Italian-ish

on June 23, 2012
in All Posts

Thanks for all your housebound activity suggestions.  Now we have a loooong list of activities to tackle.  We took a few of you up on your advice and tag-teamed errands:  the Husband ran into Target and I went into the grocery store while the other sat with Henry in the car.  A trip to the grocery store felt like a vacation! Hah.

 

Isn’t it fun to make dinner when you have a fridge full of groceries?

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An Italian-ish feast!

 

Brown rice pasta with red sauce

Stir-fried asparagus, onions, and mushrooms with cast iron tofu

Roasted eggplant slices

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Pasta is just one of those things that cannot be successfully turned gluten-free.  Meh.

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And an adult beverage – red apple cider.

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Our housebound activity of the night?  Mad Men.  After buying far too many $6 movies off cable, we decided to spring for a Roku player and a Netflix subscription.  Never seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I’ve heard good things.

{ 60 comments }

 

  • Lindsay June 23, 2012, 7:40 pm

    I have found that http://www.tinkyada.com/ makes a pretty good GF pasta and it holds up well. I used it to make a pasta salad a few weeks ago and it lasted us three days and was still just as good on the third day. I would recommend trying it!

  • Holly June 23, 2012, 7:43 pm

    We buy a corn pasta thats really good by Sam Mills. We have seen it at Kroger and Walmart. I’ll look for that apple cider, I miss beer sometimes:(

  • Neelie J. June 23, 2012, 7:46 pm

    Instead of GF pasta I just take a couple of scrubbed zuchinis and a vegetable peeler, and peel them into strips down to their seeds. Then saute in a pan with a tiny drop of olive oil and salt until the strips are a bit soft and the texture of al dente pasta. Serve with your favorite sauce. Really delish.

  • Jordan @ Bake Write Sleep June 23, 2012, 7:47 pm

    That looks GOOD. I lovelovelove eggplant. No one else I know seems to. Good to know I’m not the only one =P

  • Tammy Root June 23, 2012, 7:47 pm

    Your dinner looks so yummy! Here’s to a good night with getting some much needed sleep (for both of us). 🙂

  • Angela June 23, 2012, 7:54 pm

    I watched the first episode of Mad Men tonight. I kept missing it but they are showing it from the start again on UK TV. OK so far and that’s from someone who can give up on a show by the first ad break!

  • Dennis June 23, 2012, 7:57 pm

    Stop eating pasta then. Eat fresh zucchini and squash sauteed and topped with tomato sauce. 100x better than pasta and not a nutritional wasteland.

  • Brigid June 23, 2012, 8:00 pm

    How’s the cider? I almost picked some up at TJ’s last week. Have you tried quinoa pasta? It’s good, but you have to take it out of the water as soon as it’s done.

  • Sam June 23, 2012, 8:02 pm

    We made the roku switch a while back – frigging awesome! Literally only spend an average of $43 a month for TV+Internet! (u-verse $19.95/month + prime, hulu and netflix) We’ll never go back! Also, you will LOVE Mad Men. It’s amazing. Yummo dinner btw 🙂

    • Jennifer June 23, 2012, 8:10 pm

      Can you or Caitlin explain to me what Roku is?? I’m confused! Do you already have to have the subscriptions to play them on Roku?

      • Sam June 23, 2012, 8:16 pm

        http://www.roku.com

        Best invention ever!! 🙂

        We already had prime membership (for the shipping), and netflix – we added hulu afterwards.

  • KristinP June 23, 2012, 8:12 pm

    What kind of pasta are you using? I’m celiac and have had to run the gamut of non-wheat pastas. The best ones I’ve found are Tinkyada and Jovial – they are the only ones that I’ve found that will hold up in cold pasta salads. I have to be really careful about draining while still under-cooked. Brown rice pastas seem to cook more after draining than regular pasta does.

  • Tamicka June 23, 2012, 8:14 pm

    Personally I love my roku. The hubby and I night one, got rid of cable and have a Hulu and Netflix subscription. $16 a month for movies and shows. Not too bad if u ask me

  • Maureen June 23, 2012, 8:17 pm

    I’ve been eating gluten free pasta for years now and the best one I have found is the Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta. They make it in spaghetti, linguine, shells, and the spiral-y ones. you can even eat it cold. 🙂

    http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Harvest-Quinoa-Organic-8-Ounce/dp/B000LKTBDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340497035&sr=8-1&keywords=ancient+harvest+quinoa+pasta

    • Stacey June 23, 2012, 8:22 pm

      This is my favorite too. Even my husband loves it and he is not gluten free.

      • Kate S. June 24, 2012, 10:27 am

        I really like this one, too! Bionature is my very favorite, I think it tastes most like wheat pasta, but I usually buy the quinoa one because it has more fiber and is really good.

  • Kathy Q June 23, 2012, 8:39 pm

    Same here – we just got rid of cable in favor of roku and Netflix, and started mad men about a month ago – I would love for you to do a post once you’ve watched a bit, about the male/female dynamics depicted in the show. it’s fascinating/crazy/alarming/infuriating!

  • Tricia June 23, 2012, 8:39 pm

    Just tried the Jovial brand GF pasta tonight (found it at Whole Foods). So good!

  • Katie @ Peace Love and Oats June 23, 2012, 8:45 pm

    I had a quinoa pasta at an Italian restaurant that was delicious! Have you tried quinoa pasta? I agree on brown rice though… Not the same

    • Amber K June 24, 2012, 2:43 pm

      Exactly what I was going to suggest! Quinoa pasta is deeeelicious.

  • Christina June 23, 2012, 8:45 pm

    I just tried watching Mad Men on Netflix last month because so many of my friends love it – forced myself to finish season 1, but I found it so DEPRESSING! Not exactly what I’m looking for from my entertainment, so I gave it up and switched to Downton Abbey, which I L-O-V-E! We love our Roku box though, I think you’ll really like it!

  • Amanda June 23, 2012, 9:07 pm

    Mad men is a great show! Enjoy! 🙂

    • Jen June 23, 2012, 10:47 pm

      Try Schar brand GF pasta in the yellow box. Sold at Harris Teeter. It’s pretty good. We just finished Mad Men on Netflix and our lives were empty without it. Now we are hooked on Gossip Girl. Sad but true!

  • Hillary June 23, 2012, 9:08 pm

    Be prepared to spend several hours straight catching up on this show. It is absolutely incredible. Might I suggest The Wire when you finish Mad Men?

  • Elisabeth June 23, 2012, 9:10 pm

    Love Mad Men! I got all 4 of the seasons available on DVD for $10 each at Target 😀

  • Jen June 23, 2012, 9:28 pm

    I am sure you know this but ‘pump and dump’ your breast milk after having that adult bevvie! Don’t want baby getting that. You should enjoy it but baby shouldnt. You are doing great!

    • daphna June 24, 2012, 12:14 am

      Actually, no need to pump and dump after one drink: http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/alcohol. 🙂 If one is being really conservative just drink right after breastfeeding so by the time the baby is ready for the next feeding (2-4 hrs later) the milk will be alcohol free.

  • Alina June 23, 2012, 9:33 pm

    Four words- Netflix pays for itself!

  • Lea June 23, 2012, 9:36 pm

    My uncle bought us a Roku box for Christmas year and it’s great! He uses his so much he cancelled his cable subscription!

  • Matt June 23, 2012, 9:41 pm

    I actually thought of y’all today when I was at the farmer’s market because I saw some random person showing a friend this cool spiral slicer thing they own. They basically made “noodles” out of zucchini or practically any vegetable. A gluten free s’getti option? Check it out!

    http://www.world-cuisine.com/store/index.cfm/c482

  • Earthy Nicole June 23, 2012, 10:04 pm

    “A trip to the grocery store felt like a vacation!” <– Welcome to my life, lol.

    So, I've seen every SINGLE episode of Mad Men.. Huge, huge fan! 🙂 Just promise me you won't take parenting tips from Betty, mmk!? (I'm kidding but you'll see what I mean!) xx

  • Sana June 23, 2012, 10:09 pm

    You can also do fun projects with the baby at home, like make molds of his feet+hands? It could be a fun art project or take a stamp of them as well!

  • Mo June 23, 2012, 10:45 pm

    Love Mad Men and sometimes rematch old episodes over. I can’t wait to enjoy that exact same cider beer. I’m due in 1 1/2 weeks! 😉
    Have a great night.

  • Sara June 23, 2012, 10:47 pm

    I was about to recommend Ancient Harvest and saw someone else did. We tried EVERYthing when we went gf for our son. Ancient Harvest is the only one we liked. It’s actually so good, we eat it now just for fun even though we are no longer gf.

    Also, if you haven’t already, try Rao’s sauce – pricey for jarred sauce, but it tastes like a little old italian grandmother has been slaving away at the stove all day! (It’s gf too.)

  • Sara@RunningInPinkProject June 23, 2012, 11:24 pm

    How sad is it that the big thing Im taking from this post is “Mmmm I need to buy some hard cider” ? 😀

  • Lee June 23, 2012, 11:27 pm

    If you have Netflix and haven’t seen Six Feet Under, you need to watch it. It’s my favorite show of all time.

  • Leighann June 23, 2012, 11:55 pm

    Adding another vote to a comment above- Schar is definitely my favorite GF pasta I have found over the last 4 years. Such a better texture than brown rice pasta!

  • Natalie June 24, 2012, 12:41 am

    If you really want a mini escape from being in the house all day you need to start watching LOST on netflix. It’s the best show I’ve ever seen and you literally do get lost in it! 🙂

  • jessika June 24, 2012, 2:10 am

    MAD MEN!!!!! Towards the end of my pregnancy, I decided that mad men would be my “nursing show”(all the sitting…) but my husband, roommate and I watched all 4 seasons in alittle over a week. I’m currently jonesing for season 5.
    And the daily show and covert report became my nursing shows (thanks hulu).

  • Mel June 24, 2012, 3:40 am

    I hope you’re ready for an addiction! Seriously. Mad Men is now my favorite TV show, and I too started watching because I “heard good things.” It’s incredibly well written and acted out! The costumiing doesn’t suck either!

  • Maria June 24, 2012, 4:18 am

    You (and the Husband) are so lucky that you haven’t seen Mad Men yet, but like other posters have said, watch it, it’s incredibly addicting. Ration those episodes and enjoy. 🙂

  • Maria June 24, 2012, 4:19 am

    Sorry I meant “watch out”….

  • HTPDad June 24, 2012, 6:14 am

    Mad Men is my pet peeve – these are the people that supported Vietnam, misogyny and racism – but aren’t those cigarettes and girdles cool! These people destroyed America, not the left.

  • Dori June 24, 2012, 7:17 am

    What brand is the pasta? I don’t avoid gluten but I am in love with Lundberg brown rice pasta (I get it at Whole Foods). The texture and taste are so great, I really love it.

  • Kelly June 24, 2012, 8:55 am

    I agree about the pasta thing. Usually whenever we eat pasta we just go all out…gluten in all. We don’t eat it enough for it to matter so I figure since I don’t need to be gluten-free I just enjoy the heck out my gluten laden pasta!

  • Su June 24, 2012, 9:27 am

    You should include a picture of Henry in every post : )

    That dinner looks gooooddddd

  • Amanda June 24, 2012, 10:17 am

    Roku and Netflix are so worth the money! We are always discovering or rediscovering shows!

  • Cristina @ Girl Meets Pink June 24, 2012, 10:30 am

    I agree! Pasta isn’t the same when it’s gluten-free. I’ve tried a few brands so far, and my favorite is Jovial. It doesn’t have that strange taste when it’s reheated the next day. I’d try that!

    Whole Foods carries it and I think you can buy it online too.

  • Lauren @ LaDolcePita June 24, 2012, 11:09 am

    Ohhh enjoy! Mad Men is my most favorite show. And I love a good Italian meal any day of the week 🙂

  • Devonshire June 24, 2012, 12:37 pm

    Newton’s Folly? ppppsssshhh… Try Woodchuck if you want real cider! well i guess if they sell it where you live. Glad everyone is doing well!

  • Maribeth June 24, 2012, 6:37 pm

    you need to go with quinoa pasta! so much better than rice. i think it might be even better than the real stuff.

    http://www.quinoa.net/145/163.html

  • Hannah June 24, 2012, 8:23 pm

    Do you have a post where you discussed your reasoning for going GF? Or do you have celiac?

  • Lauren T June 25, 2012, 10:35 am

    I hope you like Mad Men! It is my favorite show! If you don’t start out liking it, give it a chance because it takes a little bit to get into it!
    Do you like your Roku player? I’m thinking about getting one since it’s so much less expensive than cable!

    • Caitlin June 25, 2012, 10:36 am

      I haven’t really figured it out yet – so far I’m kind of meh on it.

      • Lauren T June 26, 2012, 11:16 am

        Ahh thanks for the feedback. Hopefully you like it better eventually!

  • Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See June 25, 2012, 11:15 am

    I’ve never watched an episode of MadMen, but I love the clothing!

  • Cristina @ Tiny Perfect Bites June 25, 2012, 1:21 pm

    I was skeptical about Mad Men for years. We finally started watching the most recent season (5), and now that it’s over, we’re watching them on Netflix from the beginning. I love it, but I fully support not wasting your time if you aren’t enjoying a series (I gave up on The Wire. . .).

  • K @ Finding a skinnier me June 25, 2012, 3:26 pm

    Nothing beats streaming Netflix! I don’t have cable because I never have time for it but I do love streaming Netflix on the weekends to catch up on shows.

    Eggplant parmesan is my favorite way to eat eggplant, but your recipe looks awfully yummy too!!

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