PS My Fantasy Football Team Crashed and Burned

I had the best time playing fantasy football this season. My team did really well - up until the playoffs. I actually lost in the very first round! I'm so disappointed. I scored a lot of points, unfortunately, my opponent just scored more. That's the way it goes sometimes. Until next year, RIP Demarzzzarati!

On the major upside, I think I scored serious points on the wife-front. Adam was thrilled about my newfound interest in football. So, at least I have that going for me. Which is nice.

The quest for a satisfying Navy Bean Soup

One of my favorite soups is Navy Bean. It's funny to say it's one of my favorites because I really don't have it very often. It's not typically available on menus and not that many people make it. I found myself craving this early in the week and started looking online for recipes. Many people call this soup Senate Bean soup because it has been on the Senate's Restaurant menu since the early 20th century. I looked up this recipe and like the other few I found, I just wasn't too inspired by them.

Most bean soups have you simmer the beans with water and ham hocks, and maybe some sauteed onion. I just don't like ham hocks. They gross me out and I find the meat on them unappetizing. I would prefer to use a bone from a spiral ham but I also don't bake too many hams. So, without the main flavor component of the bone or the hock, I was left to create my own soup.

I started with a slice of bacon in my soup pot. I rendered the fat, removed the bacon, leaving the drippings in the bottom of the pan. From there, I added my aromatics: leeks, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Surely, bacon fat is less healthy than olive oil, but the flavor from the bacon is crucial. Once the vegetables were softened, I added the navy beans, 4 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of water. I threw in some sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf, and some freshly ground pepper. From there, it simmered for about 3 hours. You have to keep an eye on it, making sure to add more water if necessary. After the beans were tender, I added some diced ham and a healthy squirt of ketchup. The ketchup is sort of random, but I remember my mom adding it to her bean soup that she'd make with a left-over ham bone from Easter. It gives the soup a little something- a complexity of flavor that ties it all together. The result was a bowl of soup that was soul-satisfying. The kind of meal that warms you up on the inside and leaves you feeling completely content. Adam had two big bowls and wanted to take the leftovers for lunch. I said, "Not this time buddy, Prego gets the soup!" Needless to say, this will be making a regular appearance in our winter meal planning. Here is the recipe in its entirety for you to enjoy. If you do try it out, please comment back any adjustments or feedback you have!

Navy Bean Soup with Ham

1 lb dried navy beans, soaked overnight, covering with 2 inches of water
1 Slice Bacon, for drippings
1 Large Carrot, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
1 Leek, diced
2 Stalks Celery, diced
4 cups water
4 cups chicken stock
2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Freshly Ground Pepper
1-2 tsp Ketchup
2 Cups Diced Ham (I used a small ham steak... use as much or as little ham as you like)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Soak navy beans overnight, leaving two inches of water to cover

Drain and rinse navy beans.

In a stock pot, or dutch oven, cook one slice of bacon to render the fat. Remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the drippings. Add diced carrot, cooking for about 3 minutes. Add onion, leek, and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for another minute. Add the beans, stock and water. Put the thyme sprigs in whole, along with the bay leaf. Give the pot a healthy dose of freshly ground pepper. Stir and bring the pot to a boil. Cover the pot, leaving the lid cracked, and simmer for 3 hours or until the beans are tender. Check on the soup occasionally, as the beans will absorb the liquid, add more water if necessary. Once the beans are tender, remove thyme and bay leaf. Add ketchup and diced ham. Stir and simmer until the ham is heated through. Salt & Pepper at this point. Ham can be salty, so you may not need any additional salt.

Enjoy!

2009-2010: Reflection and Excitement

Well, yet another year is coming to a close. We just returned from Seattle after spending time visiting our families over the holidays. Winter has begun and I find myself sitting here wondering what I should write about. I received a few emails requesting a blog post so I feel like I should deliver. Being that we're just a day away from New Year's Eve, I guess that's an appropriate topic.

I quit my job just a little over a year ago and to be honest, aside from the income, haven't missed it much. It took me about two years to admit it, but I decided that I just want to be at home with my kids for a while. Some women come to this decision much more easily than I did. I just struggled with the idea of losing my personal identity. It took me the better part of 2009 to realize that I was just beginning to define myself on my own terms. I have discovered many creative outlets that I hope will lead to my next career endeavor. Until then, I have so many things to keep me satisfied.

So, of course, there is the matter of New Year's Resolutions. I went back and found mine from last year. I think it only makes sense to address those first.

1) Start a vegetable garden
Check!
2) Find work that fulfills me
Addressed in previous paragraph- check!
3) Exercise- I'm not aiming for a specific weight goal- I aim only to treat my body with the respect it deserves.
For the record- I had a flat stomach for about 3 months and then got pregnant again- check!
4) Utilize our Netflix account- 3:10 to Yuma, while good, was not worth $60 - nice that they let us keep it for six months though
Check! we have been much better this year!
5) Enjoy time with friends and family- traveling, cooking, eating, and playing
Absolutely 100% check!

If I do say so myself, those were great resolutions! I think I could be happy tackling the same ones in 2010. I will add a few more for fun- things that I want to achieve for personal growth.

1) Learn to cross country ski
2) Learn to knit cables
3) Join a book club
4) Write more
5) Less fun but more important: learn to budget on a single income

We have so much to look forward to next year. We can't wait to meet our second baby. We heard its heart beat for the first time yesterday. Life is really good. Happy New Year!

Message from Gavin

We couldn't keep the secret any longer- we're expecting another deMars kiddo- July 3, 2010. I'm 11 weeks along and feeling pretty good! Life is only going to get more interesting...

Snow Falling in New York

It's early Wednesday morning and Gavin is not awake yet. I woke up to a thick blanket of snow. It's still coming down hard and is supposed to change over to freezing rain later. Freezing rain is the worst- I'd prefer it to just snow. Our roadways are very well maintained so it's not as stressful when we get snow. I must be acclimating a little bit. I have an appointment later today and am not even going to cancel it due to snow- well, unless it really does turn to freezing rain and scares me off my game!

The beagles hate this winter weather- they're so funny. I let them out this morning and Starsky sort of walked the perimeter of the yard- sticking to the fence sides to try to find the most shallow snow. Max takes an actual kick in the butt to get him outside! Even then, he's outside for all of 10 seconds and then seeks refuge inside. Inside, they like their blanket or bed right next to the radiator so they get the nice warm air. It's really quite pathetic. What's next - a snuggie?

I know that it's also very cold on the west coast- we'll be heading that direction on Saturday morning. I really hope the weather takes a pause to allow our travels to go uninterrupted. We're anxious to get back home and reconnect with all of our friends and family. In the meantime, here are a few photos of our first  real snowstorm of the season. I'll likely post a few of the Gav man when he wakes up and we go play.

Starsky, making his way to find the perfect place to relieve himself.

Still looking...

My garden and patio are somewhere under there!

The porch, while dusted with snow, still looks inviting to have a cup of coffee out there!

Sunday Morning Hike at Thacher Park

Sunday morning we were being lazy, just lying on the couch when I suggested we go take a walk through a park I had heard about. Thacher Park is a state park that is just 20 minutes from our house. There are about 30 miles worth of hiking trails and some beautiful scenic views. It was a beautiful morning- mid 40s and lots of sunshine. We all had a great time- our only regret was not taking advantage of this park sooner.
Gavin is at such a fun age right now. I said to Adam that while babies are awesome with all of their milestones- the fun is just really starting to begin. Gav had so much fun running around, throwing rocks, and just being a kid.
He's really growing up!
The beagles enjoyed some nature as well. We just wish that they would be better off leash. It is such a great place to let your dogs loose but unfortunately these hounds just can't (won't) listen!
Gavin grunted while walking up the hills- totally hilarious. I think this was one of our favorite family outings- we're already planning on going back this weekend. Even with the snow just around the corner, we think we might start snow shoeing with Gav. I think he could handle it - the boy likes adventure!

Friends Thanksgiving

We hosted an early Thanksgiving celebration with all of our Albany friends on Sunday. It was a really fun day- complete with football and lots of good food. We decided to celebrate early because everyone had family plans or had to work on Thanksgiving Day. Adam decided to bring down the t.v. from our bedroom so we could watch multiple games. And if two screens weren't enough, he also set up our iMac to further up the "awesomeness." The guys definitely appreciated the effort and I have a feeling this is how we'll be watching football every Sunday from now on.

My mom had told me about a turkey recipe she saw while watching Food Network- Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy so I decided to try it out. I put the turkey in the brine on Thursday. I love this method but it's always a challenge trying to accommodate a 5 gallon bucket in the refrigerator. It soaked in the brine until Saturday afternoon. Then, you put all the veggies and apples in the roasting pan, place the turkey on top and spread the herb butter crust all over it. Then is simply sat in the refrigerator until Sunday afternoon, when it went right into the oven. It turned out very good- beautiful dark color on the outside and extremely flavorful on the inside.
Everyone brought a side dish- we had it all: two types of dressing, mashed potatoes, grilled sweet potatoes, salad, brussel sprouts, mac n cheese, cranberry relish, and lots of pie! We had a really fun time and are very thankful for meeting such great friends.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving- go get your grub on!

Homemade Stock- yes, it's all that it's cracked up to be!

I have been making my own chicken and vegetable stocks for several months now. It's really easy and makes a tremendous difference in how soups and stews turn out. If you're like me- you go through a lot of chicken stock this time of year. I also make a lot of roasted chickens so I finally started to keep the carcass to make stock the next day. It's a great way to use up wilting vegetables as well.

Today I am making Chicken Stew with Biscuits. This Barefoot Contessa recipe is delicious! It will satisfy anyone- (well, maybe not a vegetarian, but you get what I'm saying). Her recipe calls for using bone-in chicken breasts, that you roast and then shred. I am using a whole chicken because I wanted to make my own stock. I don't have the frozen pearl onions- so instead, I'm adding celery, chopped rosemary, and also some button mushrooms. It's just a chicken stew- feel free to use what you like! Also- I don't use quite as much butter as Ina. Use what you're comfortable with!

Now, back to the stock. There are thousands of recipes for making chicken stock. I have found that the key is to use a lot of aromatic vegetables and herbs and to simmer for a long time. When I use a carcass from a roasted chicken- I will simmer for 3 hours. In today's case, I don't want to overcook the chicken- so I will remove it once it's done, shred the meat, and then return the carcass to the simmering stock for another hour. If you give it the time, you'll end up with a beautiful dark stock- looks nothing like store bought stock.

Here is my "recipe"

Chicken Stock:

1 whole chicken (or carcass)

2 or 3 carrots, washed, and chopped in 3 pieces each

2 or 3 stalks celery, washed and roughly chopped

1 whole onion, peel left on and quartered

1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally (I didn't have garlic today- so I substituted leeks)

Bunch of fresh thyme

2 bay leafs

Freshly ground pepper- ground coarsely

Pinch of kosher salt

Cover the chicken with water- only enough water to completely submerge the chicken. Add vegetables, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 3 hours*. Make sure pot is covered but that the lid is slightly cracked. Keep an eye on it- making sure your water does not evaporate.

After stock is done simmering, strain through a sieve into a clean pot/bowl. Refrigerate the stock after it's cooled. The fat will harden at the top, which can easily be removed.

*Remember- if using a whole chicken and not just a leftover carcass- remove the chicken once it's done cooking, remove the meat- then return carcass to pot.

This will make about enough stock for a homemade soup and in this case, my chicken stew. It freezes very well, but I tend to use it right after I make it. I still have to rely on store bought stock- but if you have the time- I highly recommend treating yourself to homemade. It really will take your recipes to the next level.

Fallen leaves = Blah!

All the leaves have fallen from the trees, leaving a very drab and dull landscape. I have felt a bit off ever since daylight savings occurred. I don't enjoy short evenings. It feels like 10pm when it's only 5:30pm. Although, we have been enjoying fairly mild weather - even made it to 70 degrees last weekend.

I finally planted spring bulbs today. Last spring, my neighbor's yard looked so nice with pretty tulips and daffodils popping up. I was a bit jealous so I made a mental note to plant some bulbs of my own this year. Now if only those a-hole squirrels will leave them alone!

Gavin is really starting to talk. He isn't using complete sentences but he is good at getting his point across. Like most kids, he finds it is most effective if he just adds the word "no" in front of another, such as, "no night-night" or "no eat". Everyday he has something new to say- it's pretty cool.

Adam has been exhausted lately- the 5:30am wake-up is starting to get to him. I cannot even fathom getting up that early. He is working somewhere between 50-70 hours a week. It varies depending on what types of cases he is assigned to or if he is on call. I think he is fine with the workload- it's just those early mornings that are a struggle. The good news is that he seems to enjoy anesthesia.

Well, that's about all for this week. We are planning on doing some exploring on Saturday so hopefully I will gather some more writing material. Things have been a bit dull- haven't even had any interesting mishaps at Starbucks or Price Chopper to rant about!

Autumn in New York

Well, here we are - beginning of November. I can't believe how quickly time is flying by. I had hoped to take more day trips but we've just been really busy with things that I can't even remember doing! Plus, I had the cold/flu from Hell and did not have much energy. I'm not sure if I had the notorious swine flu or not because I never went to the doctor. I'm basically surrounded by doctors in our social circle and they all gave me the same useless advice: rest and drink fluids. Seriously, so glad we paid thousands of dollars in medical school tuition for that! I keep telling Adam that if he was really ambitious, he'd find a cure for the common cold! Instead, he is learning to put people under and keep them alive while having surgery. What a slacker!

Anyhow, before I knew it; November arrived. The trees are dropping their leaves and the nights are getting cold. We are busy winterizing the house. We decided to put plastic up in the windows to try and conserve some heat. Last year we paid ridiculous amounts of money to heat this house. Sadly, the house was still pretty cold because our radiators sit right beneath the windows. Money was literally going out the window. So, last month we bought the plastic insulation kits and got out the hairdryer. I have to say- it makes a huge difference! The house feels warmer already. We'll see how it is when the temperature falls to the single digits. In the meantime, I did promise some fall foliage pictures so here are my favorites from this year.
This is the view of Albany from Thatcher Park, which sits up on the hillside.
Another shot from Thatcher Park
Gavin and his pumpkin...
I've been raking up the leaves in our yard- Gavin has so much fun playing in the piles!
And napping in the piles...
Needless to say, we still haven't cleaned up his fall playground.
And really, when the leaves are this much fun- why should we hurry? Happy Fall!