I had a lovely time last Saturday experimenting in the kitchen. I had visited the farmer's market that morning, where I picked up several enticingly fresh items: local goat cheese (YUM!), spinach, beet (which I had never eaten before), zucchini (yellow and green varieties), and...wait for it...squash blossoms! I have been dying to use squash blossoms ever since I first saw them used on the Food Network [which Rob and I are addicted to] and I was finally able to find some! I didn't exactly know what I would do with them, but I could not pass them up.
That afternoon, I decided I had to invite over some friends who would appreciate my finds as much as I did, so two of my favorite ladies --Jessica and Melissa-- came over to cook and eat with me. The spinach, beet, and goat cheese, along with some sliced almonds and mushrooms, were combined into a delicious salad, which I topped with stuffed squash blossoms. The blossom filling contained a bit of the goat cheese, some honey, and some egg white to bind/thin it all. Then, I rolled the blossoms in an egg wash and then in bread crumbs, and I baked them in the oven. They turned out great!
The remainder of the blossoms were used in a squash blossom soup that the lovely Jessica did the work for. It was fantastic! I don't have the time to locate the link to the recipe right now, but I will certainly do that at some point. It was seriously one of my favorite home-made soups that I've ever had.
Looking forward to my next farmer's market adventure! I missed it this past weekend, but I'm hoping to make it there again soon. Happy eating!
Monday, May 23, 2011
New Design
Okay, this post really will only tell you about things that are already obvious to you, assuming you've visited my blog before. And it will be brief. I had to redesign the blog for two reasons: one, my anal nature was driven crazy by the fact that the old design had a picture that did not extend to the bottom of the blog but did scroll along with the text; and two, the image on the blog now seemed more appropriate to this phase of life that I'm in, although I do really love cooking and hope to have some experimental time in the summer.
The end.
The end.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
So Far, So Good
The cloth diapering is going well so far. We even used cloth last night, and we were pleased with the absorption. Because I'm a bit of a nerd, once a question has entered my mind, I have to research it until it is sufficiently answered, so you good people--the readers of this blog--will benefit from the fruits of my labor. If you are interested in possibly joining me in cloth diapering, keep reading. The rest of you can probably stop here.
When I decided to make cloth inserts for the gDiapers that I already had, I read a couple of tutorials online. They mentioned that you can adjust the design for whatever brand of diaper you have. I literally didn't know anything about any other brands, and I was curious. I read about "pocket diapers" and "all-in-one" diapers, and several of the popular brands. Here's the summary:
All-In-One Diapers: Basically, if you're going to make a big investment in cloth diapering, these seem like the way to go. (I looked at the BumGenius brand.) You put them on and take them off all in one piece, just as easy as disposable. They also have an opening where you can add a "doubler" pad for overnight, etc. If you buy the "one size" diapers, there are snaps that adjust the size from S, M, and L, so you don't have to replace your diapers when your baby grows. The down side: they cost $25 each, not including the doubler pad.
Pocket Diapers: (Also BumGenius brand) These are pretty much the same as the All-In-One diapers, except the absorbent pad is a separate part, instead of being built in. These are cheaper, at $18 each, but obviously you still have to buy the absorbent pads separately. And if I am understanding they way they work, it looks like you would still have to wash the pocket diaper each time you change the pad. (Not totally sure about that part.)
Hybrid Diapers: These are the ones I use... gDiapers. The difference between these and the pocket diapers is that it's basically a three-part system. (Don't worry, it's easy.) There is the outside cotton diaper called the gPant. There is a snap-in plastic liner that keeps the liquids in. Then there is the insert, either biodegradable or cloth. The thing I like about this three-part system is that you don't have to wash the outside layer if it hasn't gotten wet/dirty from a leak, which it usually doesn't. You can use that part several times before washing. Also, the plastic liner doesn't have to get washed until it is dirty, as well. In reality, after the "newborn poop" stage is over, both the liner and the gPant stay clean for quite a while. So the only part you need to change at each diaper change is the insert. Also, based on what I could find out about the All In One and Pocket diapers, the gDiapers seem like the easiest ones to load with the insert. You just pop it in... no pocket to shimmy it into, no snaps, just an elastic edge all the way around that holds on to the edges of the insert. (Note: gDiapers do come in three specific sizes, so you do have to keep this in mind. However, the Medium and the Large sizes use the same size inserts, so that's a plus.)
Why did I tell you all of this: If you have any interest in making the cloth inserts like I did, I really do think the gDiaper "gPants" are the way to go. Here's the breakdown of price, based on what I could find:
-gPants: $18-$20 each on diapers.com depending on the print of the fabric
-gPants: two-pack from target.com for $30 (target.com also sells singles, but the price was basically the same as diapers.com except you have to pay shipping on top of that)
-gPants: six-pack from diapers.com for $70 (works out to $11.67 each)
*All gPants come with the plastic snap-in liner already included. I know the two-pack comes with one extra liner... not sure about the singles or the six-pack.
-gCloth inserts (for comparison sake to home-made) 6 inserts for $30 (works out to $5 each, in case you're bad at math)
-my home-made cloth inserts (as described in previous post) 24 inserts for $46 (works out to $1.92 each)
It is a bit of an investment up front, any way you look at it, but compared to the high price of disposable diapers that you have to keep buying, it could definitely be worth it.
If you're still reading this, you're probably in one of two camps: you're really seriously considering cloth, or you think I'm a little nuts. Either way, you are now more informed than you were when you started reading. You're welcome :)
When I decided to make cloth inserts for the gDiapers that I already had, I read a couple of tutorials online. They mentioned that you can adjust the design for whatever brand of diaper you have. I literally didn't know anything about any other brands, and I was curious. I read about "pocket diapers" and "all-in-one" diapers, and several of the popular brands. Here's the summary:
All-In-One Diapers: Basically, if you're going to make a big investment in cloth diapering, these seem like the way to go. (I looked at the BumGenius brand.) You put them on and take them off all in one piece, just as easy as disposable. They also have an opening where you can add a "doubler" pad for overnight, etc. If you buy the "one size" diapers, there are snaps that adjust the size from S, M, and L, so you don't have to replace your diapers when your baby grows. The down side: they cost $25 each, not including the doubler pad.
Pocket Diapers: (Also BumGenius brand) These are pretty much the same as the All-In-One diapers, except the absorbent pad is a separate part, instead of being built in. These are cheaper, at $18 each, but obviously you still have to buy the absorbent pads separately. And if I am understanding they way they work, it looks like you would still have to wash the pocket diaper each time you change the pad. (Not totally sure about that part.)
Hybrid Diapers: These are the ones I use... gDiapers. The difference between these and the pocket diapers is that it's basically a three-part system. (Don't worry, it's easy.) There is the outside cotton diaper called the gPant. There is a snap-in plastic liner that keeps the liquids in. Then there is the insert, either biodegradable or cloth. The thing I like about this three-part system is that you don't have to wash the outside layer if it hasn't gotten wet/dirty from a leak, which it usually doesn't. You can use that part several times before washing. Also, the plastic liner doesn't have to get washed until it is dirty, as well. In reality, after the "newborn poop" stage is over, both the liner and the gPant stay clean for quite a while. So the only part you need to change at each diaper change is the insert. Also, based on what I could find out about the All In One and Pocket diapers, the gDiapers seem like the easiest ones to load with the insert. You just pop it in... no pocket to shimmy it into, no snaps, just an elastic edge all the way around that holds on to the edges of the insert. (Note: gDiapers do come in three specific sizes, so you do have to keep this in mind. However, the Medium and the Large sizes use the same size inserts, so that's a plus.)
Why did I tell you all of this: If you have any interest in making the cloth inserts like I did, I really do think the gDiaper "gPants" are the way to go. Here's the breakdown of price, based on what I could find:
-gPants: $18-$20 each on diapers.com depending on the print of the fabric
-gPants: two-pack from target.com for $30 (target.com also sells singles, but the price was basically the same as diapers.com except you have to pay shipping on top of that)
-gPants: six-pack from diapers.com for $70 (works out to $11.67 each)
*All gPants come with the plastic snap-in liner already included. I know the two-pack comes with one extra liner... not sure about the singles or the six-pack.
-gCloth inserts (for comparison sake to home-made) 6 inserts for $30 (works out to $5 each, in case you're bad at math)
-my home-made cloth inserts (as described in previous post) 24 inserts for $46 (works out to $1.92 each)
It is a bit of an investment up front, any way you look at it, but compared to the high price of disposable diapers that you have to keep buying, it could definitely be worth it.
If you're still reading this, you're probably in one of two camps: you're really seriously considering cloth, or you think I'm a little nuts. Either way, you are now more informed than you were when you started reading. You're welcome :)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Going Cloth
So, as mentioned in my last post, I am making the leap to cloth diapers. (No more newborn poop means this is as good a time as any.) Our wallets will be needing a break this summer, as my maternity leave has cost me my summer pay checks. Anyway, I have completed the sewing process for the cloth inserts for the gDiapers (well, half of them anyway... one dozen down, another dozen to go). Here's the process I went through, for those of you who may be interested.
Supplies I used:
-Gerber premium prefold 6-ply cloth diapers (this means they are the ones with the thick center section that has a layer of cotton batting)
-microfiber auto towels
*The microfiber towels happened to be on sale at Target, so I wound up paying about as much for supplies altogether as I would have paid for about two boxes of disposable diapers. Assuming all goes well, I think it's totally worth the price.
*Note to those who sew: the premium diapers, along with the added layer of microfiber, folded into thirds, is rather thick, but because it's all basically cotton and compresses easily, my inexpensive sewing machine did fine with the bulkiness. However, I do NOT think I could have added another layer of anything. Several designs I saw online added a layer of fleece on top to whisk moisture away from the skin (supposedly poop also does not stick to fleece very much), but these designs just used regular flannel rather than the premium diapers. I definitely could not have added the fleece. My machine would not have been able to handle the added bulk.
Supplies I used:
-Gerber premium prefold 6-ply cloth diapers (this means they are the ones with the thick center section that has a layer of cotton batting)
-microfiber auto towels
*The microfiber towels happened to be on sale at Target, so I wound up paying about as much for supplies altogether as I would have paid for about two boxes of disposable diapers. Assuming all goes well, I think it's totally worth the price.
*Note to those who sew: the premium diapers, along with the added layer of microfiber, folded into thirds, is rather thick, but because it's all basically cotton and compresses easily, my inexpensive sewing machine did fine with the bulkiness. However, I do NOT think I could have added another layer of anything. Several designs I saw online added a layer of fleece on top to whisk moisture away from the skin (supposedly poop also does not stick to fleece very much), but these designs just used regular flannel rather than the premium diapers. I definitely could not have added the fleece. My machine would not have been able to handle the added bulk.
 |
| This is how I lined up the cloth diaper and the micro-fiber towel. Luckily, the width was perfect. |
 |
| I pinned the two layers together just outside each side of the fold lines of the diaper and stitched along these lines. (I recommend using a small zig-zag stitch for all the stitching.) Then, I cut off the excess strip of diaper at the end. |
 |
| Then, I folded the microfiber part into thirds, like this. |
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| Next, I folded the diaper part over the microfiber. You could probably just fold both layers together, but I didn't want any microfiber hanging out because it's bad for baby's skin. |
 |
| This is a close-up of one end of the diaper that is now folded into thirds. I stitched across each end. It works best to do one line of stitching as close to the edge as possible, and then do another line of stitching about 3/8" further in. |
 |
| At first, I thought I would leave the flap open so if I decided to use a "soaker" insert for night use, I could slide it in here. (I'm new to the whole world of cloth, so I don't know much about this.) BUT after running the diapers through the washer, I realized this was a bad plan because they get all bunched up and turned inside-out in the wash. |
 |
| ...so I decided to run a line of stitching down the center, length-wise. This is the finished product. It's almost exactly the same dimensions as the gDiaper disposable inserts (the M/L size). |
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| Here's my first dozen diapers! I just finished them, so we haven't used them yet. I'll let you know how that part goes, as well. |
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Go Ahead, Call Me Crazy...
So I think it's partly the crafter in me, always looking for something I can do myself instead of buying it...and it's partly the economically-conservative side of me that hates to throw away anything that I don't have to throw away...but whatever the cause, here's the scoop: we're switching to cloth diapers soon. (Reference the post title, if you feel the need at this point.)
We started about eight months ago (when Aubrey outgrew the newborn size disposable diapers) to use gDiapers, which I love.
They are a "hybrid" diaper, meaning there is the diaper cover part (like most cloth diapers have), but you then can choose between a cloth insert or a disposable (flushable!) insert, which we went with.
I really felt a lot better about disposing of something that was completely biodegradable, rather than piles of regular disposable diapers. We used these exclusively for a while, but after I had been back at work for a bit, and we were starting to leave Aubrey with occasional baby sitters and church nursery workers who would have no clue how these weirdo, new-fangled diapers worked, we began to phase them out and switch back to disposable. (Also, Aubrey had outgrown the first size of the gDiapers by then, and there is some initial up-front cost to using them, so we never really got around to getting enough of the next size.) Additionally, while the flushable inserts are eco-friendly, they don't save you any money, as is usually the case with eco-friendly products.
So recently, the thought started to enter my mind that I could handle full-fledged cloth diapering. My husband would surely not be a fan, but I could handle it. And I will be home all summer anyway, so I considered the idea of switching to the cloth gDiaper inserts just for the summer. But again, the price issue... There's a pretty substantial up-front chunk of money that we would have to put out in order to make the switch, and it just wouldn't be cost-effective as a "seasonal" switch rather than a permanent one. So I dismissed the idea. for a while.
Enter: Meg's latest hair-brained (yet pretty logical) idea. Every time I am in the baby department at Target, I somehow find myself looking at the packages of cheap, old-school Gerber cloth diapers and noticing how affordable they are. No, I am not going to go with old-school cloth diapers. I haven't totally lost it. But my thinking was that if people have been using these bad boys for generations, and if they use a diaper cover anyway, why couldn't I just stuff the cloth diaper into the gDiaper cover? Logical. We have a few cloth diapers at our house that are used as burp cloths. I decided to experiment. I concluded that the straightforward "stuffing" method probably would not be the best plan because of the obvious bunching situation that would inevitably occur. However, with a few quick stitches and a little trimming, I could create my own cloth insert. I did a mock-up and it turned out great! (Self-congratulatory pat on the back... I must be the biggest genius ever!) "Wait a second," I thought to myself, "surely someone else has done this before." So rather than reinvent the wheel, I hopped on the trusty interweb and, using the life-saving powers of Google, was quickly able to piece together some more, quite useful knowledge about this process.
The pricy gDiaper cloth inserts are pricy for good reason: they are not just el cheapo cotton diapers trimmed to fit. They contain a wickedly absorbent core made of bamboo cloth, and they are covered with some kind of quick dry outer layer. Hmmm.... how to replicate this for cheap??? The solution actually is pretty simple. The plan (as it is currently laid out in my mind) is to take the same cheap cloth diapers that I already had in mind, but add to them a layer of microfiber that will serve as the absorbent core. This is a cheap option because you can get a big pack of microfiber towels in the auto department! This may wind up being all there is to my design. Or, the other possible addition is a layer (on the top only) of micro-fleece because of its ability to whisk moisture away from the skin. I know this all sounds like way too much work, but in reality, the design and process are all very simple. And, truth be told, I'm looking forward to having something to sew that doesn't require dragging out the big cutting board and dealing with brown-tissue-paper pattern pieces (worst part of sewing for me... those dang patterns... always tearing them).
So, as my first mother's day approaches, I prepare to step into my next adventure in motherhood. Wish me luck.
::As a side note, Rob is more on board with the idea of cloth, now that we are well past the newborn poop stage. I apologize to all of you who have had to hear us tell those delightful stories.::
We started about eight months ago (when Aubrey outgrew the newborn size disposable diapers) to use gDiapers, which I love.
They are a "hybrid" diaper, meaning there is the diaper cover part (like most cloth diapers have), but you then can choose between a cloth insert or a disposable (flushable!) insert, which we went with.
I really felt a lot better about disposing of something that was completely biodegradable, rather than piles of regular disposable diapers. We used these exclusively for a while, but after I had been back at work for a bit, and we were starting to leave Aubrey with occasional baby sitters and church nursery workers who would have no clue how these weirdo, new-fangled diapers worked, we began to phase them out and switch back to disposable. (Also, Aubrey had outgrown the first size of the gDiapers by then, and there is some initial up-front cost to using them, so we never really got around to getting enough of the next size.) Additionally, while the flushable inserts are eco-friendly, they don't save you any money, as is usually the case with eco-friendly products.
So recently, the thought started to enter my mind that I could handle full-fledged cloth diapering. My husband would surely not be a fan, but I could handle it. And I will be home all summer anyway, so I considered the idea of switching to the cloth gDiaper inserts just for the summer. But again, the price issue... There's a pretty substantial up-front chunk of money that we would have to put out in order to make the switch, and it just wouldn't be cost-effective as a "seasonal" switch rather than a permanent one. So I dismissed the idea. for a while.
Enter: Meg's latest hair-brained (yet pretty logical) idea. Every time I am in the baby department at Target, I somehow find myself looking at the packages of cheap, old-school Gerber cloth diapers and noticing how affordable they are. No, I am not going to go with old-school cloth diapers. I haven't totally lost it. But my thinking was that if people have been using these bad boys for generations, and if they use a diaper cover anyway, why couldn't I just stuff the cloth diaper into the gDiaper cover? Logical. We have a few cloth diapers at our house that are used as burp cloths. I decided to experiment. I concluded that the straightforward "stuffing" method probably would not be the best plan because of the obvious bunching situation that would inevitably occur. However, with a few quick stitches and a little trimming, I could create my own cloth insert. I did a mock-up and it turned out great! (Self-congratulatory pat on the back... I must be the biggest genius ever!) "Wait a second," I thought to myself, "surely someone else has done this before." So rather than reinvent the wheel, I hopped on the trusty interweb and, using the life-saving powers of Google, was quickly able to piece together some more, quite useful knowledge about this process.
The pricy gDiaper cloth inserts are pricy for good reason: they are not just el cheapo cotton diapers trimmed to fit. They contain a wickedly absorbent core made of bamboo cloth, and they are covered with some kind of quick dry outer layer. Hmmm.... how to replicate this for cheap??? The solution actually is pretty simple. The plan (as it is currently laid out in my mind) is to take the same cheap cloth diapers that I already had in mind, but add to them a layer of microfiber that will serve as the absorbent core. This is a cheap option because you can get a big pack of microfiber towels in the auto department! This may wind up being all there is to my design. Or, the other possible addition is a layer (on the top only) of micro-fleece because of its ability to whisk moisture away from the skin. I know this all sounds like way too much work, but in reality, the design and process are all very simple. And, truth be told, I'm looking forward to having something to sew that doesn't require dragging out the big cutting board and dealing with brown-tissue-paper pattern pieces (worst part of sewing for me... those dang patterns... always tearing them).
So, as my first mother's day approaches, I prepare to step into my next adventure in motherhood. Wish me luck.
::As a side note, Rob is more on board with the idea of cloth, now that we are well past the newborn poop stage. I apologize to all of you who have had to hear us tell those delightful stories.::
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