Oh, to sleep, if only....

My youngest offspring, Number Five, heretofore referred to as Pudgicus Maximus, has been teething lately. What does that mean for Mommy? It means that last night, as well as the previous fourteen nights, I have "slept" in my bed, curled around a 31 pound chunk of 8 month old, while he chews on my nipple like a lost hiker with a piece of beef jerky. He claws my face and eyes with his fat little fingers while simultaneously pulling only the very finest hairs at the wee back of my neck, and making a very good attempt at disemboweling me with his pudgy little razor sharp toe nailed feet. All the while he moans, like a zombie from a bad horror flick.



I wear him all day, and this makes him very content and happy. Yet at night, my happy, content good sleeper has decided to morph into every Mommy's nightmare: The Child Who Attempts To Reenter the Womb to Sleep. I swear he is trying to claw his way back in at night. And now I know how torture victims feel right before they break.



Since the dark hours really suck, I deserve a pick me up in the morning. A night like that requires a hearty breakfast. I wish I could afford a chef to cook it for me so I could sleep in, but who am I kidding? Even if I could, I am too cheap. So instead, I will drag my tired self to the kitchen, stand bleary eyed under the fluorescent lights and do it myself, sigh.



Delicious, Scrumptious, Duck Fat Fries for Breakfast. Yes, Breakfast.




2 qts. duck fat, heated to 300 Degrees in heavy deep pot or deep fryer ( you can cheat and use canola oil, but it just is not the same fattening goodness)
Russet potatoes, cut into fries, or diced into home fries, whatever floats your boat
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper
Homemade Herbed Aioli (recipe to follow)



Dry fries well. Add to hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through. Remove from oil, drain, and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, increase the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees (and make the aioli). Add chilled fries and fry until edges are dark brown and the whole fry is golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.



Herbed Aioli



1 Tbls. chopped basil
1 Tbls. chopped chives
1 Tbls. chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 very fresh eggs or pasteurized eggs
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 Tbls. Dijon mustard



Separate the yolks from the eggs. Add the yolks and mustard to the blender jar. Blend until fluffy and emulsified looking. Add lemon juice in a drizzle while blending. Now, while blending, SLOWLY add the oil, in a very thin stream. Stir in the herbs and garlic. Serve with the hot fries.

A little guilty pleasure in the morning goes a long way. A quicky and a bloody mary go further, but I will take what I can get.