Day13-When good manners hurt...

In the kitchen today, about 3:45

The youngest: Mom, can I please have another after-school snack? I'm so hungry!

Me: You just had fruit snacks and part of your brother's chips. Didn't you eat your lunch?

The youngest: No. Everything was orange or fish! It was gross. I didn't eat anything.

Me: You didn't eat any of it? Didn't the lunch ladies get mad? I thought you weren't even allowed to go to recess unless you ate something.

The youngest: No, they weren't mad. I don't want to hurt their feelings. All I have to do is rub my tummy and say, "Thank you, but I had a big breakfast." They always smile and let me leave.

Me: Wow. You need to stop the sweet-talking and start eating your lunch.

The youngest: (Whiney voice) Okay. What's for dinner?

Me: I'm making Chicken Alfredo with vegetables.

The youngest: (now holding his tummy..) Thank you, but I had a big lunch.


Happy truthful Monday, friends :)

Sweet Saturday

"School, writing, and paying the bills is good, but enjoying the interaction with that little family you and your husband made is something that is very very special. You all are good people." 

I was gifted this bit of advice from a friend I have reconnected with recently. I received a genuinely kind note from them after the death of my grandmother in June and we have been talking back and forth ever since.

I had been busy running around, worried about lots of different things lately: errands, work, my husband's work, my shop, some friends, my children's school....a whirlwind of everything, when I got that message in my inbox.

Have you heard the statement, "God is always on time."? Well he is. A friend I haven't seen since 1988 found the words I needed to read. Words I needed to live. My family is my most cherished possession, yet I was beginning to take it all for granted..

I felt like I hadn't had the permission to put the people that live in this house first. Like other things should matter more. How could that be? And then I realized... it was me who was not allowing the priorities. I'm going to work really hard at righting that wrong...anyway, I wanted to acknowledge that "aha" moment and thank B., my very wise, brand-new, old friend.

First up? Being present with my middle child, who helped me in the kitchen making our Fantasy Fudge". The rest of the family? They did their part: making it disappear...together. :)

Enjoy your weekend, friends :)

Fantasy Fudge- As always, vary as you like :)

Ingredients:

2 bags of peanut butter chips (or butterscotch, Carmel, or vanilla chips)
2 small cans of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated!)
1 bag of chocolate chips (bittersweet or milk)
1/2 cup of crushed peanuts (or Heath bar bits, marshmallows or pretzels), 1/4 extra for topping

any size pan (glass or metal.) smaller pan for thicker fudge, cake size pan for @1 inch thick fudge
tin foil to line pan
glass measuring cups or bowls to microwave chips in
rolling pin and baggie to smash filling in or just buy crushed peanuts.
Mixing spoons, large knife for cutting
microwave
fridge

 

line baking pan with foil...

#1. Melt two bags of peanut butter chips in the microwave. Use 30 second intervals, stopping to stir each time. It usually takes me three intervals.

#2 Slowly stir in 2 cans of condensed milk

#3 Crush peanuts or other fillings and slowly incorporate those into the batter. You have to work somewhat quickly as the mixture can start to harden.

#4 Pour mixture into a foil-lined pan. Put the pan into a refrigerator for about 45 minutes.

#5. Melt 1 to 1 and a half cups of chocolate chips in the microwave. Intervals of thirty seconds.

#6. Spread onto top of refrigerated mixture.

#7. Use your favorite toppings while the chocolate is still melted. We like peanuts or crushed pretzels for a salty-sweet treat. Return to fridge for another 30 minutes....You can wait, I know you can!!

#8. Remove from the fridge, cut into manageable squares. The fudge is really rich. Put onto parchment paper to solidify a bit. I use cupcake cups. 

Enjoy! They last about 2 days out...As with everything sweet at our house, I have no research beyond that time frame :)

Oui Oui!!

Today was a beautiful day. A little sun, a light wind and people beginning to walk a little slower through the neighborhood. Ah, Spring is coming, I just know it. As I type this I'm remembering back to this past Saturday...when we were gifted with a foot of new snow. Ugh. The eldest went sledding with her friends, and our two boys decided to help their dad dig out the driveway. The youngest is sick of shoveling and he's only six. Unless he plans a move to somewhere near the equator, the boy might as well learn how to de-ice the steps and shovel around his sister's car.

While they stayed busy with the cold activities, I stayed in and made hot cocoa and soup. Who doesn't love soup on a cold day? I decided on French Onion Soup. It is one of my favorite kinds of soups to make and eat. It also happens to be one of the only things with the word "french" in it that I know how to cook.

You want "french" fries? Map quest yourself to the nearest McDonald's. Want "french toast?" Give my grandma in Michigan a call. She not only makes the best french toast, she can cut it up like a samurai warrior; faster than you can ask for syrup. You want "french vanilla bean ice cream? I can give you the number of our Schwan's man. Their ice cream is to die for. ....but until then, give this a try. It is a wonderful, comfort food. I hope you like it.

Ingredients for French Onion Soup (feeds 5)

1 medium onion (white)

2-3 purple onions. I'm not sure why I use different onions, I just always have.

1-2 boxes of beef broth or stock- this depends on whether you like your soup more liquid-y (add two boxes) I like mine more dense, so I use one.

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 to 1 cup of a red wine. Sherry is often used as well as a port. I used what I had-This was a deep red zinfandel. 1/2-1 cup in the pot, however much is left can be used for a glass...

1/2 stick of butter, salted

pinch of sugar

A stiff loaf of french or Italian bread

Parmesan cheese

Gruyere or provolone cheese 

1. Skin and chop onion in to small slices. Put all onion pieces and butter into a pan and let them sweat at medium heat. The purple color of the onions will fade. At this time,  I add a pinch of sugar to the onions and let caramelize at the bottom of the pan.  You can flip the onions until reduced.

15-20 minutes

2. Slice up your bread and lay flat on a cookie sheet. You can butter the tops and spread about a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on each one. Set oven at 350 degrees.

3. When onions are reduced/soft (not burned), add 1/2 to 1 cup of the wine to the onions and stir in the pan, making sure to pick up the caramelization from the bottom. I do this with a side of a fork. If you do not like or have wine, feel free to use condensed beef broth in its place. If using wine, remember, you need to simmer the liquid between 45-60 minutes to completely burn of the alcohol. (I'm feeding kids..) Of course, we are also broiling the soup- but keep that in mind. Many people are under the impression that the alcohol automatically burns off.

4. Put the bread in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted...

5. Add broth and Worcestershire sauce to the onion soup pan. If your pan is not big enough to hold soup, transfer to a bigger pot. The man loves mushrooms soaked in the wine/onion mixture, so they are sharing the stove top for a bit.. When the soup starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for as long as you'd like. I usually start assembling the soup after 45-60 minutes of simmering. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. After sixty minutes,  pour the soup into oven-safe bowls. On top of that,  set one of the cheese breads you made earlier. Now, you can lay the last piece of cheese on top of the bowl, covering the soup. As you can see, none of my bowls are the same. Someone in the family doesn't like wet bread. Another person doesn't like melted cheese (WHAT?) Another likes double bread...You'd think I run a Denney's...
Anyway, set these bowls on a cookie sheet and broil for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on the cheese and don't let it burn. When nice and brown, take out of the oven and cool just a bit. Warn kids that the bowls are HOT!!! Serve with extra bread and crackers. As picky as the family is, they at least agree that the onion soup is yummy and fun to dip the extra bread in. Oh, they kind of like that I fed them at all.. For now....

Do you make onion soup? Do you have an idea on how to improve the recipe? Are you ready for barbecues and picnics yet? Uh huh. Me too.....

Happy Thursday, friends :)

Valentine Crunch

Hello!
It is a gorgeous day outside today. I'm so happy to see the sun!

The eldest and middle child brought us breakfast this morning from McDonald's. Double yoga today, but it was glorious to not have to cook and make a mess.

So what did I do with the rest of the morning? I cooked and made a mess..... :(

Not really. It was more like microwave and "melt" and spend time with my husband and the youngest. Not too shabby, if you ask me.

Since it's Valentine's weekend, I figured I better use up some of my baking stuff. Yesterday, my kids and I made and decorated cookies. Today we made up Valentine Crunch and tomorrow I'll be baking up cupcakes for the man to take to his workers on Monday.
We are on sugar overload.....I hope my neighbors are hungry...



Valentine Crunch Ingredients

Baking Sheets
Parchment or Wax paper
Meltable discs in Chocolate and Vanilla (use a color that matches the holiday. I used pink)
Mini Chocolate chips
Bowls or squeeze bottles for melted discs..
toffee sprinkles (you can buy these by Wilton, or crunch up Heath bars)
3-4 bags Microwave popcorn. I used Smartpop, because I love the irony...

1. Lay out parchment paper on cookie sheets. This helps during clean-up and flipping the popcorn later. Microwave all the bags of popcorn.

 2. Sift through and discard all unpopped kernels. Perfect job for the husband...

 3. Melt one flavor of the candy discs in the microwave according to package and transfer into a squeeze bottle. If you don't have one, simple drizzle liberally onto the popcorn with a spoon. While the candy is"wet", sprinkle toffee pieces and mini chips on to the mixture.

 4. Take another cookie pan and Flip the popcorn onto it's other side. Then melt the second color candy disc and repeat step three.

5. Let dry and transfer into individual bags or boxes.
I had some leftover candy hearts and sprinkled those on as well. You can also add nuts or carmel if you like.

Now, give it away to the ones you love. If you're like me and love the heck out of yourself, make something warm to drink, sit yourself down to read a magazine, watch some TV or write up a blog post.!!

Happy Valentine's Day, friends :)

Are you kidding me?

Oh, I knew I'd use the name of this post sooner or later...

Hello friends,

Being that it's the third day of the year AND a Monday, I thought I'd get off to a rousing start on the whole "organization" goal I set for myself in 2011 (aka this morning.)  I figured I'd start with 2 cupboards I use in the kitchen for storing my baking stuff. Confident and full of energy, I saw this- 

 and this.....

Yup. And there are two more just like it on the bottom. Ugh. So, I started cleaning out some of the contents and began to see  a pattern....Amongst the flour, sugar and cupcake liners,  I found these- (organized for your pleasure on apparently the only surface I own)...

This leads me to a question. Can one EVER own enough chocolate, coffee or frosting? I'm going to say no. No, one cannot. Especially when  one is a stay-at-home mom of a teen, a tween, AND a six-year old. Some days are hard, man.

 I'm frustrated.

 I'm embarrassed.

 I'm hungry.


I stuffed it all back. Yes, I did.  Organization will have to wait. I thank God that I have cupboards filled with yummy foods, but I thank Him even more for the doors on those cupboards.

 Happy Monday, friends :)

Soup's On!

Hello, friends!

Let me just take a moment to say another huge thank you to all of you who are enjoying the blog. I love reading your funny and kind comments on here and on Facebook. As I've stated before, I am very blessed to have a good family and great friends....

It is cold out, kids! We're expecting another snowstorm, so for the most part we're living on hot chocolate and soup. I thought this might be a good time to share one of my favorite recipes. Chicken Noodle Soup. I know a lot of you make your own versions, but if you don't,  give this one a try. It's a keeper. As always, exact amounts of ingredients can vary. Feel free to add or take away anything in the recipe- You can rarely go wrong with soup :)

 You'll need-

-A bag of frozen or dry thick noodle pasta. Definitely cook these before you mix to make the soup. They will turn into a nasty mush if you add them raw. I boil them with 1 tsp of parsley.
-3 cans of chicken broth or stock
-2 cups of fresh or frozen diced cooked chicken. I use Schwann frozen diced chicken. It is precooked.
-3 celery stalks, diced
-1 medium onion diced
-2 cups sliced carrots. .
-1 TBS of chopped Garlic
-1tsp Oregano
-1 tsp. Thyme
-1-2 Bay leaves

 In a frying pan with a little broth, reduce onions, celery and garlic.

I use a gallon size baggie to mix the chicken, sage, thyme and oregano.

 Microwave carrots before chopping. It's a lot easier.

 Mix in carrots, chicken and a can of broth into reduced veggies... Simmer until softened. I usually am boiling the noodles at this time. They take about 20-30 minutes to cook...

 Add cooked noodles and remaining broth into that crock-pot...

 Add all of the contents from the frying pan, along with your Bay leaves... Set to low...cook as long as you want. Ours stays on all day until it's gone. I always keep extra broth on hand to add throughout the day.

 Serve with croutons or crackers and salad. Enjoy!! You can freeze the soup and reheat in the microwave....

 Again, we don't always have this kind of time. It's definitely a lazy-day kind of food...


 So you don't doubt my white-trashiness, know that I am NOT above serving this.....

...



....

Don't be jealous of the paper bowls OR my TRIX cereal- prize spoon. I only show you this because I am fresh out of sporks and wet wipes.

Stay full and warm, friends!

Baby, it's cold outside..

Hello, friends! Well, the first measurable snow has fallen today. In fact, it is still falling. I can't really complain because we had a gorgeous Autumn. We also live on a mountain bench. And, it is the second week of November. It was inevitable.

Even though I'm not a fan of the cold, I am really excited to get to start cooking and baking again. While the outdoor-sports people are likely doing backflips today, I am devouring the cookbooks and pantry. While they are getting all kinds of exercise, I'll be putting on that extra-layer of fat. A girl has to stay warm, right? Moderation...I know.

The first things I make in winter are hot drinks.

Our family loves them all. Hot cider, hot chocolate, hot tea, hot double-carmel lattes.. (okay, that last one is mine). You get the idea. One of our favorite cold weather drinks is hot wassail. Our version of wassail is a citrus/apple/spicy concoction.

In case you're feeling chilly, I'd like to give you the "kind-of" recipe. I say, "kind-of" because I never really make it the same way twice. There aren't any true measurements and sometimes I substitute one item for another. Still, the basic concept is the same. Give it a try. Once you taste it, you may not mind the cold, blowing snow outside :)

Winter wassail-
I make mine in a crock-pot on low and let it go all day. If running low, feel free to add to the liquid at anytime.

8 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups orange juice
2 apples, cut up into chunks
2 clementines, peeled, divided into parts. I use the parts, not the rind.
3 whole cinnamon sticks, 
1/4 tsp of whole cloves or 1/8 tsp. of ground cloves
1/4 tsp. apple pie spice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Start with the cut up fruit in a bowl. Mix it with all the spices, save for the whole cinnamon sticks.
Put the fruit mixture in the bottom of a crock pot. You can do the mixing directly in the pot. I like to make the biggest mess possible :(

Layer cinnamon sticks on top. Pour the juices over the mixture and cover it up. Set it on low for one to two hours. Like anything made in a crock pot, the longer you can wait, the better it will be. Enjoy!

At any time, I add or substitute this recipe with lemonade, pears, peaches, pumpkin pie spice, or for my Michigan friends, a can or two of Vernors. The carbonation is fantastic. You can top the wassail with your favorite whipped cream and cinnamon. If you don't care to stay warm, (who are you?) you can also top it off with vanilla ice cream.

On days when you can't possibly find the time, but would love something warm to drink, try these. They are very, very good :)

Do you make something similar at your house? Any suggestions on improving the recipe? Let me know!



Keep warm, friends :)