Fools Rush In

Healthy Recipe 1: Green Smoothie

2012-01-27T21:18:00.000-08:00

Green Smoothie

1 handful of spinach

1 handful of Kale

1/2 of a frozen banana

Juice from 1 orange

1 handful of strawberries

Blend all of these ingredients in your blender and enjoy!

This is my own version of a couple of different recipes that I have tried. you cannot taste the spinach or Kale, although it does have the texture of really thinned out pesto. It is totally refreshing and I love knowing that I am getting some veggies into my diet.

The Wonder Years: Some of My Childhood Memories

2012-01-22T22:16:00.001-08:00

These are some of my favorite things from childhood. If these images don't put a smile on your face then you must not be a child of the 80's!

Come on, tell me this didn't just make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

What are some of your favorite childhood memories?

Time For Some Change

2012-01-19T18:12:00.000-08:00

I have always known that stress can have a huge effect on our bodies, and I know that it can do some crazy things to us, but it wasn't until about 18 months ago that I saw with my own eyes what stress can really do. Going through such turmoil while also being six weeks postpartum wreaked havoc on my poor body, and I am still recovering from it.

I have experienced everything from hair loss and brittle nails, to insomnia and exhaustion. My physical being is just not the same and I need to something about this.

For the first time I really feel the need to have balance and to take care of myself a little more.

And of course with the beginning of a new year, this is the perfect time to come up with some goals for myself.

Here are some changes that are coming:

Better sleep for 2012. I need to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier
Drink more water
Take my vitamins
exercise more regularly
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Stretch
Calming periods of meditation

I will keep you updated on my progress and let you know how these changes affect my body in a positive way.

Here is to better health in 2012!

Disneyland 2011

2012-01-18T13:44:00.001-08:00

Two of my favorite things in this world are Disneyland and Christmas, so you can only imagine how magical it is to have Christmas AT Disneyland! The crowds were a little more then we were used to, but the castle, the fireworks, and huge Christmas tree were worth seeing.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-08T20:35:00.001-08:00

This year we had a really great Christmas. It was a little different because we headed to southern California rather than sticking around, but it turned out to be such a great trip and we had a blast. We stayed at the hotel that Mike's mom manages and the kids loved it! It was such a relaxing fun two weeks, that it was really hard to come home.

Here are the highlights from our trip:

At Mike's house the fire trucks come around the neighborhood with Santa on the back. They all wave hello and pass out a bag of treats to the kids. It was really cute and of course the kids loved it!

The kids played Just Dance for about six hours a day. We hardly even saw Ella for about five days of our vacation. She had fun sleep overs with cousins and told me numerous times that Nini's house is the best because "you can do whatever you want". Now thats what I call a vacation.

On New Year's Eve we went to a pizza/arcade place. It was such a step up from Chuck E Cheese, that even the adults were having a good time!

Stay tuned for more pictures from our trip to Disneyland...

52 Recipes Completed

2012-01-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

I completed my goal of trying 52 new recipes in one year and I learned a few things in the process:

1. I like to bake more than I like to cook.

2. I like to try making new things when there is no stress or time crunch involved.

3. My kids are really picky eaters!!!

4. I don't include enough fruits and vegetables in our daily menu.

5. You can omit and replace a lot of spices and flavors with what you already have on hand to keep from spending a lot of extra money on things you may only use once (there were times I left out things like parsley or replaced garlic with garlic powder).

6. I really enjoy making things from scratch and that putting a little extra time and energy in to making something rather than buying it, because it usually ends up being a healthier version.

My goal for 2012 is to try 52 HEALTHY recipes in the year. The only requirement is that it has to include healthy ingredients like whole grains, fruit, or vegetables and it has to add nutrients to our daily diet. I really want to find recipes that force us to eat more fresh produce and are enjoyable.

Wish me luck!

Happy New Years: Welcome 2012

2012-01-01T13:12:00.001-08:00

Goodbye 2011, we had some good times and great memories! Here are my favorite highlights from this year:

A Tangled Birthday Party

Lily's Blessing

Ella Dances Like a Ladybug

A Preschool Graduation

A Trip to California and Disneyland

A 4th of July Extravaganza

A Trip To The Lake

First day of School

Lily Sits Up

A Baked Pie From Scratch

A Spooktacular Halloween

Christmas in California

Bring in the New Year!

Welcome 2012

Recipe 52: Hash Brown Casserole

2011-12-30T23:06:00.000-08:00

Hash Brown Casserole
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2008
Prep Time:
5 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
1 hr 10 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cups frozen shredded hash browns
1 pound bulk sausage, mild, hot or sage
2 1/4 cups whole milk
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 cups cubed French or Italian bread, crusts removed
2 cups (1/2 pound) grated Cheddar
2 cups (1/2 pound) freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a deep 13 by 9-inch casserole dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the hash browns and break apart. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
In a second frying pan, saute the sausage, breaking apart large clumps. When the sausage is cooked through, remove it from pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard, briskly to blend.
To assemble, spread the onions and hash browns evenly at the bottom of the greased dish. Place the bread cubes evenly on top of hash browns. With a slotted spoon distribute sausage as the third layer. Pour the milk and egg mixture over these layers. Add Parmesan as the next layer, while then adding the Cheddar.
*Cook's Note: Save a few tablespoons of Cheddar for the last 10 minutes of baking, where you can add a fresh topping of melted Cheddar.
Bake the casserole, uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

This recipe did not turn out the way I wanted it to. I thought it would be nice to have a warm, hearty, breakfast recipe on hand that you could make the night before, especially for those cold and busy mornings. But this was a little to rich and heavy to start your day with. It was really easy to make, but I thought it was a little more expensive than I would like because you needed some so many spices and extras. Also this meal is not at all healthy and I think I would need a nap after eating it.
********

Recipe 51: Chili Mac

2011-12-30T22:56:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 medium onions, cut into small dice (about 3 cups)

2 jalapeños, stemmed and minced (optional)

2 to 3 teaspoons salt, plus more for the pasta water

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef

5 tablespoons Mexican chili powder

1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

2 tablespoons minced garlic

One 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, broken with your hands, with juices

Two 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained

1/2 cup water

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 pound medium sharp cheddar cheese

Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Cooking Directions

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Inactive time: 5 minutes

Total: 55 minutes

1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeños (if desired), and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cook until the onions are soft, 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, chili powder, oregano, and garlic, and cook, breaking up any clumps of meat with a spoon, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, beans, and water. Stir, and bring the chili to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened to chili consistency, about 20 minutes. Taste, and add 1 more teaspoon salt if needed.

2. While the chili is simmering, preheat the oven to 400°F.

3. Place a 9 × 13½-inch or other 3-quart baking dish on a baking sheet. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni, and cook until just tender, 6 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cool running water, and set aside. Grate the cheddar cheese and set it aside.

4. Once the chili has finished cooking, fold in the cooked macaroni and one- third of the cheddar. Transfer the chili- mac mixture to the baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until the chili is heated through and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish each portion with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril 20-40-60" , HarperStudio Publishers, New York, 2009, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc

This recipe was really hearty and filling. I thought it was pretty healthy and really easy to make. It also was not very expensive to make and a great way to use up pantry items like noodles and canned tomatoes, I also left out some of the things I did not have on hand. Overall this was a good a recipe and a nice thing to have on a chilly winter's day.

****

Elf On A Shelf

2011-12-29T11:40:00.000-08:00

We have an elf on a shelf, but in the past my kids never really got into it. Now I realize I have been doing it all wrong! There are so many creative ideas out there and when I started looking, I couldn't believe how creative this little elf can get. Next year we will be a lot better about it, who knows, he may even actually get a name!

Here are some of my favorite pictures I found on Pinterest:

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T10:12:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Love,

The Ericksen Family

Recipe 50: Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

2011-12-20T20:45:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup corn kernels
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine grain salt (sticks better to the popcorn)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

Melt butter with the oil in a large pot or Whirley Pop. Add the sugar and cook it until just very lightly golden (this will give you a light caramel flavor.)
Stir in the corn kernels mix well.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low heat until kernels stop popping. Shake the pot often to make sure the kernels cook evenly and don't stick to the pan. If you are using a Wirley Popper turn handle to make sure the popcorn does not stick.
Remove from heat, pour into bowl and mix with salt and cinnamon while still steaming.
Start next batch because everyone will want more.

This popcorn was so yummy and my kids were in love with it. This recipe is not healthy at all, but it was pretty easy, although I burned the bottom and I will have to get better at cooking popcorn in a pot. It is also not very expensive to make if you already have popcorn kernels on hand. I will definitely make this popcorn again in the future.

****

Recipe 49: Pizza Waffles

2011-12-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1-3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped turkey pepperoni
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Heat a waffle iron to medium-high.
In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs until fluffy. Stir in the flour, milk, oil, sugar, baking powered and sea salt until smooth. Stir in the chopped pepperoni and shredded cheese.
Spray the waffle iron with non-stick spray. Pour about 1/2 cup of the batter onto the hot waffle iron. Close lid and bake for approximately 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
Repeat until all of the batter is used up. Spray the waffle iron with non-stick spray each time.
Serve with your favorite pizza sauce.

This recipe was easy to make, the kids liked it okay, and it was a cheap meal that I think was pretty healthy. Overall I think it made a good lunch or snack, when you want to use leftover cheese and pepperoni, but I wouldn't make it for dinner.

****

Recipe 48: One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

2011-12-19T19:55:00.001-08:00

One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

- Ripe Bananas, however many you have (I used two)

Peel the bananas. Cut into slices and place in a tupperware. Freeze for an hour or two or until completely frozen. Remove from freezer and place in food processor. Process until the consistency of ice cream, scraping down sides occasionally. Add any extra ingredients as desired and process until combined. Serve immediately or re-freeze until ready to enjoy!

This recipe was so amazing. I was skeptical that this would be like ice cream, but it really tasted like a soft serve ice cream. I want to try it again with different flavors and mix-ins. The kids liked it, it was so easy, very healthy, and way cheaper than regular ice cream. I don't think I will even eat regular ice cream anymore!

****

Recipe 47: Homemade Gingerbread

2011-12-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

This recipe was not as flavorful as I would have liked it to be, but it was moist and really easy to make. I think I will find another recipe to try out though, I think I could find one that I like more than this.

****

Recipe 46: Molasses Sugar Cookies

2011-12-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup BRER RABBIT Molasses, light or dark
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
granulated sugar, sprinkled on top
Directions
In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat together margarine and 1 cup sugar until creamy. Add molasses and egg, beating until well blended. In medium bowl, blend flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and ginger. Add to molasses mixture; mix well. Cover and chill.
Form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each in sugar; place on non-stick cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 1 minute. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool. Makes 5 dozen.

I have been looking for a recipe for a soft ginger cookie and I love this one. They were soft and mild flavored and super easy to make. They are not healthy, but they were not very expensive (especially if you have molasses on hand) and the kids loved helping roll them in sugar. I will definitely make these again!
****

Recipe 45: Turkey Stuffed Peppers

2011-12-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Olive oil spray
1/2 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1.25 pounds of extra-lean ground turkey
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup low-sodium tomato sauce
1 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
3 large sweet red bell peppers, washed
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to the pan. Sauté about 2 minutes, or until softened. Add extra-lean ground turkey to the pan. Season to taste with salt, then add garlic powder and ground cumin. Break meat apart and cook over medium heat for 14-16 minutes, until well done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup chicken broth to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add chopped fresh cilantro or parsley to the turkey mixture. There will be about 2 cups of turkey mixture.

Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stem. Put in baking dish and spoon about 1/3 cup of the turkey mixture into each pepper half. Place all stuffed peppers on a baking dish and pour the rest of the chicken broth in the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. When done, sprinkle with cheese before serving.

This recipe tasted really good, and was super healthy. It is a great weeknight dinner and I didn't feel heavy or stuffed after eating. I thought this recipe had a lot of ingredients which made it a little more expensive but I didn't mind because it was full of such healthy ingredients. This recipe was also pretty easy to make, but it did take some time. Overall this recipe is a keeper and I will add it to our rotation of meals.

****

Recipe 44: Cider Wassail

2011-12-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 quarts apple cider
1-1/2 cups orange juice
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)
Dash ground cinnamon
Dash ground cloves

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serve hot in mugs. Yield: 10-12 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. I have been trying to find a classic wassail recipe and this was perfect. It was easy to make, and I used regular apple juice so it was not very expensive. I don't know if you can count this as healthy, but it is mostly fruit juice and cinnamon. This recipe was a hit and I will use this as my stand by cider recipe.

****

Recipe 43: Caramel Corn

2011-12-18T21:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Over medium heat, combine first 4 ingredients and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Stir well. Pour over 8 quarts popped corn. Stir to coat well. Bake in large roaster or pan for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper to dry.

This recipe was very easy to make, not very expensive, not at all healthy, and tasted great. I made this to give as treats for Christmas time, so we will have to see how everyone actually likes it. This was a great recipe for large batch cooking and so easy!

****

May Your Days Be Merry and Bright...

2011-12-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

The Christmas music has been playing, the decorations are up, the presents are wrapped, and goodies have been baked. I love this time of year and I am trying to appreciate every day. Here are some pictures of what we have been up to and I know there are a lot of the same ones, but I just couldn't choose a favorite!

Recipe 42: Homemade Honey Butter

2011-12-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 pound homemade butter
1/4 cups honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Cut the butter into chunks using a dough scraper.
Place butter into a mixer's work bowl and beat at low speed, using the whisk attachment to loosen the butter. Increase the speed to medium and add the honey, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove butter from bowl and spoon onto parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log and refrigerate for 2 hours.

This recipe was a hit! I used my homemade butter recipe from recipe 25 and added these extra ingredients. I also made the whole wheat bread from recipe 38. It was so delicious and the whole family loved it. It is also pretty easy to make but you have to have some patience. We had a ton of heavy cream leftover from Thanksgiving and so it was a great way to use up ingredients that would otherwise go bad. I also think this counts as being healthy because butter is so much better for you than margarine.

****

Recipe 41: Cranberry Muffins

2011-12-11T19:43:00.000-08:00

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.
Add 1 1/2 cups of leftover cranberry relish
Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Add

For this recipe I used a homemade cranberry relish but you could use whatever you have leftover from the holidays. The cranberry relish I used was apparently too tart, because the muffins were a little too sour for my taste. Although they were very healthy because I used fresh squeezed orange juice and fresh cranberries in the mix. It was also inexpensive to make I used leftovers and it was pretty easy too. Next time I make these I want to add oatmeal and some other things to tame down the tartness, but I love having a recipe that uses up leftovers.

****

Recipe 40: Pizza Pie

2011-12-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. pizza dough
2 cups shredded italian cheese blend
1 cup vodka sauce
2 oz. pepperoni, sliced
1 egg, beaten
DIRECTIONS:

. Grease 10-inch pie plate. Line with half of dough. Add cheese, sauce and pepperoni. Top with remaining dough, folding edges under; brush top with egg and cut 3 slits. Bake at 400° until golden, 35 minutes.

This recipe was so easy to make (I used pre-made pizza dough), and the kids loved it. I think I used too much pizza dough and not enough filling, so I would like to try it again using a homemade pizza dough recipe and filling it with a lot more filling. I don't think this is all that healthy, but again, if I used my own recipe for pizza dough and used whole wheat, I think that would improve it. Also this recipe was very inexpensive to make and you can add whatever you have or omit what you don't have. This is a great weeknight meal.

****

Recipe 39: Chicken and Dumplings

2011-12-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Preparation1 (2 1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut up $
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided $
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided $
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning $
1/3 cup shortening
2 teaspoons bacon drippings $
1 cup milk $

Cover chicken with water, and bring to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and next 3 ingredients; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven; cool chicken. Skim fat from broth; bring to a simmer.
Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken. Add chicken, bouillon, and remaining salt and pepper to broth. Return to simmer.
Combine flour and poultry seasoning in a bowl. Cut in shortening and bacon drippings with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 1-inch pieces.
Bring broth mixture to a boil. Drop dumplings, a few at a time, into boiling broth, stirring gently. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring often, for 25 minutes.

I thought this recipe was pretty good, except that I think I made the dumplings too thick. Next time I will make them much smaller and thinner. The family liked the chicken, but they didn't love the dumplings either, again I can't tell if it was because they were too thick, or maybe just too rich. This recipe was also really easy to make, but time consuming, so I think its great for a special meal, but not an every night kind of meal. Also this recipe is not healthy at all. Its mostly chicken and flour. I think this is part of why it tasted so rich. Overall I think this recipe was actually a really good Chicken and Dumpling recipe, but I also realize that we are not a Chicken and Dumpling kind of family.

****

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving we all came together to enjoy a wonderful meal. We made some of our favorite traditions and a few new additions as well. The kids played, the girls cooked, and the guys watched football.

One of our favorite tradition is to see a movie, and of course we had to see Twilight! I love going to the movies on Thanksgiving night, even if the movie you are seeing is a little crazy!

We finished off our weekend with a friendly game of Laser Tag and had such a blast, plus I know I burned off some of those extra calories!

Love Actually Is All Around

2011-12-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

I love this scene from Love Actually. It warms my heart and there is such a great message to remember this time of year. Mike recently got home from basic training and Officer training, which means that he was gone for 4 long months. But when we went to meet him at the airport, this scene instantly popped into my mind and I realized that love actually Is all around!

Recipe 38: No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

2011-11-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the whole wheat flour, salt, and yeast until well incorporated.

Add the water and agave or maple syrup to the bowl containing the dry ingredients, and vigorously mix with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours. Alternatively, place this in the refrigerator for about 12 to 24 hours. Remember that we want our dough to double in size regardless of whether it spends a full 24 hours in the refrigerator or rises at room temperature. Feel free to let it rise in the refrigerator for some of the time and outside of the refrigerator the rest of the time.

Vigorously mix the dough again with the wooden spoon for 30 seconds, and allow it to rise once more, covered, at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Stir the dough one last time for 30 seconds to degas it. The dough can now be 'proofed' by gently forming it into a lightly oiled loaf pan and allowed to sit covered with a plastic bag until it reaches about 80% to 90% of it's intended size, which should be about 40 minutes. The proofing stage is where the dough takes most of it's shape. It's important to leave room under the plastic bag so the dough can rise sufficiently.

Remove the plastic bag so the dough can rest for about 10 minutes. Due to the high water content in the dough it may begin to spill over the sides of the loaf pan. In this case, take the edges of the dough and stretch it over the loaf to the other side, working your way around the perimeter of the loaf pan as you go. Stretching the dough over itself will also help keep the loaf in its proper shape as it bakes. Lightly dust the top of the loaf with wheat germ, wheat bran or oat bran.

During baking, the dough will rise another 10% to 20% of it's intended size in the process known as 'oven spring'. Bake until the internal temperature of the dough registers 180-190°F, which should be about 45 minutes. Rotate the loaf 180 degrees in the oven halfway through the baking duration for even baking.

Remove the bread from the loaf pan after about 30 minutes, and allow to cool on a wire rack until it's cooled to room temperature.

This bread is best stored covered in a cool dark place or pre-sliced and stored in a plastic freezer bag in the freezer.

I found this recipe on The Caffeinated Globe and I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. I was skeptical that this recipe would be fluffy and chewy, and still be healthy on top of everything. This recipe came through and it is a keeper. The kids loved it, and they didn't really seem to miss their regular sandwich bread. This recipe is also really easy to make, but it does take a long time to make. So if you are hoping to slice into some warm bread in a few hours, that won't happen, but I still think its worth it.

****

Recipe 37: Salsa Chicken

2011-11-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

3 -4 chicken breasts

1 (8 ounce) packet taco seasoning

2 cups salsa

Directions:

1
-Lightly spray the inside of the slow cooker with PAM.
2
-Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker
3
-Cover the chicken with the packet of taco seasoning.
4
-Pour the salsa on top, and smooth it out so it covers everything.
5
-Cover and cook 8 hours on low.
6
***Be sure not to remove the lid at anytime, as if you do you will need to add 30 mins to cooking time. (not worth it :) )***.
7
-When chicken is done, take 2 forks and shred the chicken and the salsa will absorb into it (also the salsa will not taste like salsa anymore, it reduces to more of a juicy sauce instead of chunky).
8
-Serve anyway you'd like :) with rice, with tortilla chips, in a torpedo roll, or any other way you can think of!.

This recipe was a real hit. It was so easy to make, and also inexpensive because it is so simple to make. The kids thought it was okay, but Mike and I loved it. I also thought it was pretty healthy and I love that you can customize it any way you want to.

****

Beware: The Sign-Up-Sheets

2011-11-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

I wish someone would have warned me of the dangers of sign-up-sheets, but since I had to find this out on my own, I figured I will share my story with others, so that they may be better informed before they sign their own lives away.

Here is my story:

It was a warm summer day, school was starting in just one short week, and it was time to take Ella in and register her for the new year. It all seemed harmless enough: fill out some paper work, show Ella her new class room, the standard back-to-school stuff. Then from the corner of my eye, I saw a table filled with clipboards and sign-up-sheets. I walked over, browsed the contents, and blithely scrawled my name on a few (okay maybe more than a few) different sign-ups that sounded interesting to me...

...I am now in charge of Box Tops for Ella's classroom, the room mom, and I volunteer in the class room every other week.

Oops! Apparently these sign-up-sheets are not asking you if you are interested, its more like they are asking you for a commitment.

Well I obviously got a few phone calls once the school year started, but my favorite came from Ella's teacher: Mrs. D left me a message asking me if I needed any help with the Halloween party that was coming up. I listened as she explained what was going to happen and what I needed to know. I was used to getting these phone calls by now and so I figured that I must have signed my name on the Halloween party sheet. No big deal, I like helping out and it would be fun to spend that time with Ella.

I started planning the party and called Mrs. D with a few questions, here is how our conversation went:

Mrs D: "Every school has their own culture, and so here it is a little different. Usually the room mom is assigned, but here they just have people sign up. So if you need any help with the future class parties just let me know".

Me: .......... (nervous laughter).......... "Um, wait........ what? Could you repeat that last part?" (more nervous laughter)

Mrs D: " Well you and one other mom signed up to be the room moms, and so you plan the parties."

Me: ........... (even more nervous laughter)........ " Oh, okay......um......... I did not know that is what I was signing up for, but, okay, I can make that work. Heeeeeheeeeheee".

Mrs. D was so very nice and empathetic. She told me that she did the same thing when her first started school and she also told me that we can get other moms to help out too. I was grateful for her kindness and understanding (have I mentioned what a great teacher I think she is?) and I knew that we really could make this work, but I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

The truth is, I want to be as involved as I can be in my kids classrooms. Ella loves when I am there, and I feel like I can be much more on top of things when I know the teachers, classmates, and general environment .

Plus I like planning parties and helping out where I can, so this really isn't a big deal, but next year I will be a little wiser when I come across that certain table with clipboards and sign-up-sheets!

Recipe 36: Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

2011-11-06T19:57:00.000-08:00

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup
4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 Tablespoons real butter
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (directions are below)
1- 1 1/2 Cups warm milk
1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stove top over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, Parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consistency.

Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork chops and soup gravy from crock pot. I put a little parsley on top to serve.

Roasted Garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bulb of garlic with skins on, wrap lightly in tin foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from foil and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove garlic from skins, place in a bowl and mash with a fork until completely mashed. Set aside. One garlic bulb will have around 12 cloves.

I found this recipe on Chef in Training. I really like this blog, she has so many great looking recipes and I want to try all of them (the picture is from there too). Anyway this recipe was really yummy and even the kids liked it (I told them it was chicken). It was so easy to make and I think it was pretty healthy, but I also didn't eat too many of the potatoes. Also I had all of the ingredients on hand except for the parmesan and garlic, plus I got a great deal on pork chops. Overall this is a great way to shake up your Sunday dinner and I would definitely make it again. I also want to to try this with chicken!

****

Can't Help Falling In Love

2011-11-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

I love this version of Can't Help Falling In Love. I am obsessed with it! Enjoy!

Recipe 35: Homemade Tortillas

2011-11-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
2-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Lard Or Vegetable Shortening
2 Tablespoons (additional) Lard Or Vegetable Shortening
1 cup Hot Water

Preparation Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large wooden bowl. Stir together.

Add spoonfuls of lard or shortening (use 1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons), then use a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients. Cut mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly pour in hot water, stirring to bring mixture together. Lightly knead dough 30 to 40 times, or until it becomes a cohesive ball of dough and is less sticky. Cover with a tea towel and allow dough to rest for at least an hour.

Roll into ping pong size balls, place on a tray, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.

When you're ready to make the tortillas, head a dark or cast iron griddle to medium/medium-high heat. One by one, roll out balls of dough until very, very thin. Throw tortillas (one by one) onto the griddle. Cook on each side for 20 to 30 seconds, removing while tortillas are still soft but slightly brown in spots. Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a container. To warm, nuke tortillas in the microwave, or wrap in foil and warm in the oven.

Helpful tips:

* Make sure the water you pour in is very warm.

* Allow the dough to rest, both after kneading and after forming into balls.

* Roll out very thin.

* Get the heat right on your stove: Too hot, and the tortilla will burn in spots. Not hot enough, and the tortilla will begin to crisp before you can get it to brown. I get my stove between medium and medium high heat; that seems to do the trick.

* Use a dark griddle or cast iron skillet to brown the tortillas.

* Cook just long enough to lightly brown the tortilla in spots; don't cook too long or tortillas will crisp. You want them to be soft and pliable when you serve them.

* Finally: Have fun! And enjoy them. They're absolutely scrumptious.

I found this recipe on Pioneer Woman. I would recommend heading over there to see all of her great pictures and tips. This recipe was pretty easy to make, although you do have to allow a couple of hours to make them, so this isn't something you can just throw together. I also thought that these tasted really yummy, much better than store bought ones. Although I have to admit I was really hoping for a Cafe Rio copy cat and this recipe is not it. These are not very expensive to make, and I did go out and buy lard just for the occasion. I think next time I will try these with crisco and see what flavor I like best. I don't know if these are any healthier than store bought kind, but I always like knowing what exactly is going into something and I know that there are not a bunch of preservatives or chemicals.

Bottom line:

I like making my own tortillas and they are much better than store bought kind, but I am still looking for the perfect recipe!

****

A Spooktacular Halloween

2011-11-01T23:05:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful, spooktacular Halloween. We made "Potato head" pumpkins and had our annual Halloween party. There was dancing, games, dinner, and spooky ghost stories.

On Halloween day I went to Ella's school and helped throw their halloween party. Ella loved that I was there (I already know that this won't last forever) and I loved getting to see her in her element.

Later that evening we went trick-or-treating with cousins and finished the night off with some yummy mexican food.

It was a great weekend, and although it was super busy, it was fun to watch Ella and Hunter enjoy all of the festivities!

One Year Ago: Leaving the Party Early

2011-10-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

One year ago, we were trying to celebrate a normal Halloween. Lily was almost four months and we were settling into our new reality. We tried to do all of our traditions and act as though nothing was different, but a lot was different, and it was hard not to feel it.

We went to a Halloween party and tried to have a good time. Hunter was running around screaming and having meltdowns. He could not calm down or play with the other kids and Lily was still so small it was like bringing a newborn out and about town.

We left that party early. We were exhausted from trying. From trying to have a good time, from trying to act normal. It was just exhausting.

I remember leaving the party thinking that we were the only family that couldn't go to a party and be like all of the other families there. We only had three kids with us, but it felt like we had six kids to manage. As we drove away, (we were the first ones to leave) I remember thinking that we would never be like the other "normal" families out there. This party was symbolic of all of my fears. This party was the proof to me that we would never be able to do the things that we want to do and we would always be that family leaving the party early.

This year was a totally different experience. We did all of our traditions and went to our parties and things felt normal, we all had fun, and this year we were not the first to leave!

Recipe 34: Yummy Mummy Pizza Faces

2011-10-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

English muffins
Pizza sauce
Black olives

Scallions
Red or green pepper
Cheese sticks or slices

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350º F. For each mummy, spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like).
Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils.
Lay strips of cheese (we used a pulled-apart cheese stick) across the muffin for the mummy?s wrappings.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty.

I found this recipe in the magazine "Family Fun". It looked so cute I had it to try it out for the kids. They loved it and loved that it looked like real mummy faces. This recipe is so easy and as far as pizza goes, I think it is pretty healthy too. I didn't have a lot of these ingredients so we used refrigerator biscuits and spaghetti sauce. Also I left out the peppers and onions. You can definitely substitute a lot of these ingredients for whatever you have around, which I think makes this recipe inexpensive as well.

****

Recipe 33: Open Faced Chicken Sandwiches

2011-10-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 loaf of french bread

Pesto

Cooked chicken breasts

Tomatoes

Mozzarella

Basil leaves cut into medium pieces

Directions:

Slice bread and spread pesto on each slice. Next, add slices of cooked chicken breast, slices of tomato, and basil in that order. Broil under high heat until cheese is melted and bread it completely toasted.

This recipe comes from my mom and so I had to write it from memory. But it is a very easy recipe and can be changed and tweaked to your preference. We have added avocado, bacon, different kinds of pesto and lots of other different ingredients. This open faced sandwich is delicious and always a crowd pleaser, plus it is healthy and fresh. Although I have eaten this sandwich many times, I have not actually attempted making it myself. So I decided to make it on my own and see how it would turn out. I love this recipe because it is pretty hard to mess up and you can add or omit whatever you please.

****

Weekend Getaway

2011-10-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we all decided to take a little road trip to visit some family and celebrate my nephew's first birthday. The kids loved playing with cousins, staying at a hotel, going to a corn maze, and dressing up for a halloween-birthday-extravaganza! It was a wonderful little getaway and I love whisking the kids off for a special weekend.

Redneck Shindig

2011-10-26T21:45:00.001-07:00

Our friends had a really fun redneck themed bash, so the kids and I dressed up (more like farmers and less like rednecks) and had ourselves a hoedown. There were tractor rides, log throwing games, chicken chasing, and lots more. It was a really fun night and its always fun to hang out with great friends.

Apple Picking

2011-10-25T22:02:00.001-07:00

We celebrated the wonderful fall season by going to the apple orchard. This apple orchard has over 150 different varieties to choose from, and the kids loved running from tree to tree seeing all of the different names and descriptions for each one.

After we picked and weighed our apples, we brought them home and made some very delicious treats.

Cupcake Party

2011-10-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

The kids have been earning cupcakes over the last few weeks for "sweet" behaviors. Whenever they did something that showed good manners, or kindness, they got to put a cupcake magnet on the cupcake stand. After they got all of the cupcakes on the cake stand we got to have an actual cupcake party. They were very excited that their hard work paid off and we had a wonderful afternoon of baking... and eating!

Our own "naked chef".

My cute little chefs!

Recipe 32: Caramel Apples

2011-10-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 Recipe for Caramel

Melted White Chocolate

Crushed Candy and Nuts

(Butterfinger, walnuts, M&M's)

Make the recipe for caramel below, heating it to a soft ball stage. Dip apples into caramel and let cool. Dip or drizzle apples into white chocolate and decorate with assorted candy and nuts.

This recipe tastes so much better with homemade carmel and I will never use store bought caramels again. This recipe is also easy to make and a kid pleaser! Unless you can count this as a fruit, the recipe is not all that healthy, but it is a great way to celebrate the season.

****

Recipe 31: Homemade Caramel

2011-10-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Caramels:

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream (has a 36-40% butterfat content)

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

1 cup (210 grams) packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons purevanillaextract

Caramels:Butter an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm)bakingpan.

In a heavy medium sized saucepan, stir together the cream, sugars, and salt. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the mixture boils, with a heatproof pastry brush that has been dipped in warm water, wash down the sides of the saucepan to remove any sugar crystals that may have formed. Clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Boil the mixture over medium high heat (do not stir) until the temperature reaches 245degreesF (118 degrees C). (If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, wash them down with a heatproof pastry brush that has been dipped in warm water.)

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the caramel into your prepared pan and let cool, undisturbed, for at least eight hours, or overnight.

With a sharp knife, (oiled with a tastelessvegetableoil, like safflower), and with a sawing motion, cut into squares or rectangles. These caramels can be stored at room temperature, between layers of wax paper, for several days. Caramels make a nice gift, especially when wrapped in wax paper or cellophane.

Makes about 48 pieces. Preparation time40 minutes.

This is a great caramel recipe and I used it to make a lot of other yummy recipes too (coming soon). It tastes so much better than store bought caramels and it makes any other recipes taste that much better too. It is not healthy but it is not too expensive and it really is easy to make.

****

Recipe 30: Pumpkin Soup

2011-10-15T20:58:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

SOUP
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
4 1/2 cups peeled, 1-in. chunks pumpkin or other orange-fleshed squash (from a 2 1/2-lb. squash)
4 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
PESTO
1 small garlic clove
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus slivered leaves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1. Make soup: Sauté onion and ginger in oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until golden, 5 minutes. Add garlic and coriander and cook until softened, 1 minute, then add pumpkin, broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, until pumpkin is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Purée in batches in a blender until very smooth.
2. Make pesto: Pound garlic, whole mint leaves, salt, and 1 tbsp. oil in a mortar into a coarse paste (or use a food processor). Add remaining oil and pumpkin seeds and pound until coarsely crushed.
3. Drop small spoonfuls of pesto over bowls of soup, garnish with slivered mint, and serve remaining pesto on the side.

This soup is very yummy and healthy, although it does taste like a "health food" so be warned now! I think it was also easy to make, but you do have to have fresh pumpkin on hand and you have to be willing to scrape out the pumpkin (I did this a couple of days before I made the soup). It also calls for ingredients that I don't keep on hand, so it was more expensive then other recipes that I am used to making.

****

Goodbye Tooth

2011-10-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

Ella is growing up. She lost her first tooth and she was ecstatic. Her two bottom teeth have been loose for a while, but then one morning as she was brushing her teeth, it just fell right out. We must have made at least ten phone calls that morning, because she just had to tell everyone her big news.

It was fun to see her so excited over this milestone, but I have to admit, I was a little sad. It was a reminder that she is growing up so fast and that she won't be my little girl forever.

Although my sweet little daughter did mention that she was going to be very sad to give her tooth to the Tooth Fairy, because she was going to miss it, and she was worried that her tooth might miss her as well. Only Ella could be concerned about the welfare of her lost tooth!

She may be growing up, but she has not lost her sweetness.

Piggy Tails

2011-10-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

Lily finally has hair that is long enough to put into tiny little pig-tails. I love doing her hair all girly and cute and it totally changes the way she looks.

Enjoy some cuteness:

One Year Ago: More Bad News and Some Good News

2011-10-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

One year ago we were headed back to the hospital for the last time. This visit was to see what was going on with Lily's heart and organs. Kids with CdC can have problems as part of their disorder and so the doctor recommended a full work up. We spent most of the day in different hospital rooms watching Lily hooked up to lots of different machines waiting for a doctor to explain what the results to all of these different tests meant.

We found out that Lily did have a heart defect and that there was not much we could do but wait and watch. It was frustrating, not fully understanding what was going on with her health, but we did feel a sense of calm and peace about it. Some how this news did not cause me worry and so we moved on to the next set of tests.

We finally got some good news towards the end of the very long day, and we found out that Lily did not have any organ defects, it was nice to finally hear some good news. This hospital visit had not been nearly as emotional as the last visits had been, and it felt like a relief to know everything, to be out of the in between.

It had been a long few months and this was the end. The end of doctors, the end of tests, and the end of waiting.

Of course with every ending there is a beginning, and we were about to begin a new journey...

Recipe 29: Peach Pie

2011-09-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

1 T apricot preserves
5 cups fresh peaches, sliced
1 cup sugar
1/3-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4-1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t almond extract
2 T butter
2 T sugar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Stir together flour, 1 cup sugar, and cinnamon and set aside.
Wash, peel, and slice fresh peaches.
Mix together peaches with almond extract and combine with dry ingredients.
Brush apricot preserves onto pastry-lined pie plate. This will help keep the pastry from getting soggy.
Turn peach mixture pastry-lined pie plate and dot with butter.
Cover with top crust, cut slits in it, seal the edges.
Sprinkle top with 2 T sugar
Cover the edges with foil to prevent over browning; remove foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake 35 - 45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the slits in the crust.
Let cool then serve with vanilla ice cream.

I found this recipe at Daily Blue Plate Special and I thought it turned out so yummy! I used the pie crust from recipe 28 and it all turned out exactly as I had hoped for. This recipe was very easy to make and because I got my peaches for such a great deal it wasn't too expensive to make. I know this pie is no where near healthy, but it was so worth it!

****

Recipe 28: All Butter Crust

2011-09-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

This crust was AMAZING! It tasted so good and it was perfectly golden and flakey. I will never use another pie crust that doesn't contain all butter. I also thought that it was pretty easy to make, considering that it was my first. If it can turn out this well the first time with me, anyone can make this recipe with no problems. This recipe is probably not the cheapest one I could find and considering it takes almost 4 sticks of butter, I am almost positive you could buy a pre-made crust cheaper. But I promise this one will taste 100 percent better. This recipe is also not really healthy, but I will rationalize to myself that it is better than at least store bought kinds because it doesn't contain any trans fats or preservatives.

****

Things Are Okay

2011-09-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

It wasn't that long ago that things felt like they could never return to normal. There was a time that I wasn't sure if I could be happy again, or have the life I had so envisioned for myself. I will never forget the day we went to the doctors and the happy little life I thought I had just seemed to vanish.

A few days ago I was folding laundry in the kitchen, Ella was doing her homework, Hunter was working on a puzzle, and Lily was happily playing in her highchair. The house was clean and there were church hymns playing on the radio. Things were peaceful and I was happy. In that moment I flashed back to that day and I realized that not much has changed. A lot of things in our lives have changed, but the things that are really important, the things that bring me joy, have not.

Fall is still as wonderful as it was before, Halloween is just as fun as it used to be. Being a room mom, making crafts, and baking pies (recipe coming soon) still brings me a sense of accomplishment. And a clean house and a morning workout still energizes me. There were so many things that I thought I wouldn't be able to do, and so much I thought I was going to miss out on, but that day in the kitchen helped me realize something; all of the things I love to do and the things that give meaning to my day are still possible. Right now I am filled with gratitude for all that I have and all that I am able to do.

I still have the life I envisioned for myself and things really are okay.

One Year Ago: Last Shred of Hope

2011-09-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

One year ago, we headed back to the Children's hospital to have another doctor's appointment and to get the full results of Lily's FISH study (the chromosomal study). After we got the phone call, I was pretty depressed, but I still had one shred of hope left. I still believed that there was a small chance that we could come to this appointment and learn that Lily was going to be okay. Maybe we would learn that while she was missing part of her 5th chromosome, it was only going to be a small little piece and she would just have some small delays (which I had heard could happen). Or maybe even better we would learn that all of this had been a mistake, and Lily was going to be just fine.

I held onto this little straw of hope like it was my last sip of water in the desert. I prayed and bargained with Heavenly Father for a miracle, and I pleaded for this to have the happy ending I so desired. After a long month of going back and forth between despair and hope, we walked into the doctor's office, ready to hear whatever news they had for us.

My little straw of hope soon burned out, the doctors told us that Lily was going to be a "typical" child with CdC. I still don't know what this means, but I do know that it wasn't the answer I wanted to hear. The doctors could give us little answers and I really didn't know what to expect for Lily's future.

After our four hour drive home, I was mentally and emotionally exhausted. I had reached a new level of sadness and heartache, because now there was nothing left to hang on to. My hope was gone.

The weeks passed and we settled into our new life. The first couple of days after we got home were the worst. The pain and anxiety I felt was like weight on my chest. But every day got a little better and every week got a little easier. I had a few very spiritual experiences that brought me a lot of comfort and peace, and I soon started to realize that Lily was not just her diagnosis. She was a sweet, happy, easygoing baby. She was also a fighter and very motivated.

I also found out that I can still have hope. I could have hope that Lily would roll over, or crawl, or sit up and right now I have hope that she will walk and say her first words.

I have hope for her every day!

Stretching Our Dollar

2011-09-20T22:20:00.001-07:00

I have a great friend, who I have always admired for being so frugal and resourceful, and when she told me she was getting into coupons, I decided that she should teach me all of her secrets. So she gave us an impromptu lesson and I have to admit I was pretty skeptical at first. Won't I spend more money than I will end up saving? Can I buy things I really need, or will I end up with a pantry full of cat snacks? Is this going to be a full time job where I do nothing but cruise grocery stores? I was not interested in coupons if the answer to any of these questions was yes.

My friend convinced me that using coupons doesn't have to be like this, and I can actually make coupons work for me. So while I am not a crazy, extreme, coupon lady, I have learned how to stretch my dollar a little further. I can now buy things like toothpaste and toilet paper at my local grocery store much cheaper than I could buy them at Costco, I really can buy things I need and use, and it really has not taken up that much time.

I will keep you updated on my future money saving adventures!

Goodbye Summer

2011-09-15T21:26:00.001-07:00

Goodbye Summer, you will be missed.

The Wonder Years: September 11, 2001

2011-09-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago on September 11, I was just starting back at school for my third year. I was just getting back into the swing of things and classes had just started the week before. My roommate and I decided that we would wake up early and hit the gym before we had to be in class.

I remember getting on the treadmill and seeing the news program airing on the television above me. It looked as though an airplane had crashed into one of the towers of the Trade Center. No one on the news really understood what we were watching and I remember thinking that it was so sad that a plane could hit into a building. Was it a private plane? Was it commercial? Did the pilot have a heart attack? All I could think about was the poor people on the plane and in the building that were apart of this horrible accident.

A few minutes later as we were watching everything live, I saw another plane crash into the second tower. Everyone in the gym as well as on the news gasped with horror. This was now obviously not an accident, this was very intentional. My thoughts quickly turned from wondering if the pilot had a heart attack to wondering what in the world could possibly be going on.

My roommate and I quickly returned back to our apartment so we could turn the news on there and to tell our other roommates what we had just seen. We were all glued to the television even though we technically had classes starting soon and should have been getting ready. None of us could pull away and we all suddenly felt the need to contact our own loved ones.

My mom answered the phone right away and she told me she was also watching the news. She also told me that my dad would not be flying to New York this morning and I felt relieved to know he was safe at home. It was during this conversation I got a better idea of what was going on and who these terrorists were. I also started to understand how big this really was.

As my roommates and I continued to watch the news, things only seemed to be getting worse. There was another plane that had crashed into the Pentagon, and then another in Pennsylvania. One of the towers had collapsed... and then the other tower too. How could this be happening? How much more was there? How many crashes were going to take place? Where was the next one going to be? There seemed to be so many questions and so very few answers. We were all somber and we could sense the panic and chaos taking place a whole time zone away from where we stood.

Classes had been canceled that day, and it was a relief to not have to go anywhere or to focus on anything other than the news. Everything seemed surreal and I just couldn't believe what was taking place. The world seemed different, I felt different, and I knew by the end of that night, things were forever changed.

Recipe 27: Peach Cobbler

2011-09-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

This recipe was really yummy, but it just didn't look right and when I did more research I think I should have made sure to use self rising flour instead of all purpose. It still tasted great though and I will make it again to see if I can get it right. It was also great to use some of the many peaches we had and it was really easy to make.

****

http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/09/12/made-by-you-monday-66/

These Boots Were Made For Walking

2011-09-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

The kids were playing so cute the other day and decided they wanted to dress up. I am not sure what they were dressing up as, but they sure were having fun. Both of these boots belonged to my mom back in the 80's and she saved them so that her grandkids could play with them one day. The funny thing is I totally remember playing in these boots myself!

Recipe 26: Whole-Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

2011-09-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
Cooking spray
2/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

Directions

Make the dough.

Measure out 1 1/4 cups very warm water and check the temperature; it should be 120 degrees F to 130 degrees F. Combine both flours, the dry milk, egg, canola oil, honey, salt, yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix 3 minutes on the lowest setting, then increase to the next highest setting and mix 5 more minutes. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Let it rise.

Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough has nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Soak the raisins.

Dry raisins will rob moisture from the bread, so soak them first in boiling water until plump, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Fold the dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Picture it as a loose square. Lift up one side of the dough and fold about one-third of it across; press down on the dough with spread fingers to remove any air bubbles. Repeat with the remaining 3 sides of the dough.

Add the filling.

Mist two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide the dough in half; roll out each half into an 8-inch square. Brush each square with canola oil, then sprinkle with the cinnamon (it's high inantioxidants!), brown sugar and raisins.

Form the loaves.

Roll up each square of dough into a tight cylinder; place seam-side down in the prepared pans. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough fills the pans and springs back when touched, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Bake the bread.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the loaves with canola oil and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

This recipe was really yummy and pretty easy. It does take some time, but as far as making bread I thought it was very doable. I also like that it uses whole wheat so it adds some extra nutrients. My kids liked it especially with the home made butter, but they didn't like the actual raisins in it (of course). It was also not very expensive and it was great to have it on hand for breakfast.

****

I am linked up at: Whipperberry

One Year Ago: The Baby Shower

2011-09-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

One year ago I was planning a baby shower for my sister. I had decided to plan this before anything even started with Lily, but I wanted to see it through and make sure she had a great experience. It was really hard to focus on anything especially planning something that was going to take place in another state. Mike was out of town and I was staying up at my parents house. It had been a long week, everything was moving in slow motion and I just didn't want to do anything. I avoided neighbors and friends, I stayed away from church, and I pretty much just wanted to hide out. I spent every waking second thinking about Lily and what was going to happen to our whole family. There was no break from my thoughts. If I saw anyone with more than 3 kids I would instantly think, "how did they have 3 kids with no complications?" In my new world this just didn't seem possible. When I saw pictures of our family before Lily was born, I would think, "this picture was before our lives changed drastically". My life was now broken into two: Before Lily and after Lily. I was in despair and nothing could make me feel normal or happy.

It came time to head to my sister's house and spend the weekend there for the baby shower. I tried to occupy my time with the small details but I just couldn't shake out of my depression. My mom tried to convince me to do some retail therapy, and usually this may have been a nice distraction, but even in the midst of Children's Pottery Barn, I could not get excited. I could not get excited about Halloween costumes, and I could not get excited about Fall decorations. I felt tired and worn down and on the brink of tears constantly. How would I ever feel joy again?

The night of the Baby shower arrived and I tried to put on my happiest smile and pretend that nothing was wrong. Not all of my extended family knew what was going on and I was just not ready to share the details yet. It wasn't because I was ashamed, but I just knew that I couldn't talk about it without breaking down. It took every ounce of strength and energy I had just to keep the tears behind my eyes the whole night, let alone having to discuss it with people. Although, one bright spot of the evening ended up being that it was one of the first nights that I didn't think about what was going on every second of every minute and it actually turned out to be a nice little distraction. This had been my first real experience outside of our protected little bubble and I had managed to get through it, I even managed to have an okay time too.

Maybe things would get better...

Fools Rush In

Healthy Recipe 1: Green Smoothie

The Wonder Years: Some of My Childhood Memories

Time For Some Change

Disneyland 2011

Christmas 2011

52 Recipes Completed

Happy New Years: Welcome 2012

Recipe 52: Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe 51: Chili Mac

Ingredients

Cooking Directions

Elf On A Shelf

Merry Christmas 2011

Recipe 50: Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

¼ cup butter1 tablespoon vegetable oil½ cup corn kernels4 tablespoons granulated sugar1 teaspoon fine grain salt (sticks better to the popcorn)¼ teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

Recipe 49: Pizza Waffles

Recipe 48: One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

Recipe 47: Homemade Gingerbread

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe 46: Molasses Sugar Cookies

Recipe 45: Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Recipe 44: Cider Wassail

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe 43: Caramel Corn

Ingredients

Directions

May Your Days Be Merry and Bright...

Recipe 42: Homemade Honey Butter

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe 41: Cranberry Muffins

Directions

Recipe 40: Pizza Pie

INGREDIENTS

Recipe 39: Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

Thanksgiving 2011

Love Actually Is All Around

Recipe 38: No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Recipe 37: Salsa Chicken

Directions:

Beware: The Sign-Up-Sheets

Recipe 36: Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

Can't Help Falling In Love

Recipe 35: Homemade Tortillas

Ingredients

Preparation Instructions

A Spooktacular Halloween

One Year Ago: Leaving the Party Early

Recipe 34: Yummy Mummy Pizza Faces

Recipe 33: Open Faced Chicken Sandwiches

Weekend Getaway

Redneck Shindig

Apple Picking

Cupcake Party

Recipe 32: Caramel Apples

Recipe 31: Homemade Caramel

Caramels:

Recipe 30: Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

Preparation

Goodbye Tooth

Piggy Tails

One Year Ago: More Bad News and Some Good News

Recipe 29: Peach Pie

Recipe 28: All Butter Crust

Things Are Okay

One Year Ago: Last Shred of Hope

Stretching Our Dollar

Goodbye Summer

The Wonder Years: September 11, 2001

Recipe 27: Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup corn kernels
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine grain salt (sticks better to the popcorn)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon