Chinese Cabbage, Help Me Into These Pants

So, I'm six months out from my second baby. As with the first time, after the nausea subsided, I wanted a variety of greasy meats. Here's a glimpse of the type of thing I craved during my pregnancy! Hopefully, you can keep your breakfast down.

Since you probably can't tell, that's Jaenicke's hot dog chili (from my frozen stash, since they're 2 hours away and only open in summer) on pasta,  and Cheez Whiz. And a salad. You know, for the baby. Not impressed? Okay, how about a little fire, Scarecrow?

I also made the chili into a pizza. Oh yeah, and of course, chili dogs, because I didn't need to be creative all the time, I just needed to cram it into my gigundic maw.

I couldn't even wait to take the picture for that one.

Anyway, here's the pasta remix:

I cut the extra-firm tofu in half lengthwise, wrapped it in paper towels, and pressed it under a heavy pot for over an hour. Then I cubed it, tossed it in corn starch, and fried it very lightly in just a tiny bit of oil. When it was done, I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Then I set it aside, and sautéed mixed mushrooms (with shiitake and oyster, but you can use regular), and cubed Chinese cabbage (bok choy). I seasoned it with a tiny bit of salt, pepper, and a LITTLE Chinese five spice blend. Then I tossed it in a whisked mixture of about a tablespoon of Hoisin sauce, a little rice wine vinegar, and about a half cup of chicken broth. I served it over buckwheat soba noodles and added the tofu back in. I have a little less than 8 pounds still to lose, and then I'm buying all new underwear for myself as my reward. I will let everyone know when I get there by announcing on facebook, "IT IS UNDERWEAR DAY AT LAST."

Oh, what the hell. Here's one more photo of Jewel's chicken fingers, cheese sticks, and various full-fat dipping sauces. Time to say, "Bon voya-gee, Sam and Stella!"

Portillo's Chocolate Cake

I'm somewhat back "on the wagon" right about now, watching my calories and portion sizes. Of course, this doesn't apply to weekends, or holidays, or that time of the month. In fact, with all my trangressions, I'm really surprised that I've lost any of the fifty pounds that I gained while pregnant at all. Twenty of that was baby, and whatever the baby is in that I don't really want to think about. The rest has been coming off slowly, and none more slowly than these last eight pounds or so. I'm determined to do it, but no one can stop me from fondly reminiscing about the type of eating that I did during my last month of pregnancy. That was the stuff!

Two weeks before Ruby came along, I wanted cake. I wanted Portillo's chocolate cake. But a whole Portillo's cake is a little on the expensive side at about $18. And buying one piece per day until you have a baby (because you're kidding yourself into thinking you just want ONE piece), as I knew I would end up doing, is even more expensive. (Oh yeah, a piece of cake per day? As that commercial says, "I was there.") I heard a rumor on the radio: the caller claimed that he used to work at Portillo's, and guess what? The cake is just Duncan Hines' Moist Deluxe chocolate cake mix (some claim it is Betty Crocker, whatever), mixed with 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of mayonnaise. Yes, mayonnaise. Just ignore what else it says on the box, and just add those things, and bake at the temp the box recommends. I don't know if this rumor is true or just an urban myth, but let me tell you, I will not ever need another cake recipe. No seriously, I'm good with this one.



I topped it with store frosting, and it was fantastic. No muss, no mess, just a teeny bit of measuring, and it was just as good as Portillo's, if not better. I think it is even better than the Hershey's chocolate cake recipe, which until now has set the bar for me. And I didn't need to boil water! The cake was so good, in fact, that I made one the very next week. And then I literally had a baby.



This last one is my favorite. At the school cafeteria, they always served chocolate cake with white vanilla frosting. I had it all through gradeschool. It was one of the only things the school did well - always so moist (and I seriously hate that word, but "tender" is for meat, and "damp" and its ilk are even worse) and perfect. I was always so geeked to see them serving it, and it is still my favorite.

You gotta try it, but I'm warning you: be nine months pregnant, or have guests over... Because you WILL eat it by yourself!

AMENDMENTS: I just made one of these with Light Mayo (Hellman's) and it worked... But it is definitely NOT the same cake. Just a decent, light cake.

Also, did you know that coffee brings out chocolate flavor? Use a cold cup of coffee instead of the cup of water, and it brings out the cocoa flavor (you won't taste the coffee.)

Easy Galumpki Bake

Recently, I was at my friend Beata's baby shower. She and her husband are Polish, and they had lots of Polish friends, who brought quite a bit of Polish food. And when I say, "they brought quite a bit," I mean in the way that Sitting Bull brought quite a bit of Cheyenne to a small party with Custer. It was astounding. After we all ate our fill, Beata announced, "And now, we eat dinner!" Holy crap. That's when the meat really came out. Dear lord, the meat! If meat makes for a healthy baby (and I think I'm a testament to that), then this kid is gonna be Herculean.

One of the many tasty, meaty items was galumpki, which I think most people have had at one time or another. They're also called cabbage rolls, and that's just what they are: rolled cabbage leaves with rice and pork in the center, and tomato sauce on top. All through my childhood, my father made them, and mistakenly called them "pigs in a blanket," which they are not.

They're great, but not so easy to make. The cabbage leaves have to be blanched, and the rice pre-cooked, and then of course there's all the rolling. I made a sort of "deconstructed" galumpki in the slow cooker, which is also a bit healthier because it uses turkey. It tastes great (much like the original), and utilizes a much simpler "open package, dump contents" sort of technique.



Ingredients:
1 carrot, peeled and broken up
1 celery stick with leaves
1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
(if you made the Turkey Chili Mac, then you already have these in your fridge)
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 bag of cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup water
1 29 oz. can tomato sauce (puree)
salt and pepper

In layers, place half the bag of cabbage mix, then half the mix of the first four veggies, which you've pulsed to a fine chop in the food processor. Add half the rice, then tear half the turkey up into chunks to complete the first layer. Make sure you season the meat. Then repeat each layer once more, and season again. Add the sauce to the top, and the water. Cook on low for six to eight hours.



Serve with crusty bread, with parmesan cheese on top. Mm!

Roast Chicken with Gravy and Mediterranean Stuffing

What a fancy title! For what will probably be one of my shortest posts ever...

I was in the mood for some thanksgiving-style turkey and stuffing one day, but I also had sort of a salt/savory craving. Also, I felt inordinately lazy (yes, I was pregnant.)



I had some pre-made "Mediterranean salad": the kind you find in the deli section at Jewel, near the hummus and pre-made meals. It had beans, couscous, carrots, parsley and other grains and seasonings in a vinaigrette dressing. I mixed up some Stouffer's stuffing, and added the bean salad to it. I also added some pitted and diced calamata olives to it. Voila! Mediterranean-style stuffing.

I continued on my cheating bender and purchased a rotisserie chicken. I made gravy by using the drippings in the bottom of the container. I added them to a pan, then sprinkled on flour to make a roux, and added chicken broth and seasoning until I liked the taste.



Scratched that itch, and with as little energy expended as a football-viewing couch potato might use to scratch his expanding midsection.

Steaks, plus Grilled Salmon with Dill Sauce

Ah, summer, we hardly knew ye. Between morning sickness, and later on, simple intolerance of the summer heat in my huge-anic condition, I didn't get outside much this past summer. But we did manage to purchase a nice Weber gas grill. We spent a little extra just to get the Weber, and boy do we loves it.



The first thing we grilled were some simple steaks. I marinated some strip steaks in a plastic bag with soy sauce, olive oil, and some herbs from our garden. (And by garden, I mean two herb pots.) I salted and peppered them, and cooked them to a perfect medium as per the Weber instructions. I even let Chris turn them once. For the photo, of course.



They came out perfectly done, and with lots of flavor. Lets grill some more stuff, I shouted!



Over the summer we grilled chicken (several times), tri-color turkey burgers, and bratwurst. Every single one came out wonderfully well. But I think the salmon we grilled was my favorite.



I seasoned the fish very simply with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then I made an easy dill sauce that I sort of just made up on the fly. I squeezed the juice of two lemons into a Pyrex glass cup, and put a half-stick of butter into that, and melted it in the microwave in less than a minute. I added chopped dill, a smidge of sugar, and about two heaping tablespoons of sour cream and whisked it all together right in the Pyrex. I served the fish with cooked grains and steamed broccoli, and poured that sauce over everything.



Now that there is snow on the ground, I think we'll keep bundling up and going outside to grill. For four to eight minutes of freezing half to death, it's totally worth it!

Italian Quickie

...And no, I'm not talking about the night that resulted in our baby girl. Oh man, I am KILLING with these jokes lately. Hello? Is this thing on?

The last week of my pregnancy, I wanted three things: meat, cheese, and not to do any work. But I wanted to do something that might convince my husband I was someone resembling the woman he married, so I made one last big meal before the hospital stay.

When he walked in the door, I had created little parcel-like appetizers by wrapping buffalo mozzarella slices, tomato slices, and fresh basil in prosciutto. I found the prosciutto at HALF PRICE at my new favorite store, Valli produce in Arlington Heights.



And yeah, the mozzarella was pre-sliced. Think that's lazy? Oh wait, it gets better.



When I had crammed about four of those into my maw, I decided to make dinner. I used JAR spaghetti sauce, and JAR bechamel or alfredo sauce. And before you have that thought, do me one favor: strap a fifty-pound weight to your stomach. Then cinch it up so that it presses on your heart. Then get someone to kick it up into your ribcage every fifteen seconds. Climb the stairs a few times, go to work for the day, and THEN you judge me.



I alternated the layers of ricotta, egg, parsely and mozzarella mixture with layers of tomato sauce and layers of the alfredo sauce. It was also my first outing with the no-bake lasagna noodles. I'd always feared them in the past, but desperate times...



The result was nothing like homemade or from scratch, but it definitely scratched the itch, if you know what I mean. It was rich, warm, and right on time!

The Bun I've Been Cookin'

Here's where I've been... I had the baby at the end of September. Her name is Ruby, and she is perfect. (The best thing I ever made, ha ha ha.)



I personally have been on Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating since she was born, which is actually pretty good. It was a good time to do it, since I haven't had the time or the energy to cook. Still, this way I've lost some of the weight and avoided the temptation to go the fast food route. Chris has been cooking for himself, and I must say he's been doing a fine job of it. Check out the side-by-side comparison. Here is one of my Seattle meals, which was decent (chicken breast on a bagel, plus kiwi fruit):



And here is the sandwich that Chris made for himself:



I'd have to go with his, wouldn't you? Anyway, I'm coming up on week five on the diet (I can't believe she is that old already), and it may be my last. I'm already down 25 pounds (though most of that was fluid and a baby who was nearly nine pounds), and I think I just about have her routine worked out so I may be able to get back to cooking.

For one more week, I'll be re-heating the pre-made meals, and just using the kitchen to make the bottles every day!



Thanks for your patience. Hope everyone has been well, and getting more sleep than we have!

BBQ Beef Ribs in the Oven

Last summer, we weren't allowed to have anything but an electric grill on our balcony, and what's the point of that? We wanted to wait until we were home (house, specifically) owners and get a gas grill. So I made BBQ beef ribs the way any condo owner would: on the stovetop and in the oven.



I did beef ribs for a couple of reasons. I still did not eat pork if I could help it (which I will return to as soon as this meat-loving baby leaves my system), and my friend Lindsay was coming over. In her pregnancy, the smell of any pork made her sick. Funny how bossy these kids are in utero, eh? Upon shopping for my dinner party, I discovered that a gigantic slab of beef ribs are about SIX BUCKS. Wow! This is gonna be great, I thought! I'll feed everyone on the cheap, and please the whole crowd.

Well, mmm... Not so much. The recipe I used wasn't the problem. I wanted to poach the ribs first, then finish them in the oven, so that they are fall-off-the-bone tender. I'm sorry to say that I apparently did not print out the recipe as I normally do, and while I remember it being an Emeril recipe, I cannot find the exact one that I used. However, it was similar to this one, only not so complex. I basically covered the ribs in a large pot, using a lot of water, some broth, and a couple bottles of beer. I added peppercorns, a couple bay leaves, salt and pepper, and some rosemary (use a light hand with the dried rosemary -- the flavor REALLY comes through) and I think some carrots, celery and onions. I poached the ribs for about a half-hour, or until the meat started pulling away from the bones (per the instructions that I now cannot find.)

Next, I put them in the oven on a foil-lined pan. If memory serves, I did them with a light spice rub (salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, paprika and a little cayenne), and cooked them low and slow (250 degrees) for about 30-45 minutes, covered in foil on top. Then I removed the foil from the top, brushed on some BBQ sauce (yes, store bought), and finished them off under the broiler. You'll notice that in this particular Emeril recipe I'm linking to here, he boils them longer and skips the low-and-slow part to go straight to the broiler. Most poaching recipes I find for ribs do one or the other.

They were beautiful when they came out!



However, I found that the beef ribs had disappointingly little meat on them. After cooking, they were mostly bone. Guess there's a reason why those are so cheap!

Still, I would do a similar recipe the next time I do ribs. We are now the proud owners of a Weber gas grill at our new house, which get its maiden voyage today with a couple of steaks (I figured on starting slow.) When I do the ribs, I'm gonna use a recipe that's a combination of poaching, and low-and-slow cooking on the grill. Some folks say that ribs should have a "tug" on them, but I don't agree. I like them to be very, very tender.

But there will be potato salad! I've finally learned to use a very light hand when adding the mustard.



Our friends were gracious about gnawing on the big beef ribs, and Baby #1 seemed to enjoy the experience, too.



We'll let you know how the grill works out!

Salad Week: Buffalo Chicken

Are you ready for something fun and exciting? I THOUGHT YOU WERE. And I'm here to help.

In honor of this mother of a hot summer, and in honor of the fact that my beloved lettuce no longer makes me sick to look at, I'm posting a new salad every day for a week. Because we've been eating a lot of them, because they keep you regular, and because dang, did I mention? IT IS FREAKING HOT OUTSIDE.

First up is the fattiest salad of the bunch. Still, when you consider that every time I eat this, I don't have my fat ass over at Hooters with my face in a platter of chicken wings, it's almost like a diet food.



I've got Romaine lettuce, diced celery, full-fat Marie's bleu cheese dressing, a few chow mein noodles, shredded cheddar, and about three diced buffalo-style chicken fingers on this sweet baby. And I think I'm gonna have this one again tonight. Not for the faint of heart! You could lighten it up by using vinaigrette and a few bleu cheese crumbles instead of the Marie's (and no cheddar), but I won't be messing with that until after baby arrives, because studies show that higher-fat dairy products are good for pregnant women (and women who are trying to conceive). Jealous?

My Fancy Hostess

While getting larger and larger, I think Chris has lost more and more weight "stepping and fetching" for me: because getting up off the couch is just hard right now. While sick in the first trimester, I didn't get up much at all. I'd like to say that I'm just as active as I was before I got pregnant, but contrary to my high expectations for myself, taking a slow walk for a half hour is a real source of pride for me right now. When I used to be heard saying, "Hey! I did FIVE miles in under 45 minutes today!" you might now hear me saying, "Hey! I totally got up and walked after my nap today, instead of just eating and going back to bed!" I need a t-shirt that says, "Just Happy to be Ambulatory." And maybe it should have one of those slow-moving alert triangles on the back.

To further disappoint those who haven't yet walked a half-mile in a pregnant lady's overstuffed shoes, I must also admit that I've fallen into the habit of a little something sweet and a big glass of milk before bed. I sleep so much better this way. And I've been watching a lot of cook shows, like "Next Food Network Star" since the nausea left town. I think it is rubbing off on Chris, because he fancied up my snack the other day. Dig the chocolate swirl!



The plates are some that I found on deep discount after last Halloween at Jewel. They were in stacks as sets, with the black crow figure interchanged with a black cat silhouette, a jack-o-lantern, or a spider. I mined out all the crows that I could find and just bought those (and I don't remember where I acquired the Miss Piggy "Pigs in Space" Welch's glass, but she's been with me a long time.)

Thanks, Chris, for all your stepping and fetching. You'll get your wife back, at least somewhat, before the year is out!

Hooters Hot Wings

Chris and I both like buffalo wings. My favorites are actually the ones my brother used to fry up in the kitchen at Ruby Tuesday's, when he and I both worked there. That was twelve years ago now (wow.) He would always make his crazy off-the-menu hot, not so hot for me.

Now Ruby's is under new ownership (the whole chain, that is), and I dunno if their wings are the same or not. Chris likes the wings at the Ram Brewery, and they are actually the ones that remind me most of the ones that David used to make back when. But you know what? I think my favorites are the buffalo wings at Hooters. (I'm taking you to the menu here, sparing you the chatty waitress on the homepage. Click on "chicken wings.") They are breaded (you can get them without), and more like fried chicken. The hot sauce is sort of inside the breading, so you don't get the sauce all over your face (but if you're me, you get the bleu cheese there, anyway.)

Remember when opening a new Hooters was the talk of the town? I remember a big hoopla when they first opened one in Champaign. I dunno why people complained. I'm not really into women being objectified or anything, but I'm just saying that no one seemed to have a problem with the strip clubs just outside of town. The Hooters waitresses are dressed, after all. Somewhat.

I started eating at a Hooters when I lived in Nashville. It was literally in my backyard. I was shy about going in at first, and soon I was going by myself to sit down to a beer and some wings on the way back from work. The menu was more limited then... I seem to remember maybe burgers, an open-faced steak sandwich, the wings, and not much else. Chris likes their burgers.



Now Hooters has salads, healthier options, blah blah blah. I'll probably never try any of those things, because I don't know if I can go in there and not get the hot wings.



Chris accompanied me on a recent trip to get a replacement part for a sofa I had purchased out at Woodfield Mall (I can never buy a piece of assembly-required furniture that doesn't have a broken piece, it seems) and I practically hijacked the car when we drove past Hooters. I know he's been worried about the amount we've been eating out/driving through lately, but what can I do? When baby wants wings, baby wants wings.

Actually, I wonder if it was the hooters baby wanted...

Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread

Well, hello dere!

I am officially back from hiatus. I am a bit over four months pregnant now, and mercifully over my nausea. I can look at food, and eat food (and now I can post about food). It is wonderful. For the last two weeks I have felt blessed every day.

I have a lot of photos to catch up on. I'm going back to Christmas, here! The organization is probably going to take me most of the day today. But we've moved to another town, and first I have to find the USB cord to my camera...

Well, here's one that was already in the hopper. Are you familiar with Amish Friendship Bread? Someone makes you a live yeast starter. They give you a bag with the dough starter and the live yeast in it, plus a set of instructions. Most days, the instruction is, "Mush up." Then you add some flour and sugar: once during the proliferation phase, and once again right before you bake.



The batter will bubble up in the bag, showing you that the yeast is growing. It just sits on the counter and does its thing. At the point of baking, you are to split the starter off into several new bags. Then you have some new starters to give to other people, and one to bake with yourself (that's why it's called friendship bread.) Who knows where these things actually got started, or how many times these little yeasties have gone around the country?

My friend Kira first made me the Amish friendship starter when I lived in Peoria... And I was too broke to buy a new bag of flour and sugar to actually make the bread, so sadly my little yeasties died unfufilled. I didn't see another starter for several years. You don't have to wait for someone to hand you a starter, however. Here are directions for creating your own starter. You can do this with packaged yeast. Just remember the cardinal rule of Amish bread (which as it turns out, is probably as Amish as I am): no metal spoons! No metal bowls! And no wire hangers! EVER!

Just be ready when you get into this. I last made this when my boss and his wife went out of town, and she trusted me to perpetuate her starters. They were gone long enough that I had to turn the starters over twice. That means shucking myself of six total starters, and making four loaves for myself. Finding "homes" for the starters is not always easy. I don't have a lot of friends who are into baking. I tried to give the first set to family members, and they were all like, "Ucchhhh..." The responsibility! You don't want to let the little microbes die, and then YOU have to find three people to give the starters away to. And a lot of people, it turns out, are not into having living things on their countertops. Several people I asked in my playgroup were convinced that bacteria was growing in there. My arguments that a proliferation of yeast suppressed any blooms of bacteria fell on dead ears. Folks don't realize that there is yeast in most any bread they are eating, either. You have to eat things that were once alive, people. Rocks are not an option.

Anyway, if you are successful in giving the starters away, I think it is worth it. The bread is very good! Here is the recipe I used:

1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp.
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 c. oil (I used 1 cup applesauce instead)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large package instant pudding (any kind)
1/2 c. milk
optional: 1 c. raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips

I went for the chocolate pudding, and added chocolate chips and walnuts. I also used whole wheat flour (just at this last add: I didn't want to mess with the chemistry the other times in case there was less gluten in the wheat flour.)



You generously grease two loaf pans, combine 3 T. sugar and 1 T. of cinnamon, and dust the sides and bottom of the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, and you are done!



The bread was great toasted in the morning with a little light butter. I froze the second loaf until I was ready for it, and it worked very well.



My second time around, I used butterscotch pudding, and butterscotch chips instead of the chocolate version. It didn't have a butterscotch flavor, just very sweet. This one was good with pumpkin butter.



That one was tasty, but I think I preferred the chocolate. Good luck with your bread, and if you start a starter, you can always give one to me! Next time I get one of these, I may make all eight loaves, freeze them, and just share THOSE with my friends ("Or eat them myself," said the Little Red Hen...)

Hello Again Paula, You're Looking Fine

Guess what I did yesterday? I asked my husband this very question, and he said, "Went for a walk?" I said no. He said, "Put up the new chandelier?" I said, uh, no. I watched Paula Deen! A whole show! I'm not sure he got the significance of that. But after being unable to look at a print ad of food, let alone sit through a single television commercial (I hate you more than ever, Quizno's) for the last two months, watching a WHOLE cooking show is a momentous occasion.

And are you ready for this? I even shopped for, and cooked one of the items she made (beefy mac, though of course I didn't actually consult her recipe at all. Not EVERYthing has changed around here). There just may be hope for me yet. (Okay, I'm still too preoccupied to post a picture quite yet, but soon. Soon...)

#12 Beach Club, Hold the Mayo, Tomato, and Cucumber

I'm eating my third Jimmy John's sandwich this week at this moment. It is a very plain sandwich, minus several veggies that I normally find appealing, and it is often the only thing I can think of in the whole entire world that doesn't make me want to hwarf at the concept of eating. I have some friends who have been told to avoid coldcuts while pregnant, but I am slipping by on the loophole right now that my doctor hasn't mentioned it. I also know that Chris would be a lot happier if I could find something at the grocery store that I would like to eat, but try as I might, sometimes I can't think of one single thing. One thing made him happy, though: we switched my meds to Costco tonight (from Walgreen's), and found that they cost TEN times less. That's right, down from $300 to $30 for no discernible reason. Yay! Let's celebrate with a sandwich!

This is the type of culinary thrill-ride that I've left you guys out of the loop on for way too long, and I've decided to begin to share again. You're welcome!

Okay, So Here's What Happened

I dunno if any of my ol' food blog buddies or friends that read my blog are still out there... But I feel an explanation for my long absence is in order.

I am currently close to ten weeks pregnant. My husband and I are very happy and excited. This is our first child, and there is plenty of reason to celebrate. The problem is, I had been very sick in the last few weeks. I was basically crawling to the bathroom and back to bed even until last week. My doctor put me on some meds (it was either that or be given fluids) and thankfully they helped quite a bit. Even though the medicine, Zofran, costs more than I imagine many illegal substances do (even with insurance coverage), I'm grateful that something worked.

When the sickness first hit, my husband and I were on a cruise ship, on a trip that we'd been planning for six months or so. Suddenly I couldn't stand the smell or the taste of any of the food on the boat, and I spent the second half of the trip doubled over in pain from I still don't know what. Stomach acid? I couldn't call my regular doctor or any friends ($7.99 a minute to call out), and the Carnival ship's nurse was an incredible bitch who told me (amongst other things) that there was nothing I could safely take since I was pregnant (not true: Tums, Mylanta and Pepcid are all now on my ok list), and why didn't I just try drinking some milk? As if I hadn't tried that already. She wouldn't allow me to talk to the ship's doctor because in her words, "I needed to take her word for it." All I could keep down were some Cheerios for several days. Don't get sick on a cruise, people.

Anyway, my point is that ever since the vaguely seafood-ish, definitely revolting odor that was present everywhere on that ship, I have had a very tenuous relationship with food. I don't have cravings yet, but I have some intense food aversions. For awhile, all I could stand was "tinned food": canned soup, chicken salad, Spaghetti-O's -- you know -- crap. The type of crap I don't normally look at in the store, let alone bring home with me. And now I can't stand that stuff, so I have a cabinet full of canned soup that Chris has to eat for me, a little at a time. And he didn't want any of it in the first place. And don't get me started on the odor in my refrigerator that apparently only I can detect. I have to hold my breath every time I open the door.

So what I'm saying is, I dunno if I can stand to blog about food just yet. Hunger and appetite as I knew them are long gone (I get nauseous, never hungry), and I have to keep telling myself that one day I will get to have my body to myself again. Right now I'm fighting a mental battle between the spicier foods that I like, and the stomach acid that I know will ensue if I dare to eat Indian food or, heaven forbid, drink a Fresca (I might as well suck on a car battery). But I've continued to improve, so I might soon be able to think about food long enough to write about it. I am hopeful. And I have enough stock photos and stories that I can start again quite soon.

Hang in there with me just a bit longer if you can. I'm looking forward to blogging about cravings in my second trimester, the post-birth mommy diet, and homemade baby food one day!