Why I Stay Home-8/27/09

There are days I go a little crazy being a stay-at-home mom. Some of the downsides are the isolation of spending most of the day without adult companionship, the unpredictability of a small child, and the constant sense that somehow things should be done... dishes, laundry, housecleaning, etc. But let me tell you, even on those rough days, I love being able to stay home with Eyrleigh. I get to see her every "new", her every new word, new action, new joy. Today was one of those days were we just enjoyed each other. We played with markers, Play-Doh, books, and toys. She even played happily with the spices and her toys in the kitchen while I made tonight's dinner.
Tonight I made a dinner salad, the Salmon Nicoise Salad with Black Olive Vinaigrette on page 54 in this month's Gourmet. With potatoes, eggs, and salmon, this was not a wussy salad. I've mentioned that Richard is getting ready for his triathlon a month from today so I want dinner to be filling. This was a filling salad and the components went together well. The dressing was pretty salty given the Kalamata olives and anchovies but it works well to stand out among the many flavors of this salad.
For dessert, I made the upside down baked Plum Kuchen on page 38. This dish is advertised as a coffeecake and it's not overwhelmingly sweet. My favorite part was the wonderfully gooey batter right underneath (or I suppose on top of) the plums. This dessert would work as a breakfast cake or tea cake just as well as at a dinner's conclusion.
Salmon Nicoise Salad with Black Olive Vinaigrette-B
Plum Kuchen-B+

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