Chicken Souvlaki Success

Andrew asked for chicken souvlaki, so I gave it a go today. He scored it 9 out of 10! Whoohoo!!

I served the chicken and tzatziki sauce with non-pocket pitas, shredded romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red onion and green pepper.

Souvlaki (I doubled this recipe)

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx two lemons)
3 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

The recipe said to marinate for 30 minutes, but I saw other recipes that said to marinate for 24 hours, so I prepared it in the mid-morning to eat at the end of the day.

Thread chicken onto skewers and grill or broil until chicken is cooked through (~7-10 mins). We would have BBQ'd but we were out of propane so we used the Foreman Grill.

Tzatziki Sauce (from this web site)

3 cups Greek Yogurt (or regular plain yogurt, strained as described below)
juice of one lemon (about 3 T)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
about 1 T kosher salt for salting cucumbers
1 T finely chopped fresh dill (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version) I had to use the little bit of mint I'm attempting to cultivate that hasn't gotten fried by the sun in our back yard. Dill is not a common herb here in Mexico!
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

If you don't have Greek yogurt, strain plain yogurt as described below. Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.) Dice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

In food processor with steel blade, add cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until well blended, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.)

This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

If you can't find Greek yogurt, you can make something similar by straining regular plain yogurt for several hours to remove the liquid and thicken the yogurt. Georgette recommends using two coffee filters inside a colander, which is placed inside a bowl to catch the liquid, or there are inexpensive mesh yogurt strainers you can buy. Let the yogurt drain on the counter for 2 hours, or until it reaches the thickness you want.

The Cluuuuub.

I (Andrew) haven't posted here for a while so I thought I'd add a post. We spent the weekend hanging out at the cluuub. In Spanish the "u" is long therefore, it is called the cluub. Anyway, we were hanging out at the cluub this weekend and really enjoying it. It's like going on a mini vacation. During the week Eva and Micah have been taking tennis and art classes. I hope to make it out this Friday to their 'tennis' class. I'm quoting "tennis" because it's more like hitting the ball against a wall etc. At the end of the day it's awesome for their hand eye coordination.
This weekend the kids spent a lot of time in the pool. Eva has advanced like crazy in the pool. She's got her pink pool noodle and that is giving her the confidence to jump off the diving board into very deep water (unassisted), slide down the super fast tube slide and swim all over the place. In fact, Eva can now go down the slide, crash into the water, then get her head above water and swim back to the edge....WITHOUT HELP. No pool noodle and no Mom or Dad. She is really growing up fast.
Here are a couple of snaps from Saturday and Sunday.

A little diving board action....


Sliding with the pink noodle...




Big impact but she manages to hang on....


That was too easy...Now she wants the noodle to float in the water as she comes down the slide.



She came shooting out a little hot and lost control...Please be advised she stuck the landing unassisted.


Finally, we had to throw in a belly photo. So awesome.

Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

Another blogger I follow posted this link. She uses this site, Environmental Working Review's Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database to check out her cosmetic products (including sunscreen). Somewhat disturbing and eye opening, depending on the products you use regularly.

A Few Recent Pics

Eva after her latest haircut.

Mr. I-Don't-Need-A-Nap-Anymore

Playing computers at the kitchen table

Micah indulging in some sort of weird imaginative play. What he was trying to portray by putting the baby in the Foreman grill and then applying the mixer to its legs.... well, I have no idea.

Diaper Mania!

With the exception of lanolizing my wool covers and giving a quick wash to my used diapers, I'm pretty much ready to go in the diaper department! Here is a sample of my stash:

Now for the details:

The two main types of diapers I will be using. Both must have covers over them. The one on the top is called a Fitted diaper. This type has elastic around the legs and either snaps or velcro to secure it at the waist. This particular brand is Kissaluvs. They come in all sorts of pretty colours too but I went with the unbleached variety. I got 5 cotton and one hemp, so I could see what the difference is. Apparently these are quite a good fit on newborns and do a good job of containing runny newborn poop. They are also relatively expensive; that's why I only bought 6. A newborn baby will go through something like 12 diapers a day! The used diapers I have (thanks again Louise and Melissa!) are also the fitted variety.

The remainder of my diaper stash are Prefolds. Similar to what my Mom used on me- but different! These ones have a number of layers in the middle, and are made of a somewhat more absorbent cotton, from what I understand. They can be folded and laid into a cover, which holds it in place. Or they can first be secured with a Snappi (see below), then covered. When I got them they were kind of smooth and they were bigger. Now that they've been prewashed they have shrunk to newborn size and are nice and quilty.


I got a variety of cover types so I could see what I like. I will need to buy the next size of covers when baby is about 4 months old. Clockwise from bottom: Bummis Whisper Wrap. This is a super popular cover because it is relatively economical and works well. Micah had some Bummis training pants so I believe that they work great because those training pants were great. However I noticed that Micah got kind of sweaty under his training pants and there will still be two or three hot months after baby is born so I wanted to try some other alternatives. AMP Duo. This one is actually a pocket diaper (where you prestuff a pocket with an absorbent layer then use it much like a disposible- but without disposing of course) but can also be used as a diaper cover. It is also one-size and should fit from newborn through potty training. It got very good reviews online so I'm curious to see how I like it. It is a Winnipeg company so I was glad to support them as well. BerryPlush Cover. Isn't this the cutest thing? And the minky material is sooo soft. This can be used as a cover as well, or an absorbent liner can be snapped or laid inside. This cover was pure indulgence. Aristocrats Merino Wool Cover. Wool is supposed to be a great material diaper covers: breathable, antibacterial, and doesn't need to be washed often unless soiled. This is supposed to fit 7-20 lbs but it seems big for a newborn! The good news is it might even last us to potty training. Jamtots Sugarpeas Wool Flannel Cover. A different type of wool cover, to see what I like. I also picked up some wool and plan to crochet a merino wool diaper cover. You might remember my prototype.

Infant Potty Bowl: A good size and shape for holding between the knees while baby is eliminating. I hope to do a fair bit of EC. Click here to see my post on that topic. Snappis diaper fastener. Goodbye diaper pins! These stretchy wonders have little teeth that hold it, and the prefold diaper, in place. Wool changing pad. Again planning to take advantage of the wonders of wool, I plan to mostly use this under baby at nighttime. If there are any leaks, then I won't have to change my bed linens! And if it's just urine, I don't even have to wash the pad right away because the urine will just evaporate.

Snappis in action.

Clubbin' It

Wee Eva & Mom looking out on the golf course after brunch, Nov 2006

Oo, I feel so hoity toity and swanky panky- we're officially members of a golf and country club.

No, we haven't suddenly ascended the socioeconomic ranks. It's just that the golf & country clubs around here are hurting for members so much they are offering pretty smoking deals. Three years ago you had to pay a hefty application fee, plus monthly fees and sign up for at least a year. Today you can just walk in and pay month by month. And a month is all we intend to use and pay.

One thing I really really wanted to do this summer was get the kids and myself into a pool on a regular basis. Ideally with swimming lessons for the kids, who are so on the cusp of really actually swimming by themselves. I did some research and checked out a few options and this one seems like the best value. In addition to unlimited pool privileges, my mom can join us for free while she's here, and swim and tennis lessons, craft and jazz classes (among others) are all included and available for our little guys. So this week we went for it!

This morning we swam for an hour or so and I came home feeling fresh as a daisy! Impervious to my 29* kitchen as I prepared lunch. What a difference it made! And of course the kids had a wonderful time. In the afternoon they did the craft class and really enjoyed it. Looks like we'll start the swim lessons next week.

It will be a great way to keep cool and to have some structure this summer. I am grateful for the opportunity.

A New Winning Dish

Today I made Moroccan: Chicken and Carrot Tajine. I got the recipe from my Reader's Digest. Click here to see the original. I also included it below, with comments about changes I made out of necessity.

Bonnie [from Reader's Digest] says: A “tajine” refers to a Moroccan earthenware pot or to the stew that is cooked in it. In North America, tajine is usually cooked in a Dutch oven or casserole. Serve it with rice or couscous.

Ingredients

1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) each ground ginger, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper
6 large chicken thighs (or 12 small ones), bone in, skin off [I cut boneless skinless chicken breast into large chunks]
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil [I used olive oil]
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh gingerroot
1 cup (250 mL) water or chicken stock , if preferred
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper
½ cup (125 mL) dried apricots [No luck finding apricots here. I used raisins. They probably didn't add the same flavour apricots would have, but they worked]
2 lbs (1 kg) carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal (about 1/2-in./1-cm thick)
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro [these last two things REALLY added to the dish!]


1. Combine salt with ginger, cinnamon, cumin and pepper. Rub into chicken. [I doubled the spices to account for the extra surface area and rolled my chicken chunks in it before browning]. Heat oil in a large deep skillet. Brown chicken well. Remove chicken from pan and reserve.
2. Add onions, garlic and gingerroot to pan. Cook until browned—about 5 to 10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil, stirring up any solidified juices on the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid is reduced to around half. Add honey, salt, pepper, apricots and carrots. Bring to a boil. Place chicken on top in a single layer. Cover and cook in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. [It's too hot to have the oven going so I put them in the crock pot on high for about two hours instead]
3. Drizzle with lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. [Don't skip this step! Mmmm.]

Makes 6 servings.

I would probably use fewer carrots, and maybe add some peas next time.