Sole Train

I am all about cooking healthy for my family. Snacking healthy for me? Well, that's a totally different subject and the reason my jeans keep shrinking but our meals are pretty balanced. Recently we've decided to incorporate more fish into our diet. It's fast, often easy and super good for us. However, around these parts it can be pricey.

So, while we all love salmon we are looking for a cheaper fish. So I found a box of frozen sole fillets on sale.

It almost killed us.

We finished the blasted box the other night and I may or may not done a wee cartwheel in the kitchen. Man that stuff can be nasty. The name of the game became "find ways to mask the taste of the sole."

We tried homemade sole nuggets. Meh. We much much preferred cod nuggets. Which my kids would ask for by name. This horrifies my fish-hating sister to no end who has suggested that she would rather eat snot nuggets. I'd really like to take her up on that some day.

Then came the seafood and pasta casserole, also known as the nastiest thing I have ever cooked in my life. Just mentioning it can cause Way Cooler to gag. I then buried the box in my freezer for a few weeks and we splurged on salmon just to remind us that some fish is worth eating.

But then I was filling my freezer with pre-cooked meals and the box re-surfaced. So I bit the bullet and found a recipe that sufficiently masked the taste. This would be perfect for any reluctant fish eater as the topping is really really good and basically hides the fact that one is eating fish. It can be used with any firm fish although for the love of all things that are good do not do this with salmon. Salmon deserves to shine all by it's perfect self.

The following recipe was adapted from Light and Tasty December 2007

Dijon Crusted Fish

3 Tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip)

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (divided)

1 Tbsp Lemon juice

1 tsp dijon mustard

4 fish fillets

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

2 tsp butter or margarine (melted)

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp cheese, lemon juice, and mustard. Place fillets on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over fillets.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, butter and remaining parmesan cheese; sprinkle over fillets. Bake at 425 for 13-18 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Serve to your skeptical fish eater and watch them smile.

All You Wanted to Know about my Day but Were too Bored to Ask.

I know all of you are dyyyying to find out how my pre-operative appointment went yesterday.

Anyone? Anyone?

Plus, last night was the beginning of soccer season. Which in Calgary also coincides with the beginning of the rainy season.

So my day was jam-packed full of fun!!! Or something like that.

My appointment was much like the movie "The Notebook". Long, boring with tiny bits of action to keep one from falling asleep. But when the whole thing was done all you one could think is "There's four hours* of my life I can never get back."

However, I did get to have another EKG, chest x-ray and more bloodwork. All I need now is a trip to Perkins and I am an old person.

In reality, it wasn't all that bad because the boys were with their dad and I was able to read the whole newspaper without interruption. For a current-events loving SAHM it really doesn't get better than that.

PLUS, I did get to watch the first soccer games of the season. Spud scored his first goal. The added bonus, it wasn't even on his own net. Very heady stuff for a five year old.

Plus, while it is scheduled to rain for our next game, it did not rain last night. With the wind chill it was a balmy 5 degrees. What more could we ask for? Other than indoor soccer?

For all my family reading this, I still do not have a date for the surgery but I would imagine I will know by Thursday or so. I'll keep y'all posted.

Now, go forth and read something interesting.

*Yes, I am aware that the notebook wasn't four hours long. It just felt like it.

Mush, Guilt and Twitter

1

It seems that the boys have finally accomplished their goal of reducing my brain to a bit steaming pile of mush. Or so it seems every time I sit down to write. All those lovely posts that I write while cleaning, baking and driving them all over the city evaporate at the computer.

2

So I fought back. I am now on Twitter. Surely this geek of very little brain can handle 140 characters or less. Or so I am hoping. Anyway, over on my sidebar you can follow me on Twitter. I will probably use Twitter to update my progress after the DS as well.

3.

My sister and I were having a discussion the other day. We would like your opinion. If Stacey and Clinton showed up and offered you five thousand dollars in exchange for making fun of your clothes on national TV, would you take it? My sister wouldn't. I, on the other hand would do it for five hundred dollars. I really have NO shame.

4.

Related to that, when you are grocery shopping and they offer you a hand with your groceries out to the car, do you take it? Several local stores in our area do, and they won't accept tip. I cannot remember the last time I loaded my own groceries at those stores. On the other hand, my sister (she with three small kids) says no. She feels guilty. I figure I get enough guilt from parenting magazines and am happy to give the teenager a reason to be paid. What do you think?

5.

Isn't the stuff that my sister and discuss FASCINATING? We also talk toilet bowl cleaners, puke, and compare what we are having for dinner. I cannot fathom why we don't yet have our own reality TV series.

6.

I was starting to prepare the boys for the upcoming surgery and the fact that I will be away in the hospital. I told Spud who was going on and on about his mother's day tea at Kindergarden that I probably wouldn't be there, but that Nana would be going instead. I was preparing for tears. Instead he replied "oh please do make sure you go away. I want Nana. Nana Nana Nana." At least THREE times since that day he has approached me to remind me that he wants my mother at the tea and not the lady who carried him for nine months and has the scars to prove it.

7.

Maybe I am a little bit vain (or slightly weird) but every time I look down and see my pretty pink toes I smile. They just look so PURDY. Whenever I apply nail polish it looks like a small child got into her mother's stash gave herself a pedi. From now on, someone else gets to do my toes.

For more quick takes, go see Jennifer at Conversion Dairy.

Seven- quickly

1. Sprout and I were at the park the other day and there was a little girl there with those squeaky shoes. OH MY WORD. Those are right up there next to Barney in the whole realm of "ways to drive mommy into an institution." The thing I can't figure out is most toddlers I know make a fair bit of noise. All the blessed time. Who in their right MINDS would want to add to that? After only three minutes I wanted to grab her feet, take the shoes off and permanently remove the squeakers. But since I'm writing to you from my house and not jail, you'll be glad to know I refrained.

2. I have been waiting quite some time for word on the DS. (That's Dumb Surgery for those of you new here.) After much prompting (because I really hate calling and being a bother) I finally called the Dr.'s office to get to the bottom of the delay. It turns out, the operating room office had the wrong phone number for me. The lady I talked to told me she was "just about to give up." Which I guess is one option. Another would be to CALL MY SURGEONS OFFICE JUST TO CONFIRM THE CORRECT NUMBER. But I guess everyone has their own way of doing things.

3. This delay means that my surgery most likely will now be at the very beginning of May.

4. I'm still looking into the feasibility of someone liveblogging it.

5. Not really. I'd like to keep the audience of three that I already have. I have a feeling that the nitty gritty details of an open lung surgery might turn you off. I DO have this wonderful idea in my head that I will get a whole bunch of posts done up ahead to run while I am out. I also have a sneaky feeling that this wonderful idea will stay in my head and not actually happen.

6. Last Thursday night we had a blizzard. Seriously. There was a 50 car pile-up on the highway, we lost power for a while (along with most of the city) and when I stood in my kitchen watching the snow swirl I could not see the back fence. This Thursday I took sprout to see the Dinos at the zoo. It was so warm we had to take our coats off. This is probably one of my favorite parts of an Alberta April. We get to experience all four seasons jam-packed into one little month.

7. I got a pedicure for the second time in my life this week as part of a birthday gift. I went with my cousin. It was all kinds of fun. I was a little nervous when she pulled out this thing that most closely resembled a cheese slicer and started in on my heels, but it didn't hurt at all and now I have pretty pink toes. I may have to do this again in five years or so.

For more quick takes, visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.

Normal

Because I know that I will be out of commission for a bit after the dumb surgery (which will henceforth be referred to as the DS) I have been cooking, cleaning, sorting and organizing like a crazy lady. Way Cooler refers to it as nesting. Except I have more energy than I did as a pregnant nester so the crazy is a little crazier than normal.

And if you know anything about my normal, you know it doesn't resemble the normal that normal people have. (If you are still reading after that sentence, you deserve a medal or something.)

So I've been ignoring all hobbies a bit but if I don't post something soon my dad is going to call and complain that the blog is getting dusty. And since he is a VERY good cook and likes to cook for me I do try to keep the man happy. I'll do anything for some ribs.

So I wanted to share a song that Sprout shared with me yesterday.

God God God is the cool cool est

He He He is the best

He is our protector

He helps us

He saved us from our sins

He died on the cross

And then everything was normal.

Maybe we need to brush up on our theology a bit.

I don't Know Why I Bother

The other day the boys and I went to a Easter celebration at the zoo. The day was perfect. The sun was shining we got there early before the crowds and I had the following conversation in the bathroom. What more could a mom ask for?

I told them to each get a stall and I would wait.

Sprout: AUTOMATIC!!! This is AUTOMATIC!! Cover it mommy!! Cover it or it will flush! It will FLUSH

So, I head in and realize that I have nothing to cover the sensor with (sometimes I carry post-it notes) but I did not have my purse, so I used my hand to cover the sensor. Unfortunately, the lock was broken.

"The LOCK, the LOCK, mommy hold it closed or people will see my pee-nus. That would be TERRIBLE" This coming from a boy who regularly pulls out said appendage to "see if it is still there."

So, I have one foot on the door holding it closed, and another hand over the sensor. The fact that this klutz did not fall over is the new Easter miracle. Then I hear this from the stall next door.

"Mommy, it's hard to pee with my mittens on. What should I do?"

"Take them off! Please do not pee with your mittens on!"

"What will I do with them?"

"Put them in your pocket"

"I can't, they don't fit" He can stuff half his room in his pockets, but a small set of mittens, they don't fit.

"Put them on the floor"

"It's TOO DIRTY" This from a child who two years ago licked a public restroom toilet.

So, Sprout finished his business and was sent to hold his brother's mitts. I hurried to try and just get out of there.

"Sprout where are Spud's mitts? I thought I told you to hold them?"

"I am! They're in my pants."

Oh yes, look at the bulge.

"Why?" (I have no idea why I keep asking this question. It NEVER really ends well)

"I can keep them warm for him here."

Unable to argue with the logic, I retrieved the mittens, one of which was lodged down a pant leg and got the heck out of the bathroom.

Next time, they're just gonna have to hold it.

Don't Even Have to Pursue It

After that downer of a post last time, I thought I'd share some of what true happiness is in the house of geek.

*Watching a four year old eat a Dilly Bar for the first time.

*The first curly heads of rhubarb bravely pushing their way into the sun.

*Bubble Baths.

* The hoopla the media made over Ed Stelmach's brother-in-law buying a Wild Rose Alliance membership. (Politics + Pretend scandal= True joy for this Geek.)

* Lent is over. Let the chocolate games begin.

* Two full bread boxes.

* Eating supper while the sun is still shining.

* All those little girls in Easter dresses at church yesterday. Bonus happiness points, their hair was all cute and I got to admire it but didn't have to fix it.

*Two blondies with crew cuts.

*Husbands with twinkly eyes.

*Playing soccer with a four year old "coach"

*Listening to a five year old "read".

* Asparagus in cheese sauce on toast.

How about you? What makes you smile this Monday morning?