Isabel had her 18 month appointment yesterday, and it went very well. She stayed at the 5th percentile for weight, and dropped to 30th for height. I guess they are both going to be short like me! The doctor wasn't concerned about the weight because it stayed at the same percentile as last time.

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I made this soup when trying to find a hearty potato soup that didn't have flour so it would be gluten and wheat free. It turned out to be delicious!

Ingredients:

1 TBSP butter
1/2 TBSP minced garlic
6 cups potatoes
6 cups chicken stock
1 pint sour cream
1 cup milk
2 cups cheese
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

In a large stockpot, melt butter. Add minced garlic and saute over medium heat until brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and potatoes and stir. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes until potatoes are tender. With a hand blender, puree the potatoes. When smooth, add sour cream, milk and cheese until well-blended. Add dill, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper and stir until combined. Return to boiling and cook for 5 minutes until thick. Makes about full servings. Serve hot with bread.

These are definitely my kids. I swam like a fish growing up, and in high school was captain of the swim team. I also competed in gymnastics for 12 years. Kate has started taking real swimming lessons, where they go beyond blowing bubbles and really teach them how to swim. Not only is she loving it, she had absolutely no anxiety and was extremely brave, going without a grownup at all. While other kids wailed on the side of the pool, Kate jumped in with gusto. Yep, that's my girl!

Isabel has decided she loves the balance beam. We joined the Y a couple of weeks ago, and they have an open gym session for toddlers three days a week. They have an ankle high balance beam, and Isabel took a liking to it. She walks on it over and over again, and does really well given that she has only been walking for two months. The last time we went she did the beam about 20 times and would hardly give other kids a chance. She also loves the balls, except she's not the best when they get away and the other older kids steal them away before she can get to them. Fortunately she has a big sister and she knows how to handle this kind of disappointment. She is going through a bit of an attachment phase, unable to cope when I leave the room. I wonder if she is getting sick again?

It was so cold here this weekend we mostly stayed indoors and played. We finally opened another Netflix account, and we're looking forward to the new on demand service.

Isabel has her allergy checkup in a couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to some good news, I hope. I want to hear that our efforts to keep her reactions at bay have been successful.

This recipe sticks to your bones, and probably your hips too. Delicious, though. Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe, but made a little more simple.

2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
3 cups (one pound) frozen corn kernels
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add coriander, cumin and cayenne. Raise heat to medium-high, and add wine. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add potatoes, stock, milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add corn and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a hand blender or blender, puree about 1/2 the soup mixture, until it reaches a texture you like. Stir, and season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and stir until melted. Can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to three days. Serve with cornbread or toasted garlic bread.

Yes, I know. Another cornbread recipe. This one is a bit more moist than the first one I posted. I adapted this from Alice Sherwood's Allergy Free Cookbook and made a couple of changes.

2/3 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup gluten free flour mix ( I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 TBSP potato flour or soy flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
3 TBSP water
3 TBSP canola oil
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 TBSP melted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease an 8x8 glass baking pan or line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with papers. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the water, oil, milk, and buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the butter to make a thick paste. Transfer to prepared pan or muffin tins. Bake 20 minutes for the pan and 10 minutes for the muffins. Serve hot.