Soapbox Time

I'm not usually one to get on a soapbox, but this I feel like I have to. I'm also not the first to get on this soapbox. You could probably say that this is from my own guilt, and you'd be right. For the record, this is for every mother.

Let me start by explaining that I have three children. The first two were exclusively breastfed (as far as breast milk vs formula; they both had solid foods on schedule); the first for 16 months the second for 21 months. I mostly loved it - the bonding, the feeling that I was doing what was absolutely best for them - but I didn't care for some of it: no one else could ever feed them because they both refused bottles.

My third, a son, started off breastfeeding, and then I would alternate giving one bottle of pumped milk or one bottle of formula a day. With two older kids in school, I figured there was a higher possibility that I would have to leave him for an hour or two than there was with the girls and he might get hungry. From the beginning, he spit up more than the girls, but I didn't think much of it, I figured most babies spit up, I just got lucky with the first two. After a week or two, I noticed he spit up SO much more when he had breastmilk than when he had formula. I kept trying, but I don't think any of the breastmilk stayed down at all. When he was about a month old, he became covered in a rash from head to toe. At first I thought it was simply a heat rash, but it got worse and wouldn't go away. We went to the pediatrician and she suggested the rash combined with spitting up was an allergic reaction and to try switching to soy formula. I did. The rash went away almost immediately. He still had a spots of eczema on his ankles, but that was nothing compared to what it was. I was both relieved and disappointed. It's hard to explain both feeling like you ARE doing what's best for your child and that you're NOT doing what's best for them. I knew him not keeping my milk down wasn't doing anything for him, but breastmilk is SO good for him! This is a conversation I have with myself everyday, without any prompting, and he's over 10 months old now.

So on my own, without any help from the outside world, I feel guilty about not breastfeeding. And as if that wasn't enough, the benefits of breastfeeding are EVERYWHERE! Because it does have benefits! I still believe you should try to breastfeed, even for a short time, so I'm not opposed to this information being everywhere, but it does add to my guilt.

Then there are people. Not in person, not yet, maybe I'm lucky. But there are people. On parenting sites, writing blogs and commenting, some aren't as harsh as others, but some are so very mean. Some, on parenting sites and on Facebook, simply talk about breastfeeding [constantly], with and without being condescending. The cruelty and attitude will make even a mother who never cared to breastfeed feel bad. But to those of us who wanted to but couldn't for one reason or another - and you don't know who couldn't and who wouldn't, nor do you need to know - all of these things are just weight after weight of guilt on our shoulders. I worry all the time that he's going to be sick more than the girls because he didn't have enough breastmilk. I shame myself enough, I don't need you to do it, also.

Advice is one thing, but leave the judgement out of it. Whether it's breastmilk or formula, when to start solids, which solids to start, what diapers to use, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc... Good advice is helpful, a lot of us have discovered tricks to help with different things. I'm the first to share the Sleep Lady book when someone mentions their baby isn't sleeping. My oldest went from sleeping no more than 30 minutes for the first year to sleeping 12 hours straight at night plus taking three naps during the day! I wish someone had told me about it six months earlier. I've used the techniques with the other two from the beginning. I always share the name of the book, but there are others that are just as good - and one I think is very, very similar. The book I use works for us, that doesn't necessarily make it better.

To all the mothers: Please stop shaming your fellow mothers! For the most part, we all want what's best for our children! There are plenty of news stories to show there are mothers who don't, BUT most of us do! And especially if we're on a freaking parenting site, we do! Support each other. Offer advice in a helpful way. Support each other. But don't judge and don't shame.

That is all. Thanks for reading.

Just as a disclaimer: most of us do want what is best for our children, but there are people who don't. If you suspect child abuse, please report it.

Salmon with Dijon Cream Sauce, Sauerkraut, & Easy Potato Cakes

Okay, first of all, this blog is going to take me a few minutes to write - not that anyone but me will notice. I made this dish last night and really, I was "winging it" the whole time. So I need to go through what I did mentally. 

I'm trying to post mostly dishes that my kids enjoyed. Occasionally, their tiny minds and tastebuds won't see (taste) the beauty of a dish, and it will get posted anyway, because, well, it's delicious. And their tiny minds can't see that. :) 

This one, my 5-year-old LOVED! I was a little surprised, because it's mustard and sauerkraut, but she loved it! 8-year-old: I think if I hadn't said "mustard" she would have liked it. She's insistent that she doesn't like mustard. Husband said I could make it again. This is big. Not sure if I've shared in the past, but once I made a pasta dish. I LOVE LOVE LOVED IT! I would still love it! Mind you, this was one of the first things I ever tried to make as an adult, so when I asked, "How is it?" He kindly replied, "Good!"  Good husband. Only he didn't like it. So after, oh I don't know, the 20th time making it - in probably 20 weeks - he told me he really didn't like it. Hmph. 

Lesson learned: Never ask, "How is it?", ask, "Would you like to have this again sometime?"

This one got a yes. Fantastic.

Now, to one of my secrets: I don't use real potatoes for mashed potatoes. I use Idahoan.

Sorry. I know, I know. There's stuff in them. Like, other than potatoes. I can't give them up yet. We love them. And they're EASY!

So, if you don't want to use the Idahoan potatoes, you're going to have to add the steps of making mashed potatoes. (Peel, boil, mash.)

The recipe is below. I'm going to add another post/recipe, also. My version of Tater Tot Casserole. I've seen a few floating around Facebook, and mine is my favorite. 

Salmon with Dijon Cream Sauce, Sauerkraut & Easy Potato Cakes

• 4 Salmon Filets
• 2+ T Dijon mustard
• 6 T Butter, divided
• 1 Shallot, diced
• 1 t garlic
• 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 C White wine
• Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, any flavor, prepared following directions and cooled
• 1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Have baking sheet set aside for salmon. Prepare mashed potatoes as directed (or prepare your own mashed potatoes, about 2 cups(?), more if you'd like more that 8 potato cakes. Whisk your egg a little, then add it to the potatoes and mix.

Begin by searing the salmon. Heat 2 T butter in saute pan on med-high/high. Brush salmon with dijon mustard. Sear both sides of salmon until starting to crisp, then transfer to baking sheet and place in oven. 

Saute your shallot and garlic in 2 T butter in same pan as you cooked the salmon. When the shallot is softened, add wine and heat until the wine starts to bubble. 

While your wine is heating, you can begin your potato cakes. I used a table spoon to scoop potatoes, made a ball, then flattened them so they were about palm-sized and maybe 1/4" thick. Heat your remaining 2 T of butter in a flat saute pan on med-high heat. When hot, place potato cakes in and heat until crisp, then flip. Remove onto paper towels.

Once your wine is bubbly, whisk in the cream and 2 T dijon mustard. The cream will thicken the sauce as it cooks. Don't let it thicken too much, you want a creamy mustard sauce, not mustard pudding, and it will thicken more as it sits. So just get it going, then turn it off. 

Your salmon should be cooked through. When it flakes, it's done. Like I said, I was completely winging this last night, at a few points, I had to stop and think about which step I should do next. With all of that, my salmon probably could have come out a minute or two before it did, but it was fine. With following directions, everything should either line up, or you might have to wait a minute or two for your salmon to finish, but not long. 

Either right after you bring your salmon out or in those two minutes your waiting for it to finish, throw some sauerkraut into the potato cake pan and just get it hot. Figure about one heaping tablespoon per filet of salmon. 

To plate: place one tablespoon of sauerkraut on plate, with two potato cakes on either side 

>   O|||O   <

See my diagram? :) 

Spoon a little dijon sauce onto the sauerkraut.

Place the salmon filet on top of the kraut, then top with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce. 

This was great, but I may try adding clove to the sauce next time. I'll let you know if I do and how it turns out. 

Grilled Tuna Steaks over Mixed Greens with Asparagus & Grilled Peaches with Honey and Vanilla Ice Cream

Hi!!!!

It's been, what, seven months since my last post? I would blame the tiny person who now lives with us, but let's face it, my posts weren't that regular before him... :)

 

BTW, meet Enzo:

 

Okay, so since this little person's arrival, my gourmet cooking has ceased to exist. My redneck cooking has, also. Really, all cooking that doesn't involve a microwave or toaster oven has ceased to exist, and those were rarely used. We have become quite friendly with delivery boys, though!

(Ahem, props to myself, however, for the huge Thanksgiving feast!)

 

So, now that sleep is happening and I'm getting some energy back, I SOOOO want to cook! And I want to cook (somewhat) healthy meals because, well, nearly three months post-partum I can barely squeeze my bottom half into a pair of jeans. I did once. They buttoned! I couldn't breathe, couldn't bend, and my phone wouldn't slide into my back pocket, but dammit they buttoned! No pictures. You're welcome.

 

So tonight, I wanted fish.

 

When I approached my husband with the idea of him grilling salmon (because we finally have a grill!) he rebutted with the idea of him grilling tuna. Deal.

 

The meal:

Grilled Tuna Steaks over Mixed Greens with Asparagus

Ignore the asparagus. We had it in the freezer and it was mushy and stringy. Don't freeze asparagus.

 

I wasn't sure what I wanted to put on the tuna to grill it, but I knew I wanted a ginger/soy mixture. I found at Publix, their Publix brand Ginger Teriyaki Finishing Sauce for seafood in the seafood department. It was great. If you have a Publix near you, try out their finishing sauces and butters. They're fantastic.

I also got Ken's Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame dressing, just in case.

I ended up using both. If you can get the finishing sauce, I marinated the tuna in the finishing sauce for all of five minutes, then topped with the dressing after they were cooked. If you don't have access to the finishing sauce, just marinate in the dressing. The only difference I could tell was the thickness.

 

My girls LOVED dinner (except the asparagus, see above. We all usually love asparagus.) The dressing has a little bite, so go easy, but they ate all of it! They also loved dessert:

 

Grilled Peaches with Honey and Vanilla Ice Cream

I can't take full credit for that idea, I saw a picture on Pinterest. There was no recipe/directions, sigh, but they weren't really necessary.

 

Okay, so on to the "recipes"!! Quotes because there is no recipe, just directions!!! Yay!

 

 

Grilled Tuna Steaks over Mixed Greens with Asparagus

• Tuna Steaks (4)
• Publix Ginger Teriyaki Finishing Sauce for seafood
• 1 Bag Mixed Greens
• Ken's Steak House Lite Asian Sesame dressing
• FRESH Asparagus
• Garlic Salt

I had to use frozen tuna steaks, thaw them if you do, also.

Preheat the oven to 400 unless you're going to grill the asparagus. I haven't tried grilling it yet.

I spooned then brushed the finishing sauce onto each side of the tuna. Let marinate while the grill heats (and you feed and change the baby...) and prepare the asparagus.

Place asparagus on a baking sheet and season with garlic salt. Place in oven. Bake until starting to shrivel. We're real technical over here.

While the asparagus bakes, grill tuna to desired doneness. That's a word, I checked.

Pile a handful of mixed greens on a plate.

Top with Ken's dressing.

When tuna is done, place on top of greens and, if you want (we did) add a little more Ken's dressing.  

Serve asparagus next to the tuna and greens.

Delish!

 

Grilled Peaches with Honey and Vanilla Ice Cream

• Ripe peaches, one per person
• Honey
• Vanilla Ice cream
• Easy, right?

Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits.

Place peaches cut/flat side down on the hot grill.

Let cook until you have grill marks (again, SUPER technical!)

 Flip.

This time let them cook until the peaches are soft.

Drizzle honey on the plated peaches, top with ice cream, and drizzle some more honey for good measure. Add a little more honey. It's fantastic on the ice cream.

 

Okay, sooo..... Gourmet may be a little bit of a stretch for this one, considering how little effort was actually put in. And how few ingredients. And the fact that Publix and Ken's Steakhouse actually did the measuring and mixing.. Oh well, I say it's gourmet.