Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Dora'd OUT

We had an evil flu bug hit our house last week, it started on Grandma day (Naomi spends each Thursday with her grandma).   Half an hour into her nap she gets sick all over the pack and play so Grandma cleans her up and puts her back down.  An hour and a half later she hears Naomi crying, goes in and checks on her and she loses it again...this cycle repeats twice for the poor little peanut on Thursday evening and night...Friday I stayed home with her and we watched Dora, and we watched Dora, and we watched Dora, and we watched Dora. 

I am Dora'd out but Naomi could seriously watch Dora ALL day every day.  Yikes.  By Saturday she was feeling better so we went out and about to do our grocery shopping but we made one extra stop... 

Earlier in the week while I was walking down Mainstreet (which, if you haven't done so lately - I highly encourage it - there are a lot of little treasure stores on our Mainstreet that you miss out on during your normal weekly excursions) I saw a Dora house and figurines at a consignment shop so we stopped in and I asked about it.  Just our luck - it was still there and for sale! As soon as Naomi saw it she went bananas - she literally just stood by it and kept chanting Dora, Dora, Dora...

I tried to get her to come with me to look at something else for a few minutes but no way was she moving, she wanted to stay with that Dora house.  It was a great find and makes me itch for garage sale season!  Naomi spent a lot of time playing with her new Dora house and Daddy got in on the action and was a good sport and played the role of Swiper the Fox.
                                           



Saturday night was my new recipe of the week night.  I searched through 4 or 5 of my cooking magazines and couldn't find something that I wanted to make so I took inspiration from one magazine and put my own spin on it.  I am getting bored with having potatoes as a side dish so often so I thought I would try a bean recipe.

Naomi loves to help out in the kitchen, she likes to use the salad spinner and pulls her little chair right up next to me to work in the kitchen :)

                                                                

Cannellini and Basil


3 strips bacon, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T Evoo
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 tsp dried basil

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add bacon, onion and minced garlic.  Cook and occasionally stir until the onions are slightly browned.  Add cannellini beans, basil and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, continue to simmer over medium-high heat until the liquid is moderately absorbed.  Add remaining broth in 1/2 cup increments and simmer until absorbed.  In total the beans will be simmering for about a half hour.

We had our beans as a side dish with broiled lamb steak and mixed greens salad.

I think this recipe would pair well with chicken or pork as well.  It could really be changed up pending on what herb you put with it too.  I think some rosemary would have been a nice addition if you were making chicken too.