How to make a major decision (like which diapers to use)

I'm someone who needs to absorb as much information as I can get my hands on before I can make a decision. I also need to delay making the actual decision for as long humanly possible...commitment? yikes!

For example, as someone who didn't start college knowing exactly what I wanted to do (you pre-med crazies that practiced surgery on your dolls at the tender age of four know who you are) and I'm not they type to just dive in and take classes willy nilly (and yes, I still regret not taking tractor driving) I had to develop a systematic way of making this monumental decision(sarcasm implied). I looked through the entire college catalog and made a list of anything that sounded remotely interesting and still in the realm of possibility given my academic abilities (anything involving math? I think not.) Then I noted all the prerequisites my choices had in common and started in on those classes first. That way I could still change my mind before any major commitment had been made.

But I digress...now that I have a college edumacation (and even a masters) all of my knowledge and my finely honed decision making skills can be put to the test and I can make all kinds of important decisions...like what kind of diapers to use for little jellybean (who will be making her debut shortly.) Sarcasm about becoming a stay at home mom aside, choosing what kind of diapers to use is actually an important decision, both for economic reasons and environmental ones. Hubby and I knew we wanted to cloth diaper but I knew nothing about this mystical world when I started my research. Weeks of diligent research later I came across several websites that organized all of the information out there. Like this one, and groups like this one. Did you know there was several different cloth diapering systems? I didn't when I started.

A fabulous website that has helped me make sense of it all is Babyworks. They explain the plethora of choices as two basic systems- diapers that are used inside of a cover and diapers with a waterproof layer built in.

These can be subdivided further. There are three kinds of diapers that are used inside of a cover- prefold, fitted, and contour. These types of diapers are all different types of an absorbent layer that is then used inside of a waterproof cover. There are also different options for what to use as the waterproof cover. These vary by what kind of material the cover is made out of (synthetic, wool, etc) and how the cover is closed- velcro, snaps, or pull on.

Then there are two kinds of diapers with a waterproof layer built in- a pocket diaper and an "all in one." Pocket diapers are two piece units- with a waterproof outer layer that has a pocket in which the absorbent inner layer insert is placed. Finally, "all in ones" are diapers in which the absorbent inner layer and the waterproof outer layer are attached, so when you change the diaper you change the whole thing, just like a disposable!

Okay now how do you choose from all of these options? Some are more expensive than others, some are more labor intensive, some offer "cuter" design choices (like we care at 3am) and so on. This is what I am going to do. I am fortunate enough to have received a sample pack from a friend (that ultimately chose to go the disposable route, score for me) so now I have a sample of each type of diaper- prefold, fitted, contour, pocket, and all in one so I can play a little and see which baby likes best. And even though I just mocked the whole concept of design when it comes to diapers, I admit I'm a little bummed that this sample pack is all boyish colors. Please feel free to call me a hypocrite and throw things.

But in the meantime I still need a system (because the system of diapers then dictates the pail you get and the laundering system you use, no seriously there's so many choices!) and I am going to choose....prefolds (these kinds) with covers (this kind.)

Think that's all there is to it? Then you haven't been paying attention. I still need to figure out how I'm going to store all of the dirty diapers, how I'm going to keep these puppies so fresh and so clean clean, and whether I am going to use disposable wipes or cloth ones. There are even choices within choices- make your own wipe solution? Use a wipe warmer? Use natural detergent for laundering? Dry them on a clothes line? The list goes on and on.

As I embark on this adventure I plan to share my trials and tribulations with you readers (aka mom) and hopefully help to simplify the process for someone out there considering cloth diapering.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

So something I've never been very good at is pancakes...maybe because pancakes didn't exist when I was growing up in the Ukraine. There were crepes and then there were pancake like things called "oladie" that are a whole lot like a pancake but smaller and less doughy. So now this recipe, while a traditional pancake recipe is made like a cross between "oladie" and pancakes...

Recipe

(adapted from Joy of Cooking, All About Breakfast & Brunch)

preheat oven to 200-250 degrees (to warm completed cakes) and preheat your griddle

whisk together in a large bowl:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground... now here is where I deviate, last time I made these, the cornmeal left little lumpy bits in the batter...yucky, so this time I just used 1 1/2 cups of flour and had to adjust the buttermilk accordingly, but we'll get to that

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

whisk together in another bowl:

1 1/4 cups buttermilk...okay so probably due to the extra flour my recipe needed more buttermilk, I guesstimated but I would say probably about 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups alltogether

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest...and again

I deviate, I was saving my lemon zest for the Cranberry Scones (coming soon) so I instead used orange zest and probably a bit more than the recipe called for

pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk together gently, mixing until just combined

whisk in yet another bowl

2 large egg whites, beat until peaks are stiff but not dry...this is crucial to the fluffiness of the pancakes, whip it, whip it good! and then gently fold into the batter

last but not least fold in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

spoon 1/3 cup batter (again I like to use less, like maybe a 1/4 cup) onto a griddle or a good ole fashioned pan, cook until top of each pancake has some popping bubbles, then flip and cook until underside is lightly browned

keep warm in a 200/250 degree oven while you finish whipping up the rest

ENJOY!

baby bump week by week

Leftover Pumpkin

And if you've made some black bean pumpkin soup you might be wondering what to do with your leftover pumpkin...so back to Smitten Kitchen you will go to find another pumpkin recipe!

Here is my revision of this recipe:

Recipe

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon-

1 teaspoon ground ginger- I'm pretty sure I doubled this by accident, and it was still tasty!

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves- I had to omit this because I don't care for the taste of cloves

4 large eggs seperated

2 cups shaken buttermilk- well sadly I only had blackberry kefir at home (purple kefir + orange pumpkin= slightly greenish tint waffles, but still tasty!)

1 cup canned solid packed pumpkin- I used my leftover fresh puree

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 (to warm the ready waffles while you wait) and turn on waffle iron.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate large(r) bowl whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, pumpkin and butter until it ain't lumpy no more, then whisk in dry ingredients until just combined.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together egg whites until they hold soft peaks. If you are truly crazy you can do this by hand, I have learned my lesson and will use a mixer next time.

Fold these in gently into the batter.

Pour batter onto your waffle iron, I find that the amount you use really depends on your personal waffle iron. Cook and then transfer ready waffle to the oven to keep toasty!

Make more oe save the rest of the batter for the next morning or lunch that day.

Topping- blackberry sauce I whipped up (blackberries, sugar and water melted together)

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

My new favorite food blog is Smitten Kitchen...these days I just go there, drool, fantasize about making the dishes and sometimes actually make them! This is her black bean pumpkin soup, which I didn't alter one little bit. Because it is yummy just the way it is! Try it, you'll like it.

Southern Cornbread

I found the recipe for this delicious dish on AllRecipes.com. While there are several cornbread recipes to choose from I wanted to try something that I could cook in my cast iron pan...

So here is the recipe for Real Southern Cornbread...

My only change is (you guessed it) adding corn! You can't make cornbread without it... well you could but what would be the point?

A word of warning, do not wait too long to put it in the oven or you will burn it! When the recipe says to "cook on high heat until bubbles start to form in the center" interpret that to mean a bubble or two. I like to eat this with honey butter, for which I melt butter and add honey until you reach the right blend of sweetness, for me that's mostly honey with a dash of butter.

I served this with butternut squash soup, for which sadly I have lost the recipe! But don't be alarmed a quick search on all recipes reveals many many options!

Deconstructed California Roll

I found this recipe in Woman's Day magazine, which keeps arriving in my mailbox despite the fact that I never subscribed to it...

They call this the deconstructed California roll, I call it what to do if you have an hour or more to spend!

Check out the recipe from Woman's Day, I strayed pretty far from their suggestions...

I used the following ingredients assembled atop an endive leaf: rice, crab (as you know California rolls use imitation crab, I used real so it was a completely different taste), shredded carrot, avocado, soy sauce, wasabi, and toasted sesame seeds.

Several of us assembled a whole lot of these...don't know if I will do this again, a lot of work for such a small dish!

Other people's property (well photos in this case)

Check out these photos taken by Dimple Arts of my humble creations!

Mmm...Mushroom Risotto

Recipe (8 servings)

• 2 shallots
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb mushrooms, chopped
• oil (you will need at least 1/4 cup)
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup (or more!) Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup (or less!) butter

Directions & Revisions

• warm the broth on low heat
• heat 2 tblsp. olive oil and add in mushrooms, cook for about 3 minutes, remove from heat and set it aside
• in a seperate pan, heat 1 tblsp of oil, add shallots and cook for 2 minutes
• add rice and cook about 2 minutes
• pour in the wine and absorb
• add 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly
• continue until all of the broth has been added and rice is cooked (about 15-20)
• stir the mushrooms (and whatever else you want, for this risotto I added spinach, peas and prosciutto)
• add butter and Parmesan

Review

Hubby and I give two thumbs up...my friend N. had two servings, the best compliment a "chef" could hope for.

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