Bienvenidos Amigas!

That's "Welcome everyone" in Spanish. I like the sound of it, because it makes my readership sound very Dooce like in quanity, as opposed to the 10 of you loyal fans that comment. However, I just heard from two lovely gals who have been suckered into this vortex of motherhood insanity, so to you both, glad you're here. Pull up a chair and hang out a bit.

If any of you were wondering where I've been the past few days, need I remind you that I have taken on the role of chief cook and bottle washer this month? Yes, true to my word, I have stuck to my theme of the week. Let's review, shall we?

Meat Monday (Pork Chops and apples - see earlier post)
Taco Tuesday
Wacky Wednesday (Tamale Pie - see earlier post)
Tomato Thursday (Recipe to come later this week as I actually will cook the noodles. Aldente is one thing. "Dent your wall" is another.)
Frozen Friday (Fish sticks and peas)
Sandwich Saturday
Stew/Soup Sunday (Stella's lentil soup... recipe at the end of this entry.)

On random notes, we went hiking yesterday. While Stink insisted on climbing all the way to the waterfall (an additional .5 miles uphill from the .5 miles we already trudged) Pip was all too happy to have me flag down the park ranger's golf cart and eat peanuts on the grass while we waited for the troops. I was informed that she does not like the mountains. "I like the baby sidewalk." Fair enough.

Last week was a nesting one of organizing closets, putting away last minute ornaments, cleaning out kitchen cabinets, throwing a few shelves up around the house. It's been nice, because while I don't love the process of cooking, it has forced me to find clever and easy ways to get the tools I need. In the process of finding space for lids, I've found space in my brain for my personal needs (including a new bra from Nordstroms, and some new cosmetics, and some left over ebay items that paid for them!)

Ain't it funny that sometimes what starts out as a chore ends up being just what we need? Like I sing to my kids "You can't always get what you want... You can't always get what you want..." (You know the rest.)

Any of you have tedious situations in your life right now that you think you'll never get through? If so, feel free to post. I promise that you're not alone.

And now, I leave you with Stella's lentil soup - sure to warm your belly, keep you low cal, and keep the kitchen smelling like Italy. (When it's done, may I suggest ringing a tacky camp bell to tell the family that "dinner is served?" It's particularly helpful if the hubby is glued to the computer and the kids are knee deep in Dora. Since they can't concentrate on their activities with the clanging of the bell, they're forced to give up and eat. And the cooking, even if not their favorite, is always preferable to ding dong ding dong ding dooooooooooooooooooooong.)

Dong... makes me giggle. Because, once again, I'm that immature.

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Stella's Lentil Soup (works for pea soup also)

Ingredients

2 tbsps olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium carrots diced
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups canned Italian plum tomatoes with juice finely chopped
2 medium onions diced
15 ounces lentils
4 medium celery stalks diced
1/8 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large pot, heat olive oil then add onions and garlic. Let cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until golden. Add the lentils and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add the carrots and celery, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Stir in tomatoes and juice, the bay leaf, basil, salt and pepper. Add another 1 to 2 cups of water, a little at a time, as needed. Cover and simmer 30 minutes more, stirring often. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve hot.