yummy recipe: southwestern pork and sweet potatoes

thought i'd share this recipe, i have made it several times and it is always super delish.  i love to use my dutch oven pot, this recipe is perfect for it.  and i especially love recipes that require braising/simmering/cooking, i.e. not needing any attention, for several hours :-) i originally found the recipe in jan/feb 08 cooking light magazine (bonus! it's healthy too!). if you are hosting a dinner over the holidays this is perfect because it makes a lot. i think it's best with a side of jalapeno cornbread (add finely chopped fresh jalapeno to your regular cornbread batter before baking. even better: substitute equal parts coconut milk for the milk in the batter too, SO GOOD!)!! (hmmm.... if your guests or you don't enjoy spicy food, these recipes might not be for you!)

"sweet potatoes mitigate this braise's spicy heat, brought on by the combo of pickled jalapeno's sour spiciness and the more complex heat of ancho chile powder." 

2 T ancho chile powder
1 t salt
1 t ground cumin
2 garlic cloves
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 pickled jalepeno, stemmed (i typically put 2 in there)
cooking spray
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (boston butt), trimmed (i have used pork tenderloin too)
1 12-ounce dark beer (calls for dark mexican beer such as dos equis amber)...i use whatever dark beer we have
1 (4 inch) cinnamon stick
3 cups (1 inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 1 pound)
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

1--place first 6 ingredients in a food processor; process 1 minute or until a think paste forms. (note to self: baby does not enjoy sound made by food processor!)
2--heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.  coat pan with cooking spray.  add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides.  remove pork from pan.
3--add chile mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally.  stir in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  add pork and cinnamon stick; bring to a simmer.  cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until pork is tender.
4--remove pork from pan; shred into large pieces with 2 forks. (i usually just do this in the pan)  stir shredded pork and sweet potatoes into the pan; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  discard cinnamon stick. garnish with cilantro if desired (yum!). 

enjoy!!! let me know if you make it!

in the spirit

merry christmas from portland!

i will start by saying: i cannot even believe it is december 13! where did 2010 go? seriously, it has been a whirlwind... pretty much since june 6.  the last six months have been difficult, sad, and horrible, but also wonderfully filled with giggles and special moments with grayson (thank God for those moments, they have gotten me through some rough patches).

we got our tree about a week and a half ago... it is absolutely beautiful! the new house has a little bit higher ceilings than our last so we got taller tree this year. it looks great.  and the little dude loves to stare at the lights, it's so cute.  ever since we decorated it, i've been in the Christmas spirit.  grayson and i have been shopping a lot and i am almost done with all the gift-buying (and wrapping!!) that i need to do before christmas. we have been playing holiday music and a lot of times i grab grayson and dance with him while singing the songs... he thinks it is hilarious :) anyone that might walk by our front windows MIGHT think i'm a huge dork.  but i don't care, it makes me think of my mom, and G loves it! i've been itching to take him to macy's to get his picture on santa's lap... i secretly (ok not so secretly) want him to cry because i think those pictures are way cuter than the posed ones...  a screaming baby on a creepy old guy's lap with a slightly yellowish beard surrounded by a perfect backdrop? sounds amazing.

chad's family will all be in portland for christmas this year, and we are also carrying on the armington-"dokzales" Christmas tradition (where we spend the holiday with maya and JL)... it will be a great gathering between family and friends. i can't wait. next on my "spirited" list: baking Christmas cookies! happy holidays everyone!!

grayson, 5 months

i am thankful

organic free range turkey a la kath 2009

as thanksgiving quickly approaches, not only am i excited about the food (!) but also the holiday... it has been a favorite of mine for a long time.  the past few years we have been able to travel home to michigan and spend time with my family (and at least 1 dinner w/ friends). this year we have decided not to travel for the holidays. it is bittersweet; although i enjoy being a home-body and am excited to start new family traditions, i will miss so many things about home this year, most obviously, my mom.  she was the best cook, and spent so much time preparing a wonderful (not always completely traditional) menu. for days we'd hear about what part of the meal she was preparing, she always started (super) early. and she loved to do it. rarely did she ask for help! and i have to note: i always did the dishes after (oddly i will even miss that). we'd sit around, finally get around to dessert (or a hot turkey sandwich), play games, go on a walk, or watch seinfeld re-runs :) good quality family time. it will be a hard holiday season without her, and even harder not being close to my family for our first without mom.

BUT this is supposed to be what i am thankful for.  there are so many good things about my life, and i feel very lucky.  i am thankful for everyone in my life, whether you are a friend near or far away, a family member that we miss terribly, a co-worker that i absolutely love working with (all of them!), or one of the many, many people that support and love us (all of the above).  i am very, very thankful for our healthy, lovely grayson... everyday he never ceases to amaze me. learning a new thing, smiling a bigger smile, laughing out loud at something i do to make him giggle, the loudest screeching sound he makes when i walk in the room, his quiet admiration for daddy, sleeping an extra hour at naptime, or more recently at night!! grayson you are the best!  i am absolutely thankful for my husband... he makes me a better person in every way.  he is a wonderful father and cannot wait to get G on the mountain or on a bike... it is so cute to hear his plans for them. long story short, there are so many PEOPLE i am thankful for, every day!

ok, i am also thankful for THINGS... the little things in life that make it easier or more fun! facebook, skype, snapfish, and picasa. fantasy football and the Spartans. airplanes and cell phones.  good coffee and a good breakfast. an expensive bottle of pinot from our collection, or a good find on a $10 bottle of wine! the exersaucer! our weekly veggie and fruit box, thank you Organics to You! our camera and pictures.  my breastpump, oh what would i do without you!?! my hair dryer and variety of aveda products :) a good movie on a rainy portland day. sunbreaks on those rainy days! an interesting book and time to relax and read. sitting down at the end of a workday with chad and a couple beers, catching up on the day's events. a warm, cozy home... just to name a few.

as i said before, i feel very lucky to be livin' the good life.  it is so short and precious...  if you are reading this, i love you! we don't say it enough, but you are loved. thank you for being in my life. and oh, come visit us in portland!

happy thanksgiving to all! gobble gobble!

dear grayson...

there are so many things i want you to know about these precious moments we are experiencing in your life... i wish i could have the video camera running all the time. you are becoming such the little man, it is truly amazing to me.  your giggles and laughter make me so happy, no matter how exhausted i am!  you absolutely love to be bounced... in your bouncy seat or especially on our knees, it makes you crack up laughing and is so adorable.  you are definitely my son in that you get bored with one activity quite fast... always wanting to try something new. you love it when i lay you down on the floor on a blanket and let you kick, kick, kick! it makes you giggle, which of course makes me laugh.  you are about 3/4 of the way to rolling over from your back to belly... i bet within a week or two you'll get it!  you like to be on your tummy too, and you move your little arms and legs like you are going to swim away... it is so cute.  we just got you an exersaucer which you like to sit in and play with all the toys that are attached, you are so interested in figuring out how to get your chubby little hands up to that fish (the tallest one), it's amazing to watch. you have discovered your hands and fingers, and a lot of times you would much rather suck on those than a paci.  inside your little mouth two teeth are trying to push their way to the surface... they don't bother you just yet but i can feel them and i know what is to come very shortly.  you sleep pretty sporadically throughout the day... mama has a hard time getting you down for a nap (daddy is much better at it, with gramma's trick of the burp cloth over the eyes!), instead we just rock and relax in your room (sometime it's not that "relaxing" when you are so tired and crying!)... at night you sleep wonderfully, getting up a couple times to nurse but going right back down (that makes mama very happy)!  i love our days together, even if they are long and sometimes crabby...  i prefer them much more than the days that i work and you stay here with daddy.  all day that i'm gone, i wonder "what are they doing" and "how is he sleeping" and "am i missing something"?!?  when i get home from work it is the absolute best feeling as you look up at me and grin with the biggest smile... like you really did miss me! (sidenote: daddy usually keeps you in your jammies all day long because you are 'comfortable' and 'always ready for a nap' which you probably are, but i just have to laugh!)

you are 17 weeks, 1 day old today... i cannot believe how fast time has flown since july 4. it is november already and before we know it, christmas will be here!  how fun this year will be! i am so glad you are in my life, my little buddy. i love you!

grayson visits the midwest, twice.

after my dad and anne left portland, the past few weeks have been a whirlwind... now it's mid october and thankfully (sadly) we are home for good until our next travels (nothing planned, although a trip to mexico is in the works for alex and dayna's wedding next spring!)... it is so nice to know we're home now for awhile, but also sad in a way. we were lucky enough to spend lots of the past couple weeks with family, both mine and chad's, and it was fabulous.  definitely makes me want to live closer...

mid/late september grayson and i flew to michigan to stay with (aunt) kath for a week! it was a great trip mixed in with a bit of stress... had some loose ends to tie up for Mom, that was really hard, and we still need to order a headstone. alex is thinking about designing one, how cool.  we visited her grave and it was really difficult, having the babies there, oh how i miss my mom.  it is so weird and crappy and sad and frustrating still... wishing she could be here for all of the "stuff", well life i guess, that we're going through and experiencing.  big sad face. 

anyhoo, G did amazing on the flights but to be honest did not sleep great almost the entire trip...  makes for a tired mama who's in charge 24-7!  now i can appreciate those single moms and thank the lord i'm not one of them!  we got back home and had a fun, quick trip from gramma jo, she came into town for a whole 2 1/2 days! it was nice to have her here again (again....wishing she lived here!!!), and we got to see amanda & ben too, LOVE that they are now an hour and a half away.  now if we can just get the rest of the fam to move here... hmmm... does anyone sense a pattern?

our last trip took us through chicago and driving to iowa... it was fabulous!  grayson got to meet all of his living great grandparents, as well as some great aunts, uncles, and 2nd cousins. he attended his 2nd wedding since birth, man that kid is well traveled and so ahead of the game!! a fun armington family trip overall, and of course makes me look forward to the next, when they all get to come for christmas in portland. yay!

fall is here, and what a gorgeous time of year it has been here in portland. it is definitely my favorite season where ever i am... and in oregon it has been sunny and warm, with some chilly nights/mornings, perfect weather really.  why do i love fall? well, between football (go MSU! ranked #7 in the BCS as of yesterday!), fantasy football (SO fun!), pumpkins, sipping hot coffee on a chilly morning, making chili, baking, evening strolls wearing a sweatshirt, celebrating our anniversary (#4 this year!), eating the best fresh veggies and fruits, especially apples and pears, squash, and kale... gosh i could go on and on! but i'll stop because if you are reading this you are probably bored. :) and if you are reading, thanks :)

more pics for you to enjoy. someday i'll figure out how to link my picasa albums... but for now here's a few favorites from grayson's 3rd month!

cousins grayson & oliver!!!

4 generations

great grandpa eddie and great grandma dody

armington family photo

chad, grayson, and me

great grandma ('bisnonna') Santina

great uncle sal, bisnonna, oliver and gray

my last days of freedom...

grandpa clayton & grandma anne visit!

all summer i had been looking forward to my dad and anne's trip out here... but knew once it came and went it would almost be time to get back to work.  well they just left last night after a great week-long visit, and now i'm looking at my calendar wondering where september went? ahh!!! this week gray and i will fly to michigan (thanks gramma jo!) to spend time with my family... meeting cousins oliver and grady, along with many friends, celebrating anne's 60th, and toasting newly engaged alex and dayna! it will be a great trip... but the second we return reality sets in and i'm back to work for good! yikes! am i ready for this? things are starting to easier in our lives with an infant... easier and more fun! G is all smiles during the day and starting to sleep better at night.  but do i really want to add the stress of work into the mix? not to mention all the "firsts" i might miss? it's making me sad just to think about leaving him all day! i guess it's a good thing i like my job and that daddy chad will be his day care while i'm gone :-)  well... here's to another week and a half of (non-working) freedom! i am going to enjoy every second of it! G is growing by the minute and i'm trying to capture lots of it on film. here are a couple pics of him meeting more of his loving family!!!

aunt amanda moved to oregon!

grandpa with grayson

let the games begin!

Gray had his 2 month appointment yesterday, and I am proud to say that he weighs in at 11 pounds, 14.9 ounces which is the 83rd percentile for 2 month-ers.  Good job G and good job me! :-)  He is also 23.5 inches long which is the 94th percentile.  Our little meatball is growing!

Thanks for my cool football onesie Auntie Meg!

Today is one of my favorite days, the start of NFL football season! This year I am in 2 fantasy leagues which makes it so much more fun! Chad is doing his first year of fantasy as well (2 teams for him too!)... the little G man will be a football lover for sure! I'm excited for this year's college season as well, although I don't get to see many MSU games on TV (stupid west coast channels!).  We're hoping to visit Amanda & Ben down in Corvallis and go to at least one Oregon State football game.  Grayson is ready with his OSU onesie! I miss going to college games, I have so many fun memories of the years at State tailgating with friends and going to games.  Football season is the best (almost as good as college basketball!), it means fall is here, my favorite season. 

Today is also the 8 year anniversary of Chad & me... awwww.  I can't believe it's been 8 years! So much has happened since then :-) I can't wait for the many, many more to come.  I never could have imagined how amazing we would become as a couple.  Ok... I will stop the mushy stuff. Until next time!!!!

september? WHAT?!?!

september 4th

time has really flown... we are already into september and today is grayson's 2 month birthday! the past 3 months have been a blur. as i was getting ready to go on maternity leave, i was thinking how excited i was to have the summer off... but to be honest i have hardly enjoyed it like i normally would have! no camping, our first hike was about a week ago, no concerts, no pool sneak-ins :-), and barely any sun time which is always my favorite.  of course, obviously this is because we have our sweet little carrot (yep, his hair is definitely red!), but before having him i never thought about the hard part, just about all the fun things babies bring and about all the cute outfits :-) people say 'it gets better' and we are still waiting for the nights to get easier... but truthfully grayson is the best thing about summer 2010.

at 2 months old (9 weeks tomorrow!), grayson is smiling and staring at us all the time i think he really does love us! he is getting so big and we're anxious to find out just how long he is, as well as how much he weighs... we will find out on wednesday at his 2 month check up with the pediatrician.  we are still enjoying portland's nice weather... walking daily around the neighborhood and checking out some of the local parks.  last week the 3 of us walked along the downtown waterfront with gray in the baby bjorn, he fell asleep quickly against chad's chest and didn't seem to mind the warm sun (that's my boy!).  we are hanging low this labor day weekend, as next weekend is a big one for us... not only do grandpa clayton and grandma anne fly in (for a week stay!) but also aunt amanda and (soon to be uncle) ben arrive in oregon in their moving truck, headed down to corvallis! it will be a great weekend and we're so excited!

i love hanging out on dad's shoulder!

what's up?

auntie KT putting me to sleep

auntie ellen rocked me a lot

look how tall i am!

mommy, you make me laugh.

i am 2 months old today!!

monkey booty!

...yes she does!!!

my little traveler!

grayson and mom on the oregon coast (bandon, OR)

grayson is now 7 weeks old and since the last post he has been our little jet-setter! we had an awesome visit from gramma and grampa Armington, as well as aunt lindsey... gray loved being held all the time by everyone! at the end of their trip to portland they invited me and G to join them for their roadtrip down Hwy 101 along the oregon coast into california.  it was a great time! we had great weather for the most part and saw some beautiful parts of the country! grayson did awesome! he loved being in the car (slept mostly) and did fine sleeping in hotels! the best part was that he also slept our entire flight from san francisco to portland!!! made mommy very proud ... and happy i wasn't one of "those" people with a screaming baby on the plane! (at least this time) it was my practice round for the longer flights to michigan in september. our little traveler will have been to 5 states by the time he's about 3 months old with our upcoming trips to michigan, illinois, and iowa!!!

loves his mobiles

at 7 weeks, grayson is now so much more alert! he is looking at the world around him with such awe. he loves to stare up at the lights above. we love his hair, it's coming in much more now and is SO red!! he's now graduated into 0-3/3M tops, but still in newborn pants depending on the brand.  he is getting so long and big! when the armington's were here we took 'bets' on how much he'll weigh at his next appointment... we'll see!! also he is sleeping much better which helps me out a ton! he has discovered his rattle (thanks to gramma, he loves it!) and playmat (still figuring that one out), and still loves his mobiles.  chase (the cat) still doesn't want much to do with him, but at least they aren't not getting along :-)  we are excited for a visit from my friends ellen & katie this coming weekend, and next up is grandpa clayton & grandma anne in early september! (yikes... september... that means i have to go back to work soon. not really looking forward to that just yet!)

4 weeks!

1 month!

the little dude has made it through his first milestone of life...  grayson is a month old! i won't say it's been the easiest thing we've ever done... whoever says having kids is easy must have been sleep deprived. in fact a friend of mine told me day 1 of being a parent she was ready for #2. chad and i agree, she's crazy! so far i have to say it is an amazing, yet tiring ride.  but every time he looks up at me when he hears my voice... oh my! it makes all those sleepless hours well worth it.  grayson loves, loves to be held and snuggled.  he is definitely starting to "see" us! he nurses well (and often!), and on monday he weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds, 15 ounces... ok he's still a light weight! but we're glad he's growing :-)  we spend most of our days sleeping, eating, and diaper changing... but get out for a walk every day which both gray and mom love. in fact grayson likes to fall asleep by going on walks or car rides. it's been a savior a couple times for chad & me.  last weekend G went to his first wedding and did great! he was the life of the party! (actually he slept the whole time which was fine!)  here are a couple pictures from the past week or so...

sparty on!

my little Spartan!

out cold

chillin' with daddy-o

wide awake in my bouncy seat

love my mobile!

what?

so peaceful!

hello there!

'gray' is one month old!

little man update

hello there! grayson is now 2 weeks, 3 days old :-) and doing very well. his first couple pediatric appointments went great after he started gaining weight... he was just about back to his birth weight at our 2 week check up, and had grown another 1/4 inch.  he's still wearing newborn clothes (some preemie) and i wonder if he'll get to wear some of the cutest outfits we have waiting for him before it gets too cold!  the little guy is definitely more alert this week, his eyes are always wandering to new sounds and our voices. i swear, he can see me now! nights are long as he, like many babies i've heard, likes to be awake more than asleep. we are all trying to get used to our new schedule and of course some days are better than others.  grayson is finally learning to nurse and that has made mom & dad VERY proud! although now this means he likes to eat ALL the time! hello dairy queen (my new nickname)!!  we have had lots of visitors in the past week; gray loves being held by everyone! here are some pictures to enjoy!

after my first bath!

uncle nelson likes to "hog" holding me

 

my sad face is still super cute

 

hello! i'm wide awake
 

mom, your hands are huge!
 

me & my "brother" chase like to nap together
 

my future babysitter grace (age 7)
 

my dad's not the only one in the family w/ red hair!

me and my great uncle frank (my Nonna's brother)
 

my mama likes to put me in my swing, i like it too!

(it keeps me quiet for awhile) :-)
 

what can i say, i'm a ladies man!

me with jenny and jenna
 

hanging out with mom

 

what's up with this tummy time thing?