Spinach & Cheese Pie!

I got the awesome idea from my friend Jillian to put cottage cheese in my fritata...
SO delicious and fluffy!!!  Easy, tasty, and Z loved it!!!

Eggs with Spniach, cottage cheese, tomatoes & black beans!!!

Gardenning Season has Begun!!

SO excited to have planted our 2012 "crop"  I am a bit more organized this year.
We planted:
Rosemary, chives, dill, basil, marigolds, spinach, swiss chard, kale, roses, beans, peas, radishes, parsley & cucumbers!!!

Betsy helping

 Z's new garden tools,

 Z "helping"

 Garden layout!

EASTER

We had a great Easter!  (MUCH better than last year... but I won't get into details!)
It started by decorating some eggs with Zia Susy and T....

Then, we put on our party dresses and went for a fantastic dinner @ Zia Laura's !!

Thanks Grandma and Nonno for the pretty Easter Dress!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Z!

I've been such a bad blogger! (How many times have I said that!)
A few weeks ago, Z turned 1 and we had a fun ice-cream themed party for her with build-your-own sundaes and lots of treats!!!
Thanks to all of our friends and family who helped make this a special day for Z (and Mommy:) )

(Gluten Free) Pizza!

It's true, I absolutely cannot live without pizza.  I'm an addict.  I found a gluten-free dough mix at Walmart and decided to give it a shot!

I thought for sure it was a fail when I was mixing it up. But, it worked out ok, and the end result was SUPER yummy! Bonus was that the crust was nice and thin!

 Compared to J's "normal" pizza

Big Z. 11 Months

A SUPER serious baby....

Make a Wish

I'm in love with this b-day card I made a few weeks ago!
SO simple- but the shapes & colours & textures are SO fun!!

(Gluten Free) Chickpea Curry

So I said I was going to update more often.  Clearly, I didn't get around to that part yet, but I do have tons of stuff on deck!
Delicious chickpea curry and SO easy to make.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a wok.  Add onions and garlic- sautee, then add chickpeas and diced tomatoes (a ratio of 2:1) add curry powder.  Then add more. (it takes a TON)

Simmer until the flavours have all absorbed- then add a bit of thyme to finish :)

(Gluten Free) French Onion Soup

Another recipe from my Mother-In-Law.

But geez gluten is in EVERYTHING (including a lot of bullion and soup broths!)

So, I made my own broth using scraps of celery, carrots, onion, parsnips and bok choy I saved.

I sauteed 4 small onions in a pot in garlic, olive oil & salt and pepper.
Added homemade broth and let simmer for a few hours.
Ladled soup into 2 bowls, added toasted gluten free bread and topped with a mix of grated cheddar/ mozza/ parmesan cheeses.  (I think I was supposed to use swiss, but forgot to get some at the store)

Baked in the oven @ 450 for 10 minutes, last min. on broil to crisp up the top!!

The result was DELICIOUS!! (Not as great as Kathy's) but I will get it right eventually!

Like Mommy, Like Baby?

I admit, there are some "quirks" I hope not to pass on to my daughter, but she seems to be following in my footsteps in a few ways :)

Funky Attire (I may not be hip these days, but I used to rock some pretty crazy clothing and hair!!)

Reading a book.... One of my BIGGEST passions is reading, something that is VERY important to me, and a love I am trying to pass on to Z.

(Gluten Free) Eggplant Parm

My Mother-In-Law made an AWESOME eggplant parm last week, so I decided to try my hand at it!!

1.  Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch strips, cover both sides with salt and let sit on a cooling rack for about 1/2 an hour.  The eggplant "sweats" so I washed the salt and "sweat" off with cold water.

2.  Dip eggplant in egg, then in "breadcrumbs."  I used corn flour mixed with fresh garlic and herbs.

3.  Fry eggplant (both sides) in a bit of olive oil until crispy.

4. Layer in a pan in following order: Tomato sauce/ eggplant/ feta cheese/ bit of tomato sauce/ fresh parm and mozza. 

5.  Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

It was DELICIOUS!! J. thought it would be better as veal (figures) but Z ate a HUGE piece!!

Snow Day!!

FINALLY! I have use for the bargain snowsuit my Mom found at "Le Village"!!

We got some snow here, (this is rare) so I took Z. out to see what she thought.  Mostly, she was confused, and wanted to eat the snow, lol.

Big Z. Past few months

Yes, I know, I've been a terrible blogger.  It's one of my resolutions to stay more on-top of my pictures and blog. 
Also, I have decided, this year, I am going to do EVERYTHING possible to make my hands better (I have severe skin problems that have baffled Doctors and Dermatologists alike!)  So, recently, I have been testing a gluten free diet (more on that later.)

But first, some updated pics of the Miss!!.

8 Months

9 Months

And some bath shots, just because <3

50 Books on 2011- COMPLETED!

So I have been on a holiday break.  Can I say that?!  Well- I (barely) finished my book challenge for 2011- mainly due to the fact I read 25 books in the first 2 months of the year before Z. was born!!!

Here is the recap: 

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
35. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore
38. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
39. When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
40. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
41. The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain
42. A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
43. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard
44. Just Kids by Patti Smith
45. The Kid by Sapphire
46. Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin
47. The Death Cure by James Dashner
48. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
49. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
50.!!!! State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
51. The Night Circus by Erin Morfenstern
52. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
53.  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Books that I rated 4.5-5 / 5 this year:
(not including the Harry Potter books :P)

The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen

Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen

The World According to Garp by John Irving

The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

The Night Circus by Erin Morfenstern           


I still haven't decided what I am doing for 2012 yet.  This year has a lot ahead for me!!! Stay tuned!