She Knows What She Wants

As a professional Target shopper, I feel it is my duty to inform you that there is a correct way to navigate the store. You stop for a snack or drink at the front, wind your way to the back corner for the women's clearance clothing, and then work the rest of the perimeter of the store. Once that's done, you dodge and weave through the middle of the store, with a few breaks to run back to the grocery section because you forgot to get something while you were there.

Truly, it is the right way to Target.

Mila has ruined it.

Little Miss Always Running and Being a Nut has decided that we should absolutely stop for a bottle of juice in the cafe, but then we need to go to toys. There is a dinosaur that she insists she needs to carry the whole time we're shopping, but she doesn't want to own it. She always gives it back while we're looking at the toddler clothing racks.

It's weird.

She's weird.

She still doesn't ask me to buy stuff when we're shopping.

Candy, toys ... whatever. She will show an interest in things, but then she's done with them. It seriously has not yet dawned on the kid that she could throw herself to the ground and launch a Mila-sized tantrum demanding that I buy whatever. I'm not saying that the fit would work, because it wouldn't, but she hasn't even tried. Not even once. She consistently hands me back stuff before we get to the checkout.

There is exactly one exception to the rule.

This past weekend, I decided it was well past time for Mila to get a new pair of pajamas. She's decided that footie pajamas are the only ones worth owning, but all of hers are long past too small. Instead of trying to shrink her, I figured I'd let her try to have an opinion about a new pair.

For the record, I assumed she wouldn't have an opinion. While she is highly opinionated about many things, clothes aren't really on that list. She'll say "no" to a shirt once in a while, but it's rare. This is in contrast to Alexis, who by the time she was 2, absolutely refused to wear anything that wasn't a twirly, sparkly, or bouncy dress. There was a huge gap in her willingness to wear pants, and Mila is firmly within the age range when it happened.

It's kind of delightful having a kid who goes all honey badger about clothing.

ANYWAY ... as we walked through the toddler clothing, I asked Mila if she wanted a new pair of pajamas. She who loves pajamas was all aboard that train. With a whole lot of glee, she focused on me and my line of questions.

But then she stopped paying attention.

"Those pajamas," she said.

And with that, she grabbed the Wonder Woman pajamas that have a cape and threw them into the cart. She then carefully escorted them to the cash register where she boldly informed every human in ear shot that they were her pajamas.

It's been a serious challenge prying them off of her since that day.

#MorningThings

A photo posted by Burgh Baby (@burghbaby) on Oct 9, 2016 at 8:00am PDT

General Tso's Tofu

My kids are tofu freaks. Both of them. If I so much as *think* the word tofu, they both magically show up in the kitchen with their hands out, begging to be fed.

It's weird.

But, you know what? When tofu is made well, it really is pretty fantastic. Like WOAH.

General Tso's Chicken is great and all, but knocking the chicken to the curb and inviting tofu to the table is a solid way to win over my girls.

General Tso's Tofu
2 packages extra firm tofu
Vegetable oil
2 cloves minced garlic
Red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
Sesame seeds
3 cups white rice, cooked

1. Let's fry some tofu, shall we? Press it then slice it into strips, making sure you dab off as much of the water as you can. Pour about 1/4" of vegetable oil into a skillet, heat it with high heat, and toss that tofu in there. Turn it over every few minutes and cook it until it is lightly browned on all sides. Once it's done, place the tofu on some paper towels to drain the excess oil.

2. In another large skillet, let's make some sauce. Place a tablespoon of vegetable oil in the pan along with the garlic and some red pepper flakes. The more red pepper flakes you use, the hotter your dinner is going to be. I use about a teaspoon of them and end up with what I would call a "3" on the hot scale.

3. Saute the garlic and pepper flakes for about two minutes then pour that broth in there. Stir, stir, and stir. Then throw in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, and lime juice. Stir! Toss in the cornstarch and stir some more. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken.

4. Add in the broccoli and carrots. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until the carrots are as soft as you like them.

5. Throw the tofu in the sauce and stir to coat it well.

6. Serve over white rice and top with sesame seeds.

7. Can I have the first 20 or so years of my life back? I didn't spend nearly enough of my time eating tofu back then.

Hi.