(BOOM. I know. It's huge. Even my doctor said so after she pulled out a measuring tape and got to measuring my belly with what seemed like unabashed relish. The baby, however, is totally normal-sized, average, even, and yes, there is only one in there, but don't think I haven't been asked about a hundred times if I'm sure I'm not having twins. Yes. Sure. STOPITNOW.)

Hello, friends! I haven't done a linky post in a while and I've found a few things I think you should know about (if you don't already), plus I am feeling kind of skittish, or strange, or something, I don't really know, and so I thought I'd busy myself here instead of sitting in my office and staring blankly at my lap, wondering about what comes next and feeling sort of weirdly empty. Because, you see, about six hours ago, I sent the copy-edited manuscript back to my publisher for it to be transmitted to the design department and what this means is that I've finished testing every single last recipe, I've written my acknowledgments (which made me weep!), and I am now perilously, treacherously close to having the book out of my control entirely, when it's time for it to go to the printer. Which, honestly, is a bloody relief.

So, without further ado, let's get started:

You can now pre-order My Berlin Kitchen on amazon.com! (Pam, a reader, alerted me to this fact on Sunday and to say that you could have knocked me over with a feather after reading her email would be the understatement of the century.)

Testing recipes for the book while living alone during the week has meant a lot of strange meals for me lately (carrot sticks and yeasted plum cake, anyone?). So I'm craving lots of well-balanced, healthy meals now. These tips for making perfect quinoa come just at the right time.

This post about a father's food memories surrounding the birth of his first child killed me in the best way. Though I'm happy that our little guy still has three months to go before he gets here (my urge to nest just appeared the other day and hoo boy, do we have a lot ahead of us), reading Andy's post has me even more excited (also, craving chicken salad sandwiches).

Speaking of cooking and newborns, while I have the privilege of living in a country in which pre- and postnatal care, in all senses of the word, is amazing, what I do not have is a large freezer. In fact, I don't think more than two pairs of my ballet flats would fit into it. So much for cooking ahead for the time to come. Instead, this video is serving as inspiration for how to prepare staple foods on one day for the rest of the week. If it doesn't get your cooking juices flowing, I don't know what will.

And while I'm singing Tamar Adler's praises, since I think broccoli stems are the most delicious part of a broccolo, this piece on cabbage cores warms my cruciferous-vegetable-loving heart.

I've found "my" sushi joint, a favorite Korean spot, and even a Chinese restaurant that will feed my craving for gai lan and roast pork. But really good banh mi are still hard to find in Berlin. So these hoisin-glazed meatloaf sandwiches made my eyes grow wide when Jenny mentioned them the other day.

One of my favorite ways to dress pasta was featured on Joanna Goddard's brilliant blog, Cup of Jo, the other day - and it really is so easy. All you need is good canned tomatoes, a bit of basil, and some fresh ricotta... (Victoria, this one's for you!)

Next week, big belly and all, I fly to New York for a week to see my friends and meet with my publicist (!). Truth be told, I've been a little nervous about leaving my little nest here where I can collapse for a rest on the couch whenever I need to and where my hospital is just ten minutes away (you never know, just in case, etc, and so forth). But then I think about seeing my girls and the beautiful city and that crazy blue New York City sky and I get, as my girlfriend Betsy put it, total butterflies.

I'll be back with a recipe before I go.