weekend wrap up

• Here's what I tried for dinner tonight: Martha's brown rice and black beans. I've been craving simple dinners with fresh ingredients lately. I threw in the tortillas for the kids, just in case they turned their little noses up at the black beans (only Parker actually wouldn't eat them). The ready-to-cook tortillas are practically like dessert. Seriously. Also, since I read on Pioneer Woman that shredded cheese is coated with corn starch and other various chemicals...I'm loathe to purchase shredded cheese. Becca shredded for us tonight. I'm a little bit mad at Pioneer Woman about this. It's true. The cheese tastes better. But really, do I need another task in the kitchen? Sometimes I wish people would just let me eat cheese in ignorance.
• Last week I did a chef salad bar. I cut up Boston lettuce (I find that Boston lettuce is key in getting kids to eat salad), and then prepared a variety of other ingredients they could add as they saw fit. We had bacon, chopped, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese crumbles, sliced turkey, avocados, tomatoes, hearts of palm, and sliced olives. The kids topped theirs off with lots of creamy Ranch dressing. I give this dinner an A+. It was simple, healthy, and the kids loved it.
• Friday Debbie and I took the kids EFY shopping. Apparently, this has become a "tradition." In usual Sarah fashion, I was mentally and emotionally finished with the shopping after about two hours. But we pressed on. We went to the outlet mall AND the regular mall. It was a regular extravaganza. The kids are ready for EFY. I'm ready for talk therapy.
• Parker had a belt test Friday evening. Yes. Shopping and  a belt test ALL IN ONE DAY. He's now an advanced yellow belt and would like the world-at-large to know that he broke the board on his first try (with an axe kick). I'm fairly certain there is not anything better to a nine-year-old boy than breaking a board with his foot. Especially when said foot is attached to a rather spindly/gangley body.
• Saturday Sterling and I finally celebrated our anniversary at Ruth's Chris. We do seem to mark celebratory occasions with large quantities of meat (we spent Valentines at Fogo de Chao). Really, is there any better way to say "I love you" than with a chunk of medium-rare beef? I'd say not.
• We also enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes.
• And, he let me browse Anthropologie.
• And, Anthropologie refused to let me use their "employee-only" bathroom, which was unfortunate since I had about six diet cokes over the course of dinner. So, I was forced to march myself into the P.F. Changs next door. It was crowded and I just pushed my way through like I was going to meet my party. Really? Anthropologie can't provide a ladies room? They charge $58 for a ceramic juicer...but can't offer one, measly toilet?
• And, yes, I let the people at Anthropologie intimidate me. Because they have enormous, beautiful displays of plastic soda bottles...which means they are WAY cooler than me.

Comments

[jt]

love the salad bar and I'll try the rice/beans combo. looks tasty!

[Em]

On the cheese issue: after reading Michael pollan's "Food Rules" several months ago i have been reading a lot more labels. The shredded cheese label shocked me! Really, how many ingredients can there be in a bag of plain cheese? We have been shredding for months and although its a pain, we also use less bc it's more of a task :) and therefore it lasts much longer. Anyway, his handbook is fun to thumb through if you ever see one.