Nicole Zimmerman is the TriangleMom2Mom mom of the week. She introduced herself to me this summer. She's got a very interesting story to share. And, like me, she's a native of Upstate New York.

Here's Nicole ...

Mom2Mom: Tell us about yourself

Nicole: I'm a 38-year-old mother of 2-year-old twins that were born at 25 weeks. A normal pregnancy should last 40 weeks. Ronan was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 160 days and Julia was in the NICU for 106 days. They were both very tiny and sick. It was a tough five months for my husband and I and even tougher after they came home from the hospital. We needed something to get us through the long, challenging days. Our hospital social worker suggested that we create a Carepage (www.carepages.com). A CarePages Web site is a customized, personal Web page designed to help provide communication between family and friends during a health event, including pregnancy and delivery, hospitalization or long-term care. The CarePages Web site is created and updated by the patient or loved one of the patient, and it is used to build a support community around the patient. We found writing on our carepage to be extremely therapeutic and the support we received back from family, friends, co-workers, and strangers was amazing. I've always enjoyed writing and during my maternity leave I was looking for something "adult" to do at night and I came up with the idea to write a book to try to help parents and loved ones with babies in similar situations. The book includes how to survive the NICU tips for NICU parents, families and friends of NICU parents, NICU staff and other medical professionals who deal with preemies or former preemies. It also includes our story, excerpts from our carepages, and carepage reader comments. Our book is called The NICU Rollercoaster: How To Set Up and Use an Online Blog to Help Survive the Ups, Downs, Agonies and Joys of Your Baby's Stay. Our Web site is www.nicurollercoaster.com.

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite family place in the Triangle?

Nicole: North Cary Park. The twins love to play in the playground.

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite place for yourself in the Triangle?

Nicole: I like to bike along Lake Crabtree and into Umstead Park.

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite ritual with your kids?

Nicole: I love to snuggle up with them while they drink their milk before bed.

Mom2Mom: What did you eat for dinner last night? Can you share the recipe?

Nicole: Indian Cauliflower and Potato Dish with Indian Rice

Cauliflower Potato Dish
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 clover garlic, minced
3/4 C diced tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. ground corriander
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1 head cauliflower, thinly sliced
1 potato, diced
1 T. olive oil

Spray pan with cooking spray and heat 1 T. olive oil. Cook onion until almost burned. Sprinkle with salt. Add garlic, cook a few minutes, add tomato and spices. Add potatoes and cauliflower and cook until vegetables are soft. Don't let mixture burn. Add water if necesary.

Indian Rice
1 medium onion, chopped finely
3-4 whole peppercorns
whole cumin
1 C. basmati brown rice
1 C. water
1 tsp. salt
cinammon stick
1 T. olive oil
optional ingredients: diced tomatoes, diced carrots, peas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large pot with cooking spray and heat oil. Cook onions until almost burned. Sprinkle salt on onions. Add water, rice, peppercorns, cinammon stick and any optional ingredients. Cook until rice has absorbed all water. Cover pot and put in oven for 10 minutes. After rice is done, sprinkle with whole cumin.

Mom2Mom: What's your guilty pleasure.

Nicole: I love European chocolate.

Mom2Mom features a local mom every Monday. If you know somebody we should feature, let me know.