Tag Archives: cheese

32 weeks

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cravings & such:  well, i have just acquiesced at this point.  i am a lame preggo.  no shocking cravings.  nothing.  just the usual lineup.  i do really enjoy a cheeseburger and fries with a shake.  and i love ice cream.  and cheese.  and pizza.  but, that isn’t exactly news.  sigh.  oh well, if my only complaint is that this pregnancy has been business as usual, i am pretty blessed.

the bump:  feeling more bowling ball like these days.  since elinor is gaining almost half a pound a week at this point, the belly is growing right along with her.

cool & cute things:  little miss weighs about 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long.  she will gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next seven weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

new things:  baby girl now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair [or at least respectable peach fuzz].  her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up and loses her wrinkled appearance.

meaningful moments:  scheduling an appointment with a pediatrician.  scheduling our hospital tour.  this is happening folks.

the countdown:  56 days to go!

current size:  weight of a large jicama.  funny, she feels much heavier…

mr & mrs whitehaüs at the brat haüs

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this place has been on our list for a few months now.  so when my sister gave me a dinner double-date night for my birthday, the brat haüs was my first pick.  i mean, you can’t go wrong with brats, fries, and pretzels, right?  right.  it was quite scrumptious.  so get ready to see more and more of these tasty links appearing on the blog.  i have a feeling that we will be visiting this establishment on a regular basis.

try not to drool…

the haüs.  so cool + food & brew menu [or, "bru", as they call it] + hubby’s beverage + a half-eaten pretzel.  the pretzels also came with assorted mustards and a beer-cheese fondue…but we all kinda jumped in before a formal picture could be taken + okay.  seriously.  the best fries i have ever eaten.  these are the winners by far.  belgian style [the homeland of the fry] which means that they are “thrice fried” in duck fat.  duck fat is the best.  PLUS, they come with gourmet dipping sauces.  we chose homemade dill ranch, bacon bleu cheese, sriracha aioli, and truffle aioli. + spicy sausage with hot peppers and root beer onions + my selection for the evening…turkey, apple, sage sausage with apricot onion chutney + my beverage of choice…arizona date shake.

snaps & snippets & blurbs

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this post is a short and sweet one…much like our weekend.

can anyone tell me why the workweek creeps and crawls while the weekend is over in a flash?  not fair.  i could have used a few more days.

this weekend was spent eating yummy food [shocker] and spending time with family enjoying the most decadent chocolate ice ever.  homemade!  we also got the rocking chair for miss elinor’s room, put up bookshelves, and checked more items off the ol’ shopping list…more boxes of baby goodies will be arriving this week!  stay tuned for some snaps…

happy friday face + two silly bunny/gopher faces + my major vice, queso + street tacos + enjoying some of our breakfast favorites…apples with peanut butter and chipotle lox cream cheese on hemp bagels + taking advantage of hatch chile season + enjoying a chile burger at home…smothered in cheese, of course

29 weeks

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cravings & such:  yes, the cheese love is still happening.  and i have really been wanting cold things which is more of a necessity in this hideous summer heat than a craving.  but i have been sucking back the nutrient-loaded smoothies whenever possible.

the bump:  i think it has become a bit more obvious.  i had my first “point and clap” the other day from a sweet older lady in our church.  she saw me standing at the back of the church and enthusiastically pointed at my belly, clapped her hands, and mouthed “congratulations”.  so, it’s official.  i am noticeably a preggo.

cool & cute things:  muscles and lungs are continuing to mature and baby’s head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain.  okay, while i want you to have a big, strong, awesome brain for storing lots of words and smarts…please, please do not have a giant head.  have you seen your papa’s noggin?  it is serious.  and while we are on the subject of genetic traits, i just want you to know that these are the things that keep me up at night.  thoughts of a giant-headed, broad-shouldered, strong-chinned, monster-calfed baby, strong-willed, mischievous baby. 

new things:  miss elinor weighs about 2.5 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel.  this trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in baby’s hardening skeleton each day.  keep the cheese and yogurt coming!

meaningful moments:  buying the rocking chair!  oh, the hours that we will spend together in that little corner of your room.  can’t wait.

the countdown:  77 days!

current size:  a butternut squash

i heart…burgers

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as evidenced by our numerous posts with pictures of burgers [here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and oh yeah, here]…hubby and i likey the burgers.  we make these delicious little discs of beef at home every so often but we usually resort to restaurants to get that perfect patty to cheese to toppings to bun ratio.  you know what i am talking about, people.  there is some kind of magic that burger joints add that i have just never been able to capture.

until now.  never fear, martha stewart is here!  i recently stumbled upon a perfect picture of burger scrumptiousness accompanied by a detailed recipe that only martha could provide. who needs to go out to dinner when you can get the perfect burger in your own kitchen?  my thoughts exactly.  which is why i am planning to cook up these babies in the coming days.  i just hope that they live up to that pile of meaty goodness seen in the picture above.  i will keep you posted.

…

ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 pounds coarsely ground beef chuck (70 percent lean)
  • coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 4 slices american cheese
  • 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 potato sandwich rolls
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

optional toppings:

  • 1/4 cup diced white onion
  • 1 dill pickle, thinly sliced
  • 4 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • spread of mayo, ketchup, and relish

directions:

  1. divide beef into 4 mounds, and evenly place on a 12-by-14-inch piece of plastic wrap. place another piece of plastic on top. roll into 5 1/2-inch patties, about 1 inch thick, with a rolling pin.
  2. heat a griddle or 2 large cast-iron skillets over medium-high. season both sides of patties with salt and pepper. cook patties, pressing with a spatula, 3 minutes. reduce heat to medium, flip, and top with cheese. cook 2 minutes.
  3. butter cut sides of rolls, and toast on griddle until edges just start to brown, about 1 minute.
  4. sandwich burgers in rolls with lettuce and toppings.

yields 4 burgers

cook’s notes:

  • toppings – sour, salty pickles, spicy onions, and shards of cool iceberg lettuce are the best counterpoints to this greasy-in-a-good-way patty.
  • make ahead – thin patties freeze beautifully when layered with parchment in a freezer bag. after an hour at room temperature, they’re ready for the griddle.
  • patty – a 70 percent lean meat mix is key for griddle-cooked burgers, which get crisp by sizzling in their own fat. flatten them with a rolling pin for uniform thinness.
  • cheese – this guilty pleasure burger begs for gooey, melty american cheese.
  • bun – martin’s famous sandwich potato rolls are our choice for their slight sweetness and optimally squishy centers. butter them before toasting to highlight those qualities.

…

i would love for you to try it out too!  let me know what you think of the recipe OR share any of your famous burger tips so we can all perfect the patty together.

27 weeks

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cravings & such:  still loving cheese.  and yes, the weekly ”cheese plate for dinner night” idea is going strong.  no complaints here.  i also down a bowl per day of cultured coconut milk greek-style yogurt with mounds of gluten-free, fiber-and-flax-full granola.  yum.

oohh, i haven’t had a burger in a few weeks. 

that needs to happen soon. 

is anyone else hungry?

the bump:  growing and growing.  baby girl is playing my belly like a drum these days!  my sweet little ringo.  and, when she does flips in there, the bump changes shape completely.  sometimes, i can even make out her head.  and it is one cute head, let me tell you.

cool & cute things:  baby girl is sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking on her fingers.  oh, those tiny fingers!  i can’t wait…

new things:  baby weighs almost two pounds and is about 14.5 inches long with her legs fully extended.  her brain tissue is rapidly developing and her brain is very active now.  the lungs are still immature but they would be capable of functioning – with a lot of medical assistance – if she were to be born now.

meaningful moments:  assembling a crib!  we have a crib here, people.  a crib.  oh yes, and how could i forget the consumption of the ever-so-scrumptious bright orange liquid for my glucose test this week.  horrible stuff.  you’d think that a sugary concoction would taste somewhat decent.  nope.  gross.

the countdown:  91 days.  three months away!

current size: a cauliflower

26 weeks

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cravings & such:  nope.  still boring.  i am going to have to start faking cravings just so i can give hubby a thrill.  we have started a new weekly cheese plate dinner, though.  i think that should count for something…

the bump:  getting bigger and itching like crazy as my skin works to accommodate the growing baby.  the bellybutton hasn’t popped out but i am sure it could happen any day.

cool & cute things:  baby girl continues to put on fat.  come on…cute little leg chubs!  she now weighs 1 2/3 pounds and measures 14 inches from head to heel.  knowing our combined family genes, i would be shocked if she were to grow much taller than that in the next few months. 

new things:  baby is inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid.  these breathing movements help to develop the lungs and are good practice for her first gulp of air.  the network of nerves in baby’s ears is better developed and more sensitive.  she may now be able to hear both my voice AND ben’s voice as we chat with each other.

meaningful moments:  painting her room.  buying her outfits.  NESTING.  NESTING.  NESTING.  her kicking show for papa that he was able to watch as my belly moved.

the countdown:  98 days to go!  we are into the double digits, people.  we are also nearing the three month mark.  [cut to rachel doing the happy dance]

current size: length of an english hothouse cucumber

25 weeks

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cravings & such:  not much here.  gosh, i am boring.  pretty much the usual suspects… crisp salad, plenty of cheese, and meat.  i have enjoyed a caramel apple or two but i think that is more vacation related than baby related.  i know.  yawn.

the bump:  definitely growing.  i feel like i wake up to a bigger belly every morning.  baby is in the “packing on the pounds” phase.  she has about 6 to 7 more pounds to gain.  [oh. my. goodness.]  come on collagen!  stretch, stretch, stretch.

cool & cute things:  head to heels, baby girl measures about 13.5 inches and weighs in at about 1.5 pounds.  she is also beginning to exchange some of that long and lean look for baby fat.  so cute!

new things:  baby is growing more hair.  if i could peek inside the belly, i would be able to see the color and texture.  what do you think?  brunette or blondie?

meaningful moments:  all of the tumbling and kicking.  i can feel her all the time now with big bursts of movement after breakfast, around 3 in the afternoon, and before bedtime.

the countdown:  105 days to go!

current size: weight of a rutabaga

snaps & snippets & blurbs

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this was a very nice weekend.  we have been so busy-busy that a couple days of down time sure felt good.  hubby and i did a lot of relaxing, movie-watching, and snacking.  we did have a laundry and ironing party on sunday evening so we weren’t complete bumps on a log.  here’s to a fresh week!

just me and my man + a double date night with my parents at mellow mushroom + so cool inside + we were seated in the psychedelic room + a perfect salad + an amazing pizza to share + our weekend couch companions.  some of the cutest little faces around + my beverage of choice: sparkling water with crushed ice and lots of lime + popcorn! + movie time.  an oldie but goodie.  you can’t go wrong with frank sinatra, bing crosby, grace kelly, and louis armstrong + consuming LOTS of cheese this weekend…cheese plate with fig and olive rainforest crisps with a side of marinated mozzarella + this fabulously sassy little face…coco is such a glamour-puss.

22 weeks

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cravings & such:  still loving meat and dairy over here.  the carb-love phase has gone away and been replaced by an obsession with cheese.  hubby has no complaints.

the bump:  growing!  it is kind of fun playing a wardrobe version of hide-and-seek with the bump.  i can strategically camouflage the belly with certain articles of clothing and really make it pop with others.  preggo lady entertainment at its finest.

cool & cute things:  feeling way more movement these days.  AND, ben is beginning to join in the fun!  plus, baby girl is starting to look more like a miniature newborn.  her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct and tiny tooth buds are even developing beneath the gums.  baby girl’s eyes have formed but the irises still lack pigment.  she is 11 inches long and weighs almost 1 pound!  speaking of weight gain…i have heard rumors that from 20 weeks on, i should expect to gain about a pound a week?!  seriously?  yikes.

new things:  the baby is covered in fine hair [lanugo] and has developed skin wrinkles that will be filled in by fat in the coming months.  baby chub, people!  so cute.  and, the pancreas is developing steadily. 

meaningful moments:  having my first “belly touches” by people.  fortunately, they are people i love.  i must admit that i am dreading the “belly caresses from strangers” portion of the pregnancy… i’ve heard that personal space and boundary violations abound as the belly grows.  hmmm…

the countdown:  126 days to go!

current size: length of a spaghetti squash