It's an outy. I have a tiny penis growing in my uterus. It's kind of surreal. I had hoped for a girl. I had a visions of a wild little girl, running around outside, barefoot, with her long braids flapping in the wind and wearing overalls. Picking up frogs and making mud pies. These were all a few of my favorite memories from childhood. Who says a girl can't be "outdoorsy" and a lady?? Owell, I'll have to put those dreams away for a little while and hope that God blesses me with a daughter the second time around, assuming there is a second time around. I guess only time will tell.
For now I have dinnertime farting and burping contests to look forward to.
Seriously though, we're thrilled about a bouncing baby boy and that the Morrison name is safe for another generation.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Artichoke and Green Chile Dip
I haven't shared any recipes in quite some time. I thought I would share this one. I made an artichoke and green chile dip for the Christmas party Casey and I attended this past weekend. The dip was a big hit! I was a little worried about it, because I have never made it before, but it turned out to be edible and tasty.
Here's the recipe:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
14 ounces artichoke hearts -- drained and chopped
4 ounces chopped green chiles -- drained
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese -- Plus
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Vegetable cooking spray or butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh green chile slices -- (optional)
diced tomatos -- (optional)
Combine mayonnaise and yogurt in a medium bowl, stirring until smooth.
Add chopped artichoke hearts and next 4 ingredients, stirring well.
Spoon mixture into a 1-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray or greased with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially opened) 1 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with green chile slices or diced tomatos, if desired. Serve with whole wheat toast points, breadsticks, unsalted crackers, or Melba rounds.
SIDE NOTE: Next week I am tackling another new recipe, Rum Balls! I have always wanted to bring these to a Christmas gathering. I'll let you know how it all goes. I also made progress in my fudge making this year. Last year I used a recipe that did not include marshmellow cream and I didn't let it get hot enough, so while the concoction was indeed very tasty, it had to be eaten with a spoon straight out of the pan. This year I found a new recipe and followed the directions more precisely, and Voila! fudge appeared just in time for the Christmas party. I love it when that happens :)
P.s. yes we found out the sex of the baby, I am not posting just yet, but will be soon!
Here's the recipe:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
14 ounces artichoke hearts -- drained and chopped
4 ounces chopped green chiles -- drained
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese -- Plus
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Vegetable cooking spray or butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh green chile slices -- (optional)
diced tomatos -- (optional)
Combine mayonnaise and yogurt in a medium bowl, stirring until smooth.
Add chopped artichoke hearts and next 4 ingredients, stirring well.
Spoon mixture into a 1-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray or greased with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially opened) 1 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with green chile slices or diced tomatos, if desired. Serve with whole wheat toast points, breadsticks, unsalted crackers, or Melba rounds.
SIDE NOTE: Next week I am tackling another new recipe, Rum Balls! I have always wanted to bring these to a Christmas gathering. I'll let you know how it all goes. I also made progress in my fudge making this year. Last year I used a recipe that did not include marshmellow cream and I didn't let it get hot enough, so while the concoction was indeed very tasty, it had to be eaten with a spoon straight out of the pan. This year I found a new recipe and followed the directions more precisely, and Voila! fudge appeared just in time for the Christmas party. I love it when that happens :)
P.s. yes we found out the sex of the baby, I am not posting just yet, but will be soon!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thanksgiving in a nutshell
Everyone arrived Wednesday evening. Some came early, some came late. I think we played Battle of the Sexes. Girls won 2 out of three games. Early Thanksgiving morning, after coffee and breakfast, the men (minus one)took the dogs for a walk. I went along for the exercise and to capture the moment. I was really pleased with the pictures of our dogs. I am a bit obsessed with photographing our puppy dogs. I fell in love with animals sometime during college, thanks to all my friends who had dogs and of course my adopted cat Micah. But I had no idea how much I would love my own dogs. They bring so much joy and warmth into our lives. I love them to pieces and can't imagine my world without them. So thankful for the puppy dogs :)
After walking the dogs, the ladies went back to work preparing dinner. My MIL had prepped most of the side dishes the day before. She let Shannon and I work on our turkey skills, the boys also helped. Our plan was to eat dinner around 5:00. There was music playing, men tackling odd jobs like fixing the deck awning, portrait snapping, fellowship, and snacking galore. Also, my inlaws recently rescued a young stray cat. Rocky made his first cat friend.We have never really had an opportunity to introduce our dogs to a cat yet so we were a little nervous at first, but relieved when both our dogs took a more caregiver approach to the new furry Morrison.
After dinner there were more games, spades and Pictionary. I don't have any pictures but on Friday night my wonderful inlaws helped me celebrate my birthday with my favorite Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey and dumplings (YUM!), cake and ice cream and a few thoughtful gifts. After cake and ice cream we had a bonfire with hot chocolate and gingerbread.
Saturday morning after breakfast the we went for a family hike at a place called Gee Creek about 45 minutes away, which is part of the National Forest around here. After the hike everyone dispersed back to their individual homes. It was a great end to a lovely holiday.
Our family portrait, its a little blurry, but will have to do for now.
After walking the dogs, the ladies went back to work preparing dinner. My MIL had prepped most of the side dishes the day before. She let Shannon and I work on our turkey skills, the boys also helped. Our plan was to eat dinner around 5:00. There was music playing, men tackling odd jobs like fixing the deck awning, portrait snapping, fellowship, and snacking galore. Also, my inlaws recently rescued a young stray cat. Rocky made his first cat friend.We have never really had an opportunity to introduce our dogs to a cat yet so we were a little nervous at first, but relieved when both our dogs took a more caregiver approach to the new furry Morrison.
After dinner there were more games, spades and Pictionary. I don't have any pictures but on Friday night my wonderful inlaws helped me celebrate my birthday with my favorite Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey and dumplings (YUM!), cake and ice cream and a few thoughtful gifts. After cake and ice cream we had a bonfire with hot chocolate and gingerbread.
Saturday morning after breakfast the we went for a family hike at a place called Gee Creek about 45 minutes away, which is part of the National Forest around here. After the hike everyone dispersed back to their individual homes. It was a great end to a lovely holiday.
Our family portrait, its a little blurry, but will have to do for now.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
16 weeks and counting...
Hi Little Person, in honor of your 16 week milestone I give you art. This drawing is titled "The Womb," it was rendered by one of history's most accomplished artist and scientist, Leonardo DaVinci. I'll tell you all about him after you have more functional ears. Right now, I think sound for you is still very primitive and fuzzy. Things should start to clear up for you in the coming days. I have some beautiful new French music that your Aunt Gabby recently sent all the way from Paris, France. It's Carla Bruni's new album, who by the way is France's current first lady, as fate would have it.
Your father and I also finally started transitioning our office into your nursery. I should say your father started. He moved out the desk and the rug and now its Mommy's job to move all her art supplies and other "project" materials somewhere else. Once I get that done, we'll finish moving the rest of the furniture in there and figure out what to do with all the stuff in your closet. We had the nursery color all picked out but now its up for discussion again. Apparently your father thinks I am getting a little too carried away with all the blue. Blue living room, blue bedrooms, blue window shutters and a maybe even a blue front door. What can I say? Your mom likes blue. I find it to be a very relaxing color. I am of course thinking all different shades of blue. There's charcoal blue, green-blue, pale pale robin's egg blue...lots of hues out there to choose from. I also like a lot of earthy neutral tones so we're considering one of those colors for your room too. This is a lesson for you in gender stereotypes as well. In the event you are indeed a girl, understand that it is not necessary for your favorite color to be pink. I had a blue bedroom when I was a little girl and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. And same thing if your are indeed penis bearing. We won't necessarily bombard you with blue just because you are a boy and program you to only be into trains, cars, sports, and nautical themes. Though its possible I may work some pirate motif into your nursery as homage to your mothers alma mater, Texas Tech. We're liking the idea of keeping your nursery pretty neutral and letting you grow into it as your personality and interests develop.
You can expect your nursery to be a relaxing and peaceful place, thoughtfully accessorized with hopefully a few artful pieces and of course a decent selection of music and books to pass your time with. And some of your mommy's and daddy's favorite things from when we were your age. There's the piggy banks your Grandma Kathy made for mommy when she was still in the womb, like you and I think your other Grandma Cathy is going to make you some lovely curtains, just like she did for daddy when he was in the womb. So your nursery will indeed be thoughtfully and lovingly pieced together with lots of love and anticipation for your arrival. We hope you like it.
Your father and I also finally started transitioning our office into your nursery. I should say your father started. He moved out the desk and the rug and now its Mommy's job to move all her art supplies and other "project" materials somewhere else. Once I get that done, we'll finish moving the rest of the furniture in there and figure out what to do with all the stuff in your closet. We had the nursery color all picked out but now its up for discussion again. Apparently your father thinks I am getting a little too carried away with all the blue. Blue living room, blue bedrooms, blue window shutters and a maybe even a blue front door. What can I say? Your mom likes blue. I find it to be a very relaxing color. I am of course thinking all different shades of blue. There's charcoal blue, green-blue, pale pale robin's egg blue...lots of hues out there to choose from. I also like a lot of earthy neutral tones so we're considering one of those colors for your room too. This is a lesson for you in gender stereotypes as well. In the event you are indeed a girl, understand that it is not necessary for your favorite color to be pink. I had a blue bedroom when I was a little girl and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. And same thing if your are indeed penis bearing. We won't necessarily bombard you with blue just because you are a boy and program you to only be into trains, cars, sports, and nautical themes. Though its possible I may work some pirate motif into your nursery as homage to your mothers alma mater, Texas Tech. We're liking the idea of keeping your nursery pretty neutral and letting you grow into it as your personality and interests develop.
You can expect your nursery to be a relaxing and peaceful place, thoughtfully accessorized with hopefully a few artful pieces and of course a decent selection of music and books to pass your time with. And some of your mommy's and daddy's favorite things from when we were your age. There's the piggy banks your Grandma Kathy made for mommy when she was still in the womb, like you and I think your other Grandma Cathy is going to make you some lovely curtains, just like she did for daddy when he was in the womb. So your nursery will indeed be thoughtfully and lovingly pieced together with lots of love and anticipation for your arrival. We hope you like it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Bugs
Yes, this is my special one year anniversary blog. On Thursday the UTIA Entomology and Plant Pathology department hosted their annual Insect Smorgasbord. This event is one the ways the department raises awareness about how insects are used as a food source all over the world and important to our delicate ecosystem. I always enjoy visiting the Entomology labs when I am out and about on campus. I never know what interesting critters and research I'll stumble upon.
The menu included mostly mealworms (beetle larvae), crickets, cicadas, and ants cooked in various recipes. We had cricket meatloaf, mealworm meatballs, beetle bread, candied mealworms, candied ants, roasted crickets and cicadas used as garnish on stir fry or rice. I spoke to one of the researchers and he said they insects were mostly purchased from local pet stores and fed fruit for about a week to clean out their system. Once the system is clean an insect can be frozen and then prepared for consumption. I was personally hoping to eat bugs a little more exotic, but I can see how acquiring those bugs would have been very expensive.
The next group of pictures are of my plate and me eating the bugs. My overall impression? Well, I was hoping for more distinctive flavors. Mostly all I got was texture. I found that the cricket meatloaf tasted nutty, which is probably as distinct as it got. The bugs were mixed in with regular food so mostly all I tasted were the strong flavors of the other ingredients. The marina sauce in the mealworm meatball sub was overpowering, as was the peperoni on the mealworm cracker. The cicada was the only thing I ate by iteself and it didn't have much flavor at all, it was crunchy and chewy. Same with the crickets. I wish the experience could have been more authentic. I will probably have to travel outside the U.S. to have an authentic bug eating experience. It's on my list of things to do before I die. As far as the fetus is concerned, it's going to be very hard for a picky eater to survive in my home. I figured the sooner I can introduce the fetus to culinary adventures the better. I am looking forward to having a new little friend to sample the world's wonders with.
I love bugs. Always have. I ate them as a child. When I wasn't eating them I was making pets out of the them. When I was in 5th grade a teacher told me I would probably grow up to be an entomologist. Well, that didn't happen, but at least I finally found a job where I get to work with a bunch of entomologist.
The menu included mostly mealworms (beetle larvae), crickets, cicadas, and ants cooked in various recipes. We had cricket meatloaf, mealworm meatballs, beetle bread, candied mealworms, candied ants, roasted crickets and cicadas used as garnish on stir fry or rice. I spoke to one of the researchers and he said they insects were mostly purchased from local pet stores and fed fruit for about a week to clean out their system. Once the system is clean an insect can be frozen and then prepared for consumption. I was personally hoping to eat bugs a little more exotic, but I can see how acquiring those bugs would have been very expensive.
The next group of pictures are of my plate and me eating the bugs. My overall impression? Well, I was hoping for more distinctive flavors. Mostly all I got was texture. I found that the cricket meatloaf tasted nutty, which is probably as distinct as it got. The bugs were mixed in with regular food so mostly all I tasted were the strong flavors of the other ingredients. The marina sauce in the mealworm meatball sub was overpowering, as was the peperoni on the mealworm cracker. The cicada was the only thing I ate by iteself and it didn't have much flavor at all, it was crunchy and chewy. Same with the crickets. I wish the experience could have been more authentic. I will probably have to travel outside the U.S. to have an authentic bug eating experience. It's on my list of things to do before I die. As far as the fetus is concerned, it's going to be very hard for a picky eater to survive in my home. I figured the sooner I can introduce the fetus to culinary adventures the better. I am looking forward to having a new little friend to sample the world's wonders with.
I love bugs. Always have. I ate them as a child. When I wasn't eating them I was making pets out of the them. When I was in 5th grade a teacher told me I would probably grow up to be an entomologist. Well, that didn't happen, but at least I finally found a job where I get to work with a bunch of entomologist.
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