At the time I took this photo of my boys, they were ages 12 years, 10 years, and just over 2 months. I had no idea this would become one of my all time favorite photos of them.
So, do you like unusual "portraits"?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday Photo
Feet
At the time I took this photo of my boys, they were ages 12 years, 10 years, and just over 2 months. I had no idea this would become one of my all time favorite photos of them.
So, do you like unusual "portraits"?
At the time I took this photo of my boys, they were ages 12 years, 10 years, and just over 2 months. I had no idea this would become one of my all time favorite photos of them.
So, do you like unusual "portraits"?
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Faux Lasagne!
What do you do if you have a lot of zucchini in the refrigerator and have been craving lasagne, but are on a certain kind of diet that restricts pasta and such carbs? You get creative! And you whip up the worlds' best Lasagne di Zucchini ever.
I am sorry folks, this isn't an Authentic Italian recipe, handed down through the generations for hundreds of years. But if I do say so myself, I have a pretty good idea of what makes lasagne great (especially after learning my Italian mom in law's recipe) and all the flavor you could ever want is in this recipe.
Ingredients:
One can or jar of tomato sauce (can be spaghetti sauce)
about a pound of ground meat of your choice: turkey, beef, pork- you name it.
about a cup and 1/2 of shredded cheese (mozarella is great but I used what I had- a mixture of colby and jack)
about a cup of parmesan or pecorino to be grated for the top layer
five or six medium zucchini
an onion
granulated or fresh garlic
salt
nutmeg
sage
If I were making a traditional lasagne I would also make a besciamella sauce, but I'm not, so I won 't. :)
Ready to cook up some jaw-dropping good faux lasagne?
Okay then. Let's get to it.
Slice your zucchini lengthwise, like so:
Take your gorgeous green zucchini slices and fry 'em up in a pan- using olive oil on moderate heat. It is very important to cook some of the water that is naturally in the zucchini slices, or else the lasagne will be soggy.
Keep frying batches until they are all done. Meanwhile slice and dice your onion:
After all your zucchini has nice little golden edges, remove from pan. Add the onion (you may need to add a little more olive oil) and saute over moderate heat in the same frying pan used for the zucchini. Saute until the onions are slightly golden on edges and becoming mostly translucent.
Add to the onions once they are just right, your ground meat (turkey, beef, pork- whatever you fancy). For the vegetarians out there, you could add tofu, or tempeh or any other ground meat substitute.
When the meat is no longer pink and all juices are clear add the spices:
First a whisper of salt:
a sprinkle of sage:
a generous shake of nutmeg:
as much garlic as you like:
and finally the tomato sauce:
Mix everything well, and then it is time to ladle some into the casserole dish, like so:
Spread mixture:
Now the fun starts! Layer on the zucchini strips -the faux lasagne pasta.
Now sprinkle on some cheese:
Continue making layers of meat-tomato sauce then zucchini and cheese until all zucchini is gone.
Whooooooee! Look at all that zucchini.
Grate up some parmesan or pecorino cheese for the topping.
I love cheese! Don't you just love cheese?
Lay it on the zucchini, baby!
Cover casserole dish with foil and place in a preheated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove foil and leave casserole in oven for 20 more minutes. When it's done, it should look bubbly and delicious like this:
I know it's good. My toddler says so. Not only did he have fun flinging the faux lasagne,
but he also managed to get some in his mouth.
Yum. Buon Appetito!
I am sorry folks, this isn't an Authentic Italian recipe, handed down through the generations for hundreds of years. But if I do say so myself, I have a pretty good idea of what makes lasagne great (especially after learning my Italian mom in law's recipe) and all the flavor you could ever want is in this recipe.
Ingredients:
One can or jar of tomato sauce (can be spaghetti sauce)
about a pound of ground meat of your choice: turkey, beef, pork- you name it.
about a cup and 1/2 of shredded cheese (mozarella is great but I used what I had- a mixture of colby and jack)
about a cup of parmesan or pecorino to be grated for the top layer
five or six medium zucchini
an onion
granulated or fresh garlic
salt
nutmeg
sage
If I were making a traditional lasagne I would also make a besciamella sauce, but I'm not, so I won 't. :)
Ready to cook up some jaw-dropping good faux lasagne?
Okay then. Let's get to it.
Slice your zucchini lengthwise, like so:
Take your gorgeous green zucchini slices and fry 'em up in a pan- using olive oil on moderate heat. It is very important to cook some of the water that is naturally in the zucchini slices, or else the lasagne will be soggy.
Keep frying batches until they are all done. Meanwhile slice and dice your onion:
After all your zucchini has nice little golden edges, remove from pan. Add the onion (you may need to add a little more olive oil) and saute over moderate heat in the same frying pan used for the zucchini. Saute until the onions are slightly golden on edges and becoming mostly translucent.
Add to the onions once they are just right, your ground meat (turkey, beef, pork- whatever you fancy). For the vegetarians out there, you could add tofu, or tempeh or any other ground meat substitute.
When the meat is no longer pink and all juices are clear add the spices:
First a whisper of salt:
a sprinkle of sage:
a generous shake of nutmeg:
as much garlic as you like:
and finally the tomato sauce:
Mix everything well, and then it is time to ladle some into the casserole dish, like so:
Spread mixture:
Now the fun starts! Layer on the zucchini strips -the faux lasagne pasta.
Now sprinkle on some cheese:
Continue making layers of meat-tomato sauce then zucchini and cheese until all zucchini is gone.
Whooooooee! Look at all that zucchini.
Grate up some parmesan or pecorino cheese for the topping.
I love cheese! Don't you just love cheese?
Lay it on the zucchini, baby!
Cover casserole dish with foil and place in a preheated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove foil and leave casserole in oven for 20 more minutes. When it's done, it should look bubbly and delicious like this:
I know it's good. My toddler says so. Not only did he have fun flinging the faux lasagne,
but he also managed to get some in his mouth.
Yum. Buon Appetito!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Torino Italy
Once upon a time... we lived here in Torino Italy.
This is me with the
Mole Antonelliana in the background. See the spire? That's it.
Here is our old neighborhood:
Just down the block from us was this castle. This would be a nice house to live in don't you think?
Closer:
But you have to get right up on the sidewalk to enjoy the true beauty of this castle. The mosaics.
Aren't they beautiful?
This is me with the
Mole Antonelliana in the background. See the spire? That's it.
Here is our old neighborhood:
Just down the block from us was this castle. This would be a nice house to live in don't you think?
Closer:
But you have to get right up on the sidewalk to enjoy the true beauty of this castle. The mosaics.
Aren't they beautiful?
Monday, July 13, 2009
What Boys Like
As a mamma of three Wild Things of the male kind, I know little about little girls. But I know a few universal truths about boys of all sizes.
They like to go rock climbing.
They like to get their feet wet.
They like to throw rocks.
They enjoy putting it into 4 wheel drive!
When they get stuck in the mud-
boys are happy to call re-inforcements to come pull them out.
Boys are great at playing make-believe. (Mmmm, this rock tastes like gelato)!
Boys aren't too concerned about the muddy laundry situations they create for their womenfolks.
They love mud and dirt.
They like dirt so much they'll take a bath in it.
... and sometimes they'll even taste it.
But even covered in dirt, they are always adorable. Now I'm off to do laundry.
Go hug your boys today!
love,
Amber
They like to go rock climbing.
They like to get their feet wet.
They like to throw rocks.
They enjoy putting it into 4 wheel drive!
When they get stuck in the mud-
boys are happy to call re-inforcements to come pull them out.
Boys are great at playing make-believe. (Mmmm, this rock tastes like gelato)!
Boys aren't too concerned about the muddy laundry situations they create for their womenfolks.
They love mud and dirt.
They like dirt so much they'll take a bath in it.
... and sometimes they'll even taste it.
But even covered in dirt, they are always adorable. Now I'm off to do laundry.
Go hug your boys today!
love,
Amber
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thirteen
I'm not playing favorites. My two eldest wild things- the tween and the teen aren't any less cute or funny than the baby. But as you've seen, I blog way more about the toddler than I do of his elder brothers.
Blogging about elder children can be complicated. I have to walk a fine line between showing off their fun-spirited and wild hooligan selves, and maintaining privacy for them; something that even if they haven't thought about it yet, I have.
The last thing I would ever want to hear from them is "Mom, you embarassed me!"
But today I am going to talk about my eldest son, and I don't think this is anything that ever could embarass him. I hope.
These photos were taken of my eldest and youngest sons a little over a year ago. They are among my favorites because of the cute factor. Not many moms wouldn't be thrilled to walk in the back yard and find their eldest son rocking the baby to sleep with such obvious enjoyment.
See what I mean?
I love his smile here:
But his natural affinity with his baby brother isn't what I want to talk about. It is his heart. His wide open, sweet natured heart. This boy constantly surprises even me, the mother who thinks highly of him and expects great things of him.
Teen Wild Thing- I think I love you!
Blogging about elder children can be complicated. I have to walk a fine line between showing off their fun-spirited and wild hooligan selves, and maintaining privacy for them; something that even if they haven't thought about it yet, I have.
The last thing I would ever want to hear from them is "Mom, you embarassed me!"
But today I am going to talk about my eldest son, and I don't think this is anything that ever could embarass him. I hope.
These photos were taken of my eldest and youngest sons a little over a year ago. They are among my favorites because of the cute factor. Not many moms wouldn't be thrilled to walk in the back yard and find their eldest son rocking the baby to sleep with such obvious enjoyment.
See what I mean?
I love his smile here:
But his natural affinity with his baby brother isn't what I want to talk about. It is his heart. His wide open, sweet natured heart. This boy constantly surprises even me, the mother who thinks highly of him and expects great things of him.
Teen Wild Thing- I think I love you!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
These Eyes Should Be Illegal
It's true, and I'll tell you why. This is my nephew, and he has these big blue eyes that make me feel funny. See when he looks at me like that, I have to pick him up. What happens next is that I feel his sweet baby pudge and inhale the fragrance of his fine blond hair, as he settles himself in for a cuddle.
Then I turn to a pile of jabbering and cooing mush.
This little wild thing has Power I tell ya! And it starts with his eyes.
While I am kissing his cheeks and playing with his toes, my uterus tries to convince me that I want another one of these creatures. The semi coherent part of me says No! That would be crazy! I have more than my share of children. Remember the hundreds of sleepless nights, the endless pre-natal visits, the great adventure of childbirth! Remember that these sweet cuddly wild things also cry, sometimes at great length and for no apparent reason.
All of that is very true, but I am weak! Look at those eyes. It's a sickness, and I need help. Somebody please remind me how nice life is with children who are growing up, and without an infant in your arms day and night. Those big blue eyes have me under a spell. Help. Hello?
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Here We Come!
Over the river and through the woods
to grandmother's house we go!
Where you can walk for miles and miles and still not arrive at your neighbors' house.
Where there are horses!
Where the horses and their kids get to kick up their heels and make a little dust!
Where it's a good idea to wear these fancy hats for protection from the hot sun.
And where after a day full of fun, you can grab a glass of lemonade and sit out on the porch and watch the sun go down in all its' ordinary splendor while evening breezes cool you.
Wishing you a safe, fun and exciting holiday week end!
love,
Amber
to grandmother's house we go!
Where you can walk for miles and miles and still not arrive at your neighbors' house.
Where there are horses!
Where the horses and their kids get to kick up their heels and make a little dust!
Where it's a good idea to wear these fancy hats for protection from the hot sun.
And where after a day full of fun, you can grab a glass of lemonade and sit out on the porch and watch the sun go down in all its' ordinary splendor while evening breezes cool you.
Wishing you a safe, fun and exciting holiday week end!
love,
Amber
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