Play Date

On Sunday, we went to Harry's house for playtime and dinner. Both Shelby and Harry take about thirty minutes to warm up to the other family. But, once everyone feels comfortable, we have such a great time!

They play SO WELL together! They shared the crayons and paper....




And, they even took turns tickling each other! Those, my friends, are looks of pure joy!


Photos courtesy of Scott Lawrence Photography.

Still Got It!

I'm getting a little older now. I'm stuck in between the Baby Boomers and the Fresh Out of College Twenty Somethings. My peer group is somewhat non-existent. My lunch group consists of people spanning thirty years! We talk about baseball, kids, college, hometowns. Today, I even recited one of Shelby's favorite bedtime stories. I was told I needed a life! :)

But, when the Twenty Somethings compliment me on my hair, clothes, and jewelry, I know I still have it! I've gotten the trifecta in the last week. It's pretty amazing, actually!....if you've ever met me. :)

Week 33 Menu

Sunday: Dinner at the Stahls
Monday: Roasted chicken/veggies with white beans in a viniagrette
Tuesday: Spinach lasagna (from the freezer)
Wednesday: Pulled pork sandwiches (from the freezer)
Thursday: Coq au Vin
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: out.

Toddler TV

Shelby has been stuck on Mickey Mouse Club House for a while. She whines and demands Mickey be turned on. She loses interest in it after a couple minutes. But, she instantly is enthralled when the Hot Dog Dance comes on at the end. Fortunately, there are MMCH episodes on On Demand! UNfortunately, there are only four episodes and we have seen each at least 20 times.

Scott decided we needed a break from The Mouse. So, he tested out other Disney Playhouse series. Shelby took to one of them in a second: Agent Oso!

Check out his theme song. He truly is a unique bear.


He gets special assignments from his "Paw Pilot." With the assignment comes "Three Special Steps" for success. The last of which involves the Paw Pilot only giving Agent Oso ten seconds to complete the task. I think it's stressful for a toddler show!

I Sense a Theme

We went to Home Depot tonight to get a ceiling fan for the Man Cave. There were light fixtures and fans everywhere. Seriously, this was the first thing she saw and the only thing that interested her. She swept most of the aisle by the time we left. The staff was grateful.

I am just loving the camera on my iPhone!

Eggplant Parmesan

I have a problem. I love eggplant, but struggle to prepare it in a tasty manner. If I saute it in oil, it gets too mushy. And, unless it's baba ghanoush, it's probably pretty bland. I've read the same laments on Smitten Kitchen and now Bitten Word.

The Bitten Word boys reviewed this recipe from Cook's Country and they like the recipe specifically because the dish doesn't turn out "gooey." They had my attention.

I love the pan-fried-then-baked eggplant planks. The eggplant almost melts inside the breading - like a mozzarella stick. Pair that crispy plank with the tender eggplant/tomato ragout, and you have a fantastic, restaurant quality Eggplant Parm!

I was certainly surprised! I thought it would be a good, decent recipe to throw in the rotation. But, I would serve this dish for a fancy dinner party. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to accommodate a crowd. You just have to dredge a few extra planks. I spiced up the ragout with a generous helping of pepper flakes.

In true Bonnie-fashion, I tried to do as much prep the night before as I could. I mixed up the breading, prepped the eggplant, chopped the garlic and gathered all the pans and dishes I would need. The next time I would like to try making the planks ahead of time and heat them in the oven when ready to serve them.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN
from Bitten Word

Serves 4 (the recipe said serves 2, but it was way more than we could ever eat)

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup shredded provolone cheese

1. BREAD EGGPLANT. Cut two ¾-inch planks lengthwise from center of eggplant, halve each plank crosswise, and cut remaining eggplant into ½-inch dice. Place flour in shallow dish. Beat egg in second shallow dish. Combine bread crumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in third shallow dish. One at a time, coat eggplant slices lightly with flour, dip them in egg, and dredge in bread-crumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer to wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet and let sit 5 minutes (or refrigerate up to 1 hour).

2. COOK EGGPLANT. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat ½ cup oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook -eggplant slices until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to wire rack set inside baking sheet and bake until eggplant is tender and deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

3. MAKE SAUCE. Meanwhile, pour off oil and wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chopped eggplant and ¼ -teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining oil, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 -seconds. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until eggplant is tender and sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper; cover and keep warm.

4. ASSEMBLE. Combine remaining Parmesan and provolone in medium bowl. Top browned eggplant slices with cheese mixture and bake until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Transfer half of sauce to platter and top with eggplant slices. Spoon remaining sauce over eggplant. Serve.

The Only Way to Go Grocery Shopping

I love to grocery shop. Crazy, I know. I love looking at the ad to see what's on special for the week. I love making my list for the week on my iPhone app. I love going to Publix. I love walking up and down the aisles. Shelby and I usually go together sometime during the weekend. Her attention span is good through the deli section, but wanes by the bread aisle. You don't even want to know how ugly the produce section can be!

But, now I've discovered a way to keep Shelby entertained from lunch meat to lettuce. Behold: The spaceship cart!!!

Shelby loves to steer and beep the horn (thankfully, no audible horn exists, just Shelby saying "beep"). And, she gets plenty of attention as she hams it up in her cockpit. Throw in a cup of water and some fishes, and she's set for the whole trip!