Peaches and Basil, O'my!

Look at this little treat! I'm blogging twice in one week! This is a big accomplishment for me. Pats on back for Autumn! It must be because dinner has been AMAZING lately. Tonight I made pork with peaches and basil. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhmygod! It might be my new favorite.

2 pounds of pork (I used pork butt. It was on sale)

3 peaches, cut into slices

1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

Salt, pepper & garlic powder

1 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Crushed red pepper, to taste (I used 2 tbs)

1 tbs lemon juice

Olive oil

1 cup of fresh spinach per serving

Season pork generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add to pan along with olive oil. Cook 4 minutes on each side. Move to plate and tent with foil.

Add peaches to the pan with pork drippings. Add sugar, salt and crushed red peppers. Cook peaches until tender, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, basil and meat juices from plate. Cook another 2 minutes.

Add spinach to plate. Top with pork, peaches and juice from pan. And dig in!

This meal took about 20 minutes. The pork was medium and perfectly tender. The peaches were sweet with a little kick. This may be my new favorite! Enjoy!

Also, I love when people tell me they love my blog. It always means the world to me. Keep reading and tell your friends!

The Best Potatoes of Your Life

This is a quick and AMAZING side I want to share with all of you. Not going to lie, I made this up when I was a tiny bit under the influence, but it turned out fantastic!

5 medium sized potatoes

Crushed red pepper

Onion powder

Seasoned salt

Pepper

Paprika 

Ground cayenne red pepper

Garlic powder

2 tbs olive oil

1 cup fresh spinach

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 strips of bacon

Dice up your bacon and pan fry on medium until crispy. Remove from oil and let drain. Save about 1/2 of the bacon grease in the pan for later.

Dice your potatoes and add to a pan of olive oil. Mix together spices and and sprinkle on top. Do not toss. Also, season to taste. I like my food butthole spicy so I went about 1 tbs on the cayenne and paprika and 1/2 tbs on everything else.

Flip occasionally adding more of the spice mixture as needed. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

When potatoes are almost finished, sauté spinach in remaining bacon grease. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes.

Fold spinach in with the potatoes, top with cheese and bacon and cover with heat off. Let cheese melt and BAM! Potato heaven! 

I served it with an spicy Italian sausage. I was thinking it would also be great for breakfast with egg whites and toast. Needless to say, this is a dish I'll be binge eating for sure.

The Do's and Don'ts of Dating

First and foremost, let me start this off with I'm stuck up when it comes to dating. Not as in, "I only go to 5 star restaurants", stuck up, but I'm a firm believer in not concidering everything a date. This also might be why I'm single, so please take this all with a grain of salt.

No, stopping at Bob Evans or Friday's on the way home from shopping is not a date. Sorry I'm not sorry. I've been so annoyed with my generation of men and the lack of knowledge when it comes to dating. Get your shit together before you miss out on amazing women, and end up with a basic ass bitch that would probably set it out for Chipotle. And ladies, we need to hold men to a higher standard. We are responsible for what we let them get away with.

What constitutes as a date?

When a man (or woman, I'm about equal rights) asks you out in advance. Not, "do you want to hang out?" But honestly asks you to go out with them. Hanging out isn't a date. I hang out with my friends, not dudes I'm interested in. Not saying we can't hang out, but don't think it's a date.

Not asking me what I want to do. NO! NO! If you ask me out, you're in charge of the plans. A date is putting thought and effort into something that the both of us would enjoy, so use your brain and think. It's not about money. Remember that. Yes, the romantic table at that restaurant that overlooks the lake does take a lot of thought. Especially because they have amazing seafood and I've been craving crab cakes all week, but packing up a picnic and going to go see a band at the park is just as much thought. Date within your budget.

I mentioned Bob Evans and Friday's are not dates. Any chain restaurant isn't considered a date. Didn't you see the Lego Movie? Going to Olive Garden is not a date. How much thought and effort does it take to go to a restaurant that's in every other suburb? Again, this isn't about money. Now, if you live in the city of Cleveland, shame on you for being a chain restaurant dater. Cleveland has one of the most booming restaurant industries in the country right now, and there is the internet where you can literally search restaurants by price. Pickle Bill's has a 2 for $40 that gives you an appetizer, bottle of wine and 2 AMAZING seafood entrees. If you go to Red Lobster, you're gonna spend just as much or more and it's not going to be as good. Do your research, ask friends. No excuses.

The person who asks pays. Period. Unless it was discussed when they first asked you out, don't touch your wallet. I'm fine with going dutch, but it's not a date. You didn't fully take me out. Going dutch should be grouped with "hanging out". Now ladies, this doesn't mean become some bougie princess. That means ask him out occasionally and pay. If he pays for dinner, pay for drinks after or ice cream or the redbox movie. And offer!!!! It shows him that you care enough to not want him to go broke. If he turns you down, that's fine, but you're obligated to throw the idea out there occasionally. Yes, obligated. If you want an equal partnership. Prove you're equal.

Try new things together. Being awkward and adventurous together is fun! Dinner and a movie can get a little boring sometimes. Go play paintball. Go paddleboarding. Go to a greenhouse and create her a bouquet of all the flowers that she says is pretty. Go to the farmers market and have a cook off. Your options are endless.

Now don't get stressed out at how much work all of this is (even though you should be working for the one you care about). Hanging out IS okay. There should be a fair ratio between dates and hangouts. To me, you should at least be going on a date for every 5 times you hangout, unless you're together all the time, that only ends up being once a month. And if a girl is dropping hints, that means it's time for you to ask her.

So what did we learn today? A date is putting thought and effort into creating an experience for the person you're trying to get your dick wet with (because that's always the end goal anyway, right?)

Neighbors Review (With Spoilers)

Happy belated Mother's Day to all my hot mama's out there. I bought a Sunday paper and the Mother's Day headline was a quote. "I don't care if you forget my birthday or if you don't get me anything for Christmas, just don't forget Mother's Day." How true is that? Well I spoiled myself on Saturday. Brunch, mani/pedi and went out dancing with the girls. Well needed. Sunday was when all the running around. Sweet Baby Zo Zo and I went to see my grandmother in the hospital (keep her in your prayers), then we ate lunch at my parent's church and then we went over JP's parents house and watch basketball. It was a pretty good day minus some personal stuff I'm going through, but we talk about the good things.

JP also took me to the movies to see Neighbors. Let me tell you how fantastically funny it was! I've actually been hearing a lot of people hate the movie, but it's number one after it's first weekend opening, which is a very difficult task for a rated R movie. We loved it though!

As a new parent, I found it very relatable. Having a baby and choosing to be a responsible parent, but that desire to go out, party, get fucked up until 4 am, that doesn't just "poof" and disappear. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne played their roles perfectly. Seth Rogen played his typical character, so if you're not always a fan of his, you won't be interested, but his chemistry with the super gorgeous Zac Effron was classic, slap happy comedy. Even Dave Franco (sexy pants) added to the comic flair.

Rose Byrne really stole the movie for me. If you're not familiar with her off the top of your head, she was the rich friend from Bridesmaids, Moira MacTaggert from X-Men: First Class and Jackie Q from Get Him To The Greek. Anyway, she's fantastically clever. She's the mastermind behind the relationship with the frat, offering them a joint at the beginning of the movie, and ending the fued and getting the frat kicked out of their house at the end. My favorite part is when Seth Rogen tells her she's going to cause their daughter's first word to be cunt. My fear was my daughter saying "my dick" to someone. A horrible phrase I use about a million times a day. Even the engorged breast scene. OMG! I was dying!!!! I'm looking forward to seeing Rose Byrne in a lot more films after Neighbors.

I recommend this movie if 1) you're a new parent that's not a tight butthole & 2) if you like Seth Rogen movies. This movie is full of the people he always works with. That whole inner circle. So you have a lot of people from Superbad, This is the End, the Legue, Eastbound and Down, ect. You even have the cast of Workaholics make a cameo. And Seth Rogen rocks Wolfgang tees and hats the whole time. Sweet.

For a Happy, Healthy Vagina

Helllllllllooooooooooo! My apologizes that it's been so long. I actually gave up social networking for Lent. It was kind of a last minute decision, but let me tell you how refreshing it was. No facebook, no twitter, no instagram. I still went on Pintrest, because, let's face it, how can you live without Pintrest? That sounds completely outrageous. But the whole experience taught me a valuable lesson. Don't overshare. Frankly, no one cares that I woke up at 6 am to workout, or that I've probably watched the Lorax about 300 times since I had Sweet Baby Zo Zo. So my presence on the interweb will probably decline. Don't worry though, I promise to share all the good stuff!

Speaking of overshares, I struggled with if I was going to write about this or not. It's very personal. I mean, it's about my vagina for christ sake, but I decided to anyhow. My reason? I know a lot of other twenty-something moms read this. I'm a firm believer of just because I'm a mom, doesn't mean I have to be boring. Obviously my energy level has decreased, and I'm forced to be a responsible adult (lame), but I'm still that 'mosh-pitting, drinking too much craft beer, dancing machine' girl I've always been. Just like once a month. Ha! We'll I'm rambling. And I have something all my fellow young mama's should try. Ben wa balls :)

If you've read 50 Shades (of don't give a fuck), you're probably familiar with them, but for those who aren't ben wa balls are vagina weights aka kegal balls. I've been extremely self conscious about my post baby body. That includes my britney (vagina). So I did what I always do, google. Read up on different types and made a trip to my local Ambiance and did a little shopping. There are two types: stainless steel and silicone. It's 100% personal preference. I decided to go with the silicone, because I wasn't too crazy about the idea of the balls being chilly and because I thought the silicone would be easier to grab out of there. There is also the option of ones with a string attached. It weirded me out because it reminded me of a tampon, plus I like a challenge. Other things to consider, be sure to make sure your balls are seamless to prevent possible scratches and infections. Also, the smaller the ball, the more of a workout.

I decided to go with the purple Maia silicone kegal balls. I was like a kid, running home to play with my new toy. I ripped off the packaging, opened it up and shoved it right on up there. So seriously. It made me feel fun and flirty and adventurous. A way I hadn't felt in a really long time.

You get your workout by actively working to keep the balls in your vagina. So the smaller ones are going to be more work. It's also gives you a quite enjoyable sensation while in. Ben wa balls aren't just all business though. They are for play too! Solo play or play with a friend. I wasn't too crazy about having them in while doing a little bit of self love. It didn't do anything special for the whole experience. Using them with a friend is simply fantastic. FANTASTIC! He wasn't aware of their presence in the bedroom, but I most certainly was! Next time I'll be sure to mention it. Just to see if there is any difference for him. Downside to using them during sex, you might have to wait a bit for them to find their way out. I would say that might be the only con the ben wa balls is occasionally they get out of reach. They always come out, don't worry.

An all around great purchase. I'm totally happy. My new, strengthened britney is a big hit. I love the discreteness too. I can use them while cleaning, at work, at the grocery store (lets hope they don't fall out. . . again). Next time you see me, I may even be using them. Who knows?

Words I Never Thoughts I Would Say

Happy New Years! I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday season, but now it's time to take 2014 and make it your bitch! I have plenty of resolutions, but it's not quite time to share them with the world yet. Just know, big things are in the work for Autumn this year.

For now, I want to discuss one of my favorite things in the world, CHRISTMAS ALE! I could talk about how amazing Christmas ale is, or how I want to bathe in it, but instead, I'm going to tell you how I'm over it! Right? How is that even possible? I'll tell you how. In the past, you were lucky to find a six pack of Christmas ale on Christmas. Now, it's mid January, and the sheves are still full. What makes Christmas ale so special is the exclusivity of it. You know it's for limited time. In January I want to go to the bar and be pleasently surprised that they still have it on tap. I really think Great Lakes Brewery is doing theirselves a disservice by having made so much. So let the record state, I'm finished with Christmas ale for the season. Now I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of Conway's Irish Ale!

Conway's Irish Ale is my 4th favorite beer (I'll post an updated list soon). It's an amazing red ale perfect for this lost time between New Years and summer. I've had plenty of great nights drunk off my ass on Conway's, including the night my daughter was concieved (time to get on birth control. I'm not joking). It's already on draft at the brewpub, but I've yet to see it in stores yet. I've got my eyes peeled, though. It's probably hiding behind all that goddamn Christmas ale left.

Milking It

Sweet Baby Zo Zo lurvvvvvvvvvvvvs food. She dances when she eats and loves everything. You can tell by how she's 11 months wearing a 2T. Yeah, she's a big mama. Not chubby, but she looks like she's a lot older than she actually is.

Because of my breastfeeding woes (my supply dropped because of work), I wanted her to take as much milk as possible. She didn't start baby food until she was 5 months and didn't stop breastfeeding until she was 7 months. Zo Zo started table food shortly after at 9 months. At 11 months, her father and I decided it was time to introduce whole milk.

Milk was something I was really torn about. I grew up on whole milk, papa grew up on whole milk. Our parents, sisters, niece and nephew all grew up on whole milk, but why? The FDA and pretty much everyone else on the earth says whole cows milk, but why? Have you ever thought about the fact that humans are the only species that drinks other animal's milk? When a fawn is finished nursing from its mother, it doesn't trot on over to Giant Eagle (or Giant Deer, lol. Not that funny) and pick up a gallon of cows milk. The now, adult deer, is just finished with milk. The nutrients that they once got from mama are made up with the increase consumption of food. My point? BABIES DON'T NEED COWS MILK. Cows milk is recommended because it's easily available to the masses. No other reason.

This got me thinking of other alternatives. The most likely, of course are soy and almond milk, but there is also goat and hemp milk. Goat's milk is most similar to human breast milk, and was my number one choice. It comes in a powder and liquid, but both are pretty pricey and can only be found at health food store. Then hemp milk. It's packed full of protien and is by far the most nutritious choice, but again, not readily available. I've only been able to find it online. After consideration of budget and access, we decided to go with a whole cow's and almond milk combo. Right? After all that I went with cow's milk anyhow, but the almond milk makes it more appetizing to Sweet Baby Zo Zo and keeps her full longer. If you have any other milk questions, check out this article from The Ecologist. It tells you even more milk alternatives. This is a great resource not only for baby, but for a health conscious adult also. http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/food_and_drink/847876/top_10alternatives_to_cows_milk.html

Like I said earlier, Sweet Baby Zo Zo loves food and I love making it for her. I've always made her own food. Besides the occasional Popeye's biscuit (I know, so bad, but who doesn't love Popeye's biscuits?) and anything her aunts and grandparents might have snuck and gave to her (We have a don't ask, don't tell policy), Zoe has only had homemade food. I got a great deal on a Baby Chef baby food maker from Buy Buy Baby. It's fantastic! It steams, purées and warms all in one. Here are a few food/spice combanations that are Sweet Baby Zo Zo approved:

Green beans/mint

Spinach/garlic

Acorn squash/sage

Sweet potatoes/nutmeg

Apples/cinnamon 

Brown rice/chicken broth

Carrots/thyme

White potato/chives/cheese

All of these can be made with water or milk (breast, formula or whatever kind you use). I would hold out on adding extra liquid to any of the green vegetables. They're full of so much natural water, once they're puréed they don't need it. Mama's baby food specialty and Sweet Baby Zo Zo's favorite, is a cheesy egg bake.

2 egg yolks

1/8 tsp of fresh, minced garlic

1/8 tsp of milk (your choice)

1/2 tsp chives

1/2 tbs sheredded cheddar

Coconut oil

Preheat oven to 375. Rub a oven safe ramekin with coconut oil to prevent sticking (I'm obsessed with coconut oil). Add the garlic to the bottom of the ramekin and evenly distribute. Add the egg yolks and top with chives and cheese. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 min. Voila! That's it. It's have your kid breaking out the high chair dance moves.

Fatten up those little nuggets and kiss those adorable chubby cheeks. Bon appetit, little babies!