wife, dog owner and writer. I am not however, a natural home-maker.

This is where this blog comes in. After much deliberation and nagging from close friends and family members, I have decided that now is the time to try and make more of an effort. That's right - goodbye take-out menus, hello recipe books. See ya later untidy house (I should mention that it is clean, just a little messy in places), hello immaculate home.

Here's the mission - to attempt to learn how to be this generation's Martha Stewart and blog about my journey once a day. Every day, I will try a new recipe, craft, parenting or home-making technique and let the world know of my effort to keep house. I can't guarantee that I'll get it right every time, but hey - that's the beauty of this blog. I'm sure there will be plenty of laughter, messes and successes.

So without further ado, please welcome onto the page - The Home Fairy!